The flamingo has a shock of wonderful color that draws you in for a closer look, but the balancing act is what keeps you mesmerized. How do these large birds hold themselves upright for hours on one skinny leg? Taking our cue from nature, this episode invites you to call in more balance. Whether that means practicing one-leg stability poses or evaluating the to-do list, where in your life do you need to set boundaries or show up for your body? Take a deep breath, close your eyes and take honest inventory. Create space for more balance.

In Season 3 of Present Moments, we use a variety of oracle card decks as prompts for self-discovery. Each episode takes an affirmation, intention and/or message from the card to assist with exploration and evaluation. Oracle cards have been used to reveal blind spots and/or to bring awareness to thoughts, experiences, relationships, and behaviors that may or may not serve us. Additionally, they can be a powerful tool to remind us of what is truly important and activating energetic motion in the direction that supports our divine purpose.

For more episodes of Present Moments and to access the entire library of great content from 4 seasons-worth of reflections and mindfulness practices, subscribe for $5.99/month. Start your free 3-day trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ascendingspiritwp.com/present-moments⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribers also have access to 2 bonus seasons (Plant Medicine & Food as Medicine) and early access to Season 7, Bite-sized Ayurveda.

Season 4 of Present Moments uses excerpts from the book, The Eight Limbs of Yoga: A Handbook for Living Yoga Philosophy, by Stuart Ray Sarbacker and Kevin Kimple to dissect yoga beyond the mat. In each episode, I read a short selection from the book and offer an interpretation followed by some practical ways in which you can incorporate the concept in your daily life. Yoga is a spiritual practice that offers a framework for people who have the desire to walk the path of enlightenment.

There's so much to discuss about navigating change, I couldn't fit it all into just one episode. Here's part 2 and for those of you who need a more structured approach, I would highly recommend checking out the upcoming Navigating Change Retreat in November. (link below)

One critical aspect of navigating change is to find practices that are grounding and to regulate the nervous system. This can look like a number of different practices and will vary by person, lifestyle and desired outcome. The important thing is to discover what works best for YOU and surround yourself with support. Change feels uncomfortable and the body is hard-wired to keep in you in a place of safety, comfort and the familiar.

Link for retreat: https://www.ascensionwellnessretreat.com/navigating-transition-mental-health-and-wellness-retreat

For more episodes of Present Moments and to access the entire library of great content from 4 seasons-worth of reflections and mindfulness practices, subscribe for $5.99/month. Start your free 3-day trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ascendingspiritwp.com/present-moments⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribers also have access to 2 bonus seasons (Plant Medicine & Food as Medicine) and early access to Season 7, Bite-sized Ayurveda.

Change is truly inevitable. It's the constant in this magnificent life. As we enter the season of Autumn, change is apparent all around us as the leaves transition into brilliant colors before shedding. We experience more anxiety during this time of year as the body prepares for winter. Navigating your seasons of change takes presence.

Many of the people who attend my retreats are staring at a major inflection point where an older version of themselves or the life they have been living is no longer suitable for the new life they envision. But making the transition into the unknown can be challenging and uncomfortable.

This is a two-part episode all about Change and offers a space and time for you to reflect on:

• What holds you back from embracing change?
• How to take small steps to implement a change.
• What former identity or behavior will have to be released in order for you to commit to the change?
• How can you navigate this period of uncertainty with greater ease and compassion?

For more episodes of Present Moments and to access the entire library of great content from 4 seasons-worth of reflections and mindfulness practices, subscribe for $5.99/month. Start your free 3-day trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ascendingspiritwp.com/present-moments⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribers also have access to 2 bonus seasons (Plant Medicine & Food as Medicine) and early access to Season 7, Bite-sized Ayurveda.

How do you know someone respects you and what signals do you provide to others that demonstrate respect? This week's exploration is all about acknowledging and reflecting on our relationships:

• Who do you admire and respect? Why?
• What actions are 'respect or disrespect' signals?
• How do you show respect?
• What triggers you to become disrespectful to property, plants, animals or other people?

Grab your journal and drop into a moment of reflection and self-discovery. In Season 2 of Present Moments, we're using the 'What Really Matters' deck of cards created by MetaFox to explore a variety of core values. Each episode is a 5-7 minute guided process that reviews the card and it's meaning, before mindfully evaluating what the value means to you and how it is represented. You'll also be given examples of how you can create opportunities to embrace the value in your daily practices and routine.

For more episodes of Present Moments and to access the entire library of great content from 4 seasons-worth of reflections and mindfulness practices, subscribe for $5.99/month. Start your free 3-day trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ascendingspiritwp.com/present-moments⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribers also have access to 2 bonus seasons (Plant Medicine & Food as Medicine) and early access to Season 7, Bite-sized Ayurveda.

Season 4 of Present Moments uses excerpts from the book, The Eight Limbs of Yoga: A Handbook for Living Yoga Philosophy, by Stuart Ray Sarbacker and Kevin Kimple to dissect yoga beyond the mat. In each episode, I read a short selection from the book and offer an interpretation followed by some practical ways in which you can incorporate the concept in your daily life. Yoga is a spiritual practice that offers a framework for people who have the desire to walk the path of enlightenment.

Today we are covering the first Yama, Ahimsa which translates to non-harming. In our previous episodes about the Yamas, we discussed the premise of using the Yamas as guiding principles and a framework for living that supports spiritual growth. Ahimsa is possibly the supreme of all the Yamas in that yoga tradition places non-harming as the critical foundation for all of the Yamas and Niyamas to build from. Ahimsa is the practice of becoming aware of how your thoughts, actions and feelings are in service to yourself and all other sentient beings on this planet. It is the recognition you have a choice in how you choose to relate to yourself, others and the living and non-living environment that shapes your life. Non-harming asks you to use discernment when deciding to speak, act and think so you are creating space to operate from a position of love.

For more episodes of Present Moments and to access the entire library of great content from 4 seasons-worth of reflections and mindfulness practices, subscribe for $5.99/month. Start your free 3-day trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ascendingspiritwp.com/present-moments⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribers also have access to 2 bonus seasons (Plant Medicine & Food as Medicine) and early access to Season 7, Bite-sized Ayurveda.

In Season 3 of Present Moments, we use a variety of oracle card decks as prompts for self-discovery. Each episode takes an affirmation, intention and/or message from the card to assist with exploration and evaluation. Oracle cards have been used to reveal blind spots and/or to bring awareness to thoughts, experiences, relationships, and behaviors that may or may not serve us. Additionally, they can be a powerful tool to remind us of what is truly important and activating energetic motion in the direction that supports our divine purpose.

Agility can supercharge your manifesting and help you meet your goals fast. However, speed can also contribute to costly mistakes and frenetic energy. How can you become more like the cheetah - using cunning focus, determination and explosive speed in a constructive manner that delivers real results. Today's episode will help you discover when to be more like a cheetah to creating a life by design.

For more episodes of Present Moments and to access the entire library of great content from 4 seasons-worth of reflections and mindfulness practices, subscribe for $5.99/month. Start your free 3-day trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ascendingspiritwp.com/present-moments⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribers also have access to 2 bonus seasons (Plant Medicine & Food as Medicine) and early access to Season 7, Bite-sized Ayurveda.

In this week's episode, we'll do a little self-discovery exercise to dissect what it means to be aware. I often get questions about what it means to become aware and how is it different than mindfulness. We tackle these questions and more. I invite you to use what you learn from this episode, and apply it to your everyday living for the next five days. Become aware of your feelings, self-talk, mind chatter, and behaviors to keep a mental journal of how you are 'showing up' for yourself and others. Is it aligned to your values? Does it support or inhibit you from realizing your fullest potential? What recurring patterns are holding you back?

For more episodes of Present Moments and to access the entire library of great content from 4 seasons-worth of reflections and mindfulness practices, subscribe for $5.99/month. Start your free 3-day trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ascendingspiritwp.com/present-moments⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Subscribers also have access to 2 bonus seasons (Plant Medicine & Food as Medicine) and early access to Season 7, Bite-sized Ayurveda.