Body & Soul

Over the weekend, I had my first paid photography work and I had some editing to do. It used to be part of my job description to take photographs, but this was the first, REAL gig. There were about twenty photos I was editing out of a hundred, and I didn't want to work on it late at night again. My "plan" to get Lil' Miz napping while I worked was foiled by her "decision" to nap in the car on the way home. As usual, she is REFRESHED and ready to go as soon as her head hits the pillow at home.

When I'm stressed out, I often want a quick and easy way to regain my composure. I've found that the easiest way to do that is to get back in touch with my body.

Today, I want to share with you a posting from my friend, Kate Henley, aka Ms. Mind-Body. It's what she calls a Cure for the I'm Too Busy to Relax Blues.

http://www.msmindbody.com/02-07-08-TooBusy.html

I've tried it. It works!

I no longer need to have my "back up against the wall," but now I've discovered that stretching my back opens up my breathing and my ideas.

Enjoy!
Susan

Susan Bernstein

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This holiday season, I urge you to, drum roll please, give to yourself. Stay true to your natural desires. Turn off the autopilot mechanism, disable obligation, ditch comparison, and dive into the cool waters of authenticity. Dare to live this season as honestly as you can. Let everyone else "shop till they drop" or stand helplessly at parties. Listen to and love yourself first, and you will set free a light that buoys everyone around you. It's never "selfish" to tend your own magnificent soul.

I have often had a restless spirit. I have often thought I should have scored higher, weighed less, bought nicer furniture, and did something with my hair. But I am working with myself to let go of this impoverished way of being. I hope you will join me in this crusade for true peace and abundance.

I do not want to be anywhere else. These are words of luxury. These are words of mystery. These are words of quantum healing. Sit down on the pillow of your own good life and be still. Stop searching, demanding, aching, casting about.

This holiday season, I urge you to, drum roll please, give to yourself. Stay true to your natural desires. Turn off the autopilot mechanism, disable obligation, ditch comparison, and dive into the cool waters of authenticity. Dare to live this season as honestly as you can. Let everyone else "shop till they drop" or stand helplessly at parties. Listen to and love yourself first, and you will set free a light that buoys everyone around you. It's never "selfish" to tend your own magnificent soul.

We live in a society where only "big success" is acknowledged. We don't care about the small steps. We don't hear about the stumbles. Yet it takes outrageous courage to be in the middle of your journey. The middle is where it's at, baby.

I am amazed by how creativity and inspiration is demeaned in our culture. "Dreamers" are seen as wacky, tie-dyed, silly people who will walk off the edge of a cliff, reciting poetry if you let them. But where would our efficient, no-nonsense society be, but for the dreams of humanitarians, the dreams of inventors of technology, the dreams of biologists and oncologists, and yes, the dreams of poets and painters?

Yesterday morning was good.

I had an altercation w/ pete (my son), which hurt me deeply in the A.M. carpool as he doesn't trust that i will explode (yell) in front of him and his friends...this all from a simple request to put in a CD of Hawaiin Music i had purchased in Hawaii...

With tears welling up, i began to listen to that beautiful music...from a beloved Hawaiin musician with a majical voice, singing about love, and beauty, the homeland, the white sandy beaches, family, the Islands...

For the last 20 years I have been an avid runner and workout junkie.  I'm a total type A, working mom, but I  always make time for my workouts.  For years I shunned yoga because I didn't want to waste my time stretching when I could be working up a sweat with a great cardio work-out.  A few years ago I broke down and tried yoga after my marathon running friends raved about it.  I tried a Bikram class since I love to sweat.  After 5 classes I was hooked.  Ninety minutes in the heated class room is one of the hardest workouts you can do.  I am incredibly i