We brought home an abandoned kitten. She was about 9 months old and very sweet. We thought we would find a home for her very quickly. But it soon became evident that she was expecting babies, so we knew we were in for an interesting journey. She had four beautiful kittens—two yellow boys and two gray girls. Now I think I’m going to give up teaching yoga and offer “kitten therapy.”

They are at the age now where they are engaging more with us humans and not so tied to their mama. Their favorite game is climb in your lap, into your arms, up your leg. You can’t be sad when you have a fluffy, squeaky kitten nearby (unless, of course, you are terrified of kittens, in which case it would be best to stay clear of our house for a while).

Here are few things I have learned this past couple of months:

I can trust the Universe to deliver things right on time. I didn’t know that I needed kittens in my life, but Life did! I have been learning how to take a deep breath, relax, and step into the future with more confidence and trust. These things are unfolding for reasons we cannot know or understand.

I must follow through on my responsibilities and let go of the results. Mama kitty knew exactly what to do when her time came and she has continued to be attentive to her kittens during these early weeks. And, when the time is right, she will let them go without a worry of where they are going. This is another lesson in trust, namely, trusting myself and those who are on this journey with me.

I need joy in my life every single day. I have a resident smile factory right now and I plan to take full advantage of it. But these kittens will not always be here, so I’m already considering ways to keep the joy flowing without turning my home into a cat colony.

Maybe you can take some time to consider the life lessons that are unfolding for you today. Where have you been, where are you going, and where do you find yourself today?

My partner was in the grocery store recently when a man stopped him and said, “I wish I could move as quickly as you.” The man was holding onto a cart for stability, slightly stooped, and when he walked, he shuffled his feet. They compared ages and the shuffling man was 5 years younger than my partner! When asked why he thought he was having difficulty moving more quickly, the man responded, “When I was in my 50’s I started to have pain, but I didn’t do anything about it. Look it me now: I can barely move and it takes a long time to pick out my groceries.”

This cautionary tale has an important lesson for us all: Whatever you do now to care for yourself (or what you choose not to do), your future self receives the results. Just think of yourself 10 years in the future. What do you want your physical health to be? This includes flexibility and strength as well as injury and illness. The choices you make today can tell you a lot about whether or not you’re on target to manifest that reality.

The beauty of yoga is that it addresses all the aspects that affect us most as we age:
Yoga brings flexibility, strength and balance to the body
Yoga helps us manage the effects of illness and injury
Yoga gives us a path for working with our thoughts in mindfulness and expressing our emotions in a healthy manner
Yoga even provides a spiritual path for those who want it through affirmations, meditation, chanting mantra and service to others

May you strive to live today so that your future self says, “Thank you!”

With this post I am continuing my series on the five senses. So far we have considered the eyes, nose and tongue. (Scroll down to read them) Today we turn our attention to the ears. In Yoga and Ayurveda the sense of hearing is considered the most important of the senses. Do you have any idea why?

Sound is the fastest way to facilitate mental, emotional and physical healing. Even though the ancient teachings have affirmed this for thousands of years, modern science is confirming it as well. Music is known to actually change brain chemistry. Perhaps you have noticed how certain music brings forth a particular emotion in you—sadness and tears or joy and laughter. This is an example of an outside stimuli eliciting a physical reaction. Amazing!
The Vedic tradition teaches that sound was the first subtle energy to arise from the five elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth. Sound exists in the ether, therefore it has a direct effect on all five elements.

Sound heals all five elements!

Here are some ways to heal through sound and to take care of your ears, the organs of hearing:

Choose positive words for singing Beware of negative lyrics (and negative talk overall) because they generate low level energetic vibrations in your mind and in the world. Turn your thoughts toward the positive to raise the vibration within and around you. The Vedic tradition recommends chanting and mantra. You’ll find many examples online if you’re interested. I often recommend the famous “five-syllable mantra” which balances the energy of all five elements: OM NAMAH SHIVAYA. Chant it silently many times throughout the day.

Oil your ears Yes, Ayurveda loves to use oil on the senses, and the ears are no exception. And there is good reason to do so: As we age the inner ears become dry which leads to ringing in the ears and vertigo. A stellar treatment is to place a drop of sesame oil in each ear. Massage around the ears for about a minute. I do this every morning after neti pot. (There are also special oils made just for the ears you can find online)

May the beautiful sounds you hear bring you joy!

Oh my, it’s hot. In fact, we are heading into the longest hot streak since 2011. This is a great reminder that we are firmly in the grips of Pitta season, a designation that comes from Ayurveda. Pitta is made up of the elements of fire and water and we experience it in the hot, humid weather of Oklahoma. Even if you can’t spend the next three months lounging by a pool, there are things you can do to take care of pitta.

Wear shades of white, light blue and green. Bring these colors into your environment too through art and visualizing meadows and flowers. Cooling gemstones include moonstone, emerald, jade, peridot, blue sapphire and amethyst.

Exercise during the coolest part of the day and avoid direct sunlight for too long. Better yet, walk outside under the light of the moon.

Cultivate calm by letting go of anger and frustration, replacing judgment with compassion, getting outside to enjoy Nature, releasing control, loosening up on rigid to-do lists, forgiving others and yourself, and being more spontaneous.

Practice aromatherapy by placing some of these essential oils in a diffuser or putting a drop on a cotton ball or pad you can smell throughout the day: clary sage, gardenia, honeysuckle, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lime, lotus, peppermint, sandalwood, or vetiver.

Eat these cooling foods: basmati rice, couscous, all sweet fruits and vegetables, small amounts of beans, coconut water, sunflower seeds, peeled almonds, fruit and vegetable juices. Best herbal teas for Pitta are chamomile, dandelion, fennel, coriander, licorice and peppermint. Best cooling spices are basil, turmeric, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, fennel and mint.

Eat berries! It’s a superfood to enjoy in abundance all summer long.

I just finished eating the most delicious, juicy peach. It must be summer in Oklahoma! The sense of taste is one of the most precious, but often underappreciated, abilities we have as human beings. To jump-start awareness and boost enjoyment, Yoga and Ayurveda have some suggestions:

Scrape your tongue Oh, yeah, the tongue carries a lot of bacteria, not all of it the bad kind. First thing in the morning, however, is another story altogether. From lack of swallowing, mouth breathing and use of a CPAP, unhealthy bacteria proliferates on the tongue. This contributes to bad breath and makes seasonal allergies worse. Scrape the tongue from back to front seven times first thing in the morning, even before taking a drink of water. Copper tongue scrapers are the best because they’re antimicrobial, but a stainless steel one does the job too. Follow up with

Swish some oil The lipids which make up oil are amazing at releasing and removing bacteria in the mouth and especially at the gum line. Personal testimony: When I swish oil regularly, my visits to the dental hygienist are much more pleasant because I have less plaque on my teeth and my gums don’t bleed during the cleaning. You can buy flavored oil pulling oils, but it’s just as easy to make your own with sesame oil or coconut oil (the same oils you cook with) mixed with a very small amount of essential oils. Plain oil works great too. Place 1-3 teaspoons of oil in the mouth and swish it around and through the teeth. Start with a minute or two and work up to 20 minutes. You can brush your teeth afterwards if you like, but it’s not necessary.

Eat the six tastes Ayurveda recognizes six tastes: sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent. Each one is associated with a different stage of digestion, so eating all six every day not only keeps the taste buds sharp, but also keeps the digestive system humming along nicely. Try these healthy choices:
-Sweet fruits and vegetables, sweeten with honey or maple syrup
-Salty in moderation, especially if you have heart issues or retain water
-Sour citrus, yogurt, cheese
-Pungent radishes, wasabi, salsa, peppers
-Bitter greens, turmeric, dandelion tea
-Astringent pomegranate, unripe banana, black tea

May your tongue be a source of vitality and joy.

The aroma of bread baking on Sunday morning. The scent of a cologne or perfume worn by a love interest. The familiar smells of the holidays. All of these bring memories to the forefront and solidify the nose as one of our favorite sense organs.

What do Yoga and Ayurveda have to say about our sense of smell?

As one of the five senses, we have the ability to differentiate between many different types of scents. The senses of smell and taste are very much connected too which is why losing the sense of smell often results in loss of appetite as well.

The olfactory nerve travels into the brain very close to the memory center. This is why a certain scent triggers a memory that can transport you to an earlier time. For example, the scent of lily of the valley takes me back to my front yard in Chicago where these lovely little flowers were planted.

Yoga and Ayurveda suggest that we care for our nose in very specific ways:

Neti pot has become quite popular in recent years, especially in areas with high allergens. Truly anyone can benefit from the practice as it can make our nose more sensitive to the variety of scents it will encounter. This little pot looks like a genie bottle with a long spout. Gently pour salt water in one nostril so it flows out the other side. Blow the nose and repeat on the other side. I use mine every morning without fail. And if you are outside all day, you might like using it at night too to wash the allergens away. Look for some instructional videos on YouTube.

Oiling the nose is nice if you tend to get dry nasal passages, especially in the winter months. Sesame oil is a good choice because it is all natural and not too heavy. You can also order Nasya Oil online, a specially formulated sesame oil also that has essential oils and herbs cooked into it. Place a drop or two into each nostril, sniff strongly to draw it in, then gently massage the outside of the nose. This is best done in the morning or afternoon, but not at night because the oil can go into the lungs when you’re lying down.

A scent workout for your nose is helpful in keeping your sense of smell more discriminating. I like to use bottles of essential oils, but you can gather other smells like fruits, spices, herbs, flowers, etc. Choose 5-10 different types of scents: flowery, sweet, hot, spicy, woodsy. Close your eyes as you smell each one; when you can’t see your nose’s abilities become sharper. You might practice with a friend who can mix them up and see if you can guess which one you’re smelling.

May your sense of smell and memory stay sharp!

The ancient writings of Yoga have A LOT to say about the five senses because this is the way we take in information from the outside world. Taking care of the five sense organs—eyes, ears, mouth, nose and skin—is paramount for physical and mental health.

It’s springtime in Oklahoma, so smoke from wildfires, allergens from trees and grass, and a little too much screen time are causing my eyes to be scratchy and blurry. Can you relate? Thank goodness Yoga and Ayurveda can teach us how to show our eyes some love.

Try some of these yoga-approved ways to care for your eyes:

Splash some cool water. The eyes are considered “hot” organs, so splashing them with cool water will keep them in balance. When you get up in the morning, wash your hands with soap and rinse them well. Then splash water into your eyes. Blink them rapidly at least seven times and make circles with the eyeballs several times in both directions. This will wake up your eyes and get the fluids moving after a night of sleep.

Gaze into a flame. Trataka is an ancient meditation practice that cleanses the eyes with tears. It also challenges your will! Light a candle and place it about 12 inches away from your face. Gaze into the flame without blinking until tears form in your eyes. Close your eyes and you’ll continue to see the flame behind your eyelids. Practice 2-3 times per week.

Oil your eyes. If you tend to have dry or irritated eyes this time of year, try placing one drop of organic, cold-pressed caster oil in each eye at bedtime. If you do this regularly you’ll discover you won’t need to use eyedrops any more. *Caution: Do not do this practice if you have had any type of eye surgery.

May your eyes always see beauty!

“People say that walking on water is a miracle, but to me, walking peacefully on the earth is the real miracle. The Earth is a miracle, each step is a miracle. Taking steps on our beautiful planet can bring real happiness.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh, The Long Road Turns to Joy

The warmer, dryer weather has brought me a greater appreciation of walking barefoot. As yoga practitioners, there are many good reasons to do so:

Better balance and posture When we practice yoga we always have bare feet. We take off the “sensory deprivation chambers” known as “shoes” so that all of the sensors (nerves) in our feet can feel the floor. The information gathered by the feet travels up the whole body contributing to better balance and an aligned posture.

Strong ankles and less foot pain Being barefoot increases the strength of the muscles in the feet, ankles and calves; wearing shoes actually decreases the strength of these muscles because the shoe is doing the work for the muscles. It’s common for muscles that are getting a workout to be a bit painful at first, but this will ease as the muscles get stronger.

Restoration of nerve impulses For those people who experience neuropathy, here is a reason to rejoice. Studies confirm that walking barefoot on the earth—with skin to grass contact—for just 10 minutes a day, restores nerve impulses in the feet due to the powerful electromagnetic pulse of the Earth.

Walking on the earth is a spiritual practice which reminds us that we are earth creatures made up of the very same elements. What we do to the earth affects us all, so let us all take greater care in loving and preserving our beautiful earthly home.

This is my birthday week and, wow, what a week it is! I am turning 60 years old, which is itself a significant milestone in my life. But in addition, this is the start of eclipse season with a powerful New Moon Solar Eclipse in the sign of Taurus on April 30th. As astrologer Lynn Hayes explains:

“New Moons are highly charged portals of energy where old patterns can be cleansed away with new intentions, and that is even more true at this lunation because Uranus, the planet of radical change and authenticity, conjoins the Sun and Moon. This eclipse is loaded with abundant positive energies since the Moon’s ruler Venus conjoins Jupiter – the two benefics, as they are called, working together for a burst of optimism and good fortune.”
(Her blog is astrodynamics.net)

Even if we don’t understand all the jargon, some points really jump out –

“old patterns can be cleansed away with new intentions”
“radical change and authenticity”
“abundant positive energies”
“a burst of optimism and good fortune”

I am feeling every single one of these aspects this week. Are you?

Take some time away from your regular activities, since our busy-ness can become a distraction from seeing what it is real and true in our lives. Go someplace quiet, it could be a favorite meditation spot at home or out in Nature, even sitting alone in your car. Focus on your breath as a way to calm your nervous system and to attune your attention. Breathe in for a count of 4 and breathe out for a count of 6. After several minutes, become aware of the energy signature of this time we are now in. Reflect on each of these four statements:
“old patterns can be cleansed away with new intentions”
“radical change and authenticity”
“abundant positive energies”
“a burst of optimism and good fortune”
 
What do you feel in your body?
What emotions come up for you?
How are your thought patterns affected?
What actions are you feeling led to take?

Sure, you can stay busy and let this eclipse season pass you by, like so many others in our world. But why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary?

Sometimes when you hear something, it just rings true. I’ve been thinking about something I heard this week, and I wonder if it rings true for you too. We hear so much about people caught up in a specific worldview, something we often refer to as a “wing.” For example, those who are “right wing” are conservative and those who are “left wing” are liberal. What if, instead of being devoted to one wing, we decided to be the whole butterfly and used both of our wings?

This image really makes sense to me because, in nature, a butterfly cannot fly with just one wing. A bird cannot fly with just one wing. Even an airplane cannot fly with just one wing.

Why do we think that we are any different?

If we think we can fly with just one wing, with just one understanding, with just one unopposed commitment, we are deluding ourselves and helping to create the situation we currently find ourselves in now where divisiveness and misunderstanding rule the day.

To use both wings means
• Actively seeking out opposing views to get the bird’s eye view of any issue
• Imagining yourself being in a different life situation to consider how your actions, thoughts and beliefs would be shaped accordingly
• Representing the beautiful colors of humanity (just like the whole butterfly) rather than the broken body of a being that cannot reach its full potential

Here are two Yoga practices that can support your efforts to be whole:
Practice a yoga pose you don’t like for 30 days in a row. This practice helps you overcome your negative feelings to something by consciously choosing to engage with it every single day. Over time you will discover that you actually begin to like the pose and, if you stick with it a bit longer, you’ll likely become indifferent to it. Once that happens, you are free.

Meditate on shape-shifting. In your imagination you get to be anything you want to be. Choose something from nature such as your companion animal or a favorite tree. Close your eyes and imagine this being in front of you. Switch places with this being, imagining that you are observing yourself through its eyes. What does it see when it looks at you? When you return to your own body, reflect on what you learned.