All articles, tagged with “yoga”

One of the many things to appreciate about the holiday season is the spirit of giving and interconnectedness. Candice and I visited a place that embodies that spirit throughout the year.

The Gathering Place is an amazing place, located in a business park on the east side of Cleveland (they also have a west-side location in Westlake). Their mission is to support, educate and empower individuals and families touched by cancer through programs and services provided free of charge.

It is most certainly “a community of sharing and support that promotes healing and wellness.”

From the moment you enter, you are met with peace. As you walk into the foyer, you see an artistic slate of inspirational quotations and are soon greeted by a warm and welcoming staff. A tranquil waiting room (called the “living room”) contains artwork, a fountain, peaceful background music and contemplative books. The pace of life really slows down when you enter this caring space.

We were given a tour of the facilities and impressed by the number of services that are offered, and all of it for FREE. There is art therapy, massage, yoga, a gym, nutrition and cooking classes, performances, an extensive library and even a garden — an amazing natural oasis in the middle of “9 to 5 paced” Commerce Park in Beachwood.

In addition to our appreciation for such a place, we were struck by two things. First, we noticed artwork on the walls by participants in the art therapy program and even by local artists who had their work displayed. Images of nature were everywhere.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to us because we are always on a quest to commune with nature and share those experiences, but we were pleased to see so many natural images in the artwork that further enhances this healing and supportive environment.

The second thing that entered our thoughts was that The Gathering Place gives people who are touched by cancer the opportunity to experience the best things in life. I kept thinking, “who wouldn’t want this?” All of us could benefit from embodying this kind of positive, supportive and healing energy. Imagine a world in which this lifestyle is our paradigm.

The Gathering Place has further inspired us to create that kind of life for ourselves as we inspire others to give themselves that gift as well.

Click on this link if you’re interested in discovering ways to support this fantastic place.

This Saturday, June 26 from 9 am to 9 pm, we’re offering a free track for you to download from the brand new CD, “Waterflow II — Music for Relaxation.”

To view the Facebook Event details, click here.

Hope to see you there!

We’re pleased to announce the official release of “Waterflow II — Music for Relaxation!” These five calming tracks that contain soothing music blended with recordings of water can transport you instantly to a place of deep relaxation.

With this CD, you can reconnect with nature at any time of the day for better focus, peace or creative inspiration.

Join us for our Facebook Event on Saturday, June 26, 2010 for the opportunity to download one of the tracks from the album for FREE. For event details, click here.

Here are some places where you can purchase the brand new album (physical CD version):

• Whole Foods Market — University Heights in Cleveland, Ohio
• Whole Foods Market — Dublin in Columbus, Ohio
• Whole Foods Market — Upper Arlington in Columbus, Ohio
• Amazon.com
• CDBaby.com

• iTunes
• Amazon.com
• Omstream.com (where members receive a 25% discount on downloads)
• CDBaby.com
• GCCreativeStudio.com

This sample video gives you a taste of the album. Just press play and allow the scenery and sounds to take you to a quiet, inspiring place…

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about exercise, so I thought I would write about what has worked for me. Here’s some food for thought when it comes to either starting or varying your exercise routine.

I found an interesting quote from Carol Welch about movement (which I translated into exercise) today:

“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional and mental states.”

Exercise is different for everyone, so there is no “catch-all” prescription for a successful routine. Choose what’s right for you.

Here’s what I do to keep it fresh since I exercise 5 to 6 days a week for 50 to 51 weeks out of the year (I take off a full week to let my body just BE).

Ten Tips To A Better Exercise Routine in 2010

1. As you do indoor cardiovascular training (i.e., running, elliptical training, rowing, etc.), become aware of sensations in your body and just observe them. Also, observe your breath at different times during the workout. This meditation in motion keeps your mind from focusing on how much longer you have to go.

2. Try doing cardio activities outside in an inspiring setting. It’s so much easier to enjoy the workout when you’re surrounded by beauty. In the winter, try cross country skiing.

3. When lifting weights or doing resistance training, focus on the muscle group that you are training as you lift. Feel that muscle as you perform the movement. Visualize that area receiving benefit from your work.

4. Find a training program online or in a magazine that gives you a fresh new approach while guiding you through a time period that is long enough to effortlessly form a new habit.

5. Find an exercise friend. This could be someone you exercise with or it could be a friend that you report your exercise activity to in a short e-mail. It’s fun to exercise with someone else or to embark on a new program with someone else. That accountability also helps you form a habit.

6. Write out some fitness goals. You could specify weight loss goals or you could write out your routine before you start. You can keep track of your reps and sets in a notebook with weightlifting, but you could also project some targets for the next week, month or three months. Check in with these goals once per week and revise whatever is necessary.

7. Try different forms of exercise. My fitness routine includes weight lifting, mountain biking, indoor cardio, Qigong, yoga, walking around the neighborhood, hiking in nature, cross country skiing, riding my bike to errands and whatever else helps me to stay in shape and have fun.

8. If you’re trying to get started, start by setting a time each day that you will begin to associate with movement. Writing down your plans will further solidify your intention. You could start by saying, “I will walk for 20 minutes after dinner,” or “I will walk up and down the steps a few times before breakfast.” As soon as you associate a certain time of day with planned exercise of some form, you end that struggle to get your routine started.

9. Do some form of stretching in the morning. This doesn’t have to be a formal practice, but I really benefit from yoga after I awaken and meditate. A morning stretching routine eases you into the day and energizes your body. It also makes it easier to exercise later in the day because the intention for good health is there and your increased flexibility makes exercise more effective.

10. Start today! The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you won’t start. If you’ve already started, congratulations! I hope some of the ideas above will help you to be more creative in your approach.

Let’s end today’s post with two more inspiring images from Sanibel Island, Florida at sunrise.