A couple of months ago I asked for donations for yoga mats to start a yoga class at Everglades Correctional Institution. We received over 30 mats in about a week. We stopped collecting and the class started in early September. Since then I’ve been teaching every Friday from 9-11 AM. It has been a remarkable… Continue reading Prison Graduation
Author: Carlos Gonzalez
Thanksgiving Yoga
Dear Friends: As a way to start the holiday season, we invite you to join us this Monday, November 25 for a free yoga session at Continental Park’s Historic Dice House. It will be a gentle practice meant for anyone who wants to stretch, relax, and feel the goodness of the present moment. We are… Continue reading Thanksgiving Yoga
No Pasa Nada
Notice where you feel things, where you sense things, and then see if you could, as you’re sensing things remove judgment. So judgment would be, “Oh, this is good or this is bad.” Instead, we can try just noticing where sensation arises. “Oh, it’s coming from my fingertips. I’m noticing the soles of my feet.… Continue reading No Pasa Nada
Change
Logical argumentation, facts, reason–all useful elements, but rarely do these on their own lead to significant change. Proximity and stories, on the other hand, stir the heart and imagination into new ways of seeing and being. This week invite yourself into an unfamiliar situation or place. You don’t have to go far. Find that corner… Continue reading Change
Prison Journal—Behind Bars
I was waiting to be let in to the prison. This is usually a process that takes some time. Today was no different. I was told to wait as the computer that would recognize my PIN number was not booted and it needed time to come back up. The morning was warm and humid. The… Continue reading Prison Journal—Behind Bars
Selfie Meditation Practice
We’ve been hosting 15-minute meditation sessions on Sunday nights using Zoom. Last night we began a tonglen styled meditation practice. It’s simple and powerful. Here are the notes. If you are interested in joining us, we meet Sunday nights from 9-9:15 PM. Here’s the link. Keep in mind that you don’t have to speak or… Continue reading Selfie Meditation Practice
How to grow muscles in middle age?
This past year was one where I faced some difficult physical challenges. Shattering my elbow last year brought on a cascade of issues that involved my mobility and made me think much more about the aging process. Two major surgeries and eight days of being in the hospital took a toll on my body. I… Continue reading How to grow muscles in middle age?
That Rest
Stop. Give yourself permission to be. Take rest. Feel pleasure. Enjoy. Too often we find ourselves working, producing, and making. But our busyness/business has limits and consequences. We forget that stepping back is necessary medicine for body and soul. What often holds us back from that rest are not our responsibilities or finances. It’s the… Continue reading That Rest
Sunday Night Meditation
Life is not easy. We will all face difficult times. Developing inner practices that can strengthen our resolve and resilience is important. With that in mind, we invite you to join us for our second meditation session this Sunday night, August 11 from 9-9:15 PM. We meet using Zoom, a free online video conferencing service.… Continue reading Sunday Night Meditation