I was absolutely terrified by the idea of spending the winter here in Europe. I hate cold and I can’t stand the snow. By nature, I am a Vata, the ayurvedic constitution of air and ether. I am naturally light and dry, active and quick, so like the wind: I can be blown away by enthusiasm, get hysterical like a tornado, or instantly calm down completely. I am volatile and I really dislike the cold climate, the chilly Nordic wind and the heavy dampness of the snow.
But here I am and it is almost already Christmas. I survived so far. My mood swings are generally under control, I had no cold or flu yet, and despite the dark days I feel quite all right. Optimism always wins over the sprouting seeds of seasonal depression. Of course, my yoga helps me day after day. Vatas need warming and grounding to counteract their dry and highly active nature. So I alter my exercises to meet these needs. I do a good warm up to create inner heat, and then I continue with Surya Namaskaras. I do it with mantras to focus my mind and to slow down my ever flying thoughts. While chanting, I root my heels down, and I open my heart. Vatas tend to be fearful and have weak nerves, so they need to feel protected and nurtured. As one of their elemental components is ether, the element needed for the propagation of sound, they benefit a lot from chanting and mantras. Their sensitivity makes them even more receptive for the healing power of sounds.
I love chanting, also because it brings people together and creates the warmth of community.
Last week we had the yoga Christmas celebration at Asram Yoga center. At the end Steve, our nice American colleague took out his guitar and we started to sing. It was lovely as everyone joined in. When we ran out of songs, I taught them Bolo Narayana, my all time favorite from India. It remembered me of the Mysore teacher‘s training group, as we used to sing it there. This song was so happy and cheerful that one night, right after the evening practice, just while walking up to the chai corner, we all started to sing it on the street. We got louder than the Indians, but not even the strange looks could stop us. The sound was just flowing, bringing us happiness and enthusiasm. We got caught up in each other’s ecstatic voices and just pulled one another into this whirlwind of sound. The energy was high. Even as I write this right now, I feel the warmth in my heart. And now that we sang it with the fellow teachers here, the effect was the same. We got closer to each other, we shared something, we created loving kindness (metta).
So if Vatas need warmth, the best is to seek this melting by the fireplace of human kindness. The Christmas season can be a wonderful occasion to cultivate this feeling. This is our best celebration in the whole year, especially if you get absorbed more in its true spirit than in the last minute shopping. It is also a great excuse to talk to people you haven’t seen in a while, or to catch up with distant family members. Vatas suffer most from this season, but all other constitutions are influenced by the cold, moist and darkness of winter. We all need some extra warmth, light and love in our life in this moment of the year. So be yourself the present, offer this loving kindness, the real gift of your heart to others. Material presents are not so important, people will like it or not, but if you give them an experience, that will remain with them for a long time. Sat Chit Ananda: Being, Consciousness, Bliss, or Life, Light and Love, the sacred trinity of Yoga. Bring this present to your life and to those of others.
I wish all of you a Very Blessed Christmas.
With lots of love,
Yoginigabi
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