HEALTHY NEW YEAR

HEALTHY NEW YEAR:
GIVE UP YOUR RESOLUTIONS & REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR LIFESTYLE!!
January 5, 2014

As the tumultuous year 2013 dwindles to an anti-climatic close and the New Year 2014 arises, I am usually filled with renewed hope and a sense of possibility. This is a great time of year to look back, to take stock. What went well/wrong, what did/didn't I accomplish, what would I like to change/keep? Personal reflection can feel like a cup ‘half empty’ or a cup half full depending on you outlook. And while reflection is a truly worthwhile endeavor, it is primarily a high and refined form of art. How do we hold our past accomplishments and failures equally and recognize their unique worth? Can we wipe the past slate clean and start anew? Do we vows to do things differently, knowing how hard real change is to enact?

To this I say: Let’s NOT make any new year’s resolutions this year!!

If we look at the word resolution closely, we see that it’s meaning holds nuance. To resolve is to bring a task to completion, finish a project, lay an issue to rest, remedy an unfavorable situation, or return to a problem again and again with the intent of fixing it.  There are shades of meaning implicit here, but all begin with a notion that something is wrong and needs to be different!! Or changed!! Or completed!!

When we look closely at the nature of life we see that life itself  is a revolving door in constant motion. History repeats itself. Life is cyclic. In modern culture we can see such an example in the fashion industry where styles comes and go only to return again 20 years later. Or in human history where conflicts between people arise time and time again. Or in our own personal story, where we repeat habits over and over.

Spirit ebbs and flows in an infinite realm through time and space condensing into all the various forms including thoughts, ideas, patterns, material things and their thoughts, movements actions and reactions. Life is a grand and wild dance that never ever ends, and has no real resolution. So let’s get in sync and stop trying to resolve things – especially our bad habits.

Instead of making big resolutions at the start of the new year, let's take a different tack - 

let's  do something radical. Rather that setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment, let me guide you step-by-step on what, when,where, why and how to make simple do-able lifestyle changes that will guarantee you immediate success. Let's revolutionize our lifestyle little by little and take back the power to create a healthy lifestyle. 

I have designed a new program just for you! 

It's called iLEAP: Into Life Empowered & Present

You'll begin to sleep better, eat better, feel better right away!! 

Now that's revolutionary.

iLEAP starts on Saturday, January 25, 2014…so check out these links and enroll today.

Watch my introductory iLEAP video: youtu.be/PE17wBOps50

Watch an iLEAP testimonial: youtu.be/WWcXqaK_pnw

Click here for more info: iLEAP: Into Life Empowered & Present

Click here to register: iLEAP - Pay Online

The ONLY way we can have a HAPPY new year is to create a HEALTHY NEW YEAR.

Namaste, Lynne

PS. I am always available to work individually with anyone who is ready to make a lasting change for the better. Ask me about the Lifestyle Consultations and Wellness Coaching sessions that I offer.

Birch Trees & Your Skin

December 18, 2014

SKIN CARE for the WINTER!!!

I'm fresh off the trail from my now - since a foot of snow has fallen this week - daily x-country ski workout. On the trail today, as I was cutting new tracks in the soft, dry fresh snow, I thought about my skin….and yours!! So please enjoy my midday musings and some seasonal health tips for caring for your skin in the cold of Winter.

What do birch trees and your skin have in common?

At first thought probably nothing…
Today I skied past a beautiful old silver birch tree. It was tall and graceful and majestic….and healthy.
I marveled in awe as my path crossed beneath its arching boughs. The outer, older layers of bark curled back onto themselves revealing newer, thinner, more tender bark below. It reminded me of skin.

And I thought, THIS would make a great blog topic!!!

So here goes:
Your skin has seven layers - each connects energetically to one of the seven types of tissues in your body (blood, plasma, muscle, fat, bone, nerve, reproductive). As new skin is formed in the deeper layers, the older, superficial skin - aged by exposure to sun, wind, cold, lotions, creams and even the fabric of your clothes - sloughs, peels, cracks and finally falls off.

We want this natural process of natural regeneration to progress in an unimpeded manner.

BUT this does not always happen. In fact, the way many of us conduct our modern lives, we block the regeneration process rather than enhance it. Eat the wrong foods for your body type, or eat for reasons other than hunger, or eat at the wrong times will age your skin. Applying copious amounts of chemicals in lotions & creams to your skin or chapstick to your lips several times a day, will clog your skin, from the deepest most formative layer (new bark) to the superficial layer (old peeling bark).

What does this imply?
When the foods we consume are processed and the lotions we rub on are commercial ("natural" skin products with any type of preservative falls into this category), the quality of the new skin will be diminished…less supple, less porous, less healthy….because the essential elements were not of the highest possible quality.

We know that skin is a barrier from the harsh elements…and it is! But skin is also a major player in your respiratory system. It is the largest organ in your body. Skin directly conveys the external environment to the internal organs. Ever see someone who made your skin crawl or your hair stand up or made you shiver? You get my drift.

But more importantly,  skin is a huge conductor for universal consciousness. When skin is clogged you'll pick up less of earth's electromagnetic frequencies and you'll feel even more disconnected from nature, from your surroundings, from your beloved peeps and from life in general.
Just like when you have a cold (and I can teach you how to avoid colds & flu in my Cold Buster online course) and are all clogged up, when you use skin care products that are not of the highest organic quality, there will definitely be a down side.


All this wisdom from a birch tree!!
Yes, indeed. When I go outside into nature, I know that I will receive a piece of valuable information or hear some intrinsic wisdom…because I am clear and open. Not just open-minded and open-hearted, but because my skin is clear and clean! Every pour of your skin takes in information and gives off energy.

To optimize protection for your skin, toss out ALL of store bought lotions, creams, salves and buy organic unrefined, unpasteurized oils. Sesame avocado oil or ghee is good for thin, cool body types, coconut or sunflower oil is great for hot-blooded active body types and olive or almond oil is great for heavy-set, lethargic body types.

Every morning this Winter - before you go outside - rub copious amounts of oil on to your skin - into every nook & crevice, behind and in your ears and nostrils, on your feet. Allow the oils soak in for 10 minutes (while you meditate - which is supremely excellent for your skin. By reducing stress - your skin will look younger) and then shower and dress. If you have very dry or flakey skin, repeat again at night, before you bathe or shower. There are wonderful Ayurvedic body oils for each body type.
Call me and I will help you find the right one.

When you take deeper care of your skin, you, too, might hear what the birch tress have to say. Perhaps you'l think more about the relationship between your daily habits, the toxicity levels in the environment, and make the connections that I am suggesting here. l hope you'll be inspired to make positive changes.
Imagine a world without toxic chemicals. Imagine your skin glowing, supple and young looking because you stopped using commercial lotions, creams and balms.

Now that's valuable information and great wisdom.
Thank you birch tree.

Want more valuable information on how to feel fantastic, energized, connected and loved?
~ Contact me for a free 15 minutes consult.
 I'll give you one tip to begin your journey today. click here.
~ Check out 2014 iLEAP Wellness Program: click here.
This course will give you all the basics to make the changes you dream of making.

LIES, LIES, LIES…

December 6, 2013

Here's my latest rant!!

I was driving east on route 9  earlier this week and noticed a new billboard for Panera Bread Co.
Pictured front and center is a big meat sandwich (ham or turkey or other). The caption reads (and this is not an exact quote, but when I drive by it again, I will edit this to the exact quote):

"PROTEIN & WHOLE GRAINS 
TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY."

And to this I say: Lies, lies, lies….

Why?




According to Ayurveda, the oldest continuous medical system in the world, dating back over 6,000 years ago, each food has a particular type of energy based on one of the five elements (or combination).
The energy of meat and grains is primarily "earth" energy. This means that when you eat meat and grains these foods provide your body, mind and soul with a condense, grounding energy.

The exact OPPOSITE kind of energy that Panera suggests in this advertisement!!!

Meats and grains take a lot longer to digest than fruits and vegetables, approximately up to six hours if you have slow digestive fire (agni) and up to four hours if you have strong digestive fire. Whether your digestive fire is slow or fast depends on both your constitution (genetics, karma, ancestry) and your condition (lifestyle, diet and exercise) among other things.

In order to feel the boost that Panera brags about, you'll need to drink a big mug of coffee!!

Meats come laden with fat, which is good, because we NEED FATS to live. It is SUGAR that makes you FAT, not fats. Your liver stores excess carbohydrates (grains) as fat, and reconverts them later when you need energy. Many grains contain gluten. Most sandwich bread is made from wheat. When you grind wheat berries into flour and add water - you get dough or batter or paste…depending on the amounts you mix. Flour and water essentially create "glue" in the bowl…and later glue in your gut!!  There is a reason that goo, glue and gluten sound so similar: that which sticks together, sticks together.

If you want to feel LIGHT& ENERGIZED, you''ll want to minimize gluey foods…or avoid them in certain seasons depending on your body type (dosha). There are three classic body types in Ayurveda and they are made from different combinations of the five elements.

Kapha body type is categorized as grounded, rooted and centered when in balance. Heavy, lethargic, dull, static when in excess. Think of the days when you are so tired that you feel "glued to the couch or bed". No energy to get up and do anything. Think of the post thanksgiving period - turkey and stuffing haze, when everyone either lays down for a nap or guzzles more coffee or sugar to feel that buzz.

Think you'll get energy from eating a turkey, ham, beef sandwich…think again!!
The sugars from wheat bread will put you into a mental stupor, and may cause "wheat belly" - inflammation of the small intestine. The lengthy digestive time pulls blood away from your extremities and into the stomach, spleen and intestines. You may want to curl up and have a nap.

So what do I eat when I want to feel energized without caffeine, or sugar or wheat or meat…
fruits, vegetables, fermented foods like miso or sauerkraut….or a great big green drink or smoothie…full of vitamins and minerals…and easy to digest.

So there you have it Panera!!
Take down your billboard and give folks the straight talk!!

If YOU want to THRIVE : Contact Me

If you're READY to make a few small changes in your life, so that you can feel amazing, click here:
iLEAP: Into Life Empowered & Present  Read all about my 2014 iLEAP wellness program.

In just four months, you'll feel younger,
look better and have more energy than ever.
I'll give you the straight talk.
I promise!

Hugs, Lynne

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Sunday, November 17, 2013

INVEST  in YOURSELF:
Everywhere we look, our modern systems are breaking down.
Our health is breaking down. Our communities are breaking down.

The US government shut down because politicians were (and are) unwilling to cooperate and compromise. Obama Care is off to a rocky start. The entire global economy has been in a recessional tailspin ever since the Wall Street housing debacle. Big Bank investors hedged bets on our homes and created a worldwide problem. The Pacific Ocean is filled with radioactive wastes from the Fukoshima nuclear power plant meltdown. Radioactive clouds spread across N America and around the pacific rim. Seafood is unsafe to eat, and the media is not reporting this. Sea levels are rising and displacing people who reside in these low lying nations. A handful of multi-national corporations own most of the major food producers and have no problem selling you unlabeled GMO foods.

Do these global issues make you feel powerless? Like your wants and needs and desires don't really count in the bigger scheme of things?

On the outside our current global issues seem to be insurmountable. War, hunger, poverty are shadowed by environmental pollution, global warming, unemployment, corporate greed...all based on old school styles of thinking, acting and doing business where the rich get richer at the expense of everyone else.

It's time to make a SHIFT!
My intention is to provide a call to action! Not to bum you out. And provide you with that vehicle to take action. That vehicle is iLEAP: Into Life Empowered & Present.

From my study of yoga philosophy, I know that our external reality is a true reflection of our internal reality. Our inner state of mind, our beliefs, our personal experiences and our values gives rise to what we create in this material world. In reality, we all create our reality each and every day. But somehow we do not fully recognize the vast power that we access in doing so!!

In order to plug into the vast and universal unlimited reservoir of power and creativity, we must step back from cultural habits and supplant them with habits that allow us to take back our lives.
We must take time to be quiet and turn into the vast, unlimited wisdom that already resides within us.

I know first hand how worldly life in this three dimensional world is challenging and complex. I also know how our modern cultural habits make living in this world, even more complex and challenging.

My commitment to you is to provide a cutting edge wellness program that will empower you and give you useful tools and practical strategies to take back control of your health and your life.

So I say that it is time to reframe our point of view: invest in yourself!!
When we invest in ourself, we begin to create from a place of inner wisdom, rather than from a corporate, cultural dictated habit.

To help those of you who are ready to take control back, please join iLEAP: Into Life Empowered and Present wellness program. We start on Saturday, January 25, 2014.

Do you want wake up feeling alive, enthusiastic and ready for a new day?
What would you do (that you cannot do now) if you had more energy each day?

Do you want loving conscious relationships with your spouse and kids?
How would your life be different if there was harmony in your household?

What if your body was free of aches and pains?
And your allergies went away?
Your skin cleared up?
And your menstrual cycles passed without PMS?
Do you want to boost your immunity and avoid the cold and flu?
What would your life be like if you really loved your body and knew how to nourish it?
How would you spend your free time, because you are not sick?

What if I could show you how to live life on your own terms?
How to connect your daily rhythms to nature's cycles and create and maintain great health!
Would you be interested in investing in yourself if I could teach you to be happy?
To feel great each day? To keep yourself on track?

Lastly, there is a very useful concept in yoga. In Sanskrit it is called "uttsaha".  This special word means "to give that extra little push back" from the contractive, entropic energy that will bog you down and keep you from growing and evolving your life in the way you most imagine.


Investing in yourself begins with "uttsaha". 

Take 3 simple steps:
1. Call for a free consultation to discuss your health issues and establish your health goals.
    Contact Me or call 413.268.7151 or email prakasayoga@gmail.com.
2. Listen to my introduction to iLEAP video: You Tube
3. Register online: click here

SEASONAL HEALTH TIP: SUMMER

It's officially Summer!!
We hope you took time last week to gaze up into the night sky and enjoy the super moon.
The days here in NE have fluctuated between hot sunny 80-90* weather with sudden thunder bursts and heavy rain. I actually saw a curtain of rain yesterday (6/27/13).

So what to do to keep the body open and balanced in this fluctuating weather?

Here's my Summer Health Tip:

EAT MORE GREENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am NOT talking cucumbers, green beans and zucchini!
I mean DARK LEAFY GREENS!
kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, beet greens, broccoli greens, pea greens, dandelions, spinach, parsley, cilantro

Why? 
Not because people are starving in Africa 
(that's what my mom used to say to get US to eat all the foods 
we disliked and avoided). 

Not because they taste great - and they do!
Greens run the taste gamut of sweet, sour, salty, bitter pungent and astringent. So with this much variety, what's not to love!

Not because they are filled with anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins - because they are.

But because you are what you eat!
DARK LEAFY GREENS, as plant foods, are supple. They'll bend in the wind and during a thunderstorm. They provide both incredible stability (the minerals) and amazing flexibility 
(their internal plant structure). 

DARK LEAFY GREENS are solar powered. They are the superman of real food!!
They will give you tons of useable energy - just when you need some - because they are 
absorbed faster than a speeding bullet. 

DLG are chock full of minerals and trace elements that enrich your blood and will make you strong and more powerful than a locomotive.


Will you be able to leap tall building in a single bound?
Perhaps not...but YOU WILL be able to sustain your energy all day long - 
without depleting your adrenal glands with modern stimulants like sugar, coffee and chocolate.

You will have increased clarity of mind, and thus will be able to complete your tasks efficiently. You will enjoy heightened sensitivity because eating MORE PLANT FOODS makes you more attuned to the natural world and mother nature.

You will have fewer health complaints because you are eating a food that's filled with nutrition and fiber, that will lower your blood pressure, clean out your colon, nourish your gut and feed your cells, organs and tissues.

PLUS: greens will make you cool in the hot weather because they are fat free! And fat makes heat in your body. And sugar-free - 'cause sugar makes you fat! Cool because you'll eat green, be green and help the planet by going green...now that's cool.

My GO GREEN - EAT GREENS CHALLENGE - is available online. The course consists of four conference call recordings and a bonus call about the Synergy of Nutrition.
Click here for more information & to register: http:/www.prakasayoga.com/workshops.cfm


THIS SUMMER - CHALLENGE YOURSELF - TO EAT DARK LEAFY GREENS AT EVERY MEAL.
YOU WILL FEEL REFRESHED AND ALIVE. GUARANTEED. I PROMISE.

~ Lynne

Enlightenment IN the Body

Enlightenment in the Body: June 27, 2013There is a "buzz" word in yoga: 

Enlightenment.  

That supreme place of Oneness or sublime elevated experience that spiritual seekers are trying to locate and establish within themselves. Some people travel all around the globe in search of enlightenment. But the reality is this:    

The Highest Truth is that which you seek is already present inside of you.                            To find it you must slow down, sit down and TUNE-IN, not tune-out. 

As we refine our practice of yoga and delve deeper into the body, eventually we will experiencemore aspects of our self. These various aspects are called the Five Koshas - sheaths or bodies orlayers of awareness and experience.

Think of yourself like a lamp. First there is the source of electricity - the voltage that lays hidden behind the walls coming from some distant power plant that you'll never see, but you know exists; This electricity flows as a current from powerplant  to light bulb. In yoga, its called "Shakti" (creative orgenerative power of the universe).  Let's think of the powerplant as the OneSouce and Shakti as the emissary of that OneSource. The lamp, with it's switch, plug/cord, base, shade and bulb are the five koshas - layers of awareness that comprise a human being. When every part of the lamp is in good condition, your flip the switch and Shakti flows through every part and the bulb lights up!

The human being is the entire lamp.                                                                         One beautiful Sanskrit chant translates "Light my lamp with Your Light."

The lamp base/socket is the physical body (or layer) and houses the light/spirit/shakti.

The cord is like your emotions. When you are upset, angry, sad, etc., the flow of Shakti/electricity is impeded because there is a crimp in the wire and the light does not pass through fully.

The shade is your mind - it can be clear/transparent or cloudy/opaque. And thus the qualtiy of your thoughts will either allow more light to pass (positive thoughts) or block that light (negative thoughts).  Are you open-minded or close-minded?

Your yoga practice is the action of  flipping the switch and working all the crimps out .  To ensure the maximum flow of elecrticity from Source to bulb, you've got to practice daily (asana, meditation, seva, pranayama). Regular practice keeps the cord kink-free, and the lamp in good repair... so Shakti can flow freely to illuminate the bulb. (Ever have a brown-out? That's a crimp in the wire.)

The bulb is the layer closest to the true self, and represents the wisdom or intuitive body. The glass can be frosted or clear; either way it is fragile and will break if you drop it (negelct your yoga practice). 

The iinner most layer is the Light itself. Yogis call this layer the body of bliss.  The light shining in the bulb is a tiny amount of the same OneSource light. We call that light the Light of Consciousness. When we live a yogic lifestyle that clears away all the blockages, then God's light will shine fully through each of the five bodies/layers and into every cell.  Thus, we have embodied and humans and will experience "en-lightenment"....filled with light.

So now you know - you are made of five bodies - not one. 

If you want to learn how to switch on this inner light, we can show you.       
Check out my new 2014 iLEAPTM: "Into Life Empowered and Present" Course.                            Click on this link - http://prakasayoga.com//group_programs.cfm for more information.       

This course will get you started on the path back to vibrant health. I will teach you how to live in harmony with your self and nature. In doing so, you will clear your particular blocks, bit by bit,  in every layer (kosha). You'll learn to create and sustain new healthy habits and learn to eat the foods that are best for your human physiology. When we live well, breathe well, think well, move well, and eat well our entire system - all five bodies - will light up!  We will have an experience of  "En-Lighten-ment" that is grounded within in the body.

Now that's a picture of true radiant health and vitality!!

Namaste!
Lynne

Seasonal Health Tip #1: Winter to Spring Transition

"Lighten up your life!"

As the sun grows stronger and melts the snow back to reveal the moist earth below, little green shoots begin to poke up from underneath the once frozen soil. Just like mother earth, our bodies need to "thaw" out and "rejuvenate" after the long cold Winter. Throughout Winter, we tend to eat more rich, heavy, cooked foods which keep the body warm and well-fed, but also adds weight and density. The energy of freshly sprouted sprouts will break up this cellular heaviness and help your body acclimate to the warmer seasons ahead.

One great way to "lighten up" your life is to "lighten up" your diet. Blend fresh sprouts into your green smoothie, use them to garnish your soup, add hearty bean spouts (mung, chickpea, lentil) to a stir-fry, or top off a salad with a big handful of  sprouts (alfalfa, clover, radish, baby greens).

Another important way to "lighten up" is to detox every Spring!                                        
Join us for the 2013 Spring Cleanse & Detox Program.  To find out more information and to register, please visit our web site.