“Hope is nature’s way of enabling us to survive so
that we can discover nature itself.” Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Yoga is the practice of union, union with the
universal consciousness and Ayurveda is the practice of living in balance with
nature. Yoga means to yolk, Ayur
means life and Veda means knowledge.
Therefore we can take it that ayurveda is the practice of knowing how to
live life, the knowledge of life and yoga is that which binds it all
together. Both Yoga and Ayurveda
are lifestyles that interweave together like hand in glove they fit so well
together. When I first discovered
yoga it was as if a light had been lit within me, and then later in discovering
ayurveda a second light was lit, and one doesn’t seem to be far from the
other. Ayurveda speaks to every
element and facet of human existence and is applicable to each individual’s
existence. To those of us who seek
a greater harmony and a move away from technology back to nature ayurveda is
there and has been tried, tested and refined over the centuries to bring
greater peace and longevity. I see
so many people these days constantly attached to screens and ‘instant’
information that then leads to aspects of ill health possibly without even
realising it. All this overload of
machines and technology can lead to unsocial behaviour, a tendency to be
withdrawn, low attention spans and lack of concentration, obesity and lack of
enthusiasm, anxiety and stress. Do
we really need this? What yoga and
ayurveda provide us with is a journey back to reality, that which connects us
back to the very nature of what we are, those eight elements of earth, water,
fire, air, space, individuality, mind and intellect. When I am practicing my sun salutations I really do feel
that beautiful flow of energy, which is that universal rhythm, how the sun
rises and fall and we as human beings are part of that same rhythm and if we
want to remain as healthy as we can it is best that we don’t forget it. This universal rhythm is not only what
is surrounding us in the aspect of the elements but also it is what makes our
very being, if you think that you are more than mud then think again. If you think you are more than a blade
of grass growing out of that mud then think again. The key is to watch nature that surrounds us and learn from
her, she is our greatest teacher.
Separating ourselves from nature is a huge mistake and will only lead to
disease of one sort or another.
The practice of yoga and ayurveda takes us back to the source, back to
simplicity and back to health. You
can start with these three simple ayurvedic tips to start to bring you back to
balance and at one with the very essence of life that which you are.
1.Keep a regular routine of waking, eating and
sleeping.
If we look at how the sun and moon rise and fall each
day there is regularity, if we get up constantly at different times, go to bed
and different times, eat at different times, the body becomes confused. A regular routine maintains balance in
the bodies functions. Digestion,
elimination, a better quality of sleep and mentality will be improved by a
daily routine.
2. Lunch should be your biggest meal. If you think about it, it is very
logical; we eat for our energy and why eat a big meal not so long before you go
to bed when the body needs limited energy? Ayurveda advises that when the sun is highest in the sky is
when we should eat our largest meal of the day, this is when our digestive fire
is at its highest. Dinner should
be very light and easy to digest, soups or porridge are ideal.
3.Stop drinking iced drinks. Ice or chilled drinks make digestion
very difficult, if you imagine all your internals are not chilled, they are
body temperature, imagine the shock as something so cold goes into the body and
the effect that has on the organs.
Like a rock that has been in the sun and is hot, if put in very cold
water what would happen to it? It
could easily crack. So let us be
gently on our bodies, drinks that are room temperature are better.
We need to embrace who we are not move away from
that, look at nature and follow her lead, see when the plants are more active
and when they are at rest. Eat
with the seasons. Fighting against
the natural rhythms of the universe means fighting against you very own nature,
this is going to lead to problems.
Learn to live gently, love yourself and the earth around you. The nature around you is the nature
within you, there should be no separation, through yoga and ayurveda you can
shine like the very beautiful light that you are.
Shinning like the sun and moon
Om shanti shanti shanti
Mangala / Nicky
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