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 

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Like a Love balloon

So, the theme for this week is coming up here pretty late. I know :)
I´m overwhelmed with getting used to have a young man in my house.
My youngest brother, only 23 years young, lives with me for a while.
I`m learning how to expand and stretch my heart ( and patience) a little bit more.
New routines and schedules.

So, it is late but not a tiny bit less important.
It´s been all about trust and self care the latest weeks.
Establishing trust and inner peace.
Contact.

I think, that if we create a solid foundation of trust, it´s so much easier to enter our own heart.
The Anahata Chakra
Be more loving to ourselves.
Be more loving to our friends, partners, familys and community.
More loving to the Earth.
Make space for more.
It is a practice we have to choose over and over again.

To live from the heart.
Act from the heart.

Be love.
Live love.

One of my students said that she felt like a love ballon after the heart class Monday morning
I couldn`t agree more.

That`s a brilliant metaphor.
A Love Balloon ( ( ( ♥ ) ) )

tulip love

The greatest high on earth is being able to trust yourself

~Lauren Zander

Trust really starts with being there for ourselves.
Being in contact with our center.
Breathe. Making space for what is.
How come it is so easy to be present for the people we love and not for ourselves?

Located in the area of the solar plexus, navel, and the digestive system, the fiery third chakra is called Manipūra, the "lustrous gem " or "city of jewels".
Associated with the color yellow, this chakra is involved in self-esteem, (love)warrior energy, and the power of transformation; it also governs digestion and metabolism.
Self-awareness, identity and trust are other pearls of the Manipūra Chakra.
Until we discover these pearls within us and raise them into the light we live in constant fear.
Fear that we will not be loved, fear of becoming ill, of dying, etc.
A healthy, spirited third chakra supports us in overcoming dullness, assert our will, and assume responsibility for our life.
This chakra is also the place of our deep belly laughter, warmth, ease, and the vitality we receive from performing selfless service.

What does it mean to you to be present for yourself? 

trust & grow

Trust.

Have faith in the future.
Rely om the Universe.
Have faith in yourself.
Sounds like a good reciepe not only for the week but for life.
Trust is strength.

t r u s t
In swedish and norwegian language, trust is actually written the same way in both directions;  t i l l i t
It may be symbolic of what trust stands for, because trust needs to exist on both sides.
A relationship filled with trust are a healthy realtionship there trust goes both ways and there 2 people contribute to that trust is a part of the relationship.


To be strong is to understand weakness.
To be weak is to have fears.
To have fears is to have something precious to you.
To have something precious to you is to be strong.

~ Tablo

total trust frognerparken oslo march 2013

Full Moon blessings and Gratitude

2013

The year of the Watersnake.
From an astrological wiev this is the time to heal, forgive and release.

And Monday Feb 25th  we have an illuminating Full Moon in Virgo.

I read these beautiful words on this blog the other day:
 

"The Virgo Full Moon is showing us that acceptance heals our heart. Accepting the choices other people make will free us. We will feel lighter. We will feel better. For instance, when we release our need to fix, save and rescue others. Accepting the choices that others make allows them to learn from their experience.”

Back from Tulum Mexico.

The days in Norway are a tiny bit longer and the temperature a little higher.

I feel so grateful. It is easier to be in contact with gratitude when we forgive, heal and release.

It is time to face the sun. Go out in nature. Touch the earth.

Go inside and ask yourself what am I really grateful for.

I leave you with an ever so freshly mantra from Kaypacha

Mother Nature is forever calling me home,
She speaks through the crystals, stones, and bones,
If I can be still and turn off my phone,
I will see that I am never really alone.




Tulum beach afternoon. 

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

Clarity

Almost the end of Januay 2013.....
Still wiping dust of the mirror of 2012? 
Full Moon hangover?  
And I don`t mean the hangover which comes from a this kind of full moon party.
More the hangover from how the moon and the planets affects us.
If you are interested to dive deeper into that,
I suggest you to listen to someone who loves the Universe like Tom K Lescher.
I really enjoy listening to his astro forecasts which he presents in a quirky and honest way.
(Perfect to enjoy lying on a yogabolster covered  in blankets :))


What does it mean to make space for YOU in your life?
To really be clear about what`s good for you.
What do you need to get to that space of clarity?


LISTEN to your heart.
Meditate, take walks in nature, log off, take solitude...
whatever is good for you and go inside for exploration.
Before you totally can embrace that distinct space inside, you have to figure out if you’re stuck in some areas in your life. Sounds kind of basic but not.
Sometimes we carry around that restless feeling who keeps us from being true to ourselves.
Take a lot of quiet time to reflect and contemplate.
Continue listening and take time every day to fully appreciate yourself.
What are my needs?



Embrace your fear. Make peace with her. Over and over again.


Change is scary.
Don`t wait until the right moment. Be honest to yourself. Speak the truth. Jump.
It’s uncomfortable....
Saying no, letting go of things and people that don`t serve you anymore can be sad and scary.
We tend to cling to what we know. Safety is survival.

Stay with peeps who support you. Who are comforting to be with.
Who accept and love you with all that you are. Inside out!
Gift them with your truth and vulnerability. 

Share.
Share and give to the people who recieves with an open heart.
And to the ones who`s not.

I leave you with this:

The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.

Stephanie Perkins

bali sunset padang padang 2012

The art of quiet

In this never-ending multitasking world, my need for rest and quiet gets more and more visible and clear. I long for these moments of tranquility.
I`m not alone. For sure.
The world needs more being. Not only doing.
More Yin. To balance out Yang.
In our culture most people suffers by over stimulation of the senses. The result of a constant noise of impressions from television, radio, computers, newspapers, magazines, books, etc .
We are always reachable and always online.


When I long for quiet it`s not necessarily silence. It is not the same.
I long for peace on the inside.
To retreat from all that overwhelming and absorbing noise.
I need to connect with my inside world.
Maybe study another chatter.
Stay with it.
Be there.
Make peace.

The fifth limb of Patanjalis Ashtanga yoga is pratyahara (sense withdrawal) 

Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses from external objects.
(drawing back or retreat. The word ahara means "nourishment"; pratyahara translates as "to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses." )

By drawing attention away from the external environment and turn it inward,
focusing on our breathing and inner sensations we become more aware of our body.
To let your attention draw back from the external world to the internal world.
Becoming one with the inner experience.

Give yourself a gift: balance your art of productivity with the art of quiet .
Contemplate.


R E S T  

peace tree january 2013

Where is your focus?

The main source for our sensory input are our eyesight.

We enjoy sunsets and sunrises. We read. We look into other beings eyes.
On our yogamat we are likely to study our toenails. The neighbours outfit. Cracks in the roofs.
The other students asana moves.
Eyes wandering....
Our attention will stay where we choose to fix our gaze.
On our yogamat. Or in our daily life.

Drishti, the Sanskrit term for sight, direction or focused gaze, is a tool used in asana practice, traditionally Ashtanga, to bring you closer to dharana (concentration)
It`s actually 9 options of dristhi.
To use drishti in our practice, it will be a good reminder to stay focused.
To turn inward.
Concentrate.
Balance.
Drishti is a soft-focus gaze, not a piercing stare, with relaxed, even gently blurred eyes.
A gift to the heart to remain steady and soft.

Give it a try.

A t t e n t i o n .

Now.

friend with focus - treetophut 2012