Front Porch Yoga » Meditation http://www.frontporchyoga.com A Place to Pause Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:42:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Self-Love Soak http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/12/31/self-love-soak/ http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/12/31/self-love-soak/#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 12:31:00 +0000 Grace http://www.frontporchyoga.com/?p=2074 There’s some truth to the phrase: “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”

I love taking bubble baths, and I lived for one loooong year without a bathtub. I didn’t think it would be a very big deal, but man, did I miss those baths. They are my time to unwind, relax, let go, and surrender. It’s a sweet treat at the end of the day.

My Mum shared a newsletter with me from Christine Arylo at Dare to Live You! She mentions that we all want to feel loved, and we can do this for ourselves (rather than waiting around for someone else to love us). She offered a list of suggestions, and the self-love soak is my favorite:

Take a Self-Love Soak. Candles. Bath. Bath Salts. Music. Lip Liner. Beautiful Bar of Soap. Undress. Write words and sonnets of love all over your body with the lip liner. Get into the bath. Gently rub the soap over the love words and feel them soaking into your cells.

When teaching yoga classes, I often talk about letting the vibration of OM soak into your cells, so that last sentence resonated with me quite a lot.

In shifting out of 2011 and into 2012, what action can you take to feel a little more loved today?

Happy New Year!

Choose love,
Grace

]]> http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/12/31/self-love-soak/feed/ 0 Glass of Water http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/11/24/glass-of-water/ http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/11/24/glass-of-water/#comments Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:19:50 +0000 Grace http://www.frontporchyoga.com/?p=2050 In the spirit of today (Thanksgiving), I want to offer my sincere gratitude for each and every one of you that is part of the Front Porch Yoga community. I am blessed that you all are sharing in my yoga journey, and I so appreciate you!

***

Have you ever reflected on whether or not you are a “glass is half full” or “glass is half empty” kind of person?

I attended a satsang this past weekend at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society. The satsang included music, meditation, and a beautiful reflection on the meaning of gratitude by visiting Sister Pravrajika Vrajaprana.

My favorite part was when she was reflecting on the glass half full versus glass half empty idea. She put it quite simply like this:

What about being grateful for HAVING A GLASS?

What about being grateful for HAVING WATER?

Rather than focusing on the empty/full part (interpreting or defining the state of the object), what about reflecting on WHAT IS.

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” -Albert Einstein

The good, the bad, the ugly…everything leading up to this very moment has created RIGHT NOW for you. Rejoice in the many miracles that have supported your journey.

“Human beings learn through pain. We just do. So instead of playing the victim or blaming…let’s step into gratitude for the times that challenge us. Almost every challenge, hard time or seeming disaster – overtime – will prove to be immense acts of Grace and beauty. We, today, have the opportunity to see these moments as what they truly are – a miracle – and that chance, in our perspective, is the miracle indeed.” -Mastin Kipp

I might start writing a gratitude journal again. For a few years, I was dedicated to keeping a daily catalogue of all things I was grateful for, but I got out of the habit. I think it might be time to start the practice again.

After all, one of my most favorite yogi tea quotes is: “An attitude of gratitude brings opportunities.” Begin by saying thank you for everything!

Do you ever journal about the miracles- great and small- in your life?

Choose love,
Grace

]]> http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/11/24/glass-of-water/feed/ 0 Meditation Idea: Something Beautiful http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/11/08/meditation-idea-something-beautiful/ http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/11/08/meditation-idea-something-beautiful/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:27:33 +0000 Grace http://www.frontporchyoga.com/?p=2007 I am borrowing the following idea, word for word, from Karen Walrond’s blog, Chookooloonks (say that ten times fast and it sounds like a train chugging along!). This past weekend at a conference in Texas she had the opportunity to meet Mahatma Gandhi’s ( you know, the peaceful activist who said “be the change you wish to see in the world”) grandson, Mr. Arun Gandhi.

“He believes that mental exercise is as important as physical exercise.  He mentioned that we do lots of physical exercise to make our bodies beautiful, but we rarely do any mental exercises to make our minds beautiful.  He shared another exercise that his grandfather had him do:  he was tasked with going to a quiet corner, taking with him something he believed to be beautiful, like a flower or a photograph, for example.  His grandfather had him sit quietly and stare at the beautiful object for a minute, memorizing every aspect of it.  Then, he had to close his eyes, and keep the image of the beautiful object in his mind’s eye for as long as he could, without letting other thoughts or images intrude.  He said at first, as soon as he closed his eyes, he would begin thinking of something else; however, with practice, he was able to hold the image in his mind for longer and longer periods, and he was able to control his mind.”

I love this story because it is very similar to my candlelight meditation idea, but with added emphasis on the object being “beautiful.” It’s also great because everyone thinks of beauty as something different, so your object could be very different than my object (and therefore, our meditations are personalized and unique). Also, there is an unfortunate stereotype that meditation is a chore, so the idea of staring at something beautiful makes it seem less chore-like, don’t you think?

Please let me know if this meditation idea helps you!

Choose love,
Grace

Additional Meditation Ideas:

3 Minute Breath
Walking
Past and Future
Color
Internal Gaze
Candlelight
Smile
Swim
Bridge
Affirmation
Sit Down

]]> http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/11/08/meditation-idea-something-beautiful/feed/ 2 This Morning http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/10/18/this-morning/ http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/10/18/this-morning/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:56:18 +0000 Grace http://www.frontporchyoga.com/?p=1948 “I’ve never met this morning. We’ve never shaken hands. Or hugged awkwardly. Or looked into each other’s eyes. I’ve never experienced this very hour. Or felt this very sunshine touch my skin. Golden. Healing. Warm. The birds. The breeze. My breath. All are NEW. Each ushers in the never imagined intentions and never dreamed of possibilities. So…I CHOOSE to live this day, while also honoring tomorrow. I will live, laugh, LOVE, and practice without leaving a trace. I will ground my feet on my mat, I will s t r e t c h my palms to the sky and I will say:’Hello day! I like you. I’m so happy we’ve met.’ Practice on.”

(Please note: the above quote was borrowed from a Manduka advertisement in the September 2011 Yoga Journal)

I believe I will add this lovely morning salutation to my current ritual.

Choose love,
Grace

]]> http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/10/18/this-morning/feed/ 0 Starting and Ending Your Day http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/08/28/starting-and-ending-your-day/ http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/08/28/starting-and-ending-your-day/#comments Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:49:26 +0000 Grace http://www.frontporchyoga.com/?p=1880 Have you ever thought about how the beginning and end of your day shape your life? I have been feeling a bit scattered lately. I wake up with a long to-do list running through my head. I race through my day, trying to be as productive as possible. I go to bed thinking about all the things I have to get done the following day. And I never catch up, no matter how hard I try. I know, deep down, that a quiet moment or two could really help me pace myself and possibly even bring me back to balance.

So here’s my new “cheat sheet” for morning and evening quiet time:

At the beginning of the day:
Express gratitude: thank you for my peaceful rest, this moment, and the upcoming day.
Give yourself a hug: tell yourself “I love you.”
Acceptance: I accept myself the way I am.
Surrender: I release control and allow my day to unfold as it will.
Change: I commit to growth while remaining connected to my center.
Service: How may I serve?
Intention: What is my intention for today?
Trust: I have faith in myself.
I am open to receive everything the universe has to offer!

At the end of the day…
Express gratitude: thank you for my day, this moment, and my upcoming peaceful rest.
Give yourself a hug: tell yourself “I love you.”
Forgiveness: What can I let go of?
Truth: Guides and guardian angels please keep me safe and show me your light.
Prayer: I send love to anyone who needs it, especially those who are hurting and alone.
I release all tension in my body and mind.

What do you include in your morning/evening ritual- besides coffee?

Choose love,
Grace

]]> http://www.frontporchyoga.com/2011/08/28/starting-and-ending-your-day/feed/ 0