Meditation is like training a dog. Your breath is the treat.

Do you meditate? Actively meditate when you are not on your yoga mat?

I highly recommend it and so do studies. Numerous studies. The more you can meditate the better, and it doesn't have to be complicated. At all. Even 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at night for starters, can literally change your life. I'm serious!

Cyndi Lee who turned out to be one of the highlights for me at this years Yoga Conference says that Meditation is like training a dog. Your breath is like the treat.

Those of us who meditate and practice yoga (it's the same thing by the way), know that it is impossible to just turn off our mind. But can you slow down your thoughts? Absolutely, and at will. You really can self regulate.

There are many meditation techniques out there (including walking meditation).

When you can..just sit. Just sit and watch your breath. When your mind wanders simply notice and come back to your breath. And remember...."your breath is the treat". You will notice a great many things come up and you'll notice "there's that thought". "yup, there it is again", "oh, there's another one". Items from your to-do list may pop into your mind. You may even feel the release of stress hormones flooding your body if it's a stressful thought (and if you do, it's all ok)! Sit with it and breathe and notice what happens. Just watch, observe and come back your breath. Just come back. Just come back to two more breaths.

Its challenging but it does get easier to quiet the mind, slow down your heart rate etc. I really can not recommend it enough. It can get ugly, annoying, uncomfortable, and even boring, but it is so very interesting to watch the mind.

Meditation is getting to know yourself. Warts and all. And the benefits are endless.

You were born for great things. It may feel strange saying it but it's true of all of us.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Yesterday a friend told me that the bank of Montreal stopped recognizing holidays.

Many other organizations and businesses have done the same as we know, and some I even might agree with. Some things just aren't "in" or politically correct in the eyes of some these days.

I was told specifically that "allegedly" they stopped recognizing Remembrance day and I certainly hope that is not true. If it is true it deeply saddens me. I really hope my friend is wrong .

Without getting too deeply into things here I would like to share an article I saw this morning in the Washington Post on brain injuries, war and Afghanastan. It is an American article but it really illustrates how difficult living with a brain injury can be and just how truly awful and absolutely devastating some can be.

The article is here

My friends and loved ones who know me well know that I have a few causes that I have a real soft spot for and one of them is Veterans, and more specifically PTSD.

This article doesn't speak of PTSD, but Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a brain injury as well, and you don't have to be serving overseas to have it. The walking wounded are all around us. Some diagnosed and many not, and we are in this world together.

Brain injuries aren't always obvious but can be a real challenge for the person (s) having them and their loved ones on a daily basis (and thats an understatement). It is important to remember that trauma changes the brain as well. There are the obvious brain injuries from shrapnel and explosions(as in the article), car accidents, falls, and brain tumours and surgeries, but trauma changes the brain as well. I just wanted to share this article in light of Remembrance Day coming up next month. I know it's difficult to read (I have a box of kleenex in front of me as I type), but it's real life.

Lets all be very kind to each other whenever possible. And I really hope to see you at the Cenotaph next month on Remembrance Day. I know I'll be there again.

have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend!

Not sure what you'll be doing the rest of the week in this glorious city of ours, but it promises to be lovely, sun-shiny and fabulous! I'll be under the sails at the Convention Centre learning lot's at the Yoga Conference.

You can still print off free admission tickets here

Have fun whatever you get up to!

Please don't forget...

There's no yoga with me this Thursday due to the Yoga Conference!

(That means no baby & me yoga, no prenatal yoga and no mixed levels classes).

I'll see ya the following week♥

The Barefoot Professor: by Nature Video

I know a great many runners and have a huge number who frequent my classes. I prefer to walk (and walk and walk..I love my walks)! Anyways running, walking, hiking, surfing, whatever keeps us active is marvelous. I imagine that like me, you have read all the many studies and articles coming out on on running and footwear. If you are a runner it is worth thinking about. Wanted to share this video as it is great. I found it on Leslie Kaminoff's blog.

Success isn't happiness. Happiness is success.