Hello Beautiful Souls, I’m on a pilgrimage in Cathar Country, southern France for three months, and I’ve decided to share a few yoga videos.
Continue readingGroup Practice Helps Personal Practice
Things feel pretty chaotic to me, and practicing meditation would help. But I’m having a hard time motivating myself to sit for more than a few minutes. (Sit, stand, walk, move, whatever.) I just knocked off balance, and if I’d been practicing regularly, even for 10 minutes a day, I would have been able to stay more centered. Lesson re-learned: when things are getting hairy, pay attention to that inner voice that says, “You need to start meditating a bit everyday!” I didn’t, and now I’m regretting it. No time like the present to heed my own advice!
Continue readingPractice Giving and Receiving
Guided Meditation Recording (8m10s)
As social animals, giving and receiving are a daily part of life. We need each other for mental, emotional and physical support – on a daily basis, and those needs can sometimes be challenging to have and support. Often times we develop habits where one is easier than the other. Many of us are better at giving and others are better at receiving. It’s not so often that we feel equally comfortable with both. And that can change depending on the people we’re with and situations we’re in. Sometimes it just feels easier to do one and not the other.
Continue readingField of Vision x2
Guided Meditation Recordings (8m & 5m)
Field of Vision is a practice I was first taught by a dear friend who practices Tibetan Buddhism. I’ve simplified it a bit and turned it into a mindfulness practice.
I adore this practice. If you like eyes open practices, or want to experience one this is a great one to play with. And you’re welcome to do just that, play with it and make it your own.
Continue readingEmbodied Breath Practice
(14 min Guided Meditation Recording)
This meditation is adapted a Will Johnson practice he calls The Breath of the Unfolding Fern. You can listen to the entire Urban Retreat, and enjoy his magnificent teachings here: https://www.embodiment.net/audios. As he says, it is a very “deeply body-oriented approach to sitting meditation.” I love it.
Continue readingMove Your Immunity
Your lymphatic system, an important part of your immune system, is passive, meaning that it does not move itself.
Instead, it moves when you do. That also means that if you aren’t moving it isn’t either.
Understanding the Other
A challenge I’m giving myself in these times that encourage taking on challenges…
If we care to look, there are a lot of different opinions about what’s happening in the world, on all kinds of topics, from health to politics, economy to environment.
And when I listen to someone I don’t agree with I give myself this challenge:
Can I understand where this person is coming from?
Tool to Aid Scary Decisions
Think of at least 3 solutions before deciding anything.
And take deep breaths, of course!
Make no decisions when you’re afraid
Mortal fear shifts us into a neurological state commonly called ‘fight, flight or freeze’. The autonomic nervous system takes over in milliseconds making significant bio-chemical shifts (dumping out cortisol, adrenaline, changing systemic blood flows, etc.) one of which is preferring the hind brain for instant decision making… this mental speed comes at the cost of complexity as it’s largely binary. It’s as intelligent as yes/no or more likely run/fight. This is perfect if the danger is an incoming train or a burning house, but not great for complex social, economic or political decisions.
Continue readingI forgot to practice!
(4m46s video, 1m40s text)
How many times has that happened?!
All of a sudden you realize that you forgot to practice today… or this week, or for the last month or year.
That’s not a fun moment.
It feels bad. You haven’t done something that you know is good for you, that helps you feel great and keeps you sane.
There’s a moment of painful emotions, for me a mix of guilt, shame, frustration, anger, sadness.