Spiritual resources
Connection is the key to resourcing, disconnection is the source of all dis-ease
Asana and Yoga
The discomfort of being present in your body can be titrated into comfort and all the way back to safety, with careful, compassionate, persistent practice.
Menopause is a Homecoming
AUTUMN REJUVENATION (AKA FALL CLEANSE)
The holistic system of Ayurveda provides a framework for living in harmony with your natural constitution, your lifestyle and the climate within which you live. This means attuning and attending to the rhythms of your body, your lifestyle and the environment around you. For example, Spring is a time to be more active in body and mind, to release any sluggishness built up from the long winter with a cleanse and increased heating movement.
MOTIVATION MATTERS
When it comes to self care, motivation matters. Motivation is in the heart and mind, that internal landscape has as much (if not more) effect on your overall health as your behavior. This is why meditation and cultivation of love and respect for yourself has a drastic effect on your overall well being as well as measurable physiological benefits.
PRAYING FOR PEACE
Praying for peace - My first true Sankalpa
Sitting on the carpeted floor of the apartment I shared with a lover who was older than my only living parent, I endeavored to learn how to pray honestly.
CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE, CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Changing your attitude changes your life. This is much easier said and written than done. I have been through many revolutions and evolutions in my life (from quitting drugs and resolving trauma to revolutionizing my relationship with money, work and worth), and one thing is clear to me: Daily contact with the practices of the person that you are changing into is the practical key to changing your attitude and as a result your life.
LEARNING FROM COVID
I had covid in late May 2022, it was a relatively mild case, but the messages I heard from my spirit were loud and clear. Delivered with a sense of finality, minus the subtlety and nuance that usually comes with spiritual insight.
COMMITTING TO YES
A recent conversation with a mom and dear soul reminded me of this song written by Nina Simone. Our conversation began with the topic of "losing weight" and ended with the assertion that many moms need more sweetness in their lives and often turn to the most available sugar - food.
MY BODY IS AN ALLY
My body is the home of my spirit, this is what is meant by TEMPLE. Just as the church, Mosque, & Shrine are sacred spaces that hold and symbolize the energy of the Divine, the source of our creation, so my body is a physical space that contains an energy that is limitless. The spirit is in my body, but not of my body.
This Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving Holiday is so often fraught with conflict, pressure and stress. The burden placed on the already laden shoulders of the matriarchs, this burden yet another symbol of the patriarchal dominance idolized by our society.
IT'S OK TO MAKE MISTAKES
I have made many mistakes in my life, however I think I’ve missed out on more by giving in to the fear of getting it wrong, of making a mistake. One of the great joys of parenting is being able to share the lessons that I’ve learned from my life, and attempt to guide my son in such a way that he realizes himself with the support of unconditional love.
BLACKOUT
Blackout is a term used for the early part of treatment, when phone and social interaction is limited. I have put myself on Blackout from sex with another person (including kissing) and dating.
AWARENESS
Yoga and Recovery are both paths to spiritual awakening, both encourage us and provide a way to find our internal locus of control and be in the world in a way that suits our nature. These systems are the one path for me, saving my life and giving me a life worth living, enjoying and celebrating.
DAILY CONTACT WITH THE PILLARS OF HEALTH
I have a tendency towards all or nothing thinking and behavior, which lends itself to both perfectionism and procrastination. I will put it off, whatever “it” is until I believe I can do it perfectly. This is why I’m a late bloomer, I put off participating in life and trying new things. Once I was beaten by a devastating drug addiction, I started to learn the value of harm reduction and good enoughism.
MOTIVATION MATTERS
When it comes to self care, motivation matters. Motivation is in the heart and mind, that internal landscape has as much (if not more) effect on your overall health as your behavior. This is why meditation and cultivation of love and respect for yourself has a drastic effect on your overall well being as well as measurable physiological benefits.