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Advice from a Tree

October 17, 2013 by Julie Lusk

What an opportunity to experience yoga’s tree pose (Vriksasana) while absorbing the energy from the trunk of this tree. What a powerful experience to feel into the roots of this tree, to reflect on its life, and to stand where it stood for so many years. It seemed perfect to pair the photo with “the advice from a tree.” from ‘anon.’ Learn the tree pose below.

Advice from a Tree

stand tall and proud

go out on a limb

remember your roots

drink plenty of water

be content with your natural beauty

enjoy the view

And I’d like to add…

bask in the sun

don’t mind the clouds

provide shelter for birds, squirrels, and other creatures

go with the winds that are blowing through your life

climb a tree once in a while

Practice yoga’s tree pose (vrksasana) to gain balance, core strength, humility, centering, and self-acceptance.

Stand tall. Balance your weight equally on both feet in mountain pose (tadasana). Put your hands on your hips. Breathe. Raise your right foot and press it into the inside of your left leg either above or below the knee. Steady your gaze. Raise your arms up like branches. Wobbling is normal and helpful. Hold for several breaths and repeat on the other side. See the picture above.

Yoga Basics Guidebook by Julie Lusk

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How to Practice Yoga: Steadiness and Comfort vs. Struggle and Control
Guidelines for the Practice of Yoga.
General Benefits, Cautions and Contraindications of Yoga
Yoga Guidelines for Health Conditions
Yoga During Pregnancy: General Guidelines and Cautions
Yoga Practice Sheet
Basic Alignment and Selected Warm Ups to Open Joints and Warm Muscles
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Yoga Practice Sheet – Sky Series ©

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Shocking News about Sitting Quietly

July 14, 2014 by Julie Lusk

Does it sound appealing to you to have a little time all to yourself? Is some peace and quiet something you yearn for?

What if you were asked to sit still in a room by yourself for 6 to 15 minutes? Could you make it without your smartphone, tablet, a book, something to doodle on or listen to? As it turns out, this is really hard for most people.

In a study published in Science on hundreds of participants in a series of 11 experiments, over half the volunteers reported it as not enjoyable on a 9-point scale. It was hard to concentrate and their minds wandered. It was not fun at all. In fact, one experiment showed that 67% of men and 25% of women chose to give themselves a mild electrical shock instead of being quiet doing nothing. This was even after testing out the shock beforehand with most saying they would pay $5 instead of feeling the shock again. Click on the image for more info.

Really? A lot of folks would rather be shocked than have quiet time? No wonder it’s so hard for people when waiting in line, stuck in traffic, or lying awake at night. Is that why so many people avoid meditation even when knowing how beneficial it is? Does it mean that people don’t value ‘think time’ or daydreaming? Perhaps, so many people don’t like time for aimless thinking because they don’t know how to tame their mind or have forgotten how to be quiet or don’t value it. What are your thoughts on this?

Unstructured ‘think time’ happens throughout the day, doesn’t it. Is that why so many people grab their smartphone as soon as a free minute appears? This even happens while driving. Have you had the urge to check your texts, email or the weather at a stop light rather than look out the window or even listen to the music playing? You’re not ‘alone.’ According to this study, half of us don’t like having quiet “thinking time.”

So now what? I think it’s a good idea to learn how to get used to having free time again by learning some healthy mental habits. This would take the stinging frustration out of waiting, for example. It will even build up your brain power.

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section. I’m curious about what you have to say.

Here are some great ideas for when free time comes about accidentally or on purpose.

[Read more…]

Mouth Yoga

March 4, 2015 by Julie Lusk

According to the yoga tradition, 80% of your problems can be solved with mouth yoga. That is, what you eat and drink and put in your mouth, what you say, and who you kiss makes a big difference.

Wise yogis ask us to consider 3 things before saying something:

Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?

Practice smiling, whether you feel like it or not, is the advice given by Thich Nhat Hahn, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by the Rev. Martin Luther King, He said you will feel more positive and at peace. He says in his book, Be Free Where You Are, he gives us the exercise of “Breathing in, I smile. Breathing out, I release.”

If you’re wondering why you should smile when there isn’t joy inside, he answers, “Smiling is a practice. There are over three hundred muscles in your face. When you are angry or fearful, these muscles tense up. The tension in these muscles creates a feeling of hardness. If you know how to breathe in and produce a smile, however, the tension will disappear – it is what I call “mouth yoga.” Make smiling an exercise. Just breath in and smile – the tension will disappear and you will feel much better.”

Belleruth Naparstek calls smiling “affirmations for your face” and promises you’ll start getting smiles back from others. I call it smile-asana. Go ahead… and Smile Now!

Smiling may help you live longer. Wayne State University researchers studied major league baseball card pictures from 1952. They found that smiling players lived an average of 7 years longer than non-smiling players.

Smiling stimulates the brain equivalent to eating up to 2000 chocolate bars or getting up to $25,000 in a study by UK researchers who used electromagnetic brain scans and heart-rate monitors to generate “mood-boosting values.”

Do you have jaw tension? Do you grip your teeth tightly? Try opening your mouth and moving your jaw up and down and sideways to relieve tension. Another method is to rub your scalp around the half-moon circling over the top of your ears. While you’re at it, rub your outer ears with your fingertips and thumbs for a nice energizer. Lowering your caffeine levels may relieve jaw tension too. Come on now, let go … and smile!

Do you know what the yoga police say? “You have the right to remain silent.”

What you see and hear matters too. Habib Sadeghi writes about a phenomenon called the Illusion of Truth Effect. Basically, it says that repetition increases our mental validation of anything we’re exposed to whether or not the information is true or not. Hearing or seeing something consistently is viewed as more valid than messages we’re exposed to only occasionally. A weak message repeated twice becomes more valid than a strong message heard only once, according to research from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Therefore, be careful of the messages you’re being exposed to since repetition matters. Think again about all those political messages and evaluate their accuracy with facts. Sadeghi offers these recommendations in his article:

1. MAKING WORDS WORK. To consciously harness the power of words for your benefit, start with the ones you’re using.

2. NO NAME-CALLING OR SELF-CRITICISM. Everyone is doing the best they can at any moment in time with the consciousness they have to work with, including you. Be kind and offer yourself the same empathy and compassion you’d extend to anyone else.

3. STOP ALL SELF-DEPRECATION. Never make your body, or something you’ve accomplished, or anything else in your life the butt of a joke. Words have power, and quantum energy doesn’t have a sense of humor.

4. RESIST GOSSIPING AND SPEAKING ILL OF OTHERS. It’s impossible for your words to resonate in anyone else’s body but your own.

5. GO ON A NEGATIVITY DIET. Instead of saying that a meal was terrible say, “I’ve had better.” You’ve basically said what you wanted to say without putting negative energy through your body—you even used a positive word to do it!

6. BOOST THE POSITIVE ENERGY OF WORDS. Instead of saying something like you had a good time at a concert, ramp up the positive energy by saying great, terrific, or fantastic, instead. These feel much better and generate a bigger energetic response in the body.

7. IF YOU HAVE SOME NEGATIVE NOAHS OR NANCYS IN YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, limit the time you spend with them or find better friends. Negative energy has a way of dragging everything surrounding it in, like a big black hole. Avoid it when you can.

8. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE, UPLIFTING WORDS. Put affirmations on sticky notes around your home and office that say wonderful things about you, your family, or your goals. Wear clothes that have positive messages or phrases on them. Imagine the kind of positive energy you’ll be generating for yourself when you’re wearing positivity all day long. As you keep doing these things, you use the power of repetition in a highly effective way for your benefit. You have the power to change your world, and using words consciously is one of the quickest ways to shift the energy you bring into your life.

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Holiday Energizers

December 19, 2011 by Julie Lusk

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, St. Nicholas, Kwanza, Winter or Summer Solstice, Navidades, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s, the holidays can be stressful.

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.