21st Yoga Festival at Puducherry Was Informative

The 3 days yoga conference seemed a good opportunity to visit Puducherry. Train tickets booked, accommodation arranged, my five friends and I reached the White town in good spirit.

Initially, sharing the dormitory with ten women seemed impossible, I immediately rushed to the concierge to ask for a private room for smaller group of my three close friends, but the place was full, and hunting an alternate accommodation in another hotel seemed a difficult task after our long train journey.

Comfortably settled, we settled on attending the festival

Two days were spent attending lectures and workshops on yoga techniques, during evenings there were cultural shows. More that two thousand delegates attended this festival. There were competitions held for children of different age groups in different postures of yoga and prizes were given to the best performers.

I was not in very good health, therefore, I did not attend all the sessions. I feel bad at having missed SuryaNamaskar, an event where two thousand children participated at the beach road at 5:30am. My friends, who attended, told me it was a spectacular show.

But the other events were equally interesting. Some of the exercises were demonstrated on the stage and the audience did participate. “Stand firmly on the ground with equal balance on both feet” they said. We don’t realize that we tend to shift the weigh of our body on one leg more than on other.

During the cultural show in the evening, there were great control of the dance steps and flexibility of the dancers. The dances were performed with great skill, the eye-expressions distinct, movement in coordination with the music, an amazing performance that requires concentration and controlled breathing.

2014 proved a significant year for yoga in India, with the United Nations declaring June21 as the International Day of Yoga, following a proposal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Yoga is not just breathing techniques or meditation; it is actually a discipline of mind and soul. Different speakers spoke about different diseases and how they can be cured by simple exercises. 

Points to bring home:

In five stages of yoga, the mind and body can be brought to a perfect balance.

First - We need to relax our body. Lie or sit still, relaxing each muscle of the body. Part by part, starting from foot, relaxing of the body, gradually bringing attention from foot to head. This helps to bring down the stress.

Second- Follow a proper diet of fresh vegetables and fruits. One must never overeat, because that brings imbalance in the body. The most effective way for food consumption is to fill the tummy with fifty percent solid food, twenty five percent water and the remaining to be left for air to circulate and help in digestion.

Thirdly- Body requires exercises like walking, swimming or yoga. In yoga there are many stretching exercises that release the toxins from the body, makes body flexible and makes one active.

Fourth_ It’s the pranayama, the controlled breathing. The inhalation and exhalation that purifies the blood stream, improves energy in the body and activates the cells.

Fifth - To calm the mind, meditation helps. Sit with yourself, watch your thoughts and concentrate on your breath.

Hundreds of thoughts come into our mind when we sit with self. The trick is to bring the mind back to focus, concentrating on sound of mantra that one can chant with eyes closed. After chanting repeatedly for several times, body gets tuned and mind comes to stillness and then there are no thoughts playing games.

Stress is normal, only dead bodies have no stress. But to minimize the stress, there should be control over discipline and attitude, our reaction to the outer stimulus, to the society, to accept other’s behavior as the part of their nature.

Yoga is stopping the thought process, concentrating on mantra and to bring peace of mind.

When the mind is relaxed, the diseases automatically exit from our horizon……and good health sets in.

Royal Massage on a Lazy Afternoon

Walking for two hours on a dusty road can be tiresome especially when the scenery around you is all shoes and clothes, sea of perspiring people and the noisy traffic. It is at such moments that a visit to an air-conditioned mall can bring relief (even if it is only for a short visit to the loo). My feet are soaring and I spot 'Sabal', a foot massage parlor. I am reminded of my last visit to Bangkok, when at every opportunity we jumped for foot massage and it used to be such a relief. Late at night, my cousins and I, after shopping and dinner would head to the nearest massage parlour to pamper ourselves. Just for 300 Bhats, we would sit side by side, next to each other, on the smooth reclining chairs, behind the glass windows and get some relaxing massages. It used to be such a pleasure as we floated on our feet on our way back home.


I decide to try this one in the Link mall at Bandra.

The receptionist sitting outside the parlor hands me the various types of foot-massage on offer. There are four different kinds and she advises me to go for herbal massage. Since I have tried none before I opt for her choice.

I enter the dimly lit room that has a strong aroma of lemon grass. There are perfumed candles everywhere and one big picture of Buddha dominates the wall under warm spotlights. After a cold glass of water, I am led to the reclining sofa with cushions tucked behind my back. There are several girls in the room but they all look alike, same narrow slit eyes, long face, large forehead and nod with a smile. How do they recognize one Thai girl from another? Anyways, even in Bangkok I am confused when I see so many people of similar features. One with the crinkly eyes comes closer with a hot tub of water, containing some flower petals. She washes my dirty feet and I apologize. In India we wash the feet of the spiritual gurus, and I pretend I am the one. She smiles, maybe she is used to many, more such dirty feet walking into her parlor. She wipes my feet with warm towel and gently lifts them over a small stool. I stretch my feet and close my eyes. There is a soft, soothing piano music in the background. I am drifted to ether world. Wow! Such is the life!

The masseuse brings a tray of different herbal oils. She pour oil into her palm, rubs the oil between her palms and with circular motion she massages my feet, calves, knees and toes. I remind her to be a bit careful because I am afraid of wrong pressure on my nerves but she is proficient and works very efficiently. It is very relaxing and I take in deep breath (having learnt on TV channels that when we have nothing to do, we can utilize that time with breathing exercises, breathes in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.....) I feel her kneading my muscles with her knuckles, and then with finger tips and nails pressing on pressure points. When she starts her massage with blunt roller, I squint to see that blunt object but feel too drowsy to keep my eyes open. I drift back to sleep enjoying the soft music and pleasure of the warm tingling sensation on my feet. Suddenly there is a warm steaming rub under my feet. I cringe. The room is now filled with vapors and the scent of lemon grass is strong. This time I am curious to see the source of the vapors. I see a tub containing hot steaming oil on her side. She had a small muslin potli filled with lemon grass leaves. She dips this potli in the hot lemon seed oil and presses it lightly on my skin.

I am amused and started to converse with her, thanking her for the nice treatment. She asks me to visit her more often, explaining that it is good for circulation of the blood and in keeping oneself healthy. She talks about her life in India and tells me that everything that she used during the massage was imported from Bangkok. Her boss is an Indian married to a Thai woman. They have two outlets in Mumbai, one at Bandra and other at Infinity mall in Varsova. There are seven reclining chairs at Bandra branch spread over two levels. I did not see other clients and I was the only one, alone during my visit. Maybe it is expensive. For my foot herbal massage, it cost me Rs1500, if I were to ask the masseur to come home, they normally charge Rs150 for body massage. But then I think we pay here for the ambience and the feel good factor.

After the foot massage, I am asked to sit on lower stool and she gives me back and head massage, stretching my arms backwards and sideways and finally ended with massage on my arms, shoulders and fingers.

I was just thinking of visiting a natural ice-cream parlour across the street, post massage, when she entered again with the tray of fresh fruits (grapes, kiwi and apple) and a cup of hot ginger tea.

Light and refreshed I felt like a royalty in the kingdom of my own..

Three weeks of 'No Complaining'

Okay I have made the pledge of ‘no complaining for 21 days’ and I have nothing to complain about. Personally I think that people who expect something from others and don’t get it then they find the reason to complain, if that is the case then it should be easy for me because I never expect anything from anybody. And what can anybody give to person who has everything? Love, care and affection come from giving. These are reciprocal. If people have no time for us, its because they have their own priorities that have to be sorted out first. what to complain about this? The truth is that if we learn to accept the things as they are and try not to change anything, then there is little reason to complain. Quite easily said! For people who live in large family, it is natural to accommodate each other to live peacefully. To avoid unpleasantness, we try to curb our discomfort, but are not always successful. Because the resistances to accept thing that are against our principles do boil us over, and without complaining, it builds up and eventually harms our health.

‘Accu-Heal’ – Health in Your Hands

Okay, it is about time I did some work on the net and squeezed out the cash from it. Everybody is eating honey on net except me. So, I looked around, thinking of marketing some products where I can make some money and hear it go 'jingle-jingle' in my pockets, because that is where (I am told) people can find some gold-coated dough. Writing is my passion but I cannot make money on from it (right??) since I write only when I feel like and what I feel like, I can never write what others tell me to (and also, market is flooded with writers who blog for free and Ad Sense makes money from stupid bloggers like me and also there are too many writers around and I have managed to squeeze just one toe in, many people like to read what I write but none will pay me, how sad, na?) But wait a minute, yeah, I have found something that I would use it regularly. Because I care for my health and I hate taking pills, they normally get stuck into my throat and I have to drink gallon of water to flush it down my throat. Now, I can keep healthy by just pressing few points on my hand. There have been various things available in the market like pointed pencil-shaped sticks, colored pokey balls, iron spring rings, etc, and I have used most of these products but the most interesting thing that I found useful is this ‘Accu-Heal’. ‘Accu Heal’ is a mushroom-shaped thingie that has spring inside it; it is made of plastic and it is of very good quality. (not the China kind of plastic) The broad end is used to press with your palm (so that it dos hurt you)and the blunt narrow end is pressed on the points to stimulate the nerves that are leading towards that organ. It has spring inside it that makes it possible to press and release. I am using this and it is showing great results. When do I use it?? Well, every time I get minute or two for me, for example- While sitting in the bus, while waiting in a queue, while watching TV and also while waiting for the web page to open, (sometiimes it takes forever to open a page) These are the moments when I take care of my health. It is always here, next to my keyboard and also in my purse.(Yes, I have two, its not expensive, na..) Now I am going to sell these because if it is useful to me then it should be useful to others too. I have taken the agency of marketing this product. Yey! I am doing business!! Okay, the packing comes like this It has a graphic manual that shows the points and its corresponding link to the organs. For example, if you have a headache then you may press the narrow end of the mushroom on the upper tip of the thumb. Got it?? You see the points and corresponding area to the organs in the body in the manual. It is very clearly shown and very easy to follow. Just buy this product and be your own doctor. PS: Good news is that I have received one order from a company who plans to use it as a souvenir and distribute it as a gift to all its’ employees. Now isn’t that a cool idea??? I told you it is a great idea. Why don't you try it? huh? For trade enquiries, contact me at pmoorjani@yahoo.com

Healthy Fruit Juices

I wish somebody had told me this before. I am beginning to understand that 'proper eating habits' are so necessary for enjoying a healthy life. My heart bleeds when I have to dig into my money bag to pay those medical bills and doctors. Damn it! The medicines are so expensive! The money that I could use for traveling and for seeing the world, I have to share with my doctor. Nah! I don’t like sharing my loot with those greedy doctors, not when many medical conditions can be treated more effectively with dietary changes. I think it is very important to place much emphasis on the requirements of a basic health diet for maintaining bodily functions and optimal resistance to disease. They also use diet controls and applied nutrition to stimulate and potentate the body’s recuperative powers in case of acute and chronic illness. I have finally realized that natural foods have their powers to keep us healthy and healthy juices have additional cures. If I wish to improve my skin texture and moisture and reduce the body heat, a mixed juice of Orange, Ginger and Cucumber works wonders. Also to improve my skin complexion and bad breath, a mixed juice of Tomato, Carrot and Apple helps. To improve my skin complexion and metabolism, sometimes I drink the mixed juice of Papaya, Pineapple, and Milk or the mixed juice of Apple, Cucumber and Kiwi. A mixed juice of Carrot, Apple, Pear and Mango clears the body heat, counteracts toxicity and decreases blood pressure and fight oxidization, whereas a mixed juice of Honeydew, Grapes, watermelon and milk increases the cell activity and strengthens body’s immunity system. I have learnt that using the proper combinations of Apple, ginger and Celery is known to prevent health problems such as cancer. It can reduce cholesterol and improve stomach upset and a headache. A mixed fruit juice of Pear and Banana can regulate sugar content in our body. A mixed juice of Pineapple, Apple and Watermelon is helping my body to dispel the excess salt and nourishes the bladder and kidney. A mixed juice of Banana, Pineapple and Milk can prevent constipation. To boost and cleanse our system a mixed juice of Carrot, Ginger and Apple is all that we really need. And Thank God it is not too late! I am starting to enjoy pain free life!

Hey, I am getting old.. tksh..tksh…

I knew I was getting old, physically, when my body started complaining. It started with waist pain, so much so that I could hardly walk. After series of clinic visits, kidney stone was detected. The treatment involved proper diet, exercise and laser treatment. The pain stopped and I was cheerful but not for long. Now its knee, sitting too much time in front of computer, leaves me with frozen knee. My knees hurt and as I climb down the stairs and doctors have warned me of Arthritis. Arthritis, which affects more than nine million people, is an inflammation of the joints and its causes are not clear. I have been surfing the net for its causes and cures and have found out that arthritis is caused by the body building up acid, which crystallizes and lodges between the joints. The acid crystals become surrounded by fluids, causing swelling, soreness and stiffness. So it has been concluded that the condition would be alleviated by cutting down on acid entering the body. By controlling the amount of acid going in through diet we can aim to increase the alkaline resources in the body that can cause the crystals to break down. Apple cider vinegar and honey has been recommended for its alkaline overall effect and it helps to create the right environment in the stomach to start off the digestive process. If we follow the regime strictly by avoiding alcohol, cutting out foods with refined sugar and any citric fruit, as well as taking cider vinegar, mixed with honey, hot water and molasses, after every meal, combined with vitamin supplements - including A, B, magnesium and calcium - and a hot bath in Epsom salts, we can succeed in being pain-free and totally mobile. And as the causes of arthritis are not clear, some doctors are very skeptical that a combination of diet, cider vinegar and Epsom salt baths would help. But it is better to discuss our problem with our GP for any side effects before taking any purported remedy. However, thousands of arthritis sufferers have been helped through a combination of the acid-free diet. We cannot expect results overnight - some people take months to respond, others take years - but I can believe that this combination is the key to getting rid of arthritic disease.

Organic way of life......

After attending Vijaya Venkat’s nutrition program for 2 months, I have become more and more conscious of the food that I eat. And when ever I eat unhygienic food, I am aware that I am torturing my body. Some times I look around to see if anybody is watching me eat. (Remember I am not supposed to eat!) If I keep advising everybody to eat sensibly, I should be careful too. I am supposed to concentrate on organic food, which is grown like it used to in my grannies’ era. (In its pure form, without any pesticides or chemical, that are used to make them look beautiful, that means it should be without any make-up) In organic food, instead of pesticides, they grow brave trees like neem trees, eucalyptus trees that does ‘Shoo! Shoo!’ every time any pests comes near them. In a way, it is good to eat organic food. Our body is free from all toxic waste. We can conveniently be disease free. Organic food, (besides being free from pesticides and chemical), it is also more nutritious. We don’t have to buy everything organic. We can make a gradual change. I know many people who find organic food more expensive than conventionally produced product. But they should understand that the cost of returning farms to their chemical-free state is higher. And also without fertilizers and modified seeds, the yield is lower than usual. But I think it is still cheaper than the doctor’s bill, were we to eat cheap food, we might fall sick more often and then we will make all doctors happy. (Actually doctors want to survive too and make money, so they keep prescribing pills which cure you from one disease only but create side effect which is guaranteed for a return trip to doctor for more pills for yet one more disease.) I have asked the secretary of my building to ban all those pani-puri wallahs and bhelwallh that sit outside our building. Every time I go down for a long walk, I am forced to eat their bhelpuri and spoil my health unnecessarily. No temptations no sins! I am sure of that!