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Yoga Moon Salute ~ Chandra Namaskar

August 30, 2013 by Julie Lusk

Here’s an amazing yoga posture sequence called the Salute to the Moon (Chandra Namaskar). Like the Sun Salute, it is a wonderful way to link poses and breathing together to enjoy better coordination, build endurance and create relaxed energy. In it, standing postures are done in a way that flows as naturally as the moon moves through its phases.

Julie’s moon salute sequence features the mountain pose, moon, star, forward bend, warrior options, and a standing spinal twist. It’s heavenly!

HANDOUT LINK: Yoga Moon Salute – Chandra Namaskar (pdf) shows photos for each posture with the proper breathing for the Salute to the Moon.

Here’s Sarah Brightman singing Figlio Perduto, the music we often play while practicing the Moon Salute.

Blue Moon Rising CD by Julie Lusk is on sale! It’s great music for listening to while doing yoga or relaxing.

Blue Moon Rising CD ~~ Native American Style Flute Music

Enjoy 16 tracks of beautiful Native American style flute music played by Julie Lusk accompanied by the relaxing sounds of Mother Nature as the backdrop. Digital downloads available.

Yoga Nidra Stories

August 29, 2014 by Julie Lusk

Please help Shavasana . The clock is ticking. My next book, “Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief” is due at the publishers Oct. 1, 2014.

You can help by sharing your stories about your Yoga Nidra experiences down below. Your stories add a special depth like nobody else can and might be included in the book.

I’m interested in knowing things like what you like about yoga nidra? How has it helped you? What is your experience with using a resolve – a sankalpa.

Feel free to add anything else you would like to share, including what you would like to see in this book.

Thanks in advance!

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.

Calling Your Spirit Back

August 8, 2020 by Julie Lusk

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The Essence and Magic of Mindfulness Meditation: What, Why, How and Where

July 6, 2015 by Julie Lusk

What is Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness is defined as the impartial awareness of ones inner and outer experiences practiced moment by moment.

Here is an effective mindfulness meditation exercise from Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief, a book and audio set by Julie Lusk. Try it out and let us know how it goes. Your questions (and answers) are welcome!

B…R…E…A…T…H…E for Mindfulness *

This mindfulness meditation provides seven steps for practicing mindfulness with a twist of meditation. The word “breathe” will help you remember each step. Take your time to fully experience each of the steps before going on to the next.

Process

Breathe fully, slowly.

Release muscular tension.

Engage and Expand your awareness.

Alert to sounds, sights, and smells. Awareness without naming.

Think positive thoughts.

Here and now.

Enjoy the moment.

Why: Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation

Diane Poole-Heller reports that research has shown that the benefits of a mindfulness meditation practice helps develop all 9 functions of the brain’s prefrontal cortex. This happens by practicing 20 minutes daily for only 8 weeks.

ANS Regulation – Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Balance
Attuned Communication – felt sense of other’s experience
Regulation of emotions
Response flexibility
Empathy
Insight – self awareness
Fear extinction – GABA fibers to amygdala
Intuition – deep knowing
Morality

How, When and Where

Mindfulness can be practiced formally by closing your eyes and sitting up straight as in meditation for 20 or so minutes. This builds up your capacity for mindfulness while also developing your brain. It will lift up your energy and lower stress levels. Your productivity will improve, your emotional fuse will lengthen, and your ability to enjoy living is enhanced. Your whole day will go better, even in the midst of stress.

In addition, mindfulness can be practiced informally as well. This is when you practice moment-to-moment awareness during your day-to-day activities. To get started, simply shift your attention to whatever is happening while it happens. For example, impartially check in with sensations from your body (cool/hot, tense/relaxed, etc.), notice how you feel, impartially naming the mood you’re in, and noticing how your emotions are being expressed physically, and by becoming aware of whatever thoughts are taking place. Practically speaking, this is done by taking time, for example, at meals to really look at your food and consciously smell it, taste it, and chew it. Throw in some gratitude if you wish. Or, take a few moments to feel the sunshine, to feel the actual texture of your pets fur or listen to whatever sounds are happening – all in a non-evaluative and nonjudgmental manner. This also goes for noticing however you’re breathing and the level of tension or relaxation that’s present in your shoulders. YogaNidraCF.indd

* Reprinted from Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief by Julie Lusk

Guided Mindfulness Meditations: Practicing Presence & Finding Peace Download

Ease into mindfulness with a clean, user-friendly, body-based, joyful approach. Gain calmer nerves, a brighter outlook, stronger memory, sharper focus, healthier body awareness & more balance. Get a long & short guided experience. Learn informal ways to be more mindful during the day. Available at Hay House https://www.hayhouse.com/guided-mindfulness-meditations-audio-download

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