Even YOU can have a yoga practice.

YES YOU!

I know that for most of you the thought of yoga is scary. It's posing and bending your body in ways you think you can't do. Yoga is about time and energy that you may think you don't have. Yoga to you might be about a journey that you just don't want to take.

I'm telling you dear reader that even you can have a yoga practice. In fact, I insist on it. Yoga doesn't have to be about bending and stretching for long periods of time. It doesn't have to be about hours of commitment. It doesn't have to be scary.

Yoga for me started quite a long time ago. I took a class it was 8 weeks and I learned that my body, COULD do amazing things. I returned for part two of the class, but called it quits after only a few sessions..I have to admit that the instructor did tip the scale in me wanting to return ;) but he was very distracting with his muscles and his tone and that beach hair and the way he said things like 'bend slowly, into my direction'.....mmmmmm

where was I?

Oh yes

here, I'm right here.

I have returned to my practice in full force as some of you may know. I used to dabble in it once a month, for that special moon phase where a woman feels all glowy and wants to give her self warm baths and soft yoga...
I have actually extended it to weeks now. and I feel ALIVE. I feel better emotionally and physically then I have in YEARS! YEARS dear reader! This is huge for me.

Now I don't spend hours on my practice, because really what mum of three has that time?! I wake up at 5 as per normal, and instead of Jillian Michaels I pull out my mat and get to work. With each breath and each pose I exhale the negative and accept the positive. I make sure that I leave the anger with the exhale. I can honestly say I can't live without my practice. I can't go a day without some form of yoga.  This has brought me to a place that allows me to live like a normal person (what ever that is).

My yoga practice has given me the freedom to actually enjoy this life. I am enjoying getting up in the morning. I'm enjoying being with my kids. I'm enjoying walking to school. I'm enjoying being me again. I feel such a sense of center, it's mind blowing. I want you to enjoy life too dear reader.

I only do 30-40 minutes a day. That's all I do. I start with what I love then work my way to something new. I do it in the way I enjoy and I do the poses until my body tells me to move. This is the practice I've always wanted. I don't (sadly) have time to finish my practice with meditation...but Sunday's Quaker meetings are helping with that.

I'm telling you dear read that you don't have to move your body in ways that are scary and you don't have to spend all day on it!

Here's a few easy ones. Try a few, work your way from there! I promise you, it's going to ground you and center you and give you focus...it's a practice and it's going to take practice. So don't expect to be perfect! xo

Warrior 2

Tree Pose

Child's Pose

Happy Baby

Extended Side Angle 

Please feel free to take that arm that is on her ankle and rest is on your bent leg!

You see dear Reader, these aren't scary! and you can do them with the kids! you can do this, you will enjoy it. Don't rush, don't feel the need to be perfect, breath, don't forget to BREATH!

xo

Namaste

Gift getting, gift buying

you know, I'm really tired of these ads telling men what not to buy for women. I'm tired of seeing ads telling us what we should and shouldn't buy for kids. I'm actually tired of seeing gift guides at all.

Maybe these are helpful. maybe.

Isn't Christmas supposed to be about something more then gifts?? I thought Christmas was about spending time with family and friends, decorating a beautiful tree, eating waay too much, a walk in fresh snow (if you are lucky!). I thought Christmas was about making sparkly crafts with the kids. I thought it was a warm fire and a long snuggle. I thought it was a time of year to remember how blessed we truly are.

Sure, gift are lovely. It's always nice to know that someone thought of you. But it's not the point of the season. I really feel that if I get a gift, any gift. No matter what it is, I'm just grateful. Now don't get me wrong, I do hand in my list to Santa. But I'm in no way 1) expecting everything 2) expecting anything 3) mad at any point if Santa decides that what I really need is a blender and not a green Tiffany's box.

I have to give Hubby Santa credit, he's really really good at shopping. Really good. But I don't expect anything at Christmas. I'm happy to have the day come and know it's Christmas.

I think we're getting a little greedy as the years go one. We're getting to the point where we're ungrateful if someone buys us a gift that doesn't fit our ideal. Sure we get some weird, strange and unusual things. But seriously, someone thought about you for a minute and bought you something.

I think it's time we rethink things. Christmas isn't the season of giving and getting. It's the season to be grateful. We are so blessed. So very very blessed.

Happy Holidays?

This is the season of Christmas. Christmas. The christian holiday, where we all celebrate the birth of Jesus and buy each other pressies. That's christmas. For some people is a holiday steeped in Religion, for others its just another reason to buy gifts and spend money. No matter who you are, what color you are, what gender you are or who you love. This is Christmas. I refuse to call it by any other name then Christmas. It's not holiday season. This is Christmas season.

Can someone please tell me who is upset by this holiday? Are you? Are you Jewish, Muslum, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Pagan, or any other Religion? Are you upset that we celebrate Christmas?

What about Diwali? You know the Hinduism holiday. The one where they decorate the house with lights and paint colorful patterns and send their family cards.

What about Wesak? You know the Buddhist holiday. The one where they hang lanterns, Monks may give out blessing strings as birthday gifts and they may even exchange small gifts.

What about Baisakhi? You know the Sikhism holiday. The one where they have parades in the streets, decorate with bright orange and blue balloons and give money to charity.

What about Hanukkah? You know the Jewish holiday. The one where they light the menorah, they exchange gifts, send cards, eat special food (cooked in oil), and play special Hanukkah games.

What about Ramadan and Eid al-Fir? You know the Islamic holiday. The one where they send cards, give money to the poor, fast then eat a big meal with family (maybe friends).

Do these all sound the same? Am I offended? Should I be?

you see dear Reader, we live in a place call Earth. It is filled with people of all different color and race. It is filled with people of all different religions. It is filled with men who love men, women who love women and men and women who love each other. It is filled with a beautiful word called diversity. It's what makes this world, a world.

It doesn't matter if I celebrate Ramadan or Hanukkah. It doesn't matter if I'm gay or straight. It doesn't matter if I'm black or white.

This is Christmas. Christmas. It has always been Christmas and it always will be Christmas. So again; please dear Reader, tell me, is it YOU who is offended? if it is you who is offended. Can you tell me why? Why should this offended you when we all celebrate the same holiday? You may call it Diwali and I may call it Christmas. I may celebrate in December and you may celebrate in November. I may have a tree with lights you may have a Menorah with lights. I may eat a turkey and you might eat Samosas.

We are are all celebrating something. We are all bringing family and friends together at some point to celebrate. We all have a special time of the year that brings us together. The truth of the matter is; we just don't make a big deal about your special holidays like we do ours. Do I know why? no. Do you want Hanukkah all over our malls and shops? Do you want everyone singing Diwali songs?

To me as a Christian celebrating Christmas, I would not be offended in the least and I would actually support your cause if you wanted your holiday broadcasted for the whole world to see.

Am I off my rocker here? Why is everyone is such war over Christmas? It's Christmas!

*I'm not trying to offend anyone here, I'm just hoping to point out the crazy amount of similarity in all our holidays. I also use the world holiday because we're in 'holiday' spirit. I know some of the above 'holidays' are more festivals.*

Much love dear reader and Merry Christmas. How every you celebrate it by which ever name you call it.

xo

Thoughtful Thursday

Today I figure, being Thursday and it going well with thoughtful. Would be a good day to post something that would give you enrichment. Something that you could take with you in your pocket. Small words. Little phrase. Something thoughtful. Today is a good day to bring your thoughts present. Meaning, bring your thoughts to the now. Are you living today, or are you stuck in the past? Is your brain getting lost in the future? Are you truly living now?

I find so often our brains get stuck in over drive and we start to miss the things that are around us. How many times have you driven yourself to work, only to arrive and wonder how you got there. How many times have you wanted a drink, found yourself in the laundry room going 'what did I need?'

We need to start thinking about where we are now; and not how the next part is going to play out, or how we arrived there. In your current activity are you presently involved? When your rolling around with the kids is your brain making dinner? maybe it's thinking about the clothes that need to be put away? When your sitting and meditating, are you paying bills or balancing your check book?

When is the last time that you went for a walk and truly went for a walk? Are the birds singing? Is the wind blowing? Do you notice the color of the sky? Can you hear dogs parking? Are there children playing?  Do you notice how your feet aren't touching the cracks? Are your kids with you? Are they talking? Are you cold? Maybe your getting warm from your body being in motion?

There is so much going on in our lives, that I think we forget how to be. We are human beings after all...not human doings.

xo

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. -Buddha-

spiritual redirection

As most of you know, I've been on a hardcore quest for body perfection. I've been waking up at 5am and working my ass off. I'm not expecting a Jillian Michaels body here. It would be seriously nice, but I know that I've had three kids and four pregnancies. I know I've had them close together, and I know my body was never given the chance to 'firm up'. But I would love a body that I felt comfortable with. One that I could put on a nice dress and go 'hot'. Not 'I can't wear that, because it doesn't fit over the baby belly'

I'm not going to lie. I hate working out. There is nothing that I particularly enjoy about it. I don't enjoy waking up at 5. I don't enjoy the kids joining me. I don't enjoy having to be quiet. I don't enjoy doing it on my own. But I know if I want to loose the belly. I'm going to have to fight. I've been using a mix of Jillian Michaels, Carmen Electra and some scary valley girl who burns your abs away.

Truthfully, I only have a half hour in the morning. That's all, 30-40 minutes and I need to be done. Morning is the only time I can fit this in and the kids get up early! These videos fit the bill!

Last week when my mummy left, I really felt the need to shut the hard core workers out and bring in a little OMMMMMMM. By Wednesday with the help of Yoga, I lifted the dark cloud. I also lifted a stress cloud that sat above my head. How interesting. By Friday, I felt great. Not a little great. A lot great. Due to family and wanting to sleep, the weekends are not for working out.

Today I knew I was getting up early and I thought, right enough fluffy shit I need to get back into 'working out'. By the time I had gotten changed and down stairs, Yoga was on my mind. I pulled out my mat and stretched my way into Monday.

In order for you to see real body change with Yoga, you should be doing 3 sessions a week for 90 minutes. As I said before 40 minutes is the max for me. I'm starting to wonder if there is something more to this yoga. As I feel the veil of need for a smooth body disappearing and the want for this inner calm to go on forever. I can't think of ever going back to working out hardcore. I just love the way my day starts with stretching and moving for me. The way my arms feel after extending, the way my back feels after twisting and the way my mind feels after digging deeply into poses.

I feel just a weight off my shoulders. Like I can do this. Like this job of mummy, like getting up each morning, like taking care of others all day...can work. Like I can really really do this. I really do live in a world of ups and downs and at any moment a down can come as quickly as a high was here. So far in the past week, I've just felt steady.

Yesterday, I decided to go to my first Quaker meeting. At first it felt like a support group for religious delinquents. But after my hour of quiet and inner thoughts. I really felt lifted. I felt just as I do with Yoga. Like this is all going to be all right. Strange how the two seem to fit so well together.

I feel like I've hit a block of spiritual redirection. I must admit it feels great. I feel great. I don't know if I'll ever get that 'perfect body' but right now. In this moment. I'm okay with that. Just as I'm okay with everything else going around me. I truly feel as though I have been given a gift of clarity. In a short week, my Yoga practice has become a truly important part of my day.

I feel like I needed answers I need someone/thing to take over and I just feel blessed to of found it.

Namaste

P.S I know I'm supposed to be doing 'Christmas' posts. But felt in the spirit of Christmas that a spiritual post was fitting xo

The Christmas party

For the month of December, I'm going to do my best to post everyday...with the spirit of Christmas. Not sure if I can do it, there is only so much Christmas you can blog about!

Today the beginning of advent, starts the process for me of getting ready for a party. Tomorrow night is hubby's work party and I've been preparing all day for tomorrow. Yes you read that right. I have spent all day getting ready for tomorrow.

We have a nanny coming to watch the kids. So the house needed to be prepped. But that is the easy work, no?

Dear readers, I am a woman who loves to prepare. I need to make sure that tomorrow, there are no hiccups.  This morning, after cleaning (well tidying really) I painted my nails. A lovely shade of gray to go with my jewelry. The base coat and first coat before lunch and the finishing layers when the boys went for a rest.

I know this sounds a bit nuts. As much as I'm a woman who like to prepare. I'm also a woman who knows at any moment crisis could hit. If I'm not prepared then Ynaffit comes out, and she's not pretty.  Tonight will start the 'spa' treatments. Sugar body scrub (home made if you please) hair mask, shaving and tweezing, foot treatment and I'm going to bed with a thick layer of cream on.

Okay seriously. I NEED to do these things. I'm nuts and totally off my rocker I know. But there is so much to worry about. You know you go to these parties and people grab your arms and talk closely in your face. You dance with the new guy, because that's the type of girl you are (okay, maybe it was the nudge from hubby that gets you dancing) You might get a runner in your pantyhose and have to take off your shoes, your going to have to shake hands with everyone, and then for the cherry on the Christmas pudding; the grease megamix will come on and your going to shake your tail feather.

With all these things in my brain I'm thinking OMG! a night wasn't nearly enough time to prepare. What happens if I don't tweeze enough and people think I have a mustache? What happens if I go with the spanx and I'm dancing with who knows and they wonder what I'm wearing under my dress? What happens if the big boss shakes my hands and feels that I have dish pan hands? What happens if I'm talking waaaay to close to someone and they start wondering about my unibrow? What happens if I get that runner in my pantyhose, take off my shoes and everyone starts to wonder 'what happened to her feet?!' All those people grabbing your arms! Those tiny bumps you get will HAVE to come off!!!!!

I don't think I'm over thinking this in the least. I'm don't think I'm even scratching the surface of my brain here!

Please will someone grab me a paper bag and coach me through breathing. Next I need you to come to London STAT and help me get ready....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!