Gratitude

Gratitude is our front line defense against stress, anxiety and despair. And if that’s not enough, Cicero described it as “not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others, the moral memory of mankind, the most passionate transformative force in the cosmos, the key that opens all doors, and the quality that makes us and keeps us young.”

An Open Letter to My Fellow Instructors

An Open Letter to My Fellow Instructors

Dear Friends, Reading the latest Teacher Community Corner, I was stunned to discover that there are 1,100 certified instructors worldwide. I thought our numbers were in the thousands. Plural. There are 7.8 billion people on the planet. We are an incalculably small number, yet look at…

Cultivating Contentment

Cultivating Contentment

There are specific roots that can be directly cultivated. These roots include the capacity for being present, generosity of spirit, gratitude, loving-kindness and forgiveness.

The Repair

The Repair

The ability to repair – be it your body or relationship – is a life skill. We’re not taught this. We’re a fast-paced culture that doesn’t encourage slowing down, but that’s exactly what healing demands.

Four Pathways to Joy

Four Pathways to Joy

Did you know that there are four independent brain circuits that influence our lasting well-being? While each circuit contributes beautifully on their own, when joined by the other circuits they create magic – broadening our everyday existence to include a wider and more vibrant range of experience.

We’re All In This Together

We’re All In This Together

This Danish commercial captures the heart of yoga, which is wisdom to know that we are not separate. We connected.

Ms. Takes

Ms. Takes

Judith Weiser calls snapshots “footprints of the mind,” where the present holds the past and carries the story behind the words. Photos capture a moment that holds the feelings, thoughts, and emotions forever in time.

Make Joy a Habit

Make Joy a Habit

Self-motivated activities like yoga, gardening, bird watching, photography, etc. are driven from within. You want the locus of control to be in your hands, where it belongs, not at the mercy of others. It can involve others and is often more fun, but it needs to be something that already makes your heart sing. But if all your activities involve others, go back and change a few.

Create More Joy

Create More Joy

Want to know a secret short cut to creating more joy in your life? Be a light in another’s life. Compliment and give thanks as often as you can. Reflect back the beauty, strength, creativity and wisdom you see in others. Be specific. “You look amazing in that dress and it’s all in the way you own it!” A snap of the fingers is optional, though highly recommended.

Tea Ritual

Tea Ritual

Every morning, I spend a few minutes sitting quietly with a cup of tea. For the last ten years or so, I’ve spent it staring through the large picture window that faces my garden.

All Parts Are Welcome

All Parts Are Welcome

Being satisfied with what we already have is a magical golden key to being alive in a full, unrestricted, and inspired way. – Pema Chödrön We cannot exile undesirable parts of ourselves without dulling the rest. That’s because our juiciness and aliveness is all mixed…