Namaste Yogis and Yogins

Welcome to Yogalicious 47. Ready or not, the mass marketing forces have officially declared that it’s time to be Jolly! And of course, to buy, buy, buy… But after a year of tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, and wars, many of us may feel ambivalent about embracing our traditional holiday indulgences. While we may be apprehensive to ‘celebrate’, it is actually an excellent and imperative time for us to spread peace and good cheer to all!

So this issue of Yogalicious brings you inspirations and practices to cultivate a deeper, healing joy. A feeling that extends well beyond the glow of holiday lights and can linger well after the decorations come down.

May you, your loved ones, and all beings everywhere experience peace and joy.

With great love,
Jillian

P.S. Come join me for the 6th Annual New Year’s Mini Retreat Jan 7 at Yoga Works, NYC. Details below.

Also below is a GIFT for a FREE CLASS from myself and the studios I teach at in NY and NJ. Clip the certificate at the bottom of this email and come join me. And share the joy, print copies to include in your holiday cards as well!

I”ve included a list of other holistic holiday gift ideas as well.

"If I am only happy for myself, many fewer chances for happiness. If I am happy when good things happen to other people, billions more chances to be happy!" —Dali Lama   back to top

When William was born, my husband and I lectured our families not to bring toys or presents when they visit. So how did our house get over run with toys? Ugh, on my last visit to Target, I caught myself red-handed. There I was, with out any request from William, I started our shopping in the toy section. Oh No! I habitually assumed William needed something to ‘keep him busy’ while shopping, so I’d give him something to play with in the shopping cart. And so it goes... While he a new toy always initially excites him, his interest never lasts more than a few hours. In fact, he is a ‘serial toy monogamist’, commiting to one toy for months before he moves onto the next. The more options he has to play with, the more stressed he becomes around his toys. After this great awakening, I ruthlessly packed up most of his toys and kept out only his favorites. The benefits are immeasurable; William is more delighted by and creative with the few toys he truly enjoys. And we all are benefiting from less clutter. As John Petit-Senn quotes "Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance."  back to top

Easy guided meditation: http://www.sallykempton.com/meditationheart.html   back to top

Edward Hays in The Great Escape Manual writes “It is important not only to be grateful to others but also to be grateful for others. We need to cultivate a gratitude for others' giftedness in the same way that we appreciate a beautiful sunset or a smile from a loved one. Others always seem to have been given gifts in life that we desire, and so it's easy to be envious. Riding sidesaddle with envy is a dangerous practice: I would be happy if I had what he or she possesses. By contrast, giving thanks constantly and in all circumstances liberates us from envy.”
According to Buddhist thought, while we may easily become envious of others good fortune, it is not an expression of our deepest nature but a conditioned habit that can be overcome. Instead, our innate condition is actually, one of ‘Mudita’ (infinte joy). Mudita is not about denying our pain or darkness. Rather, our joy is made brighter when we truly let ourselves feel how fleeting life is—how filled with loss and grief. And that awareness of sorrow and anguish helps sensitize us not only to our own joys but to the joys of others. There are many ways to cultivate mudita and these are great links to insightful articles about the practice and philosophy:
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/1157_1.cfm?ctsrc=nlv179 – cultivating joy in asana practice.
http://www.sallykempton.com/yjarticles/joystory_art.html - great article!
http://www.fsnewsletter.net/62/mudita.htm - article and practice tips  back to top