Inspiration: To honor, give thanks and bless each and every moment.
Hope you all had a very "sweet" Thanksgiving. As most people in the U.S. gather with family and friends for this "grateful" day, there are some of us who have our own interpretation. For me personally, I couldn't wait to sleep in, have a "peaceful" workout and check out a movie.
Thursday was a rainy day in New York City. I awoke without a feeling of obligation. In advance, it was discussed that my family would most probably not gather together for various reasons. So there was acceptance by all parties. That said, I decided I would take a much needed "me" day.:) That may sound selfish to some, but it is what I call "taking care of oneself".
So taking care of myself was the theme of the day. Did I feel a bit or remorse not seeing family? Maybe a bit but the intention of the day was for me to feel good and express my version of gratitude to myself while silently blessing others.
The day began with some silence, a long workout, and trip to the movie theater where I got to escape my thoughts for two hours. When I left, I felt energized and stopped at the market for some ready made organic chicken (Fairway was still open). This may seem sad to some, but to me it was just what I needed. What my soul needed to do for that day. What does your soul need? Thoughts???
Have a very "peaceful" Saturday.
With Love, Denise
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Being In MY Head During Yoga Class
Inspiration: To continue to be mindful of my thoughts during yoga class and in daily living.
As many of you know who have found this site, I love yoga. I love yoga because it helps me to creatively connect with the breathe and the body relationship. It helps me to "tune" in to what I am feeling in each moment. Some moments are more joyful than others, as with all of life.
As I am both a teacher of fitness and yoga, many gym practitioners have told me that it is difficult for them to be still and pay attention. In other words, to not let their minds drift. In conversations, I have told them this is completely normal and regardless of where the mind may be, the healing and energetic benefits are there. Yes, it is more easeful to be in the moment and enjoy what you are experiencing. But if the mind drifts, just notice, take and breath and accept where you are.
This particular experience happened to me in class yesterday. I was downtown practicing at Kula Yoga with Ariel Karass. If you want a completely authentic and ZEN experience, you should definitely check out his classes. Anyway, during class yesterday, my mind was wandering all over the place. I had to go to the bathroom and was wondering when a more vigorous standing series would take place and so on.
My mind was controlling the experience. Yes, I did have to go to the bathroom and did "sneak" out. :-) But Ariel knows what he is doing. This class was very purposeful and sequenced accordingly. Who was I to get in the way with my ego's desire to perform warrior one and half-moon poses. So I lovingly decided to embrace what was in front of me, challenges (and challenging poses) and all. I listened when my body told me to hold back, due to numerous injuries. I left feeling at total peace.
That is one of the beautiful benefits of a yoga practice. It helps you to listen. The mind wanders. Watch it. Take a breath. Be still.:-)
Have a very "peaceful" evening.
Namaste, Denise
As many of you know who have found this site, I love yoga. I love yoga because it helps me to creatively connect with the breathe and the body relationship. It helps me to "tune" in to what I am feeling in each moment. Some moments are more joyful than others, as with all of life.
As I am both a teacher of fitness and yoga, many gym practitioners have told me that it is difficult for them to be still and pay attention. In other words, to not let their minds drift. In conversations, I have told them this is completely normal and regardless of where the mind may be, the healing and energetic benefits are there. Yes, it is more easeful to be in the moment and enjoy what you are experiencing. But if the mind drifts, just notice, take and breath and accept where you are.
This particular experience happened to me in class yesterday. I was downtown practicing at Kula Yoga with Ariel Karass. If you want a completely authentic and ZEN experience, you should definitely check out his classes. Anyway, during class yesterday, my mind was wandering all over the place. I had to go to the bathroom and was wondering when a more vigorous standing series would take place and so on.
My mind was controlling the experience. Yes, I did have to go to the bathroom and did "sneak" out. :-) But Ariel knows what he is doing. This class was very purposeful and sequenced accordingly. Who was I to get in the way with my ego's desire to perform warrior one and half-moon poses. So I lovingly decided to embrace what was in front of me, challenges (and challenging poses) and all. I listened when my body told me to hold back, due to numerous injuries. I left feeling at total peace.
That is one of the beautiful benefits of a yoga practice. It helps you to listen. The mind wanders. Watch it. Take a breath. Be still.:-)
Have a very "peaceful" evening.
Namaste, Denise
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Everything has a Purpose
Inspiration: To continue to let go on my ego's need for fulfillment and simply live from my truth.
Greetings. Hope everyone is having a "sweet" Autumn. The weather here in NYC these past few days is in the 60's. So great. Almost feels like springtime. Infinite possibility.....:-)
It's amazing that you never really know how you or something you do reaches another. When I started writing this blog about a year and half ago, it was because I was guided by my "intuitive" counselor that this is something that would be helpful. For creative expression and reaching more people. As far as computers and techy stop goes, I really have no interest. So it was a challenge for me to set this up ( although much easier now) on eblogger.
So over time I have been scribing less and less. Partially because I am busier and partially because I have much to say and find it difficult to limit to one posting. Well, today here I am. My inspiration comes from a post written back in September about a lovely yoga teacher in NYC whose classes I frequent. Somehow, he found this and reached out in appreciation. My initial response was a feeling of deep gratitude and then a "friendly" reminder that I need to keep this up. It doesn't matter how many people this touches, just that I keep this going in some small way.
A reminder that I really love sharing my ideas and inspirations, and hey "who knows". The saying " you never know where god is." Well yesterday was a glimpse when this teacher sent me a lovely message via facebook.
Thank you Adrian Molina. AWESOME yoga teacher and inspirational healer.
So let the message today be to live from your highest truth, without expectation. Do what you love; what brings you joy. When you are coming from a place of expanded awareness and appreciation, the world will open up to you in miraculous and exciting ways.......
Have a "sweet" Sunday.
With Love, Denise
Greetings. Hope everyone is having a "sweet" Autumn. The weather here in NYC these past few days is in the 60's. So great. Almost feels like springtime. Infinite possibility.....:-)
It's amazing that you never really know how you or something you do reaches another. When I started writing this blog about a year and half ago, it was because I was guided by my "intuitive" counselor that this is something that would be helpful. For creative expression and reaching more people. As far as computers and techy stop goes, I really have no interest. So it was a challenge for me to set this up ( although much easier now) on eblogger.
So over time I have been scribing less and less. Partially because I am busier and partially because I have much to say and find it difficult to limit to one posting. Well, today here I am. My inspiration comes from a post written back in September about a lovely yoga teacher in NYC whose classes I frequent. Somehow, he found this and reached out in appreciation. My initial response was a feeling of deep gratitude and then a "friendly" reminder that I need to keep this up. It doesn't matter how many people this touches, just that I keep this going in some small way.
A reminder that I really love sharing my ideas and inspirations, and hey "who knows". The saying " you never know where god is." Well yesterday was a glimpse when this teacher sent me a lovely message via facebook.
Thank you Adrian Molina. AWESOME yoga teacher and inspirational healer.
So let the message today be to live from your highest truth, without expectation. Do what you love; what brings you joy. When you are coming from a place of expanded awareness and appreciation, the world will open up to you in miraculous and exciting ways.......
Have a "sweet" Sunday.
With Love, Denise
Saturday, November 6, 2010
It's November Already?
Inspiration: To not allow the passage of time to get the best of me....
Wow! I cannot believe it is November already. How quickly time passes. We have just seen the passage of pumpkins and will soon be preparing for our day of turkey. These "transitional" months of Autumn are a time of really getting clear on what it is that moves us. The deep inspiration that makes us want to jump out of bed in the morning, and the miracles the day may bring forth.
On a physical level, we all have deep dreams and desires. It may be quite some time and nothing has seemed to move. Or another way to look at it, is you cannot see anything physically. Hold true to your vision. It is said "Patience is a virtue". A day can seem like a year, and so on. When we release our need to have it now, our world becomes brighter. Each moment is filled with the potential of what could be.
Last night was a new moon. A time of beginnings. Externally directed energy. Going for it! Blocks will soon appear to be lifted, and again, we can move forward fearlessly. This is a great time for wishing. If you could ground this by scribing on some paper, you will have a reference of what it is that is important to you. The key here is not to "check up" but just to allow a space for the miraculous. God is in the details.:-)
I wish you all a very "peaceful" an sweet day!!!
With Love, Denise
Wow! I cannot believe it is November already. How quickly time passes. We have just seen the passage of pumpkins and will soon be preparing for our day of turkey. These "transitional" months of Autumn are a time of really getting clear on what it is that moves us. The deep inspiration that makes us want to jump out of bed in the morning, and the miracles the day may bring forth.
On a physical level, we all have deep dreams and desires. It may be quite some time and nothing has seemed to move. Or another way to look at it, is you cannot see anything physically. Hold true to your vision. It is said "Patience is a virtue". A day can seem like a year, and so on. When we release our need to have it now, our world becomes brighter. Each moment is filled with the potential of what could be.
Last night was a new moon. A time of beginnings. Externally directed energy. Going for it! Blocks will soon appear to be lifted, and again, we can move forward fearlessly. This is a great time for wishing. If you could ground this by scribing on some paper, you will have a reference of what it is that is important to you. The key here is not to "check up" but just to allow a space for the miraculous. God is in the details.:-)
I wish you all a very "peaceful" an sweet day!!!
With Love, Denise
Monday, October 18, 2010
Women, Food and Weight
Inspiration: To continue to listen to the needs of the body in each moment.
Many of us, especially women, wake up each morning with the intention of having a guilt-free eating day. By this I mean, " I am going to stick to my diet." In Spanish the word morir means to die. If we translate this into our daily life, we metaphorically do "die" when we deprive ourselves.
Depending upon your level of physical activity, it is essential to eat in a balanced way. We need a minimum of calories (somewhere around 1200 according to your metabolism) to sustain our bodily functions. The beating of our heart, the functioning of our brain and organs. Add to the mix some exercise, and you can clearly see, it is not about being restrictive, or dieting.
This is actually counter-intuitive to lasting and healthy results. In the short-term, you will succeed in reaching your so-called "goals" of maintaining what you believe to be the perfect weight. But what really is perfect? Personally speaking, perfection is peace. To be at total peace with this moment. If a number on the scale brings you peace, what happens when it changes? That is really not peace at all.
In particular, women are held to such high standards by society and the media. We see airbrushed magazines of starlets that may make some of us feel less than. Truth be told, in real-life, (but Uma Thurman really is stunning), most women do not look like this. At the very core, all of us just want to be happy. We all have our own set of circumstances, regardless of who we are.
So today, I lovingly invite you all to enjoy some sweetness. Yes, in the form of food. A "little" bit of something good, will go a long way. It will make you "happy".:-).
Have a very "peaceful" day.
With Love,
Denise
Many of us, especially women, wake up each morning with the intention of having a guilt-free eating day. By this I mean, " I am going to stick to my diet." In Spanish the word morir means to die. If we translate this into our daily life, we metaphorically do "die" when we deprive ourselves.
Depending upon your level of physical activity, it is essential to eat in a balanced way. We need a minimum of calories (somewhere around 1200 according to your metabolism) to sustain our bodily functions. The beating of our heart, the functioning of our brain and organs. Add to the mix some exercise, and you can clearly see, it is not about being restrictive, or dieting.
This is actually counter-intuitive to lasting and healthy results. In the short-term, you will suc
In particular, women are held to such high standards by society and the media. We see airbrushed magazines of starlets that may make some of us feel less than. Truth be told, in real-life, (but Uma Thurman really is stunning), most women do not look like this. At the very core, all of us just want to be happy. We all have our own set of circumstances, regardless of who we are.
So today, I lovingly invite you all to enjoy some sweetness. Yes, in the form of food. A "little" bit of something good, will go a long way. It will make you "happy".:-).
Have a very "peaceful" day.
With Love,
Denise
Friday, October 8, 2010
You Just Never Know....
Inspiration: To allow room to learn the truth about an individual without judgments.
Yesterday, while working with a client at a private gym, I commented on a beautiful bracelet another trainer was wearing. For some reason it just stood out and spoke to me. It was a handmade, sterling silver wing wrapped in leather.
Shortly after, I inquired as to where he got it. After sharing the details, he told me this replaced the bracelet that Lance Armstrong ripped off his wrist after meeting him. (Guess Lance liked what he was wearing.) Anyway, this led to a conversation that I would have never expected in a million years.
As it turned out, this day represented five years since he had been cancer free. He had Hodgkin's lymphoma. This type of cancer is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. Mind you, the guy is a perfect looking specimen. He was a professional ironman competitor, placing in the top ten prior to this diagnosis. Before this particular moment, I had my own; "judgments" about him. Good-looking, cocky, successful and a bit arrogant. Not my energy.
But after this conversation, I was completely humbled. Tears were beginning to fall as I was continuing to work with my client. My heart was burst wide open. Another level of softening judgment. The level of compassion I felt go way beyond words. On some level, he obviously felt a need to share this, maybe unconsciously, with people he did not know very well. In any event, it was a true gift. We both saw one another differently for the first time.
Many us assume the worst, or possibly resent others for their success, looks or their seemingly "perfect" life. We never really do know what is going on or what someone has been through. Life is filled with many challenges. At one point or another, there comes a time where we are tested. How we rise to the occasion is totally up to us.
So I lovingly invite you to embrace each and every situation and person you may come in contact with. To look beyond the surface and be open to the possibilities that may exist.
Have a very "peaceful" day.
With Love,
Denise
Yesterday, while working with a client at a private gym, I commented on a beautiful bracelet another trainer was wearing. For some reason it just stood out and spoke to me. It was a handmade, sterling silver wing wrapped in leather.
Shortly after, I inquired as to where he got it. After sharing the details, he told me this replaced the bracelet that Lance Armstrong ripped off his wrist after meeting him. (Guess Lance liked what he was wearing.) Anyway, this led to a conversation that I would have never expected in a million years.
As it turned out, this day represented five years since he had been cancer free. He had Hodgkin's lymphoma. This type of cancer is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. Mind you, the guy is a perfect looking specimen. He was a professional ironman competitor, placing in the top ten prior to this diagnosis. Before this particular moment, I had my own; "judgments" about him. Good-looking, cocky, successful and a bit arrogant. Not my energy.
But after this conversation, I was completely humbled. Tears were beginning to fall as I was continuing to work with my client. My heart was burst wide open. Another level of softening judgment. The level of compassion I felt go way beyond words. On some level, he obviously felt a need to share this, maybe unconsciously, with people he did not know very well. In any event, it was a true gift. We both saw one another differently for the first time.
Many us assume the worst, or possibly resent others for their success, looks or their seemingly "perfect" life. We never really do know what is going on or what someone has been through. Life is filled with many challenges. At one point or another, there comes a time where we are tested. How we rise to the occasion is totally up to us.
So I lovingly invite you to embrace each and every situation and person you may come in contact with. To look beyond the surface and be open to the possibilities that may exist.
Have a very "peaceful" day.
With Love,
Denise
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Finding Sweetness
Inspiration: To find the joy inherent in each moment.
Sweetness comes in many forms. It can be the taste of ice cream on a warm summer's day. It could be a beautiful sunrise or sunset. It could be the stillness of this moment.
We can all get caught up in the daily and mundane rituals in our lives. Not stopping to pause, breathe and embrace the magic that is all around us. Just a moment of finding sweetness, can shift our perspective and change the trajectory of our day.
My favorite, is to go commune in nature. There is always something "magical" that happens for me here. Whether it be a bird that sits besides me, or the fresh air, there is always a gift. When we are connected to the natural, earth elements, there is a sense of groundedness that takes over. We feel a connection to something "larger" than what we perceive with the senses.
The pure joy of waking up each morning with the potential to create is a blessing. What we create and how we utilize our gifts, is totally up to us. Finding the joy, or sweetness, helps us to find our true essence and live our highest truth possible.
So I invite you to lovingly embrace the simple pleasures that surround you. To find something that makes your heart sing, on a daily basis. Even if only for a moment. Your world will be brighter.....:)
Have a very "peaceful" evening.
With Love,
Denise
Sweetness comes in many forms. It can be the taste of ice cream on a warm summer's day. It could be a beautiful sunrise or sunset. It could be the stillness of this moment.
We can all get caught up in the daily and mundane rituals in our lives. Not stopping to pause, breathe and embrace the magic that is all around us. Just a moment of finding sweetness, can shift our perspective and change the trajectory of our day.
My favorite, is to go commune in nature. There is always something "magical" that happens for me here. Whether it be a bird that sits besides me, or the fresh air, there is always a gift. When we are connected to the natural, earth elements, there is a sense of groundedness that takes over. We feel a connection to something "larger" than what we perceive with the senses.
The pure joy of waking up each morning with the potential to create is a blessing. What we create and how we utilize our gifts, is totally up to us. Finding the joy, or sweetness, helps us to find our true essence and live our highest truth possible.
So I invite you to lovingly embrace the simple pleasures that surround you. To find something that makes your heart sing, on a daily basis. Even if only for a moment. Your world will be brighter.....:)
Have a very "peaceful" evening.
With Love,
Denise
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