Consistency Matters By Diane Calabria

“You demonstrate success or failure according to your habitual trend of thought. In you which is the stronger – success thoughts or failure thoughts? If your mind is ordinarily in a negative state, an occasional positive thought is not sufficient to attract success. But if you think rightly, you will find your goal even though you seem to be enveloped in darkness.” - Paramhansa Yogananda

In this passage from Yogananda’s Attributes of Success, he gives us a glimpse into the importance of consistency. Just as an occasional positive thought is not sufficient to attract success, neither is an occasional salad or gym visit sufficient for wellbeing. Our efforts must be consistent.

I know, our lives are busy, attention is pulled in many directions, and old habits are strong. Consistent good diet and exercise can feel hopelessly out of reach. So, what can we do?

Be practical.

For most of us, it will be more effective to make small, incremental changes rather than attempt many large changes all at once. Implement a few or even just one small change into your daily routine. Just as small regular deposits to a savings account add up and generate compound interest, so too small regular “deposits” made towards your wellness add up and generate compound benefits.

Once a new positive element has become a reliable part of your routine, observe how that one simple change, practiced consistently, changes your life for the better. When you see the benefit for yourself, the theoretical is elevated into the tangible. It’s so empowering! You’ll be inspired to incorporate another small change into your daily routine.

Consider Ayurveda for diet and lifestyle changes. Ayurveda (literally, science of life, or science of extending life) is a sister discipline of yoga. Ayurveda is said to be the foundation upon which yoga rests. It is an art and science for wellbeing of body and mind, while yoga is an art and science for spiritual wellbeing. Practiced together, they form a powerful all-around strategy for success on all levels.

The genius of Ayurveda lies in its recognition that no two people are the same. We each have a unique constitution from birth which influences appearance, health, longevity, and more. Ayurveda even predicts which diseases each constitutional type is likely to develop over time and practices that can prevent those diseases from forming. It is a very different way of thinking about health and wellbeing as compared to allopathic (western) medicine.

While allopathic medicine has its place, and excels at treating some health conditions after they have developed, it does not sufficiently recognize the differences between individuals nor does it focus sufficiently on prevention. Ayurveda offers many diet and lifestyle measures tailored for each constitutional type that, when practiced consistently, foster wellbeing and serve to prevent or lessen disharmonies and disease. An ounce of prevention is worth many pounds of cure!

Here’s one example of an easy-to-incorporate Ayurvedic practice to keep constipation at bay: first thing each morning, before ingesting anything else, drink two cups of plain warm water (not coffee or tea). The warm water will stimulate peristalsis and encourage the bowels to empty.

Next Steps Ayurveda is a wide and deep subject but you don’t have to be anywhere near an expert to benefit from its insights. A few suggestions for getting started:

· The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad includes a good introduction plus easy Ayurvedic remedies for many common ailments.

· This video (5 minutes) from Banyan Botanicals, an Ayurvedic products company, provides a concise introduction.

· And, last but not least, keep an eye on the Shanti Yoga calendar for upcoming Ayurveda workshops, including one I’ll lead on February 22 called Meet Ayurveda, Yoga’s sister discipline.

Wishing you good health and much success in all your efforts, with special encouragement to practice consistently!

Diane Calabria, Shanti Yoga Center Teacher