Orchard Hill Center: Health & Wellness - formerly Princeton Yoga

01/03/2026

Gratitude.

Worthy moments of Zen for the new year.

Begin again…

https://youtu.be/nj2ofrX7jAk

A Moving Art original short. This inspirational video was well responded at TED conferences and filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg motivates those around him as h...

01/01/2026

Hello January!

“Undying, untouched by fire or the storms of life, there is a place inside where stillness and abiding peace reside. You can ride the breath to go there.”
~ Danna Faulds

Hello January!

Photo credit: Triple Muse Photography the Welcoming Buddha at the Orchard Hill Center.

12/26/2025

“Sweetheart. You are in pain. Relax.

Take a breath. Let’s pay attention to what is happening.

Then we’ll figure out what to do.

~Sylvia Boorstein

Meditation practice does not mean we always meet life’s challenges or the mind’s rumblings with equanimity...

Especially during the holiday season, sharing this Important reminder and sage teaching from Sylvia Boorstein!

https://www.lionsroar.com/restoring-the-mind-to-kindness/

Sunset at Orchard Hill Center

12/26/2025

Habari gani?

Kwanzaa, a seven-day holiday that celebrates African-American heritage. Kwanzaa was created as a way to help African-Americans remember their roots and also to foster unity during a time of incredible racial strife. It's been observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 every year since 1966.

The greetings during Kwanzaa are in Swahili. Swahili is a Pan-African language and is chosen to reflect African Americans' commitment to the whole of Africa and African culture rather than to a specific ethnic or national group or culture. The greetings are to reinforce awareness of and commitment to the Seven Principles. It is: " Habari gani?" and the answer is each of the principles for each of the days of Kwanzaa, i.e., "Umoja", on the first day, "Kujichagulia", on the second day and so on.

Gifts: Gifts are given mainly to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.

Colors and Decoration: The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green as noted above and can be utilized in decorations for Kwanzaa. Also decorations should include traditional African items, i.e., African baskets, cloth patterns, art objects, harvest symbols, etc.

Wishing you light, happiness, and peace to all who celebrate in the coming year from Orchard Hill Center.

12/26/2025

“For though my faith is not yours and your faith is nor mine, if we are each free to light our own flame, then we can banish some of the darkness of the world.”

~Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

12/23/2025

Another beautiful Facebook memory of times gone by at Orchard Hill Center: Health & Wellness - formerly Princeton Yoga popped up today - this one from 2017. As many of you know I so loved contemplating on and weaving together teachings of our varied wisdom traditions and nature into a contemplative tapestry.

Rest...Silence...Service...

"At Christmas, we are naturally called, as yogis, to understand that we are part of a collective story. And our mission is to uplift the world in which we live. One cannot do this without loving-kindness, generosity, and giving to others.

During the Holidays, our natural rhythms change. The inner soil is prepared by time-off, the sweet company of loved ones, rituals, and sacred tradition.

As yogis, we are called to cultivate inner awareness and learn how to harness the energies present to us during various times of the year-the change of seasons, the phases of the moon, the sacred times of the year.

…Naturally, the season of winter makes us more reflective and internally-directed. It is a time of hibernation, of looking within, of building a fire, and slowing down. There is less day light, more darkness, more quiet hours, and less prana (or vital energy).

Listening to the inner rhythm of winter gives us some clues on how to attain balance in our practice. It is important that we become very intentional about adding in more meditative, contemplative, and inwardly-directed practices to balance the physical asana practice.

It is beneficial to consciously slow down and engage in breathing techniques to increase pranic energy levels of the body that are naturally lower at this time. And so, this Christmas, in between parties, celebration, joy, wine, food, and friendship, perhaps we can begin to listen deeply to the seasonal pull of winter.

Yes…the Holidays are as much about celebration, joy, togetherness, and love.

But balancing the attentiveness you give to your external life with a similar attentiveness to your internal life will begin to breathe sacredness back into your experience of the Holidays.

And, perhaps, initiate conditions that will guide you into a peaceful, non-hectic, and centered start to the New Year."

Take some moments to come back home to yourself – with a little help from memories from your time at Orchard Hill Center.

“Time…is eternity in disguise.”
~Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

Wishing all a joyous holiday season and wondrous new year!

With deep and abiding gratitude,

Deborah Metzger

(Founded by me in 1996, the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health closed its doors July, 2021. All things change… 🙏 🕉 🙏)

(Above excerpted from https://www.thehouseofyoga.com/…/three-sacred-practices-yog….)

12/21/2025

Chanukah: Day 8

"On Chanukah, as we listen to the traditional story of the purification and rededication of the Holy Temple, we are encouraged to look beyond the narrative into the mystery of our lives and know ourselves as Sacred Temples — each of us a Dwelling Place for the Divine Presence. Chanukah teaches that all of us are sacred vessels, formed and shaped in a unique way so the One light can shine through us into the world.

Over the course of the year, our hearts, minds and souls -- our sacred vessels -- become clogged and cracked. This occurs not because we have done something wrong or bad. It is simply the result of living in this world—experiencing and encountering all that our lives offer. On Chanukah we dedicate ourselves to purifying and cleansing these vessels.

The cleansing is not about searching for perfection. It is about peering into the darkness and seeing what is. We kindle small lights that help us see our vulnerabilities, fears and pain, small lights that help us see our strengths, joys, love and beauty.

The practice is to let the lights illuminate whatever is present with gentleness and compassion. The noticing of whatever is the work of purification. We remind ourselves our vessels are whole in their brokenness. And it is the cracks that allow the light to shine through.

We dedicate ourselves to this holy work not just for ourselves, but for the sake of each other and the world. The world needs our radiance. We purify our vessels so we are better able to shine our unique light and make our lives our offerings. We rededicate ourselves to presence and awareness so the work of our hands and the expressions of our hearts can bring forth blessing, healing and love.

Each night and day of Chanukah carries with it a unique way of returning to the light. May the journey be blessed. May our lights shine for goodness, love and peace." ~Mishkan Shalom.

From my house to yours,
Deborah Metzger

12/21/2025

Winter Solstice – shortest day and longest night of the year…

Mother nature invites us to go inward during this coming winter season – a time to nourish our roots in preparation for the new growth of the spring season – and it is a sharp contrast to the frenzy and outer demands of this holiday season in our culture (and the surreal challenges of our time). Is it any wonder that many feel so stressed and experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) as we deny nature’s call to sit around the fire after the fall harvest and tell stories in community?

Most cultures have varied ways to bring light into the darkness – Chanukah, Jewish Festival of Light began December 14 this year (and ends tomorrow), today is Pagan Winter Yule, as is Yalda Night (Shab-e Yalda) the Persian celebration of Solstice, October 20 was the Hindu celebration of Diwali, Christmas is next week, Kwanzaa begins December 26…

So, take the opportunity to turn inward, form intentions, prepare for hibernation – to take a breather from the frenzy of holiday preparation…and… let go…

Deborah Metzger

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12/20/2025

Chanukah Day 7

There are eight nights to Chanukah, and each night another candle is added. In doing so, we bring more light into the world. There is one additional candle - the Shamash (or 'servant') which is used to light the other candles. Consider that when we use one candle to light another, the original candle remains bright. Its light is not diminished by being shared. Symbolically, each kindness we do for another person supports their healing and the rediscovery of their wholeness – and, which, in turn, brightens our own light.

It is said that the number 7 represents completion and symbolizes our deep inner-need to find depth, meaning and spiritual or communal connection. This energy turns to the deeper levels of life... to learn... to connect, to find purpose. As we ‘advertise’ the ‘miracle’ of the light by the custom of placing our menorah in our window - let the light of the menorah which shines out into the world be a mirror to enhance the light of others.

So, here we are now at the end of yet another challenging and surreal year – 2025 - and preparing to embark on a new year. A time of completion...and new beginnings in the light of the many spiritual traditions of this time of year.

How do you intend to deepen your connection to self and Self?

How might you serve as “Shamash’ and who might serve as your "Shamash" in mutual support on your journey in the coming year. How might you mirror that show of light that sparkles forth from the self and yet, is not diminished?

Deborah Metzger

https://youtu.be/StB_ehpZyN4 -
Just One Candle - Peter, Paul & Mary

12/20/2025

Chanukah Day 6.

Hanukah begins on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev (Lunar calendar), when the moon has all but completely disappeared. We are in one of the darkest periods of one of the darkest months of the year. All around us is darkness. And what do we do? We light a fire. Not a bonfire, but a small fire — now one, now another, and so forth for eight nights. In other words, we do not pretend to be the sun, but only stars. We do not bring an end to darkness, but soften its effects.

As the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, moods often shift, worries often mount and hope often wanes.

Can we be like stars? Stars do not eliminate the darkness, but rather mitigate it; do not turn the world into a palace full of light, but rather find ways to shed light in places that would otherwise be consumed by absolute darkness. In a similar vein, we ought to be wary, to say the least, of the fantasy that human beings can somehow remove all darkness from human life. Such notions are chimerical at best and unimaginably dangerous at worst. But we can bring light into otherwise abandoned places, to bring flashes of meaning and companionship to places otherwise overrun by heartache and devastation. (excerpted from Rabbi Shai Held)

So this evening, we light the 6th candle on the Menorah, shedding a bit more light....shall we then gather together in community to share our light and mitigate the darkness?

Deborah Metzger

“Don’t let the Light Go Out”
Link to Peter, Paul & Mary classic.

https://youtu.be/OubqU6-y9iM

12/19/2025

Chanukah Day 5

On this Chanukah, during what seems like a darker time, what does it look like when we stand together, regardless of our own religion or other ‘differences’, and take back the darkness of hate and prejudice for the sake of justice for all.

As we light the Chanukah candles this year, during what seems like a darker time, let us commit to increasing hope, service, and action.

The power of the candle:

“Kabbalah teaches us to use a candle to bridge the gap between the spiritual and material world. When we want to connect to a spiritual force that we cannot perceive with our five senses, lighting a candle helps us to do this. The candles of Shabbat and Holidays connect us to the spiritual light of that moment. A Yahrzeit (Memorial) candle connects us to the soul of the deceased which no longer is manifested in the material world. A candle is used also during meditation as a connection to spiritual frequencies that we may not be able to connect to otherwise.” ~ Shaul Youdkevitch

Chanukah is known as the Festival of Lights. Christmas and Kwanzaa could also carry that label. Through its trappings and teachings, each holiday compels us to focus on light and warmth; the light of shared values, the warmth of family, and the brightness of hope and peace. We are told in the verses of our worship that, unlike so many candles, our holiday lights need not flicker and die in the space of a few hours, provided we make it a point to carry their light with us throughout the year to come.

Let us join our collective light together - from darkness to light, from our 'home' to yours.

Deborah Metzger

Menorah image: Steampunk - Plumbing. Lighting the Menorah. Michael Savad