YOGA BEAUTY WELLNESS

25  years ago at exactly 9:48 AM, I entered the universe. My mother was a strong, self-assured 19 year old woman, but I'm sure she was afraid, as I was her first born. I could not have been born to a better mother. Later becoming the mother of four, mom was the provider, spiritual guide, and teacher. Her life was the greatest self-help book. She taught us to be good stewards of what God blessed us with and to be kind to each other. She taught us to trust God and to work hard. However, her greatest lesson came with her diagnosis of breast cancer. From this final chapter of her life I learned how to be grateful and even more importantly, how to have unyielding faith. This faith will forever be the guiding light of my life. Although we only spent 14 years together, my life is forever blessed by God's decision to welcome me into the world through her loving womb. So the first 25 years are history. I have spent much of them learning about myself through introspection, contemplati...

Here on the eve of my 25th birthday, I wanted to share some of the guiding spiritual truths that govern my sacred and beautiful life. These truths have been the thoughts and essence of who I am and it is my joy to share them with you. 1. There are Spiritual Laws that govern our world. Learn them. Adhere to them. Then and only then will you align yourself with true power and operate in love as you co-create your life with God. 2. Only you have the power to change your life. No external force can propel you forward. You may be inspired, but even that is fleeting. Surrender yourself to a higher power and be guided into a fuller existence. 3. You cannot be successful if you are not serving humanity. Find meaning and the money will come. Success based entirely on acquiring money or material things will not add unto you. True wealth supersedes these things. Seek the kingdom first. 4. Let your thoughts be governed by love. Think on the good and the beautiful and the true. Release ...

Almost 3 summers ago when I started this blog, I knew exactly what I wanted it to be— a place where I could share my truth and hopefully inspire others. "When Life Gives You Lemons" was the first title of this blog. The intent was to focus on making the most out of whatever life throws your way, the good and bad. As time moved on, I decided that I wanted to dig deeper in my own life by asking myself the hard questions and paying close attention to the answers that often come when we're silent enough to hear them. Spiritual Anthropology became the new name and here we are— 5,000 page views later from people all over the world. Here's a list of the top 10 countries where people are reading. 1) United States 2) Russia 3) Germany 4) France 5) United Kingdom 6) Thailand 7) Brazil 8) India 9) Mexico 10) Norway I want to take this time to give my sincerest thanks and gratitude for each of you. This blog has become the ways and means by which I striv...

as a lover of spiritual/self-help material, i wanted to share some of the books that have made a difference in my life. these books have opened me up to the best of myself. they have brought me closer to my highest self. i do believe that you can read yourself to a better life. i have been able to do just that. it is my sincere hope these titles will offer you that same blessed opportunity. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself Michael A. Singer WHEN i first encountered this book last year, my life instantaneously shifted. Up until then, i thought my thoughts were important and if i could learn to think better ones, I could have the abundant life of my dreams. Singer's spiritual tour de force makes it known from the very beginning that you are not your thoughts — the good ones or the bad ones. He writes "There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind— you are the one who hears it." How your life unf...

WHAT happened in Boston yesterday reminded us that tragedy and evilness are forces meant to induce fear in us. They shake us to our core. With one hand covering our mouth, we silently ask God for mercy and even more importantly, for peace — not as some hopeful thing, but as a sure reality. Evilness is real and powerful, but I want to remind you today that it will not prevail. Love is greater than any bomb or any mass killing.  Love is greater than any terrorist attack. The more we tap into that love, the greater power we have to change our world. You counter terrorism with love. You counter fear with love. You counter hatred with love. Of this I am sure. I am deeply saddened by the tragic event that happened at the Boston Marathon yesterday. But in the words of that old negro spiritual, "I believe I'll run on, see what the end's gonna be." I want to encourage you to do the same. Keep pressing forward. Love will prevail! Praying for Boston, and for You, - J...

Open yourself up to all the good that is possible for you. Mind. Body. Soul. Open up to the creative genius of your very existence. Let it inspire you to do the thing you need to do to lift the lives of others. Open, fully and completely, to love and be transformed. And in the process, the world will change, becoming brighter, fuller, and more aligned with our greatest hopes. Being open makes you vulnerable, exposed to life. The alternative may make you feel more secure or protected, but it is not liberating. It is restricting, keeping the flow of life at bay. How does one open up? And even more importantly, how does one stay open? According to Michael A. Singer in one of my favorite spiritual manuals, The Untethered Soul, he has this to say about living with openness: "The alternative is to enjoy life instead of clinging to it or pushing it away. If you can live like that, each moment will change you. If you are willing to experience the gift of life instead of...

ARE you alive? I mean, yes I know you're breathing and hopefully in the best of health, but how alive do you feel? And even more so, what feeling do you feel more than any other? If I could narrow those feelings down for you to two, fear and love, which would be more dominant? Are you living the life of your dreams or are you stuck in a reality that feels, well, dead... I am not here to give you answers, I'm here just to ask the questions I am currently asking myself in order to experience a fuller life. Every day we get a chance to breathe new life into our dreams. And just like a fire burning low, It is imperative to fan the flames to keep the fire ablaze. It's easy to become disillusioned by the magnitude of your dreams. The fear of failure doesn't help and keeps us at the starting line of the race. But you see, beloved, I have come to believe that the only person we're ever really competing with is ourselves. Stop wanting your success to look like s...