Happy Holidays to you. I hope you have a heartfelt day however you celebrate. Here is gift for you to work into your holiday schedule in honor of your body, mind and spirit.
Stay Blessed and Safe as you stretch into saying goodbye to 2020 and entering with hope, faith and renewed spirit.
Remember to keep breathing, stay present and find peace in challlenging moments as we kiss 2020 GOODBYE. I know I said this once, but I’ve just gotta say it again.
Thanks so much for your continued support. I’ll be on a blogging break until the second week of January but will be reading your posts when I can. Until we meet again be bold and be bright.
Please remember to like (if you do of course), comment and or share. I truly appreciate it!
The day was beautiful and still, with not a cloud in the sky. 3 of my 4 children were visiting. One reading in a chair, 2 walking down the hall and I was in the kitchen where our patio door opens to our deck, where my daughter sat. I feel peaceful when we’re all together under one roof and savor these moments. Gone are the days of worrying what time they will be home and if they’re alright, if they were late. Keeping track of their whereabouts was always a worry which comes with the territory of parenting and is truly an illusion, since we can’t really protect them from life’s bumps and traumas, as much as we would like to. I was enjoying this quiet moment with all of them and there is something so comforting and satisfying inside of me, when we’re all together, and I treasure this feeling of contentment that envelops me.
From the near distance we all began to hear this slow cracking sound that continued to get louder and louder and then there was a loud whooshing sound and we all stopped in our tracks, as we heard a thud. My daughter Blair, stood quickly witnessing our Stonehenge Pine fall to the ground. This tree is about 50 ft tall with a trunk diameter of about 15 ft. and a canopy of 150 ft. My tree man tells me that it is a very sought after tree. When I look it up, none of the trees that I see, quite look like this one. They are fast growing and it is probably about 50 years old. Reading more, I’m finding some Pine trees are as old as the Bronze age, living 5,000 years and others like perhaps this one, has a lifespan of 50 years. That’s a little scary because we have about 3 more and if anyone happens to be under it when it falls, let’s just say, heaven awaits them.
Almost every week in yoga class we do Tree Pose; the sanskrit name is Vrikshana, वृक्षासन: Vrksa meaning tree and Asana meaning pose. The pronunciation broken down is Vrik-Shah-suh-nuh.
We do tree pose because it helps us root into the ground and anchor us to mother earth, where we draw nourishment from the rich soil beneath us and grow our roots of connection to our ancestors, carbon from which we are made of, and the healing microbes. We reach our branches up to the sky, so we may connect to the heavens and anchor between both spheres of the universe. Like our homes, our feet and connection with the ground is our foundation and vital so we have a solid base for utmost balance, giving us the ability to stand firm in our truths. In this way, when the world spins around us we can come back to center, keeping our Drishti (a focused gaze of concentration) allowing us to tune into ourselves and not lose ourselves by the noise of the outside world.
We all fall down, that is part of life. It is the getting back up that is important which is why I love tree pose so much. Often, we sway in class, challenging our proprioception(where we are in space), so we can increase our ability to stand tall and not be thrown off center, no matter what is thrown at us. The election is one of those times that comes to mind. We can’t control the outcome and no matter what happens, or what camp we are in, we will need to keep our own sense of ourselves, so we don’t get swallowed up and allow it to consume us. We aren’t in charge and trusting that there is a governing higher power helps see us through. Love is always the way no matter what forces try to tell us otherwise.
Sometimes as much as we try to get up, we wobble and fall but keep trying to stand on one leg, and other times, we just fall to the ground and get back up and try again.
But what happens when we can’t get up, like my Pine tree? Then what? I have been grappling with this concept for the last 2 weeks since it happened. What is the lesson then? The tree has had it’s day and it is not resurrecting anytime soon, and it will take time for it to decompose and return to the earth. Other parts will be cut and used to warm us in winter, still others to build benches with and garden chairs but it will never be as it once was. Nor will we.
What if we surrendered to the fall and held ourselves lovingly and kindly giving ourselves as much time as we needed, instead of rushing ourselves to get up? We die a little everyday and by remembering that, we can remember to live this day fully embodied in presence and awareness. It’s not always easy, tears are shed, pain is revealed, wounds burst open, but that’s ok. That’s part of life and part of letting go, so we can rebuild. What if we allowed the earth to feed us and we left parts of ourselves as gifts to the soil and drew strength from our ancestors that came before us, that lay deep below the surface. Could we just give ourselves permission to hibernate, heal and grow before forcing ourselves upright, giving ourselves the time we need, before we re-emerge again; stronger, healthier, brighter, with no race to the finish line?
We’re going to be ok no matter what happens, so be the reflection of the love that you are and stand on solid footing no matter where you land or how things go in life. Grow with the flow.
Keep growing your leaves to the light and together we shall be the beacons and lead the way to better days ahead.
Our Roots Go Down, Down, Down, Deeper than the Earth
Our Leaves Go Up, Up, Up, Higher than the Sky
Our Hearts Go Out, Out, Out, Deeper than the Sea
And the Music, Never Ends.
Thanks so much for reading, liking (if you do of course), commenting and or sharing. Life is meant to be shared and I am so grateful to be sharing it with all of you!
· May 9-16 · 7-day spirited yoga retreat hosted by Erica Jago and Mari Sierra At the exclusive eco-resort, Haramara, Sayulita, Mexico
Erica Jago is a skilled beautiful Yogini, Graphic Designer, and author who teaches and leads workshops in finding your voice and calling.
The workshop I took from her was called The Creative Pause which focused on finding your inner writer.
Erica has a soft grounded presence which is both ethereal and magical.
She is strikingly beautiful and soft-spoken. At first you might think that she might blow away when you see her but she connects so deeply to Mother Earth, she is solid as a rock and very insightful.
Her story is compelling and reminds us all to trust our path and journey always listening to our internal messages.
She is also an engineer and was working in the field a few years ago. She suffered from an eating disorder for 18 years and as a way of finding refuge she started taking yoga classes. She was invited to take the teacher training program, probably because in looking at her she has the body and grace of a ballerina. As she began putting sequences together she started drawing stick figures to remember what she would teach in classes. While doing so she had a vision that this would be useful to other practicing students and teachers and the idea of a book was born. When she got laid off she delved in head first and Co Authored the book “The Art of Attention: Book One and Healing Cards”, and started teaching and leading workshops full-time. Her book and yoga became her teacher for internal healing from her eating disorder and she is so grateful and blessed to be walking this path of freedom and eager to share her gifts.
Barbara Gong Master Cole, hit the gongs in the background as we did Kapalabhati breathing (also known as Shinning Skull or Fierce Breathing ) for over 7 minutes. I expected movement, but we sat in meditation and did breath work for the entire class.
Between the meditation, breathing, and gongs, my entire body vibrated; creating bliss, clarity, and calmness, opening my senses and chakras. There were no words; but quiet and peace, as I connected to my Sahasrara crown chakra opening to the heavens towards the white light.
OM, OM, OM
When the class was over there was a feeling of transformation that echoed in the tent with the smell of the ocean breeze.
We were then instructed to let our inner writer out.
Here is my unedited version that spoke to me.
WISDOM FROM THE EARTH
A blade of grass touching my toes like a tree rooted in the ground reaching to find light.
Fragile with jagged edges yet strong making its way to be known. It will be cut and go back to the Earth from which it came, but its seeds will fly creating, more grasses to sprout and bloom just like our ancestors that came before us. No longer do we need to know who they are or their genetic code, because they live in us and we in them.
We are the carriers of this message of truth.
Fear not: We carry the torch and light the path and when our job is done we will join that blade of grass without hesitation, concern or worry; but rather happy and fulfilled blessed by the perfection of this miraculous design.
Erica Jago is a skilled beautiful Yogini, Graphic Designer, and author who teaches and leads workshops in finding your voice and calling.
The workshop I took from her was called The Creative Pause which focused on finding your inner writer.
Erica has a soft grounded presence which is both ethereal and magical.
She is strikingly beautiful and soft spoken and at first you might think that she might blow away when you see her but she connects so deeply to Mother Earth she is solid as a rock and very insightful.
Her story is compelling and reminds us all to trust our path and journey always listening to our internal messages.
She is also an engineer and was working in the field a few years ago. She suffered from an eating disorder for 18 years and as a way of finding refuge she started taking yoga classes. She was invited to take the teacher training program probably because in looking at her she has the body and grace of a ballerina. As she began putting sequences together she started drawing stick figures to remember what she would teach in classes. While doing so she had a vision that this would be useful to other practicing students and teachers and the idea of a book was born. When she got laid off she delved in head first and Co Authored the book “The Art of Attention: Book One and Healing Cards”, and started teaching and leading workshops full time. Her book and yoga became her teacher for internal healing from her eating disorder and she is so grateful and blessed to be walking this path of freedom and eager to share her gifts.
Barbara Gong Master Cole, hit the gongs in the background as we did Kapalabhati breathing (also known as Shinning Skull or Fierce Breathing ) for over 7 minutes. I expected movement, but we sat in meditation and did breath work for the entire class.
Between the meditation, breathing, and gongs, my entire body vibrated; creating bliss, clarity, and calmness, openness of my senses and chakras. There were no words; but quiet and peace, as I connected to my Sahasrara crown chakra opening to the heavens towards the white light.
OM, OM, OM
When the class was over there was a feeling of transformation that echoed in tent with the smell of the ocean breeze.
We were then instructed to let our inner writer out.
Here is my unedited version that spoke to me.
A blade of grass touching my toes like a tree rooted in the ground reaching to find light.
Fragile with jagged edges yet strong making it’s way to be known. It will be cut and go back to the Earth from which it came, but its seeds will fly creating, more grasses to sprout and bloom just like our ancestors that came before us. No longer do we need to know who they are or their genetic code, because they live in us and we in them.
We are the carriers of this message of truth.
Fear not: We carry the torch and light the path and when our job is done we will join that blade of grass without hesitation, concern or worry; but rather happy and fulfilled blessed by the perfection of this miraculous design.
Hiking Diamond head in Honolulu this morning, I was reminded how our business name Uniquely fit was born. There were all sizes, shapes and colors hiking the hill. Some strolled, some could barely walk, others sprinted up and still others stopped and took pictures at every junction. You could hardly call it exercise but at least they were out enjoying the day moving to the best of their ability in many cases, communing with nature.
Every once in a while, I would notice someone walking in a Mary Jane’s of such with slick bottoms, barely able to move, worried about slipping and falling as they well should be. What in heavens name were they thinking? They obviously weren’t. Promise me that when you hike, you will wear the proper shoes with good stability and traction. They were doomed from the get go and I’m not sure how they would ever want to go out again. I know I wouldn’t.
We left early enough to beat the heat and masses but it was still pretty crowded so we passed people we shared the hill with whenever we could to keep our hike to a respectable pace and get a workout in. When we reached steps we took them briskly breaking a near run taking one step at a time trying to beat our last years time.
Heart pounding, sweat dripping, legs burning, one thought “you can do this” was in my mind. Stay focused on the step in front of you, don’t look too far ahead, and breathe. In the next moment there were no thoughts just sheer exhaustion and determination. I remembered that was exactly why I work out: To bring me to the present moment. Of course I workout for my heart and health both mentally and physically but that is just the icing on the cake and the side effect of movement.
Early in the hike I thought to myself I could stop doing this at any given moment and if I was guaranteed I would never have to worry about burning calories, fitting into my jeans, dropping dead from a heart attach, walking my talk etc. I would throw in the towel. However, now it’s a habit imprinted in my brain and body and a natural remedy for all that ales me. It is no longer a question of if I will work out but what time in the day I will go.
Running down the hill toward the beach exhilarated with a runners high, we are done in record time. We strip off our clothes to our bathing suits and jump in the ocean water for renewal of our tired muscles. The salt water brings buoyancy and lightness, cooling us off rejuvenating our bodies and spirit, ready for the next activity.
Take classes with some of the best teachers in the industry or just go and sample new healthy products and shop for the latest gear in yoga.
48 + Teachers sharing a wealth of information for students and teachers.
Here are a few of the top:
-Sean Corne
-Dharma Mittra: 1rst time I did a
Headstand was in
His class.
Never aspired to
This EVER. Read more below.
-Shiva Rea
-Rodney Yee & Colleen Saidman Yee
HEADSTAND READY OR NOT:
Last year I took Dharma Mittra’s class with 100 other people. I thought the class would be easy and relaxing since he looked anywhere between 80-100.
When he demonstrated an effortless headstand I was in awe. I have never aspired to stand on my head for the benefit of blood rushing to my head and creating new neuropathways. It could easily be had by lying off the edge of my bed which had no appeal either.
I was in the second row which made it harder to fake the asanas (yoga postures) but I modified where I could.
I heard him say “look at me”. I looked up and he had singled me out, his eyes piercing mine and he said “up”. I have no idea to this day how this happened but my legs shot up above me and I was in a headstand. I was stunned and elated all at once. I suppose this is how someone pushes a car off a loved one when it is not humanly impossible. That’s how it felt to me anyway. I’m still not sure where this came from. Was I afraid of the consequences if I didn’t go up? Did I get the affirmation from a well schooled teacher that saw something in me and I didn’t want to disappoint him? Did the power in his words speak to a place inside where I wanted to do this but had given up on the idea because it was pointless or I was too old? Was it because if this old man could do it, so could I? I felt like a little kid again and wanted to run to mommy shouting “look at me”. I was amazed and proud even though this felt somewhere out of any control I humanly had. To this day I do headstand most everyday because I can. It reminds me that there are so many things in my life waiting to emerge if I just stay open and listen to my intuition.
