Posts by Joy Held

Wednesday Workout: Yoga Is Accessible

Posted on by Joy Held

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

The physical component of yoga is called “hatha yoga.” The word “hatha” is Sanskrit for physical. There are essentially 24 basic poses in yoga and many, many variations on them thus creating hundreds of poses all together. There are also ways to modify the basic poses so anyone can participate in some level of hatha yoga. This is where yoga therapy comes into play. All yoga is therapeutic in a sense because of the breathing, stretching and mental practices, but the physical acts of the poses, also called asanas, can be changed up slightly to make them accessible to some persons with disabilities.

Disclaimer alert: this article is not meant to replace the guidance of your health care practitioner. Always consult such persons before engaging in activity to be sure your condition warrants participation in an organized exercise regime of any kind.

That said, besides talking with your doctor first, here are three books to give you an idea of what might be available to you.

Recovery Yoga, A Practical Guide for Chronically Ill, Injured, and Post-Operative People, Sam Dworkis, Three Rivers Press, New York, 1997. This book covers breathing and movements in a variety of positions. Once you have understood any limitations your doctor recommends, you can choose exercises done sitting, standing, lying down, and on the floor. Dworkis is an Iyengar trained yoga teacher and the B.K.S. Iyengar tradition of hatha yoga originated the practice of modifying yoga poses through the use of props such as chairs and bolsters. His program is called Extension Yoga.

http://www.extensionyoga.com/

Yoga As Medicine, The Yogic Prescription For Health and Healing, Timothy McCall, M.D., Bantam, New York, 2007. McCall is a doctor and a yoga practitioner and the medical consultant for Yoga Journal Magazine. It includes practice routines and advice on using yoga to help with several conditions such as back pain, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis.

http://www.drmccall.com/

Yoga for Movement Disorders, Rebuilding Strength, Balance and Flexibility for Parkinson’s Disease and Dystonia, Renee Le Verrier, BS, RYT, Merit Publishing International, Florida, 2009. The author of this book suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and practices what she preaches. Every pose is prop assisted and the system is explained very clearly. The photos are very clear and the poses are adaptable to more than Parkinson’s. Highly recommended.

http://meritpublishing.com/

My book Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity includes chapters on yoga for writers. Basic poses like Triangle are shown modified in Writer Wellness for use by persons other than writers. Best wishes to you for continued health through movement. Have you found an interesting way to keep physically active?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Tuesday Tickle: A Broad Definition of Idiot

Posted on by Joy Held

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

I’ve never been a fan of the word “idiot.” It is the ultimate insult to someone’s intelligence in most circles. But words, particularly prickly ones like idiot, get popularized through overuse by a group or a celebrity or some other pop culture phenomenon. Apparently “idiot” is a new favorite word in the world of entertainment.

There are the Alpha Books series “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to fill-in-the-blank” http://www.idiotsguides.com/

My daughters loved the Broadway musical “American Idiot,” a rock opera performed by the group Green Day.

http://americanidiotonbroadway.com/

And there’s the “Idiot Proof Diet” with a picture of a cartoon character saying, “I’m a certified idiot,” with a big smile on her face.

http://idiotproofdiet.com/

I mean, who wants to be an idiot? It’s the greatest reverse psychology marketing idea ever, isn’t it? You don’t want to be an idiot so you need the information or the product in your arsenal to prove you aren’t an idiot. But then two comedians (Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant) come up with an idea for a television show called “An Idiot Abroad.” And even though the word idiot still rubs me the wrong way, this reality series is hysterical in a funny and perhaps a not so funny way. The Science Channel took the bait and the show is running more “broadly” in a second season this spring.

http://science.discovery.com/tv/an-idiot-abroad/

While he’s never actually referred to as the idiot, Gervais and Merchant have convinced Karl Pilkington to visit the seven wonders of the world because he’s a stay-at-home-and-happy-to-be-there Brit who’s not the most culturally aware fellow you’ll ever meet. Or maybe he is. What’s so funny is seeing yourself in what he says and does in all these countries when faced with some culturally bizarre (by some terms) foods, customs and traffic. Imagine Archie Bunker getting a back wax in Brazil so he can wear a Samba costume to Carnivale. That’s Karl Pilkington, just no recliner or cigar.

For instance, not too long into the travels he becomes obsessed with toilets when he discovers that they are not the same abroad as he’s used to at home. He hates crowds, parties and planning, so everywhere he goes Gervais and Merchant have arranged for Pilkington to participate in some major cultural phenomenon that tests his patience and sometimes his stomach. Mostly what Pilkington does is complain. He witnesses the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil and all he has to say about it is the price of a can of Coke is too much, and they can get away with it because there is nothing to compete with.

Needing a voice of reason among the cackles, I turn to Webster. “Idiot, n. 1. Psychol. A person of profound mental retardation.” Just when I think this isn’t going to help, I read, “No longer in scientific use and considered offensive.” Finally, an idiot that agrees with me.

In my opinion it is ignominious to call someone an idiot. Do you agree?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Monday Meditation: Am I Meditating?

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

“Success is never a destination—it’s a journey.”                                ~Satenig St. Marie,

Unless we have a homemade brain wave monitoring machine, we usually don’t have the means to measure our level of success with meditation in a scientific sense. We can feel certain changes and measure them to a degree. The average meditation journey should experience three specific measurable stages:

1.Tension-this is where we notice just how tight our jaw bones are, how sore our backs are and how busy our minds tend to be

2.Letting go-this is when we notice some of the tension releasing and our breathing is slowing down

3.THERE-this is when we become aware of very few things, less and less bothers us physically and mentally we realize our thoughts have slowed down, and we can control whether or not we want to follow monkey mind down its ragged path. We do not follow monkey mind.

These stages coincide with brain wave activity.

Tension = Beta (busy, busy, busy mind)

Letting go = Alpha (focused awareness on our breath and what it’s doing, fewer thoughts)

THERE = Theta (just about to cross the hazy boundary into slumber-ville)

Sleep isn’t meditation as I’ve said before, and theta is the gatekeeper of sleep so the goal is to remain relaxed and aware at the alpha level. Regardless of how messy the day has been, a successful meditation session need only give us a conscious pause from the issues we’re dealing with and that’s enough. Yep. It only takes a few minutes a day to meditate successfully. But what does a successful meditation practice “feel” like?

This brings up the question of goals. Should we have goals where meditation is concerned? Is it better to let things take their course and follow along? Like yoga, meditation is a blend of healthy balance. It’s right to set a goal to meditate for a specific amount of time each day. It’s right to practice particular habits like sitting still and watching breath flow. But it isn’t right to set expectations beyond the realm of the realistic. Why? Because unlike measuring the fact that our brain activity actually slows down during meditation, it creates more stress to attach a measurement or a benchmark for meditation. “If I don’t find perfect peace in my life in three months of meditating, I failed and will give up meditating.” Or “I should notice a major shift in my actions in a set period of time, and if I don’t I will stop meditating because it just isn’t for me.” These are normal examples of our “quick fix”, I-want-it-now mind sets and this doesn’t work with meditation. With meditation, the less you expect, the more you receive.

To answer the question of what successful meditation feels like, beyond the physical and mental releases (which may not feel gigantic, but they occur,) the positive results of regular meditation show themselves in our everyday actions. We are more patient. We smile more. We laugh bigger. We appreciate little things more. We share more. We hold the door more often. We focus better on other projects when our brains are challenged. We are healthier. We are brave. We trust more. We think the best first. We are less critical of ourselves and others. We are more accepting. We are more loving. We are more truthful. We are more understanding. We are more creative. We are more of who we were meant to be.

But it’s a long journey worth every step. Do you have any meditation stories to share from your journey?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Friday Feast: Slow and Steady Gets Dinner Ready

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

The slow cooker is the greatest invention since fire. I teach in the afternoons and evenings so I’m making dinner at noon before going to class. When I get home later, dinner is waiting just like a personal chef cooked for me all afternoon! I have a slew of easy, healthy, and satisfying slow cooker recipes that are regulars in our house.

On weekends I go shopping and spend the extra time preparing vegetables and herbs so they are ready and easy to use in a flash during the week. I do my baking on the weekends as well and freeze homemade breads to get out the morning I plan to serve them. I am usually rushing out the door in the early afternoon to get to classes and having the veggies chopped and the herbs cleaned makes preparation a snap. Thanks to weekend prep, I can have dinner in the slow cooker in 15 minutes. I normally set the cooking temperature to low since it will be six to eight hours before I get home to eat. Once home, I throw together a fresh salad and have a healthful meal that meets our nutritional needs without adding a lot of calories. You know how dangerous it is to eat late at night!

Try these three recipes soon and your whole family will be happy with the results.

“Turkey Roast” 

                3 lb. boneless turkey roast, thawed

                3 ribs of celery

                ½ cup water

                ½ cup chopped onion

                salt, pepper to taste 

Rinse and pat dry the turkey breast. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Line the bottom of the slow cooker with celery and onions. Place turkey on top of celery and onions. Add water.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

When you get home, use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature of the meat. It should be 170 degrees.

Heat a canned vegetable and serve with bread and butter or margarine. 

“Vegetarian Vegetable Soup” 

                1 can Campbell’s tomato soup

                4 cups water

                5 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes

                1 small onion chopped

                1 bay leaf

                1 small can diced tomatoes, basil and garlic flavored

                1 medium potato chopped

                3 medium carrots chopped

                1 can green beans

                ½ cup corn

                ½ cup peas

                ½ cup lima beans

                (veggies can be canned or frozen)

                1 cup pasta (elbow, rigatoni, etc.)

                salt, pepper to taste 

Add all ingredients except pasta to slow cooker. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Add pasta to soup in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Remove bay leaf before eating

Serve with salad and bread. 

“Mediterranean Turkey and Rice”

                1 package boneless turkey tenderloins

                1 celery stalk, chopped

                1 can diced, basil and garlic seasoned tomatoes

                1 sprig of fresh rosemary, stripped and chopped

                3 cloves crushed garlic, or 3 tsp. minced garlic

                2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

                ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

                ½ cup white or yellow onion, chopped

                1 tbs. lemon juice

                cracked black pepper to taste

                1 ½ cups uncooked long-grain rice

                ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

                ½ cup black olives, sliced (optional)

Place everything except the rice, black olives, and the Parmesan cheese into the slow cooker.

Cook on high 4 to 6 hours adding rice the last 30 minutes or low 6 to 7 hours adding rice the last 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and olives if desired before serving. It’s nice to sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley before serving also.

Serve with raw carrot sticks and ranch dressing.

A Life Saver!

While shopping, pick up a box of Reynolds brand “Slow Cooker Liners.” The first time you line the slow cooker with one of the specially designed liners you will wonder all day if it will actually work and how the food will taste. They fit all size cookers and the kitchen clean up committee in your house will be thrilled with the results. I’ve never had one spring a leak and clean up is as easy as the product claims. Four liners per box cost around $2. Most important, the food tastes fantastic and NEVER STICKS!

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous. 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Procrastinaor Juror Beware

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Three weeks after sitting in a court room for over two weeks as a spectator in a murder trial, I get a jury summons of my own in the mail. I’m being “considered” as a juror for U.S. District Court. Well, okay. I believe in the civic duty of serving on a jury but I have personal and moral issues with being the person who casts judgment on another human being. Granted, there are human beings who have committed deadly sins, as in the case I attended in February, and their problems and actions warrant judgment. I am just not thrilled with the prospect of making decisions about the penalties someone should suffer because of their choices. I believe karma will take care of it for me.

So I had blocked out the questionnaire sent in the mail decreeing that I must answer the questions and return it in the prepaid envelope considerately provided within ten days or suffer my own consequences. The explanation of the penance is I may have to go to the office of the U.S. Circuit Clerk and answer the questions there if I miss the deadline.

As a journalist the word deadline has great meaning to me and always has. The history of the word includes the fact that California prisons in the 19th century didn’t have enough money for fencing and guards were told to shoot fleeing prisoners once they reached “that line of sage brush, that’s the dead line.” Not wanting to be shot in the back, I have always made it my business to meet deadlines in a timely and cheerful manner no matter how much I prefer to procrastinate. That’s right, put it off until tomorrow.

Years of meeting deadlines and making daily to-do lists have empowered my brain to overpower the lazy limbic system where the urge to be easily distracted is created. Yes, our brains are wired to find the easy, comfortable way out of everything and that contributes to why it is so easy to procrastinate. But in my case, years of alternate brain training woke me up at two o’clock in the morning from a dead sleep to remember I hadn’t filled out the damn questionnaire yet.

After searching the house for a bloody number two pencil (I seem to only have disposable mechanical pencils in the house,) I have successfully finished my jury questionnaire in pencil which unnerves me. What if somebody changes my answers? Worry. That’s another blog.

I plan to put the questionnaire in the mail TOMORROW.

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous. 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc. 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Wednesday Workout: I Don’t Like To Wear Shoes

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 

I’ve shared my thoughts recently about how important it is to practice yoga in bare feet. I really like to go without shoes.

But even though I don’t like wearing shoes, they are a safeguard against the many things that would invade the comfort and stability of our feet. Sometimes in spite of shoes we are accosted by invaders as when I stepped on a rusty nail in a board and it sent pain riveting through my body to my brain. Zowy! It was nothing compared to the tetanus shot, however. So, I buy and wear shoes with several things in mind. The most important job of my shoes is to completely and totally support my feet, particularly my arches. They are strong and high from years of ballet and yoga, so if my arches aren’t happy, no part of me is happy. I buy shoes sparingly and only if they are practical and supportive. 

I needed a new pair of tennis shoes (the style of shoe I wear the most) and I tried on shoes in two cities and five different stores over the last two weekends before settling on something I didn’t want to buy. Really. I never wanted to buy into the marketing hype that a pair of tennis shoes can tighten and tone your butt just by wearing AND walking in them. But I now own a pair of Reebok Simply Tone shoes in a size 6 ½. http://www.reebok.com/  Because they formed to my arches and didn’t push down on my big toes the first time I put them on in the store.

I love shoes for the protection, but I hate them for the imprisonment they impose on my feet and I also dislike how much shoes cost. The Simply Tones weren’t inexpensive, but more than I normally pay for a pair of tennis shoes. I’m a coupon hound and the shoes were on sale and between the two incentives they were close to what I consider reasonable expense for footwear. And I wore them for Saturday’s errands and housework. When I took them off at nine o’clock Saturday night to watch a basketball game on television, I realized I had worn them for ten hours straight. That’s a record for me. And the next day my feet felt alive, energized, and exercised. Thrilling. 

When our feet are happy, our whole system is happy. Bare feet are great, but put some serious time and thought into all your shoe purchases, especially the shoes you wear for exercise, and notice the subtle improvements in your overall wellbeing. Similar experiences with happy/unhappy feet? Do tell. 

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous. 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc. 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Tuesday Tickle: Creative Play Date

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Creative play is the focus of Tuesday Tickle here at Writer Wellness. It’s an intentionally vague topic to allow me lots of juicy wiggle room to explore whatever I want. And that’s exactly what creative play is all about. Exploring whatever we want that pumps up our creative salivary glands and gets us back in the groove of writing.

I call it creative play because I recommend messing around in fun stuff and each one of you gets to define what fun stuff means to you. Creative play is also the primary means of filling the well when it’s feeling dry. That’s of sign of the dreaded writer’s block creeping up behind us. And although the world acknowledges the existence of writer’s block, we don’t have to be hypochondriacal and sit around and wait to catch it. With regular experiences with creative play, writer’s block is completely avoidable, and no prescription drugs are required to bolster our immune systems (sorry.)

Creative play is a simple prescription: do something creative. That’s it. It must be creative and must be enjoyable and it counts as creative play if it is capable of filling your well and keeping you juicy and filled with ideas for writing. And less fear. How’s that? Writer’s block is fear based in my opinion. Expectations, deadlines, pressures, and bills to pay can sure wreak havoc on a writer’s psyche and cause us to feel overwhelmed and incapable of writing. Participating in creative play is a great medicine for alleviating the fear. But most of us need a permission slip to participate in creative play because we have gotten into the nasty habit of thinking that writing is work. It is, but it’s supposed to be work we love. We are one of the few professions that can genuinely claim that we work at something we love. Getting paid is a bonus.

So, here’s your permission slip:

I, Joy Held, give YOU permission to enjoy a regular creative play date to do something fun, crazy, enlightening, and relaxing. 

Here are some ideas from my own recent creative play dates:

I attended the local college student art show at the museum. Saw some really great beginning works that reminded me that we all start out the same way: with a crayon. Also discovered a new artist whose work is very powerful and I intend to look into more of her projects.

Woke up on Saturday and decided to paint every wooden clothes pin in the house. Spent a few minutes gathering them up and used assorted colors of spray paint to decorate a hundred clothes pins. Now when I’m hanging laundry or securing a bread bag, my colorful day of painting in the sunshine comes to mind and refreshes me.

I read and write reviews for a lot of young adult books. Just recently I read the latest collection of short stories from fantasy author Tamora Pierce TORTALL AND OTHER LANDS, A COLLECTION OF TALES. The stories included new and old characters and even a tale entitled “Huntress” that I heard Pierce read aloud at a convention in 2005 before it was published. Reading outside the genre I write keeps me honest and respectful of the craft. Here’s the link to the review:

http://teenreads.com/reviews/9780375866760.asp

What do you do to stay healthy and avoid writer’s block?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 Be well, write well.

Monday Meditation: Lessons In Living

Posted on by Joy Held

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

We are each living our daily lives as we would like to experience our deaths.

“Whoa! Hold on,” you’re saying. “I don’t like to think about dying. I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

It happens a little to everyone every day. Awareness of that tiny fact creates a huge relief in those who notice it. Yoga has a particular gift in this area. It’s a pose called ‘Savasana’ which is Sanskrit for ‘corpse pose.’ The end of every decent hatha yoga class is spent in this one pose for up to 20 minutes. My students call it “the present at the end of the yoga workout party” because with practice ‘Savasana’ is truly a gift on many levels. One of those levels is the practice of our death.

“Okay, too morbid for me. Next blog, please.” 

That’s the normal reaction to a discussion of death. But this is a discussion of the appreciation of life.

I was raised in a ballet school and had to perform on stage quite a bit. Recitals, “The Nutcracker”, and benefit performances used to make me nervous. As a young dancer, I sometimes got so ill I couldn’t go on with the show. Nowadays that’s called “performance anxiety” and the study of it has shown that sufficient preparation and practice of an activity completely alleviates the stress caused by having to perform in front of an audience. I taught myself to practice more often and rehearse my dances in my mind over and over by visualizing the movements night after night before falling asleep. When it came time to perform, no sick stomach or sweats, just a great experience for me and the audience. The dedicated repetition in the studio and in my mind gave me the confidence to perform without tension and without worrying about the expectations. I knew I was doing the best job I possibly could because I had practiced a lot. 

In his brilliant book The Inner Tradition of Yoga, A Guide to Yoga Philosophy for the Contemporary Practitioner, author and psychotherapist Michael Stone explores some of how ‘Savasana’ is an honest, stress-free practice of “life structured by death.” In a pure and simple sense we all make daily living choices that lead us along the path of how we will experience our endings. In the regular practice of corpse pose we gently, slowly, and gradually choose in a small way to live and pass peacefully and with respect toward our world and others. Relaxing deeply in the gift of corpse pose at the end of a good hatha session is an opportunity to make a tiny practice about how we would like to leave this existence. It’s normal to resist death but the miniscule and regular practice of accepting it peacefully builds a reserve in our mind. We can call on those peaceful reserves when faced with stressful expectations and the results will be better for all concerned.

According to Stone, “Yoga teaches us that the dance of all we perceive happens in front of awareness, not inside or behind it.” Yoga helps us practice the dance in front of the audience and with repetition we are not afraid. About the two arenas of life and death he adds, “The ‘practice of dying’ is a matter of learning to live the tension ‘in between’ these two dimensions of existence.” Corpse pose enables us to experience a small death with appreciation for living because after the pose we are graciously given the opportunity to stretch our arms and legs, take a deep breath, and go back to our world. The idea is to take the appreciations learned on the mat in corpse pose and practice those lessons in our lives off the mat.

Visit Michael Stone

http://centreofgravity.org/

Learning to appreciate corpse pose as more than a physical relaxation is learning gratitude for life. Don’t be afraid.

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous. 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 Be well, write well.

Friday Feast: Spelt-the Other White Flour

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.

After a mouthful of spelt flakes cereal, my outspoken teenage daughters proclaimed, “The first man who ate this spit it out saying, ‘Splet!’ and that’s where the name came from!” I still cook and bake with spelt in spite of the girls’ drama and it’s paid off in the long run. For ten years they’ve eaten cookies, bread, and pasta made from spelt instead of bleached white flour or whole wheat and no one’s digestive system is complaining. In fact, everyone is much leaner, healthier, and happier. What is spelt?

 Today’s whole wheat and white wheat flour are descendants of spelt grain. It’s an ancient grain that has come back into vogue for gourmet cooking and to help wheat intolerant persons continue to enjoy pasta and pastries. Most people who suffer from celiac disease can eat spelt because the gluten in spelt is more easily digested. This doesn’t apply to all celiac patients, but many people who cannot eat wheat find spelt a tasty, simple alternative to going without bread and pasta. Even some gluten free people can eat spelt without complications. 

When the book Eat Right For/4 Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo was published in 1998, many people took D’Adamo seriously and cut whole wheat and white wheat from their diets. I and my family switched to alternative grains and we’ve been happier ever since. It’s taken a while to get a handle on the differences in baking times and a slightly different taste, but overall spelt is a delicious substitute for wheat. http://www.4yourtype.com.  

Spelt is full of flavor, protein, and B vitamins. It’s much easier on the digestive system and because its popularity continues to grow, it’s now easier to find in health food groceries and online. (See resource list below.) 

Spelt noodles cook faster. Pastries made with spelt flour have a heartier texture. Spelt foods are more filling so you eat less while feeling satisfied. Spelt is a bit more expensive but it balances out when you don’t eat as much to feel full. After ten years of baking with spelt, my family takes it for granted that every pasta, cereal, bread, and cookie is made from spelt flour and they’re right! The extra effort is worth it.

Kitri’s Favorite Iced Spelt Oatmeal Raison Cookies

2 ¼ cups of white spelt flour sifted

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup oats (not instant)

1 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 cup salted butter half melted

2 Tablespoons honey

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cup raisons

Icing

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

4 Tablespoons half and half (use more liquid if necessary to acquire desired consistency)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl.

In a metal mixing bowl, melt the butter half way in the oven while it is preheating. Take out the butter and blend the sugars with the butter then add the honey, vanilla, and eggs one at a time until a grainy paste is reached. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture mix lightly then add the oats and raisons.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Place the cookies in the freezer for 10-20 minutes to reset the butter. Bake one sheet at a time for 18-22 minutes checking regularly. Spelt bakes faster than regular wheat. As soon as a light brown is visible around the edges of the cookies, remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for one minute before removing to a baking rack. When cookies are medium warm, drizzle icing over the tops. Store in airtight plastic containers with parchment paper between layers of cookies. Cookies freeze well for up to two weeks.

Resources

www.spelt.com

www.purityfood.com

www.berlinnaturalbakery.com

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Stuff

Posted on by Joy Held

 

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

I’m convinced we hold onto our Stuff because in some awkward way it validates us. In a world crammed with people and their Stuff, our Stuff gives us proof that we exist. If we have Stuff and proof of our existence, we can claim some sort of history, some kind of evidence that we matter now, did then, and will matter in the future. Even if we aren’t physically here (in the future.) Our stuff will be proof that we were here.

Stuff is also a symbol. Some people and weird, scary television shows about people unwilling to let go of their Stuff, say that the Stuff is a status symbol, a message to others that we have succeeded on terms supposedly acceptable to the general populace. “I have Stuff. Therefor, I am.” Am what? My sister has a coffee mug in her sewing room that says, “She who dies with the most fabic wins.” The reality TV shows about people with piles and piles and room after room of Stuff are popular because deep in our bellies we all know it’s a symbol of greed. The contestants in life who race to have the most Stuff are afraid they will be forgotten. It’s a natural sensation. We’re afraid that after we die, no one will remember us except they will have our Stuff to clean up for us so they’ll never forget us. Huh?

I visited the home of an elderly woman once who had been retired from the U.S. Postal Service. She spent the next fifteen years shopping yard sales. You could not walk through any room in the house. Even the bathroom was stacked with things so you had to walk on piles of sheets and towels to get to the throne. After she died, it took her daughter eleven years to sort and sell just the Stuff. The house sold in a matter of months once people could see the ceilings.

As the executrix of my father’s estate, it’s my job to simplify his belongings and liquidate the property and convert everything into cash for the heirs. I love my Dad, but he didn’t do the best job organizing his Stuff before he passed away and I’m still wading through paperwork and details and bureaucratic b.s. almost four years after his death. Believe me, once you have to do all this work after someone has passed away, you will organize and simplify your own life and paperwork in a hurry…unless you want to leave a nightmare behind. That isn’t how I want to be remembered. To be fair, my poor father died suddenly and the work to “clean house” and organize his estate was in progress at the time of his death, but it wasn’t complete. The work is amazingly complicated and depressing. I am doing everything possible NOT to leave my children the same Stuff.

It seems pretty simple to say, “Get rid of it,” but reality is a bit more of a hard bite when it comes to choosing what to through out. I have the same problem everyone else has with getting rid of Stuff, but I’m working on it. Got three boxes in the van for Goodwill right now. I driven there twice and haven’t dropped it off yet. I’ll do it. I’ll do it. Will you remember me without my Stuff as a reminder?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous. 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

Be well, write well.