Into the Lotus Wilderness: Traveling Light
In yoga, we learn to relax and calm the mind to feel the essence of our true nature. This peaceful liberated state may also occur spontaneously, just by communing with nature and connecting with its live elegance. Both can inspire an awakening, but how do we make it last? Venturing into the lotus wilderness with the Yamas and Niyamas reveals more about living in our true nature. Buddhist philosopher, Shinzin Young, calls the presence of our true nature an unobstructed clarity and equanimity. It’s easy to loose touch with it when physical, emotional and mental stresses become our compass. How [Read More]
Unmasking Social Intelligence
The study of social intelligence tells us we are empaths, all of us. Our brains are biologically wired to sense the experiences and feelings of others. Daniel Goldman’s book, Social Intelligence, The Revolutionary New Science of Human Relationships, uncovers how this empathetic link helps us to understand someone through a sense of feeling. New discoveries prove just how much relationships shape us and the significance of mindfulness. Because the pattern of another’s micro expressions can literally nurture us or poison us with bad feelings and poor health, masking is really quite revealing. Traveling in the covid-19 crisis, I saw some people not masked-up. [Read More]
Why Breathe Consciously?
Breathing is one of the most natural and indispensable reflexes, yet rarely do we notice it until it is disturbed. It’s worth knowing that by controlling this vital life force the quality of living improves exponentially. Thanks to the ancient principles of yoga and yoga’s popularity, the inseparable relationship of the mind, body, and breath is no longer an esoteric concept, but based in scientific evidence. The way you breathe makes a difference. At times you may not even notice how a quiet pant with shallow sips of air or sighing is due to a shortness of breath. This type [Read More]
Change is Good
As creatures of habit aren’t we constantly reminded that the one thing we can count on is change? Truthfully, I accept that change is inevitable and most of the time I say, "bring it on!" But, when my ski instructor challenges me to a new level of terrain, I cringe. Her popularity is a credit to her skill, so why do I resist? There’s comfort in familiarity. However, yoga invites the idea of welcoming change with a paradoxical twist from the ancient sage, Patanjali. In his epic text, The Yoga Sutras, he reveals that change is especially attractive when [Read More]
Rewire the Brain for Happiness
Happy New Year! In the advent of the new year we wish each other a “Happy New Year.” We want others to be happy, but what about ourselves? Recently, I saw the funniest episode on the PBS hit series, Doc Martin. The hilariously negative, insensitive bad mannered doctor asks the proverbial and exhausting question, “why does everyone need to be happy?” Of course, if he could answer that question and stop spoiling all the smiles waiting to spread around him, there would be no show. Happily, those in the field of neuroscience have discovered simple ways to elicit happiness. Even [Read More]
Becoming a Better User of the Brain
A Glimpse into Neurobiology Hormones. We readily accept that some behavior is influenced by brain chemistry. One phrase we often hear is about menstruating or pregnant women, “That’s just hormones talkin’.” This piece of brain trivia confuses as much as it may placate because the idea that certain phases are “hormonal” creates false opposition between a chemically manipulated female brain and an unalterable male brain. The truth is, testosterone changes male behavior as dramatically as estrogen does, but an aggressive male is not usually thought of as being “hormonal.” Though a woman’s neuro-chemical makeup has a more regular cycle than [Read More]