“We know that most people take one breath every 5 seconds and about 780 breaths every hour.  That makes 17,280 breaths every day!!  If you are thinking of me every time you take a breath…that’s just too much!”

Not only would I be thinking about her too much, even though I love her dearly, but I would also be breathing much too fast. Slowing the breath is vital to your optimum health and well being.

Take a look at the article: “How much air do we breathe”.

http://www.breathing.com/articles/how-much-air.htm

I agree with the recommendation that 4-7 breaths a minute is much more efficient.

If you are willing to practice being still, watching your breathing, take slower, deeper breaths,  and consciously do that during your day, you will help reduce the stress in your life, take in less pollution and deliver more rich oxygen and life force to your brain and physical body.

Give it a go…..and practice “Excellent Self Care”!

Be well and stay that way,

Gena

The definition for MINDFULNESS according to Joh Kabot-Zinn is “paying attention in a particular way:  on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”.

Meditation and mindfulness is an invitation to begin the process of taming your mind and your thoughts, so that you can CHOOSE to live comfortably and easily among all the challenges and expectations of your life.

Be still and allow your thoughts, body  sensations, emotions, images and the sounds you hear to simply float by as if you were watching them all drift down a river in your imagination.  Create space and distance from the chatter in your mind and give yourself permission to be still and breathe.  If you can practice the skill of “being still” for even five minutes a day….changes will happen!  Guaranteed!

The attached article shows the hopeful impact that mindfulness and meditation have on the human physiology.  The new  research  supports  regular practice of meditation as a way to reorganize the physical gray matter that makes up your brain.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/specials/31mindfulness/?s_campaign=8315

Click on the different areas of the brain in the illustration and read what actually happens on the inside.

Your commitment to practice “Excellent Self Care” is your ticket to finding the joy in your life and living every day with ease, grace and happiness!

Be well and stay that way!

P.S.     The Meditation for Beginners Class will start on Tuesday February 8, 2011  3:30pm

Heartsong Yoga in East Longmeadow      http://www.heartsongyoga.com/events/coursesforming/

Too often the winter months keep you indoors  and sometimes those cold cloudy days can influence your mood.  If you notice that  you begin to  feel sad, depressed, melancholy and exhausted, you might need to pay more attention to your practice of “Excellent Self Care”

Seasonal Affective Disorder, known as SAD, effects about 20% of the population, but it need not be your diagnosis.

There are ways to help yourself manage the winter blues, regardless of SAD.  The attached article has some tips worth mentioning.  Recognize how significant you are so you can design the best way to feel good in any season.

*Take charge of your mood  *Turn negative thoughts positive  *Do not hide or isolate yourself  *Balance movement with Rest  *  Sit in bright light  *Listen to upbeat music and an inspiring book  *Apply a grateful remedy

Here is the link to the article from e-How:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5521182_avoid-seasonal-affective-disorder-sad.html

Be well and stay that way

Check out the Meditation for Beginners Class under Events.

Tuesday February 1, 2011   at 3:30pm  Heartsong Yoga in East Longmeadow

Some of the suggestions have been encouraging and simple enough to “give them a go”

* Write in your appointment book…”Take time to sit and relax!”

* When the afternoon becomes a whirlwind of activity, stop, listen, look and breathe!”

* Grab a few extra minutes with a loved one or even your pet.

* Carry a water bottle and stay hydrated.

* Take short strolls and spend some time under the sky.

* Learn to Meditate and do it every day.

The wisdom behind the campaign for you to practice “Excellent Self Care” is that you will come to know who you are and eventually fall in love with yourself.  The personal affection you will cultivate begins to feel like the new love affair you might remember or wish you could spark again.   When you love who you are, you will begin to send unconditional love, tenderness, and endearment to the most important and significant person in the world…YOU!

Catch a musical glimpse of what kids are talking about!  They know who is important and they have no problem singing out loud…..”I gotta be me!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKaC3eMUfdY

Be well and stay that way,

Gena

P.S.   Free Meditation Class for Beginners    Heartsong Yoga

Tuesday January 25, 2011  3;30pm

http://www.heartsongyoga.com/events/coursesforming/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

Now that there is a smile on your face, you can laugh your way into “Excellent Self Care”.

Medical research today is seriously looking at laughter as a vital means for maintaining optimal health and wellness.  The impact of chuckling and giggling is profound and offers hope for coping with the struggles of not feeling well.

Anatomy of an Illness was written by Norman Cousins in 1979.  He was honored with the Albert Schweitzer’s Prize in 1985 for his amazing contribution to healing and peace.  Cousins suffered from a debilitating illness and he developed a recovery program that included megadoses of Vitamin C, along with positive attitude, love, faith, hope and laughter initiated by watching movies of the Marx Brothers. Here in his own words:

“I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he reported. “When the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion picture projector again and not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free interval.”

Vitamin C  and nutritional supplements is a great idea for maintaining a strong immune system, building your resistance and maintaining optimal health.  Laughter can compliment your efforts and create some fun along the way to living a healthy and balanced life.

Trevor Smith, a person friend, is on a mission to bring laughter to you and those you love.

Check out his website and his enthusiasm for helping people learn to laugh:

http://laughforyourhealth.com/index.html

The Research shows that Laughter:

1.  Strengthens the immune system

2.  Improves Breathing, arterial blood flow, digestion and sleep

3.  Adjusts blood pressure

4.   Burns calories

5.  Reduces Pain

6.  Helps people get along better!

Remember “Excellent Self Care”  includes your body, mind and spirit!  Laughing tickles all those parts!

Be well, stay that way and SMILE!

P.S.  Free Meditation for Beginners January 18, 2011  Tuesday  3:30pm

Heartsong Yoga      East Longmeadow      http://www.heartsongyoga.com/events/coursesforming/

Your body needs ease, comfort, peace and tranquility. The most productive time for renewing your energy, recharging your battery, releasing the stress, relaxing your body is when some part of your anatomy is not fighting gravity!  Resting in a recliner,  putting your feet up, sitting or lying down, will offer you a well deserved physical and mental break.

Find some time in your day to sit with your feet up!  If you won’t do that, then give someone a homework assignment.  Tell them to find a time where they can sit with their feet up. Challenge them to be still for about fifteen minutes, tell them to do nothing, think about their breathing and just be!  Try it ……I dare you!!

I found this motivating article:   “Put Your Feet Up and Innovate”

http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/aug2010/ca2010082_388289.htm

Be well and stay that way!

Managing time is a challenging thing and making it work for you takes creative thinking.  The Mindfulness skills you have been practicing will assist you this year as you build a new relationship with your “To Do List” and your commitment to “Excellent Self Care”.

The idea of “doing more”  with “less stress”, can be your mantra for the new year.  It’s the “less stress” part that is most productive to you health and well being.

The new Mindful magazine is filled with life changing information for your consideration.

The article “3 Practices to Shift your Relationship with Time”, by Marc Lesser, offers simple ways to stay balanced, enhance your efforts towards self care and get more done.

http://mindful.org/in-body-%2526-mind/psychology/3-practices-to-shift-your-relationship-with-time

You can check out the entire E-Magazine for yourself.    http://mindful.org/

Wishing you peace, joy, health, fun and abundant prosperity in 2011

P.S.  Especially for Teachers!   Share with your friends!

Check out my class  “Meditation for Beginners” scheduled for Tuesday Afternoons  in East Longmeadow

http://www.lysscentral.com/up-coming-event

No matter what the past weeks have done to compromise your health and well being, beginning each day with a promise to practice “Excellent Self Care” is a powerful way to renew the commitment to yourself.

Learning to say “No” is a skill that will be beneficial all year long.  The following article gives you some ideas and even sample dialog to help orchestrate the limits which will help you have less stress in your life.

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/keep-holiday-stress-minimum-learn-say-no

Be good to yourself!  Set up the limits and priorities which will support your efforts to live a life filled with joy, peace, harmony, ease, prosperity and a heck of a lot of fun.

Happy New Year!

p.s.  Watch for my course at Heartsong Yoga

Meditation for Beginners

http://www.heartsongyoga.com/events/coursesforming/

Stretch your mind for a moment and try to imagine that the lists are complete and now you can sit for an afternoon and simply enjoy the season, spend time with loved ones and honor a well deserved rest.   Nice idea, don’t you thing?

Even if all your chores and holiday tasks are still waiting to be done, you can adopt a unique and creative attitude in order to approach this holiday season with less stress and exhaustion.

Since everything happens in the mind, your willingness to train your thinking can produce great dividends.

Begin by saying to yourself…..”There is nothing that I HAVE to do!”   Say it over and over a few times in your mind and then actually out loud, then, to yourself in the mirror and perhaps to someone you know.

In truth, the only thing you HAVE to do is BREATHE and perhaps pay taxes!

Give yourself permission to change the inner dialog, especially when you are stressed out, hysterical and feeling pressure to “get it all done” on time.     Replace the statements with thoughts that will bring a sense of personal power, peace,  and ease to your days.

Here are some examples:

Instead of…… “I have to mail the cards before Friday”    Say to yourself…..

“Since there is nothing I HAVE to do, if I choose to get the cards out by Friday, I just might make that happen”

Instead of…….”I have to finish that project before the holidays”   Say to yourself….

“Since there is nothing I HAVE to do, I just might find the time to finish the project and if not, it will be there waiting, because it won’t get done without me, unless I give it away”.

Instead of …….”There will never be enough time to get it all done”.  Say to yourself…….

“Since there is nothing I HAVE to do, I get to decide what I will do and what can wait, my welfare comes first!”

And my all time personal favorite, no matter what is happening:

“My timing is perfect for my welfare and my prosperity”

Check out the ART OF DOING NOTHING  at:

http://zenhabits.net/the-art-of-doing-nothing/

Have a delicious holiday…practice “Excellent Self Care”   and may there be peace, ease and joy in the New Year!

Capture the next moment and don’t linger too long, you might become thirsty, parched or hardened.   Your well being will not wait, you must act now.  Take a deep breath and remind yourself to breathe as often as possible.

In the attached article  “How to Get Smarter….One Breath at a Time”,  the evidence for brain growth is encouraging.  Find out more about why BREATHING is a powerful New Year’s resolution!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1147167-1,00.html

Perhaps you can make a commitment to yourself as you practice “Excellent Self Care”.

Gently and compassionately remember to simply “BREATHE”.

Be well and stay that way!

Send your colleagues and friends to sign up for the free report

loveyoursignificantself.com