Goodbye 2013

 ( ( ( ♥ ) ) )

2013 - A year with lots of love, change, growth, grief, illness and new insights.

And the most inportant - it`s been guiding me right back into my heart, over and over again.

A couple of memorable moments in 2013:
 

Celebrating my way into the 40`s in Tulum Mexico.

My beloved brother moved to Oslo- I can`t decribe how grateful I am.
Zen Coaching Training completed at Beautiful Ängsbacka.
The yearly Celebrate retreat at Crete with my companion Surya.

Spending a month on the wild and energetic Island of Crete is such a blessing.
Almost 3 weeks holiday in New York celebrating life. As it is.
My yogaretreat Restore And Revitalize were held for the first time in Tuscany late Sept.
And all everyday moments and meetings in- between with amazing people.
The best x-mas and ending of the year happend. In a cabin at the countryside in Värmland Sweden.


And the best and scariest of everything. Having a pause from teaching.
Doing "nothing".
Working fulltime on healing my body inside out.

Thanks to my loved ones for being there.
To all my teachers.
And thanks to all my students for going this path with me.

I bow to you.

2013, thanks for holding me. For guiding me in right direction.
 

2014, I meet you in silence

 

 ♥ ♥ ♥ Namaste.

Magic in New York 2013

 

X-mas Light - Winter Solstice

Wish you all a peaceful holiday.
Celebrate light and connection.
Stay close to your center.
Be a Love Warrior
In the midst of this madness.
Heal yourself inside out.
Own your truth.
Love unconditionally
Believe
Receive
And enjoy the silence.

Yours Sincerely Maria

retro postcard

Rest, accept - Repeat!!

Our regular hathayoga practice is a real luxury.
And often we take it for granted.
It is not until we are unable to practice we really understand the value of what it brings to us.

And of course -  the fact that you are unable to have a physical practice -  will guide you deeper into your already existing practice.

I have said those words. Many times.
And believed those words.
And for sure heard those words, a million times.
And it is not until now I understand the meaning deep into my core.

It comes to my mind that I`m used to process a lot of my everyday life on my mat.
Both mentally, emotionally and physically. Thats not uncommon. We all do.
And moving things around physically also kept my body healthy and vibrant.
Now, when Im unable to use my physical body in that process it`s been tricky to really surrender and accept how things are.
It was a whole lot of easier a couple of years ago when I had bad fracture in my left hand.
After 2 surgeries and 2 months I were teaching a retreat in Costa Rica.
Happily convinced that I were back on my hands during summer the same year,
It happend.

Today it`s different. Of course. It always are.
More painful. More resistance.
And thats a good thing.

I`m still learning how to be more gentle. More kind. Patience.
Really going outside my comfort zone.
To truly dare to rest is being far out of my comfort zone.
Being still. At peace. Watch every moment grow.
I surrender. And I reflect even more.
I`m closer to the present moment even when I´m not teaching or practicing a challenging asana.
And I wan`t to share that wisdom.

I witness Life as it is.
That`s such a great gift.
I am forever grateful.

Truth

Maybe the deepest part of who we are is what scares us or breaks our hearts and we don’t want to share that with anyone and when we do, we don’t want to lose those people

 - unknown

 

 

Healing Hippie Love

Dive deep inside, explore, rest ♥

Sognsvann

Whatever opens us is not as important as what it opens

Mark Nepo

Present Moment at Ängsbacka Sep 2013

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

"When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."


~Harriet Beecher Stowe

Soft Vrikshasana - India Mandrem Beach 2011

Ganesh

I bow to Ganesh with the beautiful potbelly.
Thanks for always guiding me.

Ganesha ( also spelled Ganesa, also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka)
is immediately recognizable as the elephant-headed god.

Ganesh is the master of wisdom and knowledge.
He is the remover of obstacles, and guardian of beauty, prosperity, grace and compassion.
Ganesh is the first deity to be reverenced in Hindu rites and a guardian of doors of houses and temples.
He is the God that removes the internal and external obstacles of our success, and he is the one that grants the opening of our spiritual gifts.
Ganesh is the Lord of Beginnings and also the protector of all beings.

His mantra is Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. 
This particular mantra which can be loosely translated to :
Yo! Wake up the energy of transformation so I can move through any obstacles in my life. Hooray!
Most importantly, we are calling upon the powerful energy of Ganesh.
  
Click to listen:  Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. 


A very loose translation might be:
Om = Salutations! Everyone wake up!
Gam = The secret power sound of Ganesh. It is his “seed syllable” or bija mantra.
Ganapataye = Another name of Ganesh, the breaker of obstacles.
Namaha = Yo! Ganesh! You da God!
 

Ganesh - India 2011

Dream Big

This view

Imagine see this magnificant view over Mount Amiata every morning?
And meditate with the energy of Her.
So precious.

I recognize how easy it is to get used to daily impressions.
I see the same woman smoking her cigarettes in the window across the street every day.
The sky from my bedroom in early mornings.
The roses in the backyard.
And so on.
While teaching a retreat in Tuscany a couple of weeks ago I could indulge in this amazing view over sacred Monte Amiata every day.
I just couldn`t get enough of "her". I could drink this view throughout the day and night.
I´m quite sure I get used to it if I lived there. Maybe.
Or maybe I would indulge and merge with her as often and amazed as I did the ten days I had there.
Who know?

I will remind myself to look around and see my usual  surroundings with even more curiousity.
With childlike wonder.
With presence.
And allow myself to be moved and touched by the everydays Beauty.

Just see this

Aleph

Life, Love & Death

Contasts creates creativity.

From vibrant NYC to peaceful Ängsbacka.
For me, it means moving from outside pulsation to inner pulsation.
I can hear my heart a little more clearly in Nature.
Who doesen´t?

Life. Love. Death.

It`s just the beginning.

Let your heart explode.

Ängsbacka

w o r d

As you proceed through life, following your own path, birds will shit on you. Don’t bother to brush it off. Getting a comedic view of your situation gives you spiritual distance. Having a sense of humor saves you.”

 

~ Joseph Campbell

joymagnet on the inside, Oslo July 2013

Going to Wonderland

Time to fly.

This time New York.
I will spend some time replenishing the philosophical part of me.
Through pulsating impressions from a buzzing and vibrant city.
Contasts.
I like that.
Moving slowly.

Be open. Be decadent. Be restful.

NYC 2011

note to self

“{You} will find new strength. {You} will soar high on wings like eagles. {You} will run and not grow weary. {You} will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 

“Nature is the best thing we’ve got.”

Peter Beard

 

my roots at Crete 2013

 

 

Playlist Summer 2013

Celebrate Connection & Love Playlist 2013

Introduction By Russell Simmons
Azawade  The Touré-Raichel Collective
10 Laws  East Forest
Light  Dr. Toast
Govinda  Atman
Mi Mujer  Nicolas Jaar
Harvest Moon  Poolside
John Mayer - I'm On Fire (Battle Studies Bonus Track)
Little Buddha (Featuring Abih)  See New Project
Temple Prayer  MC Yogi
Give Love  MC Yogi
Guru Mantra (feat. Marti Nikko)  DJ Drez03-22 23:25
Mother India  Fun-Da-Mental
Third Eye  Glen Velez
Summer Days (feat. Bajka)
Earthgarden  Nada
Ane Brun True Colours (cover Cyndi Lauper)
Summertime Sadness  Lana Del Rey
Try  The xx
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold 
Flying  Garth Stevenson
Grandmothersphere  East Forest
Letting Yourself Be Loved - Lew Epstein
The End of Suffering - Thich Nhat Hanh  - Graceful Passages
Abundance  Lisbeth Scott
Power of Prayer (so Purkh)  Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa
Baba Hanuman (Live)  Krishna Das Krishna Das



Restorative & Kidney Love

Power of Prayer (so Purkh)  Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa
Abundance  Lisbeth Scott Om Sweet Om
Purnamadah  Shantala The Love Window
Bija  Todd Norian Bija
Oneness Blessing  Nahuel Schrajis The Oneness Blessing
Oneness Blessing (Instrumental)  Nahuel Schrajis The Oneness Blessing
Woodlands Heart  Kaia Inner Quiet
Flying  Garth Stevenson
The End of Suffering - Thich Nhat Hanh  Graceful Passages
Letting Yourself Be Loved - Lew Epstein  Graceful Passages
Ohroo  Biomusique The 10,000 Steps
Grandmothersphere  East Forest Love Bomb
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold 

Photo: Sabina Fattah

We often forget that WE ARE NATURE.
Nature is not something separate from us.
So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.



- Andy Goldsworthy -

sunrise at triopetra 2013 - I am U

Bye bye Crete I Love You

Hokusai Says’

I wanna share this amazing poem with you.
I´m off to Mother Crete for a month.
And magical Triopetra.
Embrace July.

Hokusai says Look carefully.
He says pay attention, notice.
He says keep looking, stay curious.
He says there is no end to seeing.
He says Look Forward to getting old.
He says keep changing, you just get more who you really are.
He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it’s interesting.
He says keep doing what you love.
He says keep praying.
He says every one of us is a child, every one of us is ancient, every one of us has a body.
He says every one of us is frightened.
He says every one of us has to find a way to live with fear.
He says everything is alive – shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees.
Wood is alive.
Water is alive
Everything has its own life.
Everything lives inside us.
He says live with the world inside you.
He says it doesn’t matter if you draw, or write books.
It doesn’t matter if you saw wood, or catch fish.
It doesn’t matter if you sit at home and stare at the ants on your verandah or the shadows of the trees and grasses in your garden.
It matters that you care.
It matters that you feel.
It matters that you notice.
It matters that life lives through you.
Contentment is Life living through you.
Joy is life living through you.
Satisfaction and strength is life living through you.
Peace is life living through you.
He says don’t be afraid.
Don’t be afraid.
Look, feel, let life take you by the hand.
Let life live through you.

Roger Keyes

Midsummer & celebrate light

For us who live in Scandinavia we are reaching Midsummer, the peak celebration of the summertime when the days are longer than the nights. In the north, the sun never sets.
Nature is lush green and bursting with chlorophyll, it is definatly a time of celebrating the fullness of life.

Go outside. Pick some flowers. Contemplate. Let nature embrace you.
Honouring this very moment. Count your blessings.

Forever Grateful

Maria

Bonfire at Ängsbacka 2013

 

 

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

for you

my altar in june

You must unlearn what you have learned

Yoda - you are my spiritual Master :)

Our ego’s needs are endless.
We can indulge into the past and our ego will find problems and a need to solve and get rid of them.
But our problems cannot be solved on the level of our minds.
At most they can be understood and accepted on the level of the mind.
But then all we can do is living in the present moment.
Delete the old program and start over.
Every single moment.
The thing that is so important to remember is that beyond your logo, beyond your identity, your tribe, your circle of friends, family and company – is the Essence.
Your own radiant soul.

every moment is a new adventure

“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

Satya

Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?

These three short but very powerful questions have been attributed to Socrates, Sufi, Buddha and different people who all believe in enlightenment.

Three very useful reminders when we communicate with others.
And three questions you can ask yourself when you speak about other people and most importantly when you speak about yourself.

I believe that the words we use about ourselves are like written affirmations – they confirm what we believe about ourselves – and give permission to other people to treat us in the way we describe.

Satya – Commitment to Truthfulness
In the Yoga Sutra (Chapter II, verse 30), Patanjali presents to yoga students the concept of satya (truth) 
Read more about the yogic practice of satya (truth) in Yoga Journal here.

Satya means "to speak the truth," yet it is not always desirable to speak the truth on all occasions, for it could harm someone unnecessarily.
We have to consider what we say, how we say it, and in what way it could affect others.
If speaking the truth has negative consequences for another, then it is better to say nothing.

I´m preparing for six days study of  Zen Coaching, which, also includes the teachings of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), developed by Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D.
So far it`s been a great support for deepening my practice and understanding of satya on and of the mat.


To speak from satya is to bring out the very best in others and in ourselves.
Both on and off the mat.
When we speak from a place of awareness , we are creating the universe we want to be in for the rest of our lives.

In Love M

Google pic wisdom

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

When life gives you lemons - eat rainbows

----
me


Ever since I was a little brown-eyed girl,
I believed that I could find a treasure in the end of every rainbow.
I still do.
And I also know that eating rainbows can be a good thing to do.
Especially when life taste more like like a big squeeze of lime than a soft chocolate cake.
It gives me balance.

Imagine life like a rainbow.
A wide, colourful wave to experience.
Taste.
Witness.
With all that implies.
With both pearls and junk along the way.
Sometimes the junk transforms into diamonds.
Sometimes it`s just junk.
It´s a huge, rockin`wave.
With treasures, to beautiful to ignore, along the way.

One important thing to notice:
balancing on a huge rainbow wave can be tricky sometimes.
Some waves are smoother, some quite rough.

How do you keep balance in your life?

Contemplate, or just have a big bite of the rainbow itself.

I found one

Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things.

"The Yoda Sutras"


Yoda, the wise little man in Star Wars, comes close to something we also can read about in The Yoga Sutras:

Aparigraha
This last yama is usually translated as non-greed or non-possessiveness.
An easier way to think of it might be learning how to deal with our innate desire for more – or at least, to sit with the desire, observe it in a nonjudgmental way, and, hopefully, watch it subside,

Greed, or wanting more, often comes from two misapprehensions.
One is that ‘I lack something,’ The other is "that you have what I need"

We do have phycial needs, so it’s not about our basic, fundamental needs.

Often the problem comes from the sensation that
‘I don’t have enough,’ or ‘I`m not enough.’
And that’s where it can be destructive.
It’s a paradoxical effect, because getting more almost always stimulates wanting even more.
We are constantly bombarded with images of excess from the media,
which essentially works to “whip up our desire for more.”
And this becomes a cruel cycle.

Me myself are saying yes to desire! 
I say yes to Life.
To abundance.
But I say no to  w a n t i n g .
And I´m curious about how we can be more aware of what we desire.
And why?

And use our yogapractice to really merge with that question.
And be careful not bringing the "lack" to our mats.
Not straining for more excitment.
Do your own practice.



You can read a great article about Aparigraha here where my text in the beginning also comes from.

grounded

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

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

t o d a y

 googlepic - perfect 

She took a leap of faith and grew her wings on the way down

~ David Brinkley

mountain herbs Crete 2012

You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state

----Sharon Gannon


This quote indicates that yoga is a way of life and not just a series of poses.
I like that.
We doesen´t need to circus performers to be true yogis.
But we can use our bodies as tools to explore life.
As it is.
We can learn how to be a better humans both on and off the mat.
And also see what´s need to be done, to achieve the real healing.

Always expanding and stretching our hearts so we can reach our fullest potential.

In gratitude.

my very happy Bali feet

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

Power, time, gravity, love. The forces that really kick ass are all invisible

David Mitchell - Cloud Atlas

soulfeet

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