The Paradoxical Quest for Bliss - Insights from my recent vipassana course (Part 2)
2. This wisdom of "anicca"/impermanence is crucial to develop on and off the meditation cushion. Because there has been a tendency for...
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Franci Blanco
- Jan 20
- 7 min
The Paradoxical Quest for Bliss - Insights from my recent vipassana meditation course (Part 1)
After sitting my first 10 day Vipassana Meditation course in 2019, as soon as we were allowed to break our noble silence, one of the...
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Franci Blanco
- Dec 22, 2022
- 1 min
Winter Solstice 2022 - Embracing the fertile darkness
Yesterday was the longest night and shortest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere, and it seems as if it is nature's way of...
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Franci Blanco
- Jan 3, 2022
- 2 min
What it Takes to Follow Through
How many resolutions and goals have you created and eventually gave up on or life interrupted your progress? I know this situation, first...
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Franci Blanco
- Nov 23, 2021
- 4 min
Effective vs Ineffective Gratitude Practices and Benefits
With Thanksgiving around the corner here in the US, it's the perfect time to revisit the importance, effectiveness, hindrances, and...
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Franci Blanco
- Nov 5, 2021
- 3 min
Chanting for stress relief? - The science of chanting and body brain connection.
I recently found an audio file of a chanting session during my yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India from 2016. Having grown up in a...
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Franci Blanco
- Oct 8, 2021
- 8 min
Vipassana Meditation Themes - Part 2
Getting to serve a 10 day Vipassana meditation course was one of the most enlightening experiences in my years of self-inquiry. There are...
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Franci Blanco
- Oct 8, 2021
- 5 min
Vipassana Serving Experience - How not getting what you want can be the best thing for you! Part 1
I can generally sit cross-legged, an entire hour of meditation, without moving. Observing the more intense sensations of discomfort and...
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Franci Blanco
- Jul 14, 2021
- 5 min
The Liberating Power of Love & the Story of a Dog and Street Cat
There are situations in this world and in our lives that at times feel unbearable. The unfortunate thing is that if we try to bury those...
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Franci Blanco
- Jun 21, 2021
- 5 min
On a Mission to Make Mindfulness Practical
I grew up in a very strict religion, some would even say it was a cult. I left the organization at the age of 17, but one of the messages...
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Franci Blanco
- Mar 23, 2021
- 3 min
Living on Purpose: Contemplation & Journaling Practice
It can feel daunting when we feel we are on a hamster wheel, just going through motions and are beginning to crave more, but are not sure...
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Franci Blanco
- Jan 4, 2021
- 2 min
Recommit & Make it Sustainable!
As we begin a new year, it is the perfect time to recommit to our mindfulness practice. If we really want to make it sustainable this...
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Franci Blanco
- Sep 8, 2020
- 5 min
Take back the fullness of your life!
Musings covered in this blog: Mindfulness practices if you are too busy for a formal practice. Tips on strengthening your commitment to...
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Franci Blanco
- Apr 9, 2020
- 3 min
It IS Possible to Find Peace Amidst the Chaos
It is not a denial of our current situation or an attempt to shield ourselves from the suffering of the world. It is the realization that...
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Franci Blanco
- Apr 9, 2020
- 3 min
Happy Hearts Yoga Project's Beginnings
It is now the 3 year mark from when I volunteered with 500 dogs at Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai, Thailand. I had been there for...
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Franci Blanco
- Apr 9, 2020
- 3 min
Yoga is Citta Vrtti Nirodhah
Yoga is the stilling of the revolutions of the mind. This is what Patanjali describes as yoga in his book the Yoga Sutras. citta = mind;...
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