yoga4healthyliving

Kundalini Yoga

This week for the first time, I experienced kundalini yoga with a lady known as Guru Ram Kaur.  I confess I thought it would be sitting around chanting with some powerful breathing exercises!  Well it was that, but much more too.  Kundalini yoga is said to be the yoga of awareness.  Yogi Bhajan, the master of Kundalini Yoga, brought this practise to the west in 1969.  It is not as widely known as hatha yoga, however it certainly is a powerful method of developing spiritual awareness.  One of the loveliest aspects of the class was the incredible Gong which was sounded for what seemed like a couple of minutes during deep relaxation.  It was an amazing sound. 

During the class we experienced 'tuning in' by chanting in order to bring us all to a common vibration which calms the mind and invites the experience that 'One is all and all is One.'  From there we practised pranayama (breathing); asanas (postures), mantras (sounds); mudras (hand positions); mental focus and deep relaxation (my favourite!).  Finally we 'tuned out' with more chanting with the wonderful Sat Nam chant, which means "in the name of truth" confirming the integrity of intention with which the yoga has been practised.  Throughout the class we focused on the 'third eye' to awaken our intuition.

Thank you Guru Ram Kaur for a wonderful evening and for introducing me to Kundalini Yoga.  For more info go to, www.sohanjalaiai.com .

 

Quinoa with butternut squash and spicy tomato sauce

I am a big fan of quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).  High in protein, and contains all the omegas too.  I came across this yummy recipe in last summer's Waitrose Illustrated magazine.  A lovely lady called Katia Narain from The Little Earth Cafe, Triyoga Centre, NW3 was featured in the publication and this is one of her healthy culinary creations - thanks Katia.

Quinoa with butternut squash and spicy tomato sauce - Serves 6

1 butternut squash; 2 tbsp olive oil; salt and freshly ground pepper; 300g quinoa

For the sauce: 330ml extra virgin olive oil (though I used much much less); 2 small red onions chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp ground cumin; 2 tbsp grated ginger; 1 red chilli finely chopped (though I used Tabasco); 440g can chopped tomatoes, 100ml red wine (optional); 150g cashew nuts; 225ml water; 2tbsp tamari; 1 tbsp maple syrup; half an 80g pack coriander, chopped

Preheat oven to 190c/gas 5.  Peel the squash and cut into small cubes.  Toss in a roasting dish with the olive oil, salt and petter.  Bake for 45-60 mins until soft, stirring once or twice.  Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a sieve.  Place in a saucepan, cover with 750ml water and bring to the boil.  Turn the heat down, cover the pan and simmer over a gentle heat until all the water has been absorbed: about 15 mins.  Turn the heat off and leave, covered, for at least 5 mins, for excess moisture to evaporate.  While the quinoa and squash are cooking, heat a deep frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the olive oil and the chopped onions, lower the heat and gently fry for 5 mins.  Add the garlic, cumin, ginger and chilli and cook for 5 mins more.  Pour in the chopped tomatoes, wine if using and let the whole thing simmer for a final 5 mins.  In a blender, puree the cashews, the remaining olive oil (I only used about 2 tbsp) , the water, tamari and maple syrup.  Add this mixture to the tomato sauce and heat through then stir in the coriander. Season.  Serve the sauce on a bed of the quinoa topped with chunks of roasted squash.

 

Everyone I have cooked this for loves it - even my teenage sons! 

Opening your Heart Chakra

The 'Institute of Heart Math' which is an organisation that offers tools to calm the mind and release stress.  At Heart Math www.heartmath.org their research has revealed that the heart is not just a simple pump, but a highly complex information processing centre with it's own functional 'brain'.  The heart produces the body's most powerful rhythmic electromagnetic field.  The brain and all the cells are continuously bathed in the heart's electromagnetic field which can be detected up to 10 feet away from the body by sensitive instruments.  The vibration of this electromagnetic field affects the body's cells, water and DNA.  With each beat, it communicates with our brain and body via the nervous and hormonal systems.  This is creating that link between our Emotions and our Physiology.

So...emotionally what is going on in your heart? When we are joyous, happy and feeling good about ourselves and our lives, we raise the vibrational level of our electromagnetic field, create positive changes in our chemistry, and hence it appears 'nourishes' the rest of our bodies.

In a few days I will blog about a technique or two to raise the vibrational energy of your Heart and so help to maintain your good health or heal an illness.