Welcome to the first edition of the Channels for the Light Daily newsletter! Hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to subscribe using the form available on this site.
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Channels for the Light Daily
Positive Spirituality for Ourselves and for Our World
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June 5, 2010: Issue #1
Channels for the Light Newsletter is published daily for opted in subscribers only. Publisher: Jeff Reid. Your comments are always welcome!
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I have been working hard to lose weight and get back in shape since early 2009. I am happy to report that I have slimmed down from tight size 44 jeans to comfortable size 38′s. In the process, I have lost 60-ish pounds and I feel great! When I was big, I didn’t have much energy or stamina to do much of anything. Even climbing the stairs here in the house was a challenge. Now I am able to hike for miles, walk/run on the treadmill for an hour if I want to, bike for several miles, use the Bowflex, do some pretty intense yoga, etc. I can do pretty much whatever I want to do physically without too much of a problem, unless my back is bothering me. But, my chiropractor does a great job of keeping me moving! 
I have to say that choosing to eat healthy and exercise beats the heck out of being fat and unhealthy! And today, I donated most of my “fat” clothes to a garage sale being held here locally to benefit the folks in Chile affected by the earthquake that hit there earlier this year. Wow, did that feel good — in more ways than one!
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Speaking of exercise, Yoga is a wonderful thing. It is beneficial to the mind, to the body, and to the spirit. It’s not just great exercise; as practiced in the Hindu religion it is a direct path to union with God. When I take the time to do yoga first thing in the morning, I feel the benefits from it all day long. I have more energy, I feel less stressed, and I feel more connected spiritually to the people and the world around me. Yoga works the body but relaxes the mind. When I am doing my routine, I am able to tap into feelings of self-love and self-acceptance that otherwise I might not have access to. I feel centered. I feel powerful. And toward the end of a long workout, it isn’t uncommon for me to sense a connection with God. Just the other day I felt a sense of immense peacefulness as I relaxed after my workout, and I noticed some definite “Third Eye” activity going on. So, my mind was relaxed and centered, my body was exercised, and my spirit benefitted as well. That’s what I really love about Yoga and what I believe you will too. It benefits not just one aspect of who you are, but your entire being.
I enjoy reading Yoga-related articles online, and the author of this article I found recently through Facebook calls Yoga the “Key to Happiness”, and I believe she is right!
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/05/the-key-to-happiness-through-daily-yoga-practice/
I try to do at least a few minutes of yoga every day. These two DVD videos are my current favorites:
This is the first Yoga workout video I ever used. It’s several years old now, but I still highly recommend it. Patricia Walden does an excellent job of guiding beginners through a basic set of Yoga poses.
When I want to get a much more intense workout in, I use Baron Baptiste’s “Foundations of Power Vinyasa Yoga” DVD.
I believe everyone can benefit from a regular Yoga practice, regardless of what spiritual belief system they subscribe to (or none at all). I read an article in a recent edition of Hinduism Today magazine whose author begs to differ, however. I offer it as food for thought.
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5064
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Quote of the Day
“When you hear about the Self, meditate upon the Self, and finally realize the Self, you come to understand everything in life.” -- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4:5
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Video of the Day
This is a beautiful Kirtan performed by Krishna Das:
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Channels for the Light Daily is proudly published every day from the great state of Alaska. Comments are always welcome. If you would like to respond to anything I have written or linked to in this newsletter, please feel free to contact me. Have a wonderful and blessed day!
Namaste!
