Peace Mountain learning

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Rosh Hashana Greetings 2026

Whether you identify as Jewish or not, a believer or not –  let us agree for now that we are all spiritual beings living in a human body.  So Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year but it can also be considered the beginning of Autumn – a time of rebirth and renewal. A time to reflect on the past and start again.

The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a spiritual journey – think of it as a time of being” pregnant ” with forgiveness, non-judgement, new ideas, aspirations, and a turning towards a new beginning – a birth of new compassion, faith, love, and grace.  See if you can spend one day like the one I am describing during this period. Wouldn’t it be a lovely day?   Continue reading “Rosh Hashana Greetings 2026”

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Yoga and Japanese Philosophies

FOUR FUNDAMENTAL JAPANESE TEACHINGS AND HOW THEY CORRELATE WITH ELEMENTS OF YOGA  

These days, the word “mindfulness” often seems like a catchword overused in wellness talks in ways that feel like vague encouragements rather than a concise, deliberate practice. 

The following fundamental Japanese teachings, (in brief), and their correlation to yoga philosophy explores how the concept of mindfulness not only is a disciplined attention to the present moment on a cushion but a deliberate practice grounded into our daily activities. Mindfulness then becomes a lived experience that can  foster a productive and meaningful life.  Continue reading “Yoga and Japanese Philosophies”

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The Winter Solstice, Festival of Lights, and Yoga

December 21, 2025 will mark the start of the astronomical Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year, after which daylight hours gradually lengthen. This returning of light is a symbol of birth and renewal for many cultures over the centuries ( see my previous blog entries for details.)  It is a time of deep stillness, introspection, and the triumph of light over darkness.   Continue reading “The Winter Solstice, Festival of Lights, and Yoga”

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The Three Gunas and the Summer of 2025

The three gunas (a Sanskrit word) in yoga philosophy are considered to be fundamental qualities or interlacing forces that shape our thoughts, actions, and experiences. They are primary energies that are present in all that we hear, smell, see, taste and touch. The three gunas shape the world. We try to balance them through our senses and interactions with Nature. Continue reading “The Three Gunas and the Summer of 2025”

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Winter Solstice Blessing 2024

“ The Winter Solstice is a time of ending and beginning, a powerful time – a time to contemplate your immortality. A time to forgive, to be forgiven and to make a fresh start. A time to awaken.”` ~Frederick Lenz

The Winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is when the Earth’s pole reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun. It is the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year when the sun is at its lowest maximum elevation in the sky. (wikipedia)  Continue reading “Winter Solstice Blessing 2024”

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A Talk on Chronic Pain and Ways to Manage it

On November 26th, I presented at the Hillsdale Safe at Home Committee’s monthly Coffee Hour. This is text of my talk:

Good morning. Thank you for the introduction. And thank you all for coming. As you know my name is Franny Alexander. I am an RN and Yoga teacher, certified to teach chair yoga, yin yoga,  and “Let Your Yoga Dance.”  I am also qualified to teach restorative yoga and yoga for arthritis. 

I entitled my talk Drink, Sleep, Love – Ways to Mitigate, Soothe, Treat, and Ease Chronic Pain. As we all know, there aren’t any instant fixes and one size does not fit all . Continue reading “A Talk on Chronic Pain and Ways to Manage it”

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MARCH MADNESS (The Un-Season)

Honestly, I never liked March. I call it the Un-Season. The trees are bare. Branches are scattered about, thanks to windy, chilly days. It even can snow in March, albeit the next day it warms up fast. Then carpets soil from yucky, muddy boots and whatever else the cat brings in. The TV plays reruns. 

But wait.  I look around. How many shades of grey and brown are there actually? There is beauty in the muted colors – even in the mud.  There is more daylight and the promise of Spring is in the breeze. 

So let me write this poem…

Continue reading “MARCH MADNESS (The Un-Season)”