Welcome to the Blissful Body Yoga Blog

Big Discounts On Iyengar Yoga Conference in Washington, D.C. with Patricia Walden

2012-04-18T15:32:00.000-04:00

The Maitri Southeast Regional Conference is almost here (May 3 - 6, 2012 - Washington D.C.) and there are some great discounts. This conference features world class Iyengar yoga teachers such as Patricia Walden, Manuoso Manos, John Schumacher, Karin O’Bannon, Lois Steinberg, Dean Lerner, and Joan White.

If you were thinking of attending the Maitri Yoga conference in DC., we have an amazing discount on our block of rooms through tomorrow! We are discounting the conference registration from $485 to $395 and the offering a rebate of $50 per night on the cost of the room. If you share a room with someone, that can be a savings of $300!! We also have a couple of free offers for the first people to register today and tomorrow. Today's offer is a free mat. Tomorrow is a discount on a great prop called the 3 Minute Egg. Let me know if you would like to take advantage of this great opportunity and I can get the discount code to you today for your registration. Our website iswww.iyengarconferencedc.com

Come and join us in Washington D.C. at this unique, one-time event in the Southeast Region! Register now!

How to Be Happy All The Time

2012-01-31T15:07:00.000-05:00

This is really one of the only things I am absolutely sure of in life. What we think, we become.

Choose the happy thought.

Words of wisdom shared with me by friend Natalie Fox Maisel (of goddessdownload.com) from the work of Abraham-Hicks...

You will notice that those who speak most of prosperity, have it. Those who speak most of health, have it. Those who speak most of sickness, have it. Those who speak most of poverty, have it. It is Law. It can be no other way…The way you feel is your point of attraction, and so, the Law of Attraction is most understood when you see yourself as a magnet getting more and more of the way you feel. When you feel lonely, you attract more loneliness. When you feel poor, you attract more poverty. When you feel sick, you attract more sickness. When you feel unhappy, you attract more unhappiness. When you feel healthy and vital and alive and prosperous—you attract more of all of those things.

And the winner of the Blissful Body Yoga class giveaway is...

2012-01-31T14:56:00.000-05:00

‎::DRUM ROLL:: and the winner of the BBY audi class giveaway (according to Random.org) is...Bubba Seethos! Bettie will be able to select TWO audio classes from my yoga downloads section: http://blissfulbodyyoga.com/p15/downloads.html

To everyone else, thank you SO much for participating and helping us to get to 101 FB followers. Stay tuned as I will be having other fun ways you can win classes and other stuff. Peace!

Enter the Blissful Body Yoga Audio Class Giveaway!

2012-01-23T17:48:00.000-05:00

Enter the Blissful Body Yoga Audio Class Giveaway!

What you win: TWO FREE audio classes, of your choice, from the Blissful Body Yoga Website!

To enter:
1. LIKE the Blissful Body Yoga Facebook page and leave a comment.
2. Share the page on your wall and invite your friends to join.

That's it! The winner will be chosen Monday, January 30th, 2012.

Bonus for Twitter users: if you TWEET about the giveaway you will receive an additional entry. Just mention @blissfullyteal

You can check out a list and descriptions of all the awesome classes you will be able to choose from when you win on the Blissful Body Yoga Downloads page.

Please spread the word and good luck!
Namaste,
Teal Fyrberg
Owner/Teacher, Blissful Body Yoga

Monday Mantra: A Mantra for Overcoming Death, Shiva Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

2012-01-23T17:23:00.000-05:00

This week the mothers of two of my dear friends have left their physical bodies to rejoin with the Great Spirit. This is my offering to them and in celebration of the lives of their Beloved. May they, and their families find peace in their time of sorrow and feel the love of all who surround them, in this realm and others.

Om Shanti, Hari Om.

Shiva Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

The Mahamrityunjay is known as the "great death conquering mantra," because it connects us to our deepest Inner Self and removes the illusion that we are separate from God/Universe/High Power. It restores us to our full realization of our true state of Oneness and helps us release our attachment to our physical body and existence, as well as those belonging to the ones we most love. You can learn more about this mantra, here.

This is a Shiva mantra and Shiva is the energy of creative destruction. The Universal principal witnessed in each moment of our lives as one things dies so that another thing can rise from it's ashes into Being.

Mahamrityunjay Mantra

Om Tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushhtivardhanam Urvarukamiva bandhanan mrityor mukshiya maamritath.

You can learn to chant this mantra with this wonderful video...

Monday Mantra: Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam Siri Wha Hey Guru

2011-09-05T17:18:00.000-04:00

This Monday my offering is a Kundalini yoga mantra:

Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam Siri Wah Hey Guru

This is an absolute favorite of mine because of its powerful meaning and effect, and because it rolls out of my body in such an easy and joyful way. There is a beautiful cadence and rhythm to it, so much so that I tend to use it not only in seated meditations, but when I am out for a run or working in the garden. Try it out and let your heart light shine!!!

This is an Adi shakti mantra (primal power mantra), designed to awaken the shakti energy coiled at the base of the spine, allowing it to vault upwards opening the higher consciousness chakras leading to deep wisdom and bliss states. It acts as a method of communication between your individual soul and the Universal soul.

To practice with this mantra, take a comfortable seat either cross legged on the floor or in a chair. Make sure your spine is straight (to allow the energy to flow freely) and that your breathing is relaxed and deep. As you say the mantra you may also focus on each of the corresponding chakras listed below. A mala, or prayer beads, is a nice way to keep track. Traditionally, a mantra is repeated 108 times in a seated meditation, but start where you are and let the energy guide you on YOUR journey today.

Ek= One, the essence of all; Oneness. (1^st Chakra)
Ong= The primal vibration from which creativity flows “I bow to the Creator.” (2^nd Chakra)
Kar= All of Creation. (3^rd Chakra)
Sat= Truth. (4^th Chakra)
Nam= Name/Identity. (5^th Chakra)
Siri= Greatness. (6^th Chakra)
Wahe Guru=The indescribable joy of going from darkness to light. (7^th Chakra)

All together this mantra may be translated as, "There is one Creator whose name is Truth. Great is the ecstasy of that Supreme Wisdom""...or something like that. Remember that mantras are written in an energetic language base on primal sounds and vibrations –the very building blocks of all Creation– and so don't translate exactly into other languages.

The great sage, Yogi Bhajan, who brought Kundalini yoga to the West says,

“Before sunrise, when the channels of energy are most clear, if this mantra is sung in sweet harmony, you will be one with the Lord. This will open your solar plexus, charging the solar center, connecting it with cosmic energy. You will be liberated from the cycles of karma that bind you to the earth. No tongue can tell how bright the light of cosmic energy is, but when you recite this mantra daily, you will have this light within you.” --Yogi Bhajan.

Here is a beautiful rendition by Snatam Kaur. You can also chant it in an upbeat tempo. Enjoy, and happy chanting!

http://www.art4spirit.com/Images/Artwork/Kundalini5x7.jpg

Beginning Again in Meditation

2011-08-19T16:03:00.001-04:00

Wonderful article on meditation including this beautiful quote from Sharon Salzberg, "All we need to do is make a loving commitment to sit with our breath, to mindfully cultivate our attention, and, most importantly, to begin again." http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-2963/Radiant-Resonances-Choosing-to-Begin-Again.html

Be Careful of the Company You Keep

2011-03-09T09:42:00.002-05:00

My good friend and fellow yoga teacher Natalie Maisel (of goddessdownload.com) put this up on her Facebook page this morning and it really struck a cord with me. Keeping a good sangha (community) around us is an important part of being a yogi. It can make all the difference in how our practice unfolds, and it is certainly a great factor in how happy and positive our everyday life is. I go to great lengths to surround myself with POSITIVE PEOPLE. I highly recommend them:-)

Good advice for us all...

“You must constantly ask yourself these questions:Who am I around?What are they doing to me?What have they got me reading?What have they got me saying?...Where do they have me going?What do they have me thinking?And most important, what do they have me becoming?Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?”
- Jim Rohn

Angels in the Yoga Studio & the Spirit of Breath

2011-03-06T12:36:00.000-05:00

Last week I was asked to be on a wonderful radio show: Alicia Tucker's Light as a Feather Angel Show on The Barefoot Broadcaster's network (part of Blog Talk Radio.) Alicia's show airs weekly on Fridays at 1pm EST (you can tune into it here.) Alicia teaches and shares on all things connected to angels, creating abundance in our lives and clearing negative energies and patterns; she also does live readings (you can call in and the reading is free). You can learn more about Alicia and her fabulous abundance program, Love = Money = Love, here.

Alicia was kind enough to invite me on last Friday (3/4/2011) to speak about Yogic breathing and how it helps us to raise our consciousness to higher levels, as well as healing the physical body and calming the mind. You can listen to the entire show, here.

Here are a couple of excerpts from the show generously provided by Carl Munson, the Barefoot Broadcaster himself. The first is me speaking about my own experiences with angels, in particular before teaching my yoga classes, and the other is me talking about pranayama (yogic breathing.)

Enjoy! May peace and love be with you always.

Listen!

Listen!

Breathe out Winter, Breathe in Spring

2011-03-02T09:40:00.000-05:00

Crocus, daffodils and forsythia in bloom in my back garden!

This week Gastonia, North Carolina has come alive with daffodils and forsythia, and it seems that everyone (myself included!) is bursting at the seams to get outside, plant their gardens and enjoy the Spring air. As you head outside I hope you will take your mat with you! This is the time to benefit from the energy of our Earth reawakening. Place your feet softly on the earth, raise your finger tips to the sky and drink in the wonderful prana (energy) of life renewing itself.

This is also a great time to clear out and clean up – not just closets, but energetically speaking, as well. In our yoga classes at Blissful Body Yoga this month we will be working to lighten and detoxify the body, and open the heart and mind to new abundance and possibilities. This Friday is the New Moon which carries the forward moving energy of new growth, so it is the perfect time to "plant the seeds of change" in your life. In the words of Joseph Campbell, who has so inspired my life, "Follow your bliss!"

Meditation is the way to cultivate the most fertile ground for all personal growth. Developing a meditation practice calms the "vritts," or fluctuations of the mind, and allows us to see a clear, unwavering reflection of our True Self, rather that an image that is just a distorted reflection of who we really are.

Walking Meditation

Spring is a wonderful time for walking meditation. Walk outside and take a deep breath. Take your shoes off and walk around taking care to plant your foot from heel to toe with each step. Savor the sensations of your feet touching the earth, enjoy the transfer of weight from you, to the ground, and back as you walk. Stop, close your eyes, and listen to the sounds around you: the birds, the wind, little creatures running to and fro...maybe you will even hear the petals of a flower unfolding. Let your mind unfold. Let go of the past and soak in the present moment. Let the warm rays of the sun soak your Anahata chakra (heart center) and fill it with love and compassion for your self and for all of our planet. Repeat the following affirmation three times:

Breathing in, I breath in light and love

Breathing out, I release all that is dark and negative

I am light, I am love.

I love myself, I love all of the world.

Breathing in, I breath in light and love

Breathing out, I release all that is dark and negative

I am light, I am love.

I love myself, I love all of the world.

Breathing in, I breath in light and love

Breathing out, I release all that is dark and negative

I am light, I am love.

I love myself, I love all of the world.

May your walk, and all of your journeys be fill with joy and peace. Om shanti.

P.S. I realize that much of the country and world are still under a blanket of winter cold and snow. You can still do this meditation in your winter coat and boots on a sunny day, or even in your living room in a patch of sunlight coming in the window. Enjoy!

What is your inquiry? How can I help?

2011-02-15T17:38:00.002-05:00

Hello Blissful Yoginis and Yogis!

What is your inquiry today? What is it that you are craving in your heart of hearts to know? To study? What would inform and enlighten your path?

I ask this question as a bit of a nudge to get you thinking about these questions, and also because as a yogini I want to be of service and to know how I can serve you better.

Many of you are far away and can not attend my classes, and may not even have yoga in your area. People contact me all the time asking if they could do some sort of "distance learning" with me on certain topics. So far, learning to meditate and learning pranayama (breathing techniques) seem to head up the list. Stress reduction in the work place has also been requested as a topic.

So, in response to what I see as a clear need, I have begun to develop a series of e-course so that I can teach, help and serve many more people all around our world. I have the first program written, Introduction to Meditation: Part One, and I hope to have the website and several other programs ready to roll in about 3 months.

I would be honored and it would help me so much if you could take a moment to jot down any ideas, requests, etc. you have for classes. Please let me know what you need and how I can serve you better! I am open to all topics and ideas, so please share freely.

Thank you for your time, your support and your continued practice of yoga which keeps our delicate world turning and holds us all in the light.

Peace and love,
Teal

Yoga For Youth: Healing and Uplifting with Love and Compassion

2011-02-15T16:23:00.000-05:00

This is sooooo beautiful. All children should have yoga...All PEOPLE should have yoga in their lives. What wonderful, uplifting, healing work these yogis are doing. Hari Om!

Healthy Vegan Rutabaga Gratin

2011-02-01T16:47:00.001-05:00

In honor of Oprah doing a show today on VEGANISM (woooot!) I am making this recipe for dinner (from one of my favorite magazines – Martha Stewart's Whole Living.) I was showing it to my students in my yoga class at Blissful Body Yoga this morning and they were all excited about it. Maybe you'll be inspired to give it a try too! I plan on putting a little shredded onion in mine as well...ummm...onions. Also, I don't have any nutritional yeast at the minute, so I am skipping that bit.

Are you saying..."What the HELL is a rutabaga?" Read up on them here. They are a delicious, nutritious and versatile root vegetable.

Happy eating and come back to see my follow up post on how my turned out complete with pictures!

Be blissful! Be happy!

Rutabaga Gratin

Amy Pennington, creator of GoGo Green Garden and Urban Garden Share and author of "Urban Pantry," made-over her favorite childhood recipe.

"Every Thanksgiving my mom made mashed rutabaga when we were kids, and no one ate it but my mom and me. I've tweaked the recipe a lot: I've made it vegan, and instead of mashing it together with a bunch of butter and bacon fat, as my mom did, I used a nut cream, which makes the rutabagas velvety in and of themselves. It's much healthier, but it still feels really filling and lush."

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup raw cashews
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 slices rustic bread, torn into small pieces
2 small rutabagas (1 1/2 lb.), peeled and cut into about 1/8-inch-thick slices
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
4 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Make cashew cream: In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over cashews and let sit until they soften, at least 15 minutes and up to 30. Stir in yeast. Puree mixture in a blender on highest setting until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
Make breadcrumbs: Pulse bread in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside. (You should have 1 cup.)
Assemble gratin: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover bottom of an 8-inch-round baking dish with a single layer of rutabaga slices, overlapping edges and working in a circle. Season with salt, pepper, and some of the chopped herbs. Add another layer and season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Pour in about 1/3 of cashew cream -- enough to cover both layers. Continue until baking dish is full. Pour in remaining cashew cream. Sprinkle nutmeg over top layer. Toss breadcrumbs with oil in a small bowl. Top gratin with breadcrumbs.
Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until rutabagas are tender when pierced with a sharp knife and breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

From Whole Living, November 2010

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Rutabaga Gratin http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/rutabaga-gratin

Cosmetics that won't kill us.

2011-01-28T14:56:00.000-05:00

Hello my Darlings!

Just a quick post to share something new in my ever widening attempts to make sure everything we use and eat is as low in toxins and cruelty free as possible.

This is the only line I have found so far (that looked good to me, anyway) that rates 1-3 on the cosmetic data base website for low toxicity. SO excited to finally find a make up line that isn’t full of poisons and animal urine. If anyone has found any other good companies, please share! Also, they are out of North Carolina....bonus!

http://afterglowcosmetics.com/about/

RATING:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/wordsearch.php?query=afterglow+cosmetics
Also, I have been looking at the shampoo/conditioner dilemma for a while and what I really like to use is Dr. Bronner’s lavender liquid castile soap as shampoo and then two of their products (see below) as a conditioner and leave-in product. I buy the Dr. Bronner’s by the gallon and use for hand soap, cleaning, hand-washing clothing, all sorts of stuff. The peppermint is great too!

RATING:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/wordsearch_free.php?hq=dr.+bronners&go=go
Where to buy: Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap: http://www.vitacost.com/Dr-Bronners-Pure-Castille-Liquid-Soap-Lavender/?bnPageBox=pp_alsosuggest&vbnpid=23447

Conditioning rinse: http://www.vitacost.com/Dr-Bronners-Magic-Organic-Shikakai-Conditioning-Hair-Rinse-Citrus/?bnPageBox=pp_frequentlyboughttogether

Hair crème: http://www.vitacost.com/Dr-Bronners-Magic-Organic-Hair-Creme-Lavender-Coconut
This looks really good, but I haven’t tried it yet:
http://www.vitacost.com/Dr-Bronners-Organic-Shikakai-Liquid-Baby-Mild-Soap-Unscented/?bnPageBox=pp_alsobought&vbnpid=35641

Use EWG to look up brands and chemicals. Be informed and powerful in your choices! Vote with your dollars and we will all see a healthier planet and people!
http://www.ewg.org/

Happy Friday!
Peace and Love,
Teal

Please help this wonderful farm for Wolf Dogs.

2011-01-25T15:45:00.001-05:00

Please help this wonderful farm in Black Mountain, North Carolina that is doing wonderful work to help rescued Wolf Dogs. They are beautiful and amazing creatures...

Food for a Winter's Day: Marrakesh Stew

2011-01-10T13:39:00.000-05:00

I made this for Mike and I and it is a new favorite!

I found it in one of my favorite cooking magazines, Martha Stewart's Everyday Food (Jan./Feb. 2011). The Garam Masala is my addition and you can leave it out if you don't have any.

From a yogic perspective (or Ayurvedic perspective – that is the health branch of yogic philosophy) this is exactly the sort of thing we should be eating on a cold, winter's day. All of the spices in the dish are warming to the body, as are the vegetables used. The chick peas add some nice protein, and serving over quinoa will give you even more. This is a very satisfying and complete vegetarian dish. It also freezes very well.

So make up a nice big pot and enjoy!

May your body, mind and spirit be nourished and blissful,

Teal

Marrakesh Stew

Serves 8 * Active time: 10 min. * Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced large
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp garam masala
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 larged diced tomato
3 3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Served on top of cooked couscous or quinoa.
(1) In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 mins. Add spices, and cook until fragrant, 2 min. Add carrots, potatoes, and squash and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 mins. Add tomato and broth (vegs should be completely covered by liquid; add water to cover if necessary). Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 mins.

(2) Add eggplant, stir to combine, and simmer until eggplant is tender, 20 mins. Stir in chickpeas, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until chickpeas are warmed through.

Awareness and Intent

2011-01-05T13:53:00.000-05:00

Awareness and Intent

'Tis the New Year and the time of resolutions. While I am a big fan of clarity and "plotting a course" for the future, I think the way a lot of us go about making new year resolutions actually sets us up for failure. We set up an all or nothing laundry list of goals and things that we will give up that often ends up hanging over us like a leaden weight. When we "mess up" on some part of the list we feel like a failure and all the critical voices in our heads come to the forefront.

Yoga can help us approach the changes we want to bring to our lives in a mindful and compassionate manner. It helps us do this in the same way it helps us grow a beautiful, sweet and steady yoga asana on the mat: by cultivating awareness and intent in every moment.

In our yoga practice, when we "fall out of a pose" we learn not to slump into a heap of criticism and self-loathing, instead we say, "How wonderful is this moment? Hmmm, why did that happen? I notice that I came out of my pose and now I have an opportunity to correct it!" Suddenly, we are back in the present, back in the pose and have an opportunity to recognize what factors caused us to come out of the pose in the first place. We can then go forward with continued mindfulness and equanimity. Over time we become steady and unmoved by the whims and winds of change that swirl around us.

Life is a "practice" also. Nothing, especially change, happens all at once. We cultivate it little by little and with lots of practice.

We can approach what I like to call our, "intent for change" in the same manner. Let's say I have decided my intent for the year is to eat a more wholesome whole-food diet that will nourish my body, mind and spirit. On the very first day my husband bakes my favorite cookies. My favorite! I remember my intent, but the cookies call to mel — so yummy and fresh out of the oven. I eat FOUR. Sigh. I feel the sinking feeling of failure approach, I start to cut my self down for being so weak, but then, I stop. I say, "OK, I ate these cookies. This was not part of my intent. My intent is a good one, it is one I truly want and I can embrace it in this moment and go forward. I am a good person and I can observe myself and make postive adjustments when I need to." I also ask myself, "Why did I need that cookie so badly? What need was it filling inside me? Did I even really enjoy it?" By asking these questions I open a revolutionary inquiry into my own mind, into the depths of who I am and what makes me tick. I start on a journey of a thousand miles with that one step, instead of sitting down in the dirt to cry and give up.

I wish you peace, progress and compassion in all of your intentions this year. May you be steeped in awareness and surrounded by light.

Blissful Body Yoga Newsletter, September 2010

2010-09-16T16:21:00.002-04:00

Check out our latest newsletter here. And you can subscribe with the little box to your right so you won't miss the next one! Peace- Teal

Help a Teacher with Limeades for Learning Grants

2010-09-16T14:52:00.000-04:00

Sonic Limeades for Learning provides much needed grant money to public school teachers, like my sister-in-law Sarah Chimblo, who teaches at-risk students in Jenks, Oklahoma. Please help her projects receive funding by voting ONCE A DAY for one of her projects. That's all it takes, Sonic does the rest!

Also, if you are a fan of Sonic drinks like Cherry Limeades, you can purchase them and then get the code off the cup and enter it on the Web site below. The more codes enter the closer she gets to having her project fully funded! Last year both her grants were fully funded! I'm not ashamed to say we go dumpster diving a Sonic to get more cups sometimes...hey, you do whatcha gotta do to help the teachers!

Here's a little bit about each of the grants and the links to click and fund them! Please spread the word about Sarah's grants and to other teachers that may want to apply for one. Thank you!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! First Grade Authors

Mrs. C

My first grade students have many stories to tell. Help instill in my students a love for writing by providing engaging materials for our writing center.

My students attend a moderate-level poverty suburban school. Almost half of the school is on free or reduced lunch. Some of my students come from different parts of the world and some families have lived here all their lives. All of my students, however, have stories to share about their families and life experiences. To read more and fund CLICK HERE!

What's That Word? Let's Become Word Wizards!
Mrs. C
Did you know that students can learn vocabulary and background knowledge by reading and speaking? Help my students become "Word Wizards" through center activities!

My students come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. Some students come to my classroom with many "real-world" experiences that helps their vocabulary development. However, some students lack background knowledge and/or vocabulary as they begin to read. Our school is a moderate poverty school, with almost half of our population on free or reduced lunch. To read more and fund
CLICK HERE!

Give Peace a Chant

2010-09-16T13:47:00.000-04:00

Om Mani Padme Hum

I don't watch the news, haven't for years. It is sensational, fear mongering hysterics. If I need a general idea of what is going on in the world sometimes I will watch a few minutes of BBC News (which is much more to the point) or I will scan online headlines to see if anything major has happened that I need to know about.

It's not that I don't care, on the contrary I care very much, it's just that I've found that getting all upset about anything doesn't really help much, and a great deal of what goes on on this planet can certainly make me upset. So what do I do? What helps me? I GIVE A CHANT OUT FOR PEACE!

Chanting mantra is extremely powerful. When we chant we harness the fundamental elements and powers of the Universe that are within and without. One of my favorite books on mantra is Healing Mantras by Thomas Ashley-Farrand. He recommends several mantras for planetary transformation.

Hung Vajra Peh (Hoong Vahj-Rah Pay)
This is the mantra of Vajrapani, a being who purifies and protects the "Sincere Seeker." Chanting this mantra is said to disperse the negative energies that coagulate like greasy lumps of oil in the ocean of Consciousness surrounding our planet. Every time some violent or terrible event occurs more of these energies, or thought forms, accumulate and clog everything up. When we chant Hung Vajra Peh we help to break those thought forms up and transform them into positive energy.

Om Mani Padme Hum (Om Mah-Nee Pahd-Mey Hoom)
This mantra is often given the somewhat enigmatic translation, "The Jewel is in the Heart Lotus." What this means is that the "jewel" of love and compassion is in our own Anahata chakra (heart lotus chakra) and is infused in the Consciousness of All Things (and we know that there really isn't a difference right? All is One.) This is a very powerful mantra because as we say it we cultivate a spirit of love and compassion first towards ourselves, where are non-violence practice needs to begin, and then toward all of the Universe. Farrand says as we chant Om Mani Padme Hum we are, "constantly pushing the wheel of humanity's spiritual advancement."

So, "drop out" of the TV news-watching-business and "tune in" to your Eternal Heart and the Consciousness of all Beings with chant for peace today!

May you be happy, May you be free from all suffering.

Heal Yourself with Affirmations

2010-09-15T16:40:00.001-04:00

"In the infinity of Life where I am,
all is perfect, whole and complete..."

Louise L. Hay begins many of the meditations/affirmations in her beautiful classic You Can Heal Your Life with this phrase. I use this book and a few others of hers all the time in my yoga classes. If you haven't worked with affirmations in your life I really encourage you to start right now! Take a break from what you are doing, take a deep breath and repeat the simple phrase above 3 times. Say it out loud if you can.

Feel that?

That is the peace and calm that comes from hearing something good about yourself and your life. How powerful is that? It's pretty much everything! We are what we think. What we think becomes habit and in the end our habits define our lives.

Most of us struggle with a lot of negative internal mind chatter. Begin to notice how many times you say something critical to yourself everyday. Would you speak that way to someone else? Would you criticize a child over and over and over again all day in that way? Most likely if you overheard someone speaking to another human being that way you would be appalled.

Once you have gained some awareness around this "voice" ask yourself if it really belongs to you? Or, is it the voice of many harsh critics from your past?

Next, begin to practice the opposite! When you hear that voice say something negative, say something positive back...trust me, it will give up:-)

Instead of:

I am so stupid!...I am so smart and learn easily.
I am fat and ugly...I am beautiful inside and out!
This is just my luck!...I attract positive people and experiences.
I am broke, I'll never have any money....I attract wealth in all its forms freely and easily.

Sometimes the critical voices in our heads come from deep feelings of unworthiness. This may be based on past experiences, or guilt over choices we have made. We can heal these heavy, afflicted emotions with affirmations as well.

Here is an excerpt from one of Louise Hay's affirmations that I have been using in my class this week. Take a few deep breaths and repeat it 3 times slowly to yourSelf.

In the infinity of life where I am

all is perfect, whole and complete.

I love myself; therefore, I only attract loving people into my world,

for they are a mirror of what I am.

I love myself; therefore, I totally release the past and all past experiences and I am free.

I love myself; therefore, I live totally in the now,

experiencing each moment as good and knowing that my future

is bright and joyous and secure,

for I am a beloved child of the Universe

and the Universe lovingly takes care of me

now and forever more.

All is well in my world.

Taken from You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise L. Hay

May you be happy, May you be free from all suffering. Om shanti.

Abinivesa, the Intimate Robe of Fear

2010-09-15T10:06:00.000-04:00

This is an excerpt from the September 2010 newsletter of the Krishnamacharya Healing & Yoga Foundation (KHYF). This foundation was established to continue the prodigious teachings of yoga master T Krishnamacharya. His son and grandson, TKV Desikachar and Kaustaub Desikachar respectively, continue his lineage and work today in India and around the world.

In each newsletter Kausthub writes a short reflection on one of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. This month he discusses the concept of Abinivesa, or fear.

I love how he breaks down the word for us and how it enlightens the deep meaning behind the sutra. The phrase, "fear is an intimate robe that we continuously wear" rang particularly true in my heart.

May we be enlightened, may no separation come between us.

Sutra Reflections

by Kausthub Desikachar

Even though there are many beautiful words in Sanksrit that represent the concept of fear, Yogi Patanjali chose to use the word abhinivesa, when talking about it. When we understand this concept, and more specifically this word, not only does his genius shine through, but it also becomes increasingly evident, that the yoga he is representing is a deep system of understanding the human mind, and presumably the first school of human psychology even.

The word abhinivesa seems to form out of a combination of three different parts, abhi + ni + veśa, ultimately bringing together this beautiful word.

The word "abhi", represents something which is "intimate" in us. Something which is so deep and private inside us, that often we don't even know it. And even if we know it, we would prefer to keep it very private. Isn't fear something so private that we would not often prefer to reveal it to others? Isn't fear something so deep that we are sometimes not even aware of it? Isn't fear so deep in us, that it often comes to shake our very sense of existence? Reflect about it.

The word "ni", probably represents the idea of "nitārām", which means continuous, or a long time. This is used in-conjunction with the word "veśa", which often means "cloak" or "robe" or "costume". So in essence the concept of "nivesa", comes to represent an eternal cloak or continuous costume. Fear is not only the continuous robe we wear to mask ourself, but it also makes us wear many masks on many occasions.

When combined with the first part "abhi", this becomes even more interesting, as it seems to indicate that "fear is an intimate robe that we continuously wear."

Isn't this what fear is, and what it does?

An alternate meaning for the word "nivesa", is also "to penetrate" or "to enter". When we look at it from this perspective, Fear turns out to be something that penetrates our most intimate self. This is also an interesting perspective to reflect on.

For continued reading on Yoga Sutra, please read "The Heart of Yoga", by TKV Desikachar.

Thinking of you Tamar

2010-09-14T13:30:00.000-04:00

This morning when I checked my email I found out that one of the most amazing women I have ever met had left her body. I did not know her my whole life, just for a short and special time. We did our yoga training at the Kripalu Center together. But, she touched my life with her kindness, insight, intelligence and her smile. She was a truly magnificent human being. She lived in Dancing Rabbit Eco-community and among other things she helped build many of the structures in the community with natural materials. I remember her telling me about this during YTT and asking her a million questions. "You can make houses out of straw and wood just like the old days and they look like that!! WOW!" I was just amazed. You can see some pictures of what I am talking about here.

She was also, of course, a yoga teacher. So bright and skillful and gentle. She could explain things so quietly and clearly. Another one of her many gifts.

After our YTT she went on to learn midwifery so she could attended and assist in the births at her community. Amazing stuff.

She also played the fiddle, loved to dance, had the brightest smile and the most glorious thick and shiny hair you have ever seen. She was one of the most conscious communicators I have ever seen. I told her she should work for the UN, she could probably get us all to find common ground and get along somehow.

In some of the group shares and one-on-one work we did together in YTT she said some of the nicest things to me anyone has ever said. I did what i could to thank her in words and tell her how healing she had been to me; but words fall far, far short.

When she was diagnosed last year with Neurendocrine pancreatic cancer I was just stunned. It seemed impossible that someone so young and healthy could have such a thing. Tamar started a blog at the time to share her Journey, as she called it, with friends and family and in the hope that whatever she discovered along the way might be helpful to someone else. You can read her blog here from the beginning. And, here is the final post made by her sister yesterday. In her death she was so surrounded and cradled by love. That makes me happy and I am glad that she no longer suffers. But, I am gutted that she is gone from this realm.

After I post this I am going to harvest some herbs from my garden and begin making healing tinctures and salves. I wish you were here to get out there with me Tamar, it's such a beautiful day and I know how you loved to be outdoors, AND I know you know A LOT more about this stuff then I do! I will do my best in your honor anyway...maybe I'll see you out there:-)

This one's for you Tamar. May you be happy, may you be eternally peace-full. See you around sweet girl.

One of my favorite poems ever...

I live my life in growing orbits
By Rainer Maria Rilke

I live my life in growing orbits
which move out over the things of the world.
Perhaps I can never achieve the last,
but that will be my attempt.

I am circling around God, around the ancient tower,
and I have been circling for a thousand years,
and I still don’t know if I am a falcon, or a storm,
or a great song.

Meditation Is the Window to the Soul

2010-06-08T15:20:00.000-04:00

Meditation is the window to the soul.

Go sit quietly in the window and watch the world pass by.

– Anonymous

Being busy makes us feel productive, like we are getting somewhere. Where are we going? I like to stop and ask myself that question a few times a day. Life without Dharma (purpose) is just like asana without Dharma...nothing but asmita (ego/ignorance.) When all of your ego attachments...all the labels that tell you who you are are stripped away, what is left? Who are you? What is eternal, nameless, formless and yet always present, always accessible?

Go sit somwhere
right now
and just

Be.

Look in.
Find out.

Our St. Patrick's Day Feast

2010-03-17T13:41:00.001-04:00

Our St. Paddy’s Day Feast

I'm half Irish (and half Italian...Jesus, Mary and Joseph and Saints preserve us!) so I LOOOOVE St. Patrick' Day. Last weekend, my hubbie and I had a wee party at our house. Good times were had by all ("Eat up and give the house a good name!" as my Grammy used to say) and along with making some traditional, and some not so traditional, Irish fare we had plenty of Guinness, Powers Irish Whiskey and we made a fresh keg of home brew, an Irish Red, of course.

I like to honor my Irish ancestors on this day so I put out a few pics of my family...

This is my Grammy on the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.

This is a pic of my Aunt Willie getting married. Left is my Grammy, then my mom, and on the right my Aunt Agnes who was a nun at the time.

My mom couldn't be at our party, as she lives out of state, so I made her this lucky green Irish hat, which I am sure she is wearing today.

This is my husband and a few of our lovely guests partaking of an "Irish Carbomb"...let's get this party started:-) SLAINTE!

Now, on to the recipes...

Guinness Brownies
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or reg white flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
8 oz. dark bittersweet chocolate bar(s), chopped
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup natural cane sugar
1 1/4 cups Guinness Extra Stout beer, room temperature
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/8 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375° and line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment (or grease it). Whisk the flour, cocoa powder and salt together. Set aside.

Using a double boiler (or in the microwave on low), melt the chocolate bar pieces, milk chocolate and butter together until fully melted. (Make sure you don’t burn the chocolate or it will be clumpy.)

In a very big bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until slightly frothy. Very slowly, pour in the chocolate mixture while whisking the eggs. If you go too fast, you’ll have scrambled eggs, so take your time.

When your chocolate mixture and your eggs are combined, whisk in the Guinness. Fold in the flour mixture very slowly, making sure not to over-mix. You want to see some crumbly bits still in there.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, top with the cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the baking dish and let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.

Makes about 2 dozen large brownies.
from http://www.bitchincamero.com/mel/2010/03/guinness-brownies/

Colcannon

I made a HUGE pot of this and there was not a drop left! SOOOO good:-) Also, I left out the bacon because I wanted it to be a vegetarian version.

3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed
2 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups hot milk
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 (1-pound) piece ham or bacon, cooked the day before
4 scallions, finely chopped
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes (I actually just peeled, boiled and mashed them instead.) Peel them using a knife and fork. Chop with a knife before mashing. Mash thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add 1 stick of butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk, stirring all the time. Season with a few grinds of black pepper.

Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color. Add 2 tablespoons butter to tenderize it. Cover with lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning it to the pan. Chop into small pieces.

Put the ham in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain. Remove any fat and chop into small pieces.

Add cabbage, scallions, and ham to mashed potatoes, stirring them in gently.

Serve in individual soup plates. Make an indentation on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Put 1 tablespoon of butter into each indentation. Sprinkle with parsley.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tylers-ultimate/colcannon-recipe/index.html

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Mike (my husband) made this INCLUDING making his own corned beef! Awesome!
Ingredients:

2 to 2 1/2 pound Corned-Beef Brisket*, recipe follows
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 pound diced carrots, approximately 4 small
1/2 pound diced onions, approximately 2 small
1 pound potatoes, peeled and chopped, approximately 3 medium
1/4 pound diced celery, approximately 2 stalks
1 small head cabbage, chopped, approximately 2 pounds

Directions

*Cook's note: Brisket should be prepared through the brining stage, but not cooked.

Place the corned beef, pepper, allspice, bay leaves and salt into a large 8-quart pot along with 3-quarts of water. Cover and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to low and cook, at a low simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 1/2 hours add the carrots, onions, potatoes and celery. Return to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add the cabbage and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes and cabbage are tender. Remove the bay leaves and serve immediately.

Corned Beef:

2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons saltpeter
1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries
12 whole juniper berries
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 pounds ice
1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed
1 small onion, quartered
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.

After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: approximately 3 hours

Inactive Prep Time: 10 days

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Wed Mar 17 2010

Homemade Guinness Mustard
There are many different kinds of mustard seeds – yellow, brown and even black. All mustard seeds are different. Some are spicier than others, so you might have to buy from a few different sources until you find your favorite.
3 oz. yellow mustard seeds
5 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 cup Guinness, or your favorite malty stout
2 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. honey

Place all of the ingredients in a non-metallic bowl. Metal bowls might react with the vinegar in not so tasty ways. Mix everything together and let it sit covered or uncovered for about an hour.
Place everything in a blender and pulse until your mustard reaches the desired graininess level. You can either use your mustard right away and it will have a little bit more “kick” or you can refrigerate it overnight for a mellower taste. Mustard will keep in the fridge for a very long while, but I would use it up within a few weeks if possible.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups mustard.

Happy St. Patrick' Day to you all!