INDU ARORA. - SOMA;100 HERITAGE RECIPES FOR SELF-CARE

Indu Arora

SOMA

100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care

YogSadhna Inc

Minneapolis, MN

DISCLAIMER

This book is not intended to treat, diagnose, or prescribe. The information contained herein is in no way to be considered as a substitute for a duly licensed health professional.

YogSadhna Inc, Minneapolis, MN

2020 YogSadhna and Indu Arora

Photographs 2020 by YogSadhna and Indu Arora

Illustrations 2020 by YogSadhna and Indu Arora

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

The information in this book has been carefully produced, and all efforts have been made to ensure accuracy. YogSadhna and Indu Arora assume no responsibility for any injury suffered or for damages or losses incurred during the use of or as a result of following this information. It is important to study all directions carefully before taking any action based on the information in this book. Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by YogSadhna and Indu Arora is implied.

Published 2020.

Creative Coordinator: Agota Sesztak

Editor: Lizzie Leone

E- Book Cover Design: Jnos Grfl

E-Book Design: Mayfly Design

Illustrator: Ruby Lockard

Photographer: Miln Tth

ISBN-13: 978-0-578-72943-5

To All Those Who Mother

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya

Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya

Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya

Om Shantih Shantih Shantih

- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28

Lead me from untruth toward truth

from darkness toward light

from death toward the nectar of immortality

Om Peace Peace Peace

In thy name, In thy lotus feet

Contents

Preface

SOMA is an homage to the fragrant years of my childhood spent with my grandmother. It is an offering to her tender, yet strong hands that made those bitter, yet healing concoctions, pastes, and oils. It is in gratitude to my mother (and all those who mothered) whose nurturing and caring hands made those healing salves and healing soups. It is a collection of those secret recipes that are passed on from generation to generation.

It is so that those heritage formulas shared by my Guru, which have transformative and nourishing properties, benefit many. It is so that her Yogic revelations are not lost in the crease of time. It is to live by and open the doors to the heritage recipes of kitchen pharmacy and Yogic Wisdom. These are the fragrant flowers that I picked in my childhood and growing years, it is these drops of nectar that I still yearn to collect, live, and pass on.

Each of these 100 recipes is picked carefully for you, dear reader, to bring ease in pain, peace to an ailing heart, and rest to the tired bodies. May each recipe open the doors of healing, self-empowerment, peace, and rest for you. May you pass on this book as a heritage to the generations to come. May we never hoard the pearls of wisdom, but share them responsibly and tend to the eternal flame of life.

My humble bows to all those who mother, who insist on sharing, and those who keep this ancient healing wisdom alive.

SOMA means tender, soft, radiant rays of the moon. It is the nectar of the moon. When the mind is peaceful, it called saumya which means moon-like. The tender, gentle, benevolent, kind love and nourishing care of someone who mothers is called saumyata .

I

Dancing to the Tune of Circadian Rhythms

Solar Routine/A.M. Care

No. 1. I Wake up Grrroggy

We have rituals and routines for after we wake up, but how do you actually wake up?

Groggy, tired, and heavy?

Most of the time, we wake up with the sound of an alarm, a list of things to do, fear of missing out, or just because we have no other choice.

Cultivate the ritual of waking up consciously. How?

Atma Tattva Avalokanam the practice of waking up with awareness of the real Self.

Atma means Self, tattva means the substance, and avalokanam means the act of witnessing.

As you are in the process of waking up, observe if it is touch, sound, thought, emotion, fragrance, or light that catches your attention. You will be surprised to observe that this process began long before you actually opened the eyes.

Now, consciously bring your awareness to the seat of the soulyour heartand just stay therethinking nothing, feeling nothing, wanting nothingsimply witnessing the quiet, still, content presence.

Let this experience guide your day. Let it become your baseline to return to when anything goes south; bring the conscious awareness to this seat of the soul. Bring yourself to balance. Within a matter of one week you will notice a remarkable shift in your waking up process. Just do it!

No. 2. Did You Wake up with the Wrong Foot?

Different cultures have different expressions for it:

I woke with the wrong foot.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

I dont know whose face I saw first thing in the morning to have such a day!

What if all of this actually has some meaning? Have you heard about Swara Yoga , the yoga of rhythms (of breath)?

According to this practice, we can change our mind, emotions, health, and experiences by making slight, but precise, changes in our breath. Now, it is a very complex subject and I hope that you will look it up after reading this.

Breath is the most loyal, sincere, ever-present, ever-willing, selfless, dedicated companion that we can have in this lifetime. It is present from the first heartbeat to the last. Once we are sincerely interested in our breath, we show the first signs of interest in knowing Self.

For now, I am sharing a very simple but effective practice so that you dont have to ever say or feel this way: I woke up with the wrong foot.

Swara Yoga: Right upon waking, after opening the eyes, check from which nostril you are dominantly breathing. Place your index finger under the nose by extending it horizontally. Become aware (with the sense of touch), from which side of the nostril you feel the active flow of exhalation.

Now, close the dominant nostril and actively inhale and exhale from the blocked nostril for about 1-2 minutes. This will switch the breath activity. Now, you have balanced the flow of energy in your body. Step down from the bed and have the best day ever!