 Ever feel like things are moving so fast it's hard to be present and enjoy life?
Maybe we feel our mind and emotions are out of balance and "controlling us". Slow down to relaxed presence. Slowing down sounds counter intuitive especially when we are busy / stressed / emotional. And yet - it works! As I talk about in Chapter Two of my book Reclaiming JOY, the emotional roller coaster is not sustainable and keeps us stuck. We react and often cause more turmoil. This simple presence practice, called BRFWA, (we love and use often at the Sanctuary) brings us back to a relaxed state where our emotions are in balance. From this place of emotional balance or equanimity, we are able to ride the emotional wave without drowning in it / losing ourselves for too long. In equanimity we find our way back to peace and clarity and perhaps even a chuckle. Once clear, we are able to take clear, focused action that keeps us on the path of peace as we move toward our goals. Let's go! BRFWA Explained (Give yourself at least 5 minutes to experience this). Breathe: As a wave of emotion comes over you, slow down your breath. Allow your breath to flow freely in and out. Relax: As you slow down your breath, your mind and body will begin to relax. Soften your muscles, let go of mental and physical tension. Feel: As you relax, you are able to soften into what you are feeling. Stay open to the sensations and emotions moving through you in this moment. Watch: While feeling, you watch your experience closely, neither grasping what is pleasant nor pushing away what is painful. Allow: As you watch, you allow the process to unfold. You accept yourself and your experience exactly as it is, dropping the need to change it in any way. BRWFA is the practice of being present. Being present is what we learn during meditation. Namaste, Stephanie  Valentine's Day is Friday, 2/14/25.
It's one of our favorite occasions here at the Sanctuary. Why? We love to love & Valentine's Day is a reminder of why we are here. Taking care of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual self is an act of self-love that keeps on giving. From our own self-love, all other love grows. In fact, the ability to nourish ourselves first, enables us to effectively (aka without resentment) nourish others. Ways to plug into Sanctuary Love: Treat Yourself to a Sanctuary Service Enjoy the familiar or try something new! >>>View Services Give Sanctuary Love with a Gift Certificate >>>Purchase Gift Certificate  Pop Up Yummy Yin Class
Yummy Yin Yoga with Stephanie Saturday, 2/10 from 3:00-4:15pm @Hot Phiit Bronxville Enjoy deep stretching and meditation in a salt candle lit, warm room. Yin yoga stretches and targets both the deep connective tissues between the muscles, and the fascia throughout the body. The aim is to increase circulation in the joints and improve flexibility. Because of the slow nature of the practice and focus on breathing, yin yoga also gives us the opportunity to experience a meditative state. Space is Limited! >>>RESERVE YOUR SPOT  Your Happiness by Stephanie
"The greatest adventure you can have is to live the life of your dreams." - Oprah Who's in charge of your happiness? You are! Why do I say this? I've dedicated my life to learning how to live each day in the present according to my highest purpose. I've been learning myself in order to teach others. After all...when we teach, we learn twice! Why am I writing about happiness? It's one of the main reasons people come to me. And... One of the greatest lessons I've learned while studying with Eckhart Tolle is that life isn't here to make us happy. What!!! Exhale. Life is here to make us awaken...so that we may choose to be happy. What does that mean? If happiness is our goal, we will often find ourselves unhappy. As we know, life gives us challenges. One minute all is well...the next minute not so much. And our emotional state takes the hit each time. When things are going well, we attach. When things aren't going so well, we detach. Hence the practices of non-attachment we speak of in yoga, shamanism, meditation, other spiritual paths to help us stay in balance. What I have learned, continue to practice, and want to share is this: t When our focus is on "awakening", meaning-- waking up to who we are, what we want, and why we are here...a funny thing happens. We actually end up experiencing more more happiness!!! Why? Because we learn how to live a meaningful life, a life that is aligned with what matters most to us, not someone else or some ideal. Quite simply, we start taking action on the things that make us "happy" on the inside - things that bring us joy, peace, love. Things that give us a sense we are living a "meaningful" life. How each of us defines a "meaningful" life varies across time, space, personality, etc. As an example, have you ever known a person who is living their life to the fullest by doing only the things that bring them joy? Maybe these people irritate you? It seems so selfish of them!!! Ahhh... or not. Maybe taking care of our own needs is the greatest act of self love we can experience. Because when we love ourselves, we are able to love others. So, while we may have moments of happy/unhappy in our life as challenges arise, when we fully commit to awakening, we are clear on our purpose even when the path is uncertain. We gain tools to weather the storms. In the end, we realize it's our choice to be happy and live the life of our dreams...or not. I support you! >>>If you're ready to choose happiness, book a meditation or energy session with me here. Namaste, Stephanie  Connect mind, body & spirit with Peter in this 1 hour FREE Yoga class!
Yoga classes will take place on The Green, at Cross County Center at Center Court (near Victoria's Secret and Gap): Next Class: Monday, August 16th, 6PM
>>>Questions? Email Peter here. |
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