I’m struggling today with a chronic affliction that’s connected to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It’s not at all unusual for anxiety, depression and OCD to present as a monolith. My friend the psychotherapist explained the phenomenon to me recently; this is my synopsis: What typically happens is that the person experiences a trauma, or lives or […]
Scheduling Around Bipolar Disorder: How To Stay Focused
Bipolar disorder affects nearly six million Americans, yet many people don’t understand exactly what it is or how it can take a toll on the body and mind. The disorder works differently depending on the person, of course; for some, manic, highly active times are accompanied by feelings of elation and accomplishment but can lead […]
Health Food for the Mind?
Have you ever stopped to think about how your patterns of media consumption may be affecting your practice? Most yoga and meditation practitioners I know are motivated by the desire to unify body, mind, and spirit. A devoted yoga practice tends to result in a healthy, wellbalanced body; meditation brings clarity of focus and a […]
What We Owe Each Other
You owe it to the people around you to do the things that make you happy. A person who is happy, calm and centered can’t help but contribute to the wellbeing of the human and other sentient beings in her sphere of influence. All she has to do to pull that off is to show […]
The End of Suffering
I think Siddhartha (AKA The Buddha) was most ingenious in identifying the main sources of human suffering; namely, craving, aversion and delusion. Given the random nature of the cosmos, strong attachments to things, points of view, and predictable outcomes are all but guaranteed to cause bitter disappointment eventually. Similarly, strong aversion toward things we view […]
Five Intentions – A New Take on The Five Precepts of the Buddhist
Respect for Living Beings I know that other beings suffer as I do. I intend to relieve their afflictions and to increase their happiness as best I can. I will refrain from harming or killing other living beings. I know that a great many animals are exploited and harmed by humans; preventing and relieving such […]
Upon the Quaking Earth
The pious overlords who try to legislate what’s true Will never comprehend the like of men like me and you. Nor women, fiercely logical, with firm, determined eyes, Nor children, strong and confident, accepting no more lies, Whose lives they know are forfeit in this world we leave behind. That seismic shift, the reckoning of a great, unpunished crime. But dance upon the quaking earth with fearlessness and grace. And recommit to earth, your own true nature reembrace. Lucid, free and solid, in the present moment dwell. One mindful step upon the earth, your ticket out of hell. Image courtesy of thevortex.org
Shake up your Forward Bends with these Five Variations
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend). I use this pose a lot in both my personal practice and in the classes that I teach. I love it as part of my warmup and done with more intensity as my practice progresses. It’s one of those poses that make me go “ahhhhh….” Like coming home after a vacation. […]
Yoga to help you get grounded
The other day I forgot my pants. Ok, I didn’t actually walk around in public with no pants but I left them at the yoga studio after class! Then yesterday I put a co-worker’s keys in my jacket pocket. She set them down on my desk. I still am not sure what happened but I […]
Trusting in Your Body
A few weeks ago I hurt me knee. It was the same knee I injured badly 10 years ago. I went to the doctor, rested, did some physio and took a break from my martial arts classes. This week was testing for me in karate. And although it felt better, I was scared that my […]
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