Stopping in to the Sunday morning session of Rod Stryker’s Marma Training was as soul nourishing as I remember it being last spring. Rod maintains a beautiful energetic equilibrium in his trainings, managing to diffuse anxiety and create a safe space to be brought back to yourself. The training was held at the Braemer Golf Course, on a sunny and bitterly cold week. I felt temporarily lifted out of the polar vortex weather by the warmth in the room, however, and grateful to be present in the beautiful love and support that I always feel from the Devanadi community. In the session I attended Rod addressed the trifecta of the yoga experience in the Tantric tradition: Tantra, Yoga, and Ayurveda.

Tantra: Per Rod, Tantra’s two primary principles are: Life is inherently sacred; and the sacred touches everything. He went on to explain that Tantric practice is connecting with the fabric that weaves everything in existence together. It is acknowledging the cause and effect nature of life. It is the science of energy management.

Yoga: Yoga is the cultivation of self-knowledge. God is knowledge. And if we become powerful without matching our power with self-knowledge, we put ourselves in a potentially dangerous imbalance. We can have fundamental misunderstandings because we are still ego-attached. Without the subtle dismantling of ego that occurs through Yoga practice, we can’t balance knowledge.

Ayurveda: Ayurveda is fundamentally about balance. Life is always changing. How can we make accommodations in order to remain in balance? Rod noted that if spiritual fulfillment is something you are after, meditation time is necessary. Observing the quality of our meditation experience is a useful gauge of our doshic state of balance.

Rod’s message is pretty simple and straightforward, in the end. Perhaps that’s why it’s so compelling. You are inherently sacred. Everything you do and that happens to you is also sacred.

It is our work to worship our bodies, the altars of life, by living to our fullest potential.

MARMA IMAGE GALLERY

about corina bernstein photography

corina has been looking at the world through a camera lens since the tender age of six, when she received her first brownie camera. her love affair with photography has been going strong for 24 years, though she graduated from her brownie a number of years ago. corina has photographed extensively nationally and internationally, from the red river valley to tel aviv, documenting events and travels through images that capture an essence of the people, places, and stories she encounters. her studies in literature and photography at the university of minnesota, morris strengthened her skills in the art of storytelling through images. corina currently resides in minneapolis, minnesota, and specializes in yoga, music, and editorial photography.

Our group of 16 world travelers arrived safely home this past weekend from our 4th annual Devanadi Journey to Thailand group retreat. I’m now two days into my jet-lag and doing very well, surprisingly… until this past night. I tried to stay up a little later just to sleep through the night and whoops! I entered Pitta time! Thus, this blog shall be written. To help, I’ve leaned on my Ayurveda training and remembered to 1) oil my feet with sesame oil at night, wear socks and flannel pajamas (COZY!), 2) take a daily Triphala capsule to regulate digestion, 3) stay hydrated with mint and ginger tea, 4) practice Yoga Nidra during the mid-afternoon (as opposed to crashing at 4pm and waking up 6 hours later – NOT great for sleep recovery!), and 5) meditate and do Nadi Shodana before bed.

For this post, I’ve chosen to comment on some of the unique therapies we experienced while abroad. Not only is Thailand famous for its Thai Massage (Nuad Boran), which we also specialize in here at Devanadi, but also is the home to many other traditional healing methods that have amazing effects.

Chi Nei Tsang – Chinese-Style Abdominal Massage

Some of our group took a 5 day training on Chi Nei Tsang with beautiful and dedicated teacher, Ohm Rinraya.  This is the abdominal organ massage method practiced by the original Chinese Chi masters and is taught often now in northern Thailand. We LOVED the training, and really feel excited to practice and study more. Not only is this work deeply detoxifying, but also helps place the organs in their “home” position. Childbirth, injury, bad posture/diet, stress, etc. wear and tear on the abdominal area. We all felt like our INNER body really received a huge cleanse physically as well as emotionally. I’ll be offering Chi Nei Tsang soon at Devanadi… as soon as I practice a little more.

Thai Massage (aka Thai Yoga Bodywork, Nuad Boran)

In this photo, skilled Russian bodyworker, Levan, makes working with his feet look amazingly simple. Pati was treated to a fabulous neck, shoulder and back sequence as Levan coached us along. I recently did the techniques on Jason (my husband) with glowing reviews! Now who wants an appointment…?

Hak (Gua Sha)
Ok, this photo might make you cringe, but it’s just a temporary effect from a therapy called Gua Sha, or more commonly in Thailand, “Hak.” Most of our group, myself included (although the photo isn’t of me) received this simple yet effective work using a polished white buffalo horn, oil and elbow grease. Literally “scraping” the skin, toxins – shown here as the redness – come to the surface much like cupping in Chinese Medicine. The redness lasts up to four days, but the effect is immediate. Many of the receivers reported feeling tremendous relief and opening. For example, after my session, my shoulder blades felt like they had wings!

Tok Sen (here’s Ohm again in front of her School, Omsala, where the Tok Sen Therapy was offered)

Some of you might have heard of Tok Sen, or “hammering out” the Sen, or energy lines, with a little wooden mallet and tool. The therapist taps on the body such as down the side of the thigh and guides the tool in a line to help smooth out stuck chi in the meridians, muscles and tendons. Although it might seem irritating to be “knocked around” for an hour or two, recipients report that the effect is very calming and relaxing. We had a fair amount of Tok Sen tapping going on at my teacher, Pichest’s, too. It’s great to see these old forms of healing making their way into our learning environments.

Thai Foot Reflexology (or as they say in Thailand, “Reflescology”)

Lastly, there’s hardly a time when I don’t take students to the old Chiang Mai Reflexology Center. I got a tip from another Thai Bodywork teacher several years ago, and dang! This is the real deal. As a part of the government’s aim to rehab convicts, many are trained in both Thai massage and Foot Reflexology. This particular massage spot has ex-convicts doing the work, and boy do they go deep! I’ve seen squirms, heard squeals and have had to take a break myself from this intense work. On the other hand, there’s plenty of poor foot massage all over Thailand (think 1 hour of someone lightly rubbing lotion on your feet without any pressure), so you just learn to grin and bear it, and see if you come out affected positively or not.

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I’m astounded by how much energy and healing can happen on a trip like this. In this country of metta (loving kindness) where coconut shakes and kao soy (northern Thai curry soup) are deliciously satisfying and nourishing, our 2013 Journey to Thailand was definitely an OJAS-FEST.

Many of you have let me know you intend on taking this trip with me in the future, and I encourage you do so!

Here’s to YOUR health – Sawatdee Ka!

Tanya

HOLISTIC NUTRITION & NUTRITIONAL ANATOMY WORKSHOP
Date: Dec 15, 2013
Times: 11:30am – 5:30pm
Cost: $108 ($125 after 12/1);
$98 for Devanadi TT/grads ($115 after 12/1)

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As a nutrition consultant, one of the most frequent questions I’m asked by clients, friends, and other curious people is, “So, what do you eat?” That’s a fair question right? You certainly want your nutrition consultant to be eating healthy foods! You wouldn’t want them eating donuts for breakfast and fast food burgers and fries for lunch and dinner. Nothing worse than the doctor who smokes cigarettes! So, here’s a look at what I typically eat:

Breakfast: I’m a big fan of a protein shake/smoothie in the morning. I find them to be filling and satisfying and easily last me until lunch time. My basic ingredients are 8 ounces of water (or a special cranwater concoction), a high quality protein mix (either whey, brown rice, pea, or some combination of these – never soy!), a cup of berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries or some combination of them) either fresh or frozen, a handful of nuts and/or seeds (Brazil nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds), some fresh greens or green powder, flax seed oil or ground flax seeds or chia seeds, and on occasion some yogurt and/or kefir. What does this provide? Plenty of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and omega 3 and 6 fats. On the days that I don’t have a smoothie, I’ll have eggs on some steamed leafy greens, in an omelet with a bunch of vegetables, or with some raw sauerkraut.

Lunch: Generally 2-3 days of the week it will be one of the egg dishes that I describe above. Other days it will be based on leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. There is usually some type of animal protein involved, it can be grass fed beef, turkey, fish, chicken, and occasionally lamb. During the warmer months I tend to have more raw vegetables in some type of salad and during the cooler months more cooked vegetables and soups. I use a homemade salad dressing from olive oil and vinegar. On occasion there will be a sandwich on some form of gluten free or sprouted grain, brown rice, lentils, or quinoa.

Dinner: Dinner is similar to lunch on the days I don’t have eggs. There will be an animal protein along with several types of vegetables usually steamed, stir-fried in coconut oil, or baked. Once a week or so I’ll do my baked sweet potato fries. On about 2-3 of the days I’ll also have a whole grain side of brown rice, quinoa, or brown rice pasta.

I’m not a big snacker. As I said, the smoothie usually lasts me until lunch. Sometimes between lunch and dinner I’ll get a little hungry and I’ll have a hard-boiled egg, a protein bar, a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts, or a bit of cheese.

What basic guidelines am I following? I don’t skip meals. I’m having protein at each meal. I’m eating lots of vegetables of all different varieties and colors, both cooked and raw. I’m limiting my carbohydrates in the form of grains, only doing whole grains, and not more than once per day. I make sure I get high quality fats from the coconut oil, olive oil, flax seed oil, and organic butter or ghee. I eat real food, avoiding processed and refined foods. I have an occasional sweet, but of good quality. Nothing like a homemade organic chocolate chip cookie! And, I have an occasional sweet of not so good quality – yes you may run into me at Dairy Queen occasionally! And I do still love my pizza, but usually once a month at the most. I try to limit eating out.

As I tell my clients, the most critical component is to control your home environment. If it is not in your house, you’re not going to eat it, and after a while a nightly trip to go get ice cream will get tiring!

I do use some supplements for additional nutritional support, but that will be the subject for next time!

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Here’s how to get an energizing workout in only 10 minutes.

Energy medicine yoga takes a slightly different and nuanced approach from the usual routine to get the full benefits of a yoga practice. One of the principles is that you’ll get more bang for your buck, increasing the benefits of the practice without increasing the amount of time you spend on the mat. And if you have very little time at all with your practice, then EMYoga could be your go-to tool to keep yourself fit, centered and energized. My students say that when they practice EMYoga, they increase their energy, clarity and efficiency so much that they find their days have more time and space in them and they meet all their goals effortlessly. OK. So how to begin. The first step is to activate your body. Just like you turn on your cellphone or computer in the morning, you need to turn on your body and energy systems. The body is energy and the body is electric, and there are simple ways to get yourself going. First, find your collarbones. Slide down to the ends of the bony protuberance and then slide off them into the hollows just below and slightly outward. If you press into these points, they’re likely to feel sore. These are the end points of the kidney meridian, and the kidneys, which clean the body of toxins, need lots of help. Go ahead and thump these points. Or, if they’re too sore, massage them. This also helps to bring fresh oxygen to the brain by stimulating the carotid artery. Thump all over your chest, with your hands in fists. This is what Tarzan and the apes did. It is getting your energy moving forward, in the right direction. Without this forward moving flow of energy, you are working at half your capacity.

Cross over your energy
Next you want to cross your energy over. This crossover pattern happens from the DNA up to the hemispheres of the brain controlling opposite sides of the body. Often our energy isn’t crossing over, and if this is the case we can feel tired, depressed and have a hard time healing and motivating. Stand and march in place touching the same arm to the same leg. Do this for 10 taps. Then stop, brush off your hands, and march in place crossing your hand over to the opposite knee. Do this 12 times. You have now crossed over your energy, and to “seal it in,” put one finger in your bellybutton and one finger between your eyebrows, push in and pull slightly up. Now take three deep breaths, in the nose, out the mouth. It’s taken me much longer to write and explain this than it takes to do. Try it out, and see how you feel. Most people feel an immediate surge of energy. Next, squat down. Squatting massages all your internal organs, and helps keep your hips flexible for better balance and posture. If your heels don’t reach the ground, put a pillow or blanket under them so you can anchor yourself. Allow your head to drop forward and get a complete stretch between the tailbone and the crown of your head. Take several deep breaths, in the nose and out the nose. Next, push the padding aside and lift your hips up as you continue to drop your head down into a standing forward bend. Keep a slight bend in the back of your knees, and continue to breathe deeply, letting your hamstrings gently release. Don’t bounce. After 45 seconds, the muscle will start to let go. While dangling your arms you’re also releasing your shoulders and neck.

Figure-8s
Slowly unroll your body, stacking one vertebra on top of the other until you’re standing. Take your time, unfolding over several breaths. When you’re standing, inhale and lift your arms overhead, then exhale, crossing your hands back and forth in front of your body down to your sides. Do this several times, arms up, figure-8 them in front of your body back down. This again enforces the crossover pattern. Now separate your legs 3 feet apart and turn your toes slightly out. Lean forward and place your hands on your thighs, extending your waist forward. Twist up toward the left, using your arms as levers to both turn your body and also to extend your spine out away from your hips. Take three deep breaths. Twist to the other side. Now lie down on your back and bend your knees, feet flat on the floor. Inhale, lift your hips up to the sky, extend your arms overhead onto the ground above you. Exhale, lower your hips and arms. Repeat this three more times, moving up with the inhale, down with the exhale. Now come up and keep your hips up, but lower your arms back down. Hold this pose for up to two minutes. Relax your gluteus muscles and maintain the pose. This forces your low back, low stomach and legs to work instead of deferring to your larger and more powerful glutes. Keep checking in to make sure your glutes aren’t taking over. When you’re ready, lower your hips down, and allow your knees to soften into each other. Then fold your knees up into your chest and take several deep breaths, releasing your back, hips and shoulders. Lie flat on the floor, close your eyes, and spend at least one minute of your 10-minute practice in shavasana, or deep relaxation. It may seem strange with such a short practice to rest, but this is the time that your body digests what you’ve done, and the benefits of the practice sink in. Slowly get up, take a couple of deep, deep breaths, thank yourself for taking time just for you, and go and face your day!

Adapted from “Energy Medicine Yoga” by Lauren K. Walker. Copyright 2013. To be published in October 2014 by Sounds True.