Savor in the New Year

Savor in the New Year

Every Moment Counts

Pick up any yoga book or self-help book for that matter, and you’ll read the following advice:  Be in the present moment.  Enjoy right now.  Great advice, but how do we get “good” at living in the moment?

Just as a basketball player practices free throws for game time, we can practice being present in our asana (poses) practice.  When you step into Warrior 2, you first begin to line up the feet, then legs.  You elongate your spine, and spread your energy out from your heart to your fingertips.  But the pose doesn’t stop here.  Prana (energy) continues to flow.

Here’s where the magic begins.  You begin to notice.  You begin to listen.  Your breath, whether slow and steady or short and fast, is sending messages to your mind.  If you choose to listen, you begin to adjust your stance or lift your heart. 

Your mind slowly lets go of outside distractions and focuses on what is happening right now – standing in Warrior 2.  Each time we enter Warrior 2, our bodies give other messages such as “when I lift my chest, I can breathe easier,” and “dipping a little deeper into my hips releases the work stress from the day.”

When we step off the mat, and back into the real world, we put this mindful practice into action.  Savor the drive to and from work – giving yourself time to sit in quietness.  Let your mind soak in the scrubbing motion when washing dishes.  Turn off all electronics and spend time listening to your family without any distractions.  Indulge in a delicious piece of chocolate cake tasting every moist detail.

Slow down and enjoy the ride.  Spend the time practicing on the mat, and savor the results everyday.

Peace + Quiet

Peace + Quiet

Antidote for Holiday Stress

Smells of cinnamon and evergreen fill the stores and maybe your house this time of the year.  The holiday season is in full force, and we are all rushing around picking up those last minute gifts, attending parties and cooking for guests.

I recently made a decision to stay home for the winter holidays forgoing my 32-year tradition of celebrating with my family in Florida.  It was a hard decision, but one that actually brought more peace to my life.  Nothing is more hectic than traveling at the holidays, and now, I would be adding a child to that stressful event.  So now, we spend our springs with my family when air traffic is slower, and the weather is less of a cancellation threat.

I am living my peace.  I am making decisions (when I can) that help bring calmness to my family and myself.  By living in a peaceful rhythm, we begin to change the world around us.  Our family, friends and even strangers begin to feel this shift of peaceful energies.  Some even begin to shift their rhythms. 

Ghandi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  I hold this quote close to my heart and believe it to the fullest.  We may represent one drop in an ocean of people, but that one drop can create a ripple through the hearts of all people.  Live your life with passion, peace and love.

Below is a Peace Invocation I adapted from a training with Shiva Rea.  Practice this invocation in the morning before your yoga practice or before you start your day.

Body Movement: Raise arms over your head, drawing both hands down the center stopping at your heart.

Invocation: Begin by facing east on your mat. Lift arms, and silently pray, “Let there be peace to everyone I love and know in the east.” Pause.  Think about everyone you know and don’t know.  Think about anyone that could use your healing powers. Turn to the south. Inhale and exhale praying, “Let there be peace to everyone I know and love in the south.”Turn to the west. Inhale and exhale praying, “Let there be peace to everyone I know and love in the west.” Next, turn to the north. “Let there be peace to everyone I love and know in the north.” Finally, turn back turn to face east again.  Draw the arms up and silently speak “Let there be peace within me.”

Practicing Gratitude

Practicing Gratitude

A Daily Meditation

Gobble, gobble. It’s Thanksgiving time again.  Just as the holiday’s name suggests, it’s a time to give thanks.  But what about the other 364 days of the year?

Being thankful everyday is hard work.  Life happens.  We experience the highs and lows each day presents to us – a last minute meeting causing us to work late on a Friday, or a friend announcing she’s getting hitched.  We switch into a survival like mode and try to make it to Saturday forgetting about all the good times.

A consistent yoga and meditation practice can help mellow out the week’s emotional roller coaster and bring to light the things you are most grateful for.  This month, commit to creating a gratitude list then meditating with it each day.

Let’s get started.  Write down the people, experiences, feelings, etc. you are thankful to have in your life.  For example, I am thankful to have the time and energy to practice yoga everyday.  I am also grateful to have the strength to have a difficult conversation with a loved one.

Bring your list to your meditation seat (mat, blanket, recliner, etc.).  Read over the list taking in one full breath per each one.  Allow each item to fill your heart with emotion.  Once you finish the list, close your eyes, and gently rest in gratitude.

Continue to add one thing to your list every day, 365 days a year.  Practicing gratitude helps us feel less envious because we are content with what we have.  We are more comfortable to live within our means, and we may even find we are more generous with our time and energy.

It only takes a moment to say ‘thank you.’  Start today.

Sleep is Beautiful

Sleep is Beautiful

A Daily Tune-Up

Ah, vacation.  Why is it when we’re on a vacation, we feel so refreshed and energized?  We have no responsibilities, no agendas, nowhere to be.  We are able to fully relax and enjoy the moment.  Falling asleep in Savasana?  It’s a sign that your body needs more sleep.

Numerous medical reports state adults need 7-8 hours of sleep every night.  Every night!  Kids and teens need even more.  Sleep is important to help restore the body.  While you drift off to Never Never Land, our bodies are focusing on other tasks like filing memories, restoring muscle tissues, resetting digestive functions and overall, rejuvenating the brain’s function.  Growth hormones are secreted during sleep aiding in growth for children and repair tissues in adults.

Restless nights begin to add up.  Lack of sleep is linked to increased cases of diabetes, heart problems, weight gain, depression among other illnesses. It affects our personality and sense of humor. We’re more irritable and less tolerant

How can you get more quality sleep? 

·             Establish a routine going to bed at the same time even on the weekends.

·             Tune out electronics an hour before bedtime.

·             Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime along with smoking.

·              Finish eating 2-3 hours before bedtime.

        Exercise regularly.

Make sleep a priority now, and avoid winter woes like a cold, the flu or added agitation with the holidays. Every night is an opportunity to take a mini-vacation.  Sweet dreams!

Start Early

Start Early

Change the World

School bells ring and buses mix into the morning commute.  School is back in session.  Time for homework, afterschool activities and . . . stress?

Kids and teens face an enormous amount of pressure not just from school but at home, on the computer and on the field.  I work with a group of young ladies at Girls Inc. of Washington County each school year.  We discuss their daily activities and struggles.

Back in the old days (those would be my days), one could leave all the drama at the end of the school day.  Now, with texting, Facebook, Instagram and whatever other social network that has released since I wrote this, kids and teens are glued to the conversation to ensure they are not the main topic.  One pre-teen described middle school as “being under a microscope.”

Yoga and meditation can help build self-confidence as well as provide tools to deal with the stressful teen years.  Asana practice (physical practice of the poses) allows kids and teens to become more aware of their body, and appreciative of what it can do.  Meditation along with easy breathing techniques gives their mind a moment to process without the distractions.

Kids and teens can start with the tried and true Sun Salutation sequence.  Start slowly by completing 5 rounds as many days during the week.  Then, add meditation and breathing every morning or evening (or both!).

Encourage your kids and teens to keep a journal or allow open conversation so they can release the highs and lows of the day.  Don’t have children?  You can volunteer or support a local children’s organization.  Positive role models are always needed.

“It’s true we’ll make a better day.  Just you and me.” Michael Jackson’s We are the World.