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Meditation is a form of mental martial arts.

January 8, 2011 by Julie Lusk

Joan Borysenko says…

Meditation is a form of mental martial arts. If we resist thoughts, they will overpower us. But if we just step lightly out of their way, letting them come and go like birds flying overhead, we can use their energy to further focus our minds.

The nature of the mind is to think and create, so the mind naturally wanders during meditation. The demoralizing thought that only your mind wanders while other meditators are sitting there in bliss is a major reason why people give up on meditation practice. All people think when they meditate. What distinguishes the novice from the skillful meditator is the attitude of detached awareness that the skillful meditator maintains toward thinking.

Is this true for you? How do you handle it when your mind is restless?

Yoga Mudras for the Hands

October 10, 2010 by Julie Lusk

Have you ever needed the benefits from yoga (energy, relaxation, clear mind, emotional balance, etc.) but couldn’t practice a pose because you were in public, not dressed for yoga, or didn’t even know how to do yoga? This happens to me several times a day! Luckily, I have found another secret that really works. It’s Yoga Mudras – yoga poses using hand positions and gestures.

I finally started taking these ancient teachings seriously while I was teaching relaxation training and guided imagery in the Bahamas last spring for the Easter/Passover Symposium on Yoga and Sacred Healing at Sivananda Ashram. Amy Weintraub (Yoga and Depression) and Joseph and Lilian LePage (Integrative Yoga Therapy) taught them as part of their presentations. This experience convinced me that Yoga Mudras are very effective, simple and profound.

As soon as I got home, I began investigating and practicing Yoga Mudras more and more. One morning I was reading a book on Yoga Mudras by Gutrud Hirschi and it described amazing results and reasons to practice Yoga Mudras. The results sounded too good to be true. Since I was suspicious, I wanted to put it to the test.

Meanwhile, I was suffering from seasonal allergies – my nose was running, my eyes were watery and itchy, and I was sneezing. So I tried Bhramara Mudra. It worked – and quickly too! Naturally I shared this with my yoga students and they also reported positive results too. We were so excited and it convinced us that Yoga Mudras have lots of valuable benefits to offer.

There are Yoga Mudras to help with allergies, feeling calm, lifting energy, headaches, chakra balancing and many more.

So, how can you learn more about yoga mudras for the hands?

1. My next 2 blog posts will show you wonderful mudras to practice. (use the RSS feed so you don’t miss out – it’s up in the right corner of this blog)

2. Attend yoga classes. See my schedule. Let me know if you would like to book me for a workshop.

3. Joseph and Lilian LePage have been studying Yoga Mudras for 10 years to write a book all about them. Their book shows 108 hand gestures along with guided meditations and affirmations. I am honored and excited that they asked me to edit the guided meditations.

How to do the Breath of Fire: Kapalabhati Breathing

July 12, 2011 by Julie Lusk

***

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 creates 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. It 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 …

[Read more…]

What is mindfulness ~ Why it matters

December 26, 2011 by Julie Lusk

Let me share with you the best definition of mindfulness and its benefits that I’ve come across. Diane Poole-Heller shared it with us at the recent NICABM conference.

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.

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.

Sinking into Sensation, a mindfulness meditation by Julie Lusk, us available on the Power of Presence CD.

Power of Presence CD

Gain the benefits of meditation with comfort and ease. You'll soon solve workplace stress and easily handle personal challenges and health issues. CLICK the blue title link above to find out more... Digital downloads are available.

Price: $16.95

Price: $9.99

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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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.