The Ayurvedic Experience - February 9

The Ayurvedic Experience February 9

We met in his bedroom – interesting, eh? Actually, Dr. Ravishankar (yes, I know, amusing) was staying in one of the 4 apartments in the VIP building – his unit was right across the hall from Kavita’s. He will be here for a short time and decided to see clients in his unit. Indian beds are platforms on legs – with about a 3-inch very, very firm mattress on top. Indians put a sheet on the mattress then use a duvet-type blanket. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed and invited me to join him. I told him I can’t cross my right leg (the knee won’t bend properly) so I sat with my left knee crossed with my right leg hanging off the side of the bed. “If you are comfortable that is all that matters,” he said.

Once settled, I looked up and there, staring at me from Ravishankar’s computer laptop, was the face of my “swami” – the author of Autobiography of a Yogi – the book that Patty Cullen told me was one of my brother David’s favorites. I was a little surprised at, once again, this man’s entrance into my life. I asked about it and Ravishankar said that Paramahansa Yogananda was his own spiritual guide and he kept his photo with him at all times. Where is the woo-woo music when things like this happen? I enjoyed the book, although I struggled a bit to get through it. It was interesting, but not earth-shaking – I mean, he calls Luther Burbank a saint? So why does he keep appearing? I don’t get it!

Ravishankar asked me to take off my watch and any jewelry that might have an astrological significance. I told him I had no idea because I don’t know much about astrology (Unenlightened One, here). He looked at my two rings and bracelet and asked me to remove the rings. He took my left wrist and felt my pulse. I closed my eyes and frantically tried to meditate so I would be oh so calm for this reading. (I am fine, I am fine, there is nothing wrong with me. No, wait, that’s visualization. Okay, Sha-ring, Sha-ring, Sha-ring – I am fine - Sha-ring, Sha-ring, Sha-ring . . .the darn mantra never seems to help when needed!) His hand stayed on my wrist. I tried to breathe calmly and he kept pressing gently. After the longest 7 minutes imaginable, he wrote some things on a form. Then he held my right wrist and felt its pulse for another 3 minutes – again jotting things down. Then he looked at my tongue, felt my fingernails, asked some basic info about urine/bowels (let’s get personal right away, here). Finally, he paused for about a minute and then began to speak.

Ravishankar: Dough-na (I am getting quite used to the Indian pronunciation of my name), why do you live this way? Why do you try to do 10-12 things at once? You don’t really do any of them well, you know, because you are so scattered. I know you are grieving about past losses but this won’t help and you have been leading this scattered life for at least 20 years. You are a Kapha (or whatever is the Ayurvetic name for my type) but you have been trying to transform yourself into a Pittta (again, don’t know the correct name). You are not a Pittta. You are a creative Kapha but you aren’t giving yourself time to be who you are meant to be. You eat too fast. You don’t chew your food enough. You don’t eat at regular times. You are eating too much raw food. You must stop eating meat. Tell me about your eating schedule.

Dough-na: Well, I grab breakfast - when I eat it; I often eat lunch in front of my computer - but I usually fix dinner – and it is often made from fresh foods, lots of salads. I really don’t eat much packaged stuff. Well, there’s the packaged snack stuff I eat on the run – but some of it is good – oh, well, yes, it is often raw – veggies, salad, and so on.

Ravishankar: Dough-na, listen to what you just said. You are not focused. When you live this way, you end up doing nothing well.

Dough-na – Well, yes, I do try to do 10-12 things at once – but, in my defense, I think I get at least 9 of them done, and I think they are done well.

Ravishankar: And how much time is left for living in the present, for enjoying the moment?

Dough-na: Uhhhhhh (voice fading off into nothingness as I review my typical day - up by 8, going from task to task, getting to bed between 1 and 2 each morning). Well, I find time to occasionally have tea with friends, and I belong to 3 book clubs (oops – maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that I belong to 3 – I notice his eyebrow just went up a bit), and I have traveled a lot, and, ummm . .

Ravishankar: Dough-na, think what you would become if you focused on 1 or 2 things. Your creativity is great but you have stretched it to cover all the things you try to do. You are NOT living in the present. You jump from concerns about the past to tasks for the future, back to the past - but where is the NOW? Where is the quiet time to enjoy the present? Stop and think. What are you doing? Help me. Please describe a wonderful day in your life.

Dough-na: Oh, that’s easy. The very best day of my life was my daughter’s wedding. The whole family was together. It was beautiful (I start to drift off into the memory of weaving the hydrangea petals into the arbor, watching the lights come on all over the garden, walking around the garden - in awe at its beauty, etc)

Ravishankar: And during that day did you worry about past events or future tasks?

Dough-na: No, it was perfect from the minute I woke up until I went to bed. I just enjoyed each and every minute. (Damn, I see what’s coming. I’ve just proved his point.)

Ravishankar: Dough-na – that is how you should live every day – in the moment.

Dough-na – Wait a minute, I had to plan that day. It didn’t just happen.

Ravi: Did you enjoy planning it?

Dough-na – Loved it. It was lots of fun – every minute of it (Oh, crap, I guess I was living in the present those days too – proving his point AGAIN).

Ravishankar: Dough-na, you have to slow down. What are you doing here at the Ashram?

Dough-na – Well I am only teaching 2 classes per day, oh, and doing the 5th grade study session each afternoon – oh, and meeting with some teachers (that eyebrow of his is starting to twitch again).

Ravishankar: Dough-na, why did you come here?

Dough-na: Well, I wanted to help in the orphanage but it seems like the school needs me more.

Ravishankar: Dough-na, let me say it again. Do one thing and put all your creativity into it.

Dough-na: Hmm, I hate to tell you this, but when I was only doing one thing I was so bored I was actually thinking about going home early. That’s why I’ve been looking for more to do.

Ravishankar: Do one thing. Do one thing you really want to do. Enjoy it. Then take a walk, Dough-na, and enjoy the walk. Notice everything. Before each meal, inhale the aroma of the food and enjoy it. Savor each mouthful. Chew it well. Find time to meditate if that’s what you want to do. Enjoy the sun. Be quiet. Take the time to listen to what your inner self is telling you. Have balance in your day. Be the Kapha you are supposed to be. You have no idea what is waiting for you when you finally allow yourself to be who you are meant to be. Stop trying to be what you are not.

Then he reviewed my diet:
No more raw food
No meat
Anything sweet (including fruit) is not to be eaten with a meal but one hour after
No water with meals – drink it one half-hour after.
Fish is okay
He will send me the specifics in an email

Then we practiced breathing. Yes, a consequence of hurry-hurry-hurry is that I am a shallow breather. I have to start by expanding my chest, then my stomach – and do it for 5 minutes, 6 times a day. I should be taking 7 breaths per minute, not more. And LIVE IN THE PRESENT.

My time was up. I paid him 500 rupees ($12.50). He asked me what I was going to do next. HAH - I knew the answer. “I am going to get up and walk out of the room.”

He laughed.

I have much to think about.