As summer’s nearing end, I find myself and the world around me entering a season of change – back to school, vacation’s over, and the lush vibrant greens of midsummer are now showing browns and yellows at the edges.  Just today I saw a hint of red coming forth!

No matter where you live geographically, your internal “nature” experiences the change of the seasons.
Summer is the season of heat.  The sun is close, and the element of fire is predominant in nature.

I am fascinated with Ayurveda.  Often referred to as the sister science of yoga.  The science of life, longevity and vitality.  An Ayurvedic lifestyle is all about living in alignment with nature.  The nature that surrounds us and the nature within us. 

I'm fairly confident that fellowship has been the driving force around much of what I've done in the world. My dear and sweet friend just loves it when I say fellowship.  You can see her eyes light up when I suggest we get together for a little fellowship.

When I googled the definition of fellowship the first thing that popped up was  “a friendly association, especially with people who share one's interests”. The free dictionary on line says “The condition of sharing similar interests, ideals, or experiences, as by reason of profession, religion, or nationality".

We are just too busy, too occupied, too distracted, too over-scheduled.

We try so many strategies: new calendars, to-do lists, New Year’s resolutions, and endless promises to ourselves to do less.

But we don’t.

So every day do these three things instead.

One, a 20 minute relaxation. Lie down, set a timer, cover your eyes and totally disconnect from the world.

Two, do not look at your phone during meals. Put it in another room and turn it off.

I will save you the mumbo jumbo about New Years Resolutions.

On New Years Day, I looked in the mirror, 1 newborn baby, 2 bloody-marys and 3 football bowl games deep into the day...and thought:

“My wife is the one breastfeeding but my manboobs might just do the trick!”

“These moose-knuckle-high-waisted-dad-jeans are not going to further my image.”

“Dave! Yoga Journal is on the phone. They want you for their new cover,” said no one...ever!

Yeah, I got a little down on myself. It happens!

Everyone seems to know about chakras these days – at least as a concept – but do they really know the ins and outs of activating, balancing, and healing using the model of the Chakra System as the profound formula for wholeness that it is? 

This elegant map to human consciousness is not only a ladder of liberation for achieving higher states of awareness, but an opening into our own deep psyche, with all its issues and illuminations, from its depths to its heights.

Why Retreat? Who needs to retreat? When to retreat?
One word~ HEALTH... physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and beyond!

Yes, because when you take the time to care for yourself you rebuild your health and well being. We generally do not slow down and care for ourselves in a meaningful way until we start to show symptoms of fatigue, a cold, skin rash... the list of subtle and not so subtle symptoms is loooong! As we start to enter the holiday season there are so many opportunities to become over stimulated, exhausted, and run down.