How to Choose A Sankalpa for Yoga Nidra
Youβre in a Yoga Nidra class. The teacher invites you to set your sankalpa. And your mind goesβ¦ completely blank. If the only intention you can muster in that moment is βI will remember my shoes when I leave tonightβ β youβre in good company. Setting your sankalpa can feel unexpectedly difficult, not necessarily because itβs complicated, but because weβre not used...
Affirmations for Stress Relief
I first came across affirmations way back in the 1980s (that sounds like centuries ago, doesnβt it!) during a βPositive Thinkingβ weekend workshop. The positive statements (or, affirmations) became an immediate, practical way to relieve work stress and to motivate me; supercharging me with belief in my ability to succeed. Over the years, affirmations have also helped me to consider areas of...
What Is EFT Tapping
Tap, Tap, What? . βEven though I feel the onset of a migraine, and I donβt have my tablets with me, I deeply and completely love and accept myselfβ. I was saying these words out loud while tapping on various parts of my face and my upper body, as my husband drove us to the next stop on our weekend getaway. Heβs used...
Yoga Nidra and the Power of Intention
Youβre in a Yoga Nidra class and youβre asked to set an intention . . . is your mind immediately paralyzed into a blank screen of zero inspiration? If youβre unable to conjure up, at the drop of an Om, a statement any more profound than, βI will remember my shoes when I leave yoga tonightβ, all thatβs needed is some...
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the new buzzword forΒ an old tradition. It's been revamped, repackaged, rebranded and given an extra swipe of lipstick (or dash of aftershave) as we read about how celebrities, successful business execs, and most recently, Olympic athletes, are using the magic of mindfulness, as part of their daily routine. So, what is mindfulness, exactly? Mindfulness is the state we are in...
Yoga Nidra Virgin
Photo: Yoga cocoons at Simply Yoga, Delray Beach, FL If you teach yoga, there's nothing more rewarding than someone stepping onto a yoga mat for the first time. There's also nothing more frightening β when it's your yoga class and you're not sure if they're going to like it, and for a moment you question whether you should have asked/persuaded/begged/blackmailed them...
This May Tempt You To Try βYogic Sleepβ β The Ancient Practice of Yoga Nidra
Β My body sleeps, but my mind stays awake β¦ huh? How does that work? Welcome to the paradox and the power of Yoga Nidra; exploring the state in between being asleep and being awake. This is not pretzel yoga, or kick-butt yoga, or sweat-your-bits-off yoga β¦ itβs Anyone-Can-Do-This yoga. You need nothing more than your desire to create a sense...
Tushita and the Hairy Bearded Dude Meditation
I finally made it to Tushita today, a Buddhist meditation center between McLeod Ganj and Dharamkot, where you can drop in for daily morning meditation. It was our day off, so the walk through the forest with its silent, tall trees was a welcome shift from the tuk tuk, taxi and car fumes we try to avoid by breathing through...