Experience: Release From Self-Sabotage
[Exploring Life] When we are sabotaged we are in some manner undermined, injured, attacked, or vandalized. Sabotage retrieves imagery of warfare in which one side secretly attempts to destroy or disable critical facilities, structures, or positions of the enemy. The essence of sabotage lies within opposition and hostility directed toward a perceived threat to our [...]
Contemplation: The Mind in the Yoga Sutras -3
[Exploring Life] Mental Afflictions- The Origin of Discontent: The purpose of yoga is to provide a pathway out of suffering. All suffering originates in the mind. The mind and body are intimately interconnected, meaning that the intentions of our thoughts manifest themselves throughout the physical structure of our body. An acute painful thought creates a [...]
Contemplation: The Mind in the Yoga Sutras – 2
[Exploring Life] The Five States of Mind: Pantanjali (2nd century B.C.) is a pioneer of the mind. The uncharted terrain he ventured into was the inner landscape of the mind. His method was the direct observation of his own mind. In this sense, Pantanjali was both scientist and artist of the inner realm of existence. [...]
Contemplation: The Mind in the Yoga Sutras
[Exploring Life] Introduction to the Yoga Sutras: The Yoga Sutras written by Pantanjali in 2nd century B.C. is consider to be a foundational yoga text. The word Yoga is derived from Sanskrit root yujir meaning to join or to unite. A second meaning is derived from the root yuj meaning to contemplate. Yoga means to [...]
Functional Fitness: Functional vs. Dysfunction Exercise
[Exploring Life] One of the most important principles in a functional fitness program is the even, coordinated development of the muscles. Unfortunately, many exercise programs tend to treat muscles as if they exist in isolation. Strength exercises that isolate muscles can be dysfunctional with respect to the proper functioning of the body. Balanced muscle development [...]
Mental Clarity: Attention Training
[Exploring Life]In How To Get Unstuck From (almost) Anything, Joseph Cardillo provides six learning strategies designed to help us break out of confining patterns of thought and behavior through the art of being new, a phrase that originates in core martial arts training. Joseph is an expert martial arts practitioner and the author of three [...]
Optimal Breathing: Stress
[Exploring Life] What makes you hold your breath? describes the importance of optimizing our breathing pattern in order to promote healthy digestion as well as calming the nervous system. The authors recommend that the stressors that are the root cause of holding the breath be identified as they happen. This brings us to the threshold [...]