Balanced Vata
The mindbody qualities of the Vata energy pattern are cold, light, mobile, dry, rough, subtle, and clear
Balance is what we seek in any of the energy patterns and in the next couple of days we'll visit how the energy patterns express, manifest, and exhibit the balanced behaviors that show off their incredible elegance In so doing we experience the joy and pleasure of balance
When we hook up with the balanced Vata energy pattern we experience the lightness of a feather and the mobility and freedom of a kite
We find creativity and imagination with a mind that is always moving; many times expressed in dance; with movement we find flexibility
We find laughter and a whimsical nature; "a hoot" should we say
So get ready for a fanciful and surprising journey
The other qualities of Vata such as cold, rough and dry are results of overexpression in the mindbody
Do you know anyone in your life who expresses the characteristics of the balanced Vata? How do they make you feel when you're around them? Can you think of any celebrities that carry this balanced energy?
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Healing Choices and Herbs
Have you ever wondered what produces the choice to do something when you're not feeling well?
Simple choices like, "I think I'll take some aspirin for my headache" or "Heartburn is acting up I'll try some antacid or bicarb because I'm really uncomfortable"
The choice for action may be related to habit(has worked in the past); from info from the media, friend, or healer; perhaps it may be from your own exploration
It is this latter category that we should explore for it has far reaching consequences for us who want to take on the responsibility for our own healing
Let's face it, the process of real healing is a journey into the unknown As we have talked about in the past, this can be filled with fear leading to anxiety, turmoil, and/or inertia(nothing being done)
So who leads us in this journey of healing that is unknown? A healer, ourselves? What about the herbs that we take? Can they direct us as well?
From an energy science medical view herbs have mind, that is they are energy fields that directly impact the energetic mindbody We recently have discussed the mindbody energy field as one field, the mind and body are intimately spliced energetically
So what happens in the physical body psychologically impacts us
Herbs effect us psychologically and influence our choices; they direct our healing choices on this journey of healing, whatever that might be That is, if we are willing to listen
So my friends, herbs can direct our choices toward greater balance and an evolving state of health!
Have you ever had the experience of being directed and not know where the insight came from? Did herbs of some form play a role? Are foods herbs?
This last question predisposes that foods are medicines and medicines are foods; they also psychologically effect us
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Why?
We begin hearing this from children at an early age "Why did this happen?" It becomes a way of life
The answer to "why" satisfies our innate unique curiosity as to cause and effect(a Pitta trait)
And it's use begins the scientific inquiry into any observation in Nature Particularly with disease and healing "Why did I get sick?" "Why did I get well?" "Why didn't anybody else get sick?"
Furthermore it's unsettling for us to not have an explanation as to what transpired
In the Chinese language there is no word or character for "why"
Hmmmm…. is it possible that Nature can be so complex that a simple answer as to "why" is not so simple or even possible?
In contemporary circles of physics the concept of symmetry implies that for every organized level of observation(cause and effect are known) there is an underlying level of randomness Disconcertingly real!
Have you ever found that you thought you knew the answer to an observation, only to find out later you didn't? Are you uncomfortable not knowing "why"? How do you mentally handle not knowing "why"? Is it possible to live a life without knowing "why"?
So my bias is not to stress too much over that question of why Maybe the Chinese have something?
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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Dr Bill Dean
Who's this guy who writes this blog?
The Midwest was my chldhood home raised in a loving family of four including myself with a beautiful Kapha Pitta mom and Vata Pitta dad I did athletics which suited my Pitta Vata nature but then medical training left me with staying in shape with personal training and later yoga
Medical training eventuated in doing urology with an early interest in pediatric urology Due to the trials and tribulations of beginning a medical busines I wrote a book for physicians embarking on the same path called the Business of Medicine
Not completely satisfied with the project, through further study I came across the work of Deepak Chopra in 1994 and this began my exploration into Ayurveda and the energy science medical model that I blog about today I did public courses on meditation and the energy science lifestyle recommendations which makes the discipline unique and separate from the present matter science medical model used today
In 2000 due to my own health challenges, I began seeing Dr Vasant Lad at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque From the onset the clarity that I came away with convinced me that this was an important healing tradition that contained great wisdom and the capability to heal at any level
For the next ten years I spent my time doing self study of my personal healing and intermittently spending a combined time of months at the Institute During this time I began trying to figure out how I could integrate the discipline into my matter science surgical practice
I decided that the easiest and most pragmatic way to marry the disciplines was through the Ayurvedic nutritional model modifying Dr Lad's original format used at the Institute
This work culminated in a paper on interstitial cystitis presented at the local urological society and an attempt at publishing the work in a mainstream urological journal This has yet to happen although very close But the matter science model is conservative and change in ideas slow
Foods Heal is the result of continued refinement of basic Ayurvedic nutritional information and the attendant formats available at foodsheal.com and this blog
The primary intent is to mainstream the energy science discipline of Ayurveda and show its place in the medical healing tradition currently practiced on the planet
I'm blessed with a wonderful, caring, and supportive wife of thirty eight years; three remarkable children(2 girls and a boy) of whom I am so proud for all their accomplishments; two son in laws who are awesome; and four beautiful grandchildren I love my practice of yoga in all its various expressions as exercise(fits my Pitta Vata exercise needs) Skiing in the winter suits my Pitta so I can chill out and cut the intensity
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
BTW Happy Labor Day!
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“Will I Die If I Don’t Eat?”
Seems like an absurd question, doesn't it? But of course it depends how long we don't eat Right?
The reason I bring this topic up for dialogue is that it is quite possible that when we take on a simple juice fast for the day that our lizard brain(Seth Godin's beautiful description of our brainstem involved in survival) will protest
Even a simple twenty hour fast from solid food can bring up consternation since it jiggles our mind into a state of survival fear
The importance of the juice fast is NOT to challenge our physical stamina (although it will enhance digestive fire)
One of the aspects of a one day fast is to challenge our imaginary fears, such as, "Will I die if I don't eat?"
Of course there are many thoughts that come up for each of us, and death may not come up for many of us but guaranteed there will be some issues that will surface for all of us
Soooo… one of the salient benefits for us in fasting is witnessing our psychological reactions when volitionally deprived of food
Have you ever tried a fast from food? Do you remember your responses to the activity? Did you find that it wasn't about weight loss but something deeper?
Until tomorrow To health as a Skill Love DrBill
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