Community and children

 Yoga means  “union,” to join together, to be in union with our selves and to be in community with others.  Children naturally model community to us and are already tuned up to yoga. Have you noticed how children do yoga poses spontaneously in whatever activity they are engaged in?  At the same time they are totally absorbed in an activity - present and peaceful.  They have the natural innocence, wonder and ability to be in the moment with themselves, other children, family and friends. Children bring calmness, creativity and joy to every moment whether they are doing a yoga class, playing with friends or just quietly reading a book.

the esoteric meaning of a community

While we are only perceiving our own personal interests, we miss the opportunity to develop a part of the heart that is a foundation to overcome  the seductions of the ego and the temptations of thinking of ourselves only. One of the inevitable exercises that life gives us is the opportunity to connect, wrestle, elevate and inspire through a community.

The concept of community is not fixed. It is something that grows within us, as we expand our awareness and our heart`s capacity for compassion. I remember that my first concept of community arose when I was aware that I belonged to a family and that family was interacting with other families more or less alike, with the same interests and same objectives in life. As I grew I did explore other communities which were in agreement with my points of view and with what I considered to be me. I remember at that time I left home and felt very excited to meet artists and innovative people, whom I felt in synchronicity with.  

Ceremony to Release the Influences of Past Communities

I would like to mention that every community you have touched has an energetic influence on you. The members of each community, whether the community is political, religious, artistic or ecological, carry vibrations that create a specific mandala and template, which create a certain reality within you. The community`s belief system has an impact on your energetic structure. You may not be aware of all of the different communities that somehow influence your life. For example, if you were baptized in the Catholic belief system, you are linked to and influenced by that congregation. And if later in life you decide to explore other religions` beliefs, you will receive different energetic codes, which may debilitate the clarity of your religious perception.

meditation to strength community

This community meditation needs a minimum of 5 people. It will help you to increase your sense of belonging and to reassure you that your energy can contribute to the enrichment of a group. This meditation can also offer support to a group in difficult times. It can strengthen the members` reliance on each other. 

Black heads a problem? A sweet solution

Pinching out black heads is painful and may leave scars. The solution: creamy honey. Unpasturized honey is even better.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
A mid-size pot of water
5 cardamom pods
½ tsp honey
½ freshly pressed lemon juice; optional: aloe vera gel or apple cider vinegar

Method:
1. Simmer water to make a tea with the cardamom, don’t boil
2. Press the lemon juice
3. Measure the honey and put in a small bowl
5. First, open the pores by soaking two face cloths in the warm tea (keep the lid on the keep it warm) and apply on your face for a couple of minutes.
6. If you sweat under the face cloth, that’s excellent. More toxins will come out.
 If the pores are not open by the time your face cloth cools off, soak it again
7. Apply a little bit of honey on your hands and friction to penetrate in the skin until they are quite stick
8. Apply the two palms of your hands wide open of the face and lift them up in a rhythmic way. The skin should lift up too with the stickyness as you gently remove your hands.
9. Repeat until most black heads are gone.
10. Add the lemon juice to the left over tea and rinse your face.

You’ll feel fresh, clean and toned. And since honey and lemon are both antibacterial, the mix will help your skin stay healthy. With a larger recipe, you can treat your whole body.

By Samyukta Blanchet, Face to Grace

supporting your constitution ( kapha)

KAPHA COSTITUTION

Kapha people are blessed with a strong, healthy, well-developed body. They tend to have strong muscles and larger-than average, heavy bones. Because their larger frames are dominated by earth and water, they tend to gain weight and have difficulty taking it off. They also often have slow metabolic and digestive capacities.

Their skin is often smooth, lustrous, and thick and tends to be on the oily side. They have a steady appetite and thirst, and can comfortably skip a meal and work on an empty stomach. Because of their slow metabolic rate, Kapha’s who maintain health and balance generally enjoy a long life span. If they become out of balance however, they tend to become obese, one of the main causes of diabetes, hypertension, and heart attack. Kapha’s have a sweet tooth and love candy, cookies, and other sweet, salty, and oily foods. These foods unfortunately tend to contribute to water retention and weight gain.
Prior to the full moon, Kapha can become aggravated because there is a tendency toward water retention at this time. The most challenging time of year for a Kapha is winter and early spring, when the weather is heavy, wet, cloudy and cold. Vigorous exercise is good for them, but often they have trouble getting motivated for this.
Kapha’s tend to be blessed with a sweet loving disposition, with a stable solidity to them.

Supporting your constitution ( Pitta)

PITTA COSTITUTION

The Pitta body type is one of medium build and height with coppery skin and may have reddish hair. Moles and freckles are common on Pitta skin which tends to be oily and warm.

The average body temperature of Pitta’s tends to be a little higher than that of the other two body types and so they are the people who can feel quite warm when everyone else is feeling cold. They therefore have a low tolerance for hot weather, sunshine or hard physical work. Pitta’s tend to have a strong appetite, metabolism and digestion.
They also tend to have uninterrupted sleep, and excellent powers of comprehension and concentration. Their memories are sharp, and they have good logical, investigating minds that love to solve answers to problems.
Often wise and brilliant people, they can also have controlling, dominating personalities. They can be critical of themselves and others, especially when aggravated. The summer is the most challenging time for Pitta’s to stay in balance and extra care should be taken at this time.

A Pitta out of balance will tend to:
Be related to heat and fire. They are therefore prone to fevers, inflammatory diseases, acid indigestion, excessive hunger, jaundice, profuse perspiration, hives and rashes, burning sensations, ulceration, burning eyes, colitis, and sore throats, irritability, anger, and sometimes having a ‘temper’.

SUPPORTING YOUR BODY TYPE (Vatta)

vatta people need affection and touch

The secret to contacting your inner energy is the creation of balance, this questionnaire and information will reveal your own individual mind/body system. Knowing your “dosha” will facilitate the application of your diet and life style.

THE VATTA COSTITUTION
Vata people have light flexible bodies, so they tend to be slim or underweight. Vatas generally have dry skin tending toward roughness. Their circulation can be poor resulting in cold hands or feet.
Because this dosha is dry, light, and mobile, they do well to add the opposite into their diet and lifestyle. Spring (wet) and summer (hot) are therefore months Vatas tend to do well in.

Vatas have variable appetite and thirst as well as variable digestive strength. Vata can therefore often experience digestive difficulties and problems with absorption of nutrients.
Vata individuals tend to interrupted or restless sleep, or insomnia, especially when Vata is aggravated. Vatas are blessed with quick minds, mental flexibility, and creativity.