A Subway Ride to the Divine

Since living in NYC I find my subway rides a great space for my Spiritual work.  It started as a place to catch up with my reading and it has progress to a place where I can catch up with my contemplation.  My favorite exercise is to look around and ask my self if I can observe the Divine in the faces I see.  Yes, I can probably be the creepy guy staring at you now and then.  You would be surprise what you will find when you look for the sameness in your commuting brothers and sisters.

I found this poem from the always inspiring OnBeing website.  I just love the way Ms. Simmons captures the extraordinary presence of Grace on a mundane subway ride.  

 

Subway Prayer

BY DENA SIMMONS

From her neck, a plastic rosary dangles
like a child, swinging.
With poker-player precision,
she rations coins and cigarettes with her man
who drinks Jack Daniels
on a Bronx-bound 2 train.

Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.

On-lookers drink in faded lipstick lips,
older white woman,
her younger black lover,
his hair, small,
cotton-ball knots,
crimson eyes and lipstick-stained lips.
Intoxicating lust.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

A beggar, heavy, duck-taped like his wheelchair,
stumbles into the train car,
fragrant with human waste.
He speaks of a world that hurls him
into subterranean fundraising.

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

He makes his rounds,
wheelchair, clinking against iron poles.
Open hands,
empty,
in front of potential donors.
He wishes God blessed him
with a winning deck of cards.

Holy Mary, Mother of God.

To the lovers,
he huffs.
Despair.

Pray for us sinners.

The gambling-pair captures him
in the midst of trading nickels and Marlboros,
gives the begging man
everything,
hoping for a better hand.

Amen.

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Spirituality, Meditation, inspiration and tagged Dena Simmons Poetry in Motion Subway Prayer Prayer Spiritual.

How to get a cat IN the bag in the first place

In my space organizer capacity I have been asked to pack away lots of items.  From dozens of wheel-chair cushions to an extensive collection of virtual art files, I have stored it all.  So when I was asked to help with packing an unruly cat in his carrier, I was stopped right on my organized tracks.  I decided to approach the project with the same open mind I approach all organizational conundrum: first, find out the objective/intention, then learn about the subject and finally the most important step, to follow through with efficient actions that get the job done.  So here is my case study on how to place an unwilling cat in a carrier.

The objective:  Kitty owner is moving, cat must be transported in a carrier to a far away land.  The kitty in question doesn’t like being in a carrier and in the past has made a big fuzz about it.  There is no time to train the cat.

Subject:  these days you can learn about anything from YouTube or Google search.  However the Internet is never my first resource, the first thing I always do is to reach out to the experts in my life.  I don’t know much about cats, except that they are independent and fun (btw, good characteristics for Happy Hour friends), so I reach out to my cat loving friends to get a consensus.  Professional help is always good, Veterinarian & yes, finally consulting the Internet can be good way to further find alternatives. 

Action:  There are ways or techniques to train or recondition a cat to feel comfortable getting into a cat carrier, but that takes time and we are on a time line, so below I am listing the fast learning technique I am calling “the-top-drop-of-the-burrito-cat.” I admit it’s a terrible name but it works.  In less than thirty seconds your cat will be in the cat carrier if you follow these steps:

1-    If you have time,  a day or two before you have to put cat into the carrier (and while your cat is distracted by something) get carrier in the space where you will be packing your kitty.  I am using the word packing because I pack things with love.  Some people suggest bathroom but if you live in NYC your bathroom may be too small to hold two living organisms at the same time.  Make sure you have the right size carrier, do some research on this if you need to.  If you forget to get carrier out before hand,  then bring it out at the last possible moment.  Apparently cats don’t like changes, so you either give them time to adjust to changes in their environment or you use the element of surprise.  The less stress out the cat is the less stress out you will be.  Position the carrier so that the carrier’s door is facing the ceiling, this will let you take advantage of gravity (Apana vayu, my yogis, Apana Vayu).

2-    Locate a lightweight bath towel that is big enough to wrap around your cat and contain all his legs/paws/claws, but not so big that wrapped around your cat you can’t get him through the carrier door.  Either leave towel out around the cat days before or don't bring it out till the very last minute.  Read above, either give your cat time to adjust to the towel or keep it a total surprise.

3-    At the last minute, get the cat into the room with you and the upward facing carrier. Depending on your cat, you may be able to pick him up and carry him in, or lure him in with food or a toy.  Quickly close the door/s.  By now he knows something is up, so let him be for a moment.  YOU take a deep breath.

4-    Gently but with strength & confidence wrap the cat like a burrito in the towel with only his head sticking out.  The towel is over the cat’s shoulders so his front paws are inside the burrito.  You may not get this right the first time! You need to wrap and hold the towel securely enough so the cat doesn’t escape, but please don’t suffocate Mr. Cat.

5- Now lower the burrito cat into the carrier, and swiftly shut the door.  Basically let his butt drop down into the carrier.  Cat will land on his feet and he will unwrap himself, don’t do anything else other than bringing the carrier to its horizontal position.  Cat is good to go.

Resources: Monica Longsdorf (the cat whisperer), Julie Dohrman (legendary yoga teacher & burrito cat expert) and a strange source, Joanie Coles (catering empress & unquenchable researcher of all things, including animals)

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Organization and tagged how to put cat in carrier how to move your cat unwilling cats.

Thin Places in a Rubenesque Earth

 

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Eduardo Martinez.

The SkyMall is falling!

At the turn of the century I had a job in the chemical industry that required me to visit explosive-making plants located all over the Americas.  I traveled.  I traveled a lot.  There was one companion that got me through all the long hours in plains, the SkyMall catalogue.  I confess I never purchased anything from the catalogue, but I developed a morbid fascination with SkyMall's pages and pages of overly engineered artifacts.   For 25 years, SkyMall has been the most complete retail outlet of the unnecessary. If you don’t need it, they probably got it.  And in what I hope is a sign that the time has come for us American to put a stop to mindless consumerism, SkyMall filed for bankruptcy.  Congratulations to us!

As an ode to SkyMall’s impending passage, I thought I’d put together a gallery of some of the items you may still find available in their liquidation stock.

​


Posted on February 6, 2015 by Eduardo Martinez.

Gift Ideas that Won't Bring Clutter

Some of us spend hours looking for the perfect gift and some of us just buy the first things that crosses our path with a sale sticker on it.  This year I am determined to toss the idea of giving stuff and focus my energy on finding experiences that will bring joy and peace to those around me.  So I put my thinking cap on, reached out to friends and got my editing pants on to come up with a concept that I hope won't bring clutter, but instead will bring space to this holiday season.  I am calling it My Favorite Non-Things. 

 

So what are Non-Things?  As part of my ministry of space, I help people manage their physical things though there are mental and spiritual things about this process too.  So I know there are A LOT of things out there.  Things that consume our space. Things that distract us from experiencing life better.  So Non-Things don't take space from your home, they don't end up in a box in the closet, they don't break or end up in a landfill somewhere.

This year, I have gathered the coolest and bestest Non-Things gift ideas for your friends and family.  Why to go with this list for your holiday shopping? Think about it, free shipping & no paper trails- all these gifts can be arranged via e-mail or with a phone call, no resifts or need for craigslist, Non-Things don't require wrapping paper which means no paper cuts, you will avoid bargain hunting injuries, you won't have to worry about finding the right size either, Non-Things make no noise when you shake them, and  most importantly I love all these Non-Things and I know you and your loved ones will love them too.   Here they are, my favorite Non-Things 2014

Link to My Favorite Non-Things!

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez.

Pema Chödrön on Powering Down and Deep Connection

"The best spiritual instruction is when you wake up in the morning and say, 'I wonder what's going to happen today.' And then carry that kind of curiosity through your life." Pema Chödrön

Pema Chödrön is one of those forces of nature that will exert its force on your spirit even when you are unaware of her presence.  Last week I saw her beautiful face in many of the feeds and radio/tv shows I follow.  These are the gems I keep hearing from Miss Pema: Curiosity.  Connection.  Space.  Awakening.  Depth.  

Then I ran into the above  Bill Moyers’ interview from 2006.  This is when you know you are in the presence of wisdom, her words are as relevant now as they were then.  See what jewels she got for you.

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under Spirituality, wellness and tagged Pema Chodron Spiritual technology meditation.

Eliminate Surfaces and conquer clutter

As true as gravity will keep your ass from floating in space, so will empty flat surfaces accumulate clutter in your home or office.  That is because clear surfaces provide unstructured, hook-free, often-vertically-unlimited storage. If you don’t believe me, go ahead make a clear surface–table, desk, counter-top, or even inside a drawer–and see how long it takes for it to get cluttered up with all varieties of stuff: unopened mail, brochures, dog leashes, pencil sharpeners, etc.   Our brains seem to be telling us "don’t know where to put this crap, stack it on that table, sure you'll get to it soon."

Here is another truth that will help you deal with this issue, clear surfaces tend to be magnets for stuff we don’t need, use or even want. These clear surfaces are especially useful for holding stuff we don’t want to deal with. Why do you think that “to table” something means to postpone the issue?

If you are looking to de-clutter and simplify your home, try removing a surface or two–one less end table, even one less dresser.  If this is too much for your cluttered mind, create limits on the surfaces you have by adding a small tray or small basket to collect your precious I-don't-want-to-deal-with-this stuff (hint...smaller the tray, the smaller the clutter).  Without easy places to deposit and pile stuff, we often find ourselves compelled to deal with it (or toss it on the floor, I guess, but tripping on it will force you to deal with it).


Posted on October 10, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under cleaning, design, inspiration, Living spaces, Organization and tagged storage organized spaces organization office organization office clutter.

Feminist: it isn't the word that matter, but what is behind it

When at the age of 23 years I entered he workforce and finally witnessed with my own eyes and heart how women were treated by their male co-workers, my feelings towards the word Feminist totally changed.  I'm going to let Emma Watson do the talk here…


Posted on September 28, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under inspiration, Pop Culture, Spirituality and tagged Spiritual Feminist Inspirational.

Archetypes Made Easy

We all wonder why we are attracted to certain stories, certain people and certain patterns.  This human inquisitiveness - regardless of culture, race or religious - about our own behavior, tendencies and thoughts drives us to create and to study guiding methods.  Archetype analysis is one those methods.  

I think of archetypes as our energy companions.  You know these archetypes very well, they are the characters you love or despise in fiction or real life. Since studying Joseph Campbell's work, this type of pattern analysis has resonated with me, and coupled with Yoga it has made a huge impact in how I use my intuition.  Archetypes are our stories in the quest for bliss.  According to Carolyn Myss, my go-to Archetype guru, 'we are continually scanning our world for patterns, particularly in people, because we know intuitively that if we understand someone’s behavior patterns we understand how she relates to herself, to her life, and to us. We understand a person better, for instance, if we know that she is essentially an Intellectual; that explains, for example, why she loves foreign films and biographies of great historic figures.' Ms. Myss calls Archetypes "the language of our soul."

Each one of us have archetypes idiosyncratic to our patterns of behavior.  These archetypes allow us to connect intuitively and on a deeper level to ourselves and to others.  Ms. Myss suggests that 'once we engage and begin to honor the language and patterns of our archetypes, a transformation begins not overnight but over time' (patience people, patience!).  She insists that by listening to our Archetypes we can step into our purpose, into a life more balanced, and friendships and relationships that fit with more ease and less effort. 

How do you get started?  Well there are tones of classical-psychology books on this subject, but If you want a fun way to ease yourself into this study, visit  Archetypes.com and take their quiz.  You can watch the video below to see if this is for you.

Warning! (don't resist warnings please, all tools come with them) when you embrace the language of archetypes you will immediately begin to notice patterns of synchronicity and coincidence appearing on a regular basis and sometimes dramatically so. 

Share your quiz results with me, I'll share mine.  


Posted on September 8, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under inspiration, Spirituality, Pop Culture, wellness and tagged archetypes yoga behavior.

Mother’s Fears Passed to Children Via Scent

I just read this great piece on Aromatherapy written by Dr. Mercola.  The full article titled Mother's Fears Are Passed to Children Through Smell, covers interesting emotional traits that are passes from generation to generation.   Below a portion of the article relating to Aromatherapy.

Mother’s Fears Passed to Children Via Scent

During the study, female rats were conditioned to fear the smell of peppermint before they were pregnant. Later, the rats’ pups were exposed to the peppermint scent along with a scent of their mother’s reacting to the peppermint odor.

The newborn pups learned to fear the smell even when their mothers weren’t there, after just a single exposure.1 However, when activity was blocked in the pups’ amygdala, a region of the brain that processes emotions, including fear responses, the pups did not learn to fear the peppermint scent.

So it seems that, via scent, “infants can learn from their mothers about potential environmental threats before their sensory and motor development allows them a comprehensive exploration of the surrounding environment.”2 The impact of scent on fear was so strong that some of the rats tried to plug the tubing to stop the scent from coming in, a habit that the researchers plan to study further.

 

The Power of Scents

The fact that a mother’s fears can be passed on to her offspring via a scent like peppermint adds further support for the use of aromatherapy, as it’s clear that scents trigger real physical and emotional responses. Just as certain scents can evoke fear, others may trigger calm or even help relieve anxiety. For instance, research shows:

  • A systematic review of 16 randomized controlled trials examining the anxiolytic (anxiety-inhibiting) effects of aromatherapy among people with anxiety symptoms showed that most of the studies indicated positive effects to quell anxiety (and no adverse events were reported).3
  • People exposed to bergamot essential oil aromatherapy prior to surgery had a greater reduction in pre-operative anxiety than those in control groups.4
  • Sweet orange oil has been found to have anxiety-inhibiting effects in humans, supporting its common use as a tranquilizer by aromatherapists.5
  • Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduced anxiety and improved mood in patients waiting for dental treatment.6
  • Compared to the controls, women who were exposed to orange odor in a dental office had a lower level of anxiety, a more positive mood, and a higher level of calmness. Researchers concluded, “exposure to ambient odor of orange has a relaxant effect.”7

Anxiety, of course, is only one use for aromatherapy. Other potential uses include:

  • Green apple scent for migraines: One study found that the scent significantly relieved migraine pain. This may also work with other scents that you enjoy, so consulting with an aromatherapist might be beneficial.
  • Peppermint for memory: The aroma of peppermint has been shown to enhance memory and increase alertness.
  • Nausea and vomiting: A blend of peppermint, ginger, spearmint, and lavender essential oils has been found to help relieve post-operative nausea.8
  • Lavender for pain relief: Lavender aromatherapy has been shown to lessen pain following needle insertion.9

 

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez.

What is Ephemeralization and how it affects your yoga practice?

Ephemeralization, is a term coined by Buckminster Fuller. He believed that technological advancement would one day allow humans to do “more and more with less and less until eventually you can do everything with nothing.”  This concept is relatively easy to grasp with digital technology, where the mass and volume of hardware has gotten increasingly small, while the computational capabilities have gotten gigantic.

To better understand how Ephemeralization applies to other realms, we suggest checking out the above video by dMass. 

Ephemeralization is vastly used in computer science, professional organization and material design, but we as consumers are also making a shift in the way we use our resource to create a more efficient way to experience life.  Think about it: one shared car might serve ten people, reducing material and space used; or one transforming bed/sofa might convert a bedroom into an office, reducing the materials needs required to have two separate rooms.  Yoga have also been applying this concept for centuries.  Chance are that if you practice yoga for a long time, you can eventually hold poses for a longer time with less effort, til eventually you can do a 90 minute class with ease because you no longer need to "kill" every pose, you can simply embrace the moment and the shape of each pose. 

Ephemeralization is a way of approaching life, seeing how the things we have do achieve the most using the least amount of effort. 

 


Posted on July 11, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez.

Are Vacations good for your soul?

Time off allows you to regain control of your mental and spiritual health while building relationships with family and friends.  As I am preparing for a weekend yocation with the fabulous Julie Dohrman in the Catskills region, I decided to do some research on the benefits of vacationing. 

Much has been written about the deadly effects of burnout, workplace stress, absenteeism, and even “presenteeism” or showing up for work but being so listless or sick as to be in effect present and absent at the same time. Cardiovascular disease and hypertension are aggravated by workplace stress. 

Indeed, vacations are more important than ever, as they allow you to regain control of your physical, mental and spiritual health, not to mention cement relationships with your family and friends. “Vacations have the potential to break into the stress cycle,” writes Susan Krauss Whitbourne, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in Psychology Today. 

Not all vacations, however, are equally effective when it comes to inducing rest, relaxation, and refreshment. Here, Krauss Whitbourne provides her top very practical tips for a vacation that accomplishes all three:

1. Plan ahead. Do your online research and make sure you know what's available in your vacation destination and come up with an itinerary. Planning ahead will also minimize family stress.

2. Know your destination's rules and regulations. If abroad, know your country's safety rules and regulations. 

3. Don't feel bad because you're going on vacation. The point of a vacation is to rid yourself of as much guilt as possible. But if it really bothers you that, say, you can afford a holiday but a friend or colleague can't, you can elect to donate some of your travel budget to a charitable cause.

4. Head off email anxiety. If you are one of those people who hate coming home to hundreds or thousands of emails, allot yourself a small portion of each day to stopping at an internet café or having a peek at your laptop. 

5. Make your vacation a true adventure.  Research shows that an active vacation involving new challenges is the most beneficial. New activities will build new synapses and give you memorable, bonding experiences with your fellow vacationers. 

6. Pack smart. That means being prepared for sick, getting a sunburn, and losing your glasses. Leave enough extra room in your case for souvenirs, and buy them. 

Whether you are traveling far or planning a“stay-cation,” these tips will help you get the most rest and rejuvenation out of your holiday.

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Eduardo Martinez and filed under inspiration, Organization, Spirituality, wellness and tagged vacation relaxation time off.