Namaste Yogis and Yoginis,

For as long as I can remember, I have loved spring. It is a joyful season. Nature’s regeneration ignites our faith and happiness; with the buds bursting and birds singing our hearts organically bloom open. Optimism flows more effortlessly. What's more, is when we are optimistic we actually move through change more willingly. This is a really good thing, because spring is a time of great change! And the transformational energy is now expanding. In fact, my tulips have already broken ground!

So this month, I devote my personal practice and this issue of Yogalicious to upping optimism and preparing the body, mind and spirit to spring up!

With joy,
Jillian
www.yogajillian.com

“What we think about, what we hold in our minds and put our attention and energy into, we actually draw into our lives.” -- P Cota-Robles    back to top

While we may find happiness in longer days of light, yogis believe that happiness is an "inside job". Yoga philosophy advocates that energy follows thought and that we choose our thoughts. Happiness is not a mysterious occurrence. It is a behavior, a conscious decision. It is a choice we make, each day, each moment of our day, with each thought we have (or don't have). And while yogis believe this state of contentment is our birth rite, they acknowledge that it takes steadfast practice to live that way. However, with even a small glimpse of this state, we are able to find it more easily and more often. But yogis are not the only ones who prescribe a positive orientation. Our news media reports daily on the healing benefits of positive thinking. Eastern and western scientists agree that negative thinking or emotions create rigidity or solidity in us and over time can impair the systems of the body. Of course, sometimes they are useful, like when we need to protect ourselves, to fight or flee from danger. But as a habitual pattern, negative thoughts and emotions take their toll. They are energy draining, limiting, and contracting. Where as positive emotions and moods promote an over all well being as they open us up psychologically and physiologically. The Mayo Clinic reports that the health benefits of positive thinking may provide: decreased stress, greater resistance to catching the common cold, a sense of well-being and improved health, reduced risk of coronary artery disease, breathing easier if you have chronic obstructive lung disease, such as emphysema, living longer, better coping skills, and reduces the effects of stress on your body over all. Well, I’ve put this to the test. In November, in an effort to stimulate a deeper healing from the significant health challenge I faced this past summer and fall, I began a regular routine of choosing my thoughts. I created a daily practice of journaling my gratitude, affirmations, and Mudita (joy meditation).
Within a couple of weeks I began to feel great differences in my whole system. I HIGHLY recommend experimenting with this! After all, it can’t hurt…
TRY IT: Pick a journal and label 40 days of pages. Commit to writing once a day. I start with what I have gratitude for, then I write down a few sentences in the present tense, constructing an image of myself in a state of well being, describing my life as I want it to be. I also jot down any quotes that inspire me. Don’t worry if you skip a day. Just pick it back up the next day. But you’ll find you won’t want to miss a day!   back to top

You become what you think about all day and those days become your lifetime”   back to top

"Everyone is seeking to maximize happiness and minimize unhappiness. Therefore, the pursuit of happiness was written into the American constitution as a basic human right. However, the constitution does not offer a clear explanation of what happiness is. Nor does it tell us how to realize happiness… What, then, is happiness? First of all, we must note that happiness is often confused with pleasure…The particular sting of pleasure is that it is short-lived. Hence we often hunt after a pleasurable repetition and in the process run the rise of becoming ‘addicted’… However much the pleasure, we always hunger for more. Happiness, on the other hand, is deep, full and enduring. It is satisfying in itself. Therefore it gives us peace and tranquility… The person who is happy does not look for greater happiness. But pleasure always spurs us on the experience greater pleasure. Happiness, however, sets us free." -- Georg Feuerstein    back to top

THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS visit TUT and sign up for the daily email. http://www.tut.com/
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Definitely read this one! http://yogajournal.com/views/1318_3.cfm  back to top

QUICK FIX 1: Today take 15 minutes to do something you enjoy. Walk outside, take a bath, call a friend, write a letter, read a book! Just do it. NOW.
QUICK FIX 2: Tell someone how much you appreciate them. Pick up the phone, write a letter, or even send an email now. The sharing and receiving of kinds words are an amazing stress reducer and heart opener.    back to top

My Ayurvedic master and friend Niika Quistgard, CAS of MayaShakti Ayurveda (www.mayashakti-ayurveda.com) shares her wisdom with us to help shift into spring. “Of the three Ayurvedic bio-energies or doshas of life Vata, Pitta and Kapha, late winter and early spring is the time of year dominated by the Kapha dosha. As temperatures warm, snow melts and the air goes from Vata-dry, to Kapha-moist. Green buds swell, about to burst forth with abundant new growth. Kapha is thought of as being made up of the elements earth and water. And what do earth and water make? Mud! And we are starting to see mud everywhere. Our environment influences our physiology and psychology, so as Kapha manifests in our natural world, we may see signs of Kapha in our body and mind as well. Sluggish digestion, excess mucous, feelings of heaviness, water retention, swellings, growths; all these are signs of excess Kapha in the body. Sentimentality, attachment, some kinds of depression, greed, a craving for sweets, a reluctance toward exercise well, a general laziness actually are signs of excess Kapha in the mind. In Ayurveda, the best way to respond to signs of imbalance is to expose our senses to stimuli possessing qualities that are opposite of those in excess. When we touch mud, we experience that it is cool, heavy, damp, smooth and stable. So, during this “season of mud," it makes sense to look for foods and experiences that with opposite qualities, ie: warm, light, dry, rough and mobile. (For more explanation, go to: http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1374_1.cfm) Choose foods with crunch and zing to cut through Kapha’s thick heaviness. Steer clear of Kapha-provoking meals made up of wheat, dairy or cold foods makes sense for most of us right now. Try adding more warming spices like ginger, clove and cayenne to food. Dine on the season’s emerging bitter greens. Include more raw, rough-textured foods like oil-free corn chips or mung bean sprouts, and above all, try eating less. During Kapha season, many people will be better off adding a full-body dry brushing to their morning regimen this season, instead of, or in addition to daily warm-oil self massage. Now is also a great time to boost cardiovascular activities and engage a more vigorous yoga practice to balance the sluggishness of Kapha. It's important to take one’s
Ayurvedic constitution and imbalance into account when making diet and lifestyle choices, and it’s always wise to consult a knowledgeable health practitioner before making big changes to one’s diet, herbal supplementation, exercise routine or lifestyle. But if you feel comfortable, make life your laboratory and experiment with creating personal balance during the Kapha season by applying opposite qualities.”  back to top

• Beets: support detoxification in the intestines, blood and liver.
• Lemon and orange peels: aid liver in neutralizing carcinogens – and lifts moods!
• Radicchio, escarole, endive: help release of toxins from GI track
• Cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli: help liver detoxify chemicals, drugs, pollutants
• Oatmeal, apples, pears, strawberries, peas, beans, provide soluble fiber to soak up toxins in the intestine.
• Asparagus, avocadoes, raw spinach, walnuts, and cooked chicken - aids in the removal of fat-soluble toxins
• Egg yolks, onions, beans, garlic, help clear the body of discard able drugs and hormones
• Add warming spices and detoxifying herbs to your meals, salads, or tea. To help with digestion, elimination, and purification use ginger, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric or cardamom.
• Most importantly, don't starve yourself! Your body will react by saving up excess fat, instead of letting you burn it off. This will only keep the toxins inside   back to top

Thanks so much for meeting me hear! As always, I love to hear your comments, suggestions or any thoughts you would like to share. In addition, please let me know if you have have an email address correction or a friend that you would like to add to the list.

Remember, Spring is within us, not merely around us. So, open all your windows and let the fresh air in.

With Love,
Jillian