The Yoga is Easy.
Balance
Too much of anything in life should be avoided. Too much physical activity or too much sitting still. Too much thinking, planning, desiring, organising. Too much worrying and complaining,
Too much computer use. Too much television and reading, particularly newspapers. You can even have too much fresh air! England has a damp and often cold climate. The neck and throat are very sensitive to damp and cold. So a scarf is recommended when the weather is poor. We are individuals. We have different natures and different physical characteristics. A food or a treatment which is suitable for one person may be unsuitable for another. For example, a person who is very busy, physically and mentally, is likely to benefit from eating more carbohydrates and less proteins. A person who is lazy or lethargic or depressive is likely to benefit from eating more proteins and less carbohydrates. Here the question is about moving from a less balanced state to a more balanced state. A person who is depressed should try to be more active and not just by taking physical exercise. The Fox, by Kahlil Gibran: "A fox looked at his shadow at sunrise and said, 'I will have a camel for lunch today.' And all morning he went about looking for camels. But at noon he saw his shadow again... and he said, 'A mouse will do.'" This is the key issue. What do you really need? Is the lifestyle or the food or any treatment that you have adopted helping you? Experiences from yoga and meditation should lead you to a better understanding of your own nature and your own needs. We hope they will. Making Progress
Everyone is different inside and we have a unique histories. So, we will make progress at different speeds. Living in this modern world is difficult. Yes, this world is not easy! So, we should be patient but not lazy or lethargic. Easy Yoga
You need not go to any extreme. Nothing is forced. Normally you will sit on a chair, which is able to provide some back support. Not sitting on a mat, not sitting on a meditation stool and not trying to balance on the front of your seat, etc.
We do use some hand movements from time to time but these simply provide some assistance to inner energies and mechanisms. The movements are not essential. Normally we close our eyes when hoping to achieve a state of meditation. Again, that is not essential. Some people will prefer to start with their eyes open or they may decide to open the eyes from time to time. Climate, Economics, Health, Politics and Religion
Difficulties in these areas seem to have no easy or obvious solutions. But there is scope to improve our experiences or our individual contributions in these areas. Consider how a climber manages to reach the top of a mountain. In essence, they hammer a nail into the rock and with some ropes they pull themselves a little higher. Another nail follows and another. In everyday life we can work in the same way, making small changes and seeing what things seem to help us. Adding something or removing something... Pregnancy
Easy Yoga could be very helpful during pregnancy. It is straightforward and does not require the physical postures of Hatha Yoga. We can visit ladies during pregnancy. More About PregnancyEasy Diet
We mention some items of food and drink which we consider to be particularly healthy for most people. We are not offering a collection of slimming tips, alternative therapies or a lifestyle programme.
Sweet fruit and sweet fruit juice, vegetables and vegetable juice, herbs and spices, salads, sardines, eggs, spinach, meat from small animals, boiled white rice, chick peas, chicory, cane sugar. Dairy products including butter, cottage cheese - not low fat version, feta cheese - not low fat, goats milk - not low fat, organic milk - not low fat, natural yoghurt - not low fat. Breakfast cereal cocktails. We mix several cereals including Cheerios, Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes, Fruit and Fibre and add warm milk, yoghurt, nuts, seeds, fresh or dried fruit. Sometimes adding jam, Shredded Wheat, muesli, and more rarely - Bran Flakes, Shreddies or Weetabix. More About Diet If you have a significant illness, for example with heart or artery issues, and have been advised to eat a low fat diet by your doctor, then you might not follow our advice about avoiding certain low fat products. However, you could decide to take some of the full fat products which we recommend but to eat or drink a small enough quantity of them to satisfy your health professional. If you are diabetic, your doctor may not agree that cane sugar is healthy for you. However, clinical evidence suggests that sugar, is not the cause of diabetes. See, for example, [ external websites ] Diabetes Myths (US) and Diabetes Myths (UK). Weight Loss
If you do need to lose weight, the best technique is, broadly, to eat less! Our forms of yoga and meditation may help a lot with that. If you become more satisfied with your life, then you are less likely to overeat. Will Power
One thing which should improve is your will power. Do you smoke cigarettes (too much)? Do you drink strong tea or coffee (too much)? Do you drink alcohol (too much)? From Sand and Foam by Kahlil Gibran, 1926: "Our mind is a sponge; our heart is a stream. Is it not strange that most of us choose sucking, rather than running?" Alcohol
Alcohol clearly has a damaging effect on the liver, a large organ with over 500 functions. Your ability to meditate will be restricted if you regularly consume alcohol. A document which we downloaded from the website of the Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council indicates that almost 20% of local adults binge drink. Probably these people are not alcoholics but they are mostly bored or frustrated or unhappy with life. Many are ill. Almost half of the adults in England are on prescribed medication. See the [ external website ] UK Government Health Survey 2013, published in December 2014. |