You Can Heal Your Life - It's No Secret!

Louise Hay's DVD, You Can Heal Your Life, is excellent!

The extended version has two CD's. The first CD is a sequence of clips from various leaders in "higher consciousness", such as Dr. Wayne Dyer and Dr. Christiane Northrup. Visuals and music is used to bring more meaning behind the words and really touch your heart. For example, when Dr. Northrup is talking about the chemical changes in your body when you experience an event that triggers love and softness, there is a woman with a cuddly bunny at her cheek. As she strokes the rabbit, both of their eyes are closed. Just watching this enables the viewer to experience what Dr. Northrup is talking about.

The second CD contains the full interviews with ten or so of these leaders. I found the editing and direction of the CD to be top notch. I have already watched it three times.

Even though the message is similar (but not the exact same) to The Secret, I much prefer Louise Hay's movie. It lacks the "hype" that The Secret has, and that makes it all the better!

Love Much,

Kris
http://www.totalhealthyoga.com/
http://www.totalhealthyogaclasses.blogspot.com/

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

Choosing Happiness

Happiness is a choice.

One of the wisest things that my former husband ever said to me was,

"Only you can make you happy."

We were in college at the time, and I was upset--most likely someone had called me fat or I thought someone was laughing at me. Interesting how 20+ years later, the paranoia has subsided. Wow, does that mean I'm actually growing up? Or just realizing that he was right:

True happiness comes from within.

Dr. Joe Vitale, from The Secret, has a recent post listing "10 ways to get happy." He offers 10 suggestions to bring you out of a slump or momentary set back, such as being with your pet, dancing to music (one of my favorites!), giving to someone else, set an intention, say 'thank you', watch a movie, have some comfort food, detach, and smile.

I do believe that accepting and experiencing your current feelings is very important, but have had times of "stuckness" or self-pity or doubt about almost everything. That's when it's time to give yourself a nudge towards happiness, or in some cases a good hard push.

Here's my own list of happiness tips:

1. Take a walk.

2. Engage in a Hatha Yoga practice with a nice long savasana at the end.

3. Pranayama or Yogic breathing techniques to enhance life force--pay particular attention to the less dominant nostril and where the breath is in the nostrils.

4. Follow the Asanas and Pranayama with Meditation.

5. Journal at least 10 things that you are grateful for. Then maintain the feeling of gratitude as you write what you're ready to embrace--such as "I fully embrace joy and true happiness."

6. Hug someone.

7. Make *whoopie*.

8. Take a candlelit bath.

9. Dance with reckless abandon in your living room--not to some sappy love song, but to something uplifting like 3 Little Birds.

10. Pray with faith and trust.

and of course.... Love Much,

Kris
www.TotalHealthYoga.com
www.TotalHealthYogaClasses.Blogspot.com

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

80% Grey

Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, is dying of pancreatic cancer. By now you may have seen his final speech that he gave to his students. If not, you can see the original talk at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5700431505846055184 or the 10-minute version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0aO64aKqek.

I don't recall if he said this as part of his speech or in an interview, but at some point he said, "The world is 10% black, 10% white, and 80% grey. What really matters is the 80%. This is what we can change." How we look at things and what we do with our lives is the 80%.

This was particularly interesting to me, as I've been wrestling with how does the Law of Attraction (as defined in the Secret and by folks such as Joe Vitale) come into play when someone has a positive outlook and truly enjoys life--then this person gets terminally ill. I've been questioning:

1. Are we dealt a hand of cards and all we can do is play them out the best we can?

2. Or do we select what cards we desire?

Option 2 is the Law of Attraction. Option 1 is making the best of what we're given.

After hearing Professor Pausch speak, I'm beginning to think that neither option is correct. Perhaps it's a third option:

3. You're dealt a hand--some cards you must keep, some you can let go, and you may select some new ones.

Cards such as your height, eye color, genetic disease or great health are frequently cards that simply are given to you. No choices. "It is what it is," as Roger Eischens used to say. The cards you can let go could include anger, impatience, judgment, or something else that you choose to change about yourself. Finally, there are the cards you attract. This is where the Law of Attraction comes into play.

I most definitely don't have it all "figured out" by am now thinking that 10 % of life just sucks. No two ways about it. I can sit here all day and say tragedy happens for a reason. Even if I believe it, it still sucks. 10 % is wonderful. Somethings are so joyous that you'd have to be a real fuddy-duddy to find the negative side. Now for the 80%--this is what we can all work with. Attitude, determination, love, and hope can choice to turn that 80% into what we'd like to see more of in our lives and in the world.

Maybe I'm wrong and we truly attract everything (option 2) or shit just happens without any impact on our parts (option 1), but I doubt it.

Your thoughts on this matter (as always) are much appreciated.

Love Much,

Kris
www.TotalHealthYoga.com
www.TotalHealthYogaClasses.Blogspot.com

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

Free Stuff - Some wisdom is free - Wayne Dyer

Lately, I've been feeling a bit stuck in a certain area of my life. So, I asked God/Spirit/Universal Consciousness (what ever you'd like to call it) to send me a teacher. The next day I awoke and realized that I had a number of books by Dr. Wayne Dyer that have been left only partially read. He's a wise fellow, and I admire him greatly. I picked one of his books and began to re-read it from the beginning. The next day there were 3 consecutive emails in my Inbox from various sources (none of them Wayne Dyer) advocating his new book, Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life. I clicked on one of the links provided in these emails:

http://www.hayhouseimages.com/Email/promo/dyer_changeyourthoughts_31jul2007.htm

and felt an inner urge to buy this book. So, I did.

I had seen the book in the past, but it sounded like just another translation of the Tao Te Ching. I've already read a couple translations and didn't really want another. But somehow the timing and "coincidence" of it all, made me re-think things.

The link above offers some free stuff along with the purchase of the book. Supposedly, the offer runs out early August, so check it out if you're interested.

Best of luck to you and whatever you may ask for,

Love Much,

Kris
http://www.totalhealthyoga.com/
http://www.learnyogaonline.blogspot.com/

Happiness - Joy - How do you find them?

Most people come to yoga looking for something. A few are curious, but in general folks are looking at yoga to help them. To bring relaxation, flexibility, tone, or mobility. Others stop by a class for stress relief or even to find God.

Our reasons for unrolling the mat are as varied as we ourselves are. What brings us happiness and joy, also, differs from person to person.

Max Strom says, "We may 'achieve' our physical goals but move even further away from joy and contentment."

He raises a good point: Joy and happiness do not always come from physical fitness. Ironically, if you push yourself beyond your limits and belittle yourself to reach an "ideal" body, you can easily end up with depression, headaches, anxiety, or worse. The outer body might be looking fine, but the insides and mind have paid a high price.

The flip side is that it feels good to be in shape! We have more energy and physical comfort to play with our children, hike in the Rockies, or dance the night away. So, some happiness must come with being in shape.

It's your motivation or intention, behind the external goals, that really determines where you find joy.

If your goal to fitness is to get back your old crappy boyfriend (or girlfriend), this is not such a great idea. And is almost guaranteed to backfire in emotional trauma.

But what if you want fitness to live life more fully? To increase your health and live a long and productive life? Then "achieving your physical goals" really can bring more joy and contentment.

One of the keys is to stay focused before every single practice (and every single day) on your intention. This helps you to act appropriately.

For example, in your asana practice, if your goal was to look hot, then you are more likely to end up feeling crappy inside and are more prone to injury from forcing yourself. This happens because the goal is about you not being good enough.

However, let's say your postures are about to becoming fit in order to be healthy. Health means a positive attitude and "self-talk" as well. Health is not about force or compromising one aspect of your being for another. It involves looking at the big picture. This is where contentment lies.

Here's another example of how different intentions for the same goal are so important. Dr. Joe Vitale has a web site to attract a new car. This seems superficial and not a path to true satisfaction or inner happiness. However, when you hear Dr. Vitale talk about manifesting material things, he always says "It's not about the car" or whatever item you are bringing into your life. He describes the material possession as a constant reminder of how powerful you are. It's a symbol of what you can accomplish when your intention is set, you have faith in the Universe, and you then let it go.

So, again, if you want to new car to impress your neighbors or because you think it will solve all of your troubles, then you might just be in for a surprise. On the other hand, if you want to learn how to intend, believe, and let go, then perhaps going for the car might be just the thing.

Looking for more happiness?

Before each practice and upon rising in the morning, become consciously aware of your heart's intentions and the joy will be there.



Love Much,

Kris
http://www.totalhealthyoga.com/
http://www.learnyogaonline.blogspot.com/

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

Smile - Smile and the whole world smiles with you

I'm in the midst of writing a book on the practice of Yoga and have found that the coffee shop down the street is the perfect location to work on it. At Cup of Java, there is no audible requests for my attention from the three cats or the dog. There is no inner requests in my mind to do a load of laundry or search through the frig. I'm drinking a lot more coffee, albeit decaf, but this is the price I pay for ease in focus.


Yesterday, an elderly white-haired man and his wife came into Cup of Java while I was typing away on my laptop. After getting their drinks, they sat down on the leather sofa adjacent to where I was working. The gal that was running the shop stepped into the restroom, and the white-haired man got up to open and close the door a number of times. Each time, the buzzer, signalling a new customer had arrived, went off loudly.


Curious, I asked jokingly, "Are you just trying to be annoying?" To that he replied, "I'm making the gal that works here think there's a bunch of customers out here while she's in the bathroom." He and his wife gave a little chuckle. His amusement in this innocent prank was nothing shy of charming.


Thinking about how much fun BJ and Jake (my sons) would find this, I mentioned, "I'll have to tell my kids about you. You will be there new idol of mischief." We all laughed, as the gentleman told me how he pulls small pranks all the time.


"I would do anything to bring a smile," he told me.


How wonderful to have a focus every day of bringing a smile to those around you. This made me think about a cheery student, A.K., that sets his intention every day to experience joy. He told me that when he started thinking joy, he got more of it. He is definitely joyful to be around. He's one of those students that is always gracious and wearing a smile.


When A.K. signed up for his first Yoga class earlier this year, on his registration sheet he wrote Joy as his main expectation from Yoga. You know what he got? Joy.


What intention do you have?


Love Much,

Kris
http://www.totalhealthyoga.com/
http://www.learnyogaonline.blogspot.com/

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

The Secret - Law of Attraction - Jinx

I don't want to jinx this, but ....

Yesterday, Mike and I were sitting on a bench just outside the front door of our home. Pippin (that's him in the photo practicing some Yoga) was happily roaming under the ferns and hostas enjoying a new area to explore.

You see, we usually hang out in the back yard on the deck, but that was stained 2 days ago and we're not suppose to go on it for 3 days. I was about to share with Mike how lucky we are that Pip was staying in the front with us, being that I'd like to not have to re-stain the deck due to dog prints.

That's when it hit me. Years ago I would have focused on the dog going into the back and been more concerned about it. But thanks to the movie, The Secret (which I have some issues with, but feel the general message is decent), Joe Vitale, and awareness of the Law of Attraction, my mind has shifted. I focus on what I do want. Not always, but more and more every day.

Could that be where the superstition of jinxing came to be? People focusing on the negative and then getting what they focus on? How different would the world be if we all focused on what was "right" in the world and what we'd like to see more of? Focus on peace, love, ease, clarity, and joy for a month. You might be surprised and just how often the mind moves into the negative, and you might just find more of peace, love, ease, clarity, and joy.

What does this have to do with Yoga? Yoga is not just a physical practice, but an awareness of our thoughts, mind, and attitude. I'm not telling you what to do, but I do know that my life runs a lot smoother and happier when I think about was is going well--not fearing what might happen.

Thanks for listening,

Kris
www.TotalHealthYoga.com
www.LearnYogaOnline.Blogspot.com

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

The Secret Review

How does The Secret pertain to Yoga? For those that haven't seen this DVD, it's about the Law of Attraction which states that "what you put out, you get back." Ancient idea in new packaging. A bit too much hype for my personal taste, but kudos to the creator, Rhonda Byrne, for finding a way to get this "philosophy" out to so many.

John Friend of Anusara Yoga talks about attitude being the most important aspect of our practice. The other main aspects being alignment and action. The Secret is basically saying the same thing, and much more. If our attitude is negative, our results are negative. The flip side, is that with a positive attitude you gain positive results. This is not a new idea. Even Jesus and Buddha talked about this. "The kingdom of God is within you." "All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become."

A big part of a Hatha Yoga practice is being intimately aware of yourself. Not just your body, but your mind and thoughts. You can use the knowledge found in The Secret (and countless other books or on Oprah, for that matter :-)) along with the awareness found in a Yoga practice to bring more joy and fulfillment to every day.