Anitra Lahiri is an avid Yogi, Yoga Instructor, mother, and writer who strives (and often fails!) to infuse all aspects of her life with Yoga philosophy and practice. Her Yoga blog, Under the Lotus Tree, is for anyone who simply wants to live a healthier, more meaningful life. Read more from Anitra at her blog - underthelotustree.com.
By Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman
Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.
Download a class from Jo and Jules today!
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman
Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez
Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman
Below are 15 things I’ve learned in 15 years of marriage. 1. Choose a partner where there is passion, but also friendship. For me, having someone that I can talk to as a best friend was just as important as the spark. I plan for this to last forever, and flames can fizzle out, it’s what else you have going that sustains. Lucky for me, I married my best friend and 15 years later the spark is still there. 2. Is it more important to be right or happy? For a long time I picked right. I figured out happy is more fun. 3. Honor each other’s strengths. It is so easy to be frustrated when your partner doesn’t notice the dirty dishes in the sink, but they probably let go of things we overlook. For example my husband overlooks the fact that I can’t seem to pull glaringly obvious weeds in the sidewalk crack. 4 - Take care of yourself. Stay healthy. Make sure you feel your best. It makes you easier to be around when you feel your best. 5. Play! Don’t stop having fun just because you are getting older. Playing tag in your backyard or Uno at the table reminds us to enjoy the little things in life and stay young at heart. 6. Remind yourself why you fell in love. Think about the things you enjoy about your partner. 7. Tell them how you feel, and do it often. Tell them the things you like about them. (see point 6) 8. Tell the other person what you want and need. No one is a mind reader. 9. Listen to them when they say what they want and need. Try to pick up on the subtleties, and ask them if you need to clarify. 10. If you have children, remember to make time to be with each other. I am sure you’ve read this piece of advice a hundred times, but it can be as simple as a movie night after the kids are tucked in bed. Feed your relationship so that it’s still there when the kids are grown up and moved out. 11. Spend time on YOU, without your partner. They fell in love with you and your uniqueness. Honor who you are and continue to grow and develop yourself. Not only is it good for your spirit, but it gives you things you things to talk about. 12. Allow them the same courtesy (see point 11). Being in a relationship doesn’t mean spending every available second together. It means enjoying the time you have together. 13. Relationships are a partnership. No one person should be in charge. If you disagree, hear them out. Ask questions in a respectful way. Kindly share your thoughts and make decisions together. Remember, that you might make a concession for the sake of keeping the peace. Or after listening with an open mind, you might actually be persuaded after hearing their point of view. 14. Find something you enjoy doing together and actually do it! We love hiking and tennis. My husband is on tennis leagues, which he does for himself, but I LOVE being his practice partner. 15. Do nice things for the other, without ANY expectations of something in return. Thank you for taking the time to read. Please be sure to comment on life lessons you’ve learned through a relationship. I can’t wait to hear from you.
By Jessica Wyman
Jessica Wyman is a Hippie in High Heels. Her passion is in the kitchen! She runs online nutrition programs where she teaches women how to eat right for real health. Her popular online nutrition programs help you stop the calorie counting and enjoy a multitude of easy, satisfying and healthy meals. As a multi-passionate business woman serving as a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master, Author and Heart Centered Entrepreneur. She works with women to improve their health and businesses by giving real advice for real women in the real world.
Connect with Jessica at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JessicaWymanWellness Click Here to learn about Jessica's new 5 day Mini Nutrition Program
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“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."
- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini. Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.
By Hari Kalymnios
Edited by Jessica Raye
Hari Kalymnios is an author, wellness coach and yogi who helps people who need more energy in their lives. His goal is to facilitate understanding about what it takes to live energetically so that people can perform as their best, experience all life has to offer and live without restriction. He does this through his book, courses, speaking and coaching and firmly believes that if you “train the mind, the rest will follow™”.
Start training your mind with one of the following YogaDownload Classes:
By Lisa Roberts
Lisa Roberts is a Registered Yoga Teacher, Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher and certified Children’s Yoga Therapist. Involved in the pediatric wellness field since 2006, she was the first complementary therapist to work from the inception of a pediatric wellness program for oncology patients and their families/caregivers at New York University’s Hassenfeld Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. In 2008, following a move to Saint Louis MO, she volunteered at a major children’s hospital to continue her work offering wellness techniques to staff. Launching YoYo Yoga Therapy, a private yoga therapy practice for kids aged 1 to 101, in 2011, Lisa was hired as an independent contractor as the hospital’s first yoga instructor, where she continues to work today, creating curriculum and teaching yoga to patients, patient siblings, and staff. Visit Lisa's website and connect with her on facebook for more information. She is the author of Breathe, Chill – A Handy Book of Games and Techniques Introducing Breathing, Relaxation and Meditation to Kids and Teens.
A compilation of 70 fun breathing, meditation and relaxation exercises cleverly disguised as engaging games and activities Breathe, Chill is presented in a simple kid-friendly format: What is it? How does it help me? How do I do it? Adaptable for kids of all ages, the techniques presented can be accessed in a classroom to focus an entire class before an exam, or a hospital room to help a patient relax during an uncomfortable medical procedure, and everywhere in between. Order your copy today!
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By Kristen Eykel
Kristen Eykel CHt. is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Birth Doula, Usui Reiki Master, IKYTA & E-RYT Yoga Specialist & Certified Advanced ThetaHealer. A member of Women Speakers Association, Kristen is also the Yoga Expert/ Media Spokesperson for Total Woman Gym + Day Spas, and has been featured in Yoga Journal, Fit Pregnancy, Health Magazine, Shine.com, and IVillage.com among others. Her website has links to her 6 Yoga DVDs. You may also catch her meditations and workshops on her channel or purchase her Yoga Emergency downloads here at YogaDownload.com
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Or what about an omelet, made with fresh eggs collected just this morning and filled with local spinach and freshly made feta cheese. A pinch of sea salt and a light grind of black pepper, and oh my, it’s breakfast! Here are a few good reasons to use fresh foods grown where you live: 1. You know where they came from, and who grew them. 2. You’re supporting your local farmers, and in turn, your community. 3. You know how fresh the food is. 4. When you buy it you meet others who also enjoy cooking and eating fresh! And then there’s this: fresh, locally grown foods are healthy, low in cholesterol, and just plain taste good. Visiting a farmer’s market can be a singular experience. When you go to one, you’re planning a treat for yourself, your family and friends. You find a variety of delicious, colorful, high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables in season, some fresh-laid eggs, and a cheery bunch of flowers for the table. Then there are the surprises: the booth with the homemade jams lined up in jewel-colored jars, the one with the homemade tea towels and tablecloths, and the bread booth, filled with freshly baked bread of all kinds. The aroma is indescribable. Eating and cooking fresh locally grown food is a treat. But it’s also good for the community. When you buy from a local farmer, your money is going right back into your town, your county, and your region. You’re supporting not only the farmer, but her employees as well. She plants and harvests for you and others in her—your—community, providing foods that are in season, rich with nutrients and always delicious. Buying your foods fresh from local farmers markets, shops and farm stands has another benefit: community. You have a unique opportunity to meet and get to know your fellow community members. Some of them might be nearby neighbors. You can make new acquaintances, meet others who also appreciate cooking and eating fresh, and make new friends who will someday become old friends. It feels good, putting down roots in the place you live. There’s also an argument to be made regarding the bigger picture. Buying fresh foods that are produced locally helps to lessen our environmental footprint in several ways. Many, if not most local farmers don’t use pesticides or herbicides while growing their crops, preferring to keep insects and weeds under control using natural methods. When you slice a tomato grown locally, you know you aren’t about to eat residual chemicals that could be harmful. Some argue that food grown and consumed locally will, over time, reduce greenhouse gasses. Whether it would help the big picture is still under debate. Still, it’s a good one to have. But growing, harvesting, selling, buying and eating locally can only be a good thing. For further health information about foods and more, click here. By Leslie Vandever Leslie Vandever is a professional journalist and freelance writer. She loves writing, cooking, and reading, and under the pen-name “Wren,” she writes a blog about living well with rheumatoid arthritis called RheumaBlog. References: Farmers Markets. (n.d.) Nutrition.gov. U.S. Department of Agriculture. National Agricultural Library. Retrieved on February 26, 2014 from http://www.nutrition.gov/farmers-markets Good Food Essentials: Shop Wisely, Cook Simply, Eat Well. (2011, Aug. 19) National Resources Defense Council. Retrieved on February 27, 2014 from http://www.nrdc.org/living/eatingwell/food-essentials.asp Healthy and Sustainable Food. (n.d.) The Center for Health and the Global Environment. Harvard School of Public Health. Retrieved on February 27, 2014 from http://chge.med.harvard.edu/category/healthy-and-sustainable-food
Try one of these YogaDownload classes for better digestive health:
Belly Fire - Yogic Practices for Good Digestion - Katie Silcox
Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show. To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.
According to the article “Ritual [Further Considerations]” in the Encyclopedia of Religion, “The term ritual remains difficult to define...For these reasons, ritual has been identified in many unexpected places” (Bell, web). However, if we consider what Mircea Eliade has to say about ritual within a culture, we can identify that one use of ritual is to manifest the sacred in an otherwise profane world, what he would term “heirophany...or that something sacred shows itself to us” (Eliade, 11). Through the yoga asana practices of our modern day, students are able to create this heirophany within themselves and experience not just the space in which they practice as sacred, but their own existence becomes sacred as the yoga practice allows the manifestation of the sacred to irrupt within them. As they do this, they move within their own life as an embodiment of the sacred, which gives the practitioner an elevated state of mind. What Patanjali would call in the Yoga Sutra “chitta prasadanam” or, blessed mind-stuff (Yoga Sutra 1.33). In his article on Yoga in The Encyclopedia of Religion, Eliade states that through the practice of asana, “one arrives at a certain neutralization of the senses; consciousness is no longer troubled by the presence of the body. Furthermore, a tendency toward "unification" and "totalization" is typical of all yogic practices. Their goal is the transcendence (or the abolition) of the human condition” (Eliade, Yoga, web). As Eliade discusses in his book, The Sacred and the Profane, the irruption of the sacred from the profane can occur just about anywhere. Within the yogic practices, the irruption occurs internally as the practitioner uses the tools of yoga to shed any profanity, or impurity (in Sanskrit, avidya) within the body and mind in order to view oneself and one’s very own existence as sacred. While yoga practitioners may not initially join their local yoga studio expressly for this benefit, this benefit, nonetheless arises. Generally, the initial pull into the yoga studio is the physical ritual itself and its more physical benefits of greater flexibility and health. The primary yoga practice of this modern day phenomenon is asana, literally “seat” in Sanskrit and it is the physical movements that often resemble a fancy combination of acrobatics and aerobics. This is a very modern development of the practice of asana, as initially the practice was the seat of meditation. In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali describes asana as a way to singularly focus the body to and “is the first concrete step taken with a view to abolishing the modalities peculiar to the human condition” (Eliade, Yoga, web). As modern day yoga practitioners move through their various asanas, or postures, with one another in a studio, or even guided in their living room by one of the popular contemporary instructors via DVD or video streaming, they are doing a practice that helps them refocus their entire body and mind away from the mundane, or what Eliade would call the profane, in order to elevate their consciousness and reinsert themselves into their lives after the practice as a more sacralized human being. The practice of yoga is a mystical one, meaning it is an internalized process of using the body to create a physical experience that will elevate the practitioner’s mind and state of wellbeing. All of the various practices of yoga will do this, though the contemporary focus is on asana. And so, millions of practitioners flock to yoga asana practice and move and breathe together creating a modern, ritualized expression of the millenia-old yoga practice. The style of modern day yoga is largely a physical one consisting of postures known in the lexicon as asanas. These asanas move the body in various ways giving the yogi (one who practices yoga) not only flexibility and strength, but also a movement practice that allows them to embody yoga’s deeper benefits. The general course of a group yoga class in the various venues throughout the country will start with students in some kind of seated, or grounded position. From there, students typically warm up in a movement style called a “sun salutation.” This series reflects a type of full-body prayer or prostration done by pilgrims in India throughout the millennia, with the body beginning initially in a standing position, and eventually making its way to a type of bow where the body is closer to the ground, eventually coming back up to stand. The class then progresses with various postures that represent various forms of nature. There are bird poses, sage poses, angular poses, poses to different Hindu deities, and all these postures help the practitioner to experience themselves as each of these aspects of their world. The practitioner embodies the tree in tree pose, learns how the bird tucks its wings underneath him in crane pose, and finds the three angles in his or her own body in a triangle pose. Each of these asanas gives not only a physical experience of embodiment, but also a psychological opportunity to shed the ego and experience oneself as a part of a greater continuum. As a physical ritual, the practice concludes with corpse pose, known as shavasana in Sanskrit, where the practitioner emulates a dead body by lying quietly and statically on the ground for a period of time. This little death symbolically ends the physical ritual by allowing the practitioner’s physical body to relax, and his or her psychological body to release any lingering hold by the ego, reflecting what Eliade said, in order to “transcend the human condition.” (Eliade, Yoga, web). And while many practitioners may not initially come to the physical practice of yoga in order to “transcend the human condition” and sacralize their life-experience in their world, many are lead to the deeper aspects of yoga simply through the physical ritual of the practice. The asana itself, with its integration of movement and breath, its ritualized group enactment and its place in yoga studios, which have swiftly become the new community centers of the modern era, eventually lead many of the most skeptical yogis to a deeper awareness of their physical, mental and psychological well-being. According to a study by Smith, Greer, et al, “participants in both the integrated and exercise yoga groups experienced decreased depression and stress, an increased sense of hopefulness, and increased flexibility compared to the control group” (Smith, EBSCO). Essentially, the yoga always does its job whether the practitioner comes to the practice hoping for an elevated state of mind (chitta prasadanam in Sanskrit), or whether the practitioner only intended to get a decent stretch and effective workout. In terms of Eliade’s description of ritual as an irruption of the sacred, the benefits of yoga elevate the state of mind of the practitioner, resulting in their experience of themselves as sacred. Yoga practitioners begin their practice in a different state of mind than when they leave it, no matter whether they show up simply for the physical benefits or not, the yoga essentially accomplishes its own goal of creating internal sacrality within the yogi, or as Eliade states, yoga ‘always has a soteriological purpose, for it is by knowledge of ultimate reality that humanity, casting off the illusions of the world of phenomena, awakens and discovers the true nature of spirit (ātman, puruṣa)” (Eliade, Yoga, web). As an embodied ritual, yoga has the potential to elevate the yogi out of their mundane experience to experience all life as sacred, as that is how they will view it from the lens of their own elevated state of mind. By Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna Kaivalya, has a mission: to convey a sense of joy and freedom through harmony and synchronicity, which she does beautifully through her classes, workshops, writing, and music. Alanna is known for her ability to translate the ancient practice of yoga into a modern day context. Visit Alanna's website and learn about the Kaivalya Yoga Method at AlannaK.com. Check out Alanna's newest book, Sacred Sound!
Click here for Alanna's complete listing of classes available at YogaDownload.com!
Works Cited
Bell, Catherine M. "Ritual [Further Considerations]." Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 11. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 7848-7856. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. Eliade, Mircea, and Willard R. Trask. The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1959. Print. Eliade, Mircea. "Yoga." Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 14. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 9893-9897. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 Mar. 2013. Smith, Andy J., Tammy Greer, and Timothy Sheets. "Is There More to Yoga Than Exercise?" Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine 17.3 (2011): 22-29.Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Mar. 2013. "Yoga Statistics." Statistic Brain RSS. N.p., 12 July 2012. Web. 04 Mar. 2013.
Get creative. Have fun. Use what’s in your refrigerator. And let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear about your favorite Buddha Bowl creations and if you give millet a thumbs up!
Yoga is a practice of uniting mind and body in order to connect to our highest self. Although not always in alignment, the mind and body always influence each other. Often we use our mind to rationalize and cut off the signals we receive from our body. We excuse aches, pains, and illness as something that is happening to us separate from thoughts, experience, and stored emotional trauma. When we prevent the mind/body from aligning, we live in a disjointed state never fully functioning as our optimal self. Disjointed, we are like Kubera unable to give to ourselves, or to others, from a state of pure selfless service. In yoga classes, we are frequently asked to release attachments to our past. We are asked to let go of regrets, ego, and anxiety caused by our actions and choices. Other than to tune into our breath, we are rarely instructed how to release old traumas. Often breathing in the new and exhaling out the old is not enough. Our ego clings to the past because much of our identity lies in what already has occurred. Our body stores memories and experiences. Anyone who has moved into a yoga pose and suddenly experienced anger, grief, or joy can attest to this. Recently, in savasana, memories two decades old came back to me. As a college undergraduate I was involved in an unhealthy relationship. I recalled how I allowed my whole being be hijacked by another person. Unable to escape the thoughts, I cringed that I was ever in such a low, dark place. Throughout the years, thoughts from my college relationship would appear and my habitual reaction was to recoil and stuff them into a closet in my heart. I believed hiding them would help them disappear. In savasana, I let the memories flood in. I felt the shame and humiliation. My skin prickled, got hot, and my breathing grew rapid. I surrendered into the moment. Then the unexpected happened. I saw everything in my life since that relationship: breaking down, getting up, moving on, growing up and growing out. The soul-searching and confusion contributed to my growth. Who I am now is because of who I was then. As I acknowledged this, I witnessed the shame and humiliation disappear. My ego no longer attached to the victim image and I felt lighter…happier. I felt bliss. For us to grow, to give, to selflessly love, we must remove the obstacles that keep us divided from our most compassionate and brightest Self. Like Ganesha, we are not satisfied by egotistic tendencies that oftentimes drive our habitual behaviors. There is no one way a teacher can instruct a student to release attachments. This can only be done through one’s readiness to wholeheartedly surrender into body, mind, and spirit.
By Kimi Marin
Kimi has a master’s degree in literature and loves to combine the power of stories with yoga. Her Yogic Lore workshops are a fun combination of stories, asana, meditation, and mantra. Kimi was featured in Origin Magazine’s Inspire Series and was the featured ambassador for Ahnu Footwear June 2013. Visit www.kimimarinyoga.com
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Gentle Hatha 5 - Jackie Casal Mahrou Yoga to Unwind - Kylie Larson
Vata's are usually smaller, petite framed and lose weight very easily. When they are out of balance, they have intermittent digestion, constipation, drop weight or hold it in their hips, and feel stressed, ungrounded, and frazzled. When they are in balance, they are creative and great multi-taskers. Pitta's are usually a medium, athletic build and can be quite fiery when out of balance. An unbalanced Pitta can have a temper, break out in rashes, and suffer form heartburn or huge surges of hunger. Pitta's have good digestion that when imbalanced, becomes slightly fiery in the form of indigestion and heartburn. A pitta who is in balance is sharp, strong, and has a fantastic memory. Kapha's tend to be larger framed, both taller and larger bone structure. Kapha's tend to gain weight easily and have sluggish digestion. A kapha who is out of balance can become super mellow and not get much done. A kapha who is in balance has high energy reserves and is mellow without becoming lazy.
By figuring out with dosha you are, or what combination of doshas you are, you can learn to balance your digestion, your weight, and your energy levels. To find out which dosha you most likely are, head over to one of these resources: Deepak Chopra Quiz John Douillard Quiz Joyful Belly Ayurveda Just remember that while these are great tools, they are not medical advice nor are they as thorough as seeing an Ayurvedic Practitioner. This is more of way to pinpoint where you might be at right now, and what might be throwing you off-balance or away from health. By Jessi Andricks Jessi Andricks is a Charleston, SC area yoga and fitness teacher. She specializes in a mind-body approach to fitness, to help people regain their energy and learn to fuel their lives through exercise, whole foods, and holisitic habits. Read more about Jessie at thehouseofhealthy.com.
- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini. Visit www.danadamara.com
How could we not start by talking about 15 year old Russian figure skating phenom Yulia Lipnitskaia? She might be double jointed everywhere, but she gives elegant new meaning to what’s humanly possible. Work toward her standing split backbend in Backbend Into Your Morning with Mimi Ferraro (55 min Intermediate class for $2.99).
The aptly named Skeleton event involves racing head first down an icy slope at 70 miles an hour on a plastic yoga mat,which is an exercise in control, trust, a heck of a lot of bravery and a strong upper back. Follow in Great Britain’s Shelley Rudman’s tracks with a healing practice, Jackie Casal Mahrou’s Yoga For Back Pain 2 (30 minute All Levels class for $1.99).
It isn't called a power pose for nothing. Chair strengthens the thighs, calves, ankles and spine, reminding downhill skier Bode Miller to breathe for stamina. Find it abundantly in Dawnelle Arthur’s Power Vinyasa Flow 2 (45 min Intermediate class for $1.99).
USA Snowboarder Shaun White knows his way around Utkatasana variations. Make space in your body to get down the mountain with speed and style, with help from Twisting Out Negativity and Doubt with Nancy Nielsen (20 min Intermediate class FREE).
Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovski expertly demonstrates the full yoga split. This hip opener is highly beneficial for the hamstrings, groin and pelvic floor muscles. Find it in Hips and Hams with Channing Grivas (60 min Adv. Intermediate class for $2.99).
Curlers (the player who releases the stone toward the target) are well practiced in Crescent Lunge, but did you know that many players also use the throw as an opportunity for a deeper hip opener? Here, Canada’s Cheryl Bernard demonstrates Lizard, also found in Danielle Diamond’s Xen Strength Yoga with Weights (30 min Adv. Intermediate class for $2.99).
By Anitra Lahiri Anitra Lahiri is an avid Yogi, Yoga Instructor, mother, and writer who strives (and often fails!) to infuse all aspects of her life with Yoga philosophy and practice. Her Yoga blog, Under the Lotus Tree, is for anyone who simply wants to live a healthier, more meaningful life. Read more from Anitra at her blog - underthelotustree.com.
This smoothie recipe is especially useful if you’re trying to fill your kids and loved ones up with healthy food and they tend to resist. You can hide almost anything behind Peanut Butter + Chocolate. Smoothies are the simplest way to pack a big nutritional punch and this is a delightful recipe to do it.
Jessica Wyman Executive Wealth and Wellness Chef Ingredients:
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The power of the mind is intriguing isn’t it? I mean, to take on the responsibility of your life is slightly daunting isn’t it? It’s much easier to blame people, circumstance, environment and your ancestors for what shows up in your life, isn’t it? Let me ask you this: Do you believe that our life is pre-destined or do you think we have a hand in what transpires? What a thoughtful question to ask yourself at this time on the planet. Personally, I believe we all show up with karma; an agenda if you will, that on a soul level, we want to clear. And this karma shows up throughout our lifetime. (Okay, lifetimes!) It presents itself as challenging situations, risk taking opportunities, day to day activities, and conditions that blow our heart wide open… pushing us to the depths of our being. Now, we have a choice: we can let them blow by, chalking them up to coincidence or we can breathe into them and witness the magic. We can point our finger outward or we can look inward and ask how we contributed to what is showing up and even deeper, why we created it. And you know, one way isn’t right and one isn’t wrong, it’s just a matter of how deep you really want to go with all of this. Ask yourself this question: “If I could be, do or contribute anything in this lifetime, without limits, what would it be?” First off, notice how quickly the mind comes in with its limits and restrictions, listing the reasons why you can’t be all that! It happens that fast…because mostly, those limiting beliefs are unconscious and they race through your mind like wildfire. Then ask yourself: “Is this idea or vision anywhere present in my life and if it’s not, why isn’t it?” This usually sets off what I like to call the “snow-globe effect”, where things start to get shaken up a bit. Nothing makes sense, however, underneath it all, it ALL makes sense; you’re just waiting for everything to settle. Because the truth is, we CAN create our lives. We DO create our lives. We ARE creating our lives. We are manifesting in every single moment, of every single day. Our thoughts truly do create our reality. And what’s funny is manifestation can happen in an instant or it can take some time. It’s really dependent upon how much we feel into that thought; how much we believe that thought and how much we are willing to clear from our life in order to allow that thought to manifest. What happens when we look at our lives and ask, “How did I get here?” An avalanche of unconscious beliefs has just come crashing down on us and is lying in a pile of rubble at our feet. And what is underneath is who we have been all along, but it’s seemingly new so it feels uncomfortable. It’s been safe and comfortable, living underneath that pile of rubble. Because you didn’t have be vulnerable, you didn’t have to take responsibility, you didn’t have to show your Self. What I have found, over the past few years though, is that once that initial avalanche falls, you feel… exposed. Life all of a sudden looks different. And honestly, you never really go back to “how did I get here.” You really don’t. You fall into the breath, slow-mo your life and feel it all. And in those moments, it’s like your life is flying across the ticker tape of your mind and you see all the choices you made that got you to that moment. You realize that you did create the situation you are in. You understand the power of your mind and your heart harmonizing in creation. And you feel pure reverence. It’s like time stands still and you witness that space…you SEE what choices made, what thoughts you thought, what words you said and what you wrote in the privacy of your own journal, that brought you right there…in that moment. And this is all REGARDLESS of what the moment is! Because you can’t attach to the moment! Not even for a second! That’s what usually throws people off… labeling the moment. Because if the ego comes in and labels the moment as good or bad, right or wrong, then the mind starts playing games…usually the blame game. Which never ends on an enlightened note. You’ve got to stay with the breath, that’s the only way…and in the heart which is where the breath lives anyway. It never ceases to amaze me, blow my mind or take my breath away: that acceptance of the power we possess. In an instant of being, when I am offered that space to notice, I am in full reverence for the pure magic of creation. In that long deep breath of awareness, I notice my words, my meditations and my vision boards. I see my circle of influence, my prayer, my heart and I realize I am in union with God, creating my life. You are an amazing manifester. What do you want to create? By Dana Damara
Hearts Wide Open