seek that

There is a force within which gives you life

seek that.

In your body lies a priceless gem

seek that.

O, wandering soul,

if you want to find the greatest treasure,

don't look outside,

Look inside,

and seek that.

Rumi

summit city

Andy and I went to Whitesburg this weekend to join in the pre-opening festivities of my brother's coffee shop, Summit City. I've been assisting Joel in planning and purchasing things for the coffee shop for a while now. He purchased this building more than a year ago and has been diligently working on restoring it...or the contractors have been working to restore it. :-) That beautiful tin was hidden underneath a dropped ceiling and those beautiful floors were buried beneath carpet. Really, why do people do such crazy things?!

Saturday night Si Kahn a renowned folk artist and Gravy of Los Angeles (not together, that would have been a bit odd) played until late in the night. Over 110 people came out to enjoy the music, mingle, and see the hippest spot in all of eastern Kentucky (and quite possible the hippest coffee shop I've ever been in). This much support in a town of about 1500. It was really, really amazing. Following the music, we put a closed sign on the door and friends and family turned the stage into a dance floor. I literally danced for about four hours straight. It was the most exhilarating night.

This is Joel and Amelia. Closing time, finally a moment to revel in the space they've created. This is my brother's second business. The coffee shop is really more of a hobby, a place for people to gather and have a grand time. And I think that many people are going to enjoy this special place.

celeb yoga scoop

Yes, I've come out of the closet with my teeny tiny obsession with keeping up with what's going on the celebrity world. Sometimes I do run across pertinent info...such as these stars sharing their love of yoga...

"Yoga is a metaphor for life. You have to take it really slowly. You can't rush. You can't skip to the next position. You find yourself in very humiliating situations, but you can't judge yourself. You just have to breathe, and let go. It is a workout for your mind, your body and your soul." Madonna

"I'm learning yoga. It's fascinating. Once again, it's all about getting to know your "self." Connecting your heart and your mind in order for you to not make compulsive or obsessive decisions in life. Simplicity is the medicine." Ricky Martin

"I started [yoga] about five years ago. I will say, definitely, it changed my life. It made me calmer. It puts you right in the place of witness - which is great." This is a testament to the fact that yoga really does teach people about life in general. The practice differs from a 'regular' exercise regimen where the physical body is only focused on. Having a personal trainer does make one feel better physically and can increase strength, but there is little focus on meditation or calming the emotions. " Meg Ryan

Really, how did you think Madonna got those arms? I heard she can crack walnuts with her biceps alone. ;-)

Have a lovely, lovely weekend.

inappropriate yoga guy

Check him out here. Thanks for the link Irene. :-) The inappropriate yoga guy even mentions a retreat in Tulum!

alive

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Howard Thurman

I wonder how happy we would be as individuals, as a whole society, if we did what we truly loved...what we felt complete passion for...what made us come alive. The things we think we're not good enough at, the things that we think would embarrass our family, or the things that society frowns upon. I do think that when we are happy, when we are doing something that feeds our soul, we burn just a little bit brighter. And others see this. They see the glow, they feel joy just being in your presence.

Burn baby burn. My wish for all of us, all of you.

paradise found

Tulum is one of the most beautiful, serene places that I have ever visited. The outside world floats away as you make your way towards Maya Tulum. I was so pleased when our van driver pulled into the half circular stone drive and said "Welcome to Maya Tulum". The reception area was a tiny looking cabana that housed a small boutique on the left and the office on the right. There was always a staff member sitting at the desk outside in the open air. Victor and Abraham called taxis for us, scheduled tours for our group, carried our bags too and from our cabana, and helped with a variety of other things. The sincerity, and the energy of the staff was beyond amazing. Megan was wonderful in coordinating our yoga classes and making sure everything was perfect, the restaurant and bar staff were courteous, efficient and impeccable in service, and Fabian a massage therapist and spiritual healer deserves a huge thank you for his warmth, kindness and peaceful ways.

My cabana (cabana 19) was a charming place to call home for the week. The simplicity of the room, the openness and airiness was just what I wanted. No television and no telephone made is quite easy to disconnect. There were two comfortable adirondack type chairs in the front of the cabana that offered amazing views of the sun rising over the ocean. I woke every day around 6:00 and enjoyed the sun rise. Some mornings I did sun salutations, some I tried to capture the beauty by taking photos, and others I just sat in a chair sipping coffee, taking it all in.

The food was so fresh. I left every single meal feeling nourished and refreshed. Our group met for nearly every meal and ooohed and ahhhed at how tasty it was. Gathering together at meal times was a favorite thing to do of ours. And of course, doing yoga at this place was just as magical as everything else. We were able to hear the waves as we sat in meditation and relaxed into savasana. Types of yoga included vinyasa, hatha, yin and restorative yoga.

It was such a joy to be at a place where you could literally go barefoot all week long. All you needed was a couple bathing suits, yoga clothes and some sunscreen. Our entire group really, really enjoyed Maya Tulum and I find myself looking forward to my next visit. This place and the people was paradise found.

one last day in paradise

Gonna soak up the sun and enjoy this beautiful place one more day. The past couple days we have gone to the Tulum Ruins, kayaking and snorkeling, and explored the city of Tulum a bit last night. But I have to admit that the best has been being at the resort and simply relaxing and unwinding. We are finishing up the retreat tonight with a restorative yoga session. I think everyone here needs it!

Going to the Tulum Ruins was a little bit of a shocking experience. After spending several days seeing minimal people and not even riding in a car it was just too much stimulation. There were people everywhere. So, so crowded....but very beautiful and rich in history. We did see many beautiful, colorful fish while snorkeling and the bay was so, so pretty.

I am having one more massage today. Tuesdays massage was 50 minutes and it went by way too fast. So todays will last 80 minutes...yippy!

I hope to see you guys next week. Have a great weekend!

the best yet

I had the best, most amazing massage last night. The spa here at Maya Tulum is a world renowned spa. And now I can see why. They offer such a variety of treatments, including the most popular ones that we have at home. But they offer so much more. Shelli had a mayan clay massage where they used local clay that they slathered all over her, massaged and let it dry. The best part was that she got to go the ocean and rinse it all off. I heard she looked like some sort of goddess and she pranced from her massage room and down to the beach...sheet floating around her and hair blowing in the wind ;-) Tracy is having a massage where they use local honey and I had the holistic massage last night. I loved it so much that I have scheduled another one for Friday.

As a group we are doing a whole detox last night, complete with a sweat lodge. It lasts 2.5 hours and we get fresh fruit and hot tea afterwards. We have heard and read great things about it. I will let you know how it goes.

I have been waking up around 6:00 in the morning. I decided yesterday to get up and greet the sun this morning. So around 6:00ish this morning I took the 23 steps from my cabana to the beach (yes I have counted) and did a whole lotta sun salutations on the beach, with the sun coming up over the water directly in front of me. It was beautiful, to say the very least. I finished with a nice meditation, then left me feeling like the luckiest person in the whole world.

How are the yogis in Lexington doing?

another day in paradise

Highlights from yesterday:

1. Getting up at 6:00, taking a walk on the beack and taking pictures.
2. Chatting with a sweet new yogi friend named Fran. There are yogi´s roaming around everywhere here! It´s great.
3. Taking a fun class with Shelli where we got to pracitce all sorts of fun arm balancing poses...including handstand (on the wall). Makes you feel sorta like a superhero of sorts afterwards.
4. The food...all of it. Delicious.
5. The drink...poncho villa. A tasty concoction of rum, tequilla, banana and cocunut creme. Boy, you can´t have very many of those.
6. Teaching yoga on the beach. That´s a challenge for the balance. To be in the sand with the water just steps away is quite a wonderful feeling. Appropriatley enough,I have changed tree pose to palm tree pose for the week.
7. Walking up a very dark road with a flash light that a nice man named Ron let us borrow. There are very little lights and the stars were literally breathtaking.
8. Making it to Zamas and Tracy and I shaking our groove thing on the sand dance floor. A cover of No Woman No Cry, a fresh ocean breeze, and the sounds of the ocean in the background. Need I say more?

paradise

We have made it safely to Tulum and had our first full day yesterday to settle in. This place is completly magical. Maya Tulum, is an eco resort. There is no electricity. The resort runs off of generators and solar. If you want to be pampered and have the New York Times delivered to your cabana each day, this is not the place. What you will find are the most amazing, unique cabanas that are scattered about the property, with all of them linked together by a sandy path that meanders around the property. And the beach...it is literally steps from the front door of your cabana. When you go to bed at night, all you can hear is the humming from the ceiling fan and the gentle crashing of the waves. It is truly a place to relax and find balance and peace.

And the food is probably the best food I have ever eaten. It is pretty much vegetarian. But there have been no complaints from the carnivores, the veggies, or the vegans. All of us have been thrilled by the selection. Tracey saw the local farmers pull up at the resort today and deliver fresh fruits and veggies. The mango is delicious. As are the mango margaritas.

The yoga sessions have been really special. The space that we are in is great. Windows all around the walls to allow the breeze in and tall hut ceilings with six or so ceiling fans. This morning we explored arm balancing poses and worked on building upper body strength. This evening I am leading a yoga class on the beach.

I off for a short walk back to the resort. I am at the internet cafe right now. I hear the warm waters calling my time.

Enjoy your time. And of course, I am sending love and warmth your way.

nightmare

I awoke bright and early this morning, ready to greet the day when I felt a tingling sensation on my top lip. This was a sensation that I've grown quite accustomed to. I immediately started to freak out when I felt my lip and discovered the beginnings of a cold sore. "Just perfect, I thought." The very day before I leave for Mexico. I hopped out of bed, got dressed, and slathered some prescribed ointment for cold sores on my lip. I barely brushed my hair (I didn't even brush me teeth. I didn't want to wash the cream off my lip) and dashed out the door. I knew that my sister was my only hope in taking care of this pesky problem. She always has these "magical little pills" that will zap a cold sore if you take them upon the very first sighting of a blister. They're completely legal, I promise.

I was driving through Jessamine County towards the river to hop on the ferry and make my way to Richmond. And yes, it's more than a hop, skip, and jump away. We're talking like a 45 minute trip one way. But all I kept thinking about was having this growth on my face the whole time I'm in Mexico. I thought, "The sun will make this thing a monster." I had finally calmed myself down by the time I made it to her house. I walk in the door and she was waiting for me, pills in hand. "How many do you want", she asked. "As many as you can spare," I responded. This all coming from the gal that never takes meds. There's no telling what I would have done at the moment just to take an eraser and wipe my lip clear of any signs of a cold sore.

A bit drastic you think? Maybe. But I've had this thing about cold sores for forever. I feel like such a mutant when I get one. I've downed about six pills and luckily this thing is going away.

So I've gotten to move forward with packing, getting my teaching materials ready, and downloading some new cd's for my classes in Mexico... Bob Marley's Legend cd. How perfect is that for the beach?!

I'm planning to disconnect from my cell phone, email and Internet while I'm in Tulum. I'm sure I'll have lots to blog about when I get back home and plenty of pictures to share. I will miss all my yogi's, but know that you will be in wonderful hands with Teresa, Leigh Ann, and Toni. And of course, I'll be sending lots of sunshine your way.

guess what?

The Barefoot Works blog and myself had a little part in a great big article written about "women bloggers staking their claim in the online community." The article is in this month's Business Lexington, and was written by David Wescott, who also has a blog (It's Not a Lecture). Take a look here to see what David had to say about "women leading the way". Check the other featured blogs out for some fun and entertaining reading. I feel completely excited to be included along with these creative and inspiring gals. Yes, a very happy day. Anytime the studio name gets out there is great. I love being a part of these things as they develop and witnessing how they unfold. Such excitement for me!

I took some photos of Teresa's chair yoga class this week at the senior center. It was refreshing to see this group so interested and excited about yoga. It was a real treat to be there and of course, I took lotsa photos! Enjoy your evening. :-)

goodies

Special goodies from the last couple days for Mexico:

*A big, bright floppy sun hat from Joel.

*A fun package from Teresa that included a Gaiam yoga shirt made from organic cotton. It's bright orange and has two big flowers on it that will be perfect for Mexico. Teresa was also sweet enough to include incense and yummy smelling soap and a most perfect card.

*A fun little jaunt down the street to CVS to stock up on beach necessities...suncreen, creamy lotion, new nail polish, heavy duty hair conditioner, etc.

*Tomorrow I plan to spend too much money on magazines and possibly a new yoga book or two. It is a yoga retreat afterall. I'll have to resist the urge to devour the magazines before landing in Cancun.

Ahh, I do love going to the beach. :-)

YOGA NEWS

Hillary Clinton and her team take weekly yoga classes at the campaign's Arlington headquarters.

Rodney Yee and his wife barely escape going to jail.

What the future holds: Yoga in 2030

How could it possibly be July 8?! This week, this year, is just blowing right on by! And I'm terribly busy. It's been kinda funny. This is my first summer owning the yoga studio and I just figured that this would be my slow time. That's the trend for yoga (and many other businesses). During the summer months people are out playing, gardening, traveling, and just generally enjoying the sunshine and the long days. But things haven't really slowed down at the studio (which is awesome, might I add) and I've picked up more teaching time with private yoga sessions. Combine that with planning my first ever international yoga retreat, 200 hour teacher training, marketing the studio, doing day to day book-keeping at the studio, and teaching yoga close to 20 hours a week, and well....I've been busy. Does it sound like I'm complaining? I hope not! It's a great feeling being busy and doing something that you've created and something that you love and feel passionate about. It really makes a HUGE difference! So that's why blogging time has been minimal here lately.

If you're up for some celebrity smut...check out Eva Longori'a wedding details from yesterday. Yes, I'm one of those. The secret is out. Now you know. ;-)

splish splash

Highlights from the weekend at the lake:

*Waking up and having a beautiful view like this from the front porch.

*Taking what felt like 3,000 pictures of these amazing little hummingbirds, and completely loving every bit of it.

*Having delicious homemade food. Waffles with strawberries for breakfast, the best grilled corn on the cob ever, and my first sip of lemonchello.

*Spending hours and hours out on the water. Plenty of time to kayak, ski, go tubing, flip around in the water, and read magazines on the front of the boat.

*Practicing boat pose on the boat. How could we not do this pose here?!

*Watching fireworks in a teeny tiny town.

*Hanging out with great friends. Laughing and just generally enjoying life.

more work

I haven't had much time to post this week on my blog. Andy and I have taken on the project of updating our bedroom. We cleared nearly everything out of the bedroom to paint the walls, sand down the trim, fill in some areas, paint the trim and paint the ceiling. We also plan to wax and buff the hardwood floors. So we've moved into a guest bedroom for the time being. I keep saying that "we" are doing this, but truthfully it's been mostly Andy. I have however, taken on the job of painting and distressing our dresser.

We also had a contractor come to the house today to give us a bid for a master bathroom remodeling job. It seems that we've had some water damage at the big blue house and now it must be dealt with. This should all be very interesting as this will be our first major work at our precious old house. It's all exciting, but a bit scary at the same time.

We're leaving within the hour to go down to Dale Hollow with some friends. Spend some time out on the lake taking in the sun and having fun!

Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend.

a sad goodbye

I said goodbye to a sweet, sweet yogi today. I scoured my yoga pictures looking for a shot of Hiromi and this is the only one I had. That's her in the middle. I wish you could see her bright brown eyes are and the big smile that she always had on her face.

Hiromi was one of of my most faithful students. She came to class four days a week, always. She would come to the early classes while her children were at school. She brought her teenage daughter to class several times, and introduced other Japanese friends to Barefoot Works. She even brought a friend that was visiting from Japan, saying that she wanted to experience "American yoga." She was such an advocate for yoga and for the studio. I'm still amazed to this day at how quickly she progressed with her yoga practice.

After not seeing Hiromi in class for a few weeks I sent her an email to see how she was doing and let her know that I missed not seeing her in class. She emailed me back and said that her husband had been transferred back to Japan for work. She had been busy selling things, packing and preparing for the big move.

After teaching today's class I was so happy to see Hiromi coming up the stairs to say goodbye. Not happy to see her go, but happy to give her a hug and let her know how much she would be missed and thought of. And she was, as sincere and sweet as ever. Thanking me profusely and telling me that she would miss the studio and all the people that were so nice to her. And she said the five words that makes this yoga teacher's heart flutter...."I've been practicing at home." She also told me that I needed to come to Japan and teach yoga sometime. I told her that I would love to, should I ever be in that "neck of the woods".

Hiromi was such a small, petite gal, but she packed a lot of power in addition to grace and charm. I'm sad to see her go, but so happy that I had the privilege of getting to know her...all through the practice of yoga.

more manifestation

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.
-Henry David Thoreau

3 is the magic number

This seems to be popping up on some blogs I browse. Feel free to play and send along. :-)

3 jobs that i've held:

1. outdoor education/recreation gal at Raven Run


2. recreation director for a teeny tiny town in SC


3. recreation supervisor in TX (hmmm, I see a pattern here). Yoga is recreation, among many other things ;-)

3 movies I can watch over and over:

1. Dirty Dancing


2. Cutting Edge


3. Breakfast Club (another pattern...I seem to be stuck in the 80's)

3 place I've lived:

1. Richmond, KY


2. Pearland, TX


3. Nicholasville, KY

3 favorite foods:

1. PB & J


2. Pad Thai w/ tofu


3. Veggie Burrito

3 websites I visit daily:

1. Superhero Journal


2. Jen Gray


3. Wish Studio

3 places I'd rather be now:

1. St. George Island with Andy


2. Asheville with the yogi's


3. London, England with Liz