Photo courtesy of my friend, photographer Toshi Kawano
Okay, you know meditation helps you de-stress, find peace of mind, feel happier, and find more balance in your health. But it’s hard! We’re not really conditioned to sit still, nor is your mind interested in emptying itself of the ten thousand thoughts it’s pondering. And where do you find the time?
The good news is that almost everyone who meditates deals with these same challenges, and you can enjoy the benefits of meditation without having to be a master of it. Here are some great tips and ideas to help you get the most out of your meditation practice:
Yep. That's me in a tree above the vast crowd gathered to enjoy the Saints Super Bowl Parade
True togetherness brings a sense of belonging that still allows for self expression; something New Orleans, home of the Saints and joyful leaders of the Who Dat Nation, knows how to do very well. And I invite you to consider yourself a part of it.
All the excitement is not just about football, rest assured. The spirit of community here goes far beyond that.
We can all learn a lot from the culture of community in New Orleans.
In fact, I think part of the purpose of this city and its people is to teach us (the rest of the world) how to support each other, and at the same time allow each individual to express themselves as they choose.
A sense of being a part of something bigger and also free to be who you choose to be is what Mardi Gras is all about, and every other celebration that happens here.
“Let’s all get together and have a good time,” New Orleans says. “Be yourself, or try on a new identity as you don your costume – just remember it’s all in good fun!”
And that’s what’s so great about this place. Sure, natives are proud of their culture, but it isn’t exclusive or elitist. Instead it’s a sense of co-participation that says “The more the merrier!”
You know the glow of bliss that comes after a good asana practice, or the peace that penetrates your whole being in meditation?
That’s bliss.
Bliss comes in many forms, from joy to deep contentment. But any way it presents itself, it’s a juicy state of goodness that takes you into the higher realms of human experience.
Feelings of freedom, happiness, peace, and so on are why we keep coming back to yoga and meditation.
These practices give you ways to not only stay centered when the world turns wildly, but also to heal on so many levels, and truly create yourself in your highest vision of who you want to be.
Meditation has been studied scientifically and proven to decrease stress and, due to lower stress levels, increase health benefits. Additionally, it shows up in most of the world’s spiritual traditions as a way to connect with your truest self. Read more…
I know, sometimes it’s hard to get out of your chair – but you can do yoga right where you are! Isn’t that great?
By all means, get up and move when you can, but sometimes it’s okay to do yoga sitting right where you are. This is a great little practice to help you stay healthy and feeling good while you’re working.
This video gives you some great options for doing yoga while seated:
Yoga is a moving meditation, and walking can be a wonderful way to practice it.
The idea of walking meditation, just like other meditations, is to be fully present. You can bring such awareness to the way you walk, your surroundings, and the moment itself, that this practice can create a heightened state of connection and peace.
My first experience with walking meditation was at a yoga teacher training in Baja, Mexico. Each morning we got up super early, did a short asana practice, then we went out to the beach for walking meditation.
I would place my feet slowly, mindfully, listening to the waves crash on the shore. I felt the subtleties of each step, and often would close my eyes or even walk backwards to shift my perspective. Read more…
Yoga cultivates strength, wisdom, and the ability to discern truth from confusion – all attributes of a skilled Peaceful Warrior. Even Warrior Pose comes up in myriad forms during an asana practice.
As your yoga practice extends into every aspect of your life, you find yourself becoming stronger and yet more receptive; making choices which benefit both you and the greater good.
Personally, I have witnessed an incredible shift in my own self; changing patterns that were not serving me and re-creating myself as who I want to be.
I share the following with you because these inspired words came to me this morning, and I think you may see yourself reflected in them. Read more…
In the minds of most people, perfection is an unachievable yet oft reached for thing, yet with this perspective that I learned from Anusara® yoga, stress and anxiety can melt as you shift your perspective.
You hear the term ‘perfectionist’ and it conjures images of someone who is constantly striving for every little detail to be ‘just right’, and quite possibly affecting innocent bystanders (family members, friends) with their slightly neurotic behavior.
Sound like someone you know? Maybe you?
This idea of inaccessible perfection tends to cause a lot of unneeded pressure and worry.
But there is a different way to think of perfection. Read more…
When you think about blessings, what comes to mind?
A kind thought or word? A gracious gift from the universe? A friend or loved one?
Blessings come in myriad forms, yet the ones that YOU spark are so special. Positive thought has been proven again and again to have profound impact on every level. By using blessings (or prayer if that word resonates with you) you tap into a bigger energy and amplify your own intention for higher results.
One of the ways I use the power of blessings every day is with food. By being grateful and blessing your meal before you eat it the food’s vibrations are raised. Read more…
When you unfold the treasure of the Anusara® Yoga Invocation, you see within it the philosophy that informs freedom and awakening which is the reason hundreds of thousands of people have been drawn to this path of celebrating and refining the self.
Anusara yoga has its roots deep in the soil of ancient tradition. The chant itself is very old, and carries with it a resonance of powerful wisdom and transformation. Yet, while this school of hatha yoga joyfully honors that which has comes before, it also opens up to the unlimited possibilities of evolution.
One of the many strengths of Anusara yoga is its innovative spirit. There are Universal Principles of Alignment™, which guide both the thought and action of the yoga. Using these guiding principles, you can do anything! Invention happens daily. Creative expression and beauty are a part of every practice, on and off the mat.
So let’s take a look at how a relatively short little song can describe an entire system of thought and practice. Read more…
Ah, the yoga bliss of savasana. Sometimes at the beginning of class I ask if anyone has a request. One of the most frequent is “Savasana please!” followed by a big grin.
Savasana literally translates as corpse pose, and signifies the end of the practice and a time of transition. It is one of the most difficult yoga poses to do fully. Why?
Well, because totally relaxing and yet staying fully present is not something most of us know how to do. Yet this pose is one of the most beneficial, so it’s worth giving the practice of mindful relaxation your best… ‘er… effort.
You know the glow of bliss that comes after a good asana practice, or the peace that penetrates your whole being in meditation?
Yoga is a moving meditation, and walking can be a wonderful way to practice it.
Yoga cultivates strength, wisdom, and the ability to discern truth from confusion – all attributes of a skilled Peaceful Warrior. Even Warrior Pose comes up in myriad forms during an asana practice.
In the minds of most people, perfection is an unachievable yet oft reached for thing, yet with this perspective that I learned from Anusara® yoga, stress and anxiety can melt as you shift your perspective.
When you think about blessings, what comes to mind?
When you unfold the treasure of the Anusara® Yoga Invocation, you see within it the philosophy that informs freedom and awakening which is the reason hundreds of thousands of people have been drawn to this path of celebrating and refining the self.
Ah, the yoga bliss of savasana. Sometimes at the beginning of class I ask if anyone has a request. One of the most frequent is “Savasana please!” followed by a big grin.
