Yoga for Fertility

We are very lucky here in Seattle to have Lynn Jensen among us. Her Yoga for Fertility classes and workshops have helped many women during fertility challenges and other female health problems. Lynn has a kind and reassuring presence and is a genuine teacher of healing the mind and body together through calm and ease. She offers Yoga for Fertility at various Seattle area locations, including West Seattle, University District, and the Eastside.

Back to School Time Again

Since kids will be returning to school shortly, I thought I'd post this recent article I read on Salon.com about how Sandra Tsing Loh learned to love her local urban public school, and her ideas for how we can all contribute to public schools.

Monkey Mind

Sometimes we get stuck in seeing things exactly as they appear that it's hard to imagine how life could be different. Somewhere in my life travels I learned the concept of "monkey mind" (from Allan Ginsberg, maybe?). Anyway, all due credit aside, the concept of monkey mind entails letting go of our practical, rational thoughts, and just allowing the mind to go wherever goes. When your mind is freed of seeing things how they are, or how they "should" be, where does it go?

I like using the monkey mind whenever I can't see the answer to a problem, but I just know my current "solutions" aren't working for me. I ask myself, if this problem weren't a problem anymore, what would I see myself doing? Who else would be involved? What would I be thinking or feeling? What kind of values would I be living out? How would those values be reflected in my actions? in the people around me?

In practicing monkey mind, one's practical, rational mind may try to quash your monkey mind. Practicality has its place, but when practicing monkey mind, it's best to put it aside for later. Make "defer judgment" your mantra when your "rational" mind tries to shout over your "monkey".

The latest on PPMD research

The July 31 issue of Neuron reported some promising news for PPMD treatment. I'll do my best to put the researcher's findings in lay terms.

The researchers found (in mice) that when the brain has dysregulated levels of GABA receptors, mice showed more signs of anxiety and depression after birth and had a higher pup mortality rate. When the mice were treated with Gaboxadol, a drug originally designed to treat sleep disorders, the GABA-recptor-affected mice had fewer PPMD-like symptoms, as with those mice with well-regulated GABA receptors.

The researchers, thus, believe that (in humans) post-partum mood disorders and potentially premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder may be caused by impaired trafficking of GABA receptors, and not by fluctuations in hormonal levels, as previously believed.

Let's hope this latest research brings us one step closer to finding a successful treatment for PPMDs and other health concerns.