Blog

  1. Mindful Motion–Walking Meditation Practice

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    In colder weather a leisurely walk may be the last thing on your mind. Still, taking that time for yourself to flex your meditation muscles is a great idea and can be done anywhere. The focus here is on mindful awareness, not exercise or intense concentration. Below is a simple Walking Meditation practice for the New Year that can help you integrate the experiences and insights of your yoga practi…Read More

  2. Gratitude and Grace—Giving Thanks for Everything?!?

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    "Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond."  Rumi  13th century Persian poet Yogis, meditation practitioners and travelers along the path toward healing of self have likely explored the concept of and practice of gratitude along they way. At this time of year especially much is written about the importance of having or practicing gratitude. One particular…Read More

  3. Healthful Habits—Dissolving The Accumulated Normal Stresses of Life

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     Most readers of this blog are well aware of the toll stress can take on your enjoyment of life as well as your health and well being.Often it is the advent of a significant life event, stress related medical concern  or other acute difficulty that signal some change in how to handle the stresses of life is necessary. It is not surprising that in my experience stress management goals are among t…Read More

  4. Keeping Up With Your Self–Staying On Track With Yoga in Challenging Times

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    They’re back! The holidays are approaching and with them comes a common dilemma that presents itself when we take times to restore ourselves in stressful times. This is some variation on the theme that in times such as this upcoming holiday season there seems to be less time and energy to do what we need to do to be at our best just at the time it is needed most. The swirl of holiday activities,…Read More

  5. Long Sat Nam–A Meditation to Deeply Relax and Release Tension

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    Taking time for ourselves can take many forms. Certainly a consistent approach, however simple and brief, can begin the process of toward helping us move through the many moods and attitudes that obscure our experience of the peace that is within. hen we are overwhelmed it can be hard to put the breaks on the stress inducing habits and anxious feelings enough to relax at all. “Long Sat Nam” i…Read More

  6. The Ground of Healing—Remembering the Deeper Benefits of Yoga and Meditation

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    “Balance arises when we enter with mercy and awareness areas that have been withdrawn from in fear and anger. Healing is a rehabilitation of the deserted areas of the mind/body, a living of our whole life.”  Stephen Levine  Don’t just do something, sit there!”  Anonymous  Despite the recent explosion of Yoga in our consciousness, our busy lives continue to conspire to keep us harried, …Read More

  7. Yoga and Your Search for Better Health and a Better Life

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    *When you discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough to make room for it in your life.” Jean Shinoda Bolen (1) “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong..."  Buddha(2) This just in from the Nation Institute of Health: "Americans who practice yoga report better wellness, health behaviors."(3) OK, the art…Read More

  8. Taking Yoga for a Walk

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    Smile, breathe and go slowly. ~Thích Nhất Hạn Perhaps the most powerful ingredient in the “recipe” for stress management offered by the practice of Yoga is the reliance on breath to transform the physical and mental response to stress itself. Breath is the biochemical fuel for respiration, and according to Yoga is the source of prana, our subtle vital energy. Because it is always with us…Read More

  9. The Magic Of Breath Control-Pranayama Practices for Balance and Health

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    Yogis have long recognized the power of nostril breathing that was discussed in the previous post and have developed numerous powerful practices to harness this power to very specific aims. According to Yoga, when we are in good health, roughly every two hours our breathing pattern shifts in which one nostril is dominant and that quality of mind will dominate at that time. When we are ill or str…Read More

  10. More on Getting started Being Present

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    Mindfulness meditation and awareness practices have been at the root of the teaching and therapeutic work here over these last 28 years. Now more than ever, these practices are being adapted and integrated into many disciplines of personal growth and healing. Recently several fellow New Haven/Shoreline teachers and therapists had the opportunity to contribute our thoughts on the growth of mindfu…Read More