Inspiration! This is just simply beautiful…….
Archive for the Category » surrender «
Nov
18
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Lest I overstate how I feel about my first four days, I have to stress that my ADHD, crack addicted orangutan- I mean monkey- of a mind still prevails. My early morning thirty minutes is a virtual cluster f*# of to-do’s, did-do’s, oh sh*t’s, oh-god-i-forgot-to-do’s, WTF’s, and so many more wonderful distractions.
And I indulge.
But I still sit. I redirect. I bring my attention to my breath.
Over and over and over again.
While it sounds tedious, it has been a most pleasant space early in the quiet of the morning. Before the emails, the work, the kids, the noise… the chaos.
And somehow I’m energized first thing, better preparing me for the day.
And the nagging headache I’ve been waking up with? Blissfully diminished at the end of the half hour… despite the orangutan.
Category: 365 day meditation, gratitude, health, maybe, Meditation, Practice, Spirit, strength, surrender
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Nov
15
101 days since mommy’s last tweet… 101 days since mommy’s last post. Hmmmm…..
OK… so things have kinda been falling apart. Just a lil’ bit.
But inspired anew, with a tidy place to transform my butt-ugly-early mornings from groggily logging on to facebook- I mean, my email and other work related stuff- to something truly transformative. I’m turning to meditation to aid in persistent headaches, a pesky snacking habit and even more pesky weight gain… and really just an over-all case of the blah’s- physically and mentally.
I’ll let you know how it goes. Consider this a 365 Day Project of a different shade.
Forget New Years. Meditation. Everyday. Now.
Tell it, Senor Kabat-Zinn….
Category: 365 day meditation, Good Intentions, gratitude, health, Meditation, Spirit, strength, surrender, weight loss
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Jul
20
Over these past several years, I’ve dedicated more than one post to the wonders of Baptiste. I’ve read and followed his books, been to a Bootcamp (which I loved!) and generally, let the Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga dictate my practice for the better part of a decade… and love it!
However, recently, I’ve let myself succumb to the charms of another… whose methodology has opened a new door into a whole new way of practicing yoga.
Yes, I’d heard of him. I’ve even written about him here.
But… I’ll be honest, I never really took him seriously. What with the yoga competitions and all… he just seemed like just another egomaniacal one-named guru cashing in on the trend.
I mean, really.
But then, thanks to an extended trip to the city and the modern wonders of the Groupon… I received an offer I couldn’t refuse. An inexpensive opportunity to experience that known simply as Bikram…
And, lo and behold, I’m hooked.
The first class nearly killed me… sending me into a claustrophobic anxiety attack, gasping desperately for fresh breath in the suffocating heat- never has savasana been so welcome. But damn! Even after that first class I felt transformed.
Cleaned, pulled and emerged, not unlike the slimy pupa freeing itself from the restriction of her shell.
And sweat?! Holy moly… I felt purged from the inside out. All the yuck seeping out through my pores. Not to mention the 600 calories I supposedly burned!
And more wondrous, throughout the rest of the day, the experience stayed with me, so much so that I enjoyed a heightened consciousness and deliberateness in everything I chose to put back in, from food to media. Weird.
Everything about my day felt different… true renewal. A feeling I want everyday.
But alas… my return to the sticks. And trying to recreate Bikram on my own.
Feb
05
Compassion. Integrity. Cooperation. Hygiene. All important principles to living a full, happy life. However, in this age of technology, over-scheduling and increasingly interactive, realistic and solitary-bordering-on-anti-social pursuits such as computer games, XBox and facebook, increasingly difficult principles to nurture in our young ones.
And, if unplugging isn’t an option, maybe reconnecting our kids, and ourselves, to these human truths can be as simple as a story. These important messages have been conveyed through story-telling for a millennia. In regions of Buddhist faith, messages of Empathy, Consideration, Wisdom and Modesty have been passed on through the Jataka tales to help guide and govern human behaviour and develop the character of the people.
I found this interesting resource at BuddhaNet, a great resource for all information Buddhist… if you’re looking for a good way to introduce your kids to Buddhist – heck, healthy human!- principles, complete with easy to digest morals, HERE is a wonderful collection of translated Jataka tales to read aloud to your kids.
They are as simple as can be, some of them a little hokey to be sure- they’re fables after all!- but perfect for getting conversations started and kids (and us- ahem!) thinking!
Category: Good Intentions, gratitude, health, Kids, Meditation, reading, Spirit, strength, surrender
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Jan
18
Time spent in meditation is, by far, one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves.
Many of us as parents, even those of us who appreciate meditation in our own lives, are hesitant to introduce it to our children.
We are intimidated by the prospect, knowing how difficult it is ourselves to find that often illusive place of quiet. ’If I struggle in quieting my own monkey mind, how can I possibly help my child do it?’
In truth, it can actually be easier. Consider how rapt your child is during story time. In that spirit, children are remarkably receptive to sitting in quiet and in peaceful attention. The perfect beginning.
Through guided meditation to start with, the child is better able to connect with that peaceful place within, losing themselves in the comfort of your voice or that of a recording, and the urgings of gentle instruction.
The benefits of meditation are immeasurable. As with adults, meditation is shown to reduce stress while enhancing self-esteem. It also offers a healthy means of relaxation during doctor’s visits, exams and in preparation for various sports events and performances.
According to Sarah Wood, a facilitator in child meditation, and author of the book Sensational Meditation for Children, teachers who build meditation into lesson plans report their classroom environments being more peaceful and attribute this to their students’ ability to express compassion to each other.
To help you get started with your own child, have a listen: childrengettingstarted
While it may take several sessions, any practitioner of meditation will agree that there can be no down-side to offering a child such an experience and the knowledge of how to acheive it themselves. Any time, any where. There is such valuable power in that.
For more ideas and resources, please visit Children’s Meditation.
For more information, read more at Suite101: The Benefits of Child Meditation: Giving Children Tools to Nurture Their Bodies, Minds and Spirits http://www.suite101.com/content/the-benefits-of-child-meditation-a22687#ixzz1BOorGkMd
Category: gratitude, health, instruction, Kids, Meditation, Spirit, strength, surrender
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Jun
19
The foundation of yoga is in the breath…. It’s a fact that we who practice are already well aware. But are we doing it right?
Here’s a little beginner’s guide to achieving the Ujjayi, more fully realized- read: done correctly- in your practice.
Category: health, instruction, Meditation, Practice, Spirit, strength, surrender, yoga
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Nov
30
Back from Thanksgiving and, Idon’t know about you, but I’m finding the need for balance, in diet- navigating my way from abundant meat and cheese (until Christmas, creamy fondue and Calabrese salami!) and back to hot rice cereal, greens and lean protien… and practice! Whew! Moving on in the series we find ourselves moving from grasping our toe as though for dear life long, extended and upright, into Dekasana, or Airplane Pose… I’m guessing (cuz I don’t really know) a modern, 20th century evolution of Virabhadrasana III, or Warrior III. Regardless, a welcome relief from the intensity of Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, or Extended Hand-to-Toe! From the extended leg, hand-to- toe, the leg is brought forward briefly yet again where the toe is released, controlled of course, not dropped… the hands grasp the hips and that extended leg is lightly, strongly extended forward from the hip. Alternatively, that leg can be supported by the hands, fingers intertwined below the hamstring- my preference, in fact. more »
Nov
25
I mean, some people swear they function best when they have to rifle through piles to find what they’re looking for… they even maintain that unless they are rifling through piles, they couldn’t possibly actually find what they’re looking for.
Really?! I’m always struck a tad incredulous with those claims… but hey, who am I to judge?
What I know for myself is that when my home, particularly those spaces in which I need to be productive… ie. kitchen, office, bedroom- ahem!… is tidy, clean and efficiently functional, I’m all the better for it. I’m more comfortable in these spaces and therefore enjoy spending more time in them. This is especially wonderful for me in my office… for my kids in the kitchen, and in the bedroom… well, I suppose hubby is the lucky beneficiary there!
Surely you’ve heard Oprah and her lovely Nate Berkus frequently wax poetic about your home “rising up to meet you…”; or her Australian guru of all things tidy and organized, Peter Walsh, making some mighty strong statements about the reflection the condition the home makes of one’s true state of mind and mental health. Then again, the people he’s dealing with are dealing with some pretty big issues beyond just some unruly piles of mail and magazines and general untidiness.
As I’m tidying and cleaning to prepare for this fast approaching holiday weekend and seeing piles disappear to whence they came- where they actually belong or the trash!- there’s a sense of calm and peace come over me that I usually only know after a cycle of sun salutations. There’s a feeling of all being right in that moment and I revel in each and every clutter-free space. Even the hallway downstairs where I’d been piling clothes to go to my sister’s kids, clothes to donate, seasonal items to be put away (yes, I have those infernal to-be-put-away piles that grow and grow until you have company coming to stay and finally PUT the stuff AWAY!!), ski suits to be tried on, car and boat batteries, the new light fixture for the dining room… I could go on….
Anyways, the feeling of satisfaction at having finally dealt with the various piles, the various messes, the general disorganization, is so worth the effort once the day is done. So, in honour of Thanksgiving… despite the stress that always accompanies these holidays, I wish everyone gratitude and peace of mind, whether it be from digging through your organized piles, or getting rid of them.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Category: Good Intentions, gratitude, health, Meditation, Spirit, surrender
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Nov
17
Just when you thought all was well with the world… you’ve successfully unwound yourself out of Eagle and with a long, delightful exhale are ready to take it down a notch.
Well, nope.
The series continues, long and extended, as we head into a remarkably high energy posture, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, or Extended Hand-to-Toe, requiring strength along with steadiness and focus. The good news is that for beginners, or if the day- and the joints- say, “let’s just not” there is a lovely modification that still fosters knowledge and understanding on one leg, but offers a little break in the intensity.
To modify, rather than grasping the big toe and extending the leg, merely keep the knee bent. Keep the hands on the hips and hold the knee forward for five breaths, foot flexed and supporting foot grounded into the floor to maintain the stable foundation.
After five breaths, keeping the knee bent, move the knee to the side of the body and hold. If you’d like to intensify this a little, challenging the balance, turn the head to settle the gaze on the opposite wall to the bent leg. After five breaths bring the bent leg back to the front, with hands still on hips, hips square, extend the leg forward and hold at whichever height your leg and hip allow for a breath or two before releasing to the floor to switch sides.
If you’d like a little more challenge, actually working towards extending the leg and maintaining that extension, consider using a chair on which to support that leg for the five breaths. Props are always strongly encouraged!
As with all of the balancing postures, this provides wonderful strengthening and lengthening in the supporting leg, and certainly that which is extended should you take it in that direction. As always, here’s a little more info…
Lovely. Lovely. Lovely.
Category: Postures, Spirit, strength, surrender, weight loss
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