A HIGHER STANDARD OF LEADERSHIP

www.InnerConnectionsYoga.com

The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.
                                                                                                      - Harvey Firestone

On Monday we celebrated Presidents Day. It was originally a day to honor George Washington’s birthday which fell on February 22nd. The holiday was mostly celebrated only in Washington D.C. until it became a nationally recognized holiday in 1885. Because George Washington and Abraham Lincoln had birthdays close to each other in February, Americans often considered the holiday a celebration of both men who played an important part in American history. To most Americans today, Presidents Day has come to represent a day to celebrate all 46 United States’ commanders-in-chief.

Did you know that C-SPAN conducts a Presidential Leadership Survey? According to US News & World Report, the survey ranks the former presidents based on 10 characteristics of leadership, including public persuasion, crisis leadership, economic management, moral authority, international relations, administrative skills, relations with Congress, vision and setting an agenda, pursuing equal justice for all, and performance within the context of the times.

For the fourth consecutive survey, Abraham Lincoln took the top spot. Placing first in all but public persuasion (second place), international relations (third place), and his lowest-ranking category – relations with Congress (fourth place).

George Washington took the lead for the first time in this year's survey for his relations with Congress, a change from his second place ranking in 2017's survey. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson previously held first place.

Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt has held the top spot for public persuasion for four surveys in a row and holds first place for international relations, a ranking he has retained from 2017. He finished third overall.

Former President Barack Obama placed 10th in this year's survey. The ranking represents a bump of two spots from 2017's survey. Obama placed highest, third place, in pursuing equal justice for all. His lowest ranking, falling into the 32nd slot, was for his relations with Congress.

Former President Donald Trump debuted on C-SPAN's Presidential Leadership survey, ranking fourth from the bottom among America's 44 former commanders-in-chief. His highest rankings were in public persuasion, placing 32nd, and in economic management, placing 34th. He landed in last place for both moral authority and administrative skills.

As I reflected on Presidents and leadership over the past few days, I cogitated on my knowledge of personal leadership as it relates to yoga. Yoga-informed leadership involves key concepts that shape good leaders into great leaders. The study, practice, and embodiment of yoga provide tools that help grow and develop people into great leaders. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra provides the roots for this growth.

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root "yuj," meaning to join, to “yoke,” or to “unite” body, mind, and spirit through movement, breath, and meditation. It is a complete system of healing and growth, which includes developing awareness and mastery of the mind, physical body, emotions, and interpersonal relations. It is a holistic approach using the eight limbs of yoga consisting of physical postures, breathwork, moral codes, sensory withdrawal, concentration, and meditation, leading to self-realization.

The practice of yoga is the first step to understanding and integrating all parts of ourselves, giving us a better sense of feeling whole. Yoga teaches us to observe ourselves by paying attention to changes in our body, breathing, emotions, attitudes, and relationships as our yoga practice evolves. This wisdom and integration help us be more authentic leaders, informing the way we show up in the world – whether that is as a leader of an organization or in our own life. Yoga creates better leaders in the following ways:

• INCREASES SELF-AWARENESS. Yoga’s contribution to increasing self-awareness enhances leadership skills. Self-awareness is the ability to understand one’s own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and values, and how these factors influence behavior and decision-making. In a yoga class, phrases like "bring your attention to the present moment," "check in with yourself," or "invite your focus inward," help us hone our ability to identify our true thoughts and feelings at any given moment. It helps us process, clarify, and reflect. Through yoga, leaders embark on a journey of self-discovery, gaining insights into their personal and professional selves. This increased self-awareness allows leaders to identify areas where they excel and aspects that need improvement. Understanding their leadership style and how it impacts others enables them to lead more effectively and authentically. Additionally, self-aware leaders are better equipped to manage criticism, learn from their experiences, and adapt to new challenges. This level of introspection and self-understanding is crucial in developing a strong and effective leadership style.

• HELPS ONE SET GOOD BOUNDARIES AND BEHAVE ETHICALLY. In yoga, the ten principles of the Yamas and Niyamas serve as a map to guide us on life’s journey and provide a recipe for living in the world with ease and integrity. Together, they help us avoid behaviors that produce suffering and difficulty and embrace those that lead to states of happiness. We discover wisdom through ethical practices. (YAMAS - Ahimsa: non-harming or non-violence in thought, word and deed; Satya: truthfulness; Asteya: non-stealing; Brahmacharya: “right use of energy”; Aparigraha: non-greed or non-hoarding; NIYAMAS: Saucha: cleanliness; Santosha: contentment; Tapas: discipline, austerity or ‘burning enthusiasm”; Svadhyaya: self-study and of texts; Isvara Pranidhana: surrender to a higher being, or contemplation of a higher power). As leaders, it is imperative that we have a moral compass.

•   CULTIVATES GREATER COMPASSION AND EMPATHY. A big component of yoga philosophy is ahimsa (non-violence), the first and foremost of the five Yamas, and it implores us to live in such a way that we cause no harm in thought, speech, or action to any living being, including ourselves. In its pure form, ahimsa is the spontaneous expression of the highest form of love—an unconditional positive regard for everyone and everything. Ahimsa supports greater empathy and compassion for all beings and is critical to strong leadership. Leaders must know how to communicate with, delegate to, and motivate others, and when leaders approach these from a place of love, compassion, and understanding, they reap the rewards of better job satisfaction, better relationships, and better business outcomes. Yoga encourages practitioners to explore compassion and empathy towards themselves and others. This practice of empathy is particularly relevant for leaders, as it enables them to connect on a deeper level, understand another’s perspective, and respond to needs effectively. Leaders who practice yoga often find themselves more attuned to the emotions and motivations of those around them, which is essential in creating a positive and supportive environment. Empathy leads to stronger relationships, improved morale, and increased collaboration. By fostering a culture of understanding and compassion, empathetic leaders inspire loyalty and dedication, which are crucial for the success of all.

• IMPROVES FOCUS. Yoga practices involving asanas, meditation, and mindful breathing enhance concentration and mental discipline. With improved focus acquired from the practice, leaders learn to direct their energy and attention more efficiently, leading to better productivity and performance. The ability to focus and maintain attention is crucial for leaders, and yoga offers significant benefits in this area. In today’s fast-paced and distraction-filled environment, leaders need to be able to concentrate on multiple tasks and responsibilities effectively. Additionally, staying focused under pressure is a key attribute of successful leaders. Yoga’s emphasis on mindfulness trains the mind to remain present and engaged, even in challenging situations. By cultivating a sharper focus and attention through yoga, leaders learn to manage their duties more effectively and set a strong example for others.

• REDUCES STRESS. Stress brings mental confusion and can negatively affect emotions. If someone is undergoing a life-changing event or crisis and needs to make logical, critical decisions they may find their thinking processes hijacked by the severity of the issue at hand. Movement with breath in a yoga practice teaches us to slow down and moves us from our sympathetic nervous system (flight, fight, or freeze) to our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), naturally reducing stress levels and helping to provide clarity and calm. The stressors of daily life can send us spinning out of control. By using the skills practiced during yoga such as patience in the pause, becoming the observer, and witnessing rather than acting and reacting, we can achieve clarity of mind and a more relaxed state at work, during our commute, and at home. Meditation helps deal with depression, mental confusion, sadness, and sorrow by bringing the body into a state of well-being, increasing positive energy, and helping us take control of our emotions. It is only then that our minds can think clearly, remain focused, and make the effective choices needed to solve complex problems.

• IMPROVES EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. There is a plethora of information published about the demand for higher levels of EQ (Emotional Intelligence) in today's leaders. Yoga’s role in enhancing emotional intelligence is a key factor in developing leadership skills. Emotional intelligence involves understanding and managing one’s emotions and empathizing with others. Through our yoga, mindfulness, and meditation practices, we cultivate a deep sense of self-awareness and emotional balance. Leaders with high emotional intelligence can better navigate social complexities, build and maintain relationships, and effectively manage conflicts. They are also more adept at understanding the emotional needs of those around them, fostering a supportive and productive work environment. The self-reflection encouraged by yoga helps leaders recognize their emotional responses and understand their impact on decision-making and interpersonal interactions. We learn to lead from our hearts with the understanding that we are all ONE. What harms one, harms all. This heightened emotional intelligence provided by yoga is invaluable in leadership, as it enhances communication, dynamic interaction, and overall leadership effectiveness.

The ability to commit to and practice yoga regularly provides us with a healthier mind and body and improves our ability to deal with adversity at work and home. Through improved clarity and the ability to open our minds to new opportunities, yoga improves our leadership abilities and teaches us to engage compassionately, honestly, and mindfully, with others as well as ourselves. Yoga’s purpose is to grow human beings into those who lead from the heart and their highest Self thus creating a higher standard of leadership.

Love & light,

Jeanne and John

Nourishing Your Heart

www.InnerConnectionsYoga.com

Intention: I connect with myself, and cultivate joy, self-love, and compassion by practicing affirmations for my heart space.

Valentine’s Day is Wednesday, February 14th. There are many ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day and this year let’s approach the holiday as an opportunity to be grateful, love, and take care of ourselves.

When our heart's energy is open, we feel a sense of balance, serenity, acceptance, and love. We are not afraid to forgive, share, and accept ourselves and others as we are. When we align with the heart's energy, we can give and accept love. We are understanding, compassionate, loving of our Self and others, empathetic, internally and externally peaceful, and have a strong immune system. When we are balanced in our heart energy, we are happy, confident, and have a sense of purpose. We are excited about life and love and are welcoming, warm, and fun-loving.

If the heart energy is imbalanced, it may be experiencing an overactive or underactive flow of energy (prana). When the heart chakra is blocked, we may experience an avalanche of destructive emotions such as fear, anger, jealousy, dependency, manipulative behavior, grudge-holding, victim/rescuer mentality, unworthiness, inability to trust ourselves or others, self-isolation, loneliness, fear of intimacy, defensiveness, or physical issues such as heart and lung issues, weak immune system, poor circulation, high or low blood pressure, or respiratory difficulties. Presence, focus, and awareness are crucial for unblocking, attracting, and manifesting balance in our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies.

Practicing affirmations for the heart center can lead to better balance and becoming more aligned with life, both internally and externally. Positive affirmations help us see the beautiful, wonderful things about ourselves. Start speaking kindly to yourself and experience both the immediate and long-lasting results of affirmations.

Here are a few suggested guidelines to get you started:

• Choose an existing affirmation that resonates with you in the moment or create one for yourself.

• Find a quiet place and a comfortable position – seated or lying down, with the spine aligned..

• Bring your attention to your heart space, the chest – the location of the heart chakra. Practice a few yoga postures like cat/cow or seated back bend/forward fold to bring awareness to your heart space.

• Breathe deeply, smoothly, mindfully, and in a relaxed manner.

• Repeat your affirmation during your practice and when it comes to mind throughout your day. If you have mala or prayer beads, you may use them to repeat your affirmation (yoga mala is 108 times).

• Visualize the color emerald green of the heart chakra and imagine the color flowing into your heart center. Create a sensation of spaciousness and lightness emanating from your heart.

• Immerse yourself in the feeling of the words of your chosen heart chakra affirmation.

 Try these heart chakra affirmations to elevate your energy, light up love in your life, and improve your compassion, empathy, and understanding. Practice an affirmation a day for the next seven days. Or choose the one that is most suitable for your situation and practice the affirmation for a week, month, or even a year! Be mindful and witness your affirmations manifest.

7 Heart Affirmations:

• I am open to giving and receiving love.

• I love and accept myself.

• I forgive myself and others.

• I lead with love in all situations.

• I am peaceful.

• My heart is full of love.

• I live my life in alignment with my heart.

Practicing affirmations for the heart can lead to better balance and becoming more aligned with life - internally and externally.

Affirmations can help us heal and activate the heart center that snuggles our soul and amplifies our ability to love as we release unhealthy attachments that dim our light. Working with heart chakra affirmations helps to crack us open to let light, love, and joy in and can change us in profound and positive ways.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love & light,

Jeanne and John

MLK, Gandhi, and Yoga

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“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Many people embody yoga without even trying - they effortlessly demonstrate what it means to live their lives as a representation of these ancient teachings. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of these incredible individuals.

Nearly sixty-five years ago, on February 3rd, 1959, Martin Luther King, Jr., embarked on a five-week journey to India, to study Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of non-violent social change. Though Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, Dr. King, Jr. was able to meet with many leaders to learn about these principles, which stemmed from the teachings of Yoga. When Gandhi faced difficult situations in the push for independence in India – and there were many – he turned to The Bhagavad Gita and other ancient texts for strength, solace, and guidance.

Dr. King first learned about Gandhi as a seminary student in 1949, just a year after Gandhi was assassinated. He soon wrote about Gandhi that he was a person who “greatly reveal[s] the working of the Spirit of God.”

Gandhi’s life inspired Dr. King to practice yoga principles. For example, the practice of nonviolence in yoga is called ahimsa. Few others in our history have practiced this yoga quality to the extent Dr. King had. He laid out beautiful guidelines and concepts to bring true non-violence into our everyday lives and showed by example how one can truly triumph through non-violent action, and by doing so, he changed his community, his country, and his world.

MLK also demonstrated tejas, intense inner power that helps one to transform and discover a more profound and spiritual experience. Those who followed Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in him 100%. That kind of trust did not come just from his words alone but from the harmony between word and action. He lived what he preached. To have tejas, one must be true to himself, trustworthy, honest, open, and most importantly pour his inner compassion out to the world.

While in India, King met with many of Gandhi’s friends and family, who gave him their blessing to continue spreading Gandhian teachings. As he was leaving India, he reported that he was “more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity.”

Upon his return to the United States, Dr. King preached to his congregants on Palm Sunday about Gandhi’s life and martyrdom, comparing him to Jesus and Abraham Lincoln. Later, after the arrest of Rosa Parks, he led the 381-day bus boycott which brought him into the spotlight as one of the most important leaders of the American civil rights movement. Of the practice of nonviolence, he said, “Christ showed us the way, and Gandhi in India showed it could work.”

Take a moment today to reflect on the inspirational yogic qualities of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Allow his life to inspire you to be an even better human being than you ever dreamed possible.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”                                                                         – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
                                                                                                         - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love and light,

Jeanne and John

LET YOGA BE YOUR RUDDER

You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher, but your own soul.
-Swami Vivekananda

John and I saw this beautiful ship last week, the Nao Trinidad, a Spanish-built replica of a ship that would have sailed in the 16th century, docked at the Georgetown Landing Marina in Georgetown, SC. Its name comes from one used by the Magellan-Elcano expedition that sailed around the world between 1519 and 1522. Considered the greatest maritime feat in history, the expedition circumnavigated the globe for the first time, opening new routes, and connecting continents and oceans.

Human beings have historically been explorers and travelers of the outer world. The practice of Yoga invites us to explore our inner world.

The Bhagavad Gita says, “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” This captivating expedition to the Self invites us to explore the profound transformations that Yoga brings, both on and off the mat.

When we practice yoga, we embark on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. Through the integration of breath, movement, and mindfulness, we forge a deep connection between body, mind, and spirit. We discover that we feel better after a yoga practice – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. From enhancing flexibility and strength to refining posture and balance, the physical benefits of Yoga are undeniable. Incorporating Yoga into our daily lives improves sleep quality, boosts the immune system, and enhances energy levels. The practice of yoga also cultivates mental clarity by increasing focus, concentration, and productivity, and instills resilience and adaptability, enabling us to navigate challenges with grace. Practicing Yoga reduces stress, lowers anxiety, and nurtures emotional well-being, fostering harmony within.

The heart of yoga practice is meditation, a journey from external activity to inner stillness. Meditation provides an opportunity for us to Be. It reminds us that, at our core, we are human beings, not human doings.

Meditation teaches us to quiet mind chatter so that we can sit in the wisdom of our perfection that is often buried by layers of anxiety, fear, stress, fatigue, doubts, and confusion. The spiritual awakening that occurs in meditation allows us to reconnect to our essence and we begin to see our interconnectedness to all, establishing an opening to higher states of consciousness and our connection to the Divine.

Tantric yoga teachings remind us that our Soul is already whole. We are born complete. No accomplishment in this life will make our souls better. The Self is already enough. There is nothing else we need to do to make us whole. Just like explorers set out to learn more about this vast outer landscape, we must embark on an inner journey and remember who we are through exploration, growth, experience, expression, and expansion. Through self-discovery, we are reminded that joy, happiness, love, compassion, patience, peace, and forgiveness are our birthright and to avoid entanglements with judgment, criticism, and self-doubt as well as people who live in fear and hate. It is here that we find Sukha – sweetness, quiet joy, and comfort that rests within us.

When we access the innate wisdom of our body and the power of our mind, we see clearly through the fog and mist of our vrttis, or mind chatter, as the sage Patanjali writes in Sutra 1.2, and begin to witness our true Self and experience life as a beautiful gift. Once we remember who we are, our next step is to be who we are.

Just as explorers of the past used ships to explore and transform, we use Yoga as a catalyst for exploration and transformation of our inner world. Let Yoga be your rudder, guiding you towards optimal well-being, empowering you to live a life of vibrancy, love, and light, and guiding you to discover and live the best version of yourself.

Love & light
Jeanne & John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: EMBRACING CONTENTMENT AT THANKSGIVING

On this Thanksgiving holiday, we want to offer you a meditation on Santosha, which is the second Niyama of the eightfold path of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra that helps guide us to a meaningful and purposeful life. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, it is the perfect time of year to pause and observe Santosha and explore how practicing contentment and gratitude can help make life more meaningful and fulfilling.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra II.42 reads, “From contentment, the highest happiness is attained.”  Santosha is both an attitude and a state of deep inner peace that invites us to appreciate what we have rather than focus on what is missing or lacking. Contentment blossoms when desire wanes. When we rely on things that are external to us to bring us contentment or happiness (freedom), we inevitably bind ourselves to discontentment even more. Yoga teaches us that each moment in time is complete; we do not need to look for something else. Santosha is being grateful for what we have instead of attaching to the desire for something else or something more.

When we spend our lives seeking, always looking for a better experience (bigger house, better job, fitter body, or newer car), we are placing requirements on our own happiness that we may never meet. Once we get those possessions or experiences that we seek, we often barely enjoy them before we look for the next bigger, brighter, and better thing. TKV Desikachar, a world-renowned yoga master, describes the meaning of Santosha as accepting what happens – accepting whatever life offers you and learning from it. Cold is cold. Embrace it rather than wishing it away.

Contentment is also accepting ourselves just as we are. There is no need for us to be different than we are, and there is no need for us to be any different at this moment. To come closer to finding peace, Santosha is undeniably one of the most important practices to come back to consistently – we cannot love, trust, give, or live fully until we have enough of that love inside ourselves. Santosha asks us to fall in love with our life as it is and keeps us centered in joy and abundance.

Santosha deeply enriches our lives. Invite it in and practice it - even in your most challenging moments. It may not be easy to cultivate, but when you do, a feeling of inner peace will follow. Allow yourself to savor the sweetness of Santosha, and you will discover a deeper satisfaction and appreciation of what life has to offer. This Thanksgiving, take time to not only count your blessings and share gratitude but to look for joy in each perfect moment that unfolds right before you.

Meditation Practice on Santosha:

Come into a comfortable seated posture, on the floor or in a chair. Close your eyes and allow yourself to relax by taking ten slow, deep breaths. When you feel relaxed and comfortable, bring your awareness to your heart space. For the next few minutes, think of people, places, or things in your life for which you are grateful. Connect to your deep slow inhale and relaxing exhale. As you think of the things you are grateful for, experience the warmth that gratitude brings into your heart. There is so much to be grateful for and the feeling of gratitude brings even deeper feelings of love, compassion, and understanding into your heart. Sit quietly with these feelings for a few more breaths, and when you are ready, slowly open your eyes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Namaste
Jeanne and John Adams
Inner Connections Yoga & Wellness

MINDFUL MONDAYS: Embracing the Energy of the Season

I love aligning with the seasons. Each season has its own unique energy that represents where nature is in its cycle of birth, transformation, decline, and death. As beings who are closely connected to—and directly affected by—the rhythms of nature, we can gather and use the energy of the season by moving through our own seasonal processes.

The onset of autumn for me brings to mind quite specific, and pleasurable, feelings: the sweet tang of the newly-crisp air, the colors of the foliage, the sound of excited fans cheering for their favorite teams, the romantic time of the gloaming in the early evening at the beach when the light has mostly faded and the colors still cast their hue in their reflection on the water, the rustling sound and smell of leaves that have let go from their branches, the taste and sound of biting into an autumn apple, and the soft whispering rustle of the quaking aspens as the slightest breeze stirs them and they tremble almost incessantly, like thousands of fluttering butterfly wings encircling me.

Fall is a time of transformation in both nature and ourselves. Fall invites nature to shed what it no longer needs. Change and transformation fill the air as leaves change colors and fall to the ground below. The red, orange, and yellow foliage reminds us of the beauty and magnificence of change. We, too, transition our yoga practice to align with the changing energies of the season and bring attention to our own transitions. Adapting our yoga practice to the seasons helps us stay grounded, balanced, and connected to the world around us and within us.

Stay Connected to Nature

Fall is a season of abundant beauty in nature and represents so much about how we live life and how it mirrors nature. Consider taking your practice outdoors, surrounded by the changing leaves and crisp autumn air. Practicing in nature can deepen your connection to the seasonal rhythms and enhance your sense of gratitude and awareness.

Focus on Breath

The fall season often brings a sense of introspection and inner reflection. Pay close attention to your breath during your practice, emphasizing slow, deep, and mindful breathing. Pranayama techniques like Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) help balance your energy and calm your mind.

Meditation for Inner Transformation

Incorporating meditation into your fall yoga practice can be a powerful way to align your mind, body, and spirit with the changing season. Just as trees shed their leaves in preparation for winter, meditation allows you to let go of mental clutter and create space for inner transformation.

• Mindfulness Meditation: As the world outside undergoes its own transformation, mindfulness meditation can help us stay present in the moment. Find a quiet, cozy spot where you won't be disturbed and sit comfortably. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and turn your attention inward. Observe the thoughts and sensations that arise without judgment. Let them come and go like falling leaves. This practice can enhance your awareness of the beauty of the present moment.

• Gratitude Meditation: Autumn is a season of harvest and gratitude. Create a gratitude meditation practice where you reflect on the things you are thankful for in your life. You can do this as part of your daily routine or during your yoga practice. Simply close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and begin to list the things you're grateful for. It could be the changing leaves, the warmth of your home, or the support of loved ones. Practicing gratitude can uplift your spirits and bring a sense of contentment. One thing John and I do each November is write the things we are grateful for on a pumpkin. We start and the top and write one idea each day. At the end of the month, we read it together and remind ourselves of how beautiful life is in each moment we choose to celebrate it.

• Chakra Meditation: On Saturday, I led a class where we brought in the wisdom of the lower chakras. Fall is associated with the root and sacral chakras, which are linked to grounding, stability, safety, security, sensuality, and creativity. Consider incorporating chakra meditation into your practice to balance and energize these energy centers. Visualize a deep red color grounding you at your root chakra (base of your spine), and a warm, orange glow at your sacral chakra (just below the navel). This awareness can help you stay connected to the earth's energy while nurturing your creative spirit.

• Setting Intentions for the fall season: As you sit in stillness and connect with your inner self, contemplate what you wish to cultivate or release during this time of transformation. Whether it is a renewed commitment to self-care, letting go of old habits, or embarking on new creative projects, your meditation practice can help you clarify your intentions and set the tone for a fulfilling autumn.

Transitioning your yoga practice for the fall season is an opportunity to embrace change, cultivate mindfulness, and nourish your body and soul. By incorporating grounding poses, focusing on breath, and practicing self-care, you can harmonize with the energies of autumn and create a sense of balance and well-being. Embrace the beauty of this season and let your practice reflect the transformative power of the natural world.

MINDFUL MONDAYS: Fall Equinox - Change and Balance

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INTENTION FOR FALL EQUINOX: I reflect, release, and receive to enhance balance in my life.

Saturday, September 23rd is the first official day of fall in the northern hemisphere, and it brings a powerful shift as it marks the transition of the external and internal seasons of life.

The Fall Equinox ushers in the autumn season and a time when the energies of light and dark are held in balance as the length of day and night are perfectly equal. These changes in nature invite us to reflect on how we may find equanimity and balance in our lives. We are part of nature, and by promoting harmony with nature, we can also promote harmony within.

We are collectively moving out of the extroverted, yang energy of summer and into the subtler, quieter, yin energy that returns in fall and winter. Autumn is a wonderful time to ground and balance. Summer is a busy time spent outdoors, traveling, and gathering with friends and family. In contrast, autumn is a great time to slow down, ground ourselves, reflect, and rest. It is a powerful time to rebalance, restore, and refocus our energy.  Fall is a time to pause and look ahead, to see where to best flow our energy during the last three months of the year.  As the days become shorter and the temperatures colder, we focus on nourishing ourselves for the season ahead.

Autumn is a time of transformation – she lets herself into our lives with crisper air, fresh perspective, and piles of fallen leaves. As the harbinger of change and transformation, our inner clocks reset, inspiring us to reevaluate our dreams, aspirations, goals, intentions, plans, habits, and every other element on which we build our realities. Autumn often brings thoughts of maturity, change, preservation, abundance, wealth, reconnection, and balance. This is the time for us to look at how we have grown over the last nine months and what we are harvesting in terms of our relationships, work, personal projects, health, and well-being.

Although we may strive for balance throughout the year, how often do we give ourselves a chance to deeply reflect on this idea in our lives? Consider areas of your life where you intuitively feel out of balance and explore ways to bring yourself back to the center. What is the balance between giving and receiving in your life? How about creating and allowing?

Just as a tree sheds its leaves, we too can determine when it is time to let go or release that which no longer serves us or that we no longer need. Certain things have run their course. We realize there are things we have outgrown. During yoga, consciously moving towards “letting go” creates space for becoming more engaged and connected with our inner wisdom and truth. We are no longer held back by limiting beliefs, repetitive thoughts (for example, thoughts about groceries, work, or to-do lists), and desires for our practice to look a certain way. We transcend the limitations of the mind and body and step into a deeper knowing. We kindly and compassionately release.

Staying in tune with the energies of the fall equinox in your yoga practice can help you find balance in life. Bring some of these energies and intentions into your yoga practice and your daily life during the fall equinox:

• Engage in inner reflection

• Tap into a space of quiet, peace, and calm

• Release people, places, thoughts, and things that no longer serve you

• Turn inward for deeper rest and relaxation

• Embrace surrender, grace, and trust

• Prioritize slowing down

• Invest in self-care

• Support detoxification with twists, inversions, and breathwork

• Balance the hemispheres of your brain through breathwork

• Fan your inner flames to warm, ground, and balance the body (tapas)

By focusing your heart and soul on these intentions, you can turn the fall equinox into a conscious ritual that supports the transition of the external and internal seasons of life.

Invite yourself to reflect, release, and receive. Consider the year thus far and see all you have done and become. One of the biggest reasons we feel overwhelmed and continue to stay stuck in the patterns of overworking, overdoing, and burning out, is because we never take a pause long enough to receive the benefits of our actions. There is power in the pause. There is relief in release. When we reflect on our lives and find emotions, thoughts, actions, people, and situations that we have been holding on to, but have no purpose in our life, we release them so that we create more space for goodness, love, balance, and inner calm. When we pause to reflect on what has occurred, we stop making our choices from a place of stress and start making choices from our place of wisdom and awareness.

Love & light,

Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: Stoking the Fire

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INTENTION: I move myself forward by allowing Tapas to alchemize old habits, beliefs, and behaviors so that I may walk in my greatest good.

Art is born from trial and pain. The hammer and fire.

There are some days when it is just hard to get out of bed. Or go to work. Or drive the children to school. Or meditate. Or clean the house. As daylight becomes shorter, we can find our motivation a bit extinguished. The bright sunshine of summer can be the spark that ignites the fire of creativity and innovation in us and helps us aspire to something different or greater, but as Autumn progresses, it may be difficult to keep that inner fire going.

Tapas originates from the Sanskrit word ‘tap’ and means ‘to burn or create heat.’ This term often carries different connotations, such as radiance, heat, burning, and, most popularly, austerity. Tapas is viewed broadly as self-discipline, inner focus, concentration, self-sacrifice, and transformation, cultivating our inner flame of aspiration. It is a fiery, intense energy that, when applied appropriately, helps alchemize our conditioned responses (sometimes called samskaras) to reveal the parts of the self that are quieter, deeper, and freer. To shift long-held habits, you need to fuel the fire of Tapas.

We apply Tapas at any moment when we consciously go against our conditioned way of being and engage in a new behavior or way of thinking. While it is often an uncomfortable process, its benefits are great. Tapas allows us to fulfill our intentions and dreams. It focuses on the fiery determination that is necessary if we are to move forward in life, become more resilient, or overcome adversity. Without this fierce determination, it is more difficult to bring forth positive change or reach our goals.

Think of Tapas as that fire inside of you that motivates you and keeps you on track with anything of importance in life. It makes you pull weeds (literally and figuratively) when you do not feel like it. It moves you when you are feeling stuck and resistant. That inner fire motivates you to make changes when you know you need to.

Tapas is heat that is generated for internal purification, like the process of purifying gold.

I have a friend from childhood who has struggled with addiction. For years, she would overeat, chain smoke, and drink too much. She talked for years about the trauma in her life and how she needed to move forward. She went to therapists. She climbed mountains. She attained tools along the way that became crutches, and she was so dependent on the tools she had no trust in herself to walk without them. She met spiritual teachers. She met gurus. Nothing moved her forward. She was stuck. Until she met her inner guru.

She decided to take a few months and just observe her thoughts, behaviors, and habits. She practiced yoga. She meditated. She journaled so that she would remember the distinct aspects of when, how, and why she behaved in certain ways. Then she began the process of alchemizing her old ways into new ways of being. She set short-term, manageable goals. She started with one habit and worked slowly and methodically. Soon, days transformed into months and into years of not drinking, losing forty-five pounds, and stopping smoking. She started by shifting the energy of smoking into something she could be proud of – drawing and painting! Any time the desire to smoke appeared, she picked up a pencil and began to doodle, then draw, then paint! She was on fire!

Fire’s nature is that it always goes upwards. Rising upwards is its path, on and on upwards towards the sky. You may strike a flame anywhere, you may keep it in any position, you may hang a lamp upside down - its flame will still begin to rise upwards. Since ancient times the higher souls, the mystics, have clearly understood the upward, rising nature of fire.

She realized what she was doing. She used Tapas, and fiery self-discipline, to change herself. Fire saves the pure and destroys the impure. If gold is thrown into the fire, the impurities are burned and destroyed, and the pure gold comes out brighter. This is known as the ordeal by fire - the test to destroy the impure and save the pure. The ordeal by fire became a symbol to her that fire destroys that which is impure and saves and protects that which is pure. This is its natural quality. Fire is eager to protect the pure within us and to burn the impure. We know when we put things in a fire it never comes out the same. Never goes backwards. The object is transformed. Tapas transforms and changes us.

When we practice yoga or any spiritual practice, the flame of Tapas needs to burn brightly within us if we are to achieve anything more than a workout. Tapas equates with self-discipline and the passion required to burn away the impurities of the mind and body. It helps us through uncomfortable sensations, motivates us to try difficult maneuvers, and pulls in the reins when we become a bit full of ourselves or risk injuring our bodies. Tapas is the fire of our practice- the force of energy that returns us to our mats again and again.

Tapas is the heat you feel in your core when you move your body with energy and breath. It gets your heart pumping and heightens your desire for personal growth. Tapas is the passion that propels you to action. Without that inner discipline and determination, we are unlikely to look at the finer practices of yoga that, through rigorous self-awareness, bring inner peace and open us to greater awareness.

It is also about having the mental discipline to find the middle ground between pushing yourself and relaxing; it’s about not overdoing it in your asana practice to the point of burnout or injury, but rather learning to listen to what your body is telling you in each pose to find a deeper connection with yourself.

The physical practice of yoga is an access point to your spiritual practice. The physical heat you feel after a round of a vinyasa is directly linked to the spiritual heat of self-transformation. The energy governing your sense of self-confidence, inner strength, and willpower is in your core, the trunk of the body. The trunk is where your “Manipura” chakra lies, which is the source of energy for Tapas.

Like fire, too much intensity can be destructive. Balancing Tapas is crucial to its effectiveness. It is important to approach Tapas with the right intention and purpose. It should not be used to punish or harm oneself, but rather as a tool to cultivate self-discipline and inner strength. Work to finding the right amount of effort and intensity that challenges us, but also allows us to grow and thrive.

Remember, Tapas is a tool for transformation and should be approached with an attitude of kindness, passion, and zeal rather than self-denial and chastisement. Georg Feuerstein wrote, “Genuine Tapas makes us shine like the sun. Then we can be a source of warmth and strength for others.” "As we strive to achieve our goals, we must do so with kindness and respect for our bodies and minds. Listening to our bodies, taking breaks when needed, avoiding pushing ourselves beyond our limits, and finding balance is essential for igniting our inner fire and reaching our fullest potential.

Incorporating Tapas into a yoga practice can be a powerful tool for stoking the inner fire and achieving personal transformation. By setting intentions and practicing self-discipline, we can cultivate the mental and physical strength needed to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals. When we tap into this inner fire, we connect with our innermost selves and are better able to live a life of purpose and fulfillment. Whether on or off the mat, embracing Tapas can help us conquer challenges and ignite our inner flames.

The divine within you is stronger than anything that is without you. Therefore, be not afraid of anything. Rely on your own Inner Self, the Divinity within you. Tap the source through looking within. Improve yourself. Build your character. Purify the heart. Develop the divine virtues. Eradicate evil traits. Conquer all that is base in you. Endeavor to attain all that is worthy and noble. Make the lower nature the servant of the higher through discipline, Tapas, self-restraint and meditation. This is the beginning of your freedom. — Swami Satchidananda

Love & light,

Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: CLEARING, CLEANSING, PURIFYING

INTENTION: I purify my life in both small and profound ways that help me feel lighter, more expansive, alive, and more connected to All.

Yoga is so much more than the shapes we make on our mats. It is an ethical theory and offers an invitation to live in alignment with ourselves, others, and the planet. Yoga is a roadmap to live our lives in a way that invites us to peel away the layers of conditioning and remember who we are - the truest version of ourselves. Before society told us who we should be. Before the hurts and traumas. 

Patanjali offers us this roadmap in the Yoga Sutra. The niyamas are five practices that invite us back to our center. These five personal observances, or the “do’s”, are daily practices that sustain us and keep us walking a path toward liberation and freedom. They are an evolution toward balance, harmony, and ultimately peace. Last week in our MINDFUL MONDAYS blog we looked at the quality santosha. This week let’s dive deeply into saucha.

Saucha is the first quality offered in the second limb of the niyamas. Saucha means cleanliness or purity and operates on many levels. We aspire to treat our whole bodies with kindness and respect. We aspire to cleanliness for our bodies by washing ourselves, maintaining clean and orderly homes, eating healthy food, and drinking clean water. We aspire to cleanliness in our minds and speech by not polluting our minds or speech with negativity or grasping after emotionally and physically charged obsessions. We aspire to become the observer of our thoughts and emotions and what we are allowing to enter our minds. We let go of the clutter that takes up space in our lives and the residue that is left behind from unhealthy conditioning only to discover a calm and relaxed state of being. In other words, we find a balance that gives us a way to experience clarity and cleanliness both externally and internally. Yet this can mean many different things for each one of us.

To practice saucha, we may ask ourselves:

• What can I clear out of the way to make room for who I am meant to be?

• Are there thoughts, behaviors, actions, or relationships that are creating residue, or clutter, in my life?

• What am I taking in through my senses that is causing me discomfort, or worse, suffering?

In the practice of saucha, we want to clear the Self (physical, physiological, energetic, mental/emotional, and spiritual aspects of who we are) of anything that causes discomfort or suffering.

As we practice the niyamas we are also consistently practicing the yamas or ethical guidelines (the don’ts) of the first limb of Patanjali’s eight-limb path. We are invited to practice saucha with compassion for self, others, and the planet; to practice with profound honesty and without stealing from others; and to practice both non-attachment and moderation in all that we do.

Ways to practice saucha:

• Assess what you are taking into your senses. What is causing suffering? What brings more ease and joy? What shifts can you make? Take small steps each day to bring you more ease and joy in your life. 

• What are you watching? Reading? Listening to?

• What are you eating? Drinking? Using?

• What is wasting your time during a day (i.e., binge-watching)?

• Practice asana and pranayama help to purify the body and mind. 

• Perform any other movement that benefits your body to help clear away stagnant energy.

• Declutter your space. Start with a drawer. Then maybe a closet or a whole room. 

• Create intentional space for your spiritual/contemplative practices. 

• Cleanse your senses: use a Neti Pot or nasal cleansing and stimulate your sense of smell by using essential oils, sage, or incense; listen to calming and soothing music or immerse yourself in the sounds of nature – even better!; take a walk – trees swaying, birds flying, shadows dancing, oceans crashing; dry brush your body, then apply oil or go outside and feel the grass under your feet as the breeze caresses your skin; clean your teeth with a toothbrush and your tongue using a tongue scraper and offer yourself foods that excite your palate.

• Take a luxurious bath with salts that invigorate and/or calm the body and mind. Jump into the ocean or stand in a waterfall. Observe how it invigorates, cleanses, and clears on many levels!

• Write to help move clutter out of the mind and create space for the good to enter.

• Be mindful of your thoughts. Disrupt harmful thoughts before they become words and actions. 

• Clear your mind. Get quiet. Meditate.

• Observe your habits. What brings ease? What causes harm, to you or others? What could you change or let go if it does not serve you? 

• Clarify your boundaries in your relationships. Refrain from gossip. 

• Find a work/life balance. 

• Forgive. Holding on to resentment can be harmful to your entire being. 

• Sleep. A good night's sleep enhances the same positive feelings and states of being that we achieve through our yoga practice. Good sleeping habits play a direct role in how full, energetic, and successful our lives can be.

• Limit time on social media and/or watching or listening to the news and binge-watching shows. 

As we practice saucha and cleanse our outer body and purify our inner self, we lighten our load and open ourselves up to the vast power of the Divine. Anything done with spiritual fervor, whether sitting for an extended meditation or washing dishes, can move us forward, bringing us closer to the immensity and luminosity of our true selves and our connection to spirit and each other. The practice of saucha is not about adding to your life anything you do not already have. It is about removing what gets in the way of appreciating the abundance that is already yours.

Love & light,

Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: YOGA HELPS SLAY THE DRAGON

INTENTION: I Am Enough.

One of my favorite quotes is from the Persian poet Khalil Gibran, who wrote, “And God said, ‘Love your enemy,’ and I obeyed, and loved myself.”                                          

In life, we tend to ruthlessly judge ourselves. We are self-critical and self-punishing because we think there is something inherently wrong with us. We spend so much time and energy on what we see as wrong with ourselves that we miss the present moment because we are continuously dredging up toxic talk from our minds. As Nietzsche expressed, “You yourself will always be the worst enemy you can encounter; you yourself lie in wait for yourself in caves and forests.” We hide in the deepest places within us, ready to pounce and ruin any situation with self-doubt and self-criticism.

We all have an inner critic. At times, this little voice can be helpful and keep us motivated toward goals—like when it reminds us that what we are about to eat is not healthy or what we are about to do may not be wise. However, this voice can often be more harmful than helpful, particularly when it gets into the realm of excessive negativity. This is known as negative self-talk, and it can fuel stress, anxiety, and depression.

Negative self-talk is any inner dialogue you have with yourself that limits your power to believe in yourself and your abilities and to reach your potential. It is any thought that diminishes your ability to make positive changes in your life or your confidence in yourself to do so. Negative self-talk can be stressful and limit your success.

Think of it this way. Thoughts are like drops of water. When you think the same thoughts over and over, you create an incredible body of water. First, it may be a puddle, then a pond, and as you continue to think the same thoughts it becomes a lake and then even an ocean. If your thoughts are negative, you can drown in a cesspool of negativity. If your thoughts are positive, you can float in the ocean of life.

The practice of yoga is an internal journey of self-discovery, an opportunity to connect with your true self on a deeper level. At its core, it is about developing a deep reverence and pure love for who you are. Yoga is a beautiful practice for those who suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression as it slowly and lovingly allows a holistic way to heal negative self-talk from the inside out.

In a world that is obsessed with all things external, we are suffering from feelings of not being good enough, smart enough, successful enough – you get the picture. Indeed, social media demonstrates that we should always strive for more - to be more, do more, have more, and consume more.

Yoga is an internal practice where you cultivate a conscious connection between mind, body, breath, and essence. The practice of yoga involves listening to what you need in each moment and choosing to honor what you hear. Yoga invites you to accept lovingly all aspects of who you are (mind, body, breath, and essence), allows you to heal and grow in each posture, and supports you to choose self-love over ego and negative self-talk.

Through yoga, you can focus your mind and emotions to find a gentler, more loving way to be comfortable in your skin and let go of guilt, criticism, judgment, self-loathing and self-harming. Yoga allows space for deep internal healing and a conscious space in the day where you can enjoy just being who you are and lovingly express self-care in action.

If you consider how many years it takes to create the layers of unconscious critical self-talk, it will take time to change your thinking through self-acceptance and self-love and consciously let go of old thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that no longer serve you or that you no longer need. Show up on your mat with the intention to grow yourself from a truthful place of deep compassion and love.

 In yoga, an intention is not a goal. Rather, it is something you offer yourself to help guide you to walk in your highest truth or to be your best self. To slay the dragon of negative self-talk, start each day or week with a positive intention. These can include simple phrases such as, “I am good enough,” “I am able to cope,” or “Breathe - you got this!” When negative thoughts arise, challenge yourself to put a positive spin on them.

This week, our shared intention is I AM ENOUGH. Everything you need is already inside of you. The deeper you dive into the practice of yoga the more you accept and love who you are at your essence: love, light, compassion, patience, peace, joy, kindness, forgiveness. Yoga shows you how to honor your uniqueness and let go of the struggle that comes when you compare yourself to others. Your yoga mat is the perfect place where you can mindfully start the practice of letting go of the old stuff. You experience a very grounded sense of acceptance of self, rooted deep in the awareness that you are the love you have been seeking. You are enough.

Your relationship with yourself is the most important of all relationships you will have in your lifetime. It is the foundation on which all your other relationships grow. Remember, it is not selfish to put yourself first because when you love and take care of yourself, you have more love to share with others. This places you in an empowered space of embodying love, rather than a subjugated place of seeking love because of a misperceived perception of lack.

Make self-love a priority every day, or, like old unhealthy habits, you can slip back into self-criticism and doubt.  Self-love is like a muscle you need to strengthen, and you can do this by bringing the intention, I AM ENOUGH, to every yoga session to create a sacred space for you to ground yourself in a moving meditation of self-acceptance and self-compassion.

Love & light
Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: Resilience - The Secret Superpower

INTENTION: I AM RESILIENT

“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice” –Bob Marley

This weekend I had a surprise event occur. I drove to my mother’s home to take her for cataract surgery and instead, found myself in the emergency room with her in “respiratory distress.” We knew she had premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and arrhythmia. After being admitted to the hospital, two treatments to drain the fluid from her lungs, and an echocardiogram, we learned she has congestive heart failure. We noticed her struggling to catch her breath a week before while at the beach after too much activity caused some distress from which she later recovered. In just a few days things had gotten worse.

The next morning, the doctors visited my mother and they seemed surprised at how well she looked. The physical therapist came in to take her for a walk. She briefly turned away from my mother to grab a walker and was surprised to see my mother standing up behind her and waiting for her walker. After their cruise around the nurses' station, she informed my mother that she needed no physical therapy, she could walk a little slower, and she could return to independent living. All were surprised at my mother’s resiliency, as well as her kindness and cheerful outlook.

I sneak into my mother’s room at night and watch her sleep and listen to her breathe. I am concerned about her breathing pattern. As a yoga therapist, I know the struggles are with her heart and lungs and the stress on the organs while she sleeps. I explain that lifestyle changes can improve her quality of life, even at 86. Losing weight, exercising, using less salt, and managing stress are all recommended. I talk to her about the possibility of her passing away while she sleeps and she expresses, “Wouldn’t that be wonderful?!” She adds, “And so much better than the way a cousin died - while on the toilet!” Then she giggles. She models resilience. I watch her and learn from her as do the hospital workers she encounters during her short stay. My mother is a joy to be around, even as she faces adversity.

Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. When we learn to dig deep to find our own inner strength and joy in the face of adversity, we often emerge with profound personal growth. While adverse events are painful and difficult, they do not have to determine the outcome of our life.

We can modify, adapt, and grow with the changes adversity or misfortune brings us. This is how resilience works within us. Becoming resilient not only helps us overcome challenges but also empowers us to grow and improve our lives along the way.

My mother has built resilience as her superpower by finding meaning and purpose in her life, maintaining a positive outlook, and seeking social support in the 5 Fs: faith, family, friends, Facebook, and Facetime. A caveat about Facebook – she has rekindled old friendships with relatives, friends, and neighbors that would have never occurred without Facebook. It has been a useful tool for meaningful connections. She also uses Facetime to watch her great-grandchildren grow! Her touchstones are family, faith, joy, and belief in God. Even through challenges, adversity, and facing the end of life, she continues to find her own strength and adapts and changes to envision a new future for herself, manifesting in joy.

There are many ways to build resilience as your superpower:

• Practice self-care and manage stress by engaging in daily physical activity, healthy eating, sufficient sleep, and taking time to recover from stress. Taking care of our bodies is a legitimate practice for mental health and building resilience. This is because stress is just as much physical as it is emotional. Implementing positive lifestyle factors like proper nutrition, ample sleep, hydration, and regular exercise can strengthen your body to adapt to stress and reduce the toll of anxiety or depression.

• Use positive self-talk and affirmations such as, “I am stronger than I thought.” “I am capable of anything I set my mind to.” “This too will pass.”

• Remind yourself that life’s challenges are temporary.

• Practice Yoga – it is a wonderful physical practice that can help us connect with our physical bodies through asanas (poses) and pranayama (breath practices). The poses and sequences taught in yoga can have innumerable benefits, from back pain relief to anti-aging effects. Yoga’s physical postures, breath control, and concentration help to build resilience. Physical postures involve forward, backward, and lateral bends as well as twists that not only activate our muscles but also massage our internal organs and endocrine glands, leading to down-regulation of the sympathetic nervous system.

An emerging body of evidence suggests that yoga, which combines breathing exercises, strengthening and stretching poses, and relaxation techniques, can be beneficial for individuals with heart conditions or other chronic diseases. The unique aspect of yoga is its strong focus on breathing techniques and merging breath with movement.

For now, though, we spend as much time with Mom as we can, learning from her superpowers and her ability to practice non-attachment to outcomes.

She tells me “God doesn’t have my bed made yet.”

Love & light,

Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: THE POWER OF PAUSE

INTENTION: I CONSCIOUSLY PRACTICE THE POWER OF PAUSE.

Pema Chodron writes in When Things Fall Apart, “It all comes through learning to pause for a moment, learning not to just impulsively do the same thing again and again. It’s a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately filling up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as well as fundamental spaciousness.”               

We are craving silence and stillness in our culture. Everywhere we look there is activity, noise, input, and excessiveness. We wake up in the morning and jump on our phones to check email, messenger, phone calls, Facebook, and then we open our computer for another dose of information. We attend yoga classes and wear our Fitbit so that we can gain feedback about ourselves while we are searching for stillness. We move from meeting to meeting while talking on our cell phones through our earbuds. We are always plugged in and constantly doing something, filling every empty space with action or words. It becomes overwhelming and hard to keep up.

What is the Power of Pause? To take a pause means to stop or rest temporarily. The Power of Pause reminds us to be more mindfully aware and present and offers a space to stop thinking and instead start mindfully listening. The power of pause invites us to listen to ourselves and identify what restores us, gives life to our souls, and refreshes us.

Even our televisions have a pause button so that we can step away and walk around, refresh ourselves, then return with greater awareness and attention to what we were watching. Why is it so difficult to do this in our personal lives?

Sometimes we must press a pause button in life to create space to step back and assess where we have been, where we are presently, and which direction we are taking our lives. We need pauses to take in and digest our experiences. Our lives are so full of “doing” that we have lost our ability to be. Creating pauses in our lives allows us time to assimilate and integrate. It gives us space for our creativity to emerge and for our minds and hearts to rest and regroup. And sometimes it is in that pause that magic happens. Yoga teaches that all yoga happens in the pause of stillness and awareness.

Quieting the mind and being present, rather than being stuck in the past or yearning for the future, are the doorways to freedom from the busy mind. One of the greatest gifts of Yoga is that it teaches us to pause. Pause to breathe. Pause to shift from one pose to the next. Pause to watch our breath and observe what it does to our bodies and minds. Pause to decide if we want to react or let go. The Power of Pause is profound.

I think of the Power of Pause as a superpower. If you feel stressed or have said or done something you regret, or react without pausing, then tap into your superpower. The Power of Pause interrupts this cycle of reaction. It lets the mind sift through what is real and what is merely a story you have picked up along the way, from either your own interpretations of a situation or from what others say and do. This pause allows you to identify how things really are, not how you would like them to be. And if you are prone to viewing things negatively, which creates damaging self-talk, you can stop that before it takes hold of your mind and heart.

The Power of Pause is well-researched. Pausing promotes relaxation, a break from noise and doing, and refreshes and reenergizes us for hours. Taking time to just be still and quiet gives our nervous system a chance to regain balance. A mindful pause allows us to be present and more aware of how our body is reacting somatically, storing experiences in the very fiber of our being. It gives us time to be the Observer, suspending judgment, fully experiencing the moment, and learning what it has to teach us.

There are many ways to pause - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Create time and space to empty your mind and then reflect and let go.

• Schedule time for daily yoga practice. Put it in the calendar like any other appointment—and be consistent.

• Pause your online sessions every 20-30 minutes to save your body and mind. Get up, stand up. Step away from the screen. Practice diaphragmatic breathing and move around before restarting.

• Place your bare feet or body on the bare earth for a few minutes each day. Connect to the sand on the beach, a soft blanket of grass, or the warmth of rocks to ground and rejuvenate you.

• Spend time in nature. You will find it is easy to exhale here. Simply enjoy and delight in the magnificence that surrounds you. Go to a park, playground, or nature preserve. Listen, observe, and immerse.

• Do things that you love to do, sooner rather than later.

• Experience precious time with family and friends and allow yourself to be fully present. No devices. Lay down your weapons of distraction, remove your armor, and engage in human interaction. Practice HEAR: HALT — Halt whatever you are doing and offer your full attention; ENJOY — Enjoy a breath as you choose to receive whatever is being communicated to you—wanted or unwanted; ASK — Ask yourself if you really know what they mean and if you don’t, ask for clarification. Instead of making assumptions, bring openness and curiosity to the interaction. You might be surprised at what you discover; REFLECT — Reflect back to them what you heard. This tells them that you were really listening.

• Practice breath awareness throughout your day. Pay attention to your in-breath and out-breath. Say to yourself, “I breathe in vitality and exhale anything that no longer serves me.” Notice the transitional pause at the top of the inhalation and the bottom of the exhalation. Remember, yoga teaches that all yoga happens in the pause.

Our freedom and salvation lie in our timeless presence, in that the pause between our in-breath and our out-breath. It lies in our groundedness. In our open minds, our unclouded vision, our fresh perspectives, our rested bodies, and in our ability to pause and take stock of what is important.

So go ahead.

Take that breath. Give yourself that moment to pause and regroup. Go on that vacation. Stop working the moment they stop paying you. Stare in wonder at the swaying branches of a magnolia tree. Watch the swoop and listen to the trill of the birds. Wander aimlessly. Sit and be with Mother Earth.

Love & light,
Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: JULY 17, 2023

INTENTION: Every day I practice letting go, I grow.

This month I have been introducing different ways to discover “freedom from” through your yoga practice.

There is a famous anecdote about how to catch a monkey in India. You drop a banana into a container with a small opening. The monkey puts his hand into the container, grabs the food, and then finds that he cannot get his fist out through the opening. The monkey could escape if he just let go of the banana. But he won’t let go. As long as the monkey maintains his grip on the banana, he is a prisoner of his own making. The trap works because the monkey’s desire is the master of his reach.

The lesson for us is profound. We must always ask ourselves, what is our “banana” (i.e., desire, worry, fear, anxiety, pain, addiction, status, income, etc.), and what keeps us from opening our grip and letting it go?

According to yoga, attachment leads to suffering. Letting go leads to freedom. In this way, attachment is the opposite of contentment, one of a yogi’s most valued goals. Attachment distracts us from our spiritual journey. It is an obstacle. Patanjali spoke of it in the Yoga Sutra: “The obstacles that cause man’s sufferings are ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and the desire to cling to life.” (Yoga Sutra II:3)

Suffering is the stress we create from thoughts, habits, and old beliefs that we, for whatever reason, feel we cannot release. We attach to our lifestyle, our ideas, opinions, coffee, sugar, toxic relationships, and subtler addictions like worry, resentment, judgment, and criticism. Attachment is based on fear and insecurity. When we forget our true Self – which is pure consciousness, pure potentiality – we begin to believe that we need something outside of ourselves to make us happy and whole.

Attachment can make us stray from the spiritual path. The Bhagavad Gita warns us of its dangers: “When a man dwells on objects, he feels an attachment for them. Attachment gives rise to desire, and desire breeds anger. From anger comes delusion; from delusion, the failure of memory; from the failure of memory, the ruin of discrimination; and from the ruin of discrimination the man perishes.” (Bhagavad Gita, 2:62-63)

It is easy to become attached to an object outside ourselves. If we lose that thing, we feel distressed. We miss it and consider replacing it—or suffer more when we believe it is irreplaceable.

Subtle attachments can be a bigger problem. Examples would include opinions, ideas, and preferences. These attachments can be especially distressing. It is human nature to believe “I am right.” When we insist on pressing our opinions on others, we create inner (and outer) discord. Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh says it clearly, “Attachment to views is the greatest impediment to the spiritual path.”

Buddhist teachings and advice from psychologists worldwide teach that we create our suffering through the desire to control outcomes and people. But if we learn and apply the art of letting go in our lives, we can free ourselves from this suffering and find peace and happiness.

Nonattachment is the process of letting go. When we practice nonattachment, we let go of the outcome and focus on the present moment instead. We craft an understanding of what we can and cannot control and disconnect from the latter. Nonattachment is taking a step back so that we may then move forward.

Nonattachment is related to mental and physical benefits, such as:

• Reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress

• Increased empathy, kindness, wisdom, and self-actualization

• Greater levels of understanding from different perspectives, generosity, relational harmony, and compassion

• Increased mental well-being

• Increased clarity of mind, a better mood

• More mental space for the things you can control (as opposed to the things you cannot)

• Decreased fear of the loss of control, and less fear of change

Ultimately, just as the monkey needs to let go of the banana to have his freedom, we need to let go of those things to which we are attached or that no longer serve us. Gripping, grasping, and holding tightly only adds additional stress and keeps us stuck. Learn and practice releasing your hands and your mental grip and allow your hands, head, and heart to soften and open, preparing them to receive love through letting go. Then we can experience freedom from our attachments and be open to the sacred beauty of true freedom and unconditional love.

Love & light,

Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAY: Independence in Yoga – Freeing the Mind

What do freedom and independence mean to you?

As Independence Day arrives, it inspires us to consider the significance of the celebration. What did our founding fathers really want for us? We know that they wanted freedom – freedom from tyranny, freedom from taxation without representation, and freedom to enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” They wanted liberation from Great Britain and the rule of King George III.

Not only are freedom and liberation important to framing our government, but they are also important for students of yoga, as they are the purpose of our yoga practice. Moksha or mukti, is a central concept of Indian philosophy. Moksha translates from Sanskrit as “liberation, freedom, emancipation, or bliss.”

When we practice yoga, we become aware that our minds are incessantly restless! There is constantly something happening in the mind – thoughts, worries, anxieties, likes, dislikes, emotions, negative feelings, positive feelings, planning, scheming …. and the list can go on. We practice quieting the mind by focusing on our breath and meditating. We practice freeing ourselves from the bonds of our own ego. We are learning to let go of what we think we know, and instead, we are cultivating a greater sense of who we really are. It is a state of spiritual liberation. It is not about becoming perfect; it is about being free. Moksha is a state of pure consciousness where there is no separation between the self and the divine.   

Attachment, desire, and the inability to see or experience the oneness of all life bind us to this material world. The ancient yogis view this bondage as the primary source of suffering in human life. Moksha is the path of liberation from suffering and the attainment of self-realization.

On the 4th of July, we take time as a nation to let go and feel open and alive to possibility - and summer is the perfect time for this expression. Here on Pawleys Island, we breathe in the ocean air and our cells celebrate with vitality, animation, and freshness. We breathe out and mindfully release tension, tightness, stress, and old habits and ways of being that no longer serve us and that we no longer need as we continue this beautiful cycle of cleansing, rejuvenation, and restoration. Our bodies are warmed by the sun, encouraging us to relax and let go. The weather and the sea bathe us in openness, clarity, and freedom. We let go of our attachments to our schedules, work, and problems, and we find freedom.

Bob Marley wrote in his song titled Redemption Song, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.”  We are slaves to our thoughts and only we can free ourselves from the bondage. Allow your yoga to be your personal revolution. Celebrate your freedom from ego, misapprehension, and your monkey mind (vrittis).

Do not allow yourself to be upset by the extra traffic on the roads, the noise of firecrackers, the long lines at stores and restaurants, or how crowded the beach may be. Instead, enjoy your freedom from ego and attachments by observing yourself, being present, breathing in the wonderful ocean air, absorbing the beauty right in front of you, practicing yoga or taking a mindful walk, meditating, and perhaps, enjoying a little Bob Marley.

Love and light and happy 4th of July!

Jeanne & John

MINDFUL MONDAY 6.26.23

INTENTION: I consciously practice loving and kindness to all beings daily.

Today’s intention introduces you to the practice of Ahimsa. Ahimsa (non-violence) is the first and foremost of the five yamas (restraints) and is the first "limb" of Patanjali's eightfold path (ashtanga) as described in the Yoga Sutra. Ahimsa charges us to live in such a way that we cause no harm in thought, speech, or action to any living being. Ahimsa can help you transform negative energy and cultivate a deep, abiding sense of peace.

Some yogis interpret non-harming as a behavior performed, such as living a vegan lifestyle or volunteering in their community. Although these are wonderful outward expressions of ahimsa, the practice starts as an inner state of being. Are you kind and compassionate in your thoughts, words, and actions? Or, do you say mean and untrue or unkind things about friends, family, and those whom you see as rivals? Are you brutal to yourself – critical, loathing, self-blaming, etc.?

To understand how non-harming can manifest in your life, you must first learn how subtle daily actions and responses contain elements of harm. When thoughts contain negative responses like disappointment, resentment, or guilt, when you feel shame, or if you can't forgive someone for something they've done, or if you can't forgive yourself for something you've done, you are pushing love away.

A gifted teacher of ours from the Himalayan Institute describes ahimsa as "conscious loving." Another great sage, Sivananda, said, “Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is Sakti (power). Ahimsa is true strength.”

Ahimsa, in its purest form, is the spontaneous expression of the highest form of love—an unconditional positive regard for everyone and everything. This is impossible to do if you choose to ignore or escape from certain traits held within you.

Yoga is a great way to observe ahimsa in our daily interactions. When you practice yoga, you are invited to observe your thoughts, words, and actions impartially and with compassion. Through this awareness, yoga alchemizes negative emotions and tendencies and over time prevents you from acting on these feelings. Yoga provides space for accepting yourself with an open heart, letting go of reacting in a negative way and replacing those actions/reactions with kindness, acceptance, and growth.

Observe what happens when your temper flares or upset appears. The first harm is usually to yourself. Notice how everything— body, breath, thoughts, words—becomes tight and jagged. Observe a sense of imbalance or feeling off-kilter. The sages say that to create a peaceful, harmonious environment at home, at work, or in our community, you must first find peace within yourself. This is a process and includes awareness, observation, and witness consciousness. By observing your habitual reactions and their consequences, you become consciously aware of these habits and behaviors. Then you can learn to stop, take a deep breath, and readjust. As you become the observer of yourself, you can choose to respond in new, more loving, and accepting ways.

Ahimsa is the key to maintaining both a tranquil inner life and harmonious relationships in the world. At a deeper level, ahimsa is less a conscious process than a natural consequence of yoga practice. As our journey unfolds, it leads to awareness of the peaceful and enduring core that is our true nature; the desire to prevent harm is a spontaneous expression of that awareness. We begin to realize that the inner self in others is identical to our own inner self, and we wish no harm to come to any being.

Love & light,
Jeanne & John Adams

Honor the Past. Celebrate the Present. Embrace the Future.

INTENTION: I am mindful daily of honoring the past, celebrating the present, and embracing the future.

As you look to the new week that you will make for yourself, be mindful to honor, celebrate, and embrace life. For many people, history is complicated. How do you find the balance between honoring the history and uplifting today’s trailblazers, acknowledging past hardships, and looking ahead to the creation of brighter days? Taking a thoughtful look at the way our framing of history impacts our outlook on individuals and efforts today is an important task and one we all should be committed to upholding when examining personal history, culture, conversations, and future impacts. How do you teach people to honor their past, celebrate their present and look to their future with joyful anticipation?

Honor the Past. The past is our history. It is the vehicle that has transported us to this moment. Seek to understand and respect your past. There are moments, events, people, and issues that may be troubling at best and traumatic at worst. “Honoring” in this context means recognizing that those experiences have shaped the person you have become. The past should not be an excuse—nor should it be a shackle. It happened; it cannot be undone. We all have our 'something' in life that shapes our path. Some face their challenges and come out stronger, wiser, and more aware while others get weighed down like an anchor and can never get past them. We honor the past so we can grow from it, not be stuck in it.

Celebrate the Present: The present is all we truly have. While there is wisdom in preparing for the future, we can get lost in it and miss what we are truly experiencing. The present is our time to live and coincidentally create our evolving history. When we hold on to the past (going beyond honoring to “stuck in the past”) it robs us of our present.  When we live in the future, we vacate the present.  We cannot get the present back. The time for life is today. Living in the present moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It is living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe anchors you right here, right now, and to the gift of life.

Embrace the Future: For some, the future is scary. For others, that unknown is cause for excitement rather than trepidation. There is, to be sure, a practicality in looking to the future. It is important to anticipate, explore, and chart the paths toward many possible futures. Embracing the future means facing change. It means engaging and grappling with it because studying history can contribute meaningfully to contextualizing and shaping change. Instead of worrying about life and what it has in store for you, throw your hands up in the air, let out a big WHOO HOOO, and enjoy the ride.

Try this Reflection:

Sit back, breathe, and become aware of your body's weight in your chair or on the floor. Feel the floor beneath your feet and listen to the sounds of nature around you. Take a few deep breaths in and out through your nose. Invite your mind to quiet and allow your body to relax to the rhythm of your breathing to anchor you to the present moment. Take a few moments to simply be, centering yourself and listening within.

Notice your feelings and your emotions - how are you feeling at this very moment?  Note any needs, desires, fears, tensions, or frustrations that float into your mind. Then, ask yourself:

What are your most significant milestones this half of the year?

What defined them?

What brought you the most joy and equally, what was the cause of your sorrow?

What changed you so far this year and why?

What did you learn?

What has been missing?

By pausing and being present you automatically create some space between your thoughts.  That space expands your awareness and opens a moment of choice to embrace new beginnings:

What do you want for yourself for the rest of the year?

What learning opportunities await you?

What will you embrace more of?

What will you let go of?

What do you want to be different for the rest of the year?

Embracing the future and new beginnings opens the door to greater awareness of your potential. By stepping into the future, fully at peace with the past, you create the space for further self-discovery and growth:

How do you want to be/show up in your personal, family, and professional life?

How do you want to be perceived?

What is that asking of you?

Pausing, breathing, and coming to the present allows you to see and embrace the moments of choice you have today.

Our wish for you is to practice presence (yoga is a good tool), collect wisdom from the past, and mindfully use these experiences to create a brighter future.

Love & light,

Jeanne & John Adams

MINDFUL MONDAYS : How to Feel Your Best in Summer

HOW TO FEEL YOUR BEST IN SUMMER

INTENTION: In this seasonal transition from spring to summer, I embrace courage, personal leadership, self-care, and luminosity.

Temperatures are rising, traffic is increasing on Hwy 17, and beaches are busy! If you need a reprieve from all this pitta energy, join INNER CONNECTIONS YOGA & WELLNESS for some yoga classes to calm, soothe, and help you relax from the intensity of summer. You are invited to attend our Summer Solstice guided labyrinth walk at Brookgreen Gardens at 11:30 am on Wednesday, June 21st. Donations accepted.

As the season shifts from spring to summer, our bodies cycle through an organic ebb and flow of change that brings harmony and balance within us. Summer is a time of light and warmth, and the energy of summer radiates at a high vibration.

Seasonal changes such as daylight, seasonal food availability, weather, and seasonal activities influence our state of balance. To balance the heat and energy of the summer season, consider cultivating the opposite environment on the inside of the body - cool and calm. Although the body adjusts to these changes naturally, you can integrate some seasonal changes into your routine to allow the transition to be smoother and easier.

The science of Ayurveda, the sister science to Yoga, teaches that each of three energies (doshas: vata, pitta, kapha) circulates in the body and governs physiological activity. The active dosha during the summer months is pitta which often brings on aggravation for many of us. The hot, moist/oily, light, spreading, penetrating, and pungent qualities of the summer season settle into the body and mind, creating dis-ease. This is especially true if your constitution is primarily pitta. When pitta is in balance, it can bring about courage, leadership, steady digestion and elimination, a good sense of humor, love, and luminosity. Pitta dosha unbalanced may show up as the following:

• Skin irritations: acne, rashes, hives

• Burning or itching sensation of the skin

• Red burning eyes

• Acid indigestion

• Nausea

• Loose stools

• Anger

• Frustration

• Being overly critical

• Irritability

• Impatience

To balance your pitta dosha, incorporate the following behaviors and THINK COOL!

• Avoid the hot sun of midday (10 am – 4 pm is recommended).

• Cool your body by taking a plunge in a pool or the ocean.

• Practice yoga indoors in a cool, quiet, and calm environment, like the Waccamaw Recreation Center or Mind Body Soul Center. If you practice outdoors, make it before 10 am and after 5 pm. Join us for beach yoga at 8 am on Tuesdays and 6 pm on Thursdays on the north end of Pawleys Island, 2nd and Atlantic beach access.

• If your skin is reacting to the heat, apply a thin layer of coconut oil followed by a lukewarm shower. To cool the skin and eyes, keep a bottle of rosewater around you and spritz your face and skin regularly.

• Align eating with the summer season. If you’re experiencing acid indigestion, nausea, or loose stools, practice a pitta-pacifying diet.  Consider foods that are sweet, bitter, and astringent, such as fresh green vegetables, basmati rice, coconut water, ripe bananas, and herbs like cilantro, mint, fennel, cumin, and coriander are all terrific for cooling the hot belly and reducing pitta dosha. Also include high water content foods like melons, cucumbers, apples, and leafy greens.

• Enjoy foods that are not dense and heavy, and ones that you don’t need to cook for very long; perhaps even things you don’t have to heat up at all before eating. Avoid pungent, salty, and sour. Keep away from oily, fried, and spicy foods, including onions, garlic, processed, and canned foods. And steer clear of alcohol and coffee, especially if your skin is irritated.

Enjoy as we transition to another season in a couple of weeks!

Love and light,

Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS: INTENTION - Each day I visualize my highest Self and I show up with that inner wisdom.

The highest Self is the inner wisdom that lies within each of us. It is the state of consciousness where we discover our deepest truth.

There are many different ways of connecting with our highest Self, such as spending time in nature, meditation, and yoga. What they all have in common is the opportunity to experience mental stillness, which is integral to hearing the messages our soul is trying to share with us.

Spending Time in Nature

Escaping to a neighborhood park, hiking through the woods, or spending a weekend by the ocean are great ways to find mental stillness and presence. By connecting to the positive healing vibrations of the outdoors, we connect to our heart center, which awakens the higher self.

Nature is incredibly purifying, yet most of us do not enjoy it often enough. We either live in cities with minimal nature or are too busy to spend time outdoors. This contributes to our imbalance of the ego and higher Self.

The 2019 paper published in the journal Scientific Reports found that spending 120 minutes each week in nature brings us many proven health benefits and balances our energy. Nature’s ancient wisdom reminds us that we are just a tiny part of the greater universe, which puts our problems into perspective and our hearts’ intention of becoming our best Self.

Meditating

Meditation helps to calm an overactive mind. If you have an overactive mind, it can be extremely difficult to focus, which is essential in connecting with your higher self.

Meditation has been used for centuries to quiet the mind and reflect inward. This practice can uncover who we truly are, and knowing ourselves lets us connect to our higher wisdom.

Practicing Yoga

Yoga offers a complete philosophy of life. It is a detailed methodology to connect with our highest truth, live with intention, and make choices that serve our highest good.

When we connect with our highest good, our entire outlook shifts; the daily tasks that used to feel mundane now feel meaningful. We are much more present in everything we do as we live in our hearts rather than our minds. We feel calm, relaxed, and at ease. We release our attachments to people, things, and situations that no longer serve us. We let go of our ego-driven needs. Emotions like love, compassion, and empathy are dominant in this higher level of awareness.

When our focus is on our highest Self, we see things from an expansive worldview rather than focusing on our problems. This helps us remain calmer in stressful or challenging situations and prevents us from feeling anxious about what is happening in our lives.

Having a spiritual practice of meditation, yoga, or spending time in nature helps us uncover a higher level of awareness within us. This awareness helps us reach the state of consciousness which allows us to access our deepest truths and hidden knowledge, allowing us to become the best versions of ourselves.

Love and light,

Jeanne and John

MINDFUL MONDAYS

INTENTION: Today we remember and honor those who gave their lives for us so that we may live FREE— as individuals, as a nation, in an interdependent world struggling to find connection, peace, and the wisdom that we are all ONE.

Namaste.
- Jeanne Adams