om monday: be there

maybe you've heard the saying "wherever you are...be there", but it's simple wisdom is worth repeating.  i cannot tell you how many times throughout the day my mind is not where i am.  i'm thinking about my to-do list, our weekend plans or what to make for dinner, and consequently, i'm totally out-of-touch with the here and now - the present moment.  but every time we choose to dwell on the past or wonder about the future, we're denying ourselves the only moment we ever have...this one.

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when you become aware that your mind is elsewhere, don't judge, don't label, just notice.  and then breathe.  in yoga, we're taught to align both mind and body with the breath and by doing so, we become mindful and fully embrace the present moment.  yogi or not, you can use that tool, too.  the breath is a wonderfully simple way to ground yourself.  by focusing on your inhales and exhales, you begin to quiet the mind chatter and begin to slowly sink into the moment at hand.

believe me, it's not easy to get in the habit of noticing when you're mind has drifted away (i'm still working on it!), but if you can begin to cultivate that skill, you'll receive the gift of the present. 

namaste : )

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om monday: funky feelings

did you ever notice how bad moods or frustration or stress tend to breed more bad moods, frustration and stress?  and yet, even with that knowledge, it still can be extremely difficult to pull yourself out of the "dark place".  somehow it seems like you're accomplishing something by hanging on to that negative emotion - analyzing it, dwelling on it, ruminating about it.  but, it is in those moments, when we choose to just let it go that we can experience the greatest growth and uncover the deepest insight into ourselves.

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the first step is just bringing some awareness to the situation.  just noticing - hey, i'm totally pissed off right now.  and realizing that the "pissed off" attitude is not you.  it's just something your experiencing, a shifting, changing, fleeting emotion that can be dealt with any way you choose.  i know, easier said that done, but just breathing some space between you and the negative emotion will help it dissipate faster. 

now, that you've recognized the emotion, don't judge yourself or beat yourself up for feeling blue, or angry or annoyed.  instead, just breathe.  that's right - just breathe.  you've heard that one before, right?  turning to the breathe, and consequently quieting the mind is one of the most effective tools for moving beyond difficult emotions.  as you breathe, you may begin to feel the sharpness of the emotion begin to dull and begin to slowly melt away.

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from there, slow down.  i find that my negative emotions are often coupled with a propensity for rushing and not being present, which in turn makes me more frustrated, because i'm not being effective, efficient or present.  when i slow down, i see things more clearly.

next time funky feelings creep into your day, just notice them.  recognize that they are not you and therefore can be changed.  breathe and slow down.  and everytime you consciously choose to move past your negative thought patterns, it will get easier - i promise.

namaste

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om monday: create your life



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a few weeks ago, my sister gave me journal with the above quote on the cover.  "life isn't about finding yourself.  life is about creating yourself."  in yoga, we're taught that we create the world in which we live by how we live in it.  if we create beauty, we find more beauty.  if we cultivate our compassion, we see more compassion in our world.  and, contrastly, if we perpetuate negative thought patterns - the more negative thoughts and experiences we will have.

i don't know about you, but this quote is both uplifting and a bit overwhelming.  the notion that the world in which we live is a mirror on how we live our lives is kind of scary, because that means we have a lot of responsibility in making the world as we wish it to be.  but with that responsibility comes empowerment - knowing that if we seek a change, we much be the change.  and with this, we become the creators of our own universe.  very cool.

namaste : )

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om monday: wise words for the new year

i found the following on mariel hemingway's blog last week, and this small but meanginful passage completely spoke to me.  i hope you, too, find the words inspirational.



i do not ask to travel the easy road
but for the courage to endure the road i am on.

i do not ask for fulfillment
but for the humility to accept what is in my path.

i do not ask for perfection in all i do
but for the wisdom not to repeat my mistakes.

i do not ask of these gifts before saying
thank you for all you have given me.

- chief red cloud, ojlala sioux 1819-1891

these words were written well over 100 years ago, yet i feel i could ask for the very same.  life isn't perfect, and we'll never be happy all the time, but if we approach our lives with a sense of wonder and gratitude, we will see the magic in the every day.

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namaste : )



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