Category: Shift in Perspective
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Presence and Preparation
I have the itch. The longing to be in the mountains at Kanuga, embraced by Rhododendron and hugged by my family. What a gift to have such love in my life. The eight or so weeks before Kanuga are a season of preparation. I change the wallpaper on my phone to pictures from that holy…
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Seven Days of Grace Part II
Seven years ago I wrote a little piece called Seven Days of Grace. It’s just a little meditation; a little bit of paying attention to seek out moments of Grace. This is Part II. Where do you find Grace in your day? Monday My inbox is full of people wanting last minute exceptions for summer…
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Listening to Noise
Yogah cittavrttti nirodhah “Yoga is the cessation of the movements in the consciousness.” Yoga Sutra 1.2 translated by B.K.S. Iyengar People often say to me, “I can’t meditate or do yoga because I can’t turn my brain off.” Which is true. You can’t turn your brain off. The nature of the brain is circuitry; neurons…
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Verbiage
“Give yourself a little Grace,” said my friend Callie. Callie and I were sitting on the couches at the Y last week talking about our mutual insanity. I was feeling tired and depressed. She was feeling pregnant. I’d had a difficult week. I hadn’t found a rhythm to this new working-writing-contracting-teaching-mommying life, and the lack…
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It’s All About Me . . . Sort Of . . . Not Really
Every now and again I bump up against the notion that my spiritual practice should not be for or about me. I bristle at this idea because I have been taught that self-care is essential and comes first. How can I help others if I don’t help myself? I understand that when I take care…
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How to Build Core Strength
While teaching a private yoga lesson last week, I was paid a compliment I never thought I’d hear, “You have one of the strongest cores I’ve seen. I want to know what you do to strengthen your core.” Truth is, because my abs are not ripped, I don’t think of myself as having a strong…
Melinda Emily Thomas 