Connect

Mantras for When Mantras Aren’t Working

Mantras are great. They really are. They’re one of the most reliable tools out there for emotional, psychological, and yes, even physical improvement. If you haven’t taken the plunge into the world of mantras (this article focuses on self-composed, versus traditional Sanskrit mantras), this is absolutely one of the most accessible processes that anyone can use, at any time, to feel better and improve your cognitive processing and emotional wellbeing on the spot. Indeed, mantras are great. Really, really great. But sometimes, they suck.

The Role of the Artist (and Writer)

On Wednesday, I had a full-on meltdown. I’m talking lying on the floor while tears streamed down my cheeks. What precipitated the meltdown was feeling like I’m not fully utilizing my talents, and at the same time unclear what precisely that means. What am I doing with my life and how can I make money doing what I love? Add in a dose of doubt that my dreams are even possible, and you have a synthesis of my breakdown.

How Addiction Distracts Us

We are strong and we can do this, let’s be different.

 

Why is it so hard to drop the bad habits or addictions we know are bad for us? Why do we hold on to the material things instead of infinite feelings and emotions from loved ones?

How to Be Non-Attached

I spent the weekend at Redwood State and National Parks with a dear friend who is moving in 10 days so this subject matter is on my mind. Here’s a repost from August about another friend who was moving at that time. 

Clearing the Clutter: A Cathartic Practice

Earlier this week, I sat in a sangha among a roomful of spiritual seekers, gathered together in pursuit of a shared goal to reset the self.  Prior to coming, we were given the task to cut physical clutter from our lives. A few folks shared their experiences: various items of stagnant energy ushered into the forsaken trash - the ex’s toothbrush, the taunting pack of cigarettes, the size 4 pants that paraded in the past - or my personal favorite “an ex-boyfriend’s comforter he got from an ex-girlfriend”… folks were purging it all.

Sustainable Housing Series: Earthships

Welcome to the sustainable housing series with Basmati.com! Each week, I’ll write an article that talks about structures that promote sustainable living. I’ll cover everything from construction to average price. This week, I'll be exploring Earthships.

Week 1: Earthships

Conscious Convergence: How (and Why) to Deliberately Merge Mind and Body

The great Persian poet Rumi offered his inspired take on love, advising the seekers to consider, “your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” Substitute the word “healing” for “love” and you have the basic philosophy that lies at the heart of any true holistic healing modality. Your body naturally cultivates wellness. Every second of every day, every cell in your body is working to bring your body back into a state of optimal functioning.

The Importance of Breath: The Anatomical and Energetic Lowdown

Breathing. You might say it’s important.

Sure, we know it is life juice – a necessity to think, do, speak, say, move about our ways. But what is the real deal behind breathing? Why do yogis and mindfulness practitioners believe in the power of the breath?

My Natural Homebirth Experience: A Lesson in Life, Death, and Surrender

 

Death is a necessary part of the life cycle of all living creatures on this planet. As our own modern science teaches us, nothing truly dies, but only transforms. The story of my natural homebirth is one of the way my life changed; my old self dying while my new self: mother, caretaker, and one with the universe, was born. My old-self died with the birth of my first son. I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy while I gave birth to a new me. My life-partner was also transformed by this process and he became a new man, as I had become a new woman.

The Universe Is Always Communicating With Us

The notion behind this lesson is one of my life's guiding principles, so after watching a television episode about this very subject, I decided it was high time I share it with you.

One of the characters on the T.V. show said, "What if the universe doesn't send us signs? What if we're just seeing what we want to see? Maybe the universe has better things to do than send us signs." I can understand why this character would say that. Heck, I've said it myself, but primarily when things didn't turn out the way I wanted or expected them too.