Silence

This was the card I pulled at my mum's 28 day soul coaching workshop on Sunday...

Silence...  Something I need to work on.  I have noticed that I am always busy, be it in my head or in my life, to really sit back and listen to when is going on.  This has been a pattern since I was a child.  Always being told that I need to stop talking and listen... so now it is my work to truly step back and listen to my higher self and awaken my inner wisdom.

Thanks mum, it is, as you say, amazing work!

Card Meaning:  Be still, and take the time to move into the silent place within yourself.  Locate your internal source of power.

Your Soul wants to know:  In silence you'll find your sacred witness.

It's the dwelling place of the soul.  Your spirit loves the truth, and in peace you can seek and discover your truth.  If you're in pain, go into it until you find the source, so it can be healed.

Move past the bustle and chatter of life into sweet quietude, and surrender to stillness.  Resist the temptation to indulge in feelings

of overwhelm, urgency, and emergency.

Your power is born in silence.

Seek solitude to listen to the voice of your higher self and awaken your inner wisdom, this peace gives birth to your serenity.

Affirmation:  "I am serene, no matter what is occurring around me."

Alan!!

After a weekend of sticks hitting me in the head and throwing my shoulder out at our first ball practice... I needed a little laugh before bed:)

Enjoy!

Let's Play Ball!!

Spring time means that our softball team is gearing up for another exciting season!

Scared Hitless is our name... probably not the best name to start out with... our first season we lived up to it. We sure stepped it up last year, coming 2nd in our division... not too shabby.

 Now entering into our third season we are picking up our socks.  Two new bats and the excitement of spring in the air... we are set!

Can't wait to get started!  April 4th here we come!

Go Team Go!!

Spring

"The three months of the spring season bring about the revitalization of all things in nature.  It is the time of birth.  This is when heaven and earth are reborn.  During this season it is advisable to retire early.  Arise early also and go walking in order to absorb the fresh, invigorating energy.  Since this is the season in which the universal energy begins anew and rejuvenates, one should attempt to correspond to it directly by being open and unsuppressed, both physically and emotionally. 

On the physical level it is good to exercise more frequently and wear loose-fitting clothing.  This is the time to do stretching exercises to loosen up the tendons and muscles.  Emotionally, it is good to develop equanimity.  This is because spring is the season of the liver, and indulgence in anger, frustration, depression, sadness, or any excess emotion can injure the liver.  Furthermore, violating the natural order of spring will cause cold disease, illness inflicted by atmospheric cold, during summer." 

~ Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine)

The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, also known as Huangdi Neijing or simply Neijing, is one of the earliest ancient Chinese medical texts. The book has been accredited to the Yellow Emperor Huang Di who lived at around 2500 BC. This book is composed of 2 parts, where each is composed of eighty-one chapters. It is written is a question-and-answer format between Huang Di and his six legendary ministers. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic firstly discusses and explains the fundamentals of ancient Chinese medicine in the first part, the Suwen. The second part, the Lingshu, refers to the acupuncture therapy in great detail.

The Yellow Emperor’s Class of Internal Medicine is a book which has enlightened us about the fundamentals of ancient Chinese medicine and the complex therapy of acupuncture, designed by Bian Que. The Ancient Chinese believed, according to the Yellow Emperor’s Classic, that the Chinese believed that diseases were due to diet, lifestyle, emotions, environment and age, instead of demons. This is still what we believe in modern times with some diseases. Therefore, the book is revolutionizing in the sense that the Chinese developed our beliefs (to a certain extent) over 2300 years ago.

http://www.med-street.com/history-of-medicine/2600-bc-1-bc/

Mmmmmmm.........

It's almost 11pm and this is what I'm craving.....  warm, sweet, delicious, sticky cinnamon buns.... 
I can almost smell them....  yummmmm

Committed

It has been almost 3 years since I read a book outside of my studies. I love reading anything about Chinese Medicine but it was due time to step out of that box.  During my holidays I picked up one of my girlfriends books, Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert, and loved it.  I haven't read "Eat, Pray, Love" but it's on my to-do-list.  Hopefully it wont be another 3 years before I can indulge myself into someone else's world again.  

Home Sweet Home

There is nothing quite like home... It was hard to leave the beach, sun and all the amazing friends but something I was longing for awaited me at home. I almost forgot what it was like to be cuddled up in bed Sunday morning with a cup of tea, my puppy and my man... Unbeatable.

With all the relaxing time behind me, it is now time to open the books and start the count down to my Board Exam in October.  Study, study, study

But the sweet memories of my trip will help me get through it:)
 

Half Way

My hubby arrived last night and has settled in quite well.  Paul tried his first yoga class this morning and has said that he's gonna do it every morning with us.  That is very exciting!!

I'm glad to hear that our puppy, Murray, is settling in quite well at my mum's house:)  Not that I had any doubts.... Hope he'll want to come home with us when we get back...

Off to the pool and then for our 2nd class (out of 6) of back bending this week.

I'm thinking I am going to be pooped by the end of this week.... but loving it!

Our New Friends - Ami & Go

These are our new friends:)  Ami & Go.... aka amigo

I want to bring them home with me xoxoxox

First Day Off!

It's saturday morning and it's our only day off of the week:)  I'm sitting out on the back patio enjoying a lovely cup of earl grey tea:)

It has been a glorious morning for me but that's the least I could say for some of the other girls.  They are doing a salt water cleanse....  drinking a liter and a half of salt water and then having to throw it up...  not my idea of a day off.  

I am so delighted to say that the pool started to be filled yesterday morning and hopefully it will be full by this evening!

We had the best day of yoga yesterday.  We spent half of our afternoon practice on the beach yesterday taking photos:)

Off to make some breakfast:)  and enjoy our day of relaxation.

Day 4 - Back up and running:)

I am happy to say that the bug didn't last very long:)  I was able to join the afternoon practice and feel great after.

Hopefully we will be able to go snorkeling tomorrow on our break... we were going to go today but the wind picked up causing the waves to be too strong.  The coral reef here is the first at its latitude and supposedly amazing!  Can't wait!

I am also looking forward to my hubbies arrival this Sunday!  5 days and counting!

Miss you all

The Attack of the Mexican Bug

Unfortunately Day 3 has been a write off.  In the middle of the night I became very sick and I have spent the majority of the day in bed:(  And it was the most beautiful day so far!

I am hoping to feel better by tomorrow morning for our 8 am practice.

My girlfriend Dez has taken care of me:)  She is amazing and I can't thank her enough!

I'm looking forward to an amazing day tomorrow!

Day 1 - Learning the ropes

My first day has been a success:)  Saturdays is our day off, so this was a great day to arrive on.  I started out the day with a lovely breakfast that one of the girls made, steel cut oats, apples and raisins:)  My favorite!!  I'm going to have to get Paul to bring me some:)  After that we took a hour walk into town on the beach and had amazing local seafood tacos.  So yummy!!!! and cheap:)

After a lovely stroll around the small village we headed back to the beach to walk home.  We met some local puppies on the beach that followed up part way home.  So adorable!  I want to take them home with me.  At least I'm getting my puppy fix with Michelle's doodles and the local mexican doggies.

When we made it home, we slipped into the "hot tub"  that is filled with the local hot spring water.  So lovely.  Now I'm off to make some dinner and have some girl time.

Unfortunately I am not able to upload photos with my camera because I forgot I needed the docking station in addition to the cord.  So hopefully I can get the photos some other way.

Tomorrow we start our first day of classes:)  Gonna be intense.

I'll keep you posted

The Baja Awaits My Arrival

The last four months have flown by, as will the three weeks in the Baja with my Yogi friends.  The anticipation has been building and finally tomorrow morning I fly out:)  

I am going to be keeping a daily diary of my experience... well that's my goal.  We'll see how faithful I am to the computer when the sun is shining.  

Bon voyage and be in touch soon

xo kt

Sirsasana - Headstand

http://www.lizmaxwellyoga.com/

With less than four weeks till I leave for Mexico I have to master the one pose that is the hardest for me.  

Sirsasana - headstand, is a pose that I have found very challenging since the beginning of my practice.  Michelle has taught me well but I am still some what of a 'wet noodle'. 

My goal:  to hold a five minute head stand by February 11, 2011.  

I can currently hold it for about one and a bit minutes...  

How will I get there:  practicing everyday and adding an additional 20 to 30 seconds per day...

Wish me luck:)  

Namaste

Stone Fence Studio - Michelle Anderson

I was first introduced to yoga in 2001 by my wonderful mother Victoria, when we joined the local Iyengar yoga studio.  My path then was followed by working in one of the local yoga apparel store, lululemon athletica for 4 years.  Since my first introduction I have practiced different styles of yoga with many different people.  It was not until I met my amazing teacher Michelle Anderson that I truly learnt what its like to have a yoga practice.

I first met Michelle when she was teaching yoga at my gym about four or five years ago.  She inspired me and opened the door to the world of yoga.  This meeting was short lived because Michelle decided to leave the gym and open a home studio.  It wasn't until a December 2009 that a mutual friend lead me back to her.

Michelle has been practicing for over 25 years and has been teaching for at least eight years.  She has impacted many lives around the world.  From the local yoga community, to Africa (Energy for Orphans) where she is working with a orphanage to bring the love of yoga into their lives.  She is inspired to help heal others through the art and practice of yoga and she is doing an amazing job!

Oh and how could I forget.... the doodles and tytan!  Michelle has three helpers in her studio:)  Ravi, Chandra and Tytan.  xoxoxo 

I am off to join Michelle and a wonderful group of yogi's in February for three weeks of training.

Thank you Michelle for all of your inspiration, guidance and love that you have shown me and the lives that you have touched.  xoxoxoxo

Check her out @ MichelleAndersonYoga.com

Southern Jewel

My first post is the story of my amazing companion Mr. Murray from Alabama.  Murray came to us in November 2009 and has become the spark in our day that lights the way through our life.  Mindi, Murray's mum,  and her four pups where abandoned under a house with no water or food and no hope.  The pups were thin, frail and scarred when a local rescue pulled them from under the house.  They took them in, fed them and started their journey back to health.  Rescue K911 contacted our local pet rescue, VictoriaAdoptables.com and agreed to have them adopted north of the border.  Here is an amazing video of the pups rescue.

Murray is now health, happy and loved.  We can not give enough thanks to rescue K911 and Victoria Adoptables for bring this Southern Jewel into our life.