KUNDALINI NEW YEAR – DRINK UP!

New Year’s has always been a modern substitute for the pagan celebration of Saturnalia where the purpose was to drink and orgy your way through the winter months.

Old customs die hard, even as the common practice of orgies fade away and the drinking of alcohol is now known to be a brain cell killing poison.

And for those who follow the path of Yoga, drinking alcohol is a no-starter.

Yet for Kundalini practitioners, we can welcome the New Year and improve our health by … drinking up!

Here are some of my favorite Kundalini Yoga libations with recipes from Yogi Bhajan.

NUTMEG SHAKE

Recipe by Yogi Bhajan

1 cup milk (dairy, soy, nut)

3 medium-sized ripe bananas

1 whole nutmeg, ground

1 fresh apple, peeled and cored

1/3 – 1/2 cup honey

Grind nutmeg with a mortar and pestle or using a grinder. Blend ingredients until smooth.

This is super relaxing and drops the blood pressure like crazy.

YOGI TEA

For each 8-ounce cup:

10 ounces water, boiling

3 whole cloves

4 whole green cardamon pods

6 whole black peppercorns

½ stick cinnamon

Slices of fresh ginger root

Boil 20-30 minutes, add ¼ tsp black tea (can be decaf) to steep for 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup milk. Reheat. Strain and serve with honey.

WEIGHT LOSS TEA

½ – ¾ cup fresh or dried mint leaves

1 lb. cumin seeds, whole

1 oz. fresh or frozen tamarind

½ tsp black salt (sulfur salt)

8 lemons quartered (organic if available)

1 Tbsp. black pepper

5 qts, water

Bring all ingredients to a boil and then reduce to a very low boil for 4-5 hours (yes, hours!) in order to extract potency from cumin seeds. Strain and serve hot or cool. Ingredients can be re-used again if refreshed (remove lemon peels between boilings). Store up to a week refrigerated. Drink 2 to 3 glasses a day.

You will either love this tea or want to fumigate your house.

REJUVENATION DRINK FOR MEN

Blend:

8-10 oz milk, warm

1-3 tsp grated fresh ginger root

1-3 tsp black sesame seed (or white)

1-3 tsp ghee

Cinnamon, clove, honey to taste

Recommended as a “morning after” drink for sexy men by Yogi Bhajan.

BREAKFAST DRINK FOR WOMEN

Blend:

1 ripe banana

8 oz. fresh orange juice

1 Tbsp. liquid chlorophyll or powdered greens

1-2 tsp. honey or maple syrup

2 tsp. cold-pressed almond or sesame oil

ALCOHOL DETOX

Drink lots of freshly squeezed (not canned) grapefruit juice and every two hours drink a mixture of carrot and celery juice, alternating with a ratio of 1 part celery to 3 parts carrot and then 1 part carrot to 3 parts celery. This is a superb rebuilder for the nervous system and can be used for other addictive detoxes as well.