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Alternate Nostril Breathing

4/11/2020

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Here is a favorite meditation of mine to practice and teach. I have been sharing this regularly with clients who are struggling with anxiety and worry.

This meditation is called: Perspective and Emotional Balance, Alternate Nostril Breathing

Sit with straight spine on the floor with legs crossed or in a chair.

Eyes: Eyes are closed, pressed gently up, focusing at the Brow Point, also called 3rd eye (roll your eyes gently up and then in toward the bridge of your nose) .

Mudra (hand position): Left hand is in gian mudra resting on your knee. To do this, press the pad of your index finger into the bad of your thumb. Use the right thumb and right index finger to close off alternate nostrils.

Breath: Close off the right nostril with the right thumb. Inhale deeply through the left nostril. When the breath is full, close off the left nostril with the index finger, and exhale smoothly through the right nostril. The breath is complete, continuous, and smooth. Feel the expansion of your belly as you inhale and feel your chest drop down, then draw the navel back toward your spine on the exhale (exhaling completely).

Time: Continue with long, deep regular breaths for 3-11 minutes. I recommend starting with 3 minutes and slowly building up if you wish.

To End: Inhale, exhale completely, hold the breath out for a moment. Relax completely. Taking a few more breaths here before you move on with your day. I like to recommend practicing meditation at the same time every day, but there is always the ideal and the real. So do what works best for you, but finding a way to practice daily will give best results. You may find you like to start your day with this meditation or end you day with it, or even both. It is excellent to do before bed to let go of the worries of the day.

Inhaling through the left nostril is calming and cooling and stimulates the brain's capacity to reset your framework of thinking and feeling, allowing new perspectives. Exhaling through the right nostril relaxes the constant computations and cautions of the brain (worry and anxiety), which helps to break automatic patterns. Regulating your breath pattern in this way sets a new level of brain functioning which establishes emotional balance and calmness after periods of intense stress or shock. 
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Golden Milk

4/6/2020

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Turmeric is an excellent anti-inflammatory, digestive, anti-parasitic & anti-bacterial. It is rich in antioxidants and can boost your immune system. The Turmeric Paste is also excellent stirred into rice or soup with a crack of black pepper to help boost it's immune strengthening properties. 

Turmeric Paste:

1/4 cup turmeric
1/2 cup water

To make the turmeric paste: 
Cook turmeric and water in a pan until thick paste is formed. 
This paste will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. 

Golden Milk (Individual Cup):
1 cup plant milk (almond, oat, soy are all good)
1 tsp almond oil
1/4 tsp turmeric paste
Maple syrup or agave

Add the turmeric paste & almond oil to hot milk. Stir in sweetener to taste. 
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Ginger Miso Soup

3/29/2020

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This makes 1 large serving

Ingredients:
3 cups water
2 fingers of ginger, cut lengthwise and in half
2-4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp Better than Bouillon
1 Tbsp miso
Juice from half of a lemon
6-9 kale leaves (depends on size), I used Lacinato; stemmed, sliced fine
3 Tbsp Bragg's Amino Acid
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne
Optional: Cooked rice or rice noodles; Kimchi, Sesame Seeds, Tofu

Instructions:
Pour water in pan over high heat  and add bouillon, ginger and garlic.  As the water heats, slice kale and add this to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.  Cook for 10 minutes, infusing the water with ginger, garlic and broth while cooking the kale.  Remove from heat, add lemon juice and cayenne, whisk in miso until blended thoroughly (do not add miso to boiling water). Remove ginger ad discard (unless you want to eat some if it, it will be quite soft). Serve over cooked rice or rice noodles. Top with kimchi, sesame seeds and tofu.

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Ginger Tea Recipe

3/18/2020

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Ingredients:
1 gallon water
24 slices of ginger

Instructions:
  1. Add the ginger slices to water. 
  2. Bring to a boil over high heat. 
  3. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and partially cover. 
  4. Continue to boil for 60-90 minutes. 
  5. Strain and drink. Store remainder in fridge.  

This gallon of ginger tea is an effective digestive and immune booster.

There are different ways to enjoy this batch:
  • add a squeeze of lemon juice to your tea
  • add 1-2 cups of ginger tea to your vegetable broth to make an immune boosting soup
  • add a few shots of ginger tea to your smoothie

If you just want to make one cup at a time, there are a couple of ways to make a quick cup of ginger tea:

To a cup or two of boiling water...
  • add sliced up ginger to the boiling water, boil for 10-15 minutes, then serve. About 4 inches of ginger root is a good start, but it also depends on the potency of that root-- some are spicier than others.
  • grate a 4-6 inch piece of ginger root and squeeze the juice from the grating with your hand into the cup(s) and add boiling water. This method will yield the strongest and spiciest cups of ginger tea. If you have a juicer, it's definitely easier than grating. 



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Yogi Tea Recipe

3/18/2020

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Makes approximately 1 gallon

Ingredients: 
1 Gallon Water
2 Tbsp cardamom pods
1 tsp peppercorns
1 scant tsp cloves
6 cinnamon sticks
24 slices of ginger
Pinch of black tea or 1 tea bag (optional, we do not use this in the UYC tea)

Instructions:
  1. Combine water, spices & ginger and bring to a boil. 
  2. After a few minutes of boiling, add the black tea, if using.
  3. Boil actively for 15 minutes, then reduce to a simmer, covered for 30 minutes. 
  4. Strain and store
  5. Stir in milk (dairy or non-dairy) and sweetener of choice to taste to individual cups, or enjoy on its own. 

Stores in fridge up to two weeks.

We know how much this is enjoyed after class. It's also has amazing benefits (see below). 
Since alas we aren't able to meet in person, here is the recipe. As long as you are making it, might as well make it by the gallon. Store in a glass mason jar after it cools, and heat as you need.


Spices and their benefits: 
Black pepper: blood purifier
Cardamom pods: digestive aid
Cloves: beneficial to the nervous system
Cinnamon: strengthens the bones
Ginger root: healing for colds and flu, increases energy, also a digestive aid
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Ginger Orange Juice

3/17/2020

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Simple juicing recipe, makes 1 large, or 2 small, servings:

2 large organic navel oranges
ginger (try 2 inches of ginger root and add or subtract to your taste)

Juice and enjoy right away.

This is an excellent immune booster filled with Vitamins C, B and A, calcium, potassium, anti-oxidants, and are good for skin and heart health. This drink also has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-microbial benefits. Ginger strengthens the digestive system, which is the foundation for good health and strong immunity. 
The best part is, this is incredibly quick, simple, and delicious. 

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  • Class Descriptions
  • Urban Practice (YouTube)
    • Urban Practice: Mantra Meditation
    • Urban Practice: Kriyas
    • Medical Meditations
    • Guided Visualizations
  • Music to Practice To
  • Blog
    • UYC Blog
    • HLF Blog
    • Savitree | Authentic Relationships
    • Jodh | Plant Based Warrior
  • Contact