ALS
My sister-in-law was diagnose with ALS after having it for over a year. The doctors wanted to rule out all other illness before giving her the “label” of ALS. We worked all summer long on Yoga, breath-work and meditation. She tried hard and worked hard to maintain some control over her body. ALS, it robs you of the ability to move, your brain knows what it wants to do, but the nerves wont respond. The life span is 2-5 years, that’s what the doctors tell you and instead of physical therapy, all they want to do is to show you how to live in a wheelchair and use the machines to help you speak. She’s currently out of the country trying a new treatment, I hope the Universe chooses to cure her, I know for sure that if it does, the cure will not be wasted on her.
I never paid ALS much attention till this last year, I just knew it was that disease some baseball player had. It’s becoming more and more popular in our lives, and not for the ice bucket challenge, which I think has brought GREAT awareness to our world, but due to the water shortage in CA, I wont be doing. I see and hear more and more people being diagnosed with it. To do something, to make some kind of change, my yoga friends and I are teaching free Friday night yoga for donations to go to ALS. We’re also walking in the Irvine walk to bring awareness. I know awareness is out there right now, but it’s our way of doing something. Our way of honoring those who cant move. In yoga, you set an intention, and our Friday night intentions are to send healing to those in need. So, if you out there read this, can also send some healing thoughts to those who are battling this disease, it would be much appreciated. And I would love to challenge my fellow Yogies to share the journey of yoga with loving kind donations to their charity of choice.
If you want to know more about the walk or the challenge, go here
http://weboc.alsa.org/site/PageServer/?pagename=OC_homepage
and If you wish to donate, feel free to 🙂
Peace, joy and good health to you!
Becoming one with the Moon
The Moon rules the left side of our body, our Female side. Whenever you are feeling hot, nervousness or stressed out, try closing the right side of your nose with your finger and take some slow breaths with the left side of the nose. Breathe in slowly, pause, and exhale it out slowly. Close your eyes and feel the cooling energy of the moon coming into your body as you breath in. As you release out, all the hot stressful energy leaving your body. Feel yourself getting cooler and cooler as you do this. Repeat the breathe-in and pause, breathe-out and pause, for a count of 10. This is a great tool to use before meetings, speeches, events, or whenever you need to “cool down”. A great place to practice this is in your car before interacting with others.
If you have trouble sleeping at night because of body heat, also try sleeping on the right side of your body, this will keep the left side ( the nose) open and will cool you down as you breathe-in and out via the nose.
Watercolor and Ink on Paper
Breathing in and out via the nose is what regulates our body temperature and is very important for good health. I recommend everyone take a yoga class on breath work at some point. We’re all in such a hurry to take a pill for what causes us pain and suffering, why not try another way. the Yoga way. Open the mind and the body to a natural state of healing. Happy Breathing
Healing Mandala
Healing Mandala
You too can create a healing mandala for yourself. Combine a Mandala with a Positive Affirmation, and watch your world transform. Use your mandala and say your affirmation everyday. Affirm what you need most in your life.
Mandala means ‘circle’ in the Sanskrit language, and mandala art refers to symbols that are drawn, sketched or painted in a circular frame. Mandala art has been used throughout the world as a process of self-expression, in the service of personal growth and spiritual transformation. Tibetan Buddhism has employed mandala art for thousands of years to capture the images of the countless demons and gods which it believes both plague and uplift humanity. Navajo sand painters use them in their healing rites. Many native people use the Medicine Wheel, a mandala form, to connect to earth energies and the wisdom of nature.
My positive affirmation art came about when I started to meditate. During some meditations I would be guided to say positive affirmations and this invoked a feeling in myself that I had been lacking. Our society today relies on others to make us complete. We rely on others to approve of ourselves, to tell us that we’re beautiful, strong, talented, loved, healthy, intelligent, worthy, and so much more. It’s when we stop relying on others to fulfill our emotional and spiritual needs and learn that we are responsible for our inner peace that we can truly find our happiness.
The definition of positive is: possessing an actual force, being, existence, etc.
The definition of affirmation is: something that is affirmed, a statement or proposition that is declared to be true.
Put these two very powerful meanings together and add them to a hand created Mandala, and wow… you have a force that declares the truth. No doubt! Only truth!
You can make one too, you will need a Canvas, small mirror, glue to attach the mirror, a protractor to make several circles with. Acrylic or craft paint, a marker and some shaped letters (I used scrabble letters from an old game) to glue your affirmation on with.
Don’t think, just create.
If you need help, drop me a line. If you would like me to create one for you, drop me a line.
Enjoy and Peace be ~IN
Art & Inspiration 