Spring Equinox Sale at SerenityLifestyleAndGifts.com

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Spring Equinox is celebrated as the first day of Spring, when day and night are equal in both hemispheres.  All of nature is stirring now and showing signs of activity after the Winter sleep.  Buds are bursting on the trees, Spring flowers are coming out and seeds are germinating.

The power of the Sun is increasing, the days are lengthening and the nights are shortening.  We begin to feel empowered to reach out for what we want and to take risks, strike out on our own, go for walks and connect to the Earth again.

We can use the potential and fertility of this time to create opportunities for positive change in our lives and in the world.  At this point we are poised between opposite forces, light and dark, receptive and active, unconscious and conscious, inner and outer.  These can be united within us so that we are whole and balanced individuals.  This gives birth to actions that come from the heart.

In the past the fertile Earth goddess Eostre was honoured at this time in celebration of new life and gestation.  Dragon processions celebrated the emerging active energy of the earth and eggs were used as a potent symbol of new life and rebirth.

Use our 10% off Discount code today on your favorite items, SER4.  Offer ends 4/1/13

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Build Your Vision Board

A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goals.  It is literally any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life.

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We humans tend to be a very busy species and are constantly bombarded by distractions.  Making use of a vision board serves several purposes, some of which include helping you to:

Identify your vision and give it clarity.

Reinforce your daily affirmations. (Positive)

Keep your attention on your intentions.

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Vision Boards Help Provide Clarity

For example, to say “I want a better life” is a fine goal, but have you given serious thought to exactly what that means?  Try to envision what your “better life” looks like.  For those of us who find that somewhat difficult, making a vision board can be a tremendous help.  In order to create my vision board, I must actively seek images that represent specific details of this wonderful new life.  That means narrowing it down to specifics.  For some, a better life might mean having a new car or home.  Others may be seeking a new relationship or improvements in existing relationships.  Making a vision board is a wonderful way to bring clarity to that general desire and turn it into an achievable goal.



Use a Vision Board for Your Daily Affirmations

Once you dream it, the next step is to believe it.  In addition to images, vision boards can include words, phrases or sentences that affirm your intentions.  Somehow, we must silence the mindchatter that plagues us all every minute of every waking hour.  You know that little voice in your head that never shuts up, the one that supports and promotes all your limiting beliefs by repeating an endless litany of every shortcoming you could possibly have (and some you couldn’t possibly have) and every reason why you can’t or shouldn’t or won’t ever be, do or have what you really want.  Affirmations are that little voice’s worst enemy.  Positive affirmations express who you really are, release you from those limiting beliefs, and allow you to know that the possibilities truly are unlimited.



A Vision Board Keeps you Focused

Finally, another key purpose that vision boards serve is to help you stay focused.  It isn’t difficult to start each day with a positive attitude – until you get out of bed.  How quickly that fresh “new me” attitude can sink back into oblivion beneath the tasks and challenges of everyday life.  How can you possibly remain focused on any goal while people and circumstances constantly pull you in dozens of directions at once?  By using a vision board, of course!  No matter what happens during your day, your vision board is a constant reminder of where you intend to be.  Appealing to you on both conscious and subconscious levels, a vision board can work wonders toward keeping your mind focused on your goal, your attention on your intentions, and your life headed in the direction you choose.

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Gather those magazines piled up around your house and cut out your dreams.  It's really that easy and fun.  You can always download a vision board app to your smart phone if you are in a pinch.  These are YOUR dreams and goals.  Enjoy it.



The Possibilites of a Positive Attitude

A positive attitude helps you cope more easily with the daily affairs of life.  It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking.  If you adopt it as a way of life, it will bring constructive changes into your life, and makes them happier, brighter and more successful.


With a positive attitude, you see the bright side of life, become optimistic, and expect the best to happen.  It is certainly a state of mind that is well worth developing.


Positive attitude manifests in the following ways:

• Positive thinking
• Constructive thinking
• Creative thinking
• Optimism
• Motivation to accomplish your goals
• Choosing happiness

It also expresses itself as:

• Expectation of success
• Being inspired
• Not giving up
• Looking at failure and problems as blessings in disguise (a lesson to learn)
• Believing in yourself and in your abilities
• Displaying self-esteem and confidence
• Looking for solutions
• Seeing opportunities

A positive attitude leads to happiness and success and can change your whole life.  If you look at the bright side of life, your whole life becomes filled with light.  This light affects not only you, and the way you look at the world, but it also affects your whole environment and the people around you.  If it is strong enough, it becomes contagious.

The benefits of a positive attitude:

• It helps you to achieve goals and attain success
• More happiness
• More energy
• Greater inner power and strength
• The ability to inspire and motivate yourself and others
• Fewer difficulties encountered along the way
• The ability to overcome difficulty more easily
• Life smiles at you
• More respect from other people

Negative attitude says: you cannot achieve success.
Positive attitude says: You can achieve success.

If you have been exhibiting a negative attitude and expecting failure and difficulties, it is now the time to change the way you think.  It is time to get rid of negative thoughts and behavior and lead a happy and successful life.  Why not start today?  If you have tried and failed, it only means that you have not tried enough.

Simple tips for developing a positive attitude:

1. Choose to be happy. Yes, it is a matter of choice.
2. Look at the bright side of life.
3. Choose to be and stay optimistic
4. Find reasons to smile more often.
5. Have faith in yourself and in the Power of the Universe.
6. Associate yourself with happy people.
7. Read inspiring stories.
8. Read inspiring quotes.
9. Repeat affirmations that inspire and motivate you.
10. Visualize only what you want to happen.
11. Learn to master your thoughts.
12. Learn concentration and meditation.
13. Practice Gratitude EVERY DAY!

Following even only one of the above suggestions, will bring more light into your life!

Wishing you all peace and serenity in you day. ~Namaste www.serenitylifestlyeandgifts.com

Helping Kids through Yoga

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It's no surprise that yoga has benefits beyond the physical alone and that if you are a yoga enthusiast, you are likely to be in great physical and mental health.  When it comes to health and fitness for your kiddos, we focus on a sport and outdoor play rather than think of exercising at the gym or following a workout routine.  But another form of exercise that offers them various advantages is yoga, a fact that is not as well known as it should be.  Yoga helps children by:


Enhancing concentration:  When your child gets used to the asanas or postures of yoga, they automatically improve their concentration skills.  Ancient sages used yoga as a form of meditation, and their powers of concentration are legendary.  Your child learns how to sit still in one place and focus on what is important as opposed to letting their mind wander and be distracted easily.  This helps them in their lessons and at school, boosts their attention span and improves their grades.



Increasing flexibility and balance:  Yoga helps improve flexibility and balance as well as tones muscles.  It makes them stronger and less likely to suffer sprains and fractures through accidental falls.



Improving general well-being:  Kids who practice yoga regularly feel good about themselves and are healthier and happier than those who do not.  They feel both mentally and physically rejuvenated after a yoga session and this improves their mental and physical health.

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Boosting confidence:  When your child is able to display great agility and flexibility, it does wonders for their confidence.  Their improved performance at school also helps boost their popularity and their self assurance.  They become more poised and start to believe in their abilities.  This feeling provides them with the adrenaline they need to achieve success in all of their endeavors.



Relaxing their minds:  Even kids are subject to a great deal of stress these days because of their workload at school and the high expectations that their parents have for them.  They are pushed to be achievers at every single point of their lives, and when they fail, they take it to heart and become depressed.  Yoga helps them relax and de-stress when they feel upset or depressed.  It soothes their frayed minds and helps them get back to a normal mental state.  Yoga is a perfect release from them.


Children are more flexible and agile than adults, so the earlier you get your kiddos started on to yoga, the more benefits they gain.


Namaste, www.serenitylifestyleandgifts.com

Common Yoga Q & A

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Q: Which class should I take?
              
A: Yoga is varied and with any luck, it can become a life-long practice.  If you are brand new to it, we recommend a Beginner class.  If you are athletic and have previous yoga experience, something more intermediate will benefit you.  Hot Yoga is a class fit for all levels of experience where the heat is turned up to 95+ degrees.  If you love the heat and are well-hydrated, this is a great class for beginners and intermediate students.  If you have taken yoga for several years, feel free to try Power Yoga, our another advanced class.  There are many paths to many goals.  We hope we can help you along the way.

Q: Do I need my own yoga mat?

              

A: Most studios will allow you to use one of their mats as long as you make a small donation.  I highly recommend considering purchasing your own mat though.  It's great when you can own your own magic carpet. It is also wise to bring your own towel to lay on your mat and wipe up your sweat.  Used mats can harbor millions of germs and bacteria.  Here is a great inexpensive mat     http://serenitylifestyleandgifts.com/item_136/Yogi-Mat-Carry-Strap.htm      

                              

Q: When should I arrive for class?

              

A: As early as you can.  You should leave a 15-minute buffer before class time just in case you get stuck at that light that never seems to change or that traffic jam that appears out of nowhere.  This way you can still make it to class on time.  Some yoga studios lock the door after the class starts so make sure you arrive on time.  Evening classes tend to fill up fast so consider an even longer buffer if your class is after 5pm.

Q: Can I do yoga if I'm pregnant or menstruating?  Can I do yoga if I have an injury?

              

A: The best person to answer these questions is you.  In yoga, you learn to respect others but more importantly YOURSELF.  If you want to try the class and experiment with how you feel, please do so.  Everyone's body is different.  If you feel your injury will not allow you to stay in the room and try most of the poses with modifications, it may be best to take another week off.  There are many different views on pregnancy or menstruation.  The best person to ask is your physician.

Q: Can my child take yoga?

              

A: Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or a legal guardian at all times.  Children under the age of 13 are not permitted to attend Hot or Power Yoga classes. 

Namaste...

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Inspire and Grow

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Do not deny the difficult events of your life.  The fact that you survived is a wonderful story to tell.  And that story, the story of the way you came through a difficult situation, found resources within yourself or outside of yourself, gleaned from that experience what you wanted and what you didn't want going forward - that is a story that will inspire others and help you heal. 

Wishing you a Peaceful Holiday

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Plenty of people miss their share of happiness.  Not because they never found it- but because they didn't stop to enjoy it." -William Feather

The holidays are upon us.  Feel the happiness?

It's so easy to get wrapped up in the buying, the travelling, the events, that stress and exhaustion can overpower the joys of the season. Well, this season take a moment (or several) to stop and enjoy!

Where is happiness?  Difficult question to answer.  It is different for everyone.  But, one common thing is that it lies in moments.  From the most mundane to the extraordinary, it is there in each and every one.

You see, there really is no need to search for it.  Just be present and enjoy!  That is the best gift you can give yourself.  Stop and enjoy!  Enjoy each and every moment for what it is.  For, that is where happiness lies.  See it, feel it, live it and share it!

 

 

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Happy Holidays & Namaste.