Further reading about the Chakras

Look at my downloads page to find recordings of previous chakra workshops!

Below is a list of books and audio that I can recommend for learning more about the vast subject of the chakras. There are so many books on the subject now that it boggles the mind, but much of what is out there is shallow and following a commercial trend, so I have limited this list strictly to the books I think are most practical. I have given them a five-star rating according to my personal appreciation of them, based on their level of practical application and, of course, quality of information.  Click on the title for a direct link to Amazon.com

 The Chakra Bible: The Definitive Guide to Chakra Energy - by Patricia Mercier  - **** This is an excellent book to start with, as it gives an overview of nearly all aspects of the Chakras. Not much depth, but useful for quick reference, and take the word "definitive guide" with a grain of salt...

Energy Anatomy - by Caroline Myss - ***** Recorded workshops - A really useful look at how to understand the chakras and apply that to your life - very practical as a guide for personal transformation - tough love!
  
Advanced Energy Anatomy - by Caroline Myss - ***** Another great series of talks, this time adding a lot of information about Archetypes into the mix.

The Subtle Body, by Cyndi Dale - **** This book gives a great overview of all the major energy systems and traditions, with a section on the chakras.

The Book of Chakras: Discover the Hidden Forces Within You - by Ambika Wauters - **** A really good look at the symbolism and meaning of the chakras on many levels, making it a good basic reference guide.

Chakras and Their Archetypes: Uniting Energy Awareness and Spiritual Growth  - by Ambika Wauters - *** A useful in-depth look at how the different archetypal energies are reflected in the chakras.

Chakra Balancing- by Anodea Judith - **** Workbook and CD are provided in this practical kit for working with issues in your own life through the chakras.

The Chakra System - by Anodea Judith - ***1/2  An audiobook read by the author explaining her understanding of the chakras through 30 years of working with them.

Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System (Llewellyn's New Age Series) - by Anodea Judith - *** Somewhat more esoteric that the rest, but worthwhile.

Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System As a Path to the Self - by Anodea Judith - *** Interesting look at the psychology behind the chakras.

The Sevenfold Journey: Reclaiming Mind, Body and Spirit Through the Chakras - by Anodea Judith and Selene Vega - *** Theory and practical exercises for personal transformation.

Chakras: Energy Centers of Transformation - by Harish Johari - **** Provides the traditional Hindu understanding of the chakras, somewhat esoteric - not for casual interest!

Chakra Yoga: Balancing Energy for Physical, Spiritual, and Mental Well-being - by Alan Finger -**** A good way to integrate the concept of the chakras into a hatha yoga practice, by a lovely teacher.

Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth: Book 2 - by Peter Kelder - **** I recommend book two as it covers the same basic info about the Five Tibetan Rites as book one, plus it has good advice on breathing and health issues.

The Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power - by Christopher Kilham - **** A good guide to the Five Tibetan Rites with an explanation of the chakras and how they are affected by the sequence.

Om Namo Shivaya!

A balanced view of the current debate on who "owns" yoga

Yoga, as it is practiced now, is a mix of several techniques, including some Western ones, a historian has said.

Meera Nanda, visiting professor of history of science at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, says for most Indians, yoga is a living symbol of their way of life, like apple pie is to Americans. But, she adds, they are unaware that the yoga of today can't claim Vedic antiquity.

In an article in Open magazine, she writes: "Lately, Hindus in America have started flying the saffron flag over American-style yoga, which consists largely of yogic asanas and stretches. The leading Indo-American lobby, Hindu American Foundation (HAF), has recently started a vocal campaign to remind Americans that yoga was made in India by Hindus… The purist Hindu position, articulated by the HAF, is that all yoga, including its physical or hatha yoga component, is rooted in the Hindu religion/way of life that goes all the way back to the Vedic sages and yogis."

In Nanda's words: "There is only one problem with this purist history of yoga: it is false. Yogic asanas were never ‘Vedic’ to begin with. Far from being considered the crown jewel of Hinduism, yogic asanas were in fact looked down upon by Hindu intellectuals and reformers—including the great Swami Vivekananda—as fit only for sorcerers, fakirs and jogis."

She says Western gymnastics and body-building techniques show up in the world-renowned Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa schools of yoga.

"Far from honestly acknowledging the Western contributions to modern yoga, we Indians simply brand all yoga as ‘Vedic,’ a smug claim that has no intellectual integrity," she writes.      

She disputes the 'Take Back Yoga' movement, and says "Yoga is to North America what McDonald’s is to India: both are foreign implants gone native."

Nanda says, "By and large, the US yoga industry does not hide the origins of what it teaches. On the contrary, in a country that is so young and so constantly in flux, yoga’s presumed antiquity (‘the 5,000-year-old exercise system’, etcetera.) and its connections with Eastern spirituality have become part of the sales pitch."

Following articles and blog posts appearing in The New York Times and The Washington Post, HAF’s Shukla and New Age guru Deepak Chopra got into a spat. Shukla complained the yoga industry wasn't giving credit to Hinduism, and called Chopra a "philosophical profiteer", while Chopra argued that yoga existed in "consciousness and consciousness alone" much before Hinduism.

Nanda describes both views as "equally fundamentalist". She explains: "The reality is that postural yoga, as we know it in the 21st century, is neither eternal nor synonymous with the Vedas or Yoga Sutras. On the contrary, modern yoga was born in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. It is a child of the Hindu Renaissance and Indian nationalism, in which Western ideas about science, evolution eugenics, health and physical fitness played as crucial a role as the ‘mother tradition’."

By her reckoning, "the physical aspects of yoga were hybridised with drills, gymnastics and body-building techniques borrowed from Sweden, Denmark, England, the United States and other Western countries."

Nanda writes: "Contrary to the widespread impression, the vast majority of asanas taught by modern yoga gurus are not described anywhere in ancient sacred Hindu texts. Anyone who goes looking for references to popular yoga techniques like pranayam, neti, kapalbhati or suryanamaskar in classical Vedic literature will be sorely disappointed…. The four Vedas have no mention of yoga….The Upanishads and The Bhagvad Gita do, but primarily as a spiritual technique to purify the atman."
Nanda says BKS Iyengar’s Light on Yoga alone teaches 200 asanas, while the 14th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika lists only 15 asanas, as do the 17th century Gheranda Samhita and Shiva Samhita.

She also credits the Mysore palace under Krishnaraja Wodiyar IV (1884-1940) for the popular revival of yoga in India. She recalls: "The Maharaja, who ruled the state and the city of Mysore from 1902 till his death, was well known as a great promoter of Indian culture and religion. But he was also a great cultural innovator, who welcomed positive innovations from the West, incorporating them into his social programmes. Promoting physical education was one of his passions, and under his reign, Mysore became the hub of a physical culture revival in the country."

She concludes: "The HAF’s shrill claims about Westerners stealing yoga completely gloss over the tremendous amount of cross-breeding and hybridisation that has given birth to yoga as we know it. Indeed, contemporary yoga is a unique example of a truly global innovation, in which Eastern and Western practices merged to produce something that is valued and cherished around the world… Hinduism, whether ancient, medieval or modern, has no special claims on 21st century postural yoga. To assert otherwise is churlish and simply untrue."

From Yahoo! India News

Shanti Mantra - the Vedic Peace Chants

Shanti Mantras

Translation by Sri Swami Shivananda
The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh

Om sarveshaam swastir bhavatu
Sarveshaam shantir bhavatu

Sarveshaam poornam bhavatu
Sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah
Sarve santu niraamayaah

Sarve bhadraani pashyantu
Maakaschit duhkha bhaag bhavet

Meaning:

Auspiciousness (swasti) be unto all; peace (shanti) be unto all;
fullness (poornam) be unto all; prosperity (mangalam) be unto all.

May all be happy! (sukhinah)
May all be free from disabilities! (niraamayaah)

May all look (pashyantu)to the good of others!
May none suffer from sorrow! (duhkha)

Om asato maa satgamaya
Tamaso maa jyotir gamaya
Mrityor maa amritam gamaya

Meaning:

Lead us from the unreal to the Real
From darkness to Light
From death to Immortality

Om poornamadah poornamidam
Poornaat poornamudachyate

Poornasya poornamaadaya
Poornamevaavashishyate

Meaning:

That (pure consciousness) is full (perfect); this (the manifest universe of matter; of names and forms being maya) is full. This fullness has been projected from that fullness. When this fullness merges in that fullness, all that remains is fullness.

- Peace invocation -Isa Upanishad

Om sham no mitrah sham varunah sham no bhavatvaryamaa
Sham na indro brihaspatih sham no vishnururukramah

Namo brahmane namaste vaayo twameva pratyaksham
Brahmaasi twaameva pratyaksham brahma vadishyaami

Tanmaamavatu tadvaktaaramavatu
Avatu maam avatu vaktaaram.Om shantih shantih shantih!

Meaning:

May Mitra, Varuna and Aryama be good to us! May Indra and Brihaspati and Vishnu of great strides be good to us! Prostrations unto Brahman! (Supreme Reality). Prostrations to Thee, O Vayu! Thou art the visible Brahman. I shall proclaim Thee as the visible Brahman. I shall call Thee the just and the True. May He protect the teacher and me! May he protect the teacher! Om peace, peace, peace!

Om saha naavavatu sahanau bhunaktu
Saha veeryam karavaavahai

Tejasvi naavadheetamastu maa vidvishaavahai
Om shantih shantih shantih

Meaning:

May He protect us both (teacher and the taught)! May He cause us both to enjoy the bliss of Mukti (liberation)! May we both exert to discover the true meaning of the sacred scriptures! May our studies be fruitful! May we never quarrel with each other! Let there be threefold peace.

Namaste sate te jagat kaaranaaya
Namaste chite sarva lokaashrayaaya

Namo dvaita tattwaaya mukti pradaaya
Namo brahmane vyaapine shaashvataaya

Meaning:

Salutations to that Being, the cause of the universe! Salutations to that Consciousness, the support of all the worlds! Salutations to that One Truth without a second, which gives liberation! Salutations to that pure, eternal Brahman who pervades all regions!

Om yaschandasaamrishabho vishwaroopah
Chhandobhyo dhyamritaat sambabhoova

Sa mendro medhayaa sprinotu
Amritasya devadhaarano bhooyaasam

Shareeram me vicharshanam
Jihwaa me madhumattamaa

Karnaabhyaam bhoori vishruvam
Brahmanah Koshoasi medhayaapihitah

Shrutam me gopaaya
Om shantih shantih shantih!

Meaning:

May He, the Lord of all, pre-eminent among the Vedas and superior to the nectar contained in them, bless me with wisdom! May I be adorned with the knowledge of Brahman that leads to immortality! May my body become strong and vigorous (to practise meditation)! May my tongue always utter delightful words! May I hear much with my ears! Thou art the scabbard of Brahman hidden by worldly taints (not revealed by impure, puny intellects). May I never forget all that I have learnt! Om peace, peace, peace!

Om aham vrikshasya rerivaa
Keertih prishtham gireriva

Urdhwapavitro vaajineeva swamritamasmi
Dravinam savarchasam

Sumedhaa amritokshitah
Iti trishankor vedaanu vachanam
Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Meaning:

I am the destroyer of the tree (of samsar; worldly life). My reputation is as high as the top of the hill. I am in essence as pure as the sun. I am the highest treasure. I am all-wise, immortal and indestructible. This is Trishanku’s realisation. Om peace, peace, peace!

Om aapyaayantu mamaangaani vaak
Praanashchakshuh shrotramatho

Balamindriyaani cha sarvaani sarvam brahmopanishadam
Maaham brahma niraakuryaam maa maa brahma niraakarod

Niraakaranamastva niraakaranam me astu
Tadaatmani nirate ya upanishatsu dharmaaste

Mayi santu te mayi santu.
Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Meaning:

May my limbs, speech, Prana, eye, ear and power of all my senses grow vigorous! All is the pure Brahman of the Upanishads. May I never deny that Brahman! May that Brahman never desert me! Let that relationship endure. Let the virtues recited in the Upanishads be rooted in me. May they repose in me! Om peace. peace. peace!

Om vaang me manasi pratishthitaa
Mano me vaachi pratishthitam

Aaveeraaveerma edhi vedasya ma aanisthah
Shrutam me maa prahaaseer anenaadheetena

Ahoraatraan samdadhaami ritam vadishyaami
Satyam vadishyaami tanmaamavatu tadvaktaaramavatu
Avatu maam avatu vaktaaram avatu vaktaaram
Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Meaning:

Let my speech be rooted in my mind. Let my mind be rooted in my speech. Let Brahman (Supreme Reality) reveal Himself to me. Let my mind and speech enable me to grasp the truths of the Vedas. Let not what I have heard forsake me. Let me spend both day and night continuously in study. I think truth, I speak the truth. May that Truth protect me! May that Truth protect the teacher! Let peace prevail against heavenly, worldly and demoniacal troubles. Om peace, peace, peace!

Om bhadram no apivaataya manah.
Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Meaning:

Salutations! May my mind and all these (the body, senses,
breath etc.) be good and well! Om peace, peace. peace!

Om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah
Bhadram pashyemaakshabhiryajatraah

Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih
Vyashema devahitam yadaayuh

Swasti na indro vridhashravaah
Swasti nah pooshaa vishwavedaah

Swasti nastaarkshyo arishtanemih
Swasti no brihaspatir dadhaatu.

Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Meaning:

Om, O worshipful ones, may our ears hear what is good and auspicious! May we see what is auspicious! May we sing your praise, live our allotted span of life in perfect health and strength! May Indra (who is) extolled in the scriptures, Pushan, the all-knowing Trakshya, who saves from all harm, and Brihaspati who protects our spiritual lustre, vouchsafe prosperity in our study of the scriptures and the practice of the truths contained therein! Om peace, peace, peace!

Om yo brahmaanam vidadhaati poorvam
Yo vai vedaanshcha prahinoti tasmai

Tam ha devmaatma buddhi prakaasham
Mumukshurvai sharanamaham prapadye<

Om shantih, shantih, shantih!

Meaning:

He who creates this entire universe in the beginning, and He about whom the Vedas gloriously praise and sing, in Him I take refuge with the firm faith and belief that my intellect may shine with Self-knowledge. Om peace, peace, peace!

Om vishwaani deva savitar duritaani paraasuva
Yad bhadram tanma aasuva

Meaning:

O all pervading, Supreme Lord, the effulgent Creator, we place our faith and trust entirely in Thee. Keep away from us all that is evil and bestow upon us all that is good.

Om agne naya supathaa raaye asmaan
Vishwaani deva vayunaani vidvaan;

Yuyodhyas majjuhu raanmeno
Bhooyishthaam te nama-uktim vidhema.

Meaning:

O Supreme Lord, who art light and wisdom, Thou knowest all our thoughts and deeds. Lead us by the right path to the fulfilment of life, and keep us away from all sin and evil. We offer unto Thee, O Lord, our praise and salutation.

Tvamekam sharanyam tvamekam varenyam
Tvamekam jagatpaalakam svaprakaasham;

Tvamekam jagatkartu paatruprahartru
Tvamekam param nishchalam nirvikalpam.

Meaning:

O Thou my only refuge, O Thou my one desire, O Thou the one protector of the world, the radiant One. O Thou the creator, sustainer and dissolver of the whole world, O Thou the one great motionless Being, free from change and modification.

Vayam tvaam smaraamo vayam tvaam bhajaamo
Vayam tvaam jagat saakshiroopam namaamah;

Sadekam nidhaanam niraalambameesham
Bhavaambhodhi potam sharanyam vrajaamah.

Meaning:

O Thou eternal all-pervading witness of the whole universe, we meditate on the one Truth. We silently adore Thee and offer Thee our salutation. We take complete refuge in that one Almighty Being, the basis of everything, self-supporting and supreme, a vessel in the stormy sea of life

Om dyauh shaantih Antariksham shaantih
Prithivee shaantih Aapah shaantih

Oshadhayah shaantih Vanaspatayah shaantih
Vishvedevaah shaantih Brahma shaantih

Sarvam shaantih Shaantireva shaantih
Saamaa shaantiredhih Om shaantih, shaantih, shaantih!

Meaning: (two interpretations)

By Swami Shivananda, Rishikesh

O Supreme Lord, Thy celestial regions are full of peace and harmony; peace reigns on Thy earth and Thy waters. Thy herbs and trees are full of peace. All Thy forces of nature are full of peace and harmony. There is peace and perfection in Thy eternal knowledge; everything in the universe is peaceful, and peace pervades everywhere. O Lord, may that peace come to me!

Meaning By Swami Abhedananda, Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, India

May peace radiate there in the whole sky as well as in the vast ethereal space everywhere. May peace reign all over this earth, in water and in all herbs, trees and creepers. May peace flow over the whole universe. May peace be in the Supreme Being Brahman. And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.

Om peace, peace and peace to us and all beings!

2011 - The year of your transformation!

We are entering an exciting new year with the beneficial and expansive energy of a solar eclipse at the new moon on Tuesday (January 4th), bringing into your life new ideas, people and opportunities that can lead you to a greater expression of your true self and purpose. Make the most of this energy for transformation in this New Year, and have the courage to make the changes you are being called to make!

Choose to see any dissatisfaction with your life and world around you as a catalyst for change, rather than something to be feared or complained about.  Transformation can only happen when we are uncomfortable with life as we know it - be creative, stretch yourself, and know it will all be fine. Love is the answer to each and every situation the universe pushes you into.

We all have the potential to awaken spiritually, and the energy of transformation is speeding up this year and next - so use it! Your worth is not measured by your CV, your salary or your house. Find your worth in how you contribute to the people and world around you, through a true expression of your self. You will be richly rewarded for a life lived in the service of others. Breathe and expand into the infinite possibilities that you are here to represent in this life. 

Join me in India from 18-28 March for a deeper immersion into this transformative work, as well as spectacular Himalayan scenery, tigers, elephants and daily yoga practice in fresh mountain air. We will also spend several days in Rishikesh with Surinder Singh, a wonderful yoga teacher who will touch your heart. The itinerary will be available this week.

May this new year bring you and your loved ones good health, much love and many blessings.

Love and light,
Susan

Basics of Ayurveda

From a workshop led by Susan Hopkinson - 1 February 2009

Medicine and philosophy need not be separated. Ayurveda teaches that each person is unique, and is born with a body that has unique characteristics and idiosyncrasies. Every constitution is different, and therefore what works for one person is different to what will work for another.

From birth, we begin to modify our bodies according to what we eat, the medicines we take, the climate and seasons, where we live, and a variety of other factors such as environmental hazards, stress due to personal circumstances and relationships, as well as cosmic factors like the cycles of the moon.

There is no fixed formula for eating nor minimum daily requirements. Ayurveda is not concerned with calories and vitamins, but rather the digestibility of food. Ayurveda, like many other traditional medicines, maintains that most disease stems from problems in the digestive system. It divides digestion into three stages: the stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine.

Food that is assimilated in the stomach is used very quickly for the building of fluids, blood and lymph. Food assimilated in the small intestine affects mainly muscles and fat. That which is assimilated in the colon is used to regenerate the skin, bones, hair, nerve sheaths, reproductive fluids, and the brain.

All proper maintenance requires good digestion and assimilation, otherwise worn out tissues wonʼt be regenerated (i.e., replaced by healthy, new tissues).

Vata is quick, cold and dry by nature. It governs motion, breathing, circulation, elimination and the flow of nerve impulses to and from the brain.

Pitta is hot and precise by nature. It governs digestion and metabolism and the processing of food, air and water, throughout the body.

Kapha is solid and steady by nature. It governs structure and fluid balance and forms muscle, fat bone and sinew.

We all have a certain amount of Vata, Pitta and Kapha in our constitution and while all three of them are active, one or two usually dominate.

VATA: When in balance:
vibrant, cheerful, lively, enthusiastic, clear and alert mind, flexible, exhilarated, imaginative, sensitive, talkative, quick to respond.

When out of balance:
restless, unsettled, light interrupted sleep, tendency to over-exert, fatigued, constipated, anxious, worried, underweight

Vata is aggravated by:
irregular routine, staying up late, irregular meals, cold, dry weather, excessive mental work, too much bitter, astringent or pungent food, traveling, injury

PITTA: When in balance:
warm, loving, contented, enjoys challenges, strong digestion, lustrous complexion, good concentration, articulate and precise speech, courageous, bold, sharp wit, intellectual

When out of balance:
demanding, perfectionist, tendency towards frustration, anger, tendency towards skin rashes, irritable and impatient, prematurely grey hair, or early hair loss

Pitta is aggravated by:
excessive heat or exposure to the sun, alcohol, smoking, time pressure, deadlines, excessive activity, too much spicy, sour or salty food, skipping meals

KAPHA: When in balance:
affectionate, compassionate, forgiving, emotionally steady, relaxed, slow, methodical, good memory, good stamina, stability, natural resistance to sickness

When out of balance:
complacent, dull, oily skin, allergies, slow digestion, lethargic, possessive, over-attached, tendency to oversleep, overweight

Kapha is aggravated by:
excessive rest and oversleeping, overeating, insufficient exercise, too little variety in life, heavy, unctuous foods, too much sweet, sour or salty food, cold, wet weather

General tips for creating balance

Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of good digestion for health and maintains that how and when you eat is as important as what you eat.

• Eat in a settled environment when you are calm and relaxed. Savour your food: always sit down to eat, and avoid TV, radio and reading. Let your attention be on the food.
• Be silent while chewing.
• Be regular in your meal times.
• Enjoy a light nourishing breakfast and eat your main meal in the middle of the day when the digestive fire is at its strongest. Eat lightly in the evening at least 2 hours before bedtime (ideally four hours before).
• Minimize ice-cold food and drink.
• It is best to consume fruit (or fruit juice) separately from other foods.
• Eat moderately: avoid overeating and do not skip meals. Eat only when you are hungry and leave about 25% of your stomach empty as this will aid digestion.
• Wait approximately 4 hours between meals to allow adequate time to digest. This might be less between small meals and more between big meals. Do not eat until the previous meal has been digested.
• Avoid sour foods (yoghurt, soft and hard cheese, buttermilk) in the evening.
• Walk for 10-15 minutes after meals.
• Exercise without strain daily. Leave 30 minutes after exercise before eating and do not exercise energetically for 1-2 hours after a main meal

In Ayurveda there are six tastes or rasas - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Taste is an important guide to achieving balance, and it gives clues as to the pharmacology of food. Generally, all meals should include at least a small amount of each taste.

Examples of foods naturally comprising the six tastes (rasas):

Sweet: Sugar, milk, bread, rice, wheat, pasta
Sour: Yoghurt, cheese, sour fruits, tomato
Salty: Seaweed, salt
Pungent: Spicy foods, cumin, ginger, peppers
Bitter: Green leafy vegetables
Astringent: Beans, lentils, pomegranate, some apples

Dosha-specific recommendations

To balance (decrease) Vata eat foods that are sweet, sour, salty, heavy, oily and hot. Pungent, bitter, astringent, light, dry and cold foods aggravate (increase) Vata.

To balance Pitta, eat foods that are sweet, bitter, astringent, cold, heavy and dry. Pungent, sour, salty, hot, light and oily foods aggravate (increase) Pitta.

To balance Kapha eat foods that are pungent, bitter, astringent, light, dry and hot. Sweet, sour, salty, heavy, oily and cold foods aggravate (increase) Kapha.

Vata diet

Dairy products : All dairy products pacify Vata. Do not take milk with a full meal. Cheese should be soft and fresh, and ideally made from raw milk.

Fruits : Favour sweet, heavy fruits, such as avocados, grapes, cherries, peaches, melons, berries, plums, bananas, sweet oranges, pineapples, mangoes and papayas. Avoid or reduce dry light fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries and dried fruits. Dried fruit can be taken first soaked in hot water. Dates are best taken with ghee (clarified butter).

Sweeteners: All sweeteners are good for Vata (but not in excess).

Beans: Avoid all beans except for tofu, (soybean curd) and mung dal (split mung beans).

Nuts: All nuts are good.

Grains : Rice and wheat are very good; reduce barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye, and oats.

Oils: All oils pacify Vata.

Spices : Cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed, and small quantities of black pepper pacify Vata.

Vegetables : Beets, carrots, asparagus, cucumber, and sweet potatoes are good, but they should be cooked and not raw. The following vegetables are alright in moderate quantities, if cooked and especially cooked with ghee (clarified butter) and Vata reducing spices: peas, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, courgettes and spinach (small quantity). It is best to avoid sprouts and cabbage.

Pitta diet

Dairy products : Ghee (clarified butter), milk, cream, and cream cheese, are good. Avoid salty butter and sour milk, e.g. yoghurt, aged cheeses.

Fruits: Sweet and astringent fruits are good e.g. grapes, pomegranates, bananas, avocados, mangoes. Avoid sour fruit, e.g. most citrus (a little lemon is alright).
 
Sweeteners : White or semi-refined sugars are good. Avoid molasses and brown sugar. Honey can be taken in small quantities.

Beans: Mung dal and soybean are good.

Nuts: Avoid all nuts except coconut.

Grains: Wheat, rice, barley, and oats are good. Avoid millet, corn, buckwheat, and rye.

Oils: Ghee is best for pacifying Pitta.

Spices : Coriander, cumin, ginger (small quantities), turmeric, saffron, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom. Avoid black pepper, mustard seed, cloves, and chillies.

Vegetables : Asparagus, courgettes, cauliflowers, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas and peppers are good. Reduce beets & carrots and avoid tomatoes.

Kapha diet

Avoid large quantities of food, especially at night.
 
Dairy products: Avoid aged cheese. Avoid or reduce other cheeses and yoghurt. Low-fat milk is better. Always boil milk before you drink it, and take it warm. Do not take milk with meal or with sour or salty foods. You may add one or two pinches of turmeric or ginger to whole milk before boiling.
 
Fruits: Favour lighter fruits such as apples and pears. Reduce heavy or sour fruits such as oranges, bananas, pineapples, figs, dates, avocados, coconut, and melon.
 
Sweeteners: Honey is good (not heated above 40C - see below). Avoid sugar products.
 
Beans: All beans are fine except tofu (soya bean curd).
 
Nuts: Avoid all nuts.

Grains: Most grains are fine, especially barley and millet. Restrict use of wheat, rice and oats.
 
Oils: Reduce or avoid all oils. A small amount of ghee (½-1 teaspoons/day) is fine.

Spices: All spices are good but restrict the use of salt.

Vegetables: All are fine, except tomatoes, cucumber, sweet potatoes and courgettes

Special advice

Milk: It is not recommended to take milk with a meal made up of mixed tastes especially salty and sour foods. It can be taken with sweet foods including grains. Milk is easier to digest after being boiled with spices such as ginger, black pepper, turmeric, and saffron.
 
Honey: Do not heat honey above body temperature (max. 40 degrees Celcius). Doing so decreases the benefits of honey and causes it to have a negative impact on health (it becomes a refined sugar).

Food best avoided: Minimize heavy foods (e.g. meats, especially red meat, fish, eggs, aged cheese), refrigerated and ice-cold foods and drinks (they depress digestion), raw vegetables (easier to digest when cooked) and alcohol.

Tea and coffee: Minimize tea and coffee consumption. The negative effects of both can be reduced by adding a little cardamom powder.

GMOs: It is strongly recommended that you avoid food that has been produced using genetically modified ingredients. Genetic modification of food disrupts the intelligence of the food and is very likely to produce subtle negative effects in the long-term.

Organic agriculture: Organic food is strongly recommended. It is more nutritious, more humane, less toxic, better for the environment, and has more sattva-balancing quality than industrially farmed food.

Food preparation

• Eat freshly-prepared food. Avoid leftovers, pre-cooked and fast food.
   
• Food is more easily digested if warm and well-cooked.  Although cooked food has fewer nutrients than raw food, you are able to assimilate the nutrients better via cooked food.
   
• Food should look good and taste delicious.
   
• Food prepared by a happy, settled cook in a pleasant environment will provide the greatest nourishment!

Detoxifying Spice Mixture

          * 1 part turmeric
          * 2 parts ground cumin
          * 3 parts ground coriander
          * 4 parts ground fennel

Mix these spices together in bulk and store in a jar. When you are cooking a meal, place a small amount of ghee in a frying pan and heat on medium. Add detoxifying spice mixture, measuring out one teaspoon of spice mixture per serving of vegetables. Sauté spices until the aroma is released (but be careful not to burn). Add steamed vegetables, mix lightly and sauté together for one minute; or you can sauté the spice mixture in ghee and drizzle on vegetables or grains. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Churna is a blend of herbs and spices which are designed to balance each dosha. You can mix them in advance to keep on hand, or just choose from the list of ingredients and add some or all of them to what you are cooking. It is helpful to use these churnas in their corresponding season, to improve dosha balance. All of them promote good digestion and assimilation of nutrients.

Vata Churna: Sesame, cumin, ginger, asafoetida (hing), coriander, fennel, cardamom, turmeric, red chili, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg. It is warming and calming.

Pitta Churna: Coriander, star anis, saffron, nutmeg, cumin, mustard seed, grated coconut, sesame, fennel, cardamom. It is soothing, cooling, and reduces acidity. Can be used in hot weather to reduce body heat, impatience and irritability.

Kapha Churna: Fenugreek, cumin, coriander, mustard, ginger, garlic, fennel, hing, nutmeg, cardamom, turmeric, clove, red chili, cinnamon, dill, black pepper, aniseed. Helps digest heavier foods like proteins, starches and root vegetables, reduces mucous and gas and regulates digestion.

Aromatherapy

Aromas are also used in Ayurveda to achieve balance. Essential oils can be used in massage, inhalations or diffused to scent a room. Fresh flowers, herbs and spices, incense, and anything other aromas (not synthetic!) can bring great psychological and physical benefits.

Vata is balanced with a mixture of warm, sweet and sour aromas like basil, orange, rose, geranium, clove, and other spices.

Pitta is balanced by a mixture of sweet, cool aromas like sandalwood, rose, mint, cinnamon and jasmine.

Kapha is like Vata, and is balanced by a mixture of warm aromas, but with spicier overtones, like juniper, eucalyptus, camphor, clove and marjoram.

Version française du poeme du Lama Guendune Rinpoche

Le bonheur ne se trouve pas avec effort et volonté,
     mais réside là, tout proche, dans la détente et l'abandon.
Ne sois pas inquiet, il n'y a rien à faire.

Tout ce qui s'élève dans l'esprit n'a aucune importance
     parce que dépourvu de toute réalité.

Ne t'attache pas aux pensées, ne les juge pas.
Laisse le jeu de l'esprit se faire tout seul,
     s'élever et retomber, sans intervenir.
Tout s'évanouit et recommence à nouveau, sans cesse.

Cette quête même du bonheur est ce qui t'empêche de la trouver,
     comme un arc-en-ciel qu'on poursuit sans jamais le rattraper,
parce qu'il n'existe pas, parce qu'il a toujours été là,
     et parce qu'il t'accompagne à chaque instant.

Ne crois pas à la réalité des choses bonnes ou mauvaises.
Elles sont semblables aux arc-en-ciel.
A vouloir saisir l'insaisissable, on s'épuise en vain.

Dès lors qu'on relache cette saisie, l'espace est là,
     ouvert, hospitalier et confortable.
Alors jouis-en.
Ne cherche plus.
Tout est déjà tien.

A quoi bon aller traquer dans la jungle inextricable,
     l'éléphant qui demure tranquillement chez soi.
Cesse de faire.
Cesse de forcer.
Cesse de vouloir.
Et tout se trouvera accompli.
Naturellement.

Lama Guendune Rinpoche (1918-97)

Take it easy!

This delightful poem by a Tibetan yogi captures the essence of tantra - enjoy!

Happiness cannot be found through great effort and willpower,
     but is already present in open relaxation and letting go.

Don't strain yourself; there is nothing to do nor undo.
Whatever momentarily arises in the body mind
     has no real importance at all, has little reality whatsoever.
Why identify with, and become attached to it,
     passing judgment upon it and ourselves?

Far better to simply let the entire game happen on its own,
     springing up and falling back like waves -
without changing or manipulating anything -
     and notice how everything vanishes and reappears,
magically, again and again, time without end.

Only our search for happiness prevents us from seeing it.
It's like a vivid rainbow which you pursue without ever catching,
     or a dog chasing its own tail.
Although peace and happiness do not exist as an actual thing or place,
     it is always available and accompanies you every instant.

Don't believe in the reality of good and bad experiences;
     they are like today's ephemeral weather, like rainbows in the sky.

Wanting to grasp the ungraspable, you exhaust yourself in vain.
As soon as you open and relax this tight fist of grasping,
     infinite space is there - open, inviting and comfortable.

Make use of this spaciousness, this freedom and natural ease.
Don't search any further.
Don't go into the tangled jungle looking for the great elephant
     who is already resting quietly at home in front of your own hearth.

Nothing to do or undo,
     nothing to force,
nothing to want and nothing missing -

Emaho! Marvelous!
Everything happens by itself.

by Lama Gendun Rinpoche, Karma Tarchine Lundrup Buddhist Monastery, Biollet, France