break down dog

Yes Remington (better known as Remy) would be the break down dog. It seems that most times when Andy or I travel with him, our cars have a with with breaking down.

Yesterday I got a phone call from Andy at 3:45 and he was stranded on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway outside of Bardstown. He had just finished his last official day of school and he and Remy were going home to Owensboro for the weekend. I had a 4:00 meeting and two yoga classes to teach that evening. So I start dialing friends to help bail him out and yoga teachers to help bail me out. Lucky for me (and Andy) Emily agreed to come teach her official yoga class at the studio. Emily is nearing the end of our training and I already know she's going to make a fabulous teacher. Thank you, thank you Emily. :-)

Yes Emily rescued me.
And I was able to rescue Andy.

So I had to cancel my meeting once the gal showed up. Of course she was understanding. Haven't we all been stranded and some point and time. We all know that it's no fun. At all. I had to wait in line to pay $3.99 for gas. And I think everyone on Richmond Rd. was getting onto New Circle when I was. I sat through three traffic lights. I wondered if they too were trying to rescue their husband and dog. When I started to get frustrated, I just laughed.

I remembered making the long trek from Houston to Lexington with Remy and breaking down three (yes three) times. It was a wild and crazy move home. I rememered Andy picking me at my dorm at EKU 10 years ago for our very first date in this broken down car. He opened the door for me and whisked me away to Applebees. It was romantic. Sigh. I remembered Andy's parents being so scared by the thought of him driving this car to Houston that his dad was sweet enough to give Andy his almost new truck to take to TX. And Joe and his 6'3 self kept the little Corolla and drove it for years. It was once again returned to Andy a couple years ago when we were having problems with his truck. We thought it would last longer than our newer cars.

It appears that this is the end of the little corolla that could. He'll probably be going to the salvage yard. Where the laws of karma say he'll come back as a shiny new red corvette.

dreamer, part II

Tonight I was reminded of how much I love the word, the thought, the idea of being a dreamer. I saw Leslie drive away after class tonight with a bumper sticker that read DREAMER. There was something else to it, but I couldn't read it. And all I really needed was that one little work to be like, "ahhhh".

I realize that some people totally don't relate to the idea of being a dreamer. It's as if it's a bad word, a word for those that simply lie around thinking about the things they'll do, but never following through. For me it's just the opposite. I think that all things begin with a teeny tiny dream. And it takes those with strength, willpower, and perseverance to make their teeny tiny dreams come true.

I realize now that for a few years I tried to push the dreamer in me aside. Most people that know me well know that I get tired and bored easily with things. Especially when I'm doing things that aren't on my terms. This all became clear when I worked my full time job in Texas. During the four years I was there, I was promoted twice. I had three different jobs in the time I was there. But I still found myself restless with what I was doing. Wanting to do more. Wanting to find a way to live more authentically and to share that with others. When I wasn't working I was reading about creating a life you love. I would dream about what I wanted to do, the places I'd travel to, and the experiences I'd have.

Luckily I didn't spend too many of my adult years muddling (if there is such a word) through all of this. Barefoot Works came to be and I have a whole new set of dreams.

I dream about retreats in Mexico and training people to teach yoga.
I dream about leading teacher trainings IN Mexico.

I dream about second locations and offering yoga in Appalachia.
I dream about Barefoot Works IN Appalachia.

I dream about being a yoga teacher and a life coach.
Maybe I could be a yoga life coach?

I dream about 500 hour trainings, workshops with Sark and Seane Corn.

I dream about offering yoga in the public schools and the prisons. Along with women's shelters and the others that would benefit so greatly.

The list goes on and on. Big dreams, baby dreams...we all have em'. And the world is a better place because we do.

I'm curious, what do you dream about?
Don't be shy....yeah I'm talking to you. ;-)

Keep close to Nature's heart...and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.

~ John Muir

perfect happy days

Hey All,

Just a reminder that the studio is closed this Monday for Memorial Day. Roll out your mat at home or in your backyard and bust out a few down dogs on your own. Not sure where to begin when it comes to a home yoga practice? Click here and register for "Creating Your Own Yoga Practice". It will be held Sunday, June 1 from 3:00-5:00.

For the first time in my adult life, the cost of gas prices affected a decision I made today. I was thinking about going to Lousiville for a day long yoga workshop today. However, since I'd driven to Cincinnati this past Monday (for a workshop), I couldn't justify it. Gas is $3.95 a gallon and even I got a little wide eyed when it cost $35 to fill up the box-ster yesterday. And this is a teeny tiny car. Not sure what I'd do if I was driving a big suv. That baby would probably be gone by now.

So instead I opted for a very lovely class at Barefoot Works with the very lovely Teresa. Then Andy and I went to Lowes where I wandered up and down the aisles looking for the most perfect plants. After about 20 minutes Andy asks, "You still haven't picked any out yet?" I had to inform him (again) that the first time around is browsing and the second time around I start to get a little more serious. If you would have told me five years ago that I'd be this into plants I'd have laughed in your face. Now I love it. I'm very thorough in the planting of them and I even send them off with little well wishes... "be well pretty little plant". Yes, I've killed my fair share of pretty little plants. But I'm much better.

We also saw Indiana Jones today and loved it. It's a must see if you enjoy the others.

I plan to be at Teresa's "Yoga For Stress Relief" class tomorrow. And I'm even bringing along a special guest, my sister Rhonda. Yes, after a year and a half of being open she's starting to think that there just may be something good about all this yoga stuff and plans to attend her first yoga class. But she is the busiest gal I know, so I try not to tease her too much.

So things have worked out for the best. I saved gas AND I had a perfectly happy day close to the homestead.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend sweet friends. :-)

oprah goes vegan

Oprah is living in the land of vegans for the next 21 days! And she's blogging about it here! I do love to follow the blogs. ;-)

Oprah recently had the author of Quantum Wellness on her show and her book is based on what she calls The Pillars of Wellness. They are:
1. Meditation
2. Conscious Eating
3. Exercise
4. Visualization
5. Spiritual Practice
6. Self Work
7. Service
8. And Fun Activities!

On conscious eating Kathy Freston says, "The mother of all pillars is conscious eating," she says. "It doesn't only make a difference to our own personal health and well-being, but conscious eating means you stay aware of where your food comes from, how the animals are treated and how the environment is affected by the foods that you eat. You take in the energy of whatever went into creating that food."

On the flip side (like Linda in shoulder stand above ;-) I found this comment on Oprah's blog...

"While I have not read Kathy Freston's book, I was disheartened to listen to her speak about the "energy in food" on Oprah's show today. I will not deny that animals can be treated poorly in the meat industry, people are treated worse in the fruit and vegetable industry. Migrant workers are treated with little to no respect anywhere in the Western world. They work for wages that no one could live off of and in conditions that no one should live in. They have no legal rights in the countries that need their labour to get fruits and vegetables to their tables. Would that kind of mistreatment energy also not "transfer" into the healthy fruits and vegetables that Ms. Freston is so concerned about? What does that say about all of our "spiritual enlightenment?"

Some "food" for thought.


You can read more about the book here.

i am i

"Come on! Open your mouth and sound off to the sky!
Shout loud at the top of your voice,
I AM I!
ME! I AM I!
And I may not know why
But I know that I like it.
Three cheers!
I AM I"
Dr. Seuss - Happy Birthday to You!

Yes, I'm 31...
Hip, Hip Hooray!
I imagine the 30's are gonna suit me just fine. ;-)
I was greeted with four phone calls with people happily singing before 8:00 a.m, practiced some yoga in the company of great gals, ate pad thai, AND had the best ice cream birthday cake EVER. Yes, a very happy day.

*Pic from today's workshop in Cincinnati with Doug Swenson.

hope and fear

Interesting thought shared by Pema Chodron....

"In the world of hope and fear, we always have to change the channel, change the temperature, change the music, because something is getting uneasy, something is getting restless, something is beginning to hurt, and we keep looking for alternatives.

Hope and fear come from a feeling that we lack something; they come from a sense of poverty. We can't simply relax with ourselves. We hold onto hope, and hope robs us of the present moment. We feel that someone else knows what's going on, but that there's something missing in us, and therefore something is lacking in our world."

Given my post(to hope)from just a couple days ago, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this. It does stir me a little, makes me a tad uncomfortable to read so I'll have to sit with it a while and see how I feel.

Andy always gets to be entertained or en-light-ed by my new reads. I say "Oooh, listen to this paragraph, this is huge." He listens. Then he might come back with "Can't you just read something silly, like Bushisms for once."

congrats are in order

My sweet friend Theresa taught her very first class at HER very OWN yoga studio tonight! Hip, Hip Hooray! If you're ever in Philly, look her up and take a yoga class.

One of the greatest things about doing yoga trainings is that you meet the coolest people ever. They become your friends, you chat long distance, encourage one another, and cheer and rally the other on.

So good job on all the hard work Theresa! You have one beautiful space to be oh so proud of. :-)

michael franti

So I have a little yoga crush on Michael Franti. I can't believe that I didn't even know about him until I went to the Yoga Journal Conf. in San Francisco. Click here to see a portion of his performance in San Fran. Getting to see him was pretty amazing. He's energizing, optimistic, free spirited, AND he's a yogi.

"Everyday I set an intention before I practice," says Franti, "so I'm clearer in my focus of what I want to be doing and contributing to the world right now, and I really want to be the best communicator of peace and social justice and environmental justice that I can be. My yoga practice is part of me becoming that communicator."

Since discovering Michael, I bought his documentary "I Know I'm Not Alone" and when my cell phone rings, I get to hear him sing. Love to download new ringers. :-)

*Photo from Yoga Journal

to hope

"Hope is the dream of a soul awake." French Proverb

Today was a good day. I slept in a little late (I wanted loads of sleep this weekend), did a little bit of emailing early, met a friend for a little shopping, went to the studio for a little more work, then took a little scenic drive back home.

After listening to a podcast this afternoon I realized that I was overdue for a "hope list". In fact, I had planned to make a "to do" list for the week. Yes I am a lover of the list. And I do get a sense of accomplishment when placing little check marks by the tasks as I complete them. But I do see a difference between the two....to hope vs. to do.

I imagine that we all need a healthy dose of each to move forward with our plans, dreams and lives.

So off I walked to the coffee shop to do a little more work, but mostly to make a list of hopes. Seeing my hopes written down in a notebook almost full of other thoughts, hopes, quotes, and to do's always delights me. And I got one other delight tonight when I picked up (yet) another notebook in my yoga room to record my practice tonight. I opened the very pretty striped notebook and there it was "May 12, 2005". I had written about the yoga class I taught this very day, three years ago. There was a sense of happiness, a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of comfort. Happiness that I'm still in awe of yoga, proud of the work I do, and finding comfort in the fact that I wouldn't change a single thing.

weekend yoga retreat

Hey Friends!

My days have been full of yoga teacher training, restorative yoga, walks in a cemetery, hiking in the woods, late night cooking, birthday shopping,and coffee drinking. And I even managed to get a little bit of work done. :-0

I've planned the schedule for the fall weekend retreat in North Carolina at the Prama Institute. Here's the scoop:

Please join us Sept. 26-28 for a yoga retreat in the mountains of North Carolina. Daily yoga sessions will be offered as well as workshops on yoga philosophy and savvy self care. It is our hopes that this weekend will serve as a way to deepen your yoga practice both on and off the yoga mat and provide time nurture your body, mind, and spirit.

The Prama Institute is located on 150 acres of rolling hills and forest lands with hiking trails and panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our yoga sessions and workshops will take place in a wonderful space with bamboo floors and radiant heating and a large outdoor deck with spectacular views. There are many hiking trails and scenic areas for exercise and reflection between sessions. And the hot springs are only a 15 minute drive away!

The retreat will begin Friday evening and end Sunday at 2:00. We will car pool from the studio. Cost is $250 and includes dorm room, vegetarian meals (and tasty treats), and all yoga sessions. Click here to register!!


Yes, only $250 for the whole weekend! I think that's pretty incredible. Yoga, good food, cool people, mountains, and hot springs. Can you ask for more?? There are a couple of private rooms available for $300, just in case the dorm rooms are not your thing. But if you want those, register quickly and you'll have to do so at the studio, not online.

Have a wonderful weekend. And happy mama's day to those of you doing the toughest job around. I hope you find some time to celebrate yourself.

doors

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."
Alexander Graham Bell

Just dropping by to say "hi" and leave you with a pretty powerful quote. I've spoken with a few people today about "doors" being closed, fear of doors being closed, and waiting for the door to slam. I thought these words were fitting. Here's to doors opening wide and each of us being able to walk ever so gracefully through them with heads held high, a smile on our face, and a wink in our eye. ;-)

I'm back to planning lecture notes for this weekend's teacher training. I hope to see you smiling faces in class this evening!