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Bringing yoga at the ocean home

Becca — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:43:52 +0000

Here I am at Asilomar beach in Monterey last weekend leading my annual women’s yoga/meditation and music retreat with my dear friend Kristi Matal.

It was a glorious weekend of transformative experiences, fun, friendship and relaxation. We agreed that there is nothing better than yoga and meditation on the beach. Ahhh….

Pause with me now: Close your eyes, imaging the feel of the sand between your toes, hear the swish of the waves on the shore, feel the warmth of the sun on your face and give thanks for the energy of the earth flowing up into your body. Ommmmm…

I dived back into the routine this week while maintaining the glow from the ocean, pelicans, gentle breezes and laughter of the retreat.

Although I haven’t been writing for a few weeks, you are in my thoughts and in my heart as I meet with coaching clients and teach classes in Napa each week. Remember to drink plenty of water and be gentle with yourselves.

Much love, Becca

P.S. No Gentle yoga class this Friday at Synergy – the gym is closed for rejuvenation – reopening Monday Nov. 15th. LOVINGKINDNESS is our topic for Meditation class on Tuesday, Nov. 16th at 1 pm.

8 Simple Ways to Relax in 5 Minutes or Less

Becca — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:09:27 +0000

Here are a few ideas to help you take better care of yourself and actually improve your health as well as your bottom line:

Allow some quiet time in the morning before you check voice mail, email or your PDA.
Listen to a guided meditation, write in your journal or sit outside.
Get up from your chair if you are at a desk and jiggle for a few minutes. You get extra enjoyment if you make lots of noise while jiggling!
Drink plenty of water all day long. Not coffee, juice or soda just room temperature water, perhaps with a little bit of lemon juice. This may sound ridiculously simple and it will make a big difference in your mental clarity, memory and mood.
Take breaks during the day to stretch, walk outside, lie down and eat. Not at your desk or in your car I know what you are thinking! Enjoy your food, visit with a friend, sloooow down.
Take a mid-afternoon break to stretch, take a few deep cleansing breaths or jog in place for a few minutes to get the energy flowing again.
Avoid working in the evening, if possible, especially before bedtime. I know sometimes you have meetings or classes, just not every night.
Take at least one day off per week, this makes a BIG difference. Enjoy a day with family or friends, sleep in, read a book, take a nap, unplug. You have permission to relax!

I know some of these suggestions will take more than five minutes. So sue me! Just choose one of these suggestions and take action. Implement one simple new relaxation behavior into your routine for at least several days to several weeks and enjoy the benefits. Oh, and let me know what you chose and how it worked for you. Im curious and I care about your health and well being, really I do.

How Can I Take Time Off When I’ve Got So Much To Do?

Becca — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:01:35 +0000

Do you feel there arent enough hours in the day?
Are you tired when you go to bed and tired when you wake up?
How long has it been since you took time off to really relax?

When I was in my early thirties Id had it with the corporate world so I went back to college to study photography and started my own business. I worked six or seven days a week, loved what I was doing and was profitable almost from the start.

I learned the hard way to schedule time off and allow myself to rest. I admit that I really didnt know HOW to relax didnt have a clue. After Id been in business for about vie years my husband bought a business and become self-employed as well. We moved and I helped him get his business going then I started my photography business over again in our new town.

Worked even harder and still didnt take time off until I burned out. My body just had it and I was off doing physical therapy for six weeks with an injured shoulder. Eventually I learned to schedule time off ahead of time, rest before big events and learned to meditate, which was exactly what I need to unplug and learn to relax.

I know what it feels like to take a day off and sit and think about the business all day long! I now how hard it is not to answer the phone, especially when your office is in your home. I finally learned that I needed to get out of the house to really relax. When I planned a vacation after many years it took at least three days before I finally let myself go, and sadly I would break down crying because I had been so tense for so darn long.

Are you willing to change? Have you had enough exhaustion and frustration? I encourage you to take a few minutes right now, yes, right now! Look at the choices you are making right now about how you spend your precious time and where you place your focus. Begin to gently and slowly make one small change that will improve your productivity, your enjoyment and your business success. Give yourself at least three weeks to integrate the change and enjoy the results.

How Are Your Sharing Love Today?

Becca — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:56:10 +0000

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o`er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

by William Wordsworth

HOW ARE YOU SHARING LOVE TODAY?

Whether you are sharing your love with your beloved partner, your grandchildren, your friends or your pet, opening to expressing love and receiving love is the where the juice is in life. Right now I`m loving the first daffodils blooming in my garden. They lift my spirits and make me happy and I love photographing them and sharing the images.

Bringing More Love Into Your Life - Try this Buddhist meditation practiced called Metta or Lovingkindness meditation and remember to open to self-love as well as loving others. The traditional practice uses a series of phrases directed to yourself, someone you find inspiring, or to whom you feel grateful. Next, move on to a beloved friend, then to someone you may have difficulty with. Finally, we move on to offer metta to all beings everywhere. This is a powerful practice of forgiveness and letting go. My favorite way to practice is with the following phrases repeated silently or sung as a chant:

May I be filled with loving kindness, may I be well. May I be peaceful and at ease and may I be happy. May you be filled with loving kindness, may you be well. May you be peaceful and at ease and may you be happy. May we be filled with loving kindness, may we be well. May we be peaceful and at ease and may we be happy.

The benefits of loving kindness are that you sleep well while enjoying pleasant dreams and awaken easily. Please love you and celestial beings love and protect you. You are safe from external dangers. Your face is radiant and your mind serene. You will be unconfused at the moment of death and take rebirth in the higher, happier realms. All that, and I venture to point out that you may also feel more loving to yourself and others, always a lovely experience.

May you open to a greater experience of love today and always.

With love & blessings, Becca

FREE Meditation Tele-class

Becca — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:10:30 +0000

Title: FREE Meditation Tele-class
Location: Call for Information
Description: Call Becca for more information: 707.253.8733

Start Time: 13:00
Date: 2009-09-14
End Time: 14:00

Gentle Yoga Class

Becca — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:06:28 +0000

Title: Gentle Yoga Class
Location: Synergy Medical Fitness
Description: Ananda Yoga and Meditation for balance, flexibility and relaxation.
Start Time: 16:30
Date: 2009-10-23
End Time: 17:30

Gentle Yoga Class

Becca — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:06:01 +0000

Gentle Yoga Class

Becca — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:05:33 +0000

Gentle Yoga Class

Becca — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:04:45 +0000

Gentle Yoga Class

Becca — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:04:14 +0000