classes cancelled this evening :(

Evening classes for Feb. 9 are cancelled due to building maintenance. We are without power in the entire building. The power will be back on tomorrow. If you typically attend the Wednesday noon class, please call 859.433.7787 tomorrow to check on the status of the power.

Many apologies for the short notice. We're looking forward to getting back into the normal groove of things!

Namaste,
Sharon

people, places & things

Shelli and mimosas. Yum...
Watercolor & stickers to brighten up my planner.
Andy and his cute-ness.
Remy and his fave winter time spot. He's so close he nearly catches his tail on fire!
Bella and a cute pink & gray sweater.
BW's teachers & cupcakes.
Healthy eating collage and banana orange smoothies.
New books by the bedside.
And my clutter free dresser with pottery pieces made by me, gifts from friends, a pink pig that says "Tess" that I bought while dating Andy in college, and another collage. Love the feminine touches.

i heart you monday

*Slept in late

*Danced 45 minutes to a fabulous workout dvd featuring dances from Dirty Dancing.
Yep I moved, grooved and, laughed at myself quite a bit.

*Juiced two oranges then made banana orange smoothie in blender. Yum...

*Three more hours on the computer and finished all quickbooks stuff for Barefoot Works (!!!!!!...really excited about that one). Drink a cuppa hot cinnamon tea as BIG as my head. Love this stuff.

*Checked in on fave blogs.

*Add an extra day for Final Four weekend in Indianapolis for Seane Corn workshop.

*Look at places to stay in Atlanta for Bon Jovi concert in April!

*Lunch was leftover spinach and feta pizza from mine and Andy's superbowl supper.

*Couple more hours of work.

*Hour of yoga with Nicki Doane. Love her. It was all about the standing poses. Am such a yogini (and teacher) that is all about the standing poses. A love affair that still goes strong.

*Quick trip the library. And when I mean quick, I mean quick. Andy sent a text saying the dvd we rented (Milk) was due. I was still in my pj's and a robe. So I shed the robe, added a coat and some boots and off Remy and I go in the pink camouflage pj's.

*Dinner was toasted sandwich with hummus, avocado,spinach and a dash of tamari. And french vanilla pound cake for a little sweets. And more hot tea...chai spice from Stash.

*Watch about two minutes of the 6:00 news. Find it depressing. Turn it off. Then remember my practice of sitting with discomfort. Crap....

*Listen/Watch this video with David Frawley about ayurveda. He's gonna be at the semiar (journey into healing) I'm going to next week in Pheonix.

*Read and do some of the journaling exercises from Style Statement. I am completely surprised by just how much I am enjoying this book. One of the authors, Danielle Laporte is really freakin' awesome. And funny. And brilliant. Her tagline...Because Self Realization Rocks. Yep, love it. Adding her to my list of people I want to meet.

*Play bejewled on my ipod throughout day.

*Send some emails.

*Ask what I want to do, and essentially do it.

I love you Mondays. You are filled with sweet, simple, decadent goodness.

You are good to me. And I love you so. :)

yoga for an ocean cure & service

"We transcend our suffering to the degree that we are able to passionately employ our gifts in the service of others." ~Bhagavad Gita



A BIG huge thanks to Jen Lile for trekking down from Cincinnati through the snow to present Yoga for an Ocean Cure. Jen donated her time, her energy, her money, and her heart to be with us at Barefoot Works and raise money for what seems to be a truly inspiring organization.

It was so refreshing to take a yoga class with fun, upbeat, beach tunes playing as Jen guided us through a playful yoga practice.

For those two hours.....
I did feel like I was on a lil vacation
even though outside the studio doors
winter was still in full swing.

I was reminded of the power of being
and joining with other like minded souls.

I am reminded of the importance of sharing....
sharing of our gifts
sharing of our time.
sharing of our heart.

And being of service.
Wondering how I can broaden my mind in ways this can be approached.
Happy about the ways I know of people giving....

*Last week my sister took her two girls and a friend to volunteer at the animal rescue shelter.
*I teach yoga with the girls at Florence Crittenton.
*Sarah, Emily (and soon Jeanne) gather with others at the studio for knitting.
*Myself, Emily, Tracy, Beth, and Jean have all taught community yoga at the studio.
*My brother (Summit City) hosted a dance party in which the proceeds went to Haiti.
*We'll dedicate our yoga class next Sat. morning to the victims of Haiti.
*Lisa has taught yoga at a local school in Lexington.

I know there are many others.
Tonight I'm feeling hope-full.

Witnessing, seeing, and hearing about those wanting to make a difference
and willing to lend a helping hand.
Leaves my heart feeling like maybe....
just maybe....
we will rise together and unite.

the practice of sitting with discomfort

1. Find a place that you can sit and be with minimal distractions. For me that means in the morning, soon after I awake. Door closed, sitting on the floor, and copal incense lit.

2. Get comfortable and take a few moments to relax your body progressively....head, face, neck, shoulders, back, torso, hips, legs, and feet.

3. Begin to observe your natural breath as you breathe in and out your nose. Try not to change it or force it. Just let it naturally come and go while you observe.

4. Imagine moving inward at the center of your torso, seeing and feeling white healing light. As the breath continues (and perhaps grows deeper) see that white light spreading all throughout your body. Continue this for a few moments.

5. Now bring to mind something that is currently uncomfortable for you. Don't choose the "thing" that is the most uncomfortable for you. Let's take it a little easy on ourselves at first, right? ;) Perhaps it's an intense conversation you had, a fear you have, finances, etc. Try to be as specific as you can.

6. Hold the image of that uncomfortable "thing" in your mind's eye. Visualize it at the center of your forehead and then allow it to move down into your body. While you are doing this, observe your breath, sensations you feel in your body, and any other emotions or distractions that arise.

7. Pay close attention and simply see what happens. After a few moments (maybe 2-5 minutes to start with, come back to the white healing light in your body, observing your natural breath, then progressively relax your body once more.

It's nice to have someone to do this with. The first time my life coach led me through something similar to this and the above is what I've been doing on my own.

A few years ago a life coaching/yoga teaching friend of mine told me about the book, "The Dark Side of the Light Chasers" and how valuable it had been for her in seeing and learning from her pains, struggles, discomforts and such and then being able to teach,share, and be a witness to those experiencing discomfort. Which I believe to a completely separate blog post, as I could ramble here.

Let me know if you have any questions, frustrations, or aha moments with the meditation above. I'd love to hear.

Have a delicious weekend. And don't forget to come out tomorrow for "Yoga for An Ocean Cure" from 11:00-1:00!

sitting with discomfort

This was in the newsletter I emailed out. Since not everyone gets this, thought it was worth putting here also.

Awakeness is found in our pleasure and in pain, our confusion and our wisdom. It's available in each moment of our weird, unfathomable, ordinary everyday lives. ~Pema Chodron

I'm feeling both intrigued and inspired by this quote by Pema Chodron. Recently I've been working with the idea of being present with discomfort both on and off the yoga mat.

With all the recent hurt and devastation associated with Haiti I learned something very valuable. I have a tendency to turn away from pain and hurt. It's hard for me to watch. It's even harder for me to experience.

As my husband watches the news I ask, "Haven't we seen enough of this? It's depressing." As I sat and watched Hope for Haiti, the concert to raise money for Haiti, I only lasted three songs before my eyes filled with tears. Rather than sitting with the pain, I chose to go upstairs and look at something more uplifting. Researching future trainings and plane tickets to Mexico all of a sudden seemed like a better way to spend my time. This made me feel better, but only momentarily.

As a student and teacher of yoga I experience and witness how we avoid discomfort on the yoga mat. In practicing at home, we choose only the poses that we love and feel like we excel at. In holding pigeon pose, we have unsettling thoughts or we can't get physically comfortable, so we shift around. We come out of the pose. Most anything feels better than sitting with discomfort.

Please know that I am not referring to physical pain we experience in yoga poses. This is never a good thing and we want to avoid this. I've told many students before that "Discomfort in a pose is not necessarily a bad thing. Quite often this is the place where we can learn the most." I'm now ready and willing to investigate this even more away from the yoga mat. In my relationships, my business, and my life in general.

It is my hope that I can be more open to embracing the the full spectrum of life. I imagine that if I can turn towards (and not away) both the beauty and messiness of life keeping both my eyes and my heart open, then that is truly a wonderful thing.

In Gratitude.....
Sharon

ps - more about actually sitting with discomfort tomorrow.

an ideal day....

Yesterday was such a great day....such a perfectly balanced, ideal day. I spent three hours working upon waking. Went to the Main and Maple here in Nicholasville and spent two hours sipping a vanilla latte and doing some reflecting, dreaming, pondering, and general inner work that I hope will one day manifest in outer workings. Going to the grocery store, cooking soup for lunch, and picking up around the house accounted for about two hours. Then about three more hours of Barefoot Works work upstairs. Finished the evening with hanging out with some people I love dearly, my brother Joel and sister in law Amelia. Andy and I finished the day by reading together in bed.

As I was happily going throughout the day I was thinking this was a pretty perfect day. In looking at it I can see that I gave to my business, myself, my home, and relationships. And it felt really really good.

I've been thinking more about how I spend my time and how I spend my days. Getting clear on what's important and trying to do what I need to do the focus on the areas that are important to me.

Working 18 hours a day to make loads of money is not that important to me. I want to work enough to feel fulfilled, to contribute to the overall good of society, and have enough money to not worry about money and do the things that I love...like travel, participate in trainings, eat good food, buy tons o' books, hang out with my family and friends, and other relatively simple pleasures.

I have decided that I truly love the freedom and flexibility that comes along with my job. And this is worth any (ok most) dollar amounts.

It's this freedom and flexibility that allowed me to spend an ideal day, such as yesterday and feel such goodness. Such wholeness. Such balance.

So, have you given much thought to what your "ideal" day would look like?

on balance and happiness

The theme for the year continues. I'm keeping a running log of things I do and where they "fit" into the purusharthas. Here was how the last week shaped up:

Dharma (duty):
*Had a meeting with an instructor about more opportunities for karma yoga
*Planned yoga session with the girls at Florence Crittenton
*Two great private yoga sessions. Enjoy the one-on-one time for yoga
*Researched trainings for the year. Ordered info about Ayurveda training at Kripalu
*Cleaned the house
*And the studio
*Taught classes. Made an effort to "raise the vibration"
*Planned my week as far as work and fun
*Donated to Haiti

Artha (prosperity):
*Coordinated and had reports ran for banking
*Thought more about MindBody University, training held by the software company I use
*Made a plan for getting things in place for taxes
*Paid bills
*Andy and I decide to make a few changes for our household budget
*Make projections about income for the year
*Brainstorm about teacher training in eastern Kentucky
*Fix student accounts

Kama (pleasure):
*Have a midweek date in Louisville with Shelli
*Weekday dates with Andy for dinner and library
*Hang with my sis at Barnes and Noble. Enjoy chats, drinks, brownies and books.
*Talk to my mom about plans for Mexico
*Twenty minute yoga sessions in morning and early evening.
*Brunch and sticker shopping at Hobby Lobby with Liz
*Decorate planner with said stickers and watercolor paints
*Work from bed on Tuesday till 3:00 then leaving to teach.

Moksha (liberation):
*Attend meditation workshop
*Meditate in the morning
*Chakra balancing session
*Sunday journaling at coffee shop
*Self Inquiry on beliefs
*Practice being present with being uncomfortable
*Phone session with life coach
*Re-reading Anatomy of the Spirit

In looking back over my list, I felt like I was lacking in the prosperity department so the plan is to do some work here over the next weeks. It was however a great week for pleasure...hence the picture. ;)

Happy happy weekend to all of you.....

no class today

Mornin' Yogi's,

We will not be having class this morning at 9:15. Stay indoors....snuggle up in bed with a good book, sip hot cocoa with lots o' marshmallows, watch a movie, journal about your year thus far, do five sun salutations, meditate on the question "who am I", make snow angels with your kids, make soup and peanut butter fudge, use the snow as an invitation to get calm, quiet and still and observe what arises.

winterly & warmly,
sharon

risk your significance

I will not die an unlived life.

I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.

I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance, to live so that which came to me as seed goes to the next as blossom, and that which came to me as blossom, goes on to fruit.

- Dawna Markova