 With three more days to go of the month it’s time to reflect on how my sobriety is going. How am I feeling about it and how is it making me feel? In short, it’s been really easy! With the exception of over indulging on mango slices once or twice, I stayed within the recommended max sugar intake*. I also managed to steer clear of sugary condiments, drinks and foods, and not a single drop of honey or syrup was added to anything. Although I didn’t bother measuring out every single serving of fruit I consumed, I did read my labels, eyeballed my quantities, and kept track throughout the day. For example,If I had applesauce with my oatmeal in the morning there would be no pineapple juice in my midday smoothie. If I didn’t have my smoothie, I got to have mango slices as a sweet treat! This liberal approach turned the process into a fun practice of self-control suitable for my lifestyle, rather than a rigorous operation dominating my life.
As far as alcohol goes, I haven’t had a single thought of it. To be honest, my first stint in an Ashram in 2016 left me with an intense sensitivity to alcohol, or rather, a clear awareness of my sensitivity.
Today I’m grateful for my sensitivity awareness and I cultivate it. In preparation for Fall and this month of abstinence, I performed a cleanse, which did exactly that. Shankh Prakshalan (never perform without guidance and always consult your Dr.) is a pretty accessible Yogic, purifying technique that clears your digestive tract. One of the effects is that you strip the mucosal plexuses and thereby super- sensitize yourself. With this self-inflicted vulnerability, I was forced to eat simple rice for almost a week, had to refrain from anything even remotely acidic or spicy for about two weeks, and I was pretty much fully restored in the third. On top of feeling restored I also felt purified, clear, and motivated to cut out more “bad stuff” from my life, leading me to what I’d like to call a Super- Easy Sober October. Writing down my goal also really helped. Thanks for providing me with some accountability!  *The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25g of added sugars for women and 36g for men, I set this as the parameter for my total max sugar intake of fruits and other naturally occurring dietary sugars.
Well, let's start with where we left off in the previous blogpost when we talked about Ahimsa or maximum non- harming. I’m tempted to go into a long rant here pouring over all of the good knowledge of the Yamas and Niyamas which are the additional yogic guidelines and actions for a healthy lifestyle but, quite frankly, we don't need to, because the essence of Ahimsa itself encompasses the Yamas & Niyamas. Instead, we’re going to familiarize ourselves with the Ayurvedic concepts of the gunas and the doshas. Simply put, the gunas are the three main attributes of energy: Sattva, which is pure and good; Tamas, which is depressing; and Rajas, which is active and can be good or bad. These attributes are constant in existence, unescapable, and it is up to us, the users of our bodies, to try to be mindful of how we contact, create and manage them. Yogic management is always based on balance. Alcohol, according to Ayurveda, is Tamastic, related to the guna Tamas, and in the West we classify it as a depressant as well. So when we consume alcohol we are inviting Tamas, or the energy of lethargy and inactivity, and we create imbalance. Now, the doshas, in Yoga and Ayurveda, are the three main elements found in the body (and the world). These elements and their properties are: Vata-cool, dry, porous, mobile/unstable, and flakey; Pitta -hot, spicy, oily, active and; Kapha- dense, static and stable/immobile (I could make all these lists of properties longer but I just hope you're getting a good idea of the basics.) Each individual is made up of a combination of the three doshas with one being the predominant one. (There are lots of free tests out there if you are curious: http://ayurvedadosha.org/doshas/ayurveda-dosha-test#/axzz6ZeKYkhDM.) The doshas also have their time to play in regards to the time of year and the seasons that we pass through. The dosha of the Fall is Vata, meaning that this time of year is already naturally prone to be unstable, flakey, dry etc., understanding balance and counterbalance, it’s appropriate to avoid tamas.  The gunas and the doshas are the universal energies and the worldly attributes at play together, guiding us and giving us the opportunity to choose and manage how we balance our lives. It’s easy to see that our bodies thrive when we manage our lifestyles, this is why ‘Sober October,’ or abstaining from any form of intoxication during the autumn season, because of it's prominence of Vata dosha, is especially effective. Simple template. 1. Consuming anything which distorts perception is the opposite of purity, leading to less Sattva. 2. Adding anything depressing to the systems will have the effects of Tamas on your systems. 3. Any sort of consumption which alters activity leads to lack of personal control of Rajas. I actually still have a lot of respect for the practice of altering perception through substances and plant medicines. However, distortion in combination of depression and lack of self- control is a dangerous combo, and with it being the season of the dosha of change, it’s a really good time and opportunity to decrease disillusioning variabilities and to enter into some good sattvic self- reflection. Yoga gives you techniques for altering perception, engaging in movement and decreasing depression, basically getting high on your own supply! Finally...  I’d like to wrap up with accountability, which seems especially important now. Having an alcohol- free month won’t be hard for me, so I’m upping the stakes and I’m committing to having a sugar free month.* In order to ensure that this happens I will also have a cannabis free month. One way to create accountability can be to pledge a goal and maybe invite a friend with you for the challenge. Another would be to journal, and if you do that, you won't just see that the universe is here to support you, you’ll also have a record of it, one that can further support you in the future the way that Yoga, the techniques and guides of balancing, can support you NOW!
NAMASTE! *NO added sugars; ketchup; bbq sauce; honey; sirup. Fruits are exempt from the rule and the occasional bar on long hikes will be permitted. |
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August 2022
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