Ever since I discovered I had heart disease, I treat myself to a monthly massage to keep my stress in check and to relieve muscle tension in my neck and shoulders.  While at first I thought it was a luxury, I came to realize that taking care of my body was one of the most important things I could do for my overall health.  If you’ve never had a massage or you are constantly under stress in your life, I suggest you put some money aside into a “Be Good To Your Body Fund,” and try it.  You won’t regret it.

Here’s an article by Kelly Kilpatrick on how massage can be beneficial to relieve stress and management pain.

5 Benefits of Using Massage for Stress and Pain Management

Stress and anxiety can create tension in our bodies that can ultimately lead to debilitating pain.  Therapeutic massage is one method of managing stress and pain that many people have begun to turn to.  There are many benefits of using therapeutic massage for stress and pain management, five of which will be explored in further detail in this article.

Target Areas of High Tension

Most people carry their stress in certain parts of there bodies, like their shoulders, neck, or legs.  Over time, this can create painful knots in the muscles, resulting in limited range of motion for the person suffering from this stress-related condition.  A licensed massage therapist can help target these tense and knotted areas, ultimately helping people to feel better and learn how they are creating these knots in the first place.

Releases Endorphins

As you undergo a therapeutic massage, painful knots in muscles will be targeted, triggering the release of endorphins into your bloodstream.  Endorphins are the human body’s natural painkillers and help fight pain while simultaneously helping the patient feel a sense of euphoria and release as a result. 

Eliminates Harmful Toxins 

As muscles knot and twist from stressful conditions and situations, they store harmful toxins in the fibers of the muscles.  Receiving a massage from a licensed massage therapist can help release these stored toxins as the knots in the muscles are manipulated.  Once the knot is worked out, the body works to eliminate these toxins rapidly.  It is important to drink plenty of water after your massage to help expedite this process.

Reduces Overall Stress and Anxiety

When giving a therapeutic massage, many licensed massage therapists will use a variety of techniques to help you to relax.  There are several methods that will help achieve this end, including calming music, aromatherapy, and even scented oils that trigger relaxation centers in the brain.  Allow the therapist to take care of you while communicating with them throughout the massage itself.  Massage ultimately helps reduce stress and anxiety levels, bringing about good feelings and a peace of mind like no other.

Improves Circulation

Another result of receiving a therapeutic massage is that your circulation will improve significantly, especially to those areas that had previously been knotted up and storing toxins.  Good circulation in your body will help deliver oxygen-rich blood to areas that have been suffering for some time and carries many other health benefits as well.

 This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of massage. If you are interested in receiving a certification in massage therapy, her website is National Massage Certification. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24@gmail.com

Posted: December 21st, 2008 under heart disease.
Comments: 2

Thanks to Barrie Summy  and to Larramie at Seize A Daisy for organizing this roundup about the people we admire.

For the past several days, I’ve thought about which person I most admire.  I’d never really thought about that question, so it was difficult to come up one name, so I’ve decided to list several.

Mahatma Gandhi

Paramahansa Yoganada

Greg Mortensen

Elizabeth Gilbert

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) lived a humble life in search for peace.  His philosophy on the subjects of truth, trust, and self-sacrifice is admirable.  If you are interested in reading more about Gandhi’s life, you can check out his website: http://www.mkgandhi.org/

Paramahansa Yoganada (1893-1952) was a pioneer bringing the teachings of India’s ancient science and philosophy of Yoga and meditation to the United States.  He founded the Self-Realization Fellowship to disseminate his teachings.  To learn more about Yoganada, see his website: http://www.yogananda-srf.org/ or read The Autobiography of a Yogi.

Greg Mortensen, author of Three Cups of Tea, also deserves my admiration.  His journey from mountain climber to fulfilling a promise to build schools in Afghanistan is awe inspiring.  His life is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished if you follow your heart.  To learn more about this humanitarian, go to his website: http://www.gregmortenson.com/

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, is another person I admire.  In addition to being a good writer, she inspires millions to search inside themselves and discover who they truly are.  Only when we know who we are can we give of ourselves fully in love.  If you’d like to read more about Elizabeth Gilbert, go to her website: http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/

Posted: October 13th, 2008 under yoga.
Comments: 8

This equinox message is from Frank (Rico) Hayhurst here– and I thought it so right, I want to share it with you today:Celebrating Solstices and Equinoxes has become a treasured tradition -  a time when we simply stop and notice the deep beauty present at the center of life.On Monday, September 22nd, at 8:44 AM Pacific time (15:44 UT) we again have an opportunity to step out of our routines, and to enjoy a moment together in celebration.Equinoxes are a magnificent demonstration of the moment of balance, of equal day and night, light and dark. Over many years, we’ve learned that this “balance” is not a difficult and nerve wracking high wire act -  rather, it’s a deep and resonant harmony, to be enjoyed.But as beautiful as this harmony is, we can’t help but notice that summer is departing and winter is coming!  Shorter days, longer nights! And while this is true for us in the Northern hemisphere, this Equinox also marks the beginning of increasing light and longer days in the Southern hemisphere.However, my point is not that “truth is relative.”It’s time for us to step up into a new dimension of being, and to move from being “local” to becoming GLOBAL.We’re being called by our own hearts to cherish and love both the brilliant light and the nourishing dark.We are being called by the heart of Creation to care for life in its totality.Yes, we will continue to respect the cycles of life: a time of light, a time of dark - a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to be born, a time to die - but our lives no longer need to be governed by these cycles.We are being given the gift of freedom, freedom to enjoy life, and to no longer be constrained by our suffering and despair.  This is a very timely gift, considering the terrific mess our economy, ecology, and system of government is in.And, if there ever was a “Time for Peace,”  this is it!  It can only start with you, because the ultimate truth is that YOU are the gift!

Posted: September 21st, 2008 under present moment.
Comments: 2

While there are hundreds of resources on the Internet about heart health, I wanted to say a few words about an organization that I am affiliated with, WomenHeart. 

WomenHeart is the only national organization dedicated to promoting women’s heart health through advocacy, community education and patient support.

I first learned about WomenHeart after my heart attack in 2006 when I was into my twelve week rehab program.  While the description above was taken from the WomenHeart website, I wanted to give you a little closer look at the organization from the eyes of a woman with heart disease.

WomenHeart is women just like me who have had a heart attack, women who have congenital heart problems, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis,  stents, or have undergone bypass surgery and heart transplants.  Name any problem related to the heart, and you will find a woman in the organization who shares your concerns.  WomenHeart supports women in their quest for doctors who understand that women’s symptoms of heart disease are different than men’s.  They support women by listening to their stories.

There is a very active online support system.   You’ll find women from all walks of life, all across the country, sharing their stories and asking for advise.  In addition to the online support system, WomenHeart has a network of trained women leading one-on-one support groups in hundreds of cities.  You are not alone in your struggle.

WomenHeart is at the forefront of advocating for legislation that will lead toward better heart health for all women.  Legislation like the Heart For Women Act,  and Wise Women Legislation 

WomenHeart is also an education website, focusing on women and heart disease.  Are you looking for statistics, diagnostic tests, questions to ask your doctor, symptom’s of a heart attack, the latest research, or a heart clinic in your area?  WomenHeart has it all.

Posted: September 8th, 2008 under Stained Glass, heart disease.
Comments: 1

Stop thinking and talking about it and there is nothing you will not be able to know.

I’ve been rereading Julie Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” and came across this Zen paradigm in the margins.  After reading it once, I stopped to think about what it meant.  When I see two negatives in a sentence, it always gives me pause.

Stop thinking and talking about it and there is nothing you will not be able to know.

When I encounter a statement I wish to ponder, I like to reword it, pull it apart and think about it more.

Stop thinking and talking about it.  That alone is something to ponder.  How often do we think about writing a book, getting a new job, making new friends, taking a cooking class - anything that requires action.  Yet we think about it and think about it until we decide it takes too much effort or we drop the idea and start thinking about doing something else – again, thinking but not acting on the thought.  We spend so much time in our heads and get nothing accomplished.

The same could be said about talking about something.  We talk to our friends when something is bothering us. We talk about our dreams, our worries, our desires, our complaints, but if we don’t take any action to change the situation, we are caught in an endless cycle of wishes and negative talk.

The second part of this Zen paradigm, there is nothing you will not be able to know.  Reworded, it says you will know.  Stop thinking and talking about it, and you will know.

What do we know?   We know the answers. 

The answers to what?  To whatever we are dreaming about and worrying about.

If we are in touch with who we truly are, we can bring the question or discussion to our heart.  Our heart knows the answer.  But in order to hear the answer, we must be still.  We must find a place of solitude and silence.

Try it now. Find a quiet space.  Sit comfortably on the floor or a chair. Take several deep breaths and let the air out slowly.  Become relaxed.  Pose the question to your heart .  Sit for several minutes or as long as it takes.  In the silence, an answer will come.

In the process of meditating, we become intuitive.  We know the answers to difficult questions.  Each of us has the capability to move from inaction to action by being silent.  Try it out.  You’ll be surprised at the answers you receive from your heart.

Posted: September 4th, 2008 under Stained Glass, meditation, mindfulness, present moment.
Comments: 1

I like today’s teabag wisdom.  It says so much in so few words.  What is truth anyway?  Is it the absence of lies?  Truth is certainly talked about in all religions.  I remember growing up and hearing my mother tell me to always speak the truth.  But sometimes speaking the truth can hurt someone, so then what do you do?  The wise thing might be not to say anything, yet we sometimes cover up the truth with a white lie.  We tell ourselves that that’s okay, because we aren’t hurting anyone, but are we deceiving ourselves?  Do our non-truths come back to haunt us?

I think the truth goes beyond speech.  When we deny the truth, we accumulate negativity.  One little lie turns into bigger lies.  We begin to delude ourselves.  We come to the point that we can’t tell the difference between truth and non-truth.  Negative emotions of fear and anger surface and we don’t know where they came from.

So how do we get past the lies we tell ourselves and come back to the truth?  I certainly don’t have all the answers.  But I know that when negative thoughts arise, they come from fear.  We end up playing the “what if” game with ourselves.  We conjure up the worst possible scenario and that fear stops us in our tracks. 

One thing we must constantly remind ourselves is that “what if” isn’t the truth.  The truth is not our fear of what might happen in the future.  The truth is not holding on to anger from some past hurt.  The truth is this moment.  The truth is not lying to yourself or lying to others.  The truth is peace.  And peace is everything. 

Posted: August 25th, 2008 under meditation, mindfulness, present moment.
Comments: 3

Keep Up.

Two little words with a whole lot of meaning.  You’ve heard people say them all your life.  Your parents would say “Keep up with your homework.”  Teachers would say “Keep up with the class.”  Your boss pokes his head into your cubicle and says “Keep up, we are on deadline.”

In this fast paced world, we are always trying to keep up.  We are stressed out from working sixteen hour days, driving the kids to school, cleaning the house, cooking the meals.  There never seems to be enough time to keep up.

Did you ever think that in order to keep up, you may need to slow down?  A radical concept?  Maybe.  But let’s look at the concept on a deeper level.  Instead of looking outward, let’s take a look inward.

Are we taking care of ourselves?  Are we keeping up our own health by exercising, eating healthy foods, finding quiet time (even it’s its just 10 minutes) each and every day to be alone and meditate?  Do we find the time to bring joy into our lives?  Do we connect with family and friends and go on little adventures, even if it’s simply relaxing over a cup of tea?

For many years, I used to be my own task master.  My day timer was scheduled from morning to night with tasks that I needed to do for others, neglecting the most important person – me.

Sometimes, I think God finally says enough and has to do something dramatic to wake us up.  We are put on this earth to be of service to others, but did you ever stop to think that being your true self is the key?  Each of us is unique and that uniqueness is what we bring to others.  But if we spend all our time doing things for others, neglecting ourselves, we lose sight of who we are.  Only by being quiet and taking time for ourselves and taking care of ourselves do we connect to our true nature.  By keeping up with ourselves, we can be more open to give to others in a meaningful way.

One thing I’ve come to notice is that when I take care of myself first, I find the peace and serenity to do more for others than I did in the past.  It’s a paradox, I know.  Yet it’s true.  So if you find yourself stress out, running from one event to the next, why not try keeping up with a little self-care.  You may find you’ll be happier for it.

Have a happy day

Posted: August 20th, 2008 under exercise, healthy eating, mindfulness, present moment.
Comments: 3

How many times have you heard someone say “Pay Attention”?

I can remember my teacher from first grade saying that all the time.  In school, we were asked to pay attention so that we could learn.  At home, our parents would tell us to pay attention when they were giving us instructions on cleaning the house or cooking a meal.  But I don’t remember anyone telling me to pay attention to life.

We go through each day doing things, time passes.  We eat, we talk to people, we go to work, we exercise, we play video games, we email and text message, we watch TV.  Yet I wonder as we go through our day, how much of the time are we paying attention?

What does it mean to pay attention when we eat?  How many meals do we gobble down while engaged in another activity?  Eating breakfast and watching the morning news or checking email.  Eating lunch with co-workers, catching up on what everyone is working on or talking about the drama in our lives.  No one’s ever really taught us to pay attention to our meals. 

Have you ever engaged in a Mindful Eating Meditation?  It’s fairly simply.  Take a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts.  Engage all your senses in the process.  Let’s say you have a strawberry in front of you.  Pick up the strawberry.  Feel the texture between your fingers, the softness of the leaves on top, the fuzziness of the fruit.  Rub the fruit along your lips.  Smell the strawberry.  Sense the sweetness.  Lick the strawberry to get a glimmer of taste.  Take a small bite of the fruit.  Feel the juice drip into your mouth.  Chew the piece of fruit thoroughly before taking another bite.  Listen to the sound coming from your mouth as you eat.  Maybe you release a sigh of enjoyment.  Eating one strawberry in this manner may take you several minutes, but you will discover that you’ve never eaten a more flavorful strawberry in your life.  By paying attention to your food, you enjoy it more.

The same concept hold true for everything else we do in life.  If you are talking with people, listen intently to what the other person has to say without thinking of what your response is going to be.  Don’t cut off someone in mid-sentence.  If you are working, concentrate on your work and let go of your thoughts about what happened yesterday or what you’re going to do this evening.  If you are responding to email, text messaging, watching TV or playing, no matter what you are engaged in, do with the utmost attention. 

By paying attention, we live in the present moment and enjoy our lives more fully.

So when you find your mind wandering, gently remind yourself to pay attention.  You’ll have a happier day.

Namaste´.

Posted: August 19th, 2008 under Stained Glass, meditation, mindfulness, present moment.
Comments: none

Did you ever wake up slowly from a pleasant dream, remembering all the details and wishing it would never end?  That was how I began the morning.  Parts of the dream, still vivid in my mind.  I was out in nature, a beautiful park that seemed familiar to me, but now in my waking state I can’t pinpoint the location.

The long green meadow grass sway in the mild breeze.  Wildflowers open to the early morning light.  Deep blue sky with wisps of clouds float overhead.  Gravel paths meander through the valley and along the river into a forest of oaks and pines.  It’s just past dawn.  Stillness.  Quiet.  Peaceful.

I hear the crunch of tiny pebbles beneath approaching feet.  Along the path, my yoga teachers  walk toward me. Silent. I open the door to my cabin and inhale the crisp clean air.  Donned in sandals, shorts and t-shirt, I join them on their silent journey.

I notice the reds, tans, and grays of boulders tumbled into the valley.  Their scars a reminder of the elements of nature.  I hear a distant stream, trickling over river rock.  I stoop to examine the delicate periwinkle petals of a flower tinier than the nail on my pinky finger.  The petals velvety smooth.

We stop in a clearing, sit on the ground, close our eyes and listen.  Birds sing. Leaves rustle.  Squirrels scamper.  The river flows. 

I can feel my heart beat and my life force flow freely throughout my body.  It feels so good to be alive.

My eyes open to the ceiling fan overhead, the sun streaming on my face through the bedroom window.  I smile, welcoming the new day.

Have a great day everyone.

Posted: August 14th, 2008 under meditation, mindfulness, present moment.
Comments: 2

Here’s a little teabag wisdom to get your day going.

“Mental happiness is total relaxation.”

Now, this is good.  What does it mean to be mentally happy?  No worries.  No arguments or judgments about yourself or others.  No anxiety about the past or the future.  No negative emotions.  But instead of defining mental happiness in terms of what it is not, let’s define it in a positive way.

Mental happiness is waking up from a good night’s sleep.  It’s gazing at a sleeping newborn.  It’s sitting alone by the ocean listening to the waves roll in.  It’s enjoying the magnificence of a sunrise or sunset.  It’s smelling the clean air surrounded by pine trees in the mountains.  It’s taking a few minutes out of each day to be silent and marvel at the wonders of the universe.  It’s being grateful for everything you have in your life.

I’m sure the list is endless and different for everyone.  What does mental happiness mean to you?

Posted: August 3rd, 2008 under Stained Glass, meditation, mindfulness, present moment.
Comments: 4