speaking of dreams...

"This now is it. This. Your deepest need and desire is satisfied by the moment's energy here in your hand." - Rumi

Andy and I went out last night for a little mid-week date. Dinner at Fazolis (yep I love it) and conversation about our Mondo Beyondo dreams (see below). So funny, much of my list incouded travels to fabulous places (eat and drink my way through Italy with Andy for two months, have a cabana by the sea in Tulum, learn/study ayurveda in India). Andy's consisted of sports dreams (attend final four (preferably with UK playing, skate with Wayne Gretzky, attend Stanley Cup Final)
So funny.

We wrap the dream list up and go to Wal-Mart. Andy buys a cheap cd with 80's hits to use during PE at school (or so he says). We went back and had a lil dance party in the enrty way of our house. Swaying to Bette Davis Eyes and grooving to Wild Wild West.

And at that moment I thought that maybe it's not about all those dreams coming true. Maybe the art and joy of dreaming is enough. Enough to make one feel young, hope-full, and vibrantly alive. Who could complaing about the gift of that?

PS - That quote gives me goose bumps. Good. Stuff.

mondo beyondo baby

That's the name of the e-course that I'm taking that just started today. Well mostly....it's Mondo Beyondo (don't you love it?). It's and online class completely dedicated to dreaming BIG. Yep, my kinda class.

I just returned from a walk trying to recall how exactly I found Andrea (of Superhero Designs). Then it came to me, she was in Sark's book "Make Your Creative Dreams Real", which to me was opening the studio and creating a yoga community.

In the years that I've read Andrea's blog, I've probably left a handful of comments but to say that she has inspired me with her words would be an understatement.

When I was debating (and my web gal at that time was trying to convince me not to place my blog on a highly visible area of my website), I thought back to some random post of Andrea's and how she too had dealt with the dilemma of how much one should share on a "business" blog.

Ultimately I decided that I had already hidden in life more than I preferred. I knew that to experience growth, finding my voice and sharing my truth was what I needed to do. And I figured that a blog was a means to do just that. The early days of blogging (and at times now) it's a struggle or a challenge to be open and honest. Fear and judgement creeps in. Mostly I try to wave at the fear (and on a brave day I wink) and keep going.

I've witnessed magical things happening in my life. Call it work, call it luck, call it manifesting, call it what you may....I believe in the power of our dreams. Mine. And yours.

Over the next five weeks I'll be spending time thinking in mondo beyondo terms, "making room for my unspoken wishes to become a dream come true." It doesn't matter how outrageous, outlandish, ridiculous or daring the dream. And really, does the universe know any different? I don't know, but I'll keep you posted. ;)

PS - Pic of me, in my wedding dress, over five years ago. It was a gift to Andy for our three year wedding anniversary, and just before we ditched the jobs, sold the house in TX, and made our way back to KY. This pic sums up how I feel today.

PSS - Feel free to make your own mondo beyondo list and share here if you'd like!

yoga in no time at all

I'm a tiny bit late here, but the book signing with Joel was reallly realllly fun! I so enjoyed getting to be a guest at a par-tay at the studio!

You can purchase Joel's fabulous little book, "Yoga In No Time at All" at the studio.

Have a happy happy evening.....

seizing the day

"Life is a series of near misses. But a lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It's seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It's seeing what other people don't see, and pursuing that vision, no matter who tells you not to." ~Howard Schultz

spiritual springiness

I read that term in a magazine tonight when I returned by a walk just before dark. Just a little while earlier I'd gone to my "hot" yoga room with hot tea, book, notepad and pen in hand. I lit a candle, set an intention. After centering, easy stretching and a few downward facing dogs, I wasn't feeling it.

So I put on my shoes, grabbed my ipod, and set out for a walk hoping to catch the last of the sunset. Walking and listening to my ipod has become a new fun thing for me to do. I've always been a bit of a traditionalist with the walking/jogging, preferring to hear my own, breath, thoughts, and hopefully a few birds chirping over music.

But as a bopped down the sidewalk and through the cemetery with tons of little white clouds, streaks of orange crossing the sky, and the music of Ziggy Marley I felt it was just what I needed to put some spring into my spiritual step. Cheers to being flexible and going with the flow as needed.

Enjoy....

currently lovin'

Here is my random list of current little loves:

1. Basking in the afterglow of teaching yesterday. I taught one private and two classes yesterday. They were all so sweet and so perfect. And they were tiny, tiny classes. Two peeps in my noon class and three peeps in the 4:30. I shared a reading that I love during centering at the beginning. Not sure if this created the special-ness of the classes. But I truly loved teaching every minute, with each of the six people I shared with yesterday. It's always great teaching yoga. Some days it's even greater. This was one of the days for me.

2. Hot yoga in the big blue house (my home). We live in a 99 year old home and the upstairs doesn't have air conditioning, just one itty bitty window unit (which is ok for us cause our house is BIG and we mostly live downstairs.....but poor guests). We spend most of our time upstairs either in the office area or yoga room. Last nights practice in my hot yoga room was really good....perhaps the effects of the classes? And meditation time was equally yummy. Yay for yoga and self care.

3. New yoga buys....this yoga dvd by Nicki Doane,, this cd to celebrate the sun, and this little all in one wrap (so it's not a pair of yoga pants). A dress that you can wear 10 ways....love that.

4. Local hikes. I've gotten to go with the fam to Natural Bridge, with the nieces and nephew to a nice spot in Garrard County, and the new yoga teachers to Berea. So much beauty and so much to be learned by nature. I can feel the Summer days dwindling down so I'm trying to take full advantage of being outside as much as I can. Nature heals. And nurtures. For Sure.

5. Kick my butt workouts. Andy and I are on a new fitness adventure. There is something so wrong about some of the stuff we do. So I don't do it. Or modify it. But I do really enjoy sweating. And working. And pushing myself. Feel like I need to do that right now.

6. The Four Agreements. Have heard about this book for a long time. Downloaded it last weekend and I've listened to it twice now. It makes sense to me, it's simple yet effective. If you haven't read it yet the four agreements are: be impeccable with your words, don't take it personally, don't make assumptions, and always do your best. I'm working on each day by day. Being mindful.

7. Sunsets. Tuesdays was amazing. I was subbing for Emily and I could see the sun setting from the studio. And it put on a most fabulous little light show for all of us while I was driving home.

8. Cherries. Eating them every single day. I picked some great ones up at the Fresh Market on the way home last night. Yum-O.

That's it for me. What are the simple (or not so simple)things you are lovin' these days? Would love to hear!

PS - Lots of opportunities for free fun this weekend at the studio.....book signing and party Friday at 6:30, knitting on Sunday at noon, and community yoga Sunday at 4:00. Come on out!

believe

"Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.”
~Charles Kettering

Words to the 2009 yoga teacher trainees
Words to You
Words to Me
Words to all of us. :)

**I just love this pic! Taken this past Sunday during a reunion hike with 2009 teacher trainees....Since they are finished I guess now it will be....hike with yoga teachers. :)

36 Hours in Tulum, Mexico

So really, I'm trying to lay low on the Tulum love. I have a tendency go a little (ok a lot) overboard. Last week since several yoginis sent me a link to an article in The New York Times about Tulum. And today when I checked my mail another sweet yogini had actually cut the article out and mailed it to me. Yay!

Here is the intro....

"IT is hard to know who recited the first Om or unfurled the first yoga mat upon Tulum’s epic beach. But it is true that Tulum, on the southern edge of Mexico’s Riviera Maya (and a healthy distance from the bunkerlike developments there) is a hot spot for yoga tourists.

Don’t be afraid if you don’t know your downward dog from your dolphin: it’s more of a yoga aesthetic that prevails here, a mood and a look that draws misty-eyed boomer professionals (heavy on the fashion and publishing industries) with fond memories of youthful forays to Thailand for Ko Samui’s full moon festival — or maybe just those who wish they’d hit that Lonely Planet trail when their knees could still take it. You might call Tulum “Ko Samui-lite” — a strip of beach and jungle peppered with stylish haute-bohemian huts that are off the grid and just a few hours by plane from New York or Los Angeles.

And instead of hallucinogens to bend your mind, there is stunning (and pricey) cuisine that reflects the eclectic tastes of the expats — from Italy, France, Germany and the two coasts of the United States — who have settled here."

Click here to read the rest of the article where the author outlines 36 fabulous hours in Tulum.

Ahhh.... Don't forget, 10% off when you register for the retreat this month! Adios Amigas. :)

PS - And because I'm all amped up again to learn Spanish, I'll be starting lessons in a few short weeks!

still not perfect

The reading that I shared this morning after class was from what I call my fave sassy book on spirituality, The Red Book.

The reading seemed most appropriate and reminded me of an idea that I've recently revisited....the idea being that I'm still not perfect. Damn.

The basic idea of the reading is that sometimes on this spiritual path, as delightful and awakening as it is, we can get in our own way. Especially when we get so caught up in "my path", "my calling", and so on. Just insert all the dreamy words that I've come to love so much.

We're also halting our own growth when all we think about is ourselves and make every decision based on "me, me, me". Sometimes we forget our ethics, our relationships, and the larger community in general. Seems kinda counter intuitive, eh?

Last year I came completely clean in a post titled "a yogi confesses" or something along those lines (I'd link to it but I don't do things like labels that would make that easy). In the post I came clean about how imperfect I actually am. How I like to have a cold beer on a hot evening, and how much I enjoy some not so nice four letter words, and so on. I am a yoga teacher. And I am oh so human. And have just a few faults.

One new "thing" that I've come to recently discover is that sometimes I get so wrapped up in the studio and all the spirituality goodness that I forget who I am when those are stripped away.

It's murky. Cause so much of what I do and what I share is how I live. So relating in the world with my husband, my family and my friends in a way that is supportive, helpful and loving, yet not coming across as that "I am Sharon and I am perfect" sorta way. Does that make sense?

Hmmmm, something to think about.

office yoga sequence

Take a break and give yourself some yoga love.....

super sweet weekend

I was home for an entire weekend! And even better, Andy and I were home together for an entire weekend! It's been a while and I was really needing it. Here's a recap of all the goodness:

Saturday:
*Yoga class with Emily. So very awesome to have Emily back from India and teaching once again at the studio. She was kind enough to hop right back into our rotation of Saturday teaching. BIG thank you to Emily!
*Observed Debbie teaching a yoga class at the studio with a few of her friends. And she did really amazing. How far one can come in six months completely blows my mind. And Debbie gives some of the best hugs I've ever had. Big bear like hugs. I happy to really enjoy them. :)
*Coffee, then an attempt at a cupcake run with no success then onto meet the fam at Miguels for pizza then a little hiking at Natural Bridge.

We did a little hiking and of a course.... a little tree posing.

We ate ice cream and pondered life's biggie questions like baby raising. This is my new fave picture:

Andy and I came home and I had a nice long bath complete with bath fizzy and candle from Soapwerks. I finished reading "Mexican Days" and highly recommend. And is if the completion of the book wasn't enough, I browsed website and blogs about Mexico until my eyes had nearly glazed over. Bookmarked a few, with the faves being Tulum Living, Dropped In, and The Truth About Mexico. I learned that the latter two are by the same peeps. A young husband and wife who moved to the Yucatan and started a life. Very cool. I want them to be my new BFF. Anyway, this was one of my fave reads.

Enjoyed another yoga practice on my own in my sweet little home studio. Love it in there.

Sunday:
After spending way too much time perusing the net about Mexico I decided I should be laptop free for the day. It worked out nicely.
Andy and I did yard work and house work. It had been a while since I had done either. So I was happy to do both. :)

Car shopping. Andy is in the market for a new car so we (or so we thought) strategically went shopping on a Sunday. We were good for the most part, only one salesman at one place. Nothing against the guys. They are earning a living as the rest of us. We were just hoping to look and not have to talk. ;)

Lunch at Five Guys Burgers & Fries. Yeh, I'm vegetarian but thought that they would surely have a veggie burger. I was excited when I asked, "Do you have a veggie burger?" and she says, "Yes". Yippy! Only to have another employee come over and say, "It's a bun with the veggies you choose." Ok, whatever give me a bun loaded with veggies. And a lot of fries. I love potatoes. In all forms.

Later walked to Main and Maple to enjoy a chai tea latte and read two mags. It was a pretty day to stroll down the street, sip yumminess and read the new Yoga Journal.

Walked the doggies then enjoyed a lovely ninety minute yoga practice. I did the sequence in Yoga Journal by Dana of Lauhging Lotus. And I ended with a couple yin yoga poses, supported recline butterfly and meditation. Good. Stuff.

Love the
Super
Sweet
Weekends.