beginning + candlelight meditation

one of the most challenging things i experienced during my yoga teacher training was getting into a regular meditation practice.

i have no problem sitting still, per se, but while sitting i usually like to be reading, or watching tv, or any other thing than actually really being still physically and mentally.

once i got the hang of it though, i really started to dig it.

if you don't know about the benefits of meditation, take it from the fancy pants science folks by reading this article , this one, and let's add in a third for good measure.

i can personally attest that when i actively practice meditation, i am less anxious, am able to manage my stress better, and i sleep like a champ at night (which is saying something since i battle insomnia on the regular).

full disclosure?

i've fallen off the meditation bandwagon.

actually, more like swan dived off of the wagon....

...and i'm in a place where i need calmness and a good night's sleep more than ever.

no time like the present to haul myself back on the wagon!

if you are new to meditating or are rebooting your meditation practice, here are a few tips for starting out:

1.)  don't overdo it. - when people tell me they've tried to meditate and they just can't, my first question is how long are you attempting to meditate for and i'm never surprised that people usually tell me somewhere around the 20 to 30 minute range.  that is entirely too long for someone starting out.  meditating is just like running.  if you wanted to start running, you wouldn't start out with a half marathon, you'd start slow.  maybe using the couch to 5k method and train for a 5k race over a few months time.  meditation is the same.  start with a 5 minute meditation (which, trust me, in the beginning will seem like an eternity) and slowly increase in intervals of 5 minutes, as you gain more practice.

2.)  find a comfortable seated position. - you don't have to be sitting in full lotus on the floor like the pictures in yoga journal magazine.  use your mat or a pillow and find a seated position that works comfortably for you.  if you experience back pain, try sitting in a chair that will support your back with both feet flat on the floor.  the important thing is to be sitting upright and that you are comfortable, since you are going to be in this position for awhile.

3.)  do not mentally beat yourself up when errant thoughts arise.  - chitta happens.  you know, monkey mind.  thinking 1 bazillion thoughts per minute.  it is going to happen when you begin meditating too.  it takes a lot of practice to quiet and clear your mind, even for just a few minutes.  don't beat yourself up about it and try not to use it as a reason to give up.  what works for me, is letting the thought come into my mind, wrapping it up in a bubble, and then blowing it away (extra points if you recognized the dharma + greg reference).

my teacher, dharma richards, taught us a great meditation during teacher training called candlelight meditation.  i think it is perfect for beginning a meditation practice.

it goes a little something like this:

1.)  place a lighted candle in front of your mat, pillow or chair.
2.)  take a few moments to etch the picture of the flame into your mind.
3.)  close your eyes and begin to picture the flame in your mind.
4.)  the moment the image begins to fade, or you find yourself struggling, reopen your eyes without judgement and repeat steps 2 through 4 for the length of your meditation.

i'd love to hear your comments or if you have any questions, feel free to email me!

so, don't just sit there friends, meditate!

xoxox -

on going unplugged

my husband religiously reads a blog called zen habits.  every so often, he'll pass along a post that he finds particularly inspirational.

last week, he passed along this post where the author deleted his facebook account.  not deactivated it.  deleted in.  g-o-n-e.

it sparked an interesting discussion among a few of us about social media and its impact on our lives.  my husband resided firmly in the camp of being leery of social media.  sure, he's got a facebook account, but you will very rarely find him posting anything.  while the man never meets a stranger, knows just about everyone in this town, and is quite the extrovert, he is extremely private when it comes to what is and is not shared about his life on social media. i seriously looked for the four horsemen when he posted a status update last summer because that never.ever.happens.

another one of our great friends, who is an avid facebook user, didn't really see what the fuss was about.  he saw facebook as a great tool for keeping in touch with friends and family, sharing photos, and that it didn't really cause him a great amount of stress in his life.

as i read each of their responses, i started thinking about how i felt on the subject.

i believe i fall somewhere in the middle.

unlike my husband, and like my friend, i am an avid facebook user and am dangerously close to being addicted to twitter.  at any given time, you'll know where i'm eating dinner, what quote is speaking to me that day, or see pictures of my adorable brown dog.

who can resist that face?  you know, minus the mud and all.

in addition, facbook has allowed me to reconnect with old friends and connect in a new way with some of my younger family members (love you, cousins)!  i am also part of several private groups on facebook, which allows us to quickly and privately share information, inspiration, and meeting notifications without blasting them to our entire friend list.  i've also found social events, such as a local yogafest, that i would've never known about without facebook.  also, facebook is the main source of traffic for this little blog.

however, i've had my share of pain, for lack of a better word with facebook, as well.  during election season, i have to walk away from facebook on the regular due to political rants that make me angry or frustrated to the point that i want to stab myself in the eye.  truth be told, i have facebook friends that use facebook year-round to share their political or social views, which is fine.  on occasion, i've done the same thing, but 99.9% of the time, i use facebook to share how much i love burritos, how gobsmacked i am at who "the bachelor" eliminated this week, and that my friends rule.

while i don't get caught up in the likes or the comments on facebook, i have to say i do fall victim to that at times with my blog, which i put my heart and soul into every time i post.

in addition, i have unintentionally hurt different friends' feelings by something i did or did not post on facebook. 

no bueno.  when i look at those elements, it makes me wonder if the cons outweigh the pros and sometimes, they do.

i find it interesting that in this world where we are (in theory) more connected than ever by technology, i often feel disconnected and lacking meaningful interactions with my loved ones.  i can't tell you the last time that i've been to a social event where someone (including myself) wasn't emailing or texting or facebooking or tweeting something.

i've been kicking around the word "intention" a lot recently.  what is the intention behind my blog?  what is the intention of my interactions with my family and friends?  i'm still figuring it all out (as i truly believe myself to be an ever-evolving creature), but i think my intention currently is to have meaningful connections with myself and those i hold close to my heart...to really be present and not distracted by a bunch of technological noise. 

for me to accomplish this, i truly believe that unplugging from the distractions of things like texts and facebook, on occasion, is crucial.  easier said than done, for sure.  i've started small though. 

it is a rare occasion that you will find me checking my phone during a lunch or dinner with a friend.  (taking a picture to demonstrate what a fabulous time we are having with a possible facebook post, maybe, but absolutely no texting.)  i try to keep it firmly stowed away in my purse.  just ask my husband.  while enjoying dinner with a group of girlfriends last week, he didn't know whether or not i had fed bogue.  since my phone was in my purse, i didn't see his text, and he had to resort to calling my girlfriend's husband to run downstairs and ask me.  i see these ladies once a month and i wanted to be engaged with them, not preoccupied with texts or facebook "likes" and i would be if my phone was within arm's reach. 

i admit that i do struggle with this more at home, where my ipad, computer, and iphone are within arm's reach.  so, that is the next hurdle for me to overcome.  maybe putting them in a different room is a good place to start.

well, maybe not the phone.  you know, in case of emergency and all.  :)

do you ever go unplugged?  

linking up with:  random wednesdays

xoxox -

shine

shine:  \ˈshīn\

~VERB:  TO GIVE FORTH OR GLOW WITH LIGHT; SHED OR CAST LIGHT; TO BE BRIGHT WITH REFLECTIVE LIGHT; GLISTEN; SPARKLE~

 

i absolutely love the new year.  there is something refreshing about having a clean slate and to actually take a day (or two) to reflect on the last year and where you want to go in the upcoming year.

everything always seems so new and sparkly.

it is as if we somehow give ourselves permission to let go and pack away all the baggage (good, bad, or otherwise) of that pesky previous year.

or at least, we try.

so, yeah, i am a huge fan of the new year.

however, i don't do new year's resolutions.  

correction:  i don't do new year's resolutions anymore.

last year while i was in yoga teacher training to get my ryt 200, my teacher spoke of choosing a "word of intention" for the upcoming year.  

the idea is that you sit and reflect on what you really want for yourself and your life (and ultimately those around you) for the upcoming year.  then, you select a word that reflects that intention.  throughout the year, you can keep coming back to that word and really see if you are creating a life for yourself that is a reflection of that intention.

cool, right?

i was totally on board and chose a word for 2011.

for me, this was much more productive than creating a list of resolutions that, inevitably, get lost in the shuffle of this crazy thing we called, "life."  next thing you know, i'm all cranky because i haven't gone to the gym 3 times a week or read more books.

now, if you love to make resolutions, i say, "go for it."  in the words of tupac, "i ain't mad at cha."

this is just what works for me.

so, i have been thinking the past week about what i wanted my word to be for 2012.  i am a huge fan of this blog and i was so inspired by what she has done for her community.  

the word "shine" has just really stuck with me.

i want to shine too.

i thought of other words, but i just kept coming back to shine.

so, i said earlier that you pick your word of intention, but that really isn't true.

it sorta picks you.

so, shine it is.  

i want to shine in everything i do, from my work, to my yoga practice, to play.  i want to be a light to my family, to my friends, and to the world.  i want to "radiate love."  i want to be thankful.  i want to help those who need it most, even if we've never met.  i want to be happy spot in the life of those closest to me.

i spent a lot of time today on pinterest creating a vision board of sorts that i can refer to (you can check it out here).  i'm inspired and i'm excited.  

here we go 2012.  i'm ready!

everyday's a holiday (when you are getting your shine on) -