Find and Maintain Your Perfect Weight: The Yoga of Mindful Eating

A common experience, among those who have practiced some form of yoga (or qigong or meditation) for a sustained period of time, is the experience of having ones weight stabilize, and maintain itself ~ almost magically ~ at the perfect level. This has certainly been my experience Regardless of what I eat (and granted, my diet is, my most standards, quite a healthy one), my weight has appeared, over many years, to fluctuate no more than a couple of pounds in either direction. I dont have scientific proof of this, since I almost never weigh myself on a scale but it is my perception, which Ive grown to trust. Basically, I feel comfortable in my body, and most of the time what I want to eat is what my body needs After Ive eaten what I have desired, I feel nourished, satisfied, and energized by those choices.

But this sort of natural equilibrium, around weight and food choices, for most people takes a while to cultivate. So, in the meantime, what to do about this eating thing? This body-weight thing? Based upon advice Ive received, over the years and from people I trust, Id like to present two practices: one very simple (in terms of its mechanics, at least); the other a bit more involved. What they have in common is this: youre not required to change WHAT you eat, in any way. Sound intriguing? Read on !

The first practice, designed specifically for those who would be healthier & happier if they weighed less than they do now, is to follow one simple rule, which is: dont eat anything after 5 p.m. This is a strategy that was transmitted to me by one of my teachers (herself a yogini, in the Sikh tradition) in Chinese medical school. What she noticed was that, almost universally, those patients of hers who were able to do this one thing, did indeed lose the weight that they needed to, without doing anything else. The explanation for this (common to both the Chinese and the Ayurvedic medical models) is that our digestive fire is hottest at high noon, and from there begins its daily descent reaching its low point at around midnight. To be in alignment with this natural cycle of our digestive system, its best to eat our largest meal at around noon, and definitely to avoid those fashionably late dinners, or midnight snacks. Now actually doing this may require some inconvenient if not downright painful (emotionally, socially) shifts & changes in your habitual eating patterns But if youre able to work through that piece of it, its a very simple thing!

A more involved meal-time practice ~ which still does not require you to change what you eat (though over time, this may indeed, and quite naturally, begin to happen) ~ is to bring a new level of mindfulness to the entire eating process. This sort of practice begins with the commitment to simply eat, when youre eating, i.e. to avoid meal-time multi-tasking (you know: reading the paper, checking you email or voice messages, driving the kids to school at the same time as youre having breakfast, lunch or dinner). Then, once you have your food on your plate, to pause for a moment or two to consider where the food has come from: to think of all the plants, minerals, animals and human beings without whom this food would not be here in front of you. So to remember: the farm-workers, the sunshine & minerals which were food to the plants that youre about to consume, the plants which were food to the animals youre about to consume, the workers in the supermarket and in the slaughterhouse As we deepen this practice, we come to understand that the food were about to consume could not be here were it not for the entire universe! Then we say a prayer, of acknowledgement and of gratitude, for what were about to consume. This could be anything that youd like it to be. A traditional prayer from the Hindu tradition is as follows (first in transliterated Sanskrit, then the English translation):

brahmaarpaNaM brahma haviH brahmaagnau brahmaNaa hutam.h . brahmaiva tena gantavyaM brahmakarmasamaadhinaa ..

A process of offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, the instrument of offering is Brahman, the fire to which the offering is made is also Brahman. For such a one who abides in Brahman, by him alone Brahman is reached.

The essential message of this prayer is: we and the food and the process of eating & drinking are all made of the same stuff and as we come, directly, to realize this, we and our food and our entire world is revealed as Divine (Brahman). In other words: you are God, eating food which is God, which is digested by God, and if you really get this, you will have reached God!

So now ~ at long last! ~ we take our first bite and chew it long enough to really taste it, and perhaps even long enough to notice how the taste changes as the food begins to break down in our mouths. And we allow ourselves to notice: is this an enjoyable or less-than-enjoyable taste? And allow ourselves to enjoy the whole process and to marvel at its miracle: at some point (where exactly is that point?) this food ceases to be food and becomes part of my body!

These sorts of mindfulness of eating practices are a potent way of waking up the bodys own intelligence and as such, are likely, over the long run, to have balancing and stabilizing affects on all of our physical (as well as emotional and spiritual) systems. Give it a try and bon appetit!

Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology and Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Taoist, Buddhist & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. She is a student of Richard Freeman and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, and currently resides in Boulder, Colorado. For more of her essays on yoga-related topics, please visit her website: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger

You have been given a chance of your life. A vacation leave from the company you worked for years. What you want to do is to pack your bags, take the kids with you and escape for a while to some interesting country. You want to take a breather from the pressures of daily life. For a weekend or a week, its just going to be your happy family vacation and some good ol rest and recreation.

So where to go and what to do? I will invite you to Florida where food is delicious, the climate is good and theres plenty to enjoy for both adults and kids. Before you proceed in reading this, I will recommend you to pack your things, kick off your shoes, relax and let me take you on a tour to two of the most beautiful spots in Florida.

Destination: Orlando Florida

Orlando as of 2000 census has a city population of 185,951. It houses Floridas 2nd largest university which is the University of Central Florida. Orlando is the 6th largest city of Florida State. This city is not only known for tourist attractions but also known for being a leader in research and medical care. Orlando carries a nickname city beautiful with a symbol Lake Eola fountain.

Sights to See:

A. The Walt Disney world

Walt Disney continuous to be a top vacation destination for families around the world. Orlando also has its Walt Disney world; it has 4 huge parks full of shows, rides and other attractions. There are also shopping venues for shopping addicts and fine restaurants to satisfy your stomachs appetite.

Several parks fill the Walt Disney Florida. One is Magic Kingdom which was the first theme park in Disney and the most famous. Second is the animal kingdom is the latest addition to the Disney theme parks. Animal Kingdom Park combines an animal experience to the classic rides, attractions and shows Disneyland is well known for. Epcot Park holds futuristic and educational attractions for fun and learning. The MGM Studious contains a tower of terror. The tower looks very vintage and luxurious from outside but the sights inside will frighten your heart out!

B. Universal Orlando Resort

The resort has two theme parks, luxurious hotels, dining, nightlife and shopping venues. Universal Orlando Resort is just a different world; it also contains the Universal Studious where you can enjoy the ride while watching movies. It is very informative because you will learn how movies are made and the secrets behind some movie effects.

C. Adventure Islands

Looking for adventure? The Islands of Adventure can give you some! There are wild rides and roller coasters in this newest park in Orlando. Truly a great and wild way to enjoy your vacation.

D. Sea world Adventure Park

Sea world is a well known aquatic park of Orlando Florida. Aside from the breath taking rides to enjoy, there are animal shows where you can see smart animals doing their amazing stunts.

Other spots in Orlando are the Universal City Walk, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove and Cypress Gardens for nature lovers, Orlando Science Center and Kennedy space Center for space enthusiasts; Pleasure Island for nightlife and a collection of Ripleys believe it or not artifacts.

Destination: Miami Florida

Miami is located at the south eastern part of Florida. It has a mild climate all year round and is famous for beautiful beaches. In 2002, the Natural Health Magazine ranked Miami as the number 1 Healthiest City in the nation. Miami is the number one choice for boating enthusiast and active travelers.

Sights to See:

A. Miami Beach was listed as a historic district in 1979. Thanks to Miami Vice, this TV serves as advertisement to the public and has given the city much recognition.

B. South Beach is located along Bay Road and West Avenue at Miami Beachs western edge. Therein located the grandest island hotels such as Mondrian Hotel.

Numerous restaurants such as The Capital Grille, Palm, Porcao, Knife Steakhouse etc. Serve grilled steaks and other delicious foods. There are also hotels luxuriously serving 24/7 everyday for a day or week long vacation.

I have only mentioned two of the well known paradise escapes in Florida. There are numerous other destinations that you and your family can consider such as Atlantic beaches, Bimini Bahamas, Cedar Islands, Florida Gulf.

Florida is obviously blessed with numerous beaches, rich hotels, and beautiful spots that is suited for a family vacation. The best thing is for the family to unwind and have a good time to reunite. Never mind the expense, it will pour out again when you come back and be stressed with bulk of work. What is essential is for you to be focused on the vacation and your family once in a while.

For more information go to: http://www.bigfloridavacation.com http://www.aperfectharmony.com or http://www.a-1hypnosis.com