Kundalini Yoga & Yogi Bhajan
My roommate Joanna practices Kundalini yoga, which is used to raise the energy of the soul. It is believed that there is a coil of energy that rests at the bottom of the human spine and that through breathing techniques such as pranayama, mantra, and physical exercises, it is possible to release and use this energy. Yogi Bhajan brought the practices of Kundalini yoga to the West, including the use of food to help support yogic practices and heal the human body. Joanna likes intense, spicy and pungent foods that energize her for practicing yoga. It’s not unusual for me to see her sneak spices into conventionally non-spicy foods (i.e. jalapeno pancakes).
 |
| Kundalini Energy Rising Through the Body |
A Short History of Ayurveda
The use of food for healing purposes is a very old idea. The ancient Indian medical system known as Ayurveda was recorded as far back as 1000 B.C. It is closely connected to both Buddhism and Hinduism and is often used in conjunction with yoga and meditation. Ayurveda literally translates to “the science of life.” According to Angela Hope Murray in her book Discover Ayurveda, “health is defined as perfect balance between body, mind, spirit and the environment; ayurvedic techniques focus on achieving that balance.” Key principles of this system are that the patient is involved with his/her own well-being and there is an emphasis on preventing instead of treating illnesses. This can be done by determining which foods are the most beneficial for your body type.
The Three Doshas:
In Ayurveda there are three main doshas, or energies, that define what kind of physical makeup we have: Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Vata is a combination of air and ether. The nature of this energy is erratic, unable to retain mass and dissipates energy.
Pitta is a combination of fire and water. The nature of this energy is intense with a tendency to dismiss control of both energy and mass.
Kapha is a combination of water and earth. The nature of this energy is laid back and retains mass easily with poor expression of energy.
According to Hope-Murray, all bodies are made up of a combination of these elements and require certain foods to help them balance their energies. What body type are you and what does it mean? Click here to take the quiz.
Food as Medicine
Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa also recognizes our “biochemical uniqueness” in his book Food as Medicine: How to Use Diet, Vitamins, Juices, and Herbs for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life. In this book, he includes specific recipes that can be used for every type of ailment imaginable. He suggests eating raisins for those who are trying to quit smoking, and mint tea and garlic juice to relieve a hangover. From allergies and acne to attention deficit disorder and chemotherapy, Khalsa has foods that will help ease the body through minor difficulties and major trauma. Yogi Bhajan used the same healing practices in the seventies when he opened up a drug treatment facility in Arizona that used food therapy and Kundalini yoga as a path to recovery. His center had a staggering 91% success rate.
Joanna’s Favorite Recipes & Diets from Food as Medicine:
Jalapeno Milk
Exactly what it sounds like: blend two or three jalapenos with 8 ounces of milk for about 20 minutes. The milk and the blending help to take the spiciness down a notch. Jalapeno milk is used for staving off colds, since jalapenos are one of the highest natural sources of vitamin C.
The Melon Fast
The Melon fast is a detoxification and cleansing diet that goes as follows: Eat only cantaloupes for three days. The following three days, eat only watermelons, followed by three days of papayas, followed by three days of lukewarm lemon-honey water. On the last day, drink only water at room temperature. Then reverse the diet, starting with one day of lukewarm water. This diet offers a total cleanse. Cantaloupes have a mild laxative effect, watermelon cleanses the liver and kidneys, and papayas help the intestines and aid digestion. The lemon-honey water is used to rid the body of excess mucus. In theory this diet sounds like a great idea and I’m sure my body would feel amazing afterwards, but I can’t imagine myself being able to get through a whole day of my life without a few hearty helpings of carbohydrates and protein.
The Green Diet
For an entire week last year Joanna ate only green foods. I watched with interest as she sipped green tea and snacked endlessly on kale salads and cubes of honeydew melon, certain that she would run out of ideas and just abandon the diet altogether. But the green diet forced Joanna to get creative and she ended up inventing some unexpectedly delicious and completely satisfying recipes such as asparagus with pistachio-parsley pesto. The green diet is used to obtain balance in the body. It is detoxifying and is great for the liver.
Yogi Tea
The first week that I was living with Joanna I remember being drawn out of my room by the sweet and spicy aroma of yogi tea. Leaning over the pot on the stovetop I peered in at the dregs that looked like a bunch of wet sticks and plants. But the smell was so enticing that I had to try a cup. Maybe it was the lesson that Joanna gave me on the properties of each of the ingredients, but I immediately felt cleansed and invigorated from this powerful drink. I’ve been a tea drinker for a while, but there is a big difference in flavor between the dry little teabags that sit on grocery store shelves for long periods of time, and tea brewed from fresh spices.
Yogi tea is a version of chai tea made with black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, black tea and milk. You can also add a little bit of honey if you like. According to yoga therapy masters, the black pepper acts as a blood purifier, cardamom is good for the colon, cloves support the nervous system and cinnamon is good for the bones. Ginger is good for digestion, controlling inflammation or fighting colds or physical weakness. Milk aids in the easy assimilation of the spices and avoids irritation to the colon and stomach. The tea can be made without milk however, for a more detoxifying effect.
Recipe for Yogi Tea (for one 10-ounce cup)
4 whole black peppercorns
4 whole green cardamom pods
3 whole cloves
½ stick cinnamon
½ inch slice fresh gingerroot
Cover and let boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Then add:
½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon black tea
1 teaspoon of honey
Yogic Principles of Eating and Preparing Food
Prepare Food with Love
Both Dr. Khalsa and Joanna swear by this principle. “Haven’t you ever noticed that when your mom cooks for you it’s always better?” Joanna asked me. She claims that the energy you put into your food while making it effects how it tastes. Food is always better when made with love and positive intentions. Yogi Bhajan encouraged the use of mantras while cooking. Mantras hold the vibration of their meaning, and it’s a very good way to imbue food with positive healing energy for whoever is consuming it. Joanna likes to sing “Raj job takhat deean Guru Ram Dass” while cooking, using the chopping of vegetables as her percussion. Yogi Bhajan claimed that if you say this line 40 times while cooking, your dish will have healing powers.
Acknowledge Where Your Food Comes From & Give Thanks
Before she begins a meal I always hear Joanna whisper “Satnam” and stare thoughtfully at her food, breathing it in. “Satnam is a prayer affirming the trueness in every person and everything,” she says. Before eating, Joanna likes to experience interconnectedness with her food. She thinks about where it came from, about the farmers that grew it, or the animals that contributed to it. This is a practice I’ve come to adopt myself. It’s not easy to slow down and remember to do this every time I eat, but I believe that recognizing the human labor and the effort that went into getting food from the farm to my plate is a small but important way to show my respect and appreciation.
 |
| Joanna Drinking Yogi Tea |
No comments:
Post a Comment