On the second day of the year, an unusual storm swept in from California turning the sunlit southern route to Truth or Consequences, NM into a hazardous winter wonderland.  Our participants for our seventh annual "Breathe New Life Into Your Life" retreat---who were traveling down that day---had their work for the weekend cut out for them.

Having survived their traveling travail unscathed, they turned up to their first practice primed.  At our intention-setting ceremony, which followed our catered celebration the first night of the retreat, these dauntless souls poured forth their hopes for a new flow in their lives. We set out on our weekend expedition to tap new sources of inspiration and give rise to the inner ease that can only come from understanding and self-acceptance.

We watched our students struggle, open, and inquire as these reliably penetrating practices smoothed their rough edges and their breath came to sit with them like an old friend.  Even after all these years of teaching, I marvel at the power yoga, breath and meditation have to dislodge fossilized ways of being and bring resolution to tenacious internal conflict.  Our students are impressive, curious and trusting and Marisa and I continue to grow in our respect for them.  Offering these retreats, truly a labor of love, is also a privilege to articulate and illuminate for others these ancient, sacred techniques.  We are bearers of wisdom which we ourselves have uncovered, yet not without the guidance of our own teachers and all the others who have come before us.

Simple Presence: Tips from Halli

The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.  ~Albert Einstein 

    

An unexamined past can keep us stuck in patterns of thinking and reactive behavior that limits the way we experience life. The future possesses a seductive lure that things will be better "if only..." and tempts us out of taking action that could change our life for the better. The present is the place of what is, where we can be in touch with our bodies, our thoughts, and the Truth of our unfolding experience. Dwelling in the present builds a platform for creation and teaches us how to access the sweetness of what life is offering, no matter how it appears.     

   

Try these four simple tips for cultivating present-moment awareness:  

• Deepen your breath.  Recognize as often as possible how deeply you are breathing.  Especially when you become aware of a feeling of stress, deliberately deepen your breath.  Deep breathing soothes the nervous system and can arrest negative thinking.
• Witness your life.  Recognize when you have become lost in your thoughts and pull back to observe what you were just thinking. Be curious. Over time, you will notice habitual patterns of thinking. Consider the possibility of changing your mind.  
• Limit multi-tasking.   When we are doing more    than one thing at a time, our minds literally become fragmented and then we are not fully present for any singular task. As much as possible, notice when you are multi-tasking, choose one task to focus on at a   time, and experience the wonder of focused attention.
• Tune into your senses.  When you find yourself idle, such as sitting at a stoplight or standing in line, notice the sounds, the smells, the sights, the physical feelings present in your body. There is always something worthwhile to notice and appreciate. 

For more on how present-moment awareness can enrich your life, contact Halli for a free 30-minute consultation for Self-Actualization Coaching at trueself@trueselfwellness.com or call(505) 249-4981.

Meditation with Halli

Curious about meditation, want to experience more?  Try this short practice with Halli - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsh1Ij1Gpwc

Halli has been an avid meditator for many years - it helps bring greater peace, clarity and discipline to her life.  We always include meditation in our retreat practices as it also helps us to integrate new experiences, helping our bodies and minds to remember, and even crave, the yoga, the breath and the new perspective on ourselves and the world that we find during retreat.  Enjoy and let us know what you think!