01 June 2015
Editor’s Note
I had a chance encounter with the South African
Cricket team at the Mumbai Airport and they stood
out as a disciplined and athletic unit. A body that is
trained, used or exercised in a systematic manner radiates a
form, shape and magnetism. Many researchers have
concluded that job seekers with an attractive persona are
15-20% more likely to crack a job interview and could be a
source of bias during performance reviews as well.
When we do not systematically exercise our physical
beings, no matter what our calling in life, it starts reflecting
externally and torments us internally, denting our self
esteem and confidence. The lethargy phantoms take over
and even when we desire after a long pause it is
excruciatingly complex for us to get back into any type of
fitness regime - the locus of control is gone and the shape,
vitality, organs and sense of wellbeing prematurely age and
degenerate.
Psychological wellbeing is predominantly dependent on
training, taming and usage of the mind. A mind that is
creatively engaged in any constructive or positive pursuit
over a sustained period of time is increasingly insulated
against traumas, setbacks and even immune to onslaught
by evil spirits. The dynamism borne out of mental tenacity
has its own power, grace and aura. There are so many
refined and affluent people struggling to remain sane and
under the care of a psychiatrist. It may be pertinent to note
that meditation alone is not sufficient to train our mind:
basic discipline in eating, waking, sleeping, working,
reading, talking, watching, thinking and behaving
empowers us to nurture a beautiful mind. Once we allow
the mind to drift away it is like a boat being tossed in a
stormy sea without any locus of control.
A secular or a non-believer leading a disciplined life in
thought and action can possess a reasonably charming
physical and mental disposition; add community service to
the ingredient list and you are on course to scoring high on
Mystic-Happiness-Index.
Editor may be reached at
sudhir@mysticmanagers.com
Chirashree Ghosh, Founder - Mystic Yoga
www.mysticyoga.in
C
lassical Yoga is a science that combines practical methodology, intellectual understanding and
heartfelt commitment. It is both applicable and accessible regardless of one's age or stage of life.
This traditional, systematic approach promotes purification at mental, emotional and spiritual
levels. Applying oneself whole-heartedly in practice fulfills one's highest potential. Yoga Marga or the
path of yoga is committed to learning, experiencing the deepest meanings of these ancient teachings,
which stem from the timeless tenets of Sanatana Dharma. Objective of a Yogi is to cultivate the highest
and purest aspects of the soul through this applied science of yoga on his journey to self-discovery. In
doing so, one should try to minimize distractions and focus on goals. True practice of yoga allows an
individual to experience inner peace and the joy of a healthy body.
To behold the One Self in all beings is Jnana, wisdom; to love the Self is Bhakti or devotion, to serve the
Self in all is Karma, or action. When the Jnana-Yogi attains wisdom, he is endowed with devotion and
engaged in selfless activity. Karma Yoga is for him a spontaneous expression of his spiritual nature, as he
sees the One Self in all. When the yogi attains perfection in devotion, he is possessed of wisdom and
activity. For him also Karma Yoga is a spontaneous expression of his divine nature, as he beholds the one
Lord everywhere. The Karma Yogi attains wisdom and devotion when his actions are wholly selfless. All
the paths are in fact one, in which the different temperaments emphasize one or other of its inseparable
constituents. Yoga supplies the method by which the Self can be seen, loved and served.
The Yoga of Synthesis is the most suitable and potent form of Sadhana. In the mind there are three
defilements : Mala or impurity, Vikshepa or tossing, Avarana or veil. The impurity should be removed by
the practice of Karma Yoga. Service purifies the heart by teaching one to act selflessly, without thought of
gain or reward. By detaching oneself from the fruits of one's actions, one learns to sublimate the ego.
The tossing should be removed by worship or Upasana. Through prayer and worship the seeker
surrenders himself, channeling and transmuting his or her emotions into unconditional love or devotion.
The veil should be torn down by the practice of Jnana Yoga. Jnana Yoga leads the devotee to experience
his spiritual development by dissolving the veils of ignorance. Only then Self-realization is possible. The
Yoga of Synthesis will bring about integral development, develop the brain heart and limbs harmoniously
and lead to perfection.
This approach to yoga was to combine the four main paths - karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and
raja yoga along with hatha yoga. The motto is to Serve (Karma Yoga), Love (Bhakti Yoga), Meditate
(Jnana Yoga), Realize (Raja Yoga). One-sided development is not the aim, Yoga must educate and
develop the yogi's emotions, intellect and limbs.
These paths are usually seen by others as different and separate, suited to different people addressing
their individual temperaments or approaches to life. There is a need for balance in every individual's
spiritual development. Though the seeker would naturally gravitate toward one path, the lessons of each
of the paths needed to be integrated by every seeker if true wisdom is to be attained. Thus he did not see
them as different paths but as methods to be used in concert for the one destination.

Eight Fold Path
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
Talking about Buddhist philosophy, we start with
the Four Noble Truths and the fourth Noble Truth is
the Path. Confusion arises when the basic or the right
framework is unclear. There is no confusion once we
fit and put them correctly; hence the relevance of The
Noble Eightfold Path in the chaotic 21st century.
Right View
Right View is the training in wisdom. It is about
experiencing and understanding views and not about
getting entangled in various philosophies. It is not to
say that: ‘This is my view and it is right.’ It is to go
beyond conceptual grasping.
We need to think and understand that all actions
have results. Positive actions bring positive results
whereas negative actions bring negative results. From
the Buddhist point of view, that becomes the basis of
our ethics. Not understanding the consequences of
our actions is regarded as the worst kind of wrong
view because there is no basis of doing anything good
in that case. So to understand the consequences of
our actions is called ethics and also the theory of
karma.
Sooner or later, any action done with our body,
speech, and mind affect us. They form our
personality and habitual tendencies and thereby
influence and affect people around us. Therefore, we
should be careful about the actions of our body,
speech and mind because they form our future. With
that way of understanding and thinking, a person
willingly refrains from doing negative things and
embarks on the path of inner discipline. We don’t
need imposition of rules from outside if we are
disciplined from the inside. Everything is self-
discipline because the result is ours; coerced ethical
code is usually not successful as people will always
find a way to break them.
Right Thought
Right Thought is not only thought - it is to do with
the emotions and functions of the mind. It is to
benefit everybody including our own self by doing
good, beneficial and helpful deeds. We should at least
refrain from causing harm and inflicting pain and
problems on others if it is not possible to do good
deeds. That is Right Thought.
Therefore love, compassion, and kindness become
very important. Compassion is a state of mind. It is a
way of thinking. It is a way of being where we wish
well to others. When we feel empathetic or
compassionate towards somebody, we don’t want
him to suffer. We want him to have happiness and
well-being. That’s how we feel. The question arises,
why do we feel that way? It is because we don’t want
to suffer. We don’t like to have pain and problems for
ourselves. We like to have happiness, joy and well-
being. Such altruistic way of thinking is common not
only in human beings but
in some animals as well;
certain animals are known
to sacrifice themselves for
others. It is more likely for
intelligent animals to feel
altruistic rather than the other way round. Elephants,
monkeys, dolphins, dogs and some other animals
have a very strong altruistic way of thinking.
Right Speech
Right Speech talks about the four kinds of
speeches: lies, divisive speech, harsh speech and
gossip. Telling lies, saying untruthful things, giving
wrong information is one thing and trying to mislead
people is another thing. Trying to mislead people is
considered as the worst kind of lie. In fact, any kind
of lie is considered as misleading. When we lie, we
lose everybody’s trust. Misguiding people makes
them lose trust in us and our speech becomes
unreliable.
Divisive speech is to talk about things without
knowing the truth. For example, we go and tell
somebody that someone is saying something negative
against her. And we go and tell the other person that
the first one is saying something negative against
him. And then these two people fight, become
enemies and unfriendly with each other. So, in a way
the friendship has been divided and broken. The
relationship turns bitter. Therefore, any speech that
brings hostility, unfriendliness, and division is called
divisive speech. It is regarded as a negative speech. It
doesn’t matter whether the said things are true or
untrue because some truths are better untold.
Harsh words are saying harmful things,
shouting, scolding and hurting people.
Gossip is not only to chat. It’s not to say that we
shouldn’t chat. Sometimes, it is necessary to chat… It
is good to chat with somebody who is lonely and has
nobody to talk with. Gossip is more of a chat which
brings negative feelings in others. It doesn’t bring
peace but it brings disturbance. It doesn’t bring any
good or positive feelings either. It is useless to waste
time by talking about useless, problematic and
MONDAY, 01 JUNE 2015 2
negative things. That is gossip. The opposite of it is to
talk in a nice, kind, sweet, truthful and moderate way
without harming anybody.
Nagarjuna, who articulated the doctrine of
emptiness (shunyata) in 2nd century CE, talked
about three kinds of speeches: speech like honey,
flower and dog-shit. Speech like honey is sweet and
good for our health, is nice and enjoyable. It has a
good effect on everyone. The second is like a flower.
We cannot eat a flower but it gives a nice feeling
when we look at it. In the same way, speech should be
refreshing and enjoyable, though in the long run it
may not have deep lasting impact. The worst kind of
speech is compared to dog-shit. Dog-shit smells bad -
people go away when it is there. So, telling lies, harsh
speech, divisive speech and gossip may be compared
to dog-shit.
Right Action
Killing, stealing and sexual misconduct are the
three negative actions of the body. Killing and
stealing explain themselves. The explanation of
sexual misconduct also depends on the kind of
society we live in. Rape is the worst kind of sexual
misconduct so is using somebody who is not willing;
different kinds of improper things like somebody sick
or underage, over age or wrong time, wrong place,
wrong person and all things that happen are referred
to as sexual misconduct.
Actions done with negative intentions are called
negative actions. Actions done to help others and
ourselves with good intentions are called positive
actions. There are actions which are seemingly
positive but negative, seemingly negative but
positive, seemingly positive and positive, seemingly
negative and negative.
Seemingly positive but not positive and seemingly
negative but not negative, is mainly to do with our
motivation. It is said that there are some actions that
sometimes look good and positive but are not really
positive. It is because we have wrong agenda and
motivation of doing it. The seemingly negative but
positive actions may look negative on surface but are
actually useful and helpful because the underlying
intent is positive – hence such action is not really
negative.
continued to page 3..
Some animals sacri ce themselves for
motherhood, allowing their young to commit
matricide. Black lace-weaver spider mothers
sacri ce themselves to feed their cannibalistic
young. A clutch of 60-130 spiderlings rst
feed on unhatched eggs, rst eating their
brothers and sisters before turning on their
mother and devouring her. She could ee the
web and avoid certain death, but instead
encourages her spiderlings onto her body,
giving them the nutrients they need to grow.
After she has died, the spiderlings stay
together as a group for 3-4 weeks and go
hunting, until they leave the nest.

continued from page 2..
Right Livelihood
Right Livelihood is about our professional life; it is
about the different ways, different types of work and
the different things we do in order to earn a living. It
is very important to carefully choose our livelihood
because if work is related with something that is
harmful and negative, it becomes difficult for us to
become a positive person. So, to earn a living it is
important to carefully select a profession.
Right Effort
Right Effort talks about diligence. It is described in
Buddhist terms as the joy in doing positive things in a
skillful way. It is not about whipping ourselves to do
things or beating or pushing ourselves to work hard.
It is to encourage and inspire ourselves to do positive
things with joy and not drag unnecessarily. When we
say: ‘I must do this. I must do this all the time’ we do
it even if we don’t want to do it. We try to drag
ourselves even if it is drudgery for us. What happens
after that? We develop resistance – be it meditation,
physical workout or anything else and stop doing it
after some time. In the end we totally give up doing
it. Therefore, it is important to do things joyfully,
happily, enthusiastically and moderately. It shouldn’t
become a burden but a joy for us because if it
becomes a burden, the longer we go the heavier the
burden will become. And after a certain time, we will
not be able to go any further. We have to leave it.
So to make the Right Effort we need to bring joy
and enthusiasm and remember the benefits of the
things we do. We have to see the difference between
positive and negative things. We have to know that
doing negative things is harmful for us and for
others, harmful now and harmful in the long run.
Therefore, we don’t do it because if it is not good for
us, not good for others, not good now, not good in the
long run, we should not do it. And doing positive
deed is good for us, good for others, good now and
good in the long run. So, when we clearly understand
this, there is no reason why we should not do it.
Therefore, clearly seeing things and
inspiring ourselves is Right Effort.
It is clearly said in Bodhicharyavatara that if
One of the great classics of Buddhist
literature, the Bodhicharyavatara, or Way
of the Bodhisattva, was composed by
Shantideva a seventh-century Buddhist
master who taught at the great monastic
university of Nalanda. Presented in the
form of a personal meditation in verse, the
Bodhicharyavatara outlines the path of the
Bodhisattvas --those who renounce the
peace of their own salvation, vowing
instead to attain enlightenment for the
sake of all others. The Dalai Lama once
remarked that his own understanding of
the Bodhisattva path is based entirely
upon Shantideva's text.
we are tired, we should take a break, take rest.
Resting is good…and taking longer breaks is also not
bad. After a period of rest we may be able to do it in a
much better manner. Resting is also an integral
component of Right Effort.
Most people have resistance doing positive things,
almost everybody perhaps. It is easier for us to
become worse, develop negative habits, than to do
positive things. It is easier to roll down than to go up;
it is easier to not do anything than do something
good. It is easier and habitual to do negative things.
It is more habitual than our habit to do positive
things. With wisdom, we understand it is not good to
do harmful things to others in the long run. If we are
unable to see clearly, we try to work on it. So, the first
thing is to understand what we can do and not do.
That is the beginning of Right Effort.
We should not think from the start that we will not
be able to do things and give it up because even if we
are not good at it, we need to start somewhere. Even
if we do not become an expert right away we have to
train ourselves. Slowly we become better and this is
the beginning of Right Effort. To cast a verdict on
oneself that we cannot do something is exactly the
opposite of Right Effort and may be best described as
a lethargic attitude.
Laziness may be described as of three types. The
first is when we say: ‘I cannot do anything.’ Once we
decide we cannot do something we can never do it. It
is like looking down on our capabilities and the worst
kind of laziness. The second is to procrastinate. It’s
like saying: ‘I know I have to do it but I can’t do it
now. I will do it tomorrow probably.’ It is simply
being lazy. It is the most common and usual form of
laziness. The third is what we call as active laziness. It
is about not making the right priorities. It is being
unable to do important things in spite of being busy
and active. Not giving right priority to our work is
also part of laziness. So, these are the three types of
laziness. If we work on the above three we become
diligent and successful.
Right Effort is about discipline actually. It is to see
and allow ourselves to do good things. It is also to see
and refrain from doing the not so good things. That is
discipline. It is to make a decision and say: “I should
do this” you know. “I should do this at this time” and
just do it as too much thinking also breeds problems.
Right Mindfulness
Right Mindfulness is a tool for meditation, for any
practice we do. Mindfulness is an important tool for
the practice of the Eight Fold Path as well. When we
work on Right View, we need to watch our attitude
and thought processes; whether we understand it, are
aware of it and see things clearly. What we are doing
with our body, speech, and mind - is it right or is it
not right? What and how we speak - is it good or it is
not good? We need to be mindful of these things. In
essence it is being aware, mindful and careful. First,
we need to be aware of what is going on, understand
and be clear of what we are doing and what
circumstances we are in and then deliberately and
MONDAY, 01 JUNE 2015 3
Nagarjuna articulated the doctrine of
emptiness (shunyata) and is traditionally
regarded as the founder of the Madhyamika
(Middle Way) school, an important tradition of
Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. Nagarjuna
wrote as a Buddhist monk and as a proponent
of Mahayana that emphasizes the idea of the
Bodhisattva or one who seeks to become a
Buddha. According to the legend, he retrieved
from the bottom of the sea perfection-of-
wisdom sutra (Prajnaparamita) that the
Buddha had entrusted to the king of the nagas
(water deities) for safekeeping.
purposefully act accordingly.
Right Meditation
The most important thing is to tame our mind
because once we have done that everything else
becomes much easier. Any training becomes potent
when the mind starts to do what we want it to do.
When our mind becomes acquainted with Right
View, then it becomes the meditation of insight like
Vipassana and that becomes our way of seeing or way
of being and we gradually become acquainted with
our true self. Meditation can be on anything that we
can acquaint our mind with. If the mind becomes
acquainted with loving kindness again and again, it
becomes the meditation on compassion.
Acquaintance and repetition are the watch words for
any meditation.
Conclusion
To conclude, the Eight Fold Path can be condensed
into wisdom, meditation and conduct. Right View is
wisdom. Meditation is the Right Meditation. Conduct
or working on the discipline is Right Thought, Right
Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. Right
Effort and Right Mindfulness support all others.
Buddha taught that in this way we transform and
become useful citizens and happy beings. We create
good causes and conditions for our future and avoid
negative actions that may cause negative karma and
negative influences on others. Therefore, it is good
for us and good for others. And if we can do it well we
transform completely and become free from samsara
and totally get rid of all the causes of sufferings and
problems of the samsara.
For yoga, meditation, tness & related
updates and inspiration like us on
/mystic managers
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Suryanamaskar Practice & Benefits
Abhishek Maheshwari, Co-founder - Mystic Yoga
www.mysticyoga.in

S uryanamaskar is highly regarded as a sequence of yoga postures; if

done diligently provides strength to the body and opens up the
hamstrings and prepares your back for the more advanced yoga postures. As
a beginner one can start with 11 repetitions and can gradually increase the
number of repetitions.
Practice
1.Stand straight with folded hands.
2.Inhale deeply and take your arms up from the side and over your head.
3.Exhale and come down – synchronizing your descent and exhalation.
Bring your hands down by the side and place it close to your feet. Try to keep
the palm flat up to the wrist and get your head to the knee, ensuring the
knees to be taut. Do not get disappointed if there is a gap between your head
and the knee even after reasonable effort; you will benefit even by stretching
the spine while coming down.
4.Inhale look up – another opportunity to straighten the back and neck.
5 & 6.Jump back and hold yourself in Chaturangadandasana. This part of
the Suryanamaskar may be divided into two separate elements.
The jump back: Ideally we need to lift both the legs together and land 3-4
feet away; beginners as well as those with a sensitive back can take back one
leg at a time.
Chaturangadandasana: Beginners can hold themselves in inclined plank
and then move to Chaturangadandasana by bending the elbows. Those with
good wrist strength may directly move into Chaturangadandasana, following
the jump back.
7.Roll on the toes - inhale and open your chest push your chest out - ensure
the ankle is flat, knee and thighs are up in the air and pressure is on the lower
back. In case our hand and shoulders cannot manage the body weight we
drop the knee on the mat.
8.Exhale and come back on your feet in Adho-mukha-svanasana,
commonly referred to as downward dog. Feet flat on the ground, toes slightly
turned inwards, knees straight. Focus of the posture should be the lowest
part of the spine - the tail bone; continuously try and push the spine upwards
- getting the whole spine as straight as possible.
9.From Adho-mukha-svanasana bring your left leg forward bending the left
knee - inhale and stretch hands upward over the head and move into
Virbhadrasana - hold the posture for 5-10 seconds.
Bring your hands down and hold in plank or Chaturangadandasana and
repeat steps 5-8.
Now bring the right leg forward to move into Virbhadrasana and then
repeat steps 5-8.
Jump forward or bring your legs forward one at a time in between your
palms. This is where flexibility of the pelvic joint comes into play. If your
movement is not yet free you may land in between the palm and have to drag
your palms back to align with the feet. Stretch the neck.
Exhale and again try to get your head to the knee as in Step 2.
Inhale and stretch your arms upward as in step 1 – conclude by folding the
palms as in Namaskar.
Benefits
It's a complete body warm up series – Yogic warm up.
Sustained practice over a period of time strengthens your arms, shoulders
Suryanamaskar Sequence by Abhishek
and lower back.
Extended Suryanamaskar takes care of the lower body - especially the To invite Mystic Yoga for a workshop on Yoga, Meditation,
thighs. Stress Management, Detox Diet or wellness related events
The jump back when performed to perfection displays your core strength as contact Abhishek at +91-9748649047 or write to him at
you lift your body with the help of your core muscles only. abhishek@mysticmanagers.com

Gut Feeling Dr. Rita Chatterjee, Consultant - Mystic Yoga
www.mysticyoga.in
When the brain feels stressed, it releases a cascade
of hormones that can upset the whole digestive
system. These hormones have different and
sometimes contrdictory jobs. For example, the brain
releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH in
short) to signal the adrenal gland to start pumping
out steroids and adrenaline that can provide the
strength and energy to run or fight one's way out of
trouble (the fright-fight/flight reaction).
CRH also turns off appetite, which explains why
some people can't eat anything when they're
stressed. On the other hand, the steroids triggered
by CRH can make a person hungry, which is why
some people fight stress with overeating. Different
people might respond differently to stress but one
thing they do have in common is that, over time,
stress can cause havoc in their digeative
homeostasis. Indigestion, acidity, stomach aches,
nausea, diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel
syndrome, heartburn, ulceration are some of the
digestive problems which are either caused by stress
or aggravated by it.
For instance, while peptic ulcer was once thought
of as being purely caused by stress, later research
has revealed that Helicobacter pylori causes 80% of
ulcers. However 4 out of 5 people colonised with H
pylori do not develop ulcers, and experts concluded
that in ulcers not only H pylori but mental factors
do play a significant role. One likelihood is that
stress diverts energy away from the immune
system, thereby promoting H pylori infection in the
body.
You don't need a PhD in physiology to know that
stress can be hard on the stomach. However, the
impact of stress on the stomach goes far beyond
indigestion. The entire system is extremely sensitive
to our moods. The “gut-wrenching” experience,
“feeling nauseous” or “butterflies in the stomach”
tells us that the gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to
emotions such as, anger, anxiety, sadness, elation.
The very thought of eating can release stomach juices
before food gets there. Given how closely the gut and
the brain interact, it becomes easier to understand
why one might feel nauseated before giving a
presentation, or feel intestinal pain during times of
stress. Psychology combines with physical factors to
cause these bowel symptoms. Psychosocial factors
influence the actual physiology of the gut, as well as
the symptoms. Hence, understanding and treating
anxiety can often improve the conditions.
Stress can be mental or physical, although in the
context of this article the focus will be on mental
stress. Mental stress involves challenge, threat or
worry about future adverse events. Functional
gastrointestinal disorders affect 35% to 70% of people
at some point in life,
women more often than
men. These disorders have
no apparent physical cause
— such as infection — yet
result in pain, bloating,
constipation, diarrhea,
heartburn, indigestion etc., of unknown origin.
Multiple factors — biological, psychological, and
social — contribute to the development of a
functional gastrointestinal disorder. However,
numerous studies have suggested that stress may be
particularly responsible.
A Second Brain
Life-sustaining functions, such as breathing,
heartbeat, blood pressure, and body temperature, are
regulated through the autonomic nervous system
which has two major divisions: the sympathetic
nervous system triggers the "fright, fight or flight"
response while the parasympathetic nervous system
calms the body down after the danger has passed.
Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous
systems interact with another. A less well-known
component of the autonomic nervous system — the
enteric nervous system; helps regulate digestion.
The enteric nervous system is sometimes referred
to as a "second brain" because it relies on the same
types of neurons and chemicals (neurotransmitters)
that are found in the central nervous system (brain
and spinal cord). After sensing that food has entered
the gut, neurons lining the digestive tract signal
muscle cells to initiate a series of intestinal
contractions that propel the food farther along,
breaking it down into nutrients and waste. At the
MONDAY, 01 JUNE 2015 5
same time, the enteric nervous system uses
neurotransmitters such as serotonin to communicate
and interact with the central nervous system. This is
called the “brain-gut axis”.
When a person becomes stressed enough to trigger
the fight-or-flight response, for example, digestion
slows or even stops so that the body can divert all its
internal energy to face a perceived threat. In
response to less severe stress, such as public
speaking, the digestive process may slow or be
temporarily disrupted, causing abdominal pain,
nausea and other symptoms. Stress shuts down the
blood flow to the digestive tract, affects the
contractions of the digestive muscles, and decreases
secretions needed for digestion while increasing
acid secretion in the stomach, thereby causing
inflammation of the gastrointestinal system, and
making one more susceptible to infection and
ulceration or aggravating already existing
conditions. Emotional distress is very common in
irritable bowel syndrome or IBS patients.
Reduce Stress to improve Gut Health
Hippocrates once said that "all diseases begin in
the gut," and it's also well known that stress is a
trigger that causes multiple chronic disease
processes to occur. As stress is detrimental to the
gut health, so also chronic stress and other negative
emotions like anger, anxiety and sadness together
with a damaged gut can contribute to an array of
inflammatory diseases and conditions in the body.
Therefore, the first thing one should handle is the
stress factor. Stress-reduction tools with a high
success rate include prayer, meditation, yoga, light
exercise, socialising or talking to friends, learning
relaxation skills, such as deep breathing and
positive thinking.
Benefits of Yoga in Digestive Health
Much of our appetite, health and weight is
wedded to our levels of satisfaction, anxiety, and
depression, which yoga immediately addresses.
Yoga has demonstrable effects in alleviating and
preventing digestive distress. It is most helpful in
reducing stress, anxiety, and the pain of chronic
illness. Regular practice indisputably improves
physical and mental fitness, promotes relaxation, and
brings about a sense of control over one's health and
well-being. Yoga is said to provide relief from
symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating,
gas, and pain.
Yoga stabilizes digestion by working with the
nerves associated with hunger, satiation, and
metabolic processes. It stimulates the
parasympathetic nervous system or the 'rest and
digest' system, while soothing and regulating the
sympathetic or the 'fright-fight or flight' system.
Yoga postures when practiced compress and release
different areas of the body thereby modulating the
blood flow to those parts. Fresh oxygenated blood,
rich in nutrients flow around the body supplying
nutrition to and drawing out built-up toxins
continued to page 6..

Utthitapadmasana
I n yoga you use both large and small muscles
and move in many directions, not just back and
forth. The muscle stretches as it contracts, giving the
muscles an elongated look while increasing flexibility
in the muscles and joints.
Yoga increases muscle endurance because you hold
any given pose for a period of time and repeat it
several times during a yoga workout. Yoga poses
require positions and orientations that engage our
muscles.
It is to be noted that in a yoga class, body-weight
exercises also include pushups, squats etc or any type
of movement that requires you to hold or lift yourself
up with your limbs.
Certain yoga poses build muscle tone in different
ways. Challenging arm balances and inversion poses
are very effective for building muscle strength,
because they flex groups of smaller muscles, not just
the major muscles, to support the body’s weight
during the pose.
Holding standing poses such as the Warrior and
Ekpad Chaturangadandasana
Bakasana
Triangle is great for strengthening the leg muscles. In
balance poses such as Tree pose one leg has to hold
up your entire body. So you’re increasing your
strength just by putting your weight on that leg.
By holding the positions longer, doing more
repetitions, and learning new yoga poses, you can
make your yoga practice more challenging. Yoga can
be a sole form of strength training by just using our
body and mind, with a purpose of strengthening the
muscular skeletal system without using any props.
This form of strength training through yoga directs
our attention towards the energetic and spiritual
dimensions of our physical existence via mindfulness. home cooked food.
The mind-body connection remains alive and well,
and the most important thing is to find such a form of yoga for improving gut health one should consult their
exercise which you can enjoy as a lifelong practice. If
you include the variety of techniques used in yoga
practice sessions, you will continue to test your body
in different ways and keep growing in fitness and as
an individual.
Your daily yoga practice should include a
MONDAY, 01 JUNE 2015 6
comprehensive system that builds strength in the
body and mind. There are some key postures that will
help you access the deep reservoir of inner fortitude
that every person contains within.
There are postures outlined below which will help
you develop the strength and stamina needed to truly
build core power in your yoga practice. If you can do
these postures with comfort and ease then just hold
the posture for one full minute while maintaining
healthy alignment to test your strength and
steadiness of mind and body. These selected postures
contain the foundational alignment and all the basic
strength work needed to master many more
advanced postures. With your regular yoga practice
including these postures in your routine you can
experience a steady development of strength that will
last your entire life. Your practice requires diligence,
patience and respect.
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continued from page 5..
and impurities from the body's tissues and help in
eliminating them with appropriate gut movements.
Compression of the digestive glands also helps in
secretion of the digestive enzymes and proper
metabolism.
Pranayama practices are very effective in coping
with stomach ailments. A practice of breathing
regularly and mindfully helps to take our mind off the
stress factors. Certain pranayama system that may
consist of forceful breathing helps in healing certain
stomach ailments.
Meditation along with asanas and pranayamas,
practiced regularly, has a long-term positive effect on
overall health. Meditation immensely helps in
controlling one's thoughts and moods. This interprets
that through regular meditation, anxiety and mood
disorders leading to stress, can definitely be
harnessed, thereby promoting good gut health.
Diet is part of a yogic lifestyle, and the science of
ayurveda is the medicinal/dietetic branch of yogic
practice. People suffering from stomach ailments are
advised to avoid: rich spicy diet, over eating, junk or
fast food, odd or irregular eating hours, excess intake
of tea, coffee, alcohol and smoking. Instead they
should practice eating fresh fruits and vegetables and
However, to obtain the maximum benefits from
yoga instructors first. A change in lifestyle, diet and
the practice of yoga is sure to improve the digestive
health of anyone suffering from stress-related
stomach ailments.

Diabetes
Dr. Somyakanti Das, Consultant - Mystic Yoga
www.mysticyoga.in
D iabetes or more commonly 'Blood Sugar
Problem' seems to be turning into a global
health concern across ages and social groups.
Contrary to myth, it is not a bane just for the elderly
or the affluent. Diabetes or pre-diabetes is emerging
as a menace even in seemingly 'invincible' age
groups. Genetic predisposition, obesity, sedentary
lifestyle, rising stress levels, bad food habits are
established risk factors for the disease. But the
question is 'What is Diabetes? How does it happen?
What exactly triggers it? What can be done to battle
it? This write-up intends to address those nagging
questions and deal with the various aspects of the
disease.
What is Diabetes?
Broadly, diabetes is of two types – Diabetes
mellitus and Diabetes insipidus. The most common
form, the one we all know as the 'blood sugar' issue is
Diabetes mellitus and it is this type which has been
discussed in this article. The word 'Diabetes' is
derived from a Greek word which means 'to siphon'
or 'pass' whereas the term 'mellitus' traces its origin
to a Latin word which means 'honeyed.' It was also
known as the 'pissing evil' since diabetes mellitus
causes a spike in the level of sugar in blood as well as
urine.
Diabetes is a condition in which the blood sugar
level becomes high either due to inadequate
production of insulin or because the body's cells do
not respond well to insulin or both.
Epidemiology
According to International Diabetes Federation,
an estimated 381 million people worldwide had
diabetes. India is home to the largest number of
diabetics (although some recent studies suggest
China may have even more). According to WHO
(World Health Organization), the global prevalence
of diabetes in 2011 was 8% and is predicted to rise to
10% by 2030.
Signs and Symptoms
Diabetes is classically characterized by the
symptoms of weight loss, increased urination
(polydipsia), increased urination (polyuria),
increased hunger (polyphagia). It can cause other
symptoms like blurry vision, fatigue, delayed healing
of cuts and sores, itching of skin. Diabetes can also
lead to a variety of skin changes.
Types of Diabetes
In general, there are three types of Diabetes –
Type 1, Type – 2, Gestational Diabetes.
Type-1
Type-1 diabetes mellitus is marked by the loss of
insulin-producing beta cells of the islets of
Langerhans in the pancreas, resulting in insulin
deficiency. It could either be auto immune in nature
whereby there is an immune-mediated attack on the
Beta cells, leading to the cells of insulin. Type-1
diabetes accounts for approximately 10% of diabetes
cases. This type usually affects children which is why
it was also known as 'Juvenile Diabetes.'
Type-2
In this type, either the body does not produce
enough insulin or the cells do not respond adequately
to insulin. This type also used to be referred as adult-
onset or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
There is no cure for it but the condition can be
reasonably well managed by lifestyle modification
such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating well and
exercising. If regulated lifestyle is not sufficient to
manage the blood sugar level, then there arises a
need for oral medications or insulin therapy. Lifestyle
and genetic factors are known to play a role in the
development of Type-2 Diabetes. Some factors are
modifiable like diet and obesity whereas others are
non-modifiable, such as advancing age and genetics.
Gestational Diabetes
This is a condition in which women without pre-
existing diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels
during pregnancy. The placenta makes hormones
during pregnancy which can lead to a rise in the level
of blood sugar. Under normal circumstances,
pancreas can make enough insulin to deal with it. If
that does not happen, blood sugar levels will rise.
However, a woman can still have a healthy baby by
following a doctor's advice and taking care of simple
things to manage blood sugar level.
Complication
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is quite common
in diabetics. Most cases do not constitute an
emergency since they are mild and can be self-treated
by eating or drinking something high in sugar. Low
blood sugar levels can cause a wide variety of
symptoms but main problems arise due to
insufficient supple of glucose to brain. Symptoms can
range from general unease, trembling, palpitation,
and sweating, even mental changes like confusion,
seizures, consciousness or even permanent brain
damage.
Very serious cases must be treated with
intravenous glucose or glucagon injections.
Another significant complication of diabetes is
diabetic ketoacidosis which mostly affects people
with Type-1 Diabetes. It is a kind of metabolic
disturbance which is characterized by nausea,
vomiting, abdominal pain, and smell of acetone in
breath, deep breathing known as Kussmaul breathing
and in some extreme cases altered mental status.
Majority of the cases could have been prevented by
earlier diagnosis, better understanding between
patients and the doctor and better patient awareness.
Another rare but equally severe possibility is
hyperosmolar non-ketotic state which is mainly
caused by dehydration and usually affects Type-2
diabetics.
All kinds of diabetes raise the risk of
complications. Diabetes increases the risk of
cardiovascular diseases. Other diseases like stroke
and peripheral vascular diseases are also seen to
happen more in diabetics than non-diabetics.
Diabetes can also lead to damage to the eyes, kidneys
and nerves.
Diabetes related foot problems such as diabetic
foot ulcers may occur.
Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition where blood glucose
levels are higher than normal but not high enough for
a diagnosis of diabetes. Patients with pre-diabetes are
at an increased risk of developing diabetes as well as
for stroke and heart disease. Many people with pre-
diabetes go on to develop diabetes within 10 years.
But moderate exercise and weight loss can help delay
or prevent Type-2 diabetes.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of diabetes and pre-diabetes is done
with the help of blood tests because early in the
disease the person may not exhibit any symptom at
all. Lab investigations are needed to verify if the test
results are accurate. Glucose measuring devices such
as finger-stick devices are not accurate enough to give
a diagnosis but can be used as a measure of high
blood glucose.
Any of the following investigation can help us get a
diagnosis:
 On A1c test, also known as the HbA1c, or
glycohaemoglobin test
 A fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) test
 An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTI)
Management
The goal of diabetes management is to keep blood
glucose level as close to normal as possible without
causing very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). This
can be achieved with proper exercise, healthy diet
and if essential, appropriate medications (insulin for
MONDAY, 01 JUNE 2015 7
Type-1 diabetes, oral medications and insulin for
Type-2 diabetes). Care should be taken to address
issues which can raise the chances of complications
in diabetes such as smoking, high cholesterol levels,
high blood pressure, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Medications work by lowering the blood sugar
level. There are different kinds of anti-diabetic
medications. Some like metformin are taken by the
oral route whereas insulin can only be given by
injection. Type-1 diabetes can only be treated by
insulin.
Yoga and Diabetes
Yoga and breathing exercises are known to have a
beneficial effect in diabetes. Regular practice of yoga
can help reduce blood sugar levels, hypertension,
weight and severity of complications. Some of the
possible mechanisms by which yoga could be useful
in Diabetes are:
 Weight loss stimulated by Yoga
 Yoga causes a reduction in the levels of
adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol in
blood thereby reducing stress and improving
insulin function.
 Yoga promotes muscular relaxation and boosts
blood supply to them, which in turn might
enhance insulin receptor expression leading to
an increased glucose uptake by muscles - thus
reducing blood sugar.
 Yoga helps reduce BP and cholesterol levels
 One study has also shown how regular Yoga
practice can help reduce oxidative stress in
diabetics
 Yoga promotes healthy breathing, soothes the
mind, maintains our emotional balance and
boosts our energy levels
Mystic Yoga Studio, Kolkata
Helpful Posture
 Trikonasana
 Pashchimottasana
 Ardha Matsyendrasana
 Ustrasana
 Pavan Muktasana
 Naukasana
 Bhujangasana
 Salabhasana
 Halasana
 Surya Namaskar
 Shavasana
Breathing Exercises
 Bhramari
 Ujjayi
 Bhastrika
Thus anyone with diabetes need not get bogged
down by the disease because there are several simple
ways of conquering this menace. A healthy lifestyle
and good habits can go a long way in countering
diabetes and leading a productive life. A bit of
determination and resilience have helped many
diabetics get over their problems through good diet
and lifestyle modification alone. Thus, there is a lot of
scope to not lose hope in the fight against diabetes.

Chef's Secret
Mise en place Chef Abhishek Roy - Mystic Yoga
www.mysticyoga.in
M
ise en place is a beautiful
French phrase we come
across quite often in
professional kitchens around the world.
From kitchens of star hotels and
restaurants to galleys of mega cruise
ships to small cafes and road side
eateries to cooking shows and other
food service establishments this phrase
keeps buzzing.
Literally the phrase Mise en place
means “putting in place” as in set up. It
means preparation or setting up or
getting ready, more in the context of
cooking. Mise en place is getting
organized before the actual cooking; be
it your home kitchen or a professional
kitchen of a cruise ship serving 12000
meals a day, preparation before actual
cooking is the key. To explain this we
need to understand a little about
ergonomics or man-motion study to
understand the most efficient way to do
a job. When we are assigned a job, our
time taken to do it or our efficiency
depends a lot on how much time we
lose in motion. For example while
making a simple fried egg in the
kitchen, not only house wife & trainees
but experienced chefs may at times
struggle. Normally the situation in the
kitchen may be somewhat like this: go
to the range or cooking stove gas - put
it on - then go get a non-stick fry pan –
look for oil - open the fridge and fetch
eggs - break the eggs and put them in
the pan – look for salt pepper and
season the egg – grab a spatula from
somewhere to flip the egg - lastly
transfer to a plate.
This whole exercise of making an
egg could be more efficient had the
preparation been done properly.
Preparation for frying an egg:
Before you go the range/stove to
actually cook, double check and make
sure everything is ready viz. the frying
pan, oil, seasoning, eggs, spatula, even
the plate in which to serve should be
ready at hand.
Then we go to the gas/stove/range
so we don't lose time going back and
forth again and again between our
work station and the stove.
So as we see this study of
ergonomics is quite interesting and
involves a bit of common sense and
planning before starting any work.
So when cooking, first we should
think and mentally create a flowchart
of the steps involved: Get all the
ingredients needed to workstation.
Next start prepping the ingredients
and finally we go to the
stove/gas/range to cook. You should
also have the service plates, last minute
garnish ready at hand.
The most important part in cooking
is thus the mise en place or getting
ready before we actually cook so that
cooking becomes less stressful and
more therapeutic.
Suggestions for day to day
operation in home kitchen:
When cooking any dish be it pasta,
sandwich etc. always do the mise en
place in advance. For example if u plan
to make a pasta make the sauce in
advance. Precook the pasta. So at the
time you want to cook the dish it
doesn't take any time at all and you
have more time to improvise, add
garnishes etc. This saves a lot of time,
energy and effort and is an intelligent
approach to cooking.
I will share here some healthy
recipes, with the mise en place
highlighted so you can plan and
execute the dishes perfectly and in
good time without stress or struggle.
Two sauce/spread come to my mind;
one is Hummus and the other is Pesto.
Hummus is a Mediterranean spread
made from cooked, mashed chickpeas
and Pesto is an Italian sauce made
from basil. Both are very healthy and
can be made and refrigerated for days.
Now if you are making a sandwich for
example you could use either of these
two healthy spreads instead of butter or
preserve.
PESTO
Pesto is a sauce originating in
northern Italy (pesto genovese),and
traditionally consists of crushed
garlic, basil, and pine nuts blended
with olive oil and Parmigiano-
Reggiano (Parmesan cheese). Pesto
is very versatile and can be used as
spreads, sauces and dressing for
salads. Pesto pasta is a good
example, so is roasted vegetable
salad with pesto dressing. Pine nuts
are ideal but on the expensive side,
so may be replaced with walnuts.
Ingredients
 4 cups fresh basil leaves (from
about 3 large bunches)
 1/2 cup olive oil
 1/3 cup pine nuts
 2 garlic cloves
 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Preparation
Combine rst 4 ingredients in
blender. Blend until paste forms,
stopping often to push down basil.
Add parmesan cheese and salt; blend
until smooth. Transfer to small bowl.
MONDAY, 01 JUNE 2015 8
pepper to taste
HUMMUS
Hummus is a Mediterranean dip or
 1 tablespoon ground cumin or
paprika, or to taste, plus a
spread made from cooked, mashed
chickpeas blended with tahini, olive
oil, lemon juice, salt and
garlic.Today, it is popular throughout
sprinkling for garnish
 Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as
needed
 Chopped fresh parsley leaves for
the world as an appetizer and dip - garnish
hummus is scooped with atbread,
such as pita; It is also served as part Preparation
of a mezze or as an accompaniment Put everything except the parsley in
to falafel, grilled chicken, sh or
a food processor and begin to
eggplant. Garnishes include chopped process; add the chickpea liquid or
tomato, cucumber, coriander, parsley, water as needed to allow the
sautéed mushrooms, whole machine to produce a smooth puree.
chickpeas, olive oil, hard-boiled Taste and adjust the seasoning.
eggs, paprika, olives, pickles and Serve, drizzled with the olive oil and
pine nuts.
sprinkled with a bit more cumin or
paprika and some parsley.
Recipe
Yield: Makes 8 or more servings
Time: 20 minutes with precooked
chickpeas
Ingredients
 2 cups drained well-cooked or
canned chickpeas, cooking liquid
reserved
 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste),
optional, with some of its oil
 ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus
PESTO
oil for drizzling
 2 cloves garlic, peeled, or to
taste
 Salt and freshly ground black
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