Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, Escondido, California, February 2011
With each new year, I delight in making resolutions, which allow me to dig deep into my soul and create pathways to dream manifestation. They help me see life as big, wonderful, boundless.
Resolution writing began when I was 13, at which time I aspired to someday join the Peace Corps, become an environmental photojournalist for National Geographic, play for the WNBA, and ban all fast food restaurants from the world. McDonald's still thrives, unfortunately, and I am not a famous point guard. Yet, I did fulfill the other two dreams, though not in such a specific way. Instead of the Peace Corps, while I was studying for my master's degree, I led a group of undergraduates on a volunteer trip to the Dominican Republic, and I participated in a service-learning program in Honduras. Instead of working for the National Geographic, I have worked as a white water rafting photographer since 2008. This lets me enjoy the outdoors, kayaking, biking, and taking photos. As you can see, setting goals manifests dreams, though not always in the way at first anticipated!
This year, my resolution is this: To meditate.
Now, if you know me, I am an avid yogi, loving strong, ashtanga-based, hot, power vinyasa flows with plenty of inversions, core work, and arm balances. Moving meditation I can do. But meditating without movement? My yoga practice can be so focused that I have managed to kick three of my fellow yogis in the head. (I still question whether this is because of my intense focus or my intense lack of awareness of my surroundings.) Regardless, this year, I shall try to meditate... to connect mind to body to soul while sitting still, in silence.
So far, these are the things I have done to begin my meditation journey. Each day, I attempt a new meditation video on my yogaglo.com account. At the end of a yoga session, during svasana, I try to relax my body and visualize physical healing at the suggestion of my Russian alternative medicine man who is healing the tendonitis in my heels, a running-while-pregnant-induced injury, with cold laser therapy. Further, I am reading Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek, who talks of the mind/body connection of running long distances. The mention of this book leads me to another aspiration: to heal my heels and run a trail marathon.
With all that said, while I eagerly await my next run, I am training for it in a new way: by meditating! Thus, these aspirations go hand-in-hand. I am loving this new endeavor and excited to see what other aspects of life will benefit from meditating. I am sure the benefits are limitless! Until next time, happy meditating, and keep dreaming!
Resolution writing began when I was 13, at which time I aspired to someday join the Peace Corps, become an environmental photojournalist for National Geographic, play for the WNBA, and ban all fast food restaurants from the world. McDonald's still thrives, unfortunately, and I am not a famous point guard. Yet, I did fulfill the other two dreams, though not in such a specific way. Instead of the Peace Corps, while I was studying for my master's degree, I led a group of undergraduates on a volunteer trip to the Dominican Republic, and I participated in a service-learning program in Honduras. Instead of working for the National Geographic, I have worked as a white water rafting photographer since 2008. This lets me enjoy the outdoors, kayaking, biking, and taking photos. As you can see, setting goals manifests dreams, though not always in the way at first anticipated!
This year, my resolution is this: To meditate.
Now, if you know me, I am an avid yogi, loving strong, ashtanga-based, hot, power vinyasa flows with plenty of inversions, core work, and arm balances. Moving meditation I can do. But meditating without movement? My yoga practice can be so focused that I have managed to kick three of my fellow yogis in the head. (I still question whether this is because of my intense focus or my intense lack of awareness of my surroundings.) Regardless, this year, I shall try to meditate... to connect mind to body to soul while sitting still, in silence.
So far, these are the things I have done to begin my meditation journey. Each day, I attempt a new meditation video on my yogaglo.com account. At the end of a yoga session, during svasana, I try to relax my body and visualize physical healing at the suggestion of my Russian alternative medicine man who is healing the tendonitis in my heels, a running-while-pregnant-induced injury, with cold laser therapy. Further, I am reading Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek, who talks of the mind/body connection of running long distances. The mention of this book leads me to another aspiration: to heal my heels and run a trail marathon.
With all that said, while I eagerly await my next run, I am training for it in a new way: by meditating! Thus, these aspirations go hand-in-hand. I am loving this new endeavor and excited to see what other aspects of life will benefit from meditating. I am sure the benefits are limitless! Until next time, happy meditating, and keep dreaming!
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