This is a great self-inquiry question to reflect on.

HOW do you want to MOVE into your wiser years?

When I reflect on this question, the first words that appear in my mind are:

• With Deep Trust
• Confidently
• Gracefully
• Kindly
• Compassionately
• In deep Truth
• With great joy
• In community
• Wiser
• With great awareness
• Open and giving

I could go on and on, but those are the first ones that popped up.

It's an interesting question.

Close your eyes and see yourself walking into your 'wiser' years.

How are you moving? How would you like to move? What's the expression on your face? How's your posture?

If we are not aware and mindful of how we are living now and into the years ahead, we will miss so many chances to realize that we actually have choices.  

I'd rather be Present in my life and realize I have choices than to let my conditioned mind guide my choices. What about you?

How we live today, will influence how we move into our wiser years.

I would love to hear how you would like to...

Trataka meditation is also called 'Gazing' meditation.

It's when you take an object and set it in front of you about 1-2 feet and around eye level and gaze at it.

You want to try not to blink and if your eyes start to tear, use a tissue to pat the tears. Don't rub your eyes as those tears are said to be removing impurities so better to pat them away.

A candle flame is traditionally used with this form of meditation, and it's my favorite object to use. But you can also use an image or picture or a crystal or mandala too.

If your eyes get tired, close them for a short bit and then start again.

Try it for a few minutes. Then close your eyes, focus softly on the space between your eyes, the third chakra, and look for the internal flame.

You may see the inner light of the flame bounce around in your internal gaze. Just focus right in on it again and bring it back to center.

Once the internal flame starts to fade away, sit in quiet meditation for another couple minutes.

I've...

Ahh, perimenopause.

I bet a whole bunch of thoughts pop into your head when you hear this word.

One may be a big 'ol UGH!

Well, generally, most of us women don't have control over when this time will be sprung upon us. For some it's a lot earlier and for some it's a lot later and then there's a whole bunch of us in between.

And everyone's situation is unique and different so you need to do what's right for you in terms of helping any kind of issues you may be experiencing.

An Ayurvedic View

Generally, when we enter perimenopause, on our way to menopause, the Vata time of life is coming upon us soon or we are already in it. Vata time of life is 50 and over. 

Vata is governed by the elements of air and ether.

These elements are more subtle and light and mobile as compared to say the earth element which is more solid, heavy and dense.

When we are born, this earth element is more prevalent. Think chunky, pudgy babies with their soft baby skin.

Air and ether are at the other ends of...

Hola!

I've decided to try an audio blog today. 

I had a lot I wanted to say and was easier for me to just talk it out and record it.

Hope you enjoy and maybe receive a little insight.

I know we all have different issues going on, but generally speaking, if we don't take care of ourselves, it will catch up with us at some point.

Some of us have issues that show up from out of no where. But I truly feel there is still ways to bring awareness and wellness to the situation in some way, shape or form.

enjoy, 

gina

Ps. Please share and/or leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Although the past few months have been challenging in many ways, staying connected to my movement and meditation practices and connecting with like-minded souls during this time has been a blessing.

I never in a million years would've guessed I'd be doing what I'm doing now.

Teaching? Me? In front of others? NO WAY!

Well now it feels like it's my calling. I have no idea how that happened, lol, but it has, and again, it's truly a blessing.

We never know where we will end up.

I don't even know where I'll be next week or in a month. And that's ok. That is life. And when we can be okay with the unknown, and have a curious perspective rather than a fearful one, life will flow with more ease. Give it a shot!

When you allow life to flow, things open up in ways you can't even imagine.

Now I'm teaching movement, plus other tools, that have helped me along my own healing journey throughout the years.

I’ve also recently become a part of an amazing group of souls in a community and...

There are many reasons why you want to preserve muscle mass, as well as continue to build muscle, as you age....especially if you are a woman.

Below are some reasons why.....

Building muscle strength:

• Builds stronger bones
• Protects joints from wear and tear
• Better movement to help prevent injury
• Helps maintain stability, balance and overall health
• Helps you burn more calories when your body is at rest
• Assists with a better quality of life
• When you move better, you feel better and then you have a better chance to live independently for the length of your entire life span

I think those are some pretty damn good reasons why you want to preserve the muscle you have as well as inspire you to even build more muscle.

I have always done some form of working out my whole life. I did some working out with weights when in high school. But my first real love of the gym and weights came when I was in college.

Having played sports my whole life, I just figured I would play them in college too....

Everyone will respond a bit different under different circumstances and that includes the challenge we are all facing now.

A reason we all may react different may be related to the amounts of each element we have within us.

More air and ether means we have more Vata Dosha.

More fire and water means more Pitta Dosha.

More water and earth means we are more Kapha Dosha.

And the combinations of these 5 elements, which every living thing has in order to be alive, varies within us and thus the qualities of these elements will show what our unique tendencies may be during these types of challenges.

Let Explore Each One

Vata Dosha

Vata dosha is a combination of air and ether. So a situation where we are quarantined may lead vatas to be a bit more scattered and anxious. Air and ether have the quality of 'motion' to them. So vatas like to go on adventures. They are creative and have lots of ideas. That is one way to see the air quality of 'movement'. Air moves things.

So vatas need to really...

Some Of My Favorite Things

I love so many things but I do have some that are on top of the list. You all know I already love yoga and Ayurveda so no need for me to jot them down here. ;)

Here are a few things I LOVE:

1. Journals and Pens!!!

Yea I'm a sucker for all that is journals, pens and stickers (you're never too wise for some motivating stickers!!!). I love the daily planner I use from Ink and Volt and this pen is one of my favorites...have it in every color.

They also have some awesome notebooks and desk pads for organizing daily tasks and To Do's.

I can't visit their site too often or my checking account funds will disappear!

2. Evernote

Evernote is my favorite digital organizing tool. I've been using it since 2009!!!

You can organize your whole life within Evernote. I use it for my business and for home life. You make notebooks which you can stack within each other to keep all organized and clean looking. And within Notebooks you create notes. I have Notebook for all...

No matter what your unique body/mind constitution, (Ayurveda dosha) is, there are healthy habits that are good for everyone to help keep their mind and body balanced.

One of the keys to healthy balance is healthy digestion.

Another key is a healthy outlook or state of mind.

And there's a lot that one can do to promote a healthy digestion and a healthy state of mind that will work no matter what your dosha is.

Let's discuss a few.

Daily Routines To Keep You Healthy All Year Round:

• Having a consistent nighttime ritual - This consists of going to bed at the same time, or close to it, every night, with 10:30pm being the latest time if possible. It also means shutting your tech stuff down a good 30-60 minutes before you go to bed. You could incorporate a calming breathing practice or light stretching practice before you slide into bed.
• Having a consistent morning ritual - This means getting up at the same time every day, or close to it, by 6am or 6:30 the latest if possible. Then tongue...

 Your Body Is Your Vehicle.

I love this perspective shift!

We need to tend to our car vehicles at some point so they drive well. If we ignore the upkeep, our car won't last as long and/or not drive as well as it could.

Seeing our body as a vehicle brings the same kind of awareness to it. Tending to our body daily will serve it well in most cases; for feeling better, being energetic and stronger, for longevity, for healing faster from physical challenges, for living longer independently and by hopefully being a bit more okay when the final time does come for our vehicle to run out of gas and not be able to be refueled (that deals more with the mind-chiseling mud aspect).

But I do love seeing the body as a vehicle, and I'm going to do my best to keep the gas tank filled until the time comes when it will fuel up no more. AND, it's the reason why I keep moving my body daily.

 So on to my 3 biggest reasons to exercise and keep moving and fueling the body!