There are many different wisdom traditions that talk about winter and the New Year. Some honor the changing of the sun and the bringing of light with the Winter Solstice, some are more focused on starting new things and resolutions for the (Gregorian Solar) New Year, while (Indian) Ayurveda says winter is a good time to look inside…
Continue readingMeditation In Daily Life
Your Practices Help You Navigate Change
Change can be destabilizing and difficult on every level.
Our self-care practices, on the other hand, can help us recenter and navigate change with more ease.
Are You Self-Aware?
And what the heck does that even mean?!
I can definitely say that I wasn’t when I started meditating! I was all over the place, and as I started to be self-aware enough to see the patterns I was running in my life, I realized that 1.) it was going to take a while to sort out my anger issues! and 2.) it was possible!
Self-awareness starts with training our attention.
First, what we start with in many kinds of meditation is training our attention, which 99% of us have totally lost control over.
Continue readingYou’re Not In Control of Your Attention
What do I mean by that?!
I mean that you’re not able to focus on anything for more than a few seconds at a time before your attention wanders away, and you aren’t able to keep it from wandering even if you try.
I totally didn’t believe this at first.
You probably don’t either, so I’m going to give you an example and a simple exercise to test it out for yourself.
— Definitely don’t just believe this craziness! Find out for yourself! —
Continue readingThe Power of Breath
Eckheart Tolle wrote in The Power of Now about our many paths to consciousness. He calls them portals and reminds us that they’re doors (in)to ourselves.
One of these portals is breath, as is (physical) sensation, intense focus on an object, etc.
Continue readingWhy You Don’t Believe You’re Bigger Than Your Thoughts
I know, for most of us the idea that we’re not our thoughts, emotions and sensations sounds ludicrous at best.
Someone telling you that is either insane or trying to sell you something. Or maybe trying to get you to join something (which is the same thing really).
I mean, for most of us we are our thoughts! That is completely our experience. And saying it’s not is irrational – it’s denying reality!
It’s nuts!
Except that it’s crazy-making, all this stuff in your head, and you want out. Maybe they know something you don’t?
Continue readingHow Long Should I Practice?
What’s Your Goal?
I recommend short practices for all beginners. Short meaning 2-5 minutes per practice. And the inevitable question is, is that effective? Should I practice longer?
The real question here is how long should I practice in order to get the best results?
My answer is, as always, it depends. As soon as you know why you’re practicing, what result you want, then you can answer that question yourself. The tricky bit is getting clear about why you’re practicing…
Continue readingHow Friends Help You Grow
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Lately, I’ve been noticing how helpful it is to be traveling this path of self-development with other people!
Practice In A Group
Today, I had a powerful practice with another person. It’s the kind of practice I do daily, and I had forgotten how powerful it is to practice together… When we’re moving in the same direction together, magic happens. Synergy is a real thing… one plus one is four. :)
Continue readingDon’t Look Up To Yogis (Including Me)
Yoga does not make you a better person.
Nor does mindfulness nor Tai Chi nor sitting in a cave.
I’m still crazy after 15 years of meditating. Ask my husband.
Continue readingFeeling too Full?
…of food, emotions, relatives, guests, everything?
I do! And I’m doing a few simple things that you can play with, too…
Continue reading