Integrity

When we are firmly established in integrity, all riches present themselves freely. -Patanjali

Integrity is the next rule for living. This theme is appropriate for Tax Day, don't you think?

Dictionary.com defines integrity as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. How does that concept match up with your Form 1040?

We don't like to think of ourselves as "cheaters," but are there times when your moral compass might point you just a tiny bit off-course? Do you really have receipts for all the charity deductions you claimed this year?  ;)

According to Patanjali, if we can maintain moral uprightness, "all riches" come to us. I don't think he means money specifically.

Here is a great story from Michael Josephson that illustrates this concept nicely:


A master carpenter who worked for the same builder for nearly 50 years announced that he wanted to retire. The builder told him how much he appreciated his work. He gave the carpenter a $5,000 bonus and asked him if he would build just one more house. The builder owned a magnificent lot with a spectacular view and he wanted to build a dream home.

The carpenter was bitterly disappointed at the small bonus, but his last building fee would help him buy a small cottage, so he agreed to build the dream house.

The carpenter prided himself on his uncompromising commitment to quality, but his resentment caused him to cut corners, ignore details, and accept shoddy workmanship from other workers. He even looked the other way when some of them substituted cheaper materials and pocketed the difference.

When the house was finished the builder shook the carpenter’s hand and with a huge smile he gave him an envelope with a thank-you card and a folded piece of paper. The carpenter was disdainful — until he unfolded the paper and found the deed to the house he had just built.

The carpenter was ashamed that he had misjudged his old friend and betrayed his own values, and he was remorseful that the house he would live in for the rest of his life was made so carelessly.

Our character is the house we live in and it’s built piece by piece by our daily choices. Deceit, irresponsibility, and disrespect are just like shoddy workmanship. Whenever we put in less than our best and ignore our potential for excellence, we create a future full of creaky floors, leaky roofs, and crumbling foundations.

 This session will take you about 8 minutes. No audio for this session.

1. Once you're comfortable in your chair, breathing only through your nose, see if you can actually hear your own breath as it enters and then slowly leaves your body.

2. You may notice that as you concentrate on your breath, it begins to slow, each inhale and each exhale getting longer, deeper. Continue 5 more breaths this way.

3. Move your hands to grasp the outside edge of your chair seat, near your thighs. If the chair armrests are in the way, you can grab those instead. Sitting up tall, fingers holding the seat edge, inhale as you lift your chest forward, exaggerating the curve of your spine and drawing your shoulders back. ("cow pose")

 4. Still holding the seat edge, on an exhale, reverse the curve, rounding the spine as you pull your belly in and shift your shoulders forward. ("cat pose")

 5. Repeat numbers 3 and 4 each 3 more times, always slowly moving with the breath. Let your hands settle in your lap when you're done.

 6. Rest back against the back of your chair, but keep a long spine, good posture. Inhale as you straighten both knees, lifting both feet off the floor, ankles flexed so the toes point upward. Exhale them back down. Repeat 3 more times, pulling the toes toward you as the calves begin to warm up.

 7. Push about 2 feet away from your desk to give yourself some extra room. Slide the legs apart so that the back of your knees rest near the very outer (side) edges of your seat. Sitting up tall again, using the belly muscles so you don't need to lean back against the chair. Inhale as you raise both hands high into the air, reaching for the ceiling. As you exhale, sweep both arms forward and down to land on the chair seat between your knees or on your thighs. As you sweep your arms down, lean your torso forward, hinging from the hips. Repeat 3 more times.

 8. Close the knees together, let your hands settle in your lap, and lean against the backrest. Return to the quiet breaths that we started with today. Keep listening for 10 more breaths, then return to your day continuing to pay attention to all the sounds around you.

Truthfulness

"When we are firmly established in truthfulness, action accomplishes its desired end." Patanjali, Yoga Sutras

The second of the yamas, or rules for living, is an obvious one, but tends to be a slippery concept. We all agree that telling the truth is a desirable virtue and yet, how often do we attain that 100% honest mark? In order for these rules to be effective, we need to be sure that we apply them to ourselves before finding success in applying them with others. If you are not honest with yourself, how can you possibly expect to be honest with your spouse, or your kids, or your friends?

Think of a statement that you *think* about yourself nearly every day. Pick an easy one, like "I have got to stop eating so much so I can fit in my clothes" or "I have to get to bed earlier to get rid of these bags under my eyes." Then apply the 4 Questions below and see where it leads you.... Try the exercise again with a tougher question, for example: "I hate my job" or "My family is intolerable." Have fun but be honest!

This theme reminds me of Byron Katie's 4 Questions that you can apply to any statement: Read more at http://www.thework.com/thework-4questions.php

Is it true? (Yes or no. If no, move to 3.)

Can you absolutely know that it's true? (Yes or no.)

 How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

Who would you be without the thought?

Then turn the thought around to examine it from every angle, especially the exact opposite angle. For example, if you are working with the statement such as "my boss disrespects me," flip it around in order to consider the alternative "I disrespect my boss." Then apply the four questions again.  Another way to investigate this thought is to just flip the verb. For example, "my boss disrespects me" could become "my boss does respect me."

Then find at least three specific, genuine examples of how each turnaround is true for you in this situation. To understand the "turnaround" process, click here: http://www.thework.com/thework-turnaround.php


1. Be sure you read through "prepare for each session" instructions before you begin. Today's practice should take only about 8 minutes.

2. Get comfy in your chair, legs uncrossed, hands resting in lap, take a deep breath as you soften your eyes, meaning: take in your peripheral vision vs. a hard stare, eyelids relaxed.

3. As you inhale lift arms over head, reaching for ceiling, palms may touch, return hands to center of chest (heart center) with palms pressed together. Repeat 3 times

4. With palms still touching, inhale, then with an exhale gently push hands more firmly together, releasing the pressure on an inhale. Repeat 3 times

5. Interlace your fingers so palms face down, elbows pointing away from your body. Gently move elbows away, creating resistance in interlaced fingers. Take a breath and release slowly.

6. Keeping fingers interlaced, straighten arms sending knuckles away from body. Arms should be at shoulder height, parallel to the floor. Breathe and notice the muscles in the your arms and shoulders. If you have flexibility in your wrists, you may want to try turning your palms out, interlaced knuckles facing your body, arms stretching long. Continue to take slow breaths.

7. Release your fingers and bring both hands to your right thigh, fingers pointing to the right, inhale as you sit up tall, shoulders back and spine long. As you exhale, begin to turn your head to look over your right shoulder, continuing the twist through your torso, seat staying planted to chair. Inhale again, using the exhale to twist just a bit deeper. One more breath as you twist, then return to center. Repeat twist to left then return to center once again, hands resting on lap.

8. Push your chair back from the desk about 2 feet. Use an inhale to reach your hands over head once again, exhaling as you slowly lower hands onto knees, hinging at the hips leading with chest toward your knees for a forward fold. Inhale as you slowly lift torso back to sitting upright. Repeat 2 more times.

9. Slide your fingers of both hands under your right thigh, lifting it a few inches from seat. Keeping knee bent and spine straight, use the hands to move the thigh in circles to open the hip joint. Switch direction after 4 or 5 rotations. Rest the right thigh and move hands under left leg, repeating same movement on this side, 4-5 rotations in both directions.

10. Let hands rest in your lap, relaxing your eyes once again, focusing on slow deep breathing, silently repeating: "in" with each inhale, and  "out" with each extended exhale, for at least 10 complete breath cycles. Enjoy your day!

Ahimsa

You can't shake hands with a clenched fist. -Indira Gandhi

What do you think of when you read the phrase: "do no harm"? Did your mind immediately leap to a white-coated doctor, pledging to uphold the honor of his or her profession? This phrase is translated from the Latin: "primum non (or nil) nocere." The closest approximation to the phrase that can be found in the Hippocratic Corpus is "to help, or at least to do no harm," taken from Epidemics, dated from the 5th Century BCE. Notice I did not write Hippocratic Oath. The oath is from a different writing and begins by invoking the Greek gods, including Apollo.

Traveling east from ancient Greece to ancient India now....

This week begins our exploration of the 8 limbs of yoga as described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, an Indian philosophical text that dates from the 2nd Century BCE. Yoga means "union," and sutra can be translated as "thread or aphorism." Essentially the book contains the philosophy of yoga and offers suggestions for achieving stillness of the mind.

Let's start with the yamas, or rules for living. The first of these is ahimsa or nonviolence, inflicting no harm to self or others in word, thought or deed. Notice the words "to self," the best place to begin nonharming. If you condemn yourself, how then will others perceive you?  If you focus on negative thoughts about yourself, how can you view the world without violence?

As part of your yoga practice this week, just notice when your thoughts turn against you. You know, the "shoulda, coulda, woulda" syndrome. Would you berate your loved ones this way?

Find your seated position as described in the FAQs. Adjust clothing that may be binding you. As you continue reading, let your eyes be soft. Begin to notice your breathing. Where exactly in your body do you sense the movement that comes with each breath? Is it in your belly, chest, shoulders or elsewhere? You don't need to force your breath or change it, just be aware of its presence. As you continue to relax, you may notice that each breath becomes longer, slower. This calm, easy breath will be the foundation for your yoga practice. Throughout your day, you can return to this breath any time you start to feel stressed, upset or anxious.

1.On an inhale, lift both shoulders up to your ears, exhaling as you relax them back down again. Repeat that 4 more times, always moving with the breath: lift on inhale, lower on exhale.

2. Roll shoulders up on inhale, then back on exhale, repeat 4 more times

3. Turn head to left on inhale, face forward on exhale, turn right on inhale, face forward on exhale, 3 times each side

4. Inhale with face forward, exhale as drop chin, inhale as roll head to left side, ear toward shoulder (shoulder stays settled), exhale chin to chest, inhale as roll right ear to right shoulder, exhale chin to chest, 3 times each side

5. From chin down position, inhale as look up at ceiling, lifting chin, keep back of neck long not pinched, exhale back down, repeat 3 times

6. Lift hands from lap, on inhale squeeze into fists then exhale as splay open fingers, repeat 4 times

7. Rotate wrists 3-4 times in both directions, ending with hands pressed together (fingers and palms flat as in prayer/heart center position) in front of sternum (breastbone), take 3 slow breaths

8. Open arms widely to your side, palms down and arms parallel to floor, reaching fingers to side walls, shoulders stay relaxed notice opening through your chest, continue to breath and hold here, reaching away from your body for 5 full breaths then let your hands rest on your lap

9. Push chair away from desk enough so make room for legs to lift. Sitting up tall, tighten your lower belly, on inhale lift right foot off floor until knee is straight, toes pointed to ceiling as you lift, push into heel, exhale slowly brings foot back to floor, switch to left foot, and continue alternating lifting on inhale and lowering on exhale, repeat 4 times each side

10. Settle both feet on floor, inhale arms up with fingers reaching for ceiling, elbows can be bent if your shoulders feel tight, exhale hands to heart center position (hands pressed flat together at center of chest), repeat 3 more times

11. Let hands rest gently in your lap, lean back against chair, let your eyes close or look down at your knees, return to slow breath, letting belly rise and fall with each breath

12. Relax and breath for a full minute, count 20 deep, slow breaths, before returning to your day!

Clean

At worst, a house unkept cannot be so distressing as a life unlived. —Rose Macaulay

Did you know that the last week of March is National Cleaning Week? Apparently we need a special week designated to remind us that it is spring cleaning time. I didn't even know that "spring cleaning" was still a thing folks do. I remember watching my grandmother pulling down all her heavy drapes every spring in the 1970s. She would wash the inside of the windows, then open every one wide no matter how cold it still was outside, in order to "air out" the house. Do you remember this yearly ritual?

If you have been in my house, you know I'm not a big fan of cleaning at any time of year. I think I will need much longer than a week......











1. Imagine you could breathe in through one nostril then exhale through the other. Picture your breath cycle as drawing the breath up from base of your spine and up the left side of your body as you inhale through your left nostril. Then picture the exhale leaving your right nostril and traveling down the right side of your body back down to the base of your spine, where is continues into the next inhale up the left side again. Use this visualization for 3 cycles of breath then reverse direction: inhale up the right side and exhale down the left.

2. Sitting up tall in your chair with the lower belly firm, inhale your arms straight out to the sides. Exhale and bring your fingertips to your shoulders. Continue this movement for 5 breath cycles, bending at the elbow with upper arms parallel to the floor.

3. Bring hands to rest hands in your lap, still sitting up tall, lift right foot off the floor as you straighten the knee. Ankle is flexed with toes pointing up, lift the thigh right off the chair just an inch or so, using the belly muscles and holding 3 breaths. Repeat with left leg.

4.  Camel: Slide a few inches forward away from the back of your chair, bring the palms of your hands to your lower back. Look up at the ceiling as you arch your back and come into a gentle, supported back bend, hands on lower back, letting your head and neck relax and drop back. Breathe for 3 breath cycles. Slowly use your hands to come back up, then shift hands to your knees, folding at the hips to rest your belly on your thighs in a forward fold. Take 3 breaths then use your hands to push to sitting,

5. Eagle: Cross your right thigh over your left thigh. If you can, wrap the right foot all the way around the left calf. Cross your left arm over the right one at the elbow. Bend the elbows and bring your palms to touch.  Lift the elbows while dropping the shoulders away from the ears. Hold three to five breaths. Repeat with left thigh over right thigh this time.

6. Repeat #1 for 3 cycles each side, then rest for a few minutes with your natural breathing.

Spring

“sweet spring is your                                     
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love

(all the merry little birds are
flying in the floating in the
very spirits singing in
are winging in the blossoming)

lovers go and lovers come
awandering awondering
but any two are perfectly
alone there's nobody else alive

(such a sky and such a sun
i never knew and neither did you
and everybody never breathed
quite so many kinds of yes)

not a tree can count his leaves          
each herself by opening
but shining who by thousands mean
only one amazing thing

(secretly adoring shyly
tiny winging darting floating
merry in the blossoming
always joyful selves are singing)

sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love”

-e.e. cummings

Once you have read the FAQs and are sitting comfortably in your chair, try this thought awareness exercise from Skillful Means. When you are done, you will be ready to move into your yoga practice for today.

·       By “thoughts,” we mean self-talk and other verbal content, as well as images, memories, fantasies, and plans. Just thoughts may appear in awareness, or thoughts plus sensations, emotions, or desires.

·       Become aware of the sensations of breathing.

·       After a few minutes of following your breath, shift your attention to the various thoughts that are arising, persisting, and then passing away in your mind. 

·       Try to observe your thoughts instead of getting involved with their content or resisting them. 

·       Notice the content of your thoughts, any emotions accompanying them, and the strength or pull of the thought.

·       Try to get curious about your thoughts.  Investigate whether you think in mainly images or words, whether your thoughts are in color or black and white, and how your thoughts feel in your body.

·       See if you notice any gaps or pauses between thoughts.

·       Every time you become aware that you are lost in the content of your thoughts, simply note this and return to observing your thoughts and emotions. 

·       Remember that one of the brain’s major purposes is to think, and there is nothing wrong with thinking.  You are simply practicing not automatically believing and grasping on to your thoughts.  

·       When you are ready, return your attention to your breath for a few minutes and slowly open your eyes.  

1. Neck massage: Lean your head toward your left shoulder and use your right hand to massage your right shoulder and side of your neck with a slow, circular motion of your fingers continuing for at least 5 slow, full breaths (inhale and exhale). Repeat with head tilted to the right and using your left hand.

2.Bring both hands behind your neck. Use all your fingers to massage the base of your skull down to your upper back with a slow, circular motion of your fingers continuing for at least 5 slow, full breaths (inhale and exhale).

3. Point and flex ankles: Rest your arms on the chair armrests. On an inhale, flex your right ankle, toes pointing up and heel on floor. Exhale as you lift the heel and point the toes into the floor. Repeat 5 times then switch to left foot.

4. Torso twist: Sit up straight in your chair with hands pressed together at heart center. As you exhale, still with hands pressed together, bring right elbow to rest on the left thigh, turning chest to face the left side of the room. Stay here for 3 breaths then inhale back to sitting up tall. Repeat by bringing left elbow to right thigh and twist to the right this time, again for 3 breaths. 

5. Warrior 1: Slide to the front edge of your seat and turn your body and both knees to the left side with the chair seat supporting the left butt cheek and thigh. The right thigh hangs off the front edge, perpendicular to the floor while the right knee points toward the floor. Slide the right foot back so that the right leg begins to straighten. Turn the foot out so that you can comfortably place it flat on the floor. Keep your upper body sitting tall, resting your left hand on the chair arm support and your right hand on your left thigh.  Keep your torso facing to the left, and if you feel steady on the chair, you can raise your arms up to the ceiling on a inhale. Hold 5 breaths then repeat on right side.

 6. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and calmly for one or two minutes before returning to your day.

Time

 Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. ~William Penn


Are you suffering from a Daylight Savings Time hangover today? While we appreciate the extra sunlight, losing that hour of sleep can be painful for those of us who already operate on less sleep than we need. No matter how tired you feel, avoid taking a nap and instead plan to power down all your screens at least thirty minutes before your usual bedtime. Research shows that the light from our devices can interfere with melatonin levels, disrupting our sleep cycles. Here's a quick article with more info: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/really-using-a-computer-before-bed-can-disrupt-sleep/

Another way to recover from "Spring ahead" weekend is to simply spend some time in the sun. Vitamin D helps regulate melatonin release. Read more here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/432327-vitamin-d-deficiency-sleep/

Don't forget to read the FAQs first and to click through to the blog site to use the audio player!



1. Become aware of your breath by placing one hand on your lower belly and the other hand on your chest. Just notice the rise and fall: where do you sense the beginning of the inhale and what changes come with the exhale? Stay here and pay attention for the next 5 breaths until you feel calm and focused.

2. Use your left hand to slowly massage your right forearm, moving the thumb in wide circles with gentle pressure. Continue to massage the wrist then the palm of the hand and finally each individual fingers. Take your time, breathing calmly as you feel the tension melt away. Repeat with left forearm and hand. 

3. Sit up straight with shoulders relaxed back. Bring your forearms across your chest so that you can use your hands to clasp the opposite elbow. Still holding your elbows, lift the arms to shoulder height and tuck in the lower belly. Taking a deep inhale, fold at the hips and bring the forearms down to rest on the thighs, still hand-to-elbow. Tuck your chin to your chest and keep your back flat, belly tucked in. Breathe here for 5 full breaths.

4. Come back to sitting upright, sitting tall with belly tight, straighten one leg with the foot flexed, toes pointing up. See if you can lift your thigh off the chair seat, just an inch or two. Slowly pulse the leg up and down with your breath: lift on an inhale and lower thigh to the chair on an exhale. Leg stays straight the whole time. Lower the foot back to the floor after 5 lifts then repeat with your other leg.

5. Warrior 2: Move to the edge of the seat and open with legs wide, with left knee turned out to the left side and right leg straight out to the right with foot flat on the floor. Torso, with belly tightened, stays facing forward toward your PC monitor. Use an inhale to lift both arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor. Turn your head to look out over your left hand. Take 5 full breaths here then repeat on right side.

6. Settle back comfortably in your chair and repeat #1 for 10 breaths before returning to your day.

Bloom

 How does the meadow flower its bloom unfold? Because the lovely little flower is free down to its root, and in that freedom bold. -William Wordsworth

Have the bulbs you planted last fall begun to flower yet? The splashes of color against the dead, brown grass give us hope that spring is just around the corner. I'm not much of a gardener (two brown thumbs all the way!), but even I can manage to dig a hole a drop a bulb in the ground. Such a small and simple task, but one that brings much enjoyment this time of year. I hope you notice the flowers this week. What else is ready to bloom in your life?

 Please review FAQs. Also, if you are reading this via email, you may not be able to see the audio player. Just click through to view this on the blog page so you can use the audio.

1. Let's begin with the 3-part breath. Breathing through your nose, inhale and notice that your belly lifts, your ribs expand, and your chest rises. As you exhale, your chest drops, your ribs contract, and your belly softens and lowers. As you continue to breathe, keep your awareness on this three-part movement. Close your eyes and continue for 5 full breath cycles.

2. Sit up tall in your chair and extend your arms straight out to the sides so that they are parallel to the floor. Flex at your wrists so fingers are pointing up and palms face away from your body. Keep your arms straight as you push through your wrist, as you rotate your shoulders making small 5 circles in each direction with your hands and arms. Maintain the 3-part breath throughout. Still with arms extended, now flex your wrist down so that fingers point to floor. Repeat mini-circles, 5 in each  direction. Then let hands rest in your lap.

3. Lift your right foot about 4-6" off the floor. Rotate the ankle a few times in each direction, then place the heel on the floor with your toes flexed up. Take a breath here and allow the calf and Achilles to open. Next breath, point the toe onto the floor as you lift the heel. Now slowly alternate with each breath: inhale and point, exhale and flex. Complete 5 rounds then let the right foot rest and repeat on the left side.

4. Check to see if you are still sitting up tall in your chair. If your seat back is higher than your shoulders, you'll need to move to the edge of the seat. Extend your arms straight out to the side once again as in #2. This time palms face up toward ceiling. Take an inhale then bend your elbows, slowly exhaling and bringing fingers to touch your shoulders. As you inhale, twist the entire torso toward the right, still with hands on shoulders and elbows pointing out. Your lower body stays still in the chair. The exhale brings you back to center, then inhale as you twist to the left. Complete 3 full cycles of this torso twist to the right and left.

5. Supported high lunge: If you are not already sitting on the front edge of your seat, slide there now. Turn your body and both knees to the left side with the chair seat supporting the left butt cheek and thigh. The right thigh hangs off the front edge, perpendicular to the floor while the right knee points toward the floor. Slide the right foot back so that the right leg begins to straighten while the right toes are balancing the foot, heel is lifted. Keep your upper body sitting tall, resting your left hand on the chair arm support and your right hand on your left thigh. Guide the right leg to straighten even more by breathing into the back of the right knee as you push through the right heel. Stay here for at least 5 full breaths then slide the knees over to the right and repeat with the left leg extended behind you this time.

6. Sit back in your chair and relax. Return to the 3-part breath that we started in #1. Close your eyes and complete 10 full rounds of the 3-part breath.