To a wonderful year ahead...

New Year's Eve. 

Looking to a fresh start. 

A new chapter in life waiting to be written. 

Me and my Instant Pot...

Recipes to be cooked up in my head,

Then tried spontaeneously...

Health to be discovered...

But for today...I am carving a spot by a nook by the TV, 

'coz my Oatmeal is not definitely one grandma made me...

It fills my soul with warmth,

To hear the 11 yr old say...Ma can I have another bowl...

As I usher in 2018!

A domino effect or chain reaction is the cumulative effect produced when one event sets off a chain of similar events. The term is best known as a mechanical effect, and is used as an analogy to a falling row of dominoes...our 11 yr got the domino effect started at our place...it started with a harmless cough and then morphed into a particularly virulent flu that he passed on to both parents quite graciously...we are still coughing our intestines out but feel almost human at this point. It was a quiet holiday for us this year and when our son asked for Oatmeal for a New Year's Dinner, I was more than happy to comply.

Not my Grandma's Oatmeal (Oatmeal Kheer)

What you need?

1. Bob's Redmill Steel Cut Oats - 1 cup
2. 3 cups of water
3. Whole Earth Stevia/Sugar sweetener - 4 spoons
4. Organic Condensed Milk ( use 1% milk if trying to keep it healthy, I was trying to make it a yummy healthy dessert for my son) - to taste - I used 4 tablespoons
5. Black Currants, Raisins, Cranberries, Almonds
6. Pinch of Saffron

How to make it?

1. Add the Oats, Water a pinch of salt, the sugar and all the dry fruits and nuts. Put the Instant Pot on Porridge setting and forget about it.
2. Once done (don't do a quick release) - stir in the condensed milk to taste and then add a pinch of saffron ( or some powdered cardamom)
3. Enjoy!

My father had told me something once which I hold close to my heart - he had said don't do nothing just because you can't do everything...everytime I feel like binging on junk food or feel the ankle ache and decide I want to skip my Zumba/BollyX class...I push myself to do  something! Happy New Year...may the year be filled with happiness, hope, health, food and dancing!

The Happiness Program

The basic tenet of  what is taught in "Art of Living" is that - Every emotion has a corresponding rhythm in the breath and that regulating the breath can help elevate the individual and help relieve personal suffering. I had attended my first Art of Living class in Chennai almost 15 years back and for the 2 weeks that I practised the art and science of breath religiously - I felt energized, happy, stress-free...and then life came by...work load, releases, management issues, work trips, dinners/lunches, a baby, illness in the family...think of an excuse, I probably gave it ALL to myself in my head and it worked. 

When I went for the Diwali Mela this year and S handed me a flyer for an "Happiness Program - Art of Living Course" at Oracle I was intrigued. I wanted to try again...so with high intentions and zero expectations I started the AOL course yesterday - two days in I am so glad I did. Let me start of with some caveats :

• I am content with status quo
• I believe I have everything that makes me happy in the present moment available to me already
• I don't believe emotions are good or bad...I believe happiness is a choice that I make for myself

The reason I wanted to put these caveats out here, is I want to emphasize that you don't need to be in a place of pain, trauma, depression, distress to need to (or want to!) go to programs such as this one. It could just be you open to new thoughts, willing to be re-energized, be given a new tool to enhance your health and wellness....

A key part of the AOL program is this breathing technique called the Sudarshan Kriya and this breathing technique has a multitude of researched benefits. I have tried to list a few below - 

1. Increases Deep Sleep > 200%
2. Production of Well Being Hormones (Prolactin) > 50%
3. Reduce Stress > 50%
4. Reduce Depression > 70%
5. Increases Mental Focus & Immunity
6. Reduces Cholesterol & Blood Pressure

The first day after I did Sudarshan Kriya - I had severe headache and I had my sinus flare up and then my mother reminded me that the Kriya actively works on your body to flush out the toxins and this flush out manifests itself in different symptoms for the participants...the key is to ensure that you are consistent and accountable around your practice. I will definitely do a couple more blog posts on AOL, mostly to keep myself honest and accountable. I will talk about physical and mental changes that I am observing as the practice progresses - it will be a public online journal of sorts.

Here is the one thing that struck me as oddly strange this week during practice was apart from the two teachers who were Oracle Employees and me (from Oracle) - the two other participants were non-Oracle folks. I understand that we are all engrossed in the busyness of life but when such an opportunity presents itself to us it's sad that we focus on making excuses to ourselves and others. We are reluctant to invest the time and energy into ourselves...which I think is a very tactical approach vs. taking the long play approach of "if I don't take care of myself, I am the one who will suffer in the long run". I do see a lot of healthy and happy folks BUT at the same time I see people who are stressed, unhappy and not really focused on taking care of themselves. I would say Give yourself the permission to be Happy and Well. Attend one AOL session and see where the journey takes you.

I think there is another session of AOL happening on Dec 18th...reach out to the teachers.   In the words of Sri Sri - “But joy is never tomorrow; it is always now.” My "now" includes my first Kriya Home Practice early in the AM tomorrow...what does your "now"include.