https://colourfulrachel.journoportfolio.comRSS Feed for Rachel MarkowitzenSun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/reiki-principles/I learned about Reiki and experienced my first healing session in 2012 from a dreadlocked European traveler who wanted some practice.Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/reiki-principles/https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/energy-healing-techniques/Energy healing techniques are based on the principle that physical and mental complications in the body are manifestations of restricted, blocked, or unbalanced energy. Although the Western medical community often shows skepticism towards energy healing, many of these practices originated in ancient times and are still widely accepted and integrated into modern medicine worldwide.    Let’s explore the idea of energy healing and examine some well-established, time-tested energy medicine p...Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/energy-healing-techniques/https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/chakras-locations-yoga/I was introduced to chakras during a yoga teaching training class when a teacher instructed me to chant “ham” repeatedly while inverted in a shoulder stand. This, the instructor said, would open my throat chakra, which was linked to my insecurities, and radically improve my life.   At the time, this seemed odd; I didn’t know what a throat chakra was, why it might be closed, how opening it would be helpful, or how chanting upside-down might facilitate this! However, I can now admit that,...Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/chakras-locations-yoga/https://www.happiness.com/magazine/inspiration-spirituality/meaning-of-nonduality-nondualism/Take a moment to consider how you interact with the world – not only your physical surroundings, but also how you see yourself and others. Do you envision yourself as an individual? Are you part of a whole? Can you imagine your life as something entirely beyond these concepts?  As it turns out, it’s rare to see “self” as something other than a person; that is, as an individual who wanders through life, engages with others, and strives for the ideals of health, true connection, and a sense...Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.happiness.com/magazine/inspiration-spirituality/meaning-of-nonduality-nondualism/https://www.happiness.com/magazine/inspiration-spirituality/meaning-of-nonduality-nondualism/Take a moment to consider how you interact with the world – not only your physical surroundings, but also how you see yourself and others. Do you envision yourself as an individual? Are you part of a whole? Can you imagine your life as something entirely beyond these concepts?Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.happiness.com/magazine/inspiration-spirituality/meaning-of-nonduality-nondualism/https://www.happiness.com/magazine/personal-growth/self-inquiry-who-am-i/About 12 years ago, towards the end of a month-long program at a yoga retreat center in Central America, I was paired with a coursemate for an “authentic relating” exercise. Our facilitator instructed us to take turns asking each other one question.Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.happiness.com/magazine/personal-growth/self-inquiry-who-am-i/https://www.truity.com/blog/best-yoga-practices-balancing-your-big-five-personality-traitsModern minds tend to view yoga as a wellness trend that promotes flexibility and relaxation, rather than what it truly is: an ancient and comprehensive science of self-discovery and holistic well-being.Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.truity.com/blog/best-yoga-practices-balancing-your-big-five-personality-traitshttps://www.truity.com/blog/how-begin-meditation-practice-based-your-personality-typeI used to imagine meditation as an unattainable state – the result of a practice intended for patient, peaceful, seemingly enlightened beings who already had life figured out.Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.truity.com/blog/how-begin-meditation-practice-based-your-personality-typehttps://www.truity.com/blog/how-begin-meditation-practice-based-your-personality-typeI used to imagine meditation as an unattainable state – the result of a practice intended for patient, peaceful, seemingly enlightened beings who already had life figured out.Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.truity.com/blog/how-begin-meditation-practice-based-your-personality-typehttps://www.truity.com/blog/how-begin-meditation-practice-based-your-personality-typeI used to imagine meditation as an unattainable state – the result of a practice intended for patient, peaceful, seemingly enlightened beings who already had life figured out.Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.truity.com/blog/how-begin-meditation-practice-based-your-personality-typehttps://intrepidtimes.com/2025/05/chota-char-dham-indian-himalayas/The winner of our Pilgrimages competition tackles the Chota Char Dham, in the Indian Himalayas, braving cold-bucket baths, jostling with other pilgrims, and powering through splashes of horse manure in search of happiness. Pablo squats under a staircase in the dark corridor. Naked and trembling, he pours small plastic pitchers of cold water on himself from what I presume is a dirty mop bucket. He’s yelling like I’ve never heard him yell.Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://intrepidtimes.com/2025/05/chota-char-dham-indian-himalayas/https://intrepidtimes.com/2025/01/kopan-monastery-medical-mayhem-kathmandu-nepal/A spiritual seeker in Nepal trades ornate temples for a hospital ward when a medical emergency hits, but will Buddhist teachings guide her through the pain? I. The Scene “One day closer to death,” Venerable Robina greets us each morning. Sure, by definition, this is a morbid way to start the day. However, the salutation isn’t meant to cause suffering. In fact, the concept that we can all free ourselves from suffering is the theme of our month-long course, offered once a year at Kopan Mo...Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://intrepidtimes.com/2025/01/kopan-monastery-medical-mayhem-kathmandu-nepal/https://mindisthemaster.com/exploring-bandhas-and-energetic-anatomy/Yoga is the science of awakening to our true nature. During a yoga practice, we facilitate this internal transformation through external practices. In addition to physical postures and breathing practices, yoga describes several other methods or tools to purify energy and direct the flow of prana, our vital life force. One of these methods is the use of bandhas or energetic locks.Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://mindisthemaster.com/exploring-bandhas-and-energetic-anatomy/https://mindisthemaster.com/teaching-meditation-to-beginners/If meditation or concentration practices have transformed your life, it’s natural to want to facilitate a similar experience for others. However, meditation can seem intimidating – not only for those starting on the path but also for new teachers.Wed, 24 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://mindisthemaster.com/teaching-meditation-to-beginners/https://intrepidtimes.com/2023/11/girivalam-46/A pilgrim connects with herself and the world around her as she makes her 46th ‘Girivalam’ or circumambulation of Arunachala, a holy mountain in Southern India. My bare feet follow the painted white line at the left edge of the black asphalt, still warm and visibly steaming after a flash tropical downpour. Returning my gaze and awareness to the sacred hill, I observe that the pace of my typically-slow steps has increased. Somehow, after so many rounds of the mountain, I seem to have lost the...Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://intrepidtimes.com/2023/11/girivalam-46/https://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/positions-for-meditation/When we think of meditation, we often conjure up the image of someone sitting peacefully still with eyes closed, a blissful smile and legs twisted into a pretzel-like shape. Although Full Lotus pose certainly has benefits, the most essential part of a meditation position is that it facilitates stability and a solid foundation for your practice–a quality not necessarily inherent of a picture-perfect posture.Tue, 26 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0100https://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/positions-for-meditation/https://www.yogabasics.com/practice/pranayama/kapalbhati-breath-of-fire-benefits/“No, Kapalabhati is not Sanskrit for ‘bathroom break’ or ‘take a sip of water,’ ” I’m often tempted to joke to my students in order to encourage participation in what seems to be yoga’s most underappreciated breathing exercise.Thu, 11 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://www.yogabasics.com/practice/pranayama/kapalbhati-breath-of-fire-benefits/https://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/yoga-empowerment/It is easy to feel disempowered. Our always on-the-go culture makes us feel overwhelmed, overworked, and exhausted. It is all too common to experience insecurity, low self-worth, and anxiety throughout the day. When we step on our yoga mat, this can all shift.Wed, 11 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000https://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/yoga-empowerment/https://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/yoga-empowerment/It is easy to feel disempowered. Our always on-the-go culture makes us feel overwhelmed, overworked, and exhausted. It is all too common to experience insecurity, low self-worth, and anxiety throughout the day. When we step on our yoga mat, this can all shift.Wed, 11 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000https://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/yoga-empowerment/