September 2010             

“There is much to think about, but little to worry about" Anon

Loving Greetings from Nalanda

Dear friends and clients

Lasting friendships are the best remedy.

One of the most beautiful gifts of growing older must be the depth, intimacy and blossoming of friendships that have spanned many years. Two unique individuals that have faced the challenges of life and have grown stronger together, that have fought each other and healed each other.

Contents:

1.     Spring Specials for 2010

        - Wellness Retreats

        - Under the Mountain Yoga Retreat

        - Art of Living 1 Course

        -  One-day Pamper Package

2.     Growning older the Ayurvedic way

3.     Will the new Consumer Protection Act affect the

        demand for genetically modified goods?

4.     Recipe - Date and Almond Smoothie

5.     Diary of Events

Although friendships formed over a lifetime are golden, never think you know where love is going to come from next. It so often happens that complete strangers, the neighbour’s cat or even our so-called ‘enemies’ bless us with love when we least expect it. Instead of thinking it can only come from ‘the one and only’, your ‘soulmate’ or special partner, stay open to the infinite possibilities of love...

Specials for August to October 2010

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After the great success of our first Wellness Week and due to popular demand, Nalanda Ayurvedic Centre have made October Wellness Month.  Detoxify and kick start your healthy eating regime by joining us for one of two Wellness Weeks planned. 

Rest and rejuvenate, balance body, mind and soul with wonderful massages, healthy and delicious Ayurvedic vegetarian meals, Yoga, time in nature and lots of loving care!

Included:

• Daily nurturing massage treatments

• Quiet time, time in nature, rest and relaxation, meditation

• Introduction to selfcare treatment

• Discussions on diet and lifestyle

• All vegetarian meals based on ayurvedic principals, including  mid-morning and afternoon snacks

• Four nights accommodation, Monday – Friday at Nalanda Ayurvedic Retreat Centre included, other accommodation extra

Upcoming Dates:

11-15 October & 25-29 October

17-21 November; 6-10 December

R6 600

2. Under the Mountain Yoga Retreat

Under the Mountain Yoga Centre in Greyton will again be holding regular weekend Yoga retreats in 2010 with Jonathan Blumberg. A retreat in this tranquil setting at the foot of the  Riviersonderend Mountains, just 150 km east of Cape Town, under the inspired guidance of one of the most experienced Yoga teachers of  South Africa, will leave you refreshed, energised and focused.

A Yoga break takes a holistic approach to improving the health of your whole body. Whether you're a diehard Yogi or just looking for a healthy way to deal with stress, the benefits of practising Yoga include peace of mind, better concentration, self-confidence, awakening and development of spirituality.

The retreat weekends are:  29-31 January, 26-28 March, 21-23 May, 16-18 July, 17-19 September and 19-21 November. Participation is limited to 8 people.

Each retreat starts late Friday afternoon and ends on Sunday at 4 pm. The programme may consist of asana (Yoga postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), restorative poses, meditation, silence. Or a programme may be devised to suit specific needs, in case of a group booking.

Programme outline: 

Friday 17 September

16-17.30 h introduction and restorative poses

Saturday 18 September

8.30-12.30 h alignment and gentle poses; 

14-16 h restorative poses, pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation

Sunday 19 September

8.30-12.30 h alignment and gentle poses; 

14-16 h restorative poses, pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation

The cost per person is R850. A non-refundable deposit of R350 is to be made at registration; the balance to be paid 1 week before the retreat. With less than a minimum participation of 6, a retreat may be cancelled, and all deposits refunded.  Water, juice, tea, coffee, snacks and a light vegan lunch will be provided.

For more information and to book your weekend:

Henriette Vlugter : Under the Mountain Yoga Centre, Greyton, Overberg

028 254 9667 / 082 738 7809 / vlugter@telkomsa.net

3. The Art of Living 1 Course

"When you let go, your mind can be in the present moment, more and more
and more and more. You are able to smile and laugh from the depth of your heart. 
Life becomes more light and easy."

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

These courses teach us to use the breath to bring our minds into the present moment, where joy, clarity and peace of mind reside. "The breath is the link between the body and the mind - every rhythm of the mind has a corresponding rhythm in the breath. When you cannot directly handle the mind, it is easy to do so through the breath."

The Part I Course also includes:

• Gentle stretching exercises for improved circulation and relaxation
• Simple techniques which increase the balance and flow of energy in the body and guided meditation to calm and rejuvenate on all levels
• Sharing time tested secrets of life that help us to secure our health, happiness and success

Upcoming course dates:

17 - 19 September; 5 - 7 November; 31 Dec – 2 Jan 2011.

For more information visit www.artofliving.org.za or to book your space contact Jatin Gordan on jatin@artofliving.org.za / 082 338 3472 or contact Nalanda on 028 254 9027 / info@nalanda.co.za.

4. One-day Pamper Package

Escape the madness of the City for a day and spend some quality 'me' time in Greyton. Enjoy a wonderfully relaxing Mini Retreat which will leave you feeling warm, beautiful and clean, both within and without!

Included:

• Welcome herbal tea

• Full body massage with lots of warm oil - deeply rejuvenating

• Foot massage using a bowl, Kansu, relaxing the whole body, balancing fire element, reducing stress and giving beauty to your face

• Full Ayurvedic Facial including facial steam inhalation, using only edible ingredients, this is not a beauty facial but deeply relaxing and nurturing for the face and whole body

• Warming herbal tea followed by a full body steam

• Relaxation, healthy fruit snack and herbal tea

• Delicious two-course vegetarian meal

R960.00

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“With each passing decade childhood, growth, luster/beauty, intellect, luster of skin, Vision, sexual ability, physical ability, thinking ability, and locomotion starts to depelte from the body”

Saragadhara samhita purva khanda.

Aging is an inevitable change for all living organisms. Most people feel anxious about getting old because of the consequences of aging. In ayurveda old age is called jara. It is of two types, namely premature and timely aging.

Ayurveda offers a lot of guidance in slowing down the aging process, restoring physical and mental strength and preventing the consequences of aging as much as possible. This particular branch of ayurveda is called rasayana or ‘rejuvenation therapy’. 

It emphasizes three main aspects:

  v      Herbs, tonics & foods

Rasayana herbs are known especially for their adaptogenic qualities, that is they help the body adapt to physiological and psychological stress. These herbs are extremely versatile and have the power to adapt according to the body’s unique needs. Amla, shatavari, ashwagandha and shilajit are some of the most powerful rasayana herbs.

                     Amla                             Shatavari                    Ashwagandha                           Shilajit

Certain foods, such as dates, nuts (especially almonds), dried figs and seeds are regarded as tonic foods because of their strengthening and recuperating properties. See below on how to make a delicious date & almond smoothie.

Kitcharis are also excellent for all ages and especially for the elderly and the young as they are very easily digestible and highly nutritious.

v      Emotions

We have all heard that married people, people with pets and people who are involved in their community, live longer and healthier. Our survival quite literally depends on being able to give and receive love.

We know that anger, fear, anxiety, and depression affect the body and can cause psychosomatic disorders. These emotions precipitate early aging. Activities which relieve stress and make us feel calmer and more peaceful are important for slowing the aging process.

v      Pancha Karma & daily and seasonal regimes

As the years pass, toxic substances accumulate in our bodies which can cause systemic disease. Regular seasonal detoxification processes help to slow the aging process by reducing or eliminating the disease causing toxins. 

At Nalanda Ayurvedic Centre, we offer regular Pancha Karma Detox Retreats but if you cannot attend, there are many things we can do as part of our usual daily routine. These good habits, repeated over and over, help to rid the body of toxins on an ongoing basis. A few examples of these are:

§         Waking up early, preferably before sunrise, allows maximum exposure to sunlight. The sun stimulates the body’s adrenal glands and increases the production of cortisol, bringing us out of deep sleep and increasing overall well-being.

§         Beginning the day with one to three glasses of warm water encourages peristalsis and assists bowel evacuation.

§         Moderate exercise is essential to healthy aging, such as walking 30 to 45 minutes on most days.

Taken from: http://www.boloji.com/ayurveda/av075.htm

By eating well, following good daily and seasonal routines, occasionally undergoing a cleansing regime, and following up with the right rejuvenative herbs, longevity may be increased and health can be optimized as you age.

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South Africa is the only country in the world which has a staple diet (maize) which is genetically engineered.

The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) comes into force in October this year and will radically change the current law which allows a consumer to recover their loss only if s/he can prove negligence. The new Act will impose strict liability on all parties in a supply chain. This includes importers, producers, suppliers, distributors and retailers. Consumers will be able to claim from any one of these parties for loss or damage which results from using their products.

This is a particularly interesting development where genetically modified (GM) foods are concerned, as research has shown that they have a seriously detrimental effect on the health of laboratory animals. Anecdotal evidence shows that animals in the wild have a strong preference for natural (non GM) crops in situations where non GM crops were available. What are these wild animals sensing?

Compulsory labeling of GM foods
The current situation in South Africa is that labeling is primarily voluntary and only mandatory when there is extreme modification.  But the new CPA aims to support the consumers right to be informed.

What is genetic modification?
Genetic modification of crop plants involves the use of technology to artificially transfer genes across species lines in order for the final product to possess specific characteristics which are intended to change the chemical, metabolic or nutritional qualities. This process is fundamentally different from traditional plant breeding because the technology moves genetic material between completely unrelated species, such as between the plant, animal and microbial kingdoms, in ways that are impossible in nature.

Genetic engineering is playing with fire
The consequences of interfering with one gene or quality of an organism are uncontrollable and unpredictable thereby presenting potential risks. Without lengthy testing it is impossible to be certain to what extent a product has been changed and what its effect will be on human health as well as biodiversity.

Even if a ‘desirable’ trait is successfully introduced, the fact still remains that GM foods are largely based on a monoculture philosophy. Organisations such as South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering (SAFEAGE) and the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) argue that the only truly sustainable food systems are built on biodiversity, a biodiversity which monoculture GM crops destroy.

Regulations still to be published for comment

How strong the GM labeling regulations will be and their impact on all levels of the South African economy remains to be seen.  It is only through sustained public pressure will these regulations have teeth.  Go to www.safeage.org and www.biosafetyafrica.net to add your supprt to the work that these organisations are doing to protect us from practices that could have irreversible long term effects.

Information taken from:
South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering (SAFEAGE)
African Centre for Biosafety (ACB)
Jason van Dijk and Rosalind Lake of Deneys Reitz Attorneys

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Date and Almond Smoothie 

Almonds are rich in fibre, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and calcium, vitamin E and healthy oil which lubricates the skin and joints. Almonds have more calcium than any other nuts and ayurveda recommends them above all other nuts. Another wonderful property of almonds is their versatility. They can be used in almost any dish, whether sweet or savoury, either toasted and sprinkled as a garnish, or cooked with a grain or blended into a smooth paste to form part of a dressing or sauce.

How to make the smoothie:
Soak 10 almonds in filtered water in a small bowl overnight
Seperately soak a few dates and a few raisins.
Peel the skins of the almonds in the morning.
First blend the almonds together with the water.
Then add in the dates and raisins and blend.

Optional extras:
a drop of vanilla extract,
a pinch of cinnamon, dried ginger and/or nutmeg
a strand of saffron
fresh or stewed fruit
soaked oats 

Process the smoothie just enough to thoroughly blend all the ingredients, over processing may cause the ingredients to lose some of their taste and life force (prana). Obviously, the more water you use, the runnier the smoothie will be, If you prefer it to be thicker, use less water and eat it with a spoon.

We have come to the end of another edition of our newsletter and trust that you enjoyed it and have found the information useful.  We are always interested in hearing from you and would appreciate your feedback. Please email us at feedback@nalanda.co.za.

With love from the Nalanda team

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Welcome to Nalanda Ayurvedic Centre