new year shui

The January edition of Redbook has a great article that included things you can do to make this your best year ever. Here are a few fun ones:

*Clean your entire house before New Year's Day. If you're like me and that's just way toooo much then concentrate on your kitchen, since this is a space that represents your health, happiness, and prosperity. Never, ever clean on New Year's Day itself as this is thought to "sweep" all the good luck and fortune headed your way. So quick, grab a mop and clean and get to scrubbin' the kitchen...you've got less than seven more hours before the new year!

*Don't' refer to anything in the past of New Year's Day itself. Think, speak, hope and dream only of those things you wish to bring into your life (similar to setting an intention like we do before yoga class ;-)

*Be extra mindful of the words you choose to use on New Year's Day. Try not to lose your temper, whine or curse. And what ever you do, please don't cry. Tradition says that crying on this day can trigger a whole year of bad, bad things. So please, not even any happy tears!

And these two were my faves:

*If you are at home at midnight when the year turns, open all doors and windows (I know it's cold, but only for a few moments) to let the previous years energies out and allow some new interesting ones to come in. As an added bonus, bang some pots and pans together making a general ruckus (and possibly waking neighbors). This is said to scare away and negativity headed your way.

*The very first words uttered to you when the year turns will have a HUGE impact on your fortune and the upcoming 12 months. So choose carefully who you'll be with at midnight tonight. Have them whisper, shout or sing some inspiring and uplifting words to you....think happiness, health, love, and prosperity.

You can find this and other good stuff in Make This Your Lucky Day.

And if you haven't heard, the New Year's Detox Flow workshop for tomorrow has been cancelled. Seems like you yogi's plan to watch football and sleep late. I'm planning to do a nice practice myself followed by setting intentions for the new year....not even gonna think about the past year tomorrow. Only looking forward to bigger, better, brighter, and more beautiful things. Have a joyous and safe New Year.

fate

As Andy and I drove to Washington DC last week, we drove past the exit for Gaithersburg, MD. I said to him, "If I'd gotten that job in Gaithersburg, I wonder if we'd still be there?"

When I finished graduate school at EKU, I was applying for jobs almost anywhere. I knew I wanted to work in city parks and recreation and I knew I'd probably have to leave the state to find a job doing what I wanted. Plus I was young, Andy and I were newly engaged, and I wanted to see what life would be like outside of Kentucky. The City of Gaithersburg was one of the places I interviewed, and as you can see I didn't get the job. Instead life took me to Pearland, TX a suburb of Houston. After staying in DC for the week I was sure that the DC would have been a much better fit for me. And had I gotten that job, chances are we'd still be there. Anyone that knows me knows how strongly I feel about the notion of "everything happens for a reason" and I'm always on the lookout for "signs" near and far. So of course, I feel blessed and lucky to have spent the time in TX that I did. It was afterall, where I found yoga....or where yoga found me. But as I look back I see all sorts of little signs that proved that yoga was on the horizon:

Little did I know that the little girl that loved watching gymnastics, using a tree limb as a pole to flip and turn on, and the one that loved to use an old couch to catapult herself through the air would one day be a yoga teacher.

Little did I know that the little girl from eastern Kentucky who dreamed of visiting beautiful places far and near, would one day teach yoga on the beach of Mexico and practice on the balcony of the Dominican Republic.

Little did I know that the girl who loved to study religion and philosophy in college would one day be intrigued by ancient yoga texts and yogic philosophy, and would one day share this information with others wanting to be a yoga teacher.

Little did I know that the girl who always chooses to see the good in people would one day finish all her yoga classes by saying "namaste",....meaning the light in me honors the light in you. Believing that ultimately we all are more alike than different.

Little did I know that the girl who loves the big questions of life, like "who am I really" and "what's my role on this earth" discovered a practice in which she can search and find those answers on a regular basis.

Little did I know that the girl that dreamed about getting away from Kentucky would find her way back to this beautiful state, dream of a space where people would join and share yoga, create that space, spend her days immersed in all things yoga....and continue to dream about all the possible places to share and experience the joys of yoga. Some things change, some things will always remain the same.

Funny how life has a way of coming full circle to the place that we're meant to be.

In the Yucatan: All Yoga, All the Time

A great article in today's New York Times about Maya Tulum! Check it out:

ON this stretch of beach at the ruffled edge of the Caribbean Sea, 80 miles south of Cancún, visitors speak a language all their own, the lingo of Iyengar, ashtanga and anusara yoga. They are comfortable with entreaties to ''leave your conditioned mind at the door'' or ''melt your boundaries.'' They can balance on one leg in the warrior three pose and do a headstand, and they aspire to a full lotus. When the bell rings for meditation, they sit upright for 20 minutes, intent on the sound of their breathing.

Always a counterculture haven, this six miles of rutted road, on the Yucatán Peninsula between the Maya ruins of Tulum and the 1.3 million-acre Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, has lately become Yoga Central for tourists eager to limber their bodies and quiet their minds -- and maybe also surf the waves, sunbathe topless and sample tropical concoctions like tequila and tamarind juice.

The epicenter of this yoga zone is a 25-acre beachfront resort called Maya Tulum, which has made itself the destination of choice for high-profile yoga teachers and their students by building state-of-the-art studios, auditioning massage therapists from around the world and organizing ecotourist excursions.

And in the last 18 months, almost every hotel in the area -- there are about 20 -- has taken note of Maya Tulum's success by building yoga halls, putting massage tables under coconut palms, hiring a Maya shaman to preside at a weekly sweat lodge or offering treatments with names like Mayan Clay Body Mask With Ocean Lagoon Watsu. At any one time, there are probably more than 300 people in the yoga zone, with scores of them doing things like trying to lift themselves cross-legged from the floor with just their hands in the scale pose.

At Maya Tulum and its imitators, visiting yoga students sleep in thatched-roof cabanas, without telephones or electricity and with plumbing so delicate it can't even handle toilet paper. There is no CNN or Weather Channel. The news on any given day is whether the mangoes are sweet and the fish running. The forecast comes from the color of the sky, the crest of the waves and the wind in the palm fronds.

Click here to finish reading the story....

Now reading about this little piece of paradise warms my heart on a chilly day like today. These cold winter months will be over before we know it and myself and some lucky yogi's will be doing yoga on the beach of sunny Mexico at a magical place called Maya Tulum. Care to join?

Check out the details here....

oh the fun

Andy and I are having a blast here in DC! Here are some of the highlights so far:

*Christmas at Arlington - I had never heard of the wreaths laid on the headstones at the cemetery. It was completely beautiful. We also witnessed a beautiful wreath ceremony at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We were at Arlington on Christmas Day and the day couldn't have been more perfect. Andy and I even had a mini picnic in the grass. The warm sunshine made that quite enjoyable.

*The Lincoln Memorial - There was something very moving about climbing all those stairs and then all of a sudden coming upon a big, beautiful and thought provoking memorial. I was so excited to see him, I kept asking Andy on the way up "Where is he? Where is he?" The suspense was killing me! And the fog was crazy, you literally couldn't see him till you got all the way to the top.

*Walking the streets around Dupont Circle. I visited some great little shops like Beadazzled, Proper Topper and Kramer Books. We also ate at many yummy restaurants and picked up some of the best sugar cookies I've ever had from Marvelous Market.

*Attending Christmas Mass at St. Matthews Cathedral. We could see it from our hotel Topaz and it was the most beautiful church I've seen. It was also the site of John F. Kennedy's funeral.

*Shopping at Lululemon. It was a dose of yoga clothing heaven. After about an hour and a half later I walked away with two awesome pairs of yoga pants (and a husband that was oh so ready to move on). I would repay Andy later when I endure 2.5 hours of hockey at a Washington Capitals game. Give and take right? But we did finish the night at a fabulous Mexican restaurant, Rosa Mexacano.

Tomorrow will be my fun day to go and take random pictures and visit some yoga studio. Should be a great last day here in DC! I'll be ready to come home and get back to Barefoot Works. :-)

merry christmas

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." -Norman Vincent Peale

dc day 2

Andy and I have had two full days here in DC and I must admit that I really may need a vacation after returning! I told him earlier, "This is an exhausting vacation!" I think we've walked this whole city...three times! I've been doing a little bit of yoga in the mornings before leaving for the day's adventures and practicing with Rodney Yee on The Yoga Channel when we get back. But for some reason the same show keeps playing over and over. And even I am growing weary of Rodney Yee and his pretty pony tail. :-0

Andy has a mental list of all the places we must see and the things we must do. Most of those things are visiting memorials and museums. I, on the other hand want to wander the side streets of Dupont Circle, take pictures of pretty doors and unique windows, look inside the windows and ponder who lives there, do some yoga, shop at lululemon, sip coffee and browse in fun books stores. Luckily, we've compromised and it looks like Thursday may be our day to part ways and do some solo exploration.

Mostly I feel extremely lucky to be here, to be healthy and to be happy. Could there be much more to wish for this Christmas? Peace and happiness to each of you tonight, tomorrow, through the rest of the year and on to 2008.

Namaste,

Sharon

white house yogini

day five to do good

Today's do go deed is pretty cool and since I'm married to a teacher, I thought it to be an excellent way to give back this holiday season. Go the "adopt a classroom" and you can choose almost any school you'd like to donate money to. Teachers spend an average of $1,200 of their own money each year for classroom supplies (that's a lot of $). You can donate as little as $25, specify which school and even which teacher you want the money to go to. All contributions are tax deductible, so why not give a little to a school that you attended? And how many of us can bring to mind one or two teachers that made such an impact on our life and helped in some small or large way to become the person we are today? I know I can easily recall a couple that I still carry around in my heart and in my head.

I'm always reminded to the goodness in people during the holiday season. Sure traffic and stores can be a bit crazy (and I remind myself to put on my "patient pants") and you get the occasional person totally lacking in the holiday spirit....but for the most part people are doing great fun things like gathering, celebrating, baking, crafting, chatting, sharing, decorating, and passing on the holiday cheer. And many of us find our own unique ways to "do good", to give back, and life the spirits of others.

Wouldn't life be worth the living
Wouldn't dreams be coming true
If we kept the Christmas spirit
All the whole year through?~Author Unknown

Andy and I will be leaving tomorrow for DC for our very own Christmas getaway (big smile and arms waving excitedly)! All the gifts have been shipped, we've seen our families and friends, now we're getting the heck outta town. I hope that each of you have a beautiful holiday. :-)

day four to do good

Today's do good deed was so much fun that it didn't feel like a "deed" at all! My Thursday morning class has become one of my favorite classes to teach. What started out as an itty bitty baby class ( many days Tracy and myself) is now blossoming into this beautiful class of fun and energetic yogini's who are willing to give most anything a go. This morning after class I invited each of the gals to Panera with me to sip coffee/tea and enjoy a pastry. It's always great fun getting to know people off of the yoga mat. It was a small thank you to those gals for allowing me to do what I love. I'd get awfully bored hearing myself talk and no yoga students to listen! I'm always reminding myself how lucky and how blessed I am to share the joys of yoga. From the deepest part of my heart, thank you.

I got a most perfect gift this morning from Sarah....The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle. Since I read "The Giving Tree" at the end of yin yoga class last night, it was so very fitting. And Tracy gave me one of her favorite reads, "You Can Heal Your Life". I love, love books (the pile for DC continues to grow). Many thanks Nicole for the bakes goodies and Liz the tea themed gift was just perfect. Not only are they talented yogini's, but they're also oh so thoughtful. :-)

Click here to learn to simplify and reinvent your holiday season. And here to read about how some yogi's created their own holiday traditions.

Have a beautiful day....and do some good today. :-)

day three to do good

Sadly, today's original effort to do good wasn't fully realized, or really even partly realized. I had picked up this really great idea from Keri Smith and I was quite excited to see it through. So I'll share my plan with you in hopes that you might choose to do it. Here are the very detailed directions:

1. Take a piece of paper and cut it into small strips.
2. Hand write a very lovely message on each strip. Think "you are beautiful" and "good things are coming your way today" and "share the cheer".
3. Drop the messages in random places throughout your day.
3. Feel happy knowing that you put a smile on a stranger's face.

When I realized that I wouldn't have the time to do today's original do good deed, I improvised. I let people out in front of me in traffic, I gave away a parking space, and when I spoke with people (from the repair guy who came to my studio for the internet to the sales associate at Marshall's) today I made the biggest effort to connect and mentally and physically be 100% present. I gave each of them the gift of presence. Really, who doesn't want that?

day two to do good

Today's "do good" deed was a little more local to myself and some of you blog readers. It was in Patchen Village, where the studio is located. This past Saturday, Leigh Ann and myself spent several hours making, baking and decorating cookies. We actually ran out of time and I had to leave poor Leigh Ann with a heap of cookies, brownies and tins (thanks LA for finishing up)! She was kind enough to finish it up and place the baked goods in tins, which I shared with my neighbors around the studio. They were delighted to be greeted with yummy, homemade baked goods. Who isnt, right?!

After sharing the yummies I grabbed a bag, layered up and made my way outside. I walked around Patchen Village collecting garbage....little plastics bags, straw wrappers, paper items, candy wrappers, and more than one beer can. Sometimes I'm amazed at the things that people choose to discard on the ground.

I had some time to go for a walk in the neighborhood before my 5:45 class. You know, some time to think about the "do good" deed. I found myself thinking about how much I really do believe in the whole concept of small actions one day equaling grand results. Although the things I did today were quite small and local and required little time and no money, it counts. I think we each have a chance to create an impact on everyone we meet, at every encounter. That impact can be very positive or it can be very negative. When we choose to spread positive vibes, that person will more than likely spread postive vibes to the people they encounter. What starts as a ripple grows into a big wave, spreading to all areas and all four corners of the earth with time.

Cheers....raise a glass and if you did some good today (big or small), wrap your arms around yourself and squeeze. You count and your actions count. :-)

day one to do good

Last weeks q&a with Jen Lile has inspired "Five Days to Do Good". Each day this week I'll do a little something to lift people's spirits and find simple ways to give back. I'm so very excited about todays effort to do a little good in the world. I've signed on to be a part of KIVA, Loans that Change Lives. Kiva helps you to "connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you've sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back." Pretty awesome, huh?! And even better 100% of what you loan goes directly to those in need.

I made a donation to Zahara Amir , the owner of a hair salon in Tanzania, where customs and traditions make it challenging for women to own land and assets. Once you loan money you even get to post your pic alongside others who have supported Zahara. Again pretty nifty, right?

I think that all of us should question ourselves about ways that we can give back. It doesn't have to be with money alone. It can be with time, energy and effort. I hope to get creative this week in the ways that I give back.

FYI - That sorta scary looking pic above is my vision board. It seems that this week of doing good will go right along with giving and receving from the earth.

greatest gift

"There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are". -Ernst Haas.

Ths camera is my all time favorite gift, my all time favorite toy. Best of all, it was a surprise gift from Andy when I returned home from a yoga teacher training over three years ago. Since that day it's been like a best friend to me of sorts, traveling everywhere I go from London England to the cemetary behind my house. I go out and wander the streets and the back country roads when I'm feeling happy, bored, confused and or inspired. With this camera I've captured moments in time that I will never ever forget. Everybody shoud have such a gift, such a toy. What's yours?

chakra balancing workshop

I've decided to cancel the chakra balancing workshop that is scheduled to tomorrow due to the "iffy" weather we're having here in the bluegrass. Shelli (the instructor) would have been driving from Louisville and I just didn't feel comfortable having my dear friend driving on what might be icy roads. But I promise, for all of you so excited about balancing your chakras, I'll reschedule for sometime after the new year. :-)

On a cold day like today I'm dreaming of pink blooms and bright green leaves. Stay warm and dry friends!

phenomenal woman

I am thrilled to introduce you to my dear friend Jen Lile. Jen is our second phenomenal woman here online at the blog and for a very good reason. Her take on the holiday season and holidays in general is a refreshing and inspiring viewpoint. In fact she's inspired me to want to give back this holiday season. I'll share details later. Enjoy learning more about the lovely Jen Lile.

How do you define phenomenal woman?

A phenomenal woman lets her light, her gifts and her wisdom shine in a confident but modest way. She strives to be genuine and generous with everyone, including herself. She inspires and elevates those in her company. And she dances at every opportunity. :-)

I love the little things you do for holidays and celebrations, such as the Valentines Postcard and Friendsgiving. What do these sentiments, these events mean to you?

Some holidays and their accompanying traditions feel a little empty to me, so I try to add a twist that brings me joy. My idea for the party component of Friendsgiving probably started when I was eight years old and discovered that my friend Chip ate spaghetti on Thanksgiving. Why was I stuck with turkey?! Now I feel as giddy as my eight-year-old self when I see (and sample!) treats such as hummus, beans and rice, and freshly baked bread on the Friendsgiving buffet! The idea for the service component of Friendsgiving came about much later in my life, when I realized that I had an abundance of good fortune and I wasn’t sharing enough of it – I wanted to do more than just feel thankful. I knew that my friends could inspire and motivate me to volunteer my time more often, so I enlisted their help in creating monthly service events for all of us to participate in. I still share a traditional Thanksgiving with my family, and I think I enjoy it more now that it’s just one way, not the only way, I celebrate the holiday.

In a recent email you mentioned that this year your family will exchange gifts of love and service instead of “traditional” gifts. Can you tell us more about this?

My husband’s family is beyond big – he’s one of 11 children! Celebrating Christmas with them is amazing, but it also results in a lot of well-intentioned but somewhat excessive gift-giving. Last week one of my brothers-in-law and I proposed that our gifts reflect the love, talent and creativity within our family … for example, an invitation to dinner and conversation at one’s home, a drum or yoga lesson, a donation to someone’s favorite charity, etc. I was super-excited about this idea, but as I spoke with other family members I realized that most of them truly enjoy shopping and giving tangible gifts. So, while the dream of exchanging service-oriented gifts will not happen this year, I am personally committed to making and buying gifts that move beyond the traditional!

What do you do during the holiday season to take care of yourself mentally, physically and spiritually?

My most important self-care activity all year round, but most importantly during the holidays, is letting go of the “shoulds” and also the guilt that sometimes surfaces when I don’t follow those perceived obligations. The importance of this became clear to me a few years ago as I was addressing envelopes for my holiday cards. I was stressing about that process alone, and the thought of writing in each card filled me with dread – how was I going to get this done? At that moment I realized how disingenuous I was being to myself and to my friends and family by forcing myself to write words of joy that I wasn’t feeling at all. So I stopped! And now I send postcards to celebrate the beginning of the new year or Valentine’s Day, when I feel more connected to the message I’m sending to loved ones. So, ultimately, I guess I strive to find connection and meaning in everything I do around the holidays, and if that’s not apparent in a particular activity or tradition, I try not to force it. (I fully acknowledge that having a phenomenal husband and family makes this SO much easier.)

What do you find yourself most thankful for these days?

I am so thankful for the mindfulness that allows me to tap into a million little things to appreciate each day. And, I know this sounds a little odd, but I love that each morning starts with my dog dashing down the steps with me and hopping madly on his hind legs at the bottom of the staircase, as if he hasn’t done the very same thing -- in anticipation of the very same cup of dry dog food -- every morning for the past seven years of his life. It’s a great reminder, especially when I’m feeling grumpy about getting out of my cozy bed, that I can choose to find gratitude and joy in the ordinary.

What is your mantra?
Everyone’s a teacher, everyone’s a student. No matter what our job title or role may be in life, we always have opportunities to learn from each other and to teach each other. This perspective also leads to a strong sense of compassion for others and for myself … we’re all trying to figure things out, aren’t we?

Thank you Jen for taking the time and putting so much thought and honesty into these questions. I'm honored that you did so!

peppermint bark

I discovered this recipe this weekend while flipping through an old Martha Stewart Christmas book. I made it for a gathering at my house on Monday and it was really, really good. Of course, I do love white chocolate!

2 pounds white chocolate (I used morsels. Chop into small pieces if you use bars)

12 large candy canes

1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

1. Line a 11 by 17 inch baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Use a double boiler, melt the white chocolate, stirring constantly. I don't have a double boiler so I used a metal bowl over a big pot of boiling water.

3. Cut or pound (the method I prefer, much more fun) candy cane into small pieces.

4. Stir the pieces of candy canes and peppermint oil into the melted chocolate. Remove, pour onto baking sheet and spread evenly. Wait until it's firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Break into pieces and you're done! Put in pretty little tins or boxes, include the recipe, wrap with a big bow and you have a wonderful gift to give.

Enjoy some yummy peppermint bark when you join in a class at the studio today. Come at 12:00 for an hour long Express Yoga or 6:00 tonight for Yin Yoga.

PS - I know that many of you are taking (and giving) finals at UK this week! My thoughts are with ya'll. Best of luck. :-)

tis the season

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. - Burton Hillis

I feel like the holiday season is in full swing and it feels really quite lovely. Andy and I went to Owensboro this weekend to celebrate early with his parents. They were so sweet. Friday was just like our Christmas Eve celebration would have been with a big feast, tasty drinks, and the opening of one present (every year we get new pj's to wear for Christmas Eve). We talked late into the night and it just felt really nice. We couldn't stay up too late because Santa had to deliver special presents for Christmas Day. As we get older and Santa (Andy's dad) gets older, the time gets earlier and earlier! Christmas Day we wake up bright and early and Andy's mom makes some last minute finishing touches to the gifts under and around the tree. We walk in with a sense of excitement and joy spreads across our face when we see all the pretty packages and presents. We take our opening opening each one. I talk to Andy's mom about how perfect the gift is, carefully sit it aside and move to the next. After opening presents and hanging out, we move to the kitchen to make yummy pancakes and hot chocolate. We always joke that the youngest in their family is 20, yet Christmas always feels like it did when they were kids. They celebrate with a lot of traditions that they created themselves and it's so much fun to get to be a part of that.

I hope that I move forward into the rest of the season with a sense of excitement, joy, patience and gratitude.

fave blog entry

This post is really honest, moving and beautiful.

more faves

It's been talking to people after class about the "wish list" that I posted about a few days ago. It seems that several gals are buying that fabulous book that I've mentioned a few times for girlfriends and one special belly dancing gal is getting the skidless towel from her two little girls. Isn't that thoughtful of them....they even picked the perfect color ;-)

So I'm more faves and wish list ideas. I love making "lists" of all sorts.

*All time fave candle. I discovered them while living in Texas and my sister-in-law always gets me one for Christmas. I've had others but this scent is the best!

*Fave place to shop for pants and jeans that actually fit. Their t-shirts are also my favorite. They're sooo soft.

*Fave mineral makeup that was recently introduced to me by the little yogini Tracy.

*Heather Bailey has to be one super cool gal (I imagine she is ;-) Wondering if these trashties will actually hold my thick hair in place?

*These leg warmers are pretty fun

*Check out this "whine less breathe more" necklace

*This pretty necklace has three charms to helps protect against negative energies and create abundance.

What are you wanting Santa to leave under your tree this year?

eat, pray, love

I know, I know. I can't stop raving about this book. I LOVE it this much (big, wide open arms)! And after seeing Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the book on Oprah yesterday I want to pick it up and read it all over again...today. Oprah had such an overwhelming response from viewers the first time she was on the show, that she had to have her back.

There are so many women, of all ages and all backgrounds that have been so deeply moved by this book. It was great to hear the author answer questions from many different gals. One issue that was brought up that really stood out and remains fresh in my mind is this whole concept of being "selfish". One young gal made the comment that after reading the book she made a big list of things that she would like to do, and one thing at a time, she's doing them and crossing them off her list. She said "that by discovering the world around her, she was discovering the world within her". But at times she couldn't help but feel a little selfish (that nasty word again).

The author addressed this in a way that made so much sense to me. Saying that the word selfish can have two different connotations. One being that you are being greedy, hoarding and maybe causing harm to others. But the other means that you are doing what benefits you and helps you to live to be your best. She went on to say that when we are being our best, our spirit and our soul shines a little brighter and others see this. They feel it and we in turn inspire others to live their biggest, brightest life. I love this. It really resonates with me. It makes sense to me and reminds me that we must do what we need to do to nurture ourselves. In order for us to be any good for our spouse, our kids, our boss, our friends and a whole lotta other people....we must do the things that feed our spirit. Don't think of it as being selfish. Think of it as being soulish.

praying

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant or, or a few

small stones;

just pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

-Mary Oliver

perfect yoga gifts

Gifts to put on your Christmas wish list:

* I love these Thoughtful Tees from Gaiam. The Strike A Pose one is my fave and as a bonus, $5 from every shirt sold goes to Doctors Without Borders.
* You'll slip into meditation with no problem with this soothing meditation hourglass from Anthropologie. Each one measures thirty minutes.
* Help replace the hundreds of thousands of trees that were lost in Katrina. The Arbor Day Foundation has delivered over 65,000 free trees to Katrina residents. Click here to donate to the campaign for yourself, or in honor of someone else.
* I love Gap's yoga pants. They even make most of them in different lengths for shorty and sporty gals like myself.
* Books are always great. Here are links to a few of my favorite purchases this year....
Eat, Pray, Love
Yoga as Medicine
The Secret Power of Yoga
The Yin Yoga Kit

*This skidless towel appears to be a must have to those that slip and slide in their downward facing dog.
* Get your yoga on while moving and grooving to the sounds of Krisha Das. His music is beautiful and uplifting.
* A gift certificate from Barefoot Works! Purchase them at the studio or online.
* These Curly Girl cards and journals are another favorite of mine. She even has some yoga cards to choose from!

If you have any others to add to the list, leave a comment and share with others!

here & there

Whew, I feel like I've been running around like crazy in the few days that I've been home! And this weekend appears to be a busy one....driving to Whitesburg tomorrow, teaching/working a half day at the studio Saturday, then Andy and I are going to Richmond to have a slumber party with the nieces and nephew (should be quite the party). Next weekend we'll be in Owensboro to celebrate Christmas with Andy's parents. And the next weekend will be fun with holiday parties, holiday baking get together, a very special class that I'll teach for a group, and the chakra workshop. Then we're off for a week to DC for Christmas! Yippy! Weekdays will be busy with getting ads ready for the new year, planning a very special new year's detox flow class (details in your newsletter that I literally JUST emailed out), working out a great partnership with the local Good Foods Co-op, getting ready for teacher training, getting #'s together for Mr. TaxMan, learning the in's and out's of this yoga software, getting the big blue house ready for the holidays, and finding time to gather round with family and friends to toast! Ahh, love the energy that goes hand in hand with the holiday season. I choose to view it as good positive energy swirling around instead of "oh my gosh I'm gonna go insane" energy!

Tis the season my friends! Don't forget that during these busy times, it can be very easy to "X" the yoga practice off the list. Don't do it!! Stick to your practice and it will help you to sail through the season!

PS - You have ONE more day to save 10% off our retreat to Mexico!!! Come, join us on the beach to do yoga, feel the warm breeze, walk the white sand beach and drink the best mango margaritas ever!

baby boy extravaganza

I got to meet two very special little men over the Thanksgiving holiday, Luke and Gabe. Luke belongs to Andy's sister and Gabe belongs to one of my BFF's I met and worked with in Texas. Andy and I had loads of time to relax, hang out with family and friends, and bond with these little boys. How precious are they?!

yoganese

I love the universal language of yoga. Last night we had a great guy from Philadelphia that visited us at Barefoot Works for the Level 2 class. I loved it that he was right up front and didn't miss a beat with any of the class. Once you learn "yoganese" and are familiar with the poses and their English and/or Sanskrit names you can roam from city to city, studio to studio taking classes and feeling like you're part of this great big worldwide yoga community. It really is pretty special.

I'll be taking a little break from the blogging world as Andy and I travel for the holiday. I hope that each of you have a happy and joyous Thanksgiving. I appreciate all of you near and far.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie

teacher

"The mediocre teacher tells,

the good teacher explains,

the superior teacher demonstrates,

and the great teacher inspires."

William Arthur Ward

yoga this week

The following changes have been made to this week's schedule:

Wednesday: Yin Yoga cancelled. Please join me at 12:00 for a wonderful pre Thanksgiving day flow that will focus on gratitude and heart opening poses.

Thursday: Studio closed. Try to get your practice in early at home before your day begins. A few minutes of mindfulness will do wonders for the rest of your day.

Saturday: Join Teresa at 9:15 for a wondeful flow class that will help you to burn off the pumpkin pie!

good karma photos

Karma (Sanskrit: kárma (help·info), kárman- "act, action, performance"[1]; Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" or "deed" in Indian religions understood as denoting the entire cycle of cause and effect described in Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Buddhist philosophies.

My dear sweet friend Shelli is hosting a holiday bazaar at her yoga studio this Sunday in Louisville. And I will be there selling my photos! Click here for the scoop. I've been working very diligently in picking them out, framing some, matting others, preparing a fun little statement for the back, and making a good karma card that goes with each one. I pondered what to call my "product". I wanted something that would be representative of me, my photos and what I believe. And I wanted it to be yogic of course. ;-) Good Karma Photos it is!

As I look at each of the photos I've chosen, I can recall the exact location and moment when I took them. Noting I took this one during sunrise as Andy and I left St. George Island to drive back to TX. We were excited for that vacation and excited for the upcoming months because we were moving back home to KY. Oooh and I took this one when my best friend and I happily strolled the streets of London and I took pictures of everything...like the beautiful red roses in a big bucket on the street corner, and this one was taken in Lake Tahoe on the morning of my lovely friends wedding on the beach. And this was was taken on the last morning of our Tulum retreat. I couldn't sleep so I got up at 4:30, waited for the sun to rise and strolled around taking pictures....taking all the beauty in one more time.

These photos remind me of the power of the present moment. I realize now in going back and seeing those photos, how real that ONE moment was when I captured the picture. These photos are infused with all sorts of positive energy and good karmic thoughts. Shouldn't we all be so lucky to be surrounded by pictures and memories that keep our spirits happy?

What I don't sell I'll have at the studio so you too can have the chance to surround yourself with good karma. ;-)

best seat in the house

I'm here at Coffee Times, like I am most Thursdays. I was quite excited when I walked in and found my favorite spot available. It's a hot seat, so it's usually taken...a cozy corner seat, next to the window AND an outlet to plug your laptop in. When this spot is taken (or when I really need to focus) I find my way to the back corner of the coffee shop where I'm not enticed by the action going on outdoors or all the pretty little books, journals, decorations and such.

I've been going through old emails, deleting those that I no longer need and filing those away that I may need. Feels good....kinda like cleaning out your closet and getting rid of the clutter. Each email that I delete feels like I'm throwing an old tshirt in the goodwill pile. I've been looking at stats for my web page, wondering about all the peeps that visit it. Who are you and where do you live? Have you done yoga, or want to? Does the website look friendly and welcoming? Do you love the soft pastel colors or do they remind you too much of Easter? Will you come and take yoga, or just think about taking yoga? I find comfort in knowing and believing that the people that come and do yoga at Barefoot Works are meant to be there.

I'm getting ready to do some planning and prep work for teacher training. It starts in January and I'm so excited. I have ten lovely ladies signed up so far. Ten more gals to go out and teach yoga to the world. I just LOVE it! Here are some moving words to ponder this afternoon...

"In my experience, most people are unhappy because they aren't being honest with themselves. Being truthful with yourself plugs you into your inner power. Whether it's your relationship with money or with a partner, you aren't going to be content or successful until you are connected to your heart and operating with all your energy. Quite simply, by making the right choices from a position of strength rather than weakness, you are bound to be happy."
Suze Orman

baby breathing

If you want to see how we all should really be breathing, look no further than a little baby. Now, they my friends know how to breathe properly. They sip air in, their bellies deliciously take the breath in, you can easily see their rib cage expanding side to side and it moves all the way into their chest filling their whole torso. Now that was a breath! This is how we all are meant to breathe. But we're not babies forever. We grow up, become adults, we worry about money, we stress about jobs, we get scared and nervous about many things in life. All of this "stuff" takes a toll on us in a number of ways. One thing being our breathing. We become accustomed to taking shallow breaths, we suck our belly in and breathe straight into the chest, or we simply hold our breath during stressful and challenging times.

Anyone that practices yoga knows the power of their breath. Pranayama is the practice of controlling your breath. It's also one of the 8 limbs of yoga, and considered the heart of a yoga practice by many. Your breath can do powerful things. Several times througout your day (and especially stressful times), simply notice your breath. What sensations do you feel? What are the qualities of your breath? Does your breath feel smooth and deep, or shallow and forced.

And even better, practice the yogic three part breath. Find a comfortable seat and begin to inhale and exhale slowly and deeply through your nostrils. See if you can feel and envision your breath moving up your body and filling up your torso. Inhaling to fill the abdomen, then the rib cage, then the collar bones. Then exhaling and reversing the breath from the collar bones, then rib cage, then gently pulling the abdomen in to completely empty the lungs. Continue this for 3-5 more minutes. Be very happy that you're breathing. It means that you're alive!

Enjoy your breath and enjoy y0ur day. :-)

global warming diet

A friend of mine sent a link to this article today. Health experts list a few ways that you can cut calories AND cut carbon dioxide....at the same time. How? Instead of driving your car, how about walking or biking for half an hour instead. There's bound to be somewhere that you can walk or bike instead of driving. Andy and I walk to our local CVS and a few local restaurants, my friend Shelli rides her bike to her yoga studio, Leigh Ann walks to her job at UK, and my brother Joel walks everywhere in Whitesburg. Where can you walk to?

In addition to walking, you can cut calories and help save the planet by eating less red meat. If you can't imagine yourself going completely vegetarian, maybe you and your family could have "Meatless Mondays". If more people would do this is would make a HUGE difference. The CNN article states, "A diet shift away from heavy meat consumption would also go far because it takes much more energy and land to produce meat than fruits, vegetables and grains." Plus the average American man eats 1.6 times as much meat as the government recommends.

Saving your health and the planet at the same time, simply by making a few simple changes.

weekend plans

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." John Burroughs

Aren't you just amazed when I hear people say "I'm bored." I know I am. I look at them with this astounded look and ramble off random things they could do to fill their time. They look at me annoyingly and say "That's what YOU would choose to do." Ahh, good point.

What's on your list of fun things to do this weekend? Andy and I will be traveling to TX and spending Thanksgiving with his sis and her new babe Luke. So we're hosting a" giving of thanks" par-tay here at the big blue house with my family. We're all gathering to hang out, catch up, cook and bake, dance, laugh, and cause a little bit of trouble. I'll be doing some fun things for this. Like making goody bags full of treats and surprises for the kids . For the adults...baking bread to put in these cute little mini Thanksgiving bread pans I found at Michael's. I need to have some kind of idea about what we'll have, although we'll all be in the kitchen bopping around making desserts and other yummy things. I need to make a new cd for the dance party that always occurs on the dance floor...also known as our foyer. And I'm sure I'll take a photo or two of the nieces and nephew....probably in some yoga pose. They love to have their picture taken, so it's typically not hard to do. I do love a good Thanksgiving get together.

I'll also be leading a motivational, inspirational, fun and festive flow class tomorrow at 9:15. Care to join me?

have you ever tried to enter the long black branches

Have You Ever Tried to Enter the Long Black Branches

Have you ever tried to enter the long black branches of other lives -
tried to imagine what the crisp fringes,
full of honey,
hanging from the branches of the young locust trees,
in early morning, feel like?

Do you think this world was only an entertainment for you?
Never to enter the sea and notice
how the water divides with perfect courtesy,
to let you in!
Never to lie down on the grass,
as though you were the grass!
Never to leap to the air as you open your wings
over the dark acorn of your heart!

No wonder we hear,
in your mournful voice,
the complaint that something is missing from your life!
Who can open the door
who does not reach for the latch?
Who can travel the miles
who does not put one foot in front of the other,
all attentive to what presents itself continually?

Who will behold the inner chamber
who has not observed with admiration,
even with rapture,
the outer stone?

Well, there is time left -
fields everywhere invite you into them.
And who will care,
who will chide you if you wander away from wherever you are,
to look for your soul?

Quickly, then, get up,
put on your coat,
leave your desk!
To put one's foot into the door of the grass,
which is the mystery,
which is death as well as life,
and not be afraid!

To set one's foot in the door of death,
and be overcome with amazement!
To sit down in front of the weeds,
and imagine god the ten-fingered,
sailing out of his house of straw,
nodding this way and that way,
to the flowers of the present hour,
to the song falling out of the mockingbird's pink mouth,
to the tippets of the honeysuckle,
that have opened
in the night

To sit down, like a weed among weeds,
and rustle in the wind!
Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?
While the soul, after all, is only a window,
and the opening of the window
no more difficult than the wakening from a little sleep.

Only last week I went out among the thorns
and said to the wild roses: deny me not, but suffer my devotion.
Then, all afternoon, I sat among them.
Maybe I even heard a curl or tow of music,
damp and rouge red, hurrying from their stubby buds,
from their delicate watery bodies.

For how long will you continue to listen to those dark shouters,
caution and prudence?
Fall in!
Fall in!
A woman standing in the weeds.
A small boat flounders in the deep waves,
and what's coming next is coming with its own heave and grace.
Meanwhile, once in a while, I have chanced,
among the quick things, upon the immutable.
What more could one ask?
And I would touch the faces of the daises,
and I would bow down to think about it.
That was then, which hasn't ended yet.
Now the sun begins to swing down.
Under the peach-light, I cross the fields and the dunes,
I follow the ocean's edge.
I climb, I backtrack.
I float.
I ramble my way home.

Mary Oliver

Love this poem. Love that photo. Sadly, I didn' take it, but gladly I'll gaze at it and imagine her entering the long black branches and rambling to find her way home.

just be

I'm currently teaching yoga to a great group of gals at an elementary school. I really enjoy teaching yoga to teachers as I feel that they have a big, special, and many times stressful job. I received an email yesterday from one of the teachers and she said that she's finally learning to slow down, something that has never been easy for her. She said that her parents were always on the go and that many times they equated slowing down with being lazy. I'm sure they're not the only ones, haven't we all thought this as some time?

I promptly emailed my yogini back and talked about the fact that sometimes we simply need to "be". We need rest, we need relaxation, we need some space that encourages stillness. And I was so happy to hear that she was getting this message that really is instilled in yoga. It makes me so happy when I see people making these connections.

Soon after that email, I had an "aha" moment. I called my mom to say hello and good morning. Here's a bit of our conversation....she's in red, that's me in purple.

Are you at the studio this morning?

No, I don't teach until noon. I'm upstairs doing some work.

It's not even 8:00. Won't you be at the studio all day?

Yes, but I feel like I should be doing something.

Hmmm, I'm gonna practice what I preach now. I'm off to have a cup of tea and hang out with my dogs. Have a beautiful day and take a couple times today to wonder off and do nothing.

full fun weekend

This has been quite the wonder-full weekend. I haven't blogged because I really haven't even been near my laptop. I left bright and early Friday morning to drive to Whitesburg. It was such a beautiful drive into eastern KY. I got to watch the sunrise while driving on the Mountain Parkway, see the fog lifting off the river in Jackson, and see the most beautiful mist hovering about the mountains in Whitesburg. It was truly breathtaking. So much so, that I was taking pictures while I was driving. For once I found myself very happy to behind the relaxed (or rather slow) drivers on highway 15. It allowed for many more (safe) opportunities to capture the fog. I haven't had a chance to download the photos yet, but will be sure to share. In Whitesburg I spent time with my mom, brother, and the kind tax man. Summit City has turned into a family affair and I've somehow found myself dealing with my least fave part of Barefoot Works....the accounting. But I'm happy as a clam to be working alongside family. It's really quite exciting all the things Summit City is bringing to the mountains of KY.

Saturday Andy and I left bright and early for a workshop in Cincinnati with Will Tuttle, author of World Peace Diet. It was a very interesting, fascinating and enlightening discussion. He hit on one of the points that was pretty much the reason for me going vegetarian. He spoke of the ways in which we place a value on everything, including animals....which are living beings just like we are. We would never eat a horse, dog, or cat. Animals that most people value. But we consider it OK to eat pigs, cows, chickens and such. Even when I ate meat, I didn't like to eat anything with bones. It was much easier for me to disassociate when I was eating boneless chicken. Eventually I chose to view my dogs and the cows that I drive past everyday with the same compassionate eyes. After the workshop Andy and I spent some time at my fave store, did some shopping at the mall, and ate at Maggianos.

Sunday I spent a large portion of the day at the studio catching up on work and cleaning/prepping the studio for our restorative workshop taught by Anita Courtney. The studio was packed with lovely gals ready to renew with some restorative yoga. I had even convinced my sister to drive up from Richmond to participate. When she got to the studio, I was walking out with keys and purse in hand. We had completely filled the studio and there wasn't enough space left for the two of us. We decided that spending time at the bookstore, sipping coffee, catching up, and browsing books and magazines was the next best thing.

I hope that each of you found a way to enjoy this long beautiful day. Was it just me, or did the day seem much longer with the extra hour?!

yoga journal

I received the new issue of Yoga Journal earlier this week, which always brings a smile to my face and some excitement into my heart. You see, I am a lover of the magazine. Home decorating magazines, cooking mags, smut mags, girls mags, exercise mags. I don't think I've ever met a magazine that I couldn't look at. In fact I have this thing....I don't like for anyone else to read "my" magazine before I do. It drives me a little nuts.

So I was super happy today when I got to combine reading my Yoga Journal while sipping yummy french vanilla coffee and Coffee Times. I usually go there once a week (at least) to work on my laptop. It's a second office of sorts for Barefoot Works. But today, I didn't even take my laptop. I just wanted to take my pretty little mag with a pretty little notebook and make some notes....you know of things that caught my eye.

I made some notes of poses, sequences, inspiring words, pretty pictures and this t-shirt and this jewelry. Too cute.

And since I didn't get to fully read Yoga Journal, cover to cover...I'm off to curl up on the couch, eat some tasty pumpkin chocolate chip bread (the same bread we had after class last night. yum) and read some more.

Good night friends. Have a wonder-full Friday. :-)

happy halloween

Happy Halloween, my friends! I hope you have a day full of lots of treats and maybe just a few tricks. Here are a couple ways to treat yourself today:

Treat #1

Go to your fave coffee shop and order a tasty pumpkin-y latte

Treat #2

Take a walk around your neighborhood and check out the fall decorations. It should be a beautiful day for it.

Treat #3

Buy some Pumpkin Pie Paradise. It's body wash, bubble bath, and shampoo! If that scares you a little bit, remind yourself that it's Halloween after all. ;-0

Treat #4

Put some good tunes on and cook a delicious hearty meal. The veggie shepherds pie in yesterdays email newsletter might do the trick. Or order out your fave hearty meal.

Treat #5

Join me today for a class at 12:00 or 6:00. You might just discover a sweet treat at the end of class. Hope you'll join me!

the best of yoga

Yesterday after I finished teaching a class with some elementary school teacher, one of the gals commented that "she always feels younger after finishing yoga class." Last night after Teresa's 6:00 class a gal that's relatively new to the studio stated that her body feels better all over after class. And last week after attending a yoga class for the very first time I received an email from a student who reported feeling energized post class. She also said the her shoulders had let go of the tension that they normally carry. Pretty big (important) stuff, right?

Day after day...I hear, read, see and experience how yoga can add to our lives in so many different ways.

The Best of Yoga:

* Leaves me feeling happy, healthy and hopeful

* Reminds me that everything and everyone is connected

* Motivates me to continue on a path that I choose

* Inspires me to dig deeper

* Helps me to cultivate kindness, sincerity and generosity

* Teaches me that it's not what which pose I can or can't do.

The Best of Yoga teaches me to carry the very best of my practice out into the world. It's about being in tune and connecting with myself, my family, my friends, my students, my neighbors and my universe.

When we connect, that's when we make a difference.

What will you do to make a difference today?

up words

Planning and organizing for a health fair tomorrow has left me little time to blog. So I'll leave you with these beautiful words that will carry you into your weekend.

"Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has been but you. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You cannot get there by bus, only by hard work, risking and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you will discover will be wonderful: yourself." Alan Alda

I love the part about "not quite knowing what you are doing"....sometimes you just gotta fake it to make it.

belly dancing

Want to learn the sweet secret to boosting your self esteem and loving your belly? It's belly dancing of course! We've made some changes at Barefoot Works with the way we're offering our weekly belly dancing class. We will not be having the weekly drop in class. In it's place we're having a six week class will begin on Wed. November 14. Here's the scoop:

Details:

Each class will begin with centering and gentle stretches based in yoga technique, then a brief teaching of new and exciting basic movements, and then we dance! Each week we'll incorporate new moves into a sweat- producing fun expression of feminine prowess! By the end of the six week session, you’ll have a choreographed 2 minute dance. You’ll also be ready to advance to an intermediate class for further building on skill and movements.

Cost: $60 ($50 when you and a friend join together)
Cost includes weekly handouts, end of session practice CD, certificate of completion, and usage of hip scarf during class time!

Instructor:

We all love her, the lovely and lively Liz Davenport

Click here to check out a couple high school gals belly dancing for their high school. It's definitely not the electric slide!