25Oct 2013 by Barbara No Comments

WILL DOING JUST YOGA MAKE ME FIT

Brave Bodies, Fitness, Yoga
Yoga – that is the physical, exercise-related aspect of yoga – is often hailed as the panacea for lack of fitness. Do nothing else but practice yoga, every day, and you will be in in the best shape of your life. Right? Well, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but not quite. Don't get me wrong. If you were to do nothing else but yoga, you would still benefit greatly. Yoga is fantastic for a million reasons. But, like any other activity, it should form only a part of your wellness and fitness regime, not the only part. Remember; we are animals that have evolved to survive in our environment. Our modern comforts are just a blip on the unfathomably long line of evolution. Although most of us are hopelessly…
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21Oct 2013 by Barbara No Comments

A STROKE OF INSIGHT INTO HOW MEDITATION WORKS

Health, Video
Yesterday I spoke to my friend about one of the most fascinating talks I have heard about the human brain.  So this link is for Peggi, and the rest of you, too, because I think everyone should see it. This is an amazing story of a neuro-anatomist who experiences a stroke and shares her experience -- terrifying and beautiful at the same time -- and subsequent painstaking recovery.  One thing that particularly caught my attention in her talk was her experience of "nirvana." I think she has provided a scientific explanation of how it can actually happen. Her left part of the brain, responsible for one's sense of self, for maintaining a border between us and the outside world, suffered the hemorrhage, letting her right hemisphere take over...and she felt…
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02Oct 2013 by Barbara No Comments

NINE TIPS FOR HAPPY FEET AND HEALTHY BACKS

Backs, Wellness
Walking is really a controlled falling forward. Do you “fall forward” safely and effectively? It will largely depend on the shoes you wear. Your shoes are your contact with the ground and provide support for your body. Good support facilitates good posture, and good posture keeps the spine healthy – and vice versa. But our shoes are often less than ideal in doing their main job. We often go for the way they look more than whether they are actually good for us, whether we are women or men, and can develop serious health issues as a result. Here are some simple things you can do to help keep your feet – and the rest of you – in good shape: Don't skimp on quality when buying shoes. This one…
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01Oct 2013 by Barbara No Comments

THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

Health, Wellness
Hello lovely people. Before you rush on, just pause for a moment and observe this great body you've got. Are you sitting well? Are your legs crossed? Lower back round? Shoulders hunching forward? Head hanging heavy off the stem of your spine like the Giant Russian sunflower in late August? Now, I will bet anything that as you read this, you have changed your posture. Have you sat up straighter and uncrossed your legs? If you have, fantastic. And all it took can be summed up in one little but important word: AWARENESS. I brought your attention to the right place, and you automatically did the rest. Having a high level of awareness, whether it be of our physical bodies or of our mental processes, is a type of skill.…
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