October 09, 2007

SOCK a Few Zzz’s into Your Life

I realize many people cycle through bouts of insomnia at different times throughout the year for many reasons.

Deep breathing exercises often help, along with other relaxation techniques like meditation. I have been told by friends that they have nights in which no remedy can lure them into a deep, uninterrupted sleep.

Recently, I added the following suggestion posted by one of our blog readers to my garden of insomnia remedies:

 Our reader Coleman wrote...
“I read an article recently about an insomnia test that people with warm feet will fall asleep faster. The report recommended putting on socks 10-15 minutes before bedtime. Something about the heat in the feet triggers relaxation in the brain.”

I love this idea! Everyone should have a warm pair of socks, and how about in all kinds of funky colors.  I decided to try our readers suggestion and for the past two nights, I wore my favorite fuzzy socks to bed. I also practiced my usual Kundalini deep-breathing exercise. I generally find that when I eat well, exercise and also know when to take a break and relax that sleeping soundly arrives naturally.

I will write more soon on Kundalini breathing techniques as I find that I always sleep really and find I do not need long hours of sleep. I am sure it is due to my yoga practice.

So....go out soon and find yourself the coolest pair of warm socks and wear them tonight! Who cares how funny you may look (smile)! It is worth it!

October 01, 2007

Our Yoga Mats Are Connected.

After completing several days of yoga, meditation and dance at the Yoga Journal Conference a few things come to mind.

The conference was filled with people from all over the country, Mexico and Canada. From different backgrounds, sizes, ages, genders, with & without health problems, battling cancer, mental health issues, trying to learn how to prevent future illness, married, single, divorced, heart broken, happy, sad, you name it, they were there.

Looking around the room filled with hundreds of people doing downward dogs, the smell of incense, the faint sounds of drums and chanting, I thought about how when I have taught yoga classes in the past how I have noticed people sometimes get territorial even within the space they practice yoga. Almost as if their mat separates them from everyone else.

We are not separate, we are all very much connected. When I am out in the world it always strikes me how people tend to be competitive and almost welcome conflict. Wouldn’t it be great if we all took the time to compliment those we know, those we do not know and even those who may annoy us or have caused us hurt.

The conference seemed to evoke this beautiful behavior of being complimentary to one another. I watched strangers helping one another, teaching, crying, laughing, sharing stories, it was beautiful.

Our mats are connected, and so are we.
Gather hundreds of people together with the same intention, it WILL make change happen.

I felt it. I felt love. I felt a shift towards peace for our world. 

September 27, 2007

Even Animals Meditate!

Hello from the Yoga Journal Conference in Estes park, Colorado!

I am engulfed in yoga, dance and meditation workshops, yet I wanted to write a quick note and let you all know that I will have some new blog material in the next few days on my experience here at the conference that you won't want to miss.

There are people from all over the world, who came to do yoga and learn how to eliminate stress from their lives.

I have to admit I was suprised to see the little cute furry animal (photo on the right) when I drove in to the conference.  He or she was simply sitting on the side of the field taking a moment and sitting in the basic yoga posture - it appeared that this furry being was meditating.

I guess animals have stress like the rest of us! 

September 24, 2007

Hair Pulling Can Do More For You Then You Realize!

Yoga has been a great help in relieving headaches for centuries. A few of my yoga students have told me they started yoga initially to get some headache relief. The pattern was the same – the headaches would start mid-afternoon and stick with them all the way home from work! They tried over the counter pain medications, which helped at first. But, when they got tired of their desks looking like bathroom medicine cabinets, they knew something had to change. That’s when they looked into finding a more balanced, fit lifestyle.

Not everyone’s athletic, so the idea of doing anything that sounds like yoga might be a bit daunting at first. But most beginners agree that these exercises are really easy. It’s so relaxing at the end of the day. You can get complete relief in just a few minutes, without having to swallow a pill.

Here’s our routine: We start by sitting in a chair with pillows in our laps. We lean over the pillows and let our heads hang down towards our knees. We take a few deep breaths there. We slowly roll up.

Next, we make soft fists and tap our bodies from our heads down to our feet. Then, we gently pull our hair; just like the hair dresser does before they wash and cut it.

We end by lying on the floor or in bed on our backs. We put our legs straight up the wall and just hang out. The whole thing only takes us 10 minutes! Deep breathing and putting your head so it’s below your legs really helps the pressure. If you do it regularly, you’ll find yourself having headaches less and less often, until they become just a memory.

September 10, 2007

September 11...Tragedy Can Birth Grace.

The summer months are coming to a close, and September has arrived with the promise of new beginnings.

September has always been a time of year for me of renewal and hope for the future. The vibrant colors of the fall leaves, start of school, the Jewish New Year, along with the rustle of the new fresh winds....ahhh yes, breathe in change.

September is also a time of remembering. I lived in N.Y.C. at the time of September 11 and of course will never forget that day as long as I live.

We are all aware of the unthinkable catastrophe that occurred that day in history, yet I would like to focus on positive thoughts and remembering the people we lost that day and those who survived - I personally lost three very dear friends.
There is also the large group of individuals who donated their time to help find people, who years later are very ill from the debris – firefighters, police, doctors, nurses, rescue animals and all the other courageous people that volunteered day and night to uncover people. People may be unaware that there is a huge group of individuals who have come down with lung disease and other life threatening disease, from simply helping out.

What will always amaze me is the way that New York City came together. No matter what size, color or religion, everyone helped one another. I clearly remember walking home across Fifth Avenue and watching strangers reaching out to one another, holding one another, offering food, inviting strangers into their homes.

With the sheer nakedness of this tragedy birthed grace, love and humanity that I had never experienced before.

I live each day with this in mind and made a promise to myself to always spread compassion and love. It is contagious and can do this world wonders.

July 26, 2007

Meditation At Amusement Parks?

If you have been checking out our brand new blog and recently read our Wild Divine July Newsletter, you may have noticed that one of our themes this month has been anxiety and the many natural approaches to alleviate it.

I believe in living life to the fullest and choosing happiness over feeling bad. It is all a choice. I lead a very healthy, balanced lifestyle which entails always trying and doing the things I desire. When I do the things I love it really helps keep stress minimal. The past few weeks I have continued to do something new every weekend. Rafting, horseback riding, camping, dancing and most recently visiting an amusement park.

I have not been on amusement rides since I was a child and now I remember why. Flying high in the air several hundred feet above the ground is not a place I really want to be - smile. A ride that is so high, swings back and forth in the strong wind as it continually spins, brought up fear within me that I did not know existed. I found something I truly disliked. Sweat pouring off my head, stomach soar, clutching to the seat belt that I was praying was holding me in, and sitting close to a friend who began to tell me story to get my mind out of the actual experience. And then I remembered, all I had to do was close my eyes, breathe deep from my belly and relax. And, that is what I did. I got through the ride and the experience was over and I felt calm again.

Will I ever return to an amusement park? Probably not.

As always, my breathing and meditation helped me.

July 18, 2007

Your Feelings Are Talking - Are You Listening?

With the rigors of everyday life, we often forget to slow down and listen to our feelings. However, doing so is one of the best ways you can invest your time.

Stress and anxiety are feelings. Burying them will only cause them to grow. When they surface, they will be much harder to overcome than if you had dealt with them as they arose.

Throughout the day, take a moment to ask yourself how you feel. You might be surprised by the answer. Something you consider to be a mundane task of everyday life might be causing you a great deal of stress – or it might be a great source of happiness.

Feelings are our mind’s way of telling us whether we are moving towards or away from our bliss. Realizing whether something makes you happy, sad, angry, or frustrated will help you understand where that activity does – or does not – fit into your life.

Remember, feelings are never wrong. Always experience your feelings without judgment.