It shows what happens when a Samurai Warrior takes a sword to a pesky fly.

This lesson on handling distractions is priceless.

When the student is ready – the teacher arrives -  meowing

Mindfulness is the moment to moment awareness of present time, inner and outer experience, with a non-judgmental and non-evaluative stance.

Research has shown that a mindfulness practice helps develop all 9 functions of the Pre-Frontal Cortex.

1. ANS Regulation – Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Balance
2. Attuned Communication – felt sense of other’s experience
3. Regulation of emotions
4. Response flexibility
5. Empathy
6. Insight – self awareness
7. Fear extinction – GABA fibers to amygdala
8. Intuition – deep knowing
9. Morality.

Decide now whether this year will be full of the season’s stressful traps or fulfilling with plenty of treasures to be thankful for.  Take some time to set priorities and make the necessary changes so the holidays are inspiring and energizing instead of a drain.  Pay attention to what your needs and wishes are for your body, mind, and heart while finding the balance with sharing with others.  I hope these Holiday Energizers from Whole Person Associates help you as much as they help me.

Cheers!

Know what goodies will fill you.  What kind of contact will be fulfilling for you?  What kind of gift exchange will be meaningful to you?  What do you need to help your heart and soul feel refreshed?  If you know clearly what you want, it’s easier to choose activities that are likely to satisfy your desires.

Ask for what you want.  Don’t hint.  Don’t wait for someone to read your mind.  Don’t expect others to guess what will satisfy you.  Speak up.  If you’re lonely, ask someone to share your celebration – or ask to share in someone else’s.  If you love surprises, let people know.  If you need time alone in the midst of togetherness, say so.  If you can’t get what you want, want what you get, it’s much more satisfying than wishing for the impossible.

Give yourself permission to feel as you do.  Listen to yourself.  Feel what you feel, not what you “think you are supposed to feel,” or “wish you felt.”  When you feel down, feel down.  It won’t last forever.  When you feel excited, go ahead and enjoy it.  Trying to manipulate your feelings or act contrary to them will distance you from yourself.

Select celebration patterns with care.  Remember your past and bring it into the present.  Your “treasure box of memories” will contain pain as well as warmth and joy and it offers you a personalized source of depth and richness.  Repeat a tradition you’ve always kept.  Ask others about their rituals, pick one that’s new for you, and try it out.

Make positive contact with others.  At parties, make sure you have a good conversation with several people.  If parties aren’t your bag, make contact in some other situation (a neglected neighbor? with a religious group?) If your friend or family list is too short, look around for others in the same boat.  Try volunteering at Meals on Wheels or the crisis shelter.  Someone in your community needs your love.  Reach out to others – for both of your sakes.

Set priorities.  List all the things you want to accomplish.  Cross out unnecessary activities.  Refuse to suffer.  Do unpleasant tasks as quickly and painlessly as possible, then reward yourself.  Keep for yourself the activities you enjoy, even if they aren’t essential or could be done by others.  You need them.  They nurture you.

Turn obligations into energizers.  Rituals and traditions that characterize our celebrations can stimulate spiritual reflection, excitement and wonder.  Even exciting tasks, repeated year after year, may turn into obligations.  Creatively update tasks so they provide new energy.  If anything conjures up an image of drudgery, try a new approach that can energize you.  Traditions can help us get through the difficult times when our feelings don’t quite match the occasion.

Give meaningful gifts.  Give blood.  Give your presents (buy something, make something) – and give your presence and pledge your time and attention – don’t just give tickets to a cultural or sports event – plan to go along and share the experience together.  Volunteer to babysit.  Remember to put yourself on the gift list.  Treat yourself to a gift that’s just perfect for you.

Take care of your body.  Don’t overeat, over drink, or overplay.  It saps your vitality and diminishes your ability to enjoy the holidays.  Protect your energy.  Learn to celebrate without abusing your body.

Pay attention to your spirit.  Listen to your core.  Touch it and let it touch you.  What do you believe?  What’s really important?  Holidays invite reflection.  Nurture this opportunity as part of your celebration.

Laugh.  Laugh a little or a lot, depending on your level of stress. Laughter reduces tension.  Do something unusual and outrageous each day.  Practice seeing the humor in your holiday dilemmas.

Wabi-Sabi is my new favorite concept.  It refers to the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.

Wabi is a Japanese word that connotes rustic simplicity and the understated elegance found in both natural and man-made objects.

Sabi is the beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of something and its impermanence are evidenced in its patina and wear as well as in any visible repairs.

What a wonderful concept that softens the sting of aging and the illusion most of us are under that demands that we always get it right. Not only does it soften it, it elevates imperfection to an art to be treasured.

So, the next time things don’t seem to go right, simply smile and say “Wabi-Sabi”.  It’s a real time-saver too.

Please give us examples of how you are celebrating the spirit of Wabi Sabi in your life.  Add your comments below.

The psoas, deep and large,  runs from the lumbar spine, stretches over the hip joint and under the abs, and attaches to inner thigh bone.

Traditional leg lifts, “crunches” and sit-ups are often done to strengthen and flatten the abdominal muscles.  The problem is that they also tighten and shorten the psoas tipping the pelvis forward, pushing your belly out (yuk) and misalignment of the back.

A tight psoas contributes to back, hip and knee problems, indigestion, dysfunctional breathing, instability, and other problems.

This particular yoga sequence activates the psoas muscle in a progressive manner:  first facing forward, to the side, and then turning.

Other beneficial yoga postures are the forearm plank and side plank (creates core stability and strength with a neutral psoas) and pigeon (stretches and releases the   psoas).

Consult a qualified yoga professional for instructions and contraindications.  As with all exercise, practice for your own benefits and at your own risk.

 Click here for your complete pdf handout on  ” Good to the Core:  Yoga to strengthen & flatten abdominals, tone back, legs, hips, and more” from Julie Lusk

Here is reflection from Joan Borysenko from her Pocketful of Miracles book.

“August is the month during which nature celebrates her maturity.  The hatchlings in the nest have found the wings to fly and the boughs of the old apple tree are heavy with fruit.  The Godseed within our hearts is also ripening so that we become more flexible, more tolerant of the shades of gray that characterize life on planet earth.

Every interaction becomes an opportunity to encourage, to be kind as we acknowledge the Godseed within all.  As the pumpkins ripen on the vine, mellowing in the shortening days and colder nights, the vine itself begins the dying time.  It’s purpose is complete.

August  reminds us of the impermanence of all things.  All that seems so dependable will someday pass away.  In that poignant knowledge we mature  into a deeper appreciation of all we have, of all we love.

Listen to the voices of the Ancient Ones that call from the roots of the oaks and willows:

Nature is setting seed,
storing the energy of the light
for future generations.
Likewise, our souls are coming to spiritual maturity -
a flexible, gracious attitude that finds intense joy
in the very impermanence of life.”

I challenge you now.  Take time to consider what’s important to you now.  Yes, everything from spending more time swimming, visiting friends and family, and eating summer’s fresh produce to the deeper things, like helping others, being kind, and doing some soul-searching.

August 1 is the anniversary of my Mother’s passing.  Every day, I miss her loving smiles and cheerful encouragement.  She taught me to live life to the fullest and to enjoy family and  friends.  Yes, life is impermanent, so let’s remember what’s important in our own precious life and treasured relationships.

Please share your comments about your bucket list – from the insane to the simple to the spectacular.

Another one of my favorite yoga mudras  is the Ring Finger Mudra.  It’s especially helpful in the summer since it helps control body temperature.  It does this since it works with the Chinese  “triple warmer. ” There are times when I get too hot as well as times that I get chilled due to air conditioning.  This hand gesture solves it.  In addition to temperature control, it is also good for increasing stamina and feeling balanced and a steady equilibrium.

How to do the Ring Finger Mudra

• Sit, stand or lie down
• Encircle your left ring finger with the four fingers of your right hand – the right thumb  extends to the middle of your left hand.
• Keep holding your finger for a while and feel the experience
• Next encircle your right ring finger and hold it for the same amount of time.

Benefits of the Ring Finger Mudra

• Gives stamina, staying power and the power to be assertive
• Associated with the deep meridian of the liver which provides patience, serenity, hope, and vision for the future
• Associated with the triple warmer which provides temperature control for the body, which in turn regulates cell function.
• Helps with maintaining equilibrium during stressful times

Reference:  Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands by Gertrud Hirschi

What are the Benefits of Shitali Breathing – The Cooling Breath

Shitali breathing is great for when you are hot under the collar.  Furthermore, it will literally cool you off on a hot day.  Along with all the benefits of diaphragmatic breathing, this technique is thought to be particularly good for the eyes, ears, and throat and has a detoxifying effect. It also curbs the appetite.  Use caution if you have arthritis since it cools the body.

How to Do Shitali Breathing – The Cooling Breath

Form a small opening with your lips by rolling the sides of your tongue together to create a tube.  Stick your tongue out and inhale through the round opening, making a hissing sound.  Breathe in as if you are drinking cool refreshing water in through a straw.  Bring the tongue back inside the mouth.  Breathe the warm air out through your nose slowly and evenly.

If your tongue does not roll, simply separate your teeth and lips slightly while breathing in over a flat tongue.

Continue until you have cooled down.

Kapalabhati is pronounced KAH-pah-lah-BAH-tee.

The Breath of Fire is a powerful yoga breathing technique that emphasizes a pattern of quick exhalations followed by passive inhalations.

Benefits of the Breath of Fire – Kapalabhati Breathing

It cleans and purifies the respiratory system, invigorates the vital organs of digestion, and strengthens the nervous system. Due to the swift and sharp exhalations, a shift in pressure occurs in the cerebral spinal fluid. This causes a massaging effect on the brain, enlivening every cell, and creating an “aura’ of light and vitality around the skull. According to yogis, it has a positive influence on both the third and sixth chakras.

How to do the Breath of Fire – Kapalabhati Breathing

The breath of fire is best practiced on an empty stomach and is not to be practiced if you are pregnant, menstruating or have high blood pressure, recent abdominal surgery, heart disease, severe lung disease, hiatal hernia, or glaucoma. Do not use too much force and be cautious if you have digestive or respiratory problems.  If you have questions, please consult a qualified teacher.

Practice three rounds daily.

Come into a comfortable seated position with your spine erect. Take a few deep breaths and relax.

Exhale quickly and completely through the nostrils by contracting (snapping) the abdominal muscles toward the spine. Follow this with a passive inhalation. Repeat this several times slowly. The secret is in the rapid pumping of air out from the lower lobes of the lungs, followed by a passive inhalation that occurs naturally and automatically. The exhalation is active and the inhalation is passive.

To learn the proper amount of effort needed for each exhalation, pretend as if you are blowing a candle out. As you practice blowing out through your mouth, notice how your abdomen contracts and how your breath is short and quickly releases. In the breath of fire however, your nose is used instead of your mouth.

In the beginning practice the breath of fire by placing your hands over your naval center. As you exhale, notice how your abdomen quickly moves in toward your spine, and as you inhale it will relax as your diaphragm expands with the incoming breath. Keep your shoulders stationary, relaxed and your chest passive.

Once you feel comfortable with coordinating the rapid exhalation, the movement of the abdomen, and the passive inhalation, gradually pick up the pace until you find your own preferred rhythm. Start with ten to fifteen expulsions at first, followed by breathing fully and deeply for three to five complete dirgha breaths. Practice two more sets of ten to fifteen repetitions for a total of three rounds. If you feel dizzy, out of breath or uncomfortable in any other way, immediately stop and breath normally until you feel stable again. Progressively increase the number of repetitions per round until you can comfortably do fifty expulsions. There is no need to rush the process. Expect to take several months of daily practice to build up to three rounds of fifty.

Further refinements can be made after you feel comfortable with the breath of fire. When you feel at ease with the mechanics of the breath, focus your attention on the middle of your forehead just above your eyebrows, also called the third eye or sixth chakra.

Another refinement is to add a brief period of breath retention between the rounds. To do so, exhale completely on the last exhalation of each round and the hold your breath out briefly. When you need to, inhale until your lungs are approximately three-fourths full and hold the breath in briefly. Exhale when ready and allow your breath to return to a normal rate.

Reprinted with permission:  Yoga Meditations: Timeless Mind-Body Practices by Julie Lusk