practice

Balancing Your Practice For Strength, Resilience, Creativity, and Freedom

A fundamental skill for being present is increasing your capacity to be with the sensations of your body. One of the gifts of studying the Enneagram is the recognition that although everyone needs to develop presence, each of us is starting from a different place depending on our type, instinctual stack, and life experiences.

So what’s the best way to go about practicing to be more present? It depends.

When you know the Enneagram, you know that:

Some Enneagram types more easily gravitate toward structure and discipline while other types more easily gravitate toward movement … READ MORE

Being in the Body and the Will to Practice

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have … READ MORE

Presence in All Three Centers: Self-Observation, Compassion, and Practice

You were born with vast capacity for wisdom, creativity, power, and love. One way to unfold the full potential of that capacity is to bring greater intention and consciousness to the true nature of your Body, Heart, and Head, which the Enneagram describes as the three Centers of intelligence. Although there are a myriad of approaches to the working with the centers, three overarching principles – Self-Observation, Compassion, and Practice – can serve as guides to the ongoing cultivation of presence in each center.

Self-Observation (the Head Center)

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and … READ MORE

A Simple Way to Support Yourself With Breath

When I’m working with clients, I often guide them through breath and presence practices to help them discover deeper reservoirs of capacity. Right now, I’m noticing that breath practices are giving my clients access to places of strength, calm, and peace. They are learning that these states can coexist with and respond intelligently to the suffering that’s happening across the world.

Effective breath practices regulate your nervous system so that you can skillfully meet opportunities and challenges. I’ve chosen today’s breath practice for two reasons:

It’s been shown to help you be more resilient by bringing your heart, … READ MORE

Are You Walking the Dog, or Is the Dog Walking You?

“Action is movement with intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is more conscious movement, more action.” ― B.K.S. Iyengar

If you’re a smart, creative person (which I know that you are if you’re reading this blog post 😊), than you probably feel like you have a fair degree of control over what you say and do in the world.

I have some surprising news for you: the majority of your thoughts, feelings, and actions are deeply influenced by habitual patterns that have been with you for a very long time.

Your body … READ MORE