Can You Feel The Love...

Song Post!!! Took a break to share! Back to dancing!

Namaste xo

Be The Original Copy....

Be Original. Be Unique. But most importantly...

Aston & I...being who we are :)

We are all part of the grand scheme and universal plan. We are all different; small little portions of the universe so that the universe can get to know itself by looking at all it's differences.  That is the nature of reality.

I like to look at it as if we are all little pieces of universe mosaics.  We are all cut differently, we are all damaged differently and all have different stories on how we got to be here.  All the differences come together to create something beautiful.  Own that small piece of the universe; own it, cherish it, celebrate it and never stop being who you are.  You are meant to be no one else but yourself.

Namaste xo.

Happy Father's Day...

I am not one for poetry or usually get the meaning behind the words. Sometimes though, if I read something that even remotely reminds me of the love my Dad has given me over the years,  I am resolved to a blubbering mess of tears. 

I found something that just melts my heart and I think is perfect for My Dad on Fathers Day.

Pale Nail Polish Trick...

Welcome to another nail polish post.  Possibly the best one yet! I don't know if it could possibly get any better than this!!  Sorry, I am wicked excited!

If you are as much into nail polish as I am, there is a good possibility you will wear almost any color.  Right now I have lavender finger nails and banana crème toe nails!  I love all shades and colors but I tend to avoid lighter colored nail polishes, like a yellow, because no matter what brand you buy, it always seems to go on streaky and uneven. Until now...

The trick... MATTE top coat! There was a matte nail polish trend about two years ago, that I didn't really get into.  I did buy a matte top coat though, that would turn any color nail polish into a matte effect nail polish once you applied the top coat.  No matter how many times I tried, I just didn't like

Pose of the Week: Uttanasana / Standing Forward Fold...

Here is my second installment of Pose of the Week.  Last week was Tadasana / Mountain Pose, so the next logical step is Uttanasana or Standing Forward Fold.

Uttanasana / Standing Forward Fold: Folding and journeying into yourself.  Remaining flexible in tight situations and finding a connection with your breath and your heart.

Uttanasana can be a resting posture or it can be a posture in itself.  It is a great way to stretch out the hamstrings, glutes, calves and the spine. I also find this pose is great for reconnecting with your

I Love Nature...

And Nature Loves Me! I saw this on my walk the other day and thought it was so sweet!! 

Namaste xo.

People in your Life...

Well Said...

Namaste xo.



Pose of the Week: Tadasana / Mountain Pose...

So I figured it was time I start doing a pose of the week.  Sometimes ideas to write in my blog can be few so this will be nice to at least have a weekly post.

During these posts, I will give some insight, in my own words, on what the pose means to me and what I feel in each pose.  I will always find a pretty picture of the final pose for your reference! 

I will also break a pose down for you on a technical basis so you get a little deeper knowledge of the posture, which isn't always provided in yoga class because it can be a little dry.   Knowing the technicalities of each pose is what avoids injuries and allows you to experience the full postural benefits. A good solid base will allow you to extend deeper into postures when you are ready.

I will try my best to explain and highlight the main actions.  Obviously it is easier to show you but I am not so keen on the video blog thing.  Also, these moves I am instructing are subtle and slight.  Once you get the hang of it, you feel it deeper in your body even though there isnt much movement happening visably.

So here goes!

Tadasana / Mountain Pose: Rooted into the ancient earth, solid against the limitless sky, resting, peaceful giant, able to weather any storm calmly and with integrity.

Tadasana is traditionally a resting posture.  It is thrown in after a vigorous set of sun salutations or a deep back bend. It calms the mind, lowers your heart rate and brings the awareness back to your body.   Although this is a resting posture, it does not mean we are not using and engaging our bodies. They call it mountain pose for a reason...we are solid in this pose.

• Bring your feet to touch at the front of your mat, toes touching, heels slightly apart.
• Inhale and exhale to deeply root your feet into the earth. Ground through the mounds of the big toe knuckle and the outside of the heel.  This will create a balanced connection. Spread the toes wide and open down onto your mat.  
• Hug your shins in together as if you are squeezing a soccer ball in between them.
• Lift up through the shins, allowing the bones to get heavy and the muscles to lift up and be light.
• Soften the knees slightly to avoid hyper extension of the knees.
• Send the inner thighs back towards the back wall as if you wanted to slightly stick your bum out.  This is called an inner spiral of the thighs.
• Keeping the inner thighs back and engaged, gently drop the tailbone to the floor or allow the front hipbones to point up slightly.  
• After dropping the tail bone, lift and engage the core. The scooping of the tail bone and the core lifting up is a pelvic loop.  
• Bring the shoulders up and back settling the blades peacefully against your spine. 
• Drop the shoulders away from the ears and grow taller through the crown of your head.
• Bring your arms and hands at your sides, palms open to the front or to your heart center in prayer, pressing the hands together with gentle passion.
• Find a gaze in front of you and breath deeply into the solidity you have created in your Mountain Pose.

Tadasana improves posture, balance, it challenges the thigh muscles and arches of the feet and it can help with Sciatica symptoms.  Tadasana also shows us the easy representation, in a neutral posture, of what goes on in almost every yoga posture.

If balance is problematic for you, try using the wall or slightly seperating the feet.
To challenge yourself, try closing your eyes and lifting the arms up overhead into an Extended Mountain Pose.

Try it out!  Let me know how it goes.

Namaste xo.

Learn Forever...

Namaste xo

 

Not Feeling Very "Yoga" Sometimes...

In the beginning of my journey to really understand the entirety of Yoga, I periodically struggled with some identity issues.  I had this image in my head that true yogi's should be calm, cheerful, happy, non judgemental, and blissful all the time. That was the true state of yoga that you had to achieve in order to teach or live a yogic life.   On the surface, it sure seemed like my favourite yoga teachers had it all together. They had the illusion of never getting angry or upset, they never passed judgement or had ill feelings towards themselves or others.  All my yoga teachers had this mystery glow, that seemed to emanate from within. I just couldn't figure out how they got it. I figured the more I practiced the postures and shut out negativity, that I would get the same glow. 

I struggled with this quite a bit.  I live for sarcasm and can be a bit cynical at times for the sake of

Happy Mother's Day...

My Mom shared this quote with me a while back and I thought it so perfect for Mother's Day. 

"No figure looms larger in a girl's life than her mother. 

But if things go right and the girl gets the love she needs, her mother looms less large and 

the girl grows up strong and hardy...

the star of her own life."

Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful Mom.  Thanks for giving me all that you have. Thanks for letting me be the star of my own life and allowing me to grow up bright and unique against the night sky.  You make me feel like I am brightest and I couldn't be more proud to shine next to another bright star like you.

 To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day...your job seems so overwhelming to me and I admire your courage on your journey.

Namaste xo.

   

Again, with the lessons from the Dog...

This is so cute!

Namaste xo.

I Love Teaching!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight was my first official class that I got to teach! Back in October, I subbed a class where only my friend Diane showed up. Read here if you want to know how that experience went down.  While that was an extremely valuable experience, I was left with a longing for more.  I wanted students I didn't know...who I could get to know.  Who I could share a piece of my stranger with their stranger.

I had the ability to prepare this time. I knew I had a great class planned with all the right stuff.  I had practiced. I knew my timing was good.  I kept telling myself that it was all going to be great. Exactly what you should tell yourself when opening a brand new door to a new journey in your life.  Let me tell you; even with all the kind words I was telling myself and the INCREDIBLE support from my insanely amazing friends and family, I was still scared SHIT-LESS!

I can't even pinpoint what I was so afraid of.  Even looking back at the last incredible hour I just

Happy Earth Day...

This makes me giggle!  Lets all be kind to the Earth today!  I am not here to preach on all the ways we can save the planet but all I ask is for you to think about some of the consumer choices you make today.  Consider the effect on the planet.

Mother Earth is not here to serve us...treat her as we would our own Moms....consideration, love and respect.

Namaste xo.

Thought...

Contraction is a necessary prerequisite to Great Expansion. This can be applied to your yoga practice but also many other areas of your life as well...

Namste xo.

Bird on a Branch...

Love this...thanks Wendy! xo

Namaste xo.

New Territory...

Monday is my favourite night for yoga! I think I am going to start going to Trish's 6:45 and 8:30 classes....double Trish Mondays!  I seem to not be able to make Wednesday's class so I think it’s best to start doubling up on Mondays when I am already for sure going!

 I hung out with Trish last night to chat and I asked her to show me how to do Side Crane Pose or Parsva Bakasana. 

I have always wanted to know how to do this pose.  I can manage regular Crane Pose but struggle with the side.  She showed me how and for the first time EVER I was able to get up! I held it for less than 1.5 seconds before crashing down but who cares right!?!? It's fun to experiment! Who cares if you fail or fall down, if you try you could succeed!   Even if you don't succeed, it is just fun to try and fail!

I am pretty excited! If I never tried, because of fear of failure, I would have never succeeded last night.  This is what I am excited about, not necessarily that I got into the pose. Trying is the real victory!!

Namaste xo.

Karma...

 

 

So Funny!

 

 

Namaste xo.

Warrior not a Worrier...

I have been looking for this picture forever!  Every time I am in Warrior I Pose or Warrior II pose, I always remind myself that worrying is a wasted emotion.  Be a warrior against worrying! I need that reminder a LOT!

Namaste xo.

Imperfect...

Namaste xo.