A Sacred Space, A Quiet Space

"YOGA IS SERENITY"
Bhagavad Gita (400-300 BCE)

I have a wonderful, little book (really, it's only 3" x 4-5" x 2" thick) called, 1,001 PEARLS OF YOGA WISDOM, by LIZ LARK. This book is a wonderful treasure, and is filled with wonderful bits of wisdom, ideas, poses, and general information that will help make your life a more relaxing AND fulfilling experience.

The one thing that caught my eye, the other day, is a little paragraph that talks about creating a "sacred space". Although this paragraph talked of creating a sacred space for your asana practice (yoga practice), I was inspired to take it a step further. First, let me quote the paragraph, word for word...

"Create your own personal, distraction-free space for meditation and asana practice at home. Make it a place you can return to where you can "switch off" completely. Site it beside a window if possible so that you can reflect on nature."

I think it was the part about reflecting on nature that made me think of one of MY favorite places. Our house is situated on a hill, although the hill drops off behind the front side of the house. It really isn't noticeable from the street, as the house looks like a one story house, with a possible basement. In reality, you enter the house on ground level, but it is actually the top level of a two level home. As you move through the top level, you exit through a sliding glass door on the back end of the house. Where the front of the house is on ground level, the back end of the house is actually a balcony, that is a full 7-8 feet off of the ground. We are also blessed to have one of the largest Cottonwood trees in the area. My "fortress of solitude" is on this balcony, where I like to sit in a comfortable chair, and do one of several things. I love reading, I love playing the guitar, and sometimes I just enjoy sitting and listening to the leaves of the tree rustle in the breeze. The house also sits on a third of an acre property, most of which is situated in the back yard. Although this is a small bit of land for you country folk (or wealthy folk), it's a decent sized yard for the area. I am not bragging (truth be told, there are times that I'd rather have a smaller yard) about the size of the yard, but because of the size, we sometimes have several winged friends that like to come and visit. Of all the places in my yard, this is probably the most peaceful. Well, with the exception of the planes that fly overhead, as we are right in the flight path of the Salt Lake International Airport. BUT, even the planes are peaceful to me.

Regardless, my piece of advice for you, today, is to find a place where YOU can find peace. Sometimes, in the chaos of life, we can lose control of our surroundings. Even if our houses are a bit messy, or just full of clutter, try and find one little place, that you can rid of stress causing messes, a make that your sanctuary. Even if our houses are complete chaos, if we have that ONE place where we can escape to, you will find an amount of peace in your life.

So, whether you are a yogi, and need a place for meditation and asana practice, or you are a stressed out single parent who needs a place to escape, try and create that place that will bring you that peace you need.
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Now playing: The Cure - High

Let's Burn Calories the TASTY WAY!

I should point out that it may not accurately be described as "burning calories", but your bodies can better metabolize the sugar that we consume, with the aid of one of our favorite spices! CINNAMON!

Researchers have shown that a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon with food helps metabolize the sugar up to 20 TIMES BETTER than food NOT eaten with cinnamon. How does this benefit us? Well, sugars that are not utilized through our everyday activities, including exercise, are stored away as fat. Fat is our bodies proverbial "72 hour kit", and is stored away, in case the body needs it for fuel at a later time. In most cases, we will always consume more calories than our bodies need to work, so we just keep adding to our fat stockpiles.

So, if this is the case, utilizing cinnamon in your diet will help to break down the sugars, and speed up the metabolism process used to convert sugars into energy. So, that means LESS fat stockpiles.

Does this mean that my Hot Tamales will metabolize faster than Mike and Ike's?
What? That's not the same thing?? Curses!!

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Now playing: Bel Canto - Summer
via FoxyTunes

My favorite new Yoga DVD!

Who would have thought that one of my cheapest yoga DVDs, ended up being one of my favorite? I have yoga vinyasa, taught by some of the world's leading yogis, including Cyndi Lee, Baron Baptiste, Rodney Yee, Michael Franti (with his yogi friends), among others.

Several months ago, I picked up a DVD at NPS (to find out more about NPS, go to my music blog http://unclezekesmusicemporium.blogspot.com/ , and you will more fully understand the type of store that it is), by Natural Journeys (a company that I had not heard of), entitled "Sacred Yoga: PURE TRANQUILITY" Practice Vinyasa Flow with RAINBEAU MARS. Now, maybe my two years of reading, studying and practicing yoga are not sufficient for me to know the work of Ms. Rainbeau Mars, but the name was foreign to me. If it weren't for the fact that the DVD had a $3.99 sticker price, as well as a possible discount of 40-50% (a common thing with NPS DVDs), I probably would not have made the purchase. As it was, I bought the disc.

As happens with many of my NPS discs, it sat for a while. Finally, a couple months ago, I pulled the disc out and tried out the vinyasa found on the disc. I was immediately drawn to the peaceful atmosphere created by the disc, even though the quality seemed rather low budget. It was recorded on the shores in Hawaii, where a platform was fitted along a lava rock shoreline, with the ocean waves breaking in the background. You also see the occasional traditional Hawaiian canoes passing by, in the background.

The other thing that sets this disc apart from all my other yoga DVD workouts, is the absence of many of the traditional yoga poses, including Sun Salutations, etc. This disc has one primary focus, which is preparing your body for meditation. Now, before some of you roll your eyes at the thought of meditation, please understand that meditation does NOT always involve the chanting of OM, or any other sacred mantras. Meditation can simply be a time set aside to sit in silence, where you allow yourself to focus on one particular thing, or as you become advance, NO particular things. The peace that stems from controlling your thoughts is one that is tough to describe. Just as your physical body needs to occasionally be purged of food and toxins (through special diets, or simple "fasting"), so does the mind need to be cleared of the clutter that bogs us down.

The other night, I was especially frustrated by a couple of situations in my personal and family life, and after realizing that I was on a particularly short fuse, I simply gave myself a "time out", and went into my room to engage in some yoga... something of which I haven't done in a while. I pulled out this Sacred Yoga disc, with Rainbeau Mars, and proceeded to do the stretches to prepare myself for meditation. This 30 minute workout features ONLY seated poses, and works to stretch your back, including your lumbar back (lower back), as well as your legs.

For anyone that has participated in any form of sitting meditation, you know that your back can begin aching, if you are not adequately prepared. And sometimes AFTER preparation. That is all part of the meditation process... overcoming discomfort, and focusing on other things. Not only did this series of stretches give me the physical relief that I needed, but it prepared me for a simple ten minute meditation. When all was said and done, I not only felt better (physically), but I was in a state of mental well being.

As a Letter Carrier, for the USPS, I need to regularly do yoga vinyasa, just to bring relief to my backaches that I occasionally feel. But the meditation, in addition to the vinyasa, brings a complete sense of inner peace, as well as physical peace.

In addition to the 30 minute yoga vinyasa, there is also a fifteen minute bonus guided meditation on this DVD, that takes you through the seven chakras, and gives you meditations for each.

For anyone remotely interested in the peaceful side of yoga, which is MY personal favorite, this DVD hits the spot. I just browsed www.naturaljourneys.com to get a picture of the DVD, and see that this disc is part of a four DVD set, as well as an individual disc. The individual disc was listed on sale, for the low, low price of $1.98. I wholeheartedly recommend this disc for those of you who need a little inner peace.

The Power of Being Present (Thought 1)

THE POWER OF BEING PRESENT

OBSERVE how the mind labels an unpleasant moment and how this labeling process, this continuous sitting in judgment, creates pain and unhappiness...

Eckhart Tolle

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Now playing: No-Man - Truenorth
via FoxyTunes

Our latest workout regimen: Wii FIT!

So, amidst all the workout activities that go on in our home (mostly Tiffany doing any number of yoga/kickboxing/step aerobics videos), we have something that is getting the entire family involved... Wii FIT!

New on the market, this past week, Wii Fit will undoubtedly create a new enthusiasm in the world of fitness... as long as people take advantage of it. I can only predict that, like most fitness items, there will be a lot of Wii Fit games collecting dust, after a matter of a few weeks. The reason being, is that most people get into a new fitness activity for a few days, but then quickly revert back to their normal routine. Tiffany is one of the only people I know, that is wholeheartedly devoted to all things fitness. BUT, this is probably the greatest invention to come along, that will keep MORE people involved.

I think the folks at Nintendo have really gone above and beyond, when it comes to interactive video gaming. This generation of children is becoming more and more lethargic, as their lives are being taken over by fast food and gaming systems that leave them sitting on a couch, with thumbs twitching away. Now, do I think these games are a complete waste? No, as long as they are played in moderation. I think that the hand/eye coordination of today's youth, is probably much better than generations past.

The latest album from my favorite band, Porcupine Tree, entitled "FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET", is all about the progressive mind numbing of the youth of today. From ADHD medication, anti-depressants, and the video gaming culture in which they are brought up in, so many of today's teens are becoming mindless zombies.

I see a healing trend, if people, both young and old, take advantage of the great opportunities afforded with the Wii Fit game.

The first thing you do, is create a Mii, which is your interactive, virtual character. You enter in your age, and with a series of balance exercises, the Wii Balance Board will calculate your core balance with your age, as well as your weight, and determine what kind of shape you are in. And BEWARE, this Wii system is BRUTALLY HONEST! I am just over 200 lbs, at 5'9", and could stand to lose a few pounds, but the Wii system set me in the upper regions of "overweight", and just shy of being classified "obese". So, to try and prove it wrong, I went to a website that calculates your BMI (Body Mass Index), and it merely proved what the Wii system had to tell me.
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

So, when I considered myself a moderately fit person, I have been told that I am borderline obese. Humbling, to say the very least. Regardless, with the variety of workouts available, from yoga to aerobics, running to hula hooping, Latin dancing to strength training, there is something for EVERYONE. The whole concept of this game, is to get people moving, get their heart rate up, and get them having FUN, in the meantime.

A big thumbs up, from me... except I wish that the personal trainers' mouths would move when they talk. It really creeps me out!



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Now playing: Paul Oakenfold - Ready Steady Go (feat. Asher D.)
via FoxyTunes

Green Tea... BEEFED UP! (Not Literally, vegetarians... don't panic!)

Another thing I want to do on this blog, is to occasionally put down some diet things that sound exciting to me. I was reading a book that talks about the health benefits of certain foods, and came across something that actually incorporated green tea, yet sounded tasty!

The health benefits of green tea are widely known, but for those of you who are a little less informed, let me mention a few:

- Reduces weight while fighting off a variety of diseases.
- It increases exercise endurance.
- It inhibits the enzymes that help turn food into fat.

Anyhow, try out this tasty recipe, and see if it makes it a little more appetizing...

GREEN TEA REFRESHMENT

2 tbs. green tea leaves
2 cups apple or peach juice
4 tsp. honey (which is optional)

Pour 1 cup boiled water onto the tea leaves and brew for 3-5 minutes; strain into a pitcher and leave to cool. Stir in the juice and honey, then pour over ice and serve. In glasses, silly. Not on the counter.

Anyhow, this sure sounds like a tasty summer treat, that is hopped up with goodness. Not just goodness, but GREEN GOODNESS!

Try it out, and let me know what you think...

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Now playing: The Alan Parsons Project - To One In Paradise
via FoxyTunes

Inner peace through a basic lifestyle...

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Now playing: moe. - The Col
via FoxyTunes

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Now playing: China Crisis - The World Spins, I'm Part Of It
via FoxyTunes
I came across an article the other day, that really got me thinking about how we as human beings go through life. We spend so much of our time, energy, and even money, striving to find the veritable "fountain of youth", that seems to escape each and everyone of us, as the years pass by. The article was about Jamie Lee Curtis, who is now 50 years of age. She is married to one of my favorite filmmakers of all time, Christopher Guest. I don't know much about their relationship, but the bits and pieces that I have read over the years, eludes to the fact that they are very normal people. Hollywood is riddled with people that try to be something that they aren't. Maybe that is why so many actors congregate there, so that they can get paid to NOT be themselves.

Anyhow, I am going to post a small portion of the article, as it appears in AARP magazine. I admire the sensibility that Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest have. If we can all have the attitude that these two share, the world would be a much happier place. All quotes are from Jamie Lee Curtis...

“I want to be older. I actually think there’s an incredible amount of self-knowledge that comes with getting older. I feel way better now than I did when I was 20. I’m stronger, I’m smarter in every way, I’m so much less crazy than I was then.

“Years ago my husband and I were at the Golden Globes. I was wearing some borrowed dress that wasn’t me, my hair was done in a way that I never wear my hair, and I had earrings on. And my husband said, ‘You know who is the most beautiful woman in the room?’ And I was hoping he was going to say me. And he pointed across the room at Jessica Tandy. She was sitting at a table wearing a cream-colored silk-shantung pantsuit. Single strand of pearls, short white hair, a little lipstick—nothing else. And I thought, ‘He’s totally right.’ There was none of the pretense, none of the trying so hard.

“My style is a distillation. I’ve etched out who I am through myriad haircut attempts, outfit attempts, beauty attempts, diet attempts. It’s been an evolution. I’ve let my hair go gray. I wear only black and white. Every year I buy three or four black dresses that I just keep in rotation. I own one pair of blue jeans. I’ve given away all my jewelry, because I don’t wear it.

I have always been drawn towards people who are genuine... people who are content with who they are. After reading this article, I thought of a good friend of mine, who seems to always be striving for eternal youth. Through a growing amount of cosmetic surgery procedures, she always tries to be as beautiful as she can be. Truthfully, I think that people who rely on doctors to make them pretty, are actually making themselves more unattractive in the long run. I know I don't speak for all men, but celebrities like Pamela Anderson are anything but attractive. If you have ever seen her high school yearbook picture, you would know what I'm talking about. She is a totally different person. Now, I have never met her, nor do I plan to ever meet her, but one thing I can guarantee, is that she is NOT going to become more genuine as she ages.

I live in a house full of girls, and I have always appreciated my wife's natural beauty. I have only ever seen her totally "made up" a couple of times. She had a "glamour shot" sitting back in 1995, where she was totally made up, and has had a couple of makeovers at the Dillards makeup counter. Other than that, she usually just limits herself to some eyeliner and mascara. I have told her that she doesn't even need that, and in all honesty, she would probably become a happier person if she could see her natural beauty. Now, when it comes to this, there are things that I need to begin practicing, myself. One of the things that has always made me feel insecure, is the amount of hair that I have on my back and shoulders. There have been a couple of times that I have gone through the pain of getting my back waxed, because I hate the amount of hair. While delivering mail in the SugarHouse area of Salt Lake, I became good friends with everybody's favorite gay florist, Sean. First off, he has the coolest name in the world, and second off, he was just a great guy. He was the one person that continually told me that I should be comfortable with who I am. He's a hairy guy as well, so it isn't unfounded, what he was telling me. So, this lesson is for me, as well as anyone who needs to let go of the social pressures of trying to be beautiful. Beauty comes from WITHIN. Just as Christopher Guest pointed out how Jessica Tandy was the most beautiful woman in the room, because she was the most genuine, we can all find happiness in being who we are... already. Not to mention the thousands of dollars that we can save on cosmetic procedures!

So, in closing, my challenge for you, is to find a way to become completely content with who you are. If you need to do the "Stewart Smalley" (Al Franken's great character on SNL, back in the late 80's-early 90's) thing, and look at yourself in the mirror, continually repeating to yourself how beautiful you are, then DO IT! If reading a book about positive thinking is what is right for you, then DO IT! If a simple meditation is what will work for you, then DO IT! And know that any preaching I am currently doing, is directed towards ME, as well. Me and my hairy, hairy back... and shoulders... and chest. Yeah, it'll take some work for me, too.

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Now playing: China Crisis - Strength Of Character
via FoxyTunes