This very special guest post was written by Gene Klein, one of the few surviving survivors of the Holocaust, with his daughter Jill Klein (author of We Got the Water: Tracing My Family's Path Through Auschwitz). Klein was liberated from Auschwitz in 1945. It has been 70 years since I was liberated from a Nazi concentration camp. I was just a teenager then. I’m 87 now. Today, on Holocaust … [Read more...]
With an extremely active mind and the constant distraction of chronic pain, for many years I felt that the practice of meditation was off-limits to me. Coming to so-called quiet standstill released a seemingly endless flow of thoughts upon thoughts. And when I wasn’t struggling to silence those, I was coaxing my defiant body to release tension and pain from tight and spasming muscles to slip into … [Read more...]
This Friday, we celebrate the onset of spring with the rare astronomical occurrence of an equinox, solar eclipse and supermoon all on the same date. During this symbolic period of rebirth and transformation, we take time to say goodbye to what no longer serves us—harsh winter weather, physical clutter and the limiting thoughts of fear, doubt and regret that may have been holding us back from a … [Read more...]
Everywhere we turn, old beauty ideals are being shattered and redefined to embrace the magnificent diversity of humanity. Nose-pierced, tattooed Tess (Munster) Holliday is turning heads as the first size 24 woman signed to a major modeling agency, and last week’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue features a plus-sized supermodel (albeit, in an ad) for the first time. Supermodel Carmen Del’Orefice … [Read more...]
As I lift my face to greet the star-studded night sky, jubilant Jupiter nearly stealing the show, a harsh wind whips across my bare skin. Though passengers aboard this whaling ship the previous two nights have failed to see what we’ve come to witness, my hopes are still high. It is my love’s birthday, and this display is one of the biggest reasons why we’ve chosen to come to Iceland (instead of … [Read more...]
As much as I adore all the delicious food that bountifully flows this time of year, what I look forward to the most is spending quality time with my family and rekindling fond memories of Christmases past with holiday music. While I was raised in a family of singers and musicians that still performs carols at Christmas, I also grew up singing seasonal music in choral groups that continue to … [Read more...]
Winding down my last yoga session on the last night of being age 36, as I surrendered at last into a peaceful savasana, I felt as if I were giving birth to a new stage in my practice and a new chapter in my life. In the past, I have greatly resisted this asana. While the body is meant to soften, I could never fully sink down into the pose. My pelvis rested unevenly on the mat. My forearms gently … [Read more...]
In this world of doing, achieving and getting, it’s very easy for us to put far greater focus on our time spent at work than our lives outside of the office. Our quest for progress and perfection often leads us to squelch pleasure for the sake of productivity. While ambition and industriousness is admirable, often leading to great achievements and success, there is also merit in taking time to … [Read more...]
It appears that autumn is finally starting to creep into Connecticut. It’s back to pajama pants, socks and the comforter on the cooler nights, and I bundle in my lightweight hoodie and bedroom slippers to comfortably get through the chilly mornings. Days give way to sunny, yet mild temperatures. And as someone with heat and sun sensitivity, I embrace these days because it means that I can enjoy … [Read more...]
It is no coincidence that the day I returned to practices for rediscovering and awakening my creative self, I began to learn the great lessons of The Alchemist, the tale of a boy who discovers the true desires of his heart and embarks on an ambitious quest to fulfill his destiny. In a powerful Super Soul Sunday, when Oprah spoke with Paulo Coehlo, the author of the international … [Read more...]