Jan 1, 2019 |
Happy New Year!
If you follow me on Instragram (@dailydownwarddog) you may have caught a few of the pictures I selected and posted to mark each day of December. I have had an incredible year and felt like I really needed to stop and look back at everything I did, and everywhere I traveled so that it didn’t become a blur. I wanted to really appreciate the abundance in my life and take stock before setting any new intentions for the New Year. If you have not done this, I highly recommend taking a scroll back through your photos on your iphone and read through your journal. Celebrate all that you have accomplished. I know that when I rush off to the next thing, before taking note of where I’ve been, it is almost as if I was stealing from the past.
I saved my favorite picture from 2018 to post today on New Year’s Day 2019. It was taken during my Paradise in Panama retreat in April. I went for a beach walk along the gorgeous shores of Cambutal right in front of the Sansara Surf and Yoga Resort with a few women on the retreat with me. We happened upon one of our fellow yogis Veronica, who had been writing mantras and drawing mandalas in the sand. They were gorgeous, and we had to stop to admire the beauty and the light that was radiating from her.
Happy with what I am, with what I have, and where I am. A calm mind.
Wow – how powerful to etch the words of a mantra into the sand for the universe to see and for your heart and mind to absorb.
I asked Veronica if she would please draw the words Daily Downward Dog into the sand. She picked up her etching tool and got to work and when I came back to see her artwork you can imagine my surprise and delight. She had added a few words that she felt described my teaching and spirit.
Kindness. Empathy. Love.
Thank you, Veronica, for this beautiful gift and moment. I have these words etched into my mind now, so that every time I step onto my mat to practice or to teach a yoga class, or go out in the world to serve, it is a reminder to embody Kindness, Empathy, and Love for all beings.
I stopped making New Year’s Resolutions a long time ago, and this year my mantra is really simple.
I AM LOVE.
I will strive to do everything from my heart and from a place of love. That I will not be driven by struggle or fear, but instead by love. The love in my mantra has kindness and empathy woven into it.
Want to join me? You can use this mantra too. Just keep repeating it when you practice, when you meditate, when you get stressed out. Stop, pause, and breathe it in. I am on the inhale, love on the exhale. The meaning and vibration of the words will soak in deeper into your heart and mind and bring you peace and joy.
Wishing you all a New Year that is full of abundance and blessings. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Namaste.
I’m going back to Panama in April for another Paradise in Panama Yoga Retreat April 14-20 at Sansara – click here for more information!
Oct 21, 2015 |
I couldn’t come back from my yoga retreat in Greece without a bunch of stories, and here is one I’d like to share about a restaurant owner on the island of Naxos. It is a story about trust, kindness, selfless service – and has an added bonus of a helpful little mantra to guide you through life.
After the Santorini retreat was over, I got to take a few days’ vacation, ferrying to Naxos with several of the women who attended the retreat. We all went out to dinner one night in the port town of the island at a restaurant called Meze Meze (or Meze2), which was recommended to us by the owner of the villa we stayed at. Unbeknownst to us, after dropping us off at the restaurant, our taxi driver Petros ran into the restaurant, found the owner, and told him he better take good care of us.
When it came time to order, a man who was not our waiter approached the table and told us his name was Panagioti, the owner of the restaurant, and that he had promised Petros that if we didn’t like our meal, he would not charge us for it. I need to tell you that Panagioti (who I later found out is nicknamed The Boss), was a big man and had quite a presence about him. He explained that his restaurant was unique because they offer small plates that are perfect for sharing. The menu is full of seafood and local specialties that we may not be familiar with, and because of this he proceeded to say, “I’d like you to trust me to order for you, so you can sample all the best we have to offer.”
Meze Meze is right on the water overlooking a marina full of fishing boats –
so you don’t have to ask if the fish is fresh!
I looked around the table at the women who were with me and the looks on their faces told me they were in no mood to trust this man. I turned back to look at Panagioti, and his face held the same proud and friendly expression that he brought to the table, which I’m sure was a difficult task after seeing the expression on my group’s faces. I really felt for him because here it was late September, the end of a long season of tourists, and if I were him my patience for finicky tourists would be about as thin as the octopus tentacles hanging out to dry as we walked along the marina to the restaurant.
Listening to my gut, I had to break the awkward gap of silence and blurted out, “Panagioti, I trust you. I’m adventurous, and I would love to try whatever you want to order us. Bring it on!” And then, I looked at the rest of the table with a pleading look to get them all on board.
Aahhh that word TRUST, it can be a very tricky thing, but I have to tell you that by far, the dinner that Panagioti and his staff served us that night was my favorite meal the whole time I was in Greece and also one of the most reasonably priced. I know it isn’t always easy to open your heart to trust, but sometimes you have to let go of things like attachment, control, and expectations to simply open your heart to trust. We did, and got rewarded with a delightfully unexpected culinary adventure of all the best seafood, cheeses, greek salad, olives, pasta, and fresh vegetables that Naxos has to offer.
I wish I had more pictures of the awesome dishes we had. If you want to see pictures of the Meza2 food go to this page on Trip Advisor…and get ready to drool!
One of the things that I will always remember about Greece is the kindness of the people. I found out while I was in Santorini that most of the people working there come to the island in early May and don’t leave until the end of October. They work in the service industry, seven days a week, with no time off. My group was there in mid-September, so very near to the end of the season, when I have to admit if I were in their shoes I would not be real pleasant, especially to strangers who don’t speak my language. The people who work at the hotels, restaurants, and as tour operators had every right to be fried, but every single person I met was not only kind and helpful, but pleasant and truly interested in making sure we enjoyed all that Greece had to offer.
Our waiter kept us smiling all night!!
After dinner I sought out Panagioti, because I wanted to thank him and let him know how much I enjoyed the meal. When I found him I started to gush about how delicious all the dishes were and thanked him for being so assertive in ordering for us. In a totally self-effacing manner, this huge guy thanked me for coming and told me that it was his pleasure, that he loves what he does and sharing the food from his country, and then he looked up from what he was doing, looked me right in the eye and said, “Enjoy your life.”
“Wow,” I thought, what a simple, yet profound message to share.
At the Gate of Apollo on Naxos Island, Greece.
Over the next few days after we had dinner, on two separate occasions members of my group stopped back into Meze Meze to buy a bottle of water while sightseeing in town. In both cases, Panagioti greeted them, gave them the bottle of water for free, told them if they were looking for a nice place for dinner that night to stop back and visit him, and then offered up his mantra, “Enjoy Your Life!” As Panagioti gave away those free bottles of water, I don’t believe he attached any expectation on the gift, but rather was offering a selfless act of service.
As I was flying home and thinking about all the incredible adventures I had in Greece, I kept thinking about Panagioti. I wondered how many free bottles of water he gave away this summer. I wondered how many people he inspired with his kind words and reminder to enjoy life. I wondered if Panagioti practiced yoga. The only thing I didn’t wonder about is the fact that Panagioti is a man who is fully present, loving what he does, and enjoying the gift of each and every day of life. It doesn’t matter if he ever pulls out a yoga mat and practices his downward dog or meditates for five minutes every morning, because he practices yoga every day in the way he lives his life.
I did enjoy every moment I was in Greece, even when my luggage didn’t show up in Santorini, but that’s a story for another time, so stay tuned I’ve got lots more Santorini stories, inspiration, and 2016 retreat announcements to share here on The Daily Downward Dog.
Mar 31, 2015 |
I have a confession to make: I got the inspiration for this post when I was in a bathroom. While in the WC I took the opportunity to check out the artwork hanging on the walls, and a lovely collage of magazine clippings all about yoga, love, and kindness caught my eye. Whenever I see a collage like this I’m always interested to see which phrase or image my eyes will gravitate to first.
On that particular day the phrase was – Create Your Own Loving Kindness Yogathon. This of course brought a huge, honking smile to my face and I thought to myself, “Wow, what a perfect instruction to get as I step on my yoga mat.”
Today I Will Create My Own Loving Kindness Yogathon
What is loving kindness? To me it means being compassionate, loving, and nurturing – letting go of all the negative energy, fear, stress, and stories pinging around in my head and instead making a wish that I be happy, healthy, safe, and live in ease. On the yoga mat it is practicing ahimsa, honoring the body, and being present.
The Loving Kindness Yogathon must start on your yoga mat, and then you can (and must) take the loving kindness off the yoga mat and into your life, continuing to spread the love to your friends, family, and all beings.
If I could boil this idea of a Loving Kindness Yogathan into a beautiful mantra, those words would be – I AM LOVE. I am not fear, I am not judgmen, I am not hate – I am Love.
You have the opportunity to create your own Loving Kindness Yogathon every time you step on your yoga mat and each and every morning when you wake up.
I’m digging this concept so much, I may just have to start calling my yoga retreats Loving Kindness Yogathons!
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
Thanks for stopping by the Daily Downward Dog today! I couldn’t let March go by without at least one blog post. I have so much to write about, but this year most of my spare time has been spent immersed in my 300 hr-yoga teacher training and some new yoga projects I am working on. Please be patient because, when I do have the time, I have lots of yoga inspiration and more loving kindness that I can’t wait to share with you.
Jan 9, 2014 |
I heard on the radio that Monday, January 6, was deemed the most depressing day of the year. With the holidays over, bills to pay, the cold winter weather – and, for some, the thought of going back to work or school after a break – folks can get pretty bummed out. After hearing this depressing news, I immediately launched into my morning mantra ritual, repeating to myself, “Today is going to be the best day of my life.” I’m not about to let the sub-zero weather in Ohio and all the doom and gloom forecasted by weathermen and newscasters get me into a funk.
Thankfully, I have this mantra because I know firsthand that we all can get so weighted down in dealing with the daily grind and stress in our lives that we simply forget to be happy. Each day we have a conscious choice to make: to be happy, or to be miserable. Don’t forget that your joy isn’t controlled by others or outside factors, but from your attitude and a sense of peace and joy that resides deep within each of us.
On New Year’s Eve, and for my classes the few days following the New Year, I spoke about the intentions I’m taking into 2014. I don’t like to set resolutions, but rather bite-sized intentions that seem easier to maintain. I’ve had a few students ask me to post them on the DDD, so here they are:
- To be more humble.
- To be more compassionate to others.
- To be less judgmental.
- To love and take care of myself.
- To laugh more.
- To unplug more often and directly connect with others.
I also shared this quote, which really summed up the message I wanted to convey.
“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” – Mary Radmacher
Wishing all of you a fantastic 2014: Nurture and take care of yourself, practice kindness, be full of wonder and gratitude, and always remember to be happy!
Click to find out more about upcoming Daily Downward Dog yoga retreats! Come join us!
Mar 7, 2013 |
I’ve always been a big fan of paying it forward. If someone does a good deed for me, I strive to carry that goodness forward. Last week I was reading Om the Moment, a lovely blog by Jeanette, a Miami-based yoga teacher who writes about this concept regularly. She encourages others to perform random acts of kindness (ROAK) every week and has inspired me to do just that.
Little did I know that instead, in a chance twist of fate, I would be the recipient of a random act of kindness!
Saturday morning I left to drive to Vermilion to teach yoga. Since the drive is long, I decided I would stop on the turnpike to grab a cup of coffee and something to eat. I went into Panera Bread at a rest stop and ordered a coffee and a bagel. As they were preparing my order, I opened up my purse to get my wallet.
But it was nowhere to be found!
I began desperately rifling through my purse (which is really not a purse, but a ginormous catch-all where items have been known to go missing for months), sure that it was hidden somewhere. Then I started looking into all of the hidden compartments where I sometimes stash away emergency money, but of course none of them were funded now that I needed it most. This has never happened to me before, and – extremely flustered and embarrassed – I looked up at the cashier to let him know that I had no money to pay for what I had ordered. Red-faced, I continued to stammer on about how sorry I was when a woman behind me in line said, “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll pay for you.” I turned around in disbelief, and she was already handing the cashier the money to pay.
Her name was Deanne, and I thanked her profusely more than once and gave her a big hug. We were both putting cream in our coffee together and got to talk for a few more minutes when Deanne said to me, “Thank you so much. You made my day. I’ve always wanted to do that for someone.”
Deanne and me!
I couldn’t believe that she was thanking me when she was the one who totally made my day!
The cool thing about this interaction was that Deanne had a huge smile on her face. In fact, I could swear she was glowing, and I know why. When you do a good deed for someone, it just makes you feel damn good! There is scientific research that claims that when you do something selfless for others, it sets off the same kind of chemical reaction in your brain as if you ate a piece of chocolate or had great sex! Wanna feel good today? Do a good deed and trigger that chemical reaction. It doesn’t have to be monetary – you can do a good deed just by smiling at a stranger, giving someone a hug, or paying them a compliment.
When I got to my yoga classes on Saturday, I asked my students to send a big karmic hug to Deanne to wish her safe travels, and I sent her a big one too. I promised Deanne that I would pay her good deed forward, so watch out, random acts of kindness, because here I come! (And in case any of you are worried about my wallet, I misplaced it but found it later that day and am very thankful that it was not stolen.)
Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness? I’d love to hear your story, so please share it below with a comment. That way I can send a karmic hug to your surprise do-gooders too.
P.S. Don’t forget to enter to win awesome incense from the cool peeps over at myInsens – this good smelling giveaway is open until March 11.
