What Can You Learn From An Astrological Reading?

What can you learn from an astrological reading?  First thing is to remember it isn’t a fortune telling.  It does not predict your future.  It simply offers you the “space for tendencies, temperaments and traditions.”  www.gobodhiyoga.com  

Since I was born on June 3, 1939, my sign is Gemini, the twin.  I was told at a young age that I am a chatterbox.  As an adult, I see myself as a communicator.  I am a nurturer.  That is no surprise as I am the mother of ten children with sixty grands and 15 greats with more to come.  My family is my most important focus.  Besides that I enjoy meaningful friendships.  I am adventurous.  I enjoy writing about the things I love.  I enjoy writing this blog because I love yoga and I love the yoga community where I associate with strong and visionary women and men.  For those who know me, these are nothing new.  

True, but it is affirming for me to know that I was born to strengthen those traits and to make a positive difference in the world.  There is more and more research and support to the idea that we are wasting our time trying to strengthen our weaknesses.  We are far ahead by strengthening our strengths.  If we all do that, all the bases will get covered and we will feel much more fulfilled.  

It would be just as easy for me to remain that chatterbox, smother my family with over nurturing, take my adventures to selfish extremes and write about my misadventures.  In either case you could say I am following my natal chart.  We are totally free to use our agency to do whatever we wish.  Knowing what these tendencies are, they are likely to become apparent in your life if you are looking.  The value of doing so is to magnify those talents in useful and enjoyable ways instead of letting life do with you as it will.  You may find a hidden talent that brings you the happiness you are seeking.   

Now It’s Time For Astrology

I have taken every course offered by Syl Carson at Bodhi Yoga.  I started with the Advanced Chakra Therapy Certification followed by Quan.TM Facilitator Certification, Yoga Teacher Certification, Partner Yoga Certification and now Soul Weather Certification.  I am nearly through with the Teacher Certification and I am very happy about that.   It has taken me 200 hours for this one program and I have learned a great deal.  I can’t even explain what a great trip this has been.  It is enriching to my body, mind and spirit.  

Right now I am in the middle of Syl’s Soul Weather Certification training.    Why isn’t everyone studying astrology?  There are so many different opinions about what astrology is.  Let me tell you what I base my beliefs on as taught at by Syl at Bodhi Yoga.  www.gobodhiyoga.com.  

If you were to have your astrological natal chart done it would give you a snapshot of the heavens at the exact time of your birth.   Syl tells us that it is a glimpse of how God sees us with all of our potential and gifts, our karma and our dharma.  It is a real challenge to map out a chart.  Don’t take for granted that the column in your favorite magazine is telling the whole truth about who you are when it says you will win the lottery in October.  I didn’t realize how many details are included in an astrological reading.  Now I am learning what they are so I can do my own chart as well as some for close friends and family.  It takes hours and hours so you have to care a lot before you start such a project even if you get paid for it.  The results are interesting and empowering. 

Dosha’s Do's And Don't's

As I study the Doshas I find it fascinating how many of the attributes fit me when I am in that Dosha imbalance.  For instance,  I recognize this sentence from our training manual.  “Vata is so sensitive and quick to change that it easily falls prey to over stimulation.  Vata people thrive on variety, but when thing change too much, their excitement turns to exhaustion.”  Aha, I can do that and the process is a lot of fun, until I crash.  “The remedy is to begin to cultivate balanced habits, paying a little more attention to regularity every day.”  That’s me.

The key to balancing Pitta dosha is moderation, making sure you don’t push yourself too hard.  Pitta is gifted with the most innate drive, aggression and energy.  Pittas already know how to be serious; they need the tonic of laughter more than any other type.  Lighten up, Pitta

The key to balancing the Kapha dosha is stimulation.  By nature, Kapha Dosha is steady and slow which leads to dependability and strength.  Kaphas need to make a conscious effort to seek new experiences.  They need to be conscious to not over eat and to minimize the sweets.  Regular exercise is important as well as getting up early.

You see, it is not easy to balance our doshas.  The important part is to learn what it will take in each case, recognize when there is an imbalance and do your best to create the healthy habits that support balance.  

Ayruveda—The Science of Life

Ayruveda is a sanskrit word which means ”science of life.”  I have been fascinated by ancient origins for many years now.  Ayruveda is a 5,000 year old natural healing system of India.  I know that everything that is ancient isn’t necessarily wise or worthwhile, however, the more I learn about Ayurveda the more it is supported by wisdom and good science of the day.  Ayurveda is governed by three cosmic forces: Life (Prana), Light (Jyoti), and Love (Prema which relate to the three great elements of air, fire and water.  These three elements combine to create the three governing forces known as Doshas: Vata (air/space), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (earth/water). Each of us has all three doshas, however one usually is more dominant.  The intention of Ayruvada is to bring the Dosha compositions into balance in all areas of our lives.  

Vata means, “that which moves things”.  The Air element governs sensory and mental balance.  It's primary attributes are dry, cold and light.

Pitta means, “That which digests things”.  Pitta governs our mental digestion, the capacity to perceive reality and comprehend things as they are.  The attributes of Pitta are hot, light and moist.

Kapha means “That which holds things together.”  Kapha provides support, substance and comprises the bulk of our bodily tissues.  Kapha also provides our emotional support and stability relating to positive emotional traits like love, compassion, patience and forgiveness.  The Primary attributes of Kapha are heavy, cold and moist.  

Having all three doshas in balance is the goal.  Doing yoga helps to bring them into balance.  It is a place of physical and mental well being.  Even though we will never reach that perfect balance, doing yoga, eating well, breathing well and any other healthy practices are in themselves a state of well being and worth doing every day.  www.gobodhiyoga.com

Get Your Nervous System In Gear

“The Nervous System is the most complex and delicate of all the body systems.”  www.gobodhiyoga.com  This is the electrical system of the body which keeps everything else running.  Hormones wouldn’t secrete, blood wouldn’t flow, toxins wouldn’t eliminate, heart wouldn’t beat as well as many other normal functions of the body.  

The Central Nervous System includes the brain and the spinal column.  The Peripheral Nervous System includes the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic subdivisions.  The sympathetic prepares the body for fight or flight.  The parasympathetic returns the body functions to normal after they have been altered by the sympathetic.  

It is pretty easy to see that the nervous system is far too complex to explain in a few sentences.  The real point here is that yoga provides tonification for both Para and Sympathetic nervous systems as it heightens awareness and relaxes the mind at the same time.  Under stressful situations the brain has a greater ability to focus.  Yoga brings out the best in us in all situations and doing yoga simply feels good.  Yes, do yoga.  

Yoga Makes Hormones Happy

“The endocrine system influences every cell, organ, and function of our bodies.”  By the time a girl or boy reaches puberty they become increasingly aware of the effect of hormones.  Hormones influence our moods and energy level from birth.   We couldn’t get along without them.  “The foundations of the endocrine system are the hormones and glands.  As the body’s chemical messengers they transfer information and instructions from one set of cells to another.”  www.gobodhiyoga.com 

We easily think of the sex hormones because their development can change how we look and feel in pretty dramatic ways.  Other hormones have just as an important role.  The thyroid gland produces hormones that play a role in the development of the brain and nervous system as well as the rate at which cells burn fuels from food to produce energy.  The pancreatic and adrenal glands have a great del to do with the regulation of blood sugar and emotional and physical energy.  The pineal glad regulates sleep.  

Doing Restorative Yoga is very beneficial to our glands and the hormones they secrete.  We all live with stress.  Yoga helps to minimize the negative affects and bring greater peace to our lives.  

We are the Pump

How many folks know that the largest eliminative organ of the body is the skin?  The skin sweats to cool the body as needed as well as releasing toxins.    

We all know about the colon and kidneys because we deal with them every day.  What do you know about the lymphatics?  The lymph is a clear liquid that circulates around the body tissues and drains into the lymph vessels or tubes.  It then drains into the thoracic duct, the largest lymph vessel, before emptying back into blood circulation.  

There are more lymph vessels throughout the body than there are blood vessels.  The most important difference here is that the lymph has no pump as the blood does.  We are the pump of our lymph.  Moving the body is what moves the lymph.  That is why it is so important for us to get up and move every day.  Doing yoga is an especially healthy form of exercise because the breathing, stretches and poses require the concentration and use of multiple muscles which are pumping the lymph as we do so.  www.gobodhiyoga.com

Again let me say, our bodies are remarkable.  Let’s do all we can to keep them in good working order for our whole lives.  Yoga is the way.

Love Your Gut

There is a lot to be said about what we eat lately.  That will vary from person to person, but we all rely upon the digestive system to take care of it all from top to bottom.  You could say that the digestive system contains several major organs including the stomach, liver and pancreas, connected by long twisting tubes.  That is the short version.  

The long version would include not only the digestive organs but the hormones and chemicals that are released all along the way to help digest and regulate the passage of our food as it moves along.  We feel hungry.  We feel full.  We crave something.  It is controlled by the hormones in the GI tract and also in the brain.  It is much more complicated than we want to admit.  All we know is that we want to feel good and we don't like it when we don’t.

Yoga is something we can do to love our tummy and help our bodies do what they were made to do.  A simple forward fold, either standing or sitting, is good for the gut.  A full body twist facilitates hormones as well as movement in a healthy way.  Loving your gut is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  It’s a good idea not to wait for it to complain to make the needed changes.  Be kind to that tummy and it will be kind to you.  www.gobodhi.com.

Breath In, Breathe Out

Breathe in.  Breathe out.  That’s usually not too hard.  In fact, it is the first and last thing we ever do in life.  It is essential to life.  We can’t do without it.  The main function of the respiratory system is to supply the blood with oxygen so the blood can deliver oxygen to all parts of the body.  That’s why we breathe.  

The lungs are bigger than you may think.  I am told that laid flat they are about the size of a tennis court.  Put all of that in your chest and appreciate what it does not only to keep us alive but to give us the energy we need to do everything else.  Without adequate oxygen we lack vitality in so many ways.  Our cells can deteriorate and open us to sickness and disease.  That is the worst of it.

The best of it is that we can do more to vitalize our lungs and our blood through purposeful breathing exercises called Pranayama, and purposely combining the breath with movement in yoga.  I remember my father breathing in fresh air in the morning as he did his deep breathing exercises.  I wish I would have followed him back then.  Now I am making up for it with yoga and Pranayama.  Please breathe with me.  It does a body good.  www.gobodhiyoga.com

‘Round and ‘Round Does The Blood Flow

It is so easy to take for granted the systematic flow of our blood in keeping us going.  With four to five liters of blood flowing along 60,000 miles (as a child) to 100,000 miles (Yes, I said MILES.) of blood vessels throughout our bodies, it is no small task to keep blood flowing smoothly and without interruption.  That is what happens most days.  

What if you could help assure that healthy flow would continue to the end of your life?  Doing yoga is one of the really kind and healthy things you can do for your body.  Because yoga movements are accompanied by deep breaths and systematic stretches, blood flow increases to the point of giving the skin a healthy glow.  This occurs from exercise when your temperature rises and the blood delivers the heat to the capillaries, which then deliver it quickly to the skin which can give you a flushed, red appearance.  In our case I would call it the “yoga glow.”  You will never look and feel more vibrant and healthy.  www.gobodhiyoga.com

Muscles Make The Difference

Muscles pull but they can’t push.  Then how do we get from here to there?  Another set of muscles pulls in the opposite direction.  Muscles are banded together by fascia to form muscle groups which work together.  It’s pretty exciting when you think of it.  

By the time we reach adulthood our muscle tissues have lost about 15 percent of their moisture content.  No wonder we get more stiff and prone to injury as we age.  Fortunately, there is something we can do to slow down that process.  You guessed it.  YOGA.  www.gobodhiyoga.com  Deep breathing plus regular systematic stretching retards the drying or aging process.  The slower, more deliberate, and longer the stretch is held, the greater the benefit.  It is an interesting paradox that if you come to yoga “determined” to do the poses and push intensely to make it happen, it becomes more difficult.  If you are patient and breathe into the pose, the stretch will come to you.  I love how that feels.  Before long you will do poses you didn’t think you could simply by letting your muscles do what they were meant to do. 

Stand Up

Did you know that your skeletal structure consists of 206 bones that serve as a protection for your vital organs and carries bodily movements in interaction with your muscles?  Maybe you knew that in biology class, but to you think about it every day as you move about?  Yoga www.gobodhiyoga.com gives us an opportunity to really think about what is making our bodies do the things they do.  Sitting, standing, bending and going from one position to another would be impossible without this structural inner foundation of the body called skeleton.  

Long bones, short bones, flat bones and irregular bones all work together to move us and to support the poses we do.  We could never hold a down dog or even a forward fold without the support of our long bones.  The broad surfaces of our flat bones protect our organs and and help give us form.  Without the small vertebra of our back we would crumple.  Yoga and everyday life are supported by our strong and sturdy skeleton.  Aren't we glad?

Without Fascia We Would Be A Big Flop

Our skin is our body’s wrapper, but it doesn’t hold everything together.  We need another layer called the fascia.  It is a sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue enveloping, separating, or binding together muscles, organs, and other soft structures of the body.  Thank you dictionary.com.  It not only gives us structural support, but provides protection and gives structure to the body.  

Rageddy Ann wouldn’t be half so floppy if she had fascia.  Syl Carson of www.gobodhiyoga.com tells us, “I personally consider the fascia to be the net of emotion, meridian highway and the literal “child inside”.  It stores our memory and holds our potential for movement through our Mind, Body, Spirit evolution.”  Since the meaning of YOGA is to yoke body, mind and spirit, we can be very grateful that fascia makes that possible in the first place.  

Whence Cometh the Yoga Glow?

It is easy to do yoga without thinking seriously about what we are doing or how it affects our body, mind and spirit.  As I study while becoming a certified yoga instructor, I am learning all sorts of interesting facts about our incredible bodies.  

My Teacher Certification Manual www.gobodhiyoga.com teaches that there are Twelve Physiologies of the Body.  “The Twelve Physiologies each with their own climate of the body are the “context”, Sattva, or Yoga within where practice takes place.  They are not only physical systems of function, they are also mental, spiritual and ethereal and carry specific tendencies, which yoga can benefit.”  In other words, our bodies are benefitted in at least twelve specific ways when we do yoga.  

Let’s start with just one, Integumentary.  What is that? I didn’t know either.  “The word integument comes from the Latin to cover.”  That would mean the skin.  Have you ever experienced or seen someone who just finished an invigorating and relaxing yoga session?  They glow.  You glow.  All layers of your skin light up and you feel marvelous.  

“As much as one half of the total blood supply of the body is distributed to the skin.  It is the body’s blood and lymph that supply nutrients to the skin.”  Doing yoga is a gift to your body.  It is wrapped in your beautiful healthy glowing skin.