Mathew Janzen 11/24/13 Mathew Janzen 11/24/13

Work Mind Vs. Vacation Mind

The Practice of Work Mind & Vacation Mind, Simultaneously

Adapted from Leo Babuta

As we move forward into winter vacation season, and the idea of "getting away from it all," it seems important to consider how we can avoid "working for the weekend" or trudging along until the next vacation.

Imagine being on vacation: you can laze around, sipping on margaritas, not worrying about what you have to do today, not worrying about the time, just being without all the anxiety.

Now imagine being busy at work: you are doing one task while worrying about others, worrying that you’re not doing the right task, thinking about all the other things on your schedule and task list, interrupted by others, filled with anxiety.

Vacation mind, work mind.

They are two different things, and yet, what if we could have the vacation mind while working? We’d have to toss out the lazing around and the margaritas, but the mindset could be the same. The result would be a saner way of living, where we aren’t “working for the weekend” or looking forward to the little vacation time we have, but instead are happier throughout the week.

How can this be done? It’s a few small mindset habits, which can be practiced and learned over time.

What Vacation Mind is Like at Work

Work mind is often full of anxiety: anxiety for what we need to do, for deadlines, for irritating or angry co-workers/bosses, for all the information coming in, for whether we’re doing the right thing right now, for whether we’re missing out on something important. Vacation mind lets that anxiety go, and is just present in the current moment. Time is less important, enjoying yourself is the priority.

So what does it look like when you apply vacation mind to work? You let go of the anxiety. You aren’t worried about getting it all done, or doing the right thing right now, or all the things you have to do later. You are immersed in enjoying whatever you’ve chosen to do right now.

Let’s say you decide to write something right now — you have a long list of things to do, but you decide this is the thing you want to work on at the moment. Could there be other things you should be doing instead? Of course — there always are. There’s no way to know the perfect thing to do — so just pick something, and do it.

You have other things to do, but instead of worrying about those things, you immerse yourself in the current task. You aren’t worried about getting it done quickly, but more focused on enjoying yourself as you do it. Now and then you mentally step back, take a look at the bigger picture, and then return back to immersion in the task.

Pick something to do, immerse yourself, let go of worrying about other things, and just do. Enjoy yourself. Once in awhile, come up for air and look at the big picture.

The Vacation Mind Practices

You might have noticed the key elements in the description above — they’re the practices to be developed if you want to have vacation mind at work.

Note that you can’t just flip a switch and be good at these things today … they take practice, like any other skill. I can say that they’re worth practicing, even if you never master them, because they can transform your relationship with work.

Here are the practices — I recommend practicing a little each day:

Pick something, immerse yourself. On vacation, you might decide to go for a swim. So you do, and fully enjoy the feeling of the cool water on your skin, the exertion of the swim, the taste of the water in your mouth. You can do this at work too: pick something to do, forget about whether it’s the right thing to do at the moment (there’s no such thing), and just do it. Be fully in it. Enjoy the experience of doing it. Notice the feeling, the exertion, the taste.
Let go of anxieties. This takes practice. It’s noticing when anxiety comes up, then noticing the source of the anxiety, which is some kind of outcome you hope will happen (looking good in front of others, being perfectly productive, not messing up, controlling a situation, etc.). Realize that this outcome is only a fantasy, and that other outcomes are OK too. Realize that holding on to this fantasy outcome is hurting you (causing anxiety). Be compassionate with yourself and let go of the unnecessary fantasy that’s hurting you.
Step back and see the big picture. Immersing yourself is great, but it’s also useful to be able to un-immerse yourself, and take an assessment of what’s going on around you. This might mean what’s going on physically around you — people who are nearby, how you’re sitting (and whether you’re sitting too long), etc. But it could mean taking a look at your work situation, as it is right now (something that’s always changing) — is there an appointment you should get to, another task you should jump into instead, someone who needs your attention, some anxiety that’s come up? See the big picture, then go back into immersion.
Be less worried about time. There are times when time matters — showing up on time for an appointment to be considerate of the other person/people you’re meeting, meeting a deadline, having to bill for the time you spend. But a lot of the time we worry about time for no real good reason. It’s not healthy. Immerse yourself in the task, step back to see the big picture, and immerse yourself again (in the same task or another). The time of day isn’t relevant to this process.

Is it possible to be on permanent vacation, so that you’re doing your work but also in the relaxed, enjoyable mindset that’s brought on by margaritas on the beach? I think so, but there’s only one way to find out. Practice.

Mathew Janzen 11/20/13 Mathew Janzen 11/20/13

10 Messages Your Body May Be Sending You on Your Mat - Are You Listening?!?!

Adapted from Karen Fabian:

"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you." "You are beautiful and perfect just as you are." These are just a couple of concepts that I often teach on. Please read on to discover how you can learn to love yourself and your practice even more.

Sometimes when we practice yoga, it’s all we can do to get to the mat. We start practicing, our body is tired, our minds wander and we’re distracted and not focusing on the mind/body connection. Even in the best of practices though, we may also feel somewhat disconnected. We’re dealing with information overload: between social media, the news, our personal schedules and any pains in our body that may have disrupted the passage of messages from our heads to our body.

It’s important to hear the messages our body is sending. This can be the difference between feeling good and feeling great. Sometimes our body is sending us messages but we’re not clear on what to do because we’re new to the pose or to yoga in general.

So, inspired by these thoughts, here are 10 things that may pop up in your sensory body that might be worth listening to:

Is Downward Dog supposed to hurt my hands so much?

From a teacher’s perspective, this is one of the most common messages I’ll bet your body may be sending you, but you’re not sure what to do. If you’re new to yoga and feeling this, you’re probably wondering how anyone could enjoy this pose.

Bend your knees and leverage pushing down into your palms to literally rebound up the sides of your body, pushing your hips up and back. Remember to keep your knees bent a little so that you can draw the weight out of your hands and into your legs. Do this with great awareness so as not to overstretch the hamstrings or create tension in the low back or shoulders.

How can I stop my arm from shaking in Side Plank?

Here’s another pose-related message that I frequently see students struggle with while in class. Turning to the side puts tremendous pressure on the shoulder. Unless the shoulder is stacked over the wrist and/or the knee is down, you may experiences shaking in the supporting arm. Take this modification and you’ll experience less shake while building more strength.

It’s so hard to hold this Triangle Pose. This can’t possibly be right. Triangle pose is a stretch for the inner thighs and sides of the body but it’s hard to experience that sensation if you’re hanging over the front of your leg. Feeling good in this pose is additionally complicated by placing a block in front of the foot instead of behind it. In order to create the alignment of your joints needed to be comfortable, only bring your hand down as far as you can keep the upper body aligned with the front thigh. With this alignment, you’re not fighting gravity and can experience great stretch.

Why is it so hard to reach this block? This is hardly helpful. I often see people grab a block and the lose alignment by placing it too low or struggling to reach it with their fingertips versus using two or turning it on the higher end. Blocks are meant to give you greater stability not create more struggle. Listen to those messages and use more or turn them on their shorter sides.

My hamstring feels like it’s going to pop right out of my body. In our zeal to create flexibility, we may sometimes ignore the messages our body is sending us to let us know that we’re pushing too hard. Muscles should feel stretched evenly throughout the muscle but not to a point where we feel a strong sensation at the beginning or end of the muscle. Bend the knees or make other modifications to the part of the body in question to lessen this sensation.

I can’t breathe. Heated power classes can sometimes result in this feeling and can create anxiety for students. Even in non-heated classes, a crowded class or one where a student is experiencing anxiety for other reasons (yoga-related or otherwise) can trigger a sense of panic. Take a moment to listen to this message. Rest in Child’s Pose. Leave the room for a breather if you feel you need a break but do so mindfully.

I’m so tired. Sometimes, our practice helps us realize we’re really tired. While this seems obvious, as people often complain all the time about how tired they are, this is a deeper awareness; one that only comes after some time on the mat. It can be deep to the level of the bones or may just be an awareness that our mind is constantly moving.

During practice, modify and take time to rest. Give up the urge to keep up or compete with those around you. Meditate at the end of class on what else is going on in your life that could be contributing to this feeling.

Why am I having such a hard time keeping up? In any class we may feel the urge to keep up with those around us. In the midst of doing this, we may feel discouraged and start hearing voices that tell us we’re not good enough or ready for yoga. In these times, we need to practice compassion for where we’re at in our practice. We need to look for ways to make the practice fit our body as it is right now and let go of the need to compete.

I bet I could do this pose. Just as we need to allow for rest and compassion, we also need to listen to that inner voice, as small as it might be, that we could actually do the pose that is being presented. I know lots of students who think they can’t do a particular pose because they’re new, or not flexible or not strong enough. It’s only through trying that we will ever know. Bring your healthy attitude and see what’s possible.

I really feel good. Sometimes it’s easy to look at the glass as half full. We wanted to do a particular pose; we wanted to feel particularly graceful and did not. But sometimes, in the depths of our final rest, we may hear a voice that says, “ I feel great.” This is the magic of yoga.

Listen to that voice and from it, draw strength. You are beautiful, you are strong and you are perfect just as you are.

Mathew Janzen 11/17/13 Mathew Janzen 11/17/13

Why You Should Never Apologize for Crying

Adapted from Sheryl Paul:

I am a crier. I cried all through teacher training. I cried throughout my wedding (and the rehearsal). I have always been sensitive and emotional. While I have never viewed it as weakness, through some very humble teachings from two of my teachers, Ally Bogard and Jana Derges, I have found a way to hold space amidst this sensitivity. Please read on to find out more about the power of emotion and the essential release of tears.

I'm both surprised and saddened when a client starts to cry and then says, "I'm sorry." As crying is as much a part of life as the creek running through my backyard, it takes me a half a second to catch up to the concept of apologizing for tears. Do we apologize for laughing? Do we apologize for feeling excited? Where, oh where, did we learn to apologize for crying?

Well, it's not a difficult question to answer. The vast majority of my clients—and the human population—grew up with the very clear message that crying wasn't welcome or even tolerable. "Get over it" was the message that most kids were—and still are—raised with.

If you're a parent who hasn't embraced your own pain, who still views pain through the lens of shame that you absorbed when you were a child, you can't possibly create an environment in which your child feels safe to cry. The message of shame is passed down through the generations until someone's anxiety becomes so intolerable that they must break open and find compassion for their pain.

Among the many gifts of anxiety, learning to embrace your pain is among the most potent and far-reaching in terms of the effects it has on one's well-being, relationships, and current or future children. It is the stored pain that often underlies the pervasive anxiety and intrusive thoughts that torture millions of people in our culture.

When you can access the pain and allow it to bring you into your heart and body, the mind-chatter naturally quiets and eventually falls away completely.

In order to access the pain you first need to examine the messages that have been downloaded about crying and then ask yourself if you believe that those messages are true. Do you believe that "crying is weak"? Do you believe that, perhaps, there's a profound strength in allowing yourself to be touched enough by life that it opens you to tears? Do you believe that you'll cry too hard that you'll never stop? Or do you trust that crying, like all forms of grief, has its own timetable and that once you've emptied the well you'll be able to get up and go about your day?

The well may fill up again the next day, or even the next hour, but you will not fall into a depression because you've let yourself feel your pain. In fact, it's when you squash your pain that it either silences into depression or wiggles out through anxiety. The beliefs you carry about pain are old, false, and need to be discarded before you can allow yourself to open to what's living in your heart.

There's such richness and beauty in crying.

When a client feels safe enough to open those floodgates and allows me to witness the most vulnerable place in her heart, I feel honored. There are no words in that place. I sit and breathe and allow and hold the space for the tears to move through at their own pace. It's sacred space. It's real space. It's some of the most fulfilling and interesting work that I do as it is energy that arises directly from the center of a person's soul. The mind chatter is gone. The quest to explain this or that falls away. It's raw, honest and alive.

Never, ever apologize for your tears. Do your work so that you can blast through the veil of shame that tells you crying is weak or bad in any way. Your pain is your strength. When you apologize, you dam up the current that's trying pass through. Let those waters flow. Allow someone to be witness to your pain. It's how we heal, and it how we find our way to wholeness.

Mathew Janzen 11/13/13 Mathew Janzen 11/13/13

Habit Mastery - Creating the NEW Normal

Adapted by Leo Babuta

Many of us are looking for change. Big, small, personal, life, relationship, etc. We always hear that it takes three weeks to make or break a habit. Here are some ideas and thoughts about creating long-lasting change, in any aspect of your life.

Changing habits, at its core, is simply a process of changing what’s normal for you. This is something I’ve done myself a gajillion times over the last 7-8 years:

not smoking became my new normal (lots of pain for a month or so)
running became normal
eating vegetarian became normal
later eating vegan became normal
writing every day became normal
not having sugar in my coffee became normal
eating whole foods (instead of junk foods) became normal
meditating every morning became normal
having less stuff and a simpler home became my new normal
reducing and eventually (mostly) eliminating sugar became normal
and so on: no car, walk and ride mass transit, do less, becoming content with myself, working for myself, etc.

In fact, you could say the last 8 years of my life has been a constant adjusting of what’s normal. Adjusting normal is my normal now. However, for most people, changing is tough because there’s some pain in changing. When you have a problem, there is the pain it causes in your life, but there’s also a pain of trying to change it.

When the payoff of trying to change is outweighed by the pay off of continuing the old way, people stick with what they’re comfortable with.

How do we overcome this problem of the pain of change? Start small, start with one thing at a time, and make the change easier. You want to make changing the path of least resistance, because change usually isn’t for most people. If you make a drastic change, it feels really hard and really different, and not something you can stick to for very long. But when you make a change easier, it makes it easier to take that all-important first step.

Once you take that first step, you have a bit of forward momentum. And it’s much easier to be consistent and stick with something for a long time.

Let’s take an example: I used to drink coffee with lots of added sugar. I used to think there was nothing wrong with that, but eventually I realized I was making an excuse for putting crap in my body. So I started by putting half a teaspoon less in my coffee. At first, it was slightly less good. But after a few days, it tasted exactly like normal, like what I was used to. And then I took out another half a teaspoon, and it was slightly less good for a while, and then after a while it was exactly what I was used to.

Our minds tend to adjust over time. That’s my change process — I gradually adjust what’s normal to me. Eventually I didn’t need any sugar in my coffee, and it was just as good for me, I didn’t have all that crap, and I enjoyed it the same.

You can do this with anything — exercise, meditation, procrastination. Gradually adjust what feels like normal to you.

Here’s the process:

Start small. What’s the smallest increment you can do? Do this for at least 3 days, preferably 4-5.
Get started. Starting the change each day is the most important thing. Want to run? Just get out the door. Want to meditate? Just get on the cushion.
Enjoy the change. Don’t look at this as a sacrifice. It’s fun, it’s learning, it’s a challenge.
Stick to the change. Notice your urge to quit. Don’t act on it. Keep going.
Adjust again. When the change becomes normal, make another small adjustment.

This is the process of creating a new normal. It’s beautiful and simple.

Mathew Janzen 11/11/13 Mathew Janzen 11/11/13

In Praise of the Bind

A few months ago I made the decision to offer a yoga workshop on binding (mundum). At first this felt original and interesting. I was motivated to explore binds and excited that it was a relatively new topic in my yoga world.

Within a few short days, I began to see binds all over the place; it was like a lighthouse of awareness suddenly swept the darkness of my own life’s endless binds. Want to meet a friend; not enough time. Plan to practice yoga; kids need a ride. Decide to write a blog; family member is in crisis. Plan a day off; wake up with a headache… I realized, not only do I hate binds but my whole life is about binds….sigh… and these were the simple ones. Why would I want to do a workshop about binds? Why would anyone want a workshop about binds?

Noticing my aversion to binds made it pretty easy for me to see my attraction to its opposite, being unbound (mukta, mukti).

In fact, I even woke up several mornings pre-judging my day based on great hopes for being unbound …no body symptoms, enough time, enough money, just the perfect weather, ideal energy levels… I realized that at some deeper, unconscious level, I even expected mukti, just slightly demanded it… and subtly felt deserving of it? Woah! I know few people appreciate feeling stuck or bound but did I deserve to be unbound? Do any of usdeserve to be unbound? What is unbound? I began scouring dictionaries, my deepest thesaurus, the internet and yogic text.

Swami Satchindananda got me cogitating (manaana) when he said, “forgetting you are happy makes you want to attach to something to find it; when you can’t get that thing you are bound.”

Yeah, ok Swami… he made it sound soooo simple. We bring our life to the mat and what happens on the mat to life. That much I know for sure. This isn’t just an idea, it's real beans. It’s what yogis have been experiencing (nididhysasana) for thousands of years. In this way the mat acts a bit like a magic carpet, creating space and opportunity, to take you from one place in life to another, with ease. It invites the alchemy for our inner and outer worlds to connect. If we let it happen.

In my searches for meaning I discovered that bound and unbound have both inner and outer qualities. Kayaking across a pristine lake has the outer quality of freedom. Kayaking across a pristine lake for the first time in your life has an inner quality of liberation. At first these inner/outer polarities seemed different and opposite but soon they started to merge into one another. Constricting, squeezing and holding in a bind could just as easily be experienced as deepening, opening and surrendering.

The mat showed me there was a seamless, yet transformative, alchemy between mundum and mukti.

They added together like two essential ingredients in a recipe and always produced something new. It was humbling to realize that all along I had been a mukti addict. A person shamelessly attracted to the unbound, while shamelessly dissing its equal partner, the bind. Where along the way had I forgotten the dance? How can we bake a beautiful cake if we only want to add flour?

Taoist wisdom teaches, that which you fight against you strengthen.

We see this everywhere, from antibiotic resistant organisms to fighting terror with terror. Adding flour on top of more flour does not create anything but a bigger pile of flour. Hmmmm, a life rich with binds, an addiction to mukti…I’m just sayin'… a few dots were connecting.

We probably all have a preference for mundum or mukti and land somewhere on the sliding scale of life. But that’s not the point, the point is bringing mundum and mukti into relationship with one another. Bringing them to that seamless magic on the mat where inner and outer can connect. Practicing them, exploring them, dancing with them; that was the real point. How is it not precisely and beautifully human to be bound? Our very life force, chi, prana, energy, soul, spirit, is bound within the cells of our own bodies and in the next moment unbound in the breath.

It is not about whether we perceive to be bound or unbound it is about how we dance between the two opposing poles.

It is about how we deepen our relationship to the dance and hopefully have some fun in the process. In this way the bind, which as I now see it, is simply being human. It is both the purpose and the movement of life, on and off the mat.

- Carleen

To register for Carleen's upcoming workshop "Unravelling the Bind" click here.

Check out the video we created with Carleen discussing her yoga journey, and her passion for binds below!

Carleen's Yoga Journey from Yogalife Studios on Vimeo.

Mathew Janzen 11/10/13 Mathew Janzen 11/10/13

Recipe Alert! - Creamy Almond Pesto & Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade

By: Vlady Peychoff

When opening a new recipe book to find an inspiration for a meal, it can be at times quite overwhelming and intimidating without a clear direction of what you want. It can be especially stressful when you invite some friends over for the evening and you are trying to cook up a storm to impress them. From experience, I have learned appetizers or ‘hors d’oeuvres’ are an integral element to the evening. The role of the appetizer can either be that of a mood teaser or a mood downer. Dipping options, whether it is for bread and/or vegetables, proves to be for the most part a success at social gatherings. Here are two dipping recipes from Roberto Martin’s cookbook titled Vegan Cooking for Carnivores that cannot fail and may well set the mood for your guests:

Creamy Almost Pesto and Sun-Dired Tomato Tapenade (a slightly modified version)

Ingredients Creamy Almond Pesto

2 ounces fresh basil leaves (about 45)
2 ounces (1/2) cup blanched almonds, whole or silvered
2 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, chopped (or you could crush them as the original recipe says)
3/4 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup water
freshly ground black pepper (for seasoning)

Ingredients Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade

15 to 20 sundried tomatoes chopped (not packed in oil)
1/4 cup capers, packed in brine, drained
15 fresh basil leaves chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped (or you could crush them as the original recipe says)
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/4 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup raw pine nuts or almonds
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper (for seasoning)

Directions

Preparation

You can make both dips simultaneously as they have a lot of common ingredients, though different taste. Firstly, put the 15-20 sundried tomatoes in a large bowl and rinse a couple of times with cold water. After, fill the bowl with hot water and let the sundried tomatoes soak for 15-20 minutes. Similarly, in a large bowl put about 60 basil leaves (for both recipes) and rinse a couple of times with cold water. Likewise to the sundried tomatoes, fill the bowl with cold water and let the basil leaves soak for 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, chop or mince 6 garlic cloves (facilitates the blending process). Subsequently, grate approximately two tablespoons of vegan parmesan cheese (it does not matter if you grate more, you can add it to the mixture).

Drain the bowls of sundried tomatoes and basil leaves.

Blending

Prepare for make the creamy almost pesto dip. From my own experience, it is important to put the ingredients in a specific order in order to avoid your blender suffering a ‘mechanical’ breakdown (especially for the Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade). Add ¾ of the basil leaves, then ¾ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of water, ½ cup of almonds, ½ of the chopped or minced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of grated vegan parmesan cheese and ½ cup of vegan mayonnaise. Blend the ingredients together until an even and creamy mixture is formed. Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate.

Once the blender has been washed, you can move on to the Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade. Add the remaining basil leaves, ¼ cup drained capers, 15-20 sundried tomatoes, the other ½ of chopped or minced garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup water. Blend so that it becomes a cohesive chunky mixture. You may have to stop the blending process and use a wooden spoon to get the top ingredients below for blending. The other option is to add more olive oil or water at your discretion to act as a base for the solid ingredients. After, add ¼ cup of raw pine nuts or almonds and ½ of chopped kalamata olives. Blend until a cohesive chunky mixture has been established. Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate.

After a couple of hours remove from the fridge. Season each dip with salt and pepper. Ready to eat with bread and/ or vegetables!

Other Pertinent Information

Each dip will respectively form two cups. The Sun-Dried Tapenade will last longer in the refrigerator than the Creamy Almond Pesto Dip. Roberto Martin mentions that the Sun-Dried Tapenade can be “stor[ed] in the refrigerator in a glass container with tight fitting lid for up to 2 weeks”.

My Challenge with the Recipes

The greatest challenge that I had not anticipated was blending the ingredients for the Sun-Dried Tapenade. The seemingly simple recipe became a 15 minute wooden spoon hindrance. I added the sundried tomatoes first with the rest of the dry ingredients and added the olive oil and water last. Big mistake. The original recipe suggested 1 cup of chopped kalamata olives, but that only added to the difficulty. A ‘mechanical’ breakdown for my blender was in sight. Although in the end, I successfully made a cohesive chunky mixture.

Closing Remarks

In brief, social gatherings are meant to be entertaining and stress-free. When looking for recipes in a cook book, do not panic, but check to see if there are any sections in the book that are titled Social Events, Party Food etc. Creamy Almond Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade are two of a vast pool of potentially tasty dips. Do not be afraid to play around with recipes and substitute the ingredients and/ or amount of ingredient needed.

“This is my advice to people: Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun” –Julia Child

Mathew Janzen 11/6/13 Mathew Janzen 11/6/13

Tapping Into the Duality Behind Foam Rollers

By: Vlady Peychoff

Foam rollers have multiple uses ranging from assisting in stretches, physiotherapy and stabilization. It can be difficult to assess whether or not a foam roller is an appropriate tool. Fear and intimidation are two barriers that infringe upon the use of this object. Will I break a bone? Can I put my whole trust in this rolling object? These are a couple questions that crossed my mind the first time I tried using a foam roller. I found that multiple benefits outweighed the concerns.

Here are a couple benefits:

-Relieves mid-back muscle and joint tension.

Roll 5-10 times between your lower ribcage and shoulder blades.

-Stretches and relieves pectoral muscle tightness.

Lie on the foam roller with a slight tuck of the chin and outstretch your arms over your head. Hold for about 30 seconds.

-Stretches out and massages the IT Band.

Roll on the outside of each thigh 5-7 times. It is not about speed- the slower you go the juicier (the ambiguous sugar coating way of saying deeper) the massage will be.

Technology, particularly in some professions and institutions, has constructed an environment for tension. There is the potential to spend countless hours on a computer or studying where the end result is back pain. Our posture can cave in (pectoral tension) and our backs curl (back tension). Additionally, after any sort of physical exercise our IT Band can stiffen up. For instance, in a yoga class certain postures can irritate the IT Band depending on multiple factors (improper muscle engagement, physical limitations of the body etc). Needless to say, all these instances can be aided with a foam roller.

In brief, foam rollers are not distress tools, but tools to alleviate soreness. Yes, I do agree that foam rollers may not be for everyone due to personal and physical concerns. Although, it never hurts to get a second opinion about a foam roller from a physiotherapist, doctor, chiropractor or massage therapist. My personal experience of using a foam roller has helped me discover unexpected tension points in my back. Try, See, Decide!

Mathew Janzen 11/3/13 Mathew Janzen 11/3/13

Emily McNicoll's Yoga Journey

Emily's Journey into yoga started about 8 years ago as she was travelling overseas in Australia, when an interest in Reiki and energetic healing naturally led into the practice of yoga. Emily sees the beauty in mindfulness and a gentle practice, and encourages her students to be grateful for the present moment instead of focussing on what's good or bad.

"Rather than labelling things as "good" or "bad", realizing that the experience of life is a blessing in itself and above all to just be thankful for it has encouraged me to be more aware of the present moment."

Emily's love for restorative yoga, and her desire to help those with stiff muscles, joint issues and a number of other physical impairments has led her to lead a restorative workshop at Yogalife Studios North, on November 8 from 7PM-9PM. Restorative yoga can be beneficial for both the mind and the body, helping to get us into proper alignment, while gently alleviating any areas of tension or pain. It can also play an important role in providing our minds with mental clarity, integrating an opportunity for meditation amidst these gentle healing postures. To find out more about Emily, and her upcoming workshop, check out the video below!

Emily's Nurture and Restore workshop on November 8 is quickly filling up! If you're interested, please visit the registration site here.

Register soon!

Mathew Janzen 10/31/13 Mathew Janzen 10/31/13

The One Thing All Relationships Need to Succeed

Adapted by Shelly Bullard

Just another thought about self-love and appreciation :)

What is a foundation? It's the ground on which we build. Obviously if we want to build something that can weather a storm, it's best to start with a sturdy foundation.

So what's the foundation of all relationships? It is the relationship you have with yourself.

If your internal foundation is shaky — has cracks and holes (insecurities and negative self-concepts) — then the relationships you build on top of it are going to feel shaky, too. However, if you move in the world with a solid sense of self, then you're less likely to crumble when things don't go as planned. And things aren't going to go as planned.

When we're internally insecure, we naturally try to control the circumstances that surround us. Unfortunately, we fail. Why? Because it's impossible to control things that exist outside of us.

But there's another way: go within to find your strength. That's where your true sense of sturdiness lies.

So how do you do it? Simple (but not always easy): Know who you really are.

When I say this, I don't mean that you know your name and how you like to spend your time (although these things are important). I'm talking about going beyond that — knowing what your true essence is.

Know that you are magnificent. Know that you are supremely important. Know that you are worthy. Know that you are love.

When we know ourselves in a deep, spiritual way, we know that we are much greater than we give ourselves credit for.

Many of us identify with our wounds and faults: "I'm bad at relationships," "I'm not good with money." Or even worse, "I'm not very smart," "I'm not attractive enough."

Look, those things aren't the truth about you. Not even close. Those are your ego's stories — your limited self-concept. But they don't define the real you.

If you identify with your limited self-concept, then naturally you try to get other people to make you feel worthy. But again, any time you're depending on something outside of you to feel secure, you're in trouble. Because everything outside of us moves and shakes. That's the nature of life.

Know that there's a truth that exists beyond all these stories. This is the truth of your soul. It knows that no matter what, you are an amazing person.

Do you make mistakes? Yes. But underneath those mistakes is a desire to do better next time; to let the best version of yourself shine.

Things are going to shake you. People are going to try to convince you that you're not so great. Don't listen to them!

Build your internal foundation. Know who you really are and never forget.

You are nothing short of magnificent. Find this inner source of love and hold on tightly; it will keep you steady through all the changing tides.

Mathew Janzen 10/27/13 Mathew Janzen 10/27/13

Why We Lie & Three Ways to Stop

Adapted from Ally Hamilton, and inspired (for me, Brandon Jacobs), by Jana Derges.

I teach on all kinds of things but most importantly I teach on self-love, self-appreciation and self-worth. We need to stop hiding who we are and what we believe in and speak truth: hard, authentic truth.

There are all kinds of reasons people lie but at the root of most of them is fear. Too many people go through life holding back or sacrificing their deepest desires and true intimacy because they're afraid to say and live what's true for them.

Sometimes people lie because they don't want to hurt someone else. Sometimes it's because they want to do what they want to do, and don't want to have to factor in someone else's feelings. And sometimes it's because they've done something they wish they hadn't and want to rewrite history. Or keep things as they are.

People lie when they feel threatened or trapped. The thing is, if you want people to know you, understand you, and love you for who you are, you have to be willing to show yourself. And lying is a way of keeping yourself hidden.

Here are three ways to pull back the veil and free yourself so you can live in a way that feels good.

1. Know yourself.

This is really the key. If you don't know what lights you up, what will bring you peace and joy and give your life meaning and purpose, there's no internal GPS to follow. Without that it feels like we're walking in the dark, bumping into things or people, hurting ourselves or others inadvertently.

Follow the pull of your heart and listen to your intuition. Neither of those will steer you in the wrong direction. Don't worry about logic or practicality for just a little while, simply allow yourself to move toward those things that fulfill you and give you the sense of being in the flow. For me it was yoga; for you it might be something completely different. (And I'm not talking about breaking commitments to people or shirking your responsibilities, I'm simply saying give yourself permission to explore pursuits that bring you joy.) Recognize that in order to do this you may need to make big changes in your life.

When we've been flying blind, it's likely we've landed ourselves in relationships and jobs that have nothing to do with that inner yes. Tell the people closest to you that you're feeling the need to change things up. That you aren't happy in that deep way, and that you're trying to get to know yourself. Understand that some people may feel threatened, but no one can fault you for trying to find some peace and meaning if you haven't already. Life is short, after all.

2. Face reality as it is.

As you get to know yourself in a profound way it's very possible you will realize there are areas in your life that don't fit anymore. If it's a relationship this realization can be brutal but it's probably something you've known for a long time and haven't wanted to face. Sometimes we lie to ourselves and those are the most painful lies. Betraying what's true for you at your core is the deepest rejection there is. There's no way to feel connected or seen or understood by anyone else if you aren't even able to do those things for yourself. A relationship or a job that is crushing you is like dead weight on your heart; it's hard to breathe.

Sometimes people tell me they're living in pain because they don't want to hurt the other people in their lives. The thing is, everyone deserves to be truly loved. If you're in a relationship with someone and you're just going through the motions, do you think the other person can't feel that on some level? I don't believe anyone would thank you for staying out of guilt or pity. If there are children involved then you work like hell to save it. You do anything and everything in your power to right the ship. You work to see if something true and beautiful, even if it's a glimmer of something that existed years and years ago, can be fed.

Remember: you don't do anyone any favors by being a martyr. You can't nurture anything or anyone, including yourself, in a dead environment. And that's what happens when we deny our own reality. Something within us starts to wither and die, and the roots begin to shrivel.

3. Respect people enough to tell them the truth.

There are big lies and little lies. If your old Aunt Marge knits you a horrendous hat for Christmas, of course you thank her. You might even wear the hat when you see her because that's what love looks like sometimes. But I know so many people who lie because they don't want to have a painful conversation. It can be about small stuff, like something they want to buy but know their partner wouldn't support, like an expensive pair of shoes or jeans or a new toy.

When you do something behind someone's back you know what you've done, whether or not you get away with it. You have to live with the fact that you've done something sneaky and that's not going to make you feel good about yourself. You put on those sneaky jeans or pair of shoes, and say they're really old when your partner comments on them. And now you have to live with your sneaky self. And that energy permeates a relationship.

Now you've hidden a relatively small thing; what else might you hide next? An email flirtation, tea with a "friend" you like in a way that scares you? Once you start hiding from the people closest to you it's only a matter of time before you feel very alone; it becomes hard to trust yourself, to trust in your goodness, in your ability to be kind to yourself and to the people in your life. There are some things you don't need to share, of course. If you see someone in line at the grocery store and you think they're attractive, you don't need to go home and tell your partner; that's called being human.

If you have an energy building with someone at work you need to talk about it, sooner rather than later. An uncomfortable conversation, while painful and not desirable, is still so much better than an emotional betrayal that you allow to grow. You're better off regrouping, whether it's something small or something big.

Speaking your truth or honoring your truth doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want. Sometimes there's confusion about that in the spiritual community. It means you have the painful conversations. It means you acknowledge what's in your heart and then decide together what to do about it. That's called integrity, and that will make you feel good about yourself, even if the process isn't fun sometimes.

Life is not easy. It's beautiful and heartbreaking and frequently awe-inspiring, but it isn't easy. Being a human being with all your history and all your experiences, with the particular lens through which you look is a vulnerable undertaking indeed. You make things a lot easier for yourself and for all the people in your life when you live in a way that opens your heart. You simply can't do that if you're denying your deepest truths.

"Three things cannot long be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."

(This is not a direct quote from the Buddha, it's paraphrased. Truth! :)

Yogalife Team 10/24/13 Yogalife Team 10/24/13

Featured Teacher: Jennie Toshach

Meet Jennie Toshach. Yoga instructor at Yogalife North, Sub at Yogalife South. Teaches Hot Flow & Beginner's Hot Flow.

Since being introduced to yoga seven years ago, Jennie Toshach immediately fell in love with the practice. Having struggled with anxiety and seeing the difference yoga made in her own life she made it her goal to become part of the culture, and make a career doing what she loves - spreading positive energy.

"I was suffering from anxiety and found that yoga was the best cure. So i got drawn into practising and wanted to share it with others." - Jennie Toshach

Receiving her intensive training with Moksha Yoga in Montreal 2010 she immediately began putting her new skills to work all around Alberta. Jennie is very excited to be part of the HOT family and loves to bring a sense of ease, fun, and relaxation to her classes while still challenging her student’s body and mind. Expect to be pushed, have fun, and probably hear some awesome music too!“I shut my eyes in order to see.” – Paul Gauguin

"I find that yoga really centers me. Whenever I’m feeling upset, either teaching or practising I find that yoga makes me feel great afterwards."

Mathew Janzen 10/20/13 Mathew Janzen 10/20/13

Asteya - The Art of Non-Stealing

Asteya: The Art of Non-Stealing

By Vlady Peychoff

When you hear the word ‘non-stealing’ what does your mind jump to? Personal possessions? Time? Energy? Friendship? It may be none of these answers as each and every one of us have been influenced by different experiences, people and environments.

Non-stealing in yogi terms refers to Asteya, a branch of the Yammas and Niyamas (one of the eight limbs in yoga).

Stealing is a term that stereotypically extends itself to the taking of personal possessions. At any rate, stealing has the potential to encompass in its scope non-material forms such as time and energy. When engaging in a conversation, whether it is in a professional, social or amicable setting, there can be dips in our attention span, we are human. Have you ever dozed off when a friend has been telling you about something seemingly unimportant that does not resonate with you? Sometimes you catch the last part of the conversation, then you tangent off to another topic without acknowledging what was just said. This is an example of stealing, time and energy were wasted; it can even be an unconscious unintentional act, but it happens.

An interesting excerpt from the Huffington Post titled How to Practice Asteya: Non-Stealing of Others' Time by Alexandra Franzen suggests the following ways we can adopt Asteya in our daily lives:

· Write short, concise, elegant emails. Most working professionals receive upward of 100 emails a day. If you're going to add to the queue, strive to be precise.

· Think before you reach out for "help." Can the answer you're seeking easily be Googled? Do you really need assistance? Do you have a specific question, at all?

· Consider not speaking.

"Open your mouth only if what you are about to say is more beautiful than silence." -- Arabic Proverb

· Show up on time. Model punctuality and inspire others to do the same.

· Don't commit to projects that you have no desire to complete.

· Make it easy for people to help you. If you're reaching out to someone to request a favor, tell them exactly what you need, and when, and why.

· Make it easy for people to understand you. Nothing steals away time like struggling to decipher what someone is trying to say!

· If you tend to be overly-wordy, pretend as though you're appearing on a morning talk show and only have a few moments to captivate your audience. If you tend to use a lot of convoluted jargon, pretend that you're speaking to a very young child.

· Try to avoid changing your mind mid-stream -- especially if your new choice creates a significant inconvenience for others. If you must shift gears, do it fast and do it right.

Be concise and precise. Don’t steal your time and the time of others.

A note on Vlady's personal experience:

Asteya is a practice that I try to integrate on a daily basis. It takes discipline and patience, but over time I've noticed a difference. Asteya is not limiting in regards to awareness in conversation, though it has taught me how to attune to the tone of conversation being spoken. Perpetual boredom or feeling complacent can be mitigated when you realize that your time matters. For instance, crossing something off your to do list that you've been procrastinating. "I have no time to do _______" is an expression that has become meaningless when even the simplest of tasks such as 'washing the dishes' turns 'impossible'. In brief, Asteya is to respect the value of time.

What do you do to practice or incorporate the art of non-stealing?

Mathew Janzen 10/20/13 Mathew Janzen 10/20/13

Asteya - The Art of Non-Stealing

Asteya: The Art of Non-Stealing

By Vlady Peychoff

Non-stealing in yogi terms refers to Asteya, a branch of the Yammas and Niyamas (one of the eight limbs in yoga).

· Write short, concise, elegant emails. Most working professionals receive upward of 100 emails a day. If you're going to add to the queue, strive to be precise.

· Think before you reach out for "help." Can the answer you're seeking easily be Googled? Do you really need assistance? Do you have a specific question, at all?

· Consider not speaking.

"Open your mouth only if what you are about to say is more beautiful than silence." -- Arabic Proverb

· Show up on time. Model punctuality and inspire others to do the same.

· Don't commit to projects that you have no desire to complete.

· Make it easy for people to help you. If you're reaching out to someone to request a favor, tell them exactly what you need, and when, and why.

· Make it easy for people to understand you. Nothing steals away time like struggling to decipher what someone is trying to say!

· Try to avoid changing your mind mid-stream -- especially if your new choice creates a significant inconvenience for others. If you must shift gears, do it fast and do it right.

Be concise and precise. Don’t steal your time and the time of others.

A note on Vlady's personal experience:

What do you do to practice or incorporate the art of non-stealing?

Yogalife Team 10/16/13 Yogalife Team 10/16/13

Pete Longworth at Yogalife

We were delighted to have TEDx talking, globe walking, Aussie photographer and Mr. Art of Seeing, Pete Longworth, drop by the studio on his visit to Edmonton. He conducted a community event and spent an afternoon getting snap-happy with some of Yogalife's most notorious characters. From portraits to poses, headstands to heckling, kisses and crack-ups... it was an amazing experience that left us all better than we started. Thank you to everyone that came down and created such a wonderful energy, and a very special thank you to Pete for providing such a juicy offering to our community. For those who missed it... next time just believe us when we say that and event is not to be missed!

You will find more of Pete's work at www.petelongworth.com.

For anyone interested in using these images for anything beyond personal social media exploits, Pete has very kindly extended the opportunity to own your images for any purpose provided you donate the associated fee to Brandon & Lindsay's Nicaragua charity. Each image will be made available to you un-watermarked in both an optimised online version and as a high resolution print version. Images will be $50 each and all payments may be made directly as cash [in a clearly marked envelope - who/for what/how much] to Yogalife. Please forward all image requests to petelongworth@me.com

Please check out the collection of images on Yogalife Flickr Page.

Mathew Janzen 10/13/13 Mathew Janzen 10/13/13

Debunking 8 Fitness Myths!!!

Photo credit Paul Swanson

Adapted by Brittany Mullins

Each day I get at least a handful of press releases sent to me — new products, recent studies, contests, requests for me to share info… you name it, I’ve probably gotten an email announcement or press release about it. As we move into Autumn, we tend to spend a lot more time indoors and more time may be spent at the gym, as we prepare for "hibernation." With that in mind, I know how frustrating it can be to "spin your wheels" or have a bit of false information or fear-based info. SO, here are the top 8 myths that the Canadian Exercise Journal has hoped to clear up!

Myth #1: Stretching before exercise reduces the risk of injury- False. The scientific literature of the past decade fails to support stretching before exercise as a successful strategy for injury prevention. However, research does support stretching at other times, including post-exercise, to reduce injury risk.

Myth #2: Walking a mile burns as many calories as running a mile. – In our dreams. While walking is a great physical activity, it does not require as much energy as running. Research has shown that running has a 40 percent greater energy cost compared to walking. That means you burn more calories when you run.

Myth #3: Lactic acid causes acidosis and muscle fatigue during exercise. – False. This century-old myth, linking lactate or lactic acid to fatigue, is the result of a scientific misinterpretation that has prevailed through the years. Lactate does not cause metabolic acidosis. Furthermore, it is useful in the performance of exercise at high intensities.

Myth #4: Lower-intensity exercise puts you in the fat-burning zone, so it’s preferable to higher-intensity exercise. – Wrong. The “fat burning zone” at low intensities of exercise doesn’t even exist! The best approach is to think of energy expenditure as a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, rather than partitioning into carbohydrate and fat calories. To burn maximum calories in support of ongoing weight loss, progress to a moderate-intensity/higher-volume exercise program and include interval training.

Myth #5: Morning workouts increase metabolism better than workouts performed later in the day. – Wishful thinking. Research has clearly shown that total energy expenditure is equivalent across different meal and exercise orders. Therefore, the decision to exercise in the morning should be driven by personal preference rather than any false hopes that greater weight loss will be achieved by exercising before breakfast.

Myth #6: Muscle weighs more than fat. – Not true. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat. The difference is their density. As we lose fat and gain muscle, weight may change very little, while body volume decreases as we become leaner.

Myth #7: Women who want to avoid looking bulky should avoid resistance training. – False. Resistance training does not cause women to get bulky. In fact, it is virtually impossible for women to get as big (i.e., bulky) as men due to physiological differences, such as lower levels of testosterone.

Myth #8: Spot reduction really works, especially if you want six-pack abs. – In our dreams. Research shows that if a vigorous, high-volume, core-training program is performed, fat will be reduced in the abdominal area, but not selectively. A lean midsection requires, then, a total program of core, resistance and aerobic exercise—not just a focus on the abs.

We sincerely hope this helps as you move forward in any of your fitness endeavors!

Mathew Janzen 10/9/13 Mathew Janzen 10/9/13

Warriors of Change - Healing from the Inside, Out

Many of us struggle. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. We struggle with self-worth, body image, food, addiction, feeling happy, feeling appreciated. We may struggle with feelings of perfection, feelings of hopelessness. One of the biggest societal issues is that we try to overcome these struggles and obstacles on our own. But you are not alone. You are not the only one. Some of the most comforting words in the English language are, “me too.”

Join Brandon, as he guides you through a 2-hour barrier breaking, obstacle removing, honest, and authentic practice. Through the idea and POWER of physically opening up through asana, we can be honest and real, take off our masks, and become higher and greater versions of ourselves.

Help to move yourself, your mind, and your practice forward. Together we can change, create change, and be change.

Practice will run on Saturday, October 19^th from 4-6pm. Please bring a journal, an extremely open and light heart, and most importantly, the willingness to open up and invite change into your life.

Brandon is extremely passionate about helping people to use yoga to move through obstacles. He feels that yoga is an ideal way to help open yourself up both physically and emotionally. Through this openness comes the ability and awareness that we can create change in our bodies and in our lives to come closer to our full potential.

10/7/13 10/7/13

Yoga and Culture Tour of Nepal With Neil Haggard

Imagine a holiday blending Nepalese culture with a daily yoga practice with a small group in beautiful surroundings and walks in local villages within view of the Himalayas! Your host and guide is Neil Haggard, a YAA certified Yoga Instructor who has been traveling to Nepal for the past 10 years.

Neil has selected 4 great locations in Kathmandu (Nepal's capital city), Pokhara and Begnas Lake in Nepal. After arriving in Kathmandu airport we bus to a wonderful old hotel in Kathmandu near the Monkey temple. A good sleep behind you, the sounds of birds and the city awakening invite you to your early morning yoga practice in the Pagoda room at the top of the Vajra Hotel.

After breakfast, we take a walking tour of Swayambunath, the Monkey temple which provides insight into Buddhist and Hindu cultures as well as stunning views of the city of Kathmandu. Several days later we bus to Pokhara, the second largest city in Nepal, where the pace is slower, shopping is great and after a quiet yoga practice we take a short hike to view the Annapurna range of the Himalayas! Four nights in Pokhara are guaranteed to provide a holiday atmosphere, relaxing afternoons, time to meditate and perhaps a walk to a Tibetan Refugee camp or the International Mountaineering Museum. We then take a 'silent' boat ride across Begnas Lake to the 4 star resort for 3 nights of peace in the foothills of the white-capped mountains. The food is excellent and we take walks to a school, an organic coffee plantation and farms. Of course, an option is take a nap, or to sit in the garden to enjoy a good book!

Then, it is a short 30 minute local flight back to Kathmandu for several nights in Hotel Tibet with traditional Tibetan style hospitality. Comfortable rooms, Yoga practice on the terrace in view of the Annapurna's and some visits to exotic Hindu temples and the largest Buddhist Stupa in the world are part of the itinerary. Lunch on a rooftop, coffee in the Garden of Dreams, a traditional Nepali celebration dinner leads you to an evening flight home, feeling relaxed and having experienced the fascinating culture of Nepal.

For further info, call Val Landals at the Adventure Travel Company 780-439-3096.

10/2/13 10/2/13

6 Steps for Being More Creative

Adapted from Marc Lesser, CEO of SIYLI, Zen priest, and author of Know Yourself, Forget Yourself.

For most of my life I did not think of myself as creative at all. Then, many years ago, I started a greeting card company, despite that I had rarely purchased or sent greetings cards. My motivation was combining business with taking care of the environment, by making products from recycled paper. I found myself in a role where I needed to be very creative – in developing new products as well as how to distribute products. I also found that the act of leadership – my perspective about my role and the company’s strategy required tremendous creativity.

Creativity is important for many reasons. It is a path and process for not getting stuck in old habits and ineffective ways of seeing yourself and the world. Creativity can help with problem solving, with creating healthier relationships, and with having a healthier and happier life.

What I learned is that creativity isn’t something that you have or don’t have. It is something that you can nurture and develop. Most importantly, creativity can be a practice. This is especially true for me in my current role (as the CEO of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute) of helping business leaders to be both more effective and happy.

Here are the 6 steps that I began using, and find I’m using every day, not only in my work but especially in my relationships and my life outside of work These practices can be used to support the changing of habits and creating new habits. I’d suggest making the practice of creativity a habit that can support other habits. Here are some guidelines:

Believe in your creativity – This is the first practice and probably most important. You might begin by thinking about or writing down three creative things you’ve done – something you have written or said or completed. Notice an area in which you feel creative; perhaps cooking, drawing, fixing things, gardening. Creativity can show itself in lots of small ways, such as the gifts we give, or the clothes we wear, or how we set the table. Just begin noticing and recognizing your own creativity.

Know your voice of judgment – Everyone I’ve ever known has an inner judge. It can be difficult to accept that having an inner critic is part of the human condition. The good news is that this inner voice just wants to protect us and keep us safe, and that you don’t need to be stuck with or thrown by these inner voices. Knowing this, try relaxing your inner judge. Give it a name. Be playful. Experiment. Despite your judgments, you have the ability to be creative.

Pay attention to details – By entering into the practice of creativity, you can begin to notice more of the details of everyday life. By paying more attention to details, you can become more present; your world can become more alive. It is in this presence and aliveness that creativity takes place. When you put your shoes on, which shoe do you put on first? What’s the color of your front door? How many emails do you receive and send each day? Or play with giving things different names. Look at a paper clip or a strawberry, as though seeing them for the first time. What might you call them? These types of details and experiments can open doors to seeing the world differently.

Ask dumb questions – Our desire to look good and smart can get in the way of creativity. Instead, ask questions, especially those that may seem obvious, or even dumb. Risk looking awkward. Be curious about your feelings and your motivations. Let yourself wonder how things work and why you and others talk and act the way you do. Let go of the need to look good, and allow yourself to be curious and at times awkward. This is another door to creativity. There are no dumb questions.

Practice Mindfulness – Mindfulness is a fancy word for paying attention and for being in the present moment – not ruminating about the past, nor worrying about the future. Mindfulness is a simple and powerful practice. Of course, reviewing the past and preparing for the future are important. And, being creative, happens in this moment. The practice of mindfulness is to over and over notice when your mind is wandering and to bring your attention back to the present. In this way we build our capacity for presence, and for creativity. Mindfulness can also mean to allow your attention to open, to consciously not focus on any one thing. This space, of intentionally expanding your attention can be a creative process.

Embrace Paradox – It seems that nearly everything about being a human being is a paradox. In my own life, I’m an introvert and I enjoy speaking in front of groups; I can be indecisive and make decisions quickly; I’m confident and vulnerable. What are some of your paradoxes? Instead of ignoring or pushing these contradictions away, try acknowledging them, and embracing them. An example of a paradox I find myself embracing and practicing with is – fight for change and accept what is. These appear to be completely opposed, yet, the starting point for changing habits is to notice the habits that we actually have.

Being more creative is a practice, a habit, and a process. A good way to begin is to notice how creative babies and young children are. Just the act of crawling, walking, and exploring can be enormously creative. Creativity is easy – just let yourself be more childlike, curious, open, and start by exploring any of the six practices I’ve outlined.

9/29/13 9/29/13

When Good Enough Is EXCELLENT

Adapted from Daily Cup of Yoga

Sometimes good enough is excellent. Despite what our high school principals would tell us. Even though our leaders espouse magnificence. Even though our leading self-help gurus often say otherwise. There’s a lot of messaging out there about going beyond what’s good…to being great. Outstanding. Par excellence. Blowing the roof off.

All of this is good…except when it isn’t. Except when we look at what others are doing and think that’s what we need to do, too. Good enough is good enough when pursuing excellence would mean pursuing the excellence of others.

Good enough is, in fact, excellent when it means we stop looking at what others are doing and start asking ourselves what it is we can do. It’s excellent when it means we stop looking outside ourselves for the bar with which we measure our successes.

Nobody else walks in your shoes. Nobody else lives your life, has your story, or knows what you know. Nobody else has your combined talents, history, skills and expertise. Nobody else has your particular shine. Don’t be excellent if it means trying to fit yourself into someone else’s definition of the term.

In yoga, we talk about ahimsa: non-violence. Also interpreted as compassion, it can encompass seeing ourselves in others, the unity between us all, and operating from a place of understanding and acceptance. Turning that inward means applying these same values to ourselves. How would living from a place of self-compassion look? What role might understanding and acceptance play in the story of your future successes and how you got there?

There’s also the concept of the essential self and the social self—which from the yogic perspective links in with the soul or atman and the ego (the part of us that believes we are separate and defined by our differences). The essential self is the part of us that knows what’s right for us, and makes choices based on that. The social self is the part of us that is concerned about pleasing other people, and makes choices based on that.

Excellence isn’t excellent when it’s based on pleasing other people. And good enough is, in fact, excellent, if it feels totally and completely right for us.

When Good Enough is Good Enough

When it means you’ll take the first step, knowing that no matter what the outcome, simply having taken the first step is enough.

- When it means you’ll be stop comparing yourself to others and do it in the way that’s most right for you.

- When it means you’ll stop ignoring what you need: rest, fun, a break from what’s standard.

- When it means you’ll begin something you’d never otherwise had the guts to try.

We need both our soul and our ego, our essential self and our social self—and when we come from a place of ahimsa, we’ve got both sides of ourselves supported and unconditionally loved.

How would that impact your path to success?

9/25/13 9/25/13

7 Sexy Character Traits of Happy People

By Ken Wert - adapted from www.marcandangel.com

In an era of public booty-bouncing and other ubiquitous in-your-face expressions of sensuality, it’s about time we had a new standard of sexy. Real sexiness is so much more than physical shape and form. It’s more than style and wardrobe, attitude and visible swag. And it’s certainly more than the lopsided exposed skin to covered skin ratio depicted on today’s popular media channels. We are increasingly in desperate need of a more enduring standard, one that includes more than face and body – one that includes the shape and form of internal qualities, those that add joy and passion to life, those of heart, mind and soul.

"Sexiness is a state of mind - a comfortable state of being"

-Halle Berry

The Up-Close-and-Personal Principle

Have you ever seen someone across a crowded room you were immediately attracted to, approached them and got to know the person up close and personal, and then couldn’t remember for the life of you how you ever found them attractive? On the other hand, have you met someone who had no particular appeal at first glance, and then after getting to know them you suddenly discovered pure sexiness oozing from their pores?

Deep, moving sexiness is more than mere physicality and more than swaying hips and pouty lips. It’s more than broad shoulders and six pack abs. The most enduring form of sexiness is the most endearing trait and the clearest mirror of the human soul: happiness.

It’s time we elevate happiness to its proper place in the sexiness pantheon by learning and applying these seven character traits of happiness (and therefore sexiness):

1. Moral Courage

Happy people stand up for what’s right and don’t get pushed around by peer pressure into the newest fad or trend. They have the courage, conviction and inner strength to do what’s right even while others reshape themselves into ever-shifting expressions of someone else’s standards, becoming shadows of other’s values.

Chameleons are not very sexy creatures. But real men and real women who know what they believe and value, and stand up courageously for those beliefs and values are tremendously sexy! 2. Self-Confidence

Happiness requires a degree of confidence that allows us to believe we have value, that we are worthy of love and friendship and success. Happy people have faith in themselves and in their ability to develop the skills and qualities needed to become highly competent at living life well. Keep in mind, though, that it’s not the pseudo-confidence that hides insecurities under cocky exteriors that shout their accomplishments and exaggerate their strengths and experiences. It’s a humble self-acceptance and self-love that genuinely feels comfortable in their own skin. Not much is sexier than someone who humbly exudes self-confidence.

3. Thoughtfulness

They say nice people finish last, but that’s just not true. As a matter of fact, jerks are never completely trusted or respected by people who respect themselves. Happy people are thoughtful people. They consider the needs of others. Making a difference, in fact, takes center stage in their lives; it’s an important part of their self-identity. Their thoughtfulness is measured in how they treat others, including those they don’t know, and in countless silent acts of kindness. If you’re not convinced that thoughtful people are both happy and sexy, just ask anyone in a loving relationship with a few years under their belt how sexy thoughtfulness is to them and how thoroughly unsexy its opposite is. 4. Passion

Happiness at its highest level includes living a life of passion and purpose. Happy lives are directed lives, pointed at something deeply meaningful. The happiest amongst us are excited about living because every day offers them another opportunity to do what they love, because truly passionate people have many interests, they are rarely bored, adrift or indolent. Passion and purpose are ‘sexiness’ personified. Sexy people love life and love people and love what they spend their time doing. You may know people who are impassioned by nothing, who sit around and waste ungodly amounts of time. Are they sexy? Not at all. 5. Self-Responsible

Have you ever met a happy person who regularly evades responsibility, blames and points fingers and makes excuses for their unsatisfying lives? Me neither. Happy people accept responsibility for how their lives unfold. They believe their own happiness is a byproduct of their own thinking, beliefs, attitudes, character and behavior. And just as happy people never blame others, external circumstances or the universe for what is or isn’t a part of their lives, sexy people don’t either. Just think about the epitome of the unsexy: A whiny, sniveling, accusing, blaming, irresponsible victim of life. Not happy. Not sexy.

6. Honest

Liars hide from the truth. They lack the courage to stand up to the reality of their lives. They hide behind words and camouflage – their hidden agenda behind a web of stories and verbal slights of hand. Happy people don’t live that way. Honesty is a hallmark of the happiest amongst us. It is also a characteristic of the dangerously sexy. There is no sexiness in a liar. They breed distrust. As a matter of fact, lying is one of the quickest ways to ruin a beautiful relationship. Indeed, trust is one of the sexiest characteristics of the singularly sexy.

7. Self-accepting

Happy people are AUTHENTIC. They are real and know who they are and what they like. They are in touch with their feelings and spend time learning and growing and developing. Self-accepting people may forgive themselves of their own shortcomings, but they don’t excuse them. They look their weaknesses square in the eye, accept them as they are, then go to work growing and improving and transforming them into strengths. Self-acceptance is never used as an excuse for stagnation or laziness or apathy by the truly self-accepting.

Someone with that kind of inner calm, self-awareness and forward momentum is almost universally considered sexy and attractive to others.

Afterthoughts

Our superficial culture honors the young and thin. It holds up the tall and full-lipped and big-bosomed as the epitome of sexy. But that’s a woefully shallow brand of sexiness. That’s a standard of sexy that is only skin deep, lacking substance and depth; it misses the point of true and enduring sexiness. After all, youth eventually fades to gray, vertebrate compress, our thin parts plump and our plump parts thin, lips wrinkle and skin sags.

On the other hand, intelligence deepens, wisdom expands, experience informs, character lifts, hearts are softened and intellectual backbones stiffen with time and effort. Sexiness can therefore no longer be held hostage to a superficial culture addicted to taut skin on bony frames with sculpted faces. It’s time to take back the very notion of sexiness and recast it in the mirror of more profound and enduring qualities.

It’s time, in a word, to establish happiness as the new standard of sexy.

But a single voice can’t do much to change the cultural ideal. So please spread the word… to take the message of sexy happiness far and wide. Like and Tweet and otherwise share this post if you are ready to lift a new standard from the tired ashes of a jaded concept. Perhaps as a happy byproduct, more of us will be able to look in the mirror with confidence and walk away with a strut, knowing we’re deeply and happily hot.