lavender and roseberry

11 Bits of Wisdom from Eckhart Tolle

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 01:04:40 -0400

1. Doing is never enough if you neglect Being.

2. What you react to in others, you strengthen in yourself.

3. Attachment to things drops away when you no longer seek to find yourself in them.

4. The past has no power over the present moment. When you surrender to what is and so become fully present, the past ceases to exist. You do not need it any more.

5. Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.

6. You are not ‘in the now’; you are the now. That is your essential identity—the only thing that never changes.

7. Is there a difference between happiness and inner peace? Yes. Happiness depends on conditions being perceived as positive; inner peace does not.

8. Sometimes letting things go is a far greater act of power than defending or hanging on.

9. Neither failure nor success has the power to change your inner state of Being.

10. You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.

11. I cannot tell you any spiritual truth that deep within you don’t know already. All I can do is remind you of what you have forgotten.

Namaste.

"A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have..."

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 01:04:12 -0400

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”

- William Shakespeare (via lazyyogi)

Photo

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:59:43 -0400

visualgraphic: H2O

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:57:53 -0400

visualgraphic:

H2O

Photo

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:57:18 -0400

Stop Punishing, Start Nourishing.

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:00:29 -0400

I had a plan for today. Run errands, work out, make a healthy dinner and somehow clean the whole apartment at the end of all of this.

But today had different plans for me. I woke up with an awful kink in my neck. It was rainy and nasty outside. And because I’m trying to detox again from sugar, I was feeling a little weird and slightly out of it.

All afternoon, I was in the worst mood. I was dreading my day. I knew my workout would feel awful, and I had a long list of things that needed to be done. The answer to solve all of this was easy, yet I was fighting it. I needed to skip the gym.

I was so conflicted! It’s so silly. But when I was questioning my inner turmoil, I realized it all came down to one simple thought: my body needs punishment.

I preach an ideology of non-judgement, yet I have to fight it within myself. I am really great at removing morality from food, but I found myself placing it on my workout today.

The reality is that we get nowhere with punishment. I would have made my body hurt, then gotten nothing done tonight. And for what?! Don’t get me wrong, we need to have movement and sweat in our life on a regular basis. It’s one of the best ways to create calm and clarity, and it’s necessary for your body to thrive and age well. But we need to acknowledge that pushing through doesn’t make sense. Guilt or shame is not a reason to do something. Ever.

So, instead, I picked up some fresh veggies, came home, made a blueberry mint apple smoothie, cleaned the apartment and made some long overdue phone calls. I think, at the end of the day, I will be much more sane and set up for the next couple of days than if I had pushed and forced my body to do something that wasn’t right for today.

This is the only body I get. I must honor it by listening and nourishing.

Here’s to balance.

Photo

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:35:47 -0400

Photo

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:35:00 -0400

Why Telling Me To Smile Is Actually Assault.

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:15:49 -0500

While I usually like to stick to positive, nurturing, calming topics and conversations, I have noticed a disturbing trend (in NYC, at least) that needed addressing. So here we go.

Often, as I walk down the street, thinking, observing, off in my own thoughts, I will hear a man say “Smile!” or some variation on this. “Hey, lady, smile,” or “Give me a smile,” or “Let’s see a smile on that face” or something. Sometimes it’s to me, and sometimes it’s directed at other women.

*One important thing to note: This is usually directed at a woman who is on her own.*

Now, this all seems harmless enough. After all, we want to be positive and aware of the energy we bring to the world. I myself have been caught in the trap of thinking, “Oh, I must look unhappy right now. Let me change that.”

But this is actually a really harmful request—no—demand.

When was the last time you saw someone demand that a man smile? Never.

The fact that we are asked to put a smile on our faces suggests that we are expected to always give the appearance that everything is great. It also suggests that women are solely here to be objects of beauty and to keep men calm and happy. It’s one more thing telling women that we are not allowed to be in control of our body and mind. Shut up, and pretend everything is okay.

I think it’s no mystery that it happens when women are on their own. Just like all other forms of assault, they want to single out and separate.

Men often don’t realize the amount of subconscious messages and cues we women get on a daily basis. I just started having discussions with my husband about this, because I realized he had no idea what I dealt with on the regular. And cat calling is the least of my problems.

For example, I had stopped wearing one pair of pants that my husband loved, and he asked why. I told him that the last time I wore them, a group of men yelled out at me that I needed to go home and change, that I was too fat, and then they followed me down the street, saying “boom!” with every step. He was enraged. But I hadn’t even thought to tell him about it, because I’m so used to having awful things said to me on the street.

Granted, telling me to smile is not the same as hurling insults at me. But it’s just one more thing men do to attempt to control women. One more sign that we have to change or suppress ourselves to make men happy and comfortable.

So, the next time a man tells me to smile, he will get an earful from me. He will hear that I will not be controlled or managed, that my femininity does not make me a slave and servant to men. I will look however I want to look, and he can ask the next man coming down the street to smile instead.

He will probably call me a bitch.

I will call him an ignorant, sexist asshole.

Have a nice day.

Decide What You Really Want.

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:05:39 -0500

Tonight, I am sitting here on my couch, and I am shedding tears. Tears of pure joy and gratitude. I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever felt so loved and supported. I can confidently say that I could not ask for a better support system in my life than the one I have. I am surrounded by people (mostly women, but there are definitely some badass men) who know the real me, love me, support me and help me on a daily basis to be my best self.

Now, I’m not saying that my life is perfect by any means. Every day, I am humbled by the lessons the universe is determined to teach me. (Sometimes on a repeated basis.) But then, I have never asked for a perfect life. I have asked for the tools of growth and healing and self actualization. Those don’t come easily.

One of the deepest desires in my heart has always been to be surrounded by people, in my personal and professional life, who challenge me, keep me real and move me forward. I want realness, deep conversations, and the sharing of pure joy. I need people who are who they say they are and who are ready to unleash upon you a mountain of love. People to be a cheerleader for me when I can’t be one for myself. And I have that. Maybe I don’t have all the answers, all the knowledge, all the money. But I have the people around me that will help me move toward all of it.

If there’s one thing I want to shout from the rooftops today, it’s this:

Don’t wait to ask for what you want. What you really NEED.

You know what’s working in your life. You know when you spend time with someone if they make you feel stronger or weaker. You know how you feel when you head to your job. You know if your relationship is adding energy to your life or draining it.

Feed, nourish and honor the things that are working. Listen to those feelings in your gut. Weed your garden. Demand the best for yourself. You are the only one who can do it for you.

To all the people who have inspired, listened, supported and loved me lately, you have no idea what a difference you make.

Start With What You Know.

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:26:08 -0500

Are you one of those people who lets life’s situation, bumps and bruises affect your opinion of yourself? No, of course not. Who does that? (Sense the sarcasm.) I think we all do this at times, some more than others.

It is important to frame your reality and sense of self from what you have proven in your life, over time, in your soul, in your actions. So start with what you know.

For instance, it is easy to get caught up in a stressful relationship and start questioning your worth. So what do you know? If you KNOW that you are loving, compassionate, giving, trustworthy, and open, then maybe the problem is not you. Maybe it’s the relationship.

Or say you have a job that is wearing you down. If you KNOW you are smart, motivated, hard working and positive, maybe the problem is not you. Maybe it’s the job.

It’s easy to let emotion carry us away, but sometimes you have to remind yourself of the facts. Look back in your past. What does the majority of your story tell you?

Here are some action steps:

— Write it out in a journal. Sometimes things seem more true in writing, and I find its much easier to be kind to ourselves on paper. Things come out that surprise you. Make a column for “proof that i am ______” and another for “proof that I am not ______.” The fill in the blank could be smart, talented, beautiful, a good friend, lovable, kind, etc.

—Ask a friend. If you have good friends, they will give you an objective view of the situation with a lot of love.

—Run it out!!! I always think much clearer after a run or a yoga class. Clear the mind, take some deep breaths and proceed with sanity.

Photo

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:20:12 -0500

pictureperfectforyou: .

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:42:50 -0500

pictureperfectforyou:

.

Photo

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:40:39 -0500

visualgraphic: Screw Perfection

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:40:02 -0500

visualgraphic:

Screw Perfection

sarapocock

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:59:10 -0500

sarapocock

Running To Freedom

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:55:36 -0500

So, I started running.

To give you some history, I have always hated running. I specifically remember my 5th grade teacher running the required “mile run” beside me that year to keep me going. I am your classic Kapha, in Ayurvedic terms. My life energy is my physical energy. I am calm, centered, grounded. But this means I don’t like moving fast. I like yoga and ballet and Pilates. Sarah is not a runner.

I was looking online one day and saw photos of a fun race in NYC. I kept looking at the runners and thinking how fun that must be.

They looked…alive. And I want to feel alive. But there’s just one problem.

Sarah is not a runner.

I’ve always admired runners. It always seems like such an adult thing to do. And subconsciously, I have always judged myself on some level for not being one. It added into a line of judgement of myself of being slow, large, weak, immature…the list goes on.

In my line of work, you are always challenged to change stories you have always carried for yourself. Those things to label ourselves are often limitations. The things you are or aren’t.

I decided my desire to run this race was larger than the fact that I wasn’t a runner, and I made a decision: I was going to run.

Mind you, I don’t expect to run a marathon or even a half marathon! I just want to smash one barrier for myself, and this is a big one. And if you can run for 3 miles without stopping, you are doing just fine.

Here’s the crazy part: the mental and emotional breakthroughs have HEAVILY outweighed any of the physical ones. Once I started consistently running and gaining distance, my perception of things completely shifted. There was suddenly no mental phrasing of “if I could only” or “I want _____, but _____.” I have a lot of goal planning tools and books and advisors, but somehow this has taken the cake. There are suddenly no limitations. For anything.

After I started running, I started making serious decisions. First off, I decided I’m going to Italy this fall. For a yoga retreat and vacation. For 2 weeks. I’ve been wanting to do it for ages, and I have the perfect set up to do it, but there has always been this inner voice saying, “How would I ever pull that off? I can’t make all that money. It’s all out of my reach.” That voice is 2.5 miles behind me! Gone.

If I can conquer running, I can do anything. Total freedom.

Since I started running, I have finished a website, created all new promotional materials, booked several health fairs, re-committed to a sugar/flour/yeast free life, etc. etc. And I have a lot more in the works!

Not everyone needs to be a runner. And some people shouldn’t. But we ALL have that one thing that seems impossible to us. I encourage you to face it head on and stomp all over it.

"God knows you when you know yourself."

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:24:56 -0500

“God knows you when you know yourself.”

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (via lazyyogi)

Photo

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:24:31 -0500

Photo

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:34:11 -0500