Vyāvahārika – actual  

«On the Vyāvahārika there are thirty-five millions of hairs of the body, seven hundred thousands of hairs of the head, it is said, and twenty nails; There are said to be thirty-two teeth usually, O son of Vinatā; the flesh is said to be one thousand palās and blood one hundred palās. Fat is ten palās; skin is seven palās, marrow is twelve palās; the “great blood” is three palas. Seed is known to be two kuḍavas; ovum one kuḍava; and bones in the body are said to be three hundred and sixty. The nāḍīs, both dense and subtle, number tens of million; bile is fifty palās; phlegm is half of that. The waste materials are not measurable, as they are constantly changing. The body which possesses these attributes is Vyāvahārika»  (Garuda Purana, abridged, 15.47-52)

Just for completeness,  pala is a unit of measurement that corresponds to just over 40 grams, while a kudava corresponds to 160 grams. Vyāvahārika generally refers to something related to practical life, to a common, normal, actual action in the sense of real and therefore contrary to “ideal”. It is a term used in business too, to indicate a businessman for example.

I like this verse to bring you back to the concreteness of earthly life, Cancer. In the coming weeks you are asked to test the validity of your ideas. Ideals are beautiful, but they are even more beautiful if at some point they become reality. Now you can try. It will not be easy, it will seem tiring and will sometimes make you feel inadequate, but remember that they are tests to prove your belief.

IN PRACTICE  

Stambha-āsana, pillar pose

A very concrete position, which makes you feel the strength of the body and the grounding at the same time. Keep it up to two minutes every day.

Awareness exercise

Make an effort this month and for every thought that is a bit in the air, think of a concrete way to live it in your daily life, even with a small gesture.

Mantra of the month

«Concreteness».