Have you ever had one of those surprisingly delightful moments that stops you in your tracks? I had one recently . . . I was on a nature walk through a meadow this past weekend – it was a glorious autumn day here in eastern Pennsylvania. I paused to watch a tiny finch pick atContinue reading “Come to Your Senses”
Tag Archives: Meditation
The Magic Carpet
Do you get on your yoga mat daily? Lately, I’ve been thinking about the yoga mat as a magic carpet. I know that sounds funny but stick with me. Not a magic carpet that literally flies away, but a magic carpet that helps you create a ritual that can become magical. In this ritual, you roll out yourContinue reading “The Magic Carpet”
For Troubling Times . . .
Taking in the news can be perilous. When we hear of tragic events – bombings, earthquakes, shootings – it’s easy to become overwhelmed with difficult emotions like sadness, grief, fear, rage. Feeling powerless in the face of these heartbreaking disasters, we often don’t know what to do. What CAN we do? Firstly, taking any actionContinue reading “For Troubling Times . . .”
You can choose.
I went on a meditation retreat a couple of weekends ago and it was great! On a silent meditation retreat, we can step out of our normal routines and slow way, waaaaay down. We’re invited to sit in stillness and to settle the mind into a quiet state of awareness. This can be quite a process, this stilling.Continue reading “You can choose.”
Stressed Out?
I’ve been moving – as in, I moved my home – so I’ve been a bit of a stress monkey (yes, me, the yoga therapist—I get stressed too). What does a yoga therapist do with stress? Here are a few of my coping strategies: Even when the stress gets kicked up a few more notches .Continue reading “Stressed Out?”
Your Home Yoga Practice
Think of your home yoga practice as basic self-care. Self-care is taking care of yourself physically, emotionally and mentally. As well as attending to the body, mind, and emotions, regular yoga practice creates a container for developing interoception – your ability to hear your body’s signals, messages and intuitions. Remember that yoga means the unionContinue reading “Your Home Yoga Practice”
Breath-Centered Meditation
Using Your Breath as the Focus of Your Meditation Breath-centered meditation is one of the most common forms of meditation. In this sequence below, I point out aspects of the breath to pay attention to. Focusing on these subtle sensations will pull your attention inward and help to keep you from wandering off. Notice theContinue reading “Breath-Centered Meditation”
Sleep is a Beautiful Thing
Sleep is like the secret sauce. It affects everything – mood, focus, mental clarity and your general sense of well-being. So why are so many of us not sleeping well? For many, the culprit is the dreaded BUSY MIND! How do we fix that? It might help to understand some brain science: when your mindContinue reading “Sleep is a Beautiful Thing”
How is Yoga for Cancer Different Than Other Types of Yoga?
I’m often asked this question: “How is yoga for cancer patients different than other types of yoga? “ There are many ways we’ve adapted yoga to serve cancer patients. Here are the main points . . . Physical Ability. The first issue to address is the participant’s physical abilities and limitations. Through a pre-class interviewContinue reading “How is Yoga for Cancer Different Than Other Types of Yoga?”
What to do with this Anxiety – Part I
I’ve been thinking about anxiety a lot lately and about how to deal with it – it can be so overpowering at times! The following are my thoughts and suggestions on how to get control of this troubling mental state. Sometimes anxiety is just a big hairy beast that sits on your chest. Nothing willContinue reading “What to do with this Anxiety – Part I”
Michelle Stortz 