Category: Wellness

It’s almost 2019! A new year, a fresh start! Many of us are eager to make those New Year resolutions so that we can replace all of our bad habits with good ones, and become better people…right? Yes, we get excited at this time of year, our eyes shiny with good intentions. Yet, according to U.S. News, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. This may be because we jump in too quickly, failing to take the time to see where we have been or to acknowledge our “samskaras”, the impressions of our past actions and experience that we tend to carry with us.

So, this year, let’s try a new approach. Our Yoga and Meditation practices give us time to pause and reflect, and inquire into our habits and patterns, giving us some perspective. Let’s take our practice off the mat and into the new year by 1) Reflecting on the past year, with curiosity and inquiry, 2) Resolving to move mindfully and intentionally into 2019, and 3) Allowing the effects of our actions to Ripple out in the world in a positive way.

1. Reflecting: During the busy holiday season, we welcome the time on the mat or cushion to check in and see how we are feeling—underneath all of busy-ness and activity—and remember
who we are. Even though we may feel we are too busy to stop, this is a wonderful time to reflect on the year as we soon turn the calendar page to 2019. We can build this into our mindfulness practices, and take some time to consider the year. Rather than listing off the things that “happened”, we pause to consider what we have learned and how we have grown. In this way, we will be able to look at how we approached and responded to the events of the year, rather than just assessing success or failure. Doing this allows us to look at our samskaras, our habits and patterns with some perspective and dispassion. We are not our habits—and when we remember this perspective, we can take mindful action that has a better chance of cultivating what we want, rather than just getting excited over setting a new goal for the year.

Reflecting in this way helps us to acknowledge what is, as it is. We don’t spend the time wishing things had been different, we become witness to the things that come and go in our lives and how we managed them. And underneath all that is coming and going, we are still here. That can take the pressure off having to create a list of resolutions, that, if completed will make us the “perfect person”.

2. Resolving: If resolutions fail so often, why bother? That’s a good question and the reason that in the past few years, I’ve moved from New Year resolutions to New Year intentions. Resolutions tend to be about “fixing” something that is wrong with you, and that just doesn’t feel good. Intentions, are about how you will approach something, rather than the end result. It’s about what you want to cultivate in your life. For example, you could make a resolution to lose 10 pounds this year. That might encourage you to eat better and work out. If you do, you might lose those 10 pounds. And then you might gain them back, and the cycle begins again, as many of us know. Or, you could set an intention to be healthy or well-nourished or energized in the new year. That is something you can affirm to yourself each morning and gives you a lot of options. If you wake up in the morning and say to yourself “I am healthy and whole” then it is likely that your actions will line up to help you be healthy and whole. It doesn’t mean you don’t have a plan or have to take action, but it gives you a “rallying cry”. In 2018, I wanted to stretch myself and do something new. I’d been thinking about writing a book, but hadn’t taken action. So, I set my intention in January to be “courageous”. I wrote “I am courageous” on the first page of my journal, along with a poem or two about courage. Each day I affirmed it to myself; “I am courageous”. And so, I had to act! Because I am courageous! And I wrote a book, A Year of Mindful Wellness, that I am very excited about. So, resolve to move intentionally into the new year, and see what happens!

3. Rippling: When we have our intention and are ready to take our actions out into the world, it is helpful to remember that everything is connected to everything, and what we do has a ripple
effect out in the world; waves of energy that move out and affect others. Taking our practice off the mat and into the world is a way to practice Karma Yoga, or selfless action. When we go forth intentionally, rather than just trying to accomplish a goal, it is more likely that our actions will affect others in a positive way. We can mindfully set intentions that help us contribute to the well-being of all beings. When you are reflecting on the year, and setting intentions for the new year, consider how your actions will ripple out, and what you can do to ensure those ripples send out positive energy. Consider your strengths and passions to determine where to spend your effort. I express my passion for wellness in my work by teaching Yoga, and in my free time by volunteering for an organization that distributes healthy food surpluses to those who do not have ready access to good nourishment. For me it feels healthy, helpful and whole. What will you do this year to send out positive ripples?

This year, try a new approach…Reflect, resolve and ripple!! Here’s wishing you a meaningful holiday season and mindful new year.

Be well,

Lisa Feder
Being Well Yoga

Make a ripple and join us in Spain! Come As You Are; relax, explore, and practice yoga and meditation. Early Bird ends 1/15! Join us! Details HERE.

About Lisa Feder

Lisa Feder is a full-time yoga instructor and wellness consultant living in Austin, Texas. She has had a passion for all things wellness for as long as she can remember. While working for over 20 years in the corporate world as a strategic marketing specialist, she began teaching fitness classes in her free time. This led her to explore yoga, and she fell in love with the way it made her and her students feel—physically, emotionally, and energetically. After teaching part-time for many years, she took the leap and started Being Well Yoga, where she brings yoga on-site to companies to help employees learn how to live healthier, more balanced lives. She also teaches in studios, schools, senior centers, parks, and private homes. Her approach is balanced, and she likes to bring humor, challenge, and deep relaxation into her practices.

Lisa is especially interested in helping students find a yoga practice that really works for them, and she believes that yoga can provide more ease and comfort to all. She has seen the effects of a healthy lifestyle on her family as well and wants to share. Through classes, retreats, and workshops, Lisa loves helping people explore how to incorporate healthy habits into their daily lives in a fun and sustainable way. She is working on her first book, about bringing mindful habits into your daily life. Her favorite thing is hearing about the positive changes her participants make for themselves.

Lisa lives and teaches in Austin, Texas. For more information about Lisa, please visit her website.

This Independence Day, I bring you a yoga sequence focused on freedom, the type of internal freedom that most of us struggle with daily. I am speaking about the freedom from stress and emotional pain and the freedom from physical pain. Believe it or not the two are linked. Often our emotional pain is manifested as physical pain. Think when you are stressed and your shoulders tighten. Have you ever thought that the tightness of your hips may be linked to your emotional state? The hip muscles in fact show us a lot about our mental health. Trauma, sadness, fear, anxiety, and sadness can all show up in our hips. In the following sequence I focus on some hip openers to bring you emotional freedom and freedom from physical pain you may experience.

Begin standing, hands to heart’s center, grounding down through your feet, standing tall. On your next inhale, raise your arms to the sky and dive forward, forward fold. You may hold your elbows, drop your head, and sway as you feel your lower back and hamstrings start to release. Slowly place your hands on the floor and walk your feet back out to downward dog, feet hips distance apart. Take deep breaths as you walk your feet out. Press your hips to the sky and drop your neck, feeling the length throughout your back. On your next inhale, raise your right leg to the sky for downdog split. Bend your right lifted knee to start opening the hip. Continue grounding down your left heel to the floor. When you feel ready, bring your right lifted leg through to your hands to low crescent lunge. Make sure your right knee is in line with your toe, and start feeling the stretch through the front of the left hip flexor. Breathe as you reach your arms and chest to the sky. On your next exhale, bend forward, placing your hands inside the knee to lizard lunge. You may even press your right leg open if that feels good to you. After 5-10 breaths here slowly make your way back to downward dog. Repeat on the other side by first raising your left leg.

As we meet together in downward dog, raise your right leg to the sky and bring it through to pigeon pose. Your right knee is forward on the floor, with the shin slightly diagonal. Try to even out your hips by rolling the left hip bone forward. You may find placing a block or pillow under your right hip may help. Slowly bend forward. Pigeon pose is an extremely deep hip opener so stay here for 5-10 breaths and try to allow your hip to release. We naturally want to hold onto the tension that may have been in our bodies for so long, but pigeon pose is a time to allow our mind and bodies to become free of that stress, anxiety, fear. Do not be alarmed if emotional tension also starts to release here. Continue breathing deeply. Allow the release happen. When you are ready, bring your right leg back to downward dog and pedal out the feet. Repeat pigeon pose with the left leg forward.

The last pose of this sequence is wide-angle seated forward bend. Open your legs so you can continue to sit comfortably on the floor without feeling tension. Focus on rotating your thighs out so your knees face directly up. This may be enough opening for you today, or you may feel like you would like to bend forward slowly. Continue bending forward, keeping your knee caps pointing straight up. Breathe here, feel the muscles releasing. After 5 deep breaths, slowly walk your hands back and bring your legs together and into a cross leg position. Bring your hands together to your heart and breathe. Focus on how you feel mentally, physically, on the freedom that happened through these hip openers. This is a short sequence that can be practiced every morning or every night, and you will start to notice the freedom these poses can bring.

About the Author

Alexandra is thrilled to be working with True Nature! As a Yoga Teacher and Artist with a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health, work experience at the Environmental Protection Agency, and a passion for travel, her life’s path weaves into the mission and values of True Nature Travels. Since first traveling to Costa Rica at the age of fourteen to study ecology at remote biological field stations, she saw the power that experiential travel abroad has on one’s growth. Since then, she has worked the organic fields of a spiritual and intentional community and continued to travel, immersing herself in the local cultures.

In my family, Valentine’s Day was never a holiday about romantic love. It was a holiday about love in all its beautiful forms. Family love, friendship love, and, most importantly, self-love. Too often we get so focused on the love of others that we forget the importance of cultivating self-love. These simple steps for falling in love with yourself will help you rebuild that vital relationship with YOU.

Schedule more “me time” to connect with yourself

A little one-on-one time is a key component in any healthy relationship; including your relationship to yourself. Cut out sometime during the day to just be with yourself. Take a long bath, spend a few minutes journaling, take yourself out to dinner… whatever your activity-of-choice just make sure it’s all about you. No distractions, no other people, just you, yourself, and a whole lot of love.

Learn a new skill or hobby to feel a sense of growth

Sometimes we can start to feel stagnant and this sensation of being stuck can cause us to feel disappointed in ourselves. One way to counter this feeling and create an environment in which self-love can thrive is to learn something new. I just started to learn how to knit and every time I create a new thing I feel giddy with excitement. “I did that,” I think, and I am immediately flooded with love for who I am and the things I can do.

Do things you are good at to create pride in yourself

If you aren’t in the mood for something new, why not go back to the old? Contemplate your talents and act on them. Are you a good writer? Write a letter to a friend using your best, most flowery language. Are you an athlete? Join a local club sport or find some time to play the sport of your choice. Amazing at cooking? Invite your friends over for a dinner party! Celebrate, embrace, and display your talents. You will feel proud of what you have accomplished, and a sense of self-love will soon follow.

Surround yourself with supporting, loving people

Some days, loving our selves can be hard. It’s only human. That’s what friends are for. Invite your most complimentary friend over for a cup of tea, go to breakfast with your kindest family member, or go on a date with your partner. Find the people who love you and make time for them. Seeing all the reasons they love you will help you remember why you should love you too.

Remind yourself that are beautiful, inside and out

One of the simplest ways to cultivate self-love is to just sit and think about what it is you love about yourself. Make a list of your favorite non-physical qualities, or stand in front of a mirror and admire all your greatest physical qualities. Or better yet, do both! It may be hard at first, but soon enough you will realize there is a whole lot to love about being YOU.

About the Author

Sarah Dittmore, the Director of Operations at True Nature Travels, is always seeking a new adventure. When she’s not barefoot hiking in the mountains of Peru, kayaking around an island off the coast of Italy, or camping in a rainforest in Costa Rica, Sarah writes about her adventures on her travel blog, Autobiography of an Adventurer. Join her as she travels the world and documents the wild and wonderful things she discovers along the way at www.autobiographyofanadventurer.com.

The New Year is here! With the turn of the year comes the time to let go of everything that happened in 2017 (good and bad) and make room for whatever awaits in 2018. Below are some tips to help you say goodbye to 2017 and embrace 2018 with a warm, enthusiastic welcome.

Before you plan, reflect on what has passed 

The rhetoric around the new year often involved words like “goals,” “resolutions,” and “change”. While I definitely support the focus on growth that the new year brings, I often find people are too quick to jump into the new without taking time to think about the old.

The dawn of the new year isn’t just a time to create goals for the future, but a time to reflect on the past. Take a moment this year to think about everything that happened in 2017. What were the highs? What were the lows? What moments make you feel strong and proud? What moments do you think you could have handled differently? Let 2017 be your teacher and use what you learn from the past year to shape your resolutions for the new year.

Fill this year with the things that nourish you 

On January 1st, 2018, we all throw away our old calendars and turn to the first page of our new one. You have 12 months of blank pages to fill. But don’t let the emptiness fool you. We have all learned from experience that if you are not careful, that year will fill up with unimportant and time-consuming obligations in no time.

When planning your new year, be conscious and mindful of every decision. When an opportunity arises, stop to consider. Does it nourish you? Does it make you feel stronger, healthier, or happier? Does it involve the people and things you love? Take care in crafting your 2018 calendar and it might just be the best year yet.

Don’t let your goals block out opportunities 

Again, I’m all for setting resolutions and creating a plan to achieve some new goals in 2018. I think goal-setting is an important and valuable step in growth. But I think it is just as important for growth to be open to things you may not have even thought of yet.

This year, set some solid, achievable goals and create a plan to meet them. At the same time, make an effort to stay open to opportunity. You never know when and in what form it will come to you and you don’t want to be so focused on your goals that you miss the chance to experience whatever wonders await in 2018!

This New Year, make it all about YOU! 

2018 is the year of YOU. Whether it’s making time to soak in the tub every week, joining a local sports club you’ve always been curious about, or going on a life-changing global adventure, let 2018 be all about things that make your body, mind, and soul happier than ever. Above all, that’s what I believe the New Year should be about. During the holidays we spend so much time focusing on the needs of others, so let the New Year be about returning to the self and making a commitment to prioritize your needs again.

About the Author

Sarah Dittmore is always seeking a new adventure. When she’s not barefoot hiking in the mountains of Peru, kayaking around an island off the coast of Italy, or camping in a rainforest in Costa Rica, Sarah writes about her adventures on her travel blog, Autobiography of an Adventurer. Join her as she travels the world and documents the wild and wonderful things she discovers along the way at www.autobiographyofanadventurer.com.

This morning, I woke up to the first snow of the season. I wrapped my sweater around me, brewed a warm cup of tea, and watched the snowflakes collect on my window. I have always been a huge fan of winter. It is so peaceful and full of magic. But I am not a fan of the cold. Which is why, over the years, I’ve compiled a list of ways to stay warm no matter what the weather. Today I am sharing with you five ways that you can stay warm this winter so that you can enjoy all the winter spirit without catching a cold.

1. Keep your kitchen stalked with warming spices

Whether it’s ginger to keep your throat soothed, cayenne to clear your sinuses, or turmeric to support your immune system, spices can be a great way to warm yourself from the inside and keep your body protected throughout the season. In Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medicine of India, spices are used to keep your body in balance throughout the various changes in the season.

2. A mug of tea a day keeps the doctor away

A cup of tea can warm more than just your throat. The right kind of tea can soothe your soul, calm your body, and keep you warm all winter long. Some people opt for a more health-oriented tea while others might long for a seasonal-themed tea. Whatever your cup of tea, it’s bound to keep you healthy, happy, and warm.

3. Don’t let the winter blues get you down

Keeping warm this winter isn’t just about your body. It is about your mind as well. Help fight the winter blues by filling your days with activities that make you feel warm and fuzzy. For some that might mean a soothing bubble bath, for others a good book. Maybe for you, it is time spent with your loved ones or a drink with a friend you don’t see often enough. If you want to feel warm all the way to the soul this winter, add some self-love to your schedule.

4. Stay warm this winter by staying active

Many of us become lethargic in the winter. The cold weather, grey skies, and rainy days make you want to curl up and stay inside. But it is important to stay active even when the weather cools down. Try taking up a new yoga class or experimenting with a workout routine you’ve always been curious about. At-home yoga and fitness videos can also be a great way to stay active when you don’t want to leave the house. Getting your sweat on will help you stay warm this winter and keep your body in shape all season.

5. Get away from the cold and escape to warmer climates

It may just be that the best way to stay warm this winter is to get away from the cold. Treat yourself to a warm weather vacation (perhaps a yoga retreat in sunny Costa Rica) and soak in those rays of sunshine while you can. Not only will it give you a brief respite from the cold, but it will refuel you and help you make it through the rest of the winter.

About the Author

Sarah Dittmore is always seeking a new adventure. When she’s not barefoot hiking in the mountains of Peru, kayaking around an island off the coast of Italy, or camping in a rainforest in Costa Rica, Sarah writes about her adventures on her travel blog, Autobiography of an Adventurer. Join her as she travels the world and documents the wild and wonderful things she discovers along the way at www.autobiographyofanadventurer.com.