Author: Mara Skye Wolf

Tethered in Place

Featured by Mara Skye Wolf, posted in Uncategorized

A few months ago, I saw the parable of the elephant. In this simple short story, we find out that a small elephant is tethered by a rope to a post. As the elephant grows it could easily break the rope with its powerful limbs but it never does. The elephant has gotten so used to being tethered to that spot that even if painful or uncomfortable things happen it endures and doesn’t realize or comprehend that it had an option to break free.

Eight years ago, I tethered myself to an idea and decided that I was going to accomplish a particular thing in life (getting a PhD). The first 5 years went by and the journey had its ups and downs but was fulfilling enough. Three and a half years ago, things started to unravel as I started to listen to my heart, body, intuition, and find the joy in just being in the present moment. The last 3 years, I have had the privilege of working with a talented yoga teacher/energy worker, Kate Garland, who has helped me to become a different person who is lighter and more in tune with my essence/spirit.

This week during an energy work session, I realized that I had been enduring and pushing to accomplish something that I no longer found joy in and wasn’t serving me. I had tethered myself to accomplishing a thing and was pushing hard to do it without fully considering or comprehending that I had a choice. My life or future happiness didn’t depend on doing this thing but I had just kept pushing myself to do it. During a relaxing spine twisting yoga class today with Kate, my mind began to relax as I focused on the rhythmic nature of my breath. My body began to twitch as it sank into a deep state of relaxation near the end of class. As I laid on my mat, I could feel a rope tethered to my right leg. The rope wasn’t tight but it made its presence known, the story of the elephant flowed into my consciousness. Like the elephant, I have grown into a different and more powerful being but hadn’t had the courage or awareness before this point to break free from this particular rope. I am now holding the knife in my hand and preparing to take a deep breath and sever the rope. The idea of being free is scary but exhilarating at the same time.

Frayed Rope about to Break

I know my story is not unique and that others are being tethered by ideas, thoughts, stories, and beliefs that are holding them back. You may not see the ropes now but I can guarantee you they are there and that you are not alone. I can’t tell you how to find the ropes that are holding you back but I can say that having a talented teacher/energy worker is definitely worth every penny and the time spent with them will be very beneficial. I have devoted a lot of time to seeing these ropes and part of me is embarrassed to share the struggle but I think it is important to create this type of dialogue so that others are encouraged and feel less alone in their journey.

5 Reasons People Don’t Meditate

by Mara Skye Wolf, posted in Meditation

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1. “What’s the point? It’s just a New Age fad. A hippie thing.”
Meditation is not a fad – it is something that people from different countries, cultures, and religions have been doing for centuries. Meditation can change your state of mind and  prompts relaxation in your body. Meditation uses introspection (looking inside yourself rather than outside) coupled with awareness of body or breath to drive you to deeper states of consciousness.

2. “Meditation is too hard. I can’t calm my mind.”
Don’t think about emptying the mind, or making it quiet. Simply follow the meditation instructions, and let everything else be. If your mind is agitated, there is even more reason for you to meditate! As you listen to the meditation your mind will calm on its own.

3. “I don’t have time to meditate.”
Sorry, but that is probably not true. Think about some of the unproductive time that you spend in front of a screen (TV, smartphone, or tablet). You can start with as little as 1~3 minutes a day, and increase slowly.

4. “Meditation is boring.”
There are several different types of meditation  practices if you haven’t found the right one, you may feel like this. Meditation releases Dopamine, the “pleasure chemical” of the brain. If you learn to enjoy the process itself – and desire to get better at it you may find peace and enjoyment on a daily basis.

5. “I need to be spiritual or do weird things.”
Meditation is a very old practice that has been used in religious contexts. However, many people practice meditation exclusively for health and well-being benefits. You can practice meditation without needing to believe in anything. A Christian, Muslim, or Athesist can practice it, without any conflict with their own faith.

You don’t need to follow any rituals, or burn incense, or wear special clothing, or do weird things, to meditate. Some people may choose to do so because they find it helps them prepare the mind for meditation – but they are not essential to the practice

Four Ways Meditation Literally Changes The Brain

by Mara Skye Wolf, posted in Meditation

Someone shared this great article with me and it came from http://thepowerofideas.ideapod.com

Not all of us are neuroscientists but we do know that meditation is somewhat good for the brain. How is it good for the brain though? What kind of benefits does it actually bring? And are they significant? So many questions yet little do we know.

Having read some research by one of the world’s top neuroscientists Richie Davidson and his group of colleagues, we’ve learnt three key things about the brain:

1. You can train your brain to change

2. The change is measurable

3. New ways of thinking can change the brain for the better

According to Davidson, the practice of meditation even at a period of 30 minutes can display measurable changes in the brain which is trackable by a brain scanner. This means that daily meditation can significantly adapt your brain and improve it’s functionality.

So here are the 4 key benefits to your brain that daily meditation practice allows:

1. Increased Grey Matter

An increase in grey matter in the anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is located just behind the brain’s frontal lobe is known for it’s ability to monitor things like cognitive flexibility and attention conflicts.The prefrontal cortex, also found close to the frontal lobe has functions based on problem solving, regulating emotions and planning. The hippocampus, which is part of the limbic system facilitates the learning and memory side of things and is sensitive to stress-related disorders.

2. Decreased Amygdala Size

The decrease in amygdala size means a decrease in cell volumes relating to fear and anxious emotions, creating a more peaceful mind.

3. Changes in Functionalities in Certain Networks

In addition to a smaller amygdala size, certain networks also start weakening after a practice of meditation. This allows the brain to strengthen and focus on higher brain functional networks instead of focusing on reactive networks.

4. Reduction in Activity in the Brain’s Center

After a meditation session, there is a decreased activity level of our Default Mode Network (DMN), which is often when our minds go walkabouts when we get distracted. After repeated levels of mindfulness, the brain becomes more efficient with its regulators. This allows us to be less reactive and actually stop, be more aware and more accepting to certain thoughts.

~ http://thepowerofideas.ideapod.com

Magic of Ordinary Things

by Mara Skye Wolf, posted in Uncategorized

Yoga has taught me to breathe, act with intention, and to see the magic in ordinary things.

Fairy Pic 2017 Copy2

Walking through a garden and looking closely at the blooms can be refreshing when I  clear my mind of the daily to-do list. As I breathe and realize that there is no other place I want to be in that moment, things start to open up. Being present in the moment seems like a forgotten art. I  have wondered at times if I would even notice a fairy if they existed. As my practice of being has deepened, I have seen the beauty in wood grain, the pollen dusted on the inside of a flower, the coloring of a pebble, and other ordinary things. I am grateful for the beauty that is now apparent to me.

 

My Yoga Love Letter

by Mara Skye Wolf, posted in Uncategorized

If I were to write a love letter to my yoga teacher. . . I would start by telling her how much she helps to make me a better and healthier person. . .

She has guided me on how to set up a daily practice to overcome the aches and pains caused by office/cubicle life, her early teachings helped me to focus on my breath and feeling in my body so that I could sense the effect and release of tension caused by the different poses.

She also emphasized that Yoga is more than poses or exercise . . . Yoga is a way of connecting to your spirtual side regardless of your religion or faith . . .  Yoga is allowing your breath to calm you and stop the fight or flight instinct that fills our body with stress. . .  Yoga is bringing your life into balance by spending time in nature and getting away from life in front of the screen.

Why do I love working with her?
Her willingness to share her personal stories of perseverance, overcoming struggles with health problems, relationships, and finding balance in her life through the use of essential oils, yoga, and energy work. She lights up and you feel a sense of candidness, sincerty, and genuineness.

What makes my teacher unique?
She has guided me and helped me to see how experiences from the past/early childhood are affecting me today so that I can change my behavior and see that the old stories I used to believe about myself or the world may not be true and  could be sabotaging my growth. These deep insights are priceless and trigger my personal growth. Breaking the connection to the past is often key to moving forward.

 

Feel to Heal

by Mara Skye Wolf, posted in Uncategorized

As a child my parents didn’t express a lot of emotions so I never learned how to express them. As an adult this has led to me holding things in and bottling up my emotions. I have been meditating and doing energy work with my yoga teacher to become more comfortable feeling and expressing emotions.

I read the passage below and it spoke to me. . .

Be Vulnerable!

Cry a little, Cry a lot and Cry your heart out once in a while!

Don’t let the mind delude you to build a tough wall around the heart to make you feel safe, that’s just fear/aversion to pain masquerading as strength/toughness.

Feel the pain
Embrace the feeling
Slowly magical healing happens within
Then comes the real strength
Strength to be a beacon of healing for others.

Let’s pledge to be vulnerable around each other.

Feel to Heal!