it is an intensive yoga teacher training!

Hellllooo Dear Friends, We're five days into our yoga teacher training! Yip...happy! All is well here in the Outer Banks.

The yoginis are rocking along. We've covered sun salutations, standing poses, balancing poses and more.

We've dived into the oh so juicy eight limbs of yoga.
And the five koshas....you make my heart go pitter patter.

We're talking Sanskrit, yoga speak, and breath cues. There are toes touching the sand daily. And a few nose dives into the Atlantic Ocean.

We're dancing meditating levitating gravitating to the love y'all.
We've got Shelli on the harmonium...
We've got kirtan, singing, and yoga yelling.

Did I mention daily hot tubbin' and sauna sittin'. These bodies are working hard hard hard.

We're sharing the most delicious meals ever (thank you Miss Jen Lile) prepared with so much intention, attention, focus,and heaps of love.

There are blocks and bolsters and blankets and straps and yoga mats covering this yoga mansion which today we learned Jennifer Lopez and rented and stayed in the yoga mansion. Yep, cool.

As the yoginis practice and I teach, out the window we see dolphins dipping in the ocean. Birds soaring, pelicans diving, even deer frolicking! Yes, deer!

I see them supporting one another. A hug here. A kind word there. Sharing and caring. Becoming a true yoga community in and of themselves.

Different. Yet the same.

It's just THE coolest thing ever.

I thank the sun, moon, and stars daily for this opportunity to be here doing this work with these people.

Blessed.
Blessed.
Blessed

do you feel the possibility?

Do you feel the possibility?
Awakened energy is poised to flow.
Freedom beckons from every direction.
This is a moment to throw caution to the wind and dive right in
or fly high above the rocky terrain of doubt and fear.
You've lived your life anticipating this opportunity.
Rejoice, for it is here.

This brilliant passage is by Danna Faulds. I saw it posted yesterday on Facebook by Barbara, one of the lovely yoginis joining in this yoga teacher training adventure.

I think it speaks so beautifully to what we're all feeling right now.

It may look like this training is beginning and finishing in two short weeks. That couldn't be further from the truth.

I can tell you that this is a long planted seed beginning to take root for these women. Some of these yogis have dreamed for years of doing a yoga teacher training. They have fallen in love with yoga. And likely out of love with it too. Only to fall back in love again.

They have thought of the perfect program in the perfect place. They have made sacrifices to be here. Their families and friends have made sacrifices to support their decision in being here.

To prepare they have read books, practiced with teachers, honed their own practice, started a meditation practice, observed yoga classes, spent hours on the phone with each other, and shared their stories of excitement, fear, joy, and anxiety in a private forum.

Today those dreams begin taking shape.

My dream of sharing this powerful practice of all things Yoga continues to spiral, twist, turn, unravel, and unfold.

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

on the yoga road again - outer banks bound!

Nine strangers....
Picked to live in a house....
And learn what happens when yogis get real.

Andy called me this morning as I was packing for the big trip, the big training in North Carolina.

That was how he greeted me....the opening from The Real World. I was a big fan back in the day. ;)

The house above is the yoga mansion where the nine yoginis joining together from across the US and up to Canada (love that there is always a Canadian!)will live, work, and play. Isn't it amazing?!! It really is perfect.

My boxcar is loaded with my prized possessions.....

Vitamix
Juicer
and yoga mat of course.

I've got lots of yoga clothes, blankets, blocks, straps, and a zafu cushion.
I've got some treats packed (including a HUGE bag o' coffee). You can take away a lot of things from yogis....but for some....well best not to mess with the coffee.

I've got half my weight in books packed. Tests are printed, certificates in folders, handouts and manual. Speakers, pinktop, incense, candles, Ganesha, and more. A framed photo of Andy and myself on the beach.

I have a lot.
Yet I'm sure there will be something I forget.
And that's ok.

I read this poem this morning by Rumi and thought of the gals I'll be with for the next two plus weeks. The work we'll do.

And how so much of it is just as Rumi says...
We're going mining for magnificence.

Whatever you love here in existence
Has been gold-plated by God's qualities;
When that gold goes back to Origin
Only a dull copper will remain,
And you will be disgusted and reject it.
Don’t go on calling counterfeit coin "beautiful"
That beauty you love is only borrowed.
Gold will abandon all surfaces in the end
And return to the Mine of Magnificence.
Why not set out for that Mine?
The light will return from the wall to the sun;
Go now to that Sun that dances always in harmony.
From now on, take your water from heaven directly
Why go on trusting a rusting drainpipe?

Please send awesome thoughts our way. I would greatly appreciate that.

I'll be thinking of the treehouse, the teachers, the students, and all my fam and friends and I journey off to do this work that truly lights my heart afire.

so much love,
sharon

this much I do remember

Then all of the moments of the past
began to line up behind that moment
and all of the moments to come
assembled in front of it in a long row,
giving me reason to believe
that this was a moment I had rescued
from millions that rush out of sight
into a darkness behind the eyes.

Even after I have forgotten what year it is,
my middle name,
and the meaning of money,
I will still carry in my pocket
the small coin of that moment,
minted in the kingdom
that we pace through every day.

~Billy Collins

why I wake early

Hello, sun in my face.
Hello, you who made the morning
and spread it over the fields
and into the faces of the tulips
and the nodding morning glories,
and into the windows of, even, the
miserable and the crotchety –

best preacher that ever was,
dear star, that just happens
to be where you are in the universe
to keep us from ever-darkness,
to ease us with warm touching,
to hold us in the great hands of light –
good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.

Mary Oliver


This is the poem I shared in class this morning. I know I've shared it in class and here on the blog. Yet I never tire of reading it....both silently and aloud.

I want to share the simple beauty, the simple joy of my day. But I don't want to crowd my head with the details.

So instead I'll share Mary Oliver's brilliant words.
Acknowledge nature as the best preacher there ever was.
Express gratitude for the kindness of others.

And end my day in happiness.

mind mapping to-dos + a closer look at time

Happppy Friday Friends!

I snapped the above picture a few moments ago. This time next week I'll be leaving to travel to NC to lead our intensive yoga teacher training (!!!!).

I have a mile long to-do list. I've made a commitment to enjoy this process of "getting ready" as much as I can. I started with my to-do list. Rather than making a list in black ink in my planner I chose to bring my lil jar of color pencils and map it all out....similar to a mind map.

I have to say it was much more enjoyable and having the linking visual helped me to think of things I'm not sure I would have thought of otherwise.

In the past seeing a list of this magnitude or a map with so many branches would have left me feeling all out of sorts.

For a while now I've worked on my relationship with Mr. Time. I consciously eliminated the phrase "I don't have the time to....." from my vocabulary, knowing well that I do indeed have all the time I need to do whatever I choose to do. Mostly it's a matter of how I choose to use my time. The choice and the responsibility falls back on me, which is pretty empowering.

Sometimes I use my time efficiently and effectively. Sometimes not so much (hello internets).

Just like yoga, it's all I practice and as long as I stay present and awake with it....well it's all good.

happiness

"Ever since Happiness heard your name, it's been running through the street trying to find you." ~Hafiz

This was the theme for the class I taught tonight.

Between teaching something new that I'm feeling really inspired by...

The arrival of Spring...

And the Cats big win...that aside from a few couch burnings resulted in thousands of ecstatic fans running happily through the street...

Well it feels like Happiness has found me.

And it feels really good.

**Photo of Andy taken during the end of the BIG game.**

what the heck is yoga nidra?

Do you love the end of a delicious yoga practice? Many students love savasana, the closing pose in all of our practices. It’s a quiet time when you lie still, relax, and integrate your practice.

This is similar to yoga nidra. Known as “yogic sleep”, yoga nidra is a state of deep sleep, however with conscious awareness. To access yoga nidra, yogis use a systematic method of inducing complete mental, emotional, and physical relaxation. Yoga Nidra is a tool for examining, attending to, and eliminating our habitual patterns or samskaras.

Here is what a yoga nidra practice can look like:
• Getting comfortable lying down
• Stating your sankalpa, or your intention for your practice
• Rotation of consciousness through the body (aids physical relaxation)
• Establishing awareness of the breath (also aids physical relaxation)
• Feelings and sensations practice (aids emotional relaxation)
• Visualization practice (aids mental relaxation)
• Reconnecting with your sankapla and slowly coming out of the sleep state

What does this mean for you in your life? It means that when you finish the practice you feel relaxed and refreshed. …calm yet alert and awake. Some students report that they feel more energized after a practice, some sleep better, and some simply state “feeling good.” Feeling good usually means we feel whole, complete, less stressed, and more alive.

We’ve added a monthly hour long yoga nidra to our class schedule. This takes place on Sunday from 5:30 – 6:30 and counts as a regular class.

Join us for a delicious taste of yoga nidra on April 29 and May 20.

I guarantee you'll sleep like Baby Max afterwards. :)

I love being a yogi entrepreneur

I'm at Coffee Times working now and felt the need to take a break and share just a bit of my excitement in leading the daylong workshop The Right Brain Business Plan tomorrow.

I've had a ball getting ready for this workshop.

The books are at the studio.
The goody bags are all complete and ready.
The handouts and worksheets are all stuffed in big envelopes.
The snacks have been purchased.
The magazines have been gathered and ready to be cut up and collaged.
We've got scissors, and glue. and modge podge, and tape, and pretty paper, and so on.

I've relished each part of the process. I've made myself notes. Underlined and highlighted parts of my book. Outlined the day.

I've pondered my own creative, right brain business planning and journey in general.

Just this week I had a lovely conversation with Lisa, a virtual assistant based out of Colorado. We were chatting about our paths in entrepreneurship and she noted that it seems like I've been an entrepreneur for most of my (adult) life.

Then it hit me that I have. Much like my brother Joel who was a huge inspiration for me (and still is) in taking the jump.

The truth is that in my mid twenties I knew on some deep level that this was the road I desperately wanted to take. I have friends at that age who knew wholeheartedly that they wanted a baby.

I felt that way about my work, my passion. Yoga has been the container for all of that.

Several weeks ago I was highlighted on Jenn Lee's, Right Brainers in Business Summit. I watched the replay back and after saw how cheeky, grinny, smiley I was. I had to chuckle at myself.

One thing was very obvious to me. That was how excited, how lit up I got when talking about being in business.

So for these reasons and more I'm just over the moon to be guiding fellow dreamers and friends through a process that I have experienced and believe in. It's gonna be good! I can't wait.....

**I did some spring cleaning around the treehouse yesterday. This included moving the plants around and buying a new plant (cacti +succulent) for our altar. The photo above shows some of that plus the students who really brought their A game to yoga yesterday. They rocked it. I loved it.**

leeann carey yoga

Here is a teeny tiny glimpse into our weekend with Miss Leeann Carey last weekend. I wanted to post a few pictures before it totally gets away from me.

This was Leeann's third visit in the past year. Each time just gets better and better. Our groups have been pretty consistent so Leeann has a good idea of each of us and where we are as teachers and students.

Each time she begins with a check in and I'm surprised by just how much she does recall about each of us. "How's the knee? Ohhh you still don't like backbends (that would be me) etc, etc. Although that supported fish pose in the bottom left corner of the collage pretty much rocked my world. Now I just need to hire someone to hold me in that pose daily for a couple of minutes.

I feel deeply deeply appreciative that Leeann travels all the way from Los Angeles to work with us here at Barefoot Works. I'm continually inspired by her teaching. The skill she has for seeing what's happening in the poses and in the body is simply amazing.

Plus she's accessible, funny and pretty freakin' cute. Just look at her. Agree?

my kentucky hOMe

I just returned home from three pretty perfect days at the beach. BFF and I have been traveling to Indian Rocks Beach for about 15 years, which officially makes me feel not old, not even necessarily mature, but maybe my actual age of almost 35.

We had perfect weather. Sunny, 80 degree temps, and a nice breeze. We took morning walks as the sun was rising to fetch donuts. Dolphins accompanied us up the beach on our first morning. The last day we discovered a great lil French bakery a mile walk down the beach the other direction. A good thing that was discovered on the last day.

We sat at the water's edge and read. We bobbed in the pool. We sat on the balcony that overlooks the Gulf and watched the sea change colors. We saw a breathtaking sunset. Got too much sun, had a lot of laughs, won the trivia match, met some interesting folks, and spoke of upcoming change and transitions.

Yet when our plane descended from the clouds and I saw Central Kentucky and all it's beauty, I felt a wave of joy. A feeling that only can be described as feeling at home, and in awe of this oh so special place.

I stepped outside the airport and smelled the rain, fresh cut grass,the blooming flowers and trees. A smile spread across my face and I realized there was absolutely, positively, no other place I'd rather be.

Spring time in Kentucky. There is nothing else like it.

hOme sweet hOMe....

**All classes are taking place this weekend as scheduled.* Come Friends.*

happy random

Such a treat to live to here in the great bluegrass state! Spring is quickly arriving and it's such a feast for my eyes. I look around and see the grass growing greener before my eyes. Yet it seems like it happens overnight....spring, that is. How does it happen so quickly?

Simply astounding.

This past week offered many other treats. I'm still reveling in the joy of having Wah! at the treehouse on Tuesday. A day a later Sarah, Jeanne, Laura and myself hopped on over to Louisville and had dinner at Zen Garden (an Asian vegetarian restaurant) then participated in a sound workshop taught by Wah! Total treat. Spending good quality time with gals I adore, singing, chanting, bonding, and have delicious conversations.

In the middle of the week I went on a work picnic too! I laid in the grass by the big pond (or is that a man made lake or are the same?), ate my lunch, read, made notes, and did some journaling. Between the beautiful weather, picnics, Wah! and roadtrips it was pretty perfect.

Then we had a great weekend of basketball games. I do love this time of year and am a big fan of college basketball! It' about THE only sport I actually delight in sharing with Andy.

Today I gathered on the phone with the NC yoga teacher trainees from 11:30 - 5:00. We talked about what to expect and getting ready for the training (everything from what to pack/bring, to making lists of "things" that we needed to do/tend do before arriving, getting all the hOMework completed prior to training, etc). My good pal Shelli Carpenter and antaomy guru Jules Mitchell also got to introduce themselves and share for a while on the topics they will be teaching.

It's sure to be an awesome group and I am filled with anticipation.

But first things first. With the week that felt like a total vacation I nearly forgot that I'm actually leaving tomorrow for an actual vacay. I'm taking my annual trip to the beach with my BFF. I take few trips that aren't work/yoga related (and no I'm absolutely not complaining) and this is one of the few.

Yip, yip....it's time for big sunglasses, tank tops, flip flops, beach reads, tasty fruit drinks, key lime pie, swimming,late night talks, and long walks on the beach.

Wah! in lexington

I drove home last night after the Wah! concert feeling so full.

My head was swimming with the happy reality of her being at the treehouse.
My heart was pulsing with a deep sense of gratitude.

Grateful for the opportunity to be a part of hosting Wah! This was a first for Lexington. Big kudos to Cindy at The Massage Center for calling me up to be a part of it. Big kudos to my yoga bud Shelli Carpenter who got this ball rolling. She is the owner of Eternal Health Yoga and is hosting Wah! tonight and tomorrow.

Grateful for being a part of the experience. I mean, really how cool is this? Wah has been a part of my yoga teaching life since the very beginning. She has sang to me and a bunch of yoga students through the years. It felt a bit surreal.

Grateful for the community of sweet yoga souls around me that sang and swayed and stretched and smiled throughout the evening. It was just the loveliest of things. Almost as if you could reach your hand out and touch love itself.

Happy.

At the end of the night someone says, "Wow, this was just amazing. You guys are doing such great work. What's next?"

For now I'm resisting the urge to dive onward to planning the next thing. This doesn't come easily nor naturally to me.

Instead I'll continue to bask in the richness of the experience.

And follow Wah to Louisville tonight for 2.5 hours of a "sound workshop". It's gonna be a fun evening with a few treehouse teachers. I can't wait.

Feels like a vacation week.

coach cal didn't "fix" darius miller

Source: 1finecookie.com via 1 on Pinterest

The yogini in me makes her appearance in the most interesting places.

Yesterday she showed up during the big match, the showdown between UK and Vanderbilt.

First off, I'm a big Darius Miller fan. Maybe because he's a KY boy. Maybe because he's humble. He's got a way in which his fierceness shows up in a cool, calm, and quiet way. I can appreciate that.

So when I saw him play two games during the SEC tournament and not score a single basket, I was a little sad for him.

Yesterday during the Vandy game he got his mojo back. He was making baskets. Fist pumping and unearthing a big hearty smile. Oh wait, was that also the three goggles? Why yes, it was.

So I was slightly annoyed when the sportscaster said, "Coach Cal did what great coaches do. He fixed Darius Miller."
Oh geez. Really?

I immediately said to Andy, who was sitting on the coach (gnawing on his fingernails), "He didn't FIX Miller."

Call me crazy, but Andy wasn't in the mood to go deep into conversation about Coach Cals inability to "fix" people. We put it aside and went back to nail biting and rallying the Cats.

What I really think is that Coach Cal can inspire Darius Miller. He can remind Miller is his goodness, his greatness on the basketball court. Letting his know that it's very much present and there, waiting for him to confidently take back.

He can remind him that he's playing his last of four years (and come on, that's a rarity at UK now and should alone be celebrated) at UK.

He can remind him that he's a leader on this team and people are looking to him to lead the way.

Coach Cal can remind him of a lot of things.

Coach Cal does indeed do a lot of things.

But he can't "fix" Darius Miller.

Miller is much more than a young man (temporarily) playing basketball at UK. He's more than the baskets he does or doesn't make.

You can't fix something that's not broken.

Let the Darius Miller loving commence.

the power of one pose

Source: nuggetsoflove.tumblr.com via Sharon on Pinterest

When newbies come into the studio to have a chat with me or sign up to take classes there are a few questions asked repeatedly.

One such question is, "How often should I practice yoga?"

We then have a discussion about their schedule, their needs, their willingness to make a commitment to the yoga practice, and what they can realistically commit to.

Even with the newbies that don't yet know the power within this simple yet profound practice I tell them, "It's always my hope that students can do a little daily. Practicing one pose, taking five mindful breaths, or spending as little as five minutes can create positive change."

I've been thinking about this and I've got even more clear on it.

Students can come to class once a week or five times a week. They can blow through their practice. Be totally in their head the whole time, more concerned with the person next to them. Not listening inward, but dedicating all their attention outward.

Or a student can wake up in the morning, know they have a busy day ahead, and dedicate five minutes to themselves on the mat. They can set the intention that those five minutes are solely dedicated to loving and nurturing themselves. They are fully present. Feeling the presence of the breath. Noticing the interaction between the body and the breath. They receive the beauty, the energy, and the goodness of the breath.

So yes, while I want people to continue coming to the treehouse and learning yoga, it's equally important to me (and more crucial to their own health and well-being) that they commit to doing a little daily.

Maybe it's more about the quality and less about the quantity. Maybe it's not the number nor the complexity of the poses, but how you personally regard the pose and the practice.

As always, you get to choose.

If you are doing yoga to get stronger yet you find yourself only in restorative yoga classes you may not get the desired result.

If your yoga is a spiritual practice and you are practicing as a way to love, honor and trust yourself yet everything takes precedence over your practice and you rarely make it to your mat then you may not get the desired result.

Getting clear on why you do yoga is certainly fuel for your practice.

What's your one go to yoga pose you can do daily and love it up? I'm a total downward facing dog kinda gal.

every drop fills the bucket

This morning I was listening to a recording my Babaji and of our efforts to walk this path and take care of ourselves and the greater good he says "every drop fills the bucket".

I think often times we tell ourselves it's not a "real" yoga practice unless we spend over an hour on our yoga mat.

It's not really meditation unless we light a candle and sit peacefully for 20-30 minutes.

I can't really write that book unless I carve out two hours to write daily.

I can't do more of what I love unless I quit my day job.

Babaji's words also reminded me of this passage by Danna Faulds that I love:

"As many times as I forget, catch myself charging forward without even knowing where I'm going, that many times I can make the choice to stop, to breathe, and be, and walk slowly into the mystery."

Today I'm getting curious about the little drops, the short and sweet efforts I can make to fill the bucket.

Some thoughts include:

*standing up at random times and stretching my arms up towards the sky and folding down deep towards the earth.
*checking in with my body at each stoplight.
*verbally appreciating the efforts of each person who serve me in any way today (store clerk, barista, etc).
*joining my dog outside in the backyard for a burst of fresh air
*having a one song dance party
*giving and receiving one delicious and affirming hug
*sitting and feeling the sun on my skin for a few minutes
*send a kind text, email, or card to someone
*holding down dog for five breaths or five minutes
*read one poem
*call someone and let them know I've been thinking of them (and if I'm short on time saying, "Hey I've only got 5 minutes but I've been thinking of you......"
*setting my kitchen timer for 15 minutes and pick up around the big blue house.
*randomly doing something nice for someone
*writing five adjectives that describe my day in my journal.
*telling myself and others "you is kind, you is smart, you is important."

And in case you're needing to hear it.....


What are other short and sweet ways you can think of to "fill the bucket"?

looking for answers

Source: blanaid.com via BreAnne on Pinterest

"O Friend, what you're looking for does exist, but not where you're looking." Babaji's teacher

For a long time I've been on a quest for contentment, although I didn't always use that word. It was my desire to feel whole, to feel full and satisfied in life. That was the answer I was seeking.

Yet instead of looking inward, I focused my attention and efforts outward.

I looked for it in getting away from my roots, my home, and going off to college.

Then in moving away after college, getting even farther from home, and finally having money.

I thought my marriage was supposed to make me feel content and whole. Sorry Andy, that's a heavy burden. ;)

I can continue in this way. Going through the list of things, people, places, and experiences I thought would make me feel content and settled.

It was during my first yoga class that I got a delicious taste of pure contentment. Sure there were other times I'd felt content. But at this particular time I was ready to make a full commitment to making change and living differently.

What I've learned is that it's part of my nature to want to learn and seek new experiences. And I'm ok with that. I actually really happy and enjoy this part of Me.

Yet I do have to keep myself in check. It's hard for me to put the brakes on at times. There are soooo many great things in the world!

I know that in order to be most effective in my life and in the world all the experiences I seek must come forward from a grounded and focused place. A place of me feeling nourished and deeply grateful for all that I am and all that I've been a part of.

So as I'm immersing myself in the life coaching realm and preparing to lead my very first Right Brain Business Planning workshop this month, I'm also staying grounded in my day to day self care practices, teaching and business to-dos.

Or attempting to do so. Some days it comes easier.

When I'm feeling unsettled, anxious, or impatient I have to get quiet, dive inward, and ask myself "what's really going on here?" Many times it's something I'm avoiding, something I've skipped over, something I haven't allow myself to feel or express.

Then I take some sort of action. A few deep breaths. Move my body. Do some writing or have a conversation with someone.

Some of this is a new way for me in being in the world and in my relationships and some feels very old and familiar.

Yet when I'm finished I feel connected to my own wholeness and I realize I don't have to be on a quest for answers nor contentment because they are already as much a part of me as my own hopes, dreams, and desires.

All I have to do is bring my attention to it and affirm it.

yoga is a religion, yoga is a sex cult, and yoga kills you

Source: google.com.np via Claudine on Pinterest

First off, I want to remind people of the very first time you walked into a yoga studio to take a class.

Do you recall how you felt? I do. I was nervous. And uncertain. I didn't exactly know what happened in a yoga class. Do they sit and meditate the whole class. Stand on their head. Chant words that will make no sense to me? I had little clue. All I knew was that the universe kept pointing me in that direction. Go. Do. Yoga.

Plus I was having my mid-twenties crisis and it just seemed like a good idea. I thought it might be able to help me calm my wild thoughts and help me center and connect to myself. Of course at the time, those were not the words I used.

It was more like, "Oh shit, my life is falling to pieces. I'm too young for my life to fall to pieces. What the hell am I gonna do? I've gotta figure this out."

When I see and read the articles in The New York Times and I hear that people actually think yoga is a religion it gets to me.

Not because it ruffles all my yogi feathers in a purist way. Ok, ok some if it has ruffled my yoga tail feathers, just a bit. I can't lie.

It's mostly upsetting to me because here we are adding to the list of reasons not to do yoga. As if people need more reasons not to do yoga. In general as a society we already feel less than.

Oh I can't do yoga because I'm too old, too young, too skinny, too fat, too tight, too weak, too conservative, too eccentric....on and on and on.

Now we have people reading these articles and perhaps thinking they'll either break their neck doing yoga or get lured into a sex cult.

Geez, really?

Yogs is not (and I repeat not) a religion. We have no place of worship. No god or gods we must pray or bow down to. Yoga does not tell you to pray to any certain thing nor person. Yoga actually encourages you to connect to any source that uplifts you. One of the niyamas is "ishvara pranidhana" which is connecting to a higher source energy. Be that source the sun, Jesus, Allah, your lover, whatever. Yoga does not attempt to define what that higher source is. And I love that. Wars break out, people fight, and do all sorts of crazy things in the name of God and love. We get so attached, so righteous about what we believe to be the ultimate truth. Really seems counter-productive to me.

Yes, yoga has deep spiritual roots that are there should one be interested in exploring that. It is not a prerequisite nor a requirement. You can come do yoga to get a nice yoga ass or you can come to connect to spirit. Whatever. It doesn't matter to me. We all have our individual reasons and that is a beautiful thing in and of itself.

Yoga as a sex cult....yes let's explore that one. Appears all this talk stems from the scandal happening around John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga. If you're curious just Google John Friend Sex Scandal and you'll get more information than you care to read.

First of all, yogis are not super humans free from struggle nor suffering. Yogis are humans. I'm not at all justifying his behavior. Mostly what I'm saying is that when you really think about it, it's not that utterly shocking.

Disappointing? Yes.
Sad? Yes
Shocking? At first yes, upon further inquiry maybe not.

Sex scandals occur all over the place.....business people, family people, politicians, religious leaders, and yes, yogis.

This is a reminder to each of us as a student of yoga. It's not about your teacher. Really, it's not. It's about the wisdom within yoga and You. I get that your yoga teacher can serve as a source of inspiration. Your teacher has been walking the path. Seeking and striving to live a good life and sharing what is true for them. It's not about them. I repeat. If they say it is about them, that's a big red sign. When it starts to feel like your worthiness is based on your teacher and it's more about them then I'd step back and ponder what's truly happening.

Lastly, this idea that "I'd better not do yoga because I might hurt myself."


News flash....I can spill my hot coffee onto my lap and hurt myself. I can slip and fall on the street and hurt myself. I can literally dance my big toenail off and hurt myself (yes still slightly traumatized by that one).

Asanas (the yoga poses) are physical. You can hurt yourself doing anything physical. A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

Both students and teachers have responsibility when it comes to safety in a yoga classroom. We as teachers are looking for signs of students overdoing it and straining. That's why I always say, "If you can't breathe in this pose, don't do it!". I've had conversations with students and essentially said, "I don't think you're ready for this pose."

Students have responsibility. Just because we teach it, doesn't mean you have to do it. Honor your body. Listen deeply. Find your edge in the pose and don't push past it. Be more concerned about your body and pose than your neighbors. How do you know if it's too much?

If you can't breathe you shouldn't be in that pose.
If your mind is freaking out you shouldn't be in that pose.
If it's a pose that requires great strength and you're just not there yet, you shouldn't be in that pose.
If it hurts (and this is more than simply uncomfortable) you shouldn't be in the pose.

Actually when the article by William Broad came out in NYT I felt really good about my method of teaching and the process I lead trainees through in yoga teacher training. I believe it to be wise, safe, and sustainable.

Basically I love yoga. I want everybody to do yoga.

I truly believe that if we all did yoga the world would be a much better place. I do. I believe that deeply, in the core of my being. When I read some things I just want to bang my head against the wall because it seems so unbelievable to me.

Don't believe everything just because you read it or someone told you to believe it. Take it in, try it on, and then choose for yourself. The same thing is true for yoga.

Shew. That was a lot. I shall now step off of the yoga soapbox. Thanks for listening. Or reading.

Have a great day friends.

living in appreciation

Source: imgfave.com via Sharon on Pinterest

Hello Blog.
Hello Friends.
It's been a while....

I'm happy to be here with this soy latte, my manual for my life coach immersion, and my pinktop.

I have so much to say about my time in Santa Cruz. My heart and my head sorta feel like their opening and exploding all over the place. Tha aha's, hmmmmm's, oh shits, and hell yea's are abundantly flowing.

Today what I'm feeling is appreciation.

And just how happens we spent a whole day in my life coach immersion deep in the throes of appreciation.

Each day we have a commitment that we explore. This was commitment #9 and reads like this:

"I commit to living in appreciation, both fully opening to receive and to giving appreciation."

The counter-commitment reads like this:

"I commit to feeling entitled to "what's mine", and to resenting when it's not acknowledged in the way I want. I commit to withholding my appreciation of others. I commit to taking others for granted."

We explored this commitment in the yoga class I taught this morning. During centering we appreciated things in the outer landscape....

The sun and the way the light danced in across the studio floor.
The sounds of the birds chirping.
A bright blue sky.
Plants, flowers, trees.
Spring beginning to burst forth in all Her glory.

We then turned out attention to our inner landscape. An invitation to appreciate our very own magnificent inner landscape.

The feeling of hands resting on legs.
Our legs, belly, back, and chest.
The breath and it's magical ways.
The mind and it's marvelous ways of working.
So much to appreciate.

We began to move and appreciate the marriage of body, movement, and breath.
We appreciated our fingers, wrists, and hands.
They allowed us to drive here, hold a mug of hot tea, hug a dear one.

We appreciated our shoulders in cow face pose.
Our hips in warrior II.
Our hammies in hand to big toe.

We moved into our edge in poses. That place where it feels uncomfortable "to be".
We pondered how appreciation can show up even in these uncomfortable places and feelings....

Could we appreciate our body, our pose, our feelings for what they were now, even in having room to grow in the pose on the mat...
And in our life off the mat?

"I commit to living in appreciation, both fully opening to receive and to giving appreciation."

This is so much of what I strive to bring to my life and my teachings within yoga. Yoga and life...Life and yoga as expression of love and appreciation.

This is the stuff dreams are made of.
This is the stuff my dreams are made of.

I'm feeling deeply, deeply appreciative today.
Too put words to it would take too long.
I'd say too much.

e.e. Cummings says it best with,

"I thank you God
for most this amazing day.
For the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a true blue dream of sky.
For everything which is natural,
which is infinite
which is Yes."

It's good to be home. I've missed You.

right brainers in business video summit

Beginning next week Jenn will be hosting The Right Brainers in Business Video Summit. She'll be interviewing wonderfully creative entrepreneurs experts in their field. I'm so excited to be featured in a show and tell spotlight next Tuesday on Feb. 28

Check out all the details for the Video Summit here: http://rightbrainersinbusiness.com/

Jenn was gracious enough to answer a few questions I asked her. I hope you enjoy!

Jenn, I know you're in the yoga world. You've completed a yoga teacher training, have led the Dream Box workshop at yoga trainings, and you're a yoga practitioner. How does your yoga practice help you with the creative process?
Yoga connects back to my inner wisdom. It helps me slow down and become more present. Lately due to a back injury, I've had to forgo my love of rigorous Ashtanga and opt for a more gentle home practice. It's been teaching me to be compassionate with myself, to listen to what my body needs, and to find more ease. That's certainly helped me when it comes to my creativity, too, by reminding me to hold the creative process lightly. I can't force inspiration to come. I have to slow down and pay attention to what my inner muse is telling me.


How did you feel when you left your very secure job to pursue your dreams?

It took me three years to build up the courage to finally leave my 10-year corporate career. When I was ready to leave I had reached my wits end trying to force myself to do work that didn't speak to my heart. Just even being in the office I could feel the soul being sucked out of me. While it was scary to jump into the unknown, I did know it was time! One of the things that helped during that transition was building a support network of other creative entrepreneurs who were also pursuing their passions. It made me feel like I wasn't alone and it helped me to stay inspired even when things were challenging.



You're clearly a girl on the go! What do you do for your own self care?

I practice what I call self-care Fridays. I like having a free day to totally focus on my own creativity, creative projects, or focus on nourishing things like naps or reading in my hammock when it's nice outside. I clear my calendar of any meetings (except with my hairstylist, massage therapist, the local nail shop, my inner muse and/or friends). I've learned that it's okay to say no sometimes. My latest self-care practice has been whipping up green smoothies. I love them!


What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
In high school, my speech coach encouraged me to "Be BIG!" To trust in myself, project my naturally quiet voice, and even take a more powerful physical stance when I was doing my speeches. It's one of those lessons that continues to translate into so many other areas of my life all these years later. Certainly being a creative entrepreneur requires me to trust myself and to allow myself to take up space and be seen. It's still a growing edge and I'm always reminded of how he championed me to own my gifts.


What makes you feel most alive?
Being in touch with my creativity definitely makes me feel most alive. So does being surrounded by nature and beauty.


Thanks Jenn! If you're feeling inspired then join Jenn on the Video Summit. Really and truly the speakers are just phenomenal. That link is: http://rightbrainersinbusiness.com/

If you're interested in joining me for the day and doing The Right Brain Business Workshop and doing more of what you love then click here: http://barefootworks.com/rightbrain_business_plan.html


I'm feeling excited about so much greatness coming up.

babaji speaks on being wholehearted

I just finished listening to a recording of one of Babaji's discussions at Sonoma Ashram. I nearly jumped out of my bed and did a lil dance when I heard him say,

"Engage in something wholeheartedly."

He mentioned that when we are engaged wholeheartedly there is no resistance. There is no holding back. There is no doubt.

Wholehearted is my word for the year. As I attentively listened and wrote ferociously in my notebook I would throw the occasional, "Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!" in there. As well as "Wow!"

He went on to speak of three things used in yogic teachings, three things to utilize once you wholeheartedly devote yourself to something:

1. Good thoughts and intention
2. Actions that support said intention
3. Speech and words that support said intention

He asks "How many things do we engage in wholeheartedly? No wishing to be anywhere different, nor doing anything different? What in our life can we engage in wholeheartedly? It's not a chore, not an obligation, not a duty, or responsibility."

A part in which I write "yes" numerous times and follow it up with exclamation points he says, "Wishing is not enough. My actions have to follow. What I say, what I put out has to follow. Holding intention is not enough. It has to be a part of my being."

At the end of the discussion (which for me is about 7 pages of my lefthanded scribbling) he goes back to his original question...

"What is it in our life that supports all three? I think this is a good thing to do. By doing it I feel good. When speaking of it I am there wholeheartedly."

I couldn't help but think of my love affair with yoga. I thought about how I have literally dedicated myself wholeheartedly to the practice and the philosophy of yoga. Then I could clearly see how I utilized the three aspects Babaji spoke of (good intentions, followed by action, followed by a passionate voice for the yogic teachings).

Such goodness to ponder.

What are the things and the people I'm wholeheartedly dedicated to?

Are my thoughts, my actions, and my speech helpful? Do they make in a difference in my life, in the lives of others?

Have a delicious weekend Friends.

*Above photo taken during one of Babaji's discussions at Sonoma Ashram. AND if you didn't hear, Sonoma Ashram is the location for our fall intensive yoga teacher training. Yep, I'm feeling pretty very excited, a little nervous, very humbled, and so thank-full.*

to love many things

"But I always think that the best way
to know God is to love many things."
~Vincent Van Gogh

It's possible my first love was the Sun.
Even now few things delight and inspire me as I see the dawn of a new day.
I watch the way the light of the Sun dances across each and every day.
Always different. Some days are dark and some are light.
They are equally beautiful and relevant in my eyes.

I met my second love during my sophomore year in high school, the Ocean of course.
Few things help me to feel so big, so open, so expanded.
Yet so small, so integrated, so connected.
She too is never the same. Sometimes she is quiet and calm.
At times she growls and causes a big stir.
I've never witnessed any stage, any way of Being when she wasn't perfect.

I met my third love at the tender age of 21, Andy of course.
Few things bring me the comfort of going to bed and waking next to him.
We danced at bars, climbed mountains, and took spontaneous roadtrips.
We turned into adults, but not entirely.
We laughed and cried, rallied one another,
got confused about love more than a time or two.
We collect magic rocks and dig deep in our pockets for rainbows.
I am his RebelGirl and he is my RuleMaker.
Nearly 14 years together. Each and every day different.
All perfectly imperfect.

I met my fourth love at the confused age of 25, Yoga that is.
I'm sure I'd never felt to connected to my own body before that first class.
And that was just the beginning of a brilliant relationship.
What I discovered buried underneath my wants, desires, needs, hurt, fear, confusion, my inspiration and aspirations, was most magical.
It was pure and whole.
It was without blemishes, crystal clear, and utterly complete.
It was my highest, sweetest Self.

It is through the sun, and moon, the wind and the stars that I know Love.
It is through the mystery and the magic that exists in life that I know Love.
It is through the simplicity of complexity of being in relationship with others that I know Love.
It is through the beauty of words, of the poetry of the body that I know Love.
It is through my deep driving desire to connect to mySelf that I know Love.

Maybe Van Gogh was on to something.....

spiritual practice

I remember the time I thought, no I expected that by having a spiritual practice I would be free from struggle. Yes it's true.

In the midst of some yoga high, riding on the waves of bliss, when everyone and everything was perfect in my eyes. "This is it," I thought.

Now I see how unreasonable that is. I thought "being spiritual" meant feeling good all the time.

What I didn't understand was that my spiritual practice was about making room for all of it. "It" being the feelings of fullness, wholeness, and peace that are a by product of a regular spiritual practice as well as the anger, fear, greed, and jealousy that comes with simply living as a human being. Even the Yoga Sutras say that yogis, sages, and seers are not excluded from pain and suffering.

While Mama Alice was receiving treatment for cancer I would get emails and messages from people commenting on how "well" I was handling the crisis. What people didn't see was the crying, screaming, questioning, and breaking of one not so sturdy lamp.

Those moments came on when I least expected it. In a conversation. When a particular song came on. Driving past a hospital. Looking at artwork. Seeing a baby. Writing on this blog.

There were times when the feelings came in waves, slow and steady, building gradually. There were times when the feelings came ferociously like a lion.

Every time the voice of judgement started to say "straighten up and act like a yogi" I would remind myself that this too was the life of a yogi.

I would allow myself permission to feel the full range of emotion I was experiencing (something that is still challenging for me). I would connect to the virtues that are important to me. Virtues such as kindness, compassion, and gratitude.

I would take a step away from the stories swirling in my mind and take a step closer to trust.

Take a deep breath. Bring my attention back to that which is pure and whole. The part of me that is untouched by the chaos and conflict that swirls around.

That's what my spiritual practice is about these days. It's about trusting even when I don't fully understand. It's about getting quiet and connecting to the fullness of life. It's about reminding myself of the peace that is ultimately available in the moment should I choose to see it, should I bring my attention to it.

on celebrating...

Get Drunk
One should always be drunk. That's all that matters;
that's our one imperative need. So as not to feel Time's
horrible burden one which breaks your shoulders and bows
you down, you must get drunk without cease.

But with what?
With wine, poetry, or virtue
as you choose.
But get drunk.

And if, at some time, on steps of a palace,
in the green grass of a ditch,
in the bleak solitude of your room,
you are waking and the drunkenness has already abated,
ask the wind, the wave, the stars, the clock,
all that which flees,
all that which groans,
all that which rolls,
all that which sings,
all that which speaks,
ask them, what time it is;
and the wind, the wave, the stars, the birds, and the clock,
they will all reply:

"It is time to get drunk!

So that you may not be the martyred slaves of Time,
get drunk, get drunk,
and never pause for rest!
With wine, poetry, or virtue,
as you choose!"

Charles Baudelaire

I'm leaving this afternoon for a weekend away with the family. We are making a party this weekend at the Smilies (aka the Smokies, thanks Lauren ;). Up in the mountains, nuzzled in a cabin, eating, drinking, hot tubbing, basketball watching, laughing, playing, getting drunk on life and celebrating a healthy Mama Alice.

Cheers friends. Wishing you a delicious weekend.

xo

the place beyond ambition

Over the new year I bought a new book of poetry by Mary Oliver. Most nights when I go to bed I'll dig through the stack of books and notebooks to retrieve "Red Bird".

Some nights I open it once, read one poem, then return the book to the overflowing nightstand.

Some nights I open it, knowing I want to read these words, the words I've been loving on....

There Is a Place Beyond Ambition
When the flute players
couldn’t think of what to say next

they laid down their pipes,
then they lay down themselves
beside the river

and just listened.
Some of them, after a while,
jumped up
and disappeared back inside the busy town.
But the rest—
so quiet, not even thoughtful—
are still there,

still listening.

One of my fears is that in my quest for peace, happiness, and fulfillment I will be one of those flute players that only rests, only listens momentarily before rushing back into the busyness of town, the busyness of life.

I expressed this recently to Babaji. He reminded that I am at an age, a time in my life to be busy and productive in the ways in which I am. "How do I know if it's too much?" I ask him. He responds that I'll know (and I will because I've certainly been there). He assures me that I'm on the right path. That it's "too much" when I start to compromise my health and the quality of what I'm doing.

With those words, with that advise I settle in and settle down.

I sit taller. Close my eyes. Get quiet. And listen.

Then when I enter back into the busyness of life...filled with hopes, desires, dreams, and ambitions....I do so from a place of peace and ease. Some days won't be so peaceful nor easy. And I'm ok with that too.

What else is there to do?

the burning question....

Danielle LaPorte has started new fabulousness where she asks a "burning question" then asks you to respond. As a lover of a good question, how could I resist. Here goes:

I want my day to feel like walking barefoot on the softest white sand on the beach of Tulum.

I want kissing to to feel like the delicious first bite of decadent chocolate cake.

I want my next success to feel like the little girl confidently jumping off the high dive for the first time.

I want smiling to feel like Julia Roberts biggest, heartiest laugh in Pretty Woman.

I want my friendships to feel like a grand story, an open book for our eyes and ears only.

I want my nervous system to feel like a perfectly dressed day.

I want my teaching to feel like Seane Corn, Oprah, Frida, and Mary Oliver hanging out, having drinks, and discussing all matters of body, mind, and heart.

I want my money making to feel like the sweetest of exchanges between two friends destined to share.

I want my laughter to feel like thunder and lightning on a clear summer night.

I want my challenges to feel like a new yoga pose I discover and hold...uncomfortable at first, then settling in to receive, then letting it go.

I want my love to feel like The Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa on a picnic offering flowers to Kali & Ganesha while singing Amazing Grace.

I want my writing to feel like the mischievious, ecstatic, inquisitive, treehugging, poetic lovechild of Rumi and Mary Oliver.

I want my ideas to feel like the first taste of Poprocks....exploding and fizzing, sharp and delightful.

And you dear Ones....

How do you want it all to feel?

**Photo by the awesome Martin Husch. Demonstrating how I want my day to feel.**

welcoming it all

Over the past week or so I've been thinking about the lives of blogs and the people behind the words, the voice.

It's been a while since I've dug back through my blog but if I did, (after initially being horrified by some of things I'd written) I could probably see what "stage" I was in. A dreaming stage, a "life is really freakin' great" stage, a sorrow stage,etc.

In his brilliance Rumi shares:

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

Last night someone questioned the authenticity of a blogger (Kimberly Wilson) that I've read for years. There is much one can debate within this but what I'm thinking about in the moment is the many facets of a being. And how when you blog, when you run a very public business, how is that interpreted.

I've always made an attempt to portray myself honestly here, writing both about the good and the bad on and off the yoga mat.

Nearly a year ago I wrote about "the things you don't see" when I had the flu.

I wrote about the "moment I freaked out."

I wrote here when my world was crashing down around me when my Mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

And most recently on death of my sweet beloved baby dog Bella (who was a 13 year old baby).

I've written about how yoga has never come naturally to me. I've written about how I don't perfectly fit the mold as either a business owner or a yoga teacher. I've written about my love of beer and the use of a few four lettered words to flavor that which I speak of.

Even yesterday I departed the Outer Banks of NC early in the morn. I was feeling like a million bucks. Giddy, excited about all that was to come. Soon the rain came and I didn't get that last rendezvous with the ocean. Instead I ran and flung my things into my car, cold from the wet rain. An hour or so later the exit I needed to take to get me to the interstate was closed. I spent 45 minutes driving in circles. Totally maddening. I got into a huge fight with Andy when he didn't respond the way I wanted him too. Shortly after finding my way out of the mess of being lost I received information that totally shook me.

It. Was. Not. Pretty.

To put it mildly, it was not a happy journey home. I was mad, and sad, and feeling lost (literally and figuratively speaking).

Then I remind myself of more Rumi (this is why it's good to memorize stuff that saves you ;)

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

I take a few breaths. Sit taller. Make a few sounds. Then ultimately remind myself of what is the truth for me.

Part of that is that it's all needed. The shitty, the sunshine, the magic, the malice, the dark and the light.

Being authentic, being wholehearted are two things I really value.

Dear Friends please promise to call me out if you see or feel otherwise. I only ask that you do it kindly. And in a private message. ;)

*I snapped this photo a while back while nestled in my bed. It was striking the way the light found it's way through, even with the smallest of openings.*

scenes from sanderling inn

Let me say quickly that my photos here do this place little justice. Now that we've got that behind us let me gush for a few moments about this jewel.

The Sanderling Inn is spread out over 12 acres at the edge of Duck. On one side where the inn and guest rooms are you have the Atlantic Ocean. A stones throw, or a walk across the two lane road you have a few more facilities including a reallllly great spa. On this side you have views of the Corrituck Sound. I had an amazing view of the Sound plus a setting sun yesterday during my massage. Love.ly.

I spent most of my time today reading, writing, and walking the beach. I did go out once to measure distances from the house for yoga teacher training to restaurants, grocery store and so on. After all, doing the prep/planning work for our upcoming intensive yoga teacher training is my whole purpose in being here.

So yes, The Sanderling Inn. Everything has been phenomenal. My room, the food, and the staff? They have been superb. Each person I run across asks me how my stay is going and if I need anything. I love good customer service and they are excelling.

My massage and time at the spa was great. I spent three hours at the spa yesterday between hot tubbing, pool swimming (indoor heated pool, getting my massage then lounging in the "whisper zone" with delish tea (Barney & Sons, a fave) and magazines.

I was out on the beach walking three times today. Once at sunrise, after breakfast, then after lunch. I did yoga in my room then went for "tea time" for what else....more tea. And cookies. I read and wrote in my journal. I sat a while on one side and enjoyed water views of the sound then moved across to other side and enjoyed views of the ocean. Divine.

I went back to the spa tonight to do all the above minus the massage (other yumminess is included in your nightly rate). Ordered room service for the second night in a row (feeling a bit spoiled) and turned the tv on for the first time. To watch what? The Cats game of course. ;)

I'm planning to wake up early tomorrow. Have one more rendezvous with the ocean. Blow Her a kiss, explain I'll be back in over two months with precious yoginis, then hammer down and head back home to The Big Blue House. I could care less about the Superbowl game but I don't want to miss Madonna's performance.

More sharing how this all relates to yoga teacher training next week. I have some more relaxing to do. Love to you all. xoxo

Today's sunrise. Love. Love.Love

Tea time and journaling with a view of the ocean and a cozy fire.

Gift from the sea. One of my walks was a treasure hunt.

Steel cut oats with all the toppings for breakfast plus a great read and time for writing.

here i go again.....

Last night I threw some clothes and books into a weekend bag. Printed off directions and went to bed feeling a wee excited about my spontaneous road trip.

This morning I taught my 9:15 class, met with someone interested in joining the studio for yoga, had a quick lunch, then filled the tank with gas and hit the open road.

Could there be a more perfect day for a road trip? I think not. I've felt light and happy driving on the big road. The sun so bright, the sky so blue, with perfect white fluffy clouds. I'm diggin' on bright and blue. Can go for some light and happy.

Thoughts on my mind, music on the radio. And the most perfect music is coming on the radio. If I had better planned I'd have made a playlist with fabulous driving tunes, but......well I didn't plan that well.

Instead I'm getting to hear Madonna, sing "Vogue."
And the big hair band with the hot girl that dances on the hood of the car singing,
Here I go again on my own. Going down the only road I've ever known."
Perfect.

On I-64 I see a sigh that says Lewsiburg was one of the "coolest small towns in America in 2011". How many times are you passing through one of the coolest small towns in America? Not that often I figure.

So I made a stop. Oh, it's cute here. I mean, cool. We've got two bookstores, wine shops, cafes, health food store, and a coffee shop in which I'm writing from now. All nuzzled into the mountains.

I have no hotel booked so I'll see where I land tonite. I do however have a destination....

The Outer Banks.
Yep doing a lil prepping and planning for the intensive yoga teacher training coming up. Yip!

Have I mentioned that I love my job?

hellooooo february!

January is over! Big sigh of relief. Shew. While I do deeply appreciate the significance of a new year and the idea of a fresh, clean slate I have to admit that I'm more prone to feeling heavier, and a touch sad at this time of year.

January was a month of high's and low's. Andy and I said goodbye to our beloved dog Bella. We got the amazing news that my Mama's first scan post cancer treatment was all clear.

I am so grateful for not only the people that support me, but the practices that support me, especially yoga, meditation, and contemplation.

I've spent a lot of time at home this month and it's been really refreshing. While I have been hibernating more at home I have been busy pondering and planning for the year on personal and professional levels. That's so much fun.

Envisioning what I want to see unfold at the studio is a big part of that. One of the things I want for the studio and our community are more experiences with teachers coming to share their knowledge, their goodness with the yogis in Lexington.

I'm so thrilled to collaborate with Cindy at The Massage Center in hosting Wah (yes Wah!) at the treehouse on March 13. Leeann Carey is coming back to the studio in March also. I'm in coordinating to bring Babaji (the spiritual teacher at Sonoma Ashram who is expanding and enriching my life in the best of ways) to our community this summer. I'm chatting with a special teacher at Kripalu about coming down to Lexington. Totally awesome. I can't wait to share these experiences with all of you.

You can also look forward to your favorite teachers at the studio inspiring you during daily yoga classes, a new yoga nidra class that will occur once a month, an 8 week Buddhist studies class starting, and new workshops including meditation and yoga + life coaching.

Personally I've got plans for retreating and refueling in Sonoma. Spending time with Andy in Mexico. Taking more weekend trips with my family (we're off to the Smoky Mountains next weekend to celebrate Mama Alice). Doing some re-decorating at The Big Blue House. Perfecting Thai and Indian curries. Becoming more awake and conscious in all of my relationships. Expanding into life coaching. More awesomeness.

I believe in the power of the moment. I also believe in the power of contemplating your future and stepping into it.

What is your heart longing for this year?
Who do you want to meet or spend more time with?

What do you want to learn?

What are the trips you want to take?

What are the experiences you want to have?

What brings you joy and how can you do more of that?

How do you want to spend your time?

What area of your life needs your time and attention?

Knowing what your heart is longing for is so valuable. When you decide what you're being called towards you can better direct your time, money, and effort. It also helps you to direct your attention and get really clear on the thoughts and beliefs that support your intentions.

Is all of this yoga? Absolutely, positively YES. The ancient yogis were continually studying themselves and learning as a result. Now that's a lesson truly worth learning.

So I ask you, what is your heart longing for this year?