Flourish & Thrive

Year of the Dragon ~ The Inspiration Continues

2012-02-01T06:37:00.000-08:00

I have had so much fun teaching this week! I've been using The Year of the Dragon as inspiration in my classes which has brought a lot of depth and playfulness to the yoga mat. The Year of the Dragon signifies a year of transformation, but as the Dragon is a divine being, the transformation is meant for the greater good and ultimately to bring greater happiness into the world of form and being. We made happy dragon poses in kids and family yoga, we did dragon push-ups in the mixed-level classes, and explored backbends with balanced action to support the spine and nervous system throughout. With a serpentine form, and often paraded in undulating rhythm, the dragon reminds us that our physical lives will always be full of ups and downs. As we remember the spirit that dwells in all things and connect to this energy, we can be happy and at peace even amidst turbulent times. Perhaps life is like a roller coaster ride. It's only scary if you let it be. So go ahead... throw up your arms and have some fun. It only hurts if we grip to tight. The Chinese New Year inspiration continues this week with Happy Floating Lotuses. We'll be working on hip openers to release low back tension and free the heart. I hope you'll come check it out. Find my Cincinnati teaching schedule here.

Welcome Year of the Dragon

2012-01-23T08:25:00.000-08:00

Today is the lunar New Year aka Chinese New Year. Welcome Year of the Dragon. 2012 is predicted to be a year of transformation. Today is a day for making new moon wishes and new year's intentions. Here's one of mine.

Yoga for Health and Healing

2012-01-19T06:38:00.000-08:00

There's been a lot of buzz lately as to the "safety" of yoga. The New York times recently published an article called "How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body." As might be expected, there was a huge backlash from yoga teachers everywhere. The truth is that you can hurt yourself in some of the poses if you are: A. not prepared to do them correctly, B. perform them without sensitivity, awareness, and good alignment, and C. even if you are prepared and know what you are doing, you can lose focus and injure yourself. Does yoga wreck your body? No! Can you wreck your body in yoga? Yes. Can you also wreck your body doing ordinary everyday things? Yes!!! i.e. walking and twisting your ankle, falling down stairs, transportation accidents, and so much more.

From my point of view, I think most yoga teachers were upset by the article because so many of us have experienced great health and healing through yoga. Like me, so many of us teach yoga because we want to share the gifts of the practice that have been so incredibly helpful in transforming our lives. We'd all really hate for people to be scared away from something that carries such great potency for healthy and happiness. I wanted to share my story today to demonstrate the healing potential that lies in Yoga.

My "body wrecking" began at an early age. My dad fought his way from Ireland, half-way around the world, to the United States as a professional boxer. As athletic as my dad was, my mom was more artistic. For anyone who sees me in an athletic light, I would say it was only by drive and dedication that I found myself here. My nature is more of the artist. I was a clumsy kid who tried really hard to be an athlete like my dad whom I admired so much. I was ALWAYS hurt. Gymnastics gave me a place to be both artistic and athletic but it also left me with more strains, sprains, and a degenerated lumbar spine (from trying to touch my butt to my head like Kristi Phillips.) When my body couldn't take the demands of gymnastics anymore - at the ripe old age of 15;-) I switched to springboard diving. Landing on the water was a little easier on my body but not easy enough. At the age of 21, as a college diver, I had a silly but severe mis-step off the diving board. I lost my space in the air and landed face first, flat on the water, off of the 3 meter board. I thought I could shake it off, dove again, and landed on the side of my head. I walked out of practice that day in severe pain that I couldn't shake for months. A chiropractor treated me for whiplash and the trainers treated me for strains and sprains throughout my neck, back, and shoulders. I pushed through the season even though I could barely sleep at night. I couldn't look up at the stars at night and it hurt to just tie my shoes. At 21 I felt like 81.

Even though I pushed through to live a "normal" active life, I was in chronic pain. Finally armed with health insurance, I began the process to feel better. I was diagnosed with a laundry list of ailments: degenerated lumbar spine, two herniated disks, a touch of scoliosis, and fibro-mialgyia. There you go and thank you very much. Medication did not ease my pain. The orthopedic guy told me that surgery would be the only solution but because I was young he wanted me to wait as long as possible. He told me that I was already doing everything that they would have me do in physical therapy. So basically, push through young soldier.

Chronic pain is exhausting and depressing. I did not want to live this way. I started reading some of the "new-agey" or rather progressive books about healing from chronic back pain. When my uncle told me about the Alexander Technique that he was using to help cope with his "wrecked" back, I went looking for relief. The Alexander Technique was unlike anything I had ever done before. My teacher spoke with a calm, steady, and quiet but powerful voice. She also helped me to be and move my body in this same way. For the first time in my life, I felt what it was to relax. I experienced the healing that lies in deep relaxation. My teacher, also began to introduce the concept of energy-work to me. I was surprised how clearly I could start to feel the energy flow in and around me. If the word "energy" puts you off, maybe you can just think of it as the electrical system of your body... you know.... your nervous system. "Energy" is real folks! Mindful practices like the Alexander Technique and Yoga help you tap into it and then change it. You can change tension to relaxation and chaos to harmony. Ok that's not really what this post is about but there you have it.

I went through some ups and downs with the Alexander Technique. Some days I actually felt worse but I think it's because I was starting to feel again. When you have chronic pain sometimes it just feels better to shut down. I could feel myself coming alive again in many ways. Even though I hurt sometimes, I knew without a doubt I was healing.

Around the same time, I began to take Yoga. I didn't really like it in the beginning. It was hard for me to focus. Sometimes I thought it was boring or weird. At the same time, I knew it was important for me to continue. Luckily I soon met some really great teachers who showed me the inspiring and fun side of yoga. I was being read poetry. I was practicing hand stands and backbends again. I was learning more about anatomy and energy and how they work together. I was hooked! And, I was feeling better and better.

Then I met Sianna Sherman. She subbed a class I was taking and told me about these "loops and spirals" in this new yoga style called Anusara® Yoga. Her teacher John Friend had created this formula to use in all the yoga poses that was easy to remember and would help you "line-up" in a way that would give you a "soft, bright heart, a healthy body, and a clear mind." Sign me up!

So while my Alexander Technique teacher opened the door to healing, Anusara Yoga drove it home and gave me tools to help me encourage healing within myself and in my life. I could now move my muscles to adjust my own bones so that I was aligned in a way that would bring optimum health and harmony. I learned how to cultivate all the qualities I wanted to experience in my life like peace and joy. I was inspired to shift my focus from the negative to the positive and because of that and many more benefits of Yoga, I am an all-around better, healthier, and happier person.

There are so many styles of yoga and so many teachers out there these days. I do think it's important to look for a style that you like and that feels beneficial to your particular state of being. It's also worth checking out a variety of teachers. Different teachers know different things and teach in different ways. The most important thing is to be sensitive and respectful to your own experience. In all the back talk after the NY Times article there was one quote that stood out to me. "If it hurts you, it's not yoga." We each need to take responsibility for ourselves and have the courage to do what's right for us. Sometimes that means holding back and sometimes that means surging forward. Although we can all learn from each other, our individual truth lies within. This, not whether you can put your foot behind your head, is the real call of yoga.The purpose of Yoga is to know and honor your true-self, as John Friend puts it to "Align with the Divine," and to unleash pure joy, health, and well-being.

Yoga is good for you! Check it out.

2012 Winter Quote Collection

2012-01-03T05:16:00.000-08:00

“You have to make mistakes to find out who you aren't. You take the action, and the insight follows: You don't think your way into becoming yourself.” — Anne Lamott

"It's the small, incremental changes that vault us to a new experience of ourselves... we too can affect the probability of something spectacular materializing by the energy we put into supporting the new." ~Kathy Freston

"...imagine that you are in a rowboat, and everything you do is one push of the paddle. Is it a strong stroke, moving you forward? Or is it sideways or chaotic, leaving you vulnerable to the current? Think of this wellness journey as the rowboat. Once you get the hang of rowing with the current and not against it, in harmony with who your truly are at your highest potential, every move you make will move you forward with greater efficiency. Just follow the rhythm of the current, add to it some of your own muscle, and you'll soon be amazed at how your momentum increases and you start meeting and surpassing your goals." ~Kathy Freston

‎"Whether we're seeking inner peace or global peace or a combination of the two, the way to experience it is to build on the foundation of unconditional openness to all that arises." Pema Chodron

Marianne Williamson

The one good thing about failure is that it makes you consider doing things a different way.

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”—Confucius

‎"I don’t know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone." Bill Cosby

"One way to ward off cravings for non-nutritional sweets is to add more naturally sweet foods to your diet. Winter roots and squash offer that welcome addition to any meal." ~Terry Walters, Clean Food

"I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, quality, and freedom for their spirits...". Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"What you are looking for is what is looking". ~St. Francis of Assisi

“Love yourself first and everything falls into line.”―Lucille Ball

Children are not casual guests in our home. (Nor are they our "property." They have loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built. ~James Dobson

Within every person is an in-dwelling consciousness that is magical and wise observing all with a sense of neutrality and observation. When you see through the eyes of this Witness within, you're able to see broader vistas, new perspectives, and choose from a peaceful center rather than a reactive ego. This Higher Self, is ancient and is always connected to Source, greater than our small selves. When this card appears it is a sign to step back and observe, take inventory of your thoughts, and only cultivate the ones that are peaceful and good. -Colette Baron Reid

How to Make a Friend
There are many ways to be a friend. 1) Introduce yourself then let your new friend introduce her or himself. 2) Ask them a lot of questions. 3) Ask them if they want to play.

How to make them become your besties: 1) They cant’ tell your secrets or crushes. 2) They have to be kind and sweet. 3) They need to help you with your problems and help your friends with bullies.
Alexandria (2nd grade)

Prescription:
For Beautiful Eyes, Look for the Good in Others
For Beautiful Lips, speak only words of Kindness
For Poise: Walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.
Audrey Hepburn

A Poem for the New Year

2012-01-01T06:12:00.000-08:00

For A New Beginning

John O'Donohue

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,

Where your thoughts never think to wander,

This beginning has been quietly forming,

Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,

Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,

Noticing how you willed yourself on,

Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety

And the gray promises that sameness whispered,

Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,

Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,

And out you stepped onto new ground,

Your eyes young again with energy and dream,

A path of plentitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not yet clear

You can trust the promise of this opening;

Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning

That is at one with your life's desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

2012 New Year's Intentions/Resolutions

2011-12-31T13:47:00.000-08:00

For most of my early life New Year's Eve/Day didn't carry much weight. It just seemed like an excuse for a noisy party. (Not that I didn't have some fun at those parties;-) The only "real" impact that the last day of the year has to do with in my life is closing up the past years money books. In every other way this could just be any other day. We all have the potential to celebrate deeply and to clear the slate on any day we choose. I suppose it is nice to have a day where many of us are focused on a unified idea though. In that way, I think it's great that we open up a space to talk about making positive changes in our lives through intentions and resolutions.

Last year my New Year's post was about cutting ourselves some slack about the resolutions at this time of year. I spoke about how the winter is a time of low energy in which most living beings are meant to rest and recoup. Money and social pressures fight against our instincts and drive us out into the cold days and dark nights at a harried pace; frying our nerves and burning us out. Nature designed winter as the perfect time to slow down and let go of the old stuff that drain our energy. As winter turns to spring, and our energy is restored, new growth is natural and easy.

But maybe I just didn't have the energy for resolutions last year. This year I'm taking on a few of my own intentions because I'm feeling like some little shifts will likely kindle my inner flame. The threshold of a new calendar year is a great time to reflect on some powerful questions. What is it that I'm doing on a regular basis that is no longer serving me? How might I begin to release my grip on this habit or way of thinking? How can I make more space for me to grow in a positive way in my own life? Is there any small shift, I can make that will help me restore my energy more fully? How can I easily incorporate these changes into my life without draining energy in other areas of my life?

Small shifts can be the most powerful because they lay a solid foundation for lasting change. So far I have one intention and one resolution for the year. As I see it the difference between an intention and a resolution has to do with whether or not your have clear steps to achieve your goal. I have set the intention of being more hopeful in 2012. I've had my fair share of disappointments over the years and have trained myself not to get my hopes up too high so that I wouldn't feel so disappointed when my hopes didn't pan out as I expected. Don't get me wrong, my life is full of joy and I'm grateful for the many, many things that ended up working out even better than I hoped. But it's time for a little more lightness in my heart. I'm calling this an intention because I don't really KNOW how to hope. There always seems to be that devil's advocate in the back of my mind reminding me that this just not might work out. So as I set an intention, I'm setting myself up to be open to practicing and learning to be more hopeful.

While an intention tends to be a little more vague, a resolution should have clear cut steps that you can use to measure your progress. My resolution for 2012 is to organize my favorite quotes and photos. I want to have these words of wisdom and nuggets of inspiration at the ready when I need a little inner lift. You'll get to measure my resolve too because my intention is to post them here. The first one (which actually sparked me to come write down these thoughts today) is from Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness.

"It's the small, incremental changes that vault us to a new experience of ourselves... we too can affect the probability of something spectacular materializing by the energy we put into supporting the new."

Let it Shine - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Lady Gaga

2011-12-24T05:16:00.000-08:00

I'm getting ready for the Christmas Eve Yoga class at Shine. and there is a lot to use as inspiration at this time of year. I'm sure the students are expecting a sweet soulful class from me today. Do you think they will surprised when I start off talking about Lady Gaga?

I happened to catch a few minutes of one of her interviews this week. When she was asked what she thought of pop icon, Madonna, she replied with this, "I love Madonna. She is so brave. She was so brave. Everyday when I'm working I think about bravery. You always have to push forward and be unafraid." Here's a link if you'd like to see the interview clip for yourself. http://www.aoltv.com/2011/09/13/lady-gaga-madonna-inspiration-gaga-by-gaultier-video/

So, it turns out that I get more than ever, that all of her antics are on purpose. She wants to push the edge of what is acceptable so far that there is more space for everyone else to feel more free to be unique. She loves the quirkiness of life. She wants to have the freedom to be herself, she wants you to have that freedom too, and she's doing what she can to help people feel more comfortable in their own skin and to be more accepting of others. If that means she has to find the courage to put herself out there "On the Edge" for ridicule as well as admiration, she is willing to do it. (I realize there are a lot of people who won't agree with this viewpoint but I certainly think it's one worth considering.)

OK now what does this have to do with Christmas? I think a lot actually. If you look at all the holidays people are celebrating this week, they all involve the hope for freedom of some sort: freedom from the dark, freedom from despair, freedom from oppression, spiritual freedom, and freedom in general. All of the winter holidays share some quality of light overcoming dark. It takes courage and bravery to step into a dark place and shine your light because you never know what you are going to find there. But, when you do shine your light you will inevitably offer yourself up as a beacon of hope for others. Inside of you are so many valuable gifts just waiting to be ignited. Go on, shine your light. Don't hold back. Be brave and share your gifts with the world. It's true not everyone will like what you've got to give but there are others who are just waiting to be inspired by you to do the same. In the words of Gaga.... Baby You Were Born this Way!

For whatever holidays you are celebrating this month, I wish you the best.

Serenity in Letting Go and Moving On

2011-12-05T10:48:00.001-08:00

Tonight I will teach my last class at Balance Yoga Center. This sweet little spot is closing it's doors at the end of this week. As there is with all endings, there is a little sadness, disappointment, and a few other emotions that aren't my favorite to experience. But, that is not what I'll be talking about in class tonight. What I will be talking about is the importance of being open to what is next. I use the Anusara Yoga philosophy as a guiding force in so many aspects of my life. So what I will be talking about tonight is the concept, "that nothing ever really ends." The energy of life that has so many fabulous names like Shakti, Prana, Spirit, Grace, God, and more is cyclical. For everything that exists, there is "energy" that manifested, inspired, and sustained the life of that being (whether it was a human being or a yoga studio). "Energy" never dies. It goes on and takes new and hopefully even more glorious forms.

So, if..... in the midst of letting go of anything.... whether it is the life of a loved one, an old habit, a worn-out goal, or even just the physical items that you've grown attached to but are no longer serving you, you might try focusing on the possibility of what is waiting for you next as you loosen your grip on what was. In our Yoga practice we call this "opening to Grace." By opening to the faithful and rhythmic flow of life, we can experience serenity in times of challenge.

Isn't this what the whole "holiday season" is all about anyway. Many different religions and cultures are getting ready to celebrate a holiday that is symbolic of the never-ending flow of spirit, light, and goodness that comes into our darkest days to renew us. Let us each be open to living our best life in this moment. Let us do the best we can with what is presented before us and let us be open to the new possibilities that are waiting around the corner.

Practicing Gratitude

2011-11-23T05:03:00.001-08:00

This story begins the day after a visit to a toy store. My children received some gift certificates and were very excited to pick out new toys. They loved the new toys...... for ONE day! The very next day my four year old was asking to go back to the toy store to pick up the other toys he had seen. I know he's not alone in this scenario. How often do we all move from one thing to the next? From one pair of shoes or handbag to wanting the next. From one electronic device to the next greatest. From one goal to the next. How long to we pause to appreciate what we have, what we've achieved, what we've experienced, and what we have been truly blessed with?

I use my life as inspiration for the yoga classes I teach because I think for the most part we are all dealing with the same issues in different forms (whether we are 4 years old or 64 years old.) Once the theme of the class surfaces, I like to collect intelligent and inspiring words from others to give us all a little soul-food. Here are the quotes on appreciation and gratitude I'm using for the Thanksgiving classes this week.

The first quote actually turns out to a book title by Mary Ellen Edumunds...
"You can never have enough of what you don't need."

This Thanksgiving quote is by Henry Van Dyke...
"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received.
Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.
Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse."

And by William Arthur Ward
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like
wrapping a present and not giving it."

BUT, sometimes we don't feel blessed. Sometimes we feel like everything is going wrong or perhaps we feel like we just can't quite reach our goals or get what we want. How can be grateful then? We can practice gratitude. We create time and space for us to remember that there are a lot of things that are going right in every second. It really could be worse and even if it were worse we could look for little blessings. Blessings aren't necessarily what we have but what we are. Each one of us is blessed with a unique ability to express the light within us. Each of us is a blessing and has potential to bless our own lives and our worlds with the blessings we hold inside.

An exercise to practice gratitude:
Sit in a comfortable seat. Ideally, sit cross-legged on the floor. If your lower back rounds, sit up on a little cushion. Take a breath in and allow your hips and legs to settle down and encourage your heart and head to lift up. Bow your head to look down at your heart. You can keep your eyes opened or closed and just imagine that you are looking in to your own heart. What blessings that you hold inside are you most grateful for? How can you express your gratitude more fully in life? How can you share your blessings more fully with others?

When we take time to remember our blessings, we are likely to experience that natural impulse to express gratitude in Thanksgiving. When we express ourselves in positive and proactive ways, we bring more light into our world.

Oh and just so I don't paint an incomplete picture of Hoyt. He also told me on the very same day, "Mom, no matter what we can always shine!" He made me repeat it word for word with him and added a little arm-sweep and upward pointing finger for emphasis.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What is Musculo-Skeletal Balance and Why Does it Matter?

2011-10-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

In short musculo-skeletal balance is the relationship between the opposing muscle groups that work on each joint and the synergy between the major joint structures of the body. Ideally we want a dynamic balance between the agonist muscles, which contract to move a bone, and the opposing antagonist muscles, that stretch to allow movement. When these muscle groups are out of balance our posture begins to shift away from optimal alignment and can set us up for less than ideal body mechanics, discomfort, and injury.

Although there is an optimal blueprint to which all humans are designed, our individual musculo-skeletal balance is affected by many elements, including but not limited to: genetics, movement and behavior patterns, past illnesses, and injuries. Even our mood and thought patterns can shape our musculo-skeletal balance. To keep our bodies balanced and aligned well, it’s important that each muscle group has an ability to contract and to relax fully. It is possible for muscles to become over-contracted or over-stretched. When the opposing muscle groups are not balanced around a joint, that joint will slide out of optimal alignment and will affect the synergy of the body/mind.

Perhaps the element that has allowed humans to flourish most, is our ability to adapt. Because of this characteristic, many misalignments go unnoticed until wear and tear begins. However, we also have an amazing ability to heal. Once we get closer to ideal alignment and balance, circulation and synergy improves so that the body begins to function more harmoniously again. Because it’s hard to detect muscle imbalances internally and because it is difficult to change patterns, it does take some effort and strategy to get the body closer to it’s optimal alignment. Taking time to assess posture and body mechanics offers us insight into what specific types of exercise will benefit us as individuals. Once you know where your imbalances are, you can then begin to make small changes in your posture and in your movement and behavior patterns. You can then consciously select the exercises that will most support your body and the everyday actions of your lifestyle.

I'm gearing up to teach my workshop "A Body in Balance is a Body Built to Last" at Shine Yoga Center. I also incorporate musculo-skeletal rebalancing into my everyday Yoga Classes and offer private sessions. In a private session you receive posture and movement assessments to find your imbalances and then receive a set of quick and easy exercises that will help you feel your best. Small imbalances accumulate over time and may set you up for an achey body down the road. Just a little work to keep yourself in balance has tremendous pay-back. www.flourishunlimited.com

Yoga FOR Pregnancy: Round Ligamanet Pain

2011-10-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

Teaching Yoga for Pregnancy is one of the happiest surprises of my life. It's not something I ever expected to do, but I've been teaching since I was pregnant with my first-born, which makes it over 9 years now. What began as a practice of modifying my own yoga practice to accommodate my big belly, has blossomed into a class that supports women during this most amazing, beautiful, and often uncomfortable period of their lives. Over the years, I have experienced and learned much; and the way I teach prenatal yoga has drastically changed. My focus now is on helping women cope with the common discomforts of pregnancy so that they can more fully enjoy this unique and sacred time of life as well as to prepare for the incredible births of their children. I am so pleased that what I do makes such a big impact on the moms-to-be and their children.

I've caught on to a little buzz about "round ligament pain" from some mommas who do not take my yoga classes so I wanted to do a little post for you.....

True "Round Ligament Pain" is a pain that you will feel as your belly starts to pull your round ligament up and forward. Normally this ligament lies vertical so as your belly makes the Round Ligament start to do a little backbend it hurts! This pain is felt in the front of your body in the area between your groin and mid-belly. (There are lots of other pelvic pains that occur in different areas that occur from other body shifts. A short list includes: pubic symphisis dysfunction, s-i joint pain, normal pelvic widening and pressure, etc. Unless you are being guided by a professional, it's always important to check with your prenatal caregiver that exercise is safe for you.)

It's a great idea to check your posture throughout the day especially when you are pregnant. How much is your baby bump affecting your posture? If you lock your knees, allow your hips to lean forward, or if your low back arch is drastically increasing you will be more likely to suffer from round ligament pain. Small posture shifts can make a big difference throughout the day. When you can, remind yourself to soften your knees and "scoop" your tailbone down as you lift up through your heart and head. These little adjustments will release internal pressure. This is good for your round ligament and better for your back too.

Wearing a belly band or pelvic support band may also be helpful. Gently engaging your core muscles is also helpful. When you do a true Kegel exercise, it will pull your tailbone down, tone your pelvic floor, and tone the low belly creating your own custom designed "belly band." Really we can't say enough good things about those Kegel exercises. You just have to remind yourself to do them! I came across this cute blog post about the belly bands and round ligament pain that I'll post down below.

If you are continuing with a regular yoga practice or exercise program, it's important to pay attention to your body mechanics as you move. There are a lot of movements that put extra pressure on the round ligament. Make sure that as you move, you work to keep your hips back in the direction of your heels rather than forward over the toes ESPECIALLY in lunges or other standing poses.

There are quite a few exercises and "stretches" that are helpful to create stability in the pelvis which will help ease all pelvic pain. I teach these exercises regularly at my Yoga for Pregnancy Class at Shine Yoga Center in Hyde Park on Wednesday nights from 5:45 - 7 pm. I also teach rotating Saturdays from 12-1. (My next class Saturday class is October 22. I will also be teaching a specialty class from 1:15 - 2:30 on Positioning for a Positive Birth Experience.) For the "Westsiders" I can teach private or semi-private sessions at Balance Yoga Center on Westbourne Avenue. My contact info can be found on my website along with links to the studios I teach at www.flourishunlimited.com I'm also including just a few of the many testimonials from students of mine.

Student Testimonials

Thanksagain for such an amazing class. I tell people all of the time that YOURprenatal yoga is (was) my favorite part about being pregnant. Such greatbonding with other moms as well as needed relief from the physical (and mental)stresses of pregnancy. Thanksagain for everything, Jen

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Not only did your prenatal class help withaches and pains of pregnancy, it helped me with positions and relaxationtechniques that were useful during labor. It was also a great way to connectwith other pregnant women. Thanksfor all your help. ~ Chelsea

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Kate is deeply knowledgeable and articulate about the physical and emotional changes during pregnancy and she creates a very supportive atmosphere. Her classes reveal elements of alignment and posture and provide emotional support that you don't really find elsewhere. I always leave feeling great not just because my aches and discomforts are gone but also because I've had the chance to be with other women and learn from their experiences. • Caitlin

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I want to thank you Kate for helping me build the strength to endurethe labor process. With each week, your varied techniques andpositivity influenced the way I approached the big day. Your class alsogave me time to bond with my baby, which I had a hard time doing workingfull time and dealing with so many stresses. You are a wonderful guide, and Ihave recommended your classes to all my friends who are pregnant! Bighug of appreciation, Julie

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Pregnancy Blog (round ligament pain and belly bands)... http://enlargingmarge.blogspot.com/2011/04/rlp-relief.html

Black Holes and Tumors

2011-10-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry if I alarmed you with the title but this is what's been on my mind lately. No I don't have a tumor but my sweet dog Kaj'n does. I've been away from this blog for longer than I would have liked because I've been dealing with this and a half a dozen other things. This post tells the story.

Thanks to tv, movies, and fictional books I have had a great misunderstanding that a Black Hole was some type of tunnel in outer-space that connected one dimension to another. Last week I followed a link from Facebook to NASA's Hubble Telescope Image Gallery and was transported to a whole new world of understanding. The images on the sight are amazing, humbling, and definitely worth checking out. http://hubblesite.org/gallery/ A Black Hole is really an area of condensed matter with a force of gravity so powerful that even light cannot shine out of it.

In a way a feel like I've been living in a little "black hole" of my own lately. It's not terrible here. Actually it's full of life, love, energy, and happiness. It's just that it's been hard for me to focus on anything but the core of my family lately. The implosion into home life began early this summer when my daughter underwent occulo-plastic surgery. The post-op directions for this delicate eye surgery were to keep her as calm, still, and quiet as possible. My daughter is one of the most dynamic, energetic and expressive persons I have ever met. Keeping her content on a couch was a very tall order and required me to pull all my strength, patience, and creativity to help her contain and constructively direct her energy so that she could heal without complications. In order to focus on my new role as "guardian of her eyes," I had to pull away from other areas. I scaled back at work, I had to limit time with friends, and much of the time I devote to healthy habits like exercise, yoga, and writing faded into the background.

After three weeks of confinement we were able to resume some activity but had many restrictions. We had to stay away from water, wind, dirt, and active play which cut out most of our regular activities. I was determined to make this a memorable summer not for the surgery or limitations but because of all the new adventures we would have. We did have a fun and memorable summer but if I'm being honest it was a little exhausting on my end. Willpower comes in handy when your physical and mental energy starts to wane. We sailed through the summer and were looking forward to back to school.

It's not pretty under that shirt
but she sure is.

Of course as life goes, one thing often leads to another. Here's the tumor part of the story. Our dog is almost 12. Even though her face is gray and her reflexes are slowing, she is doing great for her age - except for the tumors. The first one showed up three years ago when a small growth formed, burst, got infected, and needed to be removed. A year later another grew and was removed along with her spleen which also had a tumor. Another year, another tumor. With all the stress of the summer to remember, the question about what to do with the dog, changing seasons and changing rhythms; sickness settled in. From the second day of school until just this week, someone has been sick with something in our house.

This is life. My story is just my story and I'm sure you can relate in your own similar but unique way. Everyone has their own set of life challenges. Relatively, I know mine are small in comparison to what many people are dealing with. I'm grateful for the amount of ease there really is in my life right now. This doesn't mean that I discount what I'm going through. It's heart breaking to see what is happening to my beloved dog. She's my first dog.... my baby. She will not win a battle with cancer. It will take her. It started taking her three years ago. Just like a black hole, her tumors will consume everything in their vicinity; stealing light and energy from her body systems. We've now discovered that every time we cut one of the tumors out, the rest of them will just grow stronger. We take them out however because the alternative is to let her suffer with an infection when they burst. Of course there is the "put the dog to sleep argument" but there's still a lot of life in her and she makes it pretty clear that she wants to be here with us. To someone who hasn't loved a dog like I do it might seem like wasted effort and resources to keep her alive but in every other way she's healthy and happy. She is excited when we have visitors, she loves to be petted and groomed, she loves being treated, taking walks and car rides, and she is always happy to see us home.

I do experience pain walking this path with her. She is clearly in the last phases of her sweet life. Through it all she continues to teach me through example. She is showing me how to live and die with grace. Most of the day she rests. She rests so deeply that many times we come across her and think she's already passed. She's saving her precious energy though. She's saving it for the things she really loves in life. Even though she looks more like a small camel now and has a 14" scar along her side, she still carries her tail high as she trots down the wooded trails with her signature Golden Retriever smile.

Life is full of black holes and tumors. Every one of us experience loss and drains on our energy, focus, and resources. Although we can't always escape the gravity of life's challenges, we can make the most of them. We can nurture ourselves as best as possible and we can appreciate our efforts to hold it all together as we move through these cycles of life. Compassion, understanding, and patience are remarkable tools to help us not only endure the challenges we face but come out stronger, wiser, and more empathetic toward others. As hard as life's challenges are and as much as we wish life could just be easy, the challenges are precisely the things that have the potential to help us grow in an even more positive ways.

Lessons from Life on the Mat
You'll often hear Yoga Teachers say that you should take your practice "Off the Mat" into the world. This means that you take all the positive qualities you develop in a yoga practice into your everyday life. As a teacher, I flip this idea. I define my teaching style as "inspired by the poetry of everyday living." In aligning with this concept, we'll be working on "muscular energy" in classes this week. "Muscular Energy" is the second principle of Anusara Yoga. It's a force we cultivate to integrate ourselves more fully. As we engage all the muscles evenly in the body, we actually limit movement in certain areas so that the body can function as a more harmonic whole. This is a force that keeps you safe as you move into challenging positions and helps all the parts of yourself work better together.

Accepting, Appreciating and Overcoming Limitation with Yoga

2011-08-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready to sub a class of very dedicated students. I like to be at the top of my game when I teach this class and being a "regular" of this class I am usually very plugged in to what they've been practicing as a group and what material would be appropriate to teach as a sub. However, family commitments and my own injured wrist have limited my attendance of this class over the summer. I've found myself wondering what would be best to teach to the group. In the week before the class, I came across a quote by Georgia O'Keefe on another "regulars" Facebook Page. (Even though many people think there's only junk up on Facebook, I'm proud to say I have some very insightful friends and find all kinds of good posts on my wall.)

Back to the quote I'll be using in this weeks class, "Making a decision to do something and then doing it requires not doing a dozen other things." This concept is very pertinent in my own situation and is one of the great teachings inherent in the Anusara Yoga practice. I've had to say yes to slowing down my practice to heal and to be there for my kids. I've had to say no to one of the things that has always filled with me so much goodness. Just as you say no to a dozen other things when you say yes to something else; you say yes to a dozen or more things when you say no. By limiting my attendance in public classes and working diligently in a therapeutic way, I'm almost all healed up and I've shared many great experiences with my family.

Learning to honor and even appreciate limitation was one of the hardest and most valuable lessons for me to grasp early on in my Anusara practice. As I teacher, I hope to share this lesson and help students feel empowered even though they do experience certain limitations. From a philosophical standpoint, when spirit becomes embodied in physical form it must become limited in certain capacities to create a unique form. You might think of the way a prism separates light so that all the colors can be seen as individual colors. When all the colors merge as light, we only see white. When all the colors merge in form, we only see dark. Our limitations as much as our talents and preferences are what guide us on our own individual creative journeys.

The spiritual concept is that divine creative energy separates herself so that she can experience all the different aspects of herself without being muddled together as one cosmic ocean. One way to feel liberated even with the recognition of limitation is to remember that we are all aspects of one great light and that we can only become whole again by coming together and sharing our light with each other.

In classes this week, I'm sharing some of the therapeutics I've been using to bring health and wellness back to my wrists and shoulders as well as fun poses that don't require weight bearing on the hands. What I've gained in saying no to some of my favorite poses like handstand and the backbend urdhva dhanurasana is a deeper appreciation of the real healing that can take place when an appropriate set of yoga therapeutics is used on a consistnet basis and the grounding, centering and calming qualities of headstand and the forward fold, uttanasana.

Meditation (Theme)
"When we honor ourselves, our talents as well as our limitations, and when we appreciate and "forgive" the talents and limitations of others we can come together as a more unified, harmonious and glorified whole."

Live Well ~ Be Well
www.flourishunlimited.com

Anecdotal Support and Heart Quality
As is usually the case, there will be several triggers in my class planning that will solidify a theme. After I had decided to use Georgia O'Keefe's theme, I watched a Christina Sell video on www.yogaglo.com Her class was also on working with limitations and offering ourselves love rather than criticism in response to limitation. I loved this line of her class, "Peace comes alive when we acknowledge our limitations and respond to them with love, care and consistency."

As an Anusara teacher, we are asked to teach qualities that heart-centered and life affirming. My overarching theme is almost always harmony which I view as a dynamic balance of peace and vitality that supports health, well-being, and joy. While accepting limitation may bring peace, overcoming limitations can be exhilarating. The trick is to overcome limitation in a respectful way. The practice becomes, how can I appreciate my current limitations AND expand what is possible for me. Increasing our awareness and then moving with respect for ourselves and our relationship with everything else is key to joyful growth.

Sequencing
I'm starting today with gentle therapeutics for the shoulders, neck and upper torso. We'll be using principles to limit mobility in the low body so that we can liberate the upper body. Many of the names are in sanskrit or are made up so you might just have to come to class or schedule a private class to understand some of theses names;-)

Legs up the Wall - Mummy Arms
Supine Tada with Feet on Baseboard > Bend knees - mummy arms
Snow Angels and stretches
Straight legs feet press into wall mummy arms
Shoulder opener twist
Standing mummy arms
Warm-up vinyasa focus on dynamic balance of allowing and limiting (opening, mnrg, onrg) include:

heart openers with focus on shoulder principles + neck alignment to prep for sirsa, how opening extending allows fuller access to mnrg
down dog using mnrg to clear and open channels of arm - shoulder, elbow, wrist
ardha uttana > uttana - clear line through spine and head > upep
lunges, crescent, parsva prep

anahata with hands lifted - review shoulder principles for inversions
Dolphin - eka pada
headstand prep
sirsa I - step up with restraint to keep safe (partners if needed)
Sirsa I + lift head
Pincha variations

gripping block (new var to me from Noah class)
pinch block (strap as option)
no props option

open upper back over block
standing poses incorporate therapeutic actions (limit and extend in new ways to great greater harmony)

crescent
parsva
triko

thigh stretch at wall with backbend opt.
ustrasana - facing/hands on wall
repeat pinchs
scorpion var.
parsvo at wall
uttana
mala
supine recovery set + sava

Embracing Fluidity ~ Exploring the Element of Water

2011-07-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here in my hometown and across much of the US, we are moving through a period of more extreme heat than is average. If you have any knowledge of Ayureveda you'll know that "pitta," represented by fire and water is at it's peak and to stay healthy it's important to work on keeping an internal balance as heat increases. (For a brief intro to Ayurveda and some resources to learn more about Ayurveda, the sister lifestyle science to yoga check out my post - "What the Heck is Ayurveda?"

As we move through this cycle of potent light and heat energy, the earth experiences the opportunity to blossom and produce fruit more fully. However, this can happen only if the energy of the sun is balanced with periods of rest and refreshment which comes in the form of water. The same is true for our own wellness. Each of us needs periods of activity, which encourages growth and expansion; and we need time to receive the benefits of rest, relaxation and nourishment, so that we can continue to renew ourselves. This dynamic is evident in all forms of life; everything pulsates. In our Anusara yoga practice we call this pulsation, spanda. It is up to each of us to be aware of what we need to keep this pulsation in balance. As we are experiencing now, there will be times where there is more of one quality than another; but if we want to feel and function at our highest potential there should always be some element of the opposite quality of life to keep things in better balance. This is why the yin-yang symbol looks as it does: a field of white with a spot of black and a field of black with a spot of white.

At this time where nature is calling us out into the world, it is helpful to have some activities or lifestyle habits to help keep us centered and collected. You might visualize the diversity of water. As the heat energy of the sun shines more fully, water begins to simmer, bubble, and then evaporate. The human body is more than half water (55 - 80% at any given time). This means that at a physiological level, your energy, your cells, also have the potential to be simmering, bubbling, or evaporating based on what you are doing with your time. In a balanced state, you will also be brimming with life force energy. However, if you embrace the season, you have the potential for increased growth and clarity. Get out there. Enjoy the warmth of the sun. Give your body some extra movement and don't be afraid to sweat! Sweating will allow you to experience an internal cleaning that is natural and healthy. In a country where 1/3 of the population and 17% of children are now considered obese, many of us can stand to clear out accumulated debris.

I was recently turned on to author Natalia Rose. She has been a great source of inspiration for me; focusing on not only the importance of what you put into your body with your diet but also making sure you create good opportunities to clear out based on timing of eating and other lifestyle factors. Look for my book review of her book, "Detox 4 Women" coming soon.

While the warmer months, bring the potential for growth and clarity, there is also the potential for burn-out and fatigue. It is important to take time to rest, relax, and just enjoy yourself to keep energy flowing fully. It goes without saying that it's important to drink plenty of water and to stay hydrated by eating refreshing fruits and veggies.

This week in my yoga classes, I am exploring the fluid quality of water to inspire students to draw more fully into the inner resources of peace and clarity. This time of internal reflection and increased inner awareness can help to cultivate greater personal harmony that can then also be extended into the spaces around us. Classes this week begin with a meditation that includes a visualization on the various qualities of water. On one hand, water has the capacity to evaporate and dissolve into thin air and as the water cycle completes itself, it will condense back together in the atmosphere and once again take liquid form coming back to earth as rain and dew. By pulling the aspects of ourselves tighter together we can also can begin to feel more focused, clear, graceful and powerful. We are exploring twists and forward bends with fluid action to tone and purify the body~mind. A rhythmic breath with complete and balanced inhalations and exhalations will encourage a balance of both tranquility and vitality. Classes will be topped off with a nice long savasana and restorative poses to relax more deeply. Our ending meditations explore the questions of how our own life force energy is flowing. Are we feeling fluid, energized, nourished and clear or depleted, dried up, burnt out or congested? With this awareness, we can ask ourselves how to condense, collect, and utilize energy to keep us feeling and producing our best. By embracing and embodying the qualities of the liquid form of H2O, we experience graceful power, a sense of connection and cohesion, purity, clarity and refreshment.

I'll be taking a little break from teaching over the next couple of weeks. You can catch me subbing tonight at Balance Yoga Center from 6 - 7:15 or tomorrow at Shine Yoga Center from 7:45 - 8:30 for some really delightful practices. I'll be back at Balance Yoga Center on Monday, August 8th.

Live well ~ Be well, Kate
www.flourishunlimited.com

Bones! Divine Design and Alignment

2011-07-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

"Sue" at Chicago's Field Museum photo: Steve Richmond

If you've ever taken the time to closely observe and appreciate the skeleton of any human or animal, you probably couldn't help being amazed at the intricacy and brilliance of the design. Every facet, every dip, every smooth surface, and every angle of bone has a purpose.

This weekend we visited COSi in Columbus. A big reason for the visit was to share the dinosaur exhibit with our children. Along with full scale animatronic models of the dinosaurs, the center also presented a 3-D film based on the discovery of the skeleton of an ancient t-rex known as Sue. I've always appreciated the importance of bone and of the way the bones fit together in a skeleton to give us structure and allow for movement. To see the camera pan the enormous bones of this beast heightened my perspective. The skeleton is truly amazing!

As a yoga teacher, I feel priviledged to help people feel better in their bodies, hearts, and minds. A large part of this healing comes from focusing on re-aligning the skeleton and re-balancing the musculature. Anusara Yoga uses the term "optimal blueprint" when teaching physical alignment. Although there are slight variances from body to body, there is a general form and pattern where the bones align perfectly so that we can each experience both steadiness of form and freedom of movement. What we do with our bodies can take us away from this optimal alignment over time. Our lifestyles and habitual patterns have a huge impact on our muscle structure. Muscles are meant to be balanced around a joint to hold it in optimal working position. When we repeatedly move in certain ways, the muscles on one side of the joint can begin to contract or over-tighten and muscles on the opposite side can over-stretch due to posturing or loosen due to inactivity.

In the same way that tires need to be aligned on a car, it is important for us to maintain our bodies in some way as we move through time and space. Yoga is an optimum place to both stretch the muscles that need to lengthen or relax and tone the muscles that are needed to create more stability. At any rate it's important for those of us in a body to explore a full range of motion throughout our skeletal system to keep us in top form. Taking some time to really appreciate the divine form of your body will also do wonders to keep things in perspective when you feel like things are breaking down. Our bodies are magnificent and are fully deserving of optimal care.

Be good to yourself so you can be better for others too. Kate
Public Class Details: www.flourishunlimited.com

Healthy and Yummy Summer Food: "Burger Replacements"

2011-07-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Recently I made a switch back to vegetarianism and although I don't miss meat much, I do find myself missing a nice backyard barbequed cheeseburger. In search of something just as satisfying, I spent last week experimenting with burger replacements. I came up with a couple of delicious recipes. Please check them out at my food blog: www.flourishfamilyfood.blogspot.com.

Summer Fun Bucket List

2011-07-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

For a girl who LOVES the summer sun and swimming, 2011 is requiring a little more creativity in the fun department. My daughter had eye surgery at the beginning of summer and has many restrictions while she heals for the next 6 months. All the "normal play-dates" are excluded. There can be no swinging on monkey bars, no playgrounds, camps, pools, sprinklers, or sand boxes. We have to approach everything with caution - which is a quality Bela was not born with too much of. So here it is... inspired by my friend Donna's suggestions to check out Cincinnati Magazine's Cincinnati Summer Bucket List.... Our own Summer 2011 Cincinnati Area Bucket List. We'd love to have some company so feel free to let us know if you want to join in. If don't come with us maybe this list will spark some inspiration for you to squeeze a little more fun in for yourself this summer. Doing new things is proven to keep us all feeling younger and more vibrant.

The List!

Today we are going to go to the Cincinnati Art Museum to get some inspiration for our own works of art at home later this afternoon.
The Cincinnati Zoo is always a great choice
Newport Aquarium - this is one of my favorite places to go with kids - I swear the water has a calming effect on them as long as it's not too crowded.
Both the Cincinnati Parks and Hamilton County Parks have tons of events this summer http://www.hamiltoncountyparks.org/events/events.shtm
http://www.cincyparks.com/parks-events/calendar-events/index.shtml
Indianapolis Children's Museum
COSI in Columbus - their current special exhibit is Dinosaurs - we must go for Hoyt!
Go berry picking - Cincy mag had several farms listed but not many great websites - this one looked good http://www.stokesberryfarm.com/
Young's Dairy Farm http://youngsdairy.com/
Putt-putt
Movies! and "don't forget the snacks"
Just "going out" for snacks or lunch or ice cream is one of their favorite events - good thing there are plenty of snack shacks around
I think the Omnimax at the Museum Center would be cool - but not sure about the current features?
We went to drive-in and that was a blast. Something we definitely want to do again http://www.holidayautotheatre.com/
Of course the Cincinnati Library - which is packed full of do-it-yourself fun and ideas!
Fishing at Grannie + Papa's farm!
A Red's game
Glenwood Gardens
Sunrock Farm
We might even resort to Chuck E Cheese's (ugh! - anything for my kids though)
I wonder if there is a good arcade around? oh yeah - at General Custer's where we putt-putt. I don't know what it looks like but we'll have to check it out. Sounds better than the Cheese. http://www.generalcusters.com/
Paddle Boating - we did that at the Noble Farm but Miami Whitewater has a huge lake to explore
Miami Whitewater also has great hiking and biking trails. Maybe we'll rent one of those silly 4 person bike type things. Jake will need to be there for that one! http://greatparks.org/parks/miamiwhitewater.shtm
Visit and find new Farmer's Markets - one of my favorite market finds is Bee Haven Honey http://www.beehavenhoney.com/
Visit new parks and explore new trails with our dog
Cincy Mag suggests visiting French Park for fossil finding - Hoyt will love this!
We visited the Mt. Airy Forest tree house which was cool but only for a few moments. They have frisbee golf there - we might try that out.
Ault park summer dance and concert series
For future summer's don't miss the Krohn Conservatory Butterfly Show
Playhouse in the Park? Not sure if this appropriate for kids? http://www.cincyplay.com/
Saturday, September 17th - http://www.bluegrassforbabies.com/
I miss canoeing and kayaking - it won't happen this summer for our family but I can't wait to take them
Another thing that looks fun that won't happen this year but I hope to do in the future is giant tree-climbing (with a harness) at http://www.climbtreeswithearthjoy.com/page002.aspx
River Downs - in August they are having Weiner Dog Races - the kids will think this is hilarious!
Dayton's Air Force Museum
Cincinnati Fire Museum http://www.cincyfiremuseum.com/
The Contemporary Art Center has a nice kids activity area but my kids aren't entertained there for too long.
Paint pottery at the Mad Potter http://www.mymadpotter.com/Mad_Potter.aspx
Cincinnati Zoo at Night! http://cincinnatizoo.org/education/kids-families/family-programs/family-nights/
The simple stuff is good too! Did you know there is a Firefly Fairy? Apparently she comes to those houses who have fireflies left in jars after midnight. Good thing Bela's friend Sam told her about this fairy - she visited her last night;-) Hoyt wants to try to catch the fairy tonight!
Kentucky Horse Park if there is any time left - maybe next year - this summer is looking pretty full.

Well, that's the list so far. Bela is excited to know that the summer will be full of fun even if there are many of her favorite things she can't do. By the way, that girl who really misses swimming, is Bela's mom who is also now looking forward to some new adventures. (Please share your feedback and suggestions that do not include: water, sand, impact or any chance of head bumps!) I hope you are having a great summer and are remembering to take some time just to enjoy yourself because it is good for you... and what is good for you is also good for those closest to you!

Just updated the food blog

2011-07-06T10:57:00.001-07:00

check it out at www.flourishfamilyfood.blogspot.com

Inner Body Bright

2011-06-29T05:31:00.000-07:00

If you take an Anusara-influenced Yoga class, there is a big possibility that you will hear this phrase. Allowing, encouraging, and guiding your inner light to shine more brilliantly is a main focus of the Anusara style. To describe what the inner body is takes more art than science, but having a bright inner body has very practical applications. When I describe inner body, I usually say that I think inner body is everything about you that you can’t see with your eyes. So it includes the inner layers of your skin, muscles, organs, energy body, your heart connection with spirit, and more.

When I came across the book by Donald Moyer aptly named “Yoga: Awakening the Inner Body” I had to check it out. Donald begins his book by “defining” the inner body in this way, “For me, the inner body involves every aspect of a person’s being: the anatomical, the physiological, the mental, and the spiritual.” He then classifies different aspects of inner body as subtitles: surface muscles versus deeper muscles, anatomical body versus physiological body, the active mind versus the reflective mind, and the ego versus The Self. (The Self is the way that many yogic writings acknowledge the collective consciousness or universal grand energy of life. So, it’s not your individual self but the bigger Self.)

I used a passage from his Active Mind versus the Reflective Mind section as the inspiration for classes this week:

“At the mental level, the active mind represents the outer world of thinking, doing, and acting: the reflective mind stands for the inner world of feeling, sensing, and responding. For the practice of yoga to be nourishing and creative, there must be a dialogue between the active, or intentional, mind and the reflective, or receptive, mind. If you are ruled by the active mind, your practice becomes forced and mechanical because you never listen to your body: you treat it like a machine. If you are ruled by the reflective mind, your practice becomes formless and inert, and loses its sense of purpose.”

This concept of using the reflective mind in harmony with the active mind in both practice and daily life allows us to stay in better touch with our inner body so that our actions have greater purposefulness and become more effective and fulfilling. Our inner body, which includes more that just the physical body, is often clueing us in to ways to make our lives more harmonious. Often though, we are so caught up in the outer world of form that we lose this connection to ourselves as individuals and to the bigger Self.

By cultivating an awareness of your inner body and encouraging your inner light to shine more brightly you will experience a greater sense of freedom and lightness of being. Here’s an exercise to help you experience this concept:

Begin sitting or standing in a way that you can be calm for just a few moments
Become aware of your breath without trying to breathe better and without judgement – just let yourself be perfect as you are
Notice the effects of paying attention to your inner breath and inner body
Reflect on what you feel and then allow your breath and your inner body to guide you in making subtle adjustments to allow your inner body to feel more free and expansive
As you inhale encourage your inner body to become so bright and expansive that your outer body expands and as you exhale allow your outer body to relax and feel more settled. You might think of the way that we can see a sleeping baby or a peaceful animal breathe as they rest with ease
Just breathing more fully in this way will help you experience greater harmony = vitality AND peace. You can add to it though by envisioning your inner light becoming stronger, clearer, and more free with each and every breath cycle.

Your inner body is also what makes you unique. It is your personality, your interests, your talents, gifts, and skills. We all come here special to support and inspire each other. By shining your true light more fully into the world you add to the goodness and beauty of life.

Flourish Family Food

2011-06-23T04:38:00.000-07:00

If you are following, I just wanted to say I've taken the week off to focus on my new blog. Flourish Family Food is dedicated to sharing my adventures in cooking, eating and feeding my family in a way that is healthy and enjoyable. Please check it out... www.flourishfamilyfood.blogspot.com

I'll be back here soon. Happy summer.

Savasana!

2011-06-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

If you don't know what Savasana is, I'm going to have to say you are missing out! Savasana is often the final relaxation pose in a Yoga class. From the outside it just looks like your sleeping on your back, but on the inside there is a whole lot more going on.

Savasana, pronounced (sha-va-suh-nuh), is a place to pause and reflect, to relax the body, and and clear the mind. Savasana translates from Sanskrit to "Corpse Pose." Yes I know - maybe a little spooky but the idea is that it is a place to practice letting go of the ego mind so that one can settle more fully into your spiritual essence.
Taking a nice long Savasana feels good and it can be a great tool to cultivate lasting harmony. As you relax into a more natural and balanced state of being, it is as if you hit a reset button for your body, mind and heart. Taking some time to fully rest helps your to feel refreshed and renewed.

This Saturday, June 18th I'll be presenting a workshop at Shine Yoga Center in Hyde Park from 2-4 pm. This workshop has been designed to help people get more out of Savasana. In the Anusara-inspired style of yoga that I teach, we focus on alignment to cultivate better harmony. The same principles of alignment that we use in active poses can be used in setting up Savasana so that the body rests closer to it's optimal alignment to help harmonize the neuro-muscular and muscul-skeletal systems of the body. When the body is better aligned, everything responds in a more harmonious way. Relaxing in a balanced and supportive way works wonders to melt tension, discomfort and pain.

The workshop
will begin twith a gentle warm-up to help balance opposing muscle groups. We'll work with assistants to find greater symmetry and harmony in the Savasana position. Then I'll give cues to find this harmony and expansion for yourself. We will of course top it all off with a nice, long, sublime Savasana complete with guided imagery and inspiration to help you melt more fully into your own heart center. You can find more details on Shine's web page www.shineyoga.com. This workshop is open to all levels including brand new beginners.

Yoga for Pregnancy

2011-06-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hi all. This week as well as help my daughter recover from surgery, I'm preparing for a few upcoming workshops. The one I wanted to mention today is my Pre-Natal Yoga for Partners. I'll be teaching this specialty class on Saturday, June 11th from 1:15 - 2:30 at www.shineyoga.com.

You'll hear me say time and again that a big reason I've stuck with yoga is that it is the best pain relief (on all levels) that I've experienced. Pregnancy is notorious for being both a time of wonder and beauty and a time of discomfort and pain. While there are many common discomforts, there is also a lot you can do to alleviate them. Having an involved partner can be very helpful for mom to enjoy her pregnancy even more and help strengthen family bonds. One of my favorite things about teaching this class is seeing the dads that arrive a little "shy" about yoga walk out of class with big smiles on their faces. The yoga is as good for the dads as it is for the moms-to-be. We work on techniques that are helpful in alleviating tension for everyone. We'll do some partner poses that are helpful for the moms-to-be to alleviate common pregnancy discomforts, we work on some things that will be helpful for both parents once the baby arrives, and we talk a little bit about how you can use movement and positioning to help make delivery a little easier too.

While I feel "called to teach yoga," I feel privileged to teach pre-natal yoga. The process of labor and delivery really is miraculous and I love being able to help moms feel a little better as they carry their babies. I started teaching prenatal yoga when I was pregnant with my daughter 8 years ago. I was very active and kept up with many of my physical activities. Besides being uncomfortable because it was so hard to move with such a big belly, I felt really good. I continued much of my exercise and kept up with my advanced yoga classes. My prenatal yoga teaching reflected this go-get-em attitude. Even though my pregnancy was pretty easy, the delivery was very challenging. There was a lot that just didn't "feel right" during labor. After my daughter was born I learned about a philosophy called Optimal Foetal Positioning. My doula found a class for me to take and from here my teaching began to shift in a really positive way. I began to incorporate movements more specific to pregnancy rather than just modifying yoga to fit a pregnant body.

My second pregnancy came with quite a few little complications. I was forced to take it much easier being on modified rest for much of the pregnancy. During this time I kept teaching my prenatal classes but my style shifted into a much more gentle style. The response from students to my more gentle style was well received. I could feel a stronger connection between students and the class sizes increased. It was nice to slow down and enjoy this time in my life. When my due date approached I was a little worried though. I worried that I wasn't in good delivery shape and that it would be an even harder delivery. But the birth of my son really was just like the peaceful videos they show you in natural child birth classes. They say second deliveries are usually easier but after sharing so many birth stories with other women I know this isn't always the case. I credit the easier delivery to the Optimal Foetal Positioning exercises and being more relaxed with the process.

In both pregnancies and deliveries, I learned so much. It's been wonderful to be able to share the knowledge and wisdom I've gained through study, from my personal experience, and feedback from so many wonderful students and their families. Pain may be a "normal" sensation that comes with pregnancy but often it's not necessary to carry the pain with the baby. As it says in my daughter's hospital release papers, "Pain is an unpleasant feeling or emotion that signals the danger of injury or damage to someone's body... Most pain is a message that lets people know that something is wrong with their body and needs attention." Learning and using proper alignment and posture is essential to a healthy, harmonious body. Working with a teacher or a partner is a great way to optimize a yoga practice, especially when your body is shifting so much. Plus, it often makes it more fun to practice!

I currently teach on-going Pre-Natal Yoga classes at Shine Yoga Center on Wednesdays from 5:45 - 7 pm and alternate teaching class with Patsy on Saturdays from 12 -1. From my point of view, specifically designed Pre-Natal Yoga is one of the best things a mom-to-be can do for herself and her baby with numerous benefits for body, mind and soul. The Pre-Natal Partners Workshop happens this Saturday, June 11th from 1:15 - 2:30. I offer this workshop "once a trimester." You can join my email list if you'd like notices about the next one at my website www.flourishunlimited.com.

Expanded Vision

2011-06-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

I've been away from the blog to help my daughter celebrate end of year parties, recitals and concerts and to prepare for a long awaited surgery. Bela was born without functioning muscles in her eyelids. As her eyelids covered a good portion of her eyes, her peripheral vision was limited. Thanks to an amazing surgeon not only do her pretty blue eyes shine out into the world, she'll also be able to take in a broader vision of the world around her.

For right now though, her "eyes" don't understand that they can move in different directions to take different perspectives because they are so used to looking straight ahead. For Bela to look around her, she has had to move her head. As is human nature, she became adept at adjusting, and really didn't even notice being limited. This is her second surgery so through experience I know that it wont take too long for her eyes to begin to wander and work more similarly to our eyes. But, if we hadn't had the surgeries done at any early age, science tells us that her vision could have remained limited. For the most part, healing occurs naturally and in due time, but there are also many times where this natural healing or correcting process needs help or can supported and strengthened through purposeful action. So we'll play games and I'll challenge her eyes without her even knowing that we are working on improving the function of her eyes.

I think the lesson we can each take from an experience like Bela's is that there will always be things in life that limit us. Simply by being embodied, our spirits are limited in certain capacities. For every choice we make there is something we keep and something we resist or let go of. A treasure of the Anusara Yoga method for me was to begin to understand that being limited is not negative.Every limitation allows us to have a more full experience of something else. Having said that, it is also important that we allow limitations to fall away and move past them when the time is right, so that we may have fresh experiences throughout life and that we never feel confined or stagnant.

This week in my yoga classes, I'll be challenging students to reflect on their perceived limitations. A wonderful question to ask is whether a certain limitation is serving a useful purpose or perhaps maybe it's time to move past an expected limitation. We use a phrase in yoga called, "play your edge." When you play your edge you take yourself into a pose where you feel some tension, you feel a limitation but you don't bust through it. You sit on that edge of tension or challenge, you hold it and you breathe, you slowly shift your thinking so that as if by magic, the edge softens and often you can take yourself even deeper in a pose than you expected in an integrated and safe way. Playing your edge isn't always about going deeper in a pose but it is a great practice to expand your personal boundaries of what you think you can handle in life.

With the skill and precision of someone like an oculo-plastic surgeon, bring yourself to the edge of what is and what else may be, so that you too may begin to dissolve your own personal limitations. The use of breath, expanded self-awareness and purposeful action are tools we can use to pull back the veils that, at times, conceal our expanded inner vision. These practices help us see more clearly the fullness of who we are, which is so much more than a body with a brain. As you encourage your inner vision to expand, you will see more clearly your unique gifts, talents, skills, and heart's desires which are your natural resources that allow your light to shine more fully into the world.

On the Veggie Train Again

2011-05-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

Today marks two weeks meat free for me (again). I've waffled back and forth between Vegetarianism and other specialty diets over the years. My favorite "diet" has to be from back in high school when I shared three bags of Cheetos, a Hostess Apple Pie, and an Orange Crush with a friend almost every day for lunch! Eating veggie or not has always included both ethical and health considerations for me and I'll never try to convince anyone to eat one way or another. However, it is undisputed that the more fruits and veggies we each eat the better it is for us. So, today I wanted to share my favorite vegetarian dish of the past two weeks. I swiped the plate clean and both my hubby and 7-year old agreed it was delicious. Hoyt, at 4, wasn't excited to eat it but he didn't fight it any worse than any other veggie dish. The dish took about an hour to make but this is just because it's new and I had to figure it out a bit as I went. I think it's important to turn making any new recipe into an event so that you don't feel pressure. Give yourself some time to play with your food so that there is space for joy in the making as well as in the eating. If it doesn't turn out as well as you hoped, you can always reward your efforts with a just dessert:-)

Creamed Corn Polenta with Asparagus and Shitake Mushrooms

PREPARING THE CORN
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Drop in two fresh cobs of corn with a little salt.
(The sauce was so good that next time I'll make more.)
When the corn is tender, take the cobs out to cool. Save the water.
Slice the kernels off the cooled cobs. Keep one pile for the Polenta and one for the sauce.
(You could use frozen corn if corn isn't in season.Use one cup for the Polenta and one cup or more for the sauce.)

PREPARE THE POLENTA
Follow package directions to make one cup Polenta (use the corn cooking water instead of broth or water). Once the polenta tightens up in the pan, add corn kernels with some salt, pepper, and a little butter or olive oil if you like. Pour the polenta into a smallish greased brownie pan. Smooth out the top and set aside to firm up.After 10 minutes or more, turn the polenta out off the pan and cut into serving size pieces.
(The recipe I adapted suggested you then top the polenta pieces with olive oil and broil but I didn't want to spend the time and really didn't miss it.)

STEAM ASPARAGUS
With time at a premium for me I kept this step simple and simply steamed my asparagus. Just do a google search and you'll find a myriad of ways to cook the asparagus. Any way you cook it is fine!

SAUTE SHITAKE MUSHROOMS
I sauteed 6 oz. of shitake mushrooms in olive oil just until they were tender and warm.

THE SAUCE!!!!!
(Yes this version has cream - so much for the health benefits;-) Still I have no doubt it's better than a cheeseburger. If you are vegan or want to make it healthier you could use Soy Milk, Rice Milk, or Coconut Milk instead of the cream.)

Saute 1 or 2 chopped shallot in olive oil until translucent.
(I love shallots and use them in place of garlic and onions in most of my recipes. If you don't have shallots a sweet onion and garlic would be perfect.)

Add the second half of your corn kernels to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Add 3/4 cup of cream.

PULLING IT TOGETHER
Place a slice of polenta in the middle of the plate. Nuzzle an asparagus bundle in next to the Polenta. Top with a spoonful of the creamed corn. Sprinkle the Shitakes on top and then drizzle a bit more of the cream on top. Yum yum yum! I can't wait to make this again.

If you make it, please tell us how it goes. Here's your shopping list...
2+ cobs of fresh corn or 2 cups of frozen kernels.
Salt, pepper, olive oil (or butter)
1 cup Polenta or Cornmeal and 3 cups of cooking water from the corn.
1 bunch asparagus
6 oz. or more Shitake mushrooms + (our kids don't eat mushrooms so I'd double this for 4 adults.)
1-2 shallots or 1/2 sweet onion and garlic clove chopped
3/4 cup organic cream

World Peace? Inner Peace!

2011-05-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Sunday was my birthday (and as we all know now, Bin Lauden's great exodus from this world). Every year for my birthday I write a letter. In this letter I'll often recount the years accomplishments and cherished memories, my hopes for the future, and perhaps offer some blessings or wishes for my life - (Sleeping Beauty style). As cliche as it may be, my first wish is almost always for a more peaceful world. I wish there was more kindness, respect and appreciation for the beauty of life that dwells in both similarity and in diversity. World peace is a tall order and I try to follow Mahatma Gandhi's great directive...."be the change you want to see in the world." So, if I want more peace in my world, it has to start with me. The best way I know how to do that is to live in and act from my "heart space" more often.

I'm grateful for two particular teachers who helped me understand the importance of being more aware of and present in my heart center. I was blessed to start my yoga training with Sianna Sherman who encouraged me to look for the good already present in the world before focusing on the aspects that could use a little transformation. Sally Kempton, who wrote "The Heart of Meditation" also had a big impact on my emotional growth and health. In her book Sally presents techniques and exercises to help you get past the worry and judgement of the logical mind and settle into the heart space which is filled with inner wisdom, peace, and understanding.

Living in my heart has actually been a little challenging these past few days. The challenge started at 11:30 pm on May 1st when my husband came in to say goodnight. I was asleep and he woke me up to say, " I have one more birthday present for you. Osama Bin Lauden is dead. They killed him." In that dreamy state I felt shock and surprise. I wondered did my wish work?.... "Will this be a step toward world peace?" ....... Then quickly I wondered "well what will the retaliation be?"..... More than anything I've been challenged and saddened because of all the harsh words people are continuing to throw around at each other in response to different reactions about what has happened. When we diminish others for having a different opinion than our own, aren't we going against the very sentiment that this country was built on. When we stop listening to opinions that differ from ours, we block the creative flow of life. We create fractures in the web of life. We break ourselves apart. When you live from your heart, you live from a place of curiosity and an understanding that none of us, not even one of us, has ALL the answers. We are here for each other. We are different so that we can support, or challenge, or entertain each other. We are here to give each other joy. By living in our hearts more often, we can find an inner strength and a broader perspective that can help to bridge the gaps that separate us. I imagine that a lot of the jubilation and criticism is reactionary and I hope we'll all settle into an easier flow of conversations in the days to come. By no means am I denying my own reactionary tendencies but going forward, I will do my best to hold peace in my heart and mind so that I can readiate those qualities to those that I interact with every day. I will do my best to be the peace I hope to see in the world.

Om Shanti (may peace prevail)

Welcome Spring

2011-04-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well spring certainly has sprung here in our part of the world! This year it felt like it took an especially long time to thaw out. Just as soon as the thermometer reached that comfortable place the trees burst into blossom as if they too had been greatly anticipating the warmth and light of the sun. For as long as it took for the trees to blossom, it seems a shame how fast the first act of the show is over. Before you know it, we find ourselves amidst a shower of petals under a golden-green canopy.

The other evening as I walked amongst a parade of blooms, I found myself contemplating on just how fast the showy blossoming is in comparison to how long the trees and plants thrive throughout the spring and summer. While the blossoms are a wonder to look at with their beauty and flash, it is the mature foilage that feeds the trees and purifies our air. If you're around me or read my writings enough, you'll hear me talk over and again about how important I think it is that we, as a society, overcome the negative connotations and judgements about aging. Perhaps we do lose the look of "freshness" and "smoothness," but hopefully with our years we also gain the ability to enjoy who we are as individuals and recognize more fully how we contribute and make a positive impact on the world around us. My wishes for you this spring season are peace, love and hope.

An Inspiration: Ann Segal

2011-04-15T05:22:00.000-07:00

To flourish and survive in life one must have perspective, a sense of humor, a sense of self, a strong connection to something larger than oneself, the ability to be in the world but not totally of it, a strong sense of personal boundaries, trust, tenacity, and a deep love of life.

Ann Segal creates gorgeous photographic images but it is her calm strength that is most inspiring to me. Last month as I was struggling to stay healthy Ann appeared in several places for me and inspired me to start this “Spotlight” on remarkable individuals. I met Ann in Yoga class. Two converging paths brought me to Yoga. One was that I was asked to teach it at the gym I worked at and the other is that I was looking for pain relief from a back and neck injury. I came into Yoga expecting not to like it. I remembered my mom doing a few moves on the floor with Lilias on TV and I thought yoga was for “old people” (sorry mom). It’s true that most of the people in my first Yoga classes were older in years than me but in no way were they old in their bodies and minds. I couldn’t believe how strong and kind everyone was that I met through Yoga. Ann was one of those individuals. At the time she taught Restorative Yoga which is a gentle and rejuvenating form of the practice. I thought it suited her perfectly because of her calm voice and steady presence.

I got to know Ann better when she took pictures of my baby girl. Even though I knew that Ann had a calming presence I was amazed to see it in action as she took photographs of Bela. Bela has always been a feisty girl and never seemed to settle for even a moment. But, she did for Ann. I was thrilled when the photos came back. You see, Bela was born without the muscles that lift our eyelids up. So, while most photographs focus on the look of the face this concept would not do justice for our beautiful baby. Somehow Ann captures the essence of a person or a scene that she photographs. She used a perfect tag line at the time, “Seeing with the Heart.”

Along the way I found out that Ann had moved through Cancer. I wondered if surviving and then thriving after a life threatening illness didn’t make her appreciate life even more fully. Ann is one of those people who surprises me every time I see her because even though a year may have passed she always looks even more vibrant than the last time I saw her. As I worked through my illness, Ann posed the idea that perhaps being sick is the body’s natural way of detoxifying. Having overcome illness in such a positive way, I felt like she deserved great respect for her advice on health and wellness and I wondered what other insight Ann might have to share about thriving so fully in life. So, I asked her if she would share a little bit on her view of flourishing and thriving in life.

Here is Ann's response....

I am honored and flattered to be written about and somewhat amused to be called an ‘older woman’ (but that is the truth).

Taking care of myself is a big part of my life! I have learned to identify, understand and consider my own needs first. I try to manage my time in a way that supports my well-being. I know how important moving/breathing is particularly for me so that is one of my priorities. Yoga, tai chi, qigong, pilates, gyrotonics, walking are consistent practices in my life. I practice yoga (have studied and practiced for 40 years!) daily at home in the early morning, usually walk daily where I live and most days of the week participate in the other activities mentioned. I know I feel better eating lighter/organic food and I try not to be rigid about that. I receive a massage every other week, see a chiropractor regularly and get acupuncture seasonally. I have been doing a two week cleanse in the Fall and Spring online with Dr. John Douillard, an Ayurvedic practitioner in Boulder. I meditate and do a restorative yoga pose daily. I read (a wide range of) books and articles that interest me/am a gatherer of information. I have two wonderful dogs and I am in a happy/supportive long term relationship/marriage. We travel quite a bit which is always creatively inspiring/part of why I travel is to discover magic and photograph it. I enjoy gardening/grow mostly greens, herbs and some flowers/I enjoy being connected to the earth and elements that way.

What keeps me motivated and inspired is really quite endless! Right now the change of seasons is inspiring: the honeysuckle and trees leafing out, the daffodils and magnolias blooming/the ability of nature to renew itself

never ceases to amaze me. Watching my dog grow from being a puppy…witnessing other artists’ creative expression…when we travel observing new landscapes, different cultures…a great film/many forms of music/great contemporary architecture/great writing…I am inspired by the organic/green movement/by people who speak truth to power…

Resources: Since my cancer experience 12 years ago I have been studying/practicing Ayurveda which is a very individually based system of health. One of the things I like is its exuberance for life. I get alot of info from John Douillard’s website, lifespa.com but also read/listen to Deepak Chopra. For politics I like Rachel Maddow, Bill Maher, truthout.com and the Daily Beast. I highly recommend checking out gyrotonics/gyrokinesis at Body Mind Balance/it is all about spinal fluidity and I find it very therapeutic/I call it ‘goddess work.’ Great Pilates there too. I study tai chi and qigong with Alan Hundley at Shine and highly recommend his classes and massage. I have done panchakarmas (week long Ayurvedic cleansing including daily massage) at the Raj, Rasayana Cove and The Chopra Center and would recommend all. There are many good acupuncturists these days in Cincinnati/I have been going to the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine for many years/pioneers in alternative healthcare. Some of my photographs are on the walls there.

People who have inspired/touched/resonated with me and/or raised my vibration are: Swami Satchidananda, BKS Iyengar, Michio Kushi, Sally Kempton, Howard Zinn, James Baldwin, MLK, Malcom X, Phillip Glass, John and Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Barack Obama, Queen Noor, Deepak Chopra and my uncle Dilly Segal.

I have some upcoming shows of my photography: May/Skytop Starbucks (Mt. Washington) and June/Harper’s Point Starbucks and Awakenings Café.

A Breath of Fresh Air (& Allergies!)

2011-04-08T03:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first day it felt warm and dry enough for me to open the windows and doors to let the fresh spring air rush through our home. (Although by the time this posts, I'm sure it will be raining again!) Wow! That fresh air felt so good blowing through the house. I could feel parts inside of me that had been hibernating spring back to life in an instant. Having an energy surge like that is vital because at the same time that the spring breezes and blosoms offer a lift to my mood they also carry allergic reactions.

As the trees burst into bloom, my body like many others, feels overwhelmed from all the pollen in the air. Though we didn't know it at the time, I have suffered from allergies for most of my life. I missed many days of school when I was little because for me the allergy reactions had always gone beyond just sneezing and runny eyes, at times I feel really sick. Allegra got me through my 20's and then finally near the age of 30, I saw an allergist only to find out that I'm allergic to almost anything that grows! Fat chance that I'll be avoiding nature because walking in the woods is one of my favorite activities. After several months of allergy shots, I gave up on them because they just made me feel worse.

So, after resigning to just deal with the symptoms, I was a little surprised to find my allergies easing up. I give credit to my yoga practice. It might be that the breath training that happens during a yoga practice has helped me keep myself more clear of the pollen, but I think more than anything, it's the way that yoga helps me alleviate my stress response. Knowing that allergies are said to be the immune systems OVER-reaction to blocking elements that it deems harmful to the body (aka pollen and ragweed), I've come to the conclusion that learning to be more proactive rather than reactive in my thoughts and actions has helped me calm my immune system and other body systems as well.

Then again maybe I should trust my body. Maybe this sudden onslaught of pollen isn't good for me. Maybe I should be glad that all this sneezing and watering is keeping me more pure and clear inside. (There I go looking on the bright side. Although it might be "annoying" to some, thinking like that does help me get through some rougher times.) The truth is I prefer not to feel sick during my favorite times of year. I think yoga is the biggest help to alleviate my allergy symptoms and I've stumbled on a few other good holistic ways to manage them throughout the years that I'll share with you here.

I eat local honey throughout the year. It must be LOCAL because the idea is that the honey contains elements of the pollen you'll be exposed to in the spring. Little doses throughout the year help get your resistance up in a gentle way. I put a drop in my morning tea so itt's yummy and comforting to boot.

First thing in the morning, gently blow your nose and use a Neti Pot. Personally I've never had much luck with the Neti Pot but I do have friends that swear by them.

The last couple of posts have been about Ayurveda. Ayurveda has lots to say about allergies. My friend Liz Stites, Ayurveda practitioner is offering a workshop this weekend and does one-on-one consulting. Her contact info is listed on the "What the Heck is Ayurveda" post.

Last and certainly not least. Check out a good yoga class that includes mindfulness, breath work and relaxation.Here's a link to my schedule. If you want help finding a good class in your area always feel free to contact me. www.flourishunlimited.com

Aaahhh-choo! and God Bless You

Yoga and Ayurveda for the Spring Season

2011-04-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I presented a workshop with my friend and Ayurveda practitioner Liz Stites, called "Yoga and Ayurveda for the Spring Season." If you don't know what Ayurveda is, check out last week's blog, "What the Heck is Ayurveda?" Much like my view of Yoga, I see one of Ayurveda's great attributes as the focus on cultivating greater awareness of oneself and respect for one's relationships with everything. With increased self-awareness and with respect for our community and environments, we can tip the scales toward the sides of greater vitality, harmony and joy.

Ayurveda suggests shifting our diets and lifestyle choices such as exercise and work habits throughout the seasons and cycles of our lives to keep greater balance and health. Ayurveda uses the "three dosha's" to classify different variations of life energy. Kapha Dosha shares qualities with earth and water. Pitta Dosha is like fire and water and Vata Dosha is linked with air and ether (space). Kapha is prevalent in youth and in the seasons of late winter and early spring. It is the energy that supports life and love. Liz tells her students and clients that, "Kapha creates a container for life to grow." Kapha is nurturing in nature and is the energy of acceptance, love, and protection. Kapha is cool, calm and collected. Kapha is stable and strong. Liz points out that all we need to do is to look outside to experience Kapha at work. The animals are all a flutter with love, babies are being born, the trees are budding and the plants are blooming. As the rains pour down, water brings life back to the earth. Water penetrates the ground making it receptive to plant life rooting and blossoming. The water and wind help to clear away the debris that has accumulated over the winter months.

Because Kapha dosha does have a tendency to accumulate and because Kapha is so easy going, if we accumulate too much Kapha dosha we can begin to feel heavy, thick and lethargic. Too much Kapha energy can present itself as colds, allergies with excess mucas in the body, sluggishness and unhealthy attachment to relationships or possessions.

While the first few months of the New Year are the perfect time for reflection and germination, the Spring presents us with a perfect opportunity to let go of the old and to look closely for the new life that is just beginning to blossom. It's time to clean up, renew and get growing again. An excellent spring yoga practice includes warming vinyasa, invigorating standing poses, inversions and arm-balances, purifying twists and heart-opening backbends. Feel free to hop on over to my website to print out a copy of the handout from this weekend workshop which includes my "Greet the Day" sun salute. This is a super easy and gentle yoga sequence designed to help you feel the sweet, easy, grounding energy of Kapha. While its a perfect "first thing in the morning or last thing in the day" practice, you will likely benefit from a more vigorous and energizing practice throughout the rest of the day. In the workshop, I encouraged participants to add poses into sun salutes during home practice. If you've never taken a yoga class before, there is no time like now to start something new. Check out my schedule at www.flourishunlimited.com or contact me if you need help finding a class in a location near you. At any rate, I hope you find some ways to get energy flowing so you never stop growing. Happy Spring!

What the Heck is Ayurveda?

2011-03-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

"Ayurveda is about vibrant living. The word means 'Science of Life.' It helps us to find health and wellness by living life in balance. Many scholars consider Ayurveda the oldest continuously practiced form of healing. It originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda understands each person is a unique individual—with our own personalized health needs. This ancient science is often called the 'Mother of All Healing' because it provides tried-and-true principles for simple, daily food and lifestyle choices. Balance, well-being and vibrant living are all within reach with Ayurveda." ~Elizabeth Stites

I am very excited to be presenting a workshop this weekend with Ayurveda expert Liz Stites. We are presenting Yoga and Ayurveda for the Season. We will be focusing on how to make the most of the Kapha Energy or Energy of Spring. We will present easy tips, techniques and yoga poses to keep you in perfect harmony through this change of seasons. Please join us at Shine Yoga Center in Hyde Park from 2-4 pm. Shine pass holders can use your class pass. For everyone else it's just $15 for a great class and info you can use in your everyday life. I hope to see you there! If you aren't able to make this workshop but are interested in learning more about Ayurveda please visit Liz's site www.ayureka.com.

The Luck o' the Irish

2011-03-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping today really does bring some luck as I start a new newsletter. Please click the link below to check it out for today's dose of inspiration. In this issue I'm reflecting on the events of Japan over the last week in relation to the resilience and joy of the Irish heritage. I've also included my favorite Irish Blessing. Once you visit the newsletter link, please feel free to join the list and share with friends. If you are on Facebook, I've also started a company page for Flourish Unlimited ~ Yoga + with Kate Noble. I'll post that link below as well. I hope you have a great day! Kate

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Spring Cleaning

2011-03-10T06:57:00.000-08:00

Oh yes! It's that time of year in my little part of the world. Although it's not officially spring yet, Mother Nature has begun her work in this next growth cycle. The sun is shining a little more; coaxing life from sleep. The winds continue to scrub away old debris. As the heavens have opened up, the earth is recieving a deep and rich soaking. The rivers are over-flowing with energy and every where you look nature is sprouting and budding; the gray of winter is steadily coming back into full color.

In my last post, I spoke of how I've been mildly ill for oh too long now. In the midst of this "illness," I remembered a friend once commenting that she viewed illness as the body's natural way of detoxing. I'm trying to keep this in mind as I move through this cold/flu/fever/whatever. Synchronistically, I ran into my friend, Ann, for a brief moment at the grocery store a few days after remembering her remarks. Later that week she ended up commenting the very same sentiment in response to my blog. I have this little game I play that when three "hits" on a certain subject show up in my life, I imagine that "spirit" is working to get my attention or to verify an experience I've been going through. So, I'm going with the idea that my body is doing it's own spring cleaning or detox and I am continuing to be gentle with myself to support the process.

This little event has also inspired me to begin a new feature where I will "Spotlight" some of the inspiring people in our community. I have certainly benefited from the wisdom and talents of so many and am excited about the opportunity to pass on their insights. Ann has graciously and enthusiastically offered to be my first "Spotlight." We'll be working on a little interview this month so that I can share this remarkable woman with you. Helen Keller said it well, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."

Happy Spring Cleaning, Detoxing, Fasting and Whatever Else you might be doing to transition from the season of winter to spring. Look for Ann Segal's interview to come. In the meantime you can visit her website at www.annsegalphotography.com

Sometimes You Do Everything "Right" and It Still All Goes "Wrong"

2011-03-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

For any of those of you who have been following along here, I apologize for my absence. I have been sick for over three weeks - not full on sick but definitely not functioning at my best. So, as I've spent the last two months (and really the last 10 years) talking about the importance of a healthy lifestyle to stay well, I can't help but feel a little hypocritical for being "under the weather" for so long now. I guess more than anything though my illness is a small reminder of our own individual vulnerability. The truth is that while what we do does matter, it isn't everything. There are so many other forces at work in our lives than what we personally control. Because we can't control everything it is helpful to have an internal anchor to help us stay afloat when the seas get rough.

The concepts of yoga are instrumental in helping each of us connect more fully to the internal anchor that is always present in our hearts and minds. A key element of the Anusara yoga style is to "look for the good first." By doing this we can begin to transform all the things that have gone "wrong" in our lives into experiences that allow us to connect with and understand the big picture of life more fully. The next time something "goes wrong" for you, perhaps you can look a little deeper and ask yourself what strength you might gain by moving through this experience. Life is certainly full of difficult challenges and we can either let them break us down or get stronger from them.

I want to say a quick thank you to all those who have helped me over the past few weeks in the smallest of ways by covering for me at work, making me soup, helping with my kids, and just by being more gentle with me. This concept of being more gentle with people is one I will carry out of this last challenge. Being "sick" for so long has been a reminder of how possible and likely that someone may be walking along appearing to be completely normal on the outside but inside feels terrible. I think it's safe to say that most everyone really is doing the best they can with what they have. I think an extra dose of gentleness towards ourselves and each other is a great way to make the world a better place with very little effort.

Defining a Food Philosophy

2011-02-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

Here we go…. The food topics are almost always guaranteed to get emotions going. Why? Because the chemical compounds in food react with the chemical compounds of our bodies and minds and we feel them as emotions. Yes, chocolate can make us “feel” elation, alcohol can make us feel more relaxed, caffeine can make us feel more alert, and so on. In more ways than one we are what we eat. Although, what we eat doesn’t necessarily make us “who” we are it certainly makes us “what” we are. We are made up of our body’s reactions to the components we consume. For this reason I think it’s very important for us to be eating what we “want” to eat rather than what we “feel” like eating. Because often what we want to eat is merely out of habit or addiction to the feelings that certain foods evoke. Notice the difference in the way you answer the two following questions:

I feel like eating ______________.
I want to feed myself _______________.

I really believe each one of us has an incredible amount wisdom inside of us that is just waiting for us to tap into. When we want to improve the quality of our life and health it’s very useful to take a step back out of the emotions of food and view our habits more objectively. Defining a food philosophy can be helpful for you to make healthy and empowering food choices. It can act as guide when you make food choices to help you stay on the track you want to be on rather than just satisfying a temporary and fleeting feeling.

The philosophy I use now has come out of years of my own struggles with food. I finally feel good about how and what I eat and I know that it also makes me feel better. (Feel free to visit my other blog www.kateeo.blogspot.com for my personal story which I’ll be posting in a few days.) In a nutshell my personal philosophy is to eat as much natural and “primitive” food as possible. This means I try to think about the basic needs of my body in each season. If I lived before modern conveniences, which is what my body was designed for, what would I be eating? Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of items I indulge in and enjoy fully but I do work hard to eat and feed my family in a way that supports our bodies and minds so that we feel healthy and happy.

When you define your personal food philosophy, you might consider your own relationship with food. Is it a healthy one? Is your diet empowering you or is the majority of the food you eat merely satisfying hunger or cravings. There are so many factors that come into diet choices: time, convenience, taste, health needs, ethics, and more. You might ask yourself what factors are motivating your food choices. Do you feel good about what you are feeding yourself and your family or are there some little shifts you might like to make to nourish your body, heart and mind better. What do you want to feed yourself today and beyond? What are the small shifts can you might make to feed yourself better and how can you begin to implement them? Small changes over time have lasting effects. Having a personal food philosophy can help you navigate all the food advice that is out there in so many great books and websites. If you are looking for a place to start or some fresh ideas check out some of my recommendations listed below. I hope you eat well this week. Take care!

~~~~~~

Although I’m sure my mom takes credit for teaching me to cook and she certainly got me off to a good start, I really learned to enjoy cooking by watching The Food Network while nursing my daughter! Some of my favorite cooks on the network and website are Giada DeLaurntis, Robin Miller and Rachael Ray.

www.foodnetwork.com

www.rachaelray.com

www.wholeliving.com website and magazine

www.everydayfood.com website and magazine

I also am a big fan of the cookbook section of the library. I always have a few food philosophy and cookbooks checked out. I think the best diet plan book I’ve read in a long time is…

The Core Balance Diet by Marcelle Pick (not for vegetarians!)

Here’s Marcelle’s website.

http://www.womentowomen.com/programs/weightloss/howitworks.aspx?id=1&campaignno=womentowomen&adgroup=ag10corebalance&keywords=core+balance

I also think Ayurveda is an amazing lifestyle strategy and you’ll hear more about that in the months to come. This one takes a little investigation to get going but once you understand some basic concepts it is a remarkable system for bolstering health. As I was typing this article based on Ayurveda came into my e-mailbox, check it out… http://life.gaiam.com/article/spring-detox-foods-shopping-list?utm_source=bluetext&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Life&RMID=2011_02_17_Glife_DetoxFoods_20PctBackCare&RRID=11851664

Want Love??? Be Love!

2011-02-14T13:01:00.000-08:00

We're all looking for more love, aren't we? We're looking for love from the significant people in our lives, (some are looking for love from everyone they meet); we're looking for love in our work, in our hobbies and likely in every aspect of our lives. But where does that love come from and why do we expect others or outside experiences to supply it for us? Certainly we all deserve to be loved but if we want more love in our lives we have to be willing to give it out too.

As I contemplated "Love" for today's Valentine’s Day post, I seemed to hone in on altering Gandhi's great quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world" to "be the love you want to feel in the world." It seems to me, that our society is so focused on being "in love" that we forget that love really comes from within us. It's true that someone or something can spark the sensation of love within us but the source is still inside — not outside. So if we feel that we're not being loved the way we're meant to be or if we don't feel like we are in love with our jobs, maybe it's up to us to tap into the love within and bring it out more fully.

A large part of the Anusara-inspired yoga style that I teach is concerned with cultivating certain heart qualities like love, peace and vitality. During a yoga class or practice, we focus on a particular quality that we would like to feel more of. By contemplating on this quality and practicing with it, we can build more of it and increase our insight of how we can cultivate it in our every day lives. Self-love is an extremely important heart quality to cultivate. I think loving yourself sometimes gets a bad rap because I'm not sure that many people are really comfortable with loving themselves. Does it seem selfish? Does it seem elitist? I'm not really sure what the problem is but I do know that not loving yourself is a problem. When we don't love ourselves, we don't feel whole, satisfied or complete. When we go looking for something outside ourselves to fill that hole, we end up with dysfunctions, addictions and just as dangerous dissatisfaction and distress. The truth is no one person and no one thing outside yourself can complete you. So on this Valentines Day, I hope you'll take a moment to consider how you might be more loving to yourself.

As much as love is a noun it's also a verb. Here's a few ways to be more loving to yourself: feed yourself nourishing food, drink plenty of water, breathe more deeply and easily, take care of your living environment, exercise, stretch, challenge yourself to remember what is special and unique about yourself, and I think most important of all is to do something that makes you sparkle. If you don't know what that is anymore make a commitment to find out. I also realize there is a point in life for many that doing what makes you really happy just isn’t possible anymore. I hope that if and when that happens to me I’ll remember that I still have the choice to rejoice in the happiness of others. Once your plugged into the source of love within, you open up a stream to send that love out into the world. When you give your love away, you’ll no doubt open yourself up to receiving love in return.

MC Yogi sings one of my favorite love songs and he’s giving it away for free download. Check it out here…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpVUih5nY9g&sns=fb

Why do Yoga?

2011-02-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

Why not?!?

OK, so really why Yoga?... Yoga for a million and one reasons! I came to Yoga when two separate paths converged at one transformational space. I found myself unexpectedly teaching yoga before I really knew what it was (more on that another day) and practicing yoga myself for pain relief. Yoga changed my life in so many positive ways. I truly believe everyone can benefit from some type of yoga because it is such a diverse, empowering, and harmonizing field of insight. You'll hear a lot more on this along the way if you stay tuned to this blog but what you should know is that for as many personalities as there are in the world there are just as many "personalities" of yoga practice. Some are fast and flowing, others are precise and challenging, and still others are easy and relaxing. What I wanted to offer today is the most basic form of yoga I can think of. I'm attaching a link to the "Inspirations" page of my website. If you scroll down, you can click on the link "Anyone - Anywhere Yoga Chart." http://www.flourishunlimited.com/inspirations.html

This chart has just a few very easy and basic yoga-inspired stretches designed to help you combat the less than ideal postures and habits we all experience most days. Because we spend so much time in a modified fetal position throughout the day, our bodies suffer effects from poor posture. By sitting at our desks, in couches and in the car for extended periods of time, we end up tightening the muscles of our hips, chests, shoulders and necks. As these muscle groups get tight, the core muscles of our trunks get weak. This combination often leads to back, neck and shoulder pain. Just a few movements done with self-awareness can help you bring your body, mind and heart back into better alignment. Yoga is fast and effective and I hope you'll try this short, easy routine.

New Moon Wishes and Goals

2011-02-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese (lunar) New Year! Today marks the first new moon of the new year. For a few weeks now, I've been talking about this time of year being a great time to either re-invigorate or to start work on small changes that might bring about increased vitality and harmony. I first became interested in using the Chinese New Year as a goal setting tool when I read an article by Katie Weber. Katie Weber is a Feng Shui constultant and writes a fantastic e-newsletter called The Red Lotus Letter. I tried to find that original article but wasn't able to. You might check out her website though which is full of cool insight and inspiration for increasing your life energy flow. www.redlotusletter.com She also has lots of fun info about the Chinese New Year.

In that article Katie recommended making wishes or setting new goals with each new moon throughout the year. In many traditions the new moon marks a period of re-birth, increasing energy and growth. On the other hand the period of time between the full moon to the next new moon phase is recognized as a period of release, surrender, letting go and increased sensitivity and receptivity.

The added bonus of coordinating your New Year's resolutions, goals, intentions or wishes with the cycle of the moon is that you can use it throughout the year. Each new moon can act as a reminder of this years goals and intentions. You can also use it as a "pump" to keep the energy flowing to your intentions throughout the year. As the moon grows from new to full, you might work on the action oriented aspects of your new moon intentions. What can you actively do to promote positive changes for yourself? Let this two- week phase be a time of increasing action and energy. This is the planting, changing, growing, manifesting phase of the process of change. As the energy of the moon, wanes from full to new again, you might focus on surrendering a bit. Allowing life to lead the way in a sense. What can you let go of? Where can you surrender and soften to allow energy to flow. Make sure that you also focus on appreciating the small changes you have made. Make sure you take time to appreciate the positive changes you've made. True gratitude is one of the most empowering force in the universe.

The pulsation between action and surrender is essential for all growth! Everything in you, and everything in nature pulses with life. Our hearts beat with a steady rhythm of contraction and expansion which moves life energy through our bodies. Our days pulse between night and day and between winter and summer so that all things can sustain themselves through growth and with deep rest. We can only live by alternately breathing in and breathing out. When making life changes I think it's just as important to pulse between actively pursuing your goals and allowing yourself time to be more gentle with yourself and appreciate not only your progress but the way that life also has a way of helping you out when you really commit to change.

Here's to your new moon wishes. May this year be full of blessings, loving connections, and personal joy.

Getting Back on Track

2011-01-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

When I started this blog at the start of the New Year, I mentioned that I felt that January 1 is a hard time to make drastic changes. I shared that I like to wait until the New Lunar Year which will happen this Thursday, February 3rd. So while you may be at a place where you are holding fast to your resolutions or have already fallen away from changes you had hoped to make, I encourage you today to take a moment to reflect on the things that you do each day that either increase or decrease your own vitality and feeling of satisfaction in life. You might find one or two things or habits in particular to focus on either decreasing or increasing so that you may feel greater levels of harmony and fulfillment. Small changes are the best! Small changes are harder to make than everyone thinks but they add up exponentially. As your energy and mental clarity increases, it is usually natural to start making more and more changes that transform your attitude and your life in a graceful fashion.

For me, it's committing to keep making it back here on a regular schedule and doing more things just for fun. My dog's passing and then a project that ate up every moment of spare time I had for two weeks knocked me off course. There will always life events that have the potential to knock us off course. When that happens we have many choices: we might just need to sit tight a bit, perhaps some redirection is called for or maybe you just pick yourself up and get going again. Sometimes being knocked off course points out that perhaps the goals you were chasing weren't really the right ones for you at this time. Taking time to get clear about what you really need and what you actually want is essential to living an empowered life. I think there is a lot of pressure in this country to "stick to your ideals." But, what about maturity? What about the fact that we are (hopefully) always learning and growing and that what we once thought was what was right for us might have changed. With increased self-awareness and sensitivity it's easier and more fun to maneuver the inevitable changes and challenges that life has to offer.

Keys to Health and Healing

2011-01-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

If you want to experience the greatest potential for health and happiness, it is important to have a strategy. It is in the nature of the pulse of life to move through periods of health and occasional illness or injury. Most of the time our body naturally recovers. However, our body's natural ability to heal is often hindered or slowed due to effects of stress. Although short bouts of stress actually elevate our body's natural defenses, long-term stress wears us down.

Most of us think of stress as the result of interpersonal-connections or our mental response to life's circumstances. But much of the stress that decreases health is measurable physical stress on the body. On a daily basis, we are all exposed to countless chemical toxins in which our bodies work viligently to filter out. These chemicals come at us in the air, in our water, in our food, in our grooming and beauty products, in our cleaners, weed killers and more. Our bodies experiences stress from less than ideal diets, constricted breathing and dehydration. Decreased movement, poor alignment and repetitive use movements wear down our musculo-skeletal system. Lack of sleep, a disconnection from nature, lack of sun exposure, noise pollution, too much staring at tvs and computer screens, among many other habits all contribute to physical stress.

It's not my intention to cause more stress by pointing all of these challenging influences out but I do want to call attention to the importance of having a personal health and well-being strategy. What can you do to nourish and care for yourself, your family and your environment so that you may offset some of the daily stressors we all experience? These small habits and rituals or "keys" that you incorporate into your lifestyle will support your body's natural tendency to thrive.

Here are a few suggestions:

Decrease the amount of toxic chemicals that you are exposed to on a daily basis. There are great natural cleaning and grooming products out there that are healthier for you and our environment.
Check your drinking water. I've been hearing about this element of health more and more lately. Recently I came across an article on the health and safety of the drinking water in our country. Although our City of Cincinnati was rated 16th in the healthiest drinking water out of 100 cities in the nation, there were still 7 chemicals that exceeded health guidelines and 16 pollutants found in the water. Changes we might make to consume healthier water might be to decrease our own use of chemicals, get a water purifier and demand healthier tap water. This link will take you to the study http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/home .
Reduce the amount of processed and refined food that you consume. Increase your consumption of fresh, natural, organic and whole foods.
Get daily exercise.
Check up on your posture. An Anusara yoga class is a great place to learn more. You might also make an appointment with a well-informed personal trainer, yoga teacher or chiropractor.
Get out in nature. The air is most pure amongst a grove of trees. Give your mind a rest from the drama of everyday life by visiting a park. Our natural world is essential to our health and survival and also reminds of the great energy of life that we all share.
Put some stress relief strategies in place. A few ideas might be: breath exercises, daily exercise, hobbies, getting together with good friends, visualization, journaling or just anything that makes you feel good naturally.

On his holiday, I didn't feel like I should leave today's blog entry without mentioning Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. All of us can use his example as a source of inspiration. He knew in his heart that what he experienced in the world around him was not right. He cultivated courage, wisdom, passion and endurance to make changes with great skill. He aided the transformation of an entire nation of people and overcame fear, hate and resistance. If he had it in him to influence history, I believe we all have it in us to make simple changes that will create a better life for ourselves and our world.

Take care!

...And, Sometimes You Just Have to Get Through the Day

2011-01-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you flourish and thrive and other days there's nothing to do but make it through. I’ve had a rough week this week. In my food post on Monday, I mentioned that my dog, Chloe, had not been eating. Her time with me on this planet, ended on Tuesday night. I loved her like a child and miss her immensely. I have to say the pain is stronger than I expected. In times like these one has to pose an important question, “am I going to slow down and honor the pain I’m feeling, or am I going to push through it?”

Sometimes there appears to be no choice. We know people are expecting things of us and we also place expectations on ourselves. It is true that we need to be challenged in order to grow but sometimes we just really need to give ourselves a break. I think our society today is definitely “a push through the pain” society. Just look at the pharmacy shelves and the commercials on television for all of the pain-killers, acid reducers, anti-depressants, and more. Don’t get me wrong, I understand there is a time and a place for medicine and I am grateful for all the physicians, surgeons and researchers out there who are working to improve our health and wellness. I just really think that if we all felt more comfortable with giving ourselves time to more fully heal when our hearts, our bodies, and sometimes even our egos are bruised, we’d all feel much better more often of the time.
I am grateful for the practice of yoga, which has helped me to become more self-aware of how my behaviors and life circumstances are affecting me. In a yoga class you start to pay more attention to how the way you move and think affect the way you feel. As you increase your self-awareness, you start to see more clearly what little things you can do for yourself to ease your pain and encourage faster, fuller healing. Sometimes it means challenging yourself to do things you are a little uncomfortable with and other times it means retreating a bit and allowing yourself time, space and a healthy dose of TLC to help you recover more quickly and grow more fully because of the experience.
Thank you to everyone who sent little notes of recognition and comfort. It was very helpful and much appreciated!

FooD!

2011-01-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

I don't really think I can have a health and wellness blog without talking about food! So I guess this is as good a time as any to start the conversation. Food is intensely on my mind for several reasons. 1 - I'm in the middle of a food-based "cleanse" where you simplify your diet to give your body systems a break and help you find greater balance. 2- The topic of food and dieting is all over the media because diet and exercise resolutions are so abound right now. 3- My sweet doggie is not eating! So here I am cutting back on food for myself and doing everything possible to get her to eat something. To keep the topic light in my heart, I joke that she has simply decided that life isn't worth living if she has to eat dog food. So "master" has become "servant" (although it's never really been like that) and I find myself making special meals for her that my husband and I hand feed her. All this situations are shining a light on the preciousness of food.

Food is life. Food is medicine. Food fuels us and feeds us. Food can give us great pleasure. Food connects us in celebration and conversation. But, food can also do all the opposite things. In this time of reflection, you might ask yourself what small changes you might make to both enjoy your food more and get more out of it.

If you are interested in paring down your diet, here are a few links that might have some good info. I am doing an Ayurveda Balancing Program in which I'm eating lots of kitchari + veggies. The food is actually very tasty but no doubt it will be new to a lot of you. I'm including a website with an article about it and another with recipes. Whole Living Magazine also puts out a great New Year's/New You edition each January. Much of the info is on their website. Check the links below and Eat Well!

http://www.wholeliving.com/photogallery/4-week-makeover
http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/888
http://www.ayurveda.com/online_resource/kitchari_recipe.htm

Sunday, Jan 9th > Workshop > Use Yoga to Improve Winter Health

2011-01-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

BRING BALANCE BACK INTO YOUR LIFE…
YOGA AND AYURVEDA FOR THE WINTER SEASON

JOIN US FOR A WORKSHOP THIS SUNDAY (JANUARY 9TH)

FROM 1:30 TO 3:30 P.M. at Shine Yoga in Hyde Park

Is winter already dragging you down? Do you feel susceptible to digestive issues and disruptive imbalances like the flu, anxiety and insomnia? Why does this “funk” seem unavoidable?

From an Ayurvedic perspective, the accumulation of Vata energy is causing depletion in the body. From a Western perspective, the accumulation of holiday stress is keeping you from your “regular” routine. Both hold true when it comes to your health.

Yoga and Ayurveda for the Season is a workshop dedicated to bringing Yoga and Ayurveda together in action.

This two-hour workshop is designed to help you safeguard your wellbeing throughout this winter season. It combines a simple, Vata-reducing yoga practice with guidance on Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle choices. Attendees will depart with a Managing Vata tip sheet and a short home-practice for “grounding yourself” over the upcoming winter weeks.

Join Kate and Liz at Shine Yoga Center www.shineyoga.com this Sunday. Use your class pass, or pay at the door. The workshop cost is $15.00.

About Kate Noble and Yoga: The inspiration for Kate’s teaching style is rooted in the celebration of everyday living. She brings a wealth of information and passion from a broad background to help each student connect to their inner wisdom and cultivate greater personal harmony.

About Liz Stites and Ayurveda: Liz’s strong interest in individual wellbeing led her from business to the practice of Ayurveda. She is a Certified Practitioner from the Kripalu School of Ayurveda and studied under some of the world’s leading Ayurvedic teachers. She incorporates techniques that have been accepted for thousands of years in the East—with a practical approach for today’s Western living.

2011-01-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

Please visit my other blog for today's post.... www.kateeo.blogspot.com which is dedicated to more personal inspirations stories, notes, quotes and photos. I'll try to meet you back here Monday:-)

CARVE some time for yourself

2011-01-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." – Buddha

Please note that the strong proactive word of “carve” is an intentional replacement of the word take in the all too familiar phrase of “take time for yourself.” I don’t know about you, but that phrase always make me cringe a bit. (Although you will continue to find me using it throughout the course of this blog.) But here is what goes through my head when I read or hear the phrase, “Like I don’t have enough to do already without adding one more thing. I can hardly keep up with all that I’ve created in my life already.” Anyway… if you aren’t taking time to care of yourself — body, mind. heart and soul — chances are you are actually losing time, health, and energy.

Finding time that you didn’t have before to take better care of yourself can be difficult but it is important for so many reasons. I’m sure you can think of a few yourself! Let’s come back to that idea of "carving." Imagine a fine Renaissance sculpture… think Michaelangelo’s David perhaps. Now consider the skill, and planning, and time that must have gone into this sculpture. To carve you have to take away from one thing to create something new and potentially more beautiful or satisfying. There’s no going back either. You can’t just glue on what you took off. (Here you might think of the Venus di Milo — sans arms.) So, feel free to create time for yourself a small bit at a time. The breathing exercise from yesterday is a fantastic start.

I mentioned in the beginning of this blog that I am not encouraging New Year’s resolutions. I am however encouraging a time of reflection. Perhaps you can think of one or more unhealthy habits or experiences that are using up your time without giving you anything meaningful in return. Take time to observe. What energizes you? What drains you? What can you release so that you will have time to do something more meaningful or beneficial for yourself or others?

By the way… me?... I’m a “piddler.” I take forever to decide what I’ll do next and what order I should do it in. Then I second guess it all. I’m working on being more spontaneous and efficient in my decision-making and not worrying “too” much about each and every detail. Right now I'm resisting the urge to re-read this more than twice. So for all you detail oriented people please forgive the typos and grammar errors;-) Sometimes you just gotta’ flow. Or so I suspect?????

Carve time today… peel away one little thing that drains you to make space for something that makes you feel alive and HAPPY. If you aren’t ready for the carving yet… plan it.

B – R – E – A – T – H – E !

2011-01-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

As I’ve begun to more thoroughly organize all the health and well-being wisdom, I’ve collected over the years. I think one of the most helpful thing one can do for themselves (and for each other) is to breathe well. Sounds simple enough, right? But, I bet if you could see yourself breathing throughout the day, you’d be amazed at how often you hold your breath or at what a low percentage of your available oxygen consumption you actually use. Breath is the stuff of life! It powers our cells, it clears our minds, it calms our nervous system and it is a bridge between spirit and matter.

The following excerpt is how I begin most of my yoga classes. It takes just a few minutes to more fully find your center where you are more integrated and harmonious. If you are so inclined, give it a whirl. If you are an “over-achiever” maybe try it out a few times a day and enjoy the bliss.

“Just take a nice slow deep inhale and a full complete exhale. Take a moment to adjust your body so that you are relaxed in your hips and you can allow your spine to lengthen up. You might gently close your eyelids to encourage a few moments of relaxation. For the next few minutes just bring your awareness to your breath. You don’t have to breathe any certain way and please don’t judge your breath. You might notice if your breath is shallow or long. You might also notice subtle differences between your inhalation and exhalation but nothing should be judged as right or wrong. You are just increasing your self awareness without any criticism or judgment.”

Usually just taking a few moments to pay attention to your breath will help your breath become more regulated which means a clearer, more peaceful and more vibrant state of being your you.

Enjoy.

Alive to Thrive

2011-01-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who posted positive feedback. I am so incredibly appreciative of your support! So today's blog post title is "Alive to Thrive." I had actually hoped to use this as the blog title but that name was already taken. So I decided "Alive to Thrive" would be the name of my "program." Flourish is the name of my personal training, yoga and oh so much more business. So Flourish and Thrive will have to do.

So why "alive to thrive?" This past year a dear friend suggested I read the book "The Power of Full Engagement." It was one of those life changing reads. In the book the authors suggest you write out your own personal mission statement. You know one of those exercises where you ask yourself, "when I look back on my life, how do I want to have lived?" and other such things. Basically the exercise is that you write the line, "My purpose for living is...." I can never really come up with one clear answer - well maybe? There are too many purposes! Or, maybe I don't really know if what I do on a daily basis really counts as a purpose. Recently though it's becoming clear that my purpose for living isn't totally clear and that is just fine. I fill in the line with, "My purpose for living today is to enjoy my life as much as possible and try to find a way to make a positive impact on the world around me." So basically I am alive to thrive. It's an empowering thought. Even though I am in a big state of transition and I still don't really know what I'm "going to do when I grow up" I am at least living purposely for myself and others. I think the exercise is an amazing way to develop self-appreciation and to focus your energy. During this season of reflection you might want to give it a try?

Here's how you can take it a step further... fill in the blanks....
My purpose for living (today) is.....
The best way I can do this today is....
The best way I can do this in the future is....

You are unique for a reason! Let your light shine... flourish and thrive.
Peace, Kate

Welcome to Flourish and Thrive

2011-01-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

OK, so first I have to say I’m a little intimidated by what I’m about to begin. I wanted a way to offer inspiration, motivation and information to help myself, my friends and members of my community stay on track with better personal health care habits. As a yoga and fitness teacher by trade, one of my guiding work principles is that when we care for ourselves we have more energy to enjoy our own lives and we have more to offer others.

Still, there’s a big part of me that wonders if anyone really wants to hear this stuff. But, every week in my yoga classes I remind people that they are special… that if they feel called to do something, they should. I really believe that each of us has many gifts to share with each other and that it takes courage to offer them. For some reason my appreciation for life has flourished into a desire to live the healthiest, happiest life possible. I really enjoy studying about life and about our bodies. I also enjoy coming up with strategies to help people thrive in life.

I hope to offer small tidbits that will inspire you to connect or reconnect with your innate wisdom. By increasing self-awareness you’ll know just what you need to do to flourish and thrive.

So here is step one.... take time to reflect.

I know many people out there are working on New Year's resolutions or maybe working on already "failing" on their New Year's resolutions. I would like to offer another alternative... take time to reflect. Take time for yourself! Just let yourself be as you are right now and know that maybe you really are perfect for this moment. Sure, there are a million ways each of us can do better. That's the exciting part about life. We as human's have the potential to change. But, if we are always focused on how we want to be different, we can never really enjoy who and where we are.

Placed close to the middle of winter, the solar New Year is not really the ideal time to make progressive changes. Look around you and you'll know what you are supposed to be doing. Like all of nature around you this is the time for you to slow down a bit. To draw energy back in to yourself, to remember what brings you joy and energy. The lunar New Year falls a little later, usually in February. Although February still feels pretty wintery here in the midwest it is a little closer to spring. There is more light and more energy available to make positive progressive change at the this time of year. So, I use the solar New Year as a time to turn inward, to reflect, to rest and to restore my motivation and drive. I begin to think about what changes I'd like to make and then I give myself the few weeks between the Solar and Lunar New Year to come up with a plan to make the changes I hope to see in my life. This year's Lunar New Year falls on February 3rd. Whether you are working on small or big hopes, dreams and goals or are perfectly content with how you are right now, I wish you all the best for 2011.