Pamper

The other day I came back from a run, hadn't shaven my face for days, and felt a bit rough around the edges. 

In that moment something sweet unfolded, I felt like I stepped into a seamless meditation of pampering for the next thirty-five minutes. 

Shower, shave, aftershave cleaning soap with an exfoliating pad, a rejuvenating mask, and then an amazing face lotion infused with revitalizing herbs. 

When I finished up I was amazed how wonderful I felt.

To take time out to simply pamper seems so important, yet so underutilized between being busy or watching TV. 

We take time out in our culture to maintain and care for others, our physical objects, but the body is often remembered last. 

Where and when can you carve out a short amount of time to pamper every week or at least every other week?

Are you ready to step into a life of renewed health, vitality, and empowered living? Checkout this free downloadable e-bookwith easy to follow health tips.

The Good Death

The one guarantee in life, is that at one point in time it will come to an end.

As I usually do, I was listening to NPR and loved that they had the courage to actually talk about this often taboo subject. 

Death is a natural part of life and we see it everywhere in nature. Everything expires, and in a sense becomes food or energy for something else. 

In a way nature is the master recycler, she takes energy and turns it into form and at the end of its lifecycle the form composts back into the larger matrix, only to provide more fuel for other entities to take shape once more. 

In the news story I listened to they interviewed Caitlin Doughty, a mortician and writer who runs the website called The Order of the Good Death. 

I love some of the ideas that embody her order:

• Making death a part of your life.  
• Accepting that death itself is natural, but the death anxiety and terror of modern culture are not.
• Reclaiming personal ritual for our own death and when loved ones pass.
• Exploring what we want to do with our body once we die. 
• Getting comfortable with contemplating our own passing and stepping up to have the conversation with older or sick members of our family. 
• Putting things in order, so when we die we avoid leaving a mess for loved ones to deal with. 

One of the most disturbing facts about modern society is that we  have put a middle-man between us and death. Expensive caskets to give the false idea of preservation, tombstones to hold onto our memory, embalming chemicals to prevent decay--haven't we had enough chemical exposure while being alive?--and rituals which often don't celebrate our life. 

But there are so many other options. Dying at home, celebrating the final moments, being cremated and having our ashes spread, or having a green burial where we are returned to the earth raw as we are. 

While some people avoid the conversation of death, ask my friend Dahlia and she'll probably tell you that I'm on the other extreme of the spectrum. Whenever I get on a plane--totally irrational because flying is safer than driving a car--I remind her of my wishes:

• A weekend extravaganza
• Everyone wearing colorful clothing 
• Healthy nutritious food--only things Danny would approve
• Dance music
• Reminiscing about sweet memories 
• Some tears, but also laughter 
• And my ashes scattered in nature (the Mediterranean in Israel because that is where I was born) and in Vermont (I love the trees)

Last year I also did what I have been thinking about but putting off for years. I signed a will basically leaving everything I have of value to my little nephew. 

Even though I love life and appreciate it as the most valuable gift, it feels amazing to step into this conversation of death.

To have a clear plan, to be real, to put things in order, and trust that just like everything else in nature when it is time for my ending, it will only usher in something new, unknown, that yes brings up fear, but still a threshold I am willing to cross with open arms, curiosity, and a ton of gratitude!  

Want to dive in further? Checkout tips on the Good Death at The Order of the Good Death blog. 

Play Time

I am savoring some time with my nephew over the holidays.

When I reflect on the hours in his day, most of them involve some sort of play.

My sister's household also has two dogs, and in watching them I am struck by how much time the two spend soft biting one another and chasing each other around. 

If life shows us so many examples of play, why is it that adults spend less time in this mode and more hours obsessing about the past, future, finances, and time management--to name a few?

Dr. Stuart Brown, head of a nonprofit called the National Institute for Play defines play as something that's done for its own sake. It's voluntary, pleasurable, and offers a sense of engagement into what it is that really you enjoy. It takes you out of a sense of time and the act or the experience of play itself is more important than the outcome*.

When we play it has benefits, such as keeping up memory and sharpening thinking skills. It also increases wellbeing and positive mood, reduces depression, and can boost creativity and work efficiency.

Have you turned into an overly serious person who has forgotten that even as a grown up you need some time to let your hair down and play?

Reignite this amazing need and capability we all have today:

• Put on your favorite dance song and move your body
• Invite friends to your place for a board game night
• Go to an arcade, play video games, miniature golf, laser tag, or go carting
• Wrestle or tickle a close friend or your beloved 
• Join an extracurricular sports team 
• Spread some large white paper on the ground with newspaper underneath, get some non-toxic washable color, paint with your hands, feet, body. 

Ask your friends for more ideas on how they like to play, make a large resource list, and use it! 

Fed Up!

Many people in my life know that I am a sugar nazi (to read why click here) and some believe I am a bit too extreme, but after watching this documentary I am even more fired up. 

What is going on around us every single day is absolutely barbaric and criminal.

Profit is being prioritized over the lives and health of so many, and the saddest part is that kids are being affected most.  

Every part of the broken system ensures that eating healthy is a challenging uphill battle, but there is HOPE! 

Society came together and stood up against the tobacco industry--which argued relentlessly that their products were safe--and we are seeing the same pattern emerge today as food companies battle to ensure the public stays disempowered and confused about how to eat right.  

Please spread the word on this film. Every school teacher, principle, doctor, politician, and child should watch this and get inspired to take action.  

The Documentary Web Site also has amazing resources even if you already eat healthy. And beware, SUGAR is even lurking in all your "healthy foods." Yes evaporated can juice and raw sugar are better options, but they can create just as much havoc in the body if not combined with other more blood stabilizing foods and if they are used in excess.  

Just because a product is carried at your Co-Op, whole foods, or farmer's market doesn't mean it has your best interest in mind. 

It is time to stand up and say enough is enough! 

To watch the documentary get on iTunes/Apple TV or click here only $3.99

Precious

Over the last several weeks I have been hearing some pretty challenging stories around unexpected life events.

One of my dear friend's brother had an unexpected brain hemorrhage and luckily survived.

Another friend of a friend who was healthy and fit, had a stroke and died at 45.

And in my own family my aunt had to be hospitalized after struggling with her own intense depression over the last several months.

While it would get frustrating to wake up every morning and contemplate the struggles which many people face in daily life, for me its a reminder of compassion and how important it is to pause and reflect at how precious every moment truly is.

From my tasty smoothie, the freedom I feel on my bike, time spent with my adorable nephew, tasty meals with family, to feeling creativity, catching up with an old friend, receiving a card in the mail, seeing a radiant butterfly or going on a first date and living in possibility, precious moments strung together to create real fulfillment.

If life where to end tomorrow, I want to be able to reflect and know that I have lived fully, done my best, and that instead of getting caught up in the stress of it all I was able to step back and appreciate this absolutely astounding gift, of being human.      

Limitations

Psychology has always been one of my interests growing up. I find human action, motivation, thoughts, and beliefs absolutely fascinating. 

In this light, I am so grateful yoga landed on my path as it has served as a brilliant lens to explore my inner workings and the larger world. 

One of the realities I have observed through my own life and the lives of others, is the concept of limitation. 

We all have blind spots, and unlike what many traditions claim, there will never be a time or a state where we know or see it all. 

The key, is that our limited state is not a problem to be solved as in reality it actually gives us the opportunity for further growth. 

Limitations are often individually based like when someone doesn't recognize their passive aggressive behavior, when a person is occluded to the impact of their bad breath, or when debt keeps on mounting but we pretend everything is still on track.

While we all experience these blind spots they are not confined to the individual experience as society's become embroiled in mass delusion with relative ease.

Hitler was an expert in his crafting of such a narrow and limited view for the German people that they fell in line with all of his treacherous plans of genocide. In today's world, marketing companies are the driving force of using images and words to make us buy and believe certain things which are not always to our advantage.

The good news is that even with these broader cultural limitations often someone wakes up, a movement gets started and we see pockets of progress. Slavery was abolished, women can now vote, environmental issues began to be addressed in the early 70's and GLBTQ rights are slowly becoming a reality.

But wait, the guarantee is that there is always more limitation, so what are we not seeing?

It is an enormous blind spot which has been systematically ignored by corporations and politicians--and yes we the public are partly responsible. 

Its been 25 years since scientists began to sound the alarm on increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is responsible for climate change. 

Why hasn't much been done?

The fossil fuel industry is an obvious culprit, lack of political action is another, but the biggest reason brings us back to basic human psychology. 

Researchers term it the "finite pool of worry." It basically reminds us that our animal brain--when it comes to this issue--is one of our most profound limitations.

Humans are designed to troubleshoot present moment emergencies, so anything that doesn't pose an immediate threat doesn't receive much attention. 

This is the reason why in particular, Americans rank addressing climate change as one of their lowest priorities.

Carbon dioxide build up after all is invisible. Yes we've had some intense hurricanes and mind boggling typhoons and tsunamis, but they simply don't happen often enough or close enough to feel like an immediate threat.

A second psychological trick we play on ourselves is termed the "single action bias." When we take one step like recycling, voting for a green politician, or brining a recycled bag to the grocery store and then believe we have done enough. Small steps are important, but we have to do more! 

Incase you just became depressed take a deep breath. Look at the opportunity before us. The gift of awareness is the ability to step back, slow down our reactions, take in the data, recognize our limitations, and step back in with renewed skillful action.

The reality is that change is possible. We can take on this enormous blind spot and stand up for what is right. 

It only takes a few brave souls to help create a big shift as Maragaret Mead beautifully reminds us: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

September 21 is my birthday. International Day of Peace, and this year it is the start of the UN Climate Summit in NYC.

Most climate summits have yielded little concrete shifts, but there is hope. President Obama and the US EPA finally took some long needed steps to move us closer to action steps other countries have been taking, but each of our voices is needed. 

I have never marched in anything, but on the 21st that is going to change.  

Climate disruption disproportionately effects developing nations, people of color, and the young. What kind of world do I want to leave my nephew, little siblings, and my cousin's kids? 

Shift can happen, but it requires us to recognize our limitation and act differently!

On September 21, march for possibility! 

If you live in NYC or if you are looking for a local march check out http://peoplesclimate.org

Slow Motion

I went to a yoga class with mom the other day called "Yoga Therapy."

It was a sweet experience of many basic movements, but what I appreciated even more was the very very slow pace of the practice. 

In our fast moving culture even much of yoga has jumped on the bandwagon of high speed.

Slowing down in my body was so soothing, it built ample heat, and it brought so much increased awareness to various parts of my body. 

Many people find a slower practice much more rigorous on both their body and mind in their ability to remain attentive and present, but boy do we need it.

Carl Honore author of In Praise of Slowness was inspired to challenge the cult of speed after he found himself about to buy a collection of one-minute bedtime stories for his kids.

Our rushed culture is obsessed with productivity which leads to overwork that then results in ramped consumerism and an often false perception of true gratification.

With the hunger not satiated the cycle continues and the faster it gets the less people are able to step back and evaluate whether this model of living is even working or meeting any of their deep seated needs. 

The obsession with speed creates lower quality products which can threaten our safety (think car recalls), superficial connections that only skim the surface and less time to connect with family, friends, and partners.  

As a culture we get 90 minutes less sleep per night than those living a century ago and our entanglement with activity has reduced the pocket of time for people to simply be. What happened to gazing out the window of a car or train or staring at the night sky to remember how we fit into the grand scheme of things?

Fast is not inherently "bad" as there are examples of conscious rapid movement which makes sense and has intelligence and consciousness behind it. The problem occurs when mindless fast takes the reins and we find ourselves overly busy, controlling, aggressive, hurried, overly analytical, stressed, superficial, impatient, and valuing quantity-over-quality.

When we turn down the speed we can become more spacious, carefree, receptive, composed, intuitive, relaxed, unhurried, deep, patient, reflective, and value quality-over-quantity. As a result of these states we can increase immune functionality, have healthier digestion, feel less guilt, live with a more honed and toned nervous system, increase our time spent in "feel good" states, have more moments of gratitude and appreciation, and boost the level of intimacy present in the day-to-day. 

From this reclaimed place we can choose when to turn up the pace in a conscious way instead of letting speed overrun our lives. 

How you do anything is how you do everything, so especially if you have a regular asana practice explore slowing it down and observe what shifts.

Also, look into the slow food or slow money movement, go for a slow motion walking meditation, and next time you make love with your beloved--yes its hard to believe but people are now replying to texts or checking Facebook even during this activity--carve out a large chunk of time, slow it down, and savor more!

Take back the reins! It's time, before this high speed world takes your life for an unwanted ride.

Astounding

WARNING: You might experience warmth, sweetness, connection, awe, and remembrance in the next three minutes. 

 

Pigeonhole

I'm not sure why my inspirations have been coming to me in cars over these last few weeks but there you have it. 

While driving with my family to lunch in Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway we noticed the heavy traffic on the other side of the road. 

Comments where made how on the way back we'll take a different route to avoid the standstill. 

After a delicious meal at a farm-to-table restaurant at the tip of the Malibu pier we went for a stunning 45 minute hike full of sun, sand, and a cool ocean breeze.

Back in the car about three hours later we were heading back.

I pulled up Waze and Google Maps to checkout the traffic situation.  PCH was flowing and completely clear.

I informed the driver and was surprised that even with this new data she choose to alter our route incase there was traffic.

I knew the new way would take us substantially longer--and it did--but I decided not to insist.  

What it made me think of is the idea of the pigeonhole. How we often use past experience and old data to confine people in the present.

Even if someone who has acted one way in the past is trying to show up in a different way we don't receive it. 

We stay so stuck dwelling on old outdated information and miss an opportunity to reignite a more nourishing connection. 

In various relationships--family, friends, dating--I find myself thinking, "You always" do this or that when in reality its not true. The way they acted one or two times became inflated in a successful attempt to pigeonhole.

Where in your life and relationships have you confined someone because they acted in a certain way a few times? Where are you so caught up in the story bolstering your case with old data that you are actually closing the door on something magical?

The pigeonhole. 

Space

I drove to big-sur today, one of my favorite places on the planet. 

The combination of beautiful ocean views, towering trees, and rolling hills makes it truly breathtaking. 

As my journey progressed from Los Angeles, the roads continually shrunk from a vast California freeway, to a two lane road, to finally a one lane road with twisting turns.

With each vigorous turn I dove more deeply into my focus, but at one point I stepped back in my awareness to realize an excessive feeling of crunch. 

In front, a trail of six or so cars and behind another three. 

I felt stuck, held back by the speed of those before me and pressured by the car in my rear view. 

My mind chimed in, "Take some space at the next turn off," but I didn't listen. 

I continued to struggle with the winding road and then decided I was being ridiculous. I'm not in a rush and I love driving, so why am I choosing misery?

I turned off at the next chance I had and watched the cars trail away. 

As I stretched my body a gift appeared.

For a few moments cars disappeared, nothing from both directions. 

In my taking space traffic paused and the sounds of nature emerged; wind, crashing waves, a bird on the horizon. 

I felt refueled and as I got back on the road no car in front and no car behind. I flowed with a sense of freedom and ease. 

A little space. Going a very long way. 

Grateful

I spent the last week with my family from Florida who is visiting Los Angeles. 

I love hanging out with my younger siblings as they help me to remember to have fun and take time off to play.

When I got back home yesterday I felt my mood shift as I was entering the reality of my 'real world' once more. 

As I noticed a slight dip in my feeling state I decided to take a moment to honor all that I am grateful for, as I know from past experience it always works to help me put everything in perspective. 

When I begin to generate my list I am always amazed at how much abundance I have in my life.

I am grateful for...my family, sunshine, clean air, creative freedom, the plants in my room, nourishing food, close friendships, my car, financial stability, my love for writing, my pillow, the rapid way my body heals, love, connection, teaching, being in nature, writing, dancing, dance music, riding my bike, going for a run, my little nephew, video games with my younger brother, pool time, and so much more! 

What are you grateful for today? 

Criminal

After a very pleasant Sunday meal it was time to go home and get some rest.

My friend and I took the elevator down from our other friend's place and started walking to our cars. 

Suddenly, I realized I had forgot my cell phone upstairs. 

The friend with me asked if I wanted him to call our other friend, but I declined, as earlier that day I used the intercom successfully. 

When I got to the intercom and rang the line was busy. I tried it again but nothing. I waited for a moment and called again. 

After eight times of hearing the busy signal I noticed a slight frustration starting to arise in my usually mellow self. 

I began to run through my options. 

I could yell upstairs, find something light to throw at his window, ask the people at the restaurant downstairs if they had a key to the side door, or...

I had a thought. The front door works on a buzzer which retracts the locking mechanism, so in theory the old movie trick of using a card to push the locking mechanism back might work. 

I was feeling a sense of excitement as I embarked on a brief moment of being a secret agent. 

I took my car 2 go membership card and stuck it in the door. Moved it up and down, side to side, and boom, the door opened. 

I went upstairs retrieved my phone and was on my way.

I love it when instead of frustration I can remember how to use my resourcefulness, even when its technically a little criminal. 

Body Acoustic

WARNING! If you are offended by the conversation of sex, touch, and the physical body DO NOT READ FURTHER

I am not sure if it's because I am a Virgo, but I always find myself wondering how and why things function.

In a recent intimate experience I couldn't help but notice how much more excited I became when my mate made soft moaning sounds that correlated to his experience of increased pleasure.

Is this the norm? Do gay and straight men get turned on by sexual vocalization? And what about women do they get excited when their man or woman makes sound?

While there aren't too many official studies on this subject--spread the word to your grad student friends, we need more research--there are plenty of opinions.

vSome sexologists believe moaning in the bedroom increases sexual arousal for self and partner, communicates what we like and don't like, and can create a slight experience of hyperventilation which results in a mild feeling of euphoria.

In addition to groans and moans some men and women love to verbalize through simple words like yes, more, and now, etc., while others employ 'dirty talk' to increase their excitement. But do check-in as some people are turned off by particular words.

Stereotypically moaning during foreplay and sex has been painted as only a female trait, but many women and gay men report enjoying breath sounds and soft moaning coming from their man.

One study also showed that some women make noise not only when feeling pleasure but to speed up their partner's climax, boost his self-esteem, relieve boredom, or diffuse fatigue and discomfort. More gay men and lesbians need to chime in as to whether they use the same techniques.

So next time you find yourself hot and heavy make a little noise, but not too much, or maybe yes too much. Wake up the neighbors!

Silly Change

I've been living my life in a contemplative way for over 10 years now but what I love most is the way in which lessons continually show up on my path.

In general I am pretty comfortable with the cycles of life, the reality that things begin, sustain, end, and begin again.

I would label my relationship to change as pretty conscious or connected, and yet there are moments where I notice the friendly beast resistance rise up and say hello.

Over these last few weeks I have dedicated myself to writing on a daily basis.

I spend sometime at home writing, but I also enjoy going out to write.

While there are many cafes in San Diego I have fallen in love with one with a lovely a Parisian atmosphere.The tables are small, the decoration eccentric, and the owner slightly rude.I feel at home when I am there surrounded by beautiful antiques, endless jars of tea, and interesting people walking in and out.

Today, as I walked out of my place a part of me chimed in saying its time to go somewhere new.

Right away I felt a strong wave of residence--really over a silly cafe?

I thought what an interesting microcosm of how even the smallest of change can bring stuff up.
What's interesting is that on one hand humans are hard-wired for continual evolution. "We evolved from single cell organisms over eons, so adaptation is in our blood. As modern humans we are geared to life-long learning and growth. Our brain cells are continually forming new connections and restructuring our perceptions and physiology over time¹."

On the other hand the brain is designed to keep us alive for survival as its number one goal. A familiar environment equals comfort and safety and not as many unknown variables that could pose a threat.

In addition, our reptilian brain responsible for our primary survival functions--eating, sleeping, sex--is more easily activated than our limbic system--emotions, memory, habits--and our pre-frontal cortex--higher order and thinking. "What that means is it takes more effort to think about and do something new than react out of instinct or habit²."

While rewriting habit patterns is a whole different conversation, knowing that my initial surge of resistance is natural makes me breathe a little bit easier, and helps me take a step forward as I shake things up and engage with change.

App Time

In case you didn't know where cell phones and then smart phones came from, it was Star Trek!

Way back even in the first series Captain Kirk carried a little communicator that flipped open and in later series we were introduced to the tricorder, a device used for gathering data and scanning medical patients.

Today we have smart phones and the potential they offer is infinite.

Yoga after all is invested in skillful participation and engagement with life so whatever makes that process simpler is always welcome with open arms.

While I have only had my iPhone for a bit over a year I have come across a few powerful apps that support me in healthy living, ease, and care for the environment.

• Waze: An ingenious traffic app developed in Israel (my homeland) this ingenious helper turns traffic into a social network. It uses data from each one of its users and encourages passengers in cars to report traffic jams and accidents. It can give you a huge heads up and will reroute if there are unexpected slow downs. 
• Lumosity: I love computer games but don't play them too often these days. Lumosity provides little games that actually help train your brain's memory, attention, and focus capability. Watch yourself improve over time.
• PaperKarma: Is your junk mail piling up? Paper Karma is amazing, just take a picture of your junk mail using the app and their system works on your behalf to make sure that unwanted catalog, credit card offer, or special offer never comes back!
• SeafoodWatch: Eating fish is a healthy choice but not when you don't know whether the fish was farmed or is full of mercury. This app is simple. Type in the name of your fish and you'll get all the info you need to make the healthiest choice.
• iRecycle: Find where and when you can drop off and responsibly dispose of or recycle hazardous materials, paint, electronics, batteries, and much much more!
• DirtyDozen: Do you forget which fruits and veggies are heavily sprayed and which ones are not. Keep this handy list when you shop.
• EatWellGuide: I wish I could recommend a great app to help find healthy restaurants but I haven't found one yet but there is a trick here that you can use. On the iPhone go to the webpage of eatwellguide on Safari, then follow these directions to create a shortcut button that will directly take you to this page when you click it. Enter your zip code and find out what's healthy near by.

I am sure there are many more amazing apps and many more to come. Hopefully we will continue to see amazing ingenuity that can bolster our health, support the planet, and enhance our ability to skillful engage with life! 

Reconnection

The modern world in which we live in is a very beautiful place with so much going for it. Yet at the same time our "developed nations" are seeing increased rates of depression, anxiety, and autoimmune dysfunctions. 

Whatever the reasons-over emphasis on the individual journey, materialism, lack of making time, or a compromised interior chemical state due to low quality nutrition-a sense of isolation and misconnection plagues many. 

What I appreciate about human ingenuity is that it always has a way of rising up to the occasion of the times. Over the last few years a whole new stream of business is showing up to meet familiar needs with an added dose of connection. 

The last few times I have needed a ride to the airport non of my friends where around so I used the car service Uber and Lyft to give me a ride. In both instances I had a wonderfully rich conversation with the drivers and left feeling much warmer inside. 

On my recent trip to St. Louis for Yoga Teacher Training instead of staying at a hotel I explored Air B and B and stayed with a couple in their extra room. They where exactly on my wavelength and throughout the 10 days we had very sweet interactions. 

Finally as I continue to explore the dating front someone recently introduced me to Tinder a simple dating app that lets you swipe right if you are drawn to someone and left if you are not interested. The conversation only begins if both swiped right.

I love this because it honors the human reality of some initial attraction and it motivates meeting sooner than later as there isn't as many details present as are on other dating sites. It might mean a few more unpredictable date stories but at least its encouraging people to spend time with other people. 

So while I believe that many elements of technology can further enlist people in isolating I am pleased to see that these creative services are reigniting the time tested need we all have for connection. 

Home

Over the last several months and the next upcoming months I am spending much more time on planes than usual. 

While spending hours on end at 35,000 feet is not my favorite activity I do appreciate the space I feel while being in the air and the random conversations that sometimes unfold. 

On my recent flight from Houston to San Diego I sat next to a very sweet 25 year old man. We chatted about yoga, work, relationships, God, spirituality, and so much more. 

It was a very nourishing conversation yet what struck me most was one of the last questions he proposed. 

As the plane began its initial decent into San Diego, Mike asked me 'What's waiting for you at home?'

For a moment my mind went into the narrow spiral that nothing is waiting for me. I go home to my room, no partner, no consistent work to wake up to in the morning, no super glue connection to San Diego as home. 

I then took a deep breath and reset the question. What is waiting for me at home?

I was being picked up by my dear friend Steve from the airport, I have a lunch date with my friend Katie on Friday and dinner plans with sweet friends in the evening, I am getting a nourishing massage Thursday, I have freedom and space to fulfill my creativity, I head to Los Angeles to see my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and my mom who is visiting from Israel on Sunday, I have sun, quiet, clean water, fresh air and so much possibility. 

I am grateful that I have so much in the place I live in for now and while I will cherish the day I am in intimate relationship once again, I am grateful in knowing that home is composed of much more than just one person, one event, or one quality.

It is a community of so many facets that I hope is always waiting for me when I return back home.  

Flourish

Today as we do every year we took time to visit several temples and immerse more in what is a daily ritual for many Indians. 

What I love about going to temple is what I love so much about Indian culture, its rich! 

Colorful lotus flower ceilings, oil lamps, a sweet fragrance of incense, an array of garland flower petals, and vibrant deities which each symbolize a specific energy in nature serving as a conduit of connection in the day-to-day. 

How can I bring this initiation of life back home?

Lighting a candle?
Ringing a bell?
A sprinkle of water on my head?
Taking time to smell a fragrant flower?
Burning incense?
Looking at a picture of family?
Gazing at a bright image of a deity to help me remember?

In the west we have rituals, but do they serve us to feel truly connected or are they simply giving a momentary jolt of fake vitality?

When I feel full and connected I want to grow, I want to step into the light, I want to flourish! 

Are You in India?

This is my 5^th trip to this most precious land named India. Every time I come here I am reminded why I return again and again.

It’s a mix of a rude awakening, immense humor, and unending warmth that reminds me to appreciate the diverse flavors of my human path.

So how do you know you’re in India?

• When you get off the plane a wonderful scent awaits, not good or bad, simply distinctly India.
• With in a split second of walking out of the airport doors a professional dressed man will make friendly conversation, offer to take you to a guesthouse for a very reasonable price, and will ignore the fact you just told him you are simply walking over to the domestic terminal.
• Your domestic flight will depart from the international terminal.
• When boarding your plane at the assigned gate the digital screen will say a different airline and a different destination, even though you are at the right gate.
• You might need to show your BOARDING pass when you exit the plane.
• You put your carryon through a scanning machine and walk through a metal detector after immigration and before baggage claim and customs.
• A two-lane road the size of a one-way road really serves as three lanes—the third lane which appears at driver’s discretion, is used for passing.
• You will see mileage signs one after the other that say 11km, 12km, and then 9.5km heading towards your destination.
• When arriving at where you are staying you will be welcomed by the most authentic warm smiles ever!
• Sweet children will want you to take their picture and then show them the picture. 
• The bright colors are everywhere from clothing, buildings, and flowers, India is alive! 
• You will be in taste bud heaven after your first pineapple juice, fresh papaya, and real authentic curry.
• When negotiating a taxi ride or buying anything at a shop be prepared to be overcharged by 300%, walk away and all of a sudden the prices start to tumble. 
• The town you took a train to 'Trivandrum' has two train stations, which are at two different locations but each are called 'Trivandrum'. 

The joys of India are never ending and I have had some of my greatest learnings of compassion, patience, letting go, and simply going with the flow and richness of life.

 

To many more journeys! Namaste. 

Collage HELL

While I absolutely love having a vision board/collage in my room. I repeatedly experience the same process when its time to revamp what it is I am working with on my path. 

The first step is extremely fun as I spend days with random magazines and see what images draw me in.

The next part of the process is where the experience of HELL begins. 

As a Virgo I want my collage process to be done in a brief 10 minutes, but the reality is that it takes so much more time. 

I start placing the images on one part of my board, I combine backgrounds, notice color patterns, experiment with how the words fit in or don't, and throughout the process I notice endless frustration. 

The mess, the desire for it to be finished and orderly, and my all time favorite the reality that I can't power through to get it done. 

The collage above took me over a week. Each day  I had to stop when I recognized my frustration was overpowering my ability to stay in a creative flow. 

What I love about this hellish process is that it reminds me of life, especially when I embark on a new endeavor.

All of the same feelings show up and at this point in my life I've learned I have to employ the same tools.

• Take one step at a time
• Know when to step back and take a break
• And trust, trust, trust

Both in the collage and in life a day always comes where everything starts to line up:  the images fit just right, I feel connected and calm, and one action ripples into the next. 

Who said resistance can't be  a teacher? And sometimes a little bit of Hell is just the Dr. ordered.