Going into Silence

s t i l l n e s s

So, believe in yourself. Feel yourself. Incorporate that inner child, make those choices, go for it, have a good day.

Tom Kaypacha Lescher


Mercury, also known as the Divine Trickster, goes direct  today November 10.
Time to move forward again.


Click here for the latest Pele Report :
Astrology Forecast for November 6, 2013

In Love everysingleday -  Maria

 me manifesting at Ängsbacka 2010

Freedom is a state of mind

---- Krishnamurti


Summer in Norway.
Naked feet in the grass.
Strawberries.
Never ending light.
Nature is lush and green.
Exploding in beauty.
I can eat my dinner outside and maybe catch some sunrays
Birds singing.
That`s so much love I almost can`t embrace it all.
I feel so close to Earth I wanna kiss her.
I feel alive and free.
Can I please conserve this sparkling ether on a bottle?
Sniffing during winter?

Free.

What is freedom?
What does it mean for you?
Do we need boundaries to create more freedom or space into our bodies? Our beings.
I ask you.

Do we we really want to be free?


Read more about Freedom from Krishnamurti here.



Alive at Ängsbacka 2013

“Life will break you. 
Nobody can protect you from that, 
and living alone won't either,
for solitude will also break you with its yearning. 
You have to love. 
You have to feel.
It is the reason you are here on earth. 
You are here to risk your heart. 
You are here to be swallowed up. 
And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. 
Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.” 

 ― Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum LP

fragments from my kitchen

contrast create our light

Let`s surf a little bit more on this colourful rainbow...
In my rainbow, the colour black is also represented.
Of course.
I believe that we need the darkness to really embrace and enjoy the light.
Like day and night.
The pearls and the junk.
Like the tides.
Hot and cold.
The sweet and the bitter.
The up`s and down`s
In my experience life becomes quite hollow without that pulsation.
Like this: ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Instead of this: ^^^¨¨^^----^-----^^^^***^^^¨¨¨¨^¨¨¨¨^^----¨^-----^^^*^^^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨*****
Something like that ;)

Spanda is the idea of all things existing in a rhythmic state of expansion and contracting

 "Spanda is a Sanskrit term for the subtle creative pulse of the universe as it manifests into the dynamism of living form. Spanda can be translated to vibration, movement, or motion.
Spanda is the movement from darkness to light.
It is the energy of creation.
On a more personal level, spanda refers to consciousness as it orients through thought and intention to organize into authentic action.
You may experience spanda as a desire to live according to your own innermost urging, act in line with your interest, follow your curiosity, and attend to your body’s natural rhythms as they harmonize within the grander scale of natural life seasons and cycles"
written by Jamie Stover Schmidt

Spanda is the desire to love and be loved.
Contracting and expanding.
Spanda moves love from the ideal, the fairytale, into action.
When we actively give love, when our heart’s pulses with humility and compassion,
we design the possibility for thriving and for a life that is wild, abundant and rich.

I believe that contrasts create inner light.

In Love M.

family

my kind of balance

tinymomentsofpeace

Look, the trees
are turning
their own bodies
into pillars

of light,
are giving off the rich
fragrance of cinnamon
and fulfillment,

the long tapers
of cattails
are bursting and floating away over
the blue shoulders

of the ponds,
and every pond,
no matter what its
name is, is

nameless now.
Every year
everything
I have ever learned

in my lifetime
leads back to this: the fires
and the black river of loss
whose other side

is salvation,
whose meaning
none of us will ever know.
To live in this world

you must be able
to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it

against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.

Mary Oliver

lifelines

Inhale - Exhale

Breathing is one of the simplest things in the world, we breathe in and we breathe out.
Our first inhale as newborn and our last exhale when we leave this life.

Yoga breathing, or Pranayama, is the science of breath control.
Pranayama comes from the following words:
Prana: life force" or "life energy"
Yama - "discipline" or "control"

By practicing deep and systematic breathing through Pranayama, we reenergize our body.

In our daily lifes it isn`t always easy remember to breathe consciously.
Often we tend to ignore our breathing. Especially during stressful times when we actually
need it as most.
To practice mindful breathing it doesen`t need to be in a yoga class.
Take 5 minutes at home lying down ( maybe in bed) and explore your own breath.
Put your hands on the belly and let the breathing be soft, deep and gentle.
Just stay there and feel. Let the belly rise and fall.

I broke my hand 3 years ago in 2010.
Something like a 5 metacarpal spiral fracture
A milestone, both in my spiritual journey and in my career as a yoga teacher.
A big fat slap to my ego.
I cant`t say I did it all right with the breathing by then.
I did my best with the tools I had at that point.
(For instance: I went to Costa Rica and teached a retretat ;)
And I learned a lot.
I had to slow down. Change my approach to yoga.
Patience.
After 2 surgeries and a titaniumplate in my hand I did two new tatooes on my wrists.
Inhale - Exhale


It is a journey. And we can always learn more. Grow.
These days I remind myself to breathe more consciously again.
Slowing down.
Snuggle into my nest.
Not what I wanted this spring - but what I truly need.


When the Breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the Breath is still, so is the mind still.

 Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Love this picture go here for more 

P I C T U R E  from : www.huebucket.bigcartel.com



If u wanna read more this is a great article: 

Just Breathe
The Simplest Means of Managing Stress

Our bodies aren’t shy about telling us that we are stressed out! Muscle tension, backaches, stomach upset, headaches, burnout and other illness states are ways in which the body signals to us the need to relax. Rather than run for that anti-anxiety medication, we can utilize our easiest, natural defense against stress: our breathing. The way we breathe can affect our emotions and mental states as well as determine how we physically respond to stress.

Fight or Flight Response vs. Relaxation Response

The general physiological response to stress is called the stress response or “fight or flight” response. When we experience stress, hormones activated by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system flood our bloodstream to signal a state of readiness against potential threats to our well being. While these hormones serve to help us act quickly and with great strength during emergency situations, they exemplify the concept that there can be “too much of a good thing.” Chronic stress results in excess release of stress hormones, which can cause immune-system malfunction, gastrointestinal issues, and blood vessel deterioration, among other health complications. Over time, such symptoms can evolve into degenerative diseases like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

We can help preserve and enhance our health, though, by refusing to fall victim to chronic release of stress hormones, even if we are not able to control when or how stressful situations challenge us. We can learn to effectively manage our physiological reaction to stressors by teaching the body to induce a relaxation response. A relaxation response counteracts the effects of the fight or flight response by helping to boost immune system function, reduce blood pressure and cortisol levels, and protect tissues from damage caused by stress-hormones.

Breathing and Relaxation Response

The way we breathe affects our autonomic nervous system (ANS), the branches of which signal automatic physiological reactions in the body, like the fight or flight and relaxation responses. ANS activity is outside of our conscious control. The ANS is responsible for managing our breathing, heart rate, body temperature, digestion, and other basic processes necessary for survival. While the sympathetic branch of the ANS initiates the stress response, the parasympathetic branch induces a relaxation response. Our somatic nervous system, over which we do have conscious control, makes possible the movements of our eyes, limbs, and mouths, for example, as well as how (not whether) we breathe. Thus, we can, through somatic manipulation of our breath, affect which ANS branch remains active, especially during moments of stress.

One of the best means of inducing a relaxation response is through diaphragmatic breathing: inhaling deeply through the chest and virtually into the stomach. Engaging the diaphragm may be the key to inducing a relaxation response through deep breathing because the diaphragm’s close proximity to the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve which supplies approximately 75% of all parasympathetic fibers to the rest of the body, and may be stimulated through diaphragmatic movement. Conversely, thoracic breathing that is limited to the chest cavity is associated with the sympathetic branch stress response.

Self-Empowerment through Breathing

Situations may catalyze stress for us when we are uncertain about them or unable to control their outcome. We may feel helpless, overwhelmed, fearful, or forced into stifling our true feelings, and may experience additional anxiety over our inability to control the resulting hormonal fight or flight response. The key to stress management is recognition that while we may not be able to control the stressor, we can always control our reaction to it. We have choices: whether to relax through diaphragmatic breathing techniques until we feel ready to make beneficial decisions, or to just react while on sympathetic branch automatic pilot. Even if we don’t find a solution to the stressful situation, choosing to take time out to breathe protects our bodies from detrimental effects of stress.

Upon experiencing fear or anxiety, our diaphragm involuntarily flattens and we breathe in a shallow manner as our body prepares for action. Armed with the knowledge that we can create a counter-response by breathing deeply, we can change any automatic course of action. When a stressor engages us, we can consciously control the speed and fullness with which we inhale, trusting that a relaxation response will happen as long as we keep breathing in this manner and do not lose patience. Recognizing the need to breathe diaphragmatically is half the battle; actually doing it is what empowers and frees us.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Techniques

To practice diaphragmatic breathing, lie down on your back or sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with your back as straight as possible (maybe against a wall) and close your eyes. Place your hands on your abdomen. Slowly inhale, filling your lungs and what seems like your stomach, to the point where your hands rise with the breath. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then slowly exhale completely. Repeat this process for many breaths, savoring the recognition that you are sending life-sustaining oxygen to all the cells of your body.

One of the keys to creating a relaxation response is to “be the breath.” Focusing on the breath helps you be present. When thoughts enter your mind, acknowledge them, let them go, then refocus the mind on the sound of your breath. Perhaps visualize a relaxing scene or imagine continuous ocean waves slowly rolling into the shoreline. Maybe listening to peaceful music or repeating a mantra in your head that brings you serenity will help you free your mind of distracting thoughts. Your memory is another tool you have to facilitate relaxation. Recalling a time of great happiness can help you replace negative feelings with pleasant ones. Tapping into your particular spiritual belief system at this time might also help you relax; some people find that saying a prayer while breathing deeply can help decrease stress.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Offers Multidimensional Benefits

Bridging the mind and body through deep breathing is a multidimensional experience. Because the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the ANS are regulated by chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, rather than neural impulses from the brain, brain stem and spinal cord, these branches are influenced by our emotional responses to environmental stimuli. Neurotransmitters create physiological reactions by relaying information based upon our feelings to various cells within the body. The digestive tract is especially rich with neurotransmitter receptor sites, which may explain “gut feelings."

Fear, for example, initiates thoracic breathing associated with sympathetic branch activity. When we breathe in a shallow manner, we utilize only half of the alveoli (air filled sacs) in our lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing employs all the alveoli in our lungs while helping the body and mind relax. By repeatedly expanding our lungs to full capacity, we improve our metabolism by increasing oxygen supply to the rest of the body, promoting detoxification in the lungs, and enhancing digestion.

We may also be able to change the emotions which engendered the stress response by releasing their power over us through the breath. Clear thinking and creative decision-making may follow and lead to more positive emotions. The multidimensional effects of deep breathing illustrate the complex connections between the mind and the body and enhance our understanding of stress-related disease prevention and treatment.

When It Comes to Stress, Be Your Breath

The solution to stress lies within us. Nature has given us a defense mechanism with which to combat the physical effects of stress: parasympathetic nervous system activity catalyzed by diaphragmatic breathing. While breathing alone may not resolve the issue stressing us, it can empower us to healthfully adapt on mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual levels.

Consciously breathing is a core element of mind-body philosophies such as yoga, meditation and Tai Chi (diaphragmatic breathing as described in this article most closely resembles meditation). Mind-body disciplines, such as Yoga and Tai Chi, which embrace specific postures and/or fluid movements offer added benefits of improved balance, flexibility and circulation. Regularly practicing diaphragmatic breathing through any mind-body technique can help us establish a relaxation routine. When something is routine, we can “just do it” (i.e. let our thoughts go because we don’t need to think so much about what we are doing). A movement –based breathing practice may be the best means of relaxation for more physically active people, and can be a great way for less-active folks to get some exercise.

For some, spirituality may permeate the mind-body breathing practice. The role of spirituality in stress management may relate to how we perceive situations beyond our control. Wayne Dyer, an inspiration guru, lectures and writes that we are eternal spiritual beings who are having temporary human experiences, which seems like another way of saying “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Believing in a higher power (whatever that means to us individually) can relieve us of the perceived burden of always having to handle things on our own.

Learning to cultivate a relaxation response may involve trying various methods until you discover the one that works for you. Finding a technique that you enjoy is the key to making it a lifestyle habit. When you feel the effects of stress… just breathe.

References and Resources:

Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Autonomic Nervous System: Introduction

Sinatra, S. Heartbreak and Heart Disease. Keats Publishing, 1999.

Stockdale B. You Can Beat the Odds: Surprising Factors Behind Chronic Illness and Cancer. Sentient Publications, 2009.

Found here:http://www.heartmdinstitute.com/v1/heart-healthy-lifestyles/mindbody-connection/just-breathe

Begin

April`s here.

Spring can be our second New Year.

Once again a reminder of our intentions.
A chance to make a new vow.
To recharge and renewal.
Remind ourselves what truly is important in life.
To life fully.
Prioritize with care

Our life as it is now reflects the priorities we have chosen so far.

And we can choose anew over and over again.
What a blessing.

new beginnings

Just being

You need not do anything.
Remain sitting at your table and listen.
You need not even listen, just wait.
You need not even wait, just learn to be quiet, still and solitary.
And the world will freely offer itself to you unmasked.
It has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

-Franz Kafka

My wiew in this very moment - Tulum

Paradise is a state of mind NOT a geographic location!

I don´t need to remind myself so much about that anymore.
At least not everyday.
I actually appreciate everyday life.
Saturday or Monday. The same.
But I admit the climate in Norway it`s not for me. Snow is just not my thing.
Tiny daylight. Cold feet 5 months a year. Sweetcravings. Sloppy streets.
And of course beautiful snowflakes. Amazing winter sky.

I like days who are the same. Who melts into another.
And I love that I have a everyday life here.
An everyday life which sometimes is quite boring, challenging and empty.
And sometimes more peaceful, meaningful, rich and abundant.
It`s up to me. Embracing it all.
A life I can choose to make an adventure. 
E V E R Y S I N G L E D A Y 
every single moment.

I love plain Earl Grey tea. Bread with butter and brunost. 
Nothing fancy. ( spirulina is so 2012 ... ;)
Sleepy mornings.
n o t h i n g n e s s 
I like ordinary things.
Real.
That`s paradise
And yes, I enjoy greens too. I enjoy juices. I love Vitamin D
I also love coffee. Chocolate. And peanutbutter.
In my opinion we really don´t need to be wheat free, milkfree or sweet free to be  f r e e 
We don`t need to go skydive for for being brave.
And we don`t need to travel the world to find paradise.

Paradise can be everywhere if you really want to.
It is an inside choice.


For sure we have our favourite spots or places around the world where it is easy(ier) to connect with our paradise within. I have plenty. Next stop Mexico :)

Home of my frozen winter heart. Ko Ngai 2009

Todays Truth

The mediocre teacher tells. 

The good teacher explains. 

The superior teacher demonstrates. 

The great teacher inspires.

William Arthur Ward

Let us always be humble, authentic and honest.
Let us stay away from being lofty.
No show off.

Let us always be our true self!

Maria

Sadhu in India 2011

contemplation

The doorway is yours

Dive into 2013 with your most raw and honest longings.

Stay open for the present moment. For the possibilities.

Go slowly.

S t e p   by   s t e p.

No rush.

Open the door and have a glimpse.

Many doors. Many choices.

A sankalpa often helps me to stay focused. Sankalpa in Sanskrit means will, purpose, or determination. I read somewhere it's like a New Year's resolution with a yogic twist.
A sankalpa, unlike New Year’s resolutions which oftentimes are publicly discussed in conversation, is more an internal vow you make to yourself.
A resolution and a silent vow just for you.

A sankalpa is not “I want to be more balanced” but instead, “I am balanced.”
Enjoy the freedom of  “I am,” rather than “I want”.

“I am healthy"
“I am running a marathon.”
“I am patient.”
"I accept myself as I am"
"I am kind and loving"

Make it simple.


“You are what your deepest desire is. As your desire is, so is your intention. As your intention is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.”



The Upanishads

The Doorway. Treetophut 2012

To love at all is to be vulnerable.....

....Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken.
If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.
Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change.
It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.
The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation.
The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.


 C.S. Lewis The Four Loves:

Butterfly wings in window. Skåne 2012

wisewords. pic from google

Shraddha - Trust and confidence

I`m into sanskrit terms for the moment.
Especially after radical study and exploration of body mind inside out at Bali.

Shraddha is a trust in yourself that you are moving in the right direction.
It is a feeling of confidence in your intuition to guide you.

A totally wholehearted belief.

The belief which take you over to the other side.

November is half done ;)


Bhagavad-gītā  17.3

sattvānurūpā sarvasya

śraddhā bhavati bhārata

śraddhāmayo 'yaḿ puruṣo

yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ

Faith is in accordance
with the truth(nature)of each. Arjuna.
Man is made of faith.
Whatever faith he has, thus he is.

* translation Winthrop Sargeant

F A I T H   winter in sweden 2009

It happens all the time in Heaven

It happens all the time in Heaven,

And some day

It will begin to happen

Again on earth --

That men and women who are married,

And men and men who are

Lovers,

And women and women

Who give each other

Light

Often will get down on their knees

And while so tenderly

Holding their lover's hand,

With tears in their eyes,

Will sincerely speak, saying,

"My dear,

How can I be more loving to you;

How can I be more

Kind?"


Hafiz

flower love - bali 2012