“I can tell you from experience, the effect you have on others is the most valuable currency there is. Everything you gain in life will rot and fall apart, and all that will be left of you is what was in your heart.” -Jim Carrey A few questions to ask yourself as you begin the new week: -What do you carry
We’ve all been there – it’s January 1 and we have grand ideas for taking charge of our health in the new year. Inspired by a surge of energy, we might sign up for a year-long gym membership and plan to go every day right after work. Unfortunately, unless you were already a very dedicated gym-goer before, a move like that may
When we’re feeling tense, anxious, or generally off, we may feel at the mercy of our powerful emotions. However, with some practice and patience, you may find that you can counteract those uncomfortable feelings with slow, deep, controlled breathing. First, a note about breathing: Many of us practice shallow breathing in our day-to-day lives. In other words, when we inhale, our
“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.” -George Washington Carver Happy Friday! This weekend, consider penciling this small goal into your plans: See what happens when you
In yoga classes, you’ll often hear the instructor say something like, “You can always come to a child’s pose if you need rest” or “take rest here in downward facing dog and breathe deeply.” These statements, while well-intentioned, naturally assume that everyone sees child’s pose or downward facing dog as poses of “rest” and relaxation. But the thing is, some
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” -Thich Nhat Hanh Breathing seems so simple. We breathe without even thinking about it. When we are relaxed, our breath is effortless and barely noticeable. When we are stressed, however, the story changes a bit. Many of us are familiar with the “fight-or-flight” response of
“The need to be a great artist makes it hard to be an artist. The need to produce a great work of art makes it hard to produce any art at all.” -Julia Cameron The Bhagavad Gita, one of the major Hindu scriptures and part of the Hindu epic tale Mahabharata, details a conversation between Lord Krishna (disguised as a charioteer)
“If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it’s your duty to be reduced to ashes by it. Any other form of existence will be yet another dull book in the library of life.” -Charles Bukowski Dharma, or one’s personal duty or life’s work, is something we do every day, whether we realize it or not. And if we aren’t
It’s funny how our energy levels can shift from day to day. One day, we may jump out of bed, complete the necessary tasks for the day, and still have enough energy left over to roll out our yoga mats (or lace up our sneakers to do some other type of exercise). Other days may look quite different – we
“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” -Willa Cather I have always lived my life as if I can avert disaster from happening. If I can prevent failure, I’d reason, then everything will be rosy and nothing surprising or painful will happen (or at least not that often). That way, I can spend my
