Archive for June, 2018

Events coming up at Shanti Yoga

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Events coming up at Shanti Yoga

5-17 June 2018. .Ayurveda Cooking Retreat
COOK, TASTE, HEAL
Weekend Retreat. Cert IV & Dip Yoga
Retreat Facilitator: Shanti Gowans
Venue: Nirvana Wellness Sanctuary, Beechmont
Fee: $750 single room accommodation, shared facilities, for 2 nights, 6 meals, program.

16, 17 June 10am – 5 pm
SHIRODHARA, KATI BASTI  Practitioner training in Ayurvedic treatments for lower back pain, stress, migraines. Prerequisites: •Basic principles of Ayurveda. •A&P. •Ayurvedic A&P (Can be done on-line) •First Aid. Bookings essential. $1595

23, 24 June. Sat & Sun
CHAIR YOGA  FACILITATOR TRAINING
YOGA FOR HEALTHY AGEING FACILITATOR TRAINING
$2995

29 June. Friday 6:30-9:00pm
FELLOWSHIP AND VEGETARIAN DINNER
Spiritual food that brings people together.
$35. Course students $15

6-15 July EXCEPTIONAL WELLBEING
Experience an upgrade in the quality of your life.
– Heal your body. Help it recover from chronic illness, toxicity or poor nourishment and nutrition
– Align your energy centres to improve your emotional and physical wellbeing
– Experience a feeling of calmness, tranquility and bliss
10 days at Nirvana Wellness Sanctuary. From $2980 for twin-share, accommodation, 30 delicious Ayurvedic vegetarian meals, detox medicines, program including yoga, meditation, nature walks, art and so much more.

16 July – 17 Sept. Mon 6:30-7:15pm
BOLLYWOOD DANCE COURSE
10 week term. Includes complementary yoga stretch and tone class Mon 5:30-6:25pm
Fee $195 for 10 week term or $35 casual payment

19 July – 20 Sept Thurs 2-3:15pm
SPEAK, DRAMATISE, IMPROVISE
Build the confidence to free your voice and express yourself with drama games, public speaking and improvisation.
Facilitator: Louise Hall
Fee $295 x 8 sessions or $49 drop-in

20 July, Friday 6:30-9:00pm
FELLOWSHIP ANS VEGETARIAN DINNER
Spiritual food that brings people together.
$35. Course students $15

24 July – 18 Sept. Tuesdays 4-5pm
AYURVEDIC VEGAN-VEGETARIAN COOKING COURSE
$60 per session or $500 for 10 lessons.

27-29 July. Ayurveda Cooking Retreat
COOK, TASTE, HEAL: HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY BODY
Weekend Retreat with Cert IV & Dip Yoga course students
Retreat Facilitator: Shanti Gowans
Venue: Nirvana Wellness Sanctuary, Beechmont
Fee: $750 single room accommodation, shared facilities, for 2 nights, 6 meals, program.

3-5 August 2018,. Fri-Sun. Residential weekend retret
7 POINTS IN MIND TRAINING in Relational intelligence
Silent meditation weekend retreat
Retreat Facilitator: Shanti Gowans
Venue: Nirvana Wellness Sanctuary, Beechmont
Fee: $750 single room accommodation, shared facilities, for 2 nights, 6 meals, program.

17-19 August. Fri-Sun. Residential weekend retreat
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
Retreat Facilitator: Shanti Gowans
Venue: Nirvana Wellness Sanctuary, Beechmont
Fee: $750 single room accommodation, shared facilities, for 2 nights, 6 meals, program.

25-26 August
PRANAYAMA, THE NEXT LEVEL
Two days of intensive training in understnding and exploring Pranayama.
Fee $2995. Repeat attendance $1595

Sept 7-9, Weekend
FINDING MEANING, PASSION and PURPOSE in the pursuit of happiness
Weekend Retreat. Cert IV & Dip Yoga
Retreat Facilitator: Shanti Gowans
Venue: Nirvana Wellness Sanctuary, Beechmont
Fee: $750 single room accommodation, shared facilities, for 2 nights, 6 meals, program.

Sept 15, 16. Sat, Sun
YOGA NIDRA FACILITATOR TRAINING
Fee: $2995. Repeat stiudents $1595

20, 21 Oct. Sat, Sun 10am-5pm
CHILDREN’S YOGA TEACHER TRAINING
Weekend intensive workshop and tutorial offering all the one-of-a-kind education, methodology and Shanti Yoga resources you need to successfully teach children’s yoga. Learn tools you can use immediately with the children in your life. Tutorial and practicum is free for current Yoga course students.
200 hr course, consisting of 1 non-residential. weekend intensive + 6 months internship.  $2995

26-28 October, Weekend
EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
Weekend Retreat. Cert IV & Dip Yoga
Retreat Facilitator: Shanti Gowans
Venue: Nirvana Wellness Sanctuary, Beechmont
Fee: $750 single room accommodation, shared facilities, for 2 nights, 6 meals, program.

3,4 November. Sat & Sun,  10am-5pm  $2995.
THE POWER OF TOUCH:
Ayurvedic Relaxation Massage, Abhyanga.
Practitioner Training. Prereqsites: Basic principles of Ayurveda. A&P. Ayurvedic A&P. First Aid. Bodies wanted. Please donate to science. $2995

Your Indian Holiday of a Lifetime 2018
3-11 November 2018. 9 days, 8 nights.
North India Golden Triangle
Fee per person
US $2520 twin share accommodation
(approx AUD3340)
US $3528 single traveller accommodation
(approx AUD4671)

11-18 November 2018. 8 days, 7 nights
Kerala, God’s own Country, South India
Fee per person
US $2433 twin share accommodation
(approx AUD3225)
US $3654 single traveller accommodation
(approx AUD4838)
with Shantiji and Peter

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Constipation according to Ayurveda

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Constipation according to Ayurveda
Constipation can be much more than just a slow bowel movement. According to Ayurveda, constipation is a signal of imbalanced Vata and blockage of channels. A patient with depression or rheumatoid arthritis usually has constipation as an associated symptom. A patient with migraine can also have constipation. Thus, in many cases, relieving constipation can contribute to relief of migraine and depression as well.
Even though constipation is a simple discomfort, if neglected and not treated in time, it may lead to a major problem. Digestion is like a highway. One wrong move, and everything gets backed up. Sometimes for years. So there is immediate need to look into this health discomfort, seriously.
A common understanding with constipation, is that waste products are stuck in the intestines with complications arising because of those lodged or blocked waste products. However, the reason is much deeper than that. The large intestine is designed to store feces for a certain amount of time, thus, holding it for some more amount of time is not a big task for it. The real problem arises when the lack of bowel movements for a long period of time sends wrong signals to liver, brain, immune system etc, leading to migraine and such other complications.
Vata dosha is responsible for constipation. Apana vayu is responsible for both holding the stool until it is ready to be expelled, and for the free flow and expulsion of stool. When the functions of Apana vayu are significantly affected, it results in constipation.
Causes of constipation 
The Ayurvedic terms for constipation can include: Vibandha, Vishtabdhata, Malabaddhata, Baddhavarchas, Stabdha Pureeshata, Varcho Vibandha etc.
The cause of constipation can include:
– The intake of food possesses dry, light, rough qualities. This includes any food that causes dryness of mouth, lightness in the body and roughness in skin.
– Excessive consumption of pungent, astringent and salt foods
– Night awakening
– Not enough intake of water
– Working in strong sunlight.
– Long walks
– A lot of travelling
– Sitting at a same place for a long period of time
– Lack of sufficient fibre in the diet
– Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease
– Excessive use of antacids
– Depression
– Rheumatoid arthritis
– Pregnancy: the fetus putting pressure on the intestines, causing lack of bowel movements
– Colon cancer
– Intestinal obstruction: structural problems such as twisting of intestines (volvulus).
Medicines that cause constipation
Allopathic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and imipramine, anti convulsants such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, Iron supplements, Antacids with aluminiummay cause constipation.
Ayurvedic medicines containing Guggulu and Sallaki as ingredients may contribute to constipation. In such patients, usually Triphala Churna is adminsitered to nullify the side effect.
Herbs that cause constipation
Ripe Falsa fruit, Grewia asiatica
Fox nut, Euryale ferox
Jamun fruit
Kupilu, Nux Vomica
Pathology of constipation
Arising from Vata imbalancing factors, Apana vata is aggravated and is blocked in the lower part of the large intestine, which results in constipation. Depending upon the grade of affliction, absolute constipation or hard stool are complained by the patients.
Complications from constipation
If the complaint is neglected, and causative factors are continued, complications such as the following arise:
– Hemorrhoids
– Fissure in anus
– Gaseous distention of abdomen, bloating
– fecolith – hard, stone like feces
– Headache, liver disorders and various metabolic and intestinal diseases may be originated
– Back ache
– In some individuals, reverse peristalsis can also occur.
Prevention of constipation
•Consider eating fruit and vegetable salad mix as part of your lunch or dinner.
•Consume lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole wheat, corn (bran), cauliflower, raisins, cabbage, berries, green leafy vegetables, celery, beans, guava, figs, dates, flax seed, spinach, orange, mushroom, and so on, which provide fibre in your diet.
•Drink good quantities of water throughout the day. Note that, in a normal person, Ayurveda advises to drink water only when thirsty. But in a disease condition, such as constipation, the patient can have good amounts of water. Water along with fiber rich diet softens bowels and prevents constipation.
•Avoid excess of coffee and tea. However, some patients do not get bowel movement urges unless they have their coffee or tea. Then this advice is not applicable to them.
•Avoid excessive spicy food, heavy non vegetarian food, and fried food.
•Exercise. Consider walking for at least 15 minutes in a day.
•Yogasanas for constipation: Pavana Muktasana, Uttana Padasana, Yoga Mudra, and those asanas and exercises that put pressure on the abdomen are very useful in its treatment.
•Do not hold the urge. The science of Ayurveda teaches that a natural urge is a signal to the person to act. It needs to be attended immediately. Regular holding of urge eventually will lead to constipation.
Tips for treating constipation
– Drink two to four extra glasses of water a day (unless fluid is restricted).
– Drink warm liquids, especially in the morning.
– Drink a cup of warm water in the evening.
– Consider getting an oil massage, or do it yourself.
Treat the underlying cause
– Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, where constipation is an associated symptoms, correction of digestion process should be given due importance.
– Treatment of depression, in addition to treating constipation, depression symptoms should also be treated.
– Treatment of migraine, rheumatoid arthritis associated with constipation, the disease should also be given due attention in treatment.
Simple remedies for Constipation
•Soak 10-15 raisins in water in the morning and consume it at night.
•1 teaspoon of cow’s ghee and 1 spoon of raw sugar (in non diabetic patients) dissolved in one cup (150ml) of warm water, taken at bed time. This is highly effective against mild constipation.
•For those who pass hard pellets, Gulkhand is administered at night along with milk.
•The fruit pulp of Aragwadha is taken (10grams) along with water or milk. This helps to relieve even chronic kind of constipation.
•2-4 tender leaves of Castor (Eranda) ground into fine paste, to which the pulp of Aloe vera is added. Consumption of this helps people, who frequently suffer from constipation.
•Regular use of aloe vera in diet prevents hard bowels.
Caution with laxatives
Overuse of laxatives for a long period of time eventually worsens constipation. Hence, when you are prescribed a medicine for constipation, be proactive to change your lifestyle and diet habits, as explained above, so as to prevent dependency on medications.
Treatment 
– Mridu snehana, mild oleation.
– Abhyantara snehana, internal oleation, e.g. administering 5-10 grams of ghee or medicated ghee such as Sukumara ghrita.
– Maha Narayana oil, or sesame oil massage for external oleation.
– Triphala, Rasagandha or Sukha sarak vati, which are some Ayurvedic examples of laxatives, for virechana and vatanulomana oushadha.
– Guda Varti, use of rectal suppository
Herbs useful in mild constipation:
Haritak, Chebulic myrobalan-Terminalia chebula
Aragwadha, Cassia fistula
Draksha, Raisins, Dry grapes-Vitis vinifera
Patola, Trichosanthes dioica
Katukarohini, Picrorrhiza kurroa
Castor oil. in addition to constipation, castor oil in combination with other herbs is used in many diseases. For example: Castor oil with Haritaki is used in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
Herbs useful in severe constipation:
Jayapala, Croton tiglium
Danti, Baliospermum montanum
Trivrit, Operculina turpethum
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Diseases in the ages of beings

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Diseases in the ages of beings

In the beginning of the golden age of truth, Satya-yuga, also known as the Krita-yuga, human beings were endowed with divine vitality. Exceedingly faultless and unhampered in their powers, they had direct knowledge. These god-like sages knew the divine law, and the sacrificial rituals. They possessed bodies which were robust, compact and firm, and had clear senses and mind. Thye had good complexions and their speed, strength and power resembled those of the wind. They were free from desire, aversion, infatuation, greed, anger, pride, diseases, laziness, fatigue, languour and the spirit of aquisition. They experienced unlimited longevity. For the benefit of these people with heroic minds, qualities and deeds, their crops were replete with wonderful taste, potency, post digestive effects, specific actions and virtue, because the earth, during the sawn of the golden age was charged to the full with all excellent qualities.

During the latter part of the Satya-yuga, those whe were financially better off ate more and became obese. By over-indulgence this heaviness of body led to lassitude; lassitude gave rise to indolence, indolence created the need of accumulation and necessitated acquisition. The spirit of acquisition engendered greed. The qualities of earth also deteriorated gradually along with the qualities of human beings.

Thereafter, the bodies of human beings failing to receive nutrition as before from the progressively deteriorating quality of food, together with the lack of exercise and adverse effects of exertion, heat and wind, soon succumbed to attacks of fever and other dis-ease. Thereafter, in the second or silver age, known as the Treta-yuga, greed brought malice in its way and led to falsehood; falsehood bred lust, anger, vanity, hatred, cruelty, aggression, fear, grief, anxiety, distress and the like. Consequently in the second age, virtue found itself deprived of a quarter of its plentitude. From this quarterly loss in virtue, there followed a similar deterioration in the duration of the succeeding age and in the beneficial power of the earth and other elements. The consequence of this deterioration led to a corresponding deterioration in the purity, taste, potency, post-digestive effects, specific ation and quality of herbs. In this manner righteousness dwindled in each succeeding age by one quarter, and the proto-elements too suffered silimar deterioration till eventually the world would come to dissolution.

When a hundredth part of the length of an age period is past, then the life span of creatures gets less by one year. This is in reference to the normal determination of life span in a given age. Thus, not following the path of righteousness and not following the dictates of conscience are the root cause of all disease.

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Ayurveda Spring Detox Retreat – Sept 20 – 29, 2019

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Ayurveda Spring Detox Retreat – Sept 20 – 29, 2019
  • If you, like many others are frustrated with the health care system right now, it is because it is not about wellness but about disease.The truth is you know your body. You know if you are feeling less than you felt 5 or 10 years ago. You know some of it might be linked with stress and pressure, and how it affects how you feel in your heart and head. Your traditional doctor has been trained to see you as a set of organs or a series of diseases that needs pharmaceutical drugs to fix it. But when antidepressants or prescriptions drugs are not the health care you need, your doctor unfortunately has not been trained to provide you with the answers you have been searching for. You need to get to the root cause of your ‘off’ state and bring your health back.Let us help you to take the reins into your own hands and heal at the core. We have seen remarkable results with our students and patients’ health. Commit to feeling your absolute best and stop settling for what those who have not been trained in wellbeing tell you to do symptomatically, and fix the issue at the root!  With easy, foundational practices such as Yoga breathing, Inner Peace Meditation, super gentle yoga stretching, mindful eating and Ayurvedic herbals and treatments you will start to take back your health and power.ENQUIRE ABOUT

    – Airport transfer  (Brisbane or Coolangatta Airport)
    – Treatments as per your constitution
    – Ayurvedic detox medicines and treatments for the duration of the program

    CALL (07) 5531 0511

    Twin-share – 3980
    Single room – $4750
    Ensuite-twin – $5100
    Ensuite-single – $5450

If you can not make this Spring Detox retreat we have 2 more coming up on December 27 – 3 January and from 3 – 10 January.

We very much look forward to working with you, towards your goals for your best health.

For more information please call (07) 5531 0511) or visit shantiyoga.com.au

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