Eternal Lavender-For Carol

One of my students recently left this world to see what else is out in the great vast universe and to explore the possibilities of life after death. Carol was a beauty! Her soul shines as she has moved on. Every Monday I could look forward to her kind smile, her blessing on a good day and a gentle hug and thank you after class. Carol was one of those who you know genuinely did hope you had a blessed day. I cannot express how kind hearted she was and she will be greatly missed.


Carol, I wish you only the best on your journey through the universe and beyond, with your husband by your side once again, and all of the lavender you want! Thank you for your kind heart and gentle spirit. You were and will continue to be a positive influence in my life and I'm thankful I had a few short years with you in class.

In love, light, and eternal lavender~shine on!

~k10yoga.com~

Fall Yoga Teacher Training!

I can not wait for Friday! Not because I'm going off to some foreign land, but because its the start of a bigger adventure. Not just an adventure for me, but also for 8 aspiring yoga teachers!

Yoga Teacher Training starts Friday!!

As I look back on my notes and prepare myself for this journey, I can't help but feel excited to share what I have learned over the past 8 years. To share with new students who gaze upon this experience with a wondering eye, a curious mind, and a loving heart.

As yoga teachers, we often learn the most from our students. They always think its the other way around, but in real life, we are taught daily, in some capacity, about life, love, patience, boundaries, and what it is to live life.

Can't wait to see where this journey takes my students and in turn takes me. Keep your head high, open your heart, speak your truth and let the sun shine on your soul.

www.k10yoga.com

Momentos (from the archives)

From the archves...

Momentos

Momentos are little things that remind us of stuff...

Momentos are things that move us...

Momentos are momentum in its solitary form, the ability to stop us in our tracks and think... Ahh! This is something I want to remember (and I may be willing to pay money for it) then we continue. We move forward, we carry on, but now we have a reminder.

Momentos could be things, memories, or keychains from Florida, but they mean something.

I tried to warn myself...

I woke this morning, at 6am, to the moo-ing of someones escaped cow in the yard, dogs barking, howling, making a fuss... I thought, oh boy, this is going to be a day. I tried to sleep but tossed and turned thinking-surely they will be quiet soon.

A few simple, but important, things were on the docket as "supposed to happen today" skype dates with a long lost love, and exciting weekend plans sorted out... When I awoke to this moo, I actually thought, don't get too excited, don't have any expectations for todays outcome.

But I'm a girl of hope, a cup half full, find the best in people, live life kind of girl and as all the plans I was excited about today diminished one by one, my spirit went with it. "I'm always giving, I'm always offering, I'm always... setting myself up for disappointment?

Living a life of hope isn't as easy as it would seem, it takes work and that work occasionally involves two or more people. Does hope have a definition when more than just yourself is involved? Is hope something that can only happen when you can only hope with yourself as to not be disappointed in anyone but your own expectations and avoidance of being let down?

I don't know, but in my quest for this answer I have learned that for me, I will continue to have hope in myself and in other people. Being disappointed brings a third chakra push, and that push makes me feel alive. It asks me to continue having hope that people will eventually start to understand, and if they don't, that is on them, and that is not my shit.

I will continue to have hope, and I'm sure I will continue to be occasionally disappointed. The duality of life shows me that its okay, for without disappointment would there be an observed gain of happiness?

"May the wind always be on your back and the sun always upon your face

and may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars..."

Stitches

I have this cut, it's kind of big and it needed stitches... It's going to take some time to heal. Every few days something happens-And I know it's time to take out one stitch! It's a bit surreal, sometimes I want to hold onto my stitches, to not let them go, to scar.

Then I yoga.

I breathe in expansion. 

I recognize that there will always be a memory, a taste of my past wound. I may talk about it, I may not, but one way or another I will love it, for it is a part of me and it always will be. But sometimes the stitches itch, so I must slowly remove them, one by one, breathing in and breathing out. Taking in the moment and the feel of releasing the sew from my skins bind. Sometimes a tear will fall, but in the end it's all ok. 

Why? 

Because I was gentle. I was observant. I gave myself permission to feel...

And that's how I was able to heal.

Just Keep Living

There was a time, not so long ago, where I was in this process of letting go... Ya know the whole idea of non attachment, Aparigraha from the Yamas & Niyamas. It's hard when you love someone but you have to let them be who they are and let them live the life they want, with or without you. So you let it go, and you let it be. I was having a hard time letting this go, but it was the culmination of someone wrecking and totaling my car, plus someone hacking my bank account and stealing all my money for me to realize that to be patient and to not let things get stuck you literally have to keep moving.

Move through the gunk...

After sorting through everything, buying myself a car payment that I didn't necessarily want for a car that I absolutely love, and getting reimbursed from my bank a week later, everything came together the day before I was to travel to Colorado for a long weekend. 

As I hiked up to a little spot called Horsetooth with my best friend, I put one foot in front of the other, I realized that is all of life. One step in front of the other, move through the gunk, live, smile, and love, love, love. Let go, Aparigraha, the others side, the top of the mountain, is beautiful and worth the hike.

Live, Love, Laugh and Wonder!

Recently I took a little trip over the big blue sea to Thailand, Cambodia, and the Great Wall of China. An amazing experience filled with new and unexpected friendships and more pins on my world map. All things I love about travel. 

While in Cambodia, I had the opportunity to visit Angkor Wat, ancient ruins from the 1200's, a beautiful site set for a king. While in Thailand, I had the opportunity to explore ancient Wats in Bangkok (and leave my phone in a hot pink cab with a Buddha on the dash-while frustrating, humbling). While at The Great Wall I had the opportunity to stand on this wonder of the world and gaze across vast valleys and mountains. At all of these sites I had the opportunity to truly wonder... 

I wonder what it was like at Angkor Wat during its hayday, people roaming in and out of the twisting hallways, but with intention.

I wonder what it was like in Bangkok hundreds of years ago when there were no tourists visiting the reclining Buddha and visitors lit their incense and said a prayer with intention.

I wonder what it was like on the Great Wall of China, to be the emperor, just seeing the conclusion of the project you put so much intention into.

Then I start to think how I want to live everyday with intention. I don't want to just mosey through life, I want to live it, I want to love, I want to take chances, I want to wonder.

So my challenge for you, is to take a day, take a week, take a vacation and be bold, set intentions, live those intentions and watch the wonderment unfold!

Embrace life, hold the sun in the palm of your hand and make a promise to yourself... Live, love, laugh and wonder!