Rod Stryker's Visit to Chicago

I am so excited! I will be attending a conference in Chicago featuring Rod Stryker. His book The Four Desires... really changed my life. Being able to quiet my mind through meditation has made all the difference in the world to me.

He makes meditation available to anyone. Whether or not you've meditated before, makes no difference; all can benefit from his tutelage.

I'm not sure what to expect, but whatever happens, I know I'll be changed for the better because of it. I'll be sure to share my experience. Namaste.

The Chocolate Meditation from the book: Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World

I just started a new book called Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World  by Mark Williams, PhD and Danny Penman, PhD. I heard Mark Williams being interviewed on NPR a few weeks back and decided I had to read it.

What the authors accomplished (quite easily, I'd say) is to write about how mindfulness affects our brain activity and how it can change our lives. I've heard so much about mindfulness through my study of yoga, but these gentlemen take it further. It seems they found proof of what meditators for centuries have known all along: Meditation on a regular basis can improve our lives in measureable ways from attitude to disease fighting.

I'm only in the first quarter of the book, but I found an activity that I thought was really intriguing. It's called "The Chocolate Meditation". The idea of this activity is to get some chocolate that you normally don't eat to use for the meditation. For example, if you are a milk chocolate lover, try dark chocolate for this activity and vice versa.

The rules are simple:

• Open packet, inhale aroma, let it consume you.
• Break off piece and really look at it, examine every aspect of it.
• Pop in mouth, resisting the urge to chew it or suck on it...just let it melt on your tongue. Observe the flavors.
• If your mind wanders, gentle bring your attention back to the chocolate.
• Once the chocolate has completely melted, swallow slowly, observing how it glides down your throat.
• Continue until desired amount of chocolate is finished.
• Observe how you feel eating chocolate this way vs. wolfing it down.

Write about it if you'd like...even better, share here if you wish. I plan on doing this after I go shopping for the perfect chocolate bar. I will post the results. Have fun with this!

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running #2

I finished reading the book, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami on the plane to Georgia on Thursday. I went to visit my sister and her family, and I thought I had enough of the book left to read down there and back. Unfortunately, I finished it too soon!

I did have a chance to reflect on one quote over the weekend that I really liked: "No matter how much you might command your body to perform, don't count on it to immediately obey." No kidding! I have done yoga for more than four years, and there are ways that I wish my body would obey, but doesn't. I could, and easily do, look at all my body can't do, rather than look at what it can do. I am definitely way more flexible than I ever thought possible. My arms, back and legs are really firm--my stomach, even after two kids, is firmer than I'd ever expected. So what I need to focus on is how well my body has adapted to yoga.

I did notice that the author was a self depricating person. I'm reading this thinking, "Wow! I can't believe he ran a 60 mile marathon!" And he is looking at what he can't do or how difficult things are for him. But then I thought, I am just as self depricating as he is! So this book made me realize that even the most disciplined of people see themselves as imperfect human beings. It's just a base human trait that I believe keeps us all humble. This book was definitely a worthwhile read.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Last night I started reading the book "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakami, and I am completely immersed. I am not a runner, have no wish to be a runner, about fall over if I run around the block, but this book is so thoughtful and humble that I felt I needed to share this with you all.

Here are a couple of quotes from the book that I've been contemplating since last night:

"It's not much fun to be misunderstood or criticized, but rather a painful experience that hurts people deeply." (p. 19)  I know that when I deeply reflect on the criticisms I receive, I can begin to see the hurt I've put on others by criticizing them.   It's much easier to feel pity for myself than to put my ego aside and reflect on my behaviors. The initial reaction I get when I realize I've hurt someone is to feel shame. When I admit to the other person my part in a miscommunication, I find that I'm able to forgive myself (not an easy task). And if I am lucky, others will forgive my transgression in return.

"Emotional hurt is the price a person has to pay in order to be independent."
(p. 19) I sure can relate to this. During my life I have made decisions that were not accepted by many. The emotional abandonment I felt was deep, but in the long run, I stuck to my own principles and have emerged stronger. This quote really put down the feelings I've had in one succinct sentence.

At the moment I'm only on chapter 3 and I'm totally engrossed. If you get a chance to read it, please leave a comment and let me know your impressions. Namaste.

Reflections on Dolphin Pose

I found this terrific youtube clip that really gets your shoulders ready for the dolphin pose and the forearm balance. This gal, Esther, shows an easy (really it is!) step-by-step sequence to do the dolphin pose safely. Then at the end she beautifully demonstrates how to hop up into a forearm balance.

I found all the sequences leading up to the dolphin pose really invigorating. My legs and arms were shaking by the time that part of the sequence was over, but it really gave me the confidence that someday I will be able to hop up into a forearm pose. Try it out--you may just like it!!! Namaste

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmBzNtSXRdE

What's the Difference between Cobra and Upward Facing Dog

A couple of days ago, my friend asked me what the difference was between these poses: Cobra and Upward Dog. My knee-jerk response was to tell her that it's all in the hand positioning. But, I am not a yoga teacher, and actually wanted to see if there was more to it than I thought. Holy cats, yes there is! OK, kudos to me for knowing that the hand position was indeed different, but there was so much more to these poses that they are truly different poses, even though on the outside they look the same.

Cobra Pose

Upward Dog Pose

This youtube video is so succinct in explaining the difference. I felt that I had to share with everyone. Those of you who thought the same thing as me--this video is for you. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt5p4rv6oWo

Mindbody Connection

I am so fascinated with the mindbody connection. I grab everything I can on the subject and read it. I'm waiting for this book from the library: Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World, by co-author Mark Williams. I heard Mark William's interview on Science Friday and was completely fascinated. What really grabbed my attention in this interview was the discussion on what happens in our brain when we are frantically trying to fit everything into a 24 hour day and what it does to our body and mind. For people who live like that (hand raised here) we are actually in a fight or flight response. Because of this, adrenaline and cortisol are released into our systems to help us escape danger. One can only imagine the adverse affects this has on the mind and body over time.

What I have found is that through meditation, I am more quickly entering into meditative, peaceful state as compared to last year. Makes me wonder how much meditation and yoga I will need to do to reverse the bad effects of these biochemicals on my system.

I would like to add my thoughts on this when I begin reading the book. If you have read this book (or have read another book discussing mindbody connection)  please contribute to this blog.  We each have different and unique perspectives and I welcome as many views as possible. Namaste.

Reflections on Rod Stryker's Meditations

Since December, I've made it a point to meditate more. Rod Stryker's meditations have helped me move my hurried mind into a more calm peaceful place.

In one of his meditations he has one visualize a flame in the midbrain. This is coordinated with the breath. His instructions say to feel the presence in the brain. I felt a tingle in the first few tries of this meditation, but now it feels like a football helmet of energy encompassing my brain and head. I can actually feel an aura radiating from my head. Wow...never thought that could happen. This "helmet" actually moves my head in almost imperceptible ways which releases tension in my neck.

I'm not sure if everyone experiences this "presence" this way, but I would welcome any insights you have on this. Wow!

Fibromyalgia: Is it all in the head?

Interesting new brain research compares brain scans of people with fibromyalgia and those without. Very Interesting! http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/diagnosis/brainpain.html

My Husband's Unusual Journey at 19

I've heard this story so many times, but there's nothing like reading it. The beauty he demonstrates in his writing is so fresh. I could go on and on, but really, there's nothing like reading it. So here it is! http://jeffwhelan.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/greyhound/