Sensitive as an Eyeball

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Sometimes when we hear of disasters in the world or are faced with our own crises closer to home, a feeling of being overwhelmed can paralyze our ability to act.  When tears and fears become our primary reactions, yoga can help.

My dear Teacher Swami Swaroopananda has described it this way:

He says, "The yogi is as sensitive as an eyeball."

Meaning, when you take a piece of cotton and rub it on your arm it feels pleasant.  On your cheek it is also pleasant.  Rub that same piece of cotton on your eyeball and it is irritating at best, likely even painful.

Many practicing yogis and yoginis will relate to this description.  You may find yourself so acutely sensitive to suffering that at times it becomes debilitating. 

If you're feeling too small to make a difference today, your yoga practice itself may offer some encouragement.

Here are a few suggestions:

Watch this video by Pema Chodron called Loving Oneself and Others:

Read this 3HO Tantric Numerology Forecast for May 2015

Chant these mantras by Deva Premal and Miten or listen to the Hanuman Chalisa.

Finally, in life and in your asana practice, focus on what you can do rather than what you can't.

As it says in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 40:

"Nothing is wasted on this yoga path.  Even the slightest effort saves one from the greatest turmoil."

Prayers for Nepal and Tibet

I continue to offer my loving prayers to all of the monks, nuns, residents, visitors and pilgrims in Nepal and Tibet, and their loved ones abroad shaken and un-grounded by the massive earthquake in April.

May they have faith, courage, and comfort in their suffering.

May all those who have left their bodies navigate bravely through the bardo and attain noble rebirths.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about how best to help financially, but you can certainly send positive prayers and energy right now with the meditation known as "Taking and Giving" or Tonglen.

If you're not familiar with the Tonglen meditation, please join Pema Chodron in this short video filmed in 2009 at the Omega Institute in New York.

The Art of Yoga: Diane Woodward

Om at the Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas by Diane/Uma

There is no quicker way to brighten a room or your day than to add a little color.

Canadian artist and yogini, Diane Woodward takes it a step further than that... well actually, several steps further, and the result is spectacular!

Describing herself as a "maximalist" painter, Diane declares, "Hot pink is my neutral."

I first met Uma, as Diane is also known, at the Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas.  She was my next door neighbor in the tent city we called home for a month during our Yoga Teacher Training Program in 1997.  Aside from being a fun and lively friend, she was, in many ways, my mentor.

Not only was Uma more familiar with Sivananda Yoga, her fearlessness and radiant creativity were just the influences I needed in those uncertain and intense weeks of headstands and sun salutations, plus the total immersion  into the traditional yogic lifestyle and philosophy and the sensory overload of colorful Hindu deities, exotic Sanskrit chants, and deep, deep self-reflection.

When I happened to catch this re-run on Steven and Chris featuring her beautiful and colorful home, I knew I had to share it with you!

Also check out Part One and Part 2 of this Comfort Country Interview.

And this feature on Cottage Cheese.

I hope you find them as delightful and inspiring as I do!  Enjoy!

Natural Cleaning: Have You Tried Soapnuts?

Dried Soapnuts/Soapberries/Reetha

Spring cleaning can feel like a chore, or a breath of fresh air, it all depends on how you approach it.

Yogis think of housekeeping as an opportunity to practise saucha, or holistic cleanliness, and using earth-friendly, all-natural cleaning products is one way to practice ahimsa, or non-violence.

Practicing the yamas and niyamas, or virtuous restraints and habits, enhances physical health, encourages mental clarity and enlightens the spirit.

There are so many natural and earth-friendly ways to make all that scrubbing and sweeping easier and more pleasant.

Last year on Earth Day I tried soapnuts for the first time and I've been loving them ever since.  If you haven't tried them yet, it's time!

Soapnuts aren't actually nuts at all.  They are the dried fruit of a tree native to India and Nepal.  The berries aren't good for eating as they contain natural saponin, making them bitter-tasting, but a very effective natural cleanser.

For thousands of years they've been used for washing dishes, laundry and as an ayurvedic hair and body wash.  They are considered to be a safe, natural insecticide and even have mild contraceptive qualities!

How to use soapnuts:  

I like to put five of the dried berries in a small muslin cotton bag and throw it in the washer with my dirty clothes.  When I transfer the clothes to the dryer, the little bag goes with them.

The clothes come out clean, soft and unscented, and the towels are extra fluffy and absorbent!

The best part is, those same five soapnuts can be reused up to ten times!

Usually after 6 or 7 washes, I transfer the little bag to a pot of water on my stove and boil it to make a liquid all-purpose cleaner with the "tea".  I use it to wash dishes and windows, counters and surfaces.

Just remember to use the soapnut liquid up within a week as it has no preservatives and will spoil eventually.  No worries if it does, just dump it down the sink or in your garden, its totally biodegradable!

I get my soapnuts from Asian grocers, where they go by their Indian names of Reetha/Ritha/Aritha or from Eco Nuts or better yet, in bulk at Earth's General Store.

Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Earth Day Love Stories

Beautiful Blossoms in the Bahamas

Do you love a good love story?

Here are three true tales of presence and passion to warm your heart:

First, this story about Will and Joan, a husband and wife eco-tourism team, founders of the Earth Preservation Fund, who helped make the very first Earth Day in 1970 a success.  They protect natural and cultural resources around the world, and this year's campaign helps endangered elephants in India.

Next, Alaffia is a skin and hair care company with the motto "Equality, Empowerment, Beauty".  They founded fair-trade coconut and shea butter co-operatives in West Africa to maintain traditional, natural methods of processing these raw ingredients and support the lives of the women who harvest them.

The story begins with Rose, an ethno-botanist from the United States and Olowo-n'djo, one of 42 children from a family in Togo who fell in love, and together they... well, its amazing!  Just watch the video.

Finally, Swami Kashi just shared a sweet and poetic essay titled "The Spiritual Path of Hope" by Peter Head reminding us to slow down and appreciate the glorious natural beauty around and within us.

By the way, the registration for Swamiji's second Himalayan Yatra is now open if you'd like to check out that magnificent sacred scenery for yourself.

Thank you yet again for visiting my blog, and for being my noble companions on this journey!

Lots and lots of love,
Tara