Leggo Your Ego

From the time we are born to this very moment, our subconscious mind is recording what happens in our lives. The actions, reactions, thoughts and opinions expressed by others become embedded in who we think ourselves to be. These messages get played back hundreds of times during the day. Don't talk to strangers is an appropriate message for a four-year old, but not for a 24-year old about to walk into a job interview.

The Ego is us operating from this small sense of self. The True Self is the part of us that is beyond time and space, expansive, motivated by love, forgiveness, compassion and generosity.

The path from Ego to True Self lies in our consciousness -our awareness of the Ego's actions and taking alternate decisions. Perhaps your Ego tells you not to share a new idea with your colleagues because someone might steal or run away with it. Your True Self knows sharing the idea will make it bigger and help create a more powerful impact as a result. Your True Self also knows when to speak and when to hold silence.

There's freedom and power in your choice. When you decide based on previous experience, you will get some version of what has always happened. When you choose from a place of clarity, you hold the door open for a whole new range or possibility. The Ego is a little uncomfortable with that and you may hear a little voice shout out random warnings. Go through with it anyway. Give yourself the gift of opportunity, possibility and a new version of your life.

Meditation is a powerful way to adjust the Ego and clear the subconscious mind. Try this one:

By: Salimah Kassim-Lakha, Health & Yoga Expert at Agecomfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Photo Credit: Martin Long

Inner and Outer Vision

The human body is a sensory process. Each of our sense organs takes in information that we imbue with meaning. For the month of May, get ready for a unique experience as we explore the function of each organ (think grade 9 biology refresher) and a kriya to create awareness and healing for that organ.

Lights, Camera, Action

When light hits the eye, the cornea helps the eye focus as light makes its way through. Behind the cornea are the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. The iris is the colourful part of the eye. The iris has muscles attached to it that change its shape. This allows the iris to control how much light goes through the pupil. 

The pupil is the black circle in the center of the iris, which is really an opening in the iris, and it lets light enter the eye. After light enters the pupil, it hits the lens. The lens sits behind the iris and is clear and colourless. The lens' job is to focus light rays on the back of the eyeball - a part called the retina. 

Your retina is in the very back of the eye. It holds millions of cells that are sensitive to light. The retina takes the light the eye receives and changes it into nerve signals so the brain can understand what the eye is seeing. 

Think of the optic nerve as the great messenger in the back of your eye. The rods and cones of the retina change the colours and shapes you see into millions of nerve messages. Then, the optic nerve carries those messages from the eye to the brain. 

Tears also keep your eye from drying out, keep the eye moist and provide expression through laughter and crying. 

Movement

Your eye muscles also need to be stretched. We tend to use our eyes in limited ways, staring at a computer screen, reading, driving and watching TV. For the most part we don't use our eye muscles fully. In this Kundalini Yoga Kriya for the eyes, you use all the muscles of your eyes, bringing circulation and a full range of motion available to your eyes. For optimal health, the eyes need exercise and rest.

Kriya for the Eyes

Rest for the Weary

But what about eyestrain? The word is a bit of a misnomer, says Eli Peli, a professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Peli says that vision happens in the brain, not the eyes; therefore, sitting at a computer isn't a strain for the eyes in the sense that it causes trouble for their muscles. Instead, the fatigue you feel is your brain asking for mercy. "The brain, in its smart way, projects fatigue onto the eyes, so you'll take a break."

Photo Credit: Conner Downey

By: Salimah Kassim-Lakha, Health & Yoga Expert at AgeComfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Front Lines - Yoga for the Skin

Deepa wanted to clear up her skin. She was tired of the flare ups, the expensive lotions and potions that never quite covered the spots or stopped them from showing up in the first place. She wanted to explore natural remedies.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It is your perimeter, regulating temperature, allowing interaction with the environment through the sensation of touch. Your skin is porous, whatever you put on your skin eventually makes its way into your body. 

Your skin is a mirror of what is happening inside your body. Toxins in the organs, unresolved emotions, genetics, drugs, alcohol and eating habits all play a role in the health of your skin. Think of your skin life a filtering system, as important to your digestion as your colon and liver. Most of us will blame our skin issues on the choice of food we make. There is usually much more at play. 

When Deepa reflected on what else was happening in her life, she admitted that she was undergoing a stressful transition at work. These changes at work left her feeling angry, her sleep was disrupted and her eating habits were taking a turn for the worse. 

Here are some new ideas for Deepa. When dealing with an emerging emotion, it is best to eat the opposite of what you are craving. Fresh, raw food allows the body to cleanse and brings emotions into our awareness. 

A regular yoga practice offers support when introducing new habits and shifts in behaviour. Long term, these options provide relief where heavy make-up and medicated creams cover up issues or hide our true selves from the world. 

Natural Remedies: 

1) Drink 2-4 cups of chamomile tea daily as an inner cleanser for the skin.

2) Green grapes can be eaten for a clear complexion. They are high in vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. 

3) Dry skin brushing - a soft bristle brush used over your body before showering helps remove dead skin cells and promotes good circulation. 

4) Make a paste out of tumeric and water spread over the face and then rinse with warm water. 

5) Make a face exfoliant using seat salt and sesame oil. With light pressure massage scrub onto face and then rinse with warm water. 

Try this medication: 

Sitali Pranayam is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It's an ultimate quick fix when skin flares up! It's great to curb symptoms of rosecea. It's also a gentle liver cleanser. Inhale through a curled and extended tongue. Exhale through the nose. Do 26 of these breaths per practice session. Ideally do 26 in the morning and 26 in the afternoon. 

By: Salimah Kassim-Lakha, Health & Yoga Expert at AgeComfort.org Health Care Resource Centre

Photo Credit: Kukhahn Yoga