[Spiritual SoundBite] Preserved Creativity

Since her passing, I’ve helped my dad clear out some things from grandma’s condo. This time, I found some bags and tin boxes stuffed in a corner. I found a large empty square tin box that used to house cookies with a bunch of newspapers that someone had deliberately folded and lined the perimeter of the box with. I found this peculiar and curiously asked my dad what this box was used for. “She preserved eggs in here,” my dad said nonchalantly. Oh, of course! What else would you use a tin box for?! I had no idea she did this and a part of me wished I had gotten to try one of those eggs.

 

It dawned on me that my grandmother still wanted to create and tend to something even at the age of 91…and that it doesn’t matter what age we are, we are creative beings meant to create and we must nurture and honor that part of ourselves. Perhaps I’m reading into what these eggs meant. For all I know, they could have just been a necessity for her to have with her porridge.

 

Earlier in the day, my dad showed me the chrysanthemum she planted before she passed. Although she didn’t have a garden of her own anymore, she did manage to sneakily plant a chrysanthemum in the courtyard. I was astonished at how large and healthy this plant had grown to be. As we stood there and felt the warmth of the sun beaming down on us, I looked at the cheerful yellow buds that are about to burst into full bloom and it made me feel as if grandma was smiling at us.

 

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

[Spiritual SoundBite] The Dirty Deed You Must Do

A large part of my job is to help people relax-sounds easy, right? I suppose if it was, I’d be out of a job! Part of the difficulty in doing it is that we’ve been conditioned to not do it . We’ve been taught that “relaxing” is a dirty deed and you should feel guilty for even thinking about it.

And I’m not just talking about taking a vacation. I’m talking about relaxing your mind and your body. Most students I observe are on high alert, their eyes are darting, and their minds are racing. Their nervous system are on overload and they look as if they’re holding on to dear life. What’s even more difficult is that they may not even be aware that this is their state of being

My heart goes out to them and I just want to cradle them in my arms and tell them it’s safe to let go. Just the thought of “letting go” for some people may cause anxiety. Relinquishing control is not an option for them. It’s a part of their identity and it’s a driving force behind their behaviors. But behind all of this is simply fear. If they can identify their fears, then they can essentially eliminate the weed from ever growing again by getting at its root.

What’s at the root of your behavior? Is it fear? Is it in line with who you are? Does it represent who you really are and what you stand for?

 

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

[Spiritual SoundBite] School of Awareness: Results…Alive & Happy

It’s now week #4 at the School of Awareness. What kinds of changes have you noticed–small or large? Lasting changes are small steps you take that add up over time. I call it the accumulated effect. Make a small positive step towards the direction you want to head in today and by the end of the week, month, and year, you’ll see that the effort you put in will have paid off.

Today, we re-cap what you’ve learned the last 3 weeks in how to live more fully…more presently…more happily:

#1 Notice when you’re distracted. A big sign is when you are multi-tasking (or think you are!) when you’re really only giving 50% of your attention (if that). Do 1 thing at a time and be fully present. Notice when your mind is being bombarded with thoughts and you begin to feel pulled in several directions. These distractions pull you away from the Present moment. To combat this, notice the sensations in your body that are signaling stress or tension–perhaps you’ll feel tension in your head, constriction in your chest, or tightness in your jaw. Everyone feels and experiences stress differently. Observe how it shows up for you. Once you are aware that your body is feeling stress, you can bring yourself back into the moment.

#2 Let go of your “lists”. Only write down what really needs to get done and see this list as more of a reminder instead of a list for checking off and “earning” points to the finish line. The truth is, there is no finish line. If you can treat each task as it’s own beginning and end, let that be your satisfaction. Don’t let it be a game of how many tasks or ‘to-do’ items you can check off. Prioritize what really needs to get done today. Do your best and if you don’t finish, let it go and don’t give yourself a hard time. The point of all this is to stay focused while at ease. You’ll take the pressure off of yourself and your (peace of) mind and body will thank you.

 

#3 Ask yourself what you need RIGHT NOW. Say it out loud, “What do I need right now?” And often, you’ll know right away. And when the answer comes to you, give yourself what you need: if you’re feeling tired or low on energy, you may need a power nap, some fresh air, a little walk, or something as simple as hydrating yourself. If you’re feeling stuck or can’t seem to find a solution, sometimes it’s just a matter of taking a mental break and giving the situation some space. Get up, stretch, and take some deep breaths.

 

 

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

[Spiritual SoundBite] School of Awareness: Lesson #3 of 3

Now that you’ve gotten the hang of catching yourself being distracted and noticing how you’re physically feeling  (LESSON #1)  and only choosing one task at a time at any given moment (LESSON #2) this week you’ll practice…

SCHOOL OF AWARENESS: LESSON #3

OBSERVATION: We’re living and thinking in the future or past. We hear a lot of about “being present”, “stay in the moment”, “live in the moment”.  But why? Why is it important? Because the future doesn’t exist yet and the past can’t be changed. What matters is this moment now. Each moment is creating the next. So the concept of “future” is really only each next moment which is based on each moment Now. The quality of the future is really just the quality of each present moment.

YOUR PRACTICE THIS WEEK: If you’ve caught yourself being distracted and pulled away from the Present moment, check in with how you’re feeling–are you stressed or in a hurry? Physically connect with yourself and see where you’re feeling it in your body. Take a deep breath and return back to your task at hand. Give it 100% of your attention.

If you find that it’s difficult to focus, ask yourself what you need RIGHT NOW. You might even want to say it out loud, “What do I need right now?” And often, you’ll know right away. If you’re feeling tired or low on energy, you may need a power nap, get some fresh air, or rehydrate. If you’re feeling hungry, you need to take a break and eat (not at your desk!). Sometimes it’s just needing a mental break and taking some deep breaths.

Then revel in each moment…make the most out of it. Enjoy yourself in the moment. Find (even the slightest!) joy in everything that you do.

 

 

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

[Spiritual SoundBite] School of Awareness: Lesson #2 of 3…

So how did practicing LESSON #1 go last week? Was it difficult to only do 1 task at a time? To be 100% present with every single task? I must confess, I found myself on the phone and putting laundry in the dryer at the same time. It was brought to my attention when the person on the other end was asking what all that noise was! Oopsie. So we won’t be perfect 100% of the time but being aware of when you’re not 100% there is a start to helping you live more presently.

 

SCHOOL OF AWARENESS: LESSON #2

OBSERVATION: It has turned into a game of how many things can we check off our “to-do” list.

 

YOUR PRACTICE THIS WEEK: If you can wrap your head around the “being 100% present” concept, then it I’d like to lead you to the next concept of: all those things on your list will never get “done”. This list you have is on-going and more items are tacked on as you move forward. This list never ends. If you can accept this concept and see it as a part of life instead of seeing it as something that needs to get completed or finished, then you’ll take a lot of pressure off of yourself. Instead of seeing how much of your list you can check off, have your sense of accomplishment come from asking yourself which one needs my attention Now. This concept applies to not only your list but also distractions during your day. They may all feel like they need your attention now but only 1 thing will need 100% of your attention at any given moment. Make a decision in every moment of what that 1 thing is. Your brain and body will be so grateful.
The results = You’ll be in a “relaxed focus” state of being. You’ll be clear with what needs to get accomplished while your state of being is calm. Your energy and focus is honed in.  It’s no longer dispersed and pulling you in several different directions.

You are the zen corporate warrior.

 

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

[Spiritual SoundBite] School of Awareness…Lesson #1 of 3

I received a lot more feedback than usual about the SoundBite from last week. I especially enjoy receiving feedback that challenges my ideas and concepts. So this week, I’d like to address what I presented last week and explain how you can apply it to your life. We can talk all we want about how we’d like to ideally live but what use are these ideas if they aren’t applied? I’ve broken them down into 3 lessons and this week I’d like you to practice and master lesson #1.

What I’ll explain, may or may not make sense and either way, you may feel that you can relate to my observations but you may think that what I’m asking you to “practice” is perhaps a concept for someone else and that it doesn’t really apply to you…that you and your life are an exception and there’s too much to get done, too much to worry about, and too much of life’s stresses to possibly even fathom applying any of these to your life. You’re saying, “I don’t have time! I have too much to do!” Well, you, my dear reader, are exactly the person I’m writing this for.

You may even think that perhaps it’s easier for me because I’m just some crazy yogi with few stresses, no family to take care of, and I get to practice yoga and meditate all day. To tell you the truth, I’ve come a long way since the day of stressful corporate life and have made conscious choices about the kind of life I’d like to live. Perhaps stressful office environments where the pressure to perform and the stress of office politics are to be thanked because they are experiences that motivate me to do what I do now so that I can offer you reprieve from the pressures and stresses of your professional and personal life.

SCHOOL OF AWARENESS: LESSON #1

MY OBSERVATION: Often times I notice that I may be doing something as simple as walking the dog and suddenly remind myself of what I need to get done and feel an urgency to hurry up so I can move on to my next task…we are often times in a rush to finish something only so that we can move on to do something else.

YOUR PRACTICE THIS WEEK: Notice when your mind is being bombarded with thoughts and you begin to feel pulled in several directions. These are distractions and they pull you away from the Present moment. To combat these distractions, one way is to notice sensations in your body that are signaling stress or tension-perhaps you’ll feel tension in your head, constriction in your chest, or tightness in your jaw. Everyone feels and experiences stress differently. Observe how it shows up for you. Once you are aware that your body is feeling stress, you can bring yourself back into the Now moment.

Another way to combat distraction is to simply notice when your attention has diverted away from your present task. Make a conscious decision to be 100% present with every task you do. So if you’re sitting at your desk typing an email and the phone rings and you decide to answer the phone, then you need to stop typing and give the person at the end of that line your full attention. Otherwise, don’t answer the phone or tell them you’ll call them back. If you decide to do both at the same time, the email will not be as well written (because you’re distracted by the phone conversation) and your conversation with the person won’t be as focused (because you’re distracted by your email). Thus, a half-assed written email and a half-assed phone conversation equals half-assed results. Do you only want your efforts to produce 50% of what you’re capable of? Of course not.

Practice this for the next 7 days and I’ll check in with you next Tuesday!

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

[Spiritual SoundBite] Do You Lie or Pretend?

“Don’t allow anything to cause tension in the mind or the body.” This was said several times at an Ashtanga workshop I took last year with Dena Kingsberg. She said it several times throughout the week and each time I heard it, it made more and more sense. Yes! Of course! Why would we allow anything to cause tension to our mind and body? But don’t we all do it anyway: notice your state of being when sitting in traffic, when you’re in the office, when you have to get to a meeting, or all the fearful thoughts that float through your mind as you obsess about money, your relationship, your job, etc.

 

Lately, I’ve been practicing getting more into what I call “feeling mode” rather than thinking mode. By bringing awareness into what I’m feeling in my body it causes me to focus on what’s happening Now. Often times I notice that I may be doing something as simple as walking the dog and suddenly remind myself of what I need to get done and feel an urgency to hurry up so I can move on to my next task. Isn’t it so true that we are often times in a rush to finish something only so that we can move on to do something else? And so, this feeling of needing to rush the present task so that we can move on to the next becomes our state of being…we’re living and thinking in the future instead of being in the Now. And what matters is the Now, the present time; simply because the future doesn’t exist and the quality of each Now moment creates the next Now moment (future). We’re so used to doing and checking things off our list that it has turned into a game of how many more things can I check off? I think this way of doing things has simply been a commonly accepted and expected cultural concept of -attaining, -accomplishing, and -more is better. This driving force behind our actions is worth questioning and examining in our own lives because it has influenced us to think in terms of doing instead of Being.

 

The reason I bring all this up is simply to bring attention to what is being felt emotionally and physically. When you are aware of these sensations as they are happening, you are experiencing your truth in the moment. And why is this important? Our truth is how our reality is created. You may have heard: our thoughts lead to our words, our words lead to our actions, our actions lead to our reality. If we deny ourselves of our feelings and what’s really going on inside (emotionally/physically) then what kind of reality are you creating for yourself? Often times we simply do not acknowledge how we’re feeling and instead we go numb…not feeling at all. Feelings do not lie. It’s the intellectual thoughts and excuses we offer ourselves that keep us from acknowledging our feelings…essentially, our truth. So instead of treating your feelings as a burden to your psyche, use them as a signpost in guiding you on the path towards the state of Being and reality you’d like to live in.

 

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

ALL IN FOR THE 99%…readings by SLAKE Los Angeles

ALL IN FOR THE 99%

Schedule of Events

10.30am	Roving reporter for Funny or Die – Jason Alexander
10.30am – 1.30pm	DJ sets curated by The Embassy
11am	Aerial art project with Interconnected (all welcome to join, just show up with friends and family)
12.30pm – 1.30pm	Activist training led by Rebuild the Dream
1.30pm – 2.30pm	Funny or Die curated short film screenings
3pm – 4.30pm	SLAKE Magazine readings Val Kilmer performs as Mark Twain Reading by Natasha Vargas Cooper Reading by Erin Aubry Kaplan Reading by Vanessa Carlisle Reading by Sam Slovick Screening of short documentary “OCLA” by TakePart Elise Whitaker, Margot Paez and Julia Wallace: Why We Occupy Recording star and The Voice finalist Vicci Martinez performs
4.30pm – 5pm	Van Jones to speak
5pm	Activist training led by Rebuild the Dream
5pm – 6.30pm	DJ sets curated by The Embassy

 

[Spiritual SoundBite] The Convenience of Loneliness…and my LA ECO VILLAGE visit!

“We’ve been boxed in our whole lives. Our house is a box. Work is a separate box. Family is in another box.” This was part of Lois’s introduction for our tour of the Los Angeles Eco Village. She was trying to explain that most of the things we do in our lives are disconnected. We get in our cars and we drive to work. We leave work and go to the store to get groceries. We go home and either eat alone or if we’re lucky enough to get the family together, we all sit down for a meal. We, as individuals are easily isolated in our own boxes and unless we make an effort to spend time with others or are part of a larger community, isolation seems to come naturally. But as humans, we naturally yearn for meaningful connections with others. So although isolation and as a sense of loneliness seems to be easily achieved, it really isn’t the most “natural”. It’s just more convenient.

But albeit convenient, our isolation is not only a detriment to our own mental and spiritual health, but also to our community. We’re more powerful as a collective whole and can achieve together what we otherwise would not be able to do alone. A couple of examples at the LA Eco Village are: various gardens of herbs and vegetables are grown and maintained by several of the eco villagers. The amount of work and time is diminished for everyone and the result of having several different kinds of produce is reaped. A line of narrow garages have been converted into several different shared spaces. One was a community tool shed (the one rule being: put it back where you found it and no blood on the tools). Expensive to purchase and a pain to store, what if you could just share tools and machinery with your neighbors and even share your skills with one another?

It became glaringly obvious that I too am guilty of isolating in my own life boxes. It made me think about my neighbors whom I’ve been living on the same lot of bungalows with for the past 3 years. The close proximity of our “boxes” seems like it would lend itself to a more close knit community. But unless an effort is made, the only communication (if we’re lucky to even see each other), are the usual pleasantries in passing.

I’m a firm believer in taking action towards positive change. I don’t know if any of my neighbors will want to share the same neighborly sentiment or if they’ll show up for the potluck I’ve been inspired to organize. But it doesn’t matter. Our generosity must continue in the spirit of giving regardless of how others respond or if it’s reciprocated. To know and feel that you are connected to your neighbors and everyone beyond them is to also know that your actions affect not only those close to home but the collective whole as well.

 

Cheers to a Healthy. Happy. Sexy. You.

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