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!