A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama

Our angel dog, Charlie

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 02:02:00 +0000

Charlie, our family dog of six plus years (he was eight), passed away yesterday afternoon.

The vet found cancer before cutting deeper for a full surgery, after we dropped him off the second time in two weeks. She advised to put him down. It was unexpected.

My husband & I were able to see Charlie, our first "child" together, somewhat lucid before he passed, & we said goodbye.

It was heartbreaking to let him go; a new brand of heartache I haven't experienced in my 36 years since Charlie is, I mean was, my first dog.

I ache at the loss of our constant & loyal companion. It's amazing how much you think about your dog throughout a regular day.

I'm glad we were able to see his last breath, his soul escape. Almost wasn't able to due to a work trip. Ended up rescheduling my flight literally at the last minute with major help from a wonderful co-worker.

Hard to let go of such a loving dog, especially with having two under age five.

Here's a pic from this summer of Charlie with our youngest.

It's sad she won't remember him; at least we have this memory captured to show her (and her sister) she has an angel dog named Charlie.

We love you, Charlie!!

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Doing yoga with my five year old

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 13:42:00 +0000

Attempted yoga with my kindergarten girl today after not trying for a while.

We did about 15 minutes, off and on, and it was kind of fun too.

Guess we're ready to do this more!

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Persevere

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 03:06:00 +0000

Persevere.

Read this blurb earlier today in the book, Don't Worry, Make Money. Right now during my day job, I'm working on a high profile, big project that is showing the best & worst of people, including myself. It's easy to feel like quitting, but we've come so far.

Perseverance Mantra:

Please give me the wisdom & strength to persevere. To take deep breaths and keep running the race.

Joy & abundance

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 11:48:00 +0000

"Abundance is a joyful path."

Reminded today of this idea while flipping through Don't Worry, Mak Money, a book with short chapters featuring ways to enjoy working while also having financial success.

Working with joy keeps that God or Source connection going and strengthens it. Keeps the creativity flowing.

Now if I can just remember that. :)

I posted a few pics that reminds me of myself or others working with Joy.

- The girls in their matching Cross Country (CC) shirts reminds me of my dad who still coaches his HS team after retiring from teaching because he loves it so much.

- I'm really enjoying selling Thirty-One. Gives me an excuse to chat and catch up with old & new friends.

- my oldest helping me; fun to work together!

Keep calm & carry on

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 23:14:00 +0000

Opened up the book "Don't Worry, Make Money" to this page, #77. It's my lucky number.

"Tell yourself today it's ok to relax. In fact it's downright important."

Also the start of the last of the two pages, below, reminds me not to let myself get distracted by others because it steals my creativity, which is #1 attribute CEOs are looking for today in people.

A yoga-kind of Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sun, 01 Sep 2013 16:31:00 +0000

Harper in Baddha Konasana and Charlie chilling in Prone Savasana.

Just a yoga-kind of Sunday.

Use Deepak Chopra's Seven Spiritual Laws of Parenting law for Sunday to guide your day with your kids.

Home sweet home

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 14:41:00 +0000

After traveling for my "day job" for the majority of the biz week & immediately turning around & driving to a relatively nearby destination last weekend, I was ready to be home this weekend.

I wrote this on our newly painted chalkboard wall in our kitchen the other day, & the expression still stands true today.

At the end of the day, or week, or trip, it's soooooo good to be home.

Have no fear

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 18:43:00 +0000

"If you knew who walked beside you at all times, you could never experience fear again."

A Course in Miracles

Need to remind myself of this. I think I'm pretty good about knowing God is always there for me, which gives me comfort & assurance that all is well in my world. However, I could be better about praying.

Thank you Lord for your love & guidance. Amen.

Haiku of Sunday yoga

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:29:00 +0000

Blogging post yoga
on my mini in a sphinx
On a fun Sunday

Just keep swimming

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 02:13:00 +0000

"When life gets you down, you know what you do?

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."

Dory, Finding Nemo - YouTube: http://youtu.be/CmyUkm2qlhA

In yoga and life, just keep breathing.

Right here, right now

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 01:42:00 +0000

Yoga is about having balance and being present. Reminding ourselves literally to be right here, right now is practicing being in the moment. This allows us to live more and enjoy the small things more.

Being right here, right now in my daily life has brought more pleasure to my life. Even when the kids are screaming. And if they are, I just take a deeper breath.

TGFY (thank God for yoga)!

Happy 2013!

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 02:28:00 +0000

So two beautiful girls later, here I am. We were blessed with Harper Faith last December. Can't believe she's now one. And yes, Harper is a girl.

For 2013, focusing on the mantra: Live well.

As a working mom of two small kids while still teaching a few yoga classes a week, I rely on my yoga practice for good health. This year, I plan to focus on renewing my passion for writing and yoga while learning new techniques and ideas for leading a good life.

This month, I am focusing on Deepak Chopra's book The Seven Laws of Success of Yoga. I've had it for years and am excited to really focus on it's plan and see how it affects me.

The book says that there are seven laws of success, that when applied with yoga and focused on each day with the corresponding law, can really enhance and balance your life.

Tuesday is the law of Karma, cause and effect.

To apply this law ask yourself, "What will this choice bring me?" I asked myself this throughout my yoga asana practice (asana is Sanskrit for postures) at YG. Third time this week - total treat for me. :)

Since today is New Years, the teacher focused on stirring up tapas or our internal passion, fire. Pati talked about using our yoga practice like a burning bowl ceremony where we envisioned burning something we wanted to rid ourselves of while practicing. I imagined burning off extra weight. Ninety minutes later, I felt very blessed, inspired and whole. Totally ready and embracing 2013.

Cheers! Excited for the journey ahead.

TGFY (thank God for yoga)

See my growing family and me

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 03:04:00 +0000

Click here to view this photo book larger

Create a gorgeous, high quality wedding photo album at Shutterfly.com.

Yoga Saturdays

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:44:00 +0000

Taught Pilates and yoga this a.m. and just had a fictional "yoga" book come in at the library that I had been waiting on for a few months.

I love Saturdays, especially with yoga.

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Ujjayi Haiku

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:13:00 +0000

My dog and me are

ujjayi breathing together

What a perfect start.

Use your tools

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:51:00 +0000

"The master sticks to her tools." ~ Lao-Tzu

Yoga is a big toolbox full of a variety of options at your disposal: breath, meditation, concentration, postures to name a few.

When you're falling off track, go back to what works. Go back to your tools.

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Salutations a parking ticket solution?

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 02:01:00 +0000

Add a new twist on why to do yoga: it's now being tauted as a way to relieve stress upon receiving the dreaded parking ticket.

The city of Cambridge, Mass., began including a "citation salutation" to its parking tickets as part of a public art project by artist-in-residence Daniel Peltz.

"Peltz envisions '“a reflection on a social situation, the human experience of giving and receiving parking tickets.” '

'"I’m going to get the ticket either way, my only choice really is how I’m going to receive it.”'

This train of thinking could relate to how we react to any situation. Yoga is a method for handling external experiences in a balanced manner and shows us receiving a parking ticket isn't the end of the world, unless we make it that.

So breathe when you receive that parking ticket, or the baby spits up on you, or your co-worker is annoying you, or insert your own negative bullet point here, and watch it more easily flow off your back.

Eagle mudra for more intuition

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:18:00 +0000

Mudras, a type of hand gesture, are said to be the first form of prayer before speech. They are also a way of cultivating a specific state of mind.

Try garudasan or eagle mudra to enliven your intuition when you're in need of guidance.

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Allergies and Stress: Who knew?

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:45:00 +0000

Signs of allergy season began for me this past month but to the extreme. Sinus pressure and headaches were more distracting and disconcerting than ever before, and this past week my chest has felt tight.

Perhaps the ragweed count in Kansas City is at record levels. Had a suspicion it was something to do with me. So what's going on? I asked myself.

Stress!

After researching yoga poses for allergies and asthma due to the tightness in my chest, I found the online Yoga Journal article "Allergy Antidote." It correlates asthma and allergies to stress and how having a more calming yoga practice can help alleviate symptoms.

"Through relaxation, the nervous system basically tells the immune system to hold its fire. Once the immune system backs off, the inflammation and mucus decrease, and symptoms diminish.

Migdow suggests you make de-stressing your immune system a priority by modifying your yoga practice to be less vigorous and much more calming. "For example, avoid Bikram Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga where there is already heat. Instead, practice asanas in a smooth and relaxing way with lots of slow breathing."'

Must admit, I have been giving the pressures in life more power than they deserved, but to have my body reacting to it as allergies. Who knew?

After returning to the Midwest four years ago, I visited an allergist upon having allergy symptoms for the first time in my life. A few tests later only revealed mild allergies and a slight athletic asthma. Took the prescriptions for a while. Once they ran out, I switched to the more holistic nasal rinsing since soon after I became pregnant.

Although now nasal rinsing didn't seem to help as much. Nor did taking several Claritin and Sudafed generics per day.

Next step: relaxation.

The same article mentions these asanas or postures to induce calming and to help reduce allergies and asthma by massaging "various parts of the spine and the thoracic cage and condition the lungs"

standing poses
forward bends
backward bends
twists
inversions (shoulderstand and plow) - help "clear the upper respiratory tract and drain secretions from the nose, allowing freshly oxygenated blood to flow into the oral cavity."

Happy September - it's Yoga Month

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:54:00 +0000

September is national yoga month in the U.S. Many studios across the U.S. are participating and giving away free yoga classes to bring awareness to this powerful mind, body and spirit practice.

Yoga Patch, the studio where I teach in KC on Monday and Wednesday nights at 6 p.m., is offering brand new students one free class the week of Sept. 13.

If you're curious about the effects and benefits of yoga, take advantage of this special month.

Happy September!

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Listen to the song - Just Breathe

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:33:00 +0000

Downloaded "Breathe (2 AM)" by Anna Nalick, the acoustic version. Thought this version would be perfect to play in the background of my yoga class.

I listened to the song as I was driving to my corporate-day job and realized the chorus is a great reminder to focus on my breath or prana (life force) whereever I am. Simple yet so powerful because ultimately you're tuning into the present moment.

"And breathe, just breathe. Oh breathe, just breathe."

My little Buddha

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:07:00 +0000

World Market is one of my favorite stores due to all its wordly, yoga-esque merchandise, such as Nag Champa incense, which is wonderful to combine with your yoga practice or just relax to its scent.

During my last visit, World Market had a variety of "Eat. Pray. Love." movie-inspired product. Seemed cheesy but of course I bought some items. One was mala beads to help me meditate (think Rosary), and the other was a little stone Buddha statue to use as a focal point (drishti) for my home yoga practice.

After I came home with my new purchases, my two-year-old daughter noticed the new Buddha statue and asked what it was so I told her.

Later that night I goosed her bottom, and she said, "You got my little buddha." Ha, guess so.

Use a dry brush to wake up & fight cellulite

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:14:00 +0000

Aging for a woman apparently equates to being tired and having cellulite, right? Not necessarily.

Since incorporating the Eastern hygiene technique of dry brushing within my morning regimen a few years ago, I've noticed how much more awake I am in the morning. Plus the backs of my thighs seem to be hanging in. *grin*

Like yoga brings us into the present moment, dry brushing makes me more aware of my skin, which is our largest organ. So it's understandable we should have some a maintenance routine to encourage new growth and shed the old skin cells. Dry brushing also stimulates our lymphatic and circulatory systems.

I started reading about the technique in a few of my yoga and health books and finally broke down a few years ago and bought a brush at Whole Foods. Best habit I've picked up in a while.

Tips I've picked up in various places along the dry-brushing journey:

Brush in dircular motion, in direction towards your heart
Typically takes two to three minutes
Use a brush with natural bristles
Do so before you shower so the dead skin can come off (although it's not like you see it)
Dry brush earlier in the day since it is stimulating versus before bed
Enjoy the rush of awareness and awakeness afterwords

Listen to Renowned Yoga Teachers Share their Stories of the last 35 years

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:38:00 +0000

Imagine being arrested for doing yoga. Apparently it wasn't so long ago where people would call the cops on you if you were practicing yoga, even in the USA. Crazy, right?

If you have eight minutes, watch this video about the last 35 years of Yoga Journal and hear the yoga leaders of modern time.

Hello, old friend

noreply@blogger.com (A Yoga Mama is a Rama Mama) — Tue, 25 May 2010 02:28:00 +0000

Makes me sad it's been so long since I last posted here. Had no idea it had been so long. Life flies by too fast these days. Wondering if I should pick up where I left off or just start a new blog?

Still teaching yoga. Still a corporate worker bee. Still a mom. Now of an almost two year old beautiful little girl.

Oh, and still enjoying life as a yoga mama.

Namaste.