She added some other nuts including ground pistachio, cashew and almonds. I have made these a number of times the ganache is amazing. http://www.rawmazing.com/raw-halvah/
Friday, July 6, 2012
Keeping 40 days alive
Some ways to keep 40 days alive from All That Matters
So there are still 5 more juicy days---enjoy, explore more and delve in.
After Sunday....
Dave has also offered that 40 day folks can come to his monthly meditation class for free any month- it is always good to meditate together this is good forever!
Consider buying an unlimited yoga pass.
Visit our multimedia library online. There are guided audios in meditation, yoga and more.
We did start a facebook page so that you can continue to inspiring each other, and keep in touch
So there are still 5 more juicy days---enjoy, explore more and delve in.
After Sunday....
Remember the importance of steadiness, awareness, equanimity, rest and ritual to anchor our practices and rhythms in our day.
You have explored the ever-available-to-you practices of yoga, fasting, meditation, community, presence, and equanimity to mention a few. They are in you to access whenever needed.
You have explored the ever-available-to-you practices of yoga, fasting, meditation, community, presence, and equanimity to mention a few. They are in you to access whenever needed.
We also talked about support...and having friends who suport these life style choices and a health service team you can rely on for guidance.
In week 6 Baron talks about the importance of sharing the information you have learned, "Sharing the shine spreads the abundance and also ultimately reflects the light back to us."
This is a good time to read the three pages on After the Revolution (pg 221) and review The 12 Laws of Transformation in the beginning of the book.
In week 6 Baron talks about the importance of sharing the information you have learned, "Sharing the shine spreads the abundance and also ultimately reflects the light back to us."
This is a good time to read the three pages on After the Revolution (pg 221) and review The 12 Laws of Transformation in the beginning of the book.
Dave has also offered that 40 day folks can come to his monthly meditation class for free any month- it is always good to meditate together this is good forever!
Consider buying an unlimited yoga pass.
If you have not taken advantage of a free yoga postural consultation with Dave or consult with Joan.... it is never too late. When you are ready just contact them and schedule it.
We did start a facebook page so that you can continue to inspiring each other, and keep in touch
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Just read this article on Eating for Your Vitality...
http://www.yogitimes.com/article/eating-for-vibrant-health/?utm_source=Sent+Enews+2012&utm_campaign=July+5th+Enews&utm_medium=email
http://www.yogitimes.com/article/eating-for-vibrant-health/?utm_source=Sent+Enews+2012&utm_campaign=July+5th+Enews&utm_medium=email
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Week 6 Refinement and Triumph
Week 6: RefinementThroughout the 40 day program we have been exploring basic, essential practices for health; self awareness, relaxation, proper breathing, movement, meditation and good diet.
Hopefully, you have experienced, at least to some degree, the power of these practices to clear away the negative effects of stress and to rejuvenate the mind and body. You might have also come to the realization that you have only scratched the surface and that there is much more to be gained by further study and practice. With regular practice and right action you are constantly fine tuning and therefore refining your physiology, sharpening the mind and strengthening the body.
The challenge then, is to incorporate these practices into your daily life, creating a lifestyle that supports your well being, allowing you to live a purposeful life.
Week 6: TRIUMPH Congratulations!
5 more days! You should feel great about yourself and your own personal success. You gave yourself this gift of 40 Days, and we hope you are realizing the benefits - which can be subtle, or not so subtle! A regular practice of yoga, meditation, and conscious eating will help make you feel younger, lighter, brighter, more natural and whole.
Remembering who you are, and where you belong is no small gift. We hope this program has been a help to you. Your completion of the 40 Days is not the end. It is the beginning of a flexible life where you can find triumph in staying open to growing and transforming and refining. For these final 5 days, just observe the little triumphs you are experiencing. This may mean you’re going a little deeper in a pose, finding that a relationship has gotten easier, realizing how easily you can change habitual thinking and action. Whatever it is, know that these changes, small and large, bring you home.
You created this, so you deserve a triumphant, HURRAH!
Week Six Yoga:
Keep up with your glorious practice!
Week 6 Diet:
Take the time to look back over the past five weeks' worth of eating habits and ask yourself: From which did I most benefit? Which habits and practices yielded the greatest results for me? Which do I want to incorporate into my lifelong eating habits? Write down your answers to these questions. This will help you remember your responses, and how good you felt when your diet was in balance. It will be easier to get back on track if you notice negative habits creeping back in. I hope that you have shifted your beliefs about food. You can enjoy any food, without guilt! You have learned how your body feels when you nourish it with all-natural, whole foods. When your overall diet is healthy you can nourish yourself with your old favorites...simply by listening to your intuition, you will know.
Week 6 Meditation:With the meditation that we’ve been learning there is an endless flow back and forth between two aspects. One aspect involves an inward settling or pure resting of the awareness. The other is dominated by thoughts, feelings or sensations. One aspect may be brief, the other much longer. It’s insignificant and will certainly change. The two aspects are part of one process of unraveling and integrating. Simply, innocently, effortlessly, pick up the “Self “ on whatever level you do. Allow whatever flow there is but, pay it no mind. After 10 to 20 minutes, come out slowly and rest for an additional 5 minutes.
Hopefully, you have experienced, at least to some degree, the power of these practices to clear away the negative effects of stress and to rejuvenate the mind and body. You might have also come to the realization that you have only scratched the surface and that there is much more to be gained by further study and practice. With regular practice and right action you are constantly fine tuning and therefore refining your physiology, sharpening the mind and strengthening the body.
The challenge then, is to incorporate these practices into your daily life, creating a lifestyle that supports your well being, allowing you to live a purposeful life.
Week 6: TRIUMPH Congratulations!
5 more days! You should feel great about yourself and your own personal success. You gave yourself this gift of 40 Days, and we hope you are realizing the benefits - which can be subtle, or not so subtle! A regular practice of yoga, meditation, and conscious eating will help make you feel younger, lighter, brighter, more natural and whole.
Remembering who you are, and where you belong is no small gift. We hope this program has been a help to you. Your completion of the 40 Days is not the end. It is the beginning of a flexible life where you can find triumph in staying open to growing and transforming and refining. For these final 5 days, just observe the little triumphs you are experiencing. This may mean you’re going a little deeper in a pose, finding that a relationship has gotten easier, realizing how easily you can change habitual thinking and action. Whatever it is, know that these changes, small and large, bring you home.
You created this, so you deserve a triumphant, HURRAH!
Week Six Yoga:
Keep up with your glorious practice!
Week 6 Diet:
Take the time to look back over the past five weeks' worth of eating habits and ask yourself: From which did I most benefit? Which habits and practices yielded the greatest results for me? Which do I want to incorporate into my lifelong eating habits? Write down your answers to these questions. This will help you remember your responses, and how good you felt when your diet was in balance. It will be easier to get back on track if you notice negative habits creeping back in. I hope that you have shifted your beliefs about food. You can enjoy any food, without guilt! You have learned how your body feels when you nourish it with all-natural, whole foods. When your overall diet is healthy you can nourish yourself with your old favorites...simply by listening to your intuition, you will know.
Week 6 Meditation:With the meditation that we’ve been learning there is an endless flow back and forth between two aspects. One aspect involves an inward settling or pure resting of the awareness. The other is dominated by thoughts, feelings or sensations. One aspect may be brief, the other much longer. It’s insignificant and will certainly change. The two aspects are part of one process of unraveling and integrating. Simply, innocently, effortlessly, pick up the “Self “ on whatever level you do. Allow whatever flow there is but, pay it no mind. After 10 to 20 minutes, come out slowly and rest for an additional 5 minutes.
Rumi
Have a great 4th of July- the only yoga class is on the beach!!!
See you all Thursday nite at 7:30.
Joan
THE GUEST HOUSE
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Rumi
Monday, July 2, 2012
It has been my pleasure and awe to be part of your 40 Days, and I wanted to thank you for welcoming me in to all of it. I have had the personal realization that each time any one of us takes that leap or step in to our fuller potential, a part of me goes there too, so I am continually inspired in this practice and place, and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the transformation that I see every day, but especially with you all, and the 40 day program.
Also! I hope you enjoyed what I think was the shortest explanation and practice of a yoga nidra i have done yet. I want you to know you can go to the links below to simply learn more about it or enjoy a free download to practice anytime. I do this on a regular basis, and highly recommend it! Also, I plan on leading a guided practice once a month at All That Matters, on the first Thursday night of the month, and I would love to have you there too.
to learn more about this, go to www.irest.us
For a free short practice you can download and practice anytime go to http://www.irest.us/projects/veterans
Enjoy!
Kendall |
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Saturday, June 30, 2012
This was on abc news and confirms what we are living!!!!
Healthy Lifestyle Triggers Genetic Changes: Study
Proper Diet, Exercise May Affect Cancer Gene ExpressionBy Will Dunham
Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday.In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-risk prostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.
As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements. But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle changes.After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes -- including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off.
The activity of disease-preventing genes increased while a number of disease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.The research was led by Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and a well-known author advocating lifestyle changes to improve health."It's an exciting finding because so often people say, 'Oh, it's all in my genes, what can I do?' Well, it turns out you may be able to do a lot," Ornish, who is also affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, said in a telephone interview."'In just three months, I can change hundreds of my genes simply by changing what I eat and how I live?' That's pretty exciting," Ornish said. "The implications of our study are not limited to men with prostate cancer."Ornish said the men avoided conventional medical treatment for prostate cancer for reasons separate from the study. But in making that decision, they allowed the researchers to look at biopsies in people with cancer before and after lifestyle changes."It gave us the opportunity to have an ethical reason for doing repeat biopsies in just a three-month period because they needed that anyway to look at their clinical changes (in their prostate cancer)," Ornish said.(Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Xavier Briand)
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=5179843
Copyright 2008 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures
Copyright 2008 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures
Friday, June 29, 2012
Excerpt from SMILE IN FEAR
Sacredness comes from developing gentleness toward ourselves. Then the irritation of being with oneself is taken away. When that kind of friendliness to oneself occurs, then one also develops friendliness toward the rest of the world. At that point sadness, loneliness, and wretchedness begin to dissipate.
We develop a sense of humor. We do not get so pissed off if we have a bad cup of coffee in the morning. Appreciating our human dignity comes from that and then the moon in your heart becomes natural and obvious, and sun in your head is also obvious and natural.
This is the path of the warriorship…fearlessness and gentleness.
We develop a sense of humor. We do not get so pissed off if we have a bad cup of coffee in the morning. Appreciating our human dignity comes from that and then the moon in your heart becomes natural and obvious, and sun in your head is also obvious and natural.
This is the path of the warriorship…fearlessness and gentleness.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
from Joan: Some Quick Whole Meal ideas!
- If you find you are a bit sugar addicted one way to transition is to make great quality sweets to eat! Click here for 4 good cookie recipes.
- Barbara Hotzman, an ATM regular teacher, wrote a good article on tips for Conscious Eating Click here.
- Our naturopath Kerri Layton had written this on Healthy Stress Click here.
Some Quick Whole Meal ideas!
Think Rueben! Smoked tofu or pan fried tempeh with some Russian dressing and sauerkraut -grilled with a touch of cheese often hits the spot!
Quesadillas take all of 5 minutes to broil on each side and the possibility for stuffing's are unlimited.
Pasta Pasta everywhere! Remember to use good quality pastas to create a hearty pasta salads- add beans, seafood, or chicken for protein, some tasty hearty greens and a simple dressing. Pasta Primavera is a great way to clean out the fridge- start with lots of garlic and saute all your veggies throw in some fresh or whole canned tomatoes- salt -basil and maybe capers if your feeling brave-wa la! Oriental Pasta cook up some udon or soba noodles while making a simple broth with a piece of kombu and some soy sauce or miso- throw in some cubed tofu and watercress or scallions an serve over noodles- a staple in Japan!Burritos- you can make them and freeze them- there are the traditional ones- beans and cheese or branch out to the world of Wraps! Wraps can handle it all- grains, beans, cooked or raw veggies -top with dressing or salsa.Fajita Night- this is a favorite at my house- bowls of refried beans, chicken, sautéed onions, chopped veggies and cheese and warm burrito wrappers are put out for everyone to create.
Eat more whole grains! We all need to eat more whole grains- so cook a batch of brown rice, barley, millet….. on Sunday and use it all week in salads, soups, burgers, wraps, you can even cream it for a breakfast cereal. Grain Salads - rice, roasted red peppers, currants, scallions, and roasted chopped almonds with a orange/olive oil dressing (add touch of chili powder!) yum.. and then there is taboolah a middle eastern salad with bulgar, parsley, scallions, tomatoes, mint and lots of lemon- (use the finest bulgar you can find)…be brave- be creative- there is no missing with grain salads and they travel well for lunch on the go.
Grain Burgers - all you have to do is go down to Crazy Burgers in Narragansett to be inspired to create your own burger- (but I do haved some of his recipes for the not so brave. A simple one I make with left over grain is to add roasted sunflower seeds, sautéed minced onion and celery ( if I am in a hurry I don’t even sauté) some soy sauce and make patties- dip them in cornmeal and pan fry. Once you cook the grain burgers you can freeze them and pop them in the toaster oven anytime.
Soup’s On! Soup is the way to go-they are power packed easily digestible. They are a great way to use grains- substitute barley or millet for pasta in any soup. Here is a quickie- put a bag of split peas, cut 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 2 cloves of garlic and a piece of kombu- simmer for 35 minutes and flavor with salt, soy sauce or miso- my kids prefer this blended.I think the trick is to keep inspired- so read through the cookbooks and magazines- especially from other countries- they have this ‘quick and good for you’ thing down. Find friends who enjoy good food- it is important not do this alone. And most of all enjoy every bit!
Quesadillas take all of 5 minutes to broil on each side and the possibility for stuffing's are unlimited.
Pasta Pasta everywhere! Remember to use good quality pastas to create a hearty pasta salads- add beans, seafood, or chicken for protein, some tasty hearty greens and a simple dressing. Pasta Primavera is a great way to clean out the fridge- start with lots of garlic and saute all your veggies throw in some fresh or whole canned tomatoes- salt -basil and maybe capers if your feeling brave-wa la! Oriental Pasta cook up some udon or soba noodles while making a simple broth with a piece of kombu and some soy sauce or miso- throw in some cubed tofu and watercress or scallions an serve over noodles- a staple in Japan!Burritos- you can make them and freeze them- there are the traditional ones- beans and cheese or branch out to the world of Wraps! Wraps can handle it all- grains, beans, cooked or raw veggies -top with dressing or salsa.Fajita Night- this is a favorite at my house- bowls of refried beans, chicken, sautéed onions, chopped veggies and cheese and warm burrito wrappers are put out for everyone to create.
Eat more whole grains! We all need to eat more whole grains- so cook a batch of brown rice, barley, millet….. on Sunday and use it all week in salads, soups, burgers, wraps, you can even cream it for a breakfast cereal. Grain Salads - rice, roasted red peppers, currants, scallions, and roasted chopped almonds with a orange/olive oil dressing (add touch of chili powder!) yum.. and then there is taboolah a middle eastern salad with bulgar, parsley, scallions, tomatoes, mint and lots of lemon- (use the finest bulgar you can find)…be brave- be creative- there is no missing with grain salads and they travel well for lunch on the go.
Grain Burgers - all you have to do is go down to Crazy Burgers in Narragansett to be inspired to create your own burger- (but I do haved some of his recipes for the not so brave. A simple one I make with left over grain is to add roasted sunflower seeds, sautéed minced onion and celery ( if I am in a hurry I don’t even sauté) some soy sauce and make patties- dip them in cornmeal and pan fry. Once you cook the grain burgers you can freeze them and pop them in the toaster oven anytime.
Soup’s On! Soup is the way to go-they are power packed easily digestible. They are a great way to use grains- substitute barley or millet for pasta in any soup. Here is a quickie- put a bag of split peas, cut 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 2 cloves of garlic and a piece of kombu- simmer for 35 minutes and flavor with salt, soy sauce or miso- my kids prefer this blended.I think the trick is to keep inspired- so read through the cookbooks and magazines- especially from other countries- they have this ‘quick and good for you’ thing down. Find friends who enjoy good food- it is important not do this alone. And most of all enjoy every bit!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Week 5: Union
Week 5: UnionThe English translation of the Sanskrit word “yoga” is union. Georg Feuerstein writes in The Yoga Tradition that “yoga is most frequently interpreted as the union of the individual self with the supreme Self” and “that what all branches and schools of yoga have in common, is that they are concerned with a state of being, or consciousness, that is truly extraordinary.” He refers to the state of being where, it is said, an individual experiences the unity of all things.
From Feuerstein’s words we see that the entire field of yoga, of union, is the pursuit of something that is big, deep, profound. Yet from our vantage point this idea may seem vague, theoretical, and certainly elusive. Our question becomes, how shall we work with such a big idea in week 5, in everyday life??
We work with this concept of union by using the tools that we have been developing throughout the 40 days. By continually observing how the different aspects of ourselves – feelings of the body, emotions, thoughts, inner intelligence, quality of breath, movement, roots, flexibility – are all part of, expressions of, the one being that we are.
When we compartmentalize, ignore, deny, avoid, blame, over work, or are always wishing for something else, we are not in union. Being in union is about living intuitively and being more present each moment. Baron writes, “By centering ourselves we start to own our lives, from the inside…We are learning to relax and be present with everything in our lives, both big and small.”
Week 5: MeditationThe meditation we have been doing is a practice of connecting with what Feuerstein refers to as the supreme Self. It is the most vital practice of unifying the individual self with the supreme Self.
Week 5: Balancing Diet
We have cleansed and now it is time to ground and build. Lean heavily on foods direct from the earth: whole grains, lots of vegetables, fruits , beans, nuts, and seed. Check in and ask if you really need or want coffee, refined sugar, white flour products, soda, alcohol, or a heavy meat diet. Can this be the time to let go of some of them for good? This is a time to start thinking about cooking more and meal planning. It is great time to really clean out your kitchen cabinets, sharpen your knives, set up a true workspace for healthy creations.
The following is paraphrased from Baron’s work on Centering:When we find ourselves full of "if only" complaints – the "if only he or she did this or that, then I'd be happy" flavor – then we are not centered, we are not living intuitively, and we are not present. Instead, we are feeding the victim within. It's our excuse for failed relationships and self-pity. We've learned to externalize control of our lives. Are we the cause or the effect?
Most of us believe that our world created us and external events continue to cause our suffering. Think about that for a minute! We are the cause of our lives with all its ups and downs. It is our beliefs about ourselves that lead us to see a happy world or an unhappy one. Hopefully, these weeks of yoga and meditation have brought extended moments of peace and presence. We continue to learn that it is our thoughts alone that cause us to suffer.
So how do we change our thoughts? We become responsible for ourselves. We don't have to wait for others to set us free. As we practice staying centered we discover that we can be aware of the little gremlin voices in our heads, but that we don't have to get caught up in the illusions of our own story.
This week is about learning to stay intuitively grounded. When we eat, we really eat – we really chew, really taste, really smell, really feel the food dissolve into and nourish our being. Make everything you do a practice of meditative awareness. If you can do this, you will see that your meditation practice is not separate from your life. We think that life is a distraction from meditation, but really life is an occasion for meditation.
From Feuerstein’s words we see that the entire field of yoga, of union, is the pursuit of something that is big, deep, profound. Yet from our vantage point this idea may seem vague, theoretical, and certainly elusive. Our question becomes, how shall we work with such a big idea in week 5, in everyday life??
We work with this concept of union by using the tools that we have been developing throughout the 40 days. By continually observing how the different aspects of ourselves – feelings of the body, emotions, thoughts, inner intelligence, quality of breath, movement, roots, flexibility – are all part of, expressions of, the one being that we are.
When we compartmentalize, ignore, deny, avoid, blame, over work, or are always wishing for something else, we are not in union. Being in union is about living intuitively and being more present each moment. Baron writes, “By centering ourselves we start to own our lives, from the inside…We are learning to relax and be present with everything in our lives, both big and small.”
Week 5: MeditationThe meditation we have been doing is a practice of connecting with what Feuerstein refers to as the supreme Self. It is the most vital practice of unifying the individual self with the supreme Self.
Week 5: Balancing Diet
We have cleansed and now it is time to ground and build. Lean heavily on foods direct from the earth: whole grains, lots of vegetables, fruits , beans, nuts, and seed. Check in and ask if you really need or want coffee, refined sugar, white flour products, soda, alcohol, or a heavy meat diet. Can this be the time to let go of some of them for good? This is a time to start thinking about cooking more and meal planning. It is great time to really clean out your kitchen cabinets, sharpen your knives, set up a true workspace for healthy creations.
The following is paraphrased from Baron’s work on Centering:When we find ourselves full of "if only" complaints – the "if only he or she did this or that, then I'd be happy" flavor – then we are not centered, we are not living intuitively, and we are not present. Instead, we are feeding the victim within. It's our excuse for failed relationships and self-pity. We've learned to externalize control of our lives. Are we the cause or the effect?
Most of us believe that our world created us and external events continue to cause our suffering. Think about that for a minute! We are the cause of our lives with all its ups and downs. It is our beliefs about ourselves that lead us to see a happy world or an unhappy one. Hopefully, these weeks of yoga and meditation have brought extended moments of peace and presence. We continue to learn that it is our thoughts alone that cause us to suffer.
So how do we change our thoughts? We become responsible for ourselves. We don't have to wait for others to set us free. As we practice staying centered we discover that we can be aware of the little gremlin voices in our heads, but that we don't have to get caught up in the illusions of our own story.
This week is about learning to stay intuitively grounded. When we eat, we really eat – we really chew, really taste, really smell, really feel the food dissolve into and nourish our being. Make everything you do a practice of meditative awareness. If you can do this, you will see that your meditation practice is not separate from your life. We think that life is a distraction from meditation, but really life is an occasion for meditation.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
from the book Wisdom of No Escape
“Today I’d like to talk about inconvenience. When you hear some teachings that ring true to you, and you feel some trust in practicing that way and some trust in it’s being a worth while way to live, then you’re in for a lot of inconvenience. From an everyday perspective, it seems good to do things that are kind of convenient; there is no problem with that. It’s just that when you really start to take the warrior’s journey – which is to say, when you start to want to live your life fully instead of opting for death, when you begin to feel this passion for life and for growth, when discovery and exploration and curiosity become your path – then basically, if you follow your heart, you’re going to find that it’s often extremely inconvenient.”
This rings so true to the work we have been doing these 40 days. Once we choose the path of health and consciousness...it takes some courage...because we are not just doing what is convenient or what everyone else is doing.
I know you are all ready to walk the (sometimes) inconvenient warrior walk!!
Joan
This rings so true to the work we have been doing these 40 days. Once we choose the path of health and consciousness...it takes some courage...because we are not just doing what is convenient or what everyone else is doing.
I know you are all ready to walk the (sometimes) inconvenient warrior walk!!
Joan
“Our work is not merely to discover the expansiveness of hamstrings,
but also to discover the expansiveness of the heart.
It is not merely to do a handstand without support, but also to do work such that,
when the time comes,
we are strong enough to stand up for ourselves,
even when unsupported.
It is not to hold a headstand alone in the center of the room,
but to joyously uphold what we believe,
even when we stand alone.”
-Aadil Palkhivala
but also to discover the expansiveness of the heart.
It is not merely to do a handstand without support, but also to do work such that,
when the time comes,
we are strong enough to stand up for ourselves,
even when unsupported.
It is not to hold a headstand alone in the center of the room,
but to joyously uphold what we believe,
even when we stand alone.”
-Aadil Palkhivala
Friday, June 22, 2012
Hi,
As I meet with a few folks today about diets and the fast this week I want to take a moment to really encourage you to prepare for the "breaking of the fast". Maybe really think of it as a 5 day fast- adding 2 days of eating a really clean pure simple diet at the end.
Also be thoughtful and conscious about if you body really wants and needs - that wine or coffee...
This is not a great article but you might breeze through it
http://quickfasting.com/how_to_break_your_fast.html
Joan
As I meet with a few folks today about diets and the fast this week I want to take a moment to really encourage you to prepare for the "breaking of the fast". Maybe really think of it as a 5 day fast- adding 2 days of eating a really clean pure simple diet at the end.
Also be thoughtful and conscious about if you body really wants and needs - that wine or coffee...
This is not a great article but you might breeze through it
http://quickfasting.com/how_to_break_your_fast.html
Joan
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Hi Everyone,
We have over 2 more weeks in the program! But I wanted to remind you all to mark your calendar that our final Wednesday night will be July 5 Thursday night. The last day of this 40 day program is Sunday July 8th.
ATM is closed the 4th but there will be morning yoga on the beach -weather permitting.
Do mark your calendar for June 29 and 30 as well. Devarshi a wonderful teacher and the head of the School of Yoga at Kripalu will be here for Friday Yoga on the Beach- which you get to go to for free and a wonderful program on Saturday (you get 20% off).He will also be offering a free talk Saturday on our upcoming Yoga Teacher Training program this fall.
I read this quote last night- it was from the end of a radio interview on NPR.
"I love making music…I will do that until it no longer nourishes meand when it doesn’t when the soil goes fallow you must leave the fieldfor a couple years so it can regain its nutrients and its strength.Rest is as equally important as work. Our imagination is ourgreatest ally. It literally invents the path you follow." glen hansardTo hear the whole interview here is the link. http://www.npr.org/2012/06/16/
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
What is fruit?- by tasha
A fruit comes from a flower and most of the time, has seeds. Examples are: apples, oranges, berries, tomatoes, avocados, sqaush, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers.
If it doesn't come from a flower, it's not a fruit. Examples are: Vegetables: greens, cabbage, kale, swiss chard, bok choy Roots: potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, garlicFlowers: broccoli, cauliflower.
Check out the following links. They should be helpful.Happy cleansing!
www.thefruitpages.com/tomatoes.shtml
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fruit
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/question143.htm
If it doesn't come from a flower, it's not a fruit. Examples are: Vegetables: greens, cabbage, kale, swiss chard, bok choy Roots: potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, garlicFlowers: broccoli, cauliflower.
Check out the following links. They should be helpful.Happy cleansing!
www.thefruitpages.com/tomatoes.shtml
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fruit
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/question143.htm
Top five regrets of the dying
Nancy wrote: I was doing one of my random walks on the web and came
across this article from The Guardian, which seemed to speak to the theme for this week in 40 Days.------
To see this story with its related links on the
guardian.co.uk site, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying I have also pasted it below.
Top five regrets of the dying
There was no mention of more sex or bungee jumps. A palliative nurse who has counselled the dying in their last days has revealed the most common regrets we have at the end of our lives. And among the top, from men in particular, is 'I wish I hadn't worked so hard'.
Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.
Ware writes of the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. "When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently," she says, "common themes surfaced again and again."
Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as witnessed by Ware:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
"This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
"Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result."
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
"Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying."
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
"This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again."
What's your greatest regret so far, and what will you set out to achieve or change before you die?
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Week 4:Flexibility
Week 4:Flexibility: Always moving, never constant. Flexibility is one of the most important aspects of a healthy life. The ability to face changes and the unknown without fear is one of the greatest challenges for most people. unknown
To start our exploration of this week’s theme lets revisit last week’s. Equanimity comes from the sense of being connected to something bigger, the divinity within. Somewhere down deep, everything is OK. You are safe you are rooted.
So we are rooted, now we have to integrate with this crazy world. How do we do that? How do you not compromise yourself out there in the world? How do you not think you have to solve everything? How do you not lose yourself? How do you not get pulled away from your purpose? How do you stay on track? Great, we found our innate intelligence, our roots, and we know how to breathe into a situation. How do we take this purified self to the streets?
This requires conviction (rootedness) and the ability to go with the flow (flexibility). Flexibility without roots often leads to chaos, stress, and weakness. Spiritual flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend, be open-minded and teachable.
What may be challenging to discern in life is simpler on the mat. Yoga class is a great and safe place to explore the dynamic interplay between being rooted in ourselves while at the same time being flexible with what is being presented to us. How do you balance knowing how you want your practice to be and what is actually happening on the mat ? What do you do with your likes or dislikes of the teacher, the pose, the person next to you? Where are you shutting down, where are you open – both in your mind and body? This practice allows us to develop physical and spiritual flexibility.
This week our focus is on this dynamic interplay in all relationships and interactions: between self and other, inside and outside. With flexibility and roots we can safely open to all! (Hint…next week’s theme is Unity!)
In Week 4 we experience a 3-day fast. This more radical change of our routine brings up psychological and emotional responses, and we have the opportunity to explore our conditioning related to food and our eating habits. This requires flexibility!
Week 4 Meditation: With the type of meditation that we’ve been talking about, once we are sitting comfortably, with our eyes closed, we effortlessly bring our awareness to the “self.” With that as the base, we otherwise allow the awareness the freedom to do what it naturally does. If it wanders here or there with thoughts, impressions, images, or sensations, pay them no mind. When it is effortless to do so, bring the awareness back to the self. Keep the process simple and let nature take care of the rest. If it becomes too much of a strain to sit, you may lie down. There is no need to anchor the mind anywhere or to even notice what it does. Simply allow the physiology the opportunity to flow naturally toward a state of rest and purification. This is elegant flexibility!
Week 4: To Ponder: Am I able to be flexible without compromising myself?
Week 4 Diet:
The 3-day fruit fast will allow your body to fully empty out and get clean, giving your metabolic organs a chance to rest and renew themselves. This is an opportunity to hit the reset button and break from robotic eating.
Starting on your first morning of the fast, eat meals that contain only fruit. Stick to mostly fresh fruit, but juices and soups are OK as long as they are all-natural and additive free.
1. Prepare full meals and snacks! Don't just grab an apple and call it lunch. Slice up a variety of fruit and arrange your plate, sit down and eat as you would any other meal. Fruit smoothies are great!
2. Intentionally fill your time with non-food related activities. Take a sauna, get a massage, watch movies, read, walk, rest – whatever nourishes you. Surround yourself with people who support your efforts. Nourish yourself on every level.
3. Meditate.
4. Continue doing daily yoga. Be intuitive with your body, listen when you need to lessen the intensity.
5. Chew fruit well. It improves taste and digestion, and naturally controls quantity.
6. Eat small amounts throughout the day to keep blood sugar level. If you start to experience any hypo-glycemic symptoms, such as headache or dizziness, drink diluted fruit juice. It takes a lot less than you think to keep you steady.
7. Drink water, diluted fruit juice, or herbal tea to maintain hydration. Stay away from caffeinated beverages and alcohol.
Please read post on the blog related to the cleanse; fruit might not be best for you. Be careful to come off the cleanse gently. Slowly introduce foods back into diet; don't shock your system too quickly. Take time on day 4, 5, and 6 to be conscious about what you put into your body, what you body truly needs.
BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE FOR THEY DO NOT GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE.
BUT NOT BLESSED ARE THE OVER-FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS BENT OUT OF SHAPE.
To start our exploration of this week’s theme lets revisit last week’s. Equanimity comes from the sense of being connected to something bigger, the divinity within. Somewhere down deep, everything is OK. You are safe you are rooted.
So we are rooted, now we have to integrate with this crazy world. How do we do that? How do you not compromise yourself out there in the world? How do you not think you have to solve everything? How do you not lose yourself? How do you not get pulled away from your purpose? How do you stay on track? Great, we found our innate intelligence, our roots, and we know how to breathe into a situation. How do we take this purified self to the streets?
This requires conviction (rootedness) and the ability to go with the flow (flexibility). Flexibility without roots often leads to chaos, stress, and weakness. Spiritual flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend, be open-minded and teachable.
What may be challenging to discern in life is simpler on the mat. Yoga class is a great and safe place to explore the dynamic interplay between being rooted in ourselves while at the same time being flexible with what is being presented to us. How do you balance knowing how you want your practice to be and what is actually happening on the mat ? What do you do with your likes or dislikes of the teacher, the pose, the person next to you? Where are you shutting down, where are you open – both in your mind and body? This practice allows us to develop physical and spiritual flexibility.
This week our focus is on this dynamic interplay in all relationships and interactions: between self and other, inside and outside. With flexibility and roots we can safely open to all! (Hint…next week’s theme is Unity!)
In Week 4 we experience a 3-day fast. This more radical change of our routine brings up psychological and emotional responses, and we have the opportunity to explore our conditioning related to food and our eating habits. This requires flexibility!
Week 4 Meditation: With the type of meditation that we’ve been talking about, once we are sitting comfortably, with our eyes closed, we effortlessly bring our awareness to the “self.” With that as the base, we otherwise allow the awareness the freedom to do what it naturally does. If it wanders here or there with thoughts, impressions, images, or sensations, pay them no mind. When it is effortless to do so, bring the awareness back to the self. Keep the process simple and let nature take care of the rest. If it becomes too much of a strain to sit, you may lie down. There is no need to anchor the mind anywhere or to even notice what it does. Simply allow the physiology the opportunity to flow naturally toward a state of rest and purification. This is elegant flexibility!
Week 4: To Ponder: Am I able to be flexible without compromising myself?
Week 4 Diet:
The 3-day fruit fast will allow your body to fully empty out and get clean, giving your metabolic organs a chance to rest and renew themselves. This is an opportunity to hit the reset button and break from robotic eating.
Starting on your first morning of the fast, eat meals that contain only fruit. Stick to mostly fresh fruit, but juices and soups are OK as long as they are all-natural and additive free.
1. Prepare full meals and snacks! Don't just grab an apple and call it lunch. Slice up a variety of fruit and arrange your plate, sit down and eat as you would any other meal. Fruit smoothies are great!
2. Intentionally fill your time with non-food related activities. Take a sauna, get a massage, watch movies, read, walk, rest – whatever nourishes you. Surround yourself with people who support your efforts. Nourish yourself on every level.
3. Meditate.
4. Continue doing daily yoga. Be intuitive with your body, listen when you need to lessen the intensity.
5. Chew fruit well. It improves taste and digestion, and naturally controls quantity.
6. Eat small amounts throughout the day to keep blood sugar level. If you start to experience any hypo-glycemic symptoms, such as headache or dizziness, drink diluted fruit juice. It takes a lot less than you think to keep you steady.
7. Drink water, diluted fruit juice, or herbal tea to maintain hydration. Stay away from caffeinated beverages and alcohol.
Please read post on the blog related to the cleanse; fruit might not be best for you. Be careful to come off the cleanse gently. Slowly introduce foods back into diet; don't shock your system too quickly. Take time on day 4, 5, and 6 to be conscious about what you put into your body, what you body truly needs.
BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE FOR THEY DO NOT GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE.
BUT NOT BLESSED ARE THE OVER-FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS BENT OUT OF SHAPE.
15 things to give up....
Reposting from a an article on the web
Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go:
1. Give up your need to always be right. There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?
2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.
“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu
3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.
4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.
“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle
5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!
“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle
6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.
7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.
8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take of all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.
9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell
10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer
11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.
13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.
14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another, attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.
15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves. You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.
from http://www.myfitnesspal.com
Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go:
1. Give up your need to always be right. There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?
2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.
“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu
3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.
4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.
“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle
5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!
“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle
6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.
7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.
8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take of all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.
9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell
10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer
11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.
13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.
14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another, attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.
15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves. You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.
from http://www.myfitnesspal.com
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