Naturopathy - An holistic healing

A few months back I happened to experience this amazing therapy, which has made me more healthy and have become more aware with regards to my eating habits. Thought of sharing a few insights on this amazing holistic process.

What is Naturopathy? Its a self-healing approach on treating few disorders and illness of all kinds, by stimulating the body's self-healing mechanism through food. YES. Food plays a major role in all our lives. Which we often ignore rather don't give much importance to it.

Naturopathy is one such practice which is as older than those conventional medicines, and are globally known for promoting and maintaining the body's long term optimal health. Naturopathy sets one's life and gives the proper direction in maintaining health and to lead a life in harmony. It is a highly individualized treatment that involves facilitating effective restoring techniques, self-care decisions, and much more which can prevent future health problems.

In brief, Naturopathy is an alternative to medicines, in the form of food combinations, natural herbs, and healthy practices just like how it was in our good olden days. This includes a diet of- 40% vegetables, fruits 500g per day. Specifically seasonal fruits.  Plenty of green leafy vegetables in the form of smoothies. Recommended to have unpolished rice, millets. Avoid wheat, as it generates heat. Replace sugar with organic jaggery and raw honey. And lastly, use cast iron and earthen wear vessels as much as possible.

Preferably the diet should be something like this:-

1. 25%  salads. (5 colours of raw vegetables and 5 types of leafy vegetables - in the form of chutney).

2. 25% steamed cooked vegetables.
3. Moong and tur dal
4. Sprouts.
5. Use only cold-pressed organic oil for cooking. And use only A2 fresh cow ghee.

Must avoid:- Milk products, panner, sugar, rice, wheat.

But one is advised to consult naturopathy specialist, as each person body has different dietary requirements,  depending on each of our body type. I have seen and heard people suffering from a different hormonal disorder like PCOD, Thyroid etc, through naturopathy their medicines have stopped completely and there health getting better than before through this amazing process of healing.

When our body gets, a sufficient amount of nutrition automatically one's sleep pattern gets set. You will start feeling light from inside and feel more confident than before. Hence one should inculcate a healthy diet with minimum 40 minutes of exercises and yoga. Which has helped many patients to come out of there health conditions and started living a joyful life.

Hence take care of your health before its too late. After all, if health is there everything will fall in place automatically. Be healthy. Be safe.

The Echo Of Silence

I recently experienced an amazing program from AOL, which was pending from my side for a long while now. I had kept postponing it. Finally, the call came from the master to do this better now. 😇  it's a 3-day program from morning till night over a weekend, starting from Friday noon till Monday morning. It's a combination of series of meditation and few yoga asanas and knowledge talks from Gurudev. But the icing on the cake is you have to be in silence. YES, no talking, no phone calls, totally cut off from the outside world, until Monday morning. Once the course ends in the morning we can come out of silence. 

I was mentally getting prepared to experience this amazing program. Since the course was on a weekend I sent R to my mom place. This was the first time R was far away from me, for three whole days. I was extremely emotional from inside to leave him and most importantly I cannot talk to him. I will be in silence. Finally made my mind strong and geared up to experience this amazing program. 

The first day went well with the introduction talk from the teacher and meeting with the participants to get to know each other before going into silence. Met a wonderful soul in this program, Hasi aunty. A 62-year-old Bengali, thin, short, fair and extremely polite humble lady. We both sat next to each other on the very first day. In no time we both connected so well. Even in the silence Hasi aunty used to be with me during doing Seva, nature walks, mealtime and she used to not live me anywhere. I just loved her name "Hasi" meaning - Thousand Laughter... She was no less than the meaning of her name. Always smiling with lots of love. Found a motherly figure to calm down my emotional trauma which I was going through, far away from my loved ones R and family. 

The second and third day went extremely well with early morning yoga, sadhana and Sudarshan kriya, later breakfast. Again a few knowledge talks from Gurudev, few processes and there was a series of meditations. We humans, accumulate so much of stress inside us we don't even realise how it has been affecting our mind and body. They say meditation is food to our soul. By doing meditation all our bad karmas and previous lives impressions get clear and it cleanses the mind and soul. A lot of emotional things come up when one goes into silence along with deep meditations and few processes. It knuckles our resistance and brings back our scattered mind to one place. Gurudev has designed it so well one has to experience it to feel it.

We all participants relished the food in these three days. Food used to get cooked freshly three times a day. Without onion and garlic. Satvik food plays a major role in being healthy and positive. As I have mentioned in one of my previous write-ups too on food. After a delicious meal at the noon,  we all used to rest with Yoga Nidra. In no time we all used to go into a deep sleep but with awareness. It controls our wandering mind and brings back in to present moment and go into deep rest. They say 20 minutes of deep meditation is equal to 4 hours of sleep. 

On the last day of the course, we all participants were so happy to come out of silence. We all took a group photo and had a yummy breakfast, with a nice laugh n smile talking with each other. After breakfast, the time came to depart. We all exchanged our numbers to be in contact later too. And yes Hasi aunty hugged me tight and blessed me with a whole heart. And told me to be in contact. She has an only son with whom she stays in the city. Told me, after meeting you I have found a daughter too now. I felt so overwhelmed by her gesture.

At times unknowingly we meet somebody and bond so well that relations continue for a lifetime. Such was that with Hasi aunty. And yes after silence I got first call from Mumma, she was in waves of emotions listening to my voice after 3days. And yes spoke to R who was on his way to school felt so complete. And yes I am back with a bang to face all the challenges which come on my way and face it with a wink 😜

A Tale of 6 yards

Seeing the title you all must be thinking what is that I am talking about. Any guesses. Well, here I have come up with beautiful belongingness of our very own Indian attire, which represents our Indian culture and tradition, the 6-yard Saree. 

From my childhood, I have been seeing my grandmom and my mom in saree beautifully draped. Many thoughts come to my mind when I see this beautiful attire. That pallu of mom's saree was not only to provide the elegance of her drape, but it also had a lot of other cute many things which all our mom's used to do.

Mom's pallu used to serve as a potholder for removing hot pans from the stove. It used to be wonderful to dry children's tears, and at times use as a hand towel. And for sleeping kids, her laps used to be the mattress and her pallu the warm cover. If guests at home those pallus were an ideal hiding place for shy kids.  And while going out as a little kid those pallus were an anchor, a guide to follow mom in the big bad world.

Those pallus with mom's warm hug used to wrap us around as kids, to save us from cold weather. The glorious saree pallus wiped many perspiring brows and bent over the hot wood stoves. It also carried all sorts of vegetables from the garden. After the peas have been shelled, it carried over the hulls. In the fall, the pallu used to bring in the berries and sweetly scented flowers, which had fallen from trees.

Before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time saree pallu", that carried so many purposes. These pallus are nothing but magic woven of our mom's. In today times I don't think our kids know the magic of mom's pallu. But I will definitely read out to my little son the magic of moms pallu, where I caught nothing but my mom's LOVE. 😍😇

Mandala - Limitless Cricle

Mandala is an archetypal image whose occurrence is attested throughout the ages. It signifies the wholeness of the self. As quoted by 

- C.G.Jung

I being a creative person by nature see wholeness and happiness, in all the creative things and nature. I always had a great urge and belongingness to learn this beautiful art form. If one sees a minute designs of this art form it has a lot of things to say.

I believe each person's life is like a Mandala - a vast, limitless circle. We stand in the centre of our own circle, and everything we see, hear and thinks forms the mandala of our life. What lies behind us, what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.

If you see Sun, it is also in the form of a mandala a Circle. It starts with a promise of new beginnings. Every time a Sunsets, it lives behind luminous colours. Those colours are the suns promise for a new day to come. Every individual should learn this nature of giving something in return for whatever we have been blessed with abundance and lead life with gratitude.

Each one of us should be grateful for every ray of the sunrise, as it means that we have another day to make a positive difference for the people around us and to yourself. Start each day with a positive intention of leading life in a positive manner with spreading rays of hope and love around us. 

Our life keeps going around similar to this Mandalas, with various relations, people, promises, which we keep meeting again and again. Start each day with positive intention and send out only love in the future. And all should live life with inspiration and gratitude. 

As we are all ready to ring the bells and welcome New Year, let's make a promise to ourselves - "  Let's take care of our physical body to allow the spiritual self to blossom and flourish.  And extract all the sweetness in life, without filling our life with any harmful substance. And make the choice to lead a life with love and harmony... 

Happy New Year 2020 🌠⭐🌷💐🎂

In Thy Nature

        

In thy nature is beauty

In thy nature is earth

In thy nature, I find my worth

In thy nature I find peace

In thy nature I find myself

In thy nature of everlasting green

In thy nature, there is more to be seen

In thy nature a beauty untold

In thy nature, everything is worth than gold

In thy nature wake up like sunshine

In thy nature Moon taught me it's ok you 

go through phases, 

In thy nature, it gives me rays of hopes 

In thy nature, I get the strength

In thy nature look deep into it

In thy nature, you will get answers for all

In thy nature slow down and enjoy,

the simple pleasures of life.

🌲🌻🌲🌸🌲🏵🌲🍁🌲

Intezaar

Baat ek raat ke thi

Ek raat woh gaye thi baat rokke

Abhi thak wohi ruka hun

Raat rok ke

Sanam tere Intezaar mein

Wohi Zidd, wohi hasrat,

Na dard-e-dil mein koi kami huyi

Ajeeb hai mere mohabbat,

Na mil saki na khatam huyi

Sanam tere Intezaar mein

Yaad hai hamhe woh phele baarish

Jab bheege thi hum dono

Kudarat bhi jhum utta tha

hamara pyaar dekh kar,

Kasam hai tumhe un bundo ka

Ab tho aa jaa sanam,

Khade hai tere Intezaar main

Un dino bhi intezaar karya tune,

Itne mashruf thi, apne sahelion ke saath

Aaj phir mele itne arson bad,

Laga intezaar khatam huva mera

Kismat mere zalim,

Dekhaya Tujhe kisi aur ke saath

Mann bana leya hai humne

Kabhi ayenge nahi tere samne

Phir dekh kudrat ka khel sanam

Milaya kyun hamhe phir se ek baar

Tu kisi aur ki, mein kisi aur ka

Laga tu muhje bhool gaye

Laga khisa khatam huva hamare pyaar ka

Tere woh ek nazar kafi tha,

Jisne jataya mera pyaar tha abhi wohi

Ab jab mele, nazar chahti hai didar karna

Dil chatha hai pyaar karna,

Kya batayien iss dil ka aalam,

Shayad hamare pyaar ke

Naseb mein lekha hai

Bas Intezaar karna !

A Tiny White Dot

A tiny white dot. Seeing the title you must be thinking what is that I am talking about.  Well, I happened to come across this beautiful picture seen above. That small tiny white dot. It's our planet "Earth",  which is seen from Saturn ring. One of the iconic photograph taken by Voyager spacecraft from the vicinity of Saturn ring.

Our planet Earth existing from millions and millions of years now. Seeing that small white dot, I felt where do we stand. They say 7.6 million people live on this small tiny white dot. We have seen so many civilisations, dynasties, emperors, great rulers, scholars on this planet. All our great kings who wanted to win the universe were fighting for this small particle of dust in the Universe.

But strangely, the residents of this planet have individual egos bigger than the Universe.  Seeing the picture I personally started thinking we humans at times become so much greedy and forget our own roots and start thinking about self-pride, dignity, and start living with society based norms. Doesn't even think about what we want, what is right.

Now we have reached a level where we have taken our mother Earth for a troll. What not happening, the very major disaster global warming.  Our own planet which has always accepted us with open arms, now we are in the rage to take it totally for granted and destroying it. What have we left to our future generations, just nothing?

The air we breathe is no longer safe. We use an air purifier at home. Malnutrition is increasing. Adulteration in food taking human health for a toss. We humans are in the race to get a tag of developed countries. In that race mercy lessly cutting the trees.  Polluting our surrounding with garbage waste, contaminating our oceans with garbage and plastic which is affecting our marine life. What not, the list never ends.

Let's all come together and put an end to all this disastrous and make a significant remark in saving our mother earth and make that small white tiny dot shine for many more generations to come. 👍🙂

Soul Connect

Many times we all have come across this heavy word people keep talking about soulmate concept.  For example - Soul mates, Soul sister etc. Even I think at times, does this concept really exist. YES, it is. I am sure we all have come across this phenomena. When we meet somebody, at times we immediately get so well connected to each other as if we know them from ages. I have experienced this many times.

Let's put some more light into it. I had read that there are essentially four types of soul mates we encounter in our life. Not necessarily that all soulmate relationship that you encounter have to be romantic in nature. Some enter your life to teach us, to heal, to forgive. These will help us to grow in more ways than one. Here you go with 4  types of soulmates - 

1.  Healing Soulmates -

We have many people who inspire in there own way. From friends to colleagues. Some people come in our life just to "heal" us. Whoever we meet is there to help us grow. They arrive with the intention to provide you with the life lesson. These healing soulmates show up in one's life with divine timing. They know exactly what we need to learn and how they have to teach us. A healing soulmate exists in your life as long as the purpose aligned and the lesson is still unlearned.

2. Karmic Soulmates -

We all are bound by the bonds that are beyond our understanding and knowledge. Some people we meet in our life are connected with us through a past life. These connections are deep and karmic in nature. And these relationships are more often not so painful in nature.  What most people don't know is the fact that karmic soulmates have twinlike a connection. In some cases, they can even feel each other's emotions.

3. Past Life Soulmates -

More often than, might not be the people you meet in this lifetime may be connected with you from a past life. They might have been a lover or soulmate in your past life, and now they are back in this lifetime. You will feel the instant connection and more often that relationship is not that easy. You might feel that the person you met, you know them for a very long time. This kind of relationship will likely last for a longer time. You will not hide or keep any secret from this type of person. Past life soulmates help us to shape in to being a better human being. 

4. Twin Flames Soulmates -

It is a known fact that twin flames work together to overcome emotional and spiritual barriers. This connection is such that they can talk for hours at a stretch without running out of things to say. From thinking alike to finishing each other sentences, twin flames soulmates do things naturally as a pair. When you meet the twin flames you naturally experience a sense of completeness, that wasn't experienced before.

So after reading this have a look into your relationship around and find out have you come across anybody who stands in any of the above categories. 😃👍

Life Love Food

As we all know food is the most integral part of life. It is the very first basic need for all of us. Today I will tell you what is the importance of food according to me.

From my childhood, I have been a great foodie. In my college days, I use to cook evening snack on the weekend. In those days Maggie was very famous. A hot bowl of Maggie noodles in hand and watching Doordarshan channel. We used to not think about whether it's good or bad or junk or unhealthy. All these were thousand km far away from our mind.

Later after joining job I hardly used to get time to cook.  But that craving for cooking never got less. After marriage, I started cooking and trying my hands in different cuisine.  Being creative by nature whatever food I used to taste and find it tasty I used to try it at home. And 98% times my first attempted cooked food used to be a hit.

We have a cook at home who help me in my daily cooking chores. And I cook fresh food all three times in a day with varieties. I never get bored of cooking. I learnt north Indian and Chinese cuisines from our cook. Its been 10 years now as we know him. He has become an integral part of the family. From morning till night he is on his toes working in different houses as a cook. I have never seen him tired.  Always active.

I believe food cooked with a pure heart and love always tastes best no matter if it's simple daal and rice. I remember my mom used to tell us how my grandmother used to cook. My granny was the most religious lady I have ever seen. Cooking for her family was like the greatest ritual for her. As per Hindu tradition, she used to first offer the food cooked for Agni (fire God) then to animals and birds. Even my mom used to offer first cooked food to birds. She used to call me or my younger sister and tell us to keep it to birds. I too try my best to inculcate this in my son. At times I give him roti to offer it to cow on his way to school.

After my son was born my cooking took to a different level. He is a big foodie and wants variety. I started baking cakes and muffins. Many times I have baked in early morning hours and packed cupcake to R school for his school x-mas party. His whole class kids enjoyed my cupcakes. His class teacher used to send a thanking note as all kids enjoyed my cupcakes. The level of satisfaction, I get in cooking food and feeding people can't get it from anything. Being vegetarian I totally believe and enjoy satvik food. As we have heard what you eat is what you are. Food plays a vital role in developing once personality.

R loves sambar idly dosa chutney, noodles to parathas. Nowadays he has started loving Mexican and Italian food. He just can't stop eating his favourite white sauce pasta made by me, so am I. I prepare white sauce at home and cook it in a healthy way. Without using outside mayonnaise etc. After all only cooking food and feeding people is not enough. It should be healthy, tasty, and people should remember that very first bite.

From few days I have been handling kitchen alone as our cook is unwell and has gone to his native. it's nothing less than a marathon for me in the morning cooking food and packing it for the family. Food has to be tasty as well healthy with variety. Once I get free from work I sit and think why we work hard so much and earn money to eat a nice healthy food cooked by love and care. So that the entire day tiredness vanishes.

Nowadays I see this online food delivery service who deliver food at your doorstep. I keep thinking about how I still enjoy and cherish food cooked by my mom with so much love and affection. Seeing nowadays trend will the future kids remember what is the signature dish of their mom. I doubt. They will remember the restaurant's name.  Let's not make food as only an eating ritual because we need to survive. It has a much higher value in life. As we say in Hindu tradition before we start eating food - Annadata Sukhibhava. 😇🙏 it is a prayer we offer to the people who strive so hard and make this food grains reach to us Let thy be always content and blessed.

Now tell me what is your views on this and how much importance you give to food. 🙂

Being Eternal - Nandi

As we all know that in Indian mythology all our gods and goddess have an animal representing to them. Lord Ganesha has Rat, Lord Karthikeyan has Peacock, Lord Shiva has Nandi. Have you ever observed the quality of Nandi? It sit so graciously facing opposite to Shivling. We all have seen this whenever we have visited lord Shivji temple.  Here I have come up with qualities of Nandi.

Whenever I have visited lord Shivji temple I have always observed Nandi statue facing to the Shivling.They say Nandi is a symbolism of eternal waiting because waiting is considered as greatest virtues in Indian culture. 

One who knows how to sit and wait patiently is naturally meditative.  Likewise, Nandi is not expecting lord shiva to come out tomorrow. He is not expecting or anticipating anything. He is just waiting. Likewise, before you go to a temple, have the quality of Nandi - you simply sit. You don't think of going to heaven, you not getting anything. You just simply sit and meditate thanking God for giving this wonderful life. Pray without expectations.

Usually, people have always misunderstood meditation as some kind of activity. No, it is quality. A time when you sit with yourself just observing your breathing. What is the difference between prayer and mediation -
Prayer means you are trying to talk to God.  Meditation means you are willing to listen to God. You are willing to just listen to this existence. To the ultimate nature of creation.

You have nothing to say, just simply sit and listen. That is the quality of Nandi. He just sits, and be alert. Being alert is important, not sleepy. Nandi not sitting in a passive way. He is sitting very active, full of alertness, full of life. But just sitting. That is meditation.

Likewise one should get this quality of Nandi in one's life for own betterment, harmony, peace.  One should cultivate this habit of sitting doing nothing which is called meditation. When we meditate they say our ancestors who are in another sphere of the journey they get moksha by we doing meditation. And they bless us.

So simple things and have a greater meaning in life. Which we often ignore, due to lack of knowledge. Hence it's best to be in knowledge.