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writer and teacher of heart-centered living

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  • Meet Maria
  • Writing
  • Living
    • Yoga
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • HeartCampsDC
  • #HeartCenteredMedia
  • Contact
  • ananda-leeke-maria-de-los-angeles
    podcast

    Mindfulness in the Media Storm

    September 19, 2019 /

    What can Hurricane Dorian teach us about mindfulness? The storm begs a question: ‘who am I without the chaos?’

  • farmers-market-peach-tantra
    tantra

    Shawn Roop Talks Tantra and Sex

    November 14, 2018 /

      Tantra coach Shawn Roop’s talk “You Think You Know Sex?” offered juicy insight about spiritual tantric practices. “Dang, that looks so good,” I thought. “Imma eat one right now.”

  • tantric-sex-busy-couples
    review

    Book Review: Tantric Sex for Busy Couples

    November 14, 2018 /

    Tantric Sex for Busy Couples by Diana Daffner looks at the physical and spiritual benefits of practical tantra exercises. Tantra for one? You’re probably wondering why I’m reviewing a book about…

  • alzheimers-holding-hands
    caregiving

    Alzheimer’s as call to love: why caregiving is more than a job

    July 19, 2018 /

    Open yourself up to the challenge of a diagnosis to understand the role of Alzheimer’s in your own spiritual growth.

  • fishhooks-story-maria-fathersday
    stories

    Fishhooks: A Caregiver’s Story

    June 16, 2018 /

    When I became a caregiver, visits to dad’s nursing home shored up childhood memories. Alzheimer’s robbed him of memory, but gave back love.

  • gillian-anderson-x-files
    living

    Suicides and near-deaths: a tether snaps even when heaven is now

    June 8, 2018 /

    This week’s celebrity suicides are a reminder of how fragile our ties are to the body, and a moment to shift into a practice of love.

  • march-for-our-lives
    media

    What is #heartcenteredmedia?

    April 10, 2018 /

    One jaded writer’s fresh take on producing and consuming media in the age of #fakenews: #heartcenteredmedia holds space in mindfulness to hone in on truth.

  • warrior-pose-epic-yoga-dc
    yoga

    Think outside the yoga mat

    March 29, 2018 /

    Do you really need a mat to practice yoga? Here’s one yogi’s lesson in detachment.

  • andrew-wyeth-christina-world
    yoga

    Catharsis is everything

    November 26, 2017 /

    A yogi’s look at the role of catharsis in everyday life.

  • red-riding-hood-mondongo
    weight loss

    A weight loss lesson from Little Red Riding Hood

    September 18, 2017 /

    I thought I had lost weight simply through diet and exercise, but a chance reminder of an old fairy tale gave me new insight. Three years ago, about a month after…

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  • BOOMER REMOVER To those those who've been kidding about how COVID-19 is culling the elderly population, thank you for giving me even more motivation to work as a hospice chaplain. . Come, come, take my hand, and let me walk you through the rooms of a nursing home, where, before you know it, the one you mocked as disposable -- a life that doesn't matter -- will be YOU, gasping for air, not dying a natural death -- do you even know what that means? -- you, without solace in the moment of transition to that void from which you, too, also emerged. . Dust to dust, baby. . Close your eyes, imagine your lungs filled with glue and the horror of knowing that indifference is what killed you. Guess what? I saw this everyday in Miami's nursing homes, where thousands were already suffering from isolation. We didn't need a pandemic for me to witness the living hell called "boomer removal" that fueled a fraudulent, cash cow eldercare system in Florida. . Are you reading between the lines of all the death statistics? How equipped are we as a country to handle death? Newsflash: poorly. Even without a pandemic, death education is minimal. It should be a thing. It's becoming a thing. I'm grateful for that. . I wish there were no pandemic, but the #humilityvirus is an effective bullshit remover. Go wash your hands, and your conscience. This intelligent virus doesn't discriminate, but thankfully, neither does LOVE. You got THAT in you. . Photo: me and my dad, two months before he transitioned.
  • HUMILITY VIRUS When I think of the slavery, wars, famines, holocausts, genocides, pogroms, atomic and chemical warfares, human trafficking, political executions, disappearances, asylums, diasporas and -- did I miss anything? -- all the man-made unspeakable atrocities that took place less than a century ago, many of which are still taking place: I wonder if it isn't hubris to panic over a virus, and understand better why the meek will inherit the earth.
  • More happy place! Dreaming of Escuela de los Angeles ... "heartcamp everyday" ... "with a pot of goodness always warm on the stove" ❤
  • #FEMALEPLEASURE A wonderful opportunity tonight to meet Barbara Miller, the Swiss filmmaker of Female Pleasure, a 2018 documentary that follows the lives of five women from five different countries and faiths overcoming gender limitations and seeking to create a sexually healthier world. These women include a former Hassidic woman who leaves her Brooklyn orthodox community, an Somalian activist working to eliminate female genital mutilation, an Indian publisher and sex educator, a former German nun and rape victim, and a Japanese artist who transgresses taboos surrounding female genitalia. Although the film quotes mysoginist passages from major religious texts, it doesn't bash the patriarchy. The issues come through in all their nuances, and reveal the power of education (and courage) to shift old paradigms. Kudos to @femalepleasuredocumentary2018 for the film!
  • FIRST AMENDMENT Another year. It's fascinating to observe women from left and right in the same crowd. Sister and sister fighting at the trenches. Only ego polarizes. All bodies bleed. Someone asked me why a mystically inclined one such as me goes to witness a political rally. Because I can, my dear. Because I can. And that is a mystically profound right.
  • We’re on into that #2020vision #influenceracademy #ceocentric #wealthywomen #heartcenteredmedia #passionmeetspurpose #saturday
  • DANCING JOY Beethoven's birthday week and the upcoming holidays -- what better time to share the memorable experience I had meeting filmmaker Kate Tsubata whose film Dancing Joy premiered in D.C. late summer. . The film, which describes itself as "a love letter to the world," captures dancers the world over in culturally-specific choreography set to Symphony No. 9. The well-known choral finale "Ode to Joy" is transformed here into a thrilling, exquisitely paced montage of humanity at its best: dancing together. . I met with Kate over coffee soon after I saw the film. This fellow creative spirit told me about the daunting challenges of filming in many countries -- an accomplishment that deepened my admiration of the cinematic journey. . As a dancer who never thought she'd dance again, I sat enthralled for the entirety of screening. I cried a little, because I've busted through my own limiting beliefs, but what about collective limiting beliefs that prevent us from connecting to our potential, the joy of finding and sharing joy from within? This wordless language is core what humanity has in common -- from Irish stepdance to Polynesian hula and every other cultural heritage of movement in between, Dancing Joy is an expression of the very words Schiller wrote in 1785: . Your magic binds again / What custom strictly divided; All people become brothers, / Where your gentle wing abides. . If you aren't familiar with world dances, this film is an excellent primer. And if you are, it will further delight! Learn more and links to trailer @dancingjoymovie.
  • AUTUMN EMBERS At long last and at just the right time, I am thrilled to invite you all to my first D.C. #heartcamp style production, a collaboration with Robb Saffell of Harmonic Introductions and poet Reuben Jackson. 🍁 My interest in sound healing has brought me here. Remember how I landed in D.C. for the job that wasn't the right fit? It was still alignment! And now my passion for music and language come together with some amazing folks in the acoustically rich sanctuary of my church, where the stained glass offers colorful, soothing light in the afternoon. During this liminal hour, we'll create a container of exquisite sound from overtones, sound bowls and recited poetry as we contemplate what it means to slow down and be grateful in the otherwise hectic season. Come bask in the moment! 🍂 New to overtones? Simply put, it's what happens when a singer distinctly sings two notes at once, and the effect is dazzling! 🍁 Free with donation warmly accepted. Invite page for this MUSIC WITH THE ANGELS series here or see link via bio on Linktree: tinyurl.com/autumnembers
  • PLANK LIKE RBG I literally did today at woman-owned @flock_dc, a branch of a property management company that's also interested in developing community. They commissioned this glorious mural by @rose_inks,, located near the heart of U Street, an area dotted with several larger-than-life colorful wall paintings. . Folks showed up to support #girlpower as proceeds from class, taught by @bikerbarre, went to Girls on the Run - DC @gotrdc . One of my students is part of the organization, so I tailor her yoga to include extra hamstring stretches and breathwork every week. Getting a 9-year-old to hold plank position after school? That's MY lesson in patience 😂 However, teaching her to be fit of body, to act mindfully, to evolve into a just, strong, compassionate young woman? I'll plank all day ... . ⭐ #planklikerbg shirt by @theoutrageonline

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Heart-Centered Journalism

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Confronting the Emotional Toll of Hurricanes  — The time to put life on hold gives an opportunity to shatter the conventional illusion that everything is stable.

Stories on Medium

pomegranates_acai_bowlOf Pomegranates and Pain — The currency of forgiveness won’t always feed the hungry, but choosing compassion over condemnation is the right price for a meal.

recent posts

  • ananda-leeke-maria-de-los-angelesMindfulness in the Media Storm
  • farmers-market-peach-tantraShawn Roop Talks Tantra and Sex
  • tantric-sex-busy-couplesBook Review: Tantric Sex for Busy Couples
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