By Becky Hays, Producer

One of the tools presented in the film, Beyond Belief, is “present moment awareness’ or ‘being present’, being in the moment.  There are many ways to do this, but my favorite is yoga.

Last summer when Jim and I were in the midst of producing the film Beyond Belief we made a pact to ‘do yoga everyday’ until the film was complete.  This daily yoga practice helped us to stay centered and focused throughout the production.  And now yoga is a part of my life.

I LOVE Ashtanga Yoga!  Stepping up to the edge of my mat, bringing my hands into prayer position against my chest, might be compared to a diver stepping up to the edge of the board on a high dive, or a runner putting a foot on the starting block, bending to put hands on the ground before a race.

There is a brief glimpse into the future, of what is about to come, and then, you become present in the moment, allowing the outside world to fade into the distance, as you bring the focus to the breath.

Ashtanga is an intense form of yoga that is physically demanding.  The primary series leads you through a sequence of about 75 postures, combining a sweaty workout with a meditative focus, synchronizing movement and  breath.

Moving through the sequence of 75 postures can be both frustrating and  enlightening, as you become aware of the endless thoughts roaming through your head, even as you attempt to ‘quiet the mind’.

Why do people spend a good 90 minutes of their day sweating from head to toe, doing the same physically demanding postures, over and over again, twisting and contorting their bodies like a corkscrew, and then come back for more?

Perhaps at least part of the answer lies in the experience, which I now call “The Ashtanga Zap!!”

One day when I least expected it, I had this experience.  In the middle of my practice, moving and breathing, and trying to remember which posture came next, my mind just suddenly went “blank…”    Simply, completely, totally…..blank

Tabula Rasa…

There was no thought about what posture I just completed, or which posture came next.  This was different from times in the past, when I simply had trouble remembering the next posture.  This felt more like…

Silence.  Stillness.  Calm.

I took a step back and looked with amazement at the space where I had just been standing, wondering what just happened?!   It was like an ‘energy source’ had zapped my mind, and all the noise was gone.  Stillness.

It lasted only a moment, before my mind kicked in:

“What just happened?”

“What’s the next posture?  Keep moving!’”

Then I was moving again, breathing, twisting, sweating, thoughts roaming in and out and through my head:

“Focus on the count, focus on the breath, inhale, exhale, focus… focus….”

This Ashtanga Zap is what I imagine the ultimate feeling of being present must be like.  No longer lingering in the past, no longer looking to the future, but simply ‘BE-ing’ in the present moment.

I would encourage you to find your own way to take a moment and be present, each and everyday.  Of course, I highly recommend YOGA:)

But you will find the method that works best for you, and when you do, it will transform your life.

Namasté

Becky

To see the trailer and get the DVD Beyond Belief go to:  www.beyondbeliefthemovie.com

By Jim Holzknecht, Producer

Woody Allen once wrote “Over 90% of success is just showing up.” Do you have a goal which you are not showing up for? One where you are not in action on? Or where there’s something you’ve given up on? Or maybe one where you haven’t even started yet because you are waiting for ”the perfect time” or until you have “more information” or until you have “more support” or some other version of that? Consider that whatever resistance you have created for yourself around that goal, that there could be one simple solution which will get you moving toward your goal. A solution which will enable you to start consistently showing up for your life: “committed daily action.”

I learned first hand how powerful a committed daily action could be during the production of Beyond Belief. For several weeks in 2009, I was feeling very tired and run down. The challenges of a rigorous production schedule were starting to take their toll. I wanted to commit to a healthy practice which would be challenging and which would give me more energy during the day.

I discussed this with Becky Hays, my co-producer of Beyond Belief, and we decided to do 21 straight days of yoga. We selected 21 days, initially, because many experts say that if you want to form a habit, do it for 21 consecutive days.

I had practiced Bikram Heated Yoga very inconsistently prior to launching our 21 consecutive day challenge, so I chose to do that yoga style while Becky chose to do Ashtanga. On June 22nd, 2009, after a production meeting, we both launched our 21 day yoga challenges. Let the yoga challenge begin!!! Little did I know that this simple action and commitment would change my life.

Throughout the 21 days, my mind raced with a myriad of reasons why not to go to yoga that day. Excuses abound from grocery shopping (which I intensely dislike), to some pressing work related task, to personal obligations, etc. On and on, the list of rationalizations, justifications, excuses came up demanding that I be anywhere else but the yoga studio.  Fortunately, I chose to honor my word and commitment to Becky more than the static interference being broadcast in my head.

After 21 days, I was feeling better and had more energy than I had in quite awhile, so we decided to extend our yoga challenge to 30 consecutive days. The protest and noise in my head continued, but I noticed that it was getting fainter. It didn’t have the charge and the volume that it once did.

At the 30 day point, I had a conversation with Becky and we decided to do extend our two person team challenge for 60 consecutive days. Even though we practiced yoga at different studios, she practiced at Yoga Yoga and I practiced at Bikram Yoga Davenport (BYD Austion) just knowing I wasn’t alone in the daily challenge was somewhat comforting.

After 60 consecutive days, in August 2009, I opened my big mouth and said, “hey, let’s keep going until Beyond Belief gets released.” As soon as the words left my mouth I wanted to pull them back in but it was too late. She quickly responded, “OK, let’s do it.” At that time, the “anticipated” release date was October 31st 2009 but given the amount that still needed to be done with the film, that milestone was somewhere between a dubious pipe dream and wishful thinking. My mind protested vehemently “what have you just committed to?” It screamed “another 60 plus consecutive days of yoga are you crazy?” Despite all my mental protests, I kept showing up, one day and one posture at a time. One of the most challenging postures for me was often just opening the front door to the studio, day, after day, after day. October 31st came and went and there was still a lot more work to be done on the film so our ever-growing challenge kept expanding and rolling along.

The film was released on December 15th, 2009. The release date marked my one hundredth and seventy seventh consecutive day of Bikram Heated yoga. As fate would have it, I kept the streak going after the December 15th, 2009 release and at the time of this article, will mark my 300th consecutive day of Bikram Heated Yoga.

For me, with each consecutive day of yoga, I get to expand what I previously thought was possible for myself and hopefully empower others to see what might be possible for them as well. This challenge has been one of the most rewarding and challenging things I have done in my life and it has helped to be a daily reminder of the importance and power of committed daily action. Whatever goal or intention you have, I invite you to commit to do something toward it each day and to start showing up for it, you never know where it will take you.

View the trailer and get the DVD of the film Beyond Belief at: www.beyondbeliefthemovie.com

Mar 1, 2010:   The innovative self-empowerment documentary, Beyond Belief,  reviewed in Elevated Existence magazine.  To see review click here.

Elevated Existence has featured inspirational mentors Deepak Chopra, Joe Vitale, Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Russell Simmons and Dr. Judith Orloff.  The digital magazine continues to seek out the best topics and teachers to enlighten, inspire and heal its readers.

The magazine covers topics such as the Law of Attraction, manifestation tools, yoga, meditation, and holistic and alternative healing methods.  Elevated Existence Magazine is aimed at positively improving the lives of its readers and their overall well being – mind, body and soul.

For more  info on Beyond Belief visit: www.beyondbeliefthemovie.com

By Brad Morris

Hello & Cowabunga Namaste;

Did you know that you have the most powerful intuition out of ANYBODY you know!?

Did you know that you have the ability to tell what is in the highest and greatest good for YOU in each & every moment?

Before participating in this article, lets just take a few breaths together so we can get into our bodies, get grounded onto Planet Earth and allow ourselves to be present and in our hearts. By being in our hearts weʼre able to decipher Truth & Falsity much easier.

Take a slow breath in through your mouth…….gently exhale through your mouth. Breathe in fully through your mouth……..gently exhale through your nose. Breathe deeply & fully through your nose…..slowly exhale through your nose. Take a deep breath in through your nose…………..gently exhale through your mouth.

Now that youʼre feeling more present, YES, it is TRUE that your intuition is more powerful than anyoneʼs you know! There is nobody on Planet Earth who can tell you what choices will serve you best and which ones wonʼt, better than you. That strong, silent, yet powerful voice inside of you is the TRUE voice that you want to be listening to. It is the voice of Destiny.

Have you ever had all of the closest people in your life telling you that ʻyou should do this and you should do thatʼ…. but never stopping to ask you what you are doing or what you plan to do???

I have found that with a consistent daily practice of yoga and sitting meditation (doesnʼt matter which kind) have helped me to become more powerfully attuned to MY OWN INTUITION. Before I learned to quiet my mind I would feel confused and chaotic inside because everyone around me was telling me what to do, how to do it, where to go, etc…I was never listening to My Inner Calling. Sound familiar?

ʻLife can be like the currents in the Ocean; throwing us around, left & right, smashing us up against painful rocks. That is until we find the power to ground ourselves like a rock and listen to that intuition. When we are grounded, centered and focused, it does not matter what the current around us is doing, because we are All Knowing & Confident.ʼ

I want to re-affirm to any of you self-doubters out there. Listen to yourself, to where inspiration leads you. If you practice tuning in to what your body is speaking, then youʼll know more often when to say ʻyesʼ and when to say ʻno.ʼ If you listen to what everyone thinks about you and if you let other peopleʼs judgments get the best of you, then youʼll remain in a stagnant, unfulfilling rut in your life.

To practice the power of your intuition, you have to practice LISTENING to it and FEELING what it is saying. So, here is a simple & FUN exercise for you to begin practicing today. . . . We are given many choices everyday, often multiple choices each moment. Your mission is to begin questioning the actions you commonly take without thinking about.

YOUR 24-Hour Intuition Challenge:

For the next 24-hours and beyond if you decide, your mission is to ask yourself before making choices this question, “Is this in my highest and greatest good?” OR “What is in my highest good right now?” You will know, based on your bodyʼs response if it is, or if it isnʼt. And the challenging part of this exercise, is saying NO when itʼs not in your highest good and YES when it is!!

When youʼve completed the 24-hours, share your experience, thoughts and opinions at my blog site, www.CowabungaLifestyles.wordpress.com

Good luck. And have fun communicating & listening to YOUR intuition!

– Cowabunga Namaste           

Brad Morris Biz’: ‘the GratiDudes’ & ‘Grounded Perspective’

www.theGratiDudes.com   www.Cowabungalifestyles.wordpress.com

Brad Morris is one of twenty four experts featured in the documentary Beyond Belief: www.beyondbeliefthemovie.com