Author Archives: Carri Manchester

It’s getting more and more disconcerting out there – dystopian even. As schools and businesses close to slow the spread of COVID-19, panic-buying depletes grocery store shelves, and we all double up on our hygiene practices, how can our meditation practice support us? This is part of what we were practicing for, right? Greater stability,Continue reading “Hand-washing as Meditation”

In yoga teacher training, we’re currently focusing on the manipura chakra (third or solar plexus chakra) and brahmacharya (one of the five yama). The manipura chakra is associated with our sense of self, our sense of power, our relationships with others, our ability to be in harmony with the flow of the Universe, and ourContinue reading “Brahmacharya and Balanced Manipuras in 2020”

Last week I had a snow day – not the kind of snow day in which I decide it’s too risky to drive to work and take a personal day, but a storm so significant that the Governor ordered us not to report to work. In my memory, there have been a few snowy daysContinue reading “The Wisdom of a Snow Day”

For twenty days, my Yoga Teacher Training assignment has been to complete a daily twenty-minute walking meditation, outdoors, rain or shine… or as the case actually was for a couple of days, arctic blast. Last Thursday it was 15°F when I went out for my walk. Rio was even willing to wear her fancy downContinue reading “Meditations from an Arctic Blast”

I have “extremely dense breasts.” About 10% of people with breasts fall into this category, and for me, this means that I now have a mammogram and an ultrasound every year, instead of just the obligatory mammogram. When I first started getting mammograms, they’d always call me back for an ultrasound, and eventually, they agreedContinue reading “Mammogram Anxiety”

What’s your why? Why do you do the things you’re passionate about? What change do you hope to make in the world? What lofty goals inform the small steps of your labor? For me that answer is usually rooted in equity – a world where each person has access to the things they need toContinue reading “Equity, Interbeing, and Ahimsa”

Sunday was the first day of Yoga Teacher Training, and as expected, much of our time was spent getting to know one another and establishing our sense of community. We went over some of the basics – the central beliefs of Integral Yoga, the six paths, the eight limbs, and started to talk about yamaContinue reading “Ahimsa, Outrage, and Self-Care”

Content warning: This post discusses my psychological reaction to being asked to temporarily abstain from alcohol. I write from the perspective of a person with the privilege of never having had to personally address a substance abuse problem. This content could be triggering to some readers. Yoga teacher training starts tomorrow and I feel likeContinue reading “My Last Glass of Wine (for a year)”

The practice of meditation is simple. Find your seat; Place your mind on your object of focus; and When your mind strays, gently re-place it back on that object of focus. It’s simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In the previous two posts, I focused on Step 1: Finding Your Seat, and Step 2:Continue reading “Three Steps to Mindfulness Meditation – Step 3: Re-placing Your Mind”

The practice of meditation is simple. Find your seat; Place your mind on your object of focus; and When your mind strays, gently re-place it back on that object of focus. It’s simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In the previous post, I focused on Step 1: Finding Your Seat. In this post I’llContinue reading “Three Steps to Mindfulness Meditation – Step 2: Placing Your Mind”