Jan 30, 2014 |
I have been home for more than a week, and I still haven’t come down from the blissfully high feeling I was left with at the end of SKIASANA. In keeping with tradition, I’m recapping the ski and yoga retreat with a top ten list of all the reasons why I can’t wipe the smile off my face.
The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Music and Om! When we first got to Vermont, it had rained for the last few days so there wasn’t much snow on the ground, the sky was gray, and it was not at all the winter wonderland I had dreamed of. That first night of the retreat, as we sat in the hot tub with a light drizzle falling on us, the rain magically turned to snow, and from that point forward the magic of Stowe Mountain came alive. I can’t tell you how many times I was overcome with the spontaneous and joyful desire to burst out singing, “The hills are alive with the sound of music.” Not many people know this, but my namesake is none other than Maria Von Trapp, who inspired my parents back in the day to change my name from Frances to Maria when my mom was eight months pregnant at the movie theatre watching the movie The Sound of Music.
While practicing yoga, our views from the yoga room at Stowe Mountain Ranch included watching the changing colors of the sky as the sun rose over the mountains, the beautiful falling snow, and the horses grazing outside the barn. But the hills are not hills in Stowe, Vermont; they are mountains. And these mountains are not only alive with the sound of music but are teeming with beauty!
Fresh Air The air in the mountains of Vermont just felt cleaner and crisper, and when hiking or skiing, the cool air in my lungs felt downright therapeutic. I came to Vermont with a bit of congestion from a cold and left with my chest perfectly clear, and I’m thinking it was the physical activity and invigorating crisp mountain air filling my lungs that did the trick!
Double Dipping Yoga & Meditation When you go on a yoga retreat, not only do you get to do yoga every day, but you get to do it twice a day! The mornings were reserved for a brisker practice that focused on opening the shoulders and wrists, calves, knees, thighs, and hips – all the essential body parts that were going to get a work out, whether from knitting, hiking, or skiing. The evening candlelight yoga sessions were restorative with deep, long stretches to aid in releasing the body parts used in the day’s knitasana/skiasana activities and to let the joints and connective tissues open up with the help of bolsters, blocks, and blankets.
Each session included time to meditate. During the course of the weekend, we learned about the importance of nurturing ourselves, the gift of the precious present, finding bliss by letting go of that which you don’t have, and how to open our hearts and listen to the universe. There was lots of time to quiet the mind, grow deeper into practice, reflect, journal, and ultimately find renewal.
Tess We love you Tess – oh yes, we do! Tess, an incredible chef, baker, and nurturer, was truly the rock star of the weekend. Tess doesn’t go to the store to buy bread and desserts; he lovingly makes them from the best ingredients. He went way beyond providing three square meals a day with his healthy, delicious, and creative creations, and he even shared his talents by teaching a few lucky participants how to bake bread one afternoon. Here is one of a few food reports from the retreat posted to Facebook . . .
. . . lunch was sweet potato chili and tuna melt made with crème cheese on homemade bread, snack of a homemade granola brittle. Dinner was penne with spinach, heirloom tomatoes and chestnuts, a shrimp angel hair with a super light creamy sauce, balsamic glazed veggies and French silk pie for dessert.
Can you say YUM!
There was a lot of laughter around this dinner table each night!
Bryon, Tyrone and Vernon There was only one retreat participant who wasn’t from Ohio, but we welcomed him with open arms. And Bryon – I mean Tyrone – wait, I mean Vernon – quickly won all of our hearts. Little did we know that Vernon was secretly watching our every move throughout the weekend, capturing all our idiosyncrasies and personality traits so he could cleverly create the coveted Skiasana awards that he presented to us on the last evening of the retreat. Awards included “Most likely to join a nudist colony,” “Most Unknotted Yogini (that one went to Dee),” “Most Enthusiastic (awarded to Amy),” and “Most likely to make a career change as a result of attending the retreat (awarded to Barb).” I was named “Most Inspirational.” My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard around the dinner table that night, and with his keen observances and witty delivery, Vernon did an excellent job of recapping all the funny moments of the weekend. Now I have an award I would like to give Vernon whom I truly believe will be: “Most Likely to Live Happily Ever After!”
Knitasana I am still kicking myself that I never found the time over the weekend to learn how to knit, but for those who did, Dee Eisner was there to offer the expert guidance and patience required. I did learn that it is extremely hard to talk and knit, so I might have a challenge on my hands when I do try it!
For those of you who want to learn a bit more about the fine art of knitting and meditation, Dee recommends these two books, Mindful Knitting by Tara Jon Manning, and The Knitting Sutra, Craft as a Spiritual Practice by Susan Gordon Lydonneed. And, Dee, I will be calling soon to set up a private knitasana session!
Full Moon Intentions & Purging We were blessed to be on Stowe Mountain on the night of a gorgeous full moon and used the opportunity to bust out a few moon salutations and set full moon intentions, and on the last night of the retreat, we built a fire for the purpose of a purging ceremony. We wrote down on pieces of paper the habit, relationship, or thing in our life we wanted to let go of, and as we threw the paper into the fire, we exclaimed, “Be gone!” It felt good – no, make that really good – and I for one can say that I have been enjoying a newfound peace as a result of purging a few fears that I have been holding on to for way too long. Be gone, fears!
Laughter Yoga Well, I didn’t intend to teach a session of laughter yoga, but the evening I handed out the Yoga Tune-Up® Therapy Balls for our restorative yoga session, let’s just say we couldn’t hold back the laughs. I didn’t realize that showing yogis how to release trigger points with the help of therapy balls would induce such squeals of delight. To quote Vernon, “I gained a lot of flexibility on the last yoga retreat I attended, but I never dreamed I’d be able to get my balls in between my shoulder blades on this one.”
Swag If you came to Skiasana, you left with some pretty cool swag, like a NamaSTAY Yoga Towel, a pair of Yoga Tune-Up® Therapy Balls, and a handmade journal made of recycled paper. I want to give a big shout-out and hug to Cherie Greenwald of NamaSTAY Yoga Towels for sponsoring the retreat. These patented yoga towels have a unique feature of sleeves that wrap around the ends of yoga mats to provide slip-free protection while practicing yoga. The plush towels also added an extra layer of luxurious comfort during our evening restorative yoga sessions and meditation.
Husbandasana I know this might be hard for some of you to believe, but up until the time we went on the retreat, my husband had never been to one of my yoga classes. I told him that if he wanted to join me on the retreat to ski, he couldn’t come unless he came to all the yoga. I wasn’t sure if he actually would, but I’m happy to report that he showed up on the mat and attended every yoga session without any complaints and without me having to coax him. I don’t know if he’ll continue with his practice, but I’ll never forget how joyful and verklempt I felt when I saw him come up so strong and balanced into ardha chandrasana pose for the first time. Thanks, Vince, for making one of my dreams come true.
I can never stop at 10! So here’s one more….
Community One of my favorite things about yoga retreats is the community that is formed among a group of people who come to the retreat as strangers and leave as friends. It is something I always hope will happen, but you never know if the group is going to gel. Well this group gelled instantly, and the sense of community rocked!
I’m going to hold on to my Vermont Mountain high as long as I can, and I’m already dreaming about where the next SKIASANA yoga retreat will be held! Sending huge hugs and lots of gratitude to Tari, Dee, Amy, Jinny, Kathy, Jim, Barb, Vernon, and Vince for joining me on the retreat, for letting me guide them for a weekend in yoga and meditation, and for sharing their light and laughter with me! Also huge hugs to Jen and the staff at The Travel Yogi for the expert customer service and care in making this retreat a reality. I am truly blessed to get to do what I love!
Wanna see a few more pictures from SKIASANA? Check out my photo album on Facebook (and while you are there, please Like the page) and this awesome Flipagram created by my good friends at The Travel Yogi. Stop by The Travel Yogi site for lots of great yoga and travel adventure retreats and if you think you might like to experience a yoga retreat with me, please check out my upcoming Beach Yoga Bliss II yoga retreat in Aruba from April 22-27, 2014. You can make your reservations now through The Travel Yogi.
Jan 27, 2014 |
It has been way too long since I wrote about cool yoga music or a song that lifts me up, inspires, and makes it irresistible to do a little dance on my yoga mat. So, it is with extreme joy that I announce my newest yoga theme song, “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors.
Replace my usual woo-hoo with a wo-o-o-o—oh and add in some talk about dreams so big and never looking back, and I’m thinking this song may just have been tailor written for me.
This last year, I spoke often in my yoga classes about the inspiration of one of my role models, yogini goddess and 96-year-young Tao Porchon-Lynch, who starts off each and every day by saying to herself, “Today is going to be the best day of my life, and nothing is impossible.” I decided to pick up her morning ritual; each day before my feet hit the ground, I repeat the mantra, “Today is going to be the best day of my life!” I say it, I believe it, and I live it every day. And now I have a musical soundtrack to back it up! That’s Tao Porcho- Lynch and me in the photo above at the New York Yoga Journal Conference in 2012.
If you’ve never heard the song, I’ve got a link to the video below. For dog lovers, American Authors also has a dog version of the video – how cool is that!
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Y66j_BUCBMY[/youtube]
Never gonna look back
Never gonna give up
No limits, just epiphanies
Everything is looking up, everyone get up!
This is going to be the best day of my life!
I’m definitely going to put this song into a yoga class playlist to serve as a reminder to wake up every morning full of gratitude and joy with the belief that each and every day can be the best day of your life, if you believe it. This mantra has absolutely been a game-changer for me. Sing it with me: woo-woo-o-o-o-oh, this is going to be the best day of my life!
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!
Dec 26, 2013 |
What did the yogi ask for the holidays?
No gifts, only presence.
I heard this joke earlier in the week and it made me remember a book I’d received as a gift called The Precious Present by Spencer Johnson. I shared the joke and the message from the book in the yoga classes I taught on Christmas Eve.
The book is about a young boy who learns about the precious present from an old man. The old man tells the young boy that anyone who receives such a gift will be happy forever.
Of course, the young boy wants to receive this gift (who wouldn’t) and goes in search of it, finding out along the way that:
- You can’t receive this gift by wishing for it.
- You don’t have to travel across the globe to find it – you can access the gift anywhere and be perfectly content where you are.
- Most of us have known this gift best when we were children, and we’ve always known how to find it, we just simply forget how to.
- The precious present is not something that someone gives to you – it is something you give to yourself.
Much later in life the boy, now a middle aged man finally came to the realization that the precious present was just that…THE PRESENT. Being fully grounded and loving the moment he was in.
I’m not sure if Spencer is a yogi, but if he’s not, he should be, because the topic of his book – living in the present – is one of the primary teachings of yoga. Letting go of the chatter in the mind, the regrets of the past, the fretting about the future, and seeking peace and happiness as we savor the moment we are in.
In the story the man is happy for a few hours, living fully in the present until he realizes that he totally blew it all the years he was looking for the precious present. In all that time he had missed out on a helluva lot of happiness. He began to berate himself and became sad. He let the guilt of the past keep him from the precious present. He eventually got over the guilt, returned to the precious present, and the happiness returned.
A few days later the man started to worry about whether he would be able to maintain the joy of living in the precious present tomorrow. Needless to say, unhappiness ensued until he kicked himself in the butt with the reminder that he could only find happiness when he was in the precious present.
Why don’t we all spend more time letting the precious present nourish us?
Why don’t we savor each moment as a gift?
One of the cool things about the story is that the young boy was always trying to figure out why he liked being with the old man so much. He finally realized that it was because the old man was totally present when he was with him, and it just felt good to be listened to and to have a person’s full attention.
How many times do you find your mind wandering when someone is talking to you? Are you being fully present for your family, friends, and co-workers? We all have the opportunity to give others the gift of our presence in every conversation we have. Try it out over the next few weeks and notice how good it feels for both you and the recipient of your presence. Being fully present for others is a beautiful gift you can give, and it doesn’t cost a thing.
I’d like to share a direct passage from the book:
“The present is what is. It is precious. Even if you don’t know why.
It is already just the way it is supposed to be.
When you see the present, accept the present, and experience the present. You are well and happy.
When you feel guilty over your imperfect past, or are anxious over an uncertain future, you are not living in the present. You will experience pain, make yourself ill, and be unhappy.
As long as you continue to stay in the present, you will be happy forever: because forever is always the present.
The present is simply who you are, just the way you are right now…and that is precious.
The precious present is something precious you can give and receive from yourself.
For you are precious.” – Spencer Johnson, from The Precious Present
Dec 16, 2013 |
Hard to believe, especially here in Ohio, that the first day of winter is this coming Saturday. With the weather we’ve been having, you would have thought winter was halfway over.
After the summer is over, I start to go into a serious funk that starts with the first time I have to put on socks, to saying goodbye to green grass, to barely seeing the light of day when you wake up in the dark and go home from work in the dark.
I crave sunshine, live to be outdoors, and one of my favorite days each year is the one where I can ditch the socks and set my toes free in sandals. I think that is one of the reasons I love teaching yoga so much: I work in a heated room where the dress code is barefoot!
Last week I experienced one of the days of the year I dread, the first time I have to clean the snow off of my car. It was made even more special by the fact I was not properly dressed to face these wintry conditions.
The first day of winter – aka the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year – is this Saturday, December 21. I used to get really bummed out on this day, but now I’ve come to realize that it’s actually something to be celebrated. Yes, celebrated, because on December 22 we can look forward to the daylight hanging out with us a little bit longer.
I’m also using this shift in the seasons to go within and do some spiritual cleansing. Thankfully there is a winter solstice cleanse program being led by Gretchen Horinger at Yoga Bliss Akron to guide me through the experience.
During the next week I’ll be getting up early to practice yoga, meditate and chant, and eat a healthy vegetarian diet. I’ll also be giving up coffee, wine, and sweets. These actions are meant to create a lightness that will allow me to let go of the darkness of this year. I’m planning a lot of time to be inwardly attentive and, with the space created from letting go, to bring in new light and inspiration for the new season and year to come.
I started my cleanse on Saturday, but if you live in the area and want to participate in the Yoga Bliss program, you can begin a 3-day cleanse with the group on Thursday, December 19. Believe me when I say that the discipline this type of program takes is much easier when you have the support of a community of fellow yogis.
Also of note, this Tuesday, December 17, is a full moon, another powerful time to stop, go inward, reflect, and listen to the universe. I’m planning on going outside as long as I can Tuesday night to let the moon shine its gorgeous light on me, and you can bet we’ll be doing moon salutations in my yoga classes this week.
Full moon photo courtesy of Alison Harris Jaggers
(taken during a beach yoga full moon class this summer in Vermilion)
Don’t let the darkness of this time of year get you down. Instead, let the darkest day of the year become one of the brightest by letting go of the past, celebrating the rebirth of this season, and opening up your heart to the abundance of light, love, and peace to come.
If you live in northeast Ohio you can celebrate with me on Saturday!
WINTER SOLSTICE YOGA CLASS with LIVE MUSIC
Come celebrate the winter solstice with a yoga practice to create inner
lightness and help you let go of the darkness from this past year. We’ll
celebrate the light through yoga, meditation, community, and I’m thrilled to say
we’ll have live acoustical guitar and violin music from
Sid Jordan and Ayden Ash.
The class will be held at the Community Room
Vermilion School Board offices
1230 Beechview Drive, Vermilion, Ohio
9:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Vermilion Class Fee: $8 for Vermilion School employees, or $10 per class, Eight class passes available for $64
*****
SKIASANA – Jan 15-19, 2014
Once the holidays are over, don’t let yourself settle into a funk. Kick the New Year off by giving yourself the gift of a yoga retreat. We’ll be setting intentions and saluting the sun each morning before hitting the gorgeous snow-covered mountains in Stowe, Vermont, on my SKIASANA Yoga Retreat. You don’t have to be a skier to come with us; there will be plenty of wintry outdoor activities, the chance to learn how to knit, meditation sessions, exploration in the quaint village of Stowe, and incredible food prepared by graduates of the prestigious New England Culinary Institute. There are only a few rooms left so contact The Travel Yogi soon for booking details.
