Kettlebells & Yoga?

A few years ago I was researching stretching on the internet and came across some books on stretching by Pavel Tsatsouline, a Russian emigre who had been a trainer to the Spetsnatz, the Soviet-era military special forces. The Russians had done research on stretching to support their athletic teams in Olympic sports, so it was interesting to read about the discoveries, much of which we know and practice in yoga, but sometimes without knowing how or why it works.

In addition to being an expert on stretching (part of the graduation requirement in the Spetsnaz is the ability to do a full splits), Pavel was also a master of sport, a kettlebell trainer. I became curious about kettlebells and saw on Pavel's website that an introductory course was offered here in Louisville by a certified trainer, Dave Randolph. So I contacted Dave and took his introductory course. After just a few minutes of swinging around an 18 lb kettlebell I saw and felt the benefits kettlebells could give to yoga practitioners.

Kettlebells build strong but not bulky muscles, improve core strength and stability and endurance. I could see an immediate effect on my yoga postures. Poses that had challenged my strength like standing poses, arm balances and caturanga dandasana, became easier. My own experience with kettlebells is that they reduce shoulder strain by making the shoulders stronger and more stable, improve hip flexibility and strength, and stabilize and strengthen the knees.

Research shows that in spite of all our efforts, we lose muscle mass and bone mass as we age. An article in the NY Times on Sunday Nov. 28, shows that the loss can be as much as 50% after age 67. Weight training at any age helps maintain muscle and bone mass, can improve balance, and burns more calories than aerobic exercise alone.

I like kettlebells because they are fun and only a few minutes of kettlebell lifting are needed to make improvements in strength. I teach kettlebells as an adjunct to yoga and only teach those exercises that I think are complimentary to yoga practice. Students who would like to learn kettlebells can take my introductory workshops which are held on the first Saturday of each month (see our Kettlebell Page) or can attend the Tuesday 5:00 pm kettlebell class at Kentucky Street. Kettlebells can be used in the afternoon Mysore classes at Holiday Manor between 3:30-4:30 pm, if you have been trained how to use kettlebells.

Students who would like to practice full blast kettlebells can go to some of our excellent local kettlebell trainers, like my teacher Dave Randolph or Katie Hawbaker.

For kettlebells classes: bring your own kettlebell, a water bottle and towel. For recommended kettlebell sizes and where to buy, see our Kettlebell Page.

What We Say Matters

I'm glad I just read Judith and Ike Lasater's book, What We Say Matters: Practicing Nonviolent Communication. I was struck by a passage in the book that recounts a conversation the authors had with a meditation teacher. They asked the teacher how to choose between non-harming and truthfulness... whether it would be better to choose to tell someone the truth that might be hurtful or tell the person something kind that might not be truthful. The teacher replied, "Something cannot be true and unkind at the same time." In life's situations it can be difficult to find words that are truthful, beneficial and uplifting, all at the same time. Several years ago I read a book about the discipline of speaking to prepare for a ten day silent retreat. I was more aware of my speech than usual, and I noticed that I often say things I don't mean, don't believe, regret having said, or wish I had said another way.

What We Say Matters gives us the fundamentals of the practice of NVC, nonviolent communication, developed by Marshall Rosenberg, the authors' teacher. NVC is a powerful method that uses speech to connect with our innermost feelings and needs and aligns with the yoga practices of non-harming, truthfulness, awareness and remembering to remain present. This book gives clear examples from "real life" and step-by-step directions on how to connect with your own inner truths in order to connect with others in a forthright way.

This book explains why we have difficulty connecting with our feelings and how this makes it hard to talk to others about what we feel and need in any given situation. When we can be clear about our own feelings and needs, we can connect more openly and honestly with others.

I recommend this book for anyone who believes that what we say matters. The book has chapters on how to connect with children, teens, employees, partners, and examples from Ike's law practice and mediation work in the Middle East and Judith's work with her yoga students.

The book is published by Rodmell Press and available at Yoga East Holiday Manor, $14.95.

Mysore - places to stay

An email I received 9/19/2010. For students who are interested in visiting Mysore.

Dear Yoga Teacher:

Pranams.

My name is Ramraj Lakshmanan. I am a resident of Mysore.

I work in an MNC and travelled round the world with my family. In many places we found the money we spent did not add any value, especially by many of the hotels and also B&Bs, Inns, Vacation Rentals. Of course there were quite a lot of places where we stayed offered many learnings. From these experiences we developed a passion to run a decent and clean vacation rentals in Mysore. But the objective was not to be greedy and make money but offer the best possible service to the guests. In that process earn a decent return.

In our above endeavours we converted two of our properties in Mysore as vacation rentals. I am a bit choosy and can not let the properties to everyone. The basic idea is to invite like minded guests who are peace and fun loving, more inclined towards wellness and goodness.

Mysore is gaining popularity in terms of Yoga apart from its traditional tourist attractions depicting its rich culture and heritage. The two properties are ideally situated to cater to the needs of these two different segments of visitors to Mysore.

Out of the two properties I have one is in the midst of Yoga Centres in Mysore in Gokulam where the famous Ashtanga Yoga Centre is situated. It is a 3 BHK brand new apartment fully furnished, clean, neat and tidy. It has a reasonably equipped kitchen, washing machine, fridge, toaster, microwave oven, internet etc. Many aspiring Yoga Teachers and Students stay in and around this place. The address is:

Apartment No. 201, Renaissance Sugama,
2711/1, 2nd Main, V V Mohalla,
(Behind Nirmala Convent – Gokulam Main Road)
Mysore 570002.

Another property is an architecturally designed villa near Lalitha Mahal Palace. It is a 4 bed room duplex villa. Though 8 Kms away from Gokulam many Yoga aspirants prefer to stay here also considering its spacious and independent environment. Here also there is reasonably equipped kitchen, washing maching, fridge, toaster, microwave oven, internet etc., available. This has a small library of many books on spirituality including Yoga. The address is:

“NIMISHA”, 517, 8th Cross
Vinaya Marga
Siddartha Layout
Mysore 570011.

I can look into special rates for long stay.

I have my website and I request you to please visit.

www.vacationrentalsmysore.com

Not but not the least, being a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Holi Mother Shri Sharada Devi – whenever I am in Mysore I take the guests to many unexplored spiritual places that will add value to the Yoga Practice. This as a service I do.

In case you happened to visit Mysore or any of your friends visit Mysore I request you to spread this information. I am sure I will be able to provide the required ambiance for practising Yoga.

With best regards.

Ramraj.
Phone No.9560677889

Swami Bua

We just learned of the passing of Swami Bua, who was thought to be about 110 years old. He actively taught yoga classes in NYC up until his death. You can read more about him on Leslie Kaminoff's blog: http://esutra.blogspot.com/

You can sign up for email updates from Leslie, who is the author of Yoga Anatomy, published by Human Kinetics, one of our recommended texts in teacher training. Leslie's blog and emails about yoga are interesting and timely.

Yoga Before Yoga Mats

Today a student emailed me that he had been out of town and had to practice without a mat, and he wondered, what did yogis use before mats?

I never heard of a "yoga mat" until I began classes with Maja in 1990. Maja had some light green rubber mats that you could only mail-order (this was before the internet) from one place, and were said to be Swedish carpet padding. I don't know what it was, but I've never seen it anywhere else. It worked fine back in the pre-Ashtanga days, but vinyasa movements wore it out pretty quickly. It soon crumbled into tiny green bits.

Next Hugger-Mugger company in Utah, came out with yoga mats that you bought in a roll of 15 and you had to cut them. They were all institutional gray, but they lasted forever. Had I known then what I know now, I would not have left my mat at Gurudev Siddha Peeth (the ashram of Eat, Pray, Love) in India in 1999. Whatever those mats were made of, they lasted forever. We still have a bunch of them in really good condition at Kentucky Street - over 16 years old.

In 1996, I think, Hugger Mugger came out with blue mats (Wow! Color!) and shortly after that, PURPLE!!!! Still in a roll that you needed to cut. Our old blue mats are at Kentucky Street also, and the first purple mats are still being used at Holiday Manor.

After that there was an explosion of mats and mat companies, selling all kinds of mats. I think most all PVC mats are made in Taiwan and shipped here. Rubber mats came out about 10 years ago and were pretty horrible until Jade Yoga refined them. Now there are Manduka mats and all different kinds of mats made from many different kinds of materials.

In ancient times, yogis traditionally practiced on a tiger skin or black antelope skin to shield the yogi from harmful vibrations. Mats made of kusha or durva grass were also used. In the '60's, when I first began my asana practice, most books recommended a "four-fold blanket", whatever that is. Wool is also traditional. The Shri Guru Gita has a verse describing the attributes of the various colors. When I was a teenager, I practiced on a wolf skin that my grandfather gave me, or I did it outside on the grass. Back then it was also acceptable to practice nude. Well, hey! There weren't any cool yoga clothes, either!

David Swenson said that he and his brother practiced on carpet remnants that they picked up from carpet stores.

In Mysore, yogis practiced on rugs that were woven locally from cotton as sleeping mats. It was traditional in Mysore to go to the prison to buy a mat from a prison inmate. In the Mysore jail, prisoners are required to weave their own sleeping mat first. After that, they may weave more and sell them, but they are not allowed to sell the regulation prison blue/white mats. Yoga students used to go to the prison and smuggle out the prison mats. They are the only plain blue and white mats you'll see from Mysore.

Many times students ask me about my favorite mat. I really don't care. I use whatever gets left at the studio or doesn't sell in the store. My favorite Mysore mat is one Sharath gave me. I still use my old worn-out mat even though all the rubber is gone where my feet land.

It's important to have your own mat. Your mat becomes imbued with the vibrations of your practice and is very powerful. Using someone else's mat is like wearing someone else's shoes. You should not even step on someone else's mat without their permission, unles you are the teacher. The teacher's feet are the source of the power of the lineage of teachers. It's auspicious for your teacher to step on your mat.

Your mat is your Seat - in the sense of where you are Seated for the practices of Yoga, which are powerful and auspicious. Your yoga mat is a place of pilgrimage, a temple, as sacred as any sacred river or mountain cave in the Himalayas , a place for the practices of yoga which are auspicious and uplifting. Your mat is the place where you are transformed like the Alchemy of old, from lead into gold.

Yoga East Curriculum

Recently a yoga teacher from out-of-town contacted us to propose teaching a workshop at Yoga East on partner work and physical assists. I was sorry to turn her down because she's also the daughter of one of our long-time students. She's attended classes here when she visits her mom, she's a lovely person, and I'm sure she's a great teacher. So why did I say "No" to the workshop?

It's the same reason I've turned down workshops on Acro-Yoga, Laughter Yoga and Budokon (yoga & karate)... forms of yoga that are not within our teaching tradition. Yoga East, since Maja's time, has always focused its instruction in the Krishnamacharya lineage through the two main teachers: K Pattabhi Jois and BKS Iyengar. Iyengar and Ashtanga Yogas have now evolved further into Anusara and Vinyasa. When we've gone outside this lineage, such as to offer Pilates or kettlebells or hot yoga classes, it's been to support our teachers who also teach these other things. I'm confident that these teachers are grounded enough to teach a different tradition and still keep students focused on the important elements of yoga from the Krishnamacharya tradition: correct alignment and form, and diligent practice.

My teacher, Pattabhi Jois was once asked, "What do you think of all those other Western yogas?" He answered, "Let those yogas be there. I am teaching this yoga."

Like Mr. Jois, I don't want to make a judgment about the value of other forms of yoga, but I've found that Yoga East does best when we stick with our tradition. Early on in my yoga experience, I tried other forms of yoga to see what was out there. Ultimately I returned to my roots. You can dig a lot of shallow holes, but it's better to dig one really deep well.

MBO for Teachers

Hi Teachers! This is boring but necessary info for teachers about our MBO software - just some things of which you should be aware. You need to have 2 logins: 1. which I assigned to you as a teacher; and 2. one for you as a student.

Your teacher login is for signing students into your classes, looking up other teachers in Staff Management to find subs, changing the teacher for your class in the event you get a sub, and also for updating your Teacher Bio and Profile.

Your student login is for you to sign-in and register for classes as a student. How do you get your student login? Same as any other student! Go to yogaeast.org and click on Click here - register, sign in for classes, update your profile
That takes you to the opening screen. If you have only signed yourself in as a teacher, then use Is this your first time? to create your login.

When signing students into your classes, if you have problems, please leave a note so we know to fix it. If it takes you more than 15 minutes to sign in your students, abandon the attempt.

To contact me: you can email me or you can phone me. Please keep in mind that I'm in bed by 7:30 pm and I get up at 3:30 am to practice. Send me an email or wait until Mysore class ends to phone me.

Since we started using MindBodyOnline on April 15, many new students have used MBO to register and sign-in for classes and workshops. It makes running the studio much easier. Students who register online do not have to fill out the waiver! It saves all of us time and trouble. I hope all of you will explore the program, read the Help information and encourage your students to use it to both pay for classes and workshops and sign-in before class.

I encourage each of you to create availability for private appointments in MBO. This can easily be done to make your expertise available to many students who contact us looking for private classes. Please contact me to set up your appointment availablity.

If you have any questions about MBO or if you would like to meet with me personally for a tutorial or to see how the program can help you as a teacher, I am happy to meet with you.

Asteya - Non Stealing

Asteya is one of the 5 yamas or "restraints" mentioned in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It means "non-stealing". Recently I received an email from Susan Nichols, the founder of the Yogitoes company, and the holder of the patent on the 'Skidless" towels, which we sell. She advised us that a factory in China is making knock-offs of the Skidless towel. This is an illegal patent infringement, and it violates the principle of non-stealing. I hope that no yoga students will buy knock-off yoga towels. The Skidless towels we sell are the originals and come only from the Yogitoes company. They are great towels, excellent for people who sweat more and tend to slide on a regular sticky mat.

Goodbye, Mr. Joseph

We are saddened to announce to death of Joseph Dunham, who was a long-time assistant to Pattabhi Jois. He reportedly died of a heart attack this weekend while visiting in Cambodia. Last year Joseph told me that his first yoga experience was a workshop with Ramanand Patel. Joseph was a wonderful person who helped many of us get along in Mysore. Here's the address of his blogspot showing him seated in Padmasana on his beloved Enfield motorcycle.

http://chezmrjoseph.blogspot.com/

No Frills Yoga

Back in April the NY Times had an article entitled A Yoga Manifesto . It was about a few yoga studios in NYC who are offering no frills classes on a donation basis or a reduced rate. The article stated that although yoga attendance has declined in the US, spending on yoga has almost doubled. The yoga studios featured in the article are opposing this trend by offering no frills classes and no "glorified" yoga teachers.

The teacher who was mainly interviewed for the article had been an assistant to Bikram Choudhury, and he quoted Mr. Choudhury's advice a few times... just go to class, do your practice and don't be concerned about the teacher, what the teacher was teaching and what you liked or didn't like about the class. At the studio featured in the article, Yoga to the People, there are no cool decorations, no showers, no incense, no chanting beforehand, and all the classes are the same. In the words of one of the students, “I like that you make the class what you want.” The class fees at the studios range from $5 to $10 or by donation.

Bikram Choudhury's philosophy about yoga is one of the reasons I added hot yoga classes to Yoga East's curriculum. Back in 1994, when I was still studying in the Iyengar system, I ran across Mr. Choudhury's book, Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class. His iconoclastic attitude about yoga was a breath of fresh air. Later on Bikram continued to generate debate about yoga, what it is and how it should be practiced, and even later about how yoga should be managed as a business. The second edition of his book, published in 2000, is still remarkable among yoga books because it uses real students as models - students who are all shapes, colors, ages, sizes and levels of ability. I like Bikram because he challenges us as both students and teachers of yoga.

Sometimes I think wishfully about changing Yoga East to the donation or flat rate fee business described in the article. It would make running the studio so much easier. In fact, we use this for some of our reduced-rate classes, charging $10 for some classes that have in the past been poorly attended. However, as an overall business and curriculum plan for Yoga East, I think it falls short as an approach to teaching yoga and running a studio - no assistance to students, no individualized attention, no props, no modifications, no special training needed for teachers... just leading people through a sequence. This weekend I gave a talk on Multiple Sclerosis and yoga at the MS Expo. At the end of my talk I asked the room of 50 or more people if they had questions and no one moved. Then I asked, "How many of you have been to a yoga class and had a bad experience?" Hands shot up all over the room, and several students shared how they had been to a class just like the one described in the article, and even though the class was described as a class for beginners, it left them behind - not knowing what to do or how to do it.

This kind of approach also fails to support some of our best teachers. Several Yoga East teachers have been excellent teachers but their classes did not have large attendance. We've had to "subsidize" their classes because they were not self-supporting. My intermediate class focusing on inversions will never be a class that's packed full to the brim. I continue to teach that class because that sequence, unlike any other, produces students who are incredibly strong and accomplished, but it will never be a popular class. When Darren Rhodes first visited Louisville he had not found another studio that taught the inversion sequences from Light on Yoga. He was impressed by the ability of our students to handle his intermediate class with aplomb, and I think much of that comes from our emphasis on teaching inversions, which cannot be taught in a large class.

I've seen many students come from other studios where Ashtanga Yoga is taught. I can tell right away who has come from a Mysore program and who has come from a studio where only led classes are taught. Individual attention and assistance from the teacher is crucial to develop an accomplished Ashtanga practice, no matter how much of the series the student is practicing. To have a student in class who needs help, and not to give that help is a fundamental departure from the yoga teaching tradition.

When Bikram said the students should "suck it up", I don't think he was giving permission to offer less teaching and less assistance. Actually, I feel certain that Bikram challenges teachers to be even more engaged in teaching. It's true that some students haven't yet learned that not everything has to be a certain way to have a great yoga experience. That experience doesn't depend on being in the right spot in the room, with just the right temperature, right teacher, right style of yoga, etc... in the true spirit of yoga, what ultimately is learned is how to develop samatvam, the ability to have evenness of mind in any situation.

Laura Dement's Due Date

Just want to let everyone know that Laura's due date is July 23rd. We'll keep eveyone posted on the baby news!

Spotlight on Feldenkrais

Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984) was an engineer who applied scientific analysis to movement principles to heal an old knee injury. He called his system Awareness Through Movement® and began teaching it in the 1940's. From the the Feldenkrais website: "...lessons consist of comfortable, easy movements that gradually evolve into movements of greater range and complexity. There are hundreds of Awareness Through Movement lessons contained in the Feldenkrais Method that vary, for all levels of movement ability, from simple in structure and physical demand to more difficult lessons. Awareness Through Movement lessons attempt to make one aware of his/her habitual neuromuscular patterns and rigidities and to expand options for new ways of moving while increasing sensitivity and improving efficiency."

One of our students said, "I went to Feldenkrais classes 4 times before I noticed anything. Then one day, following a class, I felt what other students have described - I felt better all day - gently freed up, able to move more simply through my day, having a sort of timeless ease. I love Feldenkrais because of its intention to help release patterns of movement and holding that are inhibiting energy flow. One is aided in letting go of habits. I sometimes find myself, after class, in a sort of free-wheeling happy befuddlement as my system recalibrates to allow for better functioning. I often feel larger afterward, less bound. I really have just put my toe in the water - there is a lot to Feldenkrais. I enjoy Jeannie as a teacher because she has a lovely vocal delivery- important as the teacher talks you through the movements - and is naturally funny. She has a sort of curiosity that makes me feel free to play."

Awareness Through Movement® classes are taught by Jeanne Simpson, a certified teacher. They meet on Wednesdays 10:30-11:30 am at Holiday Manor. Classes are $12 (or 5 for $50). Please register with Jeanne and pay by cash or check. Phone her at 502-541-1724 if you have questions or need more information.

Benefits of Yoga

An email I received from a student:

Had to share some good news. For years I have been taking cholesterol and triglyceride meds. And even with the meds the blood work ran high.....genetic I guess. Was having some problems with the cholesterol lowering med and they took me off it a few months ago to see what would happen....how high it could go and see what to do next. I met with my doctor today....she looked at the labs, frowned, took my blood pressure, said "hmmm" took my blood pressure again....Looked up and simply stated "what the hell are you doing?!" with a smile. Blood pressure down(110/58) ....cholesterol is normal with the good kind way up ( No meds) and triglyceride levels in the normal range (still with that med but had always been double normal even with the meds) When I told her Ashtanga Yoga ,,,,she laughed and said that burning candles and stretching could not do this...I set her straight...So YES yoga has definitely changed my physiology for the better...Thanks!!! What a life saver!!! :)

Sometimes you have no idea what yoga is really doing for you. Sometimes we think that because we're not flexible or having trouble with poses, that yoga is "not working". It's working all right, and often in ways that you can't imagine.

A few years a go a friend of mine who teaches in California had a student who had a serious heart attack. The cardiologist found that the student had an extensive secondary capillary system to the heart which probably saved his life. The cardiologist attributed such an extensive development to the student's long-time Ashtanga practice and told the teacher, "Make sure your students know what yoga is doing for them!"

Oil Massage Instructions

A massage with a heated oil appropriate to one’s dosha is highly recommended prior to bathing. In the Ashtanga Yoga system, a weekly oil bath is recommended, especially if you are having any kind of persistent soreness or stiffness. As we start to get into the dry, cold time of year, oil bath becomes important.

Recommended oils: coconut, sesame. Other oils can also be used for various purposes (mustard oil for pain, castor oil for deeply-entrenched pain or injuries, almond oil, oilve oil, grapeseed oil, etc...), and you can add essential oils for aromatherapy or therapeutic purposes. I like to add a few drops of rose oil, sandalwood and lavendar oils. You can also purchase ready-made oils for particular doshas or therapeutic needs. Oil should be fresh.

Place the oil in a plastic container and hold under hot water, or put a smaller bowl of oil in a larger bowl of warm water. We don't recommend heating in the microwave. Begin at the head: pour a stream of oil onto the brahmarandra (8 fingers up from the third eye). Massage oil at the crown of the head and occipital ridges, then all through the scalp. Massage the face and work your way down the body. Pay special attention to the head and feet. Place a few drops of oil in each ear and the navel, and a drop on each finger and toenail. Let the oil soak in for a few minutes then shower and shampoo.

Pattabhi Jois did this frequently and he had beautiful skin - smooth like a baby, and he always smelled like sandalwood.

More Recipes

This is a wonderful, highly-recommended food which is soothing, nourishing and replenishing. The ingredients can be purchased from Indian-Pakistani grocery stores.
½ cup rice
½ cup mung dal (a small yellow split pea having a mild flavor)
1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
1 dash hing powder (asafoetida)
1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
½ tsp tumeric powder
1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
1 cup chopped vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, bok choy, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or squash.
Salt to taste
6 cups water
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves.
Wash and sort the rice and dal. Heat the ghee or oil is a large sauce pan and add the hing. It will bubble and turn fragrant. Add the tumeric and cumin seeds. When the cumin begins to pop, add the washed dal and rice and stir to coat the grains with the oil and spices. Add the ginger and vegetables, then add the water. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to Low and simmer until the grains and dal are cooked (15-20 minutes). Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with whole wheat chapatis (flat Indian bread) and Raita (recipe follows).

Raita
1 cup yogurt, stirred until smooth
½ tsp whole cumin seeds
½ cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber and/or chopped tomato
1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
salt to taste
Combine all ingredients.

Chai Recipe

Chai - Yogi Tea
I learned this recipe from a yoga correspondence course when I was a teenager, growing up in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee. There were no yoga teachers, no yoga books, no other yoga students except for a college student friend of mine who was taking these lessons from Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Waters). One of the lessons contained this recipe.

Per cup, use:
10 oz. Water
3 whole cloves
3 peppercorns
1 slice fresh ginger
4 cardamon pods
½ stick cinnamon

Boil together for 15 minutes. Add ½ cup black or jasmine tea. Add ½ cup milk and honey or brown sugar to taste.

Sour Cereal Recipe

It's not really sour, but it's not a sweet cereal. This cereal was served every morning in my Guru’s ashram, and we serve it at all our retreats. This is my version of the recipe.

3/4 cup of any kind of grain or mixtures of grains like millet, bulgar wheat, quinoa, steel-cut oats.
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
2-3 tbsp of fresh grated or dry shredded coconut (not the sweetened kind)
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tbsp grated ginger
½ cup any other finely chopped vegetables, such as celery, cauliflower, carrots, tomato
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp salt or to taste
6-8 cups water
Combine all ingredients except cilantro and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer until grains are cooked. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Hymn from Gandhi's Ashram

O Thou, dweller in my heart.
Open it out, purify it,
make it bright and beautiful,
awaken it, prepare it, make it fearless,
make it a blessing to others,
rid it of laziness, free it from doubt,
unite it with all, destroy its bondage.
Let thy peaceful music pervade all its works.
Make my heart fixed on thy holy feet,
and make it full of joy,
full of joy,
full of joy.

Believe in Love (2000 South Fallsburg, NY) Now out of print.