Holidaze Series- Start here.

When I first sat down to meditate,
I thought okay here we go-

All I have to do is sit here for X amount of time
and not go crazy
then
I'll be more calm & enlightened like.
I sat.

I kept myself from going crazy.
Sort of...
I followed the thoughts about dinner,
about conversations,
about random things that really made no sense but
since I was "meditating" I thought
all the thoughts that flooded my mind
sitting there day in and day out
was just me toughing it out.
Come to find out-
that's not meditation.

Meditation is not easy.
Meditation is simply a one pointed focus-
bringing that focus back to it's place
over and over
and over...
and over...
You can meditate on many things- your breath,
a candle flicker or
a quality you'd like to increase in your life
(joy, compassion, etc).
There's many types of meditation but
what you are doing is simply-
bringing your awareness to something-
every time your mind strays-
make no judgment &
come back to that place of awareness.
A constant tending to the mind &
bringing it back with loving kindness.
It's not easy.
Meditation is work.

For some the practice of sitting
and bringing your thoughts back
over and over is infuriating.
Honestly, sometimes it's been infuriating to me
but
I've noticed with time
(with a cumulative & consistent practice)
my reactivity has lessened,
my mind isn't so overwhelmed with thoughts,
especially negative thoughts,
and it's really not so infuriating anymore.
And not just when I meditate but
throughout the day
I notice these things in myself,
my surroundings
and even in my
relationships.
I've begun to look forward to
and even need
that meditation each day.

Start here.

Find a comfortable seated position
(it's hard to focus if you're not comfortable).
Try meditating on your breath.
Just bring your awareness to
watching your inhale & exhale.
When your mind wanders
(and it will- you're human)-
make no judgment,
bring your focus back
to your breath.
Repeat
repeat
repeat.

or Try.
Lighting a candle and
meditating on the flame
(this is my favorite).
Just look at the flame.
Watch it- study it-
when your mind wanders-
gently
(gently meaning make no judgment)
bring your awareness
back to the dancing flame.
Repeat
repeat
repeat.
Start with 5 minutes a day for a month-
then add 5 more if you want to...

What a purrfect time of year
to begin a meditation
practice or to
reignite a stymied one.
I, for one, am looking forward
to sauntering into 2010 with
this beloved tool.
Rock Your Practice!
^o^

Holidaze Series- Add Yoga to Your (Holi)Day

Especially around the Holidays
there's just too much going on.

Too much in the world, too much on my plate
or too much in my mind.
As human beings we are blessed with thought
and the ability to change that thought.

Remind yourself right now and over and over
(like in Your Yoga Practice by
bringing your awareness to your breath
over & over)
of the things you're grateful for in your life.

Especially on days or in moments
when you feel overwhelmed, negative or lost.
Write down the things you're grateful for.
Your smile.
Your skin covering your organs & bones.
Your eyes for seeing.
Your ears for hearing.
There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for.

It never ceases to amaze me-
how this simple trick can lift your spirits.

Change your perception- become grateful.
Then lift your heart (your rib cage) &
become aware of your breath.

Often this small
change in perception
will smooth & even your breath,
your mind & your heart.
Give it go.

Happy Holidays Yogis!

Rock Your Practice!
Xo- Suz

Yoga Empowered for Chronic Illness

Hi there!
I wanted to let you know that
Yoga Empowered for MS is
becoming
Yoga Empowered for Chronic Illness.

Many students are excluded from
the learnings presented and
I want as many people as possible to benefit.
Living with any chronic illness/es,
including but NOT limited to MS,
presents challenge in our daily lives.
The goal of this blog is to reach
as many people as possible
who want to learn to use
Yoga to Empower themselves
by managing symptoms and
living life more fully & mindfully.

Whether it's anxiety, MS, Lyme's Disease,
Arthritis or...
that presents your challenge...
see how Yoga Empowers You!

Be Yourself --- Yoga Empowered

Rock Your Practice!
I thank you for your support
and encourage you to
forward this to a friend.
xo- Suz

Holidaze Series- Compassion a Practice

I've been working a lot lately
with compassion.
Rather than getting frustrated
at myself or others-
I'm instead trying to practice compassion.

What exactly is compassion?
I had to look it up to be sure and
I found many definitions
but adopted my own.
Compassion, to me,
is being aware of others' suffering.

Being aware without
falling into it or feeling sorry.
Being aware of suffering without
letting it suck the energy from me.
Being aware of the suffering of others,
of the world
while
maintaining my own personal space
but still doing what I can to help.
Almost a sense of acceptance & urgency
all at once.

Seeing suffering, if I can help- I will.
If I can't-
(a family member addicted to drugs,
a student struggling with
a co-dependent relationship,
a government erupting & slaying it's people)
I can still send out compassionate energy
and reserve the energy
I need
for myself
to be healthy.

I've been meditating on compassion
for myself & my body.
As my body suffers in its own way-
rather than getting mad at it
or myself
I'm practicing being aware of it and
holding love for it.
Rather than becoming upset or
falling into the suffering piece of it-
I'm becoming aware,
just noticing and making no judgment.

I ask that of my students
throughout their yoga practices.
To notice your breath- make no judgment-
if the mind wanders to whatever
(and it will)-
notice it- make no judgment
and return your awareness,
your focus
to your breath.
Over & over.
Repeat.

I realized this practice
of watching the breath
can be used for
practicing compassion.

I watch my breath quicken
in more challenging poses -
I notice it & bring it back
to that smooth even place.
I watch my breath quicken
in my day as I get more flustered
at my body's limits-
I notice it & bring it back
to that smooth even place.

Actually- isn't this the same as
practicing compassion....
I care for a suffering friend & want to help-
I notice it & bring my emotion back to a
place where I can
make an even decision.
I notice a person acting out at me
though I know they're really
frustrated at something else-
I notice it & bring my emotion
of now anger or frustration
for their actions into
simply noticing
they are suffering too.

Funny that.
All this breathing practice-
of noticing, smoothing,
evening, lengthening,
moving at the speed of....
I can apply it
to being more compassionate.

Can you?
What does compassion mean to you?
Let the season ignite
your compassionate self.
Rock Your Practice!

^o^
Suz

Holidaze Prep- Super Woman by Diana Bertoldo

Ooohhh...
the Holidaze are coming...
This is the time of year that challenges me the most.
Expectations from family, friends,
my own projected expectations,
the wants, the needs,
the temptation of eating everything offered to me,
and the endless pull I seem to feel
every year to do more
and more while still
taking care of my body...

So this year- here it comes and
I've got some great tips & tricks ready for all of us
to use to help us stay focused and
to help maintain the balance
we work so hard to create within ourselves
throughout the year.
Hopefully these will help give us all
a better opportunity to just enjoy the season
with our loved ones & ourselves
from a place of health & ease.

First off is a post from my friend Diana Bertoldo
about being Super Woman.
I struggle with this within myself and
this article she wrote is something
I've been reading and re-reading to remind myself
where my starting off point is.
It reminds me that I am a Super Woman but
I do have to adapt my Super Woman self
as that's just a part of being
Super Woman.
Best yet- that MS doesn't have me-
I have MS and I am a Super Woman living with MS.
Many adaptations need to be made
and adhered to
keep my stress levels in check &
to maintain a rested being
regardless of the season.

A wonderful reminder and something I wanted
to share that's been nourishing
my practice & my mind for months!
Check out her other articles-
she's a great writer about living beyond illness
and she has been
empowering me to be the best version
of myself for a while now.

Thanks Diana for empowering me,
for your loving support of
Yoga Empowered 4 MS, Yoga Empowered
and for helping me
Rock My Practice!
More to come...
^o^

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