Vata is the "Air" element characterized by wind, movement, coolness, and dryness. In autumn and early winter Vata is the dominant energy both around and within us. It is also dominant through times of change and transition, as we age, and in various other 'ungrounding' conditions.
Read MoreWhen things are speeding up in our life (in our calendar and on our list of things to do) as well as in the environment, it takes extra effort and attention to stay balanced. When we get to far out of balance we may notice that we feel a bit more nervous or anxious
Read MoreI'd been teaching yoga for about 6 years when I’d had my first panic attack. My 34-year-old sister-in-law had died recently and I’d gone to help pack up her possessions. On the way home, I felt like I myself was about to die. Driving from Maryland to New York City, my arms went numb, I became dizzy and short of breath, my vision blurred and my muscles were shaking and weak. I was sure I was having a heart attack.
Read MoreFall is a natural time of transition and an ideal moment for a thoughtful 'restart'.
As we restart our scheduled in Fall, it is a natural and important time of transition to also 'restart' our attention to ourselves.
It is an AWEsome time to slow down in nature and up our mental and physical wellbeing. In a study published January 19th in the journal Emotion, researchers found that positive emotions—especially the awe that comes with a deep connection to nature, art, or spirituality—are linked to lower levels of inflammation-producing cytokines.
Read MoreThere was a study that demonstrated that with regular mindfulness practices, the electrical brain activity shifted from right to left, "left-sided anterior activation," including a transition to more positive emotional states.
Simply put, meditation can up the odds you will feel lighter, brighter.
This is in fact, my personal experience. I have been practicing meditation regularly since the early '90s, but my first introduction to meditation was as a 9 year old, when my mother dragged my entire family to Transcendental Meditation (T.M.).
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Last year, Prevention magazine called me to help on the article, “Yoga For Weight Loss.”
Ugh. I paused and immediately imagined the magazine rack at the supermarket checkout line fighting for attention. Headlines that promise quick fixes are preying on our national sense of inadequacy, assuring us that, 'we could be happy if...'
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