♣ Cold-water swimming might sound unpleasant, but research suggests regular dips in cold water can improve health and longevity. Bare early March trees rake a pale blue sky, patches of snow surround the bay, and the chilly Salish Sea undulates gently in front of us. Usually, I...
Read More♠ Ways to allow for reflection while walking. In the children’s book Wacky Wednesday, Dr. Seuss imagines a world where people are doing very odd things indeed, like driving a car facing backward. That’s how I felt the other day in my neighborhood. I saw one lady pushing...
Read More↓ For many, fall is a transition into hibernated versions of ourselves. It can happen in a blink of an eye: bright balmy days turn quickly into shorter, much darker days and nights, reminding us that nothing lasts forever. The changing of the seasons is upon us,...
Read More↓ Five Yoga Poses to Release Hip Pain Emotions and Restore Motion Yoga teachers often refer to the pelvis as “the junk drawer of emotions.” Discover your hip pain emotions and how to get unstuck. Yoga teachers often refer to the pelvis as “the junk drawer of emotions.”...
Read MoreChildbirth necessitates changes to your body, as does caring for your baby after. Whether you had a vaginal delivery or a c-section, giving birth is no joke. Some people seem to snap right back into shape, but for most of us, having a baby is an experience that...
Read More↓ Sleep Like a Baby, Rest Like a Yogi Lying down during the day can lower stress, boost productivity, and help you sleep at night. When my six-month-old baby has been awake for a while learning, interacting, and exercising, he starts getting fussy. If I put him down...
Read MoreResearch from the Center for Healthy Minds is addressing the recent decline in well-being by proposing a training-based framework for “the cultivation of human flourishing.” When the US Census Bureau surveyed people in December 2020, more than 42% reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, an...
Read MoreAs much as we try to maintain a sense of positivity, we might find ourselves feeling defeated by the headlines in the news. Clinical Psychologist, Steve Hickman outlines three steps to turn that defeat into a driving force for action. BY STEVE HICKMAN I’m...
Read MoreTraditionally, we associate flowers, chocolates, Cupid and other Valentine’s Day sentiments of devotion with February. But there’s another reason to celebrate this “month of love.” It’s American Heart Month. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in the U.S. – at 165 deaths per 100,000...
Read More↓ A new study examines how different practices benefit people who worry a lot by Kira M. Newman If you’re prone to worry, some well-meaning person may have advised you to try mindfulness meditation. Theoretically, focusing on the present and cultivating an attitude of acceptance are effective antidotes...
Read More↓ Sore, achy feet affect your mood, not to mention cause pain to radiate to other areas of the body. Find relief for your feet by practicing yoga for sore feet. Sore, achy feet can affect everything from hip pain to lower back pain to posture issues—not to mention...
Read MoreResearch shows that meditating benefits everyone around you—whether you're in the same household or connecting virtually. A great meditation teacher once described the frightening scene in the refugee boats floating adrift after the end of the Vietnam war. Overcrowded with children and elderly people,...
Read MoreFollow these three mindful steps to bring small, good moments into your awareness. The other day I spoke with a friend I hadn’t connected with since the pandemic began. When I asked how she was, she unexpectedly said she had just tasted the best cherry in...
Read MoreThis year is bluer than most—and this may be the bluest winter on record. Fight the winter blues in five ways. Winter can be hard, mentally and emotionally, in a good year, let alone in a pandemic. This year the winter bluesmight hit many of us...
Read MoreDuring moments (or days) when everything seems impossibly complicated, we can still return to one place of simplicity: our innate capacity for presence and kindness. BY STEVE HICKMAN What could be simpler than paying attention? It sounds so ridiculously simple when one tries to...
Read MoreWe all have headaches—and, thus, often just accept them. But what is actually causing that pounding head? And what is it trying to tell you? Headaches are considered one of the most common medical complaints. We all experience them—some more frequently than others. Is it due to...
Read MoreFollow these three mindful steps to bring small, good moments into our awareness. BY KELLY BARRON SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 The other day I spoke with a friend I hadn’t connected with since the pandemic began. When I asked how she was, she unexpectedly said she...
Read MoreHaving a hard time meditating because of anxious thoughts? Try saying your worries out loud. Q: I’m 54 and I’ve struggled with anxiety most of my life. I’ve tried meditating but I have trouble getting past all my anxious thoughts. My mind is such a noisy tangle!...
Read MoreThinking we need to be perfect before we act is a trap—but it’s one we can free ourselves from. BY ELAINE SMOOKLER I guided the meditation with fewer words, leaving ever more space. The air seemed to crackle with restless silence. Afterwards, several...
Read MoreTurn your smartphone into a tiny health coach with these apps for better nutrition, mindfulness, and gratitude. Often, you only hear about the negatives of smartphone use (distracting, time-consuming, blue-light emitting ...
Read MoreMy 90-day experience with coffee and running ↓ So, what’s the big deal about coffee? It’s just plant juice mixed with hot water (and sometimes milk), right? Just a bunch of basic atoms and molecules found in plants, combined around. Hate to break it to you, but...
Read MoreEmotions are changeable and culturally constructed—which means we get to choose how we feel about how we feel. You’ve probably found yourself, on occasion, spending long uninterrupted hours with digital technologies, particularly during months of social distancing. Just as our smartphones are always close...
Read MoreIf we remember the importance of resilience, gratitude, and doing with less, we can move forward with a new sense of purpose. ↓ A lot of people I know have been starting to wonder about life after the shelter-in-place orders have been lifted. What...
Read MoreGetty/Boyloso From improved sleep and circulation to reduced anxiety and more, regular exercise boosts immunity and strengthens the body’s defense against illness. How Exercise Strengthens the Immune System As we confront the difficult, enduring nature of COVID-19, finding long-term habits of immunity is becoming more important than ever....
Read MoreFrom celebrating human connectedness to healing with breathwork, here are six books (plus three podcasts) to keep on learning and nourishing yourself this fall. BY MINDFUL STAFF Image by Halfpoint / Adobe Stock 1) Out of My Skull The Psychology of Boredom James Danckert and John D. Eastwood Harvard...
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