Ten Thoughts on Whole Living

My favorite magazine of all time was called “Body and Soul”.  I say was because I have not seen it anywhere this year, I am thinking they might have discontinued the publication (if anyone knows differently please let me know!).  I’ve searched all my usual magazine haunts, Walgreen’s, Rite aid, Walmart, Target, nada.  Makes me really sad because a dear friend (hey giiiirl), about two years ago, showed me a copy and it was instant love.  Not only was “Body and Soul” filled with yummy healthy recipes and tips on easy workout routines, it addressed the mental part of well being.  Whole living as it is very appropriately called.  It’s not about strict diets and vigorous physical and mental challenges.  It is about getting back to basics, simplifying, redirecting your priorities.

The page I am about to share with you is one that I ripped out of my magazine, and it has been center stage in my kitchen, right on the fridge, for the past year and a half now.  I always glance at it when I go to prepare something and it is such a sweet, non-intimidating reminder to taking care of yourself and your life.

Ten Thoughts on Whole Living

by Terri Trespicio

1.  See your mistakes not as personal flaws but as the source of your most valuable lessons.

2.  When it comes to living greener, a little planning goes a long way.

3.  Explore gentler, more natural remedies

4.  Authenticity means acting like the kind of person you most want to be.

5.  Explore locally grown foods, and discover the people and resources behind what you eat.

6.  Experiment with exercise that soothes as well as strengthens.

7.  In refusing to forgive old hurts, you live them over again.  Learn to let go.

8.  Think of each breath as an invitation to wellness and balance.

9.  Cultivate a few practices that keep you whole

10.  Toss the old ideas you have about yourself and discover the real you!

Spring Fever

Source: Uploaded by user via Craftsy on Pinterest

So we see these pallets everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE!  Isn’t this the coolest recycling project ever?  I think I am totally gonna cover my porch with these this year.  Its is especially good for those who are space challenged as far as yards go so if you are a city dweller, or live in an apartment building with a small balcony or porch, this project is most certainly for you!  Happy Spring everyone!

Frustration and My Stupid Wrist

It seems on every journey, you meet resistance and frustration with yourself.  It’s stupid really because the point of self exploration is to relax, do not judge, do not critique the progress.  Yet I have reached this point, AGAIN, where I am judging myself, beating myself up for not being where, in my mind, I have decided I should be.  Where should I be exactly?  The smart answer is, exactly where I am.  Not good enough for my ever demanding ego.  I want to escape this revolving door of being at peace with myself, and then berating myself.  I am not satisfied at where I am at in life, my marriage, yoga.  If I step back and look at myself with a calm non-judgmental attitude I would see that I am doing fine, actually wonderful.  Because I am working for what I want.  I am striving to reach a higher plane.  Yet, with my ego goggles on, I feel I am struggling, barely keeping my head above water.  I feel my progress isn’t enough, I am slacking off, being lazy.  It’s such a frustrating cycle of building up and then just tearing back down.  What do I have to prove though?  Why do I feel this immense time limit on growth and progress?  To make matters worse I have somehow screwed up my left wrist and it can’t bear and weight or pressure.  It’s going to set back my yoga practice and makes general life a pain in the ass.  ARgh I am so frustrated.  I tried my yoga practice this afternoon and it was so difficult.  I could barely do Down Dog with the brace and without it not at all.  Time to re-center and refocus but boy am I tired of being my own worst enemy.

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A New Day

Outside the box, beyond the comfort zone, leaving familiarity behind;  this is what I will be doing today.  I am filling in for my teacher at her school while she takes a mini trip to a weekend retreat.  So I am playing teacher, or shall we say practicing?  For soon enough it will be April and I will be a certified Yogi!  Looking back through my blog, at the new, unsuspecting housewife I was, not knowing what adventure laid out before me.  I am all a flutter today!  I am feeling powerful, uncertain, excited, scared, and to top it off, one with the world around me.  So to encourage this one-ness and maybe to guide you on a little journey of self exploration yourself, I will leave you with some beautiful images of this world around us to enjoy!  Namaste!

 

Balance

In my adventures becoming a Yoga Instructor, I have done a lot of personal research, not just to become a better teacher but a better person as well.  So much I have learned through yoga echos what I believe in religiously and has really opened my mind with clarity on certain areas of life.  The effects have been quite amazing and for this I am grateful.  I can see myself becoming calmer, less panic attacks (or freak outs as I like to call them) and, while becoming more hands on with the positive choices, things that can cause stress and drama I have become more detached.  The joy of becoming more detached with the chaotic aspects of life is that I am finding more time for myself and for my loved ones.  Time to work on projects, time to spend out walking with my dog, time for more baking!  Its astounding the amount of time we spend on a daily basis worrying about things that really don’t need a second thought!

I wrote this little piece to tie in with one of my classes, a sort of meditation piece to open with and give students something to reflect on while they are working through their asana’s.  It is based on some of the teachings of the famous yogis, B.K.S Iyengar.  Now you don’t have to be a yogis to reap the benefits of yoga practice, a lot of it is mental well-being.  I believe God has many tools and platforms with to which he can reach His children in a way befitting their unique minds, Yoga is that tool for me and maybe it can be yours as well.

Balance

 

  Balance is something we all struggle with, whether in our physical yoga practice or simply in our everyday lives.  Every living thing around us strives for balance.  However, change is what disturbs balance and of course life being the curious thing that it is, change is the one thing that is constant in this world.  Do not fret though, without imperfection or imbalance, life would be dull.  It would be meaningless!  The struggle for balance is a dance that is essential to Life!

 

Imagine a tree.  A tree is  strong, the trunk is hard and dense, giving it a good foundation from which to grow.  Yet it is flexible, able to sway in the wind.  If the wind counts as change and the tree wasn’t able to move with it or, “go with the flow”, the dense foundation would mean nothing.  The tree would eventually break and fall.  So to be flexible or, “dynamic” adds to the density of the tree, making it that much stronger and amazing.  However a tree wants more from life than to be strong and sway in the breeze.  It wants to grow, to reach for the sun, produce leaves and fruit.  It loves to give shade and protection, to be a home.  This is what gives a tree luminosity.  With its protective quality, the tree is tranquil.  The gift of leaves and fruit is a quality of alertness.  The continuing quest to reach for the sun, is clarity.

 

Using a tree as an example in the strive for balance is the perfect example.  As we go through life or work through our asana’s, we want to be as strong in our foundation as the tree, but we also want to be dynamic and flexible.  For us, using the breath as a tool for this is much the same how the tree uses the earth, drawing in what we need for our minds and bodies.  Lastly, in our quest for balance, we involve our minds, to stay alert, yet more importantly, calm and accepting. 

 

It is a struggle, a dance we will forever be learning, but enormously rewarding.  We may never find perfect balance but isn’t it said that the journey, not the destination, is what matters most?

Tags: balance, Clarity, Life, Yoga

Keep Breathing

When I was little all I dreamed about was becoming a ballerina, chased that dream till I was 24 and finally realized after I graduated college, it was never gonna happen.  From the moment you have understanding of words, people fill your head with notions that you can do anything you want to, be anyone you want to.  In a very broad, pure sense it is true.  Why then couldn’t little Bethany grow up and be that ballerina?  I tried my heart out.  I auditioned, trained, did everything I was supposed to, really put myself out there.   Real life limitations happened, my body’s limitations.  I have scoliosis.  That is something I can’t ever change no matter how hard I try.  I couldn’t become a Ballerina because my shoulders are permanently hunched, because my hips aren’t even and when I bend forward you can actually see where my spine curves.  I was a good dancer but I was never going to be “great” because my body just wasn’t made in the image if a ballerina.  God made me perfect though, yes I have limitations, but he has taught me how to use them, and accept them.  He gave me Yoga.

Yoga, pure and simple, is a beautiful art form.  It is slow and focused, stimulating mind, body, and soul.  Technique is key but if yours isn’t perfect, you aren’t moved to stand in the back of the class, you are encouraged, welcomed with open arms.  Even with yoga I am constantly challenged.  My scoliosis doesn’t take it easy on me here either.  I have a harder time rolling my shoulders back, opening up my chest, lengthening my spine, than your average learner.  This doesn’t mean I am bad at Yoga though.  In fact it has taught me to stop beating myself up, have patience, work with my body instead of trying to force it.  I embrace my weakness because it has shown me my strength.  I am graceful, strong, and determined.  I may have rounded shoulders but I have long straight legs that are powerful and amazing.  My feet are built perfectly for balancing, I have long toes and a beautiful arch, my ankles are sturdy and flexible.  My arms are beautifully shaped and graceful.  The fact that I have something to work for just makes it all the more worthwhile.

No matter how much joy filled my heart when I was dancing, I always felt I was on trial, that I had to prove that I belonged.   Maybe I never did.  God gave me the want to be in motion.  I want to move, leap, dance, balance, stretch.  Yet dance was judgmental, it wanted something I could never give, it wanted perfection and I was just….me. 

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Which is why I feel Yoga is such a gift.  It gives me the challenge of mastering a pose or movement yet it doesn’t judge.  I am not less because of my disability.  I am more, I have more to offer.  I understand so much now about how the spine works in our bodies, and how to protect it, care for it.  I have a better grasp on it then probably someone who has a perfect spine and lovely straight shoulders.  Now when I start teaching I will be able to help my students that much more.  I have learned that I am amazing at the balancing poses, or the stretching poses.  While my back may be curved, it is strong and I will master back bends.

Before, when I was a dancer, if there was something I didn’t know how to do, I would berate myself and force myself to do it whether my body was ready and capable or not.  I probably caused some damage that I will definitely experience in my golden years.  Heck, I already get achy joints when it is going to rain.  Through Yoga I have become excited when I see something I don’t know how to do yet, or I don’t have the strength yet.  Because this isn’t a race, I have all the time in the world to master the Inverted Locust pose.  I am not competing against anyone else.  I will be able to do it when my body is ready, and my body is becoming stronger everyday!

I will always have a special spot in my heart for dancing, when ever I hear an awesome song my body starts twitching, just aching to be let loose.  But dancing and being a dancer are two entirely different things and I finally learned that.  Yoga is Yoga.  God gave me Yoga.  God is Good.

Tags: Achievment, ballet, Body issues, dancer, Life, Scoliosis, Spine, Struggle, Yoga

Happy Sunday!

Sunday is such a beautiful day, and such a wonderful word if you think about it.  When I think of Sunday, my mind is filled with thoughts of going to church in pretty frocks, mugs full of coffee or tea, home cooked meals, family, and love.

I haven’t been to church in a while sad to say, but I try in my own little way to keep it a special day, a little gift from God at the end of the week.  It has been hard since my Yoga Teacher Training Course is every other Sunday, so two Sundays a week, I am working hard and concentrating my brains out.  Today however I was off!  So while doing a few odds and ends around the house I made this a special day.  Started it off with a bath (not sure why but bathing in the morning with the sun streaming in is my favorite bath time),  then after filling the washing machine and waiting for it to be done, I started a new series which I actually just heard of, “Downton Abbey”.  Such a great show!  Love the grand old houses, the gardens, and the gowns *swoon*.

My poor hubby received no such luxuries today, he had to go into work, like he does every Sunday.  I am so proud of my hard-working man who I like to have something tasty waiting for him when he gets home (food, to clarify to those pondering that sentence).  So today I am making homemade granola, which I am excited to say turned out amazing!  So I am happy to share:

The Hippie Housewife’s

  “Sunday Granola”

Preheat oven to 200 degrees

Dry Ingredients:

10 cups rolled oats  (  I just bought the container that simply said oatmeal instead of instant oatmeal)

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups grated coconut

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup dry milk  (should be in the baking isle)

2 Tbsp flax seeds

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup honey

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup all natural maple syrup

1/2 cup warm water
Mix dry ingredients in a big bowl.  Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Combine the two ( wash your hands, fingers work great for this!).  After it is fully stirred place in two cookie sheets with sides.  Heat for 20-40 mins, stirring twice during baking.  Stir again when removed from oven to cool.  Now is the time to add raisins if you want some.  Store in airtight container.

Hope your Sunday was a good one and I hope you make the granola!