Do you think of “calm” and “holidays” in the same sentence? Probably not. In fact, often the holiday season becomes filled with obligations, unmet expectations and stressful demands. The American Psychological Association reports that holiday stress has a particular impact on women, due to their tendency to take on much of the responsibility for preparing
This holiday, make the season bright by enjoying your food without guilt and showing up in your holiday best. Mindful eating can help you have your holidays and your holiday food, too. These holiday tips are not your usual “show up for the party full so you won’t be tempted with goodies” and “drink lots
It’s that time of year again. The landscape is devastatingly beautiful in the fall (at least where I live); and I get irrationally excited about everything pumpkin. My favorite moment yesterday was when I subscribed to a new website called Vanilla and Bean and their introductory email was about how to make pumpkin puree. No more
I was at my favorite coffee shop yesterday and this conversation ensued. I asked the barista what she was going to do for Halloween and we discussed costumes. Then someone else having coffee there started talking about the trick-or-treaters that show up in his neighborhood and the conversation veered off to what kind of candy
I’m in Edinburgh, Scotland this week and enjoying “the beautiful sunny weather”—as the gentlemen exclaimed at the airport as he greeted us. That is a joke, of course, as it has rained every day. But, it has also been extremely beautiful—lots of lush green, friendly people, and wonderful sites of ancient architecture, as well as
In yoga class this week I discussed the concept of “nonexcess,” the yogic philosophy called Brachmacharya. Certainly, it is not difficult to see how much our modern lives are consumed with the opposite—excess! We live in a “more is better,” “all-you-can-eat,” “get more for your money,” “buy the new shiny thing” world. When times were
Last week I was leading a retreat in Brazil for Eat for Life Teachers-In-Training and members of the Centro Brasileiro de Mindful Eating. We carefully went through the orientation and ten-week program to talk about important concepts and review the challenges that can arise when people take the class. At the end when everyone was
I just arrived in Brazil to teach a five day professional training on my Eat for Life Program. To my surprise and delight, my hotel was right by an urban park. It was a Sunday and there were people engaging in soccer, gymnastics, strolling, running, strength training, dog training, kid chasing, and more. Everyone looked
The ethical practice of not stealing can be found in every spiritual tradition I’ve ever studied. The first one I learned was “Thou shalt not steal” from the ten commandments. The second precept of Buddhism asks you to “undertake the training to abstain from taking what is not given.” And Asteya or “non-stealing” is one
This week in the yoga classes I teach, I have been talking about the ethical practice of non-violence, or Ahimsa as it’s called in Sanskrit. Non-violence is at the heart of the teachings in yoga and provides the foundation for the other guidelines. Regardless of its historical or religious underpinnings, I think most people would
