cleanse

Om Shanti. Shanti. Shanti. Peace. Peace. Peace. We have been a little out of touch with our newsletter subscribers this summer. The firey energy of summer called us to create and continue our work on iHanuman 3.0. Now that the summer is winding down and we transition to fall, we turn our energies toward harvesting the fruits of our efforts. As we put our new website into place, we spent time observing all of YOUR growth and movement during this time. So much has come into being since we launched the first version of iHanuman in the Fall of 2006. We have taken what we have learned and are so excited to offer it up to you all.

Use the heat of your attention to cleanse your consciousness: KRIYA YOGA
Kriya means "action", or "deed"; Kriya practice is the "divine action" of purifying your consciousness.
We are Pure Consciousness. But in the manifest world, as our consciousness mixes with the senses, it is influenced by the limits of those senses. The more the two mix, the more we begin to identify with and believe we are that limited perception of the world.

My sister and I like to go on an annual retreat if we can. This year we return to We Care Holistic Health Center for a cleanse. During my first visit, I was very impressed with the whole energy of this oasis in the the Palm Springs Desert. I attribute this "vibe" in large part to the Center's founder, Susana Belen. Susana took her healing crisis into her own hands and turned it into a program to help others. Most of her philosophies are simple and many of them are typical teachings of the traditional healing methods. One philosophy, however,�Â�  struck me in particular during one of Susana's afternoon classes.

For the past seven months, I have been taking a course with Sacred Plant Traditions. Every month we focus on a different system of the body and relate it the Chinese Medical Philosophy of the 5 elements. This week we enter Autumn and in the Chinese Tradition, this is the season of the Metal Element. The metal element rules the lungs and large intestine. This is one of the reasons why it is beneficial to cleanse during the fall season of the year. It is the time to release that which no longer serves us.

Typically when eliminating or cutting down on foods from your diet, cleansing will help get you to your ideal weight. Whether this is your intention or not, this is generally what occurs. After almost two weeks of cleansing, I noticed ( and so have others ) that I have become lighter. This can be attributed to being more careful about the amount of food as well as the type of food in the diet. In my cleanse, I have eliminated wheat, soy and dairy. These foods are "damp" in the Chinese Medical Philosophy. They are Kapha as described in the Indian Ayurvedic Philosophy, meaning they are heavy, cold and wet.

There is a Buddhist teaching about the second arrow. The idea is this. Life is suffering. Whether you are a Buddhist or not, you will encounter suffering along your path. Whether we like it or not, everyone that we know and love will pass away one day. This is the first arrow. The second arrow is our reaction to the first arrow. What we feel and think about the first arrow is often how we harm ourselves again. But it is our choice.

As much as we all hate to admit it, summer has wound down. However, as I mentioned last month, the late summer season into Fall are my favorite seasons. I say seasons because Ayurveda, the science of Life or sister science to Yoga, claims there are six seasons. The additional seasons are the late summer/early fall and the late winter/early spring.

My first cleanse was dogmatic, rigid and spartan. I appreciated learning this way because it gave me a reference point. What is the most strict way to cleanse and still survive? I was prepared for it, however. I was expecting it to be strict and I wanted it to be strict. I think it is important to learn the purist view before experimenting with what works for you on an individual basis. The first fast I experienced was under the care and tutelage of Hillary Adrian, Director of the Samui Dharma Healing Center. I traveled to study with her 4 times to cleanse for 8, 7, 10 and 14 days respectively.

We have now come to the midpoint of the year, the hottest time of the year, the longest days of the year, the peak of the summer. During these transitional times of year, is the ideal time to rest, cleanse, and reflect on where we are and where we see ourselves headed. Read this beautiful post written by iHanuman Yoga Teacher, Sara Avant Stover, which helps us to formulate an action plan for our goals, dreams and passions. We are happy to have accomplished three of our big goals this year.

September has arrived and is nearing time to put away our summer clothes in preparation for the chillier days and nights of Fall. The change of seasons from summer to fall is the ideal time to "Take Stock" for the Wintertime: assess how we have grown over the summer months, put aside what no longer serves us and begin to save some of our energy for the long winter months ahead.

Spring is the natural time for restoration and renewal. After a season of drawing the energy inward, it is time to undo the stagnation and accumulation of ama (stagnation of toxic particles that clog our energy channels) that has occurred over winter. I just returned from an amazing 3 days at Prama Institute, Marshall, NC (pramainstitute.org), with the most wonderful, brave, curious explorers! We dedicated the weekend to our own journey inward, seeking the truth of our own consciousness, with the help of some great meditations and cleanses. If you are interested in partaking in your own cleanse (cleansing physical, emotional and mental toxins), please click here for some recommendations.