Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 7, 2015

9

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 7, 2015 


THE JOY OF YOGA

MEDITATION VS. MEDITATIVE 


DON’T BE A TICKING TIME BOMB

There was a funny 
blurb going around 
about two dogs 
who were talking 
about meditation. 
One dog said to the 
other, “The trick is 
that you have to STAY...” Ha! 

 For many years, I considered meditating as 
an activity I could do anywhere, anytime. I’d be 
driving, for example, and place all of my attention 
on the Divine. I thought this was “meditating”. Or 
I’d do something I loved to do, golf, attend a yoga 
class or hike. I felt serene while doing these things. 
My heart was full. I’d call this my “meditation”. 
You may have your own activities that you love--
gardening, hiking or possibly knitting. The stress 
relief can be amazing and healing. These activities 
can be called meditative. They put you closer to your 
inner self, with conscious placement of your energy. 

 It was not until learning actual meditation 
techniques, and experiencing a number of sessions 
of seated meditation did I feel and know the 
difference. 

 Meditation, or devotion to the Divine, is sustained 
concentration on a single object, mantra, or simply 
hearing the breath. It’s usually done while seated 
comfortably. Meditation also involves stillness and 
steadiness, or what’s called Kaya Sthira. You may 
reach a point when the mind becomes one pointed 
and enters the state of Samadhi, or total bliss with 
complete spiritual absorption. This experience 
could last a few seconds or longer depending. 
Getting still in meditation is important and part 
of the learning process. It’s hard to stay still! Even 
sitting with a sustained internal focus (head busy or 
not), just breathing is meditating. 

 One of the many great things about meditation 
is its availability! Rain or Shine, injury, no injury, 
it’s available and free. You still get to enjoy and love 
doing all the wonderful active things that make life 
full and rich. A great setup in fact, for some time 
sitting in Meditation.

See you in class!

Namaste friends, 

Keely Totten

Yoga Madre 

High blood pressure 
in American is 
all too common. 
Blood pressure is 
determined from 
the amount of blood 
your heart pumps 
and the amount of 
blood flow resistance 
in your arteries. The 
more blood your 
heart pumps and 
the narrower your 
arteries, the higher 
your blood pressure. 
When the force of 
the blood against 
your artery walls 
gets high enough, it 
may eventually cause 
health problems such 
as heart disease. You can have high blood pressure 
and not have any symptoms which is why heart 
disease is called the silent killer. 

I am often asked what can be done to lower blood 
pressure naturally besides diet and exercise. Here are 
my recommendations:

- Flaxseed: 30 g/day milled.

- Garlic: Eat 2 fresh chopped cloves on salad or 
veggies.

- Beets: Regularly consume beets (the effects are 
accentuated by sunlight exposure).

- Cocoa: Eat 85% chocolate, 2/3 oz. per day.

- Green tea or Hibiscus tea: Consume 2 to 3 cups a 
day.

- Salt: Reduce to 3 g/day and increase potassium

- Berries: Consume a serving of strawberries, 
blueberries or raspberries every day.

 Combine these foods with diet and lifestyle 
changes, such as losing weight, getting enough 
quality sleep and lowering alcohol intake and you 
will begin to lower your blood pressure naturally. 
Talk to your healthcare practitioner for other herbal 
options.

Dr. Tina is a traditional 
naturopath and nutritionist 
at Vibrant Living 
Wellness Center