!!!CEASEFIRE!!! Humboldt Healthcare Workers Walkout 12-3pm Nov.9

Walk, sit, stand in solidarity with the people of palestine and demand the US with drawl military arms and funding to Israel. (more words to come, posting this to intitiate organizing…)

CEASEFIRE!!!!
Humboldt Healthcare Workers Unite!! Walk out this Thursday 12-3pm, meet at the Eureka County Court House 825 5th St. Eureka

As a mental health organization and business we are demanding our government STOP ALL MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL.

We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people’s human rights and their right to liberation.

We stand with the victims of the Israeli massacres and kidnappings and mourn for their families. We stand with Jewish communities who also want peace, and their right to religious freedom.

We do not condone Israel’s use of violence and force.
We do not condone Hamas terrorist attacks.
We do not condone anti-semitism or Islamophobia of any kind!!!!

We do no consent to our US tax dollars as a business to be used to inflict harm and violence on innocent civilians.
We demand Israel be accountable for the international war crimes they have committed.
We demand Hamas release their prisoners and ceasefire and attacks on Israel. We do not condone violence. War is never the solution. Violence is never the solution.

This is not about picking sides. This about obeying international laws and agreements and humanitarian rights.

This is about non-violent solutions.

The old ways of war, violence and colonization DO NOT WORK.

This is about growing up and learning from the mistakes of our past.

This is about being human.

visit shutitdown4palestine.org to learn more!!!!

Attention Restoration

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“Attention Restoration Theory suggests that mental fatigue and concentration can be improved by time spent in, or looking at nature. The capacity of the brain to focus on a specific stimulus or task is limited and results in 'directed attention fatigue'.”

(ART) (Kaplan, 1989, 1995)

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Attention Restoration is a practice to explore in Ecotherapy. It can be really helpful for people working through ADHD (any age), and those who spend too much time on screens (probably most of us).

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As with all practices, if the prompt doesn’t resonate or sit well with you, full permission to keep scrolling.

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My hope is to share these little tidbits of Ecopsychology education and practices on this page. Learning and sharing are good medicines for all. If there’s something you’re wanting to know more about in regards to Ecopsychology or Ecotherapy, or have to share with me ~feel free to comment or message me.

Shift in Perspective

What is counseling, but a shift in perspective...

Many folks often confuse counseling or therapy, as advice giving. It’s not really.

Counselors are skilled at walking with their clients to find deeper meaning to their life experiences. They do this by listening to their client’s story and sharing reflections of what they hear. Ultimately, counselors are helping others look at their life quandaries and quarrels from another perspective. By shifting perspectives, the pathway through may present itself.

Well, counseling is that - and so much more of course…

Winter Solstice: What the darkness offers us...

We are lucky, we live on a planet which teaches us the cyclical nature of energy through its seasons- of positive and negative, of death and rebirth, sun and moon, summer and winter. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the darkness of winter has arrived- with all of its glory and lessons, as it continuously does each year.

The Winter Solstice, December 21, marks the longest night of the year, as the sun sits lowest in the sky. These celestial moments of the year, are potent times to pause and reflect on one’s life, one’s community, where we are, and where we are headed. It is a chance to embrace all that the light and darkness- the positive and negative- have to teach us.

Winter Solstice is a time to turn inward and tune into the cyclical rhythms of nature and our surroundings. We can do this through deeply restorative practices that invite us to be still and contemplative, like Yin or Restorative Yoga. The Winter Solstice happens towards the end of the year, in a time that is very chaotic, busy, and becomes prey to unhealthy habits such as excessive shopping, eating, drinking and more. We can invite a Winter Solstice practice into our lives as a way to slow down, and contemplate what we want to bring in to the new year. We can build a fire in our homes and in our hearts, a place to sit by the light and understand our shadows better.

Artwork By Autumn Skye

For me, this winter season began with the sudden passing of my beloved grandmother, what a metaphor for me- this death- of the queen matriarch of my family. My heart hit the earth with all the heaviness and tears that such a passing of death brings. But this grief has also shown me such profound light in these dark days.

Whenever a loved one passes, I immediately begin to burn candles for them- as if somehow my love and connection to their soul- through this flame- can help guide them home, or to heaven, or wherever they go in the afterlife. I of course, have no idea if this actually works. If my grandmother’s spirit could sense the light I had lit for her or not. However, I think the key point here rests somewhere higher within my consciousness, that when the profound grief that death shares with me arrives- which it inevitably does- all I can do is turn close to the light and stay there for a while. In doing this, I turn close to the love, and warmth, of the light I felt so closely, before death came to greet us.

This greeting the darkness, greeting death by turning close to fire, to light, to the candle of life, it holds such profound power, grace and humility. Realizing the fragility of life, and the power of love connected to life. I strongly believe, it’s this powerful love between my grandmother and I, that is keeping my spirit strong, and holding us both in the light as we process our goodbye. I believe this too is the wisdom of Winter Solstice gatherings, in all their beautiful forms.

We often may feel this changing of the seasons in our body, mind and soul- weeks upon its arrival. We begin to curl in, our body craves warmth, our mind craves rest, and our soul settles into the darker corners of our consciousness. This can feel overwhelming if we do not invite the darkness in, like a welcomed house guest. If we try to shut it out, pretend it is still summer, we might be able to live with that illusion for a while. But death, like birth, is inevitable, and cyclical, it finds its way back to us eventually, just as the seasons do.

Image from mindbodygreen.com

This Winter Solstice I will be holding close to the light, through the practices of Restorative and Yin yoga. I invite you to join me in a deeply meditative on contemplative practice where we embrace all the lessons the darkest nights have to teach us and unveil our own inner lights that serve to keep us warm and whole.

I invite you to join me at OmBase Yoga for a candle light Yin Yoga class Wednesday 12/19 at 7:30pm ~or~ a Restorative Yoga practice Friday 12/21 at 12:30 pm for two very special Winter Solstice practices. We will set intentions together by the fire place at OmBase and move together through the darkness, and all it has to offer us.

M O U N T A I N S O N G S .../\/\...

When in doubt I go to the places that keep me humble and at awe with the world. The places that make my heart pound just to get to them, and that force me to exist in a simple and intelligent way with my immediate surroundings. I go there and stay there for a while.... I ask mother earth what she knows and what I need to know , and then just listen and be. When I come back home I bring those places with me in all I do, remembering the inherent strength, beauty and intelligence in all things, including myself.

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Go to the places that keep you humble, and make you feel alive and apart of it all... Nature is our greatest teacher. .

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"Humble yourself in the arms of the wild,

you gotta lay down low,

Humble yourself in the arms of the wild,

you gotta ask her what she she knows.

We will lift each other up, higher and higher...."

Morning Magic

Every morning is a gift. A gift worthy of magic and majestic awe just like any other significant life event. Each morning we are affirmed in our consciousness  in the here and now. Each morning sets the tone of our entire day, don't let the magic of waking up slip away, thats been my goal as of lately.

Writing this post, I'm half way though my first year of graduate school, and while my ultimate aim is becoming a "master" in the subject of psychology, the bigger lesson I've learned so far is how to be a master of each - grateful- day. We live in a time of busy-ness, we are rewarded by society with the notion that being busy equals being successful. So where do we find time for magic? for mindfulness? for our daily practice? 

I'll be honest, as much as I love early morning meditation and 90 min yoga routines, that doesn't always fit into my schedule. A very wise yogi, Robert Moses, once told me "Make your goals super easy, then you'll have no trouble completing them!". At first this sounded like a cop-out to me, but how could I argue with this glowing person? Moses went on to discuss that instead of setting a goal to complete 16+ sun salutations a day he recommends just starting with 4, if you feel like moving past that goal, great! But four is pretty doable, is it not? 

Setting small goals isn't a way to back out of doing things that are difficult or resolving to being lazy, it's a way to maintain practicality in your practice. More importantly it also is supported by the brain! One thing I've learned, is that the brain functions really well when it has the sensation of completing a task, i.e the to-do list. Studies have found that each time you "complete" something or mark something off your to-do list, your brain releases serotonin- the chemical that makes you feel happy and satisfied. 

With my new rhythm with school and studying I've become really in love with my morning routine. I wake up, brush my teeth and hair, drink some water and then I fill my coffee pot up to the rim and boil at a medium heat. It takes about 30 minutes for the water to boil and for my coffee to be made. Meanwhile, as the stove gently hums, and my brain becomes excited for my morning cup of chi-moving fabulousness, I go to my mat which faces a window overlooking some trees. I sit in silence, practice my breathing exercises, move my body with gentle stretches and send prayers out to the day. Each day the practice varies depending on how I'm feeling some days are more rigorous and some days I just rest in child’s pose. Once the coffee is made I bring it to the mat and sip with enjoyment and gratitude- then my day has begun. 

For those of you that are A-type, go getter, Pittas in the morning who have no trouble doing 30 sun salutations each day, way to go! Keep up the good work. I'm serious, you inspire many. But if you're at all like me, try resetting your outlook on goals, start simple and go from there. The more we can truly listen and be with ourselves without guilt or punishment for "not doing it right" or " not doing enough" the better we are at actually completing things and moving forward with the day. Having an open routine in the morning like I described has actually created more motivation for in me for staying on my mat and diving into a longer 90 min or so practice on many days, but without the guilt or feeling of shame if it doesn't happen. Some days its just gentle movements, meditation, coffee, and I'm off - on to other tasks of the day, and that's ok. My mind still feels that sense of accomplishment and the sensation of a healthy start to my day. 

I wish you the best in each moment, and each day. 

The Muddy Dance

Amateur Kayaking, Amateur video making, soulful living... Time on the river is my method for positive mental health, and lord knows I need it right now...The river reminds to go with the flow of life like it's a dance. When my mind is anxious it's harder for me to step out of my comfort zone, but the river reminds me it's ok to walk around something that scares you, it's ok to just observe it and keep going. Most importantly the river reminds me to play with life and seek out the things that delight me, and thus enlighten me...

Discovering the Muddy Creek in Pennsylvania was heaven sent. What a magical place, tucked behind the cornfields of Amish country and stemming into the mighty Susquehanna is a very speciall little place.  

Exploring favorite places of your friends is also good medicine. There's a unique resonance to hanging out in a place you know someone has cherished since childhood. From playing on the river to existential chats in a dreamy tree house , my love for this keystone state in which my ancestors hail from is thoroughly quenched. 

Positve ions for days, love is kind and love is simple... 

The song is Dance, dance, dance...by Lyki Li

Move your Inner Compass; The 3 Gunas

​Moving through life is a process. Life brings us all kinds of energy, of direction, of activity, and non activity. Life brings us up, down and all around.

This dance of energy, of directions is described in yoga philosophy and can help us greatly to navigate life. It's the Gunas. We're always in dance between the Gunas , three of them to be exact; Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.  A"Guna " is a type of energy. It's a way of describing the quality or virtue of energy. It's in literally everything, our body, our thoughts, what we eat, elements in nature, the seasons, society and politics, even art! The list could go on forever because it LITERALLY can be described in everything. 

Sattva is balanced, it's harmonious nature. It holds a very positive and wise resonancy- think of water swirling in a perfect circle to make a whirl pool. Nothing is consitricting it or blocking it or causing waves to override the whirl...​it's consturctive, useful, continuous and intelligent.

Rajas on the other hand is really active, firey, ​and chaotic in nature. It's that big log thrown into the whirl pool that's causes a new wave, or jam or confusion as to where the water should go. It's a lot of action with not to much intention. It's firey action, it serves some purpose, it gets things moving. However, it often has the resonance of pure confusion. 

Tamas is the murky pond water that breeds mosquitos and flies. It's overly still and inactive. It's the darkness it's the thick mud you can't wash with or see through. It's resonance is sluggish, dark and often destructive in nature. But sometimes deep down in this murky mud a seed is sewn, and with time a bloom can come to surface, and here we have our beautiful lotus flower.

We exist whole heartedly in a dance within these gunas. If we're lucky- or perhaps I should say discerning- our inner compass is always pointed to the Sattvic qualities of life, pointed towards a state of balance and harmony: pure beingness. Whether things are overwhelming, over active and confusing (Rajasic); or Dull, depressing and heavy (Tamasic). It's the intention of returning to Sattva- returning to pure beingness that pulls us through these qualities. Sattva is what brings illumination and order to chaos , Sattva is what makes the lotus bloom, and bloom again.

Think for a moment of your own life, your goals, activities,what makes you happy and feeling stoked and BRIGHT, inside and out...Could be a sport, a food, an activity, your work... Got it? Good. Keep it. Keep doing THAT THING, the things that make you feel so gosh darn good. These things we want to stay close to because they bring out our inner best. They make us wise and discerned in certain areas of life, and  more than we may realize it- they keep us balanced.

There will always be Tamasic energies and Rajasic energies around us. It's the changing seasons; way too hot in the summer -Rajas, way too dark cold and heavy in the winter- Tamas. It's relationship dynamics; firey, passionate new love affair- Rajas. Or our beloved well seasoned long term commitments that sometimes can feel stale and dull, Tamas. 

Each guna has its place in life. Sometimes we need more fire and passion, Rajasic energy to feel balanced or to get things moving.  Sometimes we need more stillness, and for things to slow down to feel our pure beingness and to let things settle in.

We can welcome each of these qualities of energy into our lives with discernement, with the wisdom of Sattva. We can't stop the rain from pouring or from the sun giving off too much heat. But what we can do is cultivate our brightness, our inner balance. We can stay true to the activities and practices that balance us out. That help us reflect off or lean into the Gunas that surround us.  

This is what the wisdom of yoga shares with us. This is what the practice brings us. We can cultivate more fire in the body when perhaps life feels a bit too Tamasic, and alternatively take down the heat with more cooling and restorative practices when the energy is chaotic and on over drive. It's always a dance. There is no set way, the compass is always spinning and our best bet it is to continue to point it in the direction of balance and true wisdom. To keep doing the things, so we can do the thing, that make us feel bright. 

With heart, 

Bri Nadi

Time with Amma in India

View from across the river of the Amritapuri Ashram: photo courtesy of the Ashram

Many of my yogi friends use to tell me things like "You'll feel the call for India when it rings" or " oh you'll know when it's time to visit India, spirit knocks loudly in that place" ​.

I would often chuckle at these notions, thinking "How can a place -not a person- call you? "... Most of my inquiry into spirituality and yoga began at home in the US. When it came time to complete both my 200hr and advanced yoga teacher training, instead of going to India the source of yoga. Guatemala was the place, I suppose, that "called" me. In all honesty, India actually intimidated me greatly. I figured it was too chaotic there for me and that my understanding of my own spiritual path would just be lost in the hub bub of daily ritual that is ever abundant in India.​

Then it happened, my heart phone rang and low and behold Mama India was on the other line. It was perhaps a culmination of things; My time in Bali working with Sadh​ana Yoga School that exposed me to a vibrant Hindu culture that made me thirsty for more or just my love in general for Yoga Philosophy and practice. But most of all I'd say it was to be with Amma- Mata Amritanandamyai- who fueled much of my interest to go.

Amma's feet : photo courtesy of the Amritapuri

About Amma; I found Amma - or maybe she found me- right after college. She came to me in a time when I was   very unsure of my spiritual path and seeking direction , when I began to connect with her through my dreams and meditation, I knew it would be wise for me to find a way to sit with her more in person. Amma's message is one of pure nurturance, embrace the world and the world will know peace- and more importantly you will know peace. Amma's message is the importance of selfless service, true knowledge and devotion as yogis. This means to be of service in the world without the need of reward or praise, and to remain devoted to practices that cultivate peace in ourselves and our communities. To simply work and give from the heart is the most noble quest. To love all beings as a divine mother loves all her children, is true wisdom. One of the main ways Amma demonstrates her message is through "Embracing the World" with Dashana- Hugs. She is also known as the hugging saint because she has hugged over 33 million people world wide and continues to do so each year. Her humanitarian and charity work far surpasses the amount of hugs she has given , and continues to be a fueling inspiration in my work and desire to help other, especially those in need.

When I decide to go visit Amma at her Ashram I simply wished to be closer to this energy for a substantial amount of time so I could absorb myself in these truths of selfless service and devotion. So much of today's yoga practice in the western world is selfishly about the individual, about the type of pants you wear or how many people like your photo or show up to your class...I wanted to move past that. I also wanted to experience the ins and outs of Ashram living daily. To be in a community where devotion and service are the backbone and forefront.

After and overnight flight and long bumpy road through rural South India, I arrived at Amma's Ashram at 4:30 am, just in time for morning prayer. Sitting by the main office in front of the main temple I watched as all these beautiful women dressed in white made their way to the temple. Around 5 am the sun was rising and the women began chanting -108 names of the goddess Devi- and the black crows in the Palm, Banyan and Tamarind trees echoed theirs chants. I too entered a state of meditation, or absorption and remained there for sometime. 

When I came out of this state, people were beginning to buzz around the place, the smell of chai waffed thru the air and a man asked if he could help show me the way to my room, just as a beautiful elephant walked pass with joyous children jumping and dancing behind her. "WHERE AM I?" I thought.

This remained the golden thread of the energy I experienced during my three weeks at the Ashram. Pure magic...

Over my time there I studied yoga and scripture intensely through a Patanjali Yoga Sutra course guided by one of Amma's main disciples and Swami's. I practiced yoga, meditation, and ceremonial Pujas daily. I sat with Amma as she answered questions and gave advice. I received darshan from her and listened to her beautiful voice as she sang sacred chants. I served the Ashram through washing giant dhal pots that were bigger than me x3, drying dishes like they were precious gems, and unloading the food trucks of organic vegeatables that fed an Ashram army of 3,000 peace loving people.  

I also learned how to play the tambourine and drank pineapple juice until my hearts content.

Mandala from my journal, drawn during question and answer time with Amma...

Photos and the use of phones are discouraged a​t the Ashram, this was at first a hard practice for me because I love taking pictures and the grounds were a wealth of beauty and inspiration. However, I quickly came to love the peace that came from being present and unattached to devices. I'll openly admit however, that I did snap one photo of the goddess elephant Lakshmi, early on before I understood the rules. Mostly I recorded my experiences through journaling and drawing mandalas; a practice I was definelty not open to before, that now is part of my regular spiritual routine.

Yes, living in a place that lives and breathes the spiritual life is magic, and awesome. My meditations there were some of the deepest I have ever experienced. I would highly recommend anyone who is truly committed to this path of yoga to please spend time in A Gururkula- a spiritual school and community. Live, work, pray and breathe with others who are on a spiritual path, this will teach you more about yourself and your path than you ever could imagine.  I'd be lying if I told you the Ashram was quiet, clean and pristine... it wasn't... it was loud, it was crowded, it was sometimes realllllly smelly, and some people I bumped shoulders with there- pardon my saying- bugged the crap out of me, and I know for sure I bugged the crap out of a brahmachari more than once. (pro tip: never sit or stand in the line sight of a brahmachari priestess and her view of her guru, they will shoo you away the way a loving grandmother does). However most of the experience was beautiful and enlightening, I learned that it's really up to the individual to decide the emotional quality of each experience and each scenario...in the end, at Amma's you realize we are all children of this magnificent universe, worthy of love and abundance- some of us just need to learn to share more than others.

Walking up from the village to the Ashram: photo courtesy of Amritapuri

SO this is life, life is loud and smelly sometimes, it's also redicously beautiful and serene at other times. We don't practice yoga to escape the hard or uncomfortable parts, we practice yoga so we are better at leaning into those uncomfortable bits and dancing in the chaos. We practice to find that peace is a state within us; so therefore it is everywhere we are. As long as we can be present and tune into it, it's there , that's the practice...

Amma's Ashram is open to all. For a westerner you pay 6$ a day which gives you a bed and three meals. You can add additional courses/workshops on if you like and you can pay less than a dollar for that morning coffee you love , but the chai is always free. Amma’s ashram is located in Kerala India, in the place she was born and has lived her whole life. 

I am forever grateful for my time at the Ashram and I can't wait to go back. However, I know now that any place can be an Ashram, as long as my connection to the divine is clear and my heart is open.  Visit www.amritapuri.org for more information about Amma's Ashram.

The Beach at Amma's : photo courtesy of Amritapuri

UTTANASANA/FORWARD FOLD

UTTANASANA/FORWARD FOLD: “Move with intelligence. The back of the body is thought to be the past. When we’re mostly tight in our hamstrings, maybe metaphorically we need to let go of the past a bit. The front half of the body is the future…, keep moving toward it. Draw the chin in a bit…bring it closer in to the throat and drop in to the heart-literally- drop in, say hello. Reach from the thoracic cavity….reach for the FUTURE with the heart, not the head. The arms and hands are the ways we express ourselves creatively, forming our thoughts into tangible/physical objects…use them! Wrap them around your calves or thighs for encouraging support. Start with the knees bent… And eventually they’ll straighten, one breath at a time. Hug your center, that which keeps you rooted against gravity. And when life gives you a secret cove to dive deep, go deep. This pose is huge for hip health, lower back health and knee health….”