“Letting go a little improves life. Letting go alot brings happiness and joy” Jim McGregor

Feel more relaxed and peaceful on the inside by simply turning 100% of your awareness inwards. Yes, give yourself permission to disconnect from the busyness around you (even if its only for a few moments) and re-direct your energy, awareness and breath inwards.

Once your awareness is gently guided away from the stimulating, overly demanding outside world – you have successfully pushed the “pause” button – on your day – and are now ready to enjoy a simple relaxation practice.

You are your own best expert of your body …….. and you know in this moment  ………… whether you are living life from your calm, peaceful centre ….. or  responding to life from a fatigued, stressed, exhausted place.

The picture shown, is one of my all time favourite restorative yoga postures, balasana.   I happen to think it’s one of the kindness relaxation practices we can offer our mind, body and life.

And, if that suggestion doesn’t appeal then I’ve shared a few others with you below.

Enjoy, my soon to be very relaxed, friends.

Calm your nerves and release the tension:

1:  Turn your back to the world: Balasana or child’s pose (pictured above) is incredibly restorative.  It’s such a simple way to calm an overcrowded mind, insomnia, call back your scattered energies back, calm your breathing and relax.

Click here for full details. I promise you’ll love it.

2:  Melt the frown and lose the clenching. Smile and release the worry.  It takes energy, lots and lots of energy to hold a tense, tight frown on your forehead.  Lose the frown and relax the skin across your forehead.  Notice how any pressure in your temples is automatically released at the same time.

While you are at it, zoom into your teeth, mouth and jaw.  Un-clench your jaw, relax your tongue (very important) and part your teeth slightly. Feel the release.  This helps enormously release facial, jaw and neck tension.  You might even notice your shoulders starting to un-hunch, relax and drop. Bonus.

Melt the frown, un-clench your jaw and drop your shoulders.

3: Ocean therapy.  Trust me, this is divine. Close your eyes, gently cup the palms of your hands over your ears, now listen to the sound of the ocean.  You can actually hear the waves inside your head.  Bliss. Enjoy for as long as you need too.

For an added dose of relaxation gently move the palms of your hands very slightly in a circular motion.  I personally find this little ritual incredibly soothing.

4: Rest your eyes: Eyes often hold lots of stress, fatigue and tiredness.  Give your eyes a well deserved break. Lay down, close your eyes and place a yoga eye pillow over your eyes. Allow the soft gentle pressure of the eye pillow help your eyes let go of fatigue and strain.

5: Chant “Om”: Chanting is refreshing and brings a light quality to your being. It’s incredibly therapeutic and helps clear heavy, dull, stuck energy in your body.

Take a full deep breathe in, and on your exhale gently chant om (aum) down into your body and out into the world. One om will probably last around 10 seconds or longer depending on the size of your inhale.  As little as five rounds of om can significantly calm your mind and body.

6: Alternate nostril breathing: Calm your mind and sooth your nervous system by enjoying 5 minutes of alternate nostril breathing.  All the juicy details are explained in an old post of mine.  You are welcome to read it –  12 great reasons to start alternate nostril breathing.

Photo by yogamama

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What I’m loving at the moment:

I’m reading Women’s Power to Heal: Through Inner Medicine by Maya Tiwari. Includes healing osteoporosis, menopause and fertility. Have you ever considered aligning your monthly cycle to the new moon to improve your health?

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You can also grab your daily rejuvenation tip by clicking here

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I can highly recommend Ananga’s guided meditations and music.

Please click here to listen.

“Practice peace, drink tea” Samovar Tea Lounge

Why not slow down, unwind and digest your day by sipping tea peacefully with two teaspoons of mindfulness.  Allow each mouthful to dissolve your worries, each swallow to deepen your breath and each pause before the next sip, to relax your body.  Tea has the power to do that.

Turning a cup of tea into a ritual of meditation, mindfulness or pure enjoyment is one of my most favourite things to do on this planet.  So you can imagine how excited I was when I found myself at the Samovar Tea Lounge in San Fransico – Mission Castro earlier this month.  Yep, it’s true, I was officially the happiest person on our planet that day.

I’ve been a fan of Jesse Jacobs from the Samovar Tea Lounge and his newsletters for a while now.  I’m sure quite a few of you are already getting his newsletters.

His philosophy to life and the ritual around tea is one of the first things you feel, and I mean really feel, when you walk into his tea lounge.

The tables are full of beautiful tea pots and drinking ware not to mention the divine colours filling glass tea pots.  And, to top it off Krishna Das playing in the background.

It feels unique, is unique and I wish lived closer.  In case you don’t know I live in Australia.

Anyway, to give you a small taste of Jesse Jacobs philosophy (and the reason I was inspired to write this post) here’s a snippet from his menu:

Slow Down And Sip Some Tea:

“Let your cup of tea lift you above the daily grind, filling you with calm and vitality. Let this infusion of pure water and carefully picked leaves connect you to the farmer who cultivated the tea harvest, the Samovarian who brewed the pot, and to your breath in this moment. Listen to your heartbeat and look around. Who do you care about? Who cares about you? What else matters? Not much actually. Can you slow down enough to see your life and touch the world and those people you love?”

A word of warning comes with visiting the Samovar Tea Lounge – so much choice – I honestly didn’t know what to order.  And, for those of you who know me well this will come as no surprise –  I ordered the chai masala.

Add more slow tea moments:

So, after my recent visit to Samovar Tea Lounge I felt it divine timing to remind myself – and perhaps you as well –  around the lost art of taking the time to sit down, sink into the moment and really savour the pleasure from drinking a great cup of tea – or coffee for that matter.  No standing, texting, multi-tasking, stressing or the like.

I’m all for starting a “slow tea” movement.  How about you?

More “slow tea” moments simply make the world a more peaceful place.

And to get your tea rituals brewing make sure you head over to the Samovar Tea Lounge blog.  Oh, and if you want to drool over some great teas click here. Enjoy.

Here’s the fabulous Chai Masala I savoured.

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What I’m reading at the moment:

10 Mindful Minutes: by Goldie Hawn. Great book for understanding how the brain works  - and evener greater book for appreciating the importance of teaching our children mindful breathing.  When you read this book you’ll understand how intimately the breath and brain are connected.  I’m loving it.
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Unwind Retreats, Ubud, Bali, 2012:

My unwind retreats are now offered 3 times a year in Bali – March, July or September. It’s all about the practice of intentional rest (gentle & tranquil yoga, therapeutic breathing, yoga nidra meditation) for a calmer, healthier and happier you.

Please click here for all the relaxing details.  I’d love it if you could join me.

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Still to this day one of the most popular articles I have ever written is  ”Smile into your organs“.  It’s all about holding a smile on your face,  feeling the feelings of the smile (for me its joy and a lightness) and then with a little help from your breath send that smiling energy into each of your organs.  One smiling breath at a time.

Smile into your liver to dissolve anger, smile into your kidneys to help dissolve fear or smile into your lungs to help dissolve sadness.  Trust me it works, even if some organs resist at first (and believe me – they do resist at times) eventually they will soften enough to open up and receive the smiling energy.

I’m all for smiling as a therapy.  I’m all for smiling as an awesome way to flow through life.

So I was thrilled to watch and read about the latest scientific studies on smiling from Ron Gutman at Ted TV.  He shares how smiling is directly linked to our longevity and overall health and well-being. You’ve got to love that.

And, as 2012 is the year where I’m keen to live life more lightly, I reckon smiling is an easy, no-brainer way to bring more lightness into our daily life.  What do you think?

Wake up and smile:

How about smiling with your lips, cheeks, eyes and whole face first thing in the morning and let it soak into your body.  Remember your first waking thoughts/rituals will either bring you closer or take you further away from the kind of day you’d like to have.

So, in an attempt to add more smiling faces to our planet I’m sharing Ron Gutman scientific research and insights on smiling.  You can also click here to watch his 8 minute talk on Ted TV

Amazing facts about smiling:

By Ron Gutman

1:   Smile is stimulating to the brain as eating up to 2,000 bars of chocolate

2:  Smiles aren’t just a response to feeling good, they can actually make you feel good.

3:  Smiles can predict success in marriage.

4:  Frequent smilers report greater well-being throughout life

5:  Smiles not only makes you look more friendly, it actually makes you look more competent

6:  Smiles can help you live longer

7:   Smiles hold the same meanings in cultures around the world, even for cannibals

8:  Smiling can help connect with others quickly

9:  Smiling is evolutionary contagious

Smiling activates the emotional processing centers of our brains and produces real, tangible pleasure that we can experience and enjoy. When we smile we don’t only feel good, but we also look good to others around us. We’re perceived to be more friendly, sociable, trustworthy, and even more competent. When others see us smiling, they see us in a better light, and they instinctively and instantaneously mimic our smiles. This smile activates the emotional processing centers of their brains and makes them feel better. It also strengthens our connection to them and improves our social interactions.

Photo by Theen

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What I’m doing at the moment:

After travelling in America for the past few weeks I’m currently following Nadia’s Ayurvedic eating advice –  Why?  Because I know light warm food calms me down, settle my nervous system and relaxes my being after so much travel. Plus I’m secretly addicted to my afternoon tea of chai tea and date and coconut balls.  Love you Nadia xx

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You can also grab your daily rejuvenation tip by clicking here

Or hang out with a cool bunch of people and unwind a little over at our facebook page

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Unwind Retreats, Ubud, Bali, 2012:

My unwind retreats are now offered 3 times a year in Bali – March, July or September. It’s all about the practice of intentional rest for a calmer, healthier and happier you.

I’d absolutely love it if you could join me for lots of very gentle, tranquil restorative, yoga nidra meditation, mindful breathing and daily specialized Ayurvedic and Balinese massages.  No yoga experience needed just an intention to let go, unwind and experience profoundly deep relaxation.

Please click here for all the relaxing details.

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You may or may not know that I write daily (well mostly daily) tips here on my blog.  I’m actually wanting to collect 365 absolutely awesome unwinding tips so I can pop them all together.  I’ve been working on them now for over a year.

It’s a constant flowing process.   Add some, delete some, re-write some.  I’m in no hurry.  I’ll simply know when I have 365 of the most helpful, inspirational and/or even life changing Unwinding Tips that are ready to for releasing into the universe.

In the meantime I’m able to keep track in a rather casual way which are the most popular ones by the responses I get when I post them up on Rejuvenation Lounge’s facebook page.

So, without further a do here’s the most popular unwinding tips for 2011.

Enjoy, and if you have a moment let me know your most favourite one.

25 of the most popular unwinding tips for 2011:

In no particular order.

1: Sometimes you simply need to walk away from your routine and the familiar – to clear your mind, gain some clarity and see your life differently.

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2: Stop doing things you know aren’t good for you. If you know it drains your energy then do something about it.

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3: Just for today, step back, let go and trust in the flow of your life.

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4: Today might be the day you choose a different response to a difficult or challenging situation.    You might be surprised with the results.

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5: Let it all go. Stop squinting, lose the frown, drop and relax your shoulders, un-clench your jaw, now smile – doesn’t that feel better!

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6: Seek silence and spend time alone.  More being and less doing.

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7: Today feels like a great day to simplify, eliminate and un-complicate. It’s about more letting go and less holding on.

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8: Centre yourself with a prayer. Hands in prayer pose and repeat:

“May I be filled with love and kindness”
“May I be at peace”
” May I be well ”
” May I be happy”

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9: When nothing is working – do nothing.

Create some space for flow to happen again.

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10: Invite more simple into your life.

Simple creates flow. Simple is kind to your body and mind. Simple fuels your heart with all the good stuff. Simple creates spaciousness both in and around us.

Simple is the very foundation from which we “feel” more connected and peaceful

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11: Feeling pressure, overwhelmed or confused?

Ask yourself  “What’s essential?”

It opens the doorways for all the unnecessary to fall away so you can re-focus your energy onto living your life and not how someone else wants you too.

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12: Relax ……… you are here now.

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13: Shake off the over analyzing. Take lots of pauses and just let it go.

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14: The wonderful art of pausing. Think before I speak. Breathe before I react. Rest before I exhaust myself.

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15: A  weekend of clearing clutter can create the space for life to flow again.

It’s got to be one of the best therapies for getting “un-stuck” or shifting unwanted energies around you.

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16: My personal power word for the year ahead is “Gentle”

Think gently, talk gently, listen gently, drive gently, cook gently.

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17: Loving the idea that “15 minutes a day of doing absolutely nothing” can and does change your life.

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18: Live Well With Less. Your stuff can drain your energy, demand your attention, continue to cost money (insurance, storage, cleaning etc) and cause you to worry.

Less stuff = less worry.

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19: Have your ever tried an “echo” exhale?…… Exhale slowly and fully …. Pause….. Then exhale again…….There is always a slight residue left in the lungs.

In that residue is to be found the sludge of toxic memory and ego. Exhale
further, let them go and experience and even deeper state of peace.

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20: Is your heart chakra deficient?

Relax your shoulders, lengthen your posture and lift your chest.

Inhaling “I receive love” – Exhaling “I share love”

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21: Your ear lobes are energetically linked to your brain.

When the right ear lobe is massaged it allows the left brain and pituitary gland to become stimulated.

When the left ear lobe is massaged it allows the right brain and pineal gland to become stimulated.  This gives you a “whole brain” experience.

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22:

Sometimes all it takes is a 20 minute walk in nature.

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23: Distract yourself from over thinking or worrying by tracing the figure 8 into the palms of your left and right hand.  It has an incredibly calming effect.

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24: Stop trying to force things to go your way. It knots you up, tenses your body & interrupts the flow of your life.

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25: Rest is not a weakness. It’s essential. Quality rest makes a valuable contribution to your body, to your mind and definately to your soul.

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You can also grab your daily rejuvenation tip by clicking here

Or hang out with a cool bunch of people over at our facebook page

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Unwind Retreats, Ubud, Bali, 2012:

“I’ve been offering retreats in Bali now for over 7 years – they are my absolute passion.   It is my deepest intention with the help of the universe to create the most nurturing, restful and restorative 5 days of your life”  Carole Fogarty

I’d love it if you could join me.  Now offered 3 times a year in Bali – March, July or September.

Please click here for all the relaxing details.

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“I absolutely love listening to Ananga play the beautiful Udana flute.  Her flute music is one of the most soothing and relaxing sounds on this planet”  Carole Fogarty

Click here to sample the 9 tracks

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Open this book at any page and I promise you’ll be inspired to go forth and live a healthier, happier and juicer life.  Not one single page is wasted.  Every page is full of colour,  endless words of wisdom, inspiration and valuable well-being sign posts. It’s written is a fun, funky way.  Crafted with oodles and oodles of passion.  Energy jumps off every single page.

I bought this book about 6 months ago and refer back to it often for inspiration.  Please don’t be fooled by the title.  It’s so much more than food.  Whilst many of you will already know I lean towards the Ayurvedic lifestyle of eating – and this book is more towards raw,  I still feel it’s a keeper and not just one of those books you borrow from the library and give back.  And, if you’ve already read it, this may be perfect timing for you to re-visit the wisdom.

Simply read Kris Carrs top 15 suggestions below and get an instant  feel of her energy and what she believes are the keys to living life like you mean it.

Lots of focus on the importance of rest, meditation, calming the mind, putting time aside just for you, the craziness of chemicals, moving your body and healthy boundaries.  It includes all the stuff I love.

So, if you happen to be need of a little motivation to change your current lifestyle then look no further than the list below.

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard of Kris Carr she developed cancer in her early 30′s (she’s now 40) and totally turned her lifestyle and eating habits around to be here today to write the Crazy Sexy series of books (she’s influenced by the Hipprocates approach to health).  I personally find them joyful and would happily recommend them to anyone with health issues or wanting a kick in the “derrier” for a healthier lifestyle.

But don’t take my word for it – you be your own best expert. Read through her tips below, feel the energy of her words and see if her writing style speaks to you.

Top 15 crazy sexy lifestyle tips:

1. Get back to nature and back to the garden – preferably the organic garden – when affordable – when not, try to choose fruits and veggies that are less sprayed. You can find a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides at foodnews.org. There are over 80,000 chemicals in our world today, eating them and putting them on our bodies is a dangerous proposition.

2. Create an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle. Learn about pH, the acid/alkaline balance, and say goodbye to the SAD, acidic diet in favor of alkaline raw organic veggies, sprouts, green drinks, green smoothies, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, love and oxygen.

3. Make juice not war. Green smoothies are great too. My favorite juicer is the Breville Ikon, and the best blender is the Vitamix. Instead of your morning cup of Joe, (or nightly cup of booze) try filling your day with fresh vegetable juice.

4. Drink lots of clean, purified water.

5. Decrease the amount of animal products you consume (especially dairy products) and move towards more of a plant-based diet.

6. Refined sugars and processed starches are the devil – dump them. If it’s made in a lab it takes a lab to digest. If it has a shelf life longer than you, don’t eat it. Choose low glycemic foods as much as possible.

7. Shake your booty. Your lymph system, which carries away waste, needs you! Unlike your heart, it doesn’t have a pump.  Aerobics is the pump. Brisk walking is the pump. Yoga is the pump.

8. Give your colon a regular spring-cleaning. That’s right, flood your body with alkalinity and flush it of toxins. As the good stuff goes in the bad stuff should come out – on a regular basis.

9. Use natural skincare products. Your skin is your largest organ and what you put on it you literally drink in. Everything you consume either gets assimilated or eliminated. Chemical creams and perfumes tax your body big time.

10. Stress also creates acidity, so turn down the volume on chaos and turn up the joy factor up. Find and regularly commit to activities that help you bring it down a notch. Some ideas: meditation, gratitude journaling, guided relaxation or visualization CD’s, nature.

11. Snooze. Snooze. Snooze. Optimal hours: 11-7am.

12. Chew. Your stomach does not have teeth.

13. And stop eating late so that when you snooze, your body can focus on repair instead of digestion.

14. Set boundaries so that you have the physical and emotional time to take care of yourself – it’s not selfish, it’s self-preserving.

15. Make time for fun, for love, for laughter!

* Click here for Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr

Kris Carr’s Green Smoothie

Makes enough for 2 people. You can adjust the recipe accordingly. My taste buds are different than yours so don’t be afraid to play!

-1 Avocado
-1-2 pieces of low glycemic fruit: we love green apple, pear, berries & cantaloupe
-1 Cucumber
-A bit of kale or romaine or spinach
-Coconut water (or purified water)
-Stevia to taste
*You can also add a sprinkle of cinnamon and some cacao.
*You can also use coconut meat or almond butter or nut milk in place of avocado.
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What I’m really, really  loving:

The Path of Practice: A Woman’s Book of  Healing With Food, Breath and Sound by Maya Tiwari

I absolutely love this book.  It”s certainly my favourite book for 2011. I felt such a connection – it brought tears to my eyes – on more than one occasion.

Don’t you love it when a book really resonates with you.

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Why not subscribe via email or rss feed and get free updates

You can also grab your daily rejuvenation tip by clicking here

Or hang out with a cool bunch of people over at our facebook page

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“I absolutely love listening to Ananga play the beautiful Udana flute.  Her flute music is one of the most soothing and relaxing sounds on this planet”  Carole Fogarty

Click here to sample the 9 tracks

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As I return from Ubud, Bali after facilitating another Rest and Rejuvenation Retreat, my heart is filled with the beauty of prayer.  The beautiful Balinese Hindu culture offer many delicious daily prayer, blessings and offerings to their 16 main gods and goddesses.  They face east to pray, the men with legs folded and the women sit on their heels with knees bent (yes, the yoga pose of vajrasana).  Just as you wear a wedding ring as a symbol of love so do the Balinese wear a sarong and sash to show the gods they are serious with their prayers.

Staying with my Balinese family I watch them daily bless many energy locations of their family compound with flowers, dupa (incense) and holy water.   It fills me with an overwhelming feeling of being safe and protected.   I have the Hindu gods on my side.

So, whether you feel drawn to prayer or not, I know without a doubt simply being in Bali surrounded with a continious flow of prayer  - you can’t help but feel more peaceful, more centred and certainly more grounded on the inside.

You’ll also find yourself smiling more than usual.

Witnessing prayer is therapeutic, yet practising prayer I have found brings my awareness to the bigger picture of life.

I get a sense of being connected to something greater than myself – the universe, and that I am not alone.

I obviously needed to be reminded of this as the Balinese healer I visited a few weeks ago, told me whilst I was spiritually strong I needed to simply pray more for things that I want.  I can do that.

Bottom line, support from the heavens is always there, you simply need to ask.

I promise to let you know about my experience with the Balinese healer soon.  It’s a great story.

Prayer for protection and guidance:

*October 2nd is the one day of the year set aside in the church calendar to honour your guardian angels.  I actually didn’t know this but was blown away to find out I actually uploaded this article onto my blog on October 2nd.  I got goose bumps all over.

I feel quite drawn to angels and archangels.   I own lots of oracles cards many of them Doreen Virtues. So, with that in mind I share a prayer where you surround yourself from the four key directions with an archangel.

You can apply this prayer/ritual not only yourself but your home, your car and your family.  Enjoy.

Face east.

• Call upon Archangel Uriel who resides in the east.  This is the energy of clarity, re-birth and new beginnings.  In your minds eye imagine, hear or sense the clarity that flows from the east.
• Call upon Archangel Gabriel who resides in the south. This is the energy that supports overcoming fear. In your minds eye imagine, hear or sense your fears dissolving as you connect with the energy of the south.
• Call upon Archangel Raphael who resides in the west. This is the energy of coming into wholeness by overcoming the opposites.  Raphael means “healer of god”.  In your minds eye imagine, hear or sense a letting go of that which doesn’t serve who you are today as you feel more whole and healed.
• Call upon Archangel Michael who resides in the north.  This is the energy of wisdom and love.  In your minds eye imagine, hear or sense an abundance of love and wisdom flowing into you from the north.

If you are anything like me then you might like to light a candle to encourage more mindfulness.  Once you feel connected to the four directions and four archangels  imagine being soaked in beautiful white light.  If other colours come to mind, just go with those.  Sometimes I imagine being soaked in green or purple light.

Enjoy and trust in the flow of your life.

Photo by Wandering Angel

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What I’m loving at the moment:

I have always felt particularly drawn to hand mudra’s as a way of bringing balance back into the body.  Simple and easy to do.  Gertrud Hirschi  deck of 68 cards are perfect for exploring the healing power of hand mudras.  Mudras for Body, Mind and Spirit:

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Why not subscribe via email or rss feed and get free updates

You can also grab daily rejuvenation tips over at facebook by clicking here

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Come join me at my next Rest and Rejuvenation in Bali:

Daily restful yoga, mindful breathing practices, yoga nidra meditation and daily hand selected Ayurvedic and Balinese body treatments.

Click here for all the relaxing, restful and restorative details.

Are having trouble putting time aside to unwind, digest and let go of your day?   If you are, then I’m guessing you’ll love my recent DVD discovery.  It may well be the perfect therapeutic relaxation partner you’ve been looking for.

In fact if I was clever enough to make my own simple restful yoga and mindful breathing DVD, it would be very similar to this one.

So you can imagine how excited I was when I bought Rodney Yee’s Relaxation & Breathing DVD from Amazon and loved it.

It includes 5 simple restful yoga postures and 3 mindful breathing practices.   If pushed for time you can simply do 10 minutes of mindful breathing practices.  If you have around 30 minutes you could easily complete all 5 of the very therapeutic, restful yoga postures.

Mix it up depending on how you feel and the time you have available.  After all 10 minutes of mindful breathing and relaxation has to be better than none.

I’ve written quite a bit about simple restful yoga and mindful breathing before (there’s a few links below) but sometimes we are too restless to “let it all go” by ourselves and that’s when a DVD can come in very handy.  A handy little partner to help you stop, rest and digest your day.   Plus, I have to admit I like the sound of his voice, its very calming.

*Why you need to know about restorative yoga – * Five great therapeutic uses for your yoga bolster – * Restful yoga for insomonia – * De-stress with legs up the wall – * 12 ways to release muscle tension on the spot

Rodney Yee’s Tips:

Here’s a couple of the key points that Rodney talked about in his introduction that particularly resonnated with me.

1. To be relaxed requires full and deep breathing.   To breath fully it is necessary to be relaxed

2.   Connect with, and then follow your breath to help identify where you are gripping or tensing your breath.

3. Use your breath and relaxation to help let go of tension and stress.

4. Learn to surrender to the power of the breath.

What you can expect in the DVD:

Introduction

Legs up the wall to calm the mind, reduce fatigue and reduce swelling in the legs.  Perfect if you’ve been standing upall day.

Reclined cobblers pose to relax belly, help with lower back pain, open hips, aid digestion and help with menstrual cycle.

Relaxation with chair, perfect to rest lower back, open shoulders, most helpful if you sit in a chair for long periods.

Relaxation pose encourages you to let go of all movement, thoughts and bodily sensations.

Awareness breath (10 minutes) helps you identify where you grip or tense your breath.

Exhalation awareness (10 minutes) encourages you exhale completely and fully.  Begin your inhalation at the base/end of your exhalation.

Pranyama alternate nostril breathing to balance the energies in your body and calm the mind.

Bonus relaxation meditation

If you feel this DVD is just what you’ve been looking for then click here to buy from Amazon.

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My recent book recommendations:

Restful Yoga for Stressful Times by Judith Lassater

Chakra Foods for Optimum Health by Dr.  Deanna Minich

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Why not subscribe via email or rss feed and get free updates

You can also grab your daily rejuvenation tip by clicking here

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I use and love Ananga’s guided meditations and music

Please click here to sample her music:

“The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every day” Hippocrates Father Of Medicine:

A warm bath helps the body let go and relax.   Better still a warm bath ritual can be incredibly therapeutic and deeply restorative. Especially when you add healing ingredients to your bath water such as Epsom salts, vetiver, rose essential oil, grated ginger, baking soda,  flower essences or cinnamon sticks.  Not to mention how incredibly restful it is for a fatigued mind.   I say it’s the ultimate meditation practice.

Once the bathroom door is closed you’ve officially given yourself permission to disconnect from everyone and everything.

It’s time to let go of that bossy voice inside your head, connect to the real you and “soak away” into feeling more peaceful and relaxed on the inside.   Let the bliss begin.

The flow on effects are awesome.  Resting the body will help trigger the relaxation response, calm your nerves and allow your immune and digestive system to strengthen.  Perfect if you are recovering from an illness.

As Dr.Ian Gawler shared at a workshop I attended ‘When the body is given the opportunity to rest and release tension, the body will automatically start to heal and repair itself”.

Guidelines: Don’t hurry, relax your breathing and sooth all your senses with calming music, a soft flickering candle, aromatherapy oil burner or whatever else will assist in relaxing deeply.

Below is a list of some fabulous bath recipes and rituals I’ve collected over the years.   Enjoy, and please feel free to share your own bath rituals and meditations.  I’d loved to hear them.

Therapeutic Bath Meditations:

1.  Chill out:

Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) sedates your nervous system.  It relaxes your muscles, releases toxins and is probably best known for reducing swelling. Magnesium is a mineral your nervous system and adrenals need in order to relax.

Add one cup of epsom salts to your bath water, light a tea candle and turn out the lights.  Follow your breath for the simplest of meditation practices.

2. Let it go:

“I let go easily and effortlessly”  Carole Fogarty

Use your bath time to let go of unwanted, repetitive, worrying thoughts.  See, feel or sense your worries dissolve and melt away firstly from your head, then heart and lastly your body.  Use your exhale  (if you need too) to help you physically release and let them go them. Repeat the above affirmation over and over again if it helps.  “I  let go easily and effortlessly”

Ingredients: 1/2 cup sea salt, black tourmaline and tea light candle.   Black tourmaline is one of my favourite cleansing crystals.  It has a very drawing effect on your aura and can transmute negative energies.  The combination of sea salt and black tourmaline can help shift the negativity and leave you feeling uplifted and much lighter energetically. It’s like having the worries of the world lifted off your shoulders.

3.  Detox heavy metals and radiation:

“I am healthy and filled with energy”  Louise Hay

I found this great little recipe from Kris Carrs book Crazy Sexy Diet.  Its a great remedy  for detoxifying heavy metals out of your system or if you’ve been exposed to lots of radiation – think long plane flight or hours on a mobile phone.

Ingredients: 1 – 2 cups of epsom salts, 1/4 cup of baking soda and a few drops of lavendar essential oil.

4. Candle gazing meditation:

“It is only a thought and a thought can be changed” Louise Hay

Having trouble switching off?  Try candle gazing.  Grab yourself a gorgeous candle and ask your mind to focus on nothing but the flickering flame.  Inhale and exhale into the candle.

Very soon the gentle flickering flame will draw you into its world and lull you into a sense of calm and relaxation.  For extra relaxation support try vetiver.  Vetiver essential oil is very grounding and helps me enormously in slowing down. Rub a few drops onto the soles of your feet before getting into the bath and add 3 – 6 extra drops into the bath water.

If you are having trouble switching off there’s a good chance your adrenals are working overtime.  Licorice tea is excellent for you adrenals.  Sip whilst soaking and candle gazing.  Something else which may help you switch off is passionflower herbal extract.  I use it often to calm myself down.

Ingredients: 1 large gorgeous candle, vetiver essential oil and one cup of licorice tea (optional extra).

5. Back and belly breathing:

“My breath is a powerful healing tool”

At the moment I’m really into “mindful breathing” whilst soaking in my bath.  A 15 minutes session of back and belly breathing works wonders.

Most of us are used to breathing into the fronts of our body but what about our backs.  It can be a little tricky at first but after a while you’ll soon be able to feel the back expand on the inhale and fall on exhale.

To practice back breathing place your hands on waist with your fingers resting over your kidneys.  Breathe into your fingers and feel them rise slightly on the inhale.

It’s great for releasing muscular tension particularly in the middle to lower back.

More therapeutic bath ingredients:

Apple cider vinegar -1 cup added to your bath water is said to be very alkalizing for your body. Its also helpful for fighting bacteria,  fungal growth and bladder infection.  If you’d like to know more about apple cider vinegar visit earth clinic which is a great resource for natural remedies.

Grated ginger - 1 tablespoon added to your bath water helps to improve circulation, remove toxins and considered in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine excellent for your health.  If the idea of grated ginger doesn’t appeal to you then add ginger essential oil or 1/2 cup of powdered ginger.  A bath I have often in Bali is filled with grated ginger, cinnamon sticks along with other ground spices to help improve circulation and detox the body.  Deepak Chopra recommends drinking at least 2 – 3 cups of freshly grated ginger tea a day, something which I particularly love sipping on in winter.  So why not try sipping freshly grated ginger tea whilst soaking in your bath.

Epsom salts and/or baking soda help remove acid waste products from your cells and tissues

Rose oil – well known in the aromatherapy world as a wonderful anti-depressant to help with anxiety and mental fatigue. Its also fabulous for aged skin.  My favourite essential oil for my face.  Imagine smelling of roses all day.

*Photo by claire.

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What I’m reading at the moment:

Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr.  Includes 21 day adventure cleanse.  Packed with great chapters such as –   Make juice not war.  Go back to nature and back to the garden.   Refined sugars and processed starches are the devil.  Stress creates acidity so turn down the volume on chaos.

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Bookings now open for my 2012 Rest and Rejuvenation Retreat in Bali.

Click here for all the relaxing details.

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“Breakfast should not be rushed or eaten on the way out of the door with car keys in hand. This causes the nervous system to become agitated and disrupts digestion” Kester Marshall.

I have some great news for you.   For a very limited time a favourite cook book of mine is now available for free on-line in e-book format.

“Warmth”  is vegetarian cookbook based on the Ayurvedic principles of good digestion, designed to bring great warmth into your food, cooking and life.  And, before you jump to the conclusion that its going to be filled with lots of  Indian dishes think again.  The recipes are modern, easy to follow and include styles such as Japanese, Italian and South East Asian.   Expect recipes like Thai sweet potato soup, green tea temple pudding, sesame and asparagus noodles and roasted beetroot sauce (yum).

Light warm food works for me:

Why I feel drawn time and time again to Ayurvedic meals is the fact they simply works for my digestion and body.  Always.

Warm light meals consistently help to calm and ground me – particularly of late with having to move home and start uni all within the space of 10 days.  Yep, my nervous system has been a little (alright alot) agitated of late.

To bring balance back into my body and mind –  as I find my academic study groove and balance my boys and life I’ve been eating light, warm, dishes with a few gentle spices to help my digestion.

I’ve written before about a fabulous mind body balancing dish called kitchari.  You might remember if you’ve been following my blog a while.

Well, what more can I say, there is no mistaking the wisdom in this ancient (thousands of years old) Indian medicine system called Ayurveda.

Here’s how you grab your free copy:

Simply click on this link and subscribe to the Mudita seasonal newsletter and Nadia will send you a free copy.

You could even save it to your ibooks app if you have an iphone so you have easy access to the recipes without having to print paper.

Enjoy, and feel free to come back and let me know what you think.

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What I’m enjoying at the moment:

Making my own home brew of organic ghee.  In case you didn’t know ghee is considered a medicinal food in Ayurvedic circles.

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JUST OPENED ……..

I am now taking bookings for my March 2012 Bali Rest and Rejuvenation Retreat. Remember my retreats always fill.

Click here for all the relaxing, restful and restorative details.  Maximum 8 participants.

Now breathe out.

Yes, I’m obsessed with breathing, probably because still – to this day – I catch myself holding my breath or sucking my tummy in on the inhale.  Not good.  And, it’s certainly not ideal to be clenching onto your worries or restricting the inhale.

So, right here, right now as we sit in front of our computers lets all take a well deserved 2 minute breathing break.

Inhale and fill our entire lungs and body with all the good stuff a deep, satisfying inhale delivers.

No need to think about your exhale, allow it to happen naturally.   Ahhh!

As they say in yoga circles – if you take care of the inhale – the exhale will look after itself.   How true.

Remember to just breathe.

The Chinese say that “Breathing is 100 times more important than medicine”. Why? Because when you take care of your breath you take care of every cell in your body.

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What I’m enjoying at the moment:

10 minutes at night  opening up my heart chakra. You might like to read 5 great therapeutic uses for yoga bolsters

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In case you don’t know I share daily rejuvenation tips right here on this blog.   They are great little prompters (for you and I both) to put ourselves first, and replenish our energy levels and overall well-being more often.

Today I had the urge to share the most popular recent rejuvenation tips which attracted lots of great comments and positive feedback.  Also if you are into facebook you might like to check out the daily tips over there as well.

Enjoy.

Daily Tip:

Boost your iron intake.

Soak 6 almond, 2 dried figs, 10/15 sultanas in 2/3 cup of water for 3 hours then wiz and drink.

* You might also like to read  Energy drink high in iron and magnesium

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Daily Tip:

Learn to say “no” and stop giving away your energy away uncessarily.

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Daily Tip:

Feeling rushed turns us into someone we are not. We snap, make mistakes, become unkind, stress our bodies to the max, gulp down food and forget things.

Adjust your breathing to adjust the speed of your day.

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Daily Tip:

Today I’m remembering the wonderful “Art Of Pausing”.

Think before I speak. Breath before I react. Rest before I exhaust myself.

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Daily Tip:

Massage your ears daily and your organs and whole body will benefit.

Use your thumb and index fingers to gently massage your ear lobes in small circles.   After a few delicious minutes move your fingers up to the middle of the outside of your ears, and gently rotate your entire ear in circles.  Great for tension in the upper body and over thinking.

* You might like to read Teach yourself 8 of the best ear massages.

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Daily Tip:

Today could be the day that you choose a different response to a difficult or challenging situation.

You might be surprised with the results.

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Daily Tip:

It never ceases to amaze me how a weekend of clearing clutter and simplifying can create the space for life to flow again.

It’s got to be one of the best therapies for getting “un-stuck” or shifting unwanted energies around you.

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Daily Tip:

A gentle reminder – slumped round shoulders cause your heart chakra to become deficient not too mention restricted breathing

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Daily Tip:

What you choose to think, do or say in the next 30 seconds may influence the entire mood of your day.

Make your next 30 seconds count.

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Daily Tip:

Just think of all the good a smile can bring to the most important muscle in your body – your heart.

* You might like to read Smile into your organs

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Join me at my July or September 2011 Rest and Rejuvenation Retreats in Bali.

Daily Balinese and Ayurvedic spa treatments, restful yoga, mindful breathing, yoga nidra meditation, half day Balinese cooking school and more.

Click here for all the relaxing details.

If you are exhausted, depleted, can’t sleep, complaining of aches and pains and running on empty then you’ll definately love Dr. Frank Lipmans book   “Spent: End Exhaustion & Feel Great Again“.  I love it.   It may well be the perfect gift to give yourself  if you are looking at getting more balance and energy back into your life for 2011.

Whilst I’m certainly not exhausted and already do many of his suggestions, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and picked up lots of great health tips along the way.  In fact I’m off today to buy some herb extract (liquid form) from our local health food store and experiment with breakfast smoothies.

In case you don’t know Dr Frank Lipman, is a medical doctor that furthered his studies with Chinese medicine, herbal medicine and acupunture.    The end result a holistic approach to your health and quality of life.

He includes restorative yoga (lots of pictures), suggests herbal extracts to help with internal balance, emphasises quality sleep, fine tunes your daily rhythm, good quality fats, proteins, less gluten, sugar and diary,  eliminate chemicals from the home and a variety of other lifestyle and dietary changes.

One of the best things is Dr. Lipmans approach, he doesn’t say –  you must do something  - you can add or subtract from the 6 week schedule and go at your own pace.

Anyway,  I’ll write a more detailed review on the book and well being program later, in the meantime I’m really keen to share with you his 22 goals for the year ahead.  I’ve also highlighted a couple that  I really need to focus my energy on for the year ahead along with adding a few of my own.

Dr. Frank Lipmans 22 goals for the year ahead:

1. More real food, less “food-like substances”

2. More fruit and vegetables, less sugar, gluten and dairy

3. More organic, less chemicals

4. More clean products, less toxic products

5. More chewing, less eating

6. More water, less alcohol

7. More walking, less driving

8. More exercising, less watching TV

9. More music, less noise

10. More recycling, less waste

11. More outdoors, less indoors

12. More sleep, less worry

13. More slow, less hurry

14. More smiles, less anger

15. More love, less hatred

16.  More fun, less serious

17.  More letting go, less holding on

18. More being, less doing

19.  More presence, less absence

20. More generosity, less greed

21. More forgiving, less blaming

22.  More Ubuntu, less me!

Plus my additions:

23. More flexibility, less stiffness

24. More relaxed breathing, less restricted breathing

25. More calm, less stress

26. More single  focus, less wandering mind

27. More intuition, less controlling

28.  More listening, less talking

29.  More time with family, less time with work

30. More trusting, less listening to an overly cautious mind

Let me know what you want “more of” and “less of” in 2011!

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Wishing you and your family all the very best for the year ahead.   And a very big, big, big thank you to the regular and new readers of my blog Rejuvenation Lounge. Without you this blog wouldn’t exist.   Blog and I promise to continue to do our very best in sharing ways we can all rejuvenate our lives – one small step at a time.

Peace, love and chocolate to you all, Carole.

Thank you to amersdamize’s for photo

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Join me at my July or September 2011 Rest and Rejuvenation Retreats in Bali. Daily Ayurvedic body treatments, restful (restorative) yoga, mindful breathing and yoga nidra meditation. There’s a couple of spots left for each one.  Retreats always book out.

Click here for all the relaxing details.

This is a guest post by the awesome Ananga Sivyer in England

Have you ever felt thirsty and had dry skin, yet you drink plenty of water? If so, Ayurveda has some easy answers for you on how to quench your thirst at the root.

By the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. The unwelcome effects of dehydration include sluggishness, a foggy head, headaches and excess acid in the body.

When you are drinking water, but still feel thirsty it means the deeper tissues of the body are not getting properly hydrated, it literally means that your cells are thirsty!

To get moisture to the deeper tissues of the body Ayurveda recommends boiling water for a few minutes to make it sharper and more penetrating. By heating water and making it sharper it can reach areas that cold water alone can’t.

According to ancient Ayurvedic texts, normal drinking water can take about six hours to be absorbed if the channels if the body are fairly clean and clear. Hot herbalized water takes about one and a half hours, and the addition of the herbs helps open the channels, clear mucous and toxins and cleanse the body as it hydrates it.

How to make Ayurvedic cleansing water:

Bring two quarts of water to boil in a stainless steel pan (do not use aluminium), let the water boil for 2-4 minutes, then add the following:

1/2 t. whole coriander seeds,
1/2 t. whole fennel and let steep
two 1” slices of fresh ginger root

Cover the pot for 10 minutes and let the spices soak in the water to gently release their beneficial properties.

Strain out the spices and pour the water into a thermos flask and sip throughout the day.

This recipe is thirst quenching and refreshing, it helps digestion, helps removes toxins from the body and clears micro channels that cold water along can’t reach.

For maximum benefit, sip a full glass first thing in the morning and then drink the rest at regular intervals throughout the day.

When used regularly this spiced water can help reduce headaches, sluggishness and aid digestion. It’s fine to drink regular water throughout the day when using spiced water, the two compliment each other very well. If the weather is cold you can drink the water hot straight from your flask, in warmer weather, or if your body is feeling hot, you can let it cool to room temperature first, but it will work best if it isn’t completely cold.

My comments: I’ve been a lover of drinking warm/hot water for a long time.  My tummy just always feels happier with something warm in it.  And it wasn’t until I first visited my Ayurvedic practitioner that I understood why eating and drinking warm is good for our digestion .

My favourite herbal brew is 1/2 tsp cummin seeds,  1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds.   Much the same as Ananga’s recommendation above except the ginger is swapped with cummin seeds.

I highly recommended making a daily batch in a termos.  Makes it easy to carry everywhere and helps keep track of how much you have sipped throughout the day.

Carole.

Photo by Berguis

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I use and love Ananga’s guided meditations and music

Please click here to sample her music:

“Practice seeking joy in the natural world rather than seeking fulfillment in ownership” Wayne Dyer Living the Tao.

Yes, my focus once again, (as it is couple of times a year)  is to simplify and uncomplicate life.  I believe our souls are craving a life with less stress, less worry and less pressure.

We are realizing owning more stuff does not make us any happier in the long term.  In fact, our stuff can be a burden, suck our time and energy, consume our focus, continue to cost money ( insurance, storage etc) and cause problems for the environment.

Do you and I, really need all the stuff that is filling (or taking over) our personal living space?

Essence of a photo:

Whenever I write an article I always need a picture first that captures the essence of the post I’m about to write.  And to me, this picture is the essence of simplicity, peacefulness and living well with less.  I hope you agree.

Enjoy more and worry less, I say, by living well with less.

If you are in any doubt as to whether your stuff complicates your life, I have compiled (what I think to be) six excellent reasons to get rid of your excess stuff (in addition to clutter) and become more mindful about your future purchases.

1: Your stuff takes up more of your time than you think:

Your stuff can drain your energy. Your stuff can demand your attention.  Your stuff can cause you to worry. Your stuff can cost you time and money.

The less things you have to store, clean, insure, repair and look after, the more time you have to do what you love doing.  Life was not meant to be spent buying and looking after stuff, as well as keeping it safe and protected.

Less stuff equals less things to worry about.  Only keep stuff that you absolutely love or use often.

2: The benefits of a clean simple Zen environment:

• You most definitely feel lighter
• Your mind is clearer, as there is less confusion, over crowding and busyness around you
• It extra easy to keep neat and tidy
• It is much easier to find things
• Saves you loads of time, money and energy in cleaning, cleaning products and dusting
• Less time and money needed on repairs, maintenance and insurance
• You don’t need as much storage space
• With less stuff you can live in a smaller more affordable home
• You enjoy and appreciate what you do have
• You may even prefer better quality stuff now that you have fewer things
• Your living and work environment is a joy to be in.  It does not drain you nor cause you to worry

3: Your stuff has global consequences:

I encourage you to watch this very simple yet informative presentation called The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard. It will teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

4: A satisfying lifestyle becomes your priority rather than your stuff:

“A fish in the water that is thirsty needs serious professional counseling”  An ancient proverb

As your focus shifts, you release your attachment to your stuff and a whole new world begins to open up for you.  You delve deeper into the real you, the bigger picture of life.  You explore what really brings you inner peace and happiness.  You now value your time.

5: The law of diminishing returns:

The more you have of something or the more you experience a pleasure, the less you notice and enjoy it over time. The initial rush of enjoyment when buying something new gradually declines with frequent exposure. This is certainly true with children who are overwhelmed with excitement at first, only to find the novelty quickly wears off. Buying more stuff to make you feel better or as quick pick me up does not offer any lasting satisfaction.

6. Conscious consumption:

Switch from mindless or addictive consumption to conscious consumption. The simpler you live the more conscious you become about your spending choices. You value each purchase. You have a greater awareness as to the consumable items environmental impact and effect on sustainable living. You buy wisely with the bigger picture in mind. You now consume wisely and consciously.

More articles I’ve shared before on clutter:

* Six simple things you can do when you can’t shift your clutter:

* 4 fun clutter busting games:

* The energy up, energy down exercise:

* Detox your home and feel brand new:

Useful resources:

Give away your stuff to someone who really needs them.

E-cycled – don’t throw it away, give it away – Australian

Freecycle – changing the world one gift at a time

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Join me at my next 2011 Rest and Rejuvenation Retreat in Bali.

Click here for all the relaxing details.

“Your distractions are not in charge, you are”

Feeling pressured, overwhelmed or confused, then come back to yourself by asking a refreshingly freeing question.   Its a question for the real you or as Eugene Tan says your inside person and the question is  “What’s essential” ?

Technology, and the busyness of life can swiftly hijack us all into spending our time – doing and thinking – about stuff that isn’t really essential to how we want to live our lives.

What a waste of time, energy and effort that is.

Photo by pedrosimoes7

Question your life – its a healthy habit:

“Whats essential” is a great question to ask, anywhere, anytime.   It opens the door for all the unnecessary to disappear so you can re-focus on what’s really of value to you.

Use this question any way you want -  as a sanity saver – problem solver -  journal question or simply as a compass for your life. Whatever your motivations, I’m guessing it will make a difference to the flow of your day and the flow of your life.

I was introduced to this fabulous question at a 4 day therapeutic yoga teacher training program given by the awesome Judith Lasater from California, America.  Judith started the training by discussing the value of asking ourselves the question “Whats essential”?   I am indeed grateful and deeply appreciated of Judith Lasaters wisdom and being in her presence.  Hearing “Whats essential” was one of those light bulb moments for me.

More useful questions to ask yourself:

1: Before you start your day or as you are about to begin a new task, ask yourself   “Am I ready”?

2: A great question to journal “I feel most connected when …..”

3: Asking yourself   “What do I really, really, really want”? is one of those questions you can’t hide from.  It asks that you stop, dig deep and take some time out to get to know the real you all over again. And yes, it is one of my favourite bits from the book Eat, Pray, Love.

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Join me Tuesday morning at my Yoga Nidra Relaxation Classes:

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Of course you probably already know about the awesome super food chia seeds, not to be confused with chai tea (which I did at first).  Highest plant based source of omega 3, dietary fibre and protein. Its even packed with calcium, magnesium, potassium plus lots more goodness.

So its official, my two new favourite cooking ingredients are quiona and chai seeds. I should live to 100 now.

Quiona porridge I have a couple a times a week, plus a quiona Moroccan stir fry at least once a week.

As for the chai seeds, well  I sprinkle them  into just about anything.  At the moment though, really loving chia seed and pumpkin muffins.  Adapted the recipe from  Sarah Wilsons blog but didn’t include any honey or olive oil plus I add Himalayan pick rock salt.

I’ve never really followed recipes, tend to cook by feel and definately have never timed anything cooking in my life.  Things just work out better that way for me so please excuse the minimalist instructions.

Mix ingredients into a bowl, then bake (easy):

Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Beat 2 egg yolks in a bowl then add

Cup of grated pumpkin (I sometimes added zucchini, sweet potato or spinach – whatevers in the cupboard)

Cup of ground almond meal

2 cups buckwheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Fresh basil

Cinnamon

Salt

1/2 cup of chia seeds

Enough water to the mix until is a nice consistency (sometimes I add yoghurt or coconut oil)

Stir in beaten stiffish egg whites and then bake.

Note:  If I’m cooking only for myself then I’ll halve the ingredients which gives me about 6 – 8 muffins.

More chia seed recipes:

Pumpkin and cashew nut soup (naturally with chia seeds added)

Crunchy apricot and hazelnut granola

Photo by nhanusek’s

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Come join me at my next Rest and Rejuvenation in Bali:

Daily restful yoga, mindful breathing practices, yoga nidra meditation and daily hand selected Ayurvedic and Balinese body treatments.

Click here for all the relaxing, restful and restorative details.

“Most illnesses creep in when you are not present in your body”  Eckhart Tolle.

Excessive thinking is detrimental to our health.  It places too much attention on our thoughts which in turn traps excess energy in our head causing tension, restlessness, being on edge, concentration problems and insomnia just to name a few.

Excess thinking disconnects us from our body and deprives our body of valuable energy flow and health.  As Eckhart Tolle says “The more consciousness you bring into your body the stronger your immune system becomes”

Photo by Kanzeon Zen Centre:

An obvious solution is to remember we have a body and to be more mindful of feeling and breathing into it, whenever we can.  The purpose of course is to  re-direct energy and awareness away from the head and thoughts, and back down into the whole body and present moment.

One way to achieve this is with a simple relaxation exercise called “Mindfulness of the body via the four access points”.   I learnt this very short,  yet surprisingly effective  health ritual at one of Dr. Ian Gawlers workshops and fell in love with it instantly.

Hope you find it as helpful as I have.   You only need a few moments and can do it anywhere, anytime.   Practice in the shower, before you get out of bed in the morning, or in the car before you are about to drive off.

You could also easily enjoy it as a 5 minute meditation practice – if you chose too.

Mindfulness of the body via the four access points:

Using your breath coupled with your awareness you are re-directing your focus, breath and energy into four key areas of the body.  Not only will this help “get you out of your head”  but it also encourages relaxation and improved energy flow throughout your whole body.

1: Start by getting comfortable and gently closing your eyes.

2: Bring your awareness to your breath for a few moments.

3: Now bring your awareness into your feet.  Sense your feet, feel the energy in your feet and notice any tingling or sensations in your feet.  There is nothing to do except be mindful of your feet.  Breath into your feet and feel the energy moving in and around your feet.

4: Now bring your awareness to your stomach.  Feel any tightness, tension, comfortable, uncomfortable. Let go of any reaction or judgement simply feel and become mindful of your stomach area.  I prefer to place my hands on my stomach, it gives me a better sense of how its feeling and then I use my breath to direct energy there.

5: Now bring your awareness to your shoulders. Use the flow of your breath to feel into the muscles in and around your shoulders.  Notice how your shoulders feel. There nothing to do except be mindful of  your shoulders.

6: Now bring your awareness to the space between your eyes. Become aware of the area in and around your eyes. Feel with your breath – your eyes, eye brows and your forehead. Without doing anything just be mindful of your eyes and how they feel.

7: To finish,  bring your awareness to your whole body.  Breath deeply into your body.  Feel it. Listen to it. Just be with it.

8: When you are ready, open your eyes.

Arrive with your body, breath and mind:

If you are looking for another option, you might feel drawn to the 3 arrivals, a Buddhist well-being ritual that encourages your mind, body and breath to arrive – into the present moment, all at the same time,  with awareness and calm.    It’s a very healthy relaxed  place from which to live.

1: Firstly, arrive with your body.

Give your body permission to unwind and relax.  Exhale (loudly if you need too) with a sigh or ahh.   Use the exhale to release physical tension and stress.

2. Arrive with your breath.

Notice your breath.   Feel the rhythm of your breath.   Let your breath breathe you.  Simply allow it come and go naturally.  Allow your breath to arrive into this moment.

3. Arrive with your mind.

Stop getting involved in your thoughts. Stop planning and worrying.  Do not think about the past or be concerned about the future.  Give yourself permission to just be.  If you do nothing the mind arrives.

As Lama Willa Miller says in her book  Seven Weeks to Finding the Buddha in You
“Thoughts are like fish-bait.  If you stop biting at the bait, you will not get hooked.  If you leave thoughts alone they will not harm you”.

Some more options:

Humming is a great way to interrupt unhelpful thoughts

Alternate nostril breathing is very calming and balancing for the brain

Rest for 10 minutes in the very restorative crocodile pose.

Start using affirmations. An affirmation is a handy tool for difficult times, and encourages you to think and respond differently.  Its about using your mind to communicate a different message to your body and thoughts other than worry, panic or anxiety.

Stop the stress escalating by spending longer on the exhale, release surface tension as it happens or by breathing into your belly.

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You can also grab your daily rejuvenation tip by clicking here:

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Join me at my upcoming term of Yoga Nidra Relaxation Classes:

Click here for all the relaxing details.

“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you”  Deepak Chopra

The aim of  stillness is simple.  To pay more attention to your inside world rather than your outside world.  In effect giving your mind and body a chance to re-group, rest and rejuvenate a little. Of course the longer your stillness practice, the greater the restorative benefits.

Sitting, lying or walking peacefully un-distracted for 15 minutes will activate different aspects of your nervous system and immune function.   Your body will soon start to replenish itself again.  Yeah!

Photo by riot jane:

If you missed part one – “Start a Daily Stillness Practice Today and Succeed” please click here otherwise read on for a collection of 1-20 minute stillness practices.

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Here’s what stillness looks like:

- Seek nothing
- Do not anticipate what to do next
- Just be with yourself, feelings and emotions
- Feel and follow your breathe
- Let your thoughts come and go without getting into a conversation with them.

Stillness practices under 5 minutes:

“You find stillness by not looking” Unknown

There’s lots of different ways you can experience moments of stillness in your day without having to close your eyes and meditate.  In fact, stillness is probably a skill you might want to practice if you are keen to start meditation.

Lying down next to my cat ( for a few minutes ) is one of my favourites.  Cats just have a way of looking at you and saying “What’s all the rush and fuss about, chill out with me for a while” and of course I do.

1:  Morning tea as a stillness practice or as Thich Nhat Hanh says a time for tea meditation.  Don’t read a magazine, check your text messages, write a “to-do” list or multi-task.   Simply sit,  be still whilst sipping and enjoying your tea in a moment of relaxing stillness.   As we are so used to staying, busy, busy, busy whilst eating and drinking you might find this simple stillness practice a little more difficult than you initially thought.

2:  Couch stillness:

Lie on the couch and do nothing – no reading, watching TV or writing.  Simply focus on your breath.  Use your breath to breathe out any restlessness or agitation.  Your breath is a great tool to help you move into being still on the inside.

Physically lying still sends a clear message to the rest of your being to be calmer.

3: Animal stillness:

Sit or lay next to your pet for a few minutes.  You’ll be surprised how calming they can be to the nervous system when you take the time to tune into their energy.

4: Relaxed muscle stillness:

Are you tense and all knotted up?

Direct your energy, breath and attention towards the main muscles/areas in your body.  Start with your head and then move through your body and finish with your feet and toes.

Head soften, my head is now softening.  Jaw soften, my jaw is now softening.  Neck and shoulders soften, my neck and shoulders are now softening.  Arms soften, my arms are now softening and so on.

By the time you have softened your legs and feet just sit back, relax, and enjoy the stiller feeling you are now noticing inside  your body.  Rest for a few moments in the stillness.

4:  Use sound to find stillness:

Humming, chanting, singing or speaking a mantra such as om (aum) is an excellent way to feel stiller on the inside.  It’s  a relaxation tool that I always include in my Womens Rest and Rejuvenation Retreats.

Om (aum) is a Sanskrit word, a symbol and a sound of ancient spiritual significance.  It is the most chanted symbol in India, and said to have a profound effect on your mind, body and soul plus the environment in which it is chanted into.

Take a full deep breathe in, and on your exhale gently sing/chant om down into your body and out into the world. One om will probably last around 10 seconds or longer depending on the size of your inhale. As little as five rounds of om can significantly calm your mind and body.

5.  Alternate nostril breathing:

Simply by practising a few rounds of alternate nostril breathing (pranayama) for a few minutes each day, you can help restore any imbalances in your brain.  You can improve sleep, encourage a calmer emotional state, boost your thinking power and soothe your nervous system.

Click here to learn how to do alternate nostril breathing:

10 – 20 minute stillness practices:

Most days I do my best to practice at least 15 minutes of one restorative yoga pose.  That’s the beauty of restorative yoga, each pose is designed for you to be extra comfortable and completely still for up to 30 minutes at a time.

On days when I’m particularly agitated then journaling or walking meditation are usually helpful towards feeling stiller.  Enjoy and please feel free to share your secrets for connecting with your inner stillness.

1: Legs up the wall:

I’ve written about “legs up the wall” before.  Its literally lying on your back with your legs up in the air resting against the wall.  This restorative yoga pose has many wonderful therapeutic benefits.  Click here for full details.

2: Yoga Nidra:

Known as yogic sleep you lay in Savansana (corpse pose) and deliberately move your awareness through your body for deep relaxation.   They say 20 minutes of yoga nidra is equivalent to 3 – 4 hours good quality sleep.

For full details  click go to – The ultimate guide to yoga nidra. If you have ever been to yoga then its probably something you would remember doing at the very end of the class.

3:  Child pose

Child pose is another restorative yoga posture that physically helps you turn your awareness inwards by resting your forehead on the floor.  You are curled over your knees which arches the back releasing tension and stiffness.

You can practice stillness in childs pose for 2 minutes or 10 minutes.  I encourage you to try it for yourself.  Please read the following article I wrote a while back called:   Calm your mind in 2 minutes it has great diagrams and lists all the benefits.

4:  Morning pages – writing:

Journaling can be the perfect partner when you need to feel stiller on the inside. Its also a wonderful way to empty your head of those annoying repetitive thoughts which is often the block to stillness.

I tend to follow Julia Camerons teachings of writing for 30 minutes first thing in the morning (known as morning pages). You don’t think about what you are writing nor worry about your spelling, you simply move your hand as the words appear on your page.

* Benefits of journaling daily:

5: Stillness meditation

Sit in a comfortable position, relax your shoulders, neck, buttocks and stomach. Gently close your eyes and do nothing but focus on your inhale, the pause between your inhale and exhale and then your exhale.

If you find your mind wandering then repeat on the inhale “Breathing in I am calm” and on the exhale “Breathing out I smile”.   I know I share this mantra often but it works really well for me.

Walking meditation as a stillness practice:

“Walking meditation is meditation while walking” Thich Nhat Hanh

If you are too restless and agitated on the inside ( to feel stillness ) I can highly recommend the very simple practice of walking meditation. As Eckhart Tolle says, you don’t need to be still on the outside to feel and connect with your stillness on the inside.

The following guidelines are taken from a wonderful book I own called Walking Meditation w/DVD & CD by Thict Nhat Hanh.

Walking Meditation w/DVD & CD

1: Gentle Belly Breathing:

Place your hands on your belly to feel it rise and fall as you walk.  Use a gentle belly breath to calm your thoughts, relax your body, hips, elbows, muscles, legs, face, eyes and ears.   Repeat as you walk.  Breathing in “I am resting” Breathing out “I am softening”.

2: Walking – pay attention to your feet:

Walk with soft eyes, slowly and gently. Feel the sensation of each foot as it presses down onto the earth. Follow the movement of every foot step with your mind and breath.

3: Counting your breath:

To keep your mind focused on each step and each breath count the number of steps to each inhale and each exhale.    It helps prevent your mind from getting distracted with other thoughts.   1 inhale for 3 steps, 1 exhale for 3 steps.

4: Smiling:

Thich Nhat Hanh says a smile brings lightness to your feet, invites your body to relax and helps you settle more easily into the walking meditation.

egs up the wall is generally not recommend for those menstruating, with retinal problems, after third month of pregnancy and heart problems.  Check with your yoga teacher first.

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I use and love Ananga’s  guided meditations and music

Please click here to download:

I’m thrilled to have some eco-friendly products to give-away this month. In particular the stainless lunch boxes which are an excellent, healthy alternate to the toxic plastic variety that we have been using in the past.

Win a set of six string cotton bags:

Many thanks to Karen from Greenurlife for this months give-aways.  I personally love and use both of her products; the cotton string shopping bags and stainless lunch boxes.  I know you will love them both, so please leave a comment below for your chance to win.

Throw Out The Plastic:

I’ve been on a mission now (for many years) to eliminate as much plastic from my kitchen and home as possible.  In particular the elimination of plastic containers, wrappers and bags from my childrens lunch boxes. It’s definately a work in progress.  That’s why I’m particularly thrilled to be giving away an alternate to plastic lunch boxes with a snazzy looking stainless steel option.   I also double up using these sustainable lunch boxes as storage containers as well.

Know there are healthy alternatives out there, you simply need to do a little research.  For example BPA free plastic bottles are certainly one step healthier.

Win one of two rectangular lunch boxes

If you are not familiar with the side effects and toxicity of some plastics, following is a short exert from the Environmental Working Group. Please visit their web site for lots more great information on where chemicals are hiding in your home, foods and body products.

“Bisphenol A, in commercial use since the 1950s, is found in a wide variety of everyday items, including plastic, beverage containers, eyeglasses and compact discs. It is ubiquitous: One recent federal study estimated that the chemical is found in the urine of 93 percent of the U.S. population.”

Commonly called BPA, the chemical mimics the hormone estrogen and may disrupt the body’s endocrine system. Public health advocates say it poses a particular danger to fetuses, infants and children because BPA can interfere with cell function at a point when their bodies are still developing”

Environmental Work Group YouTube Channel:

Please, please visit the enviornmental working groups you tube channel and witness for yourself the hidden chemicals and toxins in your every day living.  Click here:

Thanks for reading my article. Carole.

Here’s a couple of “green” articles I’ve written:

1. Happiness is going a little bit greener everyday
2. Detox your kitchen bench six simple things you can do now

By Carole Fogarty

Editor of  Rejuvenation Lounge and facilitator of Women’s Rejuvenation Retreats:

Monthly Feature: My Monthly Update:

• Accepted as a 9rules member
• A quick glimpse of my life:
• Winners of September give-aways – 7 Steps To Sanity
• Popular articles from the past

• October give-aways Yoga Eye Pillows

 9rules.com

Rejuvenation Lounge Accepted As A 9rules Member:

9rules hand selects blog sites that they believe offer consistent and valuable content. I am thrilled to say that my blog was chosen.  Wow, I’m so grateful.

Winners Of September Give-aways:

The three lucky winners of Jennifer Jefferies book “7 Steps To Sanity” are:

1 - Dusty Walsh

2 - Kirsty

3 - Kathy Swenson

 Please contact me with your details so I can organise a copy to be mailed to you straight away: healthylivinglounge@gmail.com

Popular Articles From The Past:

Some articles continue to be popular and attract regularly viewers. Here’s a few from the past:

The Only Zen Gift To Give Your Children:

Nine Things You Don’t Know About Your Childrens Bedroom:

20 Ways To Say I Love You To Your Body:

The emotional cost of clutter:

A Quick Glimpse Of My Life:

• Going to 2 yoga classes a week (eck, some old stuck emotions are being released)
• Reading (again very slowly) Stillness Speaks by Echart Tolle and Relax and Renew a fabulous book on relaxation and restorative yoga by Judith Hanson Lassater.  I’ve actually enrolled in her 2010 course which is the next time she visits Australia.
• Ordered new hand mudra book from Amazon, loving my hand mudra’s.
• Deep rest is very, very healing so I’ve launched regular rejuvenation evenings for Women here on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Come along if you live locally. Last night was awesome. You are guaranteed to sleep like a baby afterwards.
• Need to book appointment with dentist but still too scared. I’ll do it next month. That’s what I also say.
• Had two more bookings last week for my September Womens Rejuvenation Retreat in Bali. Double Yeah!
• First apointment on Monday with an Ayurvedic Practitioner who is also a Zen Buddhist Monk. I’m keen to find out what I will learn about my wellbeing. I’ll keep you posted.
• Currently researching the benefits of the environmentally friendly Kapok pillows. Will be writing a post on them.
• Planning trip to Melbourne and Sydney in November with my boys for a wedding. Total pleasure but if anyone would love to catch up in Melbourne or Sydney, let me know.
• Note to self. Must remember to put money aside for my Laughter Yoga teacher training program in November.

 October Rejuvenation Give-aways:

In the next few days here at the Rejuvenation Lounge I’ll be giving away some gorgeous eye yoga pillows.  They are filled with lavender and linseed and have a removable cotton cover.  You’ll love them, so stay tuned, there’s 3 to give-away.

Thanks for reading my article.  Carole Fogarty

You are welcome to come back and visit my blog the Rejuvenation Lounge  anytime or join me at any of my Womens Rejuvenation Retreats or Evenings:

More Articles To Rejuvenate You:

15 clever things to know about your breathing:

Hand yoga for rejuvenation and to prevent exhaustion: 

Flick off negativity and lift your vibe in an instant:

Relax and unwind with your own yoga eye pillow

Eight successful ways to connect to your inner wise voice

When did you decide to put yourself last: