Category: Domestic Violence

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Domestic Violence Permeates

By the time you’re 10 years old your subconscious has formed and thereafter differentiates between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. For example, if you grew up with a mother or father who was a big drinker or smoked cigarettes, then your subconscious considers these activities (or bad habits) as acceptable behaviors. Behaviors that are more easily adopted by you because they’re acceptable to you. Thus, if you experienced or witnessed domestic violence in your youth – like more than 10 million children do in the United States every year – then domestic violence has permeated your subconscious and has become acceptable. Not good. Actually, it’s pretty pathetic that a child unknowingly accepts domestic violence at no fault of their own. It’s also pretty pathetic that a child has to identify the concept of LOVE with such traumatic visual and emotional experiences. And it’s horrible on the child’s mother (or father in some cases), to experience the physical, mental and emotional poison of domestic violence. Poison because domestic violence permeates a victim’s body, mind and spirit, oftentimes causing irreparable damage. Damage to the victim’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

That’s why my charity, The Boulevard Zen Foundation, is striving to bring the benefits of yoga to women and children survivors of domestic violence – everywhere. To help rebuild their SELF, because yoga is all about the SELF, and to teach these women and children how to respect their minds and bodies with the amazing physical and lifestyle benefits of yoga. Our compassionate and well-trained teachers also lead by example and serve as a living testament to how anyone can better themselves with the help of yoga.

Over the past year I have personally taught more than 100 women and children living in domestic violence shelters. I know that look in their eyes that says “I’m not good enough” and “I can’t do it”. A look that I’ll always counter with, “Yes, you can do it, and yes, you can believe in yourself”. Because I do and I know they can. Be well, believe & achieve! – R

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Get Comfortable with Feeling Uncomfortable

The other day I met a bodybuilder who said he tried yoga and hated it because it made him “feel uncomfortable”. I responded with just one word, “exactly”. Simple put, yoga demands you to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.

If you ever tried yoga and immediately began to fidget and squirm your way out of your first downward facing dog, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Because the physical practice of yoga (the asanas), put your body into challenging positions that will QUIET your MIND and get rid of all that mind chatter. Of course we know what mind chatter is, right? It’s that inner conversation you’re having with yourself about anything and everything that’s going through your mind. Including the discomfort you’re experiencing in a particular pose – including the simplest of down dogs.

When the ancient yogi’s practiced 6,000+ years ago, yoga was embraced as a culture that included the art of positioning their bodies into asanas (poses) for long periods of time to cleanse themselves and to reach a higher enlightenment, aka, nirvana. Yoga was revered as a lifestyle seeking union with the Supreme. Yoga also enabled it’s male practitioners – since women weren’t allowed to practice – to quiet their bodies and their minds while focusing on one particular object for an extended period of time. No matter the feelings of discomfort. Today most people think yoga is either just stretching and meditation, or some kind of body-twisting exercise that’s really good for you but really hard to do. And the really hard to do part usually has something to do with not wanting to endure discomfort – for any period of time.

So if you’re anything like our bodybuilder friend and don’t like feeling uncomfortable, keep your yoga workouts short and sweet with just 5 minutes a day. Soon you’ll get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable, and you’ll truly begin to experience the benefits of yoga. And always remember that pain is bad and discomfort is good. So enjoy some good discomfort with our upcoming FAT BURN AMERICA TOUR: 100 Cities in 100 Days, Hollywood Walk of Fame Preview! – R

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Benefits of Yoga

The Boulevard Zen Foundation teaches the benefits of yoga to women and children living in domestic violence shelters. That’s why we’re going on the FAT BURN AMERICA TOUR: 100 CITIES in 100 DAYS, to inspire Everyone to workout with us Everyday for 100 straight days at historic sites in all 50 states! And to help The Boulevard Zen Foundation raise funds to teach women and children survivors of domestic violence, Everywhere.

YOGA
– Builds physical strength & flexibility
– Builds mental strength & focus
– Builds self-esteem & self-respect
– Builds energy & stamina
– Builds courage & self-love
– Reinforces proper breathing & posture
– Improves internal health & circulation
– Improves self-confidence & creative thinking
– Increases concentration & self-discipline
– Promotes relationship building & trust

And you don’t have to take a yoga class to get these benefits. Keep it simple and practice a little each day. And here’s me teaching the women and children living at the domestic violence shelter in San Diego. Enjoy and don’t forget to get your workout in! – Rich

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Domestic Violence, Yoga & Hollywood Sneak Peek

We’ll soon begin a 30,000 journey across America visiting all 50 states – 100 Cities in 100 Days – to raise money for my charity, The Boulevard Zen Foundation. We teach yoga to women and children living in domestic violence shelters. Ambitious? Yes. For a great cause? Yes. Impossible? Certainly not! I expect it to be life changing. For all of us, as well as all of you because we intend to EDUCATE, INSPIRE, EMPOWER and ENTERTAIN you with cool, trivia-filled workout videos from historical sites everywhere.

Here’s me teaching the women and children at the San Diego domestic violence shelter:

Here’s the Hollywood Sneak Peek Trailer for my Fat Burn America Tour. Enjoy! – R

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I believe in you Ladies!

This goes out to all the Ladies living at the domestic violence shelter in San Diego where I taught a 2-hour yoga & lifestyle class last night.  Because after teaching a 75 minute yoga class followed by a 45 discussion about embracing a positive mindset, a healthy diet, and most importantly, a daily fitness routine, I truly believe in each and every one of them.  I know you’re reading this Ladies, so don’t forget to do your Peaceful Warriors, Temple Poses, Side Body Abs and Stretching, Chair Poses up against the Wall, and of course our favorite, Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall.  Today and every day this week until I come back again next Thursday to “kick it up a notch”.   Always remember to stay present with your thinking and live positively and happily, moment to moment.  Because whether or not your past experiences have been negative or abusive, you never have to carry that energy with you.  Let it go.  And if it begins to creep into your mind and body, go outside and do some yoga and my fat burning workouts, or better yet, work on some balancing with that meditative breath I taught you – and remember to pick that point of focus and use all distractions to help you focus more.  So respect yourself each and every day, especially during this long holiday weekend, and enjoy sculpting your thighs and butt today with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #96 – Killer Squats II.  Namaste – R

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Fitness + Family = Fun

Yesterday I taught a one-hour fat burning class at a domestic violence shelter in San Diego on behalf of my charity, The Boulevard Zen Foundation.  I was excited to teach about ten children (ages 3 – 12), with a few ever-so shy moms and grandmothers too.  It was certainly a family affair, with the kids leading the charge!  Since I don’t have any children of my own – at least not yet – I’m always fascinated by the pure joy kids find in the simplest of activities.  And with their moms and grand-moms joining in, they had FUN, regardless of how challenging it was.  Simply put, Fitness + Family = Fun.  So gather your entire family today and enjoy strengthening your legs, and your family bond, with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #85 – Chair Twists (the exact same exercises we practiced at the shelter).  And have fun!  – R

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Little things can make a big difference

Yesterday I taught a one hour fat burning class to the children and moms living at the domestic violence shelter in San Diego.  My charity, The Boulevard Zen Foundation, has been teaching yoga there since last July.  I especially wanted to teach the families exercises from my fat burning workouts.  The moms loved it and the kids were awesome. What was most significant, though, was my interaction with one particular boy who I first met in July.  I’ll call him Alex.  When I first offered to shake his hand, Alex reached out with a limp hand as he cowered away.  Thus, my first lesson was to teach Alex how to shake hands.  “Stand tall, use a really strong grip and look me in the eyes”, I said.  Which he did without hesitation.  But the real test was whether or not Alex would continue with his new handshake.  That’s why interacting with him yesterday was so significant.  He shook my hand just like I had taught him.  And I congratulated him for it.  Because little things can make a big difference.  So enjoy looking for the little things that can make a big difference with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #59 – Beautify Your Butt II. – R

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Kanye West leads the way

I read an article in the LA Times this morning about rap star Kanye West’s closing Sunday night set at Coachella (the 3-day annual Music & Arts Festival in Indio, CA). Kanye ended his “epic and unforgettable” set standing alone. Much like the way he started.  Which got me thinking about how working out everyday is just like Kanye standing there alone.  Yes, you can workout with your friends or take a group class, but you’re still doing it alone.  Which, at times, feels like a very lonely journey.  That’s why incorporating bite-size workouts is the key to success. Workouts that are simple and effective.  Just like Kanye flying solo without all the bells and whistles of a spectacle behind him, you can fly solo with my anytime-anywhere 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts.  So enjoy tightening your abdominals & core with today’s Workout #55! – R

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It’s all relative with Einstein’s Relativity

Exactly 105 years ago today Nobel Laureate Albert Einstein introduced his “Theory of Relativity”.  Although his ‘curved space-time continuum‘ doesn’t really affect our lives because we travel at speeds much less than the speed of light, it was one of the most significant scientific advances of our time.  When you think of relativity, it’s applicable to everything in your life.  Just ask yourself a yes or no question, like whether or not you work too much.  Before you answer, think: relative to whom?  Because it’s all relative. Like fitness.  If you exercise all the time, then working out 5 minutes a day seems like nothing.  But if you don’t workout at all – and you know if you don’t – then 5 minutes a day is significant.  But rest assured, 5 minutes a day becomes 15 minutes. Then 15 minutes becomes whatever your heart desires. Enjoy sculpting your body with today’s fat burning workout #47 – Crane Legs (remember the movie, Karate Kid).  See you next time – R