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“Between the banks of pain and pleasure the river of life flows. It is only when the mind refuses to flow with life, and gets stuck at the banks, that it becomes a problem. By flowing with life, I mean acceptance – letting come what comes and go what goes. Desire not, fear not, observe the actual, as and when it happens, for you are not what happens, you are to whom it happens. Ultimately even the observer you are not.”

… Next Viv shares with us her afternoon insights:

 Annabelle’s dhal

Dhal is a staple of most Indian households, and is a favourite nutritional food of many vegetarians – especially those of us on the 40 Day challenge.

The word ‘dhal’ (which means to split) refers to split lentils, peas, chickpeas or beans.

Dhal is relatively easy to make and has two main steps. Step One normally requires cooking dry dhal with water, turmeric, ginger, tomato and salt for around 25-30 minutes. Step Two is a fried garnish using ghee or oil, called ‘chaunk’, which is added to the dhal near at the end of the cooking process.

Different families and traditions use a variety of ingredients for the chaunk, such as cumin seed, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves. Onion and garlic, and dried chilies can be added for non-sattvic occasions.

Dhal is relatively high in dietary fiber, is high in iron and vitamin C, and also contains Vitamen A and calcium. A serving of dhal is 25% protein.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups red lentils, rinsed and checked for small stones
• 3-4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
• pinch of Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric power

Chaunk

• 1-2 tablespoon ghee or oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• A pinch of cloves
• 1 chopped green chili (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic (optional)
• 1 onion, finely chopped (optional)

Garnish

• Juice of one lime or tamarind
• Add chopped coriander to taste
• Add more salt if needed

Some people prefer a slow cooking method to bring out the silkiness of dhal. However is time is an issue you can have a pot ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.

There are three types of students (sādhakas), according to various yoga traditions:

1. Lesser students, called a paśu sādhakas, are often bound by base and animal desires (paśu means animal). On the one hand, these students often are selfish, have uncontrolled appetites, and can be unclean in their personal behaviours. On the other hand, lesser students also crave the fine thing of life, get easily upset when they lose material possessions, are in the constant pursuit of happiness, sometimes seeing themselves as blameless victims of circumstance.
2. The second type of student is the vīra sādhaka (virā means heroic). Vīra sādhakas are helpful in the world, and want to improve their own knowledge and self-awareness. They are ready to leap into action to help improve the lives of others. Heroic students are as satisfied in times of despair, as in time of happiness. They courageously evaluate their own weaknesses, and actively strive for self-improvement.
3. The third type of student is the divya sādhaka (divya means virtuous, beautiful, charming, and wonderful). The divya sādhaka exhibits virtuous, divine qualities, sometimes reminiscent of a deity’s grace. The desire to self-improve does not factor so much into their primary motivations. Rather, virtuous students are occupied with experiencing the sweetness of transcendent reality, and revel in the presence of the divine.

Everybody has a mixture of the three characteristics: animalistic, heroic, and divine. However, at any one time, a student will be more firmly established in one characteristic than another, while progressing from one stage to the next.

When the divya sādhaka fully realizes the cosmic reality present in all aspects of universal existence, they become a spiritual teacher (divya acarya). Rather than taking pleasure in worldly matters the divya acarya seeks to spend more time in a deeply spiritual practice, away from the mundane business of the world.

Each type of student will behave according to their temperament, and must follow their own path of development. Yet, in most cases, divya sādhakas and divya acaryas practice strict vegetarianism.

Nalini Kanta Brahma, author of ‘Philosophy of Hindu Sādhana’ quotes “What is meat for one is poison for another.”

The Kularnava Tantra states (http://www.bhagavadgitausa.com/kularnava_tantra.htm):

Who wants to all of a sudden give up eating meat?  The virtuous person creates specific dietary rules for others and suggests that one can eat meat and drink wine on certain occasions, but not at other times. Conversely, for her or himself, the virtuous person will give up eating meat and indulging sexual pleasure.

Meanwhile, the Srimad-Bhagavatam states (V.7.15.7 http://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/15/7):

“A person fully aware of religious principles should never offer anything like meat, eggs or fish in the śrāddha ceremony, and even if one is a Kshatriya (warrior), he himself should not eat such things. When suitable food prepared with ghee is offered to saintly persons, the function is pleasing to the forefathers and the Supreme Being, who are never pleased when animals are killed in the name of sacrifice.”

 Jenny shares with us her delicious organic bread recipe:

“Since starting the challenge a week ago I have been trying to master my own organic bread. Now I think I’ve got it. Try this:

In a bowl mix:

• 600gm flour ( My last batch I did 450gm wholemeal spelt flour, 150gm rye flour)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• A handful of both chia and linseeds (or whatever you fancy)
•  3 teaspoons yeast
•   1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
•  1 tablespoon brown sugar ( its less than the 10% rule- you need a little for the yeast to grow)
• 750mls warm water
                          

It will look like porridge!

Line a loaf tin with baking paper, and pour into the tin
Place in warm oven of 75C for 40 mins to rise.
Increase temp to 180C for a further 45mins.
I then lifted it out of the tin and returned it to the oven for 10-15 mins so the crust was crusty!
Cool and enjoy. Half batches work fine too if its just one of you.
Because it has no preservatives it does go stale quickly over a couple of days. I slice it and put it in the freezer for toast.
This is cheaper than the bought high grade organic bread- and just as good.

Tonight’s full moon in Scorpio, rising in Wellington at 5:03 pm (99.5% full), represents remembrance and helps us shed light on old memories and past events.

The intensity of this moon, in conjunction with Antares at the red heart of constellation Scorpius (look East), also allows us to examine the connection between previous emotional upheavals and our current patterns of behaviour. The Scorpio moon shines a soft bright light into the dark recesses of our shadow selves, bringing hidden things to light so that we can recover the truth and move into healthier relationships with people who matter, food, consumption of material goods, and of course ourselves.

Simone reports: “Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the benefits of a healthy diet, especially now, having increased my intake of green leafy vegetables. This is why when I see people with fish and chips I am glad I am not eating deep fried fat. That’s what keeps me committed on this 40 Day Challenge.”

Ali comments: Tonight I will be making a special ritual fire after sunset and sending cosmic protection and compassion to all the Challenge yogis and people on the yogic path. I will also be sending special cosmic blessings and gratitude to the kind the people who donated special things this week: Liz (flowers for the shine); Milan (dhal); Jo (Soap nuts); Tatiana (chocolate cake); Maree M (kombucha tea); Gillie (Bay of Plenty lavender); Sue (fresh fruit); Jenny (organic bread); and Mary (Visual diary and pen). Your generosity is a gift that will be shared for the benefit of the many.

Back to the Scorpio full moon: “The ruby Heart of Scorpius [Antares] is the 16th brightest star in our sky and one of the most gigantic stars known… both the Arabic and Latin names for the star Antares mean “heart of the Scorpion. If you see this constellation in the sky, you’ll find that Antares does indeed seem to reside at the Scorpion’s heart.” http://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/antares-rivals-mars-as-the-scorpions-heart

Click to access May-east-2015.pdf

Lastly, in the Northern Hemisphere this full moon is known as the ‘Beltane’ full moon. Beltane is a Gaelic ritual fire festival celebrating the start of the pastoral season, which enhances fertility and growth of cattle and crops.

May we all burn away delusion and live in full cognition of our role as healers, helpers, teachers, and students of life.

Wall classes … Reclaimed stolen bike! … Weekend in the Wairarapa … Challenge confessions …

• Wall Classes

Both yesterday and today, we hit the ‘wall’ and did some challenging postural adaptations. Wall classes are where all the postures are done against a hard surface. This form of yoga makes you realize just how difficult it is to achieve good postural technique. The wall works to support and strengthen the skeletal system, making it harder to cheat any posture!

• Reclaimed stolen bike!

 Ali reports: Today I was walking past the reprobates and vagabonds of down-town Kilbirnie and there was my stolen bike sitting right beside them at Countdown! It wasn’t even locked up. So I grabbed it, and immediately a scruffy busker ran over and said, “that’s my bike miss!” I stood my ground (all 5′ 2″ of me) and replied, “No its not, its mine, and I have given the CCTV footage of the theft to the Police if you want to take it any further.” The busker backed down and all the lowlife no-gooders looked down sheepishly at their rolly cigarettes. The good thing about bike thieves is that they often cursed with foolishness. It feels satisfying to have my blue myka bike back in my possession. Big thanks to Daminda at the Roxy for helping with the CCTV footage. And the techies at Burkes bikes who helped keep an eye out.

• Wairarapa weekend.

Annabelle and Sara gave apologies to the Challenge group and did their yoga, silent contemplation and sattvic eating over in the beautiful Wairarapa. Thanks to Annabelle for sharing her pics! It is great to see you can stay true to the Challenge even when with friends on an away-break.

Also, for anyone visiting Greytown, over in the Wairarapa, you would be well advised to stop in for lunch at Food Forrest Organics, 101 Main Street Greytown. This place has an excellent organic store, and also an beautiful vegan café  with a huge back yard, where they grow organic produce. The food is stunning!

http://foodforestorganics.co.nz  

• Confessions of our Challengers

With week one of the Challenge down, it was time for us to confess any transgressions. For the most part, people stayed on the righteous yogic/sattvic path (Terese was exemplarily)… however there were lapses that needed discussion. Only one person had to pay a penance.

You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny. –Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Ali’s morning meditation in Kilbirnie

This morning I did 30 minutes meditation concentrating on the dew drops on the grass. As I sat in the morning rays, the Doppler drone of traffic wove petrol fumes over the ocean’s background roar.

Sitting with eyes half closed, I also saw UV streams hitting my eyelashes. The visual effect of lash and light created opalescent strands of spectral colour, streaming, swirling, mesmerising. My mind drifted off to a memory of that Shiva temple in Bhubaneshwar, where priests refused my entry because I was ‘non-Hindu.’ Never mind that I was in sadhu garb, had a Guru-ji in Haridwar, taught yoga to survive, and was strict vegetarian … “Noooo, you no Hindu.”

Back in Kilbirnie by my lemon tree, a little insect warmed its wings in the solar rays. Birds chirped in the spaces between the din. The sun burnt off the dew. I pulled my sadhu blanket tighter around me and wondered if the blanket, like the mind, also held memories of Indian travels past: wood fires, government buses, temple sanctums, Ganga’s flow, the grit and grime of Arakanshan Road, and the dust of pilgrimages past … and now the austere practices of Day 7 on our 40 Day Yoga Challenge.

2 cobwebs … Ali’s in the morning … Milan’s at dusk

• Lesson on asteya – non-stealing
• Read Srimala Maree’s  whimsical insights!
• Followed by Ali’s confession …

One of classical yoga’s founding moral principals is Asteya, which means non-stealing.

Ali reports: The desire to take someone’s property without  permission, and gain from it in some way, is the root impulse that leads to theft. However, in today’s consumer world people not only thieve personal property and possessions, they also  inadvertently thieve information, ideas, and intellectual property. Thievery can corrupt the spiritual integrity of individuals, resulting in negative karma.

Even so, as yogis we still need to be vigilant of taking what is not ours, whether it is information or intellectual property. Also, we need to monitor our consumer urges, making sure that we don’t acquire more possessions than we actually need.

Interestingly, on Thursday 24rd April my locked bike (my primary form of transport) was stolen from outside my Studio at Sadhana Yoga, 9 Park Road, Miramar. Luckily I had an old spare bike, which I intended to donate to my teacher in India. This old bike will be used until my little blue Myka bike is reclaimed through the help of the local community.

Luckily, Daminda from the Roxy Cinema was able to capture the theft on CCTV. Meanwhile, the Police, who drove past the crime scene while the thief was in action, have been notified and have access to the footage. The great guys at Burke’s Bike Kilbirnie are also on the look out and believe they saw my bike outside Countdown Kilbirnie within the last few days!

Ali kindly asks: “If anyone sees my blue Myka bike (from Burkes) around the place please let me know by calling (04 )387 7213.”

• Srimala says…

Thursday the 30th, Day 6 and the shine is coming off just slightly. Which does not worry me as there will be peaks and troughs and to have cruised for 6 days flat, literally slipping through each day with ease is more than I could have expected.  Now don’t throw yourselves to the flow, beating the ground with your fists and wailing for my failure!  I haven’t fallen off the serene, bejewelled, lotus smothered wagon.  I simply found today a little tougher to achieve.  I smelt bacon cooking as I cycle past a café on the way too work and not long after I spied a child at the bus stop eating a hot pie (oh my shame).  Later in the morning date scones were shared around and the aroma wafting from the kitchenette at lunchtime was excruciating.  Pizza being reheated followed by a beef rending  But I made it, I managed the day and as long as I commit to my beautiful home practice before bed I shall feel triumphant!

• Ali confesses:

Today, while waiting for my hairdresser, I unconsciously broke open a cellophane wrapped complimentary mint, and crunch it up fervently. White sugar is a no-no in this challenge!

As soon as the white sugar hit my taste buds I was in a quandary as to whether I should spit it out in my hand and go through the whole haircut with poisonous paste in my palm … or crunch away and fully realise the strictness of this challenge.

So as not to disgust the other people in the Salon, I reluctantly crunched  and swallowed the toxic mint and made up my mind that this was a lesson in controlling the compulsion of unconscious consumer urges!

We must stay vigilant least we fail!

 Last night's 'sadhu sunset' by Milan

• Quote for the day
• Ali’s quests for adventure
• Insights from Vivienne

“You sow an action and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow a character and reap a destiny. What you are today is the result of your past. It is all habit. You can make and unmake it through thoughts and deeds.” Swami Sivananda.  

My passion for travel & adventure started young, as you can see from this photo of me standing at the edge of Table Mountain CT. Below, this mani stone photo was taken when I did the Kailash Yatra in Tibet, crossing the Dolma-la pass without an official guide (2004). Today I yearn for new adventure — Ali.

Challenge Insights from Viv…  ‘The Bains of Trying to Practice at Least 30 Minutes of Yoga When People are Painting the Outside of the House’ – To the north-east, there is a man on scaffolding at window-level scraping away old paint. The sounds of fingernails on chalkboard in totally maddening. You can hear it wherever you are in the house. To the south-west, a man painting with the Rock FM playing. I walked about the house for a while, with my yoga mat, trying to discern a place that was quiet enough to practice without anyone looking in the window. Impossible. Yoga mat too small for bathroom. I have given up for the moment and have seated myself on the bathroom floor with the door closed, writing this yoga journal entry….(minutes pass)… Now I’m curled up in bed, the loud electric grinder is now vibrating the house. Curtains closed, National Radio BLARING – I’m attempting to drown it out.  

• Inspiring food pics by Maree
• Insightful quote sent by Milan
• Insightful reflections by Terese

Here is a fab picture of Srimala Maree’s coconut chia and raspberry pudding.

• Insightful quote

Big rain here in Wellington today. My dear friend Milan sent me this today. Sorry that I don’t have the author’s link yet… nonetheless, it is so so true.

• Insightful reflections by Terese

A few days in, A few days to reflect…

What’s astonishing to me is that the food is not at all the issue I thought it would be.  The sattvic kai (food) is really interesting and tasty, and, I am increasing my mindfulness everyday in caring about creating and eating quality kai – it’s starting to make a huge difference.

The most difficult aspect I’m struggling with is committing to attend challenge classes, my standing yoga classes, and, challenge potlucks!

My job requires working weekends on a range of field trips, some of them rare and priviledged.  One cool field trip is in the middle of a Saturday challenge class and Sunday yoga, which is to excavate 50 individual extinct moa birds from a swamp in Taihape.  A moa excavation of this kind was last done in the 1960’s!  It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, even for the seasoned archaeologists I work with.

However, a fellow challenger made a point in class, that it’s only 40 days.  Does giving the challenge 100% require 100% pure committment and solidarity to the kaupapa, is missing a class, a potluck, inadvertently having a coffee or any blacklisted item, is breaking any of the rules once or a few times, less than 100%?  For me it is, one class missed can easily lead to two classes missed, one coffee here is another coffee there, so until I have better control of my lifestyle its 100% on!

Excellent Terese!  Thank you for you commitment. Your efforts will inevitably inspire others.

Part of our 40 Day Yoga challenge requires us to keep a daily yoga journal. In this daily  log there is a section on dream recall.

In the wee hours this morning, I was jolted awake with new insights into my existing ‘Dream Recall’ theory, explained in full below …  (below The Procession to Calvary by Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder painted in1564, kept in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna).

ALI’S DREAM THEORY

Dreams may be thought of as highly fluid and largely internalised ‘altered’ states of consciousness.

DREAM ARCHIVES

Dreams allow sensory data streams – from personal lived experiences – to flow in along existing neural pathways during sleep. Incoming data streams, which become fragmentised and randomised during REM states, are eventually stored inside our memories and imaginations. This processed data feeds our ‘dream archives’, where it is reimagined in the form of dream states.

Whether we realise it or not, we have unlimited access to our dream archives during our dream states … imagine logging onto a site that has millions of compressed data files (compiled through a lifetime of personal and collective experiences). This site, or dream archive, is stored within the massive depository of our imaginations.

IMAGINED LANDSCAPES – ‘DREAMSACPES’

A single dream may  access multiple nested sites within our dream archives, creating new imagined landscapes, or ‘dreamscapes’. Some dreamscapes are completely surreal, not governed by the laws of nature, which means that in these dreams we can jump over buildings, breath beneath the water, fly above the ground, or visit imaginary locations. Other dreamscapes are highly complex or contain disturbing content, which may make them difficult to access and recall. Other dreamscapes are completely random, therefore easily forgotten.

Yet, sometimes dreamscapes belong to a broader ‘dream genre’, which have been encoded by memorable life experiences, making them easy to recall.

For me personally, my common dreamscapes include: tube-train dreams (I lived in London for 10 years), market-place dreams (I love markets), church dreams (I am fascinated by churches and temples), beach dreams (I lived on the beach as a teenage), as well as lift dreams (I live at the top of a 24 story tower block) etc. Interestingly, by charting my dreams over the last three decades, I have been able to recognise that numerous dreamscapes, which I thought were random, can actually be mapped together to form a larger dream metropolis. In my dream metropolis there are beaches often with tsunami waves, mountains threaded with sacred tracks, estuaries to enjoy picnics beside, civic areas with interactive museums and libraries, CBDs with big hotels and hostels that I stay in, old industrial areas with markets, as well as suburban houses where I sometime meet dream friends. This city only exists in my dreams, yet I can visit it whenever I want, even in my waking state. I can see it now all in full, even as I write.

DREAM GENRES

This means, by practicing a dream recall technique (outlined below), anyone can access their own ‘dream genres’, where multiple dreams are stored within dream files. Furthermore, I believe that almost anyone adept in dream recall can revisit pre-existing dreamscapes, and move around their inexhaustible dream archives, whether going off to sleep or remaining actively awake.

Because dreams seem to use existing neural pathways in the brain, accessing the vast field of the imagination, they are often diverse, limitless and extremely fluid. Dreams change rapidly from one scene to the next. Yet, it’s the catching hold of and recalling a dream at will, that is difficult for many people to achieve.

DREAM RECALL TECHNIQUES

Strangely, many people are not adept at recalling their dreams on demand, even when they have been explain how to do it. Do not despair if that is you! Dream recall takes regular and diligent practice to master. However, one your master it, it is yours for life!

Sometimes too, when you are going through the process of recalling an old dream, a ‘pop-up’ dream may open up. A pop-up dream is where a dream that you may have previously forgotten pops up into your cognitive memory as you practice dream recall. Sometimes I get multiple pop-up dreams. When this happen I have to decide which dreamscape or dream genre I wish to pursue!

Here is a dream recall technique that I designed and often practice at bed-time:

1. try to recall any old dream or dream fragment
2. try to recapture the dream frame by frame
3. try to recall significant pionts of the dream, or identify its dream genre
4. look out for any pop-up dreams … follow the pop-up dream