Awakening Ganesha

  November 1, 2007                     Monthly  Newsletter                         Volume 37                                 

ABUNDANCE is our theme this month.  It is all around us and flows to us as we open up to receiving.  Reflect on the abundance in your life and notice the feeling of fullness and peace that accompanies both giving and receiving.  We wish you a blessed Thanksgiving Holiday and hope that the month of November brings you lots and lots of abundance!

7 Centers Yoga Arts will be participating in the Community Health Fair at the Cancer Center, 3700 West Highway 89A in Sedona on Saturday, November 3rd from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  It's free and open to the public.  Come and visit our booth. 

On Saturday, November 3rd at 4:00pm chai and cookies will be served as Marnie Gustavson, sister of Ruth Hartung, (Shraddha) talks about her work in Afghanistan.  She is executive director of PARSA which is working to rebuild the health, culture and lives of the Afghan people. 7 Centers is working with PARSA to facilitate a yoga program at one Afghan orphanage in Kabul, using yoga practices for post traumatic stress syndrome. Come and find out more about it and and join us for some tea and cookies!

Note the new offerings this month include a Pranayama and Meditation class on Thursday evenings at 5:30pm.  The class will be taught by Zac Occhiline.  $10 donation.

DON'T MISS Snatam Kaur (Sunautumn) in concert, here at 7 Centers on Friday, November 2nd.  She is appearing with Guruganesha Singh and Manish Vyass ( Prem Joshua)   See more information below for advance ticket sales.  

The Adventures of Lionheart,  Temple Cat

The Sadhana of Eating

There is no question that food tastes best when eaten with your fingers and/or paws. In Vedic thought, paws and feet are said to be channels for the five elements: Space, air, fire water and earth. The thumb represents space, the index finger air, the middle finger fire, the ring finger water and the little finger earth.

When we eat with our hands,the five elements within them begin to transform the food and make it digestible before it reaches the mouth.

The ancient Vedic and cat tradition of eating with the hands derives from mudra practice. Gathering the fingertips of the right paw as they touch the food stimulates all five elements and invites the fire of digestion to bring forth the digestive juices. If we are aware of awakening the fire within ourselves, we digest not only the food but also our thoughts more smoothly. The fire of digestion and the fire of the mind, tejas, work paw-in-paw.

There are six mudras associated with eating. In ghronikah mudra the five fingertips form a petal around a lump of food like head of a bird. In annabhakshana mudra, use the fingertips to pick up a small bits of food, enough to fit on the pad of the four fingers. Use the thumb and claw to push the food forward and onto the tongue. Kangulah mudra is for grasping slender shaped food like grasshoppers or sticks of celery with the thumb, forefinger and mid-finger. Kadambah mudra crouches the five fingers around firm, solid food like an apple or a chipmunk. Mukulah mudra is eating with all five fingers tightly knitted together for grains of rice or insects. Khatakamukhah mudra is with the forefinger, mid-finger and thumb tightly pinched used to measure out spices and condiments in cooking.

Of course there is cleaning afterward with licking each of the fingers to properly appreciate your meal.

Inspired by the writings of Bri. Maya Tiwari, founder of the Wise Earth School.   To contact Lionheart, send email to Lionheart@7centers.com

The Ayurvedic Corner

SURVIVING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

The holidays are full of festivities with friends and family. As a culture we love to overindulge in eating, drinking and partying from October 31st all the way to January 1st.  Even though our intention is to have fun, often times just preparing for the holidays can be stressful. Follow these simple Ayurvedic tips, and get ready to enjoy the season! 

• Start by removing any extra Halloween candy from the house. Mini chocolate bars are too tempting when our energy is running low in the afternoon. Keep healthy treats like dates and almonds on hand.
• We tend to stuff ourselves on holiday meals. Ayurveda says to eat to 2/3 capacity of the stomach. Leave 1/3 empty so that there is room for digestion to take place.
• Chew on fresh ginger and lime 15 – 30 min. before meals to start the digestive juices flowing.  Also, plan to eat the big holiday meals closer to 12 noon, so that the digestive agni is strongest.
• Be aware of incompatible food combinations that can cause ama (toxins).   Ex: platters of aged cheese and fruit,   eggnog with egg and milk,    meat and starches (like turkey, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes)
• Overeating and wrong foods cause Ama to build up throughout the body. This congestion leads to increased chances of catching a cold or the flu in the winter, and is even the cause of allergies in the early spring. 
• Stress from shopping for the perfect gifts, spending beyond our budget, and dealing with family relations can all cause anxiety and disturb prana vata.  Daily meditation, yoga, and warm oil massages can help to rebalance our mental and emotional vata. 
• Take extra turmeric and other ayurvedic bitter herbs to detox the liver after a few too many cocktails or flutes of champagne.
• Follow your 10pm bed  routine as best possible.  Spending too many late nights out with friends or wrapping last minute gifts aggravates pitta. (Yes, New Year’s Eve is an exception!) 

One of the best ways to stay healthy this season is performing an Ayurvedic Pancha Karma Detoxification to clean out all the extra glasses of wine and Christmas cookies consumed.  For more info please contact Avani Robinson at Authentic Ayurveda of Sedona. www.ayurveda-sedona.com (928)284-1114

Ayurvedic Spa Gift Certificates available! 

 Vedic Astrology

Astrological Events in November

There are several major shifts in November 2007, involving the planets Mars and Jupiter. First, the planet Mars will turn retrograde on November 15, 2007 until January 30, 2008. Mars will be retrograde in the sign of Gemini throughout the entire holiday season this year. Mars does not retrograde often, only once about every 2 years.

  In general, when a planet goes retrograde, it indicates a time when the energies of the planet are expressed in a more internal way, and one may have less inclination to express these energies outwardly. A part of the planet’s energy is held back or blocked. As a result, sometimes the outer expression becomes overly exaggerated in order to try to balance the inner doubts or frustrations. Bear this in mind in dealing with Mars, the planet of action, energy, courage, and anger. It is recommended to consciously reconsider one’s response before expressing anger or passion, as emotions could be quite amplified due to previous repression. We also need to re-evaluate actions that have occurred in the past and learn from them, coming from a more balanced, responsible, and courageous place. This is truly a time to really think before we act.

  As Mars is the planet of action, initiate, and the pioneering spirit, this retrograde period may mean that we may not always feel the usual physical energy or stamina that we normally have in order to complete an action or to rise to the challenge at hand. Mars retrograde periods are times when one is less inclined to take action, and sometimes one waits until the last minute in order to respond to a situation.

  Constructively, use this time to review current projects, and determine ways to direct your passion outwardly in healing, uplifting ways. As this retrograde occurs in the sign of Gemini, it will affect our mental energy, so take care in all forms of communications. This is a great time for deeper meditative practices to calm the mind.

  The second event in November involves the planet Jupiter. Jupiter will now move into its own sign of Sagittarius on November 22, 2007, which is Thanksgiving Day. So this Thanksgiving is a wonderful day to be grateful and acknowledge our abundant blessings!

  Jupiter will be in the sign of Sagittarius until December 9, 2008. As Jupiter takes about 13 months to transit a sign, this is an important event. Jupiter is happy in the sign of Sagittarius, and can indicate more focus on humanitarian concerns in the world, inspire one to gain more knowledge of a higher nature, and in general give more blessings in life. Jupiter will now aspect and influence transiting Saturn until December 9, 2008, which can help augment the more positive aspects of transiting Saturn.

Debra Infante, Vedic astrologer, can be reached at (928) 639-0623 for astrological consultations, either in person or by phone. 

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