Brenda Strong: I realized that a tree never says, "I have too many bra...

My grandmother was the daughter of pioneers, as was my grandfather, and they were farmers. And they worked the land, and there is a grounded value system that becomes inherent in knowing what's real and what's powerful. And understanding the material nature of not only man, but beasts and profit and all of those things that you fight for.

Brenda Strong

daughter powerful real

I must have Haley Joel Osment as my agent, because he only sees dead parts

Brenda Strong

haley agents parting

There is a polarizing and dualistic experience occurring politically and economically in the world, and I believe we are near the peak of a cyclical and truly chaotic time.

Brenda Strong

chaotic believe world

We explore within postures everything we deal with in life: the interplay between resistance and surrender; establishing stability and maintaining flexibility; learning to receive and release; being present to all the complexities of our lives, and returning to the fundamentals of our "beginner's mind" again and again.

Brenda Strong

beginners fundamentals mind

As yogis, we are constantly exploring the world of duality, while being acutely aware of the unity of all things.

Brenda Strong

exploring-the-world unity yogi

I make the necessary "corrections" if I find myself leaning too far in one direction.

Brenda Strong

corrections one-direction ifs

Balance for me now means seeing myself as a tree, being strong enough in my roots and trunk to not be a pushover, but being flexible enough in every circumstance not to break. I am continuing to expand, but not any faster than my roots can support me.

Brenda Strong

strong roots mean

Most of us are facing big changes in our lives. But, in our more evolved moments, I think we can all agree that fear-based worries are a waste of time and only create the experiences we are trying to avoid.

Brenda Strong

worry trying thinking

Being inundated with constant "bad" news from the media doesn't help.

Brenda Strong

news media helping

I have recently decided that there is no place in my head or my heart for fear anymore.

Brenda Strong

decided my-heart heart

I am giving myself permission to love - ALL of it.

Brenda Strong

permission giving

After all, if we are co-creators of our reality, as so many philosophies have espoused, then we have a say in how it is, how it goes and our participation in it, right?

Brenda Strong

participation philosophy reality

It feels good to rail against what is wrong in the world, to fight the good fight, to beat the drum of making a difference. I am right there with you.

Brenda Strong

differences feel-good fighting

I am not advocating doing nothing. I am advocating for you to energetically, actively and vigilantly monitor how you are BEING.

Brenda Strong

advocating doing-nothing

You can still do all the same things. How you do them is what will shift.

Brenda Strong

stills

The mind and heart is the field upon which war is waged within us. If we can stop that internal fear-based battle, then those outside of us will be affected as well.

Brenda Strong

mind heart war

It is a crucial time to be mindful of our thoughts.

Brenda Strong

our-thoughts crucial

I truly have come to believe that there are only two states of being that generate our thoughts: LOVE or FEAR.

Brenda Strong

states two believe

There is a push and a pull almost like an isometric stretch. Our literal flexibility and our physical, psychological and spiritual practices are more important now than ever to balance the boat.

Brenda Strong

balance practice spiritual

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest as a young girl, whenever I felt emotionally overwhelmed, I would take a walk in the woods. Being in the stillness and grandeur of trees had always calmed me.

Brenda Strong

growing-up girl tree

I realized that a tree never says, "I have too many branches." It simply digs deeper roots, expands itself to catch more light, and extends itself in multiple directions so as not to be unevenly weighted.