Today I experienced incredible spaciousness. My two daughters went off to high school this morning. They took the bus at 6:30 am and I picked them up after soccer practice at 4:30 pm. I was on my own for ten hours. During that time, I must have checked my on-line calendar at least four times just to be sure that I wasn’t missing an appointment or a phone call. There was a strange slowness about the day and I found myself floating in it.
Don’t be mistaken, I did have to teach and then work today but there was a sense of vastness surrounding the day that I have not experienced in a long time. Gone from my home office were the faint calls of, “Mom….Mom….where are you?” Absent from my agenda was the insane schedule of drop-offs and pick- ups that I scurried through all summer. There simply was just space. I have to tell you that I love space.
Our yoga practice creates space in our bodies. Our meditation practice creates space in our minds. We create such room in our lives anytime we are just present and in the moment. We can discover pockets of space in our lives if we just look for it. Perhaps it is those twenty minutes home from work or the quiet hour before dawn. Time spent in spaciousness can crack us open. It can help us feel more alive.
My day in space was spectacular. I am looking forward to more of it. The great news is that today is the first day of school and next summer is a long way away.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Seek Silence
When enough of us learn how to become deeply and profoundly quiet, then the hysteria of the world will begin to subside. - Marianne Williamson
Every single day, we are bombarded with noise pollution. We have become so accustomed to noise, we’ve grown desensitized. If it’s not the T.V. or music, people chattering on their cell phones, horns honking and trucks backing up, it’s our alarm clocks; it’s our hairdryer; it’s the microwave alerting you that your dinner is ready. Excessive noise, like excesses of any kind, wreaks havoc on our nervous systems and on our psyches. By 5 or 6 o'clock, our ears are ringing, our heads throbbing, and we feel so weary, we collapse from mental exhaustion and auditory overload.
This week, find ways to experience silence. If you’re alone in the car, turn off the radio. If you are cooking, turn the T.V. off. Stop yourself first thing in the morning, when normally you might absent-mindedly switch on the news. Let the bird singing outside be the only sound to accompany your breakfast. And don't be afraid to be absolutely alone. Learning to live with periods - even pockets - of silence, will help to soothe frayed nerves and lighten your heart. You may find you experience moments of bliss, even as you cut the carrots or fold the laundry. It is during these small moments of breathtaking silence that we “hear” our soul force.
Erich Schiffman, author of Moving into Stillness, writes, "When you experience yourself in stillness, that is, when your mind is at its most focused, energetic, present, alive, relaxed and whole hearted state, you will "hear" the voice of God whispering in the depths of your being. You will recognize his voice as the voice of your soul. That voice speaks your deepest and most genuine desires."
Don’t believe it? Just try it. Find silence this week. Find it today. Find it in this very moment. Listen in stillness, and you may sense a profound serenity you’ve never imagined.
Every single day, we are bombarded with noise pollution. We have become so accustomed to noise, we’ve grown desensitized. If it’s not the T.V. or music, people chattering on their cell phones, horns honking and trucks backing up, it’s our alarm clocks; it’s our hairdryer; it’s the microwave alerting you that your dinner is ready. Excessive noise, like excesses of any kind, wreaks havoc on our nervous systems and on our psyches. By 5 or 6 o'clock, our ears are ringing, our heads throbbing, and we feel so weary, we collapse from mental exhaustion and auditory overload.
This week, find ways to experience silence. If you’re alone in the car, turn off the radio. If you are cooking, turn the T.V. off. Stop yourself first thing in the morning, when normally you might absent-mindedly switch on the news. Let the bird singing outside be the only sound to accompany your breakfast. And don't be afraid to be absolutely alone. Learning to live with periods - even pockets - of silence, will help to soothe frayed nerves and lighten your heart. You may find you experience moments of bliss, even as you cut the carrots or fold the laundry. It is during these small moments of breathtaking silence that we “hear” our soul force.
Erich Schiffman, author of Moving into Stillness, writes, "When you experience yourself in stillness, that is, when your mind is at its most focused, energetic, present, alive, relaxed and whole hearted state, you will "hear" the voice of God whispering in the depths of your being. You will recognize his voice as the voice of your soul. That voice speaks your deepest and most genuine desires."
Don’t believe it? Just try it. Find silence this week. Find it today. Find it in this very moment. Listen in stillness, and you may sense a profound serenity you’ve never imagined.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Speed Limit 35
I am not sure exactly when this happened or why it did now upon my turning 45 years old but I recently realized that most drivers are not paying attention on the road. I included myself in that group until this past June. We drive too fast. We are unpredictable in our movements. We multitask. We are not present.
If you are already a safe driver then please ignore my group statement. I thank you for your safety on the road while I have been half asleep at the wheel.
What I have finally come to realize is that accidents happen when someone is not paying attention. In the blink of an eye a life or lives can be ruined. All it takes is one unpredictable move or accelerating through a yellow light. One time. That’s it.
There will always be drivers that are not paying attention and I don’t want to be that person. I’ve worked too hard in my practice of becoming more mindful to throw it away on a stupid cell phone call or song change.
This realization has overwhelmed me this past month. I have awoken, so to speak. I have slowed down. I am driving the speed limit and stopping at the Stop Sign not 5 feet in front of it. I am not taking cell phone calls in my car. I am trying to pay attention.
I often say in class at Verge that our yoga practice creates steadiness in the mind so that we can make conscious decisions. There is more mental space after a yoga practice. It is in that space that we find the time to move and speak more mindfully.
Perhaps I have slowed down enough in my yoga practice to recognize how I am moving out there on the roads. Perhaps turning 45 years old has helped me recognize the fragility of my life. Who knows? All I know is that I feel better more peaceful in the car. It is a new practice for me. I call it Mindfulness Driving.
Hopefully this blog will encourage you to observe your driving style. Perhaps you have always been safe. Maybe you need a little nudge. Like I said, I am not sure why this awakening happened now, I am just grateful that it did.
Peace.
Cara
If you are already a safe driver then please ignore my group statement. I thank you for your safety on the road while I have been half asleep at the wheel.
What I have finally come to realize is that accidents happen when someone is not paying attention. In the blink of an eye a life or lives can be ruined. All it takes is one unpredictable move or accelerating through a yellow light. One time. That’s it.
There will always be drivers that are not paying attention and I don’t want to be that person. I’ve worked too hard in my practice of becoming more mindful to throw it away on a stupid cell phone call or song change.
This realization has overwhelmed me this past month. I have awoken, so to speak. I have slowed down. I am driving the speed limit and stopping at the Stop Sign not 5 feet in front of it. I am not taking cell phone calls in my car. I am trying to pay attention.
I often say in class at Verge that our yoga practice creates steadiness in the mind so that we can make conscious decisions. There is more mental space after a yoga practice. It is in that space that we find the time to move and speak more mindfully.
Perhaps I have slowed down enough in my yoga practice to recognize how I am moving out there on the roads. Perhaps turning 45 years old has helped me recognize the fragility of my life. Who knows? All I know is that I feel better more peaceful in the car. It is a new practice for me. I call it Mindfulness Driving.
Hopefully this blog will encourage you to observe your driving style. Perhaps you have always been safe. Maybe you need a little nudge. Like I said, I am not sure why this awakening happened now, I am just grateful that it did.
Peace.
Cara
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Power of Now
Our minds are like muscles. At any given moment, we are either mentally weak and limp or mentally strong and focused. Like physical muscles, our minds can be trained to become stronger and more useful to us.
There is huge power in Mental Strength Training. When our minds are strong, stable and clear, we are “present” in what we are doing. When present, we are more peaceful and easier to be around. We learn to speak with clarity and conviction. When present, we connect deeply with others. We are able to influence and lead others from a deep and authentic state. From this powerful state of being, we have access to the tools needed to rally our team of co-workers around our message and vision.
When you feel stressed, recognize that you in a weakened state of mind. Stress is the result of too many thoughts barraging our minds at one time. Too much planning, worrying, and replaying stimulates the stress mechanism sending our nerves and emotions into a frenzy. Bottom line, when we are stressed, we have no power or influence.
The good news is that we can train our minds, our mental muscles, to become “stress-free”. With some practice, we learn to slow down our minds and clear away useless and repetitive thoughts. The result is that we rise above the level of stress and instead of just trying to manage it.
There are a few simple exercises in our Mental Strength Training Model:
1. Focus on the Breath
2. Observe Thought
3. Sit in Silence
4. Accept this Moment
When our minds are strong and focused we have access to great power and intuition. We just seem to know what to say and what to do. Mental Strength Training helps us become more fully engaged in the now. I am confident in saying that understanding the potential and power of being here now can change your lives just as it has mine.
Peace.
Cara
There is huge power in Mental Strength Training. When our minds are strong, stable and clear, we are “present” in what we are doing. When present, we are more peaceful and easier to be around. We learn to speak with clarity and conviction. When present, we connect deeply with others. We are able to influence and lead others from a deep and authentic state. From this powerful state of being, we have access to the tools needed to rally our team of co-workers around our message and vision.
When you feel stressed, recognize that you in a weakened state of mind. Stress is the result of too many thoughts barraging our minds at one time. Too much planning, worrying, and replaying stimulates the stress mechanism sending our nerves and emotions into a frenzy. Bottom line, when we are stressed, we have no power or influence.
The good news is that we can train our minds, our mental muscles, to become “stress-free”. With some practice, we learn to slow down our minds and clear away useless and repetitive thoughts. The result is that we rise above the level of stress and instead of just trying to manage it.
There are a few simple exercises in our Mental Strength Training Model:
1. Focus on the Breath
2. Observe Thought
3. Sit in Silence
4. Accept this Moment
When our minds are strong and focused we have access to great power and intuition. We just seem to know what to say and what to do. Mental Strength Training helps us become more fully engaged in the now. I am confident in saying that understanding the potential and power of being here now can change your lives just as it has mine.
Peace.
Cara
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A Rose by any other Name
You may have noticed over the past few weeks that we have changed the name of our yoga center to simply Verge Yoga.
While we opened our doors five years ago as Verge Power Yoga, the focus of our classes has since shifted from a faster-paced, more complicated practice to a yoga practice based on simplicity and mindfulness.
The shift of focus at Verge over the past few years has evolved naturally alongside the collective shift in global thinking from big, fast growth to simple, steady growth.
As I often say in class, our practice reflects the way in which we live. If we continue to move quickly on our mats, we will continue to move quickly in our lives. As we learn to practice yoga with precision and mindfulness, we will learn to move through our days more consciously.
So, as Shakespeare famously wrote, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Our change of name to Verge Yoga is a subtle shift of perception. Our classes remain just as "sweet"... simple, mindful and powerful. As always, it is our intention to offer you a community in which you can unblock, unfold and unleash your power and innate wisdom.
While we opened our doors five years ago as Verge Power Yoga, the focus of our classes has since shifted from a faster-paced, more complicated practice to a yoga practice based on simplicity and mindfulness.
The shift of focus at Verge over the past few years has evolved naturally alongside the collective shift in global thinking from big, fast growth to simple, steady growth.
As I often say in class, our practice reflects the way in which we live. If we continue to move quickly on our mats, we will continue to move quickly in our lives. As we learn to practice yoga with precision and mindfulness, we will learn to move through our days more consciously.
So, as Shakespeare famously wrote, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Our change of name to Verge Yoga is a subtle shift of perception. Our classes remain just as "sweet"... simple, mindful and powerful. As always, it is our intention to offer you a community in which you can unblock, unfold and unleash your power and innate wisdom.
Friday, April 17, 2009
To tweet or not to tweet...
that is the question.
So I’ve been hearing about Twitter for the past few months and I just couldn’t wrap my arms around it. First of all, why would anyone want to broadcast their daily routine and thoughts out to the world? My first opinion of Twitter without having ever gone on to the site was that it was another ego-based, self indulgent application.
Last week, with some prodding from my techie husband, I joined the world of Twitters. I sheepishly posted a short profile (see below) and my first “tweet”. (basically just a text message to my followers of which I had none)
Then, through some simple searches, I found a couple of interesting folks out there to follow, Lance Armstrong, Tony Robbins, Steven Covey and Time Magazine. And I waited.
The tweets started coming in. I received a quote from Steven Covey, some current events from Time, a reflection from Lance Armstrong about his ride that day in Aspen. Pretty cool, I thought. Connection and union, isn’t that what yoga is about? And so I posted another innocent tweet and hit send.
Within 48 hours I had 15 followers. Included were people from the around the globe that I never met and couple that I know. Again, pretty cool.
Still not completely sold on it, I spent some time on a recent hike pondering how to use this application not as a way to tell people about my fairly uneventful life but rather to connect with yoga students from Verge Power Yoga and beyond. What would I want to share with others?
Well, in class, I often talk about “bridging” your yoga practice to your daily life. I call it, Yoga off the Mat 101. There are so many rich opportunities in our daily lives to practice yoga so why not name them? Why not talk about them? Why not “tweet” them?
I know that my challenges are probably your challenges. Your moments of glory are probably my moments of glory. Let’s connect and tweet about it!
You follow me and I’ll follow you. Yoga off the Mat 101! I realize that there can only be good that comes from connecting with yogis around the world.
So check out www.twitter.com and follow me @caraverge (that’s my id)
Peace.
Cara Bradley, soccer mom, yoga teacher, trying to keep the ball in the air every day.
So I’ve been hearing about Twitter for the past few months and I just couldn’t wrap my arms around it. First of all, why would anyone want to broadcast their daily routine and thoughts out to the world? My first opinion of Twitter without having ever gone on to the site was that it was another ego-based, self indulgent application.
Last week, with some prodding from my techie husband, I joined the world of Twitters. I sheepishly posted a short profile (see below) and my first “tweet”. (basically just a text message to my followers of which I had none)
Then, through some simple searches, I found a couple of interesting folks out there to follow, Lance Armstrong, Tony Robbins, Steven Covey and Time Magazine. And I waited.
The tweets started coming in. I received a quote from Steven Covey, some current events from Time, a reflection from Lance Armstrong about his ride that day in Aspen. Pretty cool, I thought. Connection and union, isn’t that what yoga is about? And so I posted another innocent tweet and hit send.
Within 48 hours I had 15 followers. Included were people from the around the globe that I never met and couple that I know. Again, pretty cool.
Still not completely sold on it, I spent some time on a recent hike pondering how to use this application not as a way to tell people about my fairly uneventful life but rather to connect with yoga students from Verge Power Yoga and beyond. What would I want to share with others?
Well, in class, I often talk about “bridging” your yoga practice to your daily life. I call it, Yoga off the Mat 101. There are so many rich opportunities in our daily lives to practice yoga so why not name them? Why not talk about them? Why not “tweet” them?
I know that my challenges are probably your challenges. Your moments of glory are probably my moments of glory. Let’s connect and tweet about it!
You follow me and I’ll follow you. Yoga off the Mat 101! I realize that there can only be good that comes from connecting with yogis around the world.
So check out www.twitter.com and follow me @caraverge (that’s my id)
Peace.
Cara Bradley, soccer mom, yoga teacher, trying to keep the ball in the air every day.
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