10,000 for world peace

 I mentioned before Christmas that I would be participating in the big yoga and meditation event 10,000 for world peace in India for two weeks in connection with the New Year. It was an absolutely amazing experience. We actually had as many as 11,000 participants. About 7,000 were from India – mainly school students from schools where they practice Transcendental Meditation. The rest really came from all corners of the world. As many as 139 countries were represented. There were about twenty of us from Sweden. When all these people did the powerful TM-sidhi program together, an atmosphere was created that is absolutely indescribable. It was as if the entire area was a single field of vibrating, joyful consciousness. And even though there were some challenges in the housing situation, there was always incredible friendliness and positivity. It was as if negative thoughts could not really be thought in that atmosphere. We also got delicious mild Indian food and it was impressive how efficiently they managed to distribute it to all these people. During the meetings between the meditations, we were visited by many influential leaders in India. And everyone agreed on how important it is to create a permanent group like this so that we can have a continuous positive influence on the world and overcome the challenges our world faces. Because really, we can create a wonderful world for all people, if we can only raise the collective consciousness in the world.

Udana vata

 Udana vata is the second sub-dosha of vata. It is the ascending vata, whose main seat is in the neck region. It controls speech and the swallowing process. Through the thyroid gland, it also controls the metabolism and energy level in the body and through the parathyroid glands, it controls the mineral balance. If you haven't been allowed/couldn't/dared to say what you think and feel or if no one has listened to or cared, it often settles like a lump in the throat blocking udana vata. Imbalances in udana vata can cause speech problems, throat infections and hyper- or hypothyroidism, among other things. In balance, udana vata instead gives a clear and beautiful speech, a good energy level and the ability to balance minerals. Here are some tips to strengthen udana vata.

• Avoid cold and carbonated drinks.

• Always eat calmly and chew your food very thoroughly.

• Keep your neck warm - wear a warm woollen scarf in winter.

• Do calm and pleasant yoga. In particular, sarvang asana (shoulder stand), halasana (plough), bhujang asana (cobra) and simhasana (lion) are great poses for udana vata.

• Calm breathing techniques such as sukh pranayama and ujjayi breathing are also very beneficial.

• Try to almost always breathe only through the nose; it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which makes us calmer. Breathing through the mouth activates the sympathetic nervous system, which makes us more stressed. Feel free to try taping your mouth at night; it can lead to a more restful sleep.

• Sing or read poems for others or just for yourself. Enjoy your voice; it's amazing that we can create so many different sounds.

• Try to be clear and communicate what and how you feel, especially to your loved ones. It's not easy; I know that too well, but do your best.

• Listen to your fellow human beings and really try to understand them - then you also help their udana vata.

Prana vata

 Prana vata is the first sub-dosha of vata. Vata is usually called "the leading dosha". Since it is the only mobile dosha, it is somehow involved in all movement and change in the body. Thus, it can lead the other doshas both in and out of balance, depending on how you live. Prana vata has the same function, so it is the leading sub-dosha. Prana means life force, and it is prana vata that spreads life in our bodies. Thus, it is also related to breathing. It has its seat in the head and controls the central nervous system. When the thoughts just spin in the head in an uncoordinated stream - then prana and vata are out of balance. But imbalances in prana vata can also cause sleep difficulties, headaches, worry, anxiety, neurological diseases, asthma and other diseases of the respiratory system etc. And in its role as the leading sub-dosha, prana vata is always somehow involved in all pain conditions and in the onset of all health problems – and in their healing. In balance, prana vata gives us enthusiasm, clear thinking, creativity, well-functioning minds and a generally healthy body. To keep prana in balance, it can be good to think about the following points:

• Meditate, especially TM, is good.

• Do calm, soothing yoga such as Maharishi Yoga Asanas with closed eyes and full attention to the body. Rest in the postures and enjoy them.

• Avoid stress. Be happy with what you have time for instead of worrying about what you don't have time for or rushing through the activities.

• Do oil massage, abhyanga, calm and focused.

• Avoid splitting the mind. Don't multitask; all research shows it's ineffective, so do one thing at a time.

• Go to bed early in the evenings.

• Avoid all screens in the evening. Also, try to reduce screen time in general, especially noisy and intense things.

• Hug those you care about. Loving body contact is prana vata's best friend.

Vata

 Autumn is here again. The wind howls, and the cold creeps in between marrow and bones. Then, we have typically entered a time dominated by vata. Today's society and lifestyle are a challenge for vata, and in my practice, it is actually rare that I meet someone who has vata entirely in balance. An imbalance in vata can cause anxiety, stiffness, dry skin, stomach problems, etc., but if it goes too far, it can also be a breeding ground for exhaustion syndrome and severe neurological diseases. Vata is cold, mobile, rough and dry. Therefore, the keywords for vata balance are rest, warmth and regularity. Here are some tips:

• Stay warm. Dress properly when you go out. Be especially careful to protect the ears, neck and lower abdomen (never sit on cold surfaces). Wind and drafts, in particular, are harmful to vata.

• Go to bed early. No later than 10 p.m. and preferably at 9 p.m. Also, unwind an hour or two before bed. Take it easy, do something calm, don't rush anything and avoid electronic screens.

• Keep regular times for your activities in general. Eat, sleep, exercise, etc., at about the same time every day, even on weekends. Eat breakfast, lunch (the heaviest meal), dinner and possibly a snack; don't skip any meals.

• Exercise is good, but we should take it a little more easily this period. Investing in calm and strengthening strength training and waiting with long-term or high-intensity endurance training can be good. Yoga is also great.

• Eat warm, well-cooked, nutritious food. Eat until you are full, and include healthy oils (e.g. organic olive oil), nuts and seeds in your diet so it is not too light. Avoid cold and raw food.

• Drink warm water with meals and during the day. Never drink cold or carbonated drinks.

• Feel free to drink a cup of boiled warm milk with cardamom or ginger before bed.

• Meditate regularly.

• Try to avoid stress. I know it's not easy, but sometimes we don't have to do everything we think we have to - it's more important to feel good, and we often do that by doing less.

Good luck!

Bhrajaka pitta

 Bhrajaka pitta is the fifth sub-dosha of pitta. It has its seat in the skin and regulates the formation and maintenance of the skin and, thus, its lustre, colour and suppleness. It is often affected by the other doses. If there are imbalances and impurities in the body, the body often tries to get rid of them through the skin, which creates imbalances in Bhrajaka pitta and can manifest itself in the form of acne, eczema, rashes and skin diseases of various kinds. Many people try to keep their skin beautiful through creams of various kinds or, more extreme, through operations and poisons such as botox. But really, the skin's beauty also comes from within (like all beauty). There are actually quite simple things we need to do to keep Bhrajaka pitta in balance and get a nice complexion:

• Go to bed early. Before 22 and preferably before 21.30

• Exercise regularly.

• Do yoga

• Eat fresh, clean, organic foods, including fresh juicy fruits and vegetables.

• Drink plenty of clean water during the day, preferably warm or at least room temperature - never ice cold.

• Avoid meat and other hard-to-digest or stale food.

• Also avoid alcohol, tobacco and food with chemical additives.

• Feel free to do abhyanga, oil massage; it's fantastically good for the skin (and for health in general).

Good luck 😊

Alochaka pitta

 Alochaka pitta is the fourth sub-dosha of pitta. It has its seat in the eyes and controls our vision - both the external, ordinary vision and our inner insights. Today's lifestyle really challenges our eye health. For example, it has been estimated that more than 80 percent of children in China suffer from myopia. And it also increases the risk of glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal detachment in the longer term. Our eyes are not made to stare into a screen. They are made to alternately scan the surroundings and look at what we do with our hands and those we interact with. To keep your eyes healthy:

• Do not stare too long at a computer or mobile screen. There is a rule called 20-20-20. It means that at least every twenty minutes, you should look for at least twenty seconds at something that is at least twenty feet (roughly seven meters) away. Personally, I think it's on the low side. I think you should preferably not stare at the screen for more than a couple of minutes straight and then instead look at something that is far away. Design your workspace (if you can) so you can easily turn your head and look out the window, and do so often.

• Also, ensure you have access to daylight in your workplace so that the contrast between the bright screen and a dark room does not become too great.

• Stay often in beautiful surroundings and look at beautiful things – enjoy with your eyes – it is nourishing for alochaka pitta.

• If your eyes are tired, try placing a slice of cucumber or potato on them and let them rest or rinse them with rose water.

• Sit up when reading (in a book or on a screen), don't read lying down.

• Sufficient vitamin A is essential for vision. But vitamin A is also toxic in excessive amounts, so be careful not to overdose. Therefore, it is best to get the vitamin through your diet and not through pills. If you eat a versatile diet, you should get enough. Yellow, orange and green vegetables and fruits are often good sources of vitamin A.

• Everything in the body is connected, so it is also vital for eye health to have a generally healthy lifestyle with regular habits, exercise, enough sleep, good nutrition and not too much stress.

• For your inner insight, meditating and doing yoga is important to get in touch with your inner self and get to know yourself. Because within you is actually the knowledge of everything.

Sadhaka pitta

 Sadhaka pitta is the third sub-dosha of pitta. It has its main seat in the heart and has a lot to do with our emotions and our satisfaction with life. If you have gone through emotionally difficult experiences, it often shows up in imbalances in that sub-dosha. And life is not always that easy, so in my consultations, I often feel a vulnerable sadhaka pitta. If it goes too far out of balance, it can lead to cardiovascular diseases of various kinds as well as depression, memory loss, performance anxiety and chronic fatigue syndrome. To keep sadhaka pitta healthy and happy, consider the following:

• Try to avoid stress. It's not that easy in today's performance-oriented society. But you are not your performance. You don't get your value by being good at work or being a good mother, father, spouse, husband, daughter, son, etc. You have infinite value just by being human, and you don't have to do anything to deserve to be loved.

• Yoga and meditation, especially Transcendental Meditation, are great for sadhaka pitta in that you can clear away old mental debris and find the calm and peace that exists within all of us.

• Exercise is good, especially outdoors in beautiful surroundings.

• Eat food that you like and really enjoy it. Some foods that are particularly good for sadhaka pitta are pineapple, apples, pears, olive oil, almonds, squash, walnuts, cardamom and black pepper.

• Roses are also great for sadhaka pitta, and you can enjoy them through multiple senses. Of course, you can let the eyes enjoy their beauty and the nose their fragrance. But you can also eat them (but then they must be organic), for example, in the form of rose petal paste, or drink rose water or use the leaves as spices in teas and dishes. All that is good for sadhaka pitta and delicious.

• Avoid horror films and other unpleasant or negative media experiences.

• Spend time with people you like and give them your love – not out of duty but out of joy.

Good luck 🌹