Severe or long-term pain should always be checked out by a health professional, but you can help yourself with everyday stresses, pains, and aches. We tend to judge them with anger and as the enemy, “Damn arthritis pain! Hurting me again!” Stress, aches, pain — always and without exception — need our loving attention. If … Continued
Saying, “Yes,” to life means also having to say, “No,” at times. Requests of us can be small — “Do you want to meet for coffee?” — or big, “Can I stay at your apartment for a few weeks?” When we fear the disapproval of others, we often say yes regardless of our true feelings. In dealing with doctors or other caregivers, it’s easy … Continued
I hope that you are taking the time to tune into your body on occasion throughout the day. Are you asking what your body needs in the moment and noticing any areas of tension? A good stretch is a simple and highly effective way to release tension and energize yourself. Why wait until your body is stressed? … Continued
It can be hard to find a place free of noise from traffic, aircraft, office equipment, home appliances, TVs, or stereos. Noise pollution and background noise is ever increasing, yet we are unaware because we’ve learned to block it out. High noise levels, however, still cause stress and irritability. Cultivating silence is the process of quieting … Continued
Flowers can calm your emotions, lift your spirits, and enhance your health. Pick some wildflowers, flowers from your garden, or buy a bunch of flowers to beautify your home or workspace. It’s a bonus if they have a scent that you enjoy! Place them somewhere they will be readily seen and allow them to lift … Continued
I encourage you to set aside some time this week to connect with yourself as your own best friend. We each have a good, basic sense of what is good for us and what is not. This is what you will be acknowledging in this exercise. To begin, take a minute to breath and settle … Continued
I believe that your health and happiness is yours to control. One simple way to practice self-responsibility is to acknowledge what you know about your life and health. The fact is, most of the time, you have a basic sense of what is good for you and what isn’t. I encourage you to take a … Continued
In this exercise – I encourage you to inhabit your body in a very specific way. Pause, for a few moments and become aware of how hungry your body feels. Ask yourself, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 = extreme — fainting from hunger and 10 = not hungry or overstuffed, just how … Continued
Twenty-four hours a day, your body/mind is communicating to you; giving you feedback about what it needs for its survival, its pleasure, its growth, its balance. Usually, these messages go unnoticed. To be more conscious the body needs you to listen to what it is saying. Trust what you hear and act on it. Often … Continued
Hindus call breath prana — the life force carried in the breath. In many languages the word for breath and spirit (life force), is the same. That’s how important the breath is. If nothing is done to restrict breathing, it happens naturally and fully. We inhibit natural breathing in many ways — poor posture, tight clothes, “speed-eating,” … Continued