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Yamas & Niyamas - Restraints & Observances

Coffee & Yerba Mate

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brushjw

USA
191 Posts

Posted - May 16 2008 : 10:50:23 PM

I've been slowly cutting down my coffee consumption over the last few months. Rather than quit cold turkey I decided to alternate cups of coffee with yerba mate. Quickly I found out that my stomach could not handle both at the same time so I began drinking a bit of water in between and pacing my consumption. The time between cups slowly increased and caffeine intake decreased.

After a couple of weeks I realized that I actually liked the stimulation I received from the yerba mate better than coffee. It's definitely a high, but without the jitters and spikes I get with coffee. Yet I still craved the coffee. I used my distaste for this addiction as motivation to continue.

When I get in to work in the morining, I reboot my computer and, as I'm waiting for some programs to load, I pour myself a cup of coffee. I savor the smell of the coffee and say a prayer of thanks before taking my first sip of the day. The mindfulness, prayer and gratitude are a nice way of combining niyamas with yamas.

Last week, for the first time, it was "time" to drink coffee and I chose the tea. Let's hear it for small victories!

Lately I've been making major inroads into internal stillness and I feel reducing my coffee consumption has really helped.

namaste,
Joe

Scott

USA
969 Posts

Posted - May 16 2008 : 11:37:43 PM

I love the feeling that yerba mate gives me too! More of a clear headed buzz, somehow.

Balance

USA
967 Posts

Posted - May 17 2008 : 02:38:23 AM

I have been a yerba mate addict for nearly three years now. If you knew my history of addictions you would understand why. I consume mass quantities of the stuff, meaning, when I make a cup twice a day with the loose leaf in a muslin bag it is very, very potent.

It is like my very last chemical addiction.

One of my final struggles to pass through I think (ha ha).

It is really quite comical when I look at these things.

Manipura

USA
870 Posts

Posted - May 18 2008 : 09:10:20 AM

Pretty funny, Alan. :) Coffee has been an ongoing thing for me too - like a bad relationship that keeps pulling me back. I think that I've finally found a suitable substitute, tho - kava mate. I invented it. :D I make a strong shot of 'espresso', substituting YM for coffee, with extra water...then put in a bag of Kava tea and let it steep. It's really good, enough so that I look forward to getting up in the morning. Gnosis was the one who turned me on to kava, on another post. I love coffee and all its ills, but when it's in my system with regularity, I definitely notice the difference in my ability to go deeper into the silence of meditation. YM doesn't seem to affect in the same way, even tho it has caffeine.

Balance

USA
967 Posts

Posted - May 18 2008 : 12:45:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by meg

Pretty funny, Alan. :) Coffee has been an ongoing thing for me too - like a bad relationship that keeps pulling me back. I think that I've finally found a suitable substitute, tho - kava mate. I invented it. :D I make a strong shot of 'espresso', substituting YM for coffee, with extra water...then put in a bag of Kava tea and let it steep. It's really good, enough so that I look forward to getting up in the morning. Gnosis was the one who turned me on to kava, on another post. I love coffee and all its ills, but when it's in my system with regularity, I definitely notice the difference in my ability to go deeper into the silence of meditation. YM doesn't seem to affect in the same way, even tho it has caffeine.

Sounds refreshing Meg. When and if I jump down from stimulants I will consider the kava.

Humans (and some other animals) have always liked their stimulants!

emc

2072 Posts

Posted - May 18 2008 : 1:11:29 PM

Oh, this topic is torture... I'm DYING for a caf� latte... But it is absolutely impossible for me to drink coffee anylonger... Bah!

Balance

USA
967 Posts

Posted - May 18 2008 : 1:15:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by emc

Oh, this topic is torture... I'm DYING for a caf� latte... But it is absolutely impossible for me to drink coffee anylonger... Bah!

Whatever you do, be at peace with it.

I have had slips over the years with other, more intense things. When that happened I found more and more an ability to just accept and be at peace with the action. Doing that helped the demon drop away.

As we deepen even kava, or the smell of a rose can be intensely satisfying and stimulating. (But get this one: even the smell of garbage can be an affirmation of the beauty of life!)

emc

2072 Posts

Posted - May 18 2008 : 1:51:11 PM

Yes, at the retreat, I sang the most beautiful hymn to the garbage that I was to take out to the compost. The most beautiful garbage I've ever seen!

I would be ok with the action, if it didn't poison me so bad... I get sick from coffee nowadays. Tastes like sh*t. Smells wonderful! So I keep with the smell.

brushjw

USA
191 Posts

Posted - Sep 03 2008 : 8:07:40 PM

My body is now actively rejecting coffee.

Today, for the first time, I didn't drink any at all. My stomach has been demanding peppermint and chamomile tea instead. "I" - whomever that is - don't even want to stop drinking coffee! I like it