Mental Digest

Mental Digest

Your Mind is What It Eats

It’s a given – Put good things in your body, get good things back. Good health, great skin, stronger bodies.  But have you looked at what you put into your mind on a daily basis?  Each day, we digest images, sounds, words, thoughts and emotions.

Take a look at what you are currently consuming.  When you wake, do you turn on the radio or TV for the local news?  Or do you reach for your smart phone to see who’s emailed or updated their status on Facebook? 

During the day, you engage in conversations with friends, co-workers and family.  How do these conversations affect you?  Do you feel more or less stressed?  Do you take calls and emails while completing projects throughout the day?

On the drive home, do you drive in silence or listen to your favorite tunes?  Do you abide by the “no hand-held technology” rule or do you make dinner plans over the phone?  Perhaps you schedule in a workout that includes running on the treadmill with music and reading a magazine and glancing up at the evening news.  During dinner, you tune into your favorite shows or the news.

With all of this “mental snacking,” when do we have time to actually digest what we’ve heard / seen / read?  Our mind is like a busy airport – constant delays, arrivals, and chaos that’s impossible to find someplace quiet. 

The practice of meditation and actively being present can help bring calmness and organization to the mind.  Being present allows you to focus on one topic at a time, while meditation gives you the ability to become quiet and actually hear the inner voice inside each of us.

Start by turning off all outside noises and setting a timer.  Spend a few moments focusing on your breath as it enters and exits the body.  Thoughts will come into the mind.  Acknowledge them and allow them float by like a cloud.   With each practice, notice how easily your mind jumps into a quiet space.  Then become aware of the images, sounds, words, thoughts and emotions you allow into your life each day.  Only allow good quality and positive mental food into your life.

Summer Vacation Yoga

Summer Vacation

Making Your Yoga Practice Playful

Pack the bags and head to the beach. It’s summertime!  As Mother Nature turns up the heat and humidity, now is a time to turn down the heat on your yoga practice.   

Summon your inner child and find additional play in your practice. We love the afterglow that yoga gives us especially when we’re on vacation.  Take the following suggested sequence on your next vacation or pretend by setting up class on the porch.

Begin by setting an intention for your practice.  “I will go with the flow and trust in my body.”  Breathe in and release the exhalation through your mouth.  Begin your practice.

In the final resting posture, Savasana (corpse pose), roll a beach towel and place it under your knees as you extend long on your mat.  Listen to the sounds of summer around you - waves crashing, birds chirping, and lawn mowers running.  Thank yourself for this mini vacation.