Author | Filmmaker and Host, Tola Talks
Looking for a way to find great joy or happiness in your life (i.e, your Bliss)? What about Yoga, and more specifically, what exactly is this 6,000 year-old Hindu philosophy that prescribes a course of physical and mental disciplines defined by the Yoga Sutras and the 8 Limbs of Yoga?
Hypocrisy is a slow, painful cancer to the soul, so whatever you do, Don’t Be A Hypocrite. Here’s 6 reasons why with a little help from Academy Award winner, Ben Kingsley, and the cast of Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award winner of 2008, The Wackness.
Are you a clear communicator? Are you someone who’s effective and efficient in everything you do? If not, then simply your life and get rid of the fat…because Specificity Rules!
Well my vote is in: hands down this year’s Oscar for Best Actress goes to…Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn. If I had to describe Michelle’s performance and her exquisite reincarnation of the beautiful and legendary Marilyn Monroe in two words, I’d say phenomenally awesome. Because she’s just that! And for someone who loves the “art of acting” and who sees almost every film out there – in the past two weeks alone I’ve watched MoneyBall (again), The Descendants, Mission Impossible, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (twice), Sherlock Holmes, Young Adult, We Bought A Zoo, War Horse, and My Week With Marilyn – she certainly gets my vote.
And if you’re wondering what else I’m doing in Hawaii besides admiring the best films and acting performances of the year, I’m almost finished with my book, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood. Which, by the way, has some pretty cool Cover Art that you’ll find quite fitting. So wherever you find yourself this holiday season, make sure to find time for the lovely and amazing Michelle Williams in a true-to-life story of Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn. You won’t regret it!
And what else you won’t regret is getting your daily workout in. Especially if your holiday diet calls for Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake or perhaps a little Tiramisu. But no worries, just take a quick break and slim down your waistline with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #82 – Easy Abs. Enjoy – R
April Fools! But really, wouldn’t it be nice if all our dreams came true? At least in the world of make believe – and I don’t mean Hollywood – anything is possible. Today, why not consider your world of make believe the real deal? Like rapper sensation Drake croons in Nicki Minaj’s hit single, Moment 4 Life, “everybody dies but not everybody lives”. So on this April Fools’ Day 2011, imagine yourself in your wildest possible dream, and just live. Because life is short and the days fly by. And if by chance your wildest dream includes you looking like a movie star with that perfect body, here’s your chance to get started with my 5 minute fat burning workout #37 that combines some Zen with that Warrior in you. It’s called Peaceful Warrior. And I’ll see you next time! -R
For the past week I’ve had the fortunate, albeit stressful task of moving my home and office. I say fortunate because whether you see the cup half full or half empty, change is good. As humans, we suffer from what behaviorists call homeostasis. Simply put, we don’t like change because our internal tendency is to maintain a stable and constant condition. So if you’ve ever moved you know how challenging it is to pack up your life, ship it another neighborhood (in my case 12 miles away which in Los Angeles is like another state), unpack and reorder everything in your new home or office, become familiar with all the retail and convenience stores, gas stations, dry cleaners, gyms and yoga studios, and most importantly, changing your address for your multitude of accounts like banks, credit cards, postal service, magazines, drivers license, health care providers, and professional organizations. Not to mention all your family and friends. So much for homeostasis. That said, moving gives you an excellent opportunity to explore new markets and expand your world. To meet new people, to experience new beginnings. Change is good. Especially when it comes to improving yourself and your life. Like embracing a daily fitness program. However stressful and challenging you may think it is to get started, it’s well worth the effort. So if you haven’t made the change, one that truly improves your overall well being, get a move on it. And enjoy your workout!
You may already know that my charity, The Boulevard Zen Foundation, teaches yoga to kids and moms living in domestic violence shelters (www.BoulevardZen.com). I was inspired to start the nonprofit after visiting a shelter upon completion of my film, Boulevard Zen. My experience with domestic violence comes via the domino affect abuse has on families as my father was a victim of child abuse until the age of 12 when his father left for good. I have also befriended women in my lifetime that have experienced some of the most heinous crimes imaginable. Domestic violence and child abuse unjustly robs its victims of self-confidence and oftentimes prevents kids from experiencing what we at the foundation call excellent teaching moments. So when our yoga teachers find a unique opportunity during class to go beyond an actual yoga pose and teach meaningful life lessons, we all succeed. And the kids remember those lessons and bring that knowledge into their lives while impacting the lives of everyone around them. Which is why I get excited every time one of our teachers writes to me about an excellent teaching moment. Like today from Carolyn in our San Diego shelter. It’s what we strive for and are committed to doing: to be more than just yoga teachers and to impact lives forever. Because those lives are the future of our Nation and of our World. Namaste – R