Muy Feliz
Posted: November 20, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, cycling, Facebook, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, philosophy, pilates, running, simplicity, Surrender, trail running, twitter, whole foods, writing, yoga 7 CommentsSometimes one has suffered enough to have the right to never say: I am too happy-
The idea of “surrender” is not one we cling to when it comes to engaging in activitie(s) of our choosing. Rather, the words we use are more akin to fighting a valiant battle, winning at all costs. And you know what? There is nothing wrong with thinking this way … Unless thinking this way makes you feel worse that you already do.
May this post serve as an invitation to gently set aside the fear and fight in our lives. In order to truly live.
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My idea of surrender, is that surrender gives my mind a chance to let the world seep into my very consciousness. Learning “how to surrender” is not about becoming passive, a “chump” or indifferent. Surrender revolves around accepting our current state of mind, body and spirit. With this acceptance serving as my starting point? I am learning to take the best care I can of my body and my mind.
Daily Meditation:
Consider a moment in your life when “surrendering” led to positive consequences that you were not expecting …
Be well today!
Love (My)stery
Posted: November 19, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: Alternative, blogging, compassion, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, Jain meditation, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, Mindfulness, motivation, musings, nature, Omaha, pain, passion, pilates, Religion and Spirituality, running, trail running, whole foods, Zen 6 CommentsThere are no facts, only interpretations-
When I began walking my current path, my motivation was existential …
I struggled each painful morning to answer burning questions such as Who am I? What is my true nature? What is the nature of the world around me? These questions still linger to this day, although meditation practice and mindfulness practice in particular, have helped to define the path unfolding in front of me.
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During a painful period recently, with profound feelings of sadness. In one sense, I tried to be gentle with myself, allowing my body ample time before engaging it fully. As time went on, motivated by the desire to be fully alive and fully functioning, I began to observe closely just how my pain constituted and unfolded, how I participated in it, and how my attentiveness and lack of it affected “things.”
When I was aware and mindful, I would be feeling fine and then – within a moments notice … I would find myself back at the start. When I was able to both engage and observe, I could begin to see that my experience began as a kind of spasm, a contraction, a rushed breathe. I could notice (however arduous as it was to stay present) how my manner of paying attention, what I attended to and how, could either accelerate or decelerate the rhythm of the process.
Attention to the process is what meditation brings to my life, especially when the dynamic themes play, like a broken record.
Daily Meditation:
We may not be able to control what arises each and every day. However we do have a say in how we respond, moment to moment … These fruits of daily life, can be liberating.
(Con)Fidence
Posted: November 18, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: Belize, blogging, compassion, exercise, family, fitness, flow, free range, freshly pressed, friends, fun, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, intensity, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, recovery, running, trail running, whole foods, writing, yoga 12 CommentsConfidence is ignorance. If you’re feeling cocky, it’s because there’s something you don’t know-
After many years of “coaching” and helping other cool and inspiring folks, I am often struck by their relationship with fun. When we first meet, they often talk at great length about training plans, intensity, goals, effort and lastly they mention: “this needs to be fun.”
I have a problem with Fun.
Fun (when used above), conveys a sense of a trivial and purposeless living. Fun … Is hedonistic. My definition of fun does not seem to sit right with many people who are engaged in uber-competitive activities and have a competitive mindset. There is no magical switch you can flip, then manage to stumble into a yoga studio one afternoon to “center” yourself. Fun is a lazy vacation, sipping mojito’s on a white sand beach in Belize, not an early morning wind sprint session and killing the weights before bed.
Should we abandon the idea of “fun” all together? Nope, I just ask that you think about “fun” in a different light, a different Sense …
Daily Meditation:
All aspects of our lives ought to be enjoyable, interesting word(s): Enjoyable, Enjoyment, Enjoy.
My definition of fun? Is “enjoyment.”
(El) Perro
Posted: November 15, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: Alternative, blogging, compassion, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, Hum (sound), kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, music, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, perspective, pilates, Pranayama, Religion and Spirituality, running, trail running, whole foods, writing, yoga 15 CommentsThe wheels hummed lullabies on the liquorice road-
A little challenge to start the weekend off right: Limber your lips up, and hum your favorite song for the next 30 seconds … Now don’t you feel better? In fact, there’s no better way to calm your mind and boost your spirits than by humming a happy tune.
Are your lips, heart and spirit ready to go? Cool …
Pausing for a moment to consider how humming plays a role in meditation practice … I’ll share just one quick example: “Some” yoga folks use a breathing technique called brahmari or “the bee breath.” In essence, the brahmari technique involves taking a series of slow, deep breaths through the nose with tightly sealed lips. On each exhalation, you make a humming sound similar to a bee buzzing about in a midlands prairie.
Daily Meditation:
For whatever reason, I deeply enjoy humming the occasional tune. Humming (the brahmari technique) is a gentle, calming method to settle our mind(s) and an a soothing way to relieve stress. Little did I know that a seemingly frivolous, cheeky activity may turn out to have some tangible daily benefits. In addition, who would had ever thought that Hall & Oates would help me center my mind?!?
Take care this weekend and please be well!
nəməste
Posted: November 13, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: Buddhism, compassion, crossfit, Divinity, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, god, Greeting, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, Middle East, motivation, musings, Namaste, natural, nature, Omaha, Pakistan, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, Sanskrit, walking, whole foods, writing, yoga 21 CommentsMankind’s biggest blunder, ignorance. Mankind’s second, infallible-
Chances are at the end of yoga practice, you awkwardly have heard fellow yogis use the word “nəməste“ with their hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards. Usually nəməste is associated with eastern religious traditions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Loosely translated from Sanskrit nəməste means: “The God in me recognizes the God in you” or “The Divinity within me perceives and adores the Divinity within you.”
The more I think about it and reflect on this greeting, the more I think its pretty cool. Just imagine if we were to interact with other(s) during the course of the day by basically stating that I honor, recognize and appreciate the divine within you? How could you not treat those around you ethically and with loving kindness?
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I often lament about my time spent in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As-salam alaykum (Muslim) carries great weight in my heart as a greeting of “peace be upon you.” Back in ‘Murica though, greetings such as Hi, Hello, How’s it going, Sup Bro and so forth are frivolous. These wasted greetings really don’t communicate much, they are not dense with meaning and purpose. A friendly greeting of any kind and one of peace is certainly fine. Although, I have come to be especially fond of the nəməste greeting, given what the word actually means. nəməste offers a more enriching and important message to me.
Maybe we all should embrace nəməste regardless of our spiritual, religious tradition or what part of the world we are in?
Daily Meditation:
Doing the right thing for ourselves and others means finding a way to see the sacred, the divine, within all. May nəməste serve as a constant reminder to do this. If you witness sacredness in some cool folks today? Chances are then you are likely to treat them with compassion, care, and respect …
नमस्ते
CultFit 