But I'll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you'll come to understand that you're connected with everything

--- Alan Watts

Daily Tarot 

S P R I N G

It´s happening again.
The Spiral Of Life
We have already passed Spring Equinox and the days are getting longer.
But I have to admit that I still feel like a hibernating Mama Bear.
It`s time for cleansing out old winterdust with heaps of meditation and breathingwork.
Plant the seeds you wan`t to grow in your inner garden.
And nourish the ones who`s already there.

Keep your heart planted in the dirt.



there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see

charles Bukowski

Tussilago Farfara

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way

Native American saying

Open

Yoga retreats in Italy

Today I felt a tiny moment of Spring in the air. 
Sky a little bit brighter.
I saw snowdrops who survived their way from the Earth and stretched up into the light.
I had a moment of nostalgia. 
Springtime. 

You are invited to join me in Tuscany this Spring. 
I will return to beautiful Il Casone in Val d`Orcia Pienza 
Rise and Reconnect May 18 - 25
Yoga, meditation, contemplation and damn good coffee.

It is a journey for all your senses.
An awakening for your body. 
Turn your heart towards the sun.

See event on Facebook: Rise & Reconnect YogaRetreat

For more information, or questions, please contact maria@rommelyoga.no

If you wanna retreat and nourish yourself during fall, you are invited to join me for
Restore and Revitalize  Sep 21-28 2014 
The yoga and coffee are the same but the figs are ripe and ready to eat directly from the trees :)

Yoga Retreat 2013

Be s t i l l

This Spring is like a very narrow birth.
In many ways.
Nature is slow. Buds are bursting - and waiting.
To cold.
Waiting.
Our bodies may be feeling the same way.
Not ready.
As sloths, always taking their time.
Relaxed.

I saw a brilliant film the other day: Megane (or Glasses)
An unexpected pause from reality.

Taeko, a stressed, young proffessor, arrives on an island in the south of Japan for a vacation.
On this paradisical island little else matters beyond the recharging of spiritual batteries and the enjoyment of eating.
And of course" twilighting" -
They are referring to the art of slowing down, steeping ourselves in a place, doing nothing, and giving ourselves up to enjoying the present moment.
The movie is about the talent to be here.
It is quirky, and playful.
Taeko slowly learns to accept and then love the islands unique way of living.

Simply Being.

Take your time. On your mat. In your life. Dare to be different.


"There's nothing to do, nowhere to go, and the quality of your inner silence permeates everything you do"

Osho Zen: The Diamond Thunderbolt

twilighting - Tulum Sunrise

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

r e b i r t h

Springtime often reminds me to read a beautiful poem by Karin Boye .
When we start anew it can be both challenging and sweet at the same time.
So much longing. So much to digest and at the same time declutter from both body and mind.
For me this spring is about acceptance. And patience. Self healing.
As if I didn´t know that from before.
Balancing in all areas of my life.
It´s like a very narrow rebirth.
It maybe have some sweet spots I haven´t seen yet.
Like the buds who remain so tight and tense before blossoming.

And then breathe in more space. Letting go.


Here it is, the poem, both in english and in the original swedish translation.

Of course it hurts...

Yes, of course it hurts when buds are breaking.
Why else would the springtime falter?
Why would all our ardent longing
bind itself in frozen, bitter pallor?
After all, the bud was covered all the winter.
What new thing is it that bursts and wears?
Yes, of course it hurts when buds are breaking,
hurts for that which grow
and that which bars.

Yes, it is hard when drops are falling.
Trembling with fear, and heavy hanging,
cleaving to the twig, and swelling, sliding -
weight draws them down, though they go on clinging.
Hard to be uncertain, afraid and divided,
hard to feel the depths attract and call,
yet sit fast and merely tremble -
hard to want to stay
and want to fall.

Then, when things are worst and nothing helps
the tree's buds break as in rejoicing,
then, when no fear holds back any longer,
down in glitter go the twig's drops plunging,
forget that they were frightened by the new,
forget their fear before the flight unfurled -
feel for a second their greatest safety,
rest in that trust
that creates the world.


Visst gör det ont när knoppar brister...

Ja visst gör det ont när knoppar brister.
Varför skulle annars våren tveka?
Varför skulle all vår heta längtan
bindas i det frusna bitterbleka?
Höljet var ju knoppen hela vintern.
Vad är det för nytt, som tär och spränger?
Ja visst gör det ont när knoppar brister,
ont för det som växer
och det som stänger.

Ja nog är det svårt när droppar faller.
Skälvande av ängslan tungt de hänger,
klamrar sig vid kvisten, sväller, glider -
tyngden drar dem neråt, hur de klänger.
Svårt att vara oviss, rädd och delad,
svårt att känna djupet dra och kalla,
ändå sitta kvar och bara darra -
svårt att vilja stanna
och vilja falla.

Då, när det är värst och inget hjälper,
Brister som i jubel trädets knoppar.
Då, när ingen rädsla längre håller,
faller i ett glitter kvistens droppar
glömmer att de skrämdes av det nya
glömmer att de ängslades för färden -
känner en sekund sin största trygghet,
vilar i den tillit
som skapar världen.

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

Easter Blessings & rituals

It is still cold and winter here in Norway.
But the light and that days are longer is a promise that Spring will come this year too.
This is a time to make space for new growth and abundance. 
Making space for your dreams and visions.
Invite clarity.
I´m a devotee of rituals. 
And I love creating my own.
Set up a spring altar, with gemstones and colored eggs, daffodils and tulips, chocolate bunnies, candles, Maybe some crystals; rose quartz, blue calcite, amethyst and citrine.
Use your own fantasy and create the altar you want to celebrate the coming Spring.
Celebrate Abundance. 
Celebrate Ēostre. I wrote more about that last year.

my fertilizer

The Magic carpet

Lets`s assume your yogamat is a Magic Carpet.
Like in the story of  One Thousand and One Nights.
Where king Solomo had a magic carpet made of the finest, green silk.
The story says he used to eat lunch in Damascus and supper in Media.
It was a good way of traveling so to speak.
Environmentally friendly, probably quite comfy and a lot more exciting than a car.

What would you choose-  a car or a magic carpet?
Just imagine yourself flying high in the skies, looking down at the life of nature.
Where life is happening. 
Our life!
Everything is moving this time of the year.
You can almost see the power of nature unfold in front of your eyes in everysingle minute.
All these thoughts,hopes, visions and dreams........in blossom!

It takes us to the fact that everything is temporary.
Nothing is permanent. Everything changes and nothing at all stays the same.
And, it is the elusive nature of this life that makes it so sweet. 
It is the rise and the fall of life.
The ebb and the flow
Like the hibiscus flower who opens during the day and closes when the night falls.

Our human nature has a tendency to cling to the rise and want to rush through the fall, but every moment is part of the wondrous and beautiful process.
May we move through this journey, both ups and downs with openness and courage, knowing that they too shall pass and that feelings do change, every moment is precious, wonderful and full of wonder exactly as it is.

with wonder & humility

maria

nature in one of all precious moments

shake the dust

I`am so in love with this poem right now.................
listen softly,again and again and again.....
Read and enjoy.

This is for the fat girls.

This is for the little brothers.

This is for the school-yard wimps, this is for the childhood bullies who tormented them.

This is for the former prom queen, this is for the milk-crate ball players.

This is for the nighttime cereal eaters and for the retired, elderly Wal-Mart store front door greeters.

Shake the dust.

This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them,

for the bus drivers driving a million broken hymns,

for the men who have to hold down three jobs simply to hold up their children,

for the nighttime schoolers and the midnight bike riders who are trying to fly. Shake the dust.

This is for the two-year-olds who cannot be understood because they speak half-English and half-god.

Shake the dust.

For the boys with the beautiful sisters. Shake the dust.

For the girls with the brothers who are going crazy,

for those gym class wall flowers and the twelve-year-olds afraid of taking public showers,

for the kid who's always late to class because he forgets the combination to his lockers,

for the girl who loves somebody else. Shake the dust.

This is for the hard men, the hard men who want to love but know that it won't come.

For the ones who are forgotten, the ones the amendments do not stand up for.

For the ones who are told to speak only when you are spoken to and then are never spoken to.

Speak every time you stand so you do not forget yourself.

Do not let a moment go by that doesn't remind you that your heart beats 900 times a day and that there are enough gallons of blood to make you an oceans.

Do not settle for letting these waves settle and the dust to collect in your veins.

This is for the celibate pedophile who keeps on struggling,

for the poetry teachers and for the people who go on vacations alone.

For the sweat that drips off of Mick Jaggers' singing lips and for the shaking skirt on Tina Turner's shaking hips, for the heavens and for the hells through which Tina has lived.

This is for the tired and for the dreamers and for those families who'll never be like the Cleavers with perfectly made dinners and sons like Wally and the Beaver.

This is for the biggots,

this is for the sexists,

this is for the killers.

This is for the big house, pen-sentenced cats becoming redeemers and for the springtime that always shows up after the every single winter.

This -  This is for you.

Make sure that by the time fisherman returns you are gone.

Because just like the days, I burn both ends and every time I write, every time I open my eyes I am cutting out a part of myself to give to you.

So shake the dust and take me with you when you do for none of this has never been for me.

All that pushes and pulls, pushes and pulls for you.

So grab this world by its clothespins and shake it out again and again and jump on top and take it for a spin and when you hop off shake it again for this is yours.

This is yours!

Make my words worth it, make this not just another poem that I write, not just another poem like just another night that sits heavy above us all.

Walk into it, breathe it in, let is crash through the halls of your arms at the millions of years of millions of poets coursing like blood pumping and pushing making you live, shaking the dust.

So when the world knocks at your front door, clutch the knob and open on up, running forward into its widespread greeting arms with your hands out stretched before you,

fingertips trembling,

though they may be.

Shake the dust.

Written and performed by Anis Mojgani

Ēostre ❤

☀

Today it is Spring equinox and the first day of Spring.

It is also called Ostara, named from the Goddess Ostara or Ēostre

Ēostre is the Germanic Goddess of Spring and she is also connected with renewal and fertility.

Her symbols are eggs.  And eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. She is also often pictured with a rabbit or hare.
Hares and rabbits have long been symbols of fertility.

Ostara is a time to celebrate the arrival of Spring, the renewal and rebirth of Nature.

It is a time to bless your spring seeds and place them in your heart and into the ground.
Nature is celebrating. The light is coming back. Spring will be it`s usual lush and abundant green. Every single time.
This is an excellent time of year to begin anything new or to completely revitalize something. 
To shake the dust of ourselves. Renew our thoughts, our dreams, and our commitments. Renewing our relationships. Recycling.
We can reflect on the ways we spend our time and energy and whether they are in alignment with  and support what we truly value.


Spring cleaning, from the inside-out, is a good way of manifest and express the energy of renewal and new beginnings. Clear out clutter and stagnation, regrets and old grudges.
Make space for new growth and abundance. Shake it all out!


Set up a spring altar, with gemstones and colored eggs, daffodils and tulips, chocolate bunnies, candles, a cup of water…maybe with some crystals; rose quartz, blue calcite, amethyst and citrine.
Use your own fantasy and create the altar you want to celebrate Spring.
Or Easter if you want ;)


Face the Sun.

ℳ.

borrowed from google

 

Trust the process

Growing hurts sometimes.

And at the same time it is a breathtaking journey.
To grow. To enjoy the ride.

We need courage to grow.
Like the tiny but brave flowers, who grow out of the mud into the light during springtime.
Everysinglespring.............
We are not separate from the Nature.
We also need to nourish ourselves.
Water our souls from the inside.
Feeding our precious, earthly beings with respect.
Again and again.

Believe in yourself - trust the process.

Be radical, honest and compassionate!
Be the remarkable person you truly are!

newborn......