Nourished Union

Ayurveda is the science of life. It encourages us to return back to our true nature and deepen our sense of awareness. ... It teaches us that we have the knowledge within us, when we pay attention. It starts by living presently and paying attention to our actions - through mind, body and soul. In our daily (morning) practice, there are plenty of ways to pay attention. Start by looking into the bowl when you eliminate and notice... what are the qualities of what I’m eliminating?? It came from the inside, which will tell us what physical qualities exist within our digestion. This information can lead us to bringing our physical bodies back into balance. Pay attention. Listen. Look. Be. Then adjust and shift where necessary. #yoga #ayurveda #mindful #meditation #livewellwithoutborders #alignwithnature #dailyroutines #nourishmindbodysoul #balancedliving #liveyourpurpose #connectin #consciousliving #livewellanywhere #livewellanytime #livewellanyplace #returnhome #landinstillness #gratitude

Simple and to the point. The point is to make this a conscious ritual. To not just roll out of bed and sleepily move through the habits of the morning. Be purposeful to clear the stagnant energy from the night before and refresh your whole body. ... I love using rose water to cleanse my face, especially in the summer months. Do you use anything special to clear the sleep from your face and eyes? #yoga #ayurveda #mindful #meditation #livewellwithoutborders #alignwithnature #dailyroutines #nourishmindbodysoul #balancedliving #liveyourpurpose #connectin #consciousliving #livewellanywhere #livewellanytime #livewellanyplace #returnhome #landinstillness #gratitude

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks about the coronavirus: Sometimes friends ask me to help with some problem in the world, using some magical powers. I alway...s tell them that the Dalai Lama has no magical powers. If I did, I would not feel pain in my legs or a sore throat. We are all the same as human beings, and we experience the same fears, the same hopes, the same uncertainties. From the Buddhist perspective, every sentient being is acquainted with suffering and the truths of sickness, old age and death. But as human beings, we have the capacity to use our minds to conquer anger and panic and greed. In recent years I have been stressing emotional disarmament: to try to see things realistically and clearly, without the confusion of fear or rage. If a problem has a solution, we must work to find it; if it does not, we need not waste time thinking about it. We Buddhists believe that the entire world is interdependent. That is why I often speak about universal responsibility. The outbreak of this terrible coronavirus has shown that what happens to one person can soon affect every other being. But it also reminds us that a compassionate or constructive actwhether working in hospitals or just observing social distancinghas the potential to help many. Ever since news emerged about the coronavirus in Wuhan, I have been praying for my brothers and sisters in China and everywhere else. Now we can see that nobody is immune to this virus. We are all worried about loved ones and the future, of both the global economy and our own individual homes. But prayer is not enough. This crisis shows that we must all take responsibility where we can. We must combine the courage doctors and nurses are showing with empirical science to begin to turn this situation around and protect our future from more such threats. In this time of great fear, it is important that we think of the long-term challengesand possibilitiesof the entire globe. Photographs of our world from space clearly show that there are no real boundaries on our blue planet. Therefore, all of us must take care of it and work to prevent climate change and other destructive forces. This pandemic serves as a warning that only by coming together with a coordinated, global response will we meet the unprecedented magnitude of the challenges we face. We must also remember that nobody is free of suffering, and extend our hands to others who lack homes, resources or family to protect them. This crisis shows us that we are not separate from one anothereven when we are living apart. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to exercise compassion and help. As a Buddhist, I believe in the principle of impermanence. Eventually, this virus will pass, as I have seen wars and other terrible threats pass in my lifetime, and we will have the opportunity to rebuild our global community as we have done many times before. I sincerely hope that everyone can stay safe and stay calm. At this time of uncertainty, it is important that we do not lose hope and confidence in the constructive efforts so many are making. ~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama Thanks Stephen Pappas for sharing this

Real talk: I’ve been MIA for a bit because shit got real over here. Yes, we’re in isolation and it’s hard for many people. ... From some the challenge has been being parent, teacher, employee and trying to still find semblance of oneself being completely alone at home all of a sudden living with parents or others when you didn’t before being in isolation with someone you don’t feel safe with ... and so many other iterations of challenges that I’m not listing. For me, it started a few weeks ago when finding out the home my mom lives in had an outbreak. My mom has Parkinson’s. She needs support for her safety and well-being and that’s why she lives in a home. My partner and I made the tough decision to bring her home, in an effort to help ‘flatten the curve’ at the home, while hopefully keeping her safe. And for the first while, that was okay... until she had a stroke. She’s now in the hospital, where the virus is. She’s completely alone, because they won’t let visitors in. And we’re all trying to find our way to helping her in this situation. So shit got real. Again.... shit gets real a lot for my parents. And thus for me. Why do I tell you this. Because shit comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. And sometimes it hits real hard. Whatever your shit is: you are loved you are supported you are not alone Take the time to honour and be with your feelings. They are valid. They are part of the process. Breathe deeply, purposeful, consciously. Do whatever feels right for you. (I have lessened my mediations in recent days and did more Netflixing). And now the meditation is coming back. Practice gratitude where you can. Did you know that when you even tell yourself you’re grateful (without fully believing it), you’re brain still releases dopamine! The road through the shit isn’t straight and it definitely isn’t the same for you as it is for others. Listen to your needs. Honour them. And then move through them. Don’t get stuck. Life is ever changing, so let it flow through you. With love. Do this, and overtime... peace will come.

Intentions are different than goals. Goals are often rooted in the notion that we are lacking in some way. Consider New Years resolutions as an example. Usually they are to GET thinner, stronger, fitter etc. These are all rooted in an idea that a person is lacking and must work to gain something in order to achieve. ... Whereas, Yoga teaches us that we have everything within us. We are not lacking. Rather - we need to connect into what we already are. Intentions are rooted in connecting to our source energy/wisdom and live from this place. They are guided to reconnect back to ourselves throughout the day especially when the day tries to get a hold of us. Examples of intentions are: compassion love surrender listen slow down commit And with this, we do so in every part of our day. Such as ‘listen’ to ourselves, others, the situation/moment, nature, etc. By setting clear intentions for our day, they are lived more presently and meaningfully open to the wonders of each experience and its potential to unfold. Today, my intention was to: love freely #yoga #ayurveda #mindful #meditation #livewellwithoutborders #alignwithnature #dailyroutines #nourishmindbodysoul #balancedliving #liveyourpurpose #connectin #consciousliving #livewellanywhere #livewellanytime #livewellanyplace

That’s me, facing my shit (what I call stress)! Real talk: I developed a pattern of surviving through the shit good at dealing with the logistics of the situation. But, on the inside, I wasn’t facing the emotional and mental impact of that shit. ... The result: years of exhaustion, depression, anxiety and an overall view that life was a never ending pile of shit! This last part is important. When we deal with stress for an extended period of time, it becomes chronic which eventually leaves us feeling like it’s the ONLY to live. And to be clear, chronic stress can be anything that one finds to weigh them down for a period of time where our minds can’t see the clarity beyond the clutter. How we perceive stress overtime, becomes our ‘new normal’ where we hold onto it, like a comforting crutch. For me in the past, I didn’t trust when things were going well. I had this deep feeling in the pit of my stomach, waiting for the shit to return. Essentially wasted the good days, as I anxiously waited for the bad days. And no matter how much people told me that life could be different, survival mode held me down. So what got me out of that horrible pattern? The tools, structure and practices of Yoga and Ayurveda. The permission to do something nourishing for ME became a non-negotiable. Showing up DAILY to connect inward. To listen, acknowledge and honour. Creating the space and time to do this became the gold standard of how I spent at least an hour of each day. And very quickly I experienced sustained energy, calm, peace and joy THROUGHOUT the day! The best part - now, when the stress of life creeps in, I have sustainable tools to help me process my thoughts/emotions, release the weight and consciously be present where you can even find moments of joy in the shit! All of this was so transformative for me, that I turned my life’s work to help others do the same. SO - if you need help to learn and implement the tools or support to stay committed, I’m here for you. As a coach, confident and friend. I’m here to help you shift from chronic stress to living well everyday.