Any dog or horse trainer will tell you that what is fed to an animal directly influences its behavior. Although we like to forget this when it comes to ourselves, what we eat has a huge influence not only over our physical well being, but also over our thoughts, and ultimately our emotional and spiritual well being. The yogis of ancient times knew this, and many classical yogic texts, contain advice on a yogic diet. However, proper diet is a controversial subject.
Nutrition has been extensively researched by modern science, and there seems to be as many ‘proper’ diets as there are scientific studies. It is more than a bit confusing for someone to devise their own individual diet amidst the different personalities that contribute to these books. The challenge is to figure out what suits an individual’s particular constitution and circumstances.
Ayurveda, the classic system of Indian medicine, best answers those requirements. It classifies people, as well as food into three categories according to their nature. These three ayurvedic categories, or doshas as they are called, are Pitta (hot and oily), Vata (dry and light) and Kapha (cold and moist) and in ayurveda, the individual’s diet should be tailored to the individual’s constitution to keep the particular dosha in balance. Some foods which are recommended for a particular ayurvedic constitution may not be suitable for another; For example, while milk, a sattvic food, is generally good for a Pitta constitution, in ayurveda, it may not suit someone with a Kapha constitution unless it has some herbs or spices in it to ameliorate the situation.
The ideal ayurvedic diet also changes depending on the time of the year. Similar to macrobiotics, ayurveda honors the seasons and recognizes that different vibrations, densities and the atmosphere affect the being according to any particular season. In winter one might imagine eating food that is more warming; in summer and spring, we would of course lighten up and eat lighter more sattvic food. Of course, the differences again would be the ayurvedic dosha with which you are dealing.
Ayurveda attempts to bring the organism back into its original balance. It is difficult to remember that unless one has had a very balanced lifetime; food, relationship and resident choices are sometimes arbitrary and are not at all in keeping with one’s constitution. Just as in homeopathy, one seeks to restore the original constitution, so too does ayurveda through food, exercise, adherence to certain spiritual practices, seek to do the same. For example, in ayurveda, if one is a Vata type, it is not recommended to do aerobics, for the simple reason that wind and bursts of energy deleteriously affect the Vata disposition. Pittas, known for their high energy, given to playing tennis and other competitive sports which they thrive on, might be encouraged not to play tennis under a noonday sun since that would aggravate their condition Kapha types, while in their ideal state of good stamina and resilience, but in their detrimental state of sluggishness and inertia, would probably be encouraged to choose gentle walking or bicycling, so as to move their solidity. So we see that in ayurveda one treats the individual very individually. Contrary to western medicine, which seeks to give one pill to fit everybody, ayurveda is designed with you in mind.
In ayurveda, it is not just by food alone do we become balanced however. That is the extraordinary thing about ayurvedic medicine. A doctor of ayurveda would not merely look at your diet or symptoms and then prescribe a drug or herb that fits all. Ayurvedic medicine looks at the person or patient in his or her totality. The questions of what are your dosha, your lifestyle, your food consumption and your spiritual practice are some of the components of healing in ayurveda. What brings balance to the person is not just by treating their constitutional ailments, but also by bringing serenity and harmony to their total selves. That has been called the “mean” of ayurveda.
This is done by various means. Ayurveda looks at when you eat, how you eat, and what you eat. It is that old maxim that we are what we eat. If you were predominantly Vata, in ayurveda, this would indicate that you are a pretty sensitive soul, particularly susceptible to the influences of heat, light, wind, etc. Many things can upset you. In fact, I knew a person who had a fan in her room that became aggravating. It is said in ayurveda that if a person is ill or out of balance, the first thing to look for is the Vata dosha. One must bring the Vata dosha back into balance in ayurveda.
How does one do that?
Since Vata is usually a nervous condition, one strives to bring balance and harmony, and basically, to soothe the person’s nature. In ayurveda, this means providing food that is comforting and warm. For example, for breakfast, a nice breakfast of a warm cereal would be beneficial. Lunch and dinner would again perhaps be some nice warm and comforting soups. Spicy food should be avoided because that would be heating and exciting. Then one would look at the patient’s relationships, lifestyle and spiritual practice. In ayurveda, these are the best medicine for the patient.
Peace.
Dzi stones are made from agate, and may have decorated symbols composed of circles, ovals, square, waves (zig zags), stripes, lines, diamonds, circles, squares, waves, and stripes and various other natural archetypal symbolic patterns. Colors will mainly range from browns to blacks with the pattern usually being in ivory white. Dzi beads can appear in different colors, shapes and sizes. The number of eyes on the stone usually signify different meanings. “Eyes” refers to the circular dot designs, and depending on their number and arrangement, represent different things. Sometimes the natural patterns (usually “layered” swirls) of the agate can be seen underneath or behind the decorated symbols and designs, and sometimes not.
ce of the bead, which simulates scales. The word “waxy” is often used to describe dzi bead surface, which is the smoothing which occurs over a long period of time (presumably from wear), giving the bead a waxy appearance. Some dzi beads are simply polished agate and sport only the agate’s natural patterning as decoration.
Dzi stones may have made their first appearance between 2000 BC to 1000 BC, in ancient India. Fear of the “Evil eye” was taken very seriously by these people, so they created talismans with “eyes” on them as a “fight fire with fire” form of protection.
Cashmere Pashmina shawls are the best kind of fiber to be worn as they are the most warm and soft kind of compared to others. The fibers used in making Cashmere Pashmina shawls comes from goats which lives in the high and dry plateaus surrounding the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China. Nearly all Cashmere Pashmina products are made in Nepal and are handmade with beautiful embroidery.
On virtually every stupa (Buddhist shrine) in Nepal, there are giant pairs of eyes staring out from the four sides of the main tower. These are Buddha Eyes (also known as Wisdom Eyes), and they look out in the four directions to symbolize the omniscience (all-seeing) of a Buddha. The Buddha eyes are so prevalent throughout the country that they have become a symbol of Nepal itself. Between the Buddha’s eyes where the nose would be is a curly symbol that looks like question mark. This is the Nepali character for the number 1, which symbolizes unity of all the things as well as the one way to reach enlightenment—through the Buddha’s teachings. Above this is a third eye, symbolizing the all-seeing wisdom of the Buddha. All over this area you will find Buddha Eyes, even in restaurants and bars…
Woodwork has been part of Nepal’s traditional architecture, and wood carvings have graced temples, monasteries, residential homes and palaces since the twelfth century. However, the earliest surviving temple decorated with wood carvings bears the date 1396. Another traditional architectural site, which is believed to have been built as a shelter for travelers in Kathmandu, still stands and is believed to date back to before 1143 but there is no evidence of its true date. In fact, the history of woodcarving in Nepal is older than that.
In Nov. 14, 2005, Namtso Lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region was selected as one of the five most beautiful lakes in China by Chinese National Geography magazine. Namtso Lake’s touching beauty should not be missed by any traveler who visits Tibet. Its purity and solemnness are symbols of Qinghai-Tibet Platea. In Tibetan, Namtso means ‘Heavenly Lake.’ It is considered one of the three holy lakes in Tibet.
enjoying the warmth of the sunshine; sheep and cows herds are like flowing white blanks on the green grassland which can stretch as far as your eyes can see; the dulcet songs of Gauchos resound through the valleys. This time of the year Namtso Lake is full of life and activity. Therefore it is no wonder Tibetans take Namtso Lake the symbol of goodliness and happiness. Really, Namtso Lake is a blessing from nature.
There are more than ten ethnic groups in Tibet, including Tibetan, Mongolian, Nu, Drung, Moinba, Lhoba, Hui, Naxi, Deng and Sherpa. Among them, Tibetans are the dominant inhabitants of Tibet, accounting for 92.2 percent of the local population.
bic for their religious rituals. Hui people are Islamic and have built mosques in Lhasa and other places.
Tibetan clothing features a loose waist, long sleeves, and a big front. People wear fur coats on festivals and big occasions. The color is determined by religious factors, with white, yellow, and red being the most popular. Tibetan clothing is mainly composed of a Tibetan robe and a Tibetan-styled shin (a garment covering the front part of the lower leg).
m naturally imbued with a mystical flavor. The main materials may include turquoise, yak bones, red and yellow corals, Tibetan silver and other natural elements. Features come together in a simple, unconstrained motif, and the brilliant colors and bold, wild designs instill high fashion mixed with a spiritual, earthy style. With little need for complicated craftsmanship, a wild, trendy bracelet or necklace can come into being simply by joining several natural stones, corals, and a yak-hide string.
an’s skills; prayer wheels, which can be found throughout Tibet; barrels to hold rice for offering before Buddha images; sea-snail-shaped ritual horns; and splendid-colored Thangka paintings. All of these types of ornaments release the ethnic beauty of this region of the world and all are very popular right now.