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
“In an age of acceleration, nothing can be more exhilarating than going slow.” Pico Iyer I often teach what I need to learn and, boy, is this lesson a big one for me. I move fast, talk fast, think fast, and drive fast. The faster I move, the more lost in thought I tend
The past week held many lessons in letting go and required the willingness and courage to be vulnerable. Every day I was given the opportunity to come face-to-face with people and circumstances that, if I were to approach them with mindfulness and Non-Violent Communication (NVC), would ask me to give up my agenda and be
There is no better time to go to Costa Rica than February and there is no better reason to go than to experience your best self emerge from the spiritual practices of yoga and mindfulness. This year will be my fifth year of retreating at the Pura Vida Spa in the mountains outside of Alajuela,
Mindfulness meditation and yoga have both given me lots of practice at slowing down and paying attention to the effects of being too busy, in a hurry, and striving too hard. These mindfulness practices have also given me tools for shifting my relationship to the present moment so that I can include within it the
