Courage in 2019

I was rocked by the US election results. Like so many of us, I had no immediate words, I had only anger, sadness and nausea. And then came the rage, the clarity, the assertion of the power of my own voice, learnings, and power from deep within my belly. And so, I am picking up the podcast again after a hiatus of quiet. I am picking up this tool to rally us all to find our strength and convictions to say "not on my watch."If you too felt or still feel a sense of confusion and powerlessness, you are not alone and you need not stay there. Tune in to rally to your core and claim your courage, voice, and purpose. 

How do we reach across the divide in which we find ourselves? What happened to "we are all in this together?" Was that all lip service only to now move into total discord? If we are to rally and find a way forward on this beautiful planet, we need to dive in and reach out.

Have you been spending time wondering what your purpose in life is? What you are here to do? If so, then this episode of Courage In Our Time is just for you.In this episode I discuss:- The importance of quiet, alone time as an introvert- The challenge of finding the courage to take that time for yourself- Seeing sensitivity as a strength, not a weakness- Recognizing the impact that the disruptions in your life and the world may be having on you- The value of high-level visioning- The importance of soul time and how it can help you work through the negative ‘dark horse' type monologue in your head that tries to bring you down- Learning how to use your life energy on things that feed your soul- How to make decisions, take action on things today that will get you closer to your long-term vision- How it's time for the seekers and sensitive ones (just like you!) to heal the world with the work they were brought here to doIf you have been experiencing a sense of overstimulation or overwhelm, while also feeling a deep longing to do the work that you are meant to do, I hope that this podcast ignites a flame in you. Because the world needs our work as much as we need it right now.I would love to hear from you if there are any particular insights from this podcast that help you move forward toward your vision. Thanks for listening! 

Why is everyone so angry? Where is our curiosity? Compassion? How do we move ahead and get to the good work of healing if we are only in a reactive state? We simply can't... This podcast posits some thoughts on how to get clear in who we are, how we are and what we need to stop fighting and start healing.

What is bliss? Is it the absence of sorrow, anguish or grief? No, it contains those and joy. It is the moment where we stop compartmentalizing and acting as silos and we slip back into the ocean of belonging.  

Humans are driving me crazy. Even at the (hopefully) end of a pandemic, we are still consuming, developing and stepping on others. What will it take for  us to come to a point of reckoning? Can we see this river of grief that we have created through decimation of nature, oppression of Indigenous people and generally bad behaviour and be courageous enough to swim?  It is time.

One yoga teacher/studio owner and 2 event planners talk about the effects of this pandemic time on their lives and their passions. Mostly this time has been positive but it sure has taken some work to get it there!

Uncertainty... There is nothing but uncertainty in today's world. What if this is actually a gift? What if we have been given this time in order to go within and find our greatest inner beauty and strength, our dharma? Can you pause in your frenetic behaviour and give up control to your soul?

Two colleagues discuss what it is like to hold space for people in a time where we cannot actually sit together or touch a forearm or hug...  One, a psychotherapist and the other a yoga teacher, these two friends reflect on what could come as emerge out of this time of massive global change.

This is the first in a series of podcasts reflecting on women's experiences in a full year of waves of lockdown. Women, traditionally the ones that  hold the community together, may be affected differently when cut off from their friends and acquaintances. In this session, 3 friends gather -- two that are active in theatre and the arts and me, the Yoga girl. My hope is that these podcasts will make you feel less isolated, more compassionate toward yourself and even maybe a little more sane.

Allie, Barb and Wendy reflect on our Ahimsa Yoga studio community and how the pandemic has affected us. What will emergence look like? What is the cost of being cut off from our daily conversations?

What to do with this nagging feeling of despair as we remain in the dance of a pandemic, the reality of the effects of climate change and a sense of utter powerlessness? We must sit together in the darkened room and listen, undefended, vulnerable and open. We must summon the courage to hear the hard and still stay. Only then will we find the power with and power from within that will lead us into the light.

Wendy, Barb and Allie talk about the time, nearly one year ago, that the pandemic relentlessly rolled toward our bricks and mortar yoga studio and closed our doors. In this podcast, we reflect on this tumultuous time where we lost a major anchor in our lives.

Our tanks might be running a little dry lately so I thought this meditation could help. This meditation is designed specifically to calm your nervous system and therefore restore your energy and refill your tanks. Enjoy.

In this first episode of a new season, the fatigue of disruption is sitting on top of us. But, are we in the exact right place? Is this actually exactly what we need to evolve, transform and heal? I think so.

The apocalypse is easy, everything just happens for us, we don't even need to do our work! How about we grow up now and realize that the better work is to take care of ourselves and do our work. We are stewards of this part of our earth (our selves) and so we must take care, evolve and transform. This is our dharma.

What gifts do you have in this lifetime? Have you opened them or do you keep them locked away for fear of hubris and shame? How might you transcend the pattern of hiding and move into one of celebrating your skills, your purpose, your gifts? Who needs to get out of the way?

If we allow ourselves time and space to let our minds wander, we will be able to create the world that we dream to live in. If the world were everything you dream it to be, what would it look like? The roof has blown off and the cage door is open... What will you create?

I woke up with Vertigo and I know it is time to stop and really sink in instead of running for solutions and bandaids. We cannot build a right and just new reality if we don't stop and sink into this reality. We need to see what wasn't/isn't working so we stop investing in it. We can only do this when we are brave enough to stop and listen to our council of elders, sages and wise ones within.

In this climate of cancel culture, is there room for yes, and? Can we find ways to learn that we all have failings and flaws as opposed to making some people super heroes and others villains? Is there a way to become vulnerable enough to sit in beginner's mind and endlessly learn from each other as opposed to endlessly labeling one as wrong and the other as right? I can only hope.

As a species, we are in a massive state of transformation, relentlessly thrust inwards to look at our shadow side. How can we hold ourselves in this time when we can see nothing past the tip of our nose? What will be when we emerge out of this cocoon and become what we were born to become? Will we stop eating empty calories? Will we stop holding the water ski rope after long ago falling and continually swallowing water? *** If you appreciate these podcasts and are able to contribute, please consider contributing to: http://fnd.us/c1dex4?ref=sh_18rxT0

When we reopen our Yoga studio, will I be able to serve tea? Will we be a community hub if I can't serve tea? What are we moving toward? Plexiglas and masks? What if we used this time to pivot to let go of the old structures that are burdensome to make space for the creativity to build anew? If you followed your soul, what would you fill your moments with? For me, there has to be collaboration and community. Without it, I see no purpose. I want to build a world in which I can offer you a cup of tea.

In the 6th week of this time of lock down, what do we really mean by resilience? Does that mean fortress strong or is it the force of a river taking down a dam, one drop at a time? This is not the time for goal setting or 5 year mind maps. This is a time to grieve, to laugh, to love and to show up for each other. We need heart-centred leaders, willing to be responsive and open. We need to look to the future with curiosity, honesty and collaboration. To support me in this and other creative ventures, please go to: http://fnd.us/c1dex4?ref=sh_18rxT0

How are we supposed to be 'good at this' when we have never lived through a time like this? Thank you Brene Brown for the title of this podcast where i explore how I am navigating this time and showing up.To support Allie in creating more content, go to her fundraising page at: http://fnd.us/c1dex4?ref=sh_18rxT0

While in the throes of this pandemic, how do spend our time? Do we waste it on worry or do we act from our souls, looking for opportunities and moments of sacred knowing? This is precious time. Spend it wisely, visualizing the future that you want to be a part of.To support Allie in creating more content, go to her fundraising page at: http://fnd.us/c1dex4?ref=sh_18rxT0

In what we hope is the peak of COVID fears, how can we hold our courage to show up for each other and ourselves with integrity and authenticity? Inspired by a podcast that featured a conversation with Mark Nepo, Allie offers some ideas to navigate this time of bread and circuses (distraction and anxiety).To support Allie in creating more content, go to her fundraising page at: http://fnd.us/c1dex4?ref=sh_18rxT0

Activating the relaxation response to remind you that the antidote to viruses gone wild is not to panic but to trust, to tune in and to harmonize with your wisest Self. This meditation borrows from Yoga Nidra and then tunes you into your subtle body for deep, transformative healing.To support Allie in creating more content, go to her fundraising page at: http://fnd.us/c1dex4?ref=sh_18rxT0

In examining concepts like The Window of Tolerance and our Inside Team, this podcast speaks to the ways in which we can respond instead of react. In this chaotic world, how can we act with compassion and care toward ourselves, enabling us to then be able to extend the same generosity to others? And through it all, we come to know our mortal wound -- that thing that we believe will always make us unloveable. Dive in.

In a conversation with Wendy Martin, Yoga Instructor extraordinaire and good friend, we discuss why right, conscious touch can be a healing force in our world. In this time when an alarming number of gurus are being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate touch, we argue that it is right to touch in yoga but it must be done from a place of power-with as opposed to power-over. The revolution of power is coming and this is one of its harbingers.

Where must we lead and where must we let go? This is the primary question in this podcast. Using Yoga as metaphor, what is our right action and what is our purpose? In this time of such great disruption, we can look to these ancient philosophies to find direction and guidance. Do we define the ocean by examining a single cup of it's water or do we dive in and simply experience it?

I offer you this simple 10 minute meditation that takes you through a body scan that will trigger your deepest relaxation response. In that quiet state, we will then send healing energy across the world, dousing the fires in Australia and spreading forgiveness throughout.

You are magnificent. You are powerful. You are phenomenal. Stop telling yourself otherwise. Stop the cycle of ancestral shame and trauma and step into your most authentic self. It is time.

Do you find yourself swinging from mood to mood, drama to drama? Can you find the fulcrum upon which to create a peaceful mind, a mindful moment, a state of stillpoint? Can you take charge of the way you use your energy so that you always have enough? Using Yogic principles of Brahmacharya and other yamas and niyamas, find ways to make your life more sustainable and fulfilling. You have earned the right.

This podcast was requested and directed by whales in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence river and a moose couple in Algonquin Park. Exploring the connections between the physical, subtle and causal bodies in terms of our maintenance responsibilities and the brilliance of the web of which we are a part. Linking all of this to the magnificence of nature and our need to step forward and get to work.

We are part of a larger system and inside, our bodies are mirrors of that complex ecosystem of connection and relationship. Seeing ourselves like forests, we must embrace diversity and cycles of death and rebirth.

Stillness is the new disruption. Quiet the noise, stop the rush, eliminate the chaos and we are struck with disruption and uncertainty. How can we get back into balance where stillness is peace, well-being is normal and equilibrium has returned? Stop, breathe and unite.

It takes courage to be engaged in the world. How do we allow ourselves to be fully present when the noise is so overwhelming? We breathe. We show up.