A Wish on the Womb of the Mother
It had been a long and rainy day on my self-guided tour of the shrines and temples of Kyoto. I had heard of Kiyomizu-dera and had saved it to last. In Zuigudo, one of its “halls”, I descended a set of stairs that was to take me into the womb of the mother of the Buddha – Bosatsu (a female bodhisattva with the ability to grant a wish). It was dark like I’d never seen dark before. My hand reached for the next round wooden ball on a long thread... Read The Rest →
Moms Benefit from Yoga Therapy for Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Beyond
“The job of a birth partner or a laboring mother is to look deep within, past the intellect, into the realm of body wisdom, and trust the process. This is the heart of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, and it works in the delivery room like you can’t believe!” ~Lela Beem, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Professional, Evanston, IL. Recently, as part of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy’s Professional Spotlight Series, I had the honor of interviewing Lela Beem, PRYT professional in Evanston, IL. It was Lela who I received my very first... Read The Rest →
Three Hands of Love
When my mentor and new friend, Michael Lee, learned that I would be traveling to Japan, he encouraged me to visit Kiyomizudera Temple in Kyoto. There he recommended I seek out an unmarked entrance to the Tainai-meguri, the womb of the female Bodhisattva Daizuigu Bosatsu, which is located underground, beneath a great hall. When Michael was there, he lined up in a queue, and upon reaching the entrance, removed his shoes, paid the hundred yen admission fee, and then waited about three minutes to provide a separation between himself and... Read The Rest →
Are you up for a life changing adventure in Maine this summer?
My thoughts journey towards the shore of a quiet pond Where the mystical voice of a distant loon Calms my inner soul and softens me spiritually. ~Barbara Jean Veilleaux~ I know of a place like this, and I want you to join me there for a life-changing adventure in Maine. Are you in? This place I’m referring to is in Northern Maine, a very special part of my world. (In other parts of the world, one might refer to it as a summer cottage on a lake, but for those... Read The Rest →
Thank You, Deepak
I recently had the opportunity to attend a fascinating lecture by Deepak Chopra, author and pioneer in alternative medicine. He was at Yoga Journal Live New York speaking about his latest book, You Are The Universe, co-authored by physicist Menas Kafatos. The experience reminded me of some beliefs I held in my early years in yoga, which I had not thought about in a while. As the discussion began to touch upon these familiar concepts, I recognized an opportunity to finally revisit these beliefs that, up until now, I’d had... Read The Rest →
What Should I Do About My F’d-Up Life?”
The question that Colin Beavan just had to ask his Zen teacher is one that’s on the tip of everybody’s tongues. We live in uncertain times. And from time to time we have glimpses of how things “should be”. And then they disappear. A recent article in Lion’s Roar tackles the question that Colin and many of us are asking head on. And I like the answers. In the past years I am noticing that more and more people coming to Yoga Therapy are trying harder than ever with the... Read The Rest →
Bloody Valentine’s
No I’m not using the word “bloody” like an Australian adjective because I have mixed feelings about the day. The original Valentine’s holiday, long before it was named after the Saint, was indeed a bloody pagan ritual in ancient Rome. Originally known as Lupercalia, and celebrated on the ides of February (Feb 15th not the 14th), the day was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, along with the honoring Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. You may recall learning that Romulus and Remus as babies... Read The Rest →
Meaningful New Year
Mindful steps on this one minute video will help you set your New Year on track! To download a printable PDF of the steps, click this link: meaningful-new-year-printout
PILGRIMAGE
Recently, Michael had the opportunity to realize a long-held dream, following his dharma to participate in a retreat with a teacher that he has admired for several years. Here, he chronicles his journey, along with the thoughts, reflections, and lessons that he experienced along the way. DAY 1 As I settle in to my airplane seat to embark on the first leg of my journey, I don’t exactly feel like a pilgrim. Nevertheless, I am on a pilgrimage. The flight will take me across the country, to Redwood City, California, to... Read The Rest →
Transform Your Black Friday Blues
Embrace the spirit behind it: 5 steps to transform Black Friday Blues. Black Friday is a great example of our culture on a detour that doesn’t take us where we want to go. Originally, the day after Thanksgiving was the annual celebration of the beginning of Christmas shopping season, offering the first “official” opportunity for retailers to display their holiday merchandise. Honoring the non-commercial nature of Thanksgiving, merchants waited until it was over before promoting their Christmas wares. The day represented the transition from a Day of Thanks following the end of... Read The Rest →