Friendship Blessing

February 13, 2017 by Julie Lusk

I’m still on Cloud 9 from our recent Yoga Women’s Retreat & Slumber party. What a joy to be surrounded by friends – soul friends! They are the people, whether known a long time or briefly, that have shaped and supported you into being who you are today, and who you’re growing into.

The Celtic tradition calls one’s soul-friend the Anam Cara. John O’Donohue explains “With the anam cara, you could share your innermost self, your mind, and your heart. This friendship is an act of recognition and belonging that did not set limitations of space or time on the soul. It cuts across all convention, morality and category. In it, you are understood as you are without mask or pretension.”

A Friendship Blessing by John O’Donohue

May you be blessed with good friends.
May you learn to be a good friend to yourself.
May you be able to journey to that place in your soul where
there is great love, warmth, feeling, and forgiveness.
May this change you.
May it transfigure that which is negative, distant, or cold in you.
May you be brought in to the real passion, kinship, and affinity of belonging.
May you treasure your friends.
May you be good to them and may you be there for them;
may they bring you all the blessing, challenges, truth,
and light that you need for your journey.
May you never be isolated.
May you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your anam ċara.

Please tell us about your anam cara by sharing under comments.

Give Yourself Some Space

October 17, 2016 by Julie Lusk

Out for a walk the other night, I was stunned to see how groups of people were all looking at their phones instead of talking with each other, let alone noticing the brilliant sunset. Even the bikers were glued to their devices while riding their bikes. I was surprised that people weren’t crashing into one another. More folks were glued to their screens at the restaurant too. We all know that too many people text while driving – another recipe for disaster.

Living in a fast-paced 24/7 world, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. We’re pushed to work harder, take care of our family, and keep up with current events along with a constant social media stream. Expectations are high all the way around.

Pico Iyer, a lifelong travel writer says ““In an age of acceleration, nothing can be more exhilarating than going slow. And in an age of distraction, nothing is so luxurious as paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is so urgent as sitting still.”

His Ted Talk video is well worth watching. It will inspire you with ways to take back your time in ways that will replenish your body, mind and soul. Here are a few quotes and tips to whet your imagination.

“One of the first things you learn when you travel is that nowhere is magical unless you can bring the right eyes to it.” He says that best way to develop more appreciative eyes is by sitting still. A trip is limited in duration, but the memories will last a lifetime by sitting still long enough to remember.

By going nowhere, he recommends taking a few minutes out of every day – or a few days out of every season – to sit still long enough to find out what moves you most, to recall where your truest happiness lies, and to remember that sometimes making a living and making a life point in opposite directions.

“It’s not our experience that makes our lives, it’s what we do with it.”

“We can easily make contact with people on the further corners of the planet, but sometimes in that process we lose contact with ourselves.”

Why not take a few moments out right now? Here’s how …

Turn your phone, TV, radio and other electronic devices off for a while.
Focus your attention on the moment by breathing fully and mindfully. It is calming and refreshing for your nerves and it will light up your energy. Try out yoga’s ocean-sounding breath (ujjaya breath).
Blink your eyes a bunch of times till they water. The moisture will help your vision.
Yawn. It cools the brain, gives you a burst of oxygen, and refreshes your eyesight and hearing. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch some flies.
Take a “2-hour nap in less than 1o minutes.“
Give “The Inner Eye of Awareness Meditation” a shot.
Add your own ___________________________.
Bone up on mindfulness. It’s easy with this “Stop ~~ Look ~~ Listen” meditation.

4 Ways to Stop Freaking Out

October 17, 2016 by Julie Lusk

I don’t know about you, but nearly everyone I know is freaking out. Watching the daily news is enough to shake anyone up. Plus, nearly all of us have everyday pressures at work and home that never seem to let up.

Here’s 4 ways to stop freaking out and refresh yourself …

Refresh your mind

a. Take a news fast. Turn off the tube and shut down the smartphone for a while. You’ll be amazed by it.

b. Practice mindfulness . Why jump into a future of doom and gloom. Instead anchor yourself in this moment and enjoy the outdoors, cuddle your pet, have a good laugh.

c. Listen to Guided Mindfulness Meditations: Practicing Presence & Finding Peace. The net effect is calmer nerves, a brighter outlook, stronger memory, sharper focus, and a more balanced perspective. Or get Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief as a book and audio set (New Harbinger, 2015)

Take charge – Chaos or calmness is up to you

a. Quickly reset your nervous system and brighten yourself up with breathing better. It makes a world of difference

b. Completely relax yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and more. Experience bliss with yoga nidra. See a list of yoga nidra benefits here.

c.Take a “2-Hour Nap in less than 10 Minutes.” (free video)

Practice self-care

a. Get some sleep – Oh, can’t sleep? Practice yoga nidra. (1 hour = 4 hours sleep). Listen to Yoga Nidra: Guided Meditations for Relaxation and Renewal It will help you get to sleep too.

b. Eat and drink with good nutrition in mind (mindfully of course). Avoid excessive food, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar.

c. Treat yourself to beauty – outside in nature, museums, get a treatment at the spa

d. Do something you enjoy – exercise, color, sports, see a movie, call a friend, hobbies, etc.

Ask for Help

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Talk with a trusted relative, friend or spiritual adviser. If you want professional help, obtain a referral for services from your local Mental Health Association or the National Mental Health Association.

Yoga Nidra FAQ

September 6, 2016 by Julie Lusk

Yoga Nidra FAQ
Real Relaxation, Meditation & Much More

Yoga_Nidra_FAQ_by Julie Lusk as PDF

What Is Yoga Nidra? Yoga Nidra is a powerful technique that yoga sages have been using for thousands of years. Yoga Nidra means “yogic sleep.” Yoga Nidra refers to a state of consciousness and not to a particular technique. It’s a state of conscious deep sleep that goes far beyond deep relaxation to an inborn place of intrinsic peace and quiet. It’s a glorious place where awareness remains yet the thinking mind withdraws. What’s experienced is awareness without words, thoughts, images, feelings and other sensations. It’s where our innate wisdom, intelligence and intuition naturally reside. It feels fantastic!

What are the benefits of Yoga Nidra? With regular practice, your health will improve. Scientific studies have shown that real relaxation and yoga nidra helps with a variety of physical and mental problems. It can boost your immune system, lower blood pressure, and decrease pain. Though it’s not a substitute for sleeping, one hour of yoga nidra equals about 4 hours of typical sleep because the brain wave state we’re in is extremely restful and relaxing. You’ll enjoy living with a clear head. Eventually, mood swings and emotional upsets won’t bother you. Your creativity and intuition will flourish in a positive and productive way. Plus, your energy increases. See more documented benefits of yoga nidra here.

Is Yoga Nidra different from hypnosis? Yes. In hypnosis, we’re in a brain wave state that is not as deep as in yoga nidra. With hypnosis, someone else makes suggestions to us in this altered state. In Yoga Nidra, positive suggestions originate and come from within ourselves for lasting and constructive change. This is called setting a resolve, or sankalpa.

How is Yoga Nidra Done? The purpose of yoga nidra is to completely relax physically, energetically, mentally, and emotionally. Doing so is deeply soothing and it naturally awakens innate wisdom and intuition. During the yoga nidra process, you’ll be invited to get comfortable lying down on a yoga mat or something similar. Specialized relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, meditation, and guided imagery are utilized for becoming extremely relaxed and to replenish energy. Yoga nidra effectively handles everyday tension and is capable of healing deep-seated stress. It is much more than a quick fix.

How does Yoga Nidra help me make positive changes? What is a resolve, also called a sankalpa? The brain wave state we’re in during Yoga Nidra is fertile ground. We’re both very relaxed and very receptive. Setting a resolve during this time makes it completely possible to clear out useless habits and bring about positive and permanent changes in your personality and life. So, choose something worthwhile that has meaning and significance for you as your resolve. Some examples are kindness, courage, and love or something to give meaning to your life purpose. The sankalpa (resolve) is stated briefly, sincerely, and in the present tense at the beginning and end of yoga nidra. Use the same one until it becomes a living reality.

How often should I do Yoga Nidra? Regular practice (daily to several times a week) is strongly recommended, especially if you want to reap the benefits.

Note: Refer to Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief by Julie Lusk (NHP 2015) for a clear and complete information on yoga nidra. It’s available at the WholesomeResources.com store.

The Map of Consciousness used during Yoga Nidra

One technique that is used to achieve the state of conscious awareness known as yoga nidra, is to mentally scan the body using a specific order and duration based on the sensory-motor cortex, also called the homunculus. It is recommended to follow the same sequence to help bring about the movement of prana (life force) and create a healthy flow of energy.

If you look closely at the diagram of the brain’s sensory-motor cortex below, you will notice that more area is devoted to certain places than to others. For instance, compare the relatively large amount of area dedicated to the hands and fingers with the small amount dedicated to the hips. This is why more time is intentionally spent scanning the areas of the body with more of the brain dedicated to it during the practice.

Sensory-motor cortex © as shown in Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief by Julie Lusk. Click image to enlarge.

The diagram below shows the subtle energy centers, called chakras, that are also mentally scanned. Chakras are associated with physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual health, and more.

Crown Chakra – Wisdom. Spirituality – Purple
Third Eye – Intuition. Insight – Indigo Blue
Throat – Self expression. Communication – Blue
Heart – Compassion. Love. Kindness – Green
Solar Plexus – Self esteem. Confidence – Yellow
Sacral – Sensuality, intimacy, creativity – Orange
Root – Safety. To have. To be – Red

Yoga_nidra_FAQ_by Julie Lusk as PDF

How to Experience Yoga Nidra: Like all worthwhile things, regular practice yields the best results. 1) To experience yoga nidra for yourself, use the recordings listed below. 2) Look for yoga nidra workshops and retreats here. 3) Take a yoga nidra teacher training course and earn a certificate here.

The map of consciousness technique is used on the Yoga Nidra for Sensing Inner Strength & Balance CD and the Real Relaxation: Yoga Nidra CDs listed below. Chakra awareness and balancing is featured on both of these recordings.

A progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) technique is used on Yoga Nidra for Unshakable Peace & Joy. Every muscle group is consciously tensed and released during progressive muscle relaxation. Specialized breathing techniques follow along with ways to calm restless thoughts and feelings are done.

The autogenic training technique is the focus on Yoga Nidra for High-Level Living. Statements are silently repeated to produce sensations of heaviness and warmth throughout the body are used. The paradox of opposites is featured as well as mindfulness, the awareness of witnessing one’s experience, are also used.

Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation & Stress Relief - Printed Book & Audio download

If you feel stressed out, you’re not alone. Stress is a modern-day epidemic that can take a toll on your mind, body, and spirit. That’s why it’s so important to develop relaxation skills to restore your health, happiness, and inner strength. Yoga Nidra—a powerful and unique state of deep relaxation, mental clarity, and insightful awareness—is the answer. In this book, mind-body health professional Julie Lusk presents a powerful Yoga Nidra program to stop stress in its tracks. Yoga Nidra, based on classical yoga and backed by contemporary science, focuses specifically on alleviating both mental and physical manifestations of stress so you can find your calm spot and live a more balanced, confident, and meaningful life. Packed with empowering relaxation exercises, meditations that soothe, and visualizations that renew, the practical exercises in this book will help you unwind, replenish, and feel revitalized with durable peace and unconditional joy. CLICK on the blue title link above to find out more...

Yoga Nidra: Guided Meditations for Relaxation & Renewal CD

Yoga nidra is a powerful and unique state of relaxation, mental clarity and insightful awareness, done lying down. Julie's clear, step=by-step guidance for experiencing deep relaxation, specialized breathing, guided imagery, and mindful awareness, creates 6 replenishing levels of relaxation and a deeply meditative state. Restless thinking and emotional upsets tend to fade away. Used together or in segments, the net effect is to discover an inner reservoir of heartfelt peace, intuitive understanding and unconditional joy. Studies show one hour of practice is equivalent of about four hours of deeply restorative sleep. Published by Health Journeys.

Yoga Nidra for High-Level Living CD

Brighten your energy with self-understanding for mental sharpness, emotional equilibrium and insightful awareness. Mindfulness, setting a sankalpa (resolve), autogenic training and the paradox of opposites will tame stress once and for all. Jeanne, a musician and former nun says, "Exhilarating! This truly raised my spirit. I've never experienced such deep euphoria so easily. I felt so relaxed!" This is from Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief, a book and audio set by Julie Lusk. Digital downloads are also available.

Yoga Nidra for Inner Strength and Balance CD

Find your calm spot and live a more balanced, confident and meaningful life. Feel totally relaxed with an empowering tour of the bodymind. Guided relaxation and imagery are effectively used for balancing all your energy centers or chakras. Nancy says "This gets me totally calm and in touch with myself. Afterwards, I feel awake, refreshed, centered and ready for my day." This is from Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief, a book and audio set by Julie Lusk. Digital downloads of this CD are also available.

Yoga Nidra for Unshakable Peace and Joy CD

Experience six amazing levels of relaxation using progressive muscle relaxation and specialized breathing techniques that reliably work. Laura, a HS teacher says "This focused my mind and I was 100% worry-free. It's easy to experience. Yoga nidra is wonderful." This is from Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief, a book and audio set by Julie Lusk. Digital downloads of this CD are also available.

Real Relaxation: Yoga Nidra CD

by Julie Lusk

This CD takes you into a deeply relaxing and powerful state of being fully aware while being in the state of deep sleep.

Its many benefits include:

Listening for 1 hour equals 4 hours sleep
Improves immunity
Increases heart health
Relieves stress
Brings inner peace and balance

Digital downloads of this CD are also available.

CLICK on the blue title link above to find out more...

DIY Homemade Natural Essential Oil Wipes

August 7, 2016 by Julie Lusk

DIY Homemade Natural Essential Oil Wipes

These DIY homemade natural essential oil wipes are easy to make. They can be personalized for various uses by using different essential oils. Use on unbroken, intact skin, such as your hands, arms, legs, etc. These are intended to be used on your face. They’re very cleansing and will evaporate nicely. Your skin will feel clean, soft, moisturized, and smell great. Use them for cleaning-up messes and disinfecting surfaces. I like to accordion fold wipes into a baggie to have them on hand and for traveling. It’s so convenient and easy.

Ingredients:

1 roll of good quality, heavy duty paper towels (I use Bounty). Or use soft cloth for reusable wipes – wash after use.
Rubbermaid #6 or #8 round container, zip-top baggie, or another airtight container.
1 3/4 cups distilled water or boiled water (cooled down). Wipes made with tap water will only last about 1 week
1 Tablespoon of Witch Hazel Toner (I use Thayers Lavender Witch Hazel w/Aloe Vera)
- Witch hazel with aloe vera helps the wipes last longer. It is an alcohol-free, non-drying toner. It’s soothing, gentle and moisturizes. The aloe vera is naturally antibacterial and anti-odor
2 Tablespoons of liquid castile soap or other liquid soap base (I use Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap – Lavender)
- Dr. Bonner’s castile soap is an organic, non-foaming, 100% biodegradable natural soap without harsh chemicals or detergents
1 Tablespoon of Jojoba, Olive, or Almond Oil (I use Jojoba)
Essential Oils – about 30 to 60 drops total. Adjust to your liking.
Fine Print: Keep in mind that essential oils are potent so don’t overdue it. One drop goes a long way. It’s smart to test on a small patch of skin first to make sure it works for you. It is unsafe to ingest essential oils. Do not listen to MLM sales reps on this.

Option 1: Lavender, Lemon*, Eucalyptus, Geranium (smells and feels great)
Option 2: Lemongrass, Citronella, Rosemary, Geranium, Peppermint, Tea Tree Oil, and/or Cedar are good options for bug repellent
Option 3: Omit essential oils
Option 4: Invent your own recipe
Optional Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon of pure aloe vera – check the ingredients
- 2 Capsules of Vitamin E
More Fine Print:
1. Essential oils are potent and very concentrated. One drop goes a long way. Do not go overboard.
2. Do your own research to make sure the essential oils and carrier/base oils are safe for you. For example, people with nut allergies should avoid almond oil, peanut oil, etc. Be especially careful if you are pregnant, diabetic, epileptic, or have cancer, heart disease, or other medical conditions. Consult reliable sources (see number 7).
3. Only use on unbroken, intact skin. Not recommended on your face.
4. * Citrus oils (lemon, lime, orange, bergamot, grapefruit, etc.) have photo-toxic properties. Limit use to indoors or wait 6-12 hours before exposing your skin to sunlight.
5. Do not use on babies or children. Keep away from pets.
6. Do not take essential oils internally unless you are under personal supervision of a qualified, trained and licensed aromatherapist.
7. Some sellers, especially those based on multilevel marketing models (MLM), have minimal training, if any, and often make recommendations that are contrary to the aromatherapy code of ethics and standards of safe practice. This goes for online information also. Buyer beware.

How to Make DIY Homemade Natural Essential Oil Wipes

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Friendship Blessing

Give Yourself Some Space

4 Ways to Stop Freaking Out

Yoga Nidra FAQ

Yoga Nidra FAQ
Real Relaxation, Meditation & Much More

DIY Homemade Natural Essential Oil Wipes

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Yoga Nidra FAQ Real Relaxation, Meditation & Much More

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Yoga Nidra FAQ
Real Relaxation, Meditation & Much More