Forty-Four

Morning Routing

Every Day

Balance

1. 45 Min Cardio = XTFMAX 90 Day DVD Workout Program
2. 60 Min Yoga = A & B Series Ashtanga + Warriors + Triangles + Balance
3. 10 Min Pranayama = Alternate Nostril Breathing 
4. 30 Min Meditation = Zen or Breath
5. 30 Min Contemplative Meditation
1. St Francis Prayer - Lord Make Me an Instrument
2. The Way of Life According to Lao Tzu by Witter Bynner
3. Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life by Wayne Dyer
4. Universe Prayer - Day Seven Post
5. When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
6. Forgiveness Prayer - Day Fourteen Post
7. The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie
8. Pull Daily Affirmation Card - Handmade Gift from Gina & Susan
6. Daily Blog Post
7. 30 Day 5 minute Plank Challenge: Day 1 is 10 seconds.  Increase in 10 second increments every day for 30 days.  No Rest Days.  Day 30 will be 5 minutes!

Forty-three

ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
I bow to Shiva!
I bow to my Inner Self!
O salutations to the auspicious one!
Adoration to Lord Shiva!
Universal consciousness is one!

ॐ = OM = Sacred sound of the God (Universe)
नमः = Namah = Praise or Honor
शिवाय = Shiva = Supreme Being = God = Lord of Yoga = The Divine Within Me

Forty-two

"If you think you’re doing too much, you’re probably doing the right amount."

~Anthony Fauci~

Forty-one

"We also hear the world.  These are uncertain times. So many structures and certainties are breaking apart.  At any time a tsunami, hurricane, or earthquake can devastate, or the financial institutions of an entire country can collapse.  Change is happening at such an immense pace, it's hard to have any idea of where we are headed.  Our experience of time and distance is ever-shrinking as the internet moves us into warp speed.  Every day a flood of information makes "out there" more obviously "right here." As the consequences of actions rebound ever more quickly, it's as if there is not distance between thought and what it materializes.  Everything is immediate.  We live in increasingly virtual realities, and at the same time are confronted with the likelihood of no sustainable Earth for further generations.  For many species, it is already too late.
Life has always been intensely challenging on planet Earth, but it's hard to imagine another time when the stakes are so high.  We may feel anguished by what's happening, but what's happening is happening.  None of this is outside the Dharma.  The intensity of our times is pushing, squeezing, and pummeling us.  The image that comes to mind is of a birth canal.  It is as if we are being born into a different way of understanding everything."

From Listening to the Heart (2014)
by Kittisaro and Thanissara

Forty

“Closer than breath, you are the air
Sweeter than life itself, you are here
I am a wanderer, you are my peace
I am a prisoner, you are release
Jai Gurudev...
I am a pilgrim, your road so long
I am the singer, you are the song
Held in the open sky, so far above
I am the lover, you are the love
Jai Gurudev...
I follow your footsteps through the flame
All that I ever need is in your name
Carry your heart in mine, vast as space
All that I am today is by your grace.
By your Grace... I live by your grace.”

 ~Krishna Das~

Thirty-nine

10 Years ago today I married my best friend.

“Welcome to all of those who hear these words… Welcome. For if you are here,… you know that today is a day that brings together, two bodies of one soul. If you are here, you are here because of the bond of love, the gossamer thread that is held for you by Our bride, Tanya and our Groom, Jason. Today, here, near the ancient glacial waters. Do we witness, once again, natures return to balance… through the union of Jason and Tanya. I asked Tanya and Jason to bring to words what they believe their marriage will bring forth to the world... I humbly give you their response... “That answer is LOVE. We are giving the gift of LOVE to each other and to the world... The LOVE that we have for one another has changed us, and the way that we view the world, and the way that we act within the world... Everything we do now is done with, LOVE. “ And with that love, our bride and groom have come to understand that Marriage is the ultimate choice of truly making a commitment to another being... Not many of the people walking on this planet even comprehend the level of commitment I speak of... To truly commit yourself to one person, so completely, as to never leak energy to another person that is not your spouse... To always keep your mind clear, and your direction in focus, of a single unified path... of two beings becoming greater as a couple than they ever could individually. Tanya and Jason turn towards each other Jason, do you now choose Tanya, to be your Wife, To share your life openly with her... To speak truthfully and lovingly to her... To accept her fully as she is... and delight in who she is becoming... To respect her uniqueness... Encourage her fulfillment... And compassionately support her... through all the changes of your lives together? Tanya, do you now choose Jason, to be your Husband, To share your life openly with him... To speak truthfully and lovingly to him... To accept him fully as he is... and delight in who he is becoming... To respect his uniqueness... Encourage his fulfillment... And compassionately support him... through all the changes of your lives together? Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens. A great marriage must be created. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right being, it is being the right being. As before, with Tanya’s and Jason’s, verbal, and energetic commitment… We now complete the circle, with a physical representation of their vow to one another. Jason please take Tanya's left hand and repeat after me.... Because this ring is perfectly symmetrical, it signifies the perfection of true love. As I place it on your finger… I give you all that I am and ever hope to be. Tanya please take Jason's left hand and repeat after me.... Because this ring has no end or beginning, it signifies the continuation of true love. As I place it on your finger… I give you all that I am, and ever hope to be. Tanya, Jason…You have both joined voluntarily in this sacred ceremony of marriage, and have been formally united as husband and wife in the presence of your family and friends and under the witness of the ancients of the world, your relations... and the state of Oregon…… As you have declared openly your clear intentions to be considered before all the world as a married couple, expressing the gift of love, in all that you do... and have exchanged rings and vows attesting thereto, it is my pleasure and honor to pronounce you husband and wife. Jason…. you may, please, kiss the bride. Tanya,… Jason... The world is yours, This day is yours, Please join your Family and Friends in Celebration of Life and Love."

Thirty-eight

For the love of fresh produce...

“She wandered among the wooden crates, picking up tomatoes, peeling back the husks on ears of corn, adding two red peppers to her shopping basket and a bunch of very thin asparagus, a bouquet of zinnias for the table, and seven imperial-looking white and purple gladiolas to put in the stone pitcher that she kept by the front door. She was loaded down with fresh things, beautiful, glorious provisions. Could she stop time and stay here, with her basket full, surrounded by organic produce?”
~ Elin Hilderbrand~

“Spring had come to the market as well. Everywhere there were young green things, the tips of asparagus, young leeks no bigger than scallions. There was crisp arugula, curled and tangled, and fresh green peas, plump in their pods. I had no idea what I wanted to make for dinner. This didn't pose a problem; on the contrary, it was an opportunity, a mini adventure. The season's new ingredients brought new ideas. The first baby tomatoes were coming in from Sicily. I bought a box of small red globes still on the vine and a red onion in my favorite childhood shade of royal purple. Maybe I would make a salsa for the dorade I'd picked up at the fishmonger. I imagined a bright confetti, the tomatoes mixed with freshly chopped coriander, maybe a sunny mango.”
~Elizabeth Bard~

Thirty-seven

“Tonglen practice, also known as ‘taking and sending,’ reverses our usual logic of avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure. In tonglen practice, we visualize taking in the pain of others with every in-breath and sending out whatever will benefit them on the out-breath. In the process, we become liberated from age- old patterns of selfishness. We begin to feel love for both ourselves and others; we begin to take care of ourselves and others. Tonglen awakens our compassion and introduces us to a far bigger view of reality. It introduces us to the unlimited spaciousness of shunyata (emptiness). By doing the practice, we begin to connect with the open dimension of our being. Tonglen can be done for those who are ill, those who are dying or have died, or those who are in pain of any kind. It can be done as a formal meditation practice or right on the spot at any time. If we are out walking and we see someone in pain, we can breathe in that person’s pain and send out relief to them.”

~Pema Chodron~

Thirty-six

Earth Day

“The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyong reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need, if only we had the eyes to see.“

~Ed Abbey~

Thirty-five

“And here in America, in the absence of leadership from the White House, governors from California to Ohio are stepping up to fill the void. Basically, what’s happening in America is whatever happens when a family has an alcoholic dad and the kids just have to raise themselves.”

Trevor Noah

Thirty-four

“What is a family? Is it just a genetic chain, parents and offspring, people like me? Or is it a social construct, an economic unit, optimal for child-rearing and divisions of labor? Or is it something else entirely: a store of shared memories, say? An ambit of love? A reach across the void? I could test various possibilities. But I’d never arrived at a definite answer, aware early on that, given my circumstances, such an effort was bound to fail. Instead, I drew a series of circles around myself, with borders that shifted as time passed and faces changed but nevertheless offered the illusion of control. An inner circle, where love was constant and claims unquestioned. Then a second circle, a realm of negotiated love, commitment freely chosen. And then a circle of colleagues, acquaintances; the cheerful gray-haired lady who rang up my groceries back in Chicago. Until the circle finally widened to embrace a nation or a race, or a particular moral course, and commitments were no longer tied to a face or name but were actually commitments I made to myself.”

From Dreams from My Father
By Barack Obama

Thirty-three

At Dawn

Asana

Surya Namaskar

Sun Salutations

Standing Mountain Pose
Tadasana
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hands in prayer position.

Upward Salute
Urdhva Hastasana
Inhale as you sweep your arms out to the side and overhead. Arch your back and gaze at the sky.

Standing Forward Fold
Uttanasana
Exhale as you fold forward from the hips. Place your hands beside your feet and bring your nose to your knees.

Half Standing Forward Fold
Ardha Uttanasana
Inhale as you lift your torso up, back is flat. Your torso should be parallel to the floor. Your fingertips on the floor.

Four-Limbed Staff Pose
Chaturanga Dandasana
Exhale as you step  back 1 foot into Plank Pose.Inhale as you step the second leg back. Exhale as you lower your body toward the floor.

Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana
Inhale as you draw your chest forward and straighten your arms. Shoulders back and lift your heart to the sky.

Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Exhale as you lift your hips and roll back, placing the soles of your feet on the floor. Push down through your hands and the soles of your feet, lengthening your spine. Stay here for five breaths.

On your last exhalation, bend your knees and look between your hands.

Half Standing Forward Fold
Ardha Uttanasana
Inhale as you step one foot forward in between your hands. Exhale as you step the second leg forward. Inhale and lift your torso halfway. Keep your fingertips on the floor.

Standing Forward Fold
Uttanasana
Exhale as you fold your torso over your thighs. Place your hands beside your feet and bring your nose to your knees.

Upward Salute
Urdhva Hastasana
Inhale as you sweep your arms out to the side and come up. Gently arch your back and look toward the sky.

Mountain Pose
Tadasana
Exhale as you come back into Mountain Pose, hands into prayer position.

Thirty-two

At Dawn

Pranayama

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Sit in a comfortable position with your legs crossed. Place your left hand on your left knee. Lift your right hand up toward your nose. Place your thumb lightly on your right nostril. Place your index and middle finger on your third eye. Place your ring finger lightly in your left nostril. Exhale completely and then use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale and Exhale slowly and completely through your left nostril for five breaths. Close the left nostril with your finger. Open the right nostril. Inhale and Exhale slowly and completely through your right nostril for five breaths. Open both nostrils. Inhale and Exhale slowly and completely through both nostrils for five breaths.

Repeat 2-4 times.

Thirty-one

"I know that there are many who are struggling with their mental health right now. People are lonely and isolated and frustrated, and would give anything to return back to normal, and I have to tell you I would too. We’re going to get there. It’s going to take some time. It won’t all happen overnight, but we will get there. We are smart, we do what we need to do and everyone plays their part. We have to mitigate risk and so while we will be reunited with our friends and loved ones again, it’s important that we continue to double down on our efforts today." ~ Gretchen Whitmer ~

Thirty

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Twenty-nine

“Breathing in I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out I know that I am breathing out.”

Morning Meditation
~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~

Twenty-eight

“The morning was fresh from the rain. The smell of the tide pools was strong. Sweet odors came from the wild grasses in the ravines and from the sand plants on the dunes. I sang as I went down the trail to the beach and along the beach to the sandspit. I felt that the day was an omen of good fortune. It was a good day to begin my new home.“

From The Island of the Blue Dolphin
~ Scott O’Dell ~

Twenty-seven

“I think staying off the news and internet can help sometimes. I’ve definitely reduced how much I’ve been looking at it and it helps make my little life in the apartment feel a tiny bit more normal.” ~ Ellen Lee ~

Twenty-six

It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.” ~ J. R. R. Tolkien ~

Twenty-five

"I am an old woman named after my mother
My old man is another child that's grown old
If dreams were lightning, thunder were desire
This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

 Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

 When I was a young girl well, I had me a cowboy
He weren't much to look at, just free rambling man
But that was a long time and no matter how I try
The years just flow by like a broken down dam

 Just give me one thing that I can hold on to
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go"

~ John Prine ~

Twenty-four

"Think of the fact that our skulls are bowl-shaped receptacles to hold our brains.  Figuratively, our minds are bowls that hold our thoughts.  They aren't meant to be empty, and they're easily filled.  Especially when it comes to the ruminative mind, emptying your mind of thoughts is impossible, and although doing so may sometimes sound like relief, it would be incredibly dull.  Beyond that, striving for an empty mind is a goal with questionable, possibly unappealing connotations; why aim for a sterile mental wasteland when you can aim for a tranquil, balanced appreciation of all the elements of life? Therefore, instead of having an empty mind as your measure of success, make it your goal to have a calmly aware mind."

From The Mindful Path Through Worry and Ruminiation
~ Sameet Kumar ~

Twenty-three

Remember...
My mask protects you and your mask protects me.

Twenty-two

“If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse.”

From Dark Night of The Soul
~ St John Of The Cross ~

Twenty-one

“You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it.”
~J.K. Rowling~

Twenty

"The trick with fear is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought.  That's what we're going to discover again and again and again.  Nothing is what we thought.  I can say that with great confidence.  Emptiness is not what we thought.  Neither is mindfulness or fear.  Compassion -- not what we thought.  Love.  Buddha nature.  Courage.  These are code words for things we don't know in our minds, but any of us could experience them.  These are words that point to what life really is when we let things fall apart and let ourselves be nailed to the present moment."

BE NAILED TO THE PRESENT MOMENT

From When Things Fall Apart
~ Pema Chodron ~

Nineteen

“It is very difficult for people in our culture to imagine that it is possible to treat ourselves and others with complete respect no matter what previous crimes we or others have committed. Each person will get the results of these actions in the form of karmic consequences, which are manifested as feelings. The suffering produced is not there to punish but to teach. If people are treated with respect, they are much more likely to learn how to avoid the same mistakes in the future then if they are faced with judgment, punitive or vengeful attitudes.

From The Pale of Vengeance
~ Kan Kikuchi ~

Eighteen

Rivers - Mountains - Sea
With you
I will forever Be.

Seventeen

"Encourage the patient and all those present to focus on the breathing and to take in as deep a breath as possible without causing distress or pain. As they breathe, remind them that breathing is what unites all living things and that even plants and bacteria breathe. Remind them that in breathing they bring in what it is bodies need (oxygen) and get rid of that which bodies do not need (carbon dioxide and other impurities).

Explain that those present can also use this breathing to bring in what our spirits need. Lead them gently on a breathing meditation wherein as they breathe in air they also imagine that they are breathing in various good things that are needed for spirits to be at peace—light, energy, peace, goodness, compassion, love, hope, strength, etc. As they exhale encourage them to exhale (get rid of) those things that are holding their spirits back—darkness, tiredness, anxiety, worry, anger, hate, fear, weakness, etc.

Encourage them to concentrate on this breathing in and out for several minutes. Then tell them that they can come back to this simple meditation any time they need to, and to imagine each time that they are breathing in the good and breathing out the problems. Also remind them that each time they use this method, know that all of their loved ones are also breathing with them and in fact all of creation is breathing with them. They are connected to all that is living."

Breathing Exercise for Life and Death from At the Deathbed: Using Symbols and Rituals To Connect with the Spiritual in Times of Death and Grieving
~ Rev David Laurance Bieniek ~

Sixteen

"Our country is in the midst of a great national trial, unlike any we have ever before faced.  We are at war with a deadly virus.  Success in this fight will require the full absolute measure of our collective strength, love, and devotion.  Each of us has the power through our own choices and actions to save American lives and rescue the most vulnerable among us.  Following the guidelines for the next 30 days is a matter of life and death.  This is going to be one of the roughest months we have ever had in our country. We're going to loose hundreds of thousands of people."

~ The President ~
April 1st:  26,473 new cases & 1,049 deaths
215,003 total cases & 5,102 total deaths

Fifteen

"No man is an island,

Entire of itself.

Each is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,

Europe is the less.

As well as if a promontory were.

As well as if a manor of thine own

Or of thine friend's were.

Each man's death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know for whom the bell tolls,

It tolls for thee."

~ John Donne ~

Fourteen

Morning Prayer

"Universe,

If there is anyone from my past or present that I need to forgive, whether I remember them or not, I now do so.  I love them - I bless them - I forgive them - and I release them into your care for you to work with in whatever way you feel is best.

And if there is anyone from my past or present that needs to forgive me, especially myself, they now do so. And we are all free to experience and a higher and greater good in our lives."

...The Greater Good...