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Melissa Eisler

Stressed out because you have too much to do? You’re not alone. A busy calendar is one of the biggest contributors to stress. When we have a lot on our plates, we end up hurrying through our day and m …

Taking annual vacations is really good for you. Ask your doctor: it appears that going on vacation may not be an icing-on-the-cake type of indulgence—it may actually be necessary for good health.But m …

With all the hype about detoxes and cleanses circulating today, it can be overwhelming to know how to actually detox the right way.Ayurveda considers this build-up of toxins to be the underlying cause …

We go to yoga class to find our sense of Zen, to expand our bodies and minds, to release tension and stress. Once in a while, though, we walk off of our mats with a good laugh and an ounce of embarras …

You want to start a meditation practice … but … You have to be at the office early Your kids need to get to day-care You need to make breakfast—and dinner You are always running late You like to work …

There are many benefits to meditating with others. Meditation generates inner peace and the ability to connect with yourself at a deeper level. When you sit with others, it can be powerful to influenc …

Longer, warmer days means more time outside. Take your next meal with you to the beach, park, or playground for a picnic the whole family will love. Here are four non-traditional picnic recipes that a …

There’s good stress … and then there’s bad stress. Do you know the difference? And how are you dealing yours? It’s important to be aware of what stresses you out, so you can build a relationship with …

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You’ve heard it from mom and many others over the years because it’s true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. To pack your day with power and punch, load up with nutrients first thing in …

Thanksgiving is a great time to celebrate family, traditions … and food. But feasting with your family doesn’t mean you have to throw your health out the window.There are plenty of ways to swap in nut …

Thinking about a yoga and meditation retreat? Good thinking. The reasons to go are endless, and you’ll thank yourself for years to come.If you’re looking for more info on types of retreats, what happe …

Warmer weather makes you want to turn off your stovetop and prepare produce-packed meals, instead. Not only are salads a healthy lunch or dinner option, they’re also fast and easy to make. Step out of …

Looking to make some exciting plans this summer? Do some soul-searching? Nourish your mind and body?Summer is the perfect time to vacation, and pairing time off with an event that will fuel your mind, …

Have you heard all the buzz about the 2nd Annual Global Meditation for Compassion? Deepak Chopra, Trevor Hall, and Gabrielle Bernstein are hosting the world’s largest synchronized meditation on July 1 …

Stop for a second. Listen. What do you hear? The mechanical hum of the refrigerator? The whir of the clothes dryer? The digital ding of an incoming email? The ubiquitous, persistent, nerve-splitting, …

Nadi Shodhana, or “alternate nostril breathing,” is a simple yet powerful technique that settles the mind, body, and emotions. You can use it to quiet your mind before beginning a meditation practice, …

*This article is adapted from the book, The Type A’s Guide to Mindfulness: Meditation for Busy Minds and Busy People.Thinking about cutting back on fats, sugars, and carbs in order to lose weight and …

Tulsi (ocimum sanctum), which is often referred to as holy basil, is a potent herb that has been used in India for thousands of years to treat colds, coughs, and the flu. According to Ayurveda, there …

The next time you feel sluggish, instead of reaching for a cup of coffee, try an energetic breathing practice, instead.Bhastrika, or “bellows breath,” is a traditional breathing exercise in yoga that …

Looking to simultaneously relax and energize your mind and body? Your answer may be an ancient yogic breathing technique called Ujjayi.Ujjayi (pronounced oo-jai) is commonly translated as “victorious …

Kapalabhati breathing is an advanced yogic breathing technique that offers a host of benefits. If you haven’t yet tried Ujjayi Pranayama, start there and once comfortable with Ujjayi, move onto Kapala …

Exercising your mind may be just as important as exercising your body. Adding brain teasers and learning activities that support mental agility to your weekly routine not only boost your memory, but c …

Meditation is more popular than it’s ever been—and for good reason. With the uptick of scientific research touting its health benefits, beloved celebrities proclaiming their love for the practice, and …

We often think of Ayurvedic foods as healthy and flavorful, but full of hard-to-find ingredients requiring hours of preparation.Not so with these three recipes—they will not only help balance your dos …

In Ayurveda, there are six tastes or Rasas: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Ayurveda recommends including each of the tastes in every meal. The belief is that incorporating all si …

There’s good stress and there’s bad stress. Do you know the difference? And how are you dealing yours? Learn 10 tried-and-true tactics to manage your stress, so you can get on the path to living a hea …

Are you yearning to reap the benefits of a meditation practice, but intimidated by the act of sitting still? Meditation is a simple, effortless process for some—but it can feel like an overwhelming ch …

Getting older presents many gifts—maturity, grace, wisdom, experience, and perspective, to name a few. Growing older can also carry many challenges.Physically, it becomes harder to keep extra weight o …

If you’ve reached senior status and you’re not already practicing yoga, now’s a good time to begin.Yoga is a great form of exercise for seniors. There are many yoga postures that can increase flexibil …

Kindness makes the world a better place. And that’s because it’s simply contagious. Think about it: You witness a random act of kindness, and you can’t help but extend the kindness continuum by paying …

The holidays are a wonderful time of year with joy, cheer, and gratitude in abundance. Everywhere you look, people seem to be in high spirits: being kind to one another, taking time to pause and refle …

All hikers know that the trail offers its fair share of rewards—beautiful vistas, serene lakes, and a sense of accomplishment. But hiking also has its challenges—uneven rocky terrain, altitude, and po …

According to Ayurvedic teachings, there are five elements that make up the world around you: earth, water, fire, air, and space. These five elements also reside within you, and understanding them and …

There is something special about eating your meals around a table—it has always signified a time to connect, and enjoy good food and good company.As we get older those around-the-table meals often bec …

The new year often inspires a renewed sense of purpose, determination, and hope. It’s a time when you put the past behind you and begin new adventures. A time to reexamine your life and figure out wha …

The five elements of Ayurvedic teachings—earth, fire, air, water, space—are present in everything in and around you. Understanding each of these elements and their effects on your body can help you st …

There are some people who are naturally empathetic—meaning, they are more instinctively inclined to step into another person’s shoes. These are the listeners, the feelers, and the ones you turn to in …

Understanding the five elements—earth, fire, air, water, space—and their effects on your body can help you keep them balanced within yourself, leading to a healthier, happier life.In previous articles …

Creating a sacred space can be a powerful part of the meditation experience. The right space can invite your entire mind, body, and spirit to relax and be present. When you step into that space, you r …

What better way to connect to the five elements—earth, fire, air, water, space—than to incorporate each of them into your daily yoga practice? Doing so can help you become more aware of their effects …

You know it all too well: that sinking feeling that you’re not good enough, that you don’t have what it takes to succeed, or that you won’t be able to navigate this next chapter. Even for the most con …

In a world where there’s much to be taken seriously, it’s important to remember to laugh. Not to make light of the severity of war, discrimination, terror threats, or climate change, but to maintain a …

In a world full of fear, stress, and sadness, it can become second-nature to develop a negative worldview. There seems to be more pain than you can heal, more dissent than you can mediate, and more un …

When times are hard, it can feel as though you’re fighting your life every step of the way. Whether it’s navigating personal issues like a relationship ending, losing your job, or fighting a disease—o …

Spending the day relaxed on your couch, binge-watching your favorite Netflix show isn’t always a bad thing … unless it becomes your norm. Or perhaps you don’t even watch TV, but find yourself fairly i …

Even if cooking is your favorite thing to do, sometimes you just don’t have the time to create healthy meals. Looking up new recipes, prepping the veggies, timing everything just right … at times it s …

Music is a universal language. It has the unique ability to communicate with you and connect you to the Universe in ways you can’t find elsewhere.If you’re open to its healing powers, music often reso …

There are people in this life who always seem to be in the right place at the right time. They’re the ones who appear to always land the dream job and live the dream life, fulfilling their dharma, or …

In my previous articles in this series, I discussed how to better connect to the fire element, earth element, water element, and air element through a series of yoga poses and meditations. In each art …

Intuition is a powerful aspect of the human experience, and something that anyone can access within themselves—if they’re open to it. Often referred to as a “gut instinct,” it’s that hunch that encour …

Your spiritual journey is just that … a journey. There are times when you might need to change course, adjust practices, or let go of certain beliefs. What worked for you at the beginning of your spir …

A long, healthy life is about much more than good genes; it’s highly dependent on building healthy habits. Habits—both good and bad—are an integral part of your everyday life. Part of forming healthy …

In the first part of this series about lessons from those who live to 100, we learned about people who live in Blue Zones (areas in the world where there is a high rate of centenarians.) Part One focu …

There are many factors that can go into a long, healthy life—and what better place to start than by adopting the habits from those already living a long and healthy life? Let’s take a look at the exer …

Organic foods are a smart priority for personal and environmental health. However, buying organic food can be an expensive endeavor. Luckily, there are budget-friendly strategies you can try to help y …

Spring is the best time of year for out with the old and in with the new. Along these lines, you may be taking the time to physically clean out your living space, pack up winter gear, and prepare for …

Confrontations can be overwhelming, disappointing, unpleasant, and sometimes terrifying. Confrontations can also often come with a negative connotation, implying some sort of unfair treatment to anoth …

In the past three articles in this series, we learned about people who live in Blue Zones (areas in the world where there is a high rate of centenarians) and how cultivating a healthy diet, having a p …

Virtues are universal moral habits that are widely recognized as good character traits. By practicing virtues every day, you can build and live a purposeful and value-driven life. After a week of focu …

Podcasts can be funny, entertaining, educational, and inspiring all at once. During your personal development journey, you can use them as a reliable tool to arm yourself with knowledge, encouragement …

Summertime conjures up images of ice cream cones, neighborhood swimming pools, family vacations, and beach bonfires. The rhythm of longer, warmer days makes summer the favorite season for many. Diffic …

Sometimes the simplest of ingredients—lemons and water—can have important positive effects on your health and well-being. It might seem silly, but drinking lemon water in the morning is an Ayurvedic t …

Have you ever felt like you weren't deserving of your successes in life? Maybe there is a little nagging voice inside you that says you’re not good enough or qualified enough for the job promotions, t …

Change—whether big or small—is an integral part of life. In fact, you have probably heard the expression, “The only constant is change.” Just because change is so common, does not make it easy, especi …

The New Year isn’t the only time of year to think about resolutions, goals, and intentions for a better life. If you are like many people, you may not even know where to start when it comes to setting …

Clutter doesn’t have to be just physical items in your environment. A cluttered mind can include: Ruminating Focusing on the negative Worrying about things outside of your control Holding onto negativ …

Whether you're a parent, teacher, aunt, grandfather, babysitter or otherwise spend time with kids of any age, try out these three practices to introduce kids to meditation and mindfulness.Meditation, …

Mindfulness and meditation embody many similarities and can overlap, but the terms are not exactly interchangeable. Let’s take a closer look. We live in a time when Eastern philosophy is beginning to …

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - AristotleYour morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. Here are 10 simple habits that you can use to creat …

Las fiestas están sobre nosotros otra vez y este año se verán muy diferentes a las de años anteriores.La temporada de fiestas está destinada a ser una época feliz; evoca imágenes de acoger en la chime …

The holidays are upon us again and this year they will look a lot different than years past.The holiday season is meant to be a happy time; it conjures up images of cozying up by the fireplace, baking …