mindfulness

Focus on Balance & Motion in Space

Olympic figure skating has mesmerized me this past week. The gravity defying jumps and lifts, the poetry of connection between partners, the graceful flow of movement across the ice, the high speeds, precision, and artistry. Amidst the spirals, swizzles, and multiple-rotation jumps in the air I am captivated by a seemingly simple component that only comes to mind when it fails – balance.  I’ve also been catching up on brain research regarding the same. Researchers continue to develop a better…

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Conquering Gravity – The Conscious Art of Balance

Watching videos of my great-niece learning to walk, I am struck by her dedicated focus on the task of upright balance – and the pure joy in the accomplishment of that task. It reminds me of her delight when, as a wee babe, her father would fly her around the room in his arms.  Now she flies through space on her own small feet. Balance is a wonder, an amazing feat (no pun intended) that we learn to accomplish at the beginning…

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Winter Walkways

Colorado winter, true to form, is whiplashing from extreme cold and snow to balmy spring-like weather. The sunny blue sky days entice us outdoors only to find treacherous conditions underfoot – walkways that change unpredictably from packed snow to slush to wet concrete to black ice.  Of necessity, I find myself consciously tapping the balance lessons I teach as I walk my beautiful and large dog Rusty through the snowy neighborhood. (A shout out to neighbors who shovel their own…

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Happy (and safe) Holiday Decorating!

If you feel a bit unsteady while putting up the holiday decorations, know you are not alone – and take heed.  Last year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that nearly 15,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for holiday decorating-caused injuries, half of which involved falls. Standing on ladders, reaching, twisting, and leaning to get the lights or the ornament in the perfect spot, checking to see if the garland is draped just right while ignoring the boxes at our…

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Move like a martial artist

A wild 4th of July hail storm had me raking up downed leaves in the back yard, adding to my list of summer chores. From carrying bags of potting soil to pulling dandelions, winding up garden hoses, and mowing the lawn, the unending yard work engages me both body and mind. And as creaky knees and aching back threaten to undermine my efforts, these summertime tasks continually remind me to move like a martial artist – no matter the task.…

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Balance, Motion, and Space

On a beautiful late summer day in the Rocky Mountains, I joined participants at the Easter Seals Rocky Mountain Village Post Polio Wellness Retreat to teach a class on balance. People from all over the country came to Colorado to participate in classes and activities about living with post polio syndrome – a condition affecting polio survivors that includes muscle weakness, atrophy, and fatigue that can occur many years after recovery from the original illness. Post polio syndrome’s impact on balance may result…

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