I just had them . . .

So, a woman walks into the living room. She stops, looks around, and leaves. Ten seconds later she strides back in, eyes focused on her objective – reading glasses.  She puts them on, pushes them up on top of her head, and walks back out, a satisfied smile on her face.  She enters the dining room and sits at the table, newspaper spread out in front of her.  She looks around, frowning. Now where are those d**n reading glasses?

Sound familiar?  No, it’s not age causing these moments of forgetfulness, it’s a brain filled to bursting with tasks, calendars, laundry, and dinner needing to be made – not to mention that rather strange comment left by a friend on your Facebook post.  What did she mean by that, anyway?

Too much activity in the brain, and something has to give; something has to move to the back of the line.  I could suggest you eliminate some of your activities, but who am I kidding – except for the laundry, you enjoy your busy life.  So how about this experiment:  As you move from one activity to the next, take one full, deep, mindful breath. Like when you get in the car.  Inhale, exhale; drive.  When you sit in front of the computer, breathe in deeply, let it out, then wake up the monitor.  Before opening the fridge to take out the pork chops, take a huge lungful of air.  Instead of each event fighting it out for your attention, a mindful separation of tasks may help your brain sort things out peacefully.

Now, take a slow, deep breath, then go to the drugstore and buy a chain for your reading glasses.  It’s fashionable, I swear!

Breathing deeply between a hike and dinner.  Ahhhh....

Mom vs. Harvard

While I don’t hold to the saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun,” I do think that sometimes we search for answers that we already have – we just don’t like what they tell us.

The other day I was perusing the Harvard Health Letter, Feb 2011 and stopped at the article on page 3, “Mindful eating”.  (Okay, okay, I work at the Borough Library and I was discharging items and the headline caught my eye . . . )  The article made me realize that although science continues to discover new things about nutrition, to be truly healthy and happy with our bodies we only need the tools our moms taught us.

The Harvard Health Letter says, “A small yet growing body of research suggests that a slower, more thoughtful way of eating could help with weight problems”.  Mom says, “Slow down; you’re supposed to chew that first!”  Harvard:  “There’s also reason to believe that eating while we’re distracted by activities like driving or typing may slow down or stop digestion in a manner similar to how the “fight or flight” response does.”  Mom:  Please sit down at the table and eat like a civilized person.  And turn off that TV!”  Harvard:  “…mindfulness helps people recognize the difference between emotional and physical hunger and satiety and introduces a “moment of choice” between the urge and eating.”  Mom:  “You’re not hungry, you’re just bored.  Go outside and ride your bike.”

Thanks, Mom.

Bounty

This morning I was writing a small donation check to a local charity that feeds people.  I’m especially drawn to give to food banks and soup kitchens, probably because I can’t imagine not having enough to eat!  In the envelope were two small cards, and the donor was encouraged to write a few words of blessing to those who would receive the benefit of the donation.  So I took a deep breath and wrote, “Blessings for your continued abundance” -- then I stopped short.  Shoot, did I just wreck this card?  Why did I write “continued” abundance, when I am sending this check for people who have very little?  I should have just wished them abundance, plain and simple. 

I took another deep breath.  I hadn’t made a mistake.  I wish for those people an abundance of continued health, continued joy, an abundance of support from the community, platesful of warm food, and scads of love from wherever in the Universe it might continue to come to them.  A veritable cornucopia of wonderful things, in abundance.  And hey, if there’s some cash in there, too, all the better!

I wish for you continued abundance in your life as well.  Joy, health, love and support.  Wisdom, caring, happiness.  Gratitude, humility, and generosity.  And cash.

Brrrrrrr........

The weather outside is frightful, and it’s nearly the end of March!  After one teasingly warm week, New Jersey has been revisited by February weather, and no one is happy about it.  We want to be out in our yards planning our gardens and visiting our spring blooms. We yearn for the warmth of the sun on our faces and limbs.  We hunger for local spring greens and sweet strawberries that haven’t traveled from Chile. Instead, we’re still making soup and wearing turtlenecks.  Sigh.

Okay, now that we’ve complained, let’s take a different tack.  There’s nothing to be done about the weather (we’ll skip the climate change talk today), so simply let it be.  Fighting something like weather will only create stress and negativity in your day, which will make the clouds seem even grayer than they are.  Do something to create loveliness in your surroundings, then take advantage of these last chilly days to do one of those projects you have been putting off, like cleaning out your coat closet.  I mean, how long were you planning to keep those single mittens, anyway? 

So, March is a lemon, weather-wise.  Make lemon cake.

Breathe Away Annoyance

Think of those trivial events that pester you during a normal day, the things that cause you to give a little huff of annoyance.  Like the lady in front of you at the store who is sure she has a penny somewhere in the bottom of her purse.   Or the child who insists on zipping his own jacket when you’re in a hurry.  Even the toaster that takes too long to pop out your breakfast.  I’ve discovered something about these things:  They are often resolved in the space of one or two long, deep breaths.

Try it.  Use your ujjayi if you have it*. Maybe the two-year-old and his zipper need three breaths, and make ‘em long and deep.  Result:  You’ve taken a nourishing lungful of fresh oxygen and energizing prana, you’ve avoided sending bad vibes through your system, and you have saved yourself a moment of unnecessary stress! Mindful breathing will relax your body and mind, and not only will you feel better at the end of the day, but so will everyone else around you – I can practically see those waves of calm emanating from you already!

Om shanti. Peace.

*See yogajournal.com for a description of the ujjayi breath; better yet, come to one of my classes and I’ll teach it to you!  

Are You an Airhead?

Spring is a time of enormous energy.  Roots are reaching down, sprouts are reaching up, leaves are stretching out, and babies will soon be birthed under ground and in the branches.  The world fairly crackles with freshness and movement.  We happily take in this energy after a winter of sluggishness (which we embraced eagerly enough in the fall!) and our heads spin with delight and effervescence.  So what’s the problem?

Spring Fever makes it hard for us to concentrate, and we may feel spacey and disconnected with our selves, both body and mind, as well as with other people.  This could lead to irritability or anxiety, things we don’t want to be feeling in this beautiful time of year.

Next time the sun is out, find a spot where you can stand or sit – hopefully you won’t need to tromp through too much mud to get there!  Now, make like a tree.  Close your eyes and lift your face to the sun while imagining roots coming out of your feet and reaching into the welcoming earth. Feel your connectedness to the ground; really notice the sensation of being attached deep into the dirt, around rocks and through clay. Grow the sensation upward, through your legs and your torso, out your arms and up through your crown and beyond. Go ahead, give yourself leaves, or even blossoms, that shimmy in the breeze.

You can have roots that go deep and still be present in the higher elevations, staying grounded while enjoying the sunshine.  Maybe if you’re still enough, a robin will stop by to say hello!

Good, Good, Good, Good Vibrations

Feeling good?  Figure out why!  Where are you, with whom, and what are you doing?  Everyone has their share of ups and downs, but by being aware, you can learn to keep those “up” moments a little longer, and shorten your down times.

Our personal energies, our cellular vibrations, our groovy vibes, all shimmy and shake at different speeds when we are exposed to thoughts, emotions, images and sounds.  Spend time on a spring day in the forest, with tiny flowers blooming underfoot and birds twittering gently overhead, and your vibrations will likely increase.  Your energy will rise and your mental state will even out.  Next time you are feeling low, either physically, mentally, or both, take a look at where you are.  Is it loud or echoing; do overly bright colors and images invade your vision; is the air re-circulated and stuffy?  These sensory assaults may initially raise your vibrations but to such a high degree that they soon shut down to protect you, leaving you feeling worn out and disoriented.

It’s not always spring, or even nice enough outside to commune with Nature, but there are ways to get your energy vibrations at an optimal level.  Meditation, some Sun Salutations, or  – believe it or not – even some mindful vacuuming or sock folding!  (I know, but really, it can be soothing, plus you’re getting something useful done.  Your guru would be proud!)

Take note of your vibrations at different times during the day, week, month, year.  Experiment with ways to keep yourself humming along at an optimal level.  Then listen to yourself, and take your own advice, and feel good.