(e)Strecho
Posted: October 21, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, Dhāraṇā, friends, gluten free, Gravel, happiness, health, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, mind, motivation, musings, Namaste, natural, nature, non-attachment, Omaha, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, Practice, Practices, Religion and Spirituality, running, trail running, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga, Yoga Wisdom 9 CommentsLook around you. Everything changes. Everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing…changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant-
There is much more to yoga than twisting into poses on a sweaty, $95 Prana Revolution yoga mat early one Sunday morning.
Quick example, one of the ways of applying yogic principles away from our mat is by developing non-attachment, focusing on what we are doing in the moment … Practicing not getting caught up in the drama and uncertainty swirling around us. When we practice yoga in class, we are reminded to breathe into the movement, release tension, surrender, disconnecting our mind from discomfort. Practicing non-attachment away from our practice allows us to disconnect our mind, from wanting “things” to be different and worrying about the future. Our mind(s) is then free to stretch, explore, and tap their true creativity.
Is complete non-attachment in today’s world realistic? Are you reading this post on your iPhone? Our innate sense of control is an illusion at times. Disappointment in life is inevitable, although pursuing and actively seeking to develop a strong practice of non-attachment can help us realize that we don’t have to choose to get stuck, mired in a bog of cynicism and hopelessness.
Notes:
Hidden within our narrow focus, among the 8 Limbs of Yoga, lies ishvara-pranidhana, which is a way to explore staying connected to something larger than ourselves. Non-attachment is just one varietal of surrender, where we recognize no one can truly control the events of our day or other people in our lives.
Attention
Posted: October 18, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Attention, blogging, Buddha, compassion, cycling, fitness, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, holistic, hope, kindness, life, love, meditation, motivation, musings, New Age, Omaha, Practice, Religion and Spirituality, running, trail running, wellness, whole foods, yoga, Zen 10 CommentsI am not absentminded. It is the presence of mind that makes me unaware of everything else-
It never fails folks. I string together a series of post(s) discussing spirituality, intimacy, love, passion, yoga, meditation, mindfulness and inevitably the emails come pouring in with such graceful comments like:
“All this stuff you have been trying to talk about – comes naturally. Especially intimacy and physical relationships. If you need instructions on how to enjoy these, something is wrong with you.”
What is the underlying reason that discussing our feelings, no matter what they may be – Rattles our cage so much?
There are those among us (check your blog role and yoga studio) who solely identify themselves as spiritual simply by observing holy practices, being a natural lover, super flexible and sporting the latest fashion trends. This behavior Dear Reader? Is akin to calling ourselves athletes when we are merely spectators of a sport …
Are you a fan (short for fanatic), a spectator of yoga, cycling, sex, running, walking – whatever? Or are you a participant?
Embracing a spiritual life requires participation over observation for the encounter, surrendering to a spiritual transformation.
Notes:
Have a beautiful weekend and please take care.
(la) Vida Sigue
Posted: October 17, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, fitness, happiness, health, La Vida Bohème, Latin, life, love, meditation, Miguel Ángel Landa, musings, twitter, writing, yoga, You guys rock!!! 4 CommentsTo all my passionate, caring and thoughtful supporters … Thank you for your continued support! Be well this evening and, chill.
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Aimless Love
Posted: October 17, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Arts, Billy Collins, blogging, compassion, Creative Writing, cycling, exercise, Fall, fitness, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hope, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, perspective, pilates, Poetry, Prose, running, Thursday, trail running, writing, yoga 26 Comments…
This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,
I fell in love with a wren
and later in the day with a mouse
the cat had dropped under the dining room table.
In the shadows of an autumn evening,
I fell for a seamstress
still at her machine in the tailor’s window,
and later for a bowl of broth,
steam rising like smoke from a naval battle.
This is the best kind of love, I thought,
without recompense, without gifts,
or unkind words, without suspicion,
or silence on the telephone.
The love of the chestnut,
the jazz cap and one hand on the wheel.
No lust, no slam of the door—
the love of the miniature orange tree,
the clean white shirt, the hot evening shower,
the highway that cuts across Florida.
No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor—
just a twinge every now and then
for the wren who had built her nest
on a low branch overhanging the water
and for the dead mouse,
still dressed in its light brown suit.
But my heart is always propped up
in a field on its tripod,
ready for the next arrow.
After I carried the mouse by the tail
to a pile of leaves in the woods,
I found myself standing at the bathroom sink
gazing down affectionately at the soap,
so patient and soluble,
so at home in its pale green soap dish.
I could feel myself falling again
as I felt its turning in my wet hands
and caught the scent of lavender and stone.
(I)mage
Posted: October 16, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: American Idol, Biggest Loser, blogging, Bob Harper, compassion, crossfit, cycling, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, happiness, health, Holley Mangold, hope, kettlebell, kindness, life, Lincoln, Lincoln Nebraska, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, NBC, nebraska, Olympic weightlifting, Omaha, Omaha Nebraska, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga 8 CommentsI am not an angel,” I asserted; “and I will not be one till I die: I will be myself-
Before we get started with the usual jibber-jabber a few important notes:
Two women I sincerely look up to and love are back in the news. Holley Mangold is on this seasons run of The Biggest Loser (whatever this is). Her passion, authenticity and spirit are simply beautiful and empowering! Long time readers keenly know I have been on the Team Mangold bandwagon for quite some time and I hope you hop on as well! Also in the news is my dearest friend Anne. Anne and her relay team consisting of some rather dashing and lovely young ladies took first place in the annual Market to Market relay between Omaha, Nebraska and Lincoln, Nebraska. I learn more from Anne than she will ever learn from me, brilliant performance!
… What follows is a draft I started yet never got around polishing up to post. What you read below is unedited, pouring out of my heart and thoughts concerning weight, sensuality and image. Taboo topics to so many …
A woman or man who is worried about their appearance will never be able to relax enough to let their true sensuality and spirit shine upon us.
If we are insistently worried about our tummy overhang and flabby arms, we become tense to the world. Far too many of us spend countless hours staring in a mirror and in our lovers arms on alert for reassurances from them, that they are indeed attractive enough to “us“.
If we look deeply enough in their eyes, in our own hearts we will indeed see that we really are: Beautiful and Sensual.
If we are ashamed of our shape, the damn number on a scale – We will be stilled. We will not feel entitled to being seen in public and between the sheets, we fade quietly into the background of not wanting to seek attention, never allowing our brilliance to shine.
Notes:
I loathe sharing self-serving advice, prefacing statements … Learn to feel and love your body, express your passion openly onto this beautiful world. Be the Lilly of the Night that opens its petals, openly defy the description(s) the world has placed on you – Shine.
CultFit 