Ahimsa and the media

I first heard of Ahimsa a few years ago and when I managed a large group of people, I kept the concept of Ahimsa- non violence- in mind. I think it made me a better manager because I tried in each interaction to practice non-violence. More than that, I view Ahimsa as nuturing.

When I started reading about Ayurveda, I was struck by the bedtime ritual. Don't read anything stimulating or violent or watch movies or tv before bed that will leave you with uncomfortable thoughts. Instead, read poetry or listen to music that is calming and relaxed. When your mind is in a restful state, sleep comes much easier. When you have restful sleep you wake up refreshed and focused.

I think we all know this, but I hadn't thought about how the tv shows I like- generally detective/murder/gangs or even just promiscuity - might be affecting my sleep and the rest of my life. During a conversation last month, one of my acquaintances who is at least a decade older than I told us he had never seen a scary movie. !!! My husband and I just talked about this earlier this week. To have missed out on the resurgence of the zombie genre and the slasher films of the 80s?  Like me, all of my friends are a little strange and this added to his mystery. But when I started thinking about it as an informed choice of non-violence within his life... I have to say I'm impressed.

This is one I am currently struggling with. I LIKE movies with action and books with turmoil. I read just before sleep. I am considering trying something specific at night before bed that will be only for restfulness. Hopefully, I can find something I enjoy that works for me.

Ahimsa and exercise

Ahimsa is not an Ayurveda term, but one from the Buddhist tradition. The concept though is certainly apt in Ayurveda when thinking about how we treat our bodies. Ahimsa is non-violence. What doe sit mean to be violent to yourself? I have been thinking about this as I increase my activity. Can you exercise as a Westerner and still practice an Ayurvedic lifestyle? In Ayurveda, walks are encouraged as the activity helps with regulating digestive function. Yoga is recommended daily.

What is frowned on is the overindulgence or overuse of exercise contraindicated by your dosha. As an example, I am provisionally pitta type and competitive sports are not healthy for me psychologically. I get too competitive. The drive for perfection can lead to disordered behaviors regarding the body. So even though I am trying to get back into shape and strive to be active every day, I try to choose my activities in a non-violent way. I prefer biking, dance, ice skating, pilates and swimming - all activities that I can do alone or at least in a non-competitive environment. It is even more important to be gentle with myself because the negative self-talk from my weight gain can be pretty violent. Not only do I sometimes punish myself with exercise, but I berate myself at the same time. My goal every day is to bring a little more gentleness into my life and I must start with my body. Practicing Ahimsa towards myself is helping me become a more compassionate person with others. Well, I hope so at least.

Does this mean I won't run again? Probably not. I actually enjoy it when I can get motivated to do it. I just need to do it for pleasure and not for punishment. When I feel brave enough to start, I'll let you know.

New Haircut - new profile pic

Just a little note to thank Lindsay for the great hair. It's been 18 years since my hair was this short. This is a great cut. And Lindsay is a great stylist. She's in Milwaukee at Aveda (!!) on the Eastside. Make an appoitnment with Des at Neroli.

I have been called a hottie, three people walked right by me, and I'm getting lots of double takes. Shower to mascara, it only took 10 minutes to get ready this morning and my hair was dry and styled. Woohoo.

Pharmaceuticals and Ayurveda

I was diagnosed with Asthma in 1995. Right after my brother died, I started wheezing- a lot. The doctor at the campus health center gave me an inhaler. For a few years, I just had the rescue inhaler, but then I graduated to an Advair daily dosage inhaler. For 17 years, I have been labeled as having Asthma. Recently Glaxo Smith Kline paid a large settlement to the FDA for marketing drugs for off-use. One of those drugs? Advair. A few years ago, I read about potential side effects from long term daily use of Advair. Then I started really thinking about my asthma. I have never had an asthma attack. I have had terrible seasonal allergies. I have anxiety issues that have led to, well- three anxiety attacks that I can remember. Do I even have asthma? Does anyone? Or is our world so pollutant laced and anxiety ridden that other symptoms are being diagnosed as Asthma so the MDs can get their illegal kickbacks for off use prescriptions? I guess we'll see how many people are prescribed Advair now that GSK can't market or push their product for this problem. I do think there are some people who legitimately have asthma, but I would say that half the people I know use a daily inhaler. I don't think that's realistic. Some might be better with regular gentle exercise to get their lungs working correctly and some are caused by poor nutrition. Some are cause d by environmental factors and some are smokers.

And what about myself? I have often thought that I was misdiagnosed. Not misdiagnosed really- I did have "asthma"- it was stress related. So, how long will the stress of my brother's death cause me to breath incorrectly? I can feel shortness of breath when I exert myself in cardio beyond my capabilities or eat too much sugar. Or when I am doing something I am nervous about. But these are all things I can control.

I am committed to working through this issue without daily drugs to see if through Ayurveda, I can retrain my body. The daily routine helps with managing stress. I will engage in kapha balancing diet and exercise to see how that effects my breathing.  I want to know if it's asthma or if it's in my mind. I would like to gradually wean myself off of all drugs. Ayurveda is the science of life and food, meditation and movement are the cornerstones. Of course, while I am weaning, I will still carry that rescue inhaler with me.

The heat has broken!

Since I began this blog, I have done the daily sun salutations outside. About two weeks ago, we started experiencing the extreme heat wave that has affected the whole country. So, I moved the sun salutations indoors. It's nice to do them no matter where you are, but there's something so refreshing about being outside in the morning. This morning, instead of 95 degrees and oppressive heat, there is a 76 degree day with a cool breeze. It was wonderful. And as I looked to the sky during the sun salutations, I was thankful for the beauty this heat wave has given us. Flowers are in bloom, the tomatoes are ahead of schedule, the lettuces are all doing well. I just hope this more typical July temperatures stick around for a while.