Let’s also look at how beauty is defined in different cultures. In the west, a fit, slim, muscularly defined body is en vogue. The media dictates what is beautiful and what is unacceptable. This summation leads many people into painful surgeries and a misguided identification of natural beauty. You are unique, bound by the genetic soup that makes up your lineage creating the most exquisitely perfect ‘You’. It is insane to believe that we should all fit comfortably into this generalized image presented to us. I found an interesting contrast to our western perception of beauty while living in India. On the street, you see the starving masses everywhere. They are thin, hungry and dirty. Because India’s cultural foundation is caste-based, the higher classes consider ‘thin’ to be undesirable. “Thin” represents the lower castes living in poverty and starvation, therefore, the higher classed women purposely wrap their saris to accentuate the fleshy folds of fat cascading down their backs. This is a cultural means of demonstrating their income and the ability to eat enough to create excess weight. Becoming pleasantly plump is a visual affirmation of wealth and status. Another interesting cultural perception there is skin color. Here in the states, people seek a sun-kissed glow and find dark, sultry skin to be highly valued. We buy passes to the tanning salons or vacation in sunny regions to bask in the sun and deepen our complexion. In India, to be naturally fair is yet another symbol of status and is highly coveted. Seeking “beauty” at all costs, they slather skin bleach all over their doe-colored complexions hoping to garner more social respect and elevate their status.

How does this relate to gratitude? I’d like you to consider that no matter what your definition of beauty is, your body is ‘aware’ of the signals you send it via your feelings, thoughts and words. Keep reading…

In yoga class, we talk about the mind-body connection. This simply means that the mind and body are interrelated. That they are not separate entities, but masterfully inter-twined. To support this scientifically, in the book, “Your Body Speaks Your Mind”, the author explains the roll of neuropeptides. These ‘messengers’ deliver information from the brain to the cells of the body creating a physical response. If you’re sad, tears are secreted. If you’re nervous, your palms sweat. If you’re angry, your heart rate increases. Basically, our emotions translate into chemicals triggering a somatic response within the body. The author concludes that “Neuropeptides provide the link between perception, feelings, and thought, on the one hand…with the brain, hormonal secretions (such as adrenaline), and every cell of the body, including the immune system on the other hand, thereby creating a single, whole-body communications system. In other words, each part or system of your body is listening and responding to your mental chatter- your every thought and feeling.”

In Masaru Emoto’s fascinating book, “The True Power of Water”, the author explains how he successfully froze water and photographed the resulting crystals. He used specialized photography equipment and lighting to capture the crystals that formed as the ice began to melt. These crystals, resembling jewel-like shapes, unfolded in front of the camera like delicately blooming flowers, each one opening into a unique multidimensional design. How does this relate to our subject of gratitude? Emoto labeled the glasses of water with words such as “thank you” or “love and gratitude”. He also experimented with negative words such as “hate you” and “you fool”. Guess what? The crystals labeled with positive words responded by opening up into beautifully balanced crystals. The water with the negative words either did not form crystals at all, or formed ugly, disproportionate globules. They took the experiment further and played symphonies by Mozart, Bach and other classical and modern masters. They prayed over the water. Each time the information was of a positive nature, the water responded by forming gem-like crystals, all radiating the ‘feeling’ of the information being transmitted to it. In like response, water that ‘heard’ heavy metal or song lyrics of an explicit or violent nature responded with broken or erratic formations, appearing extremely disturbed. Cell phones, microwaves and lap top computers had a similar, negative affect. They also experimented on jars of rice labeling them with “thank you” and “you fool”. A third jar was left unlabeled and ignored. The jars sat for a month. The “thank you” rice turned yellow with a mellow, malty odor. The rice labeled “you fool” turned black and rotted. The rice that was ignored actually rotted and blackened before the “you fool” rice, sending us another possible message. Often we ignore our bodies when they are communicating by means of symptoms. Many times, we deny our pain, whether it’s physical or even emotional, until illness or disease sets in forcing us to listen and take action. Because the ‘language’ of the body is felt rather than heard, bringing your awareness into your body is very beneficial to your health and well being. Meditation and yoga function as tools to do just that.

How does all this relate to our subject? Our adult bodies are seventy percent water. Infants are eighty percent water. Those neuropeptides we learned of earlier carry their information via bodily fluids. So, do our thoughts, words and emotions affect our bodies? You bet. Let’s go back to my original question. When you look in the mirror at the image staring back at you, what do you think, or even say to it? Do you berate it or criticize? Punish or abuse it? Do you feed it compliments, nutritious foods, exercise it gently and praise it? No doubt, whatever the message, your body is listening. Thoughts and words are pure energy and vibration. We send out this energy like a radio wave via electrical brainwaves. Your body is innately connected and tuned into this frequency. Becoming aware of this can mean the difference between illness and balanced health.

Your body is a temple to your soul and deeply connected to the interplay of thoughts and emotions within the mind. It’s time we become aware and reconnect with our chosen form of spiritual transportation. This is where visualization and meditation come into the picture. Meditation is soothing to the nervous system and is scientifically proven to reduce stress and support the immune system. Visualization is a form of meditation allowing you to relax and focus on positive mental images that heal and support your body. Mr. Emoto noted that the most dazzling crystals formed under the words “love and gratitude”. Keeping that in mind, I’m offering you an easy meditation to send gratitude to your body. Try it. You can actually feel the body’s endorphin response as you thank the different organs and cells. You can do this meditation in bed before going to sleep or upon waking in the morning. Click on “pages and links” to access the guided meditation.

Also, let me share something with you that I tried recently. My entire family was ill with a nasty stomach bug during these past two weeks. Even my “I never get sick” husband fell prey to it. I was caring for my little ones throughout, cleaning up messes (if you know what I mean) and tentatively accepting slobbery kisses from my little toddler all along. Needless to say, I was exposed in a major way to this bad bug that put my daughter in the hospital but I never got sick. And stomach bugs love me. I’m like a gut bug magnet. Why didn’t I get sick? I’m pretty convinced its because I labeled a piece of paper with “love and gratitude”, “strong immunity”, and “good health”, then rubber banded it to a glass of water. Sound crazy? I drank from it everyday, religiously. I was determined to stay well. Sometimes I charged it with a silent prayer for healing and health. By doing this, I was communicating to my body and sending it powerful armor through my thoughts, and into my subconscious mind keeping that virus at bay.

My next article will be on the benefits of a vegetarian and/or vegan diet. Prepare for some surprising information that may change the way you look at your food. I’ll also include some of my favorite, super easy recipes and a short list of cookbooks that support a meat-free lifestyle.

Until next time,

Namaste

My next article will be on Gratitude and will include a meditation script which I hope to record on MP3 for your use as a morning and/ or evening meditation. I will discuss how to “thank your body” into balanced health. Sounds a little different, I know, but the mental and physical results are almost tangible. It will give you a new-found perspective on your physical body. The book I’ll be using to support the article is by Masaru Emoto called The True Power of Water. My good friend and fitness colleague, Scott Jenkins gave me the book months ago as a gift. Little did he and I know I’d be using it in a future blog.

Also in the near future, I’ll be advising you on the benefits of a vegetarian and/or vegan diet. I’ll give you some great recipes and show you how to safely shed 2-5 pounds in as little as 7-10 days– a fabulous way to kick-start into a more wholesome, conscientious diet and bestow a feeling of lightness to encourage you in your weight management goals. I’ll also present some topics on diet and nutrition that will be addressed in more detail in my upcoming book. I’m still gathering research and pulling chapters together at this point, but I hope to be looking for a publisher by years end.

In addition to all this, I’m excited to be installing a newsletter on my site very soon, allowing me to better communicate and serve my audience and students. I’m also embarking upon something I’ve toyed with for a few years: Personal Training. I’m preparing for my P.T. Certification through AFAA and will pass my exam the first weekend in May. I will then be qualified to offer a ‘hybrid’ personal training program that marries weight training with yoga and visualization. Along with nutritional support and a technique to integrate mind, body and spirit, the mix should make for a very dynamic training experience!

I’d like to offer yoga retreats to Mexico by Fall 2007. I’m putting together a tentative itinerary and daily schedule. As you can see, I’m a planner. It’s the Girl Scout in me (or just being a mother of five kids). I want to offer a retreat that will leave you begging for more … and always coming back. We could all use more beauty, relaxation and yoga in our lives, right?!

Just a note … remember, I am a certified Reiki healing practitioner. If you have healing requests, e-mail me at donna@yogasoup.net or write down your request to be given to me in class, (please include the name and what the healing is for). I will send distance healing during my daily meditation. There is no charge for this so please don’t be shy. Every bit of energy counts. I can also administer healing in private sessions by appointment only. My rates are listed in “Pages and Links” under Private Reiki Sessions.

So! Thank you for being patient with me while I pull together my articles, get my newsletter going, write a book, study, and organize a retreat! Good thing I’m a multi-tasker …

Much love to all those who have given me such encouraging feedback on my website and my yoga classes. It keeps me motivated and brings much fulfillment and joy into my life to connect with you all at this level.

Namaste,

Donna

Now, to the task at hand….Being Present.  I was in a deep forward bend a few nights ago when the meaning of “being present” actually hit me.  I was thinking of my kids.  I was thinking of tomorrow.  I was thinking of the past.  It was amazing how my mind darted from one thing to another, always on “search mode” to find something to distract me from the moment I was actually in.  I had a bit of an “ah-hah” moment when a voice inside my head asked, “are you present, Donna?”.  My answer was, ”Wow, no.  I’m somewhere else.”  It finally hit me that I wasn’t in the moment.  I was wandering around in the mental maze of my thoughts and definately not “present”. 

I invite you to become the silent observer of your thoughts.  Watch how they try to entertain or distract you from what you’re doing at any given moment.  Realize that your life is happening right now in this moment.  The past is gone and the future has yet to come.  What you have right now, at this very moment is a gift.  That’s why it’s called the Present. 

How do you become present?  By stopping the mind’s constant stream of thoughts for a moment and  intensely observing your movement through an activity.  Are you doing dishes?  Driving to work? Exercising?  Listening to music?  Bring your focus to your body for a moment and observe it.  Be in the body.  Watch your hands as they clean a dish or hold the steering wheel.  You’ll notice a shift in your attention.  Focus on your muscles moving and your heart pounding as you breathe precious life into your lungs while performing your workout.  Sing out loud with your favorite song on the radio.  Be in-joy.  Laughter-real laughter-the kind that makes your ribs ache, is presence.  Your mind is empty and you are present in your bliss at that moment.  The act of hugging a close friend or your child, partner or whoever, and really experiencing the feeling of their physical being  is another way to achieve pressence.  Take a deep breath and really take in the essence of that person for a second or two and let the emotions roll through your body as you hold them close. 

Feel more, think less.  That’s how you become more present.  Feel your body, feel your emotions and bless each and every second of your existence. 

May light guide your path…

I am currently developing a workshop on how to use the Law of Attraction and hope to share it very soon with those interested in bettering their lives.  A new awareness is growing and we are slowly waking up to the idea that we create our lives.  We are all responsible for everything that occurs in our life, both negative and positive.  How we choose to respond is the challenge of the soul and it’s point of growth.

If you are interested in reading more about the Law of Attraction, one of the best books on the subject is the classic, Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain.   She explains the process in a very relaxed and easy style that is simple to understand and apply.  Start with her book and if you wish to see the movie, “The Secret”, go to www.thesecret.com and view it for $4.95 on your computer.  It’s a great visual source in understanding the basic premise of the law of attraction.  I will post more on this topic soon.

Register on my site and leave me some comments!  

Until later….Namaste.