The Power of Laughter

I recently promoted a simple breathing technique as a free tool that anyone can use to alleviate a wide range of physical and emotional problems.  Here's another freebie for your wellness and life enrichment toolbox: laughter.

Before you laugh it off as too easy to help with your problems, consider the source of true laughter.  It comes from joy, bliss, happiness, or love.  So this is not the point-and-laugh kind of laughter.  Schadenfreude is only temporarily uplifting at best.  I'm talking about the kind of laughter that wells up in you like bubbles of overflowing joy and just has to burst out.  It lightens your heart and unburdens your soul.  If love and joy are among the highest vibrations of the human experience, as many metaphysical teachings suggest, then laughter is your inborn ability to raise your own vibration. Love and inner peace go hand in hand.  I truly doubt that peace can be sustained in a heart that isn't filled with love, joy, or forgiveness.

Laughter does more than improving your spiritual self, though.  There is are mental, psychological, and even physical benefit that you can take advantage of as well.  Laughter relieves stress, which in turn, can help alleviate pain and improve organ function for those who experience stomach, intestinal, heart, or lung problems associated with stress hormones.  Stress relief is a major factor in successful weight loss.   Laughter helps relieve depression.  It actively works the diaphragm, which can help improve lung function, and powerfully exercises the abdominal muscles which are instrumental in maintaining correct posture and keeping your spine aligned.  When groups of people share laughter, it strengthens the bond between them.  Laughter is healthy and essential for maintaining and healing family, romantic, and friend relationships.

So, just in case your body, mind, spirit diet is short on laughter today, here's a little exercise you can try.  Laugh, out loud, for 1 minute.  You don't need a reason.  Set a timer and just belly laugh.  Yes, it will be forced at first, and forced laughter isn't going to have the same level of benefit, but it's better than nothing, and after 10-20 seconds you'll feel so silly it will turn into real laughter  That's a good thing!  Once it becomes real it just flows.  You'll feel lighter, more peaceful. You may feel improved circulation.  You've given your abs a quick work out, and you may even feel more inspired as you go into the rest of your day.  What could be better than that?

Count Your Blessings

In the months since my mother’s passing, I have spent a lot of time looking for ways to manage my grief.  Small things often do make a big difference, and the reality is that grief simply takes time.  You have to be with it and go through it in order to get past it.

However, in the meantime, as life is going on, as life is want to do, it is necessary to find ways to stay chin up in order to keep moving forward.  In both the best and worst of times it is often recommended by nearly every spiritual teacher out there to keep a gratitude journal.  I’ve highly recommended this method myself.  Gratitude keeps the heart light, even a broken grieving heart, if you can make the shift.  But I found that the more I wrestled with my feelings of loss and grief the harder it was to connect to the feelings of gratitude even as I was in the process of writing about things that I know I am grateful for.

One day, I decided to just count my blessings.  Literally.  Ever one of them, as they happened.  “I woke up this morning.  That means I’m still alive.  It’s a blessing.”  That’s one.  “I have a roof over my head.  A good one.  And I like this house.  It’s a blessing.”  That’s 2…maybe 3 if you want to be technical about it.  “There’s one banana left, just what I need for breakfast.  It’s a blessing.”  So I did this all day, any time I thought about it, and do you know what?  72 blessings in one day!  Now, even if you’re feeling low and only come up with 10 or 12 things all day long, that’s a seriously blessed day.  Did you know that you were that blessed every day?  It’s one thing to think about all the little things we take for granted, or even big things we quickly forget about, but if you write them down, one at a time, and then give them a number and actually count them, you may be totally astonished at how blessed you truly are.  Often I did not actually appreciate that something was a blessing until I wrote it down and counted it as such.  “Five of my clients thanked me, with genuine gratitude for the class I taught today.  Wow, that is a blessing!”

 It’s a very simple practice.  You might even try alternating between gratitude journaling and counting blessings.  I’ve been able to change my perspective on bad, sad, and lonely days many times just by realizing that in the midst of all the pain, hurt, loss, confusion, and dissatisfaction, there are still a wealth of blessings even on the worst of days.  The pain may still be there, but at least when you have a list of blessings to review at the end of the day, your last thought will be light and filled with gratitude regardless of whatever else you’ve been feeling.  Ending on a positive note is always a good way to begin a little better in the morning.

Every Reason to Celebrate

Life is a celebration.  It really is.  And if for any reason you think it isn’t, well, it should be.  Every accomplishment, big or small is a reason to celebrate.  Often the littlest things become the greatest joys.  For this reason, you should celebrate them, and be sure not to miss them.

When I originally began thinking about the value of celebration in our lives (and celebrating life), I was thinking primarily about people in fitness classes and the positive value of celebrating even small successful steps on their health and fitness journeys.  Those little, tiny, baby steps are vitally important to the foundation of your success.  I think it is important not to overlooking them and to give yourself credit for EVERY victory along the way.

You, who just stepped through the doors of the gym for the first time after years without a fitness routine, celebrate it!  Even if all you did was tour the facility, celebrate it!  That’s a big step. You who have never done a Yoga class in your life and are completely terrified about it but showed up and gave it a try anyway, celebrate it!  It doesn’t matter if you couldn’t do the balances. It doesn’t matter if you can’t stretch very far.  You came to class.  That’s a big step!  Pat yourself on the back and do a happy dance.  That takes courage.  You with the tight hamstrings who runs the marathons who finally touched your toes for the first time today, celebrate it!! You with the arthritis who has to modify every standing posture, but listened to your body and did what you could do, celebrate it! You with the 100 pound weight loss goal who had to do child pose or forward bend between every posture to catch your breath, but STUCK IT OUT THROUGH THE WHOLE CLASS, CELEBRATE IT!!! You got up this morning and came to the gym on a Saturday!  Throw your hands up in the air and celebrate it! I’m serious! We spend so much time tearing ourselves down for little things that don’t matter.  Why not build yourself up about little things that do matter?  Why not acknowledge that progress comes in both big and small steps and the small steps are just as good?  Whatever your small steps are, your teeniest, tiniest victories, they are all good.  The bigger things build on the small things.  This is where you start, no matter how far you have to go, and you should give yourself credit for anything that keeps you faced forward toward your goal.

But this doesn’t just apply to Yoga, health, and fitness classes.  This is something we should embrace about all aspects of life.  You woke up this morning! Oh yes, you should celebrate it!  Another day, even if you think it’s a bad day, is a chance for you to learn, grow, discover, and in any small way reach toward the better things that build your life.  You may encounter many people within the scope of each day who treat you all manner of ways.  Why not celebrate the one who was kind to you, regardless of everyone else?  By doing that you make a bad day better and a better day great.  Your favorite song came on the radio? Sounds like a celebration to me. Only one piece of chocolate left in the candy dish?  Are you going to be sad that there is only one piece left or celebrate that you get to eat some chocolate today? That’s right, you celebrate!  I got to eat a piece of chocolate today! This is the reason that I say life is a celebration, or at least it can be, if you make it that way.

I am celebrating RIGHT NOW because I successfully updated my blog today.  You have proof, too, because you’re reading it.  (This is me throwing my hands up in the air and waving them around—OH YEAH!!)  The second part of my Aging Gracefully series will be coming down the pipe presently, though this little celebratory piece, in a way, speaks to the value of graceful living.  I think the older we get, the more clearly we see the importance of the small things.  You don’t have to wait until you’re showing your age to do this, though.  Start now, at any age.  The older you get, the bigger that “I woke up this morning” victory feels.  Don’t wait.  Celebrate it now, and every little victory in between.

April's Recipe for Natural Pain Relief

I’ve had a lot of people ask me about this natural remedy, so I’m going to share it publicly.  This is my personal recipe for a natural, safe anti-inflammatory that is low cost and has no side effects (that are known to me). It's also inexpensive and easy to make.

Here’s how I came by this remedy.  A few years ago I had an injury that ended up putting strain in my lower back.  Eventually that issue in my back began to travel down my left leg causing both pain and numbness during the day and night.  I had developed sciatica secondary to my injury.  I managed to heal my primary injury, but even after I returned to exercises that support the spine, the sciatica didn’t abate.   Let’s be clear about this: it was not just a throbbing pain that didn’t stop.  It was the worst kind of horrific pain that just as I thought I could stand it, would suddenly get worse.  The numbness and tingling that accompanied it all down my leg were also painful.  If you suffer from this issue, I sympathize with your pain.  The pain stopped me from doing all kinds of normal activities, and caused me to start hating things I had previously loved.  I was given all kinds of painkillers to help, but quite frankly, they just didn’t seem to make a dint in the pain.  However they were tearing up my stomach lining.

Frustrated with that absolute futility of conventional methods, I decided the pain had to stop, and I was not giving up any other aspect of my health or mobility in exchange for being pain-free!  I did some research on natural anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers.  Turns out, I had everything I needed already in my kitchen.  My recipe was mostly a guess in terms of amounts, but the final result was extremely effective.  After a short time of taking it, I was feeling functional again.  Sometimes I would still feel the pain, but never as bad as it was before, and eventually I healed this issue entirely.

Here’s what you need to recreate my magical concoction: ground turmeric, fresh ginger root, organic molasses, organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar.  I’ll be honest with you; this stuff tastes bad.  It truly does taste like medicine, but the relief made it worth the effort of swallowing it down.  The result was truly magical.  It isn't something you feel right away.  Rather about 15 minutes after you take it, you'll realize that you feel more like normal than you have in ages, and your every thought is not filled with some side-effect of being in pain.  It's a very gentle remedy. It allows you to be comfortable.  If I did something that aggravated the nerve, it would remind me that I was not yet healed, but I could get back to a regular routine without pain being in my way.  I like to think of this remedy as a way to reset your body so you can focus on the work of healing rather than being caught in a cycle of pain.  Just being able to relax without constant pain is valuable beyond words.

 

I didn’t measure the exact amounts, but the mixture comes to about 2/3^rd turmeric to 1/3^rd freshly grated ginger.  Add just enough molasses to roll the powder into tablespoon sized medicine balls.  This is the anti-inflammatory element, and it is powerfully effective.  In a shot glass, pour apple cider vinegar and molasses in equal portions.  You’ll use this to wash down the medicine balls.  The combination of natural molasses with unfiltered apple cider vinegar will combine in your stomach to make a gentle muscle relaxer which boosts the effect of the turmeric-ginger mixture.  I recommend you hold your nose when you swallow this (I did).  You can chase it with water or any beverage that you like.  I would recommend starting with 3-5 doses (1 medicine ball and 1 vinegar shot per dose) equally spaced throughout the day, and as you feel less pain, taper off the use until you don’t need it any more.

For the record, I no longer have any kind of back pain or issues with my lower back or sciatic nerve.  The remedy I used didn’t cure the sciatica, but it did allow me to release the pain and inflammation enough to get back to my life and allowed me to be able to do physical therapy exercises that relieved the pressure on the nerve.  Previously, the inflammation was too great to be able to gain any benefit from the physical therapy.  But once I got the inflammation and tension down, the pain was no longer an obstacle, and I could gently work on realigning my spine.   That, in turn, eventually cured my problem.  This little remedy is also effective for muscle and joint pain.  If you want pain relief that won’t harm your body or cause you drowsiness or other mental setbacks, then I recommend you try my recipe.  You can find all of these items in large quantities for very little cost at any grocer or apothecary.  Of course, I should also state that I am not a doctor or naturopath, and I cannot diagnose or prescribe for you.  I am just a Yoga Teacher who wanted to make peace with her body.  This is the way that I did it, and I am more than happy to share the route to my success with you.

Equinox: Striking the Balance

This past Saturday was the Autumnal Equinox, the official first day of Fall.  Up here, in the Seattle area of the Pacific Northwest, Fall literally happened over night.  All week it was warm and sunny like Summer.  I woke up Friday morning to the cool, overcast weather that is typically associated with Western Washington, and all the leaves had turned.  Just like that, Instant Fall!  I suspect most areas experience a less sudden and dramatic change of seasons.  Where I grew up, in Florida, you start to notice Fall about the time it should be starting Winter.  I've lived in this region for almost a decade, and it still amazes me that Fall happens right on cue rather than gradually sneaking up on you some time around Thanksgiving.  However, the Equinox happens everywhere, heralding the start of Autumn, whether it feels like it or not.

What actually happens on the Equinox is the hours of the day are perfectly balanced to the hours of the night: they are equal in length, "Equinox."  In honor of this occasion, I feel it appropriate to examine the value of balance in daily life and the part it plays on the road to inner peace.

For someone like me, a Yoga, Pilates, and Dance Instructor, the word "balance" is so second nature and integral to my thoughts as to be easily taken for granted.  I recently stood in for a fellow Yoga instructor, and her class commented on how much of a balance element there was in my class.  It surprised and challenged them.  I was surprised it was so unfamiliar for them, but every teacher is different.  We have our strengths and weakness, and we will tend to teach toward our strengths.  As a former ballet dancer, balance is my strength.

In a broader scope, truly, where there is balance, there is harmony.  This applies to all aspects of life.  When something is out of balance, there is discord.  Bringing things into balance creates ease and joy.  I would like to suggest that now, at the balance of the seasons, is the ideal time to examine the aspects of your life that need to be balanced.  Is your health in balance?  Do you balance active pursuits with enough restful time?  Is your work life balanced with a healthy dose of recreation?  Do you balance social life and solitude?  Is your income balanced by your expenditure, a balanced budget, as it were?  If you are a very giving person, as most spiritual folk are, do you balance it with the ability to freely receive?  The list goes on and on. I challenge you to take a few moments to look at what areas of your life are filled with discord, pain, fear, stress, or anything else that essentially equals being out of balance. What would it take to bring those things into balance, to fill that area of your life with pleasure, harmony, and ease?  Begin taking steps to bring that balance back into your areas of discord.  You don't have to make the change over night, like the seasons of the Pacific Northwest.  You can always choose a gentle change, but at least take the first steps.  Bring the right balance into your being, and figure out what you need to do to keep it that way for life.

End of August

August has been a very busy month.  For me, it has been a roller coaster: the good, the bad, and the weird all rolled into one. I would like to take this moment to remind everyone to notice and be thankful for the small joys in your life.  Even when things don't go your way or when troubles overwhelm you, there is always something, no matter how small, to be thankful for.  Just take a moment to figure out what that is or what those things are and hold on to those thoughts.  Create a joyful space in your heart and mind.  Give yourself permission to touch that reserve of inner peace.  Remind yourself that it is always there.

I've got one last class that I'm offering before Labor Day.  I'll be taking the Labor Day weekend off, but I'll be back to teach All Levels Yoga Flow on Tuesday.  I've got an All Levels Mat Pilates class in Canyon Park (Bothell, WA) at 5:30pm today.  It's my last class to offer in August, and I promise it will be super fun and an awesome work out!  Peace, Love, Light, and Happy Labor Day!

Odds and Ends

Hello everyone,

I'm sorry I wasn't able to post very much this month.  I had a family emergency that pulled me all the way across the country, and now that I'm home again in WA state, I've had to play a lot of catch up.  I'll get back to regular posts about Yoga, health, wellness, and the journey to inner peace early next month.

In the meantime, please check out the 2nd edition of my book, Kundalini Rising, which is available through Amazon.com, in paperback or for Kindle e-readers.  You can also buy it directly through the publisher, Kitsune Books.  I am very pleased with the changes we've made since the first edition.  The second book is beautiful, and I hope you will enjoy it.

I've been compiling subjects that my students have been asking me in classes lately.  These will make up my next few posts.  You can look forward to information and musings concerning prevention of cramping in classes, aging gracefully, and further discourse on one of the more popular posts from June all coming in August.

Thank you for dropping by.  Namaste.