Guilt-Free Holidays

Guilt-Free Holidays

Dumping the Extra Baggage

Jingle bells and eggnog cheers.  The holidays are here.  Along with the holidays come a slew of party invitations, family obligations and less time for you.  Start December differently by establishing joyful boundaries for the holidays. 

Set your intentions early and say them loudly.  What do you like most about the season?  The least?  What traditions do you wish to celebrate?  Who will support you in your decisions? Feeling guilty starts and ends with us, not others.  No one forces you to say yes to that third glass of wine or another holiday party.  You may be surprised that when you state your true feelings how others may actually agree with you!

Many of us make decisions because we don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings.  Don’t assume you know what others are thinking.  Perhaps suggesting a gift-free holiday may bring relief to brothers and sisters.  Speak up but also listen as to why others feel the way they do.

Don’t dump your guilty luggage on others.  Imagine a friend who is only attending dinner at your house because she feels obligated.  Accept her decision rather than sending text messages reminding her of the fun time she is missing.  You would want the same love and support from your friends.

Lastly, the only person who can make you happy is you. No amount of eggnog will transport you from your family’s home.  If your choices surprise or even disappoint others, they’ll get over it.  Believe it or not, your in-laws will still have a great holiday with or without you being there!

So, if you decide to not invite a friend to dinner, or cook a certain dish for a party, be strong and supportive.  Give yourself permission to be happy and let go of the negative energies that evolve into guilt.  Be generous to yourself by being true.

Here’s to creating a holiday that is truly you and enjoy every minute of it! 

Lose Your Senses

Lose Your Senses

Discover Bliss Anywhere

“Forty-five minute delay?” I said quietly to myself while waiting at the airport. It’s not that I haven’t experienced flight delays before, but today I’m flying with my three and half month old daughter for the first time, and this alone makes my anxious Vata dosha soar.

My daughter begins to get restless waiting in her stroller so I immediately swoop her in my arms and begin to walk.  I gently begin the all to common “shushing” you hear mom’s do.  We walk, rock and swing back and forth at the end of the terminal.

Before I know it, I’ve started closing my own eyes while we move, and it seems as though the airport has gotten silent.  My mind isn’t wandering.  It’s right here feeling the rhythmic motion of my body.  It’s as if I can feel every step, every sway at this exact moment.  And it feels wonderful!

One of Patanjali’s eight limbs of Yoga is pratyahara or the practice of withdrawing your senses.  When one is fully immersed in pratyahara, he is readying his mind and body for meditation and full enlightenment.  Or in my case, it grounded my mind and body so that I may remain relaxed and calm for my daughter.

Pratyahara is achievable by anyone with a desire to practice it.  Start by bringing your awareness to your breath while driving one morning.  Turn off the radio and look around.  Each time your mind begins to review your “to-do” list, acknowledge it and return to your breath.  Next, see if you can drop any thoughts and opinions like “this view is beautiful” and just be in the moment – good or bad. Don’t give up if it doesn’t happen on the first try.  Practice is the key and you’ll notice it gets easier each time you try.

Savor each moment.  With the holiday season upon us, the practice of pratyahara just may give you a bit of sanity while waiting for your flight, purchasing your holiday gifts or enduring your tenth holiday party. 

One Size Does Not Fit All

One Size Does Not Fit All

Find Your Yoga Style

You browse the internet looking for a yoga class. “Hatha at 6pm, Bikram at 10am, Iyengar at 9am.”  It’s confusing.  How do you decide which class is good for you?

Let’s take a step back and look at yoga as an umbrella.  The majority of yoga as we know in the U.S. is a form of Hatha yoga which means you are physically moving through asanas (poses) versus simply meditating, chanting or taking part in other devotions.  Under the Hatha umbrella, you would find various styles like Anusara, Ashtanga, Vinyasa among many other popular styles.

Just like you and me, yoga styles differ.  To say one is better than another would not be correct.  Each style offers a different experience to its students.  If you enjoy props and extra instruction, you may find yourself in an Iyengar class.  Those looking for a therapeutic style may turn to Anusara.

Today, you can find these traditional styles along with numerous hybrids. Vinyasa yoga moves from pose to pose connecting the mind, body and breath.  It is one of the most popular styles that branched out with variations like Hot Flow, Prana Flow®, Gentle Flow, and Heated Vinyasa.

So, how do you know which style fits you?  Read the descriptions of the yoga styles or ask the teacher for a more in-depth description.  Next, try out the class.  You may realize you don’t want a teacher pointing out every imperfection but rather a class that allows you to find your own flow.

There is a style of yoga for every BODY.  Whether you are a young, athlete or a working professional, yoga is one outlet that can truly meet the needs for everyone.  You may even find you like several styles depending on your daily needs. 

Routine Harvest - Preparing for Winter

Labor Day marks the official end of late nights, fireflies, running through the sprinkler and sipping iced tea on the porch.  Our bodies naturally begin to shift into a fall routine – going to bed earlier, returning to the gym, taking the kids to afterschool practices.  Even our diets begin to change from the cool salads to warmer dishes like chili and soup.  (Tailgating, anyone?)

Vata, one of the three Ayurveda doshas, begins to rise, as the air grows crisp and dry.  When in balance, Vata creates mental awareness and creativity.  When out of balance, Vata causes anxiety, irritability and constipation.  Vata is at its peak come November and December just in time for the holiday season.

We can lay a strong foundation now to prevent any added anxiety in the winter.  I, too, have struggled with my own meditation practice abandoning it when my daughter arrived this summer.  I noticed I became more agitated and impatient without a few minutes of mental silence a day.  Before I became a parent, I would awake after a full night of sleep ready to jump into a meditation practice.  But now, I find myself falling asleep and struggling to calm my mind when I know the baby will wake in less than an hour.

Now that summer is over, I’m ready to try again.  I’ve thrown out what I did before and started fresh.  Each morning, I spend quality time with my daughter first then move into a yoga practice.  My practices change depending on what I need that day – energizing, rejuvenating, restoring.  After I’ve moved, I can then find the quietness in my mind to lie in meditation.  That’s right – LIE in meditation.  I take on the same savasana (deep relaxation / corpse pose) we are familiar with at the end of a yoga class for my own meditation time.  Connecting and sinking into the earth comforts my mind and allows me to let go of my racing thoughts.

Get back to your practice.  Set up a routine now and reap the benefits come winter.

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.