This weekend was Hilltop Yoga's annual open house. Three beautiful days of free yoga classes. I took full advantage of this time to deepen my practice. Knowledge. My only intention knowledge. I wanted to listen, breathe, accept and learn.
12 hours of yoga over 3 days. I know students who practiced for more hours. My intent wasn't just to crank it out. My intent was to focus and deepen into my practice. I feel recalibrated...calm, and super stretched out!
I took my first ever Advanced Yoga class where I tried nakrasana, svarga dvidasana and a whole bunch of arm balances I don't know the Sanskrit for because I have never attempted them before! It was a class full of laughter, joy and fun.
I took my first ever yoga and meditation class. Sitting still is hard. Slow stretchy flows and deepening into your muscles, joints and bones is not easy.
I took my first ever inversions class. Yep. Inversions. Upside down spaces. Adho mukha svanasana, downward facing dog, is an upside down space. So too are headstands and hand stands.
For me, yoga classes are similar to graduate coursework. I listen. I absorb. I learn. I put into practice. At least...that is the idea. My teachers are all true teachers who care about their students safety, well being and growth. Their words echo through my practice and through my day.
Breathe and be. Accept where you are. Practice compassion. Ahimsa. Sit in it. Deepen in. Nothing happens when you get there - where is there? No one cares if you can get your foot to your head. Don't tell yourself you're a "bad yogi" because you can't get into a posture! It is just a posture. Being, not doing. Let it go. It is about the journey, not the destination. Focus. Don't think too hard. Be where you are. Be present. You are stronger than you think you are.
I'm listening. I'm absorbing. I'm learning. I hope that will never change. Now, to go from the mat and into the world! True practice. I'm grateful for this indulgent weekend of true yoga. It also helped to further prepare me for a journey I'm embarking upon in January...yoga teacher training.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Welcome Fall: 5 Spice Pumpkin Muffins and Pumpkin Chai
I love Fall. I love the chill in the air, the beautiful deep red maple leaves and the variety of fruits, flowers and vegetables at the farmers' markets. My favorite part about fall is access to fresh pumpkin and squash. I use deep red squash (typically kabocha or red kuri) and sweet pumpkins interchangeably in recipes calling for "pumpkin puree". I find that squash is typically cheaper and I do not detect a difference in baking with squash vs. pumpkin. We have access to fresh pumpkin and squash...use it instead of grabbing that can of pumpkin puree!
To create the puree:
Cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds and the guts. If you feel extra ambitious, set the seeds aside to try and then roast them in the oven! Butter (or use oil to keep it vegan) a cookie sheet or a 9x13 pan...something with edges. Place the squash cut side down onto the pan. Roast in the oven at 350F until you can easily poke a fork into the top of the squash (usually 30 mins of roasting will achieve this consistency). Puree the squash in a blender - add water as necessary to get it moving and blended up well. Set aside.
Vegan Five Spice Squash Muffins
1 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of white flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t Chinese 5 Spice powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup turbinado sugar or brown sugar
1 1/4 cup squash puree (see recipe above)
1/4 heaping cup of olive oil
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped dates
Combine the sugars, squash puree and vegetable oils. Add the ground flaxseed and water (this is a 2 egg replacement). Stir well. Add in the flours, baking powder and baking soda, salt, and spices. Stir in chopped dates.
Oil 14-16 muffin wells. Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into each muffin well. How many you create depends on how big you want them. Do not fill over the top of the muffin tin rim. Baking in a 350F oven for 30 minutes.
Now that you have so much pumpkin puree in the refrigerator...you need something else to do with it! Going off of a blogger's recipe for a Pumpkin Spiced Latte, I created a Pumpkin Chai.
Pumpkin Spiced Chai
1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
1 T honey, 1-2 T sugar to taste (or more honey, agave syrup, stevia, brown sugar, etc.)
1/2 t cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of cloves
1 cup of almond milk
1 Decaf Black Tea Chai tea bag
Brew half a cup of tea. Let steep 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the almond milk, pumpkin puree, sugars and spices in a small pot on the stove. Whisk to combine. Heat to warm. When the tea is steeped, remove the bag and set aside. Fill the rest of the cup with the pumpkin milk mixture.You should have enough of the pumpkin mixture for another cup or two!
Welcome, Fall 2011!
To create the puree:
Cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds and the guts. If you feel extra ambitious, set the seeds aside to try and then roast them in the oven! Butter (or use oil to keep it vegan) a cookie sheet or a 9x13 pan...something with edges. Place the squash cut side down onto the pan. Roast in the oven at 350F until you can easily poke a fork into the top of the squash (usually 30 mins of roasting will achieve this consistency). Puree the squash in a blender - add water as necessary to get it moving and blended up well. Set aside.
Vegan Five Spice Squash Muffins
1 cup of whole wheat flour
3/4 cup of white flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t Chinese 5 Spice powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup turbinado sugar or brown sugar
1 1/4 cup squash puree (see recipe above)
1/4 heaping cup of olive oil
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped dates
Combine the sugars, squash puree and vegetable oils. Add the ground flaxseed and water (this is a 2 egg replacement). Stir well. Add in the flours, baking powder and baking soda, salt, and spices. Stir in chopped dates.
Oil 14-16 muffin wells. Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into each muffin well. How many you create depends on how big you want them. Do not fill over the top of the muffin tin rim. Baking in a 350F oven for 30 minutes.
Now that you have so much pumpkin puree in the refrigerator...you need something else to do with it! Going off of a blogger's recipe for a Pumpkin Spiced Latte, I created a Pumpkin Chai.
Pumpkin Spiced Chai
1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
1 T honey, 1-2 T sugar to taste (or more honey, agave syrup, stevia, brown sugar, etc.)
1/2 t cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of cloves
1 cup of almond milk
1 Decaf Black Tea Chai tea bag
Brew half a cup of tea. Let steep 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the almond milk, pumpkin puree, sugars and spices in a small pot on the stove. Whisk to combine. Heat to warm. When the tea is steeped, remove the bag and set aside. Fill the rest of the cup with the pumpkin milk mixture.You should have enough of the pumpkin mixture for another cup or two!
Welcome, Fall 2011!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Two Sided Coin of Acceptance
One of my frequent yoga intentions is the word and concept of acceptance.
I use my focus on acceptance to be okay with not holding a posture as long as my yoga mat neighbors. I accept the fact that my body is different from their body. I accept that I should not be comparing our posture or bodies or movements at all. I accept that I have tight hip flexors that cannot fully get into padmasana (lotus). I accept that I have issues with virabhadrasana III (warrior 3). I try to use my focus on acceptance to be okay with where I'm at in each posture. I try to be compassionate towards myself and give my body a break. I have come a long way from where I was a year ago...and I've got a long way to go...and I don't have to get there by a certain date or time. Acceptance.
On Sunday, while holding utkatasana (chair pose), feeling the vibrations of an electric violin flow around the room and listening to the deep breath of the Hilltop Yoga community around me, I realized that acceptance is not one sided.
Acceptance is not just being okay with limitations and edges. Acceptance also means staying where you are when you know you can. It means sitting deeper in my chair, mentally and physically. Acceptance truly means accepting where you are. Limitations, edges and also my own ability to stick with it and to just be there. Being, not doing.
A good teacher told me "you can choose how you react to a posture, but you cannot choose the posture I put you in".
This concept is not unique to yoga asanas. We cannot always choose what happens to us. We can choose our reactions to the world. Acceptance is a two sided coin - honoring limitations and edges; sticking with it and going deeper. To paraphrase another great teacher, practice to your edge but don't slash at yourself with a samurai sword. Balance in being.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Lessons from Foursquare: You're Checked in Here!
I use a popular social media application called Foursquare. It allows you to "check in" to physical locations. It works with Twitter and Facebook to show your friends where you're at and what businesses you support. I like using it to show support for local businesses and for "checking in" to new areas around the US. People can comment on your check in. You can also earn crazy cool weird nerdy badges.
When you check in to a location, Foursquare lets you Tweet, post a status update or take a picture. After you hit "check in here", your selected statuses update and you are officially "there". Foursquare then reminds you that you're checked in here!
Checking in on my iPhone yesterday, I realized how much this little reminder could mean. You are here. Not in the past, not in the future...right...here. Be present. Be here. No where else, just here. You're checked in here.
Kitchy and dorky? Yep. Maybe. Still, thank you, Foursquare, for reminding me that I should be checked in here. Wherever and whenever that here is. #socialmediarocks
Friday, August 19, 2011
Push Paws
On my morning walk/run, I typically see one to three fluffy tailed bunnies. On my bike ride to work yesterday morning, I saw a doe and two fawns prance out of the mist. They're simply existing and are beautiful at it. Walking or biking in the early morning hours lets me get my cardio in and it gives me time to reflect and to breathe.
The Goo Goo Dolls - Black Balloon cycled through on my old MP3 player (I haven't changed the music in six years). A bunny paused to stand up on it's hind legs and look at me...before promptly running off. The sky was still dark, the stars and moon were shining, and it was quiet except for a few early rising birds.
A song that is floating around my mind lately is one on being where you are and excelling with what you're doing. It is from my Catholic grade school. My sister and I sang it often.
Bloom, bloom, bloom where you're planted - you will find your way. Bloom, bloom, bloom where you're planted - you will have your day. Look at the flowers, look at them growing, they never worry, they never work...yet look at the way our Father has clothed them. Each with a beauty all of its own.
Push pause. I need to slow down and actually take time to revel in the small things instead of think about taking time with them. I need to sit and be here. Animals seems to do this so easily. A happy-go-lucky dog is where he is, with who he is with, with whatever he is about to eat or drool over. While I was stretching, my cat came up to me and nuzzled against my side, walking back and forth to get petted and purring the entire time. Small things. Lessons animals already seem to get. Push paws.
Somewhere along the way I become wrapped up in pushing forward, doing more and more and more. Although I appreciate time and being okay with less and appreciating how great small things are...I don't act on it. I haven't taken the time to sit in it all. When I finished my walk I took a moment to check out North Star, the moon and to breathe. Just breathe. Now to go on and just be.
Push paws. Let love in. Do.
The Goo Goo Dolls - Black Balloon cycled through on my old MP3 player (I haven't changed the music in six years). A bunny paused to stand up on it's hind legs and look at me...before promptly running off. The sky was still dark, the stars and moon were shining, and it was quiet except for a few early rising birds.
A song that is floating around my mind lately is one on being where you are and excelling with what you're doing. It is from my Catholic grade school. My sister and I sang it often.
Bloom, bloom, bloom where you're planted - you will find your way. Bloom, bloom, bloom where you're planted - you will have your day. Look at the flowers, look at them growing, they never worry, they never work...yet look at the way our Father has clothed them. Each with a beauty all of its own.
Push pause. I need to slow down and actually take time to revel in the small things instead of think about taking time with them. I need to sit and be here. Animals seems to do this so easily. A happy-go-lucky dog is where he is, with who he is with, with whatever he is about to eat or drool over. While I was stretching, my cat came up to me and nuzzled against my side, walking back and forth to get petted and purring the entire time. Small things. Lessons animals already seem to get. Push paws.
Somewhere along the way I become wrapped up in pushing forward, doing more and more and more. Although I appreciate time and being okay with less and appreciating how great small things are...I don't act on it. I haven't taken the time to sit in it all. When I finished my walk I took a moment to check out North Star, the moon and to breathe. Just breathe. Now to go on and just be.
Push paws. Let love in. Do.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
One Year of Yoga
Today marks an important anniversary. One year ago I stumbled into a free yoga class at Hilltop Yoga. I went to yoga to exercise, sweat, have something to do while being unemployed and to de-stress and calm my mind.
I found all of that and so much more.
I am grateful for everything. I'm thankful for the kind and generous #LoveLansing yoga community. I appreciate the opportunities I have been given. I look forward to the future and to learning more each and every day.
The love and light in me recognizes and salutes the love and light in you.
Shanti, shanti, shanti.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
A pinch of this and that: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Anyone can make strawberry rhubarb crisp. Anyone.
I grew up with a huge rhubarb plant in my backyard. For a treat, my sister and I would take a rhubarb stalk and a tiny cup of granulated sugar...dip stalk in sugar, bite, dip stalk in sugar, bite. It sounds gross now but it was heaven then!
My dad has taken to growing a field of strawberries in the backyard. My mother has made strawberry rhubarb pie for many years. I'm not a fan of pie crust. I like my oatmeal crumble topping. I can make a strawberry rhubarb crisp with my eyes closed and I think you can too!
Grab a dish - preferably an 8x8 but any size close to this will do (a pie plate, a brownie pan, a 9x9 dish).
Chop rhubarb into small pieces until you have 2 cups. Set aside. Slice 1 cup of strawberries. Toss the rhubarb and the strawberries with 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet or sour you like your dessert!) and add 1-2 tablespoons of flour (add more flour if you like your crisp more thick...add less if you like it more runny).
Butter your dish and add the strawberry rhubarb mixture.
Place 1/2 cup of flour, 2 T to 1/4 cup sugar (brown sugar is great here!), a pinch of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a bowl (rolled, not quick). Blend together and cut in 2-4 T of butter depending on how crumbly and buttery you want your topping. Sprinkle your streusel over the fruit.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 mins - just until the gooey goodness bubbles up around the edges and the top gets a tan. Remove from oven, let sit 15 mins or more, devour.
See? Told you it was easy. Go make one right now!
I grew up with a huge rhubarb plant in my backyard. For a treat, my sister and I would take a rhubarb stalk and a tiny cup of granulated sugar...dip stalk in sugar, bite, dip stalk in sugar, bite. It sounds gross now but it was heaven then!
My dad has taken to growing a field of strawberries in the backyard. My mother has made strawberry rhubarb pie for many years. I'm not a fan of pie crust. I like my oatmeal crumble topping. I can make a strawberry rhubarb crisp with my eyes closed and I think you can too!
Grab a dish - preferably an 8x8 but any size close to this will do (a pie plate, a brownie pan, a 9x9 dish).
Chop rhubarb into small pieces until you have 2 cups. Set aside. Slice 1 cup of strawberries. Toss the rhubarb and the strawberries with 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet or sour you like your dessert!) and add 1-2 tablespoons of flour (add more flour if you like your crisp more thick...add less if you like it more runny).
Butter your dish and add the strawberry rhubarb mixture.
Place 1/2 cup of flour, 2 T to 1/4 cup sugar (brown sugar is great here!), a pinch of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a bowl (rolled, not quick). Blend together and cut in 2-4 T of butter depending on how crumbly and buttery you want your topping. Sprinkle your streusel over the fruit.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 mins - just until the gooey goodness bubbles up around the edges and the top gets a tan. Remove from oven, let sit 15 mins or more, devour.
See? Told you it was easy. Go make one right now!
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