Yoga for Zumba Enthusiasts Workshop

Saturday, October 8th 12:30-2:30pm

Yoga for ZUMBA!

Yoga for Zumba® Enthusiasts is a great workshop for the Zumba goer at any experience level. You will have the opportunity to learn how the practice of yoga aids in everything from injury prevention, body balancing, cross-strengthening, mind exercises, and breathing techniques. Whether you have just started taking Zumba or have been dancing for years, please join us for this fun event!

At Life Time Fitness, Savage, MN
6554 Loftus Lane West
Savage, MN 55378
Main 952 226 1222
Class offered in the Education Center

Cost: $25.00 per Life Time Fitness Member OR $35.00 per Non-Member

Please pre-register by e-mail: maryaasher@gmail.com by Thursday, October 6th
6 participant minimum required by October 6th to run this Workshop
Please honor a 24 hr. notice of cancellation.

Meditation

Meditation – 4 week session: Sundays, 6:00 – 7:00 pm, Mar 20 – Apr 10
Registration deadline: March 14. ($48) Yoga Bella studio - Chanhassen, MN

Meditation is what is needed right now. With our foundations shaking, stress and strife rampant and many people pushed to the brink, we need to turn inward to find the answers.

Meditation (in what ever form or name) has always been the way for humans to stay connected to our source and to hear the inner voice. It is our way to connect to our intuition, to know the truths of our Self and Ourselves. We have all become so disconnected to everything that we've allowed great atrocities to occur, without even the blink of an eye. It's time to come back, to re-connect and to re-member who we truly are and what we are here to do. Meditation can take us there.

Physically, meditation has numerous benefits, from stress relief to better breathing, memory retention and lowered blood pressure. Even if you don't know what I mean by "reconnect and remember", you know you can get some physical benefits from exploring this practice. It is just the beginning and a great start it is!

Each class we’ll explore different methods of meditation and we’ll try both quiet meditation and guided meditation. Use this class as a way to create a meditation practice and to address the specific concerns or issues that come up as you continue your practice. This class is definitely for you if you’ve ever said, “I can’t meditate because I can’t make my mind stop.” (and I'll explain the misconceptions about meditation as well) Wear comfortable clothing and bring something soft to sit on, such as a blanket or cushion.

When our Foundations are Shaking

earthquake a photo by peace science and social studies on Flickr.

"We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them." ~ Charles C. West

"...then I feel like I'm living on a fault line." ~ Anita P.

My dear friends, I - we - are being shaken, and maybe a little stirred too. And why is it that in these, the times of my own shaking, that I've turned away from something that, at least in theory, could be a solace, a method of emission for these emotional disturbances? Writing, expressing oneself is a way for many of to endure hardship, express ourselves and commiserate with others.
Many times over the last 6 months I have thought of many brilliant ways to express myself. Unfortunately many of those times were in the car, the shower or in bed while I'm on the verge of sleep. Even now I unable to remember my thought in the distance between the bathroom and my office.
Many other times my feelings were so deep and private that I dare not share them with the world. If I thought that all of my readers were total strangers maybe I could open up my innermost thoughts. But knowing that family and friends are watching, I hold back.
But, we are being shaken and it is no longer time to remain silent. As much as I may think in my own darkest hours that no one is listening, or that my voice isn't necessary, I find that it is. Not only necessary but required, requested and maybe even crucial. We all need to speak up. We have been silent too long. The earthquake has begun, the cracks are opening up and we need to speak up - for ourselves and for each other - in order to stay out of the fissure.

Backcare Basics with Yoga

Did you know? 31 million people say they suffer from low back pain during the year.

The statistics are staggering, but statistics aside we all know about back pain. Either we've experienced it for ourselves or someone we loves has experienced it. Maybe it's not pain that plagues you, it's a feeling you aren't standing tall. It could just be that you know you need a stronger core. Aside from the foundation that our feet provide, your back is crucial to your physical well-being.

Join me this Saturday for a special workshop all about the back. I'll talk about how the back works in relation to your posture and basic movement and we'll take that knowledge into using the back in Yoga poses. We'll do poses to help strengthen and stretch the back and to work the core to support your back.

If you are new to Yoga this class will help you to prevent injury in your back during Yoga class. If you are more experienced in Asana, use this class as a way to further your back flexibility and strength to get deeper into your backbends.

Backcare Basics with Yoga
Saturday, February 26 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
$25 for Life Time Fitness members/ $35 for non-members
Register by e-mailing me at maryaasher@gmail.com

How do You Grow Your Mind?

There has been talk over the last few years about challenging or "exercising" the mind in order to aid in avoiding Alzheimer's disease, among other things. You may have also heard of those individuals living to great age explaining that they have "kept their mind young" as a secret to living to that age. Any way you look at it, using and challenging your mind is just as crucial as exercising your body.
The terms or concepts of Mind and Body or Mind/Body/Spirit are also being used a lot. The concept is a useful one, but now it seems to have just become a marketing term and everyone has jumped on the bandwagon. What does it really mean? It's stems from an age old questions and one in which philosophers and psychologists have wrestled with for centuries. Is the brain separate from the body? Is the body just a machine run by the brain? Are they connected? The answer is most definitely. The mind and the body - and the spirit - are inextricably linked. What you do to one affects what happens to the other. So when I say exercising your mind is just as crucial as exercising your body, it's more than just point of reference.
It's necessary to grow all parts of your self. When you grow your mind, chances are you'll make improvements to your body (or they may even happen with little effort). Work on improving your body and find your mindset improving as well. Now your spirit. Ever notice that when you exercise your body regularly that you feel better, your thoughts are clearer, your mood improves, you are kinder to others or more tolerant, and you have more patience? There are all kinds of physiological processes that can be described to explain all of this, but do you need to know that in order to know it's just better? All you need to know is that everything in your life seems to improve. That's all that's important. Then use that to keep doing what you're doing.
It can work the other way as well. Grow your mind and chances are you'll find junk food no longer appealing or you may find giving up soda much easier. You may stumble on a class or be motivated to go for more walks or develop a meditation practice. The question is, how do we grow our minds? We all know what it takes to exercise the body, but do we really know what exercises our minds?

Write something. The act of having to articulate your thoughts and put them together in a coherent fashion can really cause you to think.

Take up a class in something new. Knitting, acting, dancing, book clubs or language classes are good ways to make you think.

Read a non-fiction book. Fiction books are great, but truly are more entertaining. Better yet, get a how-to book and learn something new.

Avoid the news. We think news educates us, yet it's really just depressing information that adds no particular value to our lives. Does knowing who got murdered really help you? Does hearing about the latest politician test your brain skills or just your patience? Can you live without it? Probably.

Help someone else. Volunteer somewhere, anywhere. Go to your kids school, the local shelter, build a house for someone or visit an invalid or someone elderly. You may be surprised by the skills you learn but more importantly the perspective you gain. That could be the most important learning of all.

Do you have examples of how you grow your mind? Please share!

Mind Games

I often say that I sometimes consider meditation to be a mind game. It's a game of getting your mind to do what you want, or in some cases, to do nothing at all. It's about controlling and about letting go. I am also not above trickery, especially when it comes to my own mind and the rampant thoughts therein.

Your mind has somewhere up to 60,000 thoughts a day. Many of those are mundane, repetitive and, let's face it, annoying. "Where did I leave my keys?" "Why hasn't he called yet." "Wow those are ugly pants." Did I mention repetitive? I think I thought, "it sure is hot today" about 40 times today. Meditation is a game of eliminating some of that repetition and focusing some of those other straying thoughts.

Have you ever been stuck in what I call the "spiral of negativity"? Those thoughts that feed off of one negative thought or bad event and the next thing you know the world is coming to an end (at least in your mind)? Meditation is a game of catching that first thought and turning it over. It's redirecting and finding something positive to focus on instead. It's pulling you out of the spiral.

Our thoughts are a melange of dwelling on feelings, revisiting the past, fear of forgetting, worrying about the future and anger over everything and nothing. Our thoughts are everything and for most of us, they're out of control. The problem is that we don't always realize how out of control they are and the possibilities that exist for gaining control. Meditation is control. It is a practice in which you slowly take back your thoughts and choose consciously what you want to think, and how you want to feel. Control is not always a pulling in process, sometimes control means letting go too.

Many people tell me they can't meditate because they "can't stop my mind". My response is that you probably don't want to stop your mind, you just want to get it under control a little bit (or maybe a lot). Meditation is for everyone and everyone has the capacity and capability to do it. Just start somewhere. Sit quietly. Hear your thoughts for even just a moment. Awareness is the first step.

The Hidden Good in All

Many people believe these to be tough times. Many are experiencing challenges like they've never experienced before. Small challenges, such as your children getting in to trouble a lot or appliances breaking down, and big challenges, such as job loss or life disturbances caused by the earth (can anyone say volcano?). How do we handle these challenges? What do we do in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances?

We need to let go. We need to focus in. We need to go with the flow. We need to surrender to love.

In times of challenge we're usually pushed into fear and fear brings panic. I can't think of anyone who hasn't done something regrettable when in fear and under pressure. Lose your job? PANIC - I need to make money NOW and take the first job I can get! Kids have bad grades? PANIC - They need to be grounded to show them how serious this is. Family member have a health crisis? PANIC - we need to fix it NOW!

Most actions taken when in fear and panic are not what your heart truly desires. These actions are of the ego and not from the authentic self. The authentic self, your soul, knows no bounds and only has your best interest as it's goal. In every challenge there is a lesson to learn. In seemingly bad situations there is often a path of even better options. It's a path we sometimes miss when we're caught up in the panic.

How do you know that your job loss isn't really a path towards an even better job? How do you know that the illness you experience won't set you on the path towards true and lasting health? How do you know that your kids failing grades won't bring you to the path that really brings your family together? You don't. So stop trying so hard to do things your way and trust that there are reasons and better ways, if only you stop long enough to pay attention.

Marya's Class Schedule

YOGA

River Valley YMCA, Prior Lake, MN (membership or day pass required, click here for website)

Tuesdays 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. (rm 162B, church)
Tuesdays 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. (rm A)
Thursdays 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. (rm 162B, church)

Lifetime Fitness, Savage, MN (membership or day pass required, click here for website)

Sundays 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. (Studio 2)

Note: Bring your own mat. Suggested props include blanket. Blocks and straps provided.

BELLY DANCE

Yoga Bella, Chanhassen, MN (click here for their website)

Tuesdays 7:15 - 8:15 p.m.

Note: Showing your belly is NOT required! Wear clothing appropriate for yoga, bring a scarf to tie around your waist if you have one. Scarves will be available for your use.

MEDITATION

Yoga Bella, Chanhassen, MN (click here for their website)

Sunday, June 27 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 25 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, August 29 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Note: Bring something comfortable to sit on such as a blanket or cushion.

Newbies and Seasoned

This past weekend I had the pleasure and privelage to attend a dance training with a variety of teachers, both local and national. I always enjoy events of this type, not only for the chance immerse myself in an experience, but also to see how others teach and pick up some inspiration for my own teaching. I also tend to learn a lot about what makes a good teacher, a not-so-good teacher and what makes a GREAT teacher. But more on that later.

One of the nuggets I picked up from this weekend was the Newbies vs. the Seasoned. I love this because I think it really applies to many things. It was stated in the context of dance, but I think it applies to Yoga as well. I can see it happening with many artistic endeavors - music, theatre, and even job skills and parenting. It's also something to ponder for yourself, as you practice any kind of sport or art or skill. Use this information to help you practice like you are Seasoned. Use it to create more depth in what you are practicing and in utilizing your energy differently.

Newbies are beginners. Maybe you've just learned some substantial pieces of music or just finished acting lessons. Maybe you are just getting acclimated to a new work climate and want to show off what you "bring to the table". Maybe you've just had a baby. Maybe you are up on stage for the first time. Maybe you've taken a few yoga classes and know a few poses. Newbies are fresh and full of energy. Some of that energy is excitement and some of that energy comes from being nervous. As a Newbie at anything we get excited about showing off. "Look what I can do!" We gladly show or tell anyone that will watch or listen. We get in class and want to push ourselves just so everyone can see how flexible or strong we are. We get up on stage and overact. We talk loudly and often about the great things we do for our kids. We put every move we've got into the dance. Everything a Newbie does is energy out. There is so much energy it only has one way to go! We overwhelm others sometimes with all the things we ask of them. I love this energy and enthusiasm. Sometimes, though, it can be like a 3-year-old constantly asking, "Look at me! Look at me!" Seasoned people, on the other hand, are all about internal. If I'm seasoned, everything I do is for ME. My actions come from deep internally. I take my time and experience for myself everything that I do. I move slowly, yet confidently. I do things for my own love of it and the expression of the art. If you are a seasoned actor, you really get into a role and feel what it's like to be that character. If you are a seasoned musician or dancer, you really feel the music and play or dance for the sheer joy of it. If you are a seasoned professional (in any field), you quietly incorporate new learning and experiences into your craft, fine tuning to make it just the way you want it. It's as if everything you do is for you, and the rest of us are just lucky enough to be there to witness it.

Even if you are a Newbie, you still can have some of the Seasoned experience. Slow down. Pay close attention and experience everything from the inside out. Feel what it's like to do things for you, and not for the attention it garners from others. Practice, play, move, teach, share and work all for the sheer joy and love of what you do. Not for anything, or anyone, else.

Time to sit down

It's time for meditation. For me at least. I don't know about you. Do you meditate in the morning? Do you sit in the middle of the day? Do you meditate at all?

I have wanted for years to meditate. I thought about it but never really did it. At first I did so with guilt. Then I let go of the guilt and spent some time in longing, wishing I could be that dedicated. I've even taught classes in meditation - how to do it, when and where to sit, and of course, why it's important - but I didn't do it regularly myself. It wasn't until almost a year ago that I realized the deep connection I sometimes felt was something I really wanted to tune into on a regular basis. So then I made a concerted effort.

I tried mornings and found my body was just too stiff for it to be tolerable. I was more apt to be interrupted in the morning, once one or all 3 of my children woke up. I tried the middle of the day. The challenge was that the middle of the day was different each day because my schedule varied so much. I like consistency and needed that to create this habit. I settled on the evening. After the children where asleep and the house was dark and quiet I found more places in my home that seemed comfortable for meditating. I like my bedroom on the floor or sitting on my bed. I like the couch, near the corner table. I would practice stillness while lying with my children as the drifted off to sleep. I would spend a few moments in gratitude as I warmed up my own bed.

What I have found is that I couldn't push the matter, I couldn't force myself to do it. I had to want it and want the feeling meditating brought me. I had experienced it enough to know that it felt good. I had learned it and taught it enough to know how to do it comfortably. I even acted as if - I told people that I meditated regularly. Not to create a farce, but in essence, to talk myself into it. What I have found is that I allowed myself to experiment with it to find what worked for me and to know that I am a better person when I meditate. I am calmer, more peaceful and more aware of my self. I want more silence and solitude. I have a 3 year old, I need all the silence and solitude I can get! I can now create this sanctuary of my own release and connection to my breath anytime I choose to. Now I practice this too.

Meditation doesn't need to be complicated. So many have said to me, "I don't know what to do" or "I can't make my mind stop". The most important thing you need to know about meditation is that you don't have to make your mind stop and there really is no thing you "do". You just sit down and be still and silent. Then pay attention to what happens. Eventually your mind will tire of the constant chatter and it will get silent too. Then the magic happens.

To relax, or not to relax.

"Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another."
- Anatole France

Does that sound like you? An example of this would be, taking a break from cleaning the house and "relaxing" by watching TV. Or "relaxing" from your work to check Facebook. Give me just about anything you do to relax and I can tell you why it isn't really relaxing. And now I'll tell you why you should care. Relaxation is the one true thing that will counter stress. Stress being more than just the generalized term used to describe everything annoying, interfering, interrupting and downright disliked that exists in our lives. It is all of that, to be sure, and it is so much more.
Stress is a physiological response of the body to something that is life threatening. Or at least it's theoretically life threatening. It could be a car accident, or near accident. It could be an illness or the illness of someone close to you. In modern times, however, it is usually something slightly less. It's the boss who hovers over your shoulder and never finds anything right in what you do. It's your spouses not so nice comments about your weight. It's the car that breaks down and costs more money than you have. Or the children that forget to do their homework and never seem to clean their room. It could be positive too. Your wedding, childbirth, interviewing for a new job, even winning the lottery. Stress like that is not life threatening but it sets up the same response in the body.
So what happens? When a stressful event occurs. adrenaline and epinephrin are released into the bloodstream and your heart rate goes up and blood pressure increases. Glycogen is released by the liver, your cholesteral increases and blood sugar goes up. Your breathing quickens to increase your metabolic rate. Your muscles tense to prepare for flight and lactic acid increases in the muscles. Cortisol* levels increase and your immune response is suppressed. All of this happens to prepare your body for the good old flight-or-fight. If it's life threatening you either fight it off or your run from it.
(*Cortisol is the hormone that causes you to retain fat around your middle)
Most of our stressors now are not life threatening. There IS nothing to fight or run from. There is no major physical action to burn off all this increased, well, everything. We get stuck in traffic - ZOOM - heart rate goes up. A customer yells at you on the phone - BAM - you start to sweat. Someone makes an inappropriate remark - BOOM - your muscles tense. Now what do you do with it? And this is happening every day. This build up in your body is happening on a regular basis without any real release. Can you see where our major health issues come from? Look at the list above again. Increased blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, cortisol levels and suppressed immune system.
It's time we recognize the importance of relaxation. It's really important. So here's the thing - watching TV, having a drink, reading a book, even sitting in a lawn chair watching the neighbors are NOT relaxing. It may seem that way because at least it's not stressful. What is truly relaxing? Meditation, breathing exercises, relaxation exercises or lying still on the floor. I seriously considered stating "exercises" after each one of those. Like with your cardio, stretching or even weights workout, these are exercise too. Consider it your mental or well-being workout. It's something you need to practice and do regularly in order to engage your relaxation response. Go to a class if you can, because for many people relaxation can be a challenge. Many people think they can't do it or they don't know how. It's crucial to try. Your life will thank you for it.

Go with the flow

For months now I have been thinking about, and now finally creating a new website. It is still in progress. I haven't written partly because I felt a shift in my focus and the messages I would share. And partly because I've been waiting for my new site to be completed. It has occurred to me that I do not need to wait. The thoughts and writings I'd like to share can be shared, regardless of the place. And so, today I'm going to let it flow.

"Life isn't meant to be fair, it's meant to be informative."

Flow has been the theme of my life lately. Going with the flow of life, to be specific. So often we fight the tide, and swim against the current. What we should do is float in it.

I imagine myself sitting lazily in an inner tube with my toes dangling in the water, head resting back, soaking up the sun. What better way to move through life?

Life - God, the Universe, Divine Energy - whatever you want to call it, does help us. It's just that we are often so busy fighting, begging, pleading, manipulating or whining to notice! Things don't always go the way we want. What we don't realize is that what we want isn't always the best for us. That means that there are other things out there that are a better fit, a better choice, a better path for our personal journey. It also means that sometimes situations are challenging. That's when we panic and start to paddle back - against the current.

Recently events in my life have proven to me that I don't always know the reason, but there is always a reason. I had planned last year to teach at a retreat that was to take place this last week. Several months ago I had a strong feeling that it wasn't going to happen. People weren't signing up as quickly as they did last year and another teacher canceled. My partner and I made the call and canceled the trip. I was disappointed and yet felt relief too. Then, my partner and I planned to go on a working trip, without our families. We got our dates mixed up. She went this past weekend, I'm going next weekend. During this past week - in which I was supposed to have been gone - I've had a business lunch which created a new partnership and many teaching opportunities and I've been here for my children's conferences and an event at their school. Most importantly, the facility that I teach Yoga at announced on Friday that it is closing. My last class was Saturday. Had I been gone at the retreat I would have missed the last week of classes. Had I gone to work this past weekend I would have missed the last class. New opportunities came up over the weekend as well.

In hindsight, it's clear that I was meant to be here. For myself, for others, for what is coming next. God just had other plans for me. I am grateful that I paid attention. Had I not heeded my own intuition I would have tried to force myself on those trips and missed an amazing week and all of these new things set before me. We all need to listen to our intuition more. Trust that there is a reason. Allow yourself to witness the beauty of flow. See where it takes you.

"At the end of the journey, every decision is seen as helpful
for one reason or another." ~ Betsy Otter Thompson

Moving into the Winter of our lives

Here in Minnesota it seems we went from (a late) summer right into fall. One day it was in the 80's and the next it was in the 50's and hasn't rebounded to anywhere in between. It's been cold and rainy, so much so that it prompted me to ponder, "October showers bring November....?"

While I wish we had some warm or at least warmer, fall days before the snow loomed, I know it's coming one way or the other: Winter. Alas, don't fear the winter. After many late evenings, feeling sleepy from all the sun. After time spent outdoors as much as possible. After doing everything we normally do in our daily lives, AND fitting in barbecues and baseball practice and walks outside, I for one am actually looking forward to winter.

Winter is a time to snuggle into your house and snuggle with your family. Watch a movie and eat popcorn, cook some homemade soup, get caught up on household projects or just sleep a little more. I often say I don't have a favorite season. My favorite season is all of them, as they begin and we shift from one set of activities to another. As the newness of each season approaches with anticipation we look forward to something different, even as we go about all the same routines and habits of old.

Speaking of old habits and routines, the changing of the seasons is also a little time for reflection. As you move into this winter, take time to look back, before the year is over completely, on what has transpired. Is this year going the direction you intended? Have you accomplished those things you wanted to do? Has it gone the way you wanted? Are you getting the results you want in your life?
Either way, I think winter in general, as opposed to just January, is a fantastic time to make some changes. Winter is a time for staying in, for being together, for self reflection. You go out less, you interact less, you spend less. Just like in the current economy. Sometimes life is lively and exciting and growing and expanding (summer) and sometimes life is calm and peaceful and introspective and reflective (winter). What will you do in this winter, both of season and of economic cycles? Go with the flow and take a look back at yourself.

Self reflection can mean reviewing those goals you set earlier in the year, or earlier in your life. It can also mean you find what's not working so well and find ways to make it better. Read more books, educate yourself, find someone you can talk through your problems and issues with, take charge of your health, spend more time with your family. Take this time, this winter of your life, to do whatever it is you need to do to prepare yourself for summer and the next cycle of expansion!

"There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. "
~Ruth Stout

FUN

Have you heard the phrase, "What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?"

There is some truth to that. What if FUN is what it's all about? What if playing games and singing songs and dancing around is what it's all about? What if?

Then working your fingers to the bone, accumulating debt and things and being tired and crabby is NOT what it's all about. Then many of us are missing out on a really important part of life. The people having fun are the ones we're attracted to. Deep down don't we all want to be included in the party?

I recently road my bike by a graveyard and saw a grave stone that was prepared for a couple. It had their names and dates of birth engraved on it. It had their children's names on it. It also said, "Proud members of the Fun Bunch." Wow, what a concept. They seem to me to be fully prepared for the end of their lives and fully aware that having fun is what it's all about.

"Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have FUN, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process." ~Anthony Robbins

I asked my children what was fun to them. A bouncy house. A slip 'n' slide. Fishing. Watching fireworks. Oh, to have a child's eyes (and lack of self-consciousness) when it comes to fun.
I know an adult's idea of fun can be a little different than a child's. Maybe it is the same, just done in a different way. You can dance, but take lessons. You can sing, maybe just in the shower. You can play, it's just not duck, duck, goose. Or maybe it is.

Here is a list I recently made of ways to spark fun. Please choose 3 and do them. Today.

• Listen to music loud in the car by yourself singing loudly. Roll the windows down. Sing to the people in the car next to you. Use your thumb as a microphone.
• Play tennis. Especially if you've never played before. Pink balls preferred. By yourself - try to do both sides.
• Wear shirts with funny sayings or pictures on them.
• Learn some jokes that really make you laugh. Then try to tell them to as many people as possible. At least until you can do it without laughing. (here's a good one: A pirate walks into a bar and he has a ship's steering wheel attached to the front of his pants. The bartender asks him, "What's up with the steering wheel?' and the pirate answers, "Arrr, it's driving me nuts")
• Eat a donut. With lots of icky frosting and sprinkles. Or maybe pancakes with sprinkles on them.
• Dance. Anywhere. Anytime.
• Bury yourself in the sand at the beach. Bonus points for having kids bury you. Bonus, bonus if they're not your kids.
• Play video games. Especially simulator ones you get to sit on - like a motorcycle or ATV. Or wii.
• 3 words: Dance Dance Revolution
• Go to a music concert. Preferably loud rock or a music festival. Don't forget to crowd surf.
  
• Make up new words to songs.
• Jump in a bouncy house, or on a trampoline. Bonus points for a flip that doesn't land you on your head.
  
• Get a pogo stick or a hula hoop.
• Go on a frog hunt. Bonus points if you catch one and it pees on your hand.
• Go watch fireworks. Outside in your pajamas, laying on a blanket right underneath where they are being shot off.

The last one we did on Saturday night. Enjoy.

Stop and Smell the Milkweed

Take time to stop and smell the roses.

You know what that means. Slow down. Take time to appreciate the sights and sounds (and smells) around you. Stop rushing around and go with the flow. Stop, bend over and smell a flower for goodness sake!

We all rush around so much trying to DO that we forget, no, we won't ALLOW ourselves to stop for anything. Not our food, not our sleep, not our health, not our kids, and certainly not for a flower. Have you ever not taken a break just to go use the bathroom because you were urgently trying to finish something? How bad is it when we can't even stop to use the toilet??

Maybe you do take care of yourself. Maybe you do use the restroom, eat good food, play with your kids and smell the roses.

Do you stop to smell the Milkweed??

As hard as it may seem sometimes to stop for the things we know are really great (the smell of roses), it may seem crazy to think we should stop to check out things that at first glance don't look so hot (a milkweed).

For those of you who don't know, a milkweed is, well, a weed. It's a wild plant that in it's common form is found in the northeastern and north central areas of the U.S. and adjacent areas of Canada. It's called the milkweed because if broken it leaks a sap that looks like milk.
It can grow to between 4 to 6 feet tall. It is poisonous.

At first glance (and with no help from it's name) the milkweed is nothing special. If you found it in your yard or garden you would probably pluck it out. But if you looked closer you'd find an extraordinary plant. It may not have the conventional beauty of a rose, but it has it's own beauty and a whole host of surprises awaiting anyone willing to stop and smell the milkweed.

• The milkweed has over 140 known species and it's flowers range from white to orange and a wide spectrum of pinks.
• It's filaments (that carry the seeds once the milkweed pods open) have been used as insulation and some say are better than down feathers.
• The milkweed sap is a natural remedy for warts and poison ivy.
• Milkweed nectar was used as a natural sweetener by Native Americans and Voyageurs
• The Genus for milkweed, Asclepius, is named after the Greek god of healing, because of the many folk-medicinal uses for the milkweed plants.
• Milkweed plants and nectar are beneficial for many insects, including bees and the most well known milkweed feeding insect - the Monarch Butterfly.

When you do slow down in life, don't just stop for the beautiful things, the things that everyone else says you should enjoy, stop for the unusual, the different, the undervalued, the seemingly insignificant. Because the best part about taking the time to stop and check out something that we overlook and undervalue, the weed, is that...

...the flowers smell better than roses!

Your View, My View

I posted this awhile ago on a blog for my e-course, Awaken to Joy, around the subject of Communication. Laura and I are discussing this topic on our Awaken to Joy radio show today. Enjoy!

Your View, My View

It's important to remember that in every situation there really isn't a truth or reality, it is only your perception or view or evaluation of what is happening. Even so-called objective bystanders are only speaking from their viewpoint.
In any given situation one person may feel angry, indignant, laughed at or criticized. While the other person may be feeling the exact opposite! So which one is right? Is there a right?
Try watching a conversation between two people and see if you can observe without taking sides or forming your own opinion. Notice how each person has their own viewpoint and it becomes their own reality. Then can you do it in a conversation you are participating in?

Things I know to be True

No one else is looking.

Everyone else is just as afraid as you are, it just may be of something else.

Happiness is possible.

Ice is cold, fire is hot.

We have nothing to fear but fear itself.

3 year olds do everything opposite on purpose.

Everyone does want to have meaningful work.

The larger the company the more inefficient and ineffective it becomes.

There is a reason for everything.

It is always darkest before the dawn.

We all just want to be loved.

Leisure

I recently participated in a great visualization exercise. This is the second time I've done it, although it was slightly different than the first. The essence of the exercise is to imagine yourself 5 years into the future, living your dream life. You picture yourself living in the house of your dreams or the in the city you've always wanted to live in. You imagine your day - how and where you wake up, what you eat for breakfast, who you spend your day with and what you do for work (or not, as the case may be).

The first time I did this, I was then asked to imagine 4 years, then 3 years, then 2 and so on discovering the point at which I couldn't "see" the dream anymore. When does it feel like it's no longer possible? When does my mind start to say, "no, I'm not ready yet" or "that just isn't possible"? A very telling experience in itself.

Yesterday was a little different and equally as telling. We went to the 5 year place and as I imagined my dream life I was to think about how I felt about different areas, say work, home or family. I had a before and after for a little bit of comparison and what struck me as being most different was my sense of leisure in my dream life. It was peaceful, deliberate, purposeful. It wasn't rushed, frantic, panicked or hurried. In a word, leisurely.

In our lives we so often think that things will be better when. When I get a different job, I'll make more money. When I find the perfect spouse I won't be lonely. When things slow down I'll spend more time with my kids. Well, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is WHEN is never going to happen. The good news is, WHEN is NOW. And some things you can literally change right this instant just by changing your attitude.

For me, leisure has felt like something I'll get when. When the work season is over. When I finish this project. When the house is clean. blah, blah, blah. That's my old story. New story: I can do everything with this feeling of leisure I apparently covet so much in my dreams.

For today I'm going to take a deep breath before I start my car, turn on my computer, get dressed, brush my teeth, speak to my kids. Today I'm going to purposefully move a little bit slower. Today I'm going to talk a little slower, eat a little slower, drive a little slower. Leisure is the theme of the day. I might even go put on a leisure suit to celebrate. Well, maybe not.

Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

Many of my family, friends and students know that I have a smoothie every morning for breakfast. I am a huge advocate of eating breakfast and since changing my morning bowl of cereal to this smoothie I find I have more energy, energy for longer and don't get hungry as soon. In fact, this morning I didn't have it and I found myself hungry at 10am and wanting to take a nap. That's how I used to feel all the time.

Now, I am not a nutritionist (yet!) and I do want to give full credit to someone who is. This recipe is taken from The Fat Flush Plan, written by Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S. Don't let the title fool you, it's really more of a cleanse or detox than your average diet. It does have the benefit of losing weight for many people. It's not something I do consistently but something I do parts of or, when I feel like I need to cleanse, do for several weeks. She is a (holistic)nutrition specialist and if nothing else, read the first few chapters to learn how our bodies get out of balance and why these ingredients are so important. I'll try to summarize where I can, but for more in depth info check out the book.

For those of you in the Minneapolis metro area, I've also figured out an approximate cost and calories per serving (this may vary depending on prices where you live, keep reading for some cost saving tips* too). I know some of the ingredients are costly when you buy them all at once, but each smoothie is cheaper than a medium latte at Starbucks (and a whole lot healthier).

2 oz. of pure (100%) cranberry juice [$1.25 per serv/25 cal] - for liver/kidney health
6 oz. of water (0/0)
1 Tablespoon of Omega-3 oil (flaxseed oil preferred, I use Udo's brand) [$.71 per serv/120 cal] - for "good" fat/essential oil/brain health
1 cup of fruit (I use frozen strawberries and blueberries most often, can also use raspberries, mango or cherries) [strawberries: $.75 per serv/50 cal]
1 banana (optional) [$.20 per serv/80 cal]
1 Tablespoon of ground flax seed [$.03 per serv/30 cal] - for fiber
1 packet of Stevia (an all natural sweetener from the Stevia plant, comes in individual packets) [.12 per serv/0 cal] - is also a source of fiber
1 serving of whey protein powder (I get Whey Factors brand and love the taste- be careful what you get here, some are not that great tasting) [$.86 per serv/80 cal]

Mix all ingredients in a blender, pour and drink. Enjoy!

*The biggest cost items are the oil, protein powder and fruit.
I based price of the oil and protien powder on the brand that I buy, which I get at Lakewinds Co-op. You may find cheaper alternatives that still fit your taste, or the price may be different based on where you shop.
Cranberry juice is probably the most expensive ingredient. You can buy frozen cranberries (about $7 for 20 oz.) and cook them with (4 c. water to 12 oz. berries) then strain to get 32 oz of juice or 16 days worth (26 cents per serving vs. 1.25 per serving for pre-made juice)
Fruit varies greatly in price. I based price here on a 4 lb. bag of Cub brand strawberries. I have found 6 lb. bags at Costco for the same price (25 cents cheaper per serv). During strawberry season I go to local farms and buy strawberries to freeze myself and that cost is considerably lower. I buy blueberries during that season at a low cost as well.

Can you be a beginner?

Beginners mind. It's something referred to in Zen philosophy and other eastern philosophies. It means that you approach a situation, or life in general, as if you are a beginner and know nothing. I think it it has many purposes. The most basic is that you know you are not living by your ego when you approach something with a beginner's mind.

Can you do it? When you go to work do you say to yourself, "I can do my job, I know this, this is easy" or do you say, "what can I learn today? what is new about his job?". When you are around kids, do you act ever the authoritative knowledgeable parent or can you stop and actually listen, eager to hear what is on young minds? Now here's my favorite. Can you attend a class, let's say a Yoga class, and do everything the teacher asks, the way the teacher asks as if you have never done it before in your life? Or do you just do your own thing because you know how to do it and don't need to wait for the instructions.

If you approach something assuming that you somehow know everything about it, there is resistance in you somewhere, there is ignorance lingering. There is a lesson for you, whether you know it or not. The good news is that you have great opportunity to learn.

I have realized that there are only 2 types of people who go to a teacher. Beginners and Resistores. You can't tell true beginners from those in a higher consciousness that are exhibiting "beginners mind". Everyone else is resisting. What, I can't tell you. That is your lesson to learn.

What are you resisting today?