My daughter is heavily into fairies these days.  I wish I could bottle up this time in her life and save it in a locket close to my heart.  The innocence and the sense of magic she holds is just amazing and precious (especially in today's world).  I have tried to hold her sense of magic inside my own heart as I approach new things.  Everything that I do - when I go to a workshop, when I take a yoga class, it is all part of the same learning; it is just magic.  That is a lot of what yoga and meditation have brought back into my life...When I was little, I loved fairy tales and role playing with dolls, as most young girls do...there was a sense of magic all over the place - I would close my bedroom door and write stories for hours about slumber parties, fairy godmothers, you name it.  My Mom and I chuckle about it to this day ("Oh the stories you used to write!" she'd say - and sometimes I still crave that creativity for sure!)  But you arrive at adulthood and that magic is gone.  There has been a hole in my heart at times (outside of the significant transforming moments of marriage, births etc.) - so, yoga and meditation have filled that hole for me and renewed my faith.  There is magic, there is guidance, there is spirituality, there is God (never felt there wasn't a God but it feels more solid these days). 
During my meditation practice while healing through my hip injury, I'd park myself on a cushion upstairs in the attic (its finished space, not creepy at all) inside this huge closet (currently turning that into a nice shrine!) - I was surrounded by my daughter's fairy dress up wings and Barbie stuff....so it added to the aura (pretty funny!)....I encorporated my favorite candles, incense and aromatherapy that in itself brings a smile to my face (gotta try one of the Golden Earh Chakra oils my friends - they are heavenly - I especially recommend Chakra oil #2!).
I have enjoyed that time to pause and heal even though it was a struggle inside to relax.  The divine spark, the magic, the beauty that we yearn for as adults are our own.  In yoga and in meditation, this is what we are learning and practicing.    Keep visiting our site and see what new and exciting things we will be offering to enhance the spark of magic in your practice!  Namatse,

We have these huge amazing white oak trees scattered about our property.  Not in very ideal locations in terms of worrying about them landing on the house or garage in a major storm, but they are majestic and beautiful.  Starting late August, it begins to rain acorns - literally....to the point where, my children have to play in areas where they are not, or they will be pelted with acorns when the wind blows.  And, having had it happen to me, it really hurts!  My Mom says, you should rename your home "Acorn Hill" - (I guess it's chic to have a namesake for your land/home...but I don't think that's really me (or my husband).  My husband has begun to loathe the acorns, and the "squiggly things" that fall like helicopters in the spring - almost like hairy caterpillars....the clean up is done by the landscapers, but it is pretty messy in between clean-ups.  My grandfather, George F. Mason, who was a curator, painter and a naturalist, would love it here.  I sat today (a rare moment to even sit with two little ones), while eating lunch, and watched the flurry of chipmunks going in and out of holes and darting around, chasing each other.  We have a circus of little critters this fall.  Then I thought "how peaceful this is"....I am not on my phone, not reading, not checking emails, not looking at the mail, I am just sitting, I am being silent, and enjoying the trees and the animals.  Kind of corny.  But for those few minutes it was nice to just sit (and not rush my food down to get the kids out the door to the next activity).  My husband wants to cut a few of the oaks down (one of them is frightfully close to the house and garage, the biggest actually) but I keep diverting him from the idea as these trees are so old and wise, they were here long before us, long before the house, and if taken care of, they will be here long after we're gone (sans any Hurricanes, bite my tongue). 
The practice of meditation and yoga can be further enhanced by the wonder and enjoyment of nature.  How many of you practice yoga or meditate outdoors?  I'd love to hear about it if you do. 
Today, I really felt good after coming home from vinyasa, sitting, having lunch, and being at peace for just a while, gazing outside.  The simple moment of just being is what it's all about isn't it? 
Next month, we will be offering inspiring tops from Tees for Change.  This company is all about nuturing the environment and being eco-friendly.  Currently, if you sign up for our mailing list, you can be automatically entered into our monthly giveaway for one of their amazing tank tops.  There is a new winner every month, so be sure to get on the list!  All the tops from Tees for are fair trade and made under sweatshop-free conditions from 100% organic cotton or a blend of 70% bamboo/30% organic cotton. The cotton is cultivated without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which is good for the environment and for the workers who grow and manufacture the shirts. Naturally sustainable bamboo is fast-growing and, because of its natural antibacterial properties, it needs no pesticides and is 100% biodegradable.  AND for every tee they plant a tree.....in connection with Trees for the Future the company plants trees in Asia, Latin America and Africa (their last tree planting helped plant over 5000 trees in Cameroon and they have planted over 10,000 trees since the company began in 2007).  By carrying their line, I am happy my site supports such an important cause.  And hopefully, personally, I can spare my white oaks for a while!

This quote is constantly on my mind as I always try to face new things as well as everyday challenges with a positive attitude - basically Good attitude, good results, bad attitude, bad results.  Right? 

In yoga, we have the chance to bring our internal and external attitudes into alignment....such a great thing to help us get through the daily life we each face, good events or bad.  When healing from my hip injury I kept wondering how I would feel when I went back to my practice.  I was scared to feel that pain that had now quieted itself in my hip to a low roar.  While I knew the pain would still be there some days more than others, I wondered if my practice would ever be the same (or better? or would I have to stop all together??!!)  When I get myself into a "what if" mode, my mind is off and running and it simply becomes a mind game and such a waste of energy.  SO, when I finally did return to practice, I waited until those voices of doubt were gone and my mind was focused on getting on with things.  I went to my first vinyasa class with an positive outlook and not having too high expectations (I knew I wasn't doing any crazy poses and I would honor my limitations for the day).  The class was GREAT.  I had faith in my instructor who showed me ways to support my injury with blocks to protect myself and not allow the rest of me to lose the benefits.  Just having this positive outlook made a big difference.  So, really there is no such thing as bad results when you have a positive attitude.  It's how you allow yourself to react or interpret those results affects how you think about them.  We open the door to self improvement and positive outcomes when our hearts are positive.  Words to live by.

We will be offering some guided meditation books, cds, and dvd's in the coming months.  Check out our new meditation section on the site where you'll find all sorts of things to help you in your relaxation practice - enjoy your day!

On Fridays, because you know it's the end of the week, do you breathe a little easier?  Do you linger over your asanas a little longer and enjoy each pose a bit more because of your relaxed state of mind?  Monday's mind set is SO much different....the start of the work week for many, getting kids lunches ready and on the bus on time....many stressors start the week off.  Sunday evenings can sometimes be a downer in anticipation of Mondays.  How do we keep Friday's relaxed and relieved attitude all week long? 
I try to think about this when I am in my morning vinyasa class and my eyes veer to the clock - the dreaded clock - I have to look at it because I have to run to pick up my son at 12 noon sharp from nursery school on Fridays....the vinyasa flow just feels so great and I don't want to miss out on the end of class, my favorite part, but the clock is at 11:45 and school is 10 minutes away....and my mind veers from my practice......"Relax" I say to myself, "you'll make it and it's not like the teachers will sell our children on the street corner if we show up just a teensy bit late!!"  So my instructor senses my distraction and says "If your mind wanders, guide it back gently to your breath"....I do this and then we are all in Savasana, the final resting pose in yoga. This is the posture, commonly referred to as "corpse pose", that most yoga classes--from vinyasa to ashtanga to kundalini--end in. One of my favorite parts of my practice.  In Savasana, we are at peace and calm. Resting our minds and body, we let thoughts come in and float out naturally. We do not dwell on any one thought. We do not force thoughts out angrily or intentionally. Instead, just let them come and go without effort. 
Well the class ended in calmness, I did make it to get my son on time, and Friday continued as a peaceful fun day.  As I am blogging here I am reminded to do these things everyday - not just when we are most peaceful and relaxed, but when we find ourselves most stressed and uptight (ie. Mondays)  I find peace in remembering Savasana and turning Mondays into Fridays.  It's all in how we perceive and react to things is how our minds will be and how we can fill our days with peace.
If getting to class itself is a stressor, try a brief practice by dvd at home...in the middle of a crazy day, taking the time out to do this can make a huge difference... almost like a power nap on a cozy yoga blanket!  Enjoy

Fall marks the end of Summer, start of school, and many new things.....in my life I am beginning a new venture,  www.yogawithstyle.com  I am passionate about yoga and meditation and hope that all my customers enjoy this dynamic website.  Over the coming weeks I will be posting newsletters and blogging about local yoga studios, posting interviews of some wonderful instructors, tips from them, and lots of other goodies.  In the mean time, September is national Yoga month and you can get a free week of yoga classes at participating studios by clicking on the link on my site....spread the word to everyone who might enjoy the wonders and wisdom of yoga practice.  www.yogawithstyle.com