Wisdom Everywhere

Although a long shot from sources we usually draw from like Gandhi, Einstein or Dr. King, in honor of "back to school" we decided to dig out some of the old adages to see how they fare in our modern age.

• Are you vinegar or honey? - Folk wisdom says you get more flies with honey than vinegar. As a leader you might ask yourself if you are fostering attractive qualities in the people around you. By exhibiting attractive qualities such as confidence, trust, compassion and self-care, you elevate others' disposition to be leader-like, which sure beats being around people who lack those qualities.
• Thoughtless is as thoughtless does - Wanna be the change? Create a practice of cultivate presence of mind throughout the day - it a great way to prevent would'a-could'a-should'a moments.
• Lemonade, anyone? - When something goes wrong do you mull it over endlessly? Obsessing on how things have NOT gone as you like costs you countless great moments in the meantime. Amid the sour moments of life recall the sweetness of your great struggles in the past - how you weathered opposition to emerge triumphant at last. Hold whatever it is that is not going your way just as you would a conflict in a movie, knowing it simply sweetens the story of your inevitable triumph.

Adages like these and countless others fly freely not only in our banter, but advertising copy, the media, etc. The next time you hear off-handed wisdom flung about, let the words connect you to whatever is happening in a more powerful way. After all, human nature is the reason these sayings endure.

Emotional Rescue

Doing the same old thing, feeling bored, tired or impatient?

Change your energy and change your state of being! Even the guys fromThe Corporate Athlete say we need an energy shift every 90 minutes. Try these tools...

• Breath-Alive - Speed and deepen your breath to energize and ignite!
• System Scan - from the tips of your toes to your fingertips to your eyeballs, become aware of all the senstions present.
• Jedi Mind Trick - imagine you are really really heavy, like a ton of bricks or lead. Now imagine you are really really light, lighter than a fluffy cloud. Do the same with hot and then cold. Pick how you feel now and how you WANT to feel.
• Let It Flow - Let your thoughts be like a river or images passing as you ride along in a train.
• Jagger-cize - Release your tongue in your mouth - let it move around and stretch and curl.
• Face Matters - Stretch your eyes, eyebrows, scrunch up your face muscles including cheeks and lips.

Many Me

The idea that we must care for the many aspects of self may sound new-age, but give it some consideration as it has been ubiquitous across cultures since the dawn of time.

Put this wisdom to practice in the midst of your very modern life. No matter how busy your day, periodically checking in with the various aspects of your physical being will energize you and prevent getting caught up in your thoughts and worries.

• Body En Carnate! Check in with that amazing bundle of energy that is your body. Place your hand on your forearm and squeeze the muscles there, rub your fingers against eachother, allow the physical reality of your existence to be in your awareness.
• Breath Body - without breath we die - how are you breathing right now? Make it a practice to notice your breath, especially as you move through the contrasting moments of your day. Notice happy breath, sad breath, impatient breath, etc.
• Thought Self - Whatchya thinking about? Take a moment with your eyes closed to simply allow your thoughts to arise and fall...see how easily one gives way to the next...
• All About You - Notice these physical aspects - now notice the space in front of you, behind you, above and underneath you. By becoming aware of yourself in context to the space around you, your expanded awareness releases anxiety and stress.

Simply acknowledging these layers of being is often enough to drop us into what is sometimes called "bliss", "flow" or "the zone", a state that we feel internally regardless of external circumstances. Make it your practice to enjoy more truly great days.

We've learned a lot about how to take life-affirming practices into corporations over the past five years, and we invite yoga teachers who share our passion to benefit from our learning.

If you are a yoga teacher and feel a desire to work in corporations, check out the Balance Integration Corporate Yoga Teacher Intensives we are offering in multiple cities throughout the country. More dates will be added for 2008 in the US and internationally, so stay tuned!

• Kripalu KYTA Conference, Lenox, Massachusetts - August 27, 2007
• Shri Yoga, NYC - September 15, 2007
• ECA Fitness Conference, Miami - October 4, 2007
• AtOne Yoga, Scottsdale, Arizona - October 27, 2007
• OmTime Yoga, Denver - November 4, 2007
• Laughing Lotus, NYC - January 19, 2008
• ECA Fitness Conference, NYC - February 9, 2008
• Exhale Spa, NYC - June 7th, 2008
• Corporate Yoga Immersion Omega September 14- 19, 2008