Cleaning House (With Yogi Surprise September)

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How recently have you 'cleaned house' on the different areas of your life?

 In the last few weeks, I've been savoring moments when I can release what is old and needs to be surrendered.

 I've been organizing paperwork, tidying rooms, and making space for my yoga mat.

 I've been talking to friends about the past, and seeing what ways I need to (and am ready to) let go of it.

 I've been writing down my thoughts.

 Taking time to sit. To notice. To breathe.

 To imagine my whole body, mind, and spirit free from clutter.

What do you need to release in order to be more present? What practices help you do this?

 If you're feeling a little lost on where to start, or overwhelmed by the thought of surrendering something, it can be helpful to simply do one thing.

 Clean your yoga mat. 

 Take a long, hot bath.

 Take a walk somewhere barefoot and picture every bit of negative energy, every old, stale, untrue thought, every doubt-- picture them leaving you, exiting your body through your feet, being left to dust.

 This month's Yogi Surprise box helped me clean house. My two favorite products: the Pura Botanica Bath Infusion Rose' Retreat (it has mineral sea salts, essential oils and curative herbs and flowers...um, amazing!), and the Happy Spritz Namaste Ninja Handcrafted Aromatherapy (an energizing blend that has anti-microbial properties and will keep your mat feeling, and smelling, super fresh.)
Wishing you clarity, peace, and patience as you clean house. Namaste.

Yoga at Home with Rachel Brathen

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When you practice yoga, it should feel good.

Sometimes the poses are a little uncomfortable, but they should not be painful. Additionally, the practice itself should not be punishing. Yoga is meant to nourish the body, mind and spirit. On and off the mat, our goal is to practice ahimsa, which is nonviolence. Do no harm.

Have you ever been in a studio class where you felt like the pace was moving too fast, or the sequencing was too hard or confusing? Maybe you went to beginner’s or all-levels class, but felt like the teacher was teaching an ‘advanced’ class. We’ve all been there!

Photo via Rachel Brathen on Instagram.

Today I want to share Rachel Brathen’s amazing yoga videos. Rachel is a world-famous teacher whose approach incorporates ease and grace into the practice. Her knowledge of anatomy finds its way into her cueing, but she manages to keep it simple. I highly recommend these videos for beginners, and also for advanced yogis who are looking to get back to the basics.

She mixes it up and teaches a little differently than most teachers I know, and I love that. If you’re feeling stuck in your practice, or want to try something new—something that feels really good in your body—check these out.

You can find the videos online over at Gaiam. They're a great deal -- I recommend the $40 'Ultimate Collection' which includes 10 different yoga practices!

Photo via Rachel Brathen on Instagram. 
Adopt an attitude of sukha, or ease. Pause to feel the sweetness in the poses. Rest when you need rest.

Let your practice nourish you.

As Rachel says, Let yourself have slow days. Adapt your practice to how you’re feeling right now. But no matter where you find yourself, keep practicing.

Photo via Rachel Brathen on Instagram.
Rachel is an amazing yogini and resource on all things yoga. If you’re looking for more inspiration, try her blog, new book, Happiness Tour, and awesome Instagram feed.
If you'd like to watch the videos on YouTube, here are the links:
Rachel Brathen Yoga: Find Your Purpose 
Rachel Brathen Yoga: Release & Let Go

Rest and Rejuvenation (Yogi Surprise January Box Review)

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Lately I’ve been pondering the importance of rest. Life gets so busy, and I know I spend more time than I’d like to running around, feeling overwhelmed by the amount of plans I have on my calendar.

What would your life look like if you practiced slowness, being present, and giving yourself time to relax on a daily basis?

We can choose to do this at any time, by noticing what’s going on around us, savoring the moment. Focusing on the breath. Pausing to feel grateful. Clearing time to just be instead of do.

And, of course, it helps to plan little retreat days! What’s your favorite way to get a little extra R&R?
  

Maybe you enjoy hot baths, aromatherapy, and massage. Or maybe you take a weekly hot yoga class and enjoy a leisurely lunch with friends afterward. Writing… meditation… a long walk… a gourmet meal. All of these things help us to rejuvenate.

This month, the Yogi Surprise box is themed around rejuvenation. This is such a powerful practice to engage in. When we neglect ourselves, we miss out on the beauty of the present moment and our ability to fully appreciate it. For me, rejuvenation helps me to fully enjoy good health, peaceful relationships, and contentment in all areas of life. It is a key to happiness!

My favorite products from this month’s box are the palo santo incense sticks and yummy snacks (Betsy’s best bar and chocolate-covered cherries). I’ve been keeping the palo santo in my car, and I love the calming, earthy scent. Each time I get in my car now, I think, ‘Mmmmm,’ and take a big, deep breath. It’s a feeling of being ‘home,’ if you know what I mean. Relaxed and comfortable.


The snacks were perfect for on-the-go energy. I tried the Betsy’s bar as soon as I opened the box, actually. It had been a long day at work and I got home after teaching yoga and was exhausted and so hungry (borderline hangry!). I saw that the bar had 10 grams of protein and thought, ‘Perfect!’ It was the ideal snack to enjoy while cooking myself dinner. As for the chocolate-covered cherries, they are a lovely indulgent treat for any time I’m feeling the need for a pick-me-up. They’re a great reminder of summer, too, and how much I can’t wait for long, sunny days.

If you haven’t checked out Yogi Surprise yet, I highly recommend cruising over to their website. They post great information and inspirational content on their blog, plus every month they offer their customers the chance to enter in a giveaway for a yoga retreat. 


Use the code 'LOVEYOURSELF' to get 20% off your order!

I love getting the boxes each month because they are a great reminder to slow down and take time for just me.

Namaste, yogis. Here’s wishing you a rejuvenating rest of January 2015!

Yoga Books: Going Om (Real Life Stories On and Off the Yoga Mat)

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I just finished reading GoingOm: Real Life Stories On and Off the Yoga Mat, edited by Melissa Carroll. This is my favorite yoga book of 2014!

It’s such a beautiful collection of personal narratives from talented authors. Each story is a glimpse into what it really means to be a yogi, how the experience spills over into real life. The way asana illuminates the truths of life. The laughable moments of what sometimes goes on in a yoga class… and the deeper reflections that show us how they lead to healing.
Photo via Pinterest.
The writing in these essays is effortless – sometimes witty and clever, sometimes heartbreaking. What I love about the book is the raw honesty that comes through, and the way that the book is as much about what it means to be human as it is about what it means to do yoga. I’d highly recommend it, whether you’re a seasoned yogi or someone who wants to learn more about yoga.

Here are a few excerpts I really loved. The first is about how yoga helps us see our bodies with compassion, instead of criticism; the second is a beautiful description of how yoga can be captured using photography—and how the real yoga is in the shedding of the ego. Enjoy!
Photo via Pinterest.
from Being Seen by Emily Rapp

Yoga changed the relationship I have with my body by forcing me to understand that it was not a fixed entity to control but an embodied presence to be enjoyed.

I found that some days I could balance, some days I could not.  I found that I had more upper-body strength than I had counted on. I found that I stopped worrying about the way I looked doing a pose, and just found a way to do it. I stopped trying to be good.
Photo via Pinterest.
One day, in the middle of practice, on a day when I was finding the poses particularly difficult, the teacher approached me and said, "You have a beautiful practice." I had always wanted to hear that I had a beautiful body, althought I knew part of me would always resist that that could possibly be true. I felt, in that moment of acknowledgement, seen. Not for looking a particular way or for conforming to some norm, but for simply being present in that room, in the moment...

True yoga isn't about being technically skilled, and it's never about being good, as hard as it is to believe these statements. It's about being prsent, being alive, and for me, being truly seen. Now, instead of thinking, I will never be good at yoga, I think, I love to do yoga. A subtle change, but a transformative one.
Photo via Pinterest.
from Broga by Alan Shaw

One picture slayed me. Dru is in a south Tampa yoga studio, a few years younger than she is now, her hair noticeably shorter. The picture shows her hovering over the floor. Wearing a red top and pink yoga pants, she's inclined forward in Eight-Angle Pose. She holds her upper body in a lowered push-up position, and her legs bent around to her right. One leg is fed under her arm and the other over, and she's twisted them at the ankle.

I've seen her in this pose in three other photos from the album, and each one just knocks me out. The casual strength it must have taken, the years of focusing on her core, her form. She's exhibiting in the photos the strength I chase each time I practice yoga. The power in her body I see each time I look at this photo kills me and reminds me of why I fell for her. 

It's in her eyes. She's looking at the camera, face placid as a still lake at dawn. No sweat on her brow, or grimace marring her mouth, no red flushing across her cheeks.

She's at peace.

And there's no pride in her expression.
Photo via Pinterest.

Many thanks to the team at Cleis Press for sharing the book. Namaste.

Wholeness Over Happiness

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I had an amazing conversation last night with a person who I really love. We talked about how often we see people shy away from ‘negative’ emotions, and how it’s so much easier to let them go when we allow ourselves to experience them.

“They wash over you like a wave,” I said. “And if you fully embrace them and allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling, it’s so powerful. If you’re sad, be sad. Allow it. It’s amazing what happens when you actually do that.”

 

He nodded, and we both smiled. “And then the fear or sadness or whatever passes,” he said.

“Yes,” I agreed.

“And it makes that moment when happiness returns so much better,” he said. “It’s such a relief and so beautiful when you feel good again.”

How powerful it is when we allow feelings to exist as they are. When we acknowledge what is. When we remember that we are never alone in our experiences, however painful they may be.


This quote I discovered on A Cup of Jo said it brilliantly, too:

I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that—I don't mind people being happy—but the idea that everything we do is part of the pursuit of happiness seems to me a really dangerous idea and has led to a contemporary disease in Western society, which is fear of sadness. It's a really odd thing that we're now seeing people saying "write down three things that made you happy today before you go to sleep" and "cheer up" and "happiness is our birthright" and so on. We're kind of teaching our kids that happiness is the default position. It's rubbish. Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things which make us who we are. Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that also happen to us, but they don't teach us much. Everyone says we grow through pain and then as soon as they experience pain they say, "Quick! Move on! Cheer up!" I'd like just for a year to have a moratorium on the word "happiness" and to replace it with the word "wholeness." Ask yourself, "Is this contributing to my wholeness?" and if you're having a bad day, it is.

—Hugh MacKay
  


PS You were made to be real, not perfect. I was, too. Bloggers are not always happy. Yoga teachers are not always happy. And this is OK :) Namaste.

Real Men Do Yoga: Matt Cooke

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All photos courtesy of Matt Cooke.

It's been a while since I brought you a story in the Real Men Do Yoga series. I couldn't be more thrilled to share this guest post from yogi Matt Cooke today. His is an inspiring story about taking charge of your life and making great things happen. Thanks, Matt, for sharing!

One of my favorite questions to ask myself is: What would I pay to do? I come alive when I share yoga with others, and when I talk about optimizing life and creativity with others!…So I’m following my bliss.

 Starting college as a BFA in Musical Theater, I quickly gained a lead role as a freshman, being Berger, in Hair: the Musical.  After receiving this huge ego boost, I then got hit with a flurry of reality checks in class, not getting cast the following semester.  I was producing crappy work that I knew was life-less….not filled with ME.  I realized I couldn't just wait around expecting my “muse” to come when I was “struck by inspiration.”
I was dumbfounded as to what I could do to be filled up again as an artist, and quickly fell into anxiety and depression that can commonly accompany being an artist.  I quickly realized that I couldn't find it through food, or alcohol or sex…all in fact, just distracted from my dharma, my work. I needed to inspire myself, rather than rely on outside sources for inspiration. After my sophomore year, I found Brian Johnson, and his work with Philosophersnotes and Entheos.  His “notes” gave me do-able steps to implement into my life, realizing I create my reality, and life circumstances!

He gave me the balls to think: “Wait!  You mean, my creativity and happiness are in my control?…I can actively make myself a stronger and productive artist, while being ecstatic about my work and gut feelings?…and fall on my face…and get back up, confidently?”…The answer was a resounding “Hell yes!”

 Next question: How could I systematically create the reality I wanted, by applying small things to my life, with hard work, discipline, and playfulness?

Mastery of anything comes from showing up to do the art/work on the business/the yoga regiment with “Blissipline” (Bliss/Discipline), every morning, after waking.  I immediately began letting these small changes happen, until they became habitual patterns of daily life! This included giving gratitude, meditation, running/cycling, eating amazing food that nourishes my body…and yoga…all before 10am!

After 16 years of baseball and weight lifting wreaked havoc on my knees and joints, I couldn’t even touch my shins at 21 years old.   Yoga gave me back my body and kinesthetic awareness.  I call it “getting in my body”, because I really feel in my skin, tapped into every feeling inch of my body, rather than just using my body as a vehicle for my head. 

 Yoga could be a catalyst for creativity and incubating new ideas, and knowing that once I embody my Highest Self, the work can just flood forth through my mind to pen, clay, or machinery, and body. One of the first things I did after beginning my “Blissiplines” was end a 3-year relationship that wasn't life giving or supporting my growth, or hers.  I began to realize that I had a choice in literally every facet of my life, including the way I interpreted any situation in life.  I created a small group of friends/loved ones, (including my highest self) that empowered me, and that I could do the same for.

I then added a second major of Health Promotion/Wellness with an emphasis in Wellness Coaching, and attended the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, in Massachusetts for a month-long 200 hour YTT immersion, a life-altering experience.  Now, after creating a Yoga and Meditation Club on my campus, I’ll be heading to Vancouver, BC in May to begin an internship for My Yoga Online! Jai five!

Ready to Rock your Highest Self?

Create.

Go.

Sincerely,
Matt

 To connect with Matt on social media, check out Creative Warrior Yoga or Creative Warrior Yoga on Facebook. Here's Matt on Twitter and on YouTube.

Rowve Yoga Bags: Perfect for the Hot Yogi

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If you're like me, you know having the right bag for your yoga gear makes a world of difference -- especially if you're practicing in the heat. Once you leave the studio, you've got sweaty clothes to bring home and that can quickly turn into a stinky mess.

Hot yogis, I've found the perfect solution: Rowve bags! Rowve has a collection of designer bags in a variety of sizes that are perfect for carrying your sweaty stuff around. The best part? You won't end up with a smelly bag, because they're made with cotton-backed laminate which is easy to clean.


I also love that Rowve's bag collection includes stylish designs that you can utilize as purses or travel bags, too! Each piece is eco-friendly, attractive, useful, and affordable.


The Rowve website includes a variety of small, medium, and large yoga bags. I encourage all you Bikram yogis and hot vinyasa flow yogis to check out the brand!
 
Photos via Rowve.

Yoga Flash Mobs

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Photo by Something for Kate on Flickr.

Have you ever participated in a flash mob?
I keep reading about ones where people gather in mass to do yoga or meditation as a way of promoting peace. I'd love to get involved in one, or maybe even organize one.

Photo by emjc on Flickr.

I love the way yoga brings people together to change the world for the better.

 Practicing in public generates so much positive energy, don't you think?


With a Calm Face

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Photos via Pinterest, here and here.  

There's this little saying I've heard in yoga many times (especially Bikram classes). It goes, "You can't do the posture with your face."


As in: go ahead and relax your facial muscles, relax your mind, relax everything you can, all those muscles that you don't need to do the posture!


Because furrowing your brow and straining your forehead aren't going to help much. Plus, it's so much more calming to do a challenging pose if you can let go of tension in your face. It's a great little instant relaxation technique.


I was reminded of this during my bike ride to work this morning, as the wind pushed hard against me, taking my breath away and keeping me in the 1-5 mile per hour speed range. I realized, hey, I can't ride this bike with my face! and figured I might as well stop trying :) It worked -- I enjoyed the rest of the windy way there much more after that.


Photo via Pinterest.


PS For some other cool ways to relax, try a massage or let yourself drift far, far away in savasana. You can also choose not to suffer in the midst of chaos. Namaste.

No Storm Here

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Photo via Everyday Musings.

Yesterday I woke up first. I made myself a cup of joe (I've been enjoying them again lately). And I sat in the bowl chair by the window, the sun coming in, the breeze whispering through, and I was perfectly content.

Literally, the thought 

I have no desires

passed through my mind.


Photos via Pinterest. 

Lately, too, I have been in love with the breeze that blows through our apartment.

It's just the right temperature. A reminder of heaven.

I also adore the sound of the night once the sun has set. Like a murmuring outside: frogs peeping, crinkling of window unit air conditioners, the occasional far-off dog bark, and a thick, dark quiet.

I am calmed by our little place, our home.

Solitude & Summer Thunder

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Summer is a great time for knowing your own strength.

Last night, I experienced the sound of a thunderstorm rolling in and passing through. The deep bellows reminded me of the greatness of the earth. The way things can be wide, expansive, open in the summer. 

The way things change. They heat up, hover. Carry on. There is new movement, new air, new circulation. 


Summer is a time when we can experience the peace of solitude.

Being alone -- it's so often thought of as a burden or a weakness. My challenge to you is to linger in your time alone -- let it be light, effortless. Let it be purposeful.

Give yourself time to be with yourself -- here, in the moment.

You may find you hear your body speaking to you, asking for rest or silence. It is worthwhile to listen.

Enjoy the feeling of being strong, alone. Not isolated, but whole.


I spent today enjoying a relaxed balance of solitude and togetherness. Being surrounded by people and friends at the Evanston farmer's market gave me energy and reminded me of the wholeness in food that comes from real people. It was a beautiful start to the day.

I shared yoga class with three other yogis. I enjoyed the silence of the room as we transitioned between postures, the sounds of people walking by on the street outside, the quiet of my mind in meditation.




The stillness opened up new possibilities for writing. New thoughts. New stories.

And one majorly awesome outline on my living room floor :)


Alone time can be lonely, but it is also useful. Out of solitude and summer thunder come peace.

Namaste.

More Than a List: Reflections on Thankfulness

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Hey friends, yogis, families, people! Only a week 'til the Big Family Feast. Have you started planning your menus? Did you invite friends over?


Photo by the talented Sarah Rhoads.

Have you thought about the blessings in your life?

Bright open skies, homemade food, and mittens on the cold mornings. Relaxation. The chance to clear your mind and make it blank. Dogs that thank us just for being around. Friends at work who compliment our scarves. Fuzzy covers. Cuddles, unexpected hugs, and the camera lenses that catch them.


Today, I choose to be thankful for what I have.


The hardest part about gratitude is that it demands thankfulness not only for what's beautiful, easy, predictable, fun. We must also be grateful for our troubles, our pain, our sorrow.


Each of these make us stronger. We are reminded of this every time we practice Bikram yoga.


"Choose to relax," as my studio's owner says. "What if you chose to enjoy the posture rather than suffer?"


What would happen if you chose not to suffer?


Sarah's work inspires me to think about what real love really looks like. There's not always a smile in frame.

Think of the difference it would make if we applied this philosophy to our everyday lives, our work, our relationships.


The other night I was feeling stressed about money stuff and I was cuddling with the Hubs while we talked through it. I turned to him, both of us with a look of anguish on our faces, staring into each other. What if I just let it go? I thought, realizing this was the only way out.


Today, looking back, I am grateful for the struggle. I am so glad that I have to work for what I have. I am thankful that I wasn't born a millionaire, because I enjoy the satisfaction of earning my own paycheck. And as much as it can be a challenge sometimes to make ends meet (and to resist the urge to spend on special treats), in the end, the difficulty provides the reward.


At the start of this holiday season, I am reminded that we tumble along not by luck, but by hard work, grace, and patience.


By exerting 100%, we earn the right to relax 100%.


By enduring pain, we grow stronger.


By thanking ourselves and others, we earn the right to take pride in our work (not boost our egos, but take humble pride in our effort, not only our accomplishments).


And we earn the chance to indulge ourselves. And eat a bunch of delicious food, more than our bellies are even wishing for.


My beautiful cousin Joelle took this one last year at Thanksgiving. Yum!

Come Up Higher On the Toes

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Above: my beautiful friend Bailey executing a fantastic toe stand on the beach.
Below: cowboy boots are great for tromping in leaves, but not for doing toe stand.

Toe stand is one of those crazy postures that doesn't seem possible at all when you first start Bikram yoga. I love it because the entire standing series prepares you for it: pure concentration, only the breath and the body, intense focus. 

Cowboy boots: fun to wear year round.

Toe stand: an under-appreciated master posture. It stretches the feet, the heel, the mind.

Cowboy boots: they give you incredible ass-kicking power!


How is your toe stand going? Does it make you feel powerful and centered? Which postures help calm your mind?