Tenderfoot Yogi Podcast and Audio Blog: Perspectives and Insights for Ease in Your Awakening

Francesca Ruini is a certified Ananda meditation teacher. She is also a yoga teacher, artist and ballerina trained in her native Italy. She offers Love from a place deep within her heart, and shares that this light, this Divine Love is available to and within each and every one of us. Listen to the Podcast… Read more The post You are surrounded by Divine Love with Francesca Ruini appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

This post is an excerpt from my next book, to be released soon… Listen to the Podcast version of this post below   I had a panic attack when I was in my mid 20s. I didn’t know that it was a panic attack and I’m fairly certain I had never heard of such a… Read more The post Don’t panic appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It’s not a mystery how we got to be this way. This way in which we feel we must be independent, self-sufficient, lone warriors on the battleground of our lives. That’s what ‘tough’ men and women do right? Go it alone. If you can’t do it yourself then you can’t do it. Pick yourself up… Read more The post You don’t need to do it alone appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

This thing that has been on your mind, either recently or for as long as you can remember, that you believe is worth your serious attention? It isn’t. You might want to know how I know this. So, I’ll say it as plainly as I can. You’re OK because you can’t not be. If you… Read more The post This is how I know you’re OK appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

At Christmas time last year, I found myself at church for a Christmas eve service. This is interesting for two reasons. First, I don’t usually go to church. I suppose that is not that interesting because there are many people who do not regularly attend church, but do so on big holidays. But the second… Read more The post Gabriel’s Blessing appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Dr. Alison J. Kay is an author, holistic health practitioner, Reiki master, Qigong instructor, meditation and yoga teacher and creator of the Vibrational Upgrade System. In this conversation she talks about her path from rebelling against traditional psychology in undergraduate school to travelling throughout Asia, India and the world learning and developing her energy medicine… Read more The post Unblocking happiness with Alison J. Kay appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Are you more committed to wanting that which you desire, or to having it? It’s easy to decipher the answer to this question – it’s in the results. If you look at your life do you mostly have the things that you want, or do you mostly want things that you don’t have? The question,… Read more The post How to stop wanting and start having appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Have you ever noticed your mind? It comes up with some interesting stuff. When we sit back and take note of the thoughts that we think it becomes clear that our mind is simply passing the time. It’s bored, so it thinks of stuff – because that is what it knows to do. When we… Read more The post It’s OK to notice what you think about appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It’s counterintuitive that anxiety, whether it’s a few nervous butterflies or a full-blown anxiety or panic attack, actually creates Peace. But that is exactly how it’s designed. Further the duration, nature, perceived intensity and frequency are intentionally unique to each of us. Our anxiety will occur exactly as is required for each of us individually… Read more The post How anxiety fosters peace appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

You’re not wrong for wanting what you want. The reason we feel wrong about something we have done or said or wrong about something that we want or wrong about who we are or who we want to be is that someone else has uploaded their version of right and wrong into our system. Or… Read more The post You are not wrong appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Do you consider yourself a romantic? I do. Do you long for tender affection, deep connection, and sharing in joyful laughter? Me too. It seems there is a wide-eyed teenager within us who we never really let go of as we grew beyond our teenage years. But what if the deepest and most fulfilling kind… Read more The post How to fall in Love appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

You’ve heard of the observer before. Even if you have never sat in meditation or spent much time thinking about it, you’ve likely heard this idea. This is the idea that we all have something within us that is capable of sitting back and observing all that we do, think, and feel. But why does… Read more The post How to create inner peace and possibility appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Did you know that you were a super hero? You are. I’m getting to know this part of myself quite well as of late, and I’d like to introduce you to him, or her, because we all have a hero inside of us. Our hero is a bit intoxicating because he helps us feel so… Read more The post Let go of your hero and rise appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It just feels like you are sometimes. No matter how many times you hear about the ‘monkey mind’ and the nature of your wandering mind and that you are not your thoughts, still sometimes that whacko doing all the talking inside your head can cause you to wonder whether this really is how it is,… Read more The post You are not losing your mind appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Patience is a virtue. Patience is also the name of an excellent hard rock ballad by Gun ‘N’ Roses. But when I looked up Patience in the dictionary I was disappointed. Patience is defined as “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.” I was disappointed in the… Read more The post How to have the right kind of patience appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Sometimes we make choices that we wished we had not made. And sometimes those choices affect other people. When this happens, we tend to be quite good at piling guilt and shame upon ourselves. As a matter of fact, most of us have perfected the practice. Of course, we know that this is neither kind… Read more The post How to be kind to yourself when you make a mistake appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

If we want to remain comfortable then there is nothing more comfortable than familiarity. But we can be more than comfortable. We’re both allowed to want more than comfort and designed to want more than comfort. And the amazing thing is that when we allow ourselves to want more than comfort, and as we expand… Read more The post Don’t let familiarity limit you appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It seems there is but one thing between you and your dreams. One thing between you and all that you desire. One thing between you and all that is meant for you. It may not be the answer we would hope to hear but don’t worry, there are things that we can do. The one… Read more The post Are your dreams about to come true? appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

What if the slim and trim vision that represents the ‘best shape of your life’ is but a fraction of what it means to actually BE in the best shape of your life? It is. There is a version of you that looks exactly how you want to look, that feels just how you want… Read more The post Reimagine the best shape of your life appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

You’ve heard the phrase ‘words matter’ before. Most often it’s in the context of what human beings say to each other. The words that we choose when interacting with one another do matter, but words matter at a much deeper level as well. There are conversations that we have with each other, and there is… Read more The post Use these words for your highest potential appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It is ironic that one of the most common reasons people offer for why we don’t meditate is that we don’t have enough time. It is ironic because one of the huge benefits of a sustained meditation practice is an overall increase in just that – time. Of course, it’s counterintuitive to think that taking… Read more The post How to magically increase your free time appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

The idea of positive thinking can sound a bit Pollyanna. Can everything truly be cured, fixed, uplifted, turned around simply by thinking good thoughts? Actually, it has more to do with allowing our thoughts to be what they are and allowing ourselves to be how we are that eventually shifts a tide from negative to… Read more The post How to turn negativity into the good stuff appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Do you ever find yourself watching television or movies and wondering whether there is a different kind of life you could be living? A life that includes more? More money, more love, more ease, more kindness and compassion and freedom and did I already say Love? This is a natural thing that all of us… Read more The post The path from surviving to thriving appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

At this point you’ve heard of mantras. But what exactly they are, what they do, and when and how and why to use them can get murky. Also, where does a mantra fit in with meditation, how is it different from an affirmation, and why does any of it matter? If we gain some clarity… Read more The post Hack your spiritual freedom with a mantra appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Sometimes we wake up in the morning and aren’t quite sure what to do. We find ourselves with many questions. It may seem that everything is a question. Past choices combine with decisions about the future into one big pile of uncertainty. It can be unsettling. What if it’s OK to feel uncertain and unsettled?… Read more The post What to do when you don’t know what to do appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Whether it is working out at the gym, a home yoga practice or your general approach to life and society, isolation does not work. It’s not the best approach for our physical bodies. It’s not the best approach for our mental and emotional health. And it’s not the best approach for our spiritual growth. There… Read more The post Release yourself from isolation appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It is not a bad thing that western science and technology so regularly finds its way to supporting and reinforcing that which yogic science has known for centuries. Concentration can be learned and memory can be improved. But what if we did not have to go out of our way to learn and improve these?… Read more The post How to concentrate, no app required appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It is completely possible to wake up each morning, breath in and out all day and participate in the world without being alive. It is possible to simply exist. But this is not you, not if you’re reading this now. You want more than to simply exist. The funny thing is that we don’t actually… Read more The post The opposite of Love appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Boy I love a good love song. Who doesn’t? With the heartache, the longing, the passion and desire and joy – what’s not to love? Whether your idea of a love song comes from Mozart, Metallica, Elvis Presley, John Legend or Adele – the thing that all love songs have in common is that they… Read more The post A new kind of love song appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

There are many definitions, interpretations and belief systems pertaining to a human being’s soul. But we need no definition, interpretation or belief system in order to begin exploring our soul’s awareness. If you are of the opinion that there is more to our human existence than waking up each day to go to work, provide… Read more The post Do the work of your joyful soul appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

A long time ago there was a young boy who grew up in a small village. He was a fine boy, a smart boy, a boy with a big heart. He spent most of his time at home with his father. They did not have a lot of money, but were able to live a… Read more The post The boy who learned to speak appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Some of us are awakened into this new way of being with a gentle nudge. But not most of us. It is all too easy for us humans to fall into automatic patterns, inherited belief systems and succumb to the draw of surface level living. So then it takes most of us a bit of… Read more The post How to awaken with ease appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

We love our minds. We play trivia games. We read about history. We debate philosophy. We discuss politics and world affairs. So, it’s no wonder that it is completely natural for us to approach our spiritual lives with the same intellectual rigor. Maybe this is why it takes so many of us, almost all of… Read more The post Don’t let your intelligence limit your awakening appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Meditation must be one of the most misunderstood practices ever to reach the western world. With as much main stream press as meditation has received in recent years, and as common as it is for someone to nod his head when we bring up the idea, it is still surprising how little is actually understood.… Read more The post How yoga is different from meditation appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

The title of this post will seem less bold when the simplicity of the idea is revealed. Life is full of experiences, some bigger than others, and all of which can show us fear, joy, pain, gratitude, compassion, and a host of other life lessons. It turns out that it’s actually fairly easy to turn… Read more The post The purpose of life appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Chances are that right now there is something you want – a desire for something. It may be a material desire such as a vacation, or a desire for a particular outcome to a situation. Whether the desired outcome is a successful business venture, a meaningful romantic relationship, deeper meditations, or an end to all… Read more The post How to get what you want appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

By now you’ve likely heard the idea that we feel more alive when we eat food that is more alive. But what is it that we really gain from eating this way, and why does it matter? And what does it mean to ‘feel alive’? Eating well is essential for our health, we know this,… Read more The post The Food of Awakening appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Have you ever been called a ‘sensitive’ or ‘oversensitive’ person? I have. Being sensitive is a powerful thing. It opens the door to empathy, compassion, insight, passion, and deep awareness beyond the surface level of the lives so many around us are living. But with this gift of sensitivity comes the risk of absorbing unhelpful… Read more The post That person’s fear is not yours appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

The history books are filled with martyrs. Human beings across the centuries who have sacrificed themselves for the benefit of humankind. Historically this is someone who endures great sacrifice, even the greatest sacrifice, for a matter of principle. But there is another type of martyr, one who exists in our modern society, and we have… Read more The post Let go of your need to sacrifice appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It is certainly possible, and quite common, to practice meditation exclusively for the benefit of improved concentration, better focus, increased mindfulness and for general peace of mind. These are wonderful benefits for sure. In addition, and if we choose, we can also allow meditation to be a spiritual practice. Regardless of which category you fall… Read more The post How meditation is different from prayer appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

It is quite amazing to realize how many of the physical tasks that we engage in on a daily basis occur without any conscious thought. We brush our teeth, we put on our clothes, we shower and shave, we brew tea or coffee, we wash dishes, we prepare a simple meal, we exercise, we drive,… Read more The post Focus, Peace and Autopilot appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

In our modern culture, labels tend to serve as our basis for understanding each other at the surface level. One example is that someone can either be generally a ‘giver’ while someone else is generally a ‘receiver’ or a ‘taker’. And as usual, the labels grossly oversimplify, constrict, and conflate the truth. Because we are… Read more The post How to give, How to receive appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

This week, instead of a post, we once again listen in on a portion of a conversation that I had with Alison J. Kay. She is an energy medicine practitioner, a holistic life coach, an India trained Ashtanga Yoga instructor, and a meditation teacher of more than 20 years. In this conversation Alison speaks with… Read more The post Podcast special: We’re not meant to suffer appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

A few years ago when I was first waking up, I said to a friend that I had discovered both my observer and my judge. She quite wisely offered a subtle correction. She agreed that my observer was a new relationship, but that I’ve always known my judge because he is loud and fairly obnoxious.… Read more The post Fire your judge appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

What if anxiety is a good thing? Of course if you have felt anxious before or feel anxious right now, then you are most certainly rolling your eyes at me. No one will pretend that feeling anxious feels good. It’s quite awful actually. It’s so awful, that once we’ve felt it, we will do almost… Read more The post Anxious? Welcome home appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a decisive person? It’s no fun to waffle between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ and between various options. But there is no value in being decisive for the sake of decisiveness. We want to make decisions that feel just and right and for our highest good. It seems the way to… Read more The post How to hear your intuition appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Most of us rely on someone for something. It is good to have people in our lives upon whom we can rely – we all need support sometimes. Genuine friendship, good companions, and engaging social interaction are all beautiful and important parts of being human. But at the same time it is easy to rely… Read more The post Build your self-reliance and be free appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

We always have a choice. Our direction in life, that which we achieve, that which we have, who we become and who we are is ultimately determined by the accumulation of our choices. But we can only make one choice at a time, and the motivation behind each choice it appears, is essential. It occurred… Read more The post The right motivation changes everything appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

How far back would you have to go to recall a time when you thought that there was something wrong? If you are like me, and like most of us, then chances are you don’t have to go back very far – a few days, maybe even just a few minutes. Whether it’s trouble in… Read more The post Will you let it be OK? appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

What would it feel like to have a tangible definition of what it means to be awake – to be an awake person or to experience awakening? It’s a concept that we hear thrown around regularly, including here on Tenderfoot Yogi, and it can sound a little funny – to awaken. Also what is this… Read more The post What it means to be awake appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.

Some days we just can’t seem to find quiet – when our environment is noisy and so is our mind. When one thought is competing with the next and we can’t seem to turn off the spicket. A few weeks ago I had a particularly noisy morning. It turned out that there were some ideas… Read more The post For when your mind is noisy appeared first on tenderfoot yogi.