What happened to your News Year’s resolution?
Are you living it? Did you forget it? Did you give up?
My intention for 2010 is to live as intentionally as possible this year.

What would that look like for me? I would do things that I have yearned and longed to do. I would incorporate them into my life. I would live the way I’ve imagined I wanted to live.

Last December, when I thought about what I wanted to bring into my life this year, it was to do something that I longed to do yet I had never integrated it into my life. I have always loved yoga classes. I loved how I connected to my inner space and my body. I yearned for that feeling of inner spaciousness and wanted to connect to my core of peace.

So I decided on Dec. 31, 2009 that I would do yoga daily and see how it went. Then 26 days later my low back started talking to me. I was naturally disappointed to have to stop daily yoga.  I had found that I was more relaxed and focused then I had been in a long time. Twenty years ago I had two back surgeries, and I have learned to listen when my body talks to me. It would have been tempting to throw in the towel, yet my intention was so strong that I decided to meditate daily instead.

Yoga Nidra: Sleep of the Yogis
On January 27, I started practicing Yoga Nidra at home each night by listening to the CD. I will admit that I have slept through most of the CD many times.  I am still listening to it 155 days later.  Even my husband loves to listen to it. We’ve taken our practice to Italy and back. I’ve written about Yoga Nidra as the deep sleep of the Yogis. I interviewed Richard Miller, PhD, psychologist and yoga master, and author of Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga, for an upcoming YouTube video on Yoga Nidra. This practice is the deepest and most profound, natural state of meditation.

Miller says that Yoga Nidra dissolves the obstacles that stand in the way of our leading an authentic life of purpose and meaning, and it can help us ‘awaken’ us into living an enlightened life of self-realization as our True Nature. I can say for sure that I am much more focused on following my heart with my coaching practice and my own self-realization.

I believe that if I am open and fearless in the face of whatever life brings to me, then I can live intentionally and gratefully.  I have been to hell and back many times in my life.  I have learned that life happens for me. It helps me taste the bitter with the sweet. Each time I peel off another artichoke leaf of life, I get closer to the heart. To me that is the path.

Ten Things I’ve Learned This Year As A Result of My New Year’s Intention:

• I am following my heart much more then I can remember.  I am not always sure where it is leading me and it is OK that I don’t always know. It has led me to a keen interest in mind/brain research and to develop a new series of video interviews with authors who are experts in neuroplasticity and mind/brain practices. I will study Neurobiology in September with Daniel Siegel, MD, of UCLA.  Dr. Siegel teaches in the UCLA School of Medicine’s Psychiatry Department

• In June I attended a four-day retreat on The Work of Byron Katie, did a fundraiser teleclass, and started my four-week Introduction to The Work teleclass.
  In October, I will staff The School of The Work of Byron Katie for 10 days.  I am practicing The Work many times each week, and I’m on the path to practice daily.

• I have been sorting and getting rid of anything in my home and office that I don’t love, don’t use or it’s simply not necessary.  I have a white board that helps me stay organized with my projects and deliverables. I can say that I am very excited as I prepare to launch my manifesto letter and start writing essays on each one of the 10 things I’ve learned in life.  These essays will become part of a book.

• My diet in moving in the direction I want – leaning towards no red meat and just chicken and fish.

• For months now, I have been making my own fruit smoothies and protein powder with my trusty Vita-Mix blender.

• I bought a Breville juicer because one of my favorite bloggers is Kris Carr.  I love Kris’ tag line – “Make Juice Not War.”  Two months ago, one of my Byron Katie facilitator partners sent me a gift, which was a book that her mother wrote — Green for Life. I have been drinking big glasses of fresh green juice from recipes in that book.

• I have been gluten free now for more then a year. No more wheat, oat or barley for me. I have less inflammation in my hands around sprains or arthritic joints.  Although I regressed while in Italy, I have learned never to let up on clearing gluten (glue) out of my system.

• I am showing up in all aspects of my life.  I see how being late was a cop out to showing up fully.

• I have watched my behavior this year to notice where I am hiding out and living small.

• I am doing what I am doing now 100% or as close to that as possible.

• I am leaning into it right now and it feels empowering.

What was your New Year’s Resolution?
What are you willing to do in the second half of this year?
How can you get back on track?

Can you get back to it without beating yourself up?

I would love to read your comments.

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Yoga Nidra Can Change Your Life