Life and the Eternal Twins: Birth and Death (part I)

In our mountain villages, a morning can rarely pass without the ‘village microphone’ announcing loudly the news about a death and a funeral in the. My grandfather always asks us to be silent while the announcement is done. He listens carefully then he walks to his room to write down the date and the name of the departed then he gets himself ready to go to the funeral regardless whether he personally knows the departed or not. If not, he would for sure know many of his relative… Death in these villages is a daily news.

Birth is so much the same, but may be less ceremonious. Whenever a women gives birth in the village many acquaintances come to visit, but mainly only women. In the village’s traditional society birth is women’s business, while death is that of men.

My first remembered encounter with death was when my paternal grandfather passed away. I was still 5 years old. read more…

Website Launched

Dear Yogis and Yoginis…

I’m so exited to present to you my newly launched website. This blog (and additional pages) are moving to hishamnasr.com.

To keep updated with the latest activities and posts, sign up to the newsletter there.

Thank you for your presence here, and your subscription to the new site. Thank you for allowing the message of consciousness  to manifest!

My Experiments with Regular, Veggie and Yogic Diets (part II)

For 8 years I was eating what Russians eat. I didn’t try to simulate neither the Lebanese nor the Indian cuisine on the banks of Volga river. I avoided imported goods as much as possible. Natural Russian products were not in shortage at all.

Russian (Ukrainian) borsch

Credits should be given to the Russian market for still having local “un-franchised” goods. Near a metro entrance you can see a babushka (elderly women) selling the milk of a cow she is holding in the backyard of her village house, berries gathered in the forests beyond the river. And if you drive some kilometers outside the city you can find a farmer who would supply you with fresh poultry and meat and you would be sure the product you are buying is a 100% natural product. In such farms the animals are grown in a natural way, feeding on the green grass of the fields and are never injected with growth hormones to increase their muscular mass.

My Experiments with Regular, Veggie and Yogic Diets (part I)

I am frequently asked what diet I follow and if I am vegetarian or not. Most of the times I feel I am expected to be a fanatic vegetarian… In answer I will share my experience in this field and I hope the answers I’ve reached may be helpful for you too. My views shared here may seem unorthodox for many vegetarians. I should admit that I prefer to keep my essential practice traditional (no new age, visualizations, wishful thinking, bla bla bla) while adapting totally to the needs of modern life, rather than hiphoping with new stylish practices while holding to ancient slogans on what to eat.

I have been experimenting with yogic diet and vegetarianism since 1997. At that period I thought it was essential for my spiritual evolution to follow the exact instructions of traditional yogic texts (Bhagavad Gita, Siva Samhita, etc) and the traditional Indian classification of food (sattvic, tamasic, rajasic) was the basis of my new diet. Though it is to note that simple vegetarianism is not what these texts recommend.

According to yogic texts food is divided into three categories.

Not to Miss: Seeds of Bliss Meditation, Hatha Yoga and Energy Healing Workshop

 

Learn a compact effective, effortless practice of Meditation, Yoga, and Energy healing that is most suitable for busy people.

Seeds of Bliss is a full classic yoga course that includes:

• Learning meditation with personal mantras (specific sounds) that are chosen individually to suit each person’s body type.
• Training in special breathing techniques (parnayama) combined with simple tools to balance the body’s energy and use this energy for self-healing.
• Instructions in a balanced set of yogic postures for daily practice. This set activates the body energy in a natural way and keeps the body active and healthy.

READ DETAILS

Join the upcoming Seeds of Bliss course:
Sat. 1st of March
Sat. 15th of March
For more information contact me 70 628426

In Harmony with Nature through Shanti Mantras

May we evolve and be nourished  together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute
Om ! Peace! Peace! Peace!

With these verses of Shanti mantra (peace mantra) from Katu Upanishad, a guru and disciple put their intention to grow together spiritually and evolve in harmony and accordance. The “guru” can be understood in a wide sense to embrace any source of true knowledge (knowledge of the self). In this sense, Life is the greatest teacher.

Warrior Pose – The Spiritual Significance of Virabhadrasana

Warrior pose (Virabhadrasana) is named after a mythical warrior Virabhadra. One of the main bases of yoga is non-violence so why do we practice a pose named after a warrior? The significance of this pose is that it shifts our attention to the fact that the real battle is the battle within us – our struggle with self-ignorance, false perceptions and distracted mind.

Practicing this posture cultivates strong will and determination, openness and readiness to embrace higher values in life. The combination of determination and openness is the key point in our personal progress

Pumpkin Seeds

With winter on doors and pumpkin ‘Kebbe’ in the stove, pumpkin seeds can be a good health booster. A great source for Zinc, tryptophan (aminoacid), magnesium, phosphorus and variety of types of vitamin E, roasted pumpkin seeds are easily prepared at home.

Health benefits:

1. Anti-oxidants: pumpkin seeds are an easy source for a unique diversity of anti-oxidants.

2. Minerals: quarter a cup of pumpkin seeds (30 g) contain: manganese 1.47 mg, magnesium 190.92 mg, phosphorus 397.64 mg, copper 0.43 mg, zinc 2.52 mg, iron 2.84 mg, giving only 180 kal.

3. Diabetes: studies show pumpkin seeds improve insulin regulation in diabetic patients. It also decreases the oxidative load and protects the kidneys.

4. Anti-bacterial properties: it has been shown that pumpkin seed oil has anti-bacterial, anti fungal and anti-viral properties.

5. Anti-cancer properties: the anti-oxidative effect of pumpkin seeds may serve well as a way to prevent cancer.

Pumpkin seeds can be lightly roasted, added to salads. Raw seeds can be grinded with garlic, parsley and cilantro leaves with olive oil and lemon juice as a dressing. You can also enjoy pumpkin seeds with your favorite oatmeal breakfast.