Ishan Shivanand Discusses How YOI Can Help the GI Yogi
“The mind, as we all know, is tremendously complex,” says Ishan, “and during war, veterans are placed in incredibly stressful situations that leave them with memories they often struggle to deal with when they return home.”
The horrors of war and its effects on soldiers have been well-documented in the medical field. Whether vets fought in World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, or elsewhere, they report nightmares, heightened reactions to the slightest sounds, depression, and thoughts of suicide. While memories are lifelong and cannot be banished, the question is whether vets must continue to suffer the effects of what they witnessed in battle. Ishan Shivanand, a monk who founded Yoga of Immortals (YOI), believes that veterans can, indeed, be freed of PTSD, and he is dedicating his life to using YOI’s holistic, meditative, cognitive, mind-oriented approach to help heal them.
“The mind, as we all know, is tremendously complex,” says Ishan, “and during war, veterans are placed in incredibly stressful situations that leave them with memories they often struggle to deal with when they return home.”
To better understand the needs of veterans, Ishan spent a lot of time talking to them as well as to psychologists. “I wanted to understand PTSD as well as the current ways of treating it so that I could see if YOI could be beneficial,” he says. “I learned from professionals that cognitive behavior therapy, a form of psychotherapy, is commonly used and that antidepressants may also be prescribed.”
Ishan says that from listening to veterans, he saw the potential for YOI to help. “While today’s treatments are excellent, they are not always successful. YOI, I think, can help veterans overcome PTSD without the use of medication.”
YOI, he explains, is based on Vedic principles that can improve a person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual health. “5,000 years ago, our ancestors knew their power, and while society has changed over the centuries, people are not so different. These ancient Indian modalities are still able to heal the practitioner today.”
Ishan states that he and YOI’s doctors have come to believe that YOI is a good option for vets with PTSD. “The reason centers on what happens when a person diligently practices YOI for at least 15-30 minutes each day,” he says. “The goal of our meditation sessions is for the vet to create a mental oasis in their mind, one where they are aware of what happened to them in conflict but where the memory cannot affect them.”
YOI has the potential to accomplish this because it helps practitioners to develop a strong sense of their body versus the memories that are plaguing them. “Often, vets are assailed by flashbacks and memories that they feel they cannot control or stop,” Ishan says. “The memories are, in effect, assaulting the vet, and without the ability to stop them, the vet continues to be in a heightened state of stress.”
YOI, Ishan believes, can stop this by allowing the practitioner to develop a mental barrier between the center of their mind and the memories. “They will not forget what they saw in war,” he says. “What can happen, though, is that those memories no longer have the ability to interrupt the vet’s daily life, and this can give them the mental space to deal with the memories when they are ready. They can simply breathe freely again.”
Ishan says the evidence for YOI’s ability to heal practitioners is backed by science. During the pandemic, when people worldwide were experiencing more stress and anxiety, he and his team conducted an in-depth study of the effects of their comprehensive, structured, mind-body YOI program on 1,505 participants.
“We worked with doctors and psychologists, and we gave participants access to our app,” he says. “For eight weeks, they followed our modalities. There were four check-in points during the study, and at the end, the results were amazing. Severe insomnia had been reduced by 80%, 72% of participants had experienced a reduction in depressive symptoms, 75% had a decrease in generalized anxiety, and 77% had an improvement in their quality of life. It was the scientific proof we needed to prove that YOI, properly practiced, can make a tremendous difference in a person’s health.”
Today, Ishan continues to reach out to veterans so they can know they have another option for treating their PTSD. “It is a true blessing to hear back from them that their nightmares have stopped and that they feel like themselves again,” he says. “It reaffirms my belief that YOI can ease the suffering of veterans and of so many others in our world.”
Through the scientifically-backed meditation techniques taught by Ishan Shivanand and Yoga of Immortals, millions are finding relief from anxiety, anger, addictions, and other issues. For more information on how YOI can help you find your own peace, please contact him at [email protected] or visit:
https://m.facebook.com/IshanShivanand
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Pushcart Men
Jamaica vacation Paradise in the Caribbean there are many exotic phenomena to be discovered on the island either in the wild or on the roads and whoever comes to Jamaica can hardly Overlook these vehicles these wooden vehicles are called push carts and they can only be found here they serve as a means of Transport or mobile booths and they are cobbled together from simple materials [Music] [Applause] and sometimes they even become race cars the people of Jamaica always make the best out of what is available take it easy [Music] foreign [Music] beyond the beaches far from the tourist centers the rural face of Jamaica Rises up in the highlands encounters with push carts are rare after all it's not always going downhill foreign however there are plenty of exotic animals and plants a closer look reveals Little Gems of nature everywhere like the doctor bird the national bird of Jamaica grass-coated mountains and bamboo-covered valleys are pleasing for the eyes and senses in the Steep terrain most merchandise is transported by lorries this is not an ideal ground for muscle-driven vehicles but it'll work for short distances on the fertile soil in the mountains vegetables and fruit grow abundantly even a small garden is often enough to make a living especially when there's something left to be sold push carts play a major role for the farmers because the homemade construction of the vehicles doesn't cost much and so is simple and cheap for them to deliver fruit and vegetables to the closest green grocer or Market foreign banana pineapple ackee mango avocado or breadfruit almost all tropical fruits grow in Jamaica they owe their abundant growth to the fertile soil the tropical climate and not least to the wealth of water on the island the bigger part of the subsoil consists of porous Limestone that is dissolved in water and sedimented in glistening gradients a process which results in elaborate Limestone plateaus and waterfalls whose watercourses find their way bubbling and spluttering through the rainforest towards the sea foreign Rivers were often the only possibility to ship goods from the largely inaccessible plantations in the central areas to the densely populated coastlines bamboo rafts were the main vehicle of choice for this task built from strong trunks of dried bamboo they can endure rough passages they are robust and cost efficient like push carts steering the raft through the Rapids although his daily routine is a challenging job for the skipper it needs his full concentration of balance and skill to navigate it just right the working life of a raft is limited it lasts for about half a year until it is rotten then a new one will be built foreign tations and a cemetery indicate the vicinity of a settlement the load is approaching its destination and the ride will soon be over rafting is hard work but rarely fast paced like many other things here on the island after arrival at the jetty of the village in the coastal plain the raft is unloaded banana jelly of course onto a push cart [Applause] the transportation system around the big markets is ruled by push carts for many it is the only affordable means of transportation [Music] foreign vegetables are the main products and the basis for the tasty Cuisine of Jamaica the long aisles between the market stalls are the real domain of the push carts and here is also their origin at the end of last century the markets grew ever bigger and the distances therefore longer the idea of the steerable wooden Barrow was born and began its triumphal course throughout Jamaica [Music] they never ended developing and can now be found in a wide variety of forms outside the markets push carts are also on Vogue for delivery service in this case it's a consignment of building materials bamboo is not only used for rafts but for the construction of simple huts and racks as well Roy Collins has lived here for many years like some Jamaicans he is lucky to have a small piece of beach of his own with a modest dwelling on it sometimes he needs to improve and extend his living space building a roof for the kitchen maybe some benches and the construction material he has simply delivered by a push cart hauler foreign if I need them to bring something you know I could ask them and they will come you know even from Portmore if you go and get one you can transport something they said oh no problem you know as long as you can give them some money so it's not a problem and it's more it's not so expensive like the normal truck driving a push cart is not expensive but it is strenuous people used to mostly hard work you know they have the hard work for a little bit to eat you know we used to this kind of life so you know but if you don't work you don't eat so somewhere or the other you have to work so it doesn't matter if it's harder but easy you have to work the end of the day you have to eat operating a push cart is a modest means of making some money like the fishery around Jamaica but the struggle against the elements is a hard and dangerous way to make a living who owns a boat is often sharing it with others to reduce the fuel costs Roy is well equipped everything that is needed for fishing is Within Reach just outside his residence on the North Coast of Jamaica he shares the boat with colleagues and they were lucky today the sea was calm and the catch successful bonitos a species of tuna are the most treasured fish Erman I like the water I like a beach so you know and then it's more a little bit more slower for me in Jamaica I can take it more relaxed it's not so fast so you know and the life is a little bit more natural you know when you want to live like that so much stress and you know get away from most of the the headache and things and you you try to live a more simple life you know where you don't need so much expensive things and then you know sometimes you can't afford it so what you want to do live a simple life and you have less headache you know Kingston the capital of Jamaica is located on the southeast of the island about one million people live in the metropolitan area the city owes its existence to the enormous natural Harbor [Music] to live a simple life here is much more difficult than on the beach still Kingston without push carts it's hard to imagine they are in use in every Walk of Life standing up courageously to their motorized competitors for many it is the only possibility to survive downtown Kingston still holds many remnants of British colonialism that ended in 1962. but like the famous Ward Theater some historic buildings fall into ruins due to lack of funds well-kept statues however are abundant around William Grant Park historic and contemporary national heroes watch over the traffic chaos the greatest Hero has its own place Bob Marley the king of Reggae a world esteemed Rastafarian Idol and certainly the most famous Jamaican Kingston has an eventful past more than 300 years ago the harbor was already one of the most important in the Caribbean the Harbor Bay is naturally protected from the worst impacts of tropical storms by a language that also provides shelter for the local fishermen only a narrowed Channel offers an entrance to the protective area that all ships have to pass the infamous pirate town of Port Royal once stood on the tip of the peninsula well known as the most Lawless City in the Caribbean from where the Buccaneers sailed off on their raids in the 17th century till most of the city sank below sea level during an earthquake in 1692 causing the death of around 2 000 people since then Port Royal is only a small fishing Village at the entrance of the Harbor Bay Kingston was founded by the fugitives and survivors of the desecrated Port Royal and grew quickly into the biggest town of Jamaica the harbor is to date one of the largest in the Caribbean Mooring area for thousands of ocean liners every year and sometimes the domain of one or the other optimistic Angler whether tanker reefer or container ship they all seek daily the shelter of this secure port greenstone is um it's wild people especially if you go to your like you have a little bit value like you have a gold chain or yeah people will just you and try to to get it you know I grow with my grandmother and my aunties and my cousin and my never have a brother I have one brother I die a die when about 30 years ago now they die in Kingston where is um you know this gang war and you want to you want to get away and then kill him cut his neck and burn him and terrible thing you know because we're my mother living in a um in the city in the ghetto very terrible place two sides of the same coin the Magnificent colors of Nightfall in the Caribbean versus a brutal reality of violence and crime it's no wonder with an unemployment rate above 35 percent among the youth and still people come into town driven by the hope of finding their Fortune here coronation Market is the biggest Market in Jamaica an industrious flow of coming and going selling and buying vendors touting their goods and Shoppers chasing Bargains create an unmistakable soundscape and an atmosphere of permanent hustle and bustle this is where the push cart drivers find most of their work the affectionately constructed kitchen push carts are operating alongside the prevalent transport vehicles and follow them through the aisles all over the market [Music] where people work hard nutritious food is in demand the kitchen cart operators are the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave the market at closing time the transport push carts are often operated by teams depending on the workload the drivers alternate pushing and steering the heavy vehicle Demands a lot of strength it becomes easier in two-man teams and it is much more fun the transport routes between the market stalls are the expressways for the push carts [Music] and while some take a break to refine their skills in Jamaica's national game for others the daily routine continues as a rule push carts as simple steerable wheel barrows built from Timber although some are more elaborately constructed this here testifies to a glorious past as a race cut it's a status symbol because its owner is one of the champions of the famous Jamaican push cart Derbies that once took place in Kingston I love the push cartoons you know it is very attractive you know yeah when it was going on I was love it and I would like it to start back again after some accidents authorities banned the races in Kingston much to the driver's regret you're very lucky to come back mine I love it enough I love to race yeah man his races did not only attract a large number of Spectators they were also popular with the drivers because the first three to finish were rewarded with considerable bonuses they're with dreams could come true dreams that are Out Of Reach for the drivers in their normal daily life it's leisure time now for the rest of the evening after a Long Day's Work that started at five o'clock in the morning the push carts stay in the market chained it's the right time to have a drink in a local bar okay so why would I ask Ed they pour mainly rum here the Jamaican national drink what follows is a ritual celebrated all over the world the after work small talk s of conversation are much the same whether the latest price hikes the increasing traffic the quality of beer and rum and of course women [Music] thank you foreign [Music] is made from sugarcane which is cultivated large-scale in Jamaica actually the gigantic plantations main purpose is the manufacture of sugar one of the main exports of the island foreign but of course better known on an international level and certainly more popular is the Jamaica rum the juice extracted from sugarcane is fermented and eventually distilled the recipes are top secret and diligently guarded after the distillation process the rum has to ripen in wooden barrels it takes up to 15 years for Quality rum to get its typical flavor an Old Sugar Cane Mill from the late 19th century is kept in operation for demonstration purposes pastimes The Producers used water power for bigger quantities of sugarcane the relics of a 400 year old water wheel and the ruins of a sugarcane Mill originate from the Spanish era the settlers of Sevilla de la Nueva produced sugar for export to Europe only ruins are left of the colonist's constructions who arrived with the Royal conquistadors to claim the island on behalf of the Spanish crown the British expelled the Spaniards when they occupied Jamaica in 1655. their architectural imprints are all over the island one of the most impressive is colbeck Castle which serves as a fortress against possible Spanish retaliation built in the style of an Italian Mansion it was named after Colonel colbeck a soldier of the invading English troops who ruled his plantations from this extravagant residence nowadays the walls built from Limestone and red brick house only wild bees and lizards foreign 80 kilometers from Kingston is made pen its geographical position is almost in the center of the island founded as a plantation settlement by the British in 1660 it now has 60 000 inhabitants and is the capital and the largest town in the Parish of Clarendon okay the town's Center is very busy during the daily business hours and in between claiming their indispensable role as suppliers push carts mostly in modified forms in order to serve the purpose be it transporter deliverer or kiosk [Music] the large open-air Market is not only the trading center for products from the surrounding Villages but according to public Legend it is also the birthplace of the push carts and therefore it is only natural that the May Pen pushcard Derby takes place here everybody in town takes the upcoming event very seriously above all the representatives of the local authorities Richard's with me where car problem fell and principal Marshall and we are from the May Pen police station police officers from the Parish Traffic Department introduced the appropriate safety precautions the drivers participating in the race discussed the rules and regulations and at the end of the meeting agree to the most important principles safety and fairness first about to get you and for those without wheels the push cart Depot offers a vehicle to anybody willing to race as long as they can prove their driving skills whatever but before the preparations for the race on Sunday can begin business has to be arranged because the drivers need money to upgrade their vehicles even though the market is busy it is not easy for the push cart drivers to find enough loads to earn a living let alone preparing the carts for the Derby foreign on the fringes of the market the push carts get their race appearance starting with its makeup the body will be carefully reconditioned sponsors provide the paint green yellow and black the Beloved colors of the national flag volunteers and helpers attend the artistic design of the vehicle but where technique is concerned the driver takes care of that himself thank you the lower end of the steering rod is connected to the controllable front axle through a rope a simple mechanism and easy to repair or in this case to renew Rivals and fans watch the installation thank you with everything accurately installed and the wheels and steering rod functioning properly the race should run well for the driver after all as last year's winner he is the favorite nevertheless suddenly everybody is an expert and the well-meant advice erupting from all sides is not always welcomed by the champion he knows exactly what it needs to come in first over the white line and so far he is not yet happy with the results of his tuning yeah there is still time to straighten things out in the neighborhood people are playing domino the national game of Jamaica it's mostly played for drinks or little money but during the Nationwide championships the stakes rise this particular form of domino is called Cutthroat but it's bloodthirsty name mocks its true character it just means all against each other others enjoy the late afternoon with music and dance foreign ancestry some of the traditional songs are still performed in their original African languages hello as the sunset draws near the sounds of the urban settlement slowly quieten down the seemingly endless mountains are scarcely populated bridges are spanning the clear Rivers allowing access to Hidden plantations and hamlets in the bush foreign multitude of tropical fruits grows here in the wild ready to be harvested some are eaten fresh like orange mango coconut or avocado others need to be roasted like breadfruit or cooked like Aki they are all in important nutritional source for humans and animals not everybody has the means to transport his produce to the municipal markets sales stalls on the thoroughfares in the countryside offer a big variety of fruit and vegetables at reasonable prices directly from field and garden foreign popular with Jamaicans is Ackee it mostly grow wild so you can always go and get Ackee every place and you know some people sell it but usually you can go and look it for yourself it's a good meal and it's very cheap most people can afford you get some Ackee with a little bits of saltfish and you can the whole family enjoy it you know well people don't have so much money where they can buy a lot of other stuff so then bye you can get some Ackee when ackee time people use it up you know Ackee is actually poisonous and should not be plucked from the tree when the fruits are still closed they are only ready for consumption when they are burst open first the pulp has to be carefully cut from the peel and the inedible pits have to be removed the consistence of the pulp is still more reminiscent of rubber and therefore now has to cook for at least half an hour foreign in the meantime the other ingredients for this traditional Jamaican meal are prepared onions sweet pepper garlic and tomatoes after the vegetable spice mix has been sautéed in vegetable oil the drained Ackee can be added now just mildly sizzling for a while and then the traditional Ackee dish is ready to be served it's Sunday Roy has cooked enough to serve all his friends the meal will not be taken on a table in the sun that's for visitors fade where they feel comfortable in the shade the taste of ackee is a bit like spicy scrambled eggs it's a healthy meal because it's high in plant fat and rich in protein cleaning the dishes in the sea saves precious drinking water and is ecological no detergents are needed sand makes for cleanliness and the remaining crumbs feed the small fish in the shallow water a majority of Jamaicans go to church on Sundays two-thirds of the population belong to a Protestant congregation and most of their churches feature Anglican architecture only a few fishermen set out on a Sunday frigate Birds however need to find fish every day of the week and sometimes this is at the beach the wide-winged birds that spend most of their life Airborne often follow the fishermen to the shore and wait for leftovers foreign as soon as the fish are gutted they are on the spot and take their share of the catch today there is not much on offer most of the boats stayed high and dry relaxing going to the church and an afternoon at the beach Sunday is reserved for sweet idleness not so in May Pen it's only a few hours till the start of the derby at the Finish area last preparations and test drives take place others get ready at the start fine-tuning of the wheels is important for proper and smooth functioning thank you pushcarts are sturdy and actually designed for heavy duty but today it does not matter how heavy a load it can transport but rather how fast it is motivation is high and some of the younger ones are already showing off their skills War drivers arrive at the start and park their vehicles here you know there will be three races the Juniors the semi-professionals and the best of the best a last test run on the one mile long race track the sandbags wait on the loading bed provide stability and Road grip thank you now the drivers congregated the finishing area and finally at noon everybody heads for the start here everything is geared up for the beginning of the races the junior drivers are called up the police have blocked the road and the course route is filling up with spectators foreign the tension Rises okay run it to the finish line and they're off it's not easy to keep the vehicles on track at this speed push kart are not made for high speed on uphill sections the driver's physical strength is sorely challenged after four minutes of top performance the first race of the Derby has its winner line up for the second race start of the semi-professionals uphill the right pushing technique is key to accelerate the cart downhill the wheel construction counts the Undisputed winner of race number two but now the main race the master class rolls into position for the race of the best once more stamina strength and pushing technique will decide who comes out on the top or is it rather the design of the wheels and axles whatever the secret is the champ repeats his victory poised and Undisputed in compelling style and cheered by an enthusiastic crowd he Revels in his celebrations and enlightens The Spectators about his Victorious race tactic it's over and high tension turns into relaxation Jamaicans love fast races after all it is not only the homeland of push kart derbies and Olympic bobsledders but also of the world's fastest sprinters in everyday life however people prefer to take it easy foreign slowing down or deceleration as it's called in the western industrial countries is here a long exercise lifestyle even though life does not provide riches for the majority in Jamaica people try to maintain their vitality and serenity you know I live like a cowboy on the beach I don't eat so much when you're not really sick and you have freedom and you know you're nothing in jail you're free you're free there's a movement then life is okay you know when you get up and you can see the sunshine and everything is okay that is very important you know so you can enjoy life take it easy try to take it easy because it's not so it's not so easy to take it easy you know so you have to just try to take it easy you know
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