bethshaw

Positive Emotions

2009-11-04T15:36:34-05:00

New Clinical Research About Positive Emotion

Here is the tip of the newest research. Positive emotion affects not only the cortisol levels of the body but our hormones as well. The experience of love, peace, gratitude, joy, or hope has a direct correlation not only to endorphins but to a variety of other hormones that are associated with health and feeling good. I’ll be telling you more about all of this research in the week and months to come.

Positive emotion work synergistically. The more you experience, the more of it you will have. It builds its own spiral. Positivity creates an UpSpiral. When you build a reservoir of positive emotion, a kind of bank account, it becomes non-linear. That means that it will pop-up when you most need it. You will draw on this non-linear account of positive emotion without even realizing it because it is reorganizing the neuropathways of your brain.

1. You will react less to a negative event; you will become less reactive in general.

2. You will get over negative events and negative feelings more quickly. This is great news for your health.

3. If you get very high in an UpSpiral of positive emotion, you find that you get more and more of what you really want in life.

Raising your consciousness is directly related to raising the level of your positivity. When your positivity drops, so does your consciousness. Positivity is not “happiology.” It is a way of being that affects every hormone in your body.

Seven

2009-10-31T21:18:09-04:00

Its been a number of mine- lucky ? I could not really comment on luck right now but I did grow up
( or let me rephrase ) spent some childhood years basically 2-18 at
77 7th Ave in NYC ......... and when I went to India for the first time my name changed to Bethany 77
And many things in my life add up to 7..... codes, passwords ect....

So here I am Oct 31, 2009 - 7 Seven people gone from my life in the past 77 days...
a partner, a best friend, a parent, an assistant, two managers and an officer. People who were perhaps not the best to have in my space any longer... or so the universe thinks - I do happen to agree but it is still painful and most likely will continue to be.

And I am the common denominantor..... and the fact that 6 of these people were on the "payroll" and at least one was on my emotional payroll speaks volumes. People don't like it when you stop the bankrolling in any way ...esp the severing of emotional ties.

The most authentic relationship I ever hope to have is one where no legal tender is exchanged.

We won't even mention the three animal spirits that are no longer in my life--- so much loss at once. And we won't mention missing inventory, checks and perhaps cash in my business. People stealing my things and my time...

So I have uncovered theft, dishonesty, betrayal, slander and more.... common denominators as well. So much more than I ever could have imagined.

And everyday brings a new uncovery and discovery ....... and if I had an emotional bank account left - it too has been depleted.. I would be very very sad. Yet emotions are a luxury item now that don't often get spent. ...Its funny because I recently shared time with someone who went through a divorce, theft and a significant other in a coma that went back to her ex.....
I gave him a souviner of something that day ... joking " save it for sentimental value" and he said - I'm not that much of a sentimalist anymore - I laughed - neither am I. I find sentiment to be a very wasteful emotion. I know from my level 5 - sentiment does not keep you in the moment. Is the alternative to develop " disassociative personality disorder" ? Ask me in a few months......

So i get to sit in whatever the day brings- and ask the Universe why it turned my chaotic yet otherwise pretty ordered life upsidedown ? and continues to. Although I feel like the storm is calming.

My ex - fiance who I was with for 15 years ( and have known since I was 10 ) is back in my life helping me with some very challanging business, computer and theft reduction issues.... I have a good friend who has been through the fire himself and we connect on this and few levels that matter. I have a BFF and business partner who saves me from myself everyday. And I have my strength and fortitude that I have come to know on a much deeper and more intimate place. I see how easy it would be to check out, to sell out, to run away, to end up a news item ( too many pills, too much booze, departed too young) and I see how easy it has become to weather the storm, to perserve, to keep getting up - to Trust the the Universe is working in perfect order and while everything may not make sense today... it will - if I have the patience to get there.

And I do.

Here's to renewal, fresh starts, reinvention, discovery and letting go of the past.

B. Shaw

Flow

2009-10-02T23:25:02-04:00

The book I picked up yesterday ( on Kabbalah) said the closer we get to the light, the quicker and more frequently you are challenged to be pulled into the dark. No truer words have been spoken.

If I could have imagined on June 9th or there abouts when I blogged on

"what would you throw everything away for " and " change is the color of the season" how much would be cast aside and how much would change.
And yet here I am, going with the flow, listening to the quiet intuition and feeling stronger and more positive about the future than ever before.

Everyday brings a new change, challenge and lesson. Every day a choice to stay positive and " Dance in the Rain, every day a chance to be better, let go of limiting self definitions and just be with whats happening. A shift from Jupiter to Saturn. A cleansing before the next level.

SHIFTS HAPPEN.........
Its all good.

Beth

LETTING GO

2009-09-15T19:59:00-04:00

"letting go is gain not loss".....
good advice.
i am in a major period of cleansing. Challenging but i believe ultimately worth it.
People, places, things.
The most challenging is that i don't want to become jaded, build walls or get cold.
How to go through crisis and stay open, being selective but still let people into my life.

hmmmmm lots to ponder.

love and light .....

Beth

Lotus Flowers

2009-09-09T02:04:24-04:00

Grow in the muck - so when life takes a turn - a twist - an unexpected uphill I often remind myself that Lotus Flowers grow in the muck.
And ike a Lotus Flower we are alll blossoming .... and like a lotus flower I must be patient with my expansion. And like a Lotus Flower there are still many petals left to open.
And like a Lotus Flower I will bloom dispite circumstancial events that are like the very muck that the flower grows in.
With clear intention, with sobriety, with a constant desire to get clear, to see truth and to unfold- anything and EVERYTHING is possible.
I owe a huge debt to the Universe for giving me clarity, light and a lot of love this Summer.
The ironic thing is that I have been given what would seem like equal measure of darkness, unexpected discomfort and a lot of disillusionment.
However the Universe has blessed me with so many gifts at the same time that balance is so apparent.
I said at the beginning of the Summer in a blog I wished I had not deleted -" Change is the color of the Season" - try it on. And it has been - and I did - and I remain in the doing so every day.
I also in the same blog asked- " What would you throw it all away for?"
And I knew then and I really know now......
And I would not change a thing.
The Universal plan, the loss of fear, the gaining of courage, the immersion of real people, the introduction of love, the end to a way of being, the start of the new, the knowledge of knowing, the joy of discovering.... The TRUST and the having to BE PRESENT in the Moment. The trust in oneself, the trust in one other.
PRICELESS.

Namaste'

Beth

Balance

2009-08-30T10:20:33-04:00

I owe a debt of gratitude to the assortment of people in my life who live in fear, darkness, and show up playing small while trying to take me down with them ....... Thank you for teaching me the beauty of stillness, non reaction and TRUTH.

I owe a greater debt of gratitude to the Universe for your continued unfolding plan for me, for YogaFit and for giving me LOVE.

With LOVE in my heart and the lotus flower blooming - the storms are easy to weather, life is easier to navigate and for the first time in a long time - I am truly Peaceful, Calm & Relaxed.

With Gratitude

Beth

Gratitude

2009-08-18T13:29:33-04:00

What if all the pain, the growth, the change, the discomfort, the work leads you to the most incredible place of gratitude you have ever sat in- in your life.
What if you reach a place where you are so incredibly thankful for everything that you have that the tears you cry are ones of joy ?
What if you were finally able to break your heart wide open and know at the very same time that it would not break.
Dr Bill Larkin says in Growing the Positive Mind that feeling Gratitude brings us into a state of joy and upward spiral. The Secret says Gratitude gets us more of what we want.

May we all find things in our life to be grateful for.

namaste'

Beth

The Summer of My Discontent

2009-08-13T02:35:30-04:00

Actually better phrased as the Summer of my Contentment -

Fifth weekend on the road, so many changes I don't recognize myself anymore... everythings different . When you shift - everything shifts around you. And then you get to deal with the changes. And you wake up and wonder what took you so long to get it. You ask yourself how you were anesthetizing yourself before and dispite the fact that you thought you were awake perhaps you were in a deep slumber. And you hope that the awareness you created will always stay. And you fear anything that may pull you back into the dull comfort that your life was before. Perhaps a relationship, a job status, a martini, a trip to the mall or anything else that served as a distraction from your own growth and evolution. And you realize your true power and potential and its frightening. Especiallly if you thought you were courageous and living live to the fullest before.
So as I sit amounst the remains and rise above the ashes, I look lovingly into the future with the confidence from the past- things always do ascend, we do get better, more evolved, more transformed, more authentic. We need to trust and keep trusting- ourselves if not others.
And we realize the only person we can and really ever should trust is ourselves.
And that is magic. and that is love.

Beth

A Big Stick Of Dynamite

2009-08-06T09:19:47-04:00

What if you woke up one day and realized that so many of the "systems" you had in place in life to support and protect you were actually imprisioning you ?   What if you realized the thing ( or person) that you thought was your rock was a piece of plastic that looked like a rock ?
Plastic that you often slipped on when trying to ground.
What if your "guardians of the castle were really the guards and your captors ?

Welcome to my life. I 've just stepped into into it. And I've brought a big stick of dynamite with me- and I am lighting the fuse............
Everything in life has two sides. So I have decided that it may be better to have NO sides, hence the explosives. More light, less walls.

Have a great day.

Beth

My Playlist for the day:

Climbing Up The Walls (Zero 7 Mix)    4:21    Radiohead    The Chillout Session 2002 [Disc 1]
High And Dry    4:18    Radiohead
Fake Plastic Trees    4:51    Radiohead
Wears You Out    4:41    Radiohead
Sit Down, Stand Up (Snakes & Ladders)    4:20    Radiohead    Hail To The Thief
Sail To The Moon (Brush The Cobwebs Of The Sky)    4:18    Radiohead    Hail To The Thief

Jumping Off The Cliff

2009-08-05T03:02:41-04:00

I wanted to entitle this blog - "Teetering On The Ledge" ..but I did not want to scare anyone.
I have had about three profoundly PEAK Moments in my life. Moments at the fork in the road - where you MUST choose one path over the other and you cannot go back. By PEAK I also mean standing on the cliff- terrified but knowing I had to jump to save my soul. And I did

1. 1989 Leaving NYC after College to come to LA ( and all that entailed including leaving my High School turned College sweetheart that I loved since I met him when I was 10, boyfriend)
2. 1996 Sharing with my mother that my then current love interest perhaps did not fit the package she was expecting.
3. 1998 - Leaving ( Ok with a kick out the door ) My corporate ad sales job to start the YogaFit Studio

Since then there have been many smaller ones including some real estate and business ventures but never any real HUGE Jumps. The kind where you just know if you jump you can bust your a$$ or hope you land on a soft parachute. The kind where quite frankly you just don't care.
And the exhilaration that brings is intoxicating. And if you, like myself are a fairly conservative, fairly law abiding citizen who always knew another leap would come - but perhaps not now- not like this. Its scary. But to feel the fear and act anyway is the best feeling in the world. And it takes a while to get to if you are a conscious and analytical type of person. which BTW I never thought that I was.

" Act first - and think and feel later I always say I am guilty of "

That Osho type of three:

1. Thinking people - people who think befoer they act
2. Feeling people - people who are in their hearts and move from there first.
3. Acting people- people who act then think and feel later

Turns out I am a heavy thinker. Lists,debates with self, cost benefit analysis ect...

I do KNOW this - No one has ever asked to go back up the cliff. I for one never have- I know that pain, suffering and addiction is a result of staying on the ledge- and even worse is indifference and depression.
Now this - the desired coming close to fruition- the change on the horizon. The opportunity for huge growth and change and change and more fear and change and change so a little more watching and witnessing and I may soon be flying.
As my friend R Kelly says - I BELIEVE I CAN FLY ........

I feel I deserve to fly. We all do.
Beth
.

Livin In the Light

2009-08-03T20:45:20-04:00

If we could choose this option, and I believe we all can, would we choose to live continuosly in this place ? Or would we opt to venture over to the dark side so we could find balance or at least appreciation ?
For those of us wishing to burn lifetimes of karma or simply get to a good place and rest there for a moment the choice becomes a bit more burdensome.
What will I manisfest in the moment ? Where do I chose to place my trust ? How do I diferentiate between a premonition and my own selfish desires ? Will I be able to allow the moment to happen and life to flow ? What's on the other side of the fear and am I willing to take that risk ?
I wish the choices got easier the futher you walk down the path. But at the same time I find gratitude in the knowing that the greater the risk, the greater the lesson. Lets leave all rewards on the table.
The lesson should be enough of a reward.
The clearer things get the easier it becomes to see in both the dark and the light.
If we can only see with our hearts and our spirits - everything just becomes another shade of gray.

Struggling with my sunglasses

Namaste'

Beth

Summer Play List

2009-07-26T20:58:27-04:00

I just returned from Hood River with several revelations. the first being that I am addicted to technology. The second being that the tail is wagging this dog - and what I mean by that is still being reactive I am the one who is sufferring as a result. Until we become the master of our reactions, we are just not the one driving the bus. The bus is driving me - still .
I need to meditate my way out of this- daily.
Enjoy my latest Summer Play List- I will return to Hood River next weekend with hopefully a less reactive self. Yoga . Yoga. Yoga.
We teach what we need to learn............

It Turned Me On    3:34    Jennifer Marks
Flying High    3:52    Jem
Love Is In The Air (Fran Mix)    4:31    John Paul Young
Come On Over    1:59    John Silver
Music Makes Us Feel Sexy (Skip Remix)    6:15
Another Woman    3:54    Moby
Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)    5:04    Kate Bush
Deep Shift, Pt. 1 & 2    6:17    Kruder & Dorfmeister    G-Stoned [EP]
Deep In Your Mind    7:16    Kyoto Jazz Massive ft. Victor Davies
can't get you outta my head    9:26    Kyle Mano
the song remains the same    5:29    Led Zeppelin    Led Zeppelin I
Colour My Life    3:42    M People    The Best Of M People
A Moment To Myself    4:01    Macy Gray    On How Life Is
Goin' Out Of My Head    3:23    Queen Latifah    Living Out Loud

Cherry Tree

2009-07-23T14:02:50-04:00

There is this amazing tree that is outside the yoga room, its tall and it has these red things hanging from it.
At first I just thought- “ Nice Tree” those are probably poisoned berries or at least inedible
Then when I was laying down on my mat I really looked up at it - it was glowing red and green, leaves blowing in the wind, the light reflecting through each leaf in a unique way.
It was so beautiful and full of energy
I thought to myself- “wow – maybe that’s a cherry tree” and I’ve never even seen a cheery tree
Then I thought I how incredible would that be if it was so beautiful and provided fruit too ( unlike the beautiful flowers with no smell )
But I did not want to be disappointed although I had no idea either way
So at the end of class I shared this tree story and said

“I can ask someone if its a cherry tree, or I can just go taste the fruit and find out myself – and maybe get poisoned...”

Then someone shared with me – Its a CHERRY TREE and the fruit is perfect.

I take this as a positive sign – a snapshot of life in this moment despite the uncomfortably of change
That there is good fruit within arms reach................

Changes

2009-07-23T01:14:00-04:00

Funny thing about life - change happens - We may welcome it, dread it, avoid it or pray for it but Change still happens. And when we are in the midst of it- when we feel like the table cloth has been pulled off the table and the dishes are in the air its scary.
Don't be afraid its only change- I pulled that card in Dec of 2000 when I was going through some major changes and here I need to pull it again.
Change is good, evolution, transformation- yet I will be the first one to admit at times its terrifyng.
My goal is to FLOW with the changes, stay in a balanced place and do things differently than I have done in the past.
Making the same mistake twice is not growth - its denial and weakness.
My challenge - stay strong, centered and aware - and most of all stay in my heart.

Happiness Is ......

2009-07-18T20:23:58-04:00

Fantastic Mind Body Fitness Conference in PS dispite some record heat-
Riveria Hotel is FANTASTIC !! That 50 M $ Renovation was well worth it - Next year MBF again in July and hopefully another Mosiac Nutrition, Yoga & Meditation Conference in Sept - If Chicago fills as planned.......
I have a houseful of some great YogaFit trainer ladies...so nice to be in the company of good friends and just be authentic.
I have realized something profound this weekend- I really only want to suround myself with positive upbeat upspiral people - In EVERY facet of my life !!!
Obvioulsy we all have bad days but if we stop the downward spiral we can limit them to just that - a day.......
Life is too short to be dragged down with the negative- quite frankly we can do that to ourselves
I love YogaFit
Level 5 rocks the house !

Lets release into peace..

namaste.

Beth

Grace

2009-07-16T15:11:14-04:00

Grace is allowing the moment to happen

Best cure for a potential downward spiral ?
A party .....

Worst time to make life altering decisons ?
When on a diet ......

Have a fantastic weekend everyone !

xo

B

Energy

2009-07-14T00:52:35-04:00

Someone said something to me recently that I thought was very wise.
They said " A person can BullS^$! about everything but their energy does not lie"
How true. I vibe completely on energy - not always consciously but I remember when someone had beautiful energy. I feel it, it stays with me......
I believe in soul groups and how we are drawn to members of our own soul group.
I think of perfectly nice people I have met that I should be friends with ( shared interests, common neighborhoods ect ) but have no desire to be in their company. Then I also think about the briefest of passes with a person whose energy drew me in and I feel a slight longing.
Difficult to articulate yet so easy to feel......

Breaking the Sugar Cycle

2009-07-08T23:50:27-04:00

So I've been low carbing it in prep for a photo shoot ... that means less than 50 grams of carbs per day in the form of brown rice or Eziekle bread... no white flour - No ( ok a little ) alcohol...
No sugar - Water, Tea and black coffee only. An occasional Diet Coke.

Its discipline and leaves me a little grouchy but with a heightened sense of smell and in ketosis - what a fantastic combo

Its temporary but quite frankly I live much of my life like this ..... in my line of work one can never be too far out of shape. I have to say that through this process I have learned that sugar and white flour items are the devil- they are drugs and not the good kind

To be off of them is a beautiful thing - I wish this for everyone in America. We'd have a lot less obesity and diabetes. Breaking the cycle is tough but doable and so worth it.

When you fast, diet, eliminate food drugs you get much more in touch with your psyche and spirit.
Its a wonderful opportunity to get real with yourself.

There are many supplements that can help you break the sugar cycle- Glutamine, Tyrosine and Phenanalaline ( sp) DLPA for short. Also Chromium Picolinate. All taken between meals on an empty stomach.

Friday night the fun begins, temporarily - I'll take my sugar for a moment in a glass of wine or margarita but somehow that does not even sound appealing now..........

Break the sugar cycle - you'll feel so much more alive

namaste

Beth

Independance Day

2009-07-03T18:21:20-04:00

In- Dependance - ( sp I know but i like the DANCE thing :)
The dictionary says the meaning is " free from the control of others "
Are we ever truly free ? What about free from the influence of others ?
Where does ONENESS factor into all of this ? What is Independence ?

Just asking ....

We are contstantly impacted by other people's energy, thoughts, feelings, opinions, ideas.
When does this influence start to control us ?
Are we ever truly free?

I believe when we practice yoga, when we dance, run, cycle, meditate or make love we are free.
If for just a moment.....

One of my favorite spiritual books ever is called Initiation by Elizabeth Haitch. It comes to mind because a new friend came to my office the other day, saw it on my shelf and commented that the book changed her life. As it did mine. Few things that I've done or read have created such a shift within me.

Its been a wild wild week- actually its been a crazy month. At the start of my crazy month I blogged - around June 8th about wanting to just let go, go with flow and completly immerse myself in this game called life. I got what I wanted and more. Its been a time of great change- employees leaving, new ones coming, letting go of expectations, being present for who shows up in the moment and really trusting. CHANGE was the color this month and I really tried it on. Highs/ Lows
Its all good its only change. We try and plan, we try and be Proactive but at the end of the day sometimes if we can only choose our reaction in the moment its all just ok.

In the midst of all the comings and goings, trips and travels, connections and disconnections.
I found out our office cleaning people has stolen some of our blank checks and forged them. Thanks to my CSI type CFO they were tracked down, reported to the police ect. The twist is they offered to return the money no less than four days after we caught on to them. So they arrived to myself, my mother, my Pit Bull and a few staff members in the parking lot. Oh and I was carrying a statue of Shakti - my deity - a beautiful statue given to me by Anand's father "Uncle " in India. Its gt a lot of great spikes....... I found myself once again devoid of anger, feeling ony compassion- the woman whose name was on the forged check and also cleaned our office handed over almost $2000 in cash - but clearly was not the mastermind behind the scam- an innocent victim, maybe ? at best the "front man" or fall guy. I started to think a lot of theft and stealing - do we really ever own anything and what exactly does that mean ? We throw around the MY word a lot but can we really ever possess anyone or anything. I feel that non attachment is one of the greatest gits we can ever "posess" as humans. THis requires trust that if something or someone goes, something or someone better suited for the job, position, relationship, friendship will show up.

Trust. Non Attachment. Compassionate Reaction - maybe these are all hallmarks of INDEPENDANCE INDEPENDENCE

July 4th

2009-07-02T15:55:00-04:00

Fourth of July Safety Tips Take care of the furry ones

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family—including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

* Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.

* Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

* Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.

* Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.

* Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.

* Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.

* Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

* Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home. Get a tranquilizer from your Veterinarian if necessary to keep them from stressing, hurting themselves or escaping.

DO NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE ON THE 4th OF JULY!