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I downloaded a yoga nidra tape from the 80’s that is no longer available

Extract taken from an Article By Swami Satyananda Saraswati
“What is the Meaning of Hari Om Tat Sat
Hari Om Tat Sat’ – ancient mantra derived from the Vedas.
‘Hari Om’ is one mantra and ‘Tat Sat’ is another.
Together ‘Hari Om Tat Sat’: – means ‘This is Truth’. That what I see with my eyes and what is beyond my eyes are the same, not different things. The creator and creation are not two. The creator did not create the creation, but he has manifested or transformed himself into the creation
‘Hari’ – represents the universe and life manifest.
‘Om’ – represents reality not manifest and absolute. By the word ‘reality’, I mean total existence. You can also use the word reality, existence, God, Brahman, absolute are all synonyms but do not effectively define it.
Hari Om Tat Sat – I remember that the visible and the invisible are one.
Hari Om Tat with you”
From Yoga Magazine (August 2007)

In Ayurveda we recommend a daily routine to nourish the whole being to bring yourself into balance, part of this daily routine is doing exercise that suits the constitution (Prakriti) we have humours called vata pitta and kapha doshas (tridoshas (three doshas) are energetic forces that influence us and nature). The doshas can get out of balance due to our lifestyle, the way we think and the seasons – so putting in place a daily routine that nourishes us helps to combat this. Part of my daily routine is to walk down the beach or in nature not only is it great exercise it helps to connect to the elements of the doshas. All the doshas are made up of elements Vata (air & space), Pitta (water & fire) Kapha (earth & water) – the beach nourishes all the elements – walking in the sand EARTH the ocean WATER sun FIRE sea breeze AIR the uplifting feeling of the natural setting ETHER (SPACE) balances the doshas in good weather. If it is cold and windy or extremely hot it can aggravate the doshas, but in great weather where it is not too hot, cold or windy it is very balancing to the whole being.

Ojas – means strength/vigour/energy/power. It is the essence that is converted from pure sattwic food we consume which becomes our body tissues. In ayurveda we call these tissues dhatus which are Rasa (plasma), Rakta (blood), Mamsa (muscle), Asthi (bone) Medas (fat), Majja (marrow), Shukra (reproductive fluid) – Ojas. Ojas is located in the heart (Para ojas – 8 drops) and is all over the body (Apara ojas) and is responsible for good health and nourishing the whole body and mind. Ojas can be in excess or decreased which is a discussion for another time. When a person has good ojas he or she will have a radiant beautiful complexion, eyes that sparkle, clear mind, is rarely sick, feels rested, good digestion, the tongue is a healthy color, good physical strength, feels light, full of energy, balanced and centred.

A good supplement to take to increase ojas is ghee dates.

Recipe

14 dates, pour 250mls ghee over them with fresh ginger, fennel & cumin seeds – let sit for 10 days then consume 1 date per day.

Ayurvedic nutrition – there are six tastes that balance the doshas:

Sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent.

Vata – salty, sour and sweet
Pitta – sweet, bitter and astringent
Kapha – pungent, bitter and astringent

According to Ayurveda these 6 tastes are recommended to be taken in each meal. If that is not possible then the 6 tastes can be taken throughout the day.
Dietary suggestions for the tastes are:
Sweet – sugar, honey, fruit juice, wheat bread, milk, butter, potato, apple, fresh figs cardamom, ghee, liquorice, fish, oils, beets, cucumber and plums etc..
Sour – lemons, tamarind, banana, yoghurt, vinegar, cheese, fermented foods, green grapes, pickles etc…
Salty – salts, fast foods, seaweed/foods, kelp
Pungent – eggs, black pepper, onion, radish, garlice, ginger sunflower oil asafoetida, clove pumpkin seeds, chilli etc..
Bitter – fenugreek, goldenseal, dark leaf greens, caffeine, tumeric, dandelion & gentian root etc…
Astringent – cauliflower, cinnamon, spinach, unripe banana, pomegranate, cranberries, lentils, broccoli, beans, celery and cabbage etc…

Autumn is ruled by the vata dosha. In ayurveda diet and lifestyle for your constitution (prakruti) and any imbalances you may have (vikruti) are recommended but also adjustments are recommended to be made for the season. Because the vata dosha rules autumn ayurveda recommends keeping this dosha balanced by doing things to pacify it (sooth it). Such as eating porridges for breakfast and soups, warm foods and bread without yeast (as this causes wind) dhals, steamed vegetables, basmati rice with added ghee for lunches (eat at 12pm) and dinners (eat at 6pm) and having a nap in the afternoon helps sooth vata.

Herbal teas such as – CCF tea (coriander, cumin and fennel tea) and ginger, cinnamon and clove tea is good to take to improve digestion.

Ghee is an oil, it can bond with lipid-soluble nutrients and herbs to penetrate the lipid-based cell walls in the body. It increases the potency of some herbs (carrying them) to the interior of the cells where they give the most benefit.

It acts as a preservative and does not spoil easily and preserves the freshness and potency of herbs and foods. There is no need to refrigerate it.

Ghee helps digestion by balancing excess stomach acid, and helps to maintain/repair it’s mucus lining.

Helps with mild burns preventing blisters and scarring if applied quickly to affected skin.
The mind also benefits from the intake of ghee it promotes the 3 functioning aspects – learning, memory and recall.
Ghee improves intelligence, memory, ingenuity, keenness of digestion, long life, semen (sexual vigour) and eyesight.
It is good for children, the aged, those who desire more children, keeping the body supple and a pleasant voice and much more.

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ।।

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe

Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam

Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaat

Mrityormuksheeya maamritaat

Translation

We worship the three-eyed one (Lord Shiva),

who is fragrant and who nourishes all beings; may

he liberate me from death, for the sake of

immortality, even as the cucumber is severed

from its bondage (of the creeper).

EXERT FROM JAPA YOGA – A COMPREHENSIVE TREATISE ON MANTRA-SASTRA BY SWAMI SIVANANDA

“This Maha-Mrityunjaya Mantra is a life-giving mantra. In these days, when life is very complex, accidents are an everyday affair, this mantra wards off deaths by snake-bites, lightning, motor-accidents, fire accidents, cycle accidents, water accidents, air accidents and accidents of all descriptions. Besides, it has a great curative effect. Again, diseases pronounced incurable by doctors are cured by this mantra, when chanted with sincerity, faith and devotion. It is a weapon against all diseases. It is a mantra to conquer death.

It is also a moksha mantra. It is Lord Shiva’s mantra. It bestows health (Arogya), long life (Deergha-Ayus), peace (Shanti), wealth (Aisvarya), prosperity (Pushti), satisfaction (Tushti) and immortality (Moksha).

On your birthday repeat this mantra one lakh times or at least 50,000 times, perform Havan and feed Sadhus, the poor and the sick. This will bestow on you health, long life, peace, prosperity and moksha.”