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My Gratitude
Long a fan of taking time for gratitude, it has been a regular practice of mine to write one thing I am grateful for, each time I journal. Each entry, like each day, is different. In the past I have written everything from hearing a song I love on the radio (especially when the DJ just seemed to know I needed that song just then) to a day of playing in the sunshine with my little yogini, from surviving the day (you know those days) to someone I love surviving cancer again. Even just reminiscing now, looking through my entries, I find myself quite emotional and overcome with gratitude.
"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.” ~ John Milton
March Meditation
Here is a free audio recorded march meditation to welcome the blooming spring! Enjoy!
photo props: dedge555 via flickr
Mumma Monday: 10 Tips for Tranquil Tots
Toddlers are a handful at the best of times, but life doesn't have to be a constant state of chaos or a battlefield! Here are 10 tips for tranquil tots...
1. Bath-time - Bath-time is a favorite for many little ones. Being in the water is soothing, so why not use that it for just that? Instead of toys and playtime, try creating a sanctuary for your tot as you would love to have after a long day. Candles (out of reach), some calm music playing (maybe lullabies if it is almost bedtime), a few drops of lavender essential oil in the water...lovely.
Recipe: Carrot "Cake" Muffins
We have been told all of our lives that carrots are good for us. Why? One main reason, beta-carotene. It is an anti-oxidant which fights free radicals than can lead to cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. Not only that, it helps improve vision! Lucky us, the beta-carotene is more easily absorbed by the body when the carrots are cooked...enter Carrot "Cake" Muffins!
Carrot "Cake" Muffins ~ makes 18-20 muffins
Preheat oven to 375. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or spray lightly with oil.
In a large bowl whisk together:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
Achoo! - Allergy busting poses
Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
To-day the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair,
No miracle so strangely rare.
I wonder what will next be there!
~L.H. Bailey
I love spring blossoms. I see them as nature's way of celebrating the survival of another winter...of coming out of darkness into light. Bring on the celebration! In the ever present balance of life, the enjoyment of these amazing blossoms, for many, also brings allergies. Boo! Here are some of my favourite poses to practice in my effort to lesson symptoms:
Surya Namaskar A- Sun Salutation A: for the alternating compression and opening of the chest (where mucus accumulates).
Cuppa Chai
Have you ever noticed how a cuppa chai has the capacity to slow down time? It's like magic! Try it... with a cup of chai in hand, walk down a busy street. Notice how as soon as the warm spices touch your tongue, the traffic quiets, the cars racing by decelerate and the faces of the strangers walking by seem friendlier, even familiar.
Namaste in Na'vi
Namaste...I bow to you. It sounds so simple. It is interesting that this gesture can make people feel so incredibly uncomfortable...and I think this discomfort comes from more than that these folks are unfamiliar with the language Sanskrit, or the mudra made when your hands are brought together. I think that it makes people uncomfortable to feel someone seeing right through their shell to see that light within them. I am not positive, but I think that many fear, if this person sees the light within me, then they must be able to see the imperfections within too. It is the light, the spirit, the divine within me that seeks, sees and bows to that same light, spirit, divine within you. It can be a very powerful salutation.
Nice Hat!
The hunt...
Recently I was on a quest to find a new hat; a brimmed, wool, grey hat. I learned on this quest, which lasted a couple years by the way, that I have a small head. A head smaller than what most hats are made for...meaning most look ridiculous. I tell people that I like my life organized, why wouldn't my brain be a highly efficient filing system not needing to waste space by being oversized?!?...tee hee! Anyways, I digress.
The prize...
After a very long hunt, I found the hat. I love it AND it fits. Ecstatic! To make it even better, the first time I wore it out I got three compliments from complete and total strangers! Made my day...
The Cranky Yogi: Mr. & Ms. Deadline Dodger
As a business owner, web designer, yogi, father, husband, brother, uncle, consumer and human being, I find it very challenging when someone doesn't deliver on what they have promised and do it on time. It can be a project, email, product, phone call, or just an answer to your question. I pride myself on delivering on time. If I don't, I inform the person that I can't and why. I do all that I can to do this before the deadline, not after. I learned from someone a long time ago that 90% of getting a job done is showing up. There is nothing worse than chasing after somebody that was supposed to deliver something to you, then not being able to find them when the deadline arrives.
I'm not saying that I'm perfect, but there seems to be a lot of serial “deadline dodgers” out there.
The Solution
The Cranky Yogi: A Prequel
My wife asked me if I would like to blog on our website. I thought for a while about what I would say. Do I really have anything to write about that would be of interest to others? The answer I came to, probably not. But, I decided to do it anyway. (Take that, nobody!)
In my experiece of practicing yoga, I have found it very hard to align my day-to-day life with the philosophies of being a yogi. There is a seemly large gap between the capitalist western culture and a yogic lifestyle. This lifestyle doesn't necessarily have to be a religious path, but it i believe it most importantly encompassess compassion, love and non-harming behaviour.
I often find this very hard when I am trying to provide for a family in a often turbulant society. I guess you would say that I sometimes have one foot in the day-to-day and one foot on the mat (Sometimes, it feels like just a toe).
Recipe: Coconut Curry Soup
One of my favourite meals is homemade soup. It is perfect after a good play in the rain or snow. It is soothing after a hard day. It seems to have healing powers when fighting a bug. I love it! A particular favourite of mine is Coconut Curry Soup. This recipe came about when I was looking for a new way to use the post-roast-chicken-dinner chicken stock. Now, to be honest, half of the pleasure of making a roasted chicken/turkey dinner, is knowing that for lunch the next day will be this soup!
January? Check. February? TBA.
Early last month I shared a goal I had for myself for January in Drink up!: to rehydrate. I am happy to announce that I am well on track and back on the infamous wagon. I have started most days with a big glass of water before eating, giving my digestive system a gentle wake up. I have started carrying water with me everywhere again. Also, I bought a new stainless steel water bottle from lululemon...my thinking? Just like with a new pair on yoga pants you just have to wear to class that night, my new water bottle would just call out to me to be used. Successful? So far, so good.
Mumma Monday: Gasp!
Out for brunch with a couple friends this week, we found some beautiful photos the restaurant had displayed. One in particular caught our eye. It was a shot of a babe, maybe 6 months old, nursing with a huge grin on his little face. My friend commented, "that's something I would love to experience". Instantly I gasped, my eyes welled up, and I was flooded with love. Truly overcome with emotion, I fell in love with my little yogini even more...how is it possible?!?
For me, nursing was a wonderful experience. Though like most nursing mumma's, I went through the middle of the night, "please just let me sleep" moment. For the most part I loved it. I believe every feeding strengthened our spiritual/mental connection while we were physically connected, and I cherish the memories of those special moments we shared while nursing.
Yummy You-ness
Last Wednesday night I got to attend a much anticipated training opportunity...and I grooved my *ss off!!! As I expected, the Groove Master Class workshops with the talented Misty Tripoli was incredible. Misty has a gift for facilitating and providing insane inspiration.I think one of the things that I love most about her, and why I gravitate to her workshops, is her complete honesty and her way of inviting the refreshing experience of honesty for her participants. Exploring the yumminess of being uniquely, perfectly YOU...the way you are right now!
I don't think I am alone in feeling like there are parts of my being that are in need of some fine tuning.
Mumma Monday: Feeling Guilty?
This weekend I got to go and use a gift certificate I got for my birthday for a pedicure. My birthday was months ago, but this was the first opportunity I created for a time out. As I was laying there "relaxing", I started by feeling increadibly guilty. First guilty for not using the certificate earlier, then for spending this time away from my family on a Saturday morning, then for not spending the time being more 'productive', and then (and this one is the most rediculous!) for not being present and fully enjoying this break and time of restoration! Seriously, rediculous!
