Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

What exactly is a retreat? The definition from Webster is an act or process of withdrawing; a place of privacy or safety; a period for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director. I would add, a period of time you completely unplug and disconnect from your normal routine, responsibilities, and distractions, to focus completely on yourself and your needs.

Patience is being completely open to each moment, accepting it in it’s fullness, and acknowledging things unfold in their own time.

Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice just makes practice, which inevitably leads to a habit, good or bad.

When I am speaking to a large group and introduce the idea of meditation, I can see the immediate look of disdain in the audience. They are not just surprised, but visibly uncomfortable and sometimes even borderline angry. But after they spend five minutes in stillness (as I often call it), I see their look of discomfort replaced with relief, relaxation, and even gratitude. They have discovered a new practice that brings them an immediate peace and calm most of them have not known before.

Mindfulness, being awake and aware in the present moment, is so powerful because it is the only place we can decide, create, listen, act, and live.

We can all agree love makes the world go round, but we may forget that it all begins with each one of us. Whatever your current relationship status is, if you seek love from another, fall in love with yourself first.

A client of mine had some serious financial issues that were affecting virtually every area of her life, with a job she felt stuck in, the stressed relationships with her husband and children, and most important, her feelings of lack of self-worth. Every time she even thought about taking a positive step forward, she became paralyzed with shame and overwhelm.

In Anusara yoga, the yoga I practice and teach, we say “Look for the Good first.” This translates beautifully into looking at your own, or a student’s posture before making any physical adjustments.

When I worked as an emergency room nurse, where tension was often high and patience short, I learned the power of taking a deep breath. It’s unrealistic to ask someone to “relax” when they are in pain, anxious about what might be wrong with them, and in absolutely no control over their environment. However, whether a patient was in hard labor or having chest pain or a panic attack, focusing on deep breathing always decreased their anxiety and de-escalated the situation.

After working in the emergency room for 23 years, the health and fitness field for 25 years, and life coaching for 15 years, I have had plenty of opportunity to work with people who were not aging so gracefully. Today, 60,000 baby boomers turn 60 every day! We are the largest percentage of the population, and continue to live longer. I just want us to continue to live stronger as well. With that in mind, here are my top 10 ways to age gracefully from the inside out:

Creating your intention is so powerful because what we focus on expands. According to the law of attraction, when you focus on what you want in your life, you get more of it. Or, simply stated by the Buddha, “What we think, we become.”

Do you ever find yourself holding on to things tightly, not wanting to let go, either an idea or thought or feeling, even if it’s not serving you? I also hold on to relationships that no longer work—to projects or hobbies I am no longer excited about, and commitments I actually dread keeping. Then there is my anger or disappointment about someone or something, even though it keeps me resentful and irritable. When I am holding on tightly, the best thing I can do is release something, so it releases me.

What exactly is a retreat? The definition from Webster is an act or process of withdrawing; a place of privacy or safety; a period for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director. I would add, a period of time you completely unplug and disconnect from your normal routine, responsibilities, and distractions, to focus completely on yourself and your needs.