Upeksha (equanimity)

At some point in our practice of yoga we all get to the point where we do it to attain peace of mind, to reach a blissful moment, to just be, without any pressure or tug of war going in our minds due to our everyday life's busy-ness.

This is where we are reminded of one of the four Brahmaviharas, or aspects for unconditional love: upeksha. Upeksha in Sanskrit, or equanimity, is a state of even-mindedness. It sounds easy, but it does require practice and discipline to fully embrace it.

Life can be rough at times. The unexpected happens, the expected does not happen, and the unthinkable becomes your new way of living. There are curve balls thrown at us at any time during this so precious journey called life.

It is in these very trying times when we need upeksha the most.

Think of when you or somebody you know has lost their job. Perhaps it was a job they had held for several years. Or, consider when an illness suddenly shows up in your life or the life of a loved one. How about losing somebody you love? The events can be extremely difficult to deal with. Upeksha is something we learn and practice and eventually becomes our default state of mind. Meditation is a powerful tool to develop upeksha. Another way to cultivate upeksha is to stop (hard as it might be!) for a moment before we react to minor events of everyday life. For instance, the soup you are making or warming up spills over. It is very hot and you just got a big mess to clean on your stove top or microwave oven. What happens then? The normal reaction to this event is to run and even complain given the fact that suddenly you have a chore to do. Instead, count to 5 or 10. Take a deep breath and just pick up a sponge or kitchen towel and clean it. No words included. Just see it as a task you were going to do anyway. It is hard. It takes practice. But it does pay off.

One more example. It is sunny out - a beautiful day to go on a bike ride. Off you go on your bike. It is all going perfectly well. You decide to park your bike by the beach and take a stroll barefoot in the sand. When you come back after five or ten minutes you realize your bike is nowhere to be found. You know you left it there. But it is gone now. What happens then? You call somebody to come and get you and likely for the next few days you will be telling everybody about it and getting upset every time you bring the event to mind. Instead, do your due diligence of making a police report and move on.

It is not easy to practice upeksha. Sometimes it seems life is unfair and we tend to react to it. Instead of reacting to events around us, upeksha teaches us to respond to all those events around us. It is not that we don't care. It is a state of mind that brings peace. A state of mind that leads us when things get rough.

What is wellness?

It seems like wellness is the talk of the day. What is wellness?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines wellness as "the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal." The National Wellness Institute states "Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence."

There are different views regarding what wellness encompasses. However, wherever you go, you will likely find the following aspects:

• Physical

• Emotional

• Spiritual

• Intellectual

• Social

• Occupational

• Environmental

The point here is to note that whatever the aspect or aspects that you decide to include for your wellness, the main goal is to notice the interconnectedness between all of these dimensions. Learn to see how when one or more of them is "off," there will be a ripple effect through all of the rest and your overall health state will, thus, be off as well.

It is through a plan on each of these areas and monitoring step by step along the way that we reach radiant health over the long run. If supported, our bodies naturally gravitate toward a homeostatic state. A state of balanced physical health. Also, the act alone of taking care of ourselves provides satisfaction and promotes mental peace.

Be the best advocate of your own health! Take care of yourself and take your time working on each of the main areas that encompass wellness. It might seem a little difficult to get going, but once you start experiencing the benefits of it, it will become second nature to gravitate towards what makes you feel good, to do what strengthens you and motivates you. To pursue activities and build relationships and habits that make you whole.

My first post!

Well, here I was sitting in front of my computer wondering what I should write about in my first blog post. I got so many ideas that I had to step away for a little while, went to make a cup of (yes, Calm) tea, took a couple of deep breaths (yeah, the yogini in me has to always start with that one!) and then returned with one simple idea. I am announcing that this is first blog post EVER! That is it. I used to write a lot in Spanish back, waaaaay back when I was in high school and college in Costa Rica, my native country. I wrote all types of essays and even entered a couple of contests. I find it therapeutic to put my thoughts in writing.

Me about 20 minutes ago in my signature look when I was thinking to make a decision: my right index finger placed on my upper lip. Really! Imagine, first blog entry ever. I needed some brain power to come up with that one...

Now, back to where I was. I am very excited to start what I see as a long and beautiful journey together. I will share what I know and know that I will learn from you a lot as well. This, BTW, brings me to the next thing I want to mention: this blog is for you. Add in the comments any questions you might have or topics you would like to see covered here. Anything that has to do with wellness, I am right there with you.

To a great journey! And thank you for reading!