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Goosebump Moments – Or, “Holy Sh#t!”

September 28, 2011 by admin

All this meditating, resting, and breathing has gotten me to thinking about things…and this, in short, is why we often don’t slow down! When we get quiet, we start telling ourselves the pesky truth, and sometimes that means making changes. Big changes.

Recently, as I think I mentioned, hubby and I started talking about where we might want to live. I’ve lived in Houston for 30 years, and he’s been here even longer, so these thoughts cause us to sit up straight and perk up our ears. Sometimes he backpedals — “Maybe we could just leave Houston during the summer” — but then we realize that a) summer is lasting longer and longer here, and b) the ties that held us here are gone. Joe and Sarah, my stepkids, don’t live here anymore. Henry’s folks are gone. He still has a sister here, but we don’t see her that often, either. Plus, we do have the freedom to travel and visit.

“Why would you want to stay?” I ask. It’s a fair question. The answer could be, “We like the house and the neighborhood. We have our regular restaurants that we enjoy. Rice University is nearby, and they have a lot of fun things to do.” The real answer, though, is “inertia.” That doesn’t sound like a good reason to me!

Problem is, life is unpredictable. Why spend it in a place that no longer works? Sure, we have both loved Houston, but more and more we gravitate toward mountains. And Henry likes the water, though I can take it or leave it. We have traveled enough to discover that we don’t want to live anymore in a flat terrain where an evening stroll to the wine bar makes us sweaty and stinky.

We have scheduled a trip to Washington State in December. First, it’s a trip to celebrate my birthday. Second, we want to see the area in a less-attractive time to see if we would still like it. It will be colder, rainier, and darker. We picked Port Townsend because the town seems to fill the bill for what we’re looking for: the right terrain, an emphasis on local and organic food, and a plethora of artists and writers to hang out with.

Since we’re “interviewing” Port Townsend, I want to meet as many people as possible. It’s a small town, so it’s important to find people that we wouldn’t mind hanging around. I Googled the local yoga studios to see if anything was going on. Turns out that one of my favorite yoga teachers, Angela Farmer, is doing a workshop the weekend of my birthday. She runs many of her trainings in Greece, but is visiting little ol’ Port Townsend on the first weekend that I’ll be there.

Here I am, on the cusp of menopause, on the eve of a new year of my life, and in the process of making a big decision, now with the opportunity to work with someone who has a way of pulling the deepest truths out of her students. And what better way to get to know some of the locals than to spend time in such an intimate environment?

It was a goosebump moment. You know them, right? I used to always affirm that “I am always in the right place at the right time, successfully engaged in the right activity.” But in a goosebump moment, I really BELIEVE it.

Goosebump moments can remind us that maybe something else is at work in our lives besides our mundane, mental existence. I am giddy. I am scared. Like many women, I have feared my own power for too long, so I hesitate. I remind myself of all the logical reasons not to do the workshop. Then, I stop, I breathe — and I write the check. I want to honor all the goosebump moments of my life and to jump in full-out. Maybe all that pesky stillness is not only opening me to change, but giving me the courage to go through with it.

Filed Under: Life Changes, travel, Yoga Tagged With: change, dreams, empty nest, travel, yoga

Discovery Tuesday: Integrative Restoration

September 20, 2011 by admin

I’ll tell you my dirty little secret about the “daily rest” that I’ve decided to do: the idea came about as a result of trying to lose weight.

Yep, you read that right. At 52, I have found that losing weight ain’t as easy as it used to be. Despite our hours of hiking in Switzerland, I came back three pounds heavier! Of course, I convinced myself that I needed some extra food to give me energy for the hikes, and I suspect that I overdid things a bit, despite my best intentions.

I told Henry that I wasn’t going to travel in October. Besides the fact that I want to plant my fall garden, I also wanted to eat at home, where I can better manage food ingredients and portion sizes. Before we went on our travels, I also did a lot of reading and investigating about losing weight at midlife, so I could come home with a plan in mind.

The net result is this: I will leave my cardio program as is. On a fitness test, I scored in the “excellent” range on cardio, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I also scored well on flexibility, which makes sense since I love yoga so much. As I suspected, though, I learned that I need to add strength training, and I found a regimen to follow in the book 8 Weeks to a Younger Body by Joan Pagano. I’m just getting started, but I’ll report back, hopefully with some fantastic results.

In terms of diet, I still find the Weight Watchers program to make the most sense, though I’m making sure that my meals and snacks have a protein-fat-carb ratio close to The Zone, which has brought me success in the past. My reading has suggested to me that I am probably a bit carb-heavy on my diet.

The other problem I see is that I’m a high-strung sort of woman, and I need to keep my stress levels down. Stress, as most of you know, raises cortisol levels in the body, and this can affect our ability to lose weight. In theory, lowering our cortisol levels can improve our ability to lose weight.

Yoga helps, and I also get regular massages. I’ve gotten back into a meditation habit, but I wanted to do a little more. Hence, the decision to make time to rest on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

One of the best ways to do that is through Richard Miller’s Integrative Restoration program. I’m including the link to his store, as opposed to one particular recording or book, because they are all worthwhile. I’m particularly fond of his six-volume Integrative Restoration program, which provides six one-hour guided yoga nidra practices.

In yoga nidra, or yogic sleep, we are guided into a state of heightened awareness of the various sensations in our body and mind. Miller has us notice the insides of our mouth, for example — it’s a detailed journey that keeps us conscious even as our bodies gain an extraordinary level of relaxation.

Yoga nidra has proven invaluable in therapeutic environments. Soldiers suffering from PTSD, for example, have benefited from Miller’s work. In our day-to-day lives, which have become increasingly stressful, we may live in a chronic revved-up state of tension, and integrative restoration can help us break that cycle — at the very least we’ll feel better, and who knows? Maybe we can lose some weight, too!

Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: 8 weeks to a younger body, integrative restoration, joan pagano, rest, richard miller, stress, stress reduction, the zone, weight watchers, yoga, yoga nidra

Blog Thursday: Great Relaxation

September 15, 2011 by admin

Finding the right blog recommendation for Blog Thursday is sometimes easier said than done. Usually by Thursday, I’ve run across something that excites me and that fits in with my weekly and monthly themes. This week, I am grateful for the jet lag that got me up early this morning so I could spend unhurried time poking around on the Internet. The irony of getting stressed while looking for a good relaxation blog is not lost on me! Hubby and I are still having some tantrums about leaving Switzerland, apparently. Thank God I have a massage booked for tomorrow.

Funny thing is, I’ve been more focused than usual on my own relaxation. Currently I am doing the Chopra Center’s 21-Day Meditation Challenge. Although I’ve meditated for years, I’m not always consistent with my practice, and I’m using this program to get back into a daily routine. I do try to practice what I preach here at A Woman’s Nest! (NOTE: The link I provided is to iAmplify, where you can download audio and video files to your computer. They offer regular discounts, so get on their e-mail list for some good deals.)

In addition, I’ve been listening to the Divine Feminine Yoga Telesummit, which is totally FREE. If you have an interest, you can listen to all the discussions online for the next year or so. I love listening to these beautiful women as they teach yoga from a female perspective, and my practice feels more inspired. This is not the first time I’ve done a yoga conference online. Yogahub offers a great one each year, usually in February. It may sound counter-intuitive to attend a yoga conference from one’s living room, but it works.

This week, I am recommending Great Relaxation, a blog filled with relaxation tips. Some are familiar to us — “avoid negative thoughts” at work, for example — but there’s some thoughtful information here about using soft colors to relax, getting fresh air, and using stress balls. I find that sometimes I need to be reminded of what I already know, and Great Relaxation does that. Check it out if you get the chance.

Since I’m planning to post some of my novel for Friday Fiction tomorrow, I’d better get busy and relax! See you tomorrow!

Filed Under: blogs, women, Yoga Tagged With: Chopra Center 21-Day Meditation Challenge, Divine Feminine Yoga Telesummit, Great Relaxation Blog, relaxation, yoga

Discovery Tuesday: Breathe!

September 13, 2011 by admin

Breathe. Stop. Take it in. Let your belly expand on the inhale, and gently draw your navel in toward your spine as you exhale. Close your eyes for a moment and observe your breath. Let this process move from involuntary to conscious as you notice your breath. Allow it to slow and deepen. What does that feel like? How does that change your day? Could it change your life?

In this month of September, as summer starts to slip away into fall, we at A Woman’s Nest are finding ways to center ourselves, to quiet our minds, and to open ourselves to greater realization of our dreams. One wonderful and simple way to facilitate those actions is through breathing.

The ancient yogis recognized that we have a life force, or prana, that moves through us, and they developed many methods of removing tension in the body so that the prana can move more freely. When it does, we are enlivened, calmer, happier, and more creative. We are in the flow of spirit so we are freer to be ourselves.

Just the simple act of stopping and noticing the breath at times during the day can have a profound effect on stress levels. This is enough. However, if you want to learn the practice of yogic pranayama, which guides the breath so we can access our life force, there are many ways to go about it. I recommend, of course, that you find a qualified teacher to help with fundamentals. If you live in a small town, though, or are otherwise prevented from finding a teacher, books and CDs abound!

Richard Rosen is a fine teacher, and if you can afford his seven-CD set The Practice of Pranayama, it’s well worth it. He provides thorough and thoughtful instruction to various breathing techniques. Richard Freeman also has a single CD pranayama practice — I haven’t listened to it, but Freeman is a reliable teacher, so that could be an option for you if you just want a single CD.

For more experienced students, one of my favorites is Pranayama: The Kripalu Approach to Yogic Breathing by Michael Carroll. This is an intermediate practice, recommended more for students who are familiar with various pranayama techniques. This CD offers a full long practice, including a posture sequence to go with the breathing techniques. Practitioners can also pick and choose individual tracks for a shorter practice.

Some breathing techniques, such as Kapalabhati and Bastrika, are more strenuous and can create agitation. If you are doing any of these practices and start to get upset, they may be too vigorous as a place to start. Practice gentler techniques such as Nadi Shodhana, the alternate nostril breathing, or Dirgha, the yogic three-part breath. If you struggle at all, please seek out a teacher for help. Breathing should be a pleasurable experience.

Of course, you don’t have to practice complicated techniques just to stop for a moment, notice your breath, and allow it to deepen. Notice if your life gets easier and clearer over time. Enjoy! Breathe!

 

 

Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: pranayama, yoga

Book Discovery Tuesday: Meditation Secrets for Women by Camille Maurine

September 6, 2011 by admin

***Please lend your thoughts and prayers to those dealing with Texas wildfires. The post that follows feels almost silly given what people are going through, but perhaps, while meditation cannot bring back a house or a loved one, it can help manage life’s stresses. If anyone reading this is or has been in the path of the fires, please know that I am sending you big hugs and hopes that your home, animals, and family are safe.***

Our Swiss adventure continues. Today we combined cable cars and a long hike (about five hours) to reach Corvatsch, which, at 3,300 meters, provides a breathtaking 360-degree view of mountains and glaciers. Or should I say breath-giving?

Corvatsch
View From Corvatsch

The hike was challenging but felt safe all the way, and we agreed that this was one of our best hikes to date — and that’s saying something! We toured several mountain lakes filled with quartz and malachite.

Once we had finished our climb, I felt euphoric. My mind felt soft and peaceful, and I found myself in a state of “alert rest.”

Camille Maurine might say that I was in a meditative state, a state that I entered into naturally — and that state is available to all of us, all the time. When I taught yoga, I can’t tell you how many people said, “I can’t meditate. My mind never gets quiet.” Maurine would suggest that we allow all of the thoughts, emotions, and noisiness to just be there. I’m excited about Meditation Secrets for Women because I believe it provides people with a nonjudgmental, loving, sweet approach to meditation.

I confess that like many of the women Maurine spoke with about meditation, I did things that some teachers considered “wrong.” I often keep a notepad and pen next to me, for example, in case I get a really interesting idea. I open my eyes, jot down my thoughts, then return to my concentration. I sometimes move around during meditation, and occasionally I have a really good cry. I love my meditation, but I have often kept my methods to myself.

Glacier at Corvatsch
If these views don't inspire meditation, there's no hope for me!

Why haven’t I — or these other women — shared our experiences of wanting more movement? Why do we not discuss the pleasure we feel or express our deepening passion for life?

Maurine shares some horror stories about how women’s psyches can be wounded with more authoritarian forms of meditation training. I’ve definitely run across teachers who say that their method is the ONLY method of true meditation — which makes me nervous. I also know that over the years, the more alive I felt in my body, the more certain teachers seemed to want me to “settle down.” I didn’t want to be calmer, or quieter, or anything other than my genuine self, which is sometimes loud, bawdy, and ludicrous, but which is me nonetheless. I got tired of disapproval and made the decision that I needed less self-improvement and more self-acceptance.

Still, where meditation was concerned, I always wondered: “Am I doing it right?”

For fourteen years, nearly every morning, I have written three pages longhand, a method I learned from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. She called them a form of meditation. That felt true to me, but still…

I found myself drawn to the Kripalu style of yoga, with its emphasis on “meditation in motion.” The idea is to free the body so it moves spontaneously into poses. But is that meditation?

Maurine would say yes. She provides twelve “secrets” to a woman’s meditation practice. Examples include Celebrate Your Senses, Claim Your Inner Authority, Be Tender With Yourself, Say Yes to Every Part of Yourself. She provides opportunities to explore, a variety of meditations to try, and opportunities to reflect on the meditations at the end of each section.

For a few weeks now I have written about September being a month of stillness and relaxation. Maurine would remind me that we are more flow than stillness, and I like that very much. For me, stillness is not about lack of movement, but about a sense of peace that pervades even when we feel in turmoil, a sense of knowing that we are always, in every moment, all right. So, I don’t think we disagree…but I think that from now on I will adopt the use of “flow.”  I think it’s closer to the essence of what I hope to share this month.

Meditation Secrets for Women can benefit anyone, whether or not they are experienced meditators. In my opinion, even a man could benefit from the gentle approaches in this book. If you are a beginner, it’s a great instruction manual for getting started. If you’re experienced, you may find opportunities to explore different or new methods, or to just give yourself permission to enjoy what you’re already doing. For me, this book is an affirmation of what I have felt and experienced inside for years.

Wasserweg
Here's my sweetie in front of one of the many mountain lakes we viewed today.

Filed Under: travel, Uncategorized, Yoga Tagged With: books, Camille Maurine, hiking, meditation, Meditation Secrets for Women, switzerland, women, yoga

Good Morning, Monday! Guten Morgen, Montag! Buongiorno, Lunedi!

September 5, 2011 by admin

Terrace View
View From a Restaurant Terrace - prices are high, but the view is worth it!

***HAPPY LABOR DAY!***

As we begin our second week in Sils, Switzerland, we have discovered that seeing everything on this trip, our second, is impossible. We hike or bike to one town and find trails to others, snaking out across the Engadin Region through mountains, valleys, and charming towns. The Italian tourists, who fill the area in August, are headed home to start their autumn, so this should be a quieter week. On Saturday we dodged tour groups, bikes, hikers, and horse-drawn carriages in a manner that felt more like being in a live video game than anything.

Funny…when we travel we get tired of seeing art and ruins, but I never tire of seeing another mountain or glacier. My husband, Henry, is already planning next year’s return!

I want to welcome visiting bloggers who are participating in the Platform-Building Challenge. I’m excited about making new friends and getting to know your blogs better! I’m impressed with the quality of writing I’ve seen.

For those new to A Woman’s Nest, here’s how I do things: on Mondays I preview the week, offering a few reflections along the way.

Tuesdays are days for book and DVD reviews that may be of interest to women at midlife. This week, I will review Meditation Secrets for Women by Camille Maurine. Since this month’s focus is on finding stillness and relaxation, I thought this book would be a great way to launch the new month.

By the way, in a curious synchronicity, Yogawoman.tv is promoting a free telesummit that fits in well with our September topic, so I want to pass along the info. If you’re interested, click on the Divine Feminine Yoga Telesummit link to get information. If you can’t listen to the telesummit live, you can listen to recordings later at your leisure. Some great teachers are contributing, and I’m sure they’ll be sharing info similar to what I’ll be sharing this month.

Wednesdays are for feature posts based on the monthly topic. I’ll start by offering tips on what to do when we struggle with doubt and discouragement as we pursue our dreams. Thursdays, I recommend a blog that I’ve run across during the week. I didn’t used to post on Friday, but will offer fun stuff then, including my own fiction within the next month or so.

Swiss Flowers
Though wildflower season has passed, there are plenty of beautiful flowers to enjoy!

Welcome to old friends and new! Thank you for visiting my site. If you know someone who may have an interest, please share the link, and I will do the same for you!

Pumpkin Risotto
How about a little pumpkin risotto with goat cheese?

Filed Under: travel, women, writing, Yoga Tagged With: Divine Feminine Yoga Telesummit, meditation, platform-building challenge, switzerlan, women, writing, yoga

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