Zen Blogs

Trying Patience

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It’s said patience is a virtue and though I completely agree, it just may be a contributing factor to happiness and health.

We all, at times, could stand to have a little more patience.

I’m going to let you in on a little experiment I have been conducting.
First let me fill you in. My husband works from home several days a week. I currently, travel daily to work at my company’s head office. Generally when I get home from work and enter the kitchen to unload my lunch bag and wash my dishes, there sits my husband’s lunch dishes on the counter next to the sink, or in the sink. First I think this is rude and inconsiderate for the next person that needs to use the kitchen, because now that person has to work around the previous person’s mess. This would frustrate me to no end. I would get mad and give him attitude and my reaction would set a negative tone. Then I would feel guilty about my reaction. Granted, he will do his dishes, but on his own timeline. I have played the game to see how long they sit there and that would just frustrate me more.

Hence, I decided I would try another tactic. My new experiment is I come home, see said dirty dishes on the counter, and instead of reacting negatively, I take a deep breath, find patience and acceptance of the situation (maybe even find a silver lining; I have a husband that loves me and has a job that is providing for us) then I would wash my dishes and since I am right there at the sink doing dishes, I simply just wash his as well.
I have been doing this now for several weeks. My findings you ask?. There are no more negative feelings, anger or unpleasant moments in the evening. I feel more peaceful… and I have even noticed that he now does dishes a little bit more.

Our patience is tried by many people in our lives on a daily basis. And it’s generally because a person is not living to your timeline or behaving how you deem appropriate.
There are many examples of this:

  • When we are frazzled waiting in line at the grocery store because our to do list is waiting.
  • When a child is holding you up due to their shenanigans
  • When a significant other is not acting in accordance to what you deem is correct
  • When you are stuck in a traffic jam

The list can go on and on.
The lessons I am learning from my little experiment and also by incorporating patience in other areas of my day are:

  • Taking a few deep breaths before reacting definitely helps
  • Finding a little silver lining in the situation makes you feel gratitude (which vibrates much higher than feelings of anger, frustration, and resentment)
  • It makes you happier, more accepting and definitely more pleasurable for others to be around you
  • It helps release resentment and or anger that may build up over time due to lack of patience
  • And simply put; it makes you a better person: for those in your lives but also to yourself

So wow!! How amazing is that?! I’m not saying you cannot be annoyed, or have pangs of pain or misfortune, but practicing patience is perhaps experiencing the annoyance or provocation without complaining, frustration, and anger. Everyday we are put in situations that try our patience. The question is, “How do you respond?
Many of my girlfriends have told me that I am an extremely patient woman. Perhaps my man was put in my life for me to learn to build such patience. I mean, I patiently waited to marry the love of my life for 10 years! But in retrospect, I wouldn’t change a thing. I love our love story.
Patience truly is an action of love.

Zenfully yours,

Jyll

Gratitude for a Broken Heart

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The only way to have gratitude of experiencing a broken heart, is to know you have loved deeply.
Yesterday we had our finally hugs and puppy kisses and said goodbye to our dear husky love, Zara.💔
screenshot_20180926-125206 Zara was a rescue at the age of three when she came into our lives and she was not in the best of health; her fur was thin and wiry, her skin had hot spots and she was very thin.  We gave her our unconditional love, lots of tlc and an excellent diet and exercise and within a couple months she filled out and her coat was thick, soft and luxurious.
Granted, she was not the easiest dog to love she did have a very spunky, fun personality.  Zara loved all squeaky toys, especially squeaky tennis balls and the dirtier and grungier the better in her book.  She loved playing in running water.   She was extremely vocal and loved to talk.  She also enjoyed humping large couch pillows.  Zara was a funny dog and filled the past seven years of our lives with much joy, love and happiness.
But over the past year she has been experiencing ailments and her quality life has been declining.
Making  the decision to put her at rest was by far the hardest decision my husband and I have had to make thus far.  Last night was extremely difficult.  We held her tight and were with her until the very end, departing this world peacefully.
 Our lives will most certainly be missing the ‘Zara Element’ and our hearts are broken.  We will be sure to hug our other husky love, Haydn a little tighter.
“Dogs come into our lives, leave paw prints on our hearts, and we are forever changed.” -Unknown
Rest in peace Zara.  You are loved.

Mood and Breath: Breathe Deeply, Be Happy!

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Have you noticed that your breath always corresponds to your mood?  Every time we become excited our breathing changes.  Every time we are frustrated, are breathing changes.  Every time we are completely zenned out it has a different pattern again.

Quite obviously our moods affect our breathing.  Even research has been done to document this.  Research also has revealed that it works the other way too, that we can create our moods!

If we breathe in deeply and in a completely relaxed way, it’s almost impossible to remain angry or frustrated.  Deep breathing creates a calm, relaxed you!

Next time you catch yourself feeling upset, angry or frustrated. Connect with your breath!  Consciously change your breathing pattern to become more deep and full.  Begin to take slow controlled breaths… within a few moments you will find that you have control over your moods and you can feel happy and relaxed.

One of the reasons I love my yoga practice so much is it literally goes anywhere and everywhere with me!  Many of us forget that we carry this ultimate tool for creating our moods, changing the chemistry of our bodies and taking control of our nervous system.

There are many breathing techniques all of which accomplish different things.  I’ll just quickly touch on three basic ones for now and dive deeper into them with future posts.

  1. Balancing breath: inhalations and exhalations are the same length
  2. Calming Breath: exhalations are longer than the inhalations
  3. Stimulating Breath: Inhalations are longer than the exhalations

Find comfortable position, make sure your spine is straight and begin to breathe with focus and intention.  Breathe deep, full breaths.  Enjoy.

Zenfully Yours,

Jyll

 

The Journey Begins

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Hello beautiful Souls!

Thank you for being here.  

Though I’m not exactly sure where here is, or where it’s going, but I wanted a place to share my zen ways and to maybe assist you in finding a little zen in your life as well.

My background is one of many dimensions that uses my left and right brain.  While I have a Bachelors in Business Administration with a major in accounting which I have been using over 20 years within the business world, I also have my massage and yoga certifications.  Yoga has been an integral part of life for over 20 years, rather it’s exploring my home yoga practice, instructing classes, or incorporating a little yoga philosophy throughout my day, it brings me great joy.  I also have over a decade of experience within the spa industry and I have acquired much knowledge over that time of finding ways to lead a well-balanced, happy life.

I sold my spa after over a year of deep contemplation, and without getting into the nitty-gritty of the reasons, I went back into corporate America.  The single component I miss the most about my spa is knowing that everyone that walked through my doors, I made a positive, healing difference in their world.  I have been missing that satisfaction of knowing I am making someone’s world a little brighter, happier and calmer. Granted, I hope I provide that to my friends and family daily, I miss extending my soul shine further into the world.

So… HERE I AM!  HERE WE ARE! Welcome to Jyll’s Zen Lounge a place where I can joyfully express my love, light and zen ways to all you beautiful souls seeking a little zen in your life!

So please, I encourage you to come along for the ride to see where this journey takes us.

Zenfully Yours,

Jyll

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