It's mid-December and we are finishing up another year. And, for many of us, what a challenging year it was! I'm a very big fan of slowing down, especially at the end of things, and December is an especially potent time to slow down.
Last Saturday the Nourish Your Vitality group met for our monthly retreat and together we honored 2021, and went through a process of pausing, reflecting, journaling, and acknowledging our year in order to let it go.
Read MoreWhen it comes to making changes for your life or health are you "love-drawn" or "ego driven"? I've borrowed these terms from Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar, author, and teacher, & Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, NM.
Read MoreI recently read an article published in Vermont Medicine that really got me thinking and I wanted to share it with you; "Study Shows Better Way to Pay for Pain Management".
When we have a pain issue, our medical system typically pays for things like shots, pills, and surgeries. Often these are a blessing, and can help those with unrelenting pain manage each day. But, sometimes these approaches don't work, and addiction, or despair and depression set in.
Read MoreIt's more important than ever these days to ground ourselves in self-love and self-care. We can weave this into our day in this in simple but powerful ways: taking a few deeper breaths, grocery shopping so we have food in the house, including some downtime on our schedule, and above all, being kinder to ourselves.
Read MoreOver the years I've heard my meditation teachers emphasize the great importance of "Keeping Good Company". What we focus on matters, and when I'm with people who have a good effect on me, I receive so many benefits. When we come together with kindred spirits we are more likely to be able to maintain healthy patterns and perspectives.
Read MoreSometimes we struggle with stubborn patterns of behavior, thinking, or with an illness, and despite all our hard work and effort, the pattern won't budge; in fact the pattern seems to be totally intractable, and set in cement! Some patterns are indeed entrenched and longstanding. They seem to be etched into our very being, and most often they don't go away on their own.
Read MoreAfter The Autumn Equinox: We Move Towards the Season of Hibernation and Deeper Reflection
--Take good care of your body as the fall progresses with exercise every day. Make time to get outside and walk twice a day, and if possible, work next to a window, to get as much natural light as possible. This will tend to help your body stay warm, keep your mind focused and clear, and keep seasonal sadness at bay.
Read MoreI recently started listening to Glennon Doyle's podcast, We Can Do Hard Things, and so enjoyed the episode entitled "SELF CARE: How do we identify our real needs and finally get them met." This podcast is one of the top 20 most listened to in the US, so you may already be familiar with it.
Read MoreIt's been reported in The New York Times that "In a survey of thousands of adults last summer, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 20 percent of Americans said they had trouble sleeping because of the pandemic."
That makes sense, right?
Read MoreIs there anything more restful than sleeping with a baby on your heart?
Bruce and I just spent 5 weeks in Italy helping out with the care for our new grandson, and while we did plenty of food shopping, cooking, and baby holding, we also got in some good solid rest: we slept extra long hours, we meditated, did restorative yoga, and we did nothing.
Read MoreSending out greetings to you all from our base camp in Tuscany! I'm here visiting my family, including a new grandson, through May 22. It's really exciting and I'm so happy to be able to be here at this special time!
Read MoreHas this week felt like a year? I don't think I have EVER seen anything like the news cycle in the last 7 days! We are all energy beings; national and global events have an effect all of us.
In chaotic times it's especially important to take steps to create peace in our lives. And right now, as we go into the darkest time of the year, it's a great time to step into daily habits that calm our minds and lift our spirits.
Having a good solid rhythm in daily life supports health; when we begin to create regular times for simple things like rest, exercise, and meals, our bodies REALLY like that predictability.
As part of the natural world we are governed by pulsation or rhythm, think of it:
our breath moves in and out in a rhythm our hearts beat in rhythm
our cells move waste out and take in nutrients in a regular pulsation
Argos, the wilderness labradoodle, suggests we all get outside more this fall and winter for balanced immunity as well as for more fun. (And he is all about more fun.)
Argos loves Forest Bathing:
We're in a challenging time, and it looks like it will be going on for a while, in fact, it will get worse before it gets better. Self-care is essential.
Read MoreWhat is known is that coronavirus is very contagious. Many will have few, if any symptoms, a mild version of the disease. If you have a cold, stay home. This will avoid spreading the infection to others. It is spread through the air by coughing or sneezing, and it lives at least 9 days on environmental surfaces.
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