Yoga

I close my Tuesday and Thursday morning yoga classes at Fusion Hot Yoga with these mantras:

om sat-cit-ananda para brahma
purusottama paramatma
sri bhagavati sameta
sri bhagavate namah

Hari Om Tat Sat

The nature of this world is of darkness; but just as the Sun brings illumination to this world, may our lives be illuminated by divine light, filled with love, compassion, and mercy; and may we achieve self-realization in this lifetime.

This weekend we went to the Brisbane Yoga Fest.

This is the third year of the grass-roots, community event organised by Jonathan Murphy and his partner Tanya. We've participated each of those years, and watched as the festival has grown in scope.

(Apologies for the photos - I'm not such a good photographer. Sound is more my thing)

For the last two years it's been held at the Old Museum in Bowen Hills, a wonderful piece of architecture:

This year we didn't have a yoga stand, as our underground studio (aka: our house) is already at capacity with 12-16 people coming to the evening classes. Adina-lila and Prema Yogi organized a prasadam stall. The piping hot soy chai and vegan gluten-free carob muffins were a big hit with the punters after the chai tent wallahs cancelled due to sickness (Oink oink).

Here's a shot of Brian, an Atma old-timer from when we first started in 2004, helping out:

Bhakta Leonardo serving out:

I got there at 2pm, as Param and I had to teach three classes at the temple in the morning. Param taught a class at Yogafest at 3pm. This year there were three studios with classes going all day. Param had about 100 people for her class. Afterwards a bunch of people asked her where she teaches. She had to tell them: "Nowhere!". Those who know, know... ;-)

There were a number of stalls around on the grass outside the Museum:

I made an appearance at the Fusion Hot Yoga stall to sign autographs:

I got totally soaked and frozen riding my scooter home from the temple before coming to Yogafest, but that was a brief 30 minute shower in an otherwise clear, sunny autumn day in Brisbane:

Here's a shot of the sky at around 5pm, which is sunset here at the moment:

Here's a close up of the green bin in that picture:

A beautifully clear, full moon night:

Yogas citta nivrtti virodhah

Yoga is the inhibition of the modifications of the mind.

- Patanjali Yoga-sutra I.2

The master strategist is not one who creates reality, but one who recognises reality.

Dharma is "what is" - things as they are. The universe exists, and it exists in a certain way.

Intuitively understanding this, superior generals do not win through tactical dexterity, but rather through strategic dominance. They read the map and win the battlefield through positioning before the battle even begins, rather than seeking to win a battle through maneuver.

Although others consider him skillful, the truly skillful man realises that in reality he does nothing except to understand and accept his destiny, rather than to work against it.

Many swimmers in a river may have great dexterity of stroke, but it is the one who reads the current and flows with it who achieves the superior result, effortlessly.

By aligning herself with dharma, "things as they are", the skillful person aligns herself with the structure of the universe and anchors herself in the fabric of existence that underlies it. Thus she becomes simultaneously immovable and unstoppable.

She is a "seer of the truth" (tattva-darsi), not a creator of truth.

The essence of leadership is to understand who you are and be more that, and help others to do the same.

In this way the movement of the mind is stopped, and although he appears to be doing so many things, while it happens the skillful person realises that he in fact does nothing.

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

- Bhagavad-gita 5.8

The official photographer's photos of November's Yoga Asana Chapionship Finals here in Australia are now online. You can view them, including my set, on picasa.

These photos are invaluable for me, because they allow me to evaluate what I did well, what I did wrong, and how I can lift my game and improve my form for this year.

I hadn't intended to enter in 2008. I was going to go and watch and make my cup challenge in 2009. I'm glad I did enter in 2008, with only a couple of months preparation. It's given me a huge headstart on 2009.

Namacarya das asked for more information on vinyasa yoga and ujjayi breath. Here it is:

Vinyasa yoga - Sun Salutation:

Ujjayi breath:

Best thing to do is to go to a class. Go to a Power Yoga, Astanga, or Bikram class to learn yoga forms that will help you to sweat it out.

Courtesy of Madhava Ghosh came the insight: "Pain is weakness leaving the body".

Pain in yoga practice is not "injury" - it is the attempt of the system of the body to maintain the status quo. One part rebels, complains, tries to change the equation: "Leave things as they are - it's harder to change than it is to stay the same, and I'll make it harder for you..."

It is the duty of the practitioner to push through it, to take it to another level.

I took a couple of days to rest and regroup, then went on the offensive again.

First I hit the local Chinese medicine man (actually he was an Aussie, Benedict) for what he congratulated me as a "solid sesson". I think he was pretty happy to have such a subject to reciprocate with his obvious enthusiasm for his craft.

The next day I hit the Health Food store to take advantage of "Magic Monday" - the monthly 20% off sale day. The lady there told me she had no Kre-Alkalyn, but recommended Beta Alanine [read extensive info]. Krishna's hand is in my life brothers and sisters!

I call this stuff "Hulk powder". It comes in a green jar with a picture of gears on it (this is science man!). It may, or may not turn you into the Incredible Hulk, but it certainly makes you feel like you are turning into the Incredible Hulk.

When you take 2g of it, that's 1/2 a metric teaspoon, after about 15 minutes all the nerve endings in your body start to burn. You've all seen Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk - well this feels like that looks. I was literally writhing on the floor in agony after my first dose - just what Doctor Chopper ordered [video of Dr Chopper - warning: profanity].

The creatine and beta alanine form a potent 1-2 punch. This morning I hit the studio, charging like a wounded bull. With mangal-arati, 30g of protein, and a dose of creatine and beta alanine under my kaupins I was ready to rock. Those are the elements of my four-pronged winning strategy: "Training, Nutrition, Supplementation, and Prayer". Mentally reframing the pain throughout the session, I gave competition form under fire.

There is no way that I am retreating from this and going back to the previous status quo.

The only way out is through.

From the road to inevitable victory,
Sitapati

I'm in the Australian Regional (National) Finals for the Bishnu Charan Ghosh Cup Yoga Asana Championships, to be held in Melbourne on November 30. Currently I'm training in Auckland, New Zealand where there are no less than three Bikram studios - with two in adjacent suburbs even, and with interleaved classes (for example, you can go to an afternoon class starting at 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, or 6pm!).

Bikram yoga must be wildly popular here.

I popped in for a class today, and discovered that Darren Ma, two time and current Australian National champion, is leading the advanced series in Newmarket tomorrow.

No prizes for guessing where I'll be.

I spent last Saturday with Darren, or as I dubbed him "Dronacarya" ;-), at Bikram Caloundra, doing a posture clinic. He spent some time coaching me for my Cup challenge (hence the Dronacarya moniker - Dronacarya taught the warrior who eventually killed him). I was worried that my New Zealand trip was going to knock me off my training schedule, but it seems to be taking it to another level... I missed the advanced classes that they are doing in Brisbane in the run-up to the cup, but I get another day with Darren here. Krishna is in control, clearly.

I'm staying at my mum's place in New Lynn - it's equidistant from New Varshan (the local Hare Krishna farm and temple) and the Bikram studios, so I'm perfectly situated.

Protein bars and powders are cheaper here than they are in Australia, strangely enough. Many of them are New Zealand brands, but even the Australian ones are cheaper here.

Here's the first line from the Bishnu Ghosh Regional Yoga Asana Championship Waiver and Release of Liability, which I had to sign:

I acknowledge that this hatha yoga championship can be an extreme test of a person's physical and mental limits and carries with it the potential for serious injury.

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout! Bring it on!

Creatine administration was shown to significantly improve performance in cognitive and memory tests in vegetarian individuals involved in double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trials. Vegetarian supplementation with creatine seems to be especially beneficial as they appear to have lower average body stores, since meat is a primary source of dietary creatine.

- Creatine Supplements: Mental Performance, Wikipedia

In humans, approximately half of stored creatine originates from food (mainly from fresh meat). Since vegetables do not contain creatine, vegetarians show lower levels of muscle creatine which, upon creatine supplementation, rise to a level higher than in meat-eaters.

- Creatine: Sources, Wikipedia

Both quotes have sources cited in the relevant wikipedia article.

Now I have to say that taking creatine and hitting the mat I do feel like I just killed and ate some small animal, or maybe like I need to kill and eat a small animal. If the tag line for Bodyquick is "Got Kill Speed?" and the supplement gives you kill speed (it boosts reaction time by up to 35%), then Creatine gives you "extra killing power".

I'm taking Kre-Alkalyn, a relative new form of creatine supplement. It is "pH-corrected", weighing in at a whopping pH of 12 - extremely alkaline.A pH of 7 is neutral, less than 7 acidic, more than 7 alkaline - up to a maximum of 14 - pure alkaline. The human body operates optimally at around 7.36, on the alkaline side of 7.

Exactly how creatine increases your killing power is still up in the air. This very informative and only slightly technical article describes three current hypotheses.

Apparently (this is according to the Kre-Alkalyn website, which by the way has a horrible 90's design using frames - go here to get the navigation menu), non-base pH Creatine supplements break down in liquid (like in your stomach) into creatinine [wikipedia], which is the exhaust produced when creatine does its thing in your muscles. Creatinine is filtered from your system by the kidneys.

I've been using Creatine for a whole three days now, and I've read a number of testimonials on the internets, and I've got my own story already.

Lots of people are asking questions like: "I'm going on a cruise in a couple of weeks. Can I take creatine and look buff?"

The answer to this is: only if you use the additional creatine in your system to go harder in your exercise program.

Some people report no benefit to their long distance and endurance running.

Some people report "bulking up" and looking "fuller", but losing muscle definition due to water retention.

Some people report sore joints as a result of taking a creatine supplement.

According to the makers of Kre-Alkalyn (who bill it as "the benefits of creatine without the side effects" and "the results without the bloat"), these side effects are due to the deterioration of the creatine supplement to the bio-waste product creatinine when it encounters a liquid.

I have another theory. If the other creatine supplements are non-base pH, and Kre-Alkalyn claims to have a patent covering all creatine supplements with a pH in the range of 7 -14 which implies that they are, then all creatine supplements, with the exception of Kre-Alklyn, are acidic.

If you put something acidic into your muscles then your body will respond to that by diluting the acid to bring it back to your bio-optimum. It will do this by pumping water into the muscle cells. This is why you have to drink a lot of water when you take creatine supplements, and why you immediately bulk up and lose definition.

I haven't noticed any water retention (bloat) with Kre-Alkalyn. What I have noticed is increased strength and muscle recovery. Available creatine in the body enables the production of ATP [wikipedia]. This means more energy at the cellular level. One article I read explained it like this: "you won't go from bench pressing 200 lbs to 250 lbs, but you will go from 5 reps to 7 reps."

In other words, Creatine supplementation doesn't increase your strength per se, it increases the ability of your muscles to recover. This allows you to push yourself more, and this will increase your strength. This is not going to be much good if you're doing long distance and endurance events, which don't have an exertion / recovery cycle. However, it's perfect for Bikram Yoga with the 20 second shivasana (corpse pose) between reps.

Especially for a weedy little vegetarian like me, creatine supplementation seems to be working well. The main thing is that I am able to play faster mrdanga beats for a longer time, and also sing while I'm doing it. I'm getting to test this each morning at mangal-arati and measure the results. And that's ultimately what it's all about. This body is simply an engine for Sri Krishna sankirtan.

Addendum: I cast a wider net, and found other sources of Creatine: juniper berries, apparently, and also this NZ bee pollen. The other day Hari Sauri prabhu mentioned bee pollen as a source of Vitamin B12 as well, so while I'm in NZ I might see if I can get some of this.

Hydration is super important when you are doing hot yoga, or any other kind of intense exercise. However, simply drinking water is not enough. If you've ever drunk your sweat off your mat (and believe me - some days I have!) you know that you're not sweating pure water - you're sweating a complex blend of vitamins and minerals. Just drinking water will soon have you as depleted as a strip mine. You need an electrolyte replacement drink. Commercial drinks like Powerade are full of sugar, and simple carbohydrates (sugars) are no good when you're all about getting ripped. You need to reduce carbs and increase protein to get muscle definition. So I've been mixing my own electrolyte replacement drink - The Sita-pati Koolaid.

I start with a base of Pureau water, then add Herbs of Gold Muscle Resuscitation. This is a bio-enhanced magnesium powder. Magnesium depletion leads to sore muscles, and ultimately to muscle cramping during exertion. The Herbs of Gold powder also contains a number of B vitamins, a range of other trace elements, and stevia - a powerful natural sweetener.

The Herbs of Gold Muscle Resuscitation also gives the Sita-pati Koolaid that rad patented yellow colour. I tell anyone who asks that I'm trying out urine therapy to boost my performance on the mat. ;-)

Next I add 24 drops of Cellfood. Ekendra put me on to this. It has 78 ionic minerals, 34 enzymes, 17 amino acids, electrolytes and dissolved oxygen in it.

Then I add a cap of Lifesprings Colloidal Minerals. This stuff has 75 plant-derived colloidal minerals in it.

Then I add a cap of Colloidal Silver. Colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic.

Sometimes I add a packet of Percy's Powder. Percy's contains Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Potassium, and Manganese, as Sulphates. More often though I'll take this neat in the juice of a lemon and with a B Vitamin complex capsule. Doing this on an empty stomach, for example straight after a yoga session, is the optimum way to absorb it.

The end result of all this is the supercharged Sita-pati Koolaid.

You can make your own electrolyte replacement drink too. Go to the health food store and have a look at the different things they have. Fire up Google and do some research - read some testimonials and some overviews such as wikipedia (be sure to follow the links to original references), and start trying stuff out.

Don't waste your money or your health drinking commercial cordials. Drink your own Koolaid!

I forgot to mention in yesterday's post "Why Dairy Makes You Stiff that dairy products are acid-forming in the body. They result in the same lactic acid build-up that I described in Why Drinking Green Juices Makes You More Flexible.

You can read more about it here: Latose and Lactic Acid.

Yesterday was Ekadasi and I ate lightly and had a "dairy detox" after the cheese on Wednesday. A world of difference on the yoga mat today.