Truthfulness Of course, truthfulness is a perfect reflection. It brings with it an indomitable strength and, a most tender benevolence. Truthfulness is an act of service. It requires courage. It requires energy, patience, and generosity. It gives rise to wisdom and frees us from that which causes suffering. Truthfulness is the stout hull of the…
Patience is the perfection practice that we are working with this month. These are practices to beautify the mind and heart. We feel good when we do them! Our mental, emotional, and physical health improves when we are steeped in these practices. Patience as a practice (rather than a characteristic) may be appreciated as a response…
In our mindfulness groups this month we have been working with energy. It is one of the ways that we can purify the mind and heart. It’s actually a coincidence that this is our topic this month but it does seem incredibly appropriate! Perhaps it is a meaningful coincidence. Summer is such an incredibly energetic…
The mental health benefits of hiking are plentiful. Like yoga, it is an also an incredible opportunity for mindfulness. I just went out to one of my favorite hiking trails in Anchorage for my annual “reality check.” This what I call my first foray into the mountains after summer comes to the flatlands. It’s still…
Mental health “issues” are so woven into the fabric of our lives that we are as likely to miss them as the sound of water coming from the faucet. Sleep, nutrition, sunlight, movement, moods, and a myriad of other issues affect the function of our mind and our mental health is truly as dynamic a…
The Buddha said that the way to become wise is to ask questions. The Yoga Sutras tell us that there are several ways to attain knowledge: through inference, direct (sense) experience, and teachings. Contemporary neuroscience recognizes “multiple intelligences” connected to both the structure and function of the brain and its accumulated experience. There are “street…
As a teacher and student of yoga, I often look to The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali for inspiration. Introducing and inviting my students to apply the wisdom of the sutras with curiosity in asana class is one of my objectives as a teacher. It gives a richness to our practice that keeps yoga relevant as…
Hello all and welcome to my first blog post with Yoga for Mental Health. I am delighted to share my practice with you as well as my story while Margi is away on retreat! I want to start off by sharing with you the first time I tried to practice mindfulness and to let you…
Perfections of the Heart: Renunciation“Most people have something they can relinquish.” This is the quote from Sylvia Boorstein that opened our conversation about generosity. We considered abundance, receptivity, and how to reinforce connections with the practice of giving and receiving. Some of the most radical realizations that came up in our discussions were around generosity…
In my meditation this morning I was cleaning the house. Vacuuming, organizing, moving the painting that’s at the wrong height since I moved the plant that was beneath it. All of this movement was motivated by anticipation. I am going to be hosting. After so many months of meeting online, my book club is coming…
That's it!
That's it!
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