Food

As most of us who practice yoga have learned, food is critical to our health. What we eat and how we eat is at the heart of our personal practices.

When we work to explore the 'yogic edge' of our lives, we have to begin to look at all of our practices, how those practices are formed, and what will it take to re-examine them, to apply ancient wisdom and right action to our day to day lives.

This article by Michael Pollen, who's most recent book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” was chosen by the editors of The New York Times Book Review as one of the 10 best books of 2006, is a fabulous intro to the range of issues that we have to consider as we begin to bring our awareness to our food.

The yogic edge is about walking the razor's edge necessary to live in our society with a yogi's sensibilities. This article gives us a great perspective on the societal forces that are in the background of our relationship to food, forces that have moved this relationship from wholistic (consuming food) to nutritionalist (consuming and relating to food as a reductionist collection of nutrients).

Living as a yogi in applying this sort of sensibility - "eat more veges and fruit " , instead of "get more omega-3's, 6's and some oatbran" to our entire life experience.

So the yogi addresses stress by breathing, eating, meditating and balance in life, not through the latest advertised pill to 'reduce stress'!