• At the kitchen sink – Place your hands on the edge of sink or counter shoulder width apart, then walk your feet back, hinging at the hips, until they are directly under your hips.  Gaze at the floor as your armpits, shoulders and back receive Downward DISH.
• Talking with a friend (standing) – Interlace your fingers behind your back.  Shoulder blades move together and reach down your back.  You’re breathing,  you’re reaching your knuckles toward the floor as you press evenly on your feet. The back of your neck stays long as you reach the crown of your head toward the sky. Hang out in Chatty Mudra.
• Talking with a friend (sitting) - Sit in half or full lotus or simply cross your legs.  Allow your spine to be long making space between the vertebrae.  Release your hips and press into the sitting bones.  Enjoy Listening Lotus.
• Cleaning the house – Anytime you need to bend over to pick something up off the floor, toys for example, express your forward bend like never before.  (Only if what you’re picking up is not too heavy!).  Variation:  Wide angle forward bend.  Just remember to take your time.  Tidy Asana.
• In bed I – For some of us, going to bed doesn’t always mean falling right to sleep (i.e. reading, watching TV, lying with the kids), so why not take advantage of the time and slip in a couple of postures?  My personal favorite is to lie on my back and get a nice quad stretch.  Lie on your back, bend your right knee and tuck your foot in close to your right hip.  Tuck your tailbone under, press your knees together and down and relax.  Repeat on the other side.
• In bed II – Half reverse prayer lying on back.  Supine Snorasana

So, you get the idea.  Let your mind follow as you continuously open the body, relax your thoughts, and release your soul.  Listen in, though, and know when it’s time to do NOTHING…it’s just as important.

Goodnight.

We also listened to countless lectures  given by medical doctors (western), holistic health practitioners, and anatomy and physiology teachers on diet and digestion. 

Now my ‘conscious eating’ mantra simply boils down to this: 

1. Eat Whole (organic) Foods- not processed is better.   For example, Twinkies are the most processed food I can think of. Now imagine taking a bite and chewing it 10 times then swollowing.  Well, it wouldn’t happen.  Our mouths/brains wouldn’t let it happen.  After the 3rd or 4th chew, you would instinctively swallow because the more you chew, the more you’d actually taste the chemicals , and your mouth would rid itself of the nasty taste by swallowing.  Ew.   
2. Relax and CHEW, CHEW, CHEW.  Now, let’s take an organic whole carrot with the same image in your mind.  Chew that carrot 100 times and you’ll see that it just tastes better the more you chew.  The more you chew, the better you digest, the more energy you get from your food, the less you need to eat, and most importantly, the better you FEEL.  (remember to breathe and relax your belly)
3. Avoid Refined Sugars.  Suffice to say that this addictive substance is simply no good for us – but you already knew this right?  Oh alright, here’s a little more on the subject:  It makes you feel bad,  it feeds the yeast in your gut,  over time, it causes mental illnesses like anxiety and depression,  it causes diabetes, Cancer LIVES on it, it hurts your bones, it has NO nutritional value, and I could go on but I’d rather get back to thinking positive! 

I love how NOT complicated it is to eat well.  It’s easy, actually, and you can do it too!

Eat whole foods, relax & chew, and avoid refined sugar…Bada BOOM Bada BING.

Blessings, Patti

Yes?

Well, of course!  You are your own perfect person with your own perfect needs.  You deserve to have the attention of an instructor who can speak to those needs.  Especially for beginners.  Especially for people with the desire for “more”.  Especially for people with injuries.  Especially for you.  Treat yourself to some private yoga sessions with a qualified teacher and stay safe and nurtured.

Jai Bhagwan ~ Honoring Your Light

Yoga is not just a physical asana practice on a yoga mat.  It’s about being able to apply what I learn on the mat to my everyday life. Like finding my ‘center’ while Jack (2yrs) & Sophie (3yrs) are dumping an entire bag of flour onto the floor… for fun.  And breathe.  It’s knowing that I am successful ALWAYS.

So, as I embark on this exciting new journey, I notice feelings of uncertainty, stress, fear, high expectations,  and impatience – as well as excitement, passion, knowing, and hope.  My off-the-mat practice is to keep coming back to my breath and look for peace from within.  It always works.  Namaste.

• answer all of your questions
• adjust and support your body and its specific needs
• offer pose variations and exercises to strengthen your weak spots
• help you heal injuries or illness through asanas and meditation
• design a home practice that grows with your body, mind and spirit.