Now, I've made more banana breads than I will ever be able to count (partly because it's a hell of a lot, but also because I have a terrible memory). That being said, it's been around a year or two since I've attempted loaf making of any other kind. This morning when I woke up, I just felt the need to make a pear bread, and it came out completely perfect first time round. Before continuing I will say: I don't usually wake up and have visions of recipes which result in perfect dishes half an hour later ... most mornings I spend half an hour trying to work out what I want for breakfast.
What You Need:
Poached Pears
3 kaiser pears, peeled, halved and de-seeded 2 cinnamon sticks 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cloves 2 star anise
Loaf
1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, 3 tablespoons water mixed) 1 1/2 cups almond milk 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted 2 cups flour 2/3 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
What To Do:
Begin by poaching your pears. Add the cinnamon sticks, cinnamon sticks, brown sugar, cloves, star anise and pears to a medium saucepan, and add enough water to cover the pears. Simmer for 15 minutes - or until the pears are soft to touch, but not mushy. Remove from the liquid and let cool.
Meanwhile, begin with your load. Preheat oven to 180C and line a loaf tin. Next whisk together the flax eggs, milk, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil until combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth.
Sit pears, stem side up, in your lined loaf pan, before spooning the mixture in. I ensured to spoon in the mixture slowly, which allowed it to evenly surrounded each pear. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until golden.
Corinne Marabel, creator of A Vegan Kitchen, never intended to follow a vegan diet, much less did she intend on creating what she has today. In July of 2013, feeling constantly run down and tired and after spending far too many months treating my body like a garbage bin, Corinne decided to turn from vegetarianism to veganism for a short detox. However, days turned in to weeks, and she began to find herself feeling not only better internally, but completely inspired to create beautiful and clean vegan dishes.
Check out @avegankitchen instagram page, and ebooks!
I went to UCONN but lived at home for the first two years of college and was soon transitioning to the main campus to live with one of my best friends. As an almost-twenty-year-old. I was panicking. Moving away from home, my parents, my grandma, and my favorite bagel shop – my comfort zone – didn't sound appealing. Change was clearly not my friend.
After a great day shopping with my soon to be roommate, I got a text-- a breakup text (yes, seriously). I was mad and sad, then confused. I didn't even know what to feel, to be honest.
I really wanted to talk to my sister, who at the time was pregnant with my twin niece and nephew. I called her, but she was asleep.
Later, in the middle of the night, she called me back to tell me she’s going to the hospital because she needed to be on a medical bed rest to keep her and the babies healthy. I told her to keep me updated and we hung up. Then I realized I was struggling to breathe.
Crying and panicky, I realized that all these sudden changes have me anxious and nervous but I didn't want anyone to worry or wonder what’s wrong. I tried to keep it cool and stay strong. At the time, this was my normal. I had anxiety attacks on an off since I was 17 and I was always dealing with it. Most people didn’t even know. But this was so much different. It felt bigger. and heavier. I had hit my breaking point. I was not at all excited about going to parties or meeting new people or even going to class. I just wanted to be alone and by myself. I was irritable and anxious. Anyone and everyone would set me off.
Eventually I got through it. I met the kindest people on my floor and made friends. These people, without even knowing about my anxiety, cheered me up. When I was anxious, I had friends who wanted to stay in on a Friday night and just knit or crochet. I found crafting to be my meditation, I was calm and my mind was at ease. I now have many things that I use to keep my anxiety away - DIY, meditation, yoga, and working out. Once I found these things that made my heart happy, my anxiety stabilized.
My sister gave birth to the two best kids I know and the three of us share a birthday and a bond like no other. To this day, when I look at them I smile. I want the world they grow up in to be just like them, fun and kind. And I have a great boyfriend who would never dump me via text. He loves me when I am happy or when I feel anxious and always helps me get through it.
I have learned two lessons from dealing with my anxiety:
First, find something that makes your soul happy. For me it’s knitting and crocheting or just being creative in any way.
Another lesson is that if you can be anything, just be kind. People have struggles we can’t see and as corny as it is, it’s true. Being kind is easy and it’s free. Just make a note to self: be kind.
I'd love to know: do you struggle with anxiety? What lessons have you learned from it?
Felice is the writer and creator of 1001knits, a knitting and crochet blog that encourages a modern DIY lifestyle. When she's not crafting or working on her blog you can find her playing with her Dachsund Stella, doing some yoga with her twin niece and nephew, reading at a local coffee shop or at her new favorite place: the gym. If you'd like to have knit or crochet lesson for yourself or a group of friends, check out 1001knits.
This is a pretty simple, straightforward sequence. You don’t need to revolutionize the future of yoga sequencing before noon. You just need to ease into your body, get moving, turn upside down a time or two and chase the cobwebs away with some backbends.
The sequence starts with three opening postures — Child’s Pose, Downward Dog, and Ardha Uttanasana — to slowly stretch the back of your body. Then, you transition into Sun Salutations. I have “Surya Namaskar A” listed here, but you can do any style of Sun Salutation that you like. I take my first couple of Salutations incredibly slowly. It wasn’t always this way, but, again, nothing is permanent. Take as many as you like and move at whatever pace you prefer.
Next, you’ll jump into a progression of standing poses. I like to practice Warrior II-based postures prior to Warrior I-based postures, because they’re easier for my hips. This is the order that I’ve chosen for this sequence, but I don’t have a black and white rule about it. I used to, but nothing is permanent.
After you’ve done a few openers, done as many Salutations as you fancy, and worked through your standing postures, it’s time to get upside down. If you’re not practicing Handstand, you could do Half-Handstand with your feet at the wall. Or, you could omit the inversion entirely. If you have a few tricks up your sleeve and want to do additional inversions or arm balances, go for it.
The sequence concludes with Bridge Pose and Upward Bow, followed by Supta Padangusthasana. My backbends feel even tighter in the morning than in the afternoon. It’s always been this way — some things never change. Supta Padangusthasana grounds you after your backbends and rounds out the sequence. A brief Savasana or Seated Meditation is a nice way to fully close the practice. Usually, I include these, but I’m honest enough to tell you that sometimes I don’t. Once in awhile, it feels like I spent the entire morning sequence trying not to feel like a corpse.
OK, enjoy your practice!
PS: For easier practice at home, you can sign up for my newsletter and we’ll send you a free printer-friendly PDF download. If you are already on our newsletter list, you still have to enter your email to receive the sequence.
{illustration by MCKIBILLO}
By Jason Crandell
Jason Crandell and Andrea Ferretti are a husband and wife team who have been teaching, writing about, and living their yoga for nearly two decades. Andrea is the former executive editor of Yoga Journal and is now creative director for Jason Crandell Yoga Method. Jason is an internationally recognized teacher known for his precise, empowering, down-to-earth approach to vinyasa yoga. They live together in San Francisco with their full-time boss, Sofia-Rose Crandell, age 3. To read their blog or to learn more about Jason's upcoming teacher trainings, please visit their web site www.jasonyoga.com
Try one of the YogaDownload.com Yoga for Waking Up or Morning Yoga classes!
So what about choosing to be vegan? These days the term ‘vegan’ is more known and making its way into mainstream supermarkets. More and more people are choosing to live a ‘cruelty-free’ lifestyle. In fact, according to a study commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group, there are now 7.5 million vegans in the United States, which has doubled since 2009.
Restaurants are now incorporating more vegan options into their menus, making dining out as a vegan much easier than 5 years ago. Apps such as Happy Cow and VegMan have also been developed so that vegans can easily find restaurants in their area by typing in their zip code or city. Germany opened their first entirely vegan supermarket Veganz, and one is due to open in London later this year.
Whether to live a healthy lifestyle or ethical reasons, more and more people are becoming vegan. There’s tons of information out there about the benefits of becoming vegan, but taking that initial plunge is often the most difficult. Here, I will lay out some easy ways to transition into a vegan lifestyle with easy tips and delicious recipes. Giving veganism a chance is a step in the right direction. With the right tools and proper education, you too can be on your way to living a life that it’s plant-based and packed with nutritional goodness.
DON’T BE TOO HARSH ON YOURSELF
Was that a sprinkle of Parmesan I saw on that vegan cracker? Did you know that gummy bear you’re eating contains gelatin which is derived from animal bones, connective tissue and organs? OK, that last one is a little gross, but in the end, oh well! No one is perfect and if you want to snack on a gummy bear or dabble in cheese, it’s OK. It’s all too easy to feel guilt over something if we’re not doing it 100% Instead of placing yourself in a little box and quickly labeling yourself as “vegan” try to be vegan most of the time. When people ask me about my diet I often say, “I don’t eat meat,” and then answer questions as they come. I don’t like to put up too many walls and restrictions. Being ‘vegan’ is not about being perfect, it’s a practice in awareness and listening to your body. If you restrict yourself to the point that you’re about to burst, then that’s not sustainable and you’ll quickly go back to your old habits. Instead, allow yourself to make mistakes and pick yourself back up when you do. No harm, no foul.
GET CREATIVE & FEAST WITH YOUR EYES
Yeah, easier said than done but truth be told, when your options for eating are solely based around plants you need to hone that inner chef in you and find some inspiration. When I was living abroad, I didn’t have the ‘luxuries’ of nutritional yeast, egg replacer, or even an oven. I had to find ingredients that were readily available and work around those. So yeah, my Vegan Sloppy Joes probably could have used a little help with some ingredients back home, but through trial and error, you find things that will make for a perfect texture and taste whilst at the same using locally sourced ingredients.
Start by making a list of some of your favorite dishes and then seeing what ingredients are available, and similar in body and taste. Mushrooms are often a great substitute as they’re hearty and have a nice, rich flavor. Tofu can be great either blended to make a creamy sauce or fried to throw a hot pan with some fresh veggies. A big bulk of becoming vegan is becoming more educated around whole foods. Foods that are alive and will make you feel alive.
When we eat, we eat with our eyes first. The best thing about being vegan is that it is plant-based and plants are generally very colorful. I love choosing a base color and then building upon that. For example, when making a big giant salad my base color is green and then accenting it with whatever colorful ingredient I can find. Pouring a fabulous fruit dressing over the salad, is a nice way to incorporate fresh juice into your meal as well.
A nice rule of thumb for when you’re eating is to try and incorporate all the colors of the rainbow. It’s also important to know your colors. Greens are usually packed with calcium and protein, oranges are full of beta-carotene and purples are high in magnesium. Knowing what colors contain what nutrients can help you decide how to plan your next meal.
DETACH FROM DAIRY
Making the switch from dairy to non-dairy can be a bit of a task. Luckily, if you’re in the States or Europe, there are a lot more options for dairy-free milks. However, if you are in an area with no choices for purchase, making your milk is always an available option. From rice milk to almond milk, there’s for sure an available ingredient for homemade milk that won’t break the bank.
Also, don’t fret about the cheese. Often when people would hear that I was vegan they would reply, “I could NEVER give up cheese.” I would then smile and say, “yes you can.” The fact of the matter, simply put, is CHEESE IS ADDICTIVE. It’s essentially the culinary form of crack. Cheese contains a protein found in all milk products known as casein. During the digestion process, casein releases opiates called casomorphins. The casomorphins then get jiggy with the dopamine receptors, and it is in this process that an addictive element is triggered. So, how do you get rid of this addiction? Well, first you admit you have a problem and then you start to slowly ween yourself off of it. Each new day is a chance for you to rid your body of this substance, and eventually, it will be gone entirely. It takes time, yes, but if once it is out of your system your cravings should subside and you should then be craving something nutritious that’s not laced with crack.
BE PREPARED!
Make sure you have healthy vegan snacks with you, especially when you’re out running errands or at work. Preparing snacks ahead of time and throwing them into your bag, is a great way to curb your appetite so that you don’t feel the temptation to resort to processed food that will most likely not be vegan. In your refrigerator, be sure to place accessible food in the front. For example, placing an open bowl of grapes in the front of the refrigerator is much more accessible than keeping them in a bag in the crisper. We’re more likely to grab the open bowl than dig around in search for the grapes, especially if we’re really hungry.
I love fresh, crunchy veggies. So for me, having fresh cut veg already cut up into easy-to-snack pieces are my go-to. If you’re more into fruit, then do the same with fruit. Adding a dipping sauce on the side is another way to jazz up your snacks. My favorites are hummus, guacamole and vegan ranch.
Lover of ranch? Vegans need not worry, below is my favorite recipe for a ranch dip with herbivore and omnivore satisfaction guaranteed!
BEST VEGAN RANCH:
1 lb silken/soft tofu 3 tbsp fresh chives, chopped 1/8 cup fresh dill, chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 tsp onion powder salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk (optional) juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp.) 1 tbsp. vinegar of your choice
Throw everything into the blender, except the herbs and chives, and blend. Once you’ve got a rich, creamy consistency, pulse the herbs and chives in. Can serve right away or chill in the fridge for a few hours.
START LIGHT
Making the transition into veganism can seem like a daunting task, but taking small steps can help you achieve your goals. You can begin by incorporating one meal a day with a vegan meal. Having asmoothie for breakfast is a great way to start your day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so having something creamy, rich and satisfying will surely satiate your hunger and keep you going until it’s time for that mid-morning snack.
Once you’ve swapped out your breakfast for a vegan delight, you can then move onto lunch. Making a big batch of soup at the beginning of the week, and storing it throughout the rest of the week, is an easy and convenient way to keep you on the vegan path. Complementing that soup with a salad and/or fruit, will you give you the fresh, raw energy you need so you can easily continue on with the rest of your day.
You’ve had your smoothie, soup, and snacks in between, and now it’s time for dinner. Having a plant-based dinner does not mean it has to be a one-pot-wonder. You can still create a multi-layered meal with many components to keep you palette pleased and your stomach full.
For me, having a salad before or after a meal is a must. Be prepared to set aside 10-20 minutes to make a salad, OR have your ingredients washed and ready to go, chop em’ up, dry them and store them in a freezer bag in the fridge. Having salad already prepared makes it easy for you to reach in, grab a handful and throw it in a bowl. Most salads will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge, as long as the lettuce is properly dried and you shake the bag daily.
You have the option to build upon the salad or make something completely different, using the salad as a side dish. You can try a cauliflower pesto pasta or maybe your tastebuds want to go south of the border with a traditional Costa Rican dish of rice and beans, called Gallo Pinto. The mix of the rice and beans give the meal a hearty texture, and the seasonings are rich with flavor. You can also experiment with seitan, a gluten-based protein that is used a lot in vegan cooking to make meals meatier. Since giving up meat, the thing I miss most is boneless Buffalo chicken wings (just typing that has caused a pool of saliva to form in my mouth). I found the perfect recipe that satisfies that buffalo hunger. Keep in mind this is no walk in the park, the whole process from start to finish takes about 2 hours, but it is WELL worth it.
Finally, don’t skip dessert. Contrary to popular belief, just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice food or flavors. You can still have dessert, you just have to be mindful. There are plenty ofrecipes out there that will satisfy your sweet cravings. Do keep in mind that most store-bought sweets are made with eggs and milk, so making your own and finding that perfect substitute can be a fun challenge. I love ‘googling’ whatever it is I’m looking to eat and typing ‘vegan’ after it, you’d be surprised at what comes up and just how easy it can be to make your favorites while partaking in a cruelty-free lifestyle.
So there you have it. I challenge you. Yeah, you. Try these 5 easy steps and do your best to stick with the plan for at least 5 days. If after 5 days you don’t feel you can do it anymore, then slowly ween yourself back to your normal diet. BUT, if after the 5 days you think you can further with it, then do it! Go for as long as you can, and if you do ‘fall off the wagon’ then no worries. Being vegan for even 1 day a week can make a huge difference. According to the Environmental Defense, if we skipped even one meal of meat a week, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking 500,000 cars off of U.S. roads. That’s just going vegetarian, imagine what we could accomplish if we went vegan and did that more often? The possibilities are endless, but all crucial to our well-being and the preservation of this beautiful earth. I mean, why not go vegan?
Tara is an elementary school teacher, presently taking a much-needed break from teaching, and in turn dabbling in and out of different job roles. Her travels have taken her all over the world, previously living in Thailand, Taiwan and Cambodia. When she’s not travelling, or writing, you can find her doing what she loves, which is included but not limited to: lazing about in hammocks, eating salads, watching sunsets and reading.
When looking at the tons of options available, finding the perfect retreat can look like a nightmare. But this infographic breaks down into 9 steps a handy guide to pick the appropriate yoga retreat. Scroll down for more detailed information.
From packages for yoga beginners to advanced practitioners, from beach to hiking, from low to high budget, from domestic to fast growing destinations, find out now which yoga retreat is best for you! This guide takes you through 9 steps that will help you make your decision.
#1 Decide whether you are ready to go
Going on a yoga retreat is not just like going on your usual vacation. Here are the TOP 3 reasons why YOU should go on a yoga retreat based on a survey among 450 bookyogaretreats.com members:
#2 Decide on a destination
Do you prefer to jet off abroad or go to a location closer to home? Or maybe head to a sunny beach?
Most popular destinations around the world:
Most popular destination in the United States:
Most popular beach destination:
Most popular destination in Europe
#3 Feeling more adventurous? Try some fast growing destinations
Traveling alone? Nothing you should worry about. Most yogis are solo travelers.
Be ready to join a community that shares the same passion for yoga, healthy food, connection with mother nature and kindness.
#4 Decide on when you should go on your trip
Destination popularity varies according to seasons. Decide the time of the year you want to go and pick a retreat accordingly.
Top Summer Destination:
Top Winter Destination:
Top Year-Round Destination:
#5 Decide on a budget
When planning a trip, it’s highly advisable to have an estimated budget in place. If you haven’t got a fixed budget in place, here are some idea on the average costs of BookYogaRetreats.com’s yoga retreats*:
#6 Decide on a yoga style
What styles are most popular at yoga retreats? There is a style for each individual whether you'd like to awaken your body with a flow, rest in an asana for a few breaths, chant or meditate. Find out the 3 most popular yoga styles at yoga retreats:
#7 Decide on other activities you’d like to do on your retreat
What else could I do on a retreat?
#8 Pack for your trip
What essentials should I bring? Look at our vital yoga travel check list and pack now.
#9 Measure your level of happiness
Use this scale to rate your current level of happiness. If you want to become happier, why not go on a retreat?
With this guide in hand you are sure to have an incredible yoga retreat experience!
*Results are based upon - a survey of 450 yogi travelers completed from January to April 2016 - 2 years of compiled data of customers inquiries and booking at bookyogaretreats.com.
Intro stats from Yoga Journal Study
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Flora works as the Communications and PR Manager for http://www.bookyogaretreats.com. Get in touch with her to get the latest data about the yoga and travel industry. In her free time, she is also a dedicated yoga teacher and traveler.
Once you’ve figured out your intentions, write them down. An intention that isn’t written down is simply just a dream. Without an intentional plan to achieve our dreams, we can end up floating along and never realizing our full potential.
Now, it’s time to prioritize your intentions and dreams into a manageable plan that won’t overwhelm you. Life is fast-paced and busy for all of us—sometimes it seems like there is never enough time. Be honest with yourself. Take a look at your calendar and your bank account, see how you spend your time and your money. These factors are excellent indicators of your current and past priorities. Be brutally honest.
For example, I could say my priorities are writing three novels a year, taking a yoga teacher training, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. When I look at my calendar and my spending habits, are these priorities accurately reflected?
Do I have writing time clearly marked in my schedule? Am I practicing yoga several times a week? How many trips did I go on last year? How much time was shared with family and friends vs. wasting hours on social media or in front of the television?
So, when you look at your list, what calls to you? Do you feel the urge to do it now, do it now, do it now? Or, could you focus on this intention in a few years? Is it urgent or not?
Decide where you want to focus your energy. Pick your top three or four. If you aren’t sure, consider the ones that tug at your heart. Choose them. Then, get specific and create a timeline.
Once you’ve set your priorities, write them down, and reflect upon them. Visualize your life as if you’ve already manifested your dreams. How do you feel?
Align your deepest desires with your dreams and goals to soar to your highest potential heights.
Check out our newest classes this week:
For a FREE quick energizer, try Eric Paskel’s Yoga Rocks Bootcamp: "The Quickie”.
Delve into two different approaches to balance with Les Leventhal - Guidelines for a Balanced Life: Detox Flow and Shabadpreet - Kundalini Yoga Therapeutics: Weight Loss and Metabolic Balance.
If you’re on track with your new year's resolutions, check in with Mark Morford's Absolution Flow: Get It Together.
The guru of modern yoga emphasized individuality
At one time, following different lineages meant the equivalent of believing in completely different religions. Today the many lineages of yoga are based on the same, or similar, foundations. How the teaching is delivered has become disputed and controversial, resulting in “gurus” and their students insisting that there is only one RIGHT way to do a posture or a practice. This way of teaching leads to confusion for the students.
Krishnamacharya, considered the father of modern yoga, had many teachers. He went to many different schools to learn 7 different philosophical systems of thinking. Eventually he found a guru who he studied with for 7 years. From that teacher he learned about Patanjali’s yoga sutras. At the end of his 7 years of learning, his guru basically told him to go away! Krishnamacharya’s last piece of homework from his guru was to get married, live in the world, and teach yoga.
As Krishnamacharya lived in the world and began teaching yoga, he drew from all of his life’s experiences to teach what he knew. He emphasized the importance of teaching to the individual, which meant that he changed how and what he taught depending on who he was teaching.
This is exactly why some of his greatest students developed such drastically different practices (Iyengar, Ashtanga, and a therapeutically-oriented practice as taught by Desikachar). For Krishnamacharya, there was not one right way for everyone.
You can’t ignore history and culture
The context, history, culture, and life experience of person will drastically affect what and how they teach. All of those variables mix together to create a certain kind of resonance that either jives with your understanding of the world or not. This is why we can have so many yoga teachers in the world AND we can all prosper. What we have to offer is uniquely our own even though we’re all teaching pretty much the same thing. That does not mean that there is only one RIGHT way to teach or learn. There is only one right way for you, which may or may not match the right way for me.
A true guru or teacher empowers students to find their own right way. Often times that means finding a new teacher or doing something completely different. Really good yoga teachers are in the business of constantly putting themselves out of business. For this reason, yoga and business aren’t great matches. A teacher that creates dependency is not doing his or her students any favors.
The true experimental nature of yoga
Another example of a yogi who learned from many teachers was Hari Dickman, profiled in Marion Mugs McConnell’s book Letters from the Yoga Masters. In the book, McConnell explains how Hari learned yoga mostly through correspondence between some of the world’s most well-known gurus. He wrote a similar question to several different gurus and got different responses. Dickman tested these responses on himself before deciding which was the best option for him. From there he developed his own set of best practices for teaching techniques to his students.
Much of yoga is an experiment. In the West, we think that what is being taught in a yoga classroom is the best way to do something. We skip the step where we have to test out all of these practices (hypotheses) on ourself first! Analysis, contemplation, and continual experimentation needs to happen to find the yoga practice that works best for us. A good yoga teacher gives us space and guides us through that process of testing stuff out. Without analysis and contemplation, the student unconsciously gives away his or her power to the teacher and assumes the teacher knows best. Believing the teacher knows best has the potential to lead towards not good things, as evidenced by many of the scandals that have happened in the yoga world over the past fifty years.
Yoga and golf
When I was in high school I was on the girls golf team. I had a swing coach at the range and my team coach. My team coach didn’t really “coach” me much on my swing because he knew that I had someone else working with me. In the game of golf it’s best to follow one way of doing things rather then get lots of opinions. Golf is about precision, detail, and focus. You have to focus on one way of doing things to do it well. When you lose your focus you’ll never succeed at any one part of the game.
The same is true in yoga except that, as in golf, when the swing no longer works for you it’s time to change your swing. In yoga, when your practice no longer works for your life circumstance it’s time to find a new teacher and a new way of doing things.
The only constant is change
Lineages are barely hanging on today. They have become so adapted from the original source that it’s hard to say what the original lineage was all about anyway. Yoga has to adapt to meet the times, thus the way the teaching is taught must change along with it.
There is no wrong way to learn or teach, but there is a right way for you.
Experience lots of styles of yoga, lots of ways of teaching, lots of teachers, and find someone who really speaks to you. When they no longer excite you, find someone else. It’s the greatest complement to a teacher when a student strikes out on her own. That means you really get it.
I’ve learned from many teachers and yet I wouldn’t say that I follow, or feel compelled to follow, any particular lineage. On the one hand, the aspirant in me laments that I haven’t found my guru yet — for funsies, check out my article I posted on this blog a while back on why you need a guru! On the other hand, I understand that my guru is and always will be me and my unique life circumstances. Life has a lot to teach me every day. I can greet each day with open eyes and arms wide open or keep ignoring what’s right in front of me in my quest to find someone else to tell me what to do, only to be disappointed.
Study many perspectives. Experiment. Contemplate. Synthesize. And then go out in the world and be unapologetically you. Keep changing, smiling, thinking, and being.
Namaste.
By Ashley Josephine
I started practicing yoga to stay in shape and release stress. What I learned was how to love my life. How to have faith. How to find your community of people who support you and love you unconditionally. How to get back control. Today, it is my mission to help busy Type-A overachiever women like me gain back control of their lives, live pain-free, and love the life they want to live through yoga lifestyle practices. Visit www.ashleyjosephine.com to get free yoga lifestyle tips to help live healthier, happier, and pain-free.
Click here to download or stream one of our Office YogaDownload classes!
Pasta was such a central part of our diet, it could’ve been its own food group in my family. Pasta with fresh tomato sauce, pasta with pesto, fettucine alfredo – all of these delectable dishes were mainstays and by the time I got to high school I was pretty skillful at making all of them.
Unfortunately, my adult waistline couldn’t abide by the processed carb load of a two-pasta-bowl night—-and my hunger wasn’t satiated by an eight-ounce serving size. But a year ago, I discovered zucchini noodles.
I got the spiralizer and, suddenly, I could make my favorite sauces again. At the top of my list is pesto for two reasons: First, it’s a classic dish that reminds me of my childhood. And second, it’s incredibly flexible. I like to call pine nuts “tiny nuggets gold” because they are so delicious and so expensive. If you’re out of pine nuts (or if you simply don’t want to shell out the $$$ right now), you can make pesto with several different types of nuts–I’ve used walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds and they’ve all been delicious. Just be sure to toast them first. Also, when basil isn’t in season, you can use baby kale or baby spinach.
A few cooking notes: I use pecorino romano, which is a sharp, salty, delicious sheep’s cheese. You can also use parmagiano reggiano. The zucchini really shrinks when you cook it, so never fear if it seems like A LOT at first. This amount of pesto and noodles with give you 3-4 hearty portions.
INGREDIENTS 4-6 zucchini (courgette) 1 1/2 cups of fresh basil (tightly packed) 1/2 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts 1/4 cup of olive oil 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice
TO MAKE THE PESTO: 1. Place the pine nuts in a pan and turn on the heat. Toast them for about five minutes, watching them carefully to make sure they don’t burn. Shake the pan around occasionally to be sure they turn light brown on all sides. 2. Place the basil, cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil into a Cuisinart or blender. Pulse the mixture until it’s finely chopped. 3. If you can, drizzle the water in as the pesto is blending. I start with a 1/4 cup and if it’s just not geling, I slowly keep adding more water. 4. Once you get a consistency you like, add the sea salt and lemon juice. 5. The last step is very important: Taste your pesto! I find that I sometimes need to add more cheese or nuts to get it just right.
TO MAKE THE NOODLES: 1. Choose the medium setting on your spiralizer. 2. Cut the ends off of the zucchini and spiralize away. 3. Put a large saucepan on medium-high heat. 4. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and your noodles. Saute for about 3-4 minutes, until your noodles have softened but aren’t soggy — it’s a fine line, so watch them closely. 5. While the noodles are hot, stir in your pesto and mix well. Serve it up in big bowls and enjoy every healthy, delectable bite.
By Andrea Ferretti
Andrea Ferretti and Jason Crandell are a husband and wife team who have been teaching, writing about, and living their yoga for nearly two decades. Andrea is the former executive editor of Yoga Journal and is now creative director for Jason Crandell Yoga Method. Jason is an internationally recognized teacher known for his precise, empowering, down-to-earth approach to vinyasa yoga. They live together in San Francisco with their full-time boss, Sofia-Rose Crandell, age 3. To read their blog or to learn more about Jason's upcoming teacher trainings, please visit their web site www.jasonyoga.com
For years and years I would grit my teeth and try and be different-- healthier, stronger, more powerful, more feminine, more hygienic, less procrastinatory (woah that’s actually a word?). It would work, but only for awhile. Some things would stick, while some wouldn’t. I tried to systematize my business forever, with basically no luck.
Like the good straight-A student I was, my first line of defense has always been RESEARCH! Can’t make habits stick? Better google, read books, watch videos, sign up for programs to help, RIGHT?
What that resulted in was I now understand a LOT about the psychology of habits, why we resist new ones, how to create them, etc. And you know what? It still came down to if it didn’t feel fun or I didn’t get an immediate benefit, I just didn’t end up sticking with it. Some may call that lazy, but I realized that if it didn’t feel good, why do it?
Still, things need to get done. Dishes, responding to emails, paying bills, sending invoices-- we can’t just choose to stop doing all the stuff that isn’t always so fun.
What we CAN do is change the way we experience those things. We can choose the approach we want, and we can create support in our bodies, in our environment, and in our thoughts around what we are doing. That’s why the power of ritual is so important.
A lot of times on New Year's, we have goals and ambitions to create changes in our lives. Instead of going full-steam ahead, I've found that the secret way to having a successful year and resolutions is to create a ritual out of everything. Everything from brushing your teeth to driving your kids to school can be ritualized. What's different between a habit and a ritual is that a ritual is sacred. No matter where you are and what you're doing, you can create that specialness and magic in your experience.
So how do you create a ritual? Set an intention for everything you're doing. Ground yourself in your intentions. Feel it in your body, first and foremost and don't just say it in your mind or words. It can make a difference for those of you that resist tasks and responsibilities. Get yourself in a place of feeling good before you do that thing and then see what happens.
I would love to know- what can you ritualize in your life? Where can you create space for sacredness and intentionality?
Equal parts earth mama, mermaid, and magic glitter, Kate Marolt is an embodiment coach, speaker, yoga teacher, and founder of Unbound Living. Kate is a fierce advocate for women’s empowerment and wisdom, and with over 1000 hours of training in yoga, fitness, energy, philosophy, spiritual practices, and emotional processing tools, she is uniquely placed to guide you back into alignment, integration, and wholeness. Kate is dedicated to helping you understand your body’s messages and inner wisdom so you can feel ALIVE, joyful, and free to be exactly who you are, inside and out.
That deep work is fired up by the collusion between the Cancer moon, Pluto, Uranus and Jupiter. These four powerhouses in the sky work together to create expansive, abundant opportunities to incite radical transformation within. Taking stock of your ways of being and thinking, releasing what no longer serves you and getting honest and clear about who you want to be is paramount at this time. By following your intuitive flashes, you will be guided to transform yourself as is necessary at this time. The Cancer full moon nudges us to be kind to ourselves, listen to the message of our psyche through our emotions and practice self-care as we do our deep inner work.
Alchemical Ritual for the Cancer Full Moon
As a water sign, Cancer is immersed in the watery world of the emotions and our unconscious drives. On the low side, this fluid sign becomes moody and overly sensitive, seeking self-protection at all costs. This full moon ritual for Cancer accentuates the high side of sign so we express our emotions in a healthy way, allowing for receptivity, acceptance, nurturing, growth and self-care along the way.
Cancer's ruler is the moon, the luminescent body that shines light on our dark areas, namely, the unconscious. While Cancer sometimes falls prey to the shadow with emotional instability, it also has the opportunity to heal any wounds left untended, and brings awareness to our own darkness, ultimately revealing its light. To keep Cancer’s energy elevated in this ritual, try donning white clothing and gather white stones such as moonstone and place them in the center of your ritual space. You may also place your sacred items in a silver bowl or chalice, as silver compliments the moon.
Bring in the water element in some way, perhaps by placing a few drops of essential oils in water in the silver vessel, if you have it (jasmine, lemon or sandalwood oils work well with Cancer). The essential oils can be used to anoint your third eye chakra before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Sit in the center of your space and bring the hands together at the heart center. Connect to the third eye, the location of intuition and our internal moon and say the following invocation aloud:
Moon, keep my eyes open to the messages that come from within me so that I may heed their lessons in my life.
Sit quietly as you call forth a dream image. Ask the unconscious to deliver an image that you need at this moment. Be patient and pay attention. Do not force or manipulate this process in any way. Rather, stay attuned to your breath. When you receive your dream image, simply observe it. Watch it move, hear it speak, or feel its presence. Rather than impart your own meaning to it, allow it to bring meaning to you. Let it express to you what it needs.
When complete, turn the internal gaze to the third eye and chant Om three times. Place the moonstone (or other white stone) in your hand and hold it to your third eye. This is now charged with the energy of your intuition and helps to connect you to it when needed. Snuff the candles and place the stone somewhere prominently enough that you are reminded daily of the power of your intuition. This ritual allows you to find the meaning in your life, knowing that the meaning always comes from within you.
By Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna believes Yoga is for everyone and each student can develop the self-empowerment needed to embark on a personal journey to meaningful transformation. On this principle she founded The Kaivalya Yoga Method, a fresh take on yoga emphasizing the individual path while honoring tradition. Teaching students since 2001, teachers since 2003, Alanna has written and developed teacher trainings worldwide for top studios and independently. In January she debuted a comprehensive 200hr-online teacher training with YogaDownload. She holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, has authored numerous articles and two books: Myths of the Asanas, an accessible practitioner’s guide to stories behind beloved poses; Sacred Sound, a yoga “hymnal,” illustrating the role of chant and mantra in modern practice. Look for her third book, Yoga Beyond the Mat, in Autumn 2016.She lives in New York City with Roxy the Wonderdog.
Click Here to learn more about Alanna's 200hr Online Teacher Training with YogaDownload.com
To kick it off, join the 21-Day Fit & Fabulous Challenge - the perfect anywhere, anytime program to get your body in the ultimate shape and your spirit rejuvenated: YogaDownload.com/Challenge. It’s full of expertly curated daily yoga and meditation classes designed to help you cultivate your most fit & fabulous self, for 21 days straight. Daily classes are friendly for all levels, whether you’re new to your practice or a seasoned yogi.
And of course, YogaDownload is here to help you work the fitness of your body and brain all year long with new classes each week to keep your mind clear and your body strong. This week’s offerings include:
Kristen Boyle – Engage in Stillness
Sometimes stillness is the most productive thing you can do. If you came into the new year running, enjoy this 35-minute Vinyasa flow, perfect for morning, lunchtime or an afternoon pick-me-up, complete with a vigorous flow and moments of complete stillness.
Kristin Gibowicz – Rock Your Body Yoga Sculpt
Work your abs in this fun 30 minute practice that incorporates sun salutations, squats, planks, push-ups and glute work.
Guru Jagat – Cardio Kundalini 3: Mind Clarity
Strengthen and tone small muscle groups in the body while clearing out brain fog, as we open to a new level of clarity and vitality in this full-body, cardio workout.
Ashley Turner – Yoga for Hangovers
The perfect weekend class to restore from the night before, this gentle hatha class will detoxify and put you back in balance.
For me personally, I didn't start thinking about trying to be healthier until after school, and to be honest the sole reason was purely about weight and external looks, it really had nothing to do with what was going on inside my body - and that right there is the biggest issue. I truly believe its only been over the last few months that I've worked out what works best for me, and I seriously have never felt better, both mentally and physically. So I figured, why not do my best to try and help anyone who needs a little push in the right direction. I've put together what I believe are the key points, the foundation to starting off a healthy life.
Please remember that I am not a trained nutritionalist, and what I am writing is purely from personal experience, but points that I truly believe work.
1. Don't be hung up on your weight
It is my personal belief that if you're purely trying to eat healthy to lose weight quickly, that majority of the time, it won't be a lasting change. Most people are aware that weight does not just immediately drop off by the kilo because you're eating healthy. Of course, transitioning from filling your body with processed food to really good and wholesome food will cause you to lose weight, but it will be a slower process, and that is a really great thing! Rapid weight loss, I have found, will usually be due to under-eating etc, and at the end of the day, it is never a lasting thing. When moving to a healthier diet, you HAVE to remember that its a slow process, and if you are hung up on weighing yourself and constantly analysing yourself in the mirror hoping to see huge changes, that eventually you will grow tired and fed up (impossible standards will always leave you feeling unmotivated), and more often than not will steer away from a healthy diet.
2. Do not be unrealistic or hard on yourself
You're trying to be healthy, which is fantastic, and this by no stretch of the imagination means that you cannot indulge occasionally, and most importantly it does not mean you have to cut out huge food groups all together. This is something I find unbelievably frustrating, when I hear people say that they wont eat any bread, pasta, rice, white potatoes, etc! Let's be real here, carbs are not your enemy, and I will usually eat a large bowl of pasta once a week (I actually just finished eating some before finishing off this post!). I'll enjoy toast for breakfast, and fried rice for lunch, and potatoes I will have an abundance of roast potatoes with dinner, and I will never, EVER feel guilty about it! You need to be realistic, and I truly believe that once you cut out healthy food groups, you are dealing with a diet not a lifestyle change.
3. "I'll start on Monday..."
There are two things that will most likely happen if you utter these words. Either you will, start on Monday and will not stick to it, or you wont start at all. Why? Well it's simple, if you want to make a change, and I mean truly make a change, you will want to do it the second you make that decision. And let's be honest here, this whole starting on Monday thing is slightly ridiculous. If you want to start eating healthy, and being healthy, then just start...as lame as it sounds, there really is no time like the present.
4. Listen to your body
This is so important, and it's said all the time! A lot of people struggle with understanding what this means, which is understandable, but I promise it's simple. If you're hungry eat. If you're thirsty then drink. If you're feeling run down and tired, sleep. If you're feeling light headed, you probably need to be eating more. This whole business where people tell you exactly how often you should be eating is crap, I truly believe that. Every single person has a different body, it runs differently and needs different things. I don't have specific times that I eat, and I'm a giant snacker! I'm probably eating every hour or so, and that works perfectly for me. It will take a bit of time to work out how your body works, but its all through trial and error. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to have this healthy eating thing down pat straight away, the more you understand about your body, the more likely it is that this will truly become a lifestyle and not just a 'phase'.
5. Know which foods are 'bad'
This part is pretty basic. It's not the foods you need to vilify and never eat again. I don't think that there will ever be foods that I wont eat again purely because they aren't healthy. I'm all for treating yourself if you want to, don't deprive yourself because that, for me, is mentally damaging and exhausting. However, its important to know which foods aren't healthy, and by healthy I mean truly good for your body, the kind of foods that help you thrive. For me, I work this out in two very basic ways. First and foremost, the foods that come out of a packet will never come close to be as healthy as the fresh foods you'll find in the ground and on trees, thats a fact. Secondly, I'll have a look a the ingredients on the back of boxes, packets etc, and if you don't understand what some of the words are, or there are a bunch of numbers, that's a dead giveaway that the food isn't healthy.
The one thing I cannot stress enough is to never be too harsh, EVER. You are only human, and if you make mistakes, and have a few days where you eat terribly, that is totally fine. It is not the end of the world. But the biggest mistake you can make, is to not pick yourself back up and start eating well again. I promise you, after a few weeks, cravings of sugary foods will subside, and you will be able to have a truly balanced diet you can be proud of.
In my spectacularly unfit shape, I got totally confused by a barrage of Sanskrit, strange movement, and a sweet teacher winning a losing battle against the cacophony of clanging weights, basketball dribbles, swimming pool echoes and cardio kickboxing classes outside. But something felt right.
My friends (many of whom still have yoga in their lives) and I continued. One friend had the unique experience of taking a yoga class all semester for university credit. She described her teacher as ‘older than the earth, and containing all its wisdom', and described her spouting such terrors as: ‘after holding this pose for many breaths in class today, you may tonight experience violent nightmares.' I had no idea what that meant, but I appreciated its drama.
Eventually, I learned a few of the Sanskrit phrases, and could keep up with the pace of the class. I moved on to a dedicated yoga studio in Union Square, where a more experienced teacher started to teach me how to use my body to find its own individual way into the poses.
I would recruit friends, one of whom unceremoniously fell on to me during an ill-fated handstand attempt. Yoga even appeared in my writing and acting classes with a professor taking us through their own version of a yoga warm up followed by a melodramatic anecdote like ‘[insert famous award winning playwright] cannot write anything unless she does her yoga in the morning.' But I believed then and still do that taking the time to come into the body and the breath is a prerequisite to creativity.
By the time I finished my degree, I had shed the earring, the yellow glasses and most of the poor fashion choices, but yoga held on. Even though I was still clumsy, inflexible, and weak, I knew that in its own mysterious way, the combination of posture and breath connected me to an energy and presence that was helping me have the courage and conviction to find my way through my then terrifying 20's.
There were years when I didn't practice yoga, and there were years where it was all I did. I was frequently the ‘guy in red, lift those arms up, what are you doing?!' in class, chided by the teacher. I heard about twenty different opinions on how to work with my tight hamstrings, sometimes with conflicting opinions coming from the same teacher. Practicing inversions a bit too keenly at a mirrored wall, I left a heel shaped glass shatter for posterity. For years I had no idea what I was doing and came nowhere near any ‘full expression' of a pose (whatever that really means). But I never let myself care too much about what I was supposed to be doing, and stayed focused on what I was feeling and how each class and each teacher contributed to a more joyful and productive expression of my life. For it's life that matters, not being able to get your foot behind your head.
As a beginner, it's important to remember, to quote Dorothy Fields, ‘it's not where you start, it's where you finish.' We've all had to begin somewhere, usually far far away from any mystical finish line. And the paradoxical thing is, you never finish. As you reach your maximum in a pose, your body or your life changes. Just when you think you've answered all the questions, the questions change.
Take the long view, be patient, and let the practice and all its joys, mysteries, embarrassments, laughter, challenges, and comforts reveal itself with each class, each practice and each year. We've only just begun.
By Adam Hocke
Adam has been practicing vinyasa flow yoga since 1999 and has trained extensively with Jason Crandell. He offers precise, strong, and accessible classes to physically awaken the body and develop mindfulness both on and off the mat. His teaching is down-to-earth and direct, exploring traditional practices from a modern perspective. A native of South Florida, Adam spent ten years in New York City before becoming a Londoner. He teaches studio classes, workshops and courses throughout London, and retreats across the globe. As a writer, Adam contributes regularly to magazines and web publications on yoga. Visit Adam at www.adamhocke.com
Our Ojas Energy Elixir is the perfect drink for this time of year to help us rebalance our energy after the craziness of the holidays.
In Ayurveda, “ojas” means “vital nectar of life.” Known for balancing the body and increasing vitality, this warm and nourishing tonic is the perfect way to cozy up and reflect on the year ahead.
We have a lot of new and exciting things planned for you in 2017 and we can’t wait to share them with you!
First in line is our New Year’s Conscious Cleanse. We kick off on January 4, so be sure to sign up here.
Cheers to you and we look forward to serving you on your path of health and vitality in 2017 and beyond!
All our love,
Ojas Energy Drink
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
Instructions: In a high speed blender place coconut milk, water, coconut oil, date, cinnamon, rose petals, saffron, ginger, and sea salt. Place a towel over the blender (as a safety measure), and set to high for about 2 minutes, until hot. Alternatively, you can place all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk while bringing to just before the boil. If you choose this method, you may want to strain out the date and the rose petals depending on your preference.
Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website.
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman
Heart Opening Forrest Yoga Flow - Jo Schaalman
Traditional Hot Yoga - Julie Peláez
Over the holidays, our focus shifts to taking care of others first and in the process we often sacrifice our own health and well-being. Celebrate the positive message of the holidays and give and share with others, especially those less fortunate. When we share our love, compassion and time, everyone benefits.
But, don’t give up your own personal time to such a point that you become frazzled, exhausted, and sometimes resentful. When we operate from this mindset, nobody benefits. Remind yourself that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, especially now.
To keep your own cup full so you can share from the heart, make the time for your yoga, meditation and pranayama. Although your practice may be shorter or completely different, remind yourself a five-minute meditation is better than none.
Here are some sneaky ways for you to step away from what’s stealing your energy and joy and get your mojo back. Accept that you cannot control everything going on around you and all you can control is your own behavior.
Choose to wake up fifteen minutes earlier or sneak away and hide yourself in the upstairs bathroom or closet if you need to and meditate or practice Nadi Shodhana/alternate nostril breathing for five minutes. We’ve made it easy with Pradeep’s Alternate Nostril Breathing Practice. Try one of two meditation practices to tune in and tap into your inner wisdom:
Channing Grivas- Quieting the Distractions or Nancy Nielsen’s Meditative Zen Practice
Reset your perspective to one of gratitude for all the positives in your life. Remind yourself how good you feel when you focus on your Sadhana. It's a great time to review your personal rituals and leave behind those that aren’t working and create new ones. If you’re new to practicing yoga, try a great new beginner’s practice: Claire Petretti Marti’s Beginner Yoga: Find Your Flow.
Remember you are already doing the work and it IS enough; be thankful for this moment even when it is crazy. Breathe in love, breathe out everything else.
Each day is a new chance to make a choice on how you will embrace the 24 hours that you have; honoring what has come before but not having it dictate or derail your ambitions, hopes, and dreams. There are many ways we can wake up each day; the challenge is to experiment and find what best works for you to maximize your mindset throughout the day. Often times modifying with the seasons and current life circumstances.
Granted, it may be very difficult for some to see gratitude as their eyes adjust to the dawn of the day…peeling paint may be their only view and the thought of moving from under the very thin blanket on a cold winter day maybe overwhelming. If however, you can find a sliver of light, and acknowledge it as a hope that it can bring there is a good chance it will manifest in more positive ways throughout the day and beyond.
Many of us in this multi-screen filled world scurry to start our day, not the least bit mindful of what we are doing. So much so we lose our keys, our phones and then….it feels like our very minds are lost! We rarely break our routines unless someone else shakes them for us and then it feels like a total derailment turning a beautiful sunrise into our personal tornado.
Our tail often spins throughout the day when it starts this way; adding more and more to our to-do list then actually gets done. A to-do list where many things will never get done and don’t need to be but keeping them on the list has a perceived positive effect when in reality…it keeps us from feeling like anything was accomplished.
Consider for a moment you have just 24 hours in every day stretching across weeks, months and years to curate your life. How can you even begin to design your life when you are so busy with your to-do list and everyone else’s?
Try this!
As you awaken tomorrow morning, before even bringing your feet to the floor take just a moment to consciously inhale; raising your arms over your head, shaking off the potential chill they will invariably feel and the to-do list that is already no doubt swirling in your head. As you exhale crack open your eyes as you say something positive to yourself or better yet out loud, even if you are the only one there.
The actions and, more importantly, those first few thoughts will indeed manifest themselves throughout the day. Imagine your life as that hands-on interactive museum with many walls to adorn. How will you fill them? How will you choose what goes where and when? What type of light do you want to shine …bright or dim?
If you can, sometimes just changing your scenery will help you to curate more in your life that you want. Our routines and other’s voices real or perceived hinder us from seeing outside our box, our comfort zone. Literally take a walk in the park, try a new coffee shop or a different road to work. All the while acknowledging any thoughts that come in but letting them go. Even just a few minutes a day doing this will help you to get some calm and clarity on how you want to design your life. Even with individual limitations, we may have from family and job responsibilities to mental blocks there are opportunities to decorate your museum, your personal space more in keeping with your preferences and desires.
Susi Resner is a nature lover and tech geek. Primarily an IT Consultant, whose passion for the rainforest launched her adjunct career as a Wildlife Educator for young children. Programs follow a ‘no apps’ needed mission statement helping children embrace the world of nature sans screen. Almost anything outdoors is on Susi’s hobby list, particularly in the warmer weather. Yoga, kayaking, and movies are favorites, and of course, traveling to towns near and far, both solo and with family. Even a trip around the corner, down a different road can be an adventure!
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do then those you did, so cut off the bowlines sail away from safe harbor. Explore. Dream. Discover. ” – M. Twain
As much as we are grateful to get to spend quality time with our family and friends, there can be a few pains and discomforts along the way. On days when getting into a car or boarding a plane is the last thing we want to do, here are some essentials to help us get through the trip and the holidays:
Other than these essentials, don't forget to dress for comfort and avoid stressing out about things beyond your control. Embrace traveling lightly and with simplicity. For the yogis traveling this holiday seasons, safe travels and a Happy New Year from us at YogaDownload.com!
There is no space in that command. No push, no pull. No relationship between two entities. It is love heaped from one being onto another. It is a love that is finite and acute. It creates a wholeness not of resiliency but conditionality. We are whole, we are happy if we love our body.
But what happens when we don’t?
What happens in those moments of contention and resentment and confusion and disappointment. What happens then?
Do they mean that we’ve failed?
Do they mean the we don’t love ourselves?
And if we don’t love ourselves. If we can’t feel that deep, unwavering love rooted in our very being. If our most simple, our most basic relationship of love is based on one that is infallible in the fact that it is not stable, but rather static – how are we supposed to navigate loving the chaotic presence of someone else? How are we supposed to receive love when we see it so easily undermined in our own minds when we look in the mirror or enter a dressing room or sit down to a meal?
Our body is perhaps the best example of why one-directional, action-driven love – the kind where you dissolve into another, the kind doesn’t elevate you but completes you – doesn’t leave you whole, but hollow.
But what if we changed the vernacular?
What if instead of loving we are in love. A preposition that imbues love with autonomy. Love becomes not who we are, but what we do. It is not simply what we give, but also what we receive. Love becomes not a force to be wielded but a relationship to discover.
When we are in love we have the right to need space. We have the right to be disappointed. We have the right to be angry. We have the right to be all of those things without them negating the enduring presence of love. It is simply what happens when two entities collide. Why should it be so different, so oddly and unnaturally constant with our body?
I don’t know if I will ever love my body. If there will be some day of deliverance in which I will look at it and it will be simple, and pure, and bright. And I don’t think I would want that. It makes me anxious and claustrophobic.
I don’t know if I will ever love my body but I do know that I am already fiercely in love with my body. It isn’t a love that is constant. It isn’t shiny. Or neat. Or tame. Rather it is a love that is resilient. And messy. And expansive. And wild.
It still surprises me how you can change everything without changing anything. How a simple preposition can change it all.
To not love, but…
To fall in love.
To be in love.
To delight in LOVE.
By: Maddie Berky
Maddie is a writer, blogger, storyteller & holistic nutritionist. She is not a purveyor of answers, but an asker of questions. And she seeks not to construct the most perfect plate, but rather uncover the human siting down to that plate who is worthy and nourished and alive. Our relationship with food creates this beautiful opportunity to explore who we are and train who we want to become. It asks us to engage with these multifaceted drives of hunger and nourishment and pleasure. Can we receive? Can we trust ourselves? Can we connect - to our plate, to our body, to our partner? It is the answer to those questions that not only affects what is on our plate, but more importantly, the space we take up in this world.
Yes-- I know that is a really big statement to make, but I firmly stand by it. The reason this chutney is so incredible is because it isn't just your regular, sweet tomato chutney (there's nothing worse than eating a chutney that is just too sweet), it has a really great kick from the chilli, as well as some amazing tartness from the white wine vinegar. Trust me and give this recipe a shot. It's not only super easy but it's also very quick, and will last a couple of months in the fridge.
Tomato and Chilli Chutney Takes: 45 minutes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - 1/2 tablespoon paprika - 1 brown onion, thinly sliced - 600 grams ripe tomatoes, chopped - 5 chilli's, most seeds removed and chopped - 1/2 cup brown sugar - 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Begin by heating the olive oil in a pot and simmering the paprika and onions for roughly five minutes. Next, add the rest of the ingredients and let it all cook down for about 30 minutes, making sure to mix every 5-10 minutes. That's literally all you have to do, and the end result with be this really amazingly glossy, and jammy consistency.
Non-Grasping
Aparigraha= Non grasping. Not wanting more. It is the fifth Yama (code of self-restraint) of the Yoga Sūtras, which shapes the Raja Yoga tradition. Aparigraha is my biggest challenge and at the same time my pillar of strength. It gives me mental sanity to know that there is something out there acknowledging my attachments and giving me some sort of guidance. Aparigraha is a call against greediness, against selfish material attachment.
I always wish for more work, more fun, more sun, more yoga, more running, more free time, more food, more travel, more clothes. It’s hugely important to know that we have enough. There is no universal gauge of “enough” though; we have to create it ourselves by setting boundaries and accepting what we already have.
Especially for those of us who are obsessive in their personality, overachievers or workaholics, non-grasping is a challenging daily practice. Because we always want more, for better or for worse. And we can’t let go of the thought that if did have more, if we did teach that extra class, if we had gone to that extra dinner, or we had worked that extra shift we would be better off. And then we start to reminisce bitterly on how we totally missed out. We get FOMO=Fear of Missing Out. The truth is, we did just the right amount. There’s an unshakable sense of peace that comes from no longer directing your energy into wanting more.
It’s Hard to Say No
Scaling down actually takes just as much effort, if not more. It’s a commitment in and of itself. I often find myself thinking “I can’t afford not to make that extra cash”. Well now I know that the extra sleep, a long run and a smile on my face are worth the extra $50 I lost by not working those extra hours.
As my friend Alison once said, “Do push yourself, but don’t push yourself over the edge of a cliff”.
Sometimes I feel like we are expected to be busy and stressed, because it means we are being productive and successful. I hear this conversation all the time at yoga studios: “How have you been?” “Busy. Stressed. I’ve got a lot going on. I can’t sleep. It’s crazy. My fill-in-the-blanks are so tight (sigh)”. Hardly do you ever hear: “Good, I’m working, I am well rested, relaxed, and enjoying myself between engagement and having fun”. I want to be the person that gives that answer.
Less is More
I want to back away from this madness. I’d rather have less money, less stress and more time. It sounds lazy doesn’t it? It goes against all values of a consumer driven society. And the Catholic guilt-ridden tradition that I’m all too familiar with. You want to work less? Sacrilege! Deadly sin! Shame on you for your slothy behavior.
But I don’t want to be so busy that I forget to answer friend’s emails. I don’t want to be overworked to the point where I see double on the computer screen. There is value to slowing down, to not produce all the time. So much is happening internally into our bodies at rest. While the benefits aren’t visible to the eye and don’t bank cash, calm moments allow us to recharge energetically, absorb information and regenerate muscle tissue.
After trying both the “less” and the “more” lifestyles, I have absolutely no doubt that I will pursue less rather than more.
By: Valentina Rose
Born and raised in Italy, Valentina is a full time yoga instructor who divides her time between Marin County, California and Matapalo, Costa Rica. When she isn’t hosting yoga retreats or blogging Valentina can be found trail running and baking quiche.
Valentinarose.me
Instagram: @valentinarose1111
This date reminds us there is a sacred cycle to our life—a meaning and purpose deeper than our individual existence. People around the globe celebrate the day the Sun turns around and darkness transitions to light. It marks the longest night of the year and honors nature’s cycle of increasing sunlight each day until the Summer Solstice in June 2017.
Don’t fear the darkness—instead regard it as an opportunity to renew our energy. Ancient cultures created sacred monuments like Stonehenge in England to align with the sun at particular times during the day. Feasts and celebrations occur all over the world to honor this annual universal shift. When we align with nature in our daily lives, we have the opportunity to reaffirm our connection to the earth.
How do we incorporate this respect for nature’s cycle of change into our lives both on and off the yoga mat?
In terms of ways to celebrate this quieter time, we may choose to focus upon the power of the moonlight. Try Kristin Gibowicz - Moon Salutations (FREE) on the longest night of the year.
Or, look at this special time as an opportunity to tap into your heart chakra and energize with a variety of back bending practices like the new classes from Les Leventhal - Anahata Chakra Vinyasa, Michelle Marchildon - Wisdom Warriors: Steady & Strong Backbends and Cheryl Deer’s Forrest Yoga: Safe and Intelligent Back Bending.
Off of the mat, it’s a great time to tune into and direct your attention inside. Find the light by focusing inward to discover your gifts, your confidence, and sacred stillness. Review the past year and observe what lessons you’ve learned, what changes you’ve incorporated, and offer gratitude for your blessings. It’s the perfect time to create a vision board, journal, or set goals. Enjoy!
This lunation is very close to Mercury, which is still in retrograde at this time. This offers us a chance to get super clear with our communication, particularly in our business relationships. If there is anything that you need to get out there an on to the table, now is the time to do it. While it’s not a time to start new projects, it is a good time to wrap up what is in the works, or embrace the work that is on your plate right now.
The moon also makes a relationship to Pluto, who governs resurrection and transformation. While Pluto’s energy can be intense and traumatic (we all resist change), it is easiest to bear when we embrace total surrender. The more you surrender to your higher self, the easier the coming transformation is to endure…and you may even find a sense of grace as things shift for you at the end of this year.
Divine surrender is the best way to step into the light of the new year, embrace your power and harness your role as a light-worker and change agent. It’s time to create your light body – the kind of embodied existence that supports constant awakening. We must stay awake in the coming days. It’s the only way we will be able to support those that need us, step up into our mentorship roles and connect with others on a higher vibrational level. The world needs us now more than ever. This last New Moon of the year calls us to be ready to step into the flow of grace and follow our intuitive guidance faithfully into the next year.
Alchemical Ritual for the Capricorn New Moon
As an earth sign, Capricorn is grounded, committed, strategic and ready to work. This energy intense, both in its capacity to get things done, but also in its ability to overwhelm and overwork. Capricorn constantly strives to reach its goal, but what is most important is that Capricorn reaches the right goal, and maintains a clear vision of the forest for the trees. This new moon ritual for Capricorn draws feeling and emotion into Capricorn’s normally critical thinking, encouraging us to ask ourselves: What do we really want, and how badly do we want it? The right answers to these questions come from the heart, not the head. When fueled by compassion and love, there is nothing Capricorn cannot accomplish.
Capricorn’s ruler is Saturn, the cosmic father who constantly pressures us to get things done. This is an important aspect of life, but Capricorn sometimes also forgets how toenjoy life, too! When we bring meaning to life, it becomes enjoyable, and meaning is found by letting the heart guide all of our endeavors. To enliven Capricorn’s intensity in this ritual, gather a dark stone like onyx, hematite or garnet. Cypress or patchouli essential oil may be used to anoint your third eye, and your knees (Capricorn rules the knees) before and after the ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Enter your ceremonial space with conscious intention to bring your heart’s desire to life in this ritual. Step inside, sit down, and close the eyes. Focus on the breath and clear the mind of thought. With clarity and receptivity, say the following invocation out loud:
Capricorn and Saturn, allow me to do the work of my heart, so that I may manifest meaning in my life.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. When you are clear, ask yourself the following questions out loud:
What do I want?
(pause, wait for the answer)
How badly do I want it?
The answers may surprise you. When you allow the heart to finally speak, it speaks clearly and concisely, in simple words (often only one or two at a time), elegant concepts (an inner knowing), an image, or most powerfully: a feeling. When the heart serves up a feeling response, it charges your conviction and in that moment, you know you have foundmeaning. The answers to these questions are likely infused with emotion, which means that there is no denying what the heart wants, nor that you must do what it takes to accomplish it.
When complete, chant Om three times, and snuff the candles. Place your right hand over your heart as a way to connect physically to the driving force behind the meaningful answers you receive in this ritual. This ritual harnesses the powerful energy of Capricorn, giving you the means to make manifest your heart’s desire.
In the physical aspect of Camel pose, it can be daunting to reach the hands back to catch the backs of our feet. This requires trust in ourselves to have the strength to stay lifted. In this way, Camel pose teaches us to truly feel empowerment through setting a strong and steady foundation.
It’s normal to feel intense emotions while in, exiting out of, or post Camel pose. A lot of this has to do with the stirring of stagnant energies that have built up from heartache, and our natural response to guard ourselves from getting hurt again. By breathing deeply in these sensations and embracing whatever it is that shows up in the body or mind, we can process and then release what doesn’t serve us. In turn, we feel liberated, nourished and more balanced.
- Come to a kneeling position and place your knees and feet hip-width distance apart. Bring your thighs perpendicular to the floor to begin. Press the tops of your feet, toes, and shins into the floor. Keep your pelvis neutral and your pelvic floor muscles engaged. - As you inhale, lift and expand your chest and reach back to take hold of your heals (one hand at a time) without compressing your lower back. Keep your shoulder blades firm against your back. If you are not able to reach your heals, you can curl your toes under to bring them closer, or keep your hands on your lower back until you gain more flexibility. - Either your head and neck neutral and look up toward the ceiling, or drop your head back if it is comfortable for you. Be mindful not to strain or compress your neck. - Keep your glutes firm but not overly contracted. - Hold for 30 seconds while breathing as deeply as you can. Release slowly onto your knees and rest for several breaths.
There is so much reward to opening your mind, body and heart. Try Camel pose to relish in the benefits of healing and renewal. Remain steady in your breath and learn how to stay within the most precious moment— the present one.
To keep your mind free and your heart open, visit the Sanity Sanctuary.
I am constantly repacking or unpacking, sorting through my belongings and each time, they get a little bit smaller and a little bit lighter. Each time I depart from a space, I leave behind a lot of extra luggage and things I just physically cannot take with me.
It almost feels normal, even comfortable and familiar, to be surrounded by these small piles of things-- recycled boxes and packing tape. I wonder if I’ve even gotten better at packing all of these items and belongings. I would surely master the art of packing at this rate.
I’ve accumulated many of these compartments, filled with clothes, yoga pants, extra shoes, vacuum-sealed packs stuffed with jackets that couldn’t possibly be of use in where I’m headed— into the jungles of Costa Rica. They get stored away in attics and storage rooms of my friends and relatives.
And as I pack for another trip, I find myself familiar with this process. I must decipher what goes and what stays. Which brings up these feelings of reflection and holding onto what I could have done differently.
I feel lost because of unanticipated happenings. I am not sure what will happen next. I am afraid that I'm not making the right choices. I doubt whether I have done my very best.
I hold onto the heartache of a breakup, the actions I feel responsible for and the people that are no longer a part of my life. I feel the pain lingering from uncertainty in what I’ll do or where I’ll move next. I replay words of advice from family and friends that are always said to mean well, but aren’t the right ones for me. I wonder if I’ve hurt their feelings by steering away.
Still, it has become easier and easier to let go of these belongings and even the bittersweet feelings of leaving. Besides, these "last dinner with Sunny” are always celebratory and nice.
My intention is to keep seeing the unfolding of life and believing it its fruitfulness. And I realize that I can feel scared or unsure and even the last moments leading up to a departure are never easy but they are not mine to hold onto in the first place.
These moments belong to all of us and serve as a reminder of our intentions and how they manifest growth in our lives. Intentions, as important as they are, only point to what we do not see there in the first place. In these moments, what I hold onto now aren’t thethings that I have or the results that I could see but rather the growth that comes with simply following intentions.
Ultimately t isn't about getting to point B, but rather what we learned along the way. It isn't getting to the next destination, it's the steps we took towards it. It isn’t limited by the number of days we have spent or have left, what we could have done or did, nor is it about the capacity of space we have left to hold our stuff.
In yoga, the mindful breath carries us through movements but the transitions themselves are where we see our truest colors.
It is rare for things to align and to go our way in our practice or daily lives. But when we seek out our intentions with expectation of A equaling B, what we often don’t see are the transitions and these smallest moments of growth in clarity, strength and love.
Sure, there is the frustration and different perspectives. There is heartbreak, misunderstanding, wrong timing, or sometimes a conflict of interests but they don't last as long as the lessons they teach.
Despite all that was, my hope is that we never forget what is and always remains:
-What remains is the tender heart that becomes a bit more fearless of what we cannot control.
-What remains is the passionate dance of time and growth.
-What remains is taking yourself too seriously and then laughing at it all.
-What remains are the moments that you felt connection with someone you just met—the best kind of new relationships.
-What remains is the strength that we carry as we step forward bravely in our own tracks.
-What remains are these small yet impactful traces of feelings- nervousness, curiosity, discovery.
-What remains is a little more compassion and less sabotaging.
-What remains is a release of attachment and expectations.
-What remains is surrender of yourself to full gratitude in what is.
-What remains are not just our intentions, but believing simply in the small but infinite blessings of life.
By: Sunny Koh
Sunny has been teaching yoga since 2011. After spending a couple years abroad as an English teacher, she is sharing her passion for yoga as a traveling instructor and writer. Currently, she teaches and writes about yoga in Costa Rica. She also enjoys photography, learning new languages, surfing and exploring. To get to know Sunny better, go to www.sunnykyoga.com
The base is nutrient-dense avocado, making it great for the non-dairy people in the crowd. But I’ll just say, for the record, that I love my dairy and I LOVE this dessert. (Since I’m on the low-sugar train I even tried it with less sweetener and raw cacao and that worked, too). I plan to make it on Thanksgiving and fool all my guests who happen to be afraid of avocado as a dessert choice.
Thank you to Lumeria and Chef Ben Diamond for sharing it with us!
AVOCADO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH STRAWBERRIES
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup avocado meat (about three avocados) 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup agave 2 tablespoons grade B maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pinch kosher salt 1 cup strawberries
HOW TO
1. Place all ingredients except strawberries into a food processor and blend till smooth. 2. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries and mint sprig for garnish 3. Try not to eat all of it at once like Jason does.