Breaking up sucks, but walkovers and Whitesnake can help ease the pain.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
June Newsletter 2011
Healthy Spicy Life
Maybelle walks on water, what about greens?, the meditation practice of Metta, Shambhala Mountain Center retreat in July
Thursday, May 26, 2011
10 Articles I Want To Write Before I Die
Notes from post-its, notebooks and scrap paper.
1) I Won’t Eat That Stuff, But I’ll Feed It To My Kids
Exhibit A: Fluffernutter sandwich on Wonder Bread with the crusts cut off. One of my friends said, “I won’t eat it, but the kids like it.” She also said that if she didn’t give it to her kids, other moms would. I have much to say about this, but perhaps until I have children of my own, I shouldn’t be on my high horse.
Please do not defend this “food” with a cry that at least it’s vegan.
Why Your Children Will be Sicker Than You
2) Are We Too Domesticated?
… Little Boxes On The Hillside …3) Why I Like Younger Men (Alternate Title: Does Age Really Matter? A Proud Cougar)
One doesn’t have to get too deep about this, but I have thought about it. I can pretty much say I have dated younger men since my mid 20s, I am now 42. The age gap is widening, I am still dating men in their 20s and loving it! My girlfriends in their 20s say they wouldn’t date the men I do because they are artists (read unstable). Great! Less competition.
4) AA Got You Sober, But Now You’re Hooked On Caffeine, Cigarettes, Adderall, Ambien, Red Bull and You’re Still A Mess … I Know, I Know … You Can’t Mediate So I Won’t Ask You To Try. (Alternative Title: Does Sobriety = Clarity?)
I can spot the speedy, unsettled mind “sober” people from a mile away. Or when they feel compelled to strike up conversations with me by asking if I am a friend of Bill’s while I am meditating riding a subway car. No, I am not a friend of Bill’s, or at least THAT Bill. Perhaps my year and half involvement with a “sober” person opened my eyes and heart to many things.
5) How It Really Works – Living a Conscious Life or Living a Compulsive Life Co-written with Dr. Miles Neale
I love listening to Miles Neale live or on podcasts. What I have learned from him is that it really comes down to karma and how you choose to live your life. Miles asked me write about this topic with him and this is what I have thus far …
Have a look at the chart and then ask yourself, “Self … which cycle do I want to live in?” These are the choices according to The Buddha and the yogi texts of Patanjali.
I am going to put it in layman’s terms.
Behind door #1, the Compulsive Life of Samsara, which so happens to be surrounded by stacks of money, a fancy sports car, some Barbie Doll looking chicks, a shopping spree at Barneys, we’ll even throw in a case of Red Bull and Chopin vodka, if that’s the vodka en Vogue these days. What if you could dine at Mario Batali’s Babbo every day for free or eat pizza, cookies and have soda for breakfast lunch and dinner with no side effects? OK, we’d meditate longer if we could have Babbo for free every day. Just kidding, sort of.
6) How Is It When A Butterfly Flaps Its Wings In China It Is Felt Around The World? Impossible!
7) Sitting In A Hot Shrine Tent Is Good For You (Alternate Title: Why Would Someone Spend $1,700 To Sit In A Hot Shrine Tent In Silence For Four Days As A Vacation?)
June 30 – July 5 you will find me sitting on one of these cushions.
I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.
Sad Joy sitting with three archaryas.
8 ) Darn It! I Missed Barneys New York Friends and Family Day – Get Purple Points, So I Can Shop More! How Could This Happen To Me?!?
I like to reference Barneys NY and I would be an absolute hypocrite if I said I didn’t like Barneys. But when is enough, enough? Give up constantly going for more.
The Yamas can help you with this I want more, craving thing.
All I Want For Christmas is Samadhi
9) Less IS More
10) Guilt VS Remorse Guilt says I am bad. Remorse says I am sorry.
And if I had all the time in the world, not really article worthy, just baffling …
11) How Is It That You Passed Your Driver’s Test And Are Allowed To Drive?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Flight Club
I was excited to be me! First thing in the morning, I went to Yogis Anonymous to take class with Krista Cahill. I had researched her classes and watched on YouTube the craziness that goes on there. Well, it looked kind of crazy to me. I practice yoga, but not this flying stuff. Some of these asanas will knock you off your asana. Out I went from Marina Del Rey where I was staying to Santa Monica in the wind and rain to try and fly. This flying term is something that’s been going around for a number of years though I’d never heard of it when I started practicing what seems like 100 years ago. “Flying” kind of looks more like gymnastic, but if you add some pranayama, Lulu Lemon wear, and a yoga mat, then it’s called yoga.
To see rain 3 days in a row is unusual for LA in March. Even though I was on vacation, I didn’t mind the rain.
 |
| Krista Cahill |
About 10 minutes into the class, I realized that I needed to work on my handstand game if you will. My handstand is wishy-washy. I can’t count on it.* And my hands feel like they are glued to the floor. Instead of trying to move my hands to gather balance, I flip over. I came to fly, not flip. Flipping I know all too well. My handstand feels stagnant and stuck to me. I arrive and descend the same way. I lift one leg at time, left leg then right, try and find balance and then I am tired, and done. I thought I was in the habit of switching my kicking leg to balance out, but I have clearly favored one side for so many years and fatigued before I switched sides that the balance the sides thing out never happened. I do what is easiest and most likely to produce the results I want – a handstand I can hold. Huh, now there’s something to look in to. This is why I practice yoga, for the life lessons. In this case I need to investigate what needs balancing in my life. Just investigate, not fix. What happens on my mat is what happens in my life off the mat. Lessons are learned on that sweaty, sticky mat. This is very exciting and only something that can be understood and felt by actually doing it.
There is no post yoga affects pill. Thank God!
*Side bar here, I don’t need to count on my handstand. It’s a handstand. Handstands are fun and playful and fatiguing and juicy and well, the list goes on. I take it in stride.*
I love to have fun in a yoga class. If I fall, I fall. Of course a mindful yogi notices her surroundings before she attempts a pose that has potential for going awry so that she doesn’t kick someone in the head. We don’t go to yoga class for that – to be kicked or to kick someone. Know you space upside down, too.
Gratitude to Krista Cahill, she has a new fan. The class sequencing flowed even when I floundered, and though the pace was faster than I’ve experienced in a long time, it felt good. I loved her play list – Led Zep and Bon Iver come to mind. Completely humbled, I decided to go back and take her class again. Two great classes, great atmosphere, great teacher, I caught the bug to learn to fly.
 | |
| Raghunath Cappo |
So far I have been to 3 classes and body is aching all over. How much lactic acid can muscles produce any way? Geez, it’s not like I don’t use my body every day to teach. When I feel a muscle group saying hello to me, I try and name at least a couple muscles and think of their actions. It’s been a good anatomy review actually.
Raghunath said I’d be flying in no time. Even if this isn’t true, I am devoted to going to his class. Raghunath has a wonderful energy, makes me laugh and besides we all need a yoga teacher named Raghunath. Did I mention he plays the harmonium throughout class? So fun!!! Total dork yoga class humor here, but a phone was ringing, no less it was coming from his bag and he asked, “Who put their phone in my bag?” Many of the students in class are either teacher trainees or yoga teachers, so we all got a big chuckle out of that. Had to be there?
In learning to fly I have learned that I need to build my upper body strength. I’ve had shoulder injuries in the past, so I am being careful as to how I build up strength without reactivating my left rotator cuff injury from 8 years ago (my shoulder actually froze) and right AC joint about a year ago. I am listening carefully to my body and watching my will. Being the restorative yoga junkie that I am, going to flight school is helping me find balance by getting out of the house with my yoga practice, and trying some new poses on for size. The two practices couldn’t be more polar and by united them, seeking balance, here it comes … Yoga.
I’m having so much fun, even if I’m not actually “flying” in class, I do float out after savasana. I am not yet a frequent flyer of this flight club, but I will be. Um, and this club we can talk about.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
April Newsletter 2011
Healthy Spicy Life
Gluten free quinoa recipe, NYC yogini Julie Dohrman, Asana of the month half lotus pose and more. Happy reading and happy spring!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
March Newsletter 2011
Benefits of greens, forearm balance, John Robshaw, The ID Project Building Bridges
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)