Addictions: An Ayurvedic Perspective (Part 2)

In part one, we mentioned that addictions are a problem of object referral versus self-referral in an exaggerated manner. Most of us suffer from a mild form of object referral and waver between object and self-referral. But in addictions, object referral is king. The object of addiction is almost seen as a god, taking precedence over any other thing, including a spiritual connection.  

Object referral is an association of oneself with something outside of us. For example, you will hear people say, I’m a doctor, a lawyer, a plumber, a student. Or you might hear one say, I have three children, I am Italian, or I have a bachelor’s degree. Yet again, you might hear about someone’s possessions or net worth. I have a four-bedroom house in the country, I have $20,000 in a retirement fund or even, I’m poor and broke. While all of these statements may be true, according to Vedanta or Vedic thought, this doesn’t represent YOU as a whole. It’s a part of who you are, but it isn’t you. 

Here is the problem with object referral. If the object of my association to myself is no longer present, then I lose the sense of who I am. For example, if you say you are a bank teller and you’ve been a bank teller for 20 years, what happens if you suddenly lose your job? Most people who associate themselves with their job title or position and then lose it, find they are lost. But if you do, in fact, lose your job and have associated your sense of self and self-worth by that job, after time you will probably come to realize that you are not so bad after all, even jobless. 

However, the object referral in addictions is even stronger. There is a concept in Vedanta called pragnyaparadha, which means “mistake of the intellect”. The disconnect with your true self or higher self is so far removed that in order to feel whole, we crave the object of addiction as if it were a true need. The intellect has been tricked to believe that it needs the object of addiction to be whole. 

In object referral, we are disconnected from who we truly are. 

Self-referral is the first step away from addictions. Self-referral is the knowledge that I am perfect the way that I am. You are perfect the way you are, because the creative source that orchestrates the dance of the entire universe, including you, is pure perfection. Self-referral needs no input from the outside to feel whole. The connection to your divine essence makes you this way. Without knowledge of self-referral, we cannot begin to peel away the stickiness of addictions. 

In your uniqueness, you are connected to others. You are connected to your spirit, the collective spirit and the universal spirit. You are divinity itself. That is self-referral. You are an individuated expression of the divine who needs to remember your divinity. 

Self-referral is truth. Object referral is a lie. Self-referral leaves you whole. Object referral leaves you empty and craving more. Self-referral is healing. Object referral precipitates death. Object referral is slavery. Self-referral is the ultimate freedom. 

Remembering who you are is the essence of reconnecting to your true self. In Addictions: An Ayurvedic Perspective (Part 3) we will explore how to overcome your addictions forever. 

Wishing your perfect health always,

Michelle Fondin

Founder of The Ayurvedic Path

Vedic Master

www.theayurvedicpath.com

Addictions: An Ayurvedic Perspective (Part 1)

According to the Merriam-Webster, an addiction is described as a strong and harmful need to regularly have something or do something. 

Addictions come in all shapes and forms. Some are less harmful than others. And some are more toxic. But they all have one thing in common, addictions trick the mind to think that a need is being fulfilled. I find it interesting that the dictionary chose the word “need”. 

A need is something we all need to survive and thrive. We have physical needs such as food, clean water, bodily comfort and shelter. We have emotional needs for love, security, safety, affection, acceptance, appreciation and acknowledgement. We have spiritual needs for peace, connection to others and/or a higher being, belonging, and a sense of purpose and meaning in life. 

But the object of addiction is a false replacement for what we ultimately need. In an instant, the addiction can fulfill an immediate need such as the need for love (sex addiction), the need for comfort (alcohol or food addiction), the need for security (a gambling addiction, where the gambler wins a lot then tries to win more) or the need for acknowledgement (internet, social media addiction). 

What is so attractive about an addiction or addictive behavior? 

1. They are a quick fix. 

Have you heard of avoidance therapy? We avoid dealing with the real need at hand, so we mask the need with the object of addiction. Fulfilling a need often takes a bit more effort of discovering the real need and finding healthy ways to fulfill it. 


2.  They have real appeal.

The object of addiction makes us feel really good for the time being, but makes us feel bad after the effect wears off. (i.e. overeating causes weight gain or diabetes, alcohol abuse causes depletion of finances, alienates loved ones etc.) 

3. They change our chemistry or neuro-associative conditioned reactions.

Drug, alcohol or food addictions literally change our bio-chemistry which causes us to crave them more, even though the addiction is not good for the body. Addictions like gambling, sex, internet over-usage, or excessive gaming give us an initial rush of excitement which condition our minds to crave that excitement. 

4. They temporarily fulfill an immediate need. 

As humans, we are needs driven. We will only do something if it fulfills a need. However, addictions seemingly fulfill a need, but in the end leave us more “needy”. For example, an addiction to internet and social media or gaming, may fulfill the need for significance and acknowledgement in the immediate sense. But when you realize you’ve been consecrating several hours daily to these activities, you’ve ignored a whole host of other needs, like working effectively at your job or spending time with your kids or spouse. 

But ultimately, addictions leave us weak, ashamed, sometimes broke, and with a loss of integrity and self-worth. Addictions leave us disconnected from our true selves. We forget who we really are and act as if we are alone. 

Ayurveda takes the perspective that an addiction is an extreme penchant toward object referral instead of self-referral. In the next blog post on Addictions: An Ayurvedic Perspective, I’ll explain the difference between object referral and self-referral .

Wishing you a beautiful day and perfect health always,

Michelle Fondin

Yoga Sutras: Embracing Least Effort

Never before, have we led more busy and divided lives. In the West, we strive to arrive. From the time we awake until the time we crash at night, constant demands are put upon us to do more, to acquire more, accomplish more, communicate more and be more. 

It is no wonder that, according to Medco Health Solutions in 2011, one in five Americans have taken or are taking drugs for mental health. That is 20% of all Americans. Twenty percent! Can you imagine? Why can’t we cope today without medication? 

The reason is simple. Because we don’t respect the natural rhythms of nature. 

If we look at nature all around us, it unfolds with least effort day to day, minute to minute, second to second. A tree doesn’t sit around worrying all winter if it will bud in the summer. Deer, even though they are constantly driven from their homes with deforestation, simply move on and find new food and shelter. 

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re a part of nature. Our bodies change according to the rhythms of day and night, the changing of the seasons, the phases of the moon. The simple cycle of day and night equal a principle of rest and activity. 

What we’ve succumbed to is a cycle of activity, activity, activity, crash.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that if you put batteries in a flashlight, keep it on 24/7, those batteries will die sooner than if you use it for a little while then turn it off. The same goes for us. 

We have a notion that if we don’t go out there and try as hard as we can to get what we want, life will slip away from us. However, when we are so out of touch with ourselves, we often waste time worrying, being ineffective or doing activities which don’t really help us get to what we want. 

Have you ever tried swimming up a river? I have. It’s pretty challenging. But if you turn around and let the current push you, you don’t have to do anything at all. You can simply enjoy the ride. 

How much are you enjoying this ride, called life? 

There is a yoga sutra, from a sacred Vedic text called The Bhagavad Gita, which is yogastah kuru karmani and translates to, “Established in being, perform action”. 

What this means is, wait until you are established in yourself, in the calm place that is connected to nature and ultimately to the universe to perform your daily duties. 

It’s no use running around ungrounded, ruffled and in a hurry if you are not established in self and connected. 

The way you can achieve this is by honoring least effort through meditation, prayer, contemplation, and/or silence daily. Take time to reconnect with nature and its rhythms. Make a vow to yourself to sit in silence some time each day. Take a class to learn meditation. Practice meditative movement like hatha yoga, Tai Chi or Qi Gong. Once you do this, then perform action, your life will be smooth sailing. Like a beautiful flower, each thing you desire will unfold effortlessly and easily. 

Wishing you peace, harmony, laughter and love. 

Namasté,

Michelle

Michelle Fondin

Founder of The Ayurvedic Path

www.theayurvedicpath.com

Ayurvedic Medicine versus Western Medicine

When I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 28, my first question to the doctor was, “Why did I get this?” And his answer was, “We simply don’t know why cancer occurs.”

Intuitively, this was not an answer for me. I knew, in my heart, that couldn’t be an answer. 

I began to do a lot of research and soul searching. When I came upon Ayurvedic medicine, it made so much sense to me. Ayurveda works on the basis of balance versus imbalance. A big part of Ayurvedic medicine is going to the root cause of illness to see where it originated. Ayurveda believes you cannot cure a disease unless you know the etiology or cause of it. 

The simple answer would be an imbalance in the doshas or Ayurvedic mind body types. An imbalance is most certainly the reason you’re experiencing symptoms or full blown illness but it’s likely that it’s not the root cause. 

The root cause goes much deeper. Sometimes it’s a weakness in the body which starts the doshic imbalance. Often it’s an unprocessed emotion or an accumulation of unprocessed food or substance in the body. 

Western or allopathic medicine works on the basis of pathology. Typically, you don’t go to the doctor unless something is wrong. You aren’t feeling yourself or you have the manifestation of symptoms. Your healthcare provider makes an assessment of your current state of health including symptoms and strives to provide you with some relief. The relief may be medication of some form, blood or urine testing to rule out various illnesses, or in the event that it’s necessary, a surgical procedure. At any rate, the idea is to rid you of symptoms so you feel normal again. At best, it’s a bandaid approach and one faceted. When you mask symptoms or force them to go away through medication, oftentimes, other symptoms or problems arise because you haven’t gone to the root cause of a problem. 

Ayurveda is a multifaceted approach. Not only does an Ayurvedic practitioner take into account the symptoms a person is experiencing, but he seeks to find which dosha is most out of balance. In advanced, stages of disease, this can be tricky. However, that is only one piece of the puzzle. The Ayurvedic practitioner will ask the client about her lifestyle, family life, job, marriage, financial situation, eating and sleeping habits, current medications, herbs and vitamin intake. He will observe the client’s mannerisms while speaking, her tone of voice, and demeanor. The Ayurvedic practitioner will gather all these clues to determine the best course of treatment for the client. Often, in taking the time to listen to the client, the Ayurvedic practitioner finds that her fear is subsided and as a consequence, so do some of the symptoms. 

Finding the etiology or cause is not always 100% foolproof. We must understand that some disease is just left up to the powers that be. 

As for my diagnosis, I went over every aspect of my life in search of the root cause. In the end, I did find it. Let’s suffice it to say that it was mostly emotional,personality and family-life based. It wasn’t easy to correct but I’ve strived to correct it ever since. And I think 14 years post diagnosis, I’ve been successful. 

And now, I’ve dedicated my life’s work to helping others discover how to live in balance with the practice of Ayurvedic medicine. 

Wishing you love and perfect health always,
Michelle

Michelle Fondin
Founder of The Ayurvedic Path
Chopra Center Vedic Master
www.theayurvedicpath.com

Ayurveda and The Ayurvedic Mind Body Type

Now you’ve figured out your Ayurvedic mind body type or your prakruti. So now what? How is that going to bring you to optimal health?

Ayurveda and ayurvedic health works on bringing you back to a state of balance for your personal Ayurvedic mind body type. Think of your mind body type as your baseline. When you are at this baseline, you feel fantastic. You feel yourself. You feel vibrant and energetic. 

Have you ever wondered why you couldn’t lose 20 pounds when your friend could modify her diet and lose it instantly? Or why you need only 6 hours of sleep per night but your spouse needs 8-9 hours of sleep? Things like appetite, metabolism, sleep, mood, and energy level is mostly regulated by your Ayurvedic mind body type. Now if you’ve always been thin but in the past couple of years you can’t stop gaining weight, this may be a lifestyle change or a change from prakruti to vikruti. 

Remember your vikruti is your current state or your state of imbalance.

Our goal in Ayurveda is to get us back to our own prakruti or state of balance.

Here are the ways you can get back to your Ayurvedic mind body type:

1. Honor an Ayurvedic lifestyle diet
2. Begin a dosha specific diet for Vata, Pitta or Kapha
3. Follow an Ayurvedic daily routine.
4. Follow an Ayurvedic seasonal routine.
5. Learn meditation and meditate daily
6. Follow a dosha specific exercise program for Vata, Pitta or Kapha
7. Drink dosha specific teas.
8. Following the advice of an Ayurvedic practitioner, take Ayurvedic herbs to rebalance current imbalances.
9. Work on emotional clearing. 
10. Eliminate toxins and toxic substances from your body. (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, unnecessary prescription pills, processed foods) 

If you don’t have the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner, begin by balancing your primary dosha. For example, if your Ayurvedic mind body type is Vata-Pitta. You would begin by balancing Vata. Follow at Vata diet, drink Vata tea, follow recommended exercises to balance Vata, follow a Vata Ayurvedic daily and seasonal routine. Usually, if disease or symptoms are not advanced, following this advice will make you feel much better within about two weeks. However if symptoms are persistent or you have been experiencing symptoms for a while, you may need to look further into your vikruti. 

The idea behind Ayurveda is preventive health. If we can catch a disease before full eruption, we can prevent it from giving you illness. In the next blog, I’ll explain the six stages of disease according to Ayurveda. 

Wishing you perfect health always. 

Love,

Michelle Fondin, Founder of The Ayurvedic Path

www.theayurvedicpath.com

Chopra Center Vedic Master  and Ayurvedic Practitioner 

Understanding Your Ayurvedic Mind Body Type

In the last post, we talked about the three different of Ayurvedic mind types called  doshas. Even if you read the description of Vata dosha and found that it described you completely, there are a few things you need to know about the Ayurvedic mind body type.

First of all, we have all three doshas in our mind body constitution, but each of us has different proportions of the three. Secondly, most people have two dominant doshas with the third falling far behind. For example, a person may be a pitta-vata but their kapha score is twice as low as the pitta score. A small portion of the population is dominant in a single dosha and an even smaller portion it tridoshic, where all three doshas are more or less the same. So the possibilities for Ayurvedic mind body types are as follows:

Vata

Pitta

Kapha

Vata-Pitta

Vata-Kapha

Pitta-Vata

Pitta-Kapha

Kapha-Vata

Kapha-Pitta

Vata-Pitta-Kapha

Are you confused yet? If not, great. 

Your Ayurvedic mind body type is your genetic lot in life. It was the deck of cards you were dealt with at conception. So let’s suppose you were born with a fiery personality. You tend to have redness in the skin, are prone to breakouts, get irritated quite easily and are extremely driven. You were born with a fair amount of Pitta or fire and water in your mind body constitution. But let’s suppose you also move very fast, have difficulty gaining weight and have a racing mind. This means that you may also have a fair amount of Vata in your Ayurvedic mind body constitution. So your Ayurvedic mind body type would be Pitta-Vata.

Your natural mind body type is called your Prakruti. This is your nature. You cannot change it. Oftentimes, I get clients who say they want to be more of one dosha or another. You can only stay in balance when you are true to your prakruti. 

Now let’s suppose you read the description of the doshas and you said, “Oh yes, that’s it, I’m a Kapha type.” You have a lot of extra weight, you are tired and lethargic. You move a lot slower than before. You crave sweets. While it does sound like a kapha type (out of balance in some respects), you need to search into your past. When searching for prakruti, we look to all the years of life, since the time of birth. If in childhood, you were skinny, could eat anything, were very nervous and active, you may have been born with more Vata in you. But look at the rule above. I stressed that you cannot change your Ayurvedic mind body type. Right? 

The answer is “yes”. However, through improper diet, lifestyle, experience and life choices, we can get so out of balance that we no longer present ourselves as our true nature. That is called Vikruti or our current state. Vikruti or our state of imbalance can mask our pakruti, sometimes completely. 

So how then, you might say, do I discover my prakruti?

Self-awareness is the key. When you learn about the doshas and take a trip down memory lane, there are some consistencies about you. An Ayurvedic practitioner can also help you to discover both the prakruti and vikruti. 

In the next blog post, we’ll discuss what we can learn through our prakruti or Ayurvedic mind body type.

Wishing you perfect health always.

Love, 

Michelle Fondin, Founder of The Ayurvedic Path, Inc.

www.theayurvedicpath.com

Ayurvedic Mind Body Types: Doshas

Instinctively, over 5,000 years ago, practitioners of Ayurveda observed nature, including humans, and realized we are not all built the same. We are, however, made up of the building blocks of nature but we simply have different proportions of these elements in our bodies, minds and personalities. 

In other words, before the concept of genes was discovered, Ayurvedic medicine understood we have different bodies, minds and personalities from the moment of our conception. 

These Ayurvedic mind body types are called doshas. They are composed of the five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth. 

The first Ayurvedic mind body type is called Vata and is made up of space and air. Vata types are usually thin with angular features. They are quick to move and ever changing. They enjoy new things, and often change jobs, careers, interests or relationships. A Vata type is most often the life of the party and friendly. When a Vata type is in balance, they have burst of energy, walk fast and talk fast, are creative and communicative. A Vata out of balance becomes anxious, worried or even neurotic. They tend to have cold hands, feet and have delicate digestion. Do you know someone who paces while they talk on the phone? Or maybe someone who resists routine and is unpredictable? It’s likely that person has a fair amount of Vata in his or her Ayurvedic mind body type.

Pitta is the second Ayurvedic mind body type. It is comprised of the elements of fire and water. Just like the primary element indicates, Pitta types are fiery, passionate, driven. They tend to be goal oriented, good leaders, enjoy education and factual knowledge. Pitta body types are mesomorphic or medium build. They have beautiful eyes and a warm gaze. Pitta types need to eat on time or they get cranky. When in balance, Pitta types are warm, intellectual, interesting, attractive. An out of balance Pitta can be quite scary to the receiver of the imbalance. They get angry, critical, judgmental. Do you know someone who’s skin is very warm to the touch? Does that person have eyes that melt your heart by a simple gaze or is completely goal oriented? You probably have someone with a majority of Pitta in his or her Ayurvedic mind body type. 

The third Ayurvedic mind body type is called Kapha. No one likes to be a Kapha when they read what a Kapha type is, but Kapha types have many great qualities. Kapha is comprised of water and earth. Needless to say, Kapha types are earthy and stable. Since water and earth make mud, Kapha types are grounded, more heavy physically than Vata and Pitta types and are slow movers. Kapha types have great physical stamina. They almost never get sick. Everything about them is slow. They eat and walk slowly. They adore routine. Kapha types are probably the most trustworthy friends you will ever meet. A Kapha friend might say, “I can look at a piece of cake and gain 10 pounds.” In balance a Kapha type is kind, trustworthy, affectionate and reliable. Out of balance, a Kapha type gains weight, can get depressed, can become possessive or become inert. Do you know someone who has struggled with his or her weight since birth? Does this person hold a record for being the most reliable person in your life? Does he or she prefer to stay at home and read a good book rather than go out? If so, you may know a Kapha type. 

We have all three of the doshas or Ayurvedic mind body types within each of us since we are all made up of space, air, fire, water and earth. We simply have different proportions of each. In the next blog post, we’ll discuss what it means to know your Ayurvedic mind body type. 

Wishing you peace, harmony, laughter and love each day. 

Namasté,
Michelle Fondin

Michelle Fondin is the author of The Wheel of Healing with Ayurveda: An Easy Guide to a Healthy Lifestyle  and Help! I Think My Loved One Is an Alcoholic: A Survival Guide for Lovers, Family, & Friends. 

Meditation: Exploring The Universe Within

Silence. 

When you read that word, what comes to mind? For some, it may come as a respite from a chaotic life. For others, the thought may bring about anxious thoughts or a negative connotation such as silence in a conversation. And for many, who have never quite experienced total silence, bewilderment. 

I often ask the following question to new meditators, “Have you ever, in your life, sat in silence with yourself?” The most frequent answer is “no”. 

Since the moment of our birth, we are called to the outside world. And even before we are born, we are hearing sounds and responding to stimuli from the outside. Our entire existence here on earth calls us to explore everything outside of us. When we are young, we take cues from our parents and siblings, then teachers, then friends, then the media, then co-workers and bosses, then doctors or other professionals. We are constantly looking for advice, education, approval and answers from others. Even when we pray, we are often asking God for advice. Aren’t we? 

Although we have such a vast amount of resources at our disposal, in the world we live in today, we are often left more confused and divided than ever. Should we consult the iPhone or the Blackberry, search it on the Internet or turn on the TV? Should we ask our doctor or do a google search? Should we turn to our pastor or priest or go to the school for that answer? 

Did you know that you actually have all the answers within you? 

According to the teachings of Ayurveda, as vast as the universe out there is the universe within. Through meditation we learn to explore that universe that most of us have never touched. 

Can you imagine that we have only really begun to touch on the our universe, the one we live in, over thousands of years? In order for us to discover our universe, we need money and a lot of sophisticated scientific equipment. Even then, only a handful of scientists are able to discover the universe then report that information back to us. And we have barely scratched the tip of the iceberg. 

But you can explore the whole universe within you by simply getting silent, closing your eyes, and embracing the state of being. When we honor this call to silence, the universe within unfolds and the miraculous happens. Your life will start to transform and so will you. By getting silent, the answers to your questions will emerge without searching, asking advice or google. 

Even if you have no idea how to meditate you can find a place where you can sit in silence for 5 to 10 minutes, close your eyes and observe your breath. Notice what happens. Is your breath calmer, is your mind calmer? 

Try finding 15 minutes in your day to unplug. Turn off the TV, radio, cell phone, home phone or any other device that creates noise. Sit in silence in non-doing. See what comes up. 

Wishing you peace, harmony, laughter and love and moments of silence,

Michelle

Founder of The Ayurvedic Path in Herndon, VA

www.theayurvedicpath.com

http://www.theayurvedicpath.com/primordial-sound-meditation/