Many of us are vaccinated. As we begin to emerge from these months of hypervigilance and begin to dine out, to gather with friends and family, and to listen to live music, life is not as we knew it. A sense of isolation may linger. We are cautious, concerned about mask-wearing when they are no longer mandatory and about social distancing. This caution can contribute to a feeling of disconnection from our friends, our families, our communities, even from ourselves. That’s why tapping into that which is changeless is part of my daily routine. There are many portals I can open to sink into that boundary less sense of Oneness, and so can you.
There is the absorbed state of artistic creation, as is the path for the protagonists in my new novel Temple Dancer. Interested in more of this? I just launched an online, on-demand creative writing course that can help you access your own creative self-expression through character, story and yoga. More HERE.
Or gather on Zoom to paint from your source with Aviva Gold. Or find joy in your movements as you dance with Megha.
There is the practice of yoga when we are attending to the breath and body sensation, and there are meditations for the ruminative mind. I offer a weekly LifeForce Yoga meditation class live on Zoom, with accessible movement, breathing, mudra and mantra, to “Give-the-mind a Bone” and give you some peace. The first class is free.
I am often inspired to pause, breathe and dive a little deeper when I read the daily meditation newsletter from Franciscan Richard Rohr and the Center for Action and Contemplation. Here he quotes one of my favorite mystics, Julian of Norwich: All those who are on the spiritual path contain the whole of creation, and the Creator. That is because God is inside us, and inside God is everything. And so whoever loves God loves all that is.
Finally, here’s a simple five-second practice I do several times a day that helps me feel connected and brightens my mood:
Smile-for-No-Reason Breath
Allow your eyes to soften or close.
Breathe through your nose to the bottom of your lungs, so your belly expands.
Drop your chin to your chest as you exhale.
Lift the corners of your mouth and raise your head as you inhale.
Allow your eyes to open.
You are stimulating those cranial nerves with your Smile-for-No-Reason. Has there been a shift in your mood?
This simple breath and others are on my audio practice, Breathe to Beat the Blues.
Spend time this week noticing the beauty around you. What’s in bloom in your territory now? What birds have returned? What is growing within you? If you are on another continent where fall has begun, what changes are you seeing?
Do smile for no reason. Wherever you are and whatever season you’re celebrating, may you pause, breathe, notice and have a happy week!
Check my calendar HERE for more online events coming up!
YOGA THERAPY’s VIRTUAL HOMECOMING
SYTAR June 17–19, 2021
Registration is OPEN for the 2021 Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research conference. Network with people who believe in what you do and feel refreshed after daily yoga asana and meditation practices.
I’m excited to be a presenter, and IAYT’s SYTAR will feature the wide-ranging education you need for rich professional and personal development, along with plenty of opportunities for connection with yoga therapy colleagues, researchers, and other experts.
Catch the Early Bird rate now through May 14! More Here
