Just in case we didn't know, scientists have proof now that listening to music that inspires us has wellness benefits. It will be redundant to post that article, but just click on the cool Nina's picture to listen to science in action.
Nina Simone's Feeling Good.
http://youtu.be/AMpZ0TGjbWE I actually didn't see this commercial during the Super Bowl, I must have been too busy watching Miss BEY during the Half Time Show. But when I saw the commercial in a blog about the power of religious language, it stopped me on my cyber-tracks. Where do we place value in our society? Who do we identify with success and who are our idols? Bravo, Mr. Paul Harvey, bravo, to the photographers, and bravo to the producers and creators of this TV Commercial.
Here are the words:
And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer.
God said, "I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the field, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board." So God made a farmer.
God said, "I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say,'Maybe next year,' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from an ash tree, shoe a horse with hunk of car tire, who can make a harness out hay wire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. Who, during planting time and harvest season will finish his 40-hour week by Tuesday noon and then, paining from tractor back, put in another 72 hours." So God made the farmer.
God said, "I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bales, yet gentle enough to yean lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-comb pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the leg of a meadowlark."
It had to be somebody who'd plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed, and brake, and disk, and plow, and plant, and tie the fleece and strain the milk, . Somebody who'd bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh and then reply with smiling eyes when his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what Dad does. "So God made a farmer."
Perhaps it's the chilly winter days that are approaching or perhaps it's the impending beginning of a new season of Downton Abbey ; the truth is that tea season is upon us. The bitterness and sweetness, perhaps it is its resemblance to the essence of life that make tea such a pleasurable experience. So here is some basic information I found helpful in my own tea journey.
All “true” tea comes from the same plant, called the Camellia sinensis. Any leaf, root, fruit or flower that comes from a different plant is considered an herbal tea. For example, chamomile flowers and peppermint leaves are considered herbal teas because they do not come from the traditional tea plant. It is important to distinguish between real tea and herbal tea since the flavor, health benefits and nutritional characteristics vary from plant to plant.
THOUSANDS OF TEAS, DIVIDED INTO 4 CATEGORIES There are thousands of different kinds of teas, each with their own individual appearance, taste and aroma. To make sense of all the variations, “true teas” (those made from the tea plant, or Camellia sinensis, versus herbal teas which come from other plants) can be categorized into 4 major categories: white, green, oolong and black. Generally, these categories refer to how much a tea is oxidized. The more oxidized the blacker the tea. See table below.
Once you know the basics, brewing the perfect cup of tea is easy! If you can boil water, you can make tea. Fine tuning the flavor is essentially a game of manuvering and adjusting 3 elements: water temperature, steep time and amount of tea used.
With just a little practice, preparing a great tasting cup of tea is easy and will quickly become second nature. The right brewing equipment can also further simplify the process.
Bring fresh, cold water to a rolling boil. Always start with the freshest, purest source of water available as this will heavily impact tea's flavor ... it is the main ingredient, after all!
Add tealeaves to a teapot, fill-your-own teabag or infuser basket. Use 1 teaspoon – 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) per cup (8 oz) of water depending upon desired strength. Adjust to taste.
Pour boiling water directly over black, oolong and herbal tea. Allow water to cool slightly before brewing green tea, white tea or yerba maté. Cover.
Infuse (steep) leaves for 2-5 minutes; 3.5 minutes is a good standard steep time that works well for most teas. Do not oversteep or tea may become bitter. If you prefer strong tea, do not over steep; simply use more leaves.
Remove tea sachet, bag or infuser from water or strain leaves.
To remove mineral deposits, boil equal parts white vinegar and water inside kettle. Remove from heat. Let sit several hours; rinse. Hand wash the pot's exterior with a gentle pot-scrubber sponge. Let tap water run for a few moments before adding it to the pot.
Now brew yourself a delicious cup of tea. Enjoy!
During the stormy transition from Summer into Fall, I can feel a bit uprooted. Whenever this feeling of being disconnected from the present arrives, I try to stay focus on what is happening inside. Yoga and meditation are a perfect way to stay rooted. And as an aid to help me stay connected, I use Frankincense Essential Oil.
Frankincense is a tree resin (i.e., Boswellia tree) that has been used and valued since ancient times for its medicinal, cosmetic, aromatic and spiritual applications. I hear wise men tend to offer it as gift, and who am I to argue with wise men.
Emotionally, I find the aroma to be grounding, calming and relaxing without being sedating. The aroma is woody, earthy and also has a slightly spicy attitude to it. The country of origin and variety of tree used to obtain the resin from which the essential oil is derived plays an important role in the quality of the Frankincense essential oil. My favorite brand is from Young Living, you can also find in health-food stores, make sure to get therapeutic grade. I enjoy diffusing frankincense oil while meditating or while practicing restorative yoga poses.
Additional use
Frankincense is great for your skin, it promotes the regeneration of skin and healthy cells ( there are technical paper written on this, but I am giving you my anecdotal testimonial!) It is an excellent choice for preventing or reducing wrinkles when used topically and it helps fade scars from acne and surgery. It also relieves itching skin. Just apply a drops of frankincense to the affected area and that is it. If you have sensitive skin, you can dilute a drop of frankincense in a carrier oil. Don't hesitate to contact me with questions or personal testimonial.
I
had been working for several month on creating a sequence for anyone that can't never find a time to be alone, except maybe in the bathroom... I was so serious about this that I had totally missed the joke. Thank goodness I found this funny article in Yoga Dork.
Toilet Yoga? Top 3 Movements for Relief.
we’ve come up with our own Top Toilet Yoga Movements for Relief!* Read at your leisure.
1. The Classic: Chair pose, aka Hover-asana, aka Utka-don’t you sit down that’s nasty-asana. Doubly great for firing up the legs after sitting for long periods of time, and avoiding butt cheek contact with icktastic facilities. Fierce.
2. Intermediate: Puppy Dog Fire Hydrant. Place hands on counter or sink and walk feet back under hips. Work up to fire hydrant by lifting leg back into Warrior 3 or opening up the raised leg to Half Moon. Can also be done in bathroom stall for ultimate privacy if you’re lucky to be somewhere with one-seaters like Starbucks. Beware other cranky toilet yogis waiting to practice.
3. Toilet Yoga Guru: Twisted Triko-stall-asana. One foot by the commode, the other diagonally placed. Walk hands up sides and door of stall and twist out your Triangle. Especially good for relief from hangovers, irritating co-workers and afternoon lull.
Warning: Deep breathing and inversions work wonders, but we advise avoiding headers at the head!
*yogis must wash hands before returning to work.
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One of my sweet students sent me an article from the Boston Globe titled Free yourself by letting go of the clutter in your home, office, and finances, the article is about balancing your finances and it points to a book written by Gail Blanke- “Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life."
I am sure the book explains why "fifty" is the magic number, but I haven't read the book. I do love the idea to start with a random number. Engineering school taught me to analyze numbers and patterns, but it also taught me to trust numbers that don't quite make sense because at the end of the day you are looking for results (my Catholic upbringing just reinforced this methodology). I've counseled hundreds of folks in how to organize a space and the most difficult part of the process is editing one's belongings. I know it is very difficult, I struggle myself with parting from items I've attached myself out of nostalgia or out of fear. So this is an experiment on how to free oneself of material things that aren't serving one's life anymore and I know for a fact that the process can become a metaphor to embrace the present and face one's fears.
As an unscientific experiment,I will throw out fifty items. Yes, I will become the subject of this experiment as I downsize my already pocket-size belongings in hope that the process will help you cope with the editing process of simplifying your life into a richer and healthier one. If it doesn't do that, at least I hope it brings a smile to your day.
I am going to start with my Office Space.
So where do I start? I need to get rid of 50 things, so I guess as any good editor I am gonna look at every item in my office and ask how is this item contributing to my work?
I think the key here is the active verb, contributing as supposed to contributed. Many times I hold on to the stories in my head of how wonderful a book was, how nice a workshop was , and how one day I will use that stationary again. Embracing who I am today means honoring those items that helped me move forward. I need to trust that I don't need "the story" that the item evokes and let it go from that place of confidence where I am.
- 28 Books: this was a tough one since these books were not just books I read, these are books that moved me. I love stories and if I find a good story like in the many novels I've collected through my adulthood I feel that parting with the book will not let me hold on to the story. This isn't true, these stories will be with me as long as I can recall the connection I had with them. Public libraries and electronic books are my friend, if I decided to reconnect with any of my favorite books, I know where to find them. 20 books were donated to the Dobbs Ferry Library. I also have carried with me textbooks since graduating from college. I sold most of them right after graduations but I kept a handful after school thinking that I may need them, I never did, but they represented hundreds of dollars and the fear of being wasteful made me hold on to them. Truth is that no only I never use these books and no one can use them neither. I can't sell them or donate them, no one wants them. So holding onto hundred of dollars that can't serve me or anyone else IS wasteful. 8 Textbooks were tossed (yes, no alternative, I even consulted with theater prop shops).
- 1 Box of envelops, these 81/2 " x 11" white3 envelops have been with me since college too. I used them to send resumes to potential employees. I don't send mass mailing anymore and PDF electronic files is the standard. Recycled them.
- 1 Day Runner Day Planner; I have been using my iCalendar for two years now, very successfully. The repeat/end by date function is a huge help and the fact that I can syncronize with my mobile devise is awesome. Why do I keep this day planner? I spend a lot of time and money creating my personalized day planner, but it is not useful anymore. Recycled.
- 2 Decks of playing cards. Last time I used playing cards I was in Vegas, and casinos make playing cards super available. Tossed.
- 1 Desktop lamp which has been broken for two years. I thought I could find a small repair shop to help me with this, but I didn't find one or made any effort. Tossed.
- 2 boxes of postcards collected in coffee shops. I had the great idea of forwarding these post cards to friends as I thought of them in my often thinking afternoons in coffee shops. Texting has become then new postcards. Recycled.
- 8 pens/markers that do not work properly. I accumulate so many pens and markers that it becomes hard to keep track of which ones are working. 60 seconds of testing, but I know I can pick up a writing devise with total confidence of success.
- 4 File Folders. These folders contained finished projects with relevant information, which could come handy for me or my clients. I scanned all the documents, store the electronic copy my DropBox account and shred paper files. I have feared that the information will be stolen or lost in the cloud network, but it could have been stolen and lost in my house or through all the e-mails I have sent. I surrender to technology...it is indeed a good thing.
- 5 Yoga DVD. These were some of my first yoga teachers. Rodney & Shiva were there to help me build my yoga practice, they are still in my practice, but I haven't use these DVD's in years. I can honor their teaching by just donating these to the library.
- 1 Mouse pad. I haven't use it in three years...bye bye, my friend.
Who am I? I am space. I am efficient. I am open to new experiences. The whole experiment was very difficult to start, but once you start the process, it is relatively simple. A great side-effect: You will find your mind more open and more willing to let go of thoughts that are not serving you.
Drop me a line if you find this helpful.
Saucha is one of the observances of Patanjali's eightfold path of Yoga. Saucha can be translated roughly as cleanliness; and there are many amazing interpretations and explanations on how utilizing Saucha will align us with our Yoga path. A way in which I apply Saucha is through awareness of my surroundings (i.e., how are my surroundings honoring my experience of life?). In a yoga setting, a simple way to apply Saucha may be placing back the props in the yoga studio so that the next students can enjoy their yoga practice as well- little by little you can see how practical Saucha can be. But this concept, just as yoga itself, doesn't stop when one steps away from the mat. In this post I am trying to utilize Saucha to help you deal with paper management at home.
As I work with clients, a common issue that most of them face is document management. I can't stress enough that you best friend when working on paper management is a sleek and dependable shredder ! However when it comes to dealing with the IRS we must still keep some document handy. Below are some guidelines which I hope can help you decide what to keep and what to throw away. For more information speak with a financial expert or your accountant.
To make it easy, I divided the paper load in three categories:
1- Documents you don't dispose- long term storage box or filing cabinet are the best for these documents. Keep these safe and protected.
2- Documents you will eventually shred. Accordion-type files, desktop file boxes work better for these.
3- Discard and/or shred
Keep breathing through the process and remember that just like all yoga poses, you've got to start somewhere.
I was browsing through my YJ (Yoga Journal Magazine), and found a very practical piece on Karma by Sally Kempton. Yes, I get YJ for the articles!
There are many deep and fascinating ways to explain Karma and how this Eastern Philosophy concept affect our everyday life. I feel that these type of concepts should be digested individually and their understanding should be drawn from personal experience. However the article was so inspiring, I just want to present it in the most practical & physical way: for every action we apply in our lives, there is a reaction.
These are some good Karma practices, extracted from yoga traditions, that can shift your day-to-day positive attitude. It may sound cynical and almost impossible to stay with a positive attitude all the time, but here is where fake-it-till-you-make- it philosophy can come in handy. In other words, just as your attitude can shape your actions, you can, through your actions, re-shape your attitude.
1- Start the day with a positive intention: it is your intention so make it count for you. As an example, you can start the day with something like, "I am present on my actions and my actions will serve those around me," or " Today, I will be an instrument of the Universe's joy," etc. At the end of the day don't forget to notice how your intention shaped your day.
2-Act for the good of others. Certain acts and thoughts create positive impressions in your mind. These imprints result in positive life experiences. So go ahead and DO something kind everyday: as simple as picking up trash along the sidewalk, donating to a charity or helping a stranger on the streets. Notice how the act makes you feel.
3-Make an offering. We are surrounded by abundance in our personal life, however when we feel lacking, we tend to engage in negative patterns. One solution to these tendencies is the practice of offering your positive actions to the benefit of others. When you observe how your positive actions are beneficial to others, you can stay motivated to act positively.
A lot of times we may find ourselves trying to find the time in a busy day to incorporate physical activities. A lot of times we may think that a formal setting is the only way to bring those precious calorie burning experiences in our life. Yes, a visit to the gym, going to a fitness class, or spending time with a personal trainer have tons of benefits; however we have lots of other ways to incorporate physical activities during the day. We love excuses, the balance game is to try to meet a busy day with creative alternatives to traditional exercise. Nature is never lacking, so here are some ideas to incorporate in you life:
If you are bound to a desk or spend lots of time driving around. Make a commitment to get up from your desk or out of your car at least once every hour and walk around a building, walk up or downstairs, find a parking area and walk – whatever you have convenient to you.
On your lunch break, go for a walk instead of sitting in the cafeteria.
When possible, walk or bike to work/the store/your friend’s house instead of driving. Often we automatically get behind the steering wheels of our car without realizing places are close enough to walk to.
Make a date to walk or bike with friends, instead of going for coffee or drinks. You can still do all the talking you want, but you’ll be burning calories and getting fitter by moving around. If you don’t want to give up your coffee or drinks, meet up on the other side of town and walk to your destination.
Instead of ordering in – cook. standing in the kitchen, walking from your fridge to the stove can all burn more calories than sitting on the couch waiting for the pizza guy to ring the doorbell. Extra points if you go out to the garden to get some fresh herbs. Not to mention, you can cook a much healthier meal.
Just keep your eyes peeled to the endless opportunities to incorporate movement in your day.
It's three o'clock and it seems that your day at the office is just starting. It's one of those days when coffee alone is not going to cut it. If there were only a way to remove fatigue and revitalize your afternoon. But wait there is such a thing:
AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna)
adho = downward
mukha = face
svana = dog
or as we lovingly call it Down Dog pose.
Mr. Iyengar himself says that Down Dog "is an exhilarating pose." From removing fatigue and eradicating stiffness in the shoulder region to toning your abdominal muscles and legs, Down Dog is a super pose. However getting on the office floor mid afternoon could be time restricted or perhaps just plain embarrassing. In addition to other at-your-desk poses that I practice, I like to practice this Desk Down Dog which bring some of those amazing benefits of the full pose, OK it is still a bit embarrassing, but you will make new friends with all the extra energy you will have.
Step by Step
Facing the desk stand with the feet a bit wider than hip distance apart; 8" to 12 " apart. Feet are parallel to each other. Begin to inhale and exhale through your nose, allowing the inner body to stay bright and your skin softens. Keep this breath throughout the pose. Uji breathing if you know it. [Stand on the side of your desk that offers more space.]
Bent your knees a little bit and place the palms of your hands on the desk. Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out. Keeping the palms of your hands firmly pressed on the desk, begin to walk backwards away from the desk till you create an L shape with your torso and legs (see sketch). Keep breathing into your back body, particularly in the kidney area, so that you feel your lower ribs integrated into your body.
Then with an exhalation, push your top thighs back and stretch your leg bones down toward the floor. Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them.
Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the index fingers actively into the desktop. From these two points lift along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders. Firm your shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone. Keep the head between the upper arms; don't let it hang. Can you keep the heart soft? Imagine the heart as a drop of melted chocolate dropping down towards the floor! Enjoy the pose for a minute or two.
When you are ready to come out of the pose, you can bend your knees and walk forward till you are standing again. If you have extra time you can add to this down dog some other desk yoga poses.
“What if we could save money, radically reduce our environmental impact, and have a freer, less complicated life?” Now that is an attention-grabbing-question, isnt’ it? This exactly is the premised behind the interior-design project LifeEdited. In the project, Graham Hill challenged interior designers to create a space using technology and common sense to transform his NYC 420 square foot apartment into a comfortable place to live. I mean, comfortable: home office, space for 2 guests to stay over, a sit down dinner for 12, lounge space for 8 and even a workout/steam room!!
I totally recommend you look at the designs submitted- the winning designs are outstanding, and you can also see all the submitted designs. It is a feast of multi-function and organization. However, you don’t have to move or remodel your home to achieve this Less = More status, you can start right now and I think that we can all use technology and common sense to make more out of our living spaces. Here are some life-editing steps we can all implement immediately:
Multipurpose spaces: allowing your real estate to be multifunctional doesn’t have to involved designer or custom-built contractions (though I have seen some amazing work at my friend Lalita’s
renovated apartment). If you want to transform, for instance your living room into your personal yoga space, add casters or furniture sliders to your coffee table and sofa and listo, you have created the necessary space for your yoga mat. Another example could be packing your laptop computer and file folders in a canvas tote when you are not using them, this can clear a lot of space of your desk or kitchen table.
Store everything digitally: this may require some effort and time, but the amount of space you will gain will be lucrative and satisfying. First sign up to receive your bills electronically-don't ask any question, just do it. Additionally, little by little you can download your CD and DVD to your computer. Donate the hard copies to your local Library. Chances are you have a bulky printer that scans, faxes and make copies; it is time you put it to use and begin to scan to your computer all those snapshots from the 90’s that you have been carrying with you for decades. You will be surprise the amount of embarrassments you will inflict on your facebook friends. Worried about computer memory? You can use countless sites to store your information.
Think Accessibility vs. Ownership: Netflix, eBooks, SoundCloud…should I continue? You get the idea, why have excess DVDs, Books, CDs collecting dust and taking space. The only way to allow for the divine grace of new/fresh ideas to come into your living space is to have space for it (spiritually, mentally & YES, PHYSICALLY!)
Only Keep Essential Necessities: Constantly, ask yourself how is this item serving my vision, my values and everyday harmony? That is a tough requirement to fulfill, but aren’t you and your home worth it? Think about it, how could you take space from your everyday existence for something that isn’t allowing you to live a better life? Edit, edit harshly.
One of the most re-occurring contemplations that occupy my mind is that of ABUNDANCE… I spent a whole summer trying to find abundance through butter; please ask me about it when you see me next.
As we come to celebrate the harvest time, it could seem that we don’t have enough, and yet if we take the time to stop and become a receptacle of the always abundant power of the universe we can see how many amazing thing are always available to us. On that spirit, I decided to share some of my favorite sites that are available to all of us that have access to the Internet.
Mint.com - The best free way to manage your money.
Mint brings all your financial accounts together online or on your mobile device, automatically categorizes your transactions, lets you set budgets and helps you achieve your savings goals. This may be a scary thing to do, but it really pays off to have a personal secretary keeping track of your expenses and your INCOME!
elsiesyogakula.com - Amazing free way to practice Anusara yoga on the go
Elsie is this fabulous Anusara yoga teacher that has been my cyber teacher for years. I absolutely love her Free Online Yoga Classes. She also has a very cool App available for your mobile devices.
There are over 80 audio yoga classes on the site. They range from basic yoga/beginner yoga classes to more advanced yoga practices. The length of the classes also varies. Classes can be from 45 min to 90 minutes. The average class runs about 75 minutes.
You can find those classes easily via the categories on the side bar, as they’ve been split up for greater accessibility. Each class has it’s own post, that begins with a small intro article, a link to the mp3 file, which you can download or stream directly from your computer or mobile device and the corresponding sequence of classes highlighted by pictures.
Dropbox - Best free way to store and share electronic files online
My friend Xavier introduced me to this service. For those of us that are not willing dedicate time to technology this is the perfect "cloud computing" site. It is the easiest way to share documents of all kind among all your computers and with other people.
Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Dropbox was founded in 2007 by Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi, two MIT students tired of emailing files to themselves to work from more than one computer.
Today, more than 25 million people across every continent use Dropbox to always have their stuff at hand, share with family and friends, and work on team projects.
It's FREE, of course. It just means that you're interested in simple, healthy and efficient living. Sign in today and begin to enjoy EXCLUSIVE content right away.
Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs. Hold your breath to the count of three. Exhale slowly through the nose, while you relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach.
