What does this statement mean to you?
Let’s discuss…
Monthly Archives: November 2010
Sacred space…de-stress, laugh and have fun!
by Ann and Reanee
During the holiday season, the greatest gift to give yourself and others, is to take care of yourself. When you feel centered it flows out to everyone in your world.
That’s why Reanee and I decided to share some yoga poses, fun and wisdom from our years of collaborative experiences.
I drive towards MOVE STUDIO, in major holiday traffic, and call Reanee to inform.
Ann: I’m on my way, but am so needing caffeine. Only, maybe not so good to have before yoga.
Reanee: Me too. Let’s be in the moment. We want it. Let’s have it. Let’s meet at Starbucks.
Caffeine drinks indulged. We begin de-stressing. 
Reanee: Restorative Yoga helps get me through the holidays. It centers me. Asanas = poses (Sanskrit is to yoga what French is to ballet)
Legs up the Wall – Viparita Karani – some yogi’s believe this pose may cure what ails you…also equal to great nap time and great for circulation of the legs. Butt against the wall, legs up, arms to the side. The goal is to stay in this pose for 20 minutes, breathing and relaxing. If your legs get tired… you may lower them, bottom of feet together.
Yoga teaches non-attachment to people, outcomes, things, etc. When you take the time to pull into your sacred space, whatever that may be (and yoga is a wonderful choice), but for you it might be walking in the park, listening to music, etc. We each know and have those places, and if you don’t yet… give yoga at try.
Yoga stops the mental chatter, releases the need to worry about things out of your control, and refreshes and reconnects the body, mind and spirit.
The Child’s Pose – B
alasana – is Restorative – body at rest in stillness, helps with complete
relaxation. Twisting, whether seated of standing, Ardha Matsyendrasana – promotes massage of the internal organs (digestion) an
d wakes up the spine and ribs.
Warrior Pose – Virabhadrasana – great for balance and strength.
Was it the caffeine? I’m not sure!? But things got a bit ‘playful’ towards the end…
Reanee is an accomplished and knowledgeable yoga instructor. We have known one another for about 20 years and over these years have taken all sorts of and varying workouts in facilities all over the Dallas area.
Reanee teaches yoga at MOVE STUDIO and has a class this Saturday, November 27th, 10:10 – 11:20 … join her for the perfect complement to your holiday weekend.
RELAX! RESTORE! CENTER!
www.movestudio.com
Gratitude And White Wine Can Change Your Life…
by Ann
Thanksgiving is a time to ponder the things in life for which we are grateful. Beyond our friends and family, our health and the various and sundry material possessions, consider being grateful for the present moment. More than any other emotion, gratitude can change your life!
Let Forgiveness Flourish
When you’re grateful for your life as it is and not afraid to show it (you can’t walk around complaining and expect to see a result), an amazing thing happens. You can look back on situations that may not have gone as you’d have liked, or people who have hurt you, and find forgiveness, which is one of the most liberating feelings in the world. By letting forgiveness flow freely into your heart – because you know and appreciate the fact that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be at this very moment – you open yourself up to a whole new world of possibilities.
Mastering Manifestation
On that note, gratitude is the first step in creating personal prosperity in the future. One sure fire way to help bring something you want into your life – a relationship, a situation, a job, more money – is to give genuine thanks for the things you have now. If you’re not happy with your life as it is on a broad spectrum, odds are that there’s still plenty to be grateful for. Even if it’s the wisdom to see your shortcomings clearly and the ability to do something about them, take the time to smell the roses in your current garden… it will only help you to nourish next year’s crop, to be even more bountiful and beautiful.
Finding the Power Within
Finally, it’s important to remember that happiness is not some external state that comes via accumulation of goodies or finding your “perfect” partner. It’s a force that bubbles up and resonates from within. When you appreciate where you are in this very moment – not just where you’ve been, what you’ve already achieved, or where you want to go – you’re sending signals to the universe (and to everyone you meet) that you are a positive person. Whether you achieve this via yoga, meditation, self-exploration, prayer, or some combination of methods (which is most likely), there’s a universal truth involved in cultivating appreciation (of yourself and your life). Like attracts like. The more content and grateful you are for what you have, the more good will come your way. And that includes people who express their gratitude for having you!
And a little white wine flowing along with the gratitude never hurts!
What are you grateful for?
Be happy!
by Ann
I just woke up happy! No reason in particular, I looked around an
d felt appreciation for everyone and everything in my life. Simple things are what matter, a cool breeze on my face, or the sunshine. The taste of something refreshing, clean sheets, a hot shower, talking to a friend, lunch with a friend, or laughing in rememberance.
There have been countless quotes, studies, books and discussions on achieving personal happiness. Many refer to it either as something elusive which finds you when you’re not looking for it, or as something inside of you that you consciously decide to activate – an appreciation of your life that becomes part of your daily living. However, we should not discount our environment as an important component in our happiness levels. Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a medical sociologist and doctor at Harvard, and James Fowler, a political scientist and professor at UC San Diego, have attempted to prove this through a twenty-year longitudinal study of over 4,000 individuals. The results of the study demonstrated that happiness appears to be contagious. Dr. Christakis refers to the spread of happiness as a “ripple effect” that extends outward to as far as three degrees of separation. 
Collective Network Phenomenon
Dr. Nicholas Christakis refers to happiness as a “collective network phenomenon,” asserting that being part of a social network gives you a greater chance of happiness. This collective network gives people a sense of connection and belonging and acts as a platform from which all emotions can be transferred to others within the network; and although this also includes the potential for spreading misery among others, studies have found that happiness seems to spread more consistently than unhappiness. The fact is, the more people in a network you have access to, the more potential for acquiring a positive “recharge” whenever you need it. In similar fashion, James Fowler states, “Every friend increases the probability that you’re at the center of a network, which means you are more eligible to get a wave of happiness.” 
Dr. Christakis also states that the potential for other people in your social network to affect your mood in positive ways diminishes over time and geographic distance. The closer you are physically to your network, the better the signal, with phone and computer communication diluting the strength of the “energy wave” of emotion. Those who are closer to the center of their social network tend to be happier than those further outside the circle. This social network is diverse, made up of friends, family, spouses, roommates, and neighbors. Through up to three degrees of separation, Dr. Christakis found evidence of happiness spreading as far as to your friends’ friends’ friends, essentially passing happiness to strangers. That’s impressive!
In a separate study, researchers found that one person’s mood could have an immediate impact on another’s, especially through imitating the other person’s facial expressions and body mannerisms. In such circumstances, someone could catch a mood in as little as a few seconds.
In a world essentially made up of energy, it comes as no surprise that emotions can spread like a virus. There is supporting evidence that increased happiness has a positive impact on overall health – on a basic level, the happier the individual, the less stress hormones they will produce, which directly affects the immune system. The chemicals your body releases when you are happy aid you in living longer and offer you a better chance of fighting disease and other health problems. Being a part of a social network gives you access to emotional support and a reservoir of positive energy, and the more conscious you are of this process and its impact on you, the more control you can wield over your environment, your feelings and your health. There’s no time like the present to immerse yourself in your own “crowd” and inhale the HAPPINESS!!
Along with happiness comes appreciation. Appreciation for all the good, interesting, comforting people and things in your life. And in this time of thanksgiving give thanks for them. Giving thanks promotes happiness. I am happy! And I share this energy with you all…
What makes you happy? Share your happy energy….Let’s spread the happiness!
A public service message for women…
Because I’m a man, when I lock my keys in the car, I will fiddle with a coat hanger long after hypothermia has set in. Calling my roadside service provider is not an option… I WILL win!
Because I’m a man, when the car isn’t running very well,I will pop the hood and stare at the engine as if I know what I’m looking at. If another man shows up, one of us will say to the other, ‘I used to be able to fix these things, but now with all these computers and everything, I wouldn’t know where to start.’ We will then drink a couple of beers and break wind, as a form of holy communion. 
Because I’m a man, when I catch a cold, I need someone
to bring me soup and take care of me tenderly while I lie in bed
and moan. You’re a woman. You never get as sick as I do.
So, for you, this is no problem.
Because I’m a man, I can be relied upon to purchase basic
groceries at the store, like beer, milk or bread. I cannot be
expected to find things like exotic cheeses or tofu. For all
I know, they are the same thing.
Because I’m a man, when one of our appliances stops working, I will insist on taking it apart, despite evidence that this will just cost me twice as much once the repair person gets here and has to put it back together. 
Because I’m a man, I must hold the television remote control in my hand while I watch TV. If the thing has been misplaced, I may miss a whole show looking for it…. Though
one time, I was able to survive by holding a calculator…..
Because I’m a man, there is no need to ask me what I’m thinking about. The true answer is always either sex, cars, sex, sports, or sex. I have to make up something else when you ask, so don’t ask.
Because Im a man, I do not want to visit your mother, or have your mother come visit us, or talk to her when she calls, or think about her any more than I have to. Whatever you got her for Mother’s Day is okay; I don’t need to see it. And don’t forget to pick up something for my mother, too.
Because I’m a man, you don’t have to ask me if I liked the movie. Chances are, if you’re crying at the end of it, I didn’t. And, if you’re feeling amorous afterwards, then I will certainly remember the name and recommend it to others.
Because I’m a man, I think what you’re wearing is fine. 
I thought what you were wearing five minutes ago was fine,
too… either pair of shoes is fine. With the belt or without it. Everything looks fine. Your hair is fine. You look fine. Can we just go now?
Because I’m a man, and this is, after all, the year 2010, I will share equally in the housework. You just do the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, the vacuuming, and the dishes, and I’ll do the rest…. like wandering around in the garden with a beer in my hand, wondering what to do…or sit in front of the TV with my remote and a beer.
OKAY! OKAY! OF COURSE! NOT ALL MEN FIT INTO THESE CATEGORIES OR BEHAVIORS!!! BUT! Those that do…
Grow the Government?!
Grow the Government! So, that the people are working to support the government more than themselves! Is this what you want?
Do you want the government telling you what to do? Do you want to send your money to the government first, then whatever is left over, if anything, is yours? Then the government tells you how to live your life while they spend your money on what they want to and give it to whom that want, regardless of what you want. All your rights are gone. Your choices are not your own. You and what you have are owned by the government.
Pelosi flies around in an expensive jet, stimulus money went to her family’s business, and now, she is throwing a party for herself. Well, why wouldn’t she? She has accomplished what she wants. 
Bigger government and to take all she can from the people and Pelosi lives the life of Queen.
Obama is taking a trip on our dime. Just after the American people strongly told him that we don’t like what he is doing to our country. He leaves the country. 
Obama is not about America. He is about the world. From everything,t he and Pelosi have done, they are out to destroy America and indebt her people to a bloated inefficient government while giving themselves power and wealth. Then they want to share the American people’s abundance with the world, in order, to lower the standard of living for our country. I don’t know who these Obama people are, but they are not Americans. 
George Soro’s backs all this. He pulls the strings to try and take America down. He is an atheist who thinks that he is god. It’s as if he is playing monopoly. He is having fun! He brings down currencies and now he has set his sights on America. He brought the bank of England down and three other currencies. And doing this makes him weathier and wealthier. The Clintons stayed with Soro’s daughter during the wedding of their daughter. They are all in it together. They are trying to destroy our Consitution and take away American rights to mesh us into their New World Order. And they twist and turn their words, ‘Leviathan-like’ to try and ‘appear’ that they are good. Leviathan
But it is of pure evil. It is to rule, dominate and control the people for their purposes. And it is done under the guise of ‘good’ behind which is the evil of their control, in, and of, everything that they touch. And they are fooling the blind, deaf and ignorant into doing the dirty ground work for them. These people think, hav been brain-washed to think that they will be rewarded. When evil has no allegiance to anyone. It loves to destroy its own, evil falling in on evil is the height of their goal.
They control the media. Just look at the main stream media, they have become propaganda machines. There is no real reporting, or journalism. It’s all propaganda.
Look at Oprah. 
She tries to get every new story to claim the audience for ratings and to widen her sphere of influence. Oprah is Obama’s backer. Obama is Oprah’s pet. They both attended the America hating church of Rev. Wright. She started out a fat black woman and after all her diets and diet promotion and money gleaned off the masses, she is still a fat black woman.
Her wisdom and choice of diets are as bad as her choice for president. Is this a woman to listen to or follow? NO! She is an opportunist. A narcissist that wants to influence and to glean a following to satisfy her power and her greed.
These are not good people. Even though, at times, they appear to do good things. Some good must be done, in order for the facade to take hold.
Then we have The View, 
one of the most pathetic shows on the air, besides the ‘housewives of whatever town’. These women push their agenda and try to shut up and villify anyone that disagrees with them. Now, if everyone is due their view, why is that? Might these greedy, loud and obnoxious women be catering to the backers of their station? It’s all about agenda…theirs not yours. Barbara Walter’s father had mafia connections and she is tight with Kissinger and those out to take over our world.. listen through their agenda… these people are out for themselves not their viewers. They only want you for ratings and to further their agenda and that of their backers.
My suggestion is to stop watching these vile, predator-like, pandering shows.
Talk shows need to stick to Hollywood stupidity, or whatever the dumbed-down enjoy and stop trying to pretend that they are anything more…
The government needs to be shrink, starting with Pelosi and her wild congressional spending spree. Those in the government need to earn less than the people in the private sector and not reap large rewards from working in the government. Working for the people is reward enough. They need to limit their time of service. No one should be a ‘career’ goverment lifer.
The people in the private sector need to keep more of their money and be in charge of how it is spent and to whom it is given and who they leave it to when they die. The Government needs to BUTT out of our lives!
Obama needs to be thoroughly investigated. Pelosi needs to be removed from government. Obama needs to be impeached for treason to America. Soros needs to be shut up and kept away from and out of America! And tried for crimes against humanity.
Boehner has already stated that he will take commercial jets to get back and forth. A responsible government CUTS spending and SERVES the people, instead of spending wildly and living like dictators or kings.
The Obama’s remind me of the Dictatorship of Peron! Under the guise of ‘doing good’, they stole, robbed and raped the Argentine people while living high on the hog.
If our government doesn’t stop spending, the American people will be subservent to the government and will be living and serving the benefit of the bloated, wasteful government and that is what those like Soros want. These people see the masses as commodity just like the talk shows do. They have power to influence and the people have none.
Take back your power!
Obama states repeatedly from his agenda-filled lying mouth that he only needs to convince the people that he is right. Yeah right! We tell him we don’t want something and he just thinks that he needs to state is differently. Brainwash us!
Don’t listen to the liberal, greedy lying, talk shows that are getting rich off of your viewing them. Oprah is getting her own network to further influence her ‘followers’. What fools need to follow this woman and her hidden agenda.
Think for yourself… listen then discern… Look at motives.. see beyond the hype.. see behind the curtain..
SHRINK THE GOVERNMENT! WE HAVE NO NEED FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING! AS IT IS ONLY TO BENEFIT THEM AND NOT YOU!
ANGER! CONFRONTATION!
by Ann
Make peace by confronting your anger…
Anger is a strong emotion; created by feelings that are oriented toward some real or supposed grievance. Expressing anger as it occurs, by confronting it, helps to release the feelings that create the emotion of anger.
A disconnect to your feelings and, therefore from yourself can occur when there is an inability to express any of our natural emotions. If suppressed, feelings that create the emotion of anger can turn inward to create addictions of all kinds and, or passive aggressive behaviors.
Addictions are obvious; over-eating, anorexia, drinking, drugs, smoking, and sex, etc.
Passive, Aggressive behaviors are not as obvious. And these behaviors can be to self, to others, or to both. Passive, aggressive behaviors may include; not speaking out about what is really bothering you, sabatoging life experiences, placating, and being overly-polite, or sarcastic communication, approach, avoidance, among others.
Examples: not returning phone calls in a timely manner, being cronically late to meetings and appointments, failing to complete tasks, not being responsible and doing what you know should be done.
Passive, aggressive behaviors may also be; being overly responsible and weighing yourself down with tasks and busyness, so you won’t have to stop to think, much less feel what is really bothering you. And some do all this while scurring about with a smile, underwhich lies seething anger that is being turned inward onto self.
This clearly can be destructive to your health. Suppression of angry feelings can literally eat you up inside. A disconnect from emotions creates a restless, internal zombie, that is a person ‘trying’ desperately to feel, or desperately to escape, in order, to not feel, or to create distraction and excitement; as in excessive gaity and seeking exciting events or anything that will capture attention away from what is really bothering them.
Confrontation is defined as a bold challenge deriving from discord resulting from a clash of ideas or opinions. Confrontation is conflict and out of it can come understanding. It may create cooperation and it can clear the air.
Running, avoiding, being pleasing and sweet, no matter what comes at you, can create a bubbling resentment that leads to passive, aggressive behavior to yourself and to others and, or result in explosive anger at inappropriate times.
Some people are afraid of, or avoid confrontation at all costs. They pull their head in like a turtle and smile sweetly, say only pleasantries, talk in sweet tones and avoid. Or they may project their feelings onto others. Since, they can’t see or recognise feelings in their self.
Some think that confrontation is scary or not a good thing. And some that avoid confrontation may also be avoiding self-accountability. To state, I just don’t want to talk about that, or I don’t like confrontations, may be a person that doesn’t want accountability for their own words, actions, or behaviors. If you don’t confront others, then does it let you you off the hook, too? Thus, you avoid the need to confront yourself on your behaviors.
Confrontation can be, not only a good thing, but a brave challenge to undertake. If it clears the air, it can lead to cooperation and a release to healing that promotes a real internal peace. 
Everyone has their own style, but at times, confrontation can change the outcome, even the world, while running away and avoidance…??? Well,it might keep the peace for the moment, but can wreck havoc on the body, mind and spirit.
People who can get things off their chests in an honest manner, most of the time, don’t take stress into their bodies. Therefore, they live a healthier psycological and physical existence.
On the flip side, too much confrontation can cause stress in yourself and others. There is a balance to everything. There’s a time to confront and a time to walk away. True wisdom is knowing the difference.
The key is to know when to do what, and to not be afraid to confront something, that may, if not addressed, you might carry unknowingly inside yourself that might be doing harm to your body, mind and spirit.
All emotions derive from feelings and are worthwhile. The ability to feel is a wonderful thing! We are sentient beings whose purpose is to feel. All of our emotions have a reason for being. Emotions are just your heart and mind reflecting to you what is going on inside yourself.
To disconnect from one emotion, such as anger, and you will disconnect from the other emotions, too. The natural flow of all feelings and emotions is what is healthy, but being stuck in one too long and it becomes a distortion.
Separate yourself from your anger and you separate from yourself. It’s okay to be and to feel angry at times, and it is okay to have confrontation. It is apart of processing life and experinces.
What is your predominate anger style? Do you acknowledge anger? Do you confront it? Do you run away from it? How do you handle your anger?
About love, sex, dating and marriage…
by Ann
More Things Men Might Want To Be Aware of…
1. Persistence is Flattering… Then it becomes annoying, and finally, downright creepy. Men don’t like to be considered quitters, but sometimes there’s no other option.
2. Women’s Lib Does Not Include Going Dutch. Most women still appreciate a guy to pick up the check. If she insists on paying half, let her, otherwise you’ll risk appearing inflexible, chauvinistic, and disagreeable.
3. Women Love a Man Who Talks About His Family. It means he is close to them and cares about them, and even more importantly, it means he might one day be into having one of his own. But don’t take this as an invitation to be a mama’s boy! ( too much talk about children or family or some weird connection to a child or mother is not a good thing)
4. Women Love a Man With a Plan… One who is not afraid to hold a baby, and one who can pull off wearing a clean white t-shirt.
5. Don’t Push Her Off of the Porn Train. Some women don’t like pornography, some do, and some feel left out (cheated on) because he hides it from her like some sort of dirty secret. Sometimes sharing is the best policy.
6. If She Cuts the Night Short… She might really need to cut something else. Men and women are both human after all, so if she calls the night short, don’t just assume she doesn’t want you to call again. Sometimes emergencies do come up.
7. Women Don’t Want Us to Solve All Their Problems… Sometimes they just want us to listen, repeat and understand!
8. If She Cheats, You Deserved It (In Her Mind). Cheating is shaky ground for any relationship, but research shows that women who cheat do so as a direct result of feeling unloved, unappreciated and entitled to happiness. Now, you know, and now you know how to do something about it.
9. Squeezing Her Breasts is Not Foreplay. Most women prefer a touch and gentle caress.
10. Women Have Hair in Strange Places. If your girl doesn’t have any of the signs of being a disciple of Bigfoot, appreciate the time she has spent to get rid of it.
11. She Knows You’re Lying. Women have the uncanny ability to read people, according to some research, which comes from the motherly necessity to read her baby’s needs by looking at facial expressions and vocal patterns. Women know when men lie, so why bother?
12. When She is Feeling Down and Irritable… Give her a big hug, rather than busting her hump for being grumpy. This is an instant invitation to her good side (assuming you didn’t cause the bad feelings in the first place).
13. Thank You Goes a Long Way. Studies suggest that in lopsided relationships, the overworked partner will remain satisfied as long as the other partner remembers to say “Thank you.” This isn’t about telling you how to take advantage of her, but rather about appreciating her for everything she does.
14. Women Still Like… Being asked on a proper date. Don’t get lazy in today’s age of information technology. Sometimes the best way to do things is the old fashioned way! (Pick up the phone! Texting and emailing are only to be used as additional ways to connect.)
15. A Woman’s Breasts Swell Up to 25% During Good Sex. This is her body’s way of seducing/attracting/urging the man to finish with a finale… so don’t disappoint her. Interestingly, some research also suggests the smaller the breasts, the more dramatic the size increase will be.
16. Don’t Mention PMS… Unless asking to buy her pads at the store. Don’t use her biology to explain her bad mood. This is just simple common courtesy. (men that refer to PMS, hot flashes or hormones need to go away)
17. Women Prefer Macho to Date and Sensitive to Marry. Men can actually dictate the types of women they attract by how much they express their masculine side vs. their sensitive. Who knew that dodging commitment could be so easy! ( women like a mix of macho and sensitive, too much of either one is a bore)
18. Women Like Spontaneity. Whisking her away on a weekend trip on short notice is spontaneous. Showing up fifteen minutes late and asking “So, what do you want to do now?” is not! (being late is a total turn off)
19. She is Less Excited About Receiving Lingerie Than You Are About Giving It. They say that women love shiny things, but when it comes to glimmering showgirl costumes, not all are as excited to climb aboard your fantasy train. ( women like to select their own lingerie, but the man can come along and pay for it0
20. Cleaning and Doing the Dishes… Is sexy. (helping with chores and being helpful is caring and leads to good, warm feelings.)
Agree? Disagree? Or anyone have anything to add?