I write a lot about meditation and finding your authentic self. My blogs tend to have a similar theme: sit in silence, breathe and be who you are. It sounds simple enough; turn off the electronic devices and tell your partner to handle life for ten minutes while you take time to recharge.

Putting aside that most of you aren’t convinced that you can actually find ten minutes in the day to be by yourselves, there is something bigger that dissuades people from this practice. It seems that our nervous systems have become so attune to the constant input of noise, data, drama and activity, that we actually find it uncomfortable – both physically and mentally – to sit in silence. Think about it – are you able to enjoy a day or even an hour or so spent in complete silence? No music playing in the background, no tv, no cellphones calls or texts…just complete silence. If the answer is no, then read on.

There is actually a medically based explanation for the state of awkward uneasiness that is experienced by so many in our culture. It results from an overload of our sympathetic nervous system (SNS) – the part that is responsible for the “flight or fight” response. Our over caffeinated, over sugared, sleep deprived, always connected and always “on” lifestyles have resulted in on overload of the SNS – a condition which, by the way, is responsible for many of the autoimmune and inflammatory diseases so prevalent today.

The flight or fight response triggered by the SNS results in a release of cortisol and adrenaline in the body – that’s the rush that you feel when startled or suddenly excited. But, because we are basically always “on” our bodies are constantly experiencing that rush – so much so that we don’t even feel it anymore. The physical result that adrenaline and cortisol are continuously being pumped into our bodies, resulting in a diminished immune system and inflammation throughout the body. The mental and emotional toll this takes results in difficult relationships, a sense of unfulfillment, and depression or dysthemia (chronic, low level depression). When we have sufficient downtime – time spent in quiet – the quiet yin to the SNS’s active yang has a chance to do its work and correct these conditions.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is our “rest and restore” internal balance system. The PNS is responsible for slowing our breathing, lowering our blood pressure, digesting our food and in general giving us a break from it all. But, when constantly competing with the SNS and not given the proper environment to do its work, the PNS begins to cry for help. The despair of a poorly functioning PNS appears as mood swings, unremitting life drama, sleep disturbances, a poorly functioning immune system and anxiety, to name just a few symptoms.

Some have said that the constant cortisol adrenaline rush we have subjected ourselves to has become addictive – our bodies have become so accustomed to the constant influx of these hormones that they act like a drug. We actually go through withdrawal symptoms when we don’t have it – thus the uncomfortable feeling you get when sitting in silence.

At this juncture you have a choice. You can continue life as usual – headaches, feeling overwhelmed, emotional, moody, possibly physically sick, living drama after drama and longing for something different – or you can sit through the withdrawal process and find the something different. If you are currently a caffeine, television and cellphone addict, the process of letting go will not necessarily feel good at first, but the longstanding rewards will.

There is no magic bullet here. You have to take the steps to make this happen. I suggest starting with ten minutes of uninterrupted silence each day; this practice will lead you to the next step. You may want to try a “news fast” in which you refrain from watching or listening to world or local news for two weeks. Maybe you’ll be courageous enough to try a television fast for two weeks. I did, and I never turned on my tv again. (If that scares you it probably means that you should try it.)

Here’s the thing: you can’t undertake a process like this and expect your life to look the same afterwards. That’s the whole point. If you want to feel better, look better and have a happier life, it means that the things that are holding you back from that will have to change or go away. In order for peace to be present, the noise has to stop.

It all begins with a few minutes of silence each day. The choice is yours.

Warm Water Wishes,
-Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

Who doesn’t love reading a good book while soaking up some summer sun or lounging by the pool at Glen Ivy Hot Springs?  This season, we’ve chosen a classic that is sure to make the long, warm days of summer more enjoyable.  The roaring twenties come to life in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby – a time of excess, luxury and the American Dream – all mixed with a cold blindness to the hard consequences of materialism.

Although the book is short – only 9 chapters – the richness of the story and its parallels to today’s society lend it to slow, contemplative reading.  I hope you will join us in what promises to be a lively and thoughtful discussion each week.

The reading kicks off on June 26^th and continues each week through the last week of July:

Chapters 1 & 2:                     June 26
Chapter 3:                             July 3
Chapter 4:                             July 10
Chapters 5 & 6:                     July 17
Chapter 7:                             July 24
Chapters 8 & 9:                     July 31

-Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

As we move into summer, Glen Ivy welcomes more and more people who are seeking to relax and renew.  They come here to “get away from it all” in hopes of alleviating at least some stress from their lives.  We have all read the articles, seen the news reports, and heard warnings from health care professionals about the dangers of stress.  At this point you are probably thinking that this article will be about how you can feel less stressed after a day at Glen Ivy, thus improving your health, mood, and general disposition.  It is not.  Instead, I’d like to explore what stress is really about – not about our over scheduling ourselves, being overworked, having a spouse, child, or co-worker who doesn’t talk, act or otherwise respond in a way that makes us feel ok.  Not even about the fact that we’re always “plugged in” to iphones, blackberries, and tv’s or that we don’t take time to meditate or exercise enough or eat the right foods.  All of these things are said to cause stress.  I don’t agree.  In my view, all of these things are symptoms of the real cause of stress, which is this:  a disconnection with your authentic self.  You may call it your soul, spirit, higher self…whatever.  The title doesn’t matter.  Whatever name you choose to assign to the part of your being that makes you uniquely you – the part that holds the gifts and talents that you are meant to share and express in this life – is using stress as a cry for help.  The cell phones, relationships, long hours, bad food, and lack of sleep are tools we use to numb ourselves from that cry.  Often, this is simply because we are afraid of what we will find when we look at ourselves as we truly are. Most of us think that our mistakes are who we are, and that when we look inside we will only see ugliness.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  If you could see the beauty of who you are, you would understand that your life is not about getting more money, a promotion, the right car, shoes or bag.  Your life is about sharing your own uniqueness with the world.  You are not here to get anything, you are here to give.   This can be a difficult concept to grasp in a world that has taught us that we are flawed, that we are not enough and that we do not have enough, but i promise you it is true.  You have within you everything you need.  Who you really are is beautiful, and that beauty is crying to express itself.  But only you can set it free.  Start by walking away from the things that numb you to the pain your authentic self feels from being repressed for so long:

• Turn off the tv and the cell phone
• Take a break from Facebook
• Step away from the chocolate cake, and, yes, put down the Starbucks
• For just a moment stop expecting other people to speak and behave the way you want them to
• Go outside and walk barefoot on the grass
• Walk through the illusion of being the mistakes you have made and see yourself as you really are.

This process can take time, or it can happen instantly.  It’s up to you.  Whatever time it takes or how it happens, it will be worth it, because nothing can compare with seeing the beauty of your own soul.  I promise.

-Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

Each week we see CeeCee become more comfortable with her surroundings and her new friends and family.  The realities of a “normal” life begin to occur, with all of their complexities and subtleties.  CeeCee is confronted with racism, not once but twice; first, through the attack on Tybee Island and secondly, (and more humorously), when she meets Sapphire.  In reading this section, I couldn’t help but think that CeeCee’s reaction to the racial overtones of both interactions was subdued.  I thought it a reminder that children don’t develop racist tendencies unless they are taught to.

We also see that as CeeCee becomes more relaxed and settled into her new home, the memories of life with her mother begin to emerge.  CeeCee now has the security and support to deal with these issues.  CeeCee has been afraid to think or talk about her mother; I wondered if Oletta’s advice at the start of chapter 16 in someway helped her gain the courage to begin dealing with the pain that she was carrying:

Every time you give in to your fears, you’re lettin’ that man win.  And every time you do that, he gets stronger while you get weaker.  Givin’ in to your fears will rob you blind.  You’ll end up a prisoner to that man for the rest of your life.

CeeCee sees in Oletta a strength and peace that she would like to possess herself.  One of my favorite lines from the book illustrates this:

Deep down I had the feeling that Oletta most likely knew all that was worth knowing, not in book-learning ways, but in the ways that really mattered, ways that let you hum songs during the day and sleep peacefully at night.

Wouldn’t we all like to have enough peace to allow us to hum songs during the day and sleep peacefully at night?

I look forward to reading your thoughts on this week’s chapters.

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

In this week’s reading we get to see CeeCee enjoying a little mischief and adventure.  After so many years of living in a state of constant shame, despair, and constant alert I wondered how these new experiences might feel to her.  While the incident with Miz Hobbs was surely scary for CeeCee, she also got to see people reacting to it with a bit of humor.  How different this must have been in comparison with the many incidents with her mother.

We also see the unexpected return of CeeCee’s father in these chapters.  Why do you think he decided to show up unannounced?  CeeCee is not happy to see her father; do you think that she will ever be able to forgive him?  Is he worthy of receiving her forgiveness?

I look forward to reading your thoughts on how CeeCee’s life is changing and unfolding.

Until next week, Happy Reading!

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

In this week’s reading selection we meet the women of Savannah, Georgia. Oletta, Miz Hobbs, and Miz Goodpepper each bring their own brand of southern hospitality to CeeCee. On the one hand, CeeCee drinks in all of the love and affection offered by her new friends and family, while on the other she doubts her worthiness and ability to ever fit in. I think this is what makes CeeCee such a likable character; she mirrors the insecurities we all feel at some time in our lives – fitting in, being worthy of love, and having something worthy to contribute amongst people we admire. Some people view children like CeeCee very much the way the Pemberton house was seen by the demolition crew – as not worthy of being saved. Aunt Tootie has the unique gift of looking past the broken places to see the treasure. As with the forgotten mansions of Savannah, Aunt Tootie sees the beauty in CeeCee and is determined to help her see it in herself.

Out of all of the characters introduced in this week’s reading, is there one that you like best? Why? Do you think any of these characters will have a greater impact on CeeCee’s life than the others?

Until next week, enjoy being carried away to the warm breezes of Savannah!

—Seraphina Ashe
Director of Guest Experience Programming
Glen Ivy Hot Springs

In the past years we have all become more sensitive to our carbon footprint and how our lifestyle choices impact the environment and our health. As we continue our journey to a more earth-friendly, sustainable lifestyle, we also learn that being “green” can be fun, easy and economical. The following household cleaning recipes are offered in this spirit.

To learn more about the chemicals used in common household cleaning products and their impact on the environment and your health, visit the Environmental Working Group.

Supplies

• White Vinegar: cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up
• Baking Soda: cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours
• Natural Unscented Soap: unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
• New, unused spray bottles
• Water
• Essential oils of your choice:
• Tea Tree antiseptic, antibacterial, anti fungal Stimulant
• Lemon antibacterial, astringent Uplifting, clarifying
• Sweet Orange repels insects, disinfectant, antibacterial, anti fungal Cheery, happy, calms the mind
• Lavender antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial Lifts the mood, calming, analgesic, anti-inflammatory
• Oregano antiviral, antibacterial, anti fungal, repels insects Clean and fresh
• Eucalyptus antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, astringent, repels insect Stimulating, fresh, clears the mind
• Grapefruit antiseptic, disinfectant. Uplifting, stimulating
• Pine strong antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, repels insect Invigorating

Use only good quality, single note, 100% pure essential oils. Fragrance oils, perfume oils or nature-identical oils are synthetic chemicals or chemical blends and do not have the same properties as pure essential oils.

Purchase essential oils that are packaged in small, (4oz or less), dark colored or opaque glass bottles. Beware of plastic bottles or glass bottles with rubber eyedroppers; plastic and rubber will degrade and contaminate the oils.

All Purpose Cleaner

2 cups water
7 drops essential oil of lavender, tea tree, pine, grapefruit, oregano or eucalyptus

Combine ingredients in a clean, unused spray bottle. Shake well before each use.

 All Purpose Cleaner II

1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
1/2 gallon of water
10 drops lavender oil
10 drops grapefruit or eucalyptus oil

Combine ingredients and store in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use.

 Kitchen Scouring Cleanser

1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon vinegar
6 drops lemon or grapefruit essential oil

Mix ingredients to make a paste. Use to scour microwave interior, sink and other hard surfaces in the kitchen.

Bathroom Scouring Cleaner

1/4 cup baking soda
1 Tablespoon Natural Soap
7 drops lavender oil
7 drops tea tree oil

Add enough white vinegar to make a thick, creamy texture.

Mix ingredients to make a paste. Use to scour bathroom surfaces.

Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner

2 Cups Water
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1/4 tsp. Tea Tree Oil
1/4 tsp. Lavender Oil

Combine and store in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Use where ever a disinfectant spray is needed.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda

Pour both ingredients in to toilet bowl and allow to soak for about 10 minutes. Swish with toilet brush. A few drops of lavender and tea tree essential oils may be added to disinfect.

Window Cleaner

1 cup White Vinegar
10-15 drops of Lemon oil
Water

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use.

Floor Cleaner I

1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water
14 drops of your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend

Add all ingredients to a bucket of warm water.

Floor Cleaner II

1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water
5-10 drops lemon, pine, spruce
1-2 squirts natural dish soap

Add all ingredients to a bucket of warm water. A plain water rinse may be needed after mopping to avoid stickiness or slipperiness from the dish soap.

Carpet Freshener

1 cup baking soda
16-20 drops of your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend

Combine ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. Cover and allow to sit overnight so that oils can be completely absorbed by the baking soda. Sprinkle over your carpet the next day and then vacuum.

Warm water wishes,
Seraphina Ashe,
Guest Experience Program Director

How often do you meditate?

By now we’ve all seen, heard and read the evidence that regular meditation practice can positively impact our health: reduced stress, lower blood pressure, increased concentration, elevated mood, and increased self-worth are just a few of the rewards.  Some studies have even shown the decline of crime rates when small groups of people gathered in urban areas to meditate together on a regular basis.  So with all of these remunerations, why aren’t we all meditating?  Meditation costs nothing, can be performed anywhere at any time and its many benefits can be reaped while practicing as little as five or ten minutes a day.  Nothing could be easier, right?

Wrong.

Finding time to be at peace can seem an improbable task when faced with children, spouses, work and the other pressures of life, so much so that beginning a meditation practice can cause even more of the stress that it is supposed to relieve.  Even when managing to find 15 minutes away from family, cell phones, pets and other distractions, the actual process of meditating can lead to angst, as the thoughts we are supposed to leave behind while meditating are suddenly more pronounced and obvious.  Even when we manage to find quiet physical surroundings, our internal dialogue seizes the opportunity to be heard:

           Okay, I am meditating now.My mind is slowing down.Breathe.They say to breathe and watch  yourbreath. howamIsupposedtowatchmybreath? Icantwatchmyselfbreathe! Ohthat wasathoughtI’mnotsupposed  to  be thinking.  Ok.  I’mnotthinking. Good.   I’m doing good.   Nowmyshoulderitchesshouldiscratchit? Nothatwouldbeathoughtandimnot supposed tobethinking diditurnthestoveoff?Iwassupposedcallthatclientandiforgot buticantdoitnowbecauseimnotthinkingimmeditating. Meditating. meditating.Ithinkimdoing thiswrong. I’mnogoodatthisnoimgoingtolearntodothisiwillsithereforthefulltwentyminutes oratleast10minutes.10minutes.yesicanstartwith10minutes.Maybe5minutes.breathe.inhale.     exhale.No,10minutes.  I can make it 10 minutes.    Stopthinking.   Not Thinking. Thedogwantstogoout.wasthatmycellphone? meditating.       breathing.whycantidothis right? otherpeopledothismymindisjusttoobusy. howdotheydothiseveryday?howdothey stoptheirthoughts?I’msomessedupIcan’tevenmeditateright.notthinking.meditating.meditating.stopthinking.stopthinking.Isstopthinkingathought?Ifitisimscrewedbecauseallicanthinkisstopthinking.Is10minutesupyet?ithastobecloseto10minutes.Ifilookattheclockisthatcheating?i’lllookwithjustoneeyeandreallyfast.It’s only been two minutes?

If this sounds familiar to you, take heart.  It is what every meditator experiences as they begin their practice.  Buddhists call this seemingly endless internal discourse Monkey Mind because the mind seems to jump from one thought to the next just as a monkey jumps from tree branch to tree branch.  For those of us in the west who have grown accustomed to a society in which we get everything we want on demand (information, food, messages, TV shows, movies and whatever else you can think of), realizing that we cannot obtain a quiet mind within our first few attempts at meditation can and often does result in anxiety, frustration, and a feeling of failure.  It is the reason most people abandon attempts at creating a regular meditation practice.

The answer to this dilemma lies right before our eyes:  it is a meditation practice.  As defined by Webster’s Dictionary, a practice is “to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient,” or “to train by repeated exercises.”  So, to embark in a meditation practice is to train the mind to momentarily glance away from its constant stream of activity.  This training must be repeated again and again and again in order to be successful.  It will not happen overnight, or even in a couple of weeks, but with consistent practice your mind will quiet.

This is perhaps the second most common reason meditation practices are abandoned:  it requires a long-term commitment in order to see results.  This, combined with the previously established challenge of finding ten to twenty minutes of uninterrupted time in our already overburdened schedules, only to then find ourselves fighting our own mind, can make the idea of meditating seem not worth the benefits.

This is where we need to step out of the traditional paradigm of why we should meditate and how it will help us.  As we’ve established, the physical and psychological health benefits of meditation are numerous, but the rewards go beyond what medical doctors and psychologists tell us.  The simple fact of what makes a meditation practice worth the time and commitment is this:  Meditation provides a refuge.  It is your own personal safe house where you have the freedom and ability to come back to yourself and remember who you are; it is the place that holds a special kind of quietness that recharges, refreshes and renews you.  Your refuge does not look like mine or anyone else’s – it is unique to you.  It is your essence, and even if your life already looks blissfully good on the surface, if you are not connecting with the deepest part of yourself on a regular basis you will not and cannot experience true peace of mind.  If you are able to keep practicing and sit through the unending discourses of your mind, you will begin to experience brief moments of quiet.  Deep, peaceful quiet.  Indescribable refuge of the soul quietness.  The first time you experience this type of quiet it may actually be startling because it is at such odds with the world that surrounds us.  But, as you learn to settle in to the sensation you will find that it begins creeping in to your daily life.  Everything may look the same on the surface, but you will find yourself not as reactive and feeling more centered and peaceful.  And each day, sitting to meditate for only ten to twenty minutes will seem less and less of a chore.  You will discover your personal refuge.

If you are or have grappled with establishing an ongoing meditation practice, try these simple steps:

1. Set your morning alarm for 15 minutes earlier.  If 15 minutes seems too much, try ten.
2. Find someplace – anyplace – where you can have ten minutes of uninterrupted quiet.  Remember that you don’t have to sit in lotus or burn a candle or incense.  Meditation can be done anywhere at any time.  If your life is too crowded and busy for you to create a serene meditation space, do it in the bathroom, and don’t let anyone tell you that this isn’t ok.  Your meditation space doesn’t need to look like a Buddhist shrine; the space and peace you are seeking is not found outside of you ~ it is within you.
3. Ask your partner and children to support you in having ten to twenty minutes to yourself each day at this designated time.  If that seems too much, make it five minutes to start.
4. On your first day, sit or stand in your designated space and take five long, slow deep breaths.  Most of us don’t know how to truly take a deep breath, as we spend most of the day breathing from the upper one third of our lungs.  Try rolling your shoulders back and down, then take a full breath in to your belly.  This should feel good.  Take 5 more deep breaths and let your mind relax a little.  Repeat this process every day.  Add a few seconds to your time spent consciously breathing each day until you find yourself sitting in quiet for ten minutes or longer.
5. Expect interruptions to happen, because they will.  Remember, the peace you seek is inside of you.  The world is not going to stop being hectic and chaotic in order to support your meditation practice.  Meditate despite what is going on around you.
6. Continue to sit and breathe.  When you find yourself thinking, just continue to sit and breathe.

As with any discipline, there are many levels and goals to aspire to.  As your meditation practice deepens you will find yourself yearning for a deeper connection.  When you are ready, you will discover there are many books, teachers and classes available to help guide your developing practice. When you are ready for more, you will know.  Until then, I encourage you to simply sit and breathe.

Warm water wishes,
Seraphina Ashe,
Guest Experience Program Director

Practice at home and join with others next month for a ThetaMeditation on Friday, March 16, 2012 led by Anke Banderski.

The chapters we’re discussing this week really captured the dark heaviness of Eve’s illness and the impact it was having on Denny, Enzo and Zoe.  I thought it was interesting that Enzo, like all of us, began questioning his ability to respond to the complex emotions that arise in these types of experiences.  In chapter 23 Enzo struggles to know what to do or how to react to a gravely ill Eve, “All I could do was move to her bedside and lie down before her like a rug.”  So many times in life I’ve been confronted with the emotional or physical pain of someone close to me, and all that there is to be done is to sit with them; words, actions, responses or any kind of “doing” somehow seem out of place.  While Enzo interpreted his conflicting feelings as meaning that he was perhaps not yet ready to be human, I thought that the emotions he expressed in these chapters were very human and exactly like what each of us experience in similar situations.  Even Enzo’s reaction to Eve’s death, although presented as a reversion to his animal-nature, was so human in so many ways.  “I couldn’t be human anymore and feel the pain that humans feel.”  I think that everyone has had at least one life experience in which they feel a thread of this – a pain so intense that an escape from it must be found – an adrenaline-filled, heart-pounding physical release is sometimes the only way to deal with the frenzied jumble of emotions that are swarming within.  Sometimes I wonder if the theme of this book is not so much how human Enzo and other animals can be, but that we may be much closer to our animalistic nature than we realize or care to admit.

What do you think?
As always, I look forward to reading your comments on these chapters and anything leading up to this point.

Welcome to the second discussion of our Winter Book Club.  This week’s reading opens with Enzo struggling to maintain control over the innate animal instincts for which he feels such disdain.  Upon finding himself locked in the house for three days without food or water, Enzo’s strategy for survival forces him to acknowledge his “genetic background;” his innate dog-nature that he normally strives to distance himself from.  While his animal instincts allow him to survive the ordeal, they also cause him to lose his humanity for a brief moment.  I saw the dancing zebra that destroyed Zoe’s toys as Enzo’s shadow side – his true animal nature.  Unable to embrace his darkness, Enzo convinced himself that the Zebra – itself a striped mixture of light and dark – caused the damage.  I thought it interesting that Enzo was not able to admit to himself that he would be capable of causing such destruction and pain.  In reading this section of the book, it’s initially easy to assign this incident as Enzo just being Enzo – a dog, no matter how evolved in his thoughts and perceptions of life.   However within a few pages we see Denny falling prey to his reactive, animalistic nature, just as Enzo did.  If we’re honest with ourselves, we have all done this at some time in our lives; we are all dancing zebras, moving between our stripes of light and dark.

While revealing his animal nature, these chapters also contain some of my favorite bits of Enzo’s wisdom and life philosophy:

Suppressing the symptom does nothing but force the true problem to express itself on a deeper level at some other time.  (p. 63)

…the poor driver crashes.  The average driver gives up.  The great drivers drive through the problem.  (p. 64)

It makes one realize that the physicality of our world is a boundary to us only if our will is weak… (p. 65)

But I am a racer at heart, and a racer will never let something that has already happened affect what is happening now.  (p. 74-75)

Know who is driving next to you.  Any problems that may occur have ultimately been caused by you, because you are responsible for where you are and what you are doing there.  (p. 91)

What are your thoughts? What made you think, what were the highlights for you in this part of the story?

I hope you’re enjoying this book as much as I am.  Please share what you found meaningful in these chapters, I look forward to hearing from you!