February 28, 2012

Affirming My Body


Today, I want to thank my body for supporting me all the time, so often I have taken my body for granted, I have not treated it well, I have swallowed junk food, creating problem for my stomach. I have neglected my legs, not walking enough, using the bike all the time to complete my tasks.

I have spent time sitting for long in front of the computer with deadlines, not giving rest for my eyes and allowing my body to sit for long wanting to finish my work.  I forget to drink water and have  not been breathing correctly.

Learning yoga and meditation has done a lot of good to my body, I compare my body with the bike I use, if I do not give it for servicing, I am bound to have trouble with my bike.  So every quarter I ask the mechanic to wash my bike, check the brakes, change the oil and do a thorough servicing, and I am happy to ride again.

I feel the same now; especially after the 10 day session on Yoga and Meditation. I am happy to start my day with Yoga, followed by meditation. I came in early enough to walk for 20 minutes. I packed healthy food, fifty percent of it is raw, and I filled the bottle with water so that I do not forget to drink throughout the day, while I work. 
I am happy with these changes, and I love my body, and I  accept it as it is, look after it, and am gentle and kind with it. 

Some of the affirmations I use for my body!
 ·         I LOVE MY BODY
·         I ENJOY FEELING GOOD ABOUT THE BODY
·         I ACCEPT MY BODY AS IT IS
·         MY BODY IS HEALTHY AND IS FUNCTIONING IN A VERY GOOD WAY
·         I HAVE ABUNDANT ENERGY, VITALITY AND WELL BEING
·         I AM FILLED WITH ENERGY TO DO ALL ACTIVITIES IN MY LIFE.
·         I AM FIT AND HEALTHY
·         I HAVE LOT OF ENERGY
·         I LOVE TAKING GOOD CARE OF MYSELF
·         I LOVE MYSELF AND I AM PERFECTLY HEALTHY
·         ABUNDANT HEALTH AND WELLNESS ARE MY BIRTHRIGHT
·         I AM HEALTHY AND HAPPY

Be Healthy & Be Happy!

February 22, 2012

Yoga & Meditation for Health


I began this year 2012 with learning meditation, from the Art of Living Group, and have been happy practicing sudharshan kriya, technique that teaches us to breathe correctly, with a combination of yoga and meditation.  Since, then I have been thinking of learning Yoga, as I learnt a few of the exercises that are very useful and relaxing.  

I started looking around for a teacher, who can teach me – since I work at the university, I thought, I must find something closer to my place of work and accordingly schedule my time either in the early hour or evening hours.

I also desired that once I learn, I must encourage Dorothy my daughter and David my husband to learn as I found it helpful for me, for it has kept me healthy.  While I gave up looking for it, and started walking every day, thinking when I find the place, I will join.  

Meanwhile, my son’s special educator came home one day, and left a pamphlet with us, that stated that there is a 10 day course on Yoga and meditation at a community hall where I live, just 10 minutes away from my residence.  He invited us and encouraged my husband to come for this programme. 

I saw this as an opportunity for myself, so I spoke to David and we decided to join the course.  Unfortunately the timing was not convenient for David; hence he suggested me and Dorothy to attend this progamme, so we enrolled ourselves and joined this class for ten days.

The programme was in telugu, and the session was theory & practice, the Guruji taught us some physical exercises which has to be in coordination with our breath, and he also taught us to meditate, how to choose food, what to eat, and after fifth day, he put us on a fiber diet for dinner.

Wherein every day after our practice we were given a diet, which consists of fresh fruits, sprouts, nuts, mixed vegetables and curd, and most of the things were raw, on the first day, Dorothy found it difficult and she did not want eat, and left some of it for me to eat. 

She enjoyed the exercises, but was finding difficult to sit through the discourse. Some how she managed to attend, and the  next day I gave her  a small plate to serve herself, so that she could take less, and little by little she started enjoying the dinner.

I was wondering whether we would be able to complete the 10 day course, but since the desire was strong, we managed and completed the course. On the last day we were given a drink, that had a lot of herbs in it, this drink completely cleansed our body, and made us feel light and good.

I am thankful to my husband, who allowed me and Dorothy to attend this programme, and most the time came to pick us up as it was closing around 9p.m. every day.

When I look back, I am so happy, because the information that I was searching for, came right inside my house, and fulfilled my desire of not only learning Yoga, but also providing space for my daughter and motivation for my husband to make some small changes in our lives.

"A grateful person trusts enough to give life another chance, to stay open for surprises."
                   Brother David Steindal-Rast




I found this site very helpful to get the right quotations, on gratitude, please visit this site!
<a href="http://www.happylifeu.com/Gratitude-Quotes.html">Gratitude Quotes</a>


February 16, 2012

Story of a Rock


This is a short story from a guru who is a yoga teacher, when some students were complaining of aches and pain; he wanted the students to learn the value of being persistent in learning the art and also disciplining themselves. This is what he said, once upon a time there was an architect who was passionate about sculpting, and he used to make lovely images on the rocks, working day and night cutting, chiseling, shaping it up and giving the final touches till he was satisfied.

So as he walked towards a mountain, he found plenty of rocks, he was fascinated and inspired to do something, he looked at a rock, and was inspired to bring something beautiful out of this rock, so he took it aside and started working on it, cutting, chiseling, shaping and trying to make an image of a diety, while he did that the rock could not withstand the work of his hands, it was breaking up and was not shaping up the way the architect wanted to.

So he left that rock unfinished, and moved to another rock, and started all over again, cutting, chiseling and shaping it up, and to his amazement he found a beautiful sculptor that emerged from his work – a fine deity.   While he left, there were some people passing by the mountain, and they were impressed with the beautiful deity which the architect has made, so they made a small shelter and started worshiping , bowing down, soon it became popular place for people to come, sing songs, adored the deity with flowers, burn incense and  worship.  

 Some people wanted to break coconuts, hence, they found the rock which was left aside, and pushed it in front of the deity and started breaking coconuts on this rejected rock.The rock that was rejected saw the deity and told, both of us are rocks, how is that you are adored by flowers, incense and I am hit & beaten everyday by people who break coconuts on me. 

The deity rock replied it’s because I allowed by self to be cut, chiseled, hammered & shaped day in and day out, that today I am being honored.

What a beautiful insight, the more we allow newer experiences in our lives to cut, chisel and shape us, the more beautiful and honored we become.

This little story left me thinking on what are the excuses I make in my life? & what am I afraid to explore in order to become what I am created for… …  Today I am daring to think differently, and take small steps: to exercise more,   to improve my eating habits, to be kind to myself, to stop judging people, and be  persistent in my efforts  for newer experiences of life !

Be Blessed & Be Happy!
 
  This picture  is from free images available on the net - I am grateful to the author.

February 14, 2012

My Visit to Mangalore


I am happy for the opportunity in my life, especially in the first month of the year to go for a Master Training programme on HIV&AIDS counseling.  I did have the basic information about this subject, but it’s been a long time, since I read or spoke about it, as my present position leaves me listening to students and provides me space to organize training in counseling, and be involved in research activity. 

I was really thrilled when my head asked me to go to Mangalore for a 6 day training, it was a surprise, and I was not sure, whether I would manage leaving my daughter during school time, and be off for a training like this – I thought about it deeply, and with encouragement from my head and my husband’s assurance, I was able to make up my mind to attend this programme.

To my surprise, my daughter adjusted so well at home in my absence, and my husband took care of her so very well, I felt stupid worrying for nothing, I learnt to relax and trust  my husband and mother in law, who managed the home in my absence, and also understood that it’s all in my mind, it’s my own pre conceived ideas that stops me from growth, stops me from moving, and taking risks in life.

I am glad for this time, for it helped my daughter and husband to bond with each other, and also provide space for my own learning, for which I am eternally grateful to God, I believe that everything happens for a purpose, and this learning was all a part of the greater plan God has for me. 

It gave me opportunity to interact with more people in my life, listen to different concerns, and also to learn a little more about how to care for those who infected with HIV&AIDs. There were different speakers and topics revolving around counseling, and every person had something beautiful to offer.
 
I feel better equipped as trainer, and more confident in dealing with this subject. Some of the exercises enabled me to take a inner ward journey especially on grief counselling –this session made me look at grief and feel the pain, the loss, the emptiness and the void one feels after death especially with those who die of AIDs, it touched my heart and I was speechless for a moment – it helped me to understand what actually is “EMPATHY” which is so commonly used in counseling.  

There were also sessions on  Gender & sexuality, Orientation to HIV/AIDS counseling, stages and process of counselling, basics of family planning methods, Counselling Micro skills, PPTCT issues in counseling, care and support – challenges of care givers- home based care, opportunistic infections, overview of mental health issues among people living with  HIV/AIDS, Nutrition counselling, Counseling adolescents at the ICTC, counseling women, grief and bereavement counseling, Crisis intervention and problem solving, positive looking and beyond, legal and ethical issues in counseling.

 There was good food every day, I enjoyed the variety being served, and there was fish, prawns, chicken and everything had coconut in some form or the other, there was also two three, types of rice’s, white, brown, and boiled, there was also the kerelite specialty  of idly, neer Dosa, Appam, vada and  added were the sweets, which was delicious. Evening hours, I went out with participants for window shopping, and some days I preferred to spend time with myself in the hotel, which made me think, reflect and enjoy my own company.

I reached back, happy for this whole new experience! and here I am ready to continue my journey with gratitude …….. Expecting many more unexpected experiences to make my life meaningful and fulfilling ..

Be Blessed & Be Happy !

February 7, 2012

To All My Girlfriends with Love


Thanks Divina for forwarding this to me, I read this before, I find this is true,  I am  inspired to post this today and share with all my Girl Friends!

They teach at Stanford

A thought to share...and sooooo true… "I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture was on the mind-body connection-the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head  of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things  that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman whereas for a  woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her  relationships with her girlfriends. 

At first everyone laughed, but he was serious. Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality “girlfriend time" helps us to create more serotonin-a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being.  Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. 

They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes. Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes.  But their feelings?-rarely.  Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our sisters/mothers, and evidently that is very good for our health.  He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym. 

There’s a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged--not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking! 

So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health! We are indeed very, very lucky. Sooooo let's toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it's very good for our health.

I am healthy and happy because of my girl friends in my life, they are always there for me at different times in my life, I have learnt and grown  so much in life because of them, each and every one  of them have been a great gift in my life, and still are a blessing to me – I cannot imagine my life without my girl friends, for all my women friends – thank you for being a part of my life ! I owe a lot to you!  Love you all!

Be Healthy & Be Happy!

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