Being Vegetarian Is a Conscious Choice

Vegetarian Food Pyramid

It has been almost 5 years since I turned vegetarian and interestingly never a day I regretted my decision.  People often ask me for my reasons to be a vegetarian – is it religion, health or being environmentally conscious? My experience is that to be a vegetarian is a conscious choice which complements my yogic lifestyle. This choice must come from deep within. It should not be something that is driven from external factors like a protest against the commercial poultry and diary industries or as a support to protect our mother earth.  Anything that is externally driven without consciousness causes suppression of desires which could result in more psychological disorders in later stage. My experience was a gradual yet natural progression of simply listening to my body.

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The Miracle of Love

Another incident which showed us the miracle of love happened to my family a few months ago. My 80 year-old father became very sick due to his deteriorating kidneys. In late July, he was hospitalized with a bout of high fever, vomiting and weak body.  He was rushed to Mount Alvernia Hospital where he stayed for one week. Doctor found that his red blood cells were too low and he was given 2 rounds of blood transfusion to bring it up. He was discharged after one week but a couple of days later, the hemoglobin level dipped again and this time he was feeling nauseous coupled with hallucination, fever and vomiting. He was sent to Gleneagles Hospital where his regular kidney specialist doctor could do a thorough diagnosis. What followed was a 5-week emotional roller-coaster.  First, he fell in the toilet causing his breathing to become shallow. They found blood in his stool and discovered 3 polyps in his rectum. The doctor removed the 2 small polyps but he didn’t remove the large polyp given his poor unstable health condition. Subsequently, when his breathing worsened, he went into the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and had to breathe through a tube inserted into his mouth. Then they discovered that water began to accumulate around his lungs and heart and they had to insert a tube through the organs to drain out the fluid.  His kidneys stopped functioning such that he could not purge the urine and toxin out of his body.  The doctor started him on kidney dialysis.

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A Time Out is Nurturing for You

Time Out for Nurturing


Image Source: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/pmartike

In October 2011, I flew to Brisbane city, Australia, to be in a town called Maleny for an annual yoga retreat organized by Gerry Hillier, my business partner of The Owl Company which both of us co-founded two years ago.  At the same time, I was also there to conduct a couple of workshops at her yoga center in a small town called Gympie.

Unplugging myself from my regular life and visiting a new environment at least once a year has become a healthy and nurturing treat I give myself since 2004 – the year after my son was born.

Taking a time out from my life gives me a great opportunity to :

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