![]() Greetings yogis! When was the last time you sat down and really got into your imagination: harnessed the power of your mind to create something that doesn't exist yet; channeled your thoughts to create positive change in your life? In 2014, a scientific study was done by Brian Clark at Ohio University. His work proved that sitting still, while just thinking about exercise, might make us stronger. How? Clark and colleagues recruited 29 volunteers and wrapped their wrists in surgical casts for an entire month. During this month, half of the volunteers thought about exercising their immobilized wrists. For 11 minutes a day, 5 days a week, they sat completely still and focused their entire mental effort on pretending to flex their muscles. When the casts were removed, the volunteers that did mental exercises had wrist muscles that were two times stronger than those that had done nothing at all. How cool is that? There are many examples which illustrate improvement with power of the mind. Your mind is that powerful! So let's learn how to use it as a transformative tool. 5 Tools to Create the Life You WantHere are 5 tools to add to our tool kit to help us positively impact our health & wellbeing while creating lives we love! 1. Mantra repetition: Look in the mirror each morning when you first & repeat 33 times the phrase 'I am powerful. I am living a life I love.' 2. Establish goal(s)/desired outcome(s): Get clear with one word/phrase or simple sentence. 3. Index Cards: Write goal(s) on index card (s) & review each morning. Only one goal per card. 4. Sticky Notes: Place around home, in your car, as a book mark etc... to remind you of your goal(s). 5. Visualization: See yourself as your highest & best self. Do this right when you wake up (before your feet hit the floor): see, feel and experience yourself living what/how you wish to be most. Same before bed. This helps you keep the intention, energy & images primed and flowing throughout the day and also while you sleep. Let's Practice!Join us at Embody (from wherever you are!) this week as we explore the power of visualization linked with breath & poses to realize our highest selves. Open your heart, free your mind, live your best life! In the words of Buddha: “What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.” Powerfully yours, Dana Christian Lee Upcoming EventsJoin Year of the Warrior! Simply take a photo of you in a warrior pose you love, tag @feelbetterdogood & use #YearoftheWarrior. Post on social media to be part of our Warrior For Good revolution! Embody's Weekly Global Practice with Dana Christian Lee Wednesday, March 3, 2021 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Embody's Weekly Global Practice with Dana Christian Lee Wednesday, March 10, 2021 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Tune in: Facebook Embody "Close your eyes, turn inside, visualize your highest self. Send her love. Trust and support him with positive energy & messages. See your life as you wish it to be. Take the next right step in the direction of that which you desire most. Watch your life unfold before your eyes with grace and ease as you choose your highest self."
~ Dana Christian Lee
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Hello friends, Ever feel like you're having 'one of those days?' Maybe even one of those weeks, months, or even a year + withstanding a global pandemic? Yeah, like that. Me too. At one time or another we all hit a low point; with energy, health, relationship, work, whatever it is. We reach a point where we know deep in our being 'something's gotta change.' 'But HOW?' is usually the next question immediately followed by all the excuses why things can't change due to things out of our control. Feeling me here? So how do we begin to regain a semblance of control over our lives? We change our state. The Formula for Changing Your StateHere's a simplified formula to change your state. Grab your journal and a pen to write down your thoughts & use it to refer back to anytime you need a reminder. Positive Intention Write down your intention framed in a positive perspective. (Ie: I don't want to feel exhausted all the time. Flip it positive to; I am full of vibrant energy.) Elevated emotion Choose the emotion you wish to embody. Breathe deeply Breathe in the emotion you choose to embody; exhale the energy that keeps you stuck. (ie: Inhale vibrancy; exhale exhaustion) Move mindfully Stretch your arms up over your head in V shape with feet firmly planted on the earth. Stay in this position for two minutes. Get Some Practice!Practice this each time you find yourself stuck in a mood, a rut, in a bad way. Practice leads to skillful ability to reframe a situation to regain agency over your energy and emotions. You begin to author your life, not be led astray by whatever thought & corresponding emotion rises to the surface. This is the path to empowerment and living a life by design that you choose. Join us to put this into practice Wednesday, February 24, 6:30pmET | 3:30pmPT on Facebook. Upcoming EventsJoin Year of the Warrior! Simply take a photo of you in a warrior pose you love, tag @feelbetterdogood & use #YearoftheWarrior. Post on social media to be part of our Warrior For Good revolution! Embody's Weekly Global Practice with Dana Christian Lee Wednesday, February 24, 2021 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Embody's Weekly Global Practice with Dana Christian Lee Wednesday, March 3, 2021 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Embody's Weekly Global Practice with Dana Christian Lee Wednesday, March 10, 2021 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Tune in: Facebook Embody Let's practice together!Did you miss our practice last week with Embody's founder Dana Christian Lee? Do it now! Revolutionary Love Letter from DanaHello beloved ones, I hope you are all healthy and well, finding peace and calm during these times that continue to test our spirits. We are resilient; we will be okay! (*If you are not, reach out!) I'm so excited to announce our newest addition to Embody's teaching team! Meet Monica Reyna! Here's an introduction in her own words: ![]() 'I could not be more honored and thrilled to be a part of the Embody team! I am a Reiki Master Teacher, Yoga, Tai Chi, and fitness instructor/personal trainer in the Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. I have two amazing teenage girls, Mya and Mady, that help remind me to move from my heart space daily. My absolute passion is helping my fellow humans to recognize the light inside of themselves, honor it, nourish it, and love it as a way of being. I am so happy to be on this journey with all of you!!' We are thrilled to have you Monica - welcome! Your heart's light is a gift to our world! We are lucky. Mark you calendars everyone to experience Monica leading her first Embody gathering on Wednesday, February 10. Join me Wednesday, February 3rd for our weekly virtual global gathering centered on Community! Something we so beautifully embody. Make time for you & your practice. Grab a family member or friend and join us on the mat. Share our practice with those you know need it most. Keep shining, xo Dana Upcoming EventsEmbody's Weekly Practice with new team teacher Monica Reyna Wednesday, February 10, 2021 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Embody's Weekly Practice with Dana Christian Lee Wednesday, February 17, 2021 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Tune in: Facebook Embody “The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers & cities; but to know someone who thinks & feels with us, & who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.”
― Goethe Did you miss our practice last week with Embody's founder Dana Christian Lee? Do it now! Let The People's Work Begin The people's oathIt's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new administration. (Opinions aside, that is the fact.) America has another opportunity to begin anew. Biden & Harris took an oath to serve and protect on January 20, 2021. Two people cannot do this work alone. We The People must join the efforts to heal our nation. I invite you today, if you have not already, to do the practice at the top of this email. It's called "Let The People's Work Begin." And I mean just that; work on and OFF your mat. We as a tribe are called to make our world better. What else can you do today, right now, without financial cost? Take The People's Inaugural Oath:“I, do solemnly vow that I will faithfully execute my role in healing, reimagining, and rebuilding our country, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend dignity, justice, and joy for myself and for all around me, and that I will do so with love.” Start the Revolutionary Love ChallengeJoin me in the #YearoftheWarriorIt is really simple!
It's that easy; empowering YOU body, mind and spirit to be a Warrior For GOOD! Though Embody has been going strong for almost a decade now, I feel our work is just beginning. We now live in a virtual world, like it or not, and we must rise to the challenges of our time. These issues are not small or with easy solutions; global pandemic, climate change, systemic racism, unemployment, chronic loneliness & isolation.... the list is large yet as a globe we are mighty! We can impact change one day at a time, heart to heart, breath by breath. So email dana@feelbetterdogood.org & post on facebook @feelbetterdogood Tell me, show us what you are going to do today. If you need support on your journey, you must ask. No one can read minds and being open to help is necessary during these unprecedented times. Only together can we get through this time; stronger. together! Peace, liberty, and justice for ALL, xo dana Upcoming EventsEmbody's Weekly Virtual Global Practice with Dana Christian Lee Wednesday, January 27, 2020 Revolutionary Love on Facebook @feelbetterdogood 3:30pm PT | 6:30pm ET Revolutionary Love Challenge January 21-31 *Register for free here: 10 Days of Revolutionary Love Tune in: Facebook Embody “Revolutions do not happen only in grand moments of public view, but also in small pockets of people coming together to inhabit a new way of being.” – Valerie Kaur Did you miss our practice last week with Embody team teacher Melissa Vannette? Do this practice now: A Note from Dana:Beloved tribe, Entering a new year, bringing inspiration, hope, and light is usually my jam; I have and will continue to do so. However, these first two weeks have created a new lens to bring 2021 into sharp focus. ‘21 told us immediately that we cannot and must not go back to sleep. Just because we survived 2020, a change in the calendar won’t shift the reality in which we live. We, as humans, tend to have limited tolerance and short memory when we don’t want to deal with a seemingly endless, difficult situation. The most common responses are, “I’m over it, I’m checking out, it’s too much, I need to turn off the news and focus on me….” You know and I know because we all do it; overwhelm & burnout are real. Yet, this is not going away friends; covid, racism, and inequality are up close and personal, while continuing to gain momentum. When the Tests ComeThis past week we have been tested once again. We have seen the best and the worst of what is the culmination of who we have become as a nation. On January 5, Stacy Abrahms' unifying leadership, powerfully and skillfully, led Georgia voters safely to the polls in record numbers for the Senate runoff election to have their voices heard. At the same time, our nation lost its soul, for the world to witness, on January 6 at our nation’s Capitol. People suffered bodily harm and personal trauma protecting our nation, while others created chaos, fear, and division. We cannot take credit only for the good; we must accept responsibility for the whole. Though we cannot fix it all individually or even as a committed community, we can and we do take small steps each day to make our world more fair, just, and peaceful. A Story of CourageLet me share with you a relevant story in the news about a man named Jamie Raskin. Jamie is an American lawyer and politician who has represented Maryland's 8th congressional district since 2017. His 25 year old son, Tommy Raskin, died by suicide on New Year’s Eve, was buried on January 5, and yet Jamie still he went to work on January 6 with his youngest daughter, Tabitha, who urged her dad not to go. Jamie Raskin had every reason to stay home yet he said to this daughter, “This is an essential constitutional moment.” Luckily they survived the rampage on our nation’s Capitol, Jamie did his duty on the house floor, and then immediately set to work preparing articles of impeachment against the president of the United States. All of that in one week, all the while ‘running on fumes & living off skittles & Cheez-It’s’ to uphold his duty to defend our democracy and honor the life of his son. (Read the full article in the Atlantic: Jamie Raskin Lost His Son. Then He Fled a Mob.) Also, I encourage you to read about the life of Jamie & Sarah Raskin’s son Tommy. It’s a beautifully, tragic piece featuring their precious son and the lessons his life has taught them. Statement of Congressman Jamie Raskin and Sarah Bloom Raskin on the Remarkable Life of Tommy Raskin You Are Not AloneI know this story and topic may bring up a lot. If you want to connect, email me: dana@feelbetterdogood.org. Always glad to hear from you. Help is always available and we care about our Embody tribe. Another resources is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK). Feel free to share this number and resource widely. To learn more about how the lifeline works, you can also find more information here: Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Tommy and Jamie’s stories are almost too much to hear let alone withstand, yet they can offer us all hope. Their lives and stories serve as inspiration, illuminating the resiliency of the human spirit! We can do hard things. We can overcome insurmountable odds. Though we all have different narratives that define our days, essentially we are more alike than different. Jamie did and continues to do what needs to be done; so can we. Come back to the well again and again. Chop wood, carry water. Fall off the bike; dust yourself off & get back up. How We Move On from HereIt is our duty not only as citizens of a great nation but as humans on this planet, to anchor firmly in our values. Together we can steward our earth, uphold our democracy, and be an example to our children that as American citizens we are more united than divided; we are the ones who work to make it so. Let’s all breathe, anchor and gain perspective. Self- care is critical, yet it is only part of what we can and should do at this time. All of us are called to be part of the solution of healing our nation, for we are all tied to what happened in America on January 6. If Jamie Raskin can pull himself out of the unthinkable and act for the betterment of our country, I know each of us in our own way can too. My heart is full of grief and gratitude for Congressman Raskin and his family. My heart is full of grief and gratitude for our nation and world. My heart is guided by hope knowing as a community we continue to do our sacred duty each and every day to heal our hurting hearts & broken world, knitting the pieces back together with compassion, love and peace. May it be so, Dana Christian Lee Practice Yoga with Us - Free! |
“The EmbodyGR community embraces and supports, says ‘yes you can’ when the noisy inner voice says, ‘no you can’t’ – Kari Wilson, Community Member Archives
April 2021
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