Thanksgiving
October 13, 2008 at 11:49 am | In daily practices, meditation, taking care, yoga | Leave a CommentTags: Add new tag, libre
today i give thanks for all the support i receive in this world. My Mom has been to visit and i am thankful for our time together.
as i begin to see my own harvest i am willing and eager to manifest my dreams, to be all that i can be.
yoga routines help me heal any lingering wounds and now with my new business venture I happy to have a focus to bring ‘tea moments’ to all who enjoy loose leaf tea.
these two paths of business and yoga are the intersection of nirvana for me and i am grateful for the opportunity to serve this cosmos is some productive fashion.
having been just involved in Yoga Month festival in Vancovuer I am so pleased to move forward with these two passions. Already my first yoga studio/tea room is involved and now am connected wtih the Yoga Alliance of BC.
Thanks be to the universe for providing so abundantly.
note to self: meditate and do yoga daily to remember the abundance
Relaxation and Wellness
April 29, 2008 at 12:03 pm | In aging, conscious living, daily practices, health, taking care | Leave a CommentTags: conscious planet
I’m an advocate for relaxing as when our bodies and internal cels are relaxed we experience little fear and joy has a opportunity to arise. As well when our physical body is relaxed there is a greater opportunity for personal awareness and expanding consciouness.
In addition to physical relaxation for our cells i am also very interested in enhancing our wellness through basics like what we eat and what nourishes our cells. The cellular ‘intelligence’ we possess can be enhanced through nutrition for our physical wellness, relaxation excercises like yoga for our emotional wellness and increasing our consciousness for our spiritual wellness.
I have signed up for some nutritional supplements that affects physical and spiritual/consciousness wellness. The product line is based on hemp – a food my body enjoys and assimilates well – and the mineral supplement is what i will try out first. The theory is based on David Hawkins work that all substances have a conscousness level and the more exposure to higher consciousness we experience the more light and consciousness we generate.
So all the producst contains substances with a high conscousness rating. Hemp is a high consciousness food and all the product is based on hemp. It contains omega 3 and 6 in the right proportions for the body to effectively absorb.
I will provide updates to what i notice as i begin the mineral supplements.
The company is Conscous Planet and after meting a representative at a community ’earth day’ celebration i perused the web site and then listened to the founders video. It is clear the principles under which the company operates and its goals are compatible with my ever increasing want for more conscious living.
all for now
Wendy
Relaxing at Work
April 28, 2008 at 2:51 pm | In daily practices, health, relaxation | Leave a CommentMy last post in December 2007 occurred just before i broke my leg (fibula fracture and dislocation).It has been a slow process and this past weekend i started to walk with no cane or crutch! So i can walk slowly and with some normalcy.
Interestingly enough it seems this is all about slowing down – and here i thought i was slowed down from my oft frentic pace. So with much time to reflect and mucho time to relax i have a new way of being – hopefully more conscious and aware.
Work??? well i am now going to be working 2 days a week at a snack kiosk in the Gibsons harbour – the Little Wild an offshoot of the superb Wild Bakery and Bistro.
You can’t get any more scenic and realising that my social outlets have been few i thought this would fulfill my emotional health and bring in some spending monies. I expect to relax at work! It will not be too busy for the first few weeks and there is an internet connection so i can keep in touch with other interests in the down times.
My yoga is in the mornings now and i focus on relaxation and stretching in the evenings.
Any tips on you relax at work??
From another beautiful day in paradise on the Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada
Wendy
Amazing to think of relaxing while at work yet i am sure with the beauty and sea air it will be a refreshing relaxation opportunity.
Bedtime and Yoga
December 12, 2007 at 5:35 pm | In breathing, daily practices, relaxation, sleep better, taking care | 2 CommentsGetting a good night’s sleep at this time of year can be a challenge – so many ‘to do’s’ and so little time. We gear ourselves up with expectations and invariably our mind is way too busy trying to be one step ahead to get it all done.
This leaves the question – how to relax and go to sleep.
Yoga at bedtime – try it out. There are many types of yoga and kinds of postures. Those that help bedtime relaxation are not meant to get your energy going. They are meant to allow your parasympathetic nervous system to activate. We are often full of andrenylin throughout the day so being in touch with our ‘calming nervous system’ is not easy nor engaged without some attention.
I’ll be posting some pictures of the postures I will describe but in the meantime I recommend the folllowing postures with attention at all times resting on your breath (if thoughts enter your mind, acknowledge them and let them go). This routine can be done when you are all ready to go to bed.
1. legs up the wall – - lie on your back so that your buttocks touch the wall and your legs are resting up the wall – straight up or knees bent out with soles of feet touching (creates a diamond shape), arms are relaxed at your sides, palms up. try 10 breaths or more – slowly in and out – belly rise, belly fall:)
2. knees to chest – still at the wall – bring your knees to our chest and hold onto shins or wrap arms around them – lighting holding – in breath allow expansionof the chest, out breath pull inwith the arms – try 10 breaths here.
3. forward fold – get into bed sitting up with legs open in a ‘v’ and pillows in front of you between your legs. Allow your torso to drape over the pillows leaving your face clear to breathe. Give your attention to on your breath and breathe into the back of your lungs (i.e. your back) – exhale very slowly and completely. Breathing 10 times.
4. lie down on your back – head on low rise pillow, arms away from your body with palms up – connect with your breath and breath into your belly feeling it go up,and then down on the exhale, feel each body part sinking into the bed and being supported by the mattress
5. do not move and repeat quietly to yourself – “My body is relaxed and comfortable, I am resting and peaceful”
Shhhhhh…good night.
Try it for several nights in a row. The more similar the routine of going to bed is – activities and timing – the more your body will know it is time to go to sleep.
Sweet dreams:)
Morning meditation
December 3, 2007 at 11:12 pm | In breathing, daily practices, health, meditation | 1 CommentI have been wanting to get a new morning routine. For the last 2 weeks i have meditated in the morning for 10 to 20 minutes. Upon waking I get up and make it to the bathroom and then get back into bed and sit on top of a couple of pillows. I focus on my straight spine and lengthening it with every breath. Then i just relax and observe my breath – where it goes, where it meets resistance. My point of focus then progresses to mid brow where i connect with the blackness of the big bang- I lose myself and my boundaries and meld into the infinite.
I am not sure what this does for me yet – no overt response i can name – i will keep going though as something in me believes it is supporting my inner calm to exist – being a fiery person steady is a a good antidote to the daily ups and downs. Also as i become more acclimatised to my own fragility this less abrupt arrival in the world ver morning reminds me i can enhance the gentleness i perceive in the world.
So for now i continue and will update changes i notice.
A Massage for Couples
November 12, 2007 at 10:43 pm | In aging, massage, relaxation, sleep better, taking care | Leave a CommentAt Harrison Hot Springs we were celebrating our anniversary and so what better way to relax and be romantic than a couples massage. We had been in the hot pools ’softening up’ for the experience.
Once at the spa (a few steps from the hot pools) we were led to another room – soft music and lighting – with 2 massage tables set-up and we each had our own massuese – very experienced with one of us wanting a deep tisssue massage and me a relaxation massage. What a great experience, to be in each other’s energy while deeply relaxing and surrendering our bodies to the massaging hands.
It certainly was a unique event and romantic – we finished up an hour later and put our bath robes back on and wandered to the lobby for a lite dinner. Although robes are fine in the lobby they are not ok in the lobby lounge. So luckily we brought some clothes, got changed and had a slow and enjoyable dinner before retiring for the evening.
Had a marvellous sleep that night, our second night and final night. Two nights makes all the difference – so much space and time to relax into with no other agenda.
I hope we can make this get away a tradition for our anniversary – such lovely memories and not stress!! I can certainly understand how this state of bliss could lead to a youthful outlook, even the lines of life were receding from my face.
Relaxing at Harrison Hot Springs
November 7, 2007 at 10:38 pm | In aging, health, massage, meditation, relaxation, taking care | Leave a CommentI really must talk about this more as it was such a treat and i think a very healthy time away. relaxing in the hot pools 2 to 3 x per day for 3 days was so therapeutic. even my mind is clearer and my energy is calmer all round. We went to Harrison Hot Springs Resort see yesterdays post for the link.
I am noticing that my skin all over is much softer and my face brighter. Being a spa kind of place i thought i would bring my own mini spa supplies – french clay masque, shea body butter, sloughing lather and pumice stone. After a couple of my hot pools i showered and used the supplies and then the shea body butter mmm… feels so good.
Also had massage. Very experienced staff and thought the massage was excellent.
We had a couples massage – 2 massueses in 1 room with us each on our own masage tables – very intimate…sort of…not sure what to make of the experience…it certainly was something new to enjoy together. Would do it again for a romantic occassion.
Our massage was at 6pm so after we put on some clothes and went to the lobby bar for a relaxing drink and very light supper….excellent salad and presentation.
Speaking of the lobby, many people would wander the lobby in ther robes. Every room has robes that all where back and forth to the hot pools. Very relaxing to stop in the lobby by the fireplace in the big comfy chairs on the way top the pools.
So bliss it was for 2 nights and 3 days….trying to keep the feeling alive with meditation and yoga in the morning now. But my oh my i hope to do that again within 6 months or next year for our anniversary again. Sounds like a tradition in the making.
Relaxing Harrison Hot Springs
November 7, 2007 at 9:12 am | In aging, health, relaxation, taking care | Leave a CommentJust returned from 2 days at Harrison Hot Springs - a jewel of a place 2 hours east of Vancouver. I don’t know what they put in that water:) The mineral content is high so it just infuses the body and balances the system. My body felt significantly more relaxed and looser every time i sat in those pools for a while.
There are 3 hotpools i enjoyed each with increasing temperatures from 98 degrees to 104 degrees farenheit. The beautiful outdoor setting of the hot pools within the hotel area is stately and relaxing. The hotter pool is indoors in a facility with a spa as well as a separate facility that included a pool, hotpool and changerooms with steam rooms!
We were there for 2 nights – saturday and sunday – the former quite busy with a conference and also the traditional Haney to Harrison run. Sunday was much quieter although throughout the day there were many people around lunching and walking.
This hotel sits on beautiful lake front with glacier views and hills rising up on all sides of the lake. Many people come for the summertime fun however i am recommending it in the off season (an internet special room rate). The cooler air temperatures really adds to the enjoyment of the hotpools.
My whole body feels looser and my mind clear. What an amazing way to spend a couple of days if the goal is true relaxation.
More Relaxation Benefits – boost your IQ in the workplace
October 27, 2007 at 8:34 am | In health, massage, relaxation, taking care, workplace | Leave a CommentTags: IQ, massage, relaxation, workplace
Just last week there was a link on this blog about the relationship between IQ and relaxation. Here is more evidence: (from Globe and Mail newspaper Oct 27 online edition). In the study below, massaged workers, solved math problems in half the time with half the errors after the 15 minute massage!!!
Stress is known to be affecting the productivity of the workplace - “More than 78 per cent of Canadian employers identified work-related stress as the biggest threat to their employees’ well-being in a survey by Buffett & Co. Workplace Wellness Ltd. last year. And that isn’t good for business: Work stress costs Canadian employers billions a year, from problems with absenteeism and turnover to payments for benefits and services.
One 1996 study by the Touch Research Group at the University of Miami put 26 employees in the chair for 15-minute massages twice a week and another group of 24 who were just asked to close their eyes and relax in the massage chair.
They were monitored with an electroencephalograph machine, completed depression and anxiety tests and provided saliva samples. The results: those who were massaged reduced their stress more and improved performance more than the control group.
Not only that: The massaged workers completed math problems in half the time and with half the errors they had before they were massaged. The math skills in the control group did not improve.”
Bedtime yoga – sleep well
October 21, 2007 at 1:07 pm | In daily practices, fresh links, meditation, relaxation, sleep better, yoga | Leave a CommentThis video is a short review of a few before bed yoga poses for relaxation. The core principals of yoga for relaxing are integrated – a brief meditation that focuses on the breath, forward folds – torso extended over your legs, and then a twist to release the lower back – very good for people who on their feet a lot.
A regular routine before bed helps the body know it is time for bed and sleep.
Tara Stiles has a number of yoga videos you will see listed down the page or insert her name in the You Tube search.
Blog at WordPress.com. | Theme: Pool by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
