The name Gopal means "cow protector", and this idea is at once symbolic and literal at the same time. Cows are gentle creatures who represent the meek among us. Cows are also one of the most abused species today. We use their flesh, their milk, even their skin. And so Gopal as cow protector is the poster child for heroism and anti-bullying. When we think of heroes, we may think of those with special powers, those who have done extraordinary things, those after whom monuments are built. But if we dig deep into what makes heroes heroes, we may come to a simple conclusion. Heroes merely protect what they love. And because of this, we are all heroes. When those whom we love are hurt by the words and actions of others, we too feel the hurt. This is not something we set out to do or learned to do. It is our innate capacity to empathize, and it is our instinctive desire to protect those whom we love. This is what makes us heroes. At the same time, and as much as we are hurt by those we love being hurt, we also hurt others. Yet none of us wake up in the morning thinking "Today I will make someone miserable". We do not include in our 5-year plans "to inflict suffering to as many as possible". Even without these intentions, we end up hurting others. How is it so? Disconnection is something we have learned. We have learned to judge and discriminate. We have learned to see others as separate from us. We have created distance from others because they are of a different gender, race, nationality, religion, social status, sexual preference, educational background, species etc. But because the disconnection is learned, we can unlearn it. We learned disconnection from others at the same time that we learned disconnection from our authentic selves. We feel an emotion or sensation or desire, society tells us it is wrong or impractical. We set out to say something or do something we feel strongly about, and society says no can do, you are not conforming to what is normal. And then we start to repress, supress, deny or minimize these emotions and desires and passions. We disconnect from ourselves. And because we cannot come to terms with our own selves, we naturally cannot acknowledge the truth of others. Yoga practice gives us a very good opportunity to find that connection again. As we practice asana or meditation, we can allow ourselves to experience the truth of the moment. Whatever sensations or emotions or memories come up, we can practice observing them as they are instead of denying them. It is through connecting with the reality of what is rather than what should be that we gain back our connection with ourselves, and then we can work towards regaining that connection with others. But it has to start from within. We work with ourselves to work out our relationships with others. As we start to gain discipline in our yoga practice, we will also start to see how much easier it is to relate to others. In this week's class, I asked students to pair up for a partner exercise helping each other kick up higher in handstand practice. After one week of giving the same exercise to different classes in different time slots and different studios, the results came out the same. Before the partner exercise, students are so focused to the point of seeing nothing else but the world within the four corners of the yoga mat. We think, this is how I practice yoga. Got to get my yoga on. Focus, focus, focus. And many of us live like this, creating an imaginary bubble where there is no one else but ourselves, where we do not let anyone in, where we do not reach out to others. But in the simple partner exercise, students began to smile and laugh. Facial expressions changed. We all start to feel that we are in this together. You jump, I jump. Literally. And we experience how completely natural and joyful it is to have that connection in others. In healing disconnection, we can practice seeing our sameness with others. There are those whom we consider heroes. It helps us to see that our heroes and ourselves are made of the same intentions. We have a lot of the same qualities. We are not different. We are not separate. We are connected. And then there are those whom we see as our personal anti-heroes, people whom we have conflicts with or do not get along with or who have hurt us. It also helps us to see that we too share a lot of the same qualities. Certainly, we have the same desire to be free from harm and suffering. We are not that different. We are not separate. We are connected. Within the practice room, we can see how different people come into different variations of the same pose. We have the same intentions and the same goals, but our expressions of those intentions and goals are different. We can practice not only tolerating these differences, but embracing and celebrating the diversity of our paths. We may differ in our asanas or religions or genders or preferences or backgrounds, but we are not that different. We are not separate. We are connected. Heroes are not that different in the fear that grips us. They end up doing extraordinary things not because they have no fear. They do extraordinary things in spite of their fear, because they are completely connected to their intentions, and they know that their love, passion, cause, and purpose are bigger than this fear. We can practice doing the same by bringing to mind a fear that we have, then bringing to mind a love or passion or cause or purpose that we have. As we come into an inversion, we can start tipping the scale, making the fear smaller and smaller and making our love bigger and bigger. We apply what my teacher Sharon Gannon refers to as magic, a shift in perception. There is one person whom I consider my hero. His name is Philip Wollen. At the age of 34, he became vice president of Citibank. But this is not why he is my hero. Years later, his life changed when he became connected to the suffering of others. His love and purpose drove him to give away everything that he owned so he can serve others, and this is why he is my hero. I did not know who he was until I listened to a debate he participated in, because he kept himself off the radar while doing many extraordinary things to help those who suffer. I hope you can listen to that debate, to what he has to say with an open heart and an open mind. Heroes like Gopal are portrayed as Divine and extraordinary, but what they do is merely protect the ones they love. And so I ask, why not expand the circle of whom we love? Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. May all beings everywhere be happy and free. And may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all. We are all heroes. Because the truth is, our thoughts, words and actions CAN and DO contribute to the happiness and freedom of others. May we use our lives to serve the freedom of ALL BEINGS. Namaste.
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Dr. Tam's at Metro Walk serves vegan food cafeteria style on (most) weekday lunches. Shown in pictures are menudo, lumpiang shanghai, and coffee ice cream (love the bits of cashew in the ice cream!) Full vegan menu below. I like this place not only because they serve vegan food, but also because they advocate for both the health and ethical aspects of veganism. I've had conversations with other people here who have reversed their health problems, and as a result, have educated themselves about animal rights and ethical living. This is the closest to Loving Hut as we could get here (in terms of promoting vegan ethics in a restaurant)! Go vegan power! If you're in Legazpi Village area in Makati, Swagat Indian Cuisine is another convenient place to find good vegan options. Just make sure to ask about all dairy products such as paneer, ghee, cream, butter, cheese to cover all bases! Swagat Indian Cuisine is located at 119 FCC Building, Rada Street, Legazpi Village, Makati. Open daily from 11am to 11pm. It was a Sunday well-spent. Thanks again Edwina, Howard (happy birthday), and Marie! There are stories about Gopal that I've shared in Jivamukti class, and often in these stories his mother plays an integral part. And why not? For all of us, the first bond that we make is with our mother. Inside our mother's womb, as a fetus, we were protected. We were born and our first human contact is with our mother. From thereon the relationship changes or evolves. For some, the relationship could be easy and straightforward. For others, the relationship may have grown complicated throughout the years. Regardless of whether we felt loved or abandoned, nurtured or ignored, cared for or neglected, connected or misunderstood, the relationship is one wherein we are heavily invested, whether we choose to admit it or not. And this relationship also forms the blueprint of many of our other relationships. We may even catch ourselves repeating the same patterns from our childhood. The yoga practice is a reflective one. As we spend time putting our bodies in different yoga asanas or poses, we may find that certain sensations or thoughts or feelings arise. When that happens, we can allow ourselves to stay in the present moment, observe what is happening, and by not attaching to it, we resolve the karma. Karma simply means action. And because all actions create consequences, as yogis, we strive to make our actions pure so they do not result to any more negative consequences. The way we live our lives is like staying on the outside edge of a wheel. Something we like happens, then we are happy, we are on top of the world. Something we do not like happens, we suffer, we become angry and negative. In this wheel that goes around and around, we may feel completely out of control, swayed by this event and that event in our lives. Samsara is the Sanskrit word for wheel. It refers to this cycle of mechanized madness where we keep doing the same thing, we keep getting the same results, and we are unhappy. There is a way out of samsara. Any wheel that moves has a center, a center that is steady. That is the changeless reality, who we really are, the fully enlightened version of ourselves. To get there, we must be willing to change the way we think, the things we say, the actions that we take. To be free we have to stop becoming victims of our attachments and patterns and negativity, and we can start by resolving the first relationship we have, the relationship we have with our mother. There is an ancient Hawaiian practice called Ho'oponopono which focuses on mental clesnsing through forgiveness. We can adapt the practice to heal this relationship. Maybe for some of us, we think it is not possible. But the healing comes from us, and is independent of outside circumstances. So even if you no longer speak with your mother, or maybe she is no longer here, or maybe you are holding on to pride, you can still practice healing and you can still confront any unresolved issues. The first step is to ask for forgiveness, simply to say the words "I am sorry". Maybe it is an apology for a specific incident or situation. Maybe it is a blanket apology for all that has been done. You can start by saying this in your mind. And what you choose to do with this later on is up to you. The second step is to cultivate gratitude, to express it in the words "Thank you". Maybe it is thank you for the love, or thank you for all that you did, or thank you for all that you tried to do. Maybe it is a partial thank you for the things done right. Maybe it is an unconditional thank you for all the right intentions. Say this in your mind. And whether you choose to express it later on to her is up to you. The third step is to allow yourself to feel the love, to say the words "I love you". Maybe you have a close relationship where you say this all the time you start to feel disconnected with the actual words. Maybe you did not know your mother well or at all. Maybe there is distance between you. Do not let your hesitation in saying this to her in person stop you from at least saying this in your mind right now. What you choose to do later on is up to you. The August focus of the month in Jivamukti, Gopal, reminds us that our childlike nature was to forgive and be grateful and be open to love. We may have forgotten this childlike nature along the way because we have been hurt and we built walls around us. Our yoga practice can guide us back to that vulnerability. It is not a weakness to be open. It is our strength that we are each capable of freeing ourselves from our own suffering by being unconditionally compassionate towards all our relationships with others and ourselves. And yes, we can start by working on our very first human connection with our mother. It is through this that we can find freedom. No one else can do it for us. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are our own saviors. Namaste. There's a new vegan restaurant in Makati along Chino Roces Avenue. Yes, truly vegan. Not lacto-ovo vegetarian (uses dairy and eggs) or beegan (uses bee excrements like honey) but vegan! I wanted something new today so I gave Live Life a try. The dishes were not bad, although I find the names a bit misleading. I actually quite liked the mushroom and zucchini in teriyaki sauce, though it tasted more like adobo than teriyaki. The vegetable lasagne was confusing for me. It was like a raw dish in that the pasta is not made of wheat but made of zucchini, and yet it is baked enough to be hot so it's not exactly a raw dish. I also asked a lot of questions about which dishes are raw and which are not because I instantly craved a pasta-based dish when I read lasagne. (Oh the glory days of Pipino. They had an amazing lasagne dish then). The servings of red and brown rice were miniature. I thought I would have to order four more, though I ended up ordering only one more. The chocolate banana shake is just ok. I can make a better-tasting one so I will skip that next time I go back.
Live Life serves 100% vegan food. They are located at 2240 Chino Roces Avenue in Makati. Open Mondays to Saturdays 11am to 10pm. Without the mayonnaise, cheese and garlic sauce, Mexicali's garden burger is vegan. I like that there are vegan options in restaurant chains that are go-to meals when all else fails. Why vegan? Watch Earthlings and rephrase the question to: Why not? It is not new. The Philippines was hit by a calamity and we see well-meaning people using their time and resources to reach out and help the victims. It is nice to see action, don't get me wrong, but I do wonder: What about the rest of the year? What about the rest of the victims who may not necessarily be in the public eye? What about those who suffer with or without these natural disasters? The thing with calamities is that it brings out a sense of urgency to act. The thing with calamities is that it brings a sense of connection, a sense that what one chooses to do can help others. It shows that people care and are capable of helping others- if and when they see the connection. The truth is, many beings suffer. But often, the connection is not easily made. I am not undermining the situations of those who are directly affected by the recent typhoon. On the contrary, I am bringing attention to how grave the situation is to the rest of the others whose suffering is continuous and denied. We pack relief goods, donate our clothes, show up at volunteer centers, and we feel we've done something. Weeks will pass and then we move on to our normal lives, as if we've done our part and absolved our responsibilities, as if that token action when calamities strike is the end-all and be-all of our good intentions. Here is my challenge to you. After you've donated and volunteered and done what you could, how about using this action to expand your sense of connection? How about becoming aware of the suffering of others instead of choosing to turn a blind eye? Many beings suffer. Workers in sweat shops making trendy clothes suffer. Women in sex trafficking industries suffer. Animals in kill lines in the name of meat, dairy, and eggs suffer. Factory workers in animal agriculture industries suffer. Low-income employees working unreasonable hours with no job security suffer. Cows who are raped for their milk suffer. Children who have no access to clean water suffer. Wild animals who are forced in captivity suffer. People oppressed in North Korea suffer. There is a lot of suffering in the world, and to those involved, this is urgent, even if most of us may not think so. I have at times wondered how it is that the world worked this way. One being could be having the worst time of his life, and another being at some other part of the world could be completely oblivious to it. I have wondered about the scenario wherein it was I who was suffering, and nobody cared enough to think that my suffering is urgent. My suggestion is simple. You who are doing your part in this calamity can continue to do your part in alleviating suffering in the world. Go vegan and spare about one hundred animals a year from unnecessary pain, boycott industries where human beings are treated like machines, stop supporting businesses that use child labor. There are many things you can continue to do- write letters of protest, sign petitions, speak up for those who need your voice, stop being a consumer and use your money where it matters. In the face of this calamity, we have a choice on how to act and move forward. We can take a token action and feel good about ourselves for a few days, or we can make a lifelong decision to be of service to others and make others feel good about themselves permanently. It is always a choice. Choose to take a token action, or choose to make a lifelong decision. Namaste. If you are in a safe and flood-free place, stay put. Forget about braving the storm to go to another place. If you stay where you are, you're doing everyone a favor by not adding one more person to be rescued. Now what to do with all the time you have in your hands? 1. Clean out your closet. We all know what's coming. There's going to be a call for clothes, shoes, towels, blankets etc for donation. You can do it now. 2. Stay calm. Meditate. If you have a particular style of meditation that you do, by all means do it. If not, follow the simple instructions that Sharon Gannon gives. Inhale let, exhale go. Sit for 30 minutes. 3. Have a cup of hot chocolate or hot tea to warm the body. Add a little coco sugar or agave syrup to sweeten it. 4. Got a backlog of books? The books are not going to read themselves. Go read. Do it. 5. Watch social change documentaries. I give you more than 500 options. Pick one or two or three. 6. Write. Write a poem. Write down your thoughts. Write to a long-lost frend. Write a love letter. Write a joke. Write a blog entry. Write anything to keep your mind active. 7. Practice yoga right where you are. Home practice options are available via podcasts and videos, or you can just make something up along the way. 8. Get busy with do-it-yourself projects. Find old things you can repurpose. 9. Take a long nap. Remember all those times you had to wake up early even if your body is not quite ready yet? Today is not one of those days. Sleep in. Enjoy it! 10. Keep warm. Listen to the raindrops as you hide under the blankets. It is pretty nice. Any more tips you could add? Feel free to let me know in the comments section. Stay safe everyone! Some fast food chains do have vegan options. Chowking serves chop suey and fried tofu. They also have kangkong (not in picture) which you can order without the bagoong (shrimp paste). Simple, no-frills, and you can find them practically anywhere in the Philippines. |
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