READ: Heart Space Yoga ~ Hip for the Holidays by Krista Bromfield
December 7, 2011 by Krista
Filed under •-Headline, Classes and Workshops, Yoga
In the world of yoga the hips are often referred to as the ‘junk drawer’ because they can store a lot of baggage, old relationship energy and make us ‘stuck in our ways’ if they are not balanced. Energetically when the chakra associated with hips (known as Svadhishthana Chakra) is balanced – we can easily ‘go with the flow’, accept change in our lives and get our creative juices flowing. On a physical level, the hips are quite literally ‘Grand Central Station’. Tightness, weakness or muscle imbalances in the hips can affect the joints, muscles and bones below (such as knees, ankles and feet) and above (such as the shoulders and neck).
This holiday season, practice the sequence outlined here to bring strength, balance and stabilty to the hips and the surrounding muscles and tissues. All you need is a wall, a block and non-slip mat. Begin by practicing a few rounds of your favorite Sun Salutations (here is a basic one if you would like to follow along) to create some heat and warm up the body. Then practice the four poses demonstrated below. End your practice with Savasana (the longer the better – so take a 5 minute Savasana if time is short – a 20 minute one if have a bit longer – your body and mind will thank you!).
Align the short edge of your mat with the wall. Standing approximately a leg length away from the wall, raise your left leg up until it is parallel to the floor and place your left foot flat against the wall with the toes pointing up. Your right leg should be directily underneath you. Check in with your pelvis to make sure it is in a neutral position (you will probably have to ‘untuck’ your tailbone a bit to bring your pelvic bowl into a balanced position). Lift your pelvic floor and draw your belly button in and up. Inhale to reach arms up overhead so there is a straight line through wrists, ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Exhale to release shoulders down and back. Hold for 5 breaths.
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Release your arms and walk your left foot over a few inches to the right. Your right foot and body does a quarter turn clock wise as you open up the adductors (inner thigh muscles) of the left leg. Your right leg is underneath your pelvis (not out to the side) and the hips are as level as possible. Find your balance, lift your pelvic floor and draw your belly button in and up. Inhale to reach your arms overhead, exhale to draw shoulders down and back. Hold for 5 breaths.
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With the support of a block under your right arm, transition into Half Moon Pose. Your left foot will do another quarter turn clock wise against the wall so the toes now point forward and the right foot on the floor will turn so the toes point away from the wall. Open up the hips so the left hip stacks on top of the right. Lenghten both sides of the torso equally and reach your left arm up on an inhale, exhale to press equally into both of your feet and your right hand. Hold for 5 breaths.
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Do one final quarter turn to face the mat. Bring your left hand to the block and square your hips to the floor. Your left toes will now point down the wall as you internally rotate your left thigh and square your hips to the floor. Your left leg should be parallel to the floor and your torso long and parallel to the floor as well. Press into the block with both hands to lift the chest and shoulders. Hold for 5 breaths.
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Repeat the entire sequence on the other side!
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Krista Bromfield
Krista Bromfield is a senior teacher at Balanced Life Yoga, a RYT, Can-Fit-Pro PRO Trainer, Mom and Auntie. She has an Honors Degree in Kinesiology and Education, and is the lead Anatomy Instructor for the Balanced Life Yoga Teacher Training Programs. Krista teaches a variety of classes including Power Yoga, Partner Yoga, Kids Yoga, Yog-ahhh, Prenatal Yoga, Stroller Fitness and Mom and Baby Yoga Bootcamp. She also leads Prenatal Yoga and 2UNITE Partner Yoga Teacher Training Certifications.
Read more from VividLife.me Bloggers:
The Magical Power of Giving Blessings by Sharon Gannon
No matter how many good deeds you do or the many profound and intelligent thoughts you have or words you may say, what people will remember most about you is how you made them feel. If you really want to be loved by others, it is helpful to learn ways to make others feel good…
Why Your Intellect Is An Obstacle to Yoga by Ed and Deb Shapiro
Although it has its roots in Hinduism, yoga transcends the limitations of religion; it stands alone. Yoga means union; it is waking up to the beauty both within ourselves and realizing the sacredness of all life. And it is the expression of love: loving yourself and others, which frees us from a chaotic mind, negativity and neurosis…
VividLife Recommends- Upcoming Social Media Boot Camp for Authors
December 6, 2011 by VividLife Editorial
Filed under •-Headline, Classes and Workshops, Events, Social Media
If you are an Author or are considering writing a book, then you really want to check out this upcoming webinar offered by LileStyle Productions, LLC.
It’s a Social Media Boot Camp for Authors!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 from 2pm – 3:30pm Eastern (11am – 12:30pm Pacific)
During this webinar you will learn Why Facebook and Twitter work and how you can use them to build an audience and keep them engaged with you and your message.
Here is an overview of the presentation:
1. Understanding how people interact with Facebook.
2. Why Facebook works to drive engagement with your message.
3. A brief tutorial about setting up your Facebook Page.
4. Understanding how people interact with Twitter.
5. Why Twitter works to drive engagement with your message.
6. What’s with Google+ and whether you should be putting yourself there.
7. Why it’s important to listen to social media.
8. Learn how to use promotions and advertising to build up a following.
Click Here to Learn More=====>
About your Presenter:
When Angie Lile was in the second grade, she was constantly writing sentences during recess time…
“I shall not talk in class”
“I shall not talk in class”
“I shall not talk in class”
Even at a young age she was embracing her love for communicating messages. It’s no surprise that Angie has found her way into the hearts of some of the world’s most profound spiritual authors which have given her the responsibility of amplifying their messages to people all over the world.
Using the video skills she acquired from the New York-based Food Network coupled with her years of social media expertise, Angie has grown her business to include many more writers, while she continues to expand on her social media training.
Each year Angie attends Social Media Seminars led by the World’s most successful Social Media leaders in Industry Marketing. She has learned Twitter tactics from Guy Kowasaki and some really great Facebook strategies from the experts who handle Hallmark, Southwest Airlines and Sprint.
Many hours are spent each day pouring over social media news about trends and disasters, making her a literal Maven on the subject. All of her friends agree that if you mention Social Media in Angie’s presence, you might not get her to shut up!
Along with managing accounts for several authors and for VividLife.me, Angie has provided Social Media advice to some of the world’s top Authors including: Neale Donald Walsch, Author of Conversations with God and other New York Times best-selling books; Hay House Author Doreen Virtue who has written over 20 books about Angels and Spirituality; and Ghost Whisperer’s Producer and World Famous Medium, James Van Praagh just to name a few.
Here is what Neale Donald Walsch has to say about Angie’s expertise:
“Angie Lile knows the Social Media world inside and out, making it not necessary for me to. I have been able to focus on my life’s work, knowing I’ve got Angie behind me. Using the combined tools of CWG’s wonderful insights and Angie’s remarkable expertise, a wide and continuously enlarging audience has been able to be satisfied in their search for this message. When I was young, those with something to say had to find their audience. Today our audience is trying to find us. Angie’s genius is to render my message easily findable and visually accessible. All I have to do is source the material. For me this is heaven, because I don’t want to have to know all that Angie knows in order to get done all that I want to get done. Do you suppose that ‘Angie” is short for ‘Angel’?”
Click Here to Learn More=====>
EXPERIENCE: A THREE DAY SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL RETREAT
November 26, 2011 by VividLife Editorial
Filed under •-Feature, Arts & Entertainment, Classes and Workshops, Events, Journeys, Personal Growth, Spiritual Retreats, Spirituality, Travel
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We would like to personally invite you to a 3 day Spiritual Awakening retreat like no other at the Award Winning Grail Springs Retreat Centre
Everyone has a story, a journey and an inner truth. Join myself ~ Shayne Traviss and Sharon Quirt as we present an inspirational weekend of workshop which could catalyze a personal awakening like no other…
A three day journey in Surviving the human experience as a spiritual being with the inspirational Shayne Traviss, Yogi and creator of VividLife.me and Spiritual Coach, Hay House Author and radio host Sharon Quirt!January 27th to 29th 2012
We look forward to meeting you, Shayne Traviss & Sharon Quirt |
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Spiritual Survival
A journey to surviving the human experience as a spiritual being
Experience this three day journey into surviving the human experience as a spiritual being at the award winning Grail Springs Retreat Centre in the mineral capital of the world ~ Bancroft, Ontario
Using the three R’s of Spiritual Survival, best-selling Hay House author and Spiritual Counselor, Sharon Quirt and Yoga Instructor and founder of VividLife.me , Shayne Traviss will guide you on a journey of Revisiting , Reframing and Redesigning your life so that you can live a life with true Spiritual Happiness.
Spiritual Survival is about learning to use the three R’s in recycling in a new way. You will learn to Revisit, Reframe and Redesign your life, to step out of the darkness of your story and into the light of your spiritual truth. Using the lessons learned you will be able to redesign a life filled with spiritual happiness.
All of us have a story, a journey and an inner truth. This retreat will provide you with the keys to true healing and offer you the wisdom to learn from your story and redesign the life you were born to live!
RETREAT PACKAGES STARTING AT JUST $485 A SAVINGS OF 25%
INCLUDES…
Entrance to Spiritual Survival Workshops PLUS
Spa Included: Classes & Activities:
Facilities:
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Retreat ItineraryFriday
Saturday
Sunday
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EXPERIENCE: Global thinker, futurist, author, and extra-ordinary woman, BARBARA MARX HUBBARD in Toronto
October 31, 2011 by VividLife Editorial
Filed under •-Headline, Classes and Workshops, Conferences, Events
Keynote Teacher at the Birth 2012 – Co-Creating a Consciousness Shift event.
Friday,Nov. 4 and Saturday, November 5, 2011
Unity Church, 173 Eglington Ave. W.
Full conference ticket: $175 includes lunch on Saturday if pre-registered
Friday only: 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - $35
Saturday only: 9:30am to 5:30pm – ticket $140 includes lunch if pre-registered
Register at http://www.gaiacentre.org/birth2012
or call Gaia Centre, Carol Kilby, at 705-754-2427
or e-mail info@gaiacentre.org
WHY YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE BARBARA and the BIRTH 2012 EVENT:
Catch the hope! Barbara Marx Hubbard , founder of Foundation for Conscious Evolution, Institute for Global New Thought, and “the most informed futurist on the planet.” Buckminster Fuller inspires a hopeful and positive vision of what we are becoming. Her books and films acknowledge our personal and social potential when we follow our vocational arousal and tap into our own regenerative powers!
Gain clarity! You have a part in the global shift toward a resilient future.
Get excited! Take home empowering ideas, connections and ways to birth your creative ideas.
Experience the mystery! Feel the synergistic convergence of needs and resources, crisis and opportunities, unknowns and visions driving this evolutionary moment.
Find your power! Co-create clear intentions for a future that works for the whole Earth community.
READ: What’s In Your Name?
October 28, 2011 by Gangaji
Filed under •-Feature, Classes and Workshops, Enlightenment, Health & Well-being, Insights, Motivation, Personal Growth, Reflection, Spiritual teachers, Spirituality
A revealing exercise was discovered with a group of people interested in living freely, unencumbered by past definitions of themselves. When a person said her own name and then said what that name meant to her, self-definitions from childhood were exposed. Usually, if not always, these definitions of themselves were negative to at least some degree. Even if names had been changed, the old name still had hidden power, and hidden power is the most insidious. Many of these intelligent, bright, aware adults were carrying old burdens of negative self-identification within them. When a friend repeated the question, “What is your name and what does it mean?” layers of excess mental and emotional baggage could be recognized and dropped.
Naming is an extremely useful aspect of human intelligence. With naming we are able to make important distinctions. Distinctions are necessary for our survival, as well as mental and emotional growth and well being. With more sophisticated naming we develop more subtle and sophisticated distinctions. But great powers often come with a high cost. As we develop our ability to make distinctions and generate names, we usually lose sight of the connection between things.
And this is a tragic loss, a loss that generates dissatisfaction, restlessness and worse.
Names accumulate meanings associated with their owners. Over time, derogatory meanings can become embedded in our self-identification. We begin to believe that we are what our names, or labels, say we are. Even if we rebel against them, our names can seem like a kind of map of our persona, a map that defines how we are separate from others.
In the willingness to inquire into one’s own name, and with that inquiry the willingness to face unpleasant feelings, there arises the possibility to see through the name. We can see that the name has no substance by itself. We can see the unreality of the name per se, while the reality of oneself remains constant.
How burdensome these labels and distinctions are finally. All along didn’t you know your name didn’t describe who you are? And yet we spend much of life trying to accept a name as the symbol of our identity, or rebelling against one name and taking another in hopes that perhaps the new name will be a true description of ourselves. Some of us take animal spirit names, we accept names from our gurus (I did), and we have secret, special lover-given names that feel more like a fit for us. But if we tell the truth, no name can contain our true identity. Once we stop trying to name ourselves, and others, there is an obvious yet thrilling discovery. We are not actually discrete from one another, or from the “mountain” or “the ocean” or “the sky” or any other part of our universe. What were important distinctions for survival and power aren’t needed at all in self-reflection.
As Alfred Korzybski pointed out eighty years ago, “The map is not the territory.” If you only know the map you won’t experience the territory. If we try to fit ourselves, and others, into maps and labels, we will miss the essential thrill of being aware of ourselves as inseparable from all life forms.
Why not try this game with a friend? One of you asks the other, “What is your name and what does it mean.” Repeat this question for ten minutes or so before switching roles. When you are asking the question, be sure to include nicknames, and even hateful names you have been called. You can discover for yourself if you want to keep carrying around any old heavy baggage associated with any name at all.
Gangaji will present her new book, Hidden Treasure: Uncovering the Truth in Your Life Story, at a weekend retreat in the San Francisco Bay Area on October 29-30. In November and December she will hold retreats and weekends in Australia and New Zealand. Read more about Gangaji’s events and catalog of books and videos online. You can also join Gangaji in monthly Webcast / Conference Series which will begin an in depth study of Hidden Treasure in November.
