Blog
Meditation Therapy: A Life-Changing Combination
Meditation. Therapy. Two different words, two distinct experiences. Or so I thought…. I have experienced a lot of great therapy off and on over the years. My nagging feelings of dissatisfaction and annoyance with the world (in spite of many successes) are often what landed me in “the chair.”…
Meditation and Breathing Techniques Can Help You Alleviate Anxiety and Panic
Find yourself feeling depressed, anxious, or fearful due to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak and the uncertain circumstances it has brought? The CDC assures us that it’s a natural reaction to the stress of having our normal routines and usual social interactions changed so drastically in such an abrupt manner…
Finding Your Happiness: Why is it so Elusive?
When most people are questioned about what will bring them happiness, they list good health, wealth or a successful career, fulfilling and successful relationships, and the ability to pursue work they find satisfying. While most individuals can explain that they want a happy life, a growing number of people…
Mindful Eating, Mindful Living
The start of a new decade. Time to turn over a new leaf and set some goals. Let me guess, are “manage my stress” and “lose some weight” on your list? Consider this: you can kill two birds with one stone by committing to a practice of mindfulness….
Laugh Yourself to Health and Happiness with Laughter Yoga
Why would I want to try laughter yoga in Charlotte? Laughter yoga is the best medicine, or this modern twist certainly goes a long way to being so. Laughter has always been seen to be contagious, and when one laughs, it is hard not to laugh along. The reason…
Ayurveda: Healing with Foods and Meditation
Ayurveda, or the science of life, is one of the oldest systems of natural health care. Originating in India over 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda is now considered one of the leading forms of holistic medicine available in the West. Concept Ayurveda treats the root cause of illnesses, not just…
Help Us Help Children, Become a Youth Meditation Instructor
Youth Meditation has served thousands of children across the Carolinas. Here is how our program is helping kids… and teachers: “There was a lot of conflict in my family but when she taught us these techniques it was like opening another door to more peace within the…
Three Ways to Outwit Social Anxiety During the Holidays
Guru Ranjit Deora’s recent interview with Mitra Malek offers mindfulness strategies you can use to help avoid the pitfalls of social anxiety during this holiday season. Feel overwhelmed? Of course you do. That’s the downside to this time of year: gift shopping, house decorating, coordinating schedules, planning meals, attending events. It…
Managing Holiday Stress with Mindfulness and Gratitude
Starting around mid-November, my stress has a way of whirling itself into a tornado of chaos. So many things to prepare, to remember, to DO – people to reach out to, family relationships to manage, presents to buy, food to cook, errands to run! Traffic increasing, long lines at…
Weaving a Tapestry of Laughter and Joy Around the Pillars of Your Life
Carrying Guru Ranjit’s words as inspiration, “Breathing and meditation are the two pillars of life that make the building solid,” I walked in to a local elementary school, excited to begin my first solo lesson of the fall as a certified meditation teacher. Representing Youth Meditation (the non-profit arm…
Stop Waiting and Start Living
I get up in the morning. I look at my calendar. I have an appointment at 2 PM. So what do I do? I unconsciously slip into a state of “waiting”. Thinking about what’s ahead. Am I prepared? Are all the ducks in a row? Looking at my navigation…
It’s All About the Crumbs
I used to think my mindfulness practice was measured by my patience in traffic, my skill in letting go of results or my ability to reduce judgment when interacting with stupid people. However, I have lately realized that my barometer for mindfulness is all about the crumbs….my husband’s crumbs,…
Mindfulness Helps Financial Anxiety
How to Survive Tough Economic Times and Manage Your Anxiety Housing market is in a slump, stock prices falling, food prices rising, and government bailouts of banks making the news each week, it’s no surprise that many people are feeling anxious about the economy and their financial well being….
Enlightened Living and Higher Consciousness
Karma means action and reaction, cause and effect, the cycle of action and its consequences. Actions can be divided into two broad groups: those with a selfless motive, which are rare, and those with selfish motivation, which are common. Selfish actions can result in joy or pain, or a mixture…
Downsize Your Work Stress
Where there’s work, there’s stress.
Deadlines, meetings on top of meetings, difficult boss, unpleasant coworkers, they all can put a little stress in your life. Try incorporating these changes into your day to help remedy work stress…
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
It’s been 15 years since I began practicing mindfulness meditation and I daresay I have learned a thing or two about how I can actively support my mental health. After dabbling in this ‘n that along the way, I have discovered my best self on a daily basis by implementing these foundational “tricks”.