What the heck is Kitchari?!

One word: AWESOME!

Kitchari is a one-pot meal that is used for whole-food cleansing as well as just a yummy, super-nourishing meal that you can prepare once and eat for days. It is a great way to take care of yourself when things are stressful, providing a healthful and delicious meal to soothe and comfort your belly and body.

So often, when we're stressed, we reach for the thing that we think is easiest. In my journey with food and health, I have for sure fallen into the perceived comfort of cheese fries and a big fat diet coke, and have noticed that the initial sensation of satisfaction (and numbing) quickly dissolves into feeling truly terrible, heavy, bloated and usually sad and anxious-the exact opposite of the stress-relief I was originaly seeking!

I know it's easy to think that these "hippie dippe" ways of being and eating come naturally to me, but as I often say in class, one of the reasons I feel so inspired to teach is because I have really struggled to find these tidbits of peace and health, each hard-fought. I know what it is like to keep banging my head against the same wall, and wonder why my head keeps hurting. I want to share what I have been given, and hopefully help lighten the load for someone else.

So here it is one of the gems I have found along the way: Kitchari. I hope you'll enjoy it, and from time-to-time, when things in your life are a bit bumpy, put a pot on the stove, instead of heading for the drive through.
KITCHARI
from Keli Lailita Reddy with help from Gerhard Schmid
Part 1:
1c Basmati Rice (rinsed)
1c Split Yellow Daal (rinsed)
3 Tbsp Ghee
up to 3" chunk of ginger peeled and grated (quantity to taste)
1 to 1 & 1/2 Tbsp Mustard Seeds (quantity to taste)
Place Ghee in a small cooking pot, fry seeds and ginger until the seeds pop and crackle. Add the rice and daal and cook until the rice goes from clear-ish to cloudy-ish.

Part 2:
Add some chopped vegetables-you choose the ones you like. I often use carrot (1 or 2), celery (1 or 2 stalks), zucchini, cauliflower (half a head), and broccoli (half a head). You can also add sweet potato(yam), or at the end, add kale or spinach (I LOVE to add kale!)

Once the veggies are in, add:
1-2 tsp Hing (asafoetida)
2tsp-2 Tbsp Sambar Mix
Salt and Pepper to taste (I use about 1 & 1/2tsp salt & 2tsp pepper)
Add 1 & 1/2 c coconut milk, then top off with water until the liquid rises 2" above the mix.

Cook 45 minutes, checking occaisnally to stir and add more water if necessary (the consistency should be about as think as oatmeal).

Just before removing from stove top, add leafy vegetables & cook until wilted.

Remove from stove & serve! You can also garnish with cilantro...

Whatever is left can be kept in the fridge for about 4-5 days max, or freeze in portions & quickly reheat on the stove.

All the unusual ingredients like split yellow daal, sambar mix & hing can be found at India Unlimited on Foothill Drive, and I like the Ghee at Whole Foods. Please let me know if you try it & how it goes by replying to this blog, or email me at jenniferellen@flowyogaslc.com .

Om Love!

Ummmm....was I going to write a blog?

Isn't it just like that? Action and Intention, Action and Intention. In my yoga classes we often work through the paradigm of adding action to intention, and thus achieving what we seek; yoga, union, peace. What happens when there is so much action, that intention gets pushed aside, forgotten, or simply made to wait? Does that mean there is less yoga, less peace, less union?

As I fell into the deep well of Kalari at the retreat in Latvia, the practice was so intense, that there was little room for anything else, like blogging, returning emails, just barely enough room to keep the studio flowing, and not burn the building down (with great support from Amanda!).

When I arrived home, jet-lagged and inspired, but exhausted, I had 197 emails in my inbox & guess what? A Master Class, my own teaching schedule, and a Kalari retreat beginning here at Flow-with others starting around the country and needing information, photos, flights booked...not to mention a husband living in Toronto, and a sweet Buttercup the dog starving for my attention. What to do, what to do?

Once again the message is soooo clear: SURRENDER.

I have been carving out time in the in-between moments for my meditation practice, eating as much wholesome, nourishing food as possible (cooking at home), and maintaining a somewhat consistent sleep schedule. Some things, like this blog have been put on the back burner, but this is the rhythm that I can sustain, and isn't that what we work for in each yoga class? We work on finding the level of intensity that we can sustain, lettting the rest go, laying down the ego...the ego that says we should stay up until 4am taking care of all those emails & just grab a 'double double with whip' at Starbucks in the morning to keep us going.

So I am, again, letting go, and doing the best that I can-neglected blog and all. I hope that you're letting go and doing the best that you can, too.

Let's make it a collective intention: for fall-to-winter transitions surrender to what is, do our best to stay connected, and find peace to let go what we can not reasonably sustain.

From Aubri...Treatment in Latvia

There are no words to express what an amazing, powerful experience it has been to receive from Sherifka’s teachings while attending this kalari workshop. His wisdom in various facets of the human experience leaves me awed and inspired.

I feel very blessed to be receiving kalari massage treatments from Sherifka while here. The treatments are to continue the healing process in my sacrum. They are done with specific oils in specific places; for me they have consisted of both hand massage and manipulation techniques. Through a few snaps, crackles, and pops, my body feels like it has returned to a more balanced state. It amazes me how Sherifka knows the exact points to be adjusted before he touches my body.

Today I began wearing a kacha (long fabric) tied around my hip area to keep everything more tight and supported while practicing. It made a world of difference. Though having this slightly restricts my range of motion, the feeling of being strong and stable in this area is amazing.

I am very grateful for my teachers, providing me the opportunity to grow in my practice, heal my body, and continually open my eyes to the depths of the kalari practice.

Riga (Latvia)

Well, it's official, we're training like Latvians in India. Let me explain: The latvians have a reputation in the kalari for being like machines, no matter what they're given, they do it and more and more and more. Aubri and I were a bit worried about this, but we figured that Sherifka would slow them down, and yesterday's 25 minute practice gave us hope...but then today.

All I can say is, in the words of the great Axel Rose (Guns n Roses) "Welcome to the Jungle".  Those of you who practice Kalari might appreciate this. After warm-ups & kicks we did two salutation forms,  1st Shiva form twice,  Shiva 2 form once, 1st Shakti form twice, THEN, we moved on to long stick before finishing. For those of you who haven't practiced Kalari, it's like a freakin' triathalon! Needless to say,  I could barely make it to the shower & breakfast, but since we're on Indian training schedule, there is no rest until after lunch (although I may have cheated just a little...Aubri too).

A wonderful walk in the forest really evoked the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. It is so lush and beatiful! Berries and mushrooms, frogs, birds and all manner of bug  & creature there. After the morning, it all felt like a dream.

For the 4pm practice, we were told it would be easier, but I remembered from India that this was a load of crap fed to us so we actually show up for practice, and I was right. Our 'easy' practice constsisted of more warm-ups, salutation form, 1st shiva, Shakti forms 1-4 (thats right 1,2,3 &4 done straight through), Southern salutation, then, Merry Christmas... more long stick! HOLY COW!

After dinner, Sherifka gave a lecture in the form of question and answer, and once again, I was humbled and so grateful to have stumbled on to this path. I was moved to tears. Everything so big, and so simple.

If this is the 1st day, I am truly afraid for what happens tomorrow & the next day. But you wanna know what? I LOVE IT!!!!

Hamburg

Aubri & met in the airport in Boston & with that, we were off! A quick stop in Paris, and finally arriving in Hamburg at 9am. Sleepy, but glad to have finally arrived, we were met by Gerhard, who took us for a bite to eat, gave us some blankets & pillows & dropped us at his beautiful studio, Sutra to rest until later.

After a long nap, we walked to the harbor & checked out this totally amazing elevator system for cars to travel from one side of the river to another. It was originally constructed fr horses and buggies, but has been adapted over the years to accomodate cars as well. I have to admit, my fear of heights was in full swing looking down, but what an amazing thing to behold!

Today, the "In the Flow" thing happened. Aubri and I have had a hard time finding places that have soy milk for tea, so when we saw a Starbucks, we stopped for hot tea with soy. Well, we sat down & instantly, Aubri locked eyes with the person sitting directly across from her. I wasn't really payng attention, but she started hitting me, totally speechless. It was SHERIFKA! Our Indian Gurukkal, and the whole purpose of this trip! I abolutely could not believe it, as he has been staying about 2 hours north of the city & we are meeting up with him early tomorrow morning.

It just goes to show, when you are truly in the flow, your family travels with you wherever you are.

Boston

Because of the last-minute trip to Quebec, I had to do a bit of shuffling of flights for my long-planned trip to Riga, Latvia, where I will be attending a great gathering of most of the teachers in the lineage of Kalari to which I belong. Our Indian Gurukal, Sherifka will be leading workshops and teaching the teachers, and I am so looking forward to being there.

So in order to catch my regularly scheduled flight without traveling all the way back to SLC, I drove with Michael's Uncle Guntram & Aunt Edie, their daughter, Ari & her wife Tina- to their home in Boston, where I will meet up with Aubri on the plane to Paris, Hamburg and ultimately, Riga.

I remembered that one of my favorite friends,  Roberto (who also travels with and assists my yoga teacher, Shiva Rea) lives in Boston, too. So a quick text & lo and behold, he was taching a class last night.  With a quick tutorial on the workings of the Boston Ungerground from Edie, I was on my way.

Roberto was delightful as always, and his class was just what the Dr. ordered, after all the traveling, the buzz of the family gathering and a long car ride. The yoga class was such an affirmation, to realize that each time I step into practice, no matter where I am on the earth, I am home. After class, we shared some snacks & chat, then a luxury: Roberto drove me back to Guntram & Edies,another long and satisfying day complete.

This morning has been an affirmation in a different way. More along the lines of yoga 'off the mat'. Guntram is German Catholic & Edie is American Jewish. They are both activists & powerful advocates of humanity & the earth. Guntram is working on a ballot initiative to end the production of Nuclear weapons & get rid of the ones we have, Edie is a poet (among many other things) who is preparing for her reading this evening.

To watch their life rhythm, and hear Edie's poetry has been a lesson in living to the fullest, following passion and ideals, and loving. Although neither practices 'yoga', they live the principles of authenticity, expansion, seeing the divine in all, and service every day-although to ask them, they just do what they do. Inspiring.

Prayer

 by Edie Aronowitz Mueller

The Sinai sun

white-washes the sky,

bleaches the sand,

wraps you in such heat

you can finally breathe.

Eyes scrunched against the light

you learn to smell rain

days before a cloud

nuzzles the horizon.

Every bush burns

a name for God.

On the Road Again

Labor Day Weekend.

I flew to Burlington, Vermont on Friday, where my (newly employed!) husband, Michael, and his father had driven across the border from Canada to pick me up for the annual Mueller family reuion at Sutton, Quebec. It was around midnight and I was tired, but very glad to see Michael, especially since his new job is in Toronto &  we'll have a long-distance marriage for a while.

It is a great thing to be in these rolling lush mountains & feel the crisp air as the season begins to change. I can't help but take deep breaths and begin to integrate all the firey-ness of the summer. What a lesson in transformation it has been. From death, to illness, to shifts in my marriage, the studio and my home, the summer never let up its metaphorical heat. But with fall comes a sense of internal groundedness. I am beginning to feel the peace of that grounding , and for that, I am grateful.

As I begin the fall season, I am looking forward to assisting and hosting some fantastic workshops (in the U.S. and abroad...more on that later), to traveling and coming home. To meeting new students, teachers and friends and deepening connections with my current sangha.

For now, as we honor our working lives and take a break this Labor Day, I am drinking the air, feeling my feet in the grass, reading reading reading, and thinking of how lucky I am to be awake and alive.

The pond, Danielle, Andrew and the mountains.