Guest Blog: Janel Harrell

Posted by on Jan 27, 2012 in cultivating peace, mindfulness, relationship to self, relationships, yoga of relationship ~ life, yoga of relationship ~ others | 1 comment When I was old enough to realize that my family of origin was slightly more damaged than was functional I made a vow to myself. I swore that I would be the last person in our genetic line to deal with life the way my parents and the generations before them had. And I have spent the better part of the last 15 years (the vow came well before my ability to do anything about it) pursuing ways to...
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showing up as your REAL self

Posted by on May 2, 2011 in cultivating peace, relationship to life, relationship to self, relationships, this i believe, Uncategorized | 11 comments Twenty years ago this year, I moved from Salt Lake City, Utah to east Tennessee.  For me, it was a bit of a challenging move.  For all its conservativeness, the culture of Salt Lake was balanced by an open-minded contingency of people.  There were lots of yoga studios, drumming circles, alternative approaches to mental and spiritual well-being.  I fit in. I had a thriving practice and active...
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tips for disagreeing respectfully

Posted by on Mar 21, 2011 in cultivating peace, relationships, yoga of relationship ~ others | 0 comments These last couple of weeks, I’ve been hearing a theme in my work with people – “How do I disagree with my partner in a respectful way?”  A young couple I’m seeing in my practice have been going around with this one for a while.  I certainly remember being in the first years of my relationship with husband, David (going on thirty years now).  We sure have bumped up...
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understanding anger

Posted by on Feb 28, 2011 in relationships, Uncategorized, yoga of relationship ~ others | 5 comments Anger generally has an outward directed energy.  Someone in your life does something that does not meet your expectations or standards and you get mad.  Or they don’t do something they said they would do and you get mad.  Or they fail you or someone you care about and you get mad. Often this “mad” is also accompanied by a kind of righteous indignation.  It’s that...
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on deepening intimacy

Posted by on Feb 17, 2011 in relationships, yoga of relationship ~ others | 4 comments I recently had a conversation about vulnerability that has stayed with me.  On one hand, it’s clear that a willingness to be vulnerable, to share what’s true for you, deepens intimacy.  On the other hand, being vulnerable in the wrong circumstances or at the wrong time can leave you feeling exposed and even more vulnerable.  If you are willing to be vulnerable under the right...
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the wisdom of anger

Posted by on Jan 27, 2011 in relationships | 2 comments One of my precious clients told me a heartbreaking story about being excluded from family gatherings during the holidays.  (Truth told, I think all of my clients are precious.  They trust me with their heart, their spirit, their dreams.  They invite me into the intricate intimacies of their lives, understanding and trusting that I can help them re-establish themselves in a steady state of...
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