My Heart in the Sun

Life carries on. So it does. I laugh as I read my last post titled "Absence" as I have been absent from posting again. Sometimes forcing yourself to be in a space is not conducive to your existence and is counterproductive. If our hearts are not open to being in that space then we should refrain. This morning I woke up quite early and found myself just before the sun rose on my yoga mat in the back yard with David Newmann's kirtan making way into my heart via my ipod. I set an intention for my day to go forth with mindfulness, love, devotion and tolerance in every action and every thought. The music had spoken to me in a way that magnetically connected my mind, body and spirit. My body was led by the rhythm of the music and the flow of my breath. Even though the air was crisp, my body began to warm through several rounds of sun salutations. Even though the sun had not quite peeked its head over the horizon, I could feel its solar warmth within the core of my body. I began to sweat. I felt such a sweet sensation of alignment and release. I felt the need to downsize my life in such a way that I could focus not only this day but each and every day on these very important intentions that I had set. After completing several breaths in a headstand, I could hear the sweet voices of my two youngest daughters. That was my call to savasana. I turned Shanti (peace out) by MC Yogi on my ipod as I melted into this pose....into this space that my heart was so open to. My breath began to slow but I could feel the strong beat of my heart. With each beat I could feel goodness and light radiate from me. I rolled my shoulders underneath my body to have that upward lifting heart. Open and willing. At the close of the song, MC Yogi whispered such wonderful words into my ear, "Peace in, Peace out." By aligning my heart with my space and with my intentions, I could feel peace within me with each inhale. It is then that peace will flow out of me and touch those around me...with each exhale. As I rose from savasana, the sun had made its way over the horizon and shone upon my face with such beauty and grace that I could only simply smile. I felt as if I could embark upon my day with this energy from the sun. Just as it warmed my heart from deep within I felt that I could truly be in a space where I could be mindful in all that I do, love from depths of my heart, show true devotion to all those around me, and tolerate all individuals and understand that each and every path is unique. Love and Light.

Absence

My absence from posting has not been due to inactivity in my life but is quite the opposite. As we are deep in the midst of my daughter's track season, I have found myself quite the busy body. Between track, training clients, teaching yoga, placing high priority on family, and organizing a playgroup for health minded moms, I have put someone on the low end of the priority scale: ME. It sometimes so difficult to find balance between all the things you want to do, all the things you are obligated to do, taking care of others, and taking care of yourself. I am not saying that I have stopped my fitness regimine or stopped healthy eating, but I just feel as if my system has been bogged down- perhaps emotinally- and it's time for some rejuvination and pampering. What more would a girl want to do but begin my favorite.....RAW FOOD CLEANSE.

Today I am beginning a cleanse that will last 7 days. It was very impromptu but just felt so blah upon waking this morning, that I just had to. I pondered a bowl of cereal and banana this morning before I made this decision and just said NO. I've been doing my smoothies pretty much daily and just felt like they were boring. I think I was just becoming so regimented in what I did, the cereal sounded fantastic because I was breaking away from my norm. However, I changed my outlook on the morning smoothie today. I felt like I needed a fresh start from the inside out.

In days prior, I felt a bit out of control in the evenings and would snack a little too much. I think I just felt out of balance. It's time to regain that balance and control and create that fresh start that I think many living things in nature crave as the weather begins to warm.

My weight is not terrrible, but I think it's time to slim down just a bit in preparation for the summer months. It's time to shed the skin, so to speak, that has built up over the last few months. My weight this morning was 138.8. I am looking to shed about 10 lbs. My weight today is the high end of the spectrum that I like to stay in. (128-138 lbs) I weighed myself after I made my cleansing decison, but my weight just solidified my decision. I knew the time was approaching and that "spring cleaning" was inevitable. So here I am. I am hoping that by keeping up to date with my blogging that I will feel more accountable. I will be journaling my experience over the next few days as I embark upon this 7 day journey of clearing the mind and cleaning the body.

Current mood: HUNGRY. :)

Until next time.....

Grateful for Inspiration

As you can see it has been quite some time since I have posted to my blog. Usually an absence on my part is due to extreme busy-ness in my life. And yes this has caused some absence. I logged into my account and as I scrolled down my "reading list" of blogs I was so inspired by the various yoga and food blogs that I follow. Spring brings about change and inspiration and this is quite evident as I begin to read all of the amazing posts. I have no intention as I sit down on this cold spring afternoon on what I should write…what should my focus be? Now the words begin to pour out of my soul like water from a spring. I am inspired; I am inspired by the season and by those that I surround myself with. I have a beautiful family, wonderful friends, and committed clients. For all of these people in my life, I am grateful.

Yes, random.

This post is not about the latest recipe that I have come up or about the most popular superfood but instead is about what I have learned from those that I am close to. Being healthy is integrative. Being healthy is holistic. We must integrate the whole of our person into health. This is physical, mental and spiritual. Our thoughts guide our actions….our actions or lack of actions move us towards what we become. I hope that what I have found as I ponder these angels in my life is that you will be inspired to be optimistic, diligent, passionate, dedicated and driven in all that you do.

Family:

Optimism: My two youngest daughters inspire in a way like no one else can in my life. Their actions and their curiosity inspire me to be inquisitive about the world around me; they inspire me to always find the beauty in the ordinary things in life. It's those ordinary moments, the simple things in life that can often be monumental. My five year old says almost daily, "It's a great day!" Life is what you make it….make the most of each day.

Diligence: My oldest daughter inspires me to be active and to remain strong in all that I do. She is a naturally talented sprinter. This is her first year of high school and she has found great success in her fifth year as a track athlete. The harder she works, the stronger she becomes both mentally and physically. The changes may be subtle and may not always be obvious; however, we must remain diligent in all that we do.

Passion: I have never met a more passionate person than my husband. He is passionate in everything he does- from coaching to teaching to being the best dad and husband possible. I am truly inspired by his passion.

Friends:

Dedication: When I consider the close friends that I have in my life, I think of dedication. Every friend I have is dedicated to something and they are steadfast in their dedication. Whether it is weight loss, being healthy, keeping their children safe, or making a commitment to the community in some form or another, they are dedicated. Friends, you inspire me.

Clients:

Driven: I have several clients that I work with on weekly basis. This may be in the form of yoga, fitness or personal training. I am inspired by the drive of these individuals. With great energy, positive attitudes and of course dedication, the possibilities are endless. Through their hard work and dedication, I am truly inspired. I am so privileged to work with each and every one of you. Thank you for choosing me to help you in her quest towards a healthier and active life.

Be optimistic, diligent, passionate, dedicated and driven in all that you do. Keep this at the forefront of your intentions on a daily basis and you will succeed in everything that you attempt.

Dream. Believe. Commit. Do.

My youngest woke me up at 4 am this morning. As she returned to her room, I lay in my own bed with a wandering mind. Four words made their way to the forefront of my consciousness: Dream. Believe. Commit. Do. These four words ran together in my mind like the colors of a tie died shirt. Most achievements in our lives begin with a simple dream, a thought, a whisper of possibility, an intention. After considering our dreams, we must reach a point where we begin to believe in our dreams. Often we have a dream of achieving something wonderful and grand, but we do not actually believe that we can accomplish the dream. We do not believe that we can create the circumstance in which we can chase these dreams. All too often, what we want to happen gets lost in a endless sea of lost possibilities. However, once we believe, the means for our dreams may begin to manifest themselves. Doors shut and doors begin to open; this all because we believed. Once we truly believe and see the path, we must commit. This can often be a scary word. We are afraid that once we commit, we will become vulnerable which often makes commitment feel like a risk. Dreams can not become reality without taking some sort of a risk. But, once we fully commit, the path becomes even clearer. After we commit, there must be action. We must do. We must begin to walk through those doors of the unknown. The word do is defined as "to carry out or perform an action." It is important to remember that our actions speak louder than words and our actions definitely speak louder than our thoughts. Today, do something that will make you one step closer to achieving your dreams. Maybe you haven't dreamt yet. Take the time to explore your thoughts and decipher what it is that your heart truly desires. Wherever you are on this path: Dream, believe, commit, do....I challenge take the time to find your place; which word describes you right now? The dream can be small or can be as grand and magnificent as you allow it to be.

Dream. Believe. Commit. Do.

Morning Supercharge Smoothie

I have been experimenting with combining superfoods in my morning smoothies. I came up with this variations and decided to share.

Morning Supercharge Smoothie

1 young thai coconut- meat and milk
1 banana
1/4 goji berries soaked for at least 20 minutes
1 tbsp cacao powder
3 dates, pitted
1 tbsp maca powder (optional)
ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Enjoy!

Feel Inspired....

....to do something healthy today. Eat something GREEN. Maybe you are someone who cannot stand the taste of those beneficial leafy greens. Don't worry, there are many that do not find greens palatable. However, I find that it is essential to eat greens on a daily basis. Pay not attention to the "man behind the curtain" who says to eat greens only 2 x's weekly. Here is a simply way of adding greens to the diet: Green smoothies. Some people feel as if they are getting their greens through juicing, however, juicing takes the fiber out of the green. Don't get me wrong juicing greens is a good thing, BUT do not rely on this process as your primary method of putting greens into the diet. So back to the smoothie conversation, try a simple recipe such as this to start.

1 banana
1/2 pineapple
2 cups of spinach, kale or other leafy greens
ice

Blend it up and there you go!

Why must we eat greens? Here are a few of the benefits:

• Greens are alkalinizing. Many foods that the general population consumes are very acidic. A highly acidic environment in the body can lead to health issues. Greens can help balance and neutralize the body's pH.
• The chlorophyll found in greens acts as a blood detoxifier.
• Raw greens are powerhouses of nutrients, enzymes and antioxidants.
• Greens are perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrients. (calorie for calorie)
• Greens boost the immune system.

These are among many of the benefits. For more information, I recommend the book, Green for Life by raw foodist, Victoria Boutenko. Victoria Boutenko dramatically changed her health and the health of her entire family through raw foods and green smoothies. I encourage you to explore the Boutenko family's youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BoutenkoFilms#g/u as well as their website: http://www.rawfamily.com/

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