December, 2020 | Peace Mountain Yoga

December 31, 2020January 4, 2021

New Year, New Intentions

Why should you set intentions ( vs resolutions ) for the New Year?

An intention ( in Yoga, called a Sankalpa) , is a vow or heart felt desire.

Please enjoy the following readings from Three Teachings:

Whether or not you plan to set New Year’s resolutions for 2021, the beginning of the year is a natural time to reflect on your goals, habits, and the changes you’d like to make in your life.

One powerful way to bring our lives into alignment with our deeper aspirations is to work with intention. An intention is the motivating force behind a particular action. Unlike a goal, which has to do with achieving a desired future outcome, an intention is something that we practice in the present moment. When we set an intention—like cultivating compassion or reducing stress—we continuously align and realign ourselves and our actions with that which we wish to create. Continue reading “New Year, New Intentions”

December 18, 2020December 18, 2020

Winter Solstice: December 21

It is almost time to celebrate the heat and light of the returning sun. Many cultures celebrate the solstice as a day of rebirth and renewal. Its origins can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony. It is a time of positive energy.

Please enjoy this beautiful passage about letting the Light in, courtesy of The Center for Spiritual Judaism. The light will always lead us through the darkness. During this solstice Jupiter and Saturn will form a rare “Christmas Star”. They will appear closer on Earth’s night sky than they have since 1226 A.D.

Continue reading “Winter Solstice: December 21”

December 17, 2020December 18, 2020

Season’s Greetings From Peace Mountain

Celebrate

by Danna Faulds (with a bow to Dr. Suess)

Celebrate harmony, celebrate cheer,
celebrate courage, and celebrate fear.
Celebrate easy, celebrate stuck,
celebrate nervousness, celebrate pluck.

I think you are getting the simple idea
that to celebrate everything
is why you are here.

So celebrate silence and celebrate noise,
celebrate matter flowing in
from the void.

Wherever you are in your life
as you read, celebrate freedom,
abundance, and need –

Because all of it’s holy,
the whole thing divine,
so get on with enjoying –
don’t waste any time!

December 15, 2020December 18, 2020

HOW TO CULTIVATE A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IN DIFFICULT TIMES

Spiritual life should include a great measure of common sense.

Our sorrows and wounds are healed only when we touch them with compassion. ~Jack Kornfield

The year 2020 has taught us all the lesson of impermanence. “The plans we thought we were making, the lives we thought we were living – 2020 has taught us just how illusory they were.”~Dan Zigmond, Lions Roar

We faced the unthinkable daily – a global pandemic coupled with racial injustice, political instability, economic hardships, and social isolation. We are familiar with, directly or indirectly, the pain, suffering and losses of our loved ones. The ongoing emotional toll on healthcare professionals and essential workers has been heart breaking.

The New Year will be another lesson in impermanence. The late Leonard Cohen reminds us: “Ring the bell that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything – that’s how the light gets in.”
Continue reading “HOW TO CULTIVATE A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IN DIFFICULT TIMES”