40 days of yoga day 30

today was my lucky day! a co-worker at blissblissbliss teaches a meditation class right after my tuesday morning vinyasa class. i haven't been able to take her class because i usually have massage clients right after my yoga class. but today was different. today i didn't have a massage scheduled right after my yoga & i got to take her class and it was amazing!! she is such a wonderful teacher! i got in my 15 minutes of yoga + about 40 minutes of a guided chakra meditation. it was exactly what i needed. i have felt so grounded and present in all of my actions today. if you are local, i can't recommend amy's meditation class enough.

now off to enjoy some homemade chai!!

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 29

wow, 29 days already. crazy how in some ways it seems like i just started this challenge and others seems like i've been doing it for years. :)

tonight's yoga is a slower paced yoga with some gentle stretches to my hamstrings. i'm not sure how i've done it but i've pulled either a hamstring or adductor muscle. as a massage therapist you'd think i would know which muscle i've pulled but i only started noticing it a few hours ago and i haven't done an investigation to figure out which one just yet. i only know that it's sore!

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monday moment of zen

"everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."
~ elizabeth lawrence

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40 days of yoga - days 26, 27 & 28

i'm falling behind as of recent, in blogging and my yoga practice. :(

friday the 26th i did a bit of yoga at home after attending one of my best friend's wedding.

saturday the 27th i got up at 6am to travel to charleston, wv to do some wedding dress shopping for my other best friend (HER wedding is next september just in case you were getting any ideas!!) after traveling 2.5 hrs there, dress shopping for some odd number of hours, visiting my parents for about an hour or hour & half and spending another 2.5 hours back home i was exhausted! i'm not gonna lie, so instead of doing my yoga practice, i laid in front of the fireplace and read for a while before i crawled in bed and passed out!!

today the 28th i had a cleaning mood hit me pretty hard today. so i organized some things that i haven't organized since we moved into this little house. in between cleaning spurts, i took a break and did some restorative yoga on the floor (didn't even roll out my mat). this evening ryan & i went over to the new blissblissbliss h(OM)e and helped put a few finishing touches on the place. it. is. amazing!!

i also got a sweet surprise in the mail this weekend too! i got a fabulous little package from the sweet elisse from fur elisse. (thank you SO much elisse!!) here is what my package included:

a sweet, hand made bag that is reversible. both sides are gorgeous!!

a cute hand made owl card & adorable hair pins!!

all photos by me

40 days of yoga - days 23, 24 & 25

i am writing this from in front of my fireplace. i had my first fire yesterday and i sat in front of the fire in meditation for about 45 minutes. it was mesmerizing.

although i got behind on blogging, i did not get behind on my 40 day yoga challenge. tuesday, day 23, i was able to squeeze in about 15 minutes before i taught yoga to the local bank employees. it was a blessing in disguise because i just assumed that i would be doing yoga at home once i finished my long day but i had a last minute client and didn't get home until around 9:30pm. i was thankful that i got my practice in when i did so i wasn't completely exhausted when i did my practice.

day 24 was a practice of yin yoga. if i haven't mentioned this before, i've been experiencing some pain in my hips, especially my right hip. so i did held some poses that helped open my hips.

day 25 - ryan and i (ok, mostly ryan) made thanksgiving dinner for my parents. this was our first thanksgiving in the this little house that heals and we were grateful that my parents were willing to drive up here to celebrate. today's yoga practice is a healing, heart opening practice by the fireplace.

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40 days of yoga - day 22

good morning lovies! i did something today that i haven't done in a while - do yoga first thing in the morning before i check my email. maybe it truly is a habit now. i sure hope so! i've enjoyed this journey immensely so far and look forward to the road ahead. i can see my own body getting stronger & more flexible so that my own practice is growing. and hopefully it will make me a better teacher as well.

my 25ish minutes of yoga this morning included the 6 movements of the spine (forward & back, side to side, and twists). it also included seated postures, forward bends, lateral bends, back bends, arm balances, twists and inversions. it was a condensed practice but i feel great afterword.

i'm off to work soon to give 5 massages before calling it a day. sure glad i got my yoga in first thing.

have a mindful monday everyone!

hugs & namaste

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monday moment of zen

“give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention." ~ jim rohn

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40 days of yoga - day 21

today makes a habit. or so it is said. there is plenty of information on the intertubes talking about taking 21 days to make a habit.

today my yoga included doing what my body needed starting with a moment of silence to set an intention to listen to my inner wisdom, my inner teacher. we all have this inner teacher and it's the best yoga teacher you can have!

i came across another article for those who say "i don't have time for a daily yoga practice." this one is particularly informative as to how to squeeze a short practice in which still counts.

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 20

restoratives

just can't seem to get enough these days :)

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morgantown photo op

reminiscing about the colors of fall. this photo was taken just down the street from where i live in the first ward of morgantown.

40 days of yoga - day 19

today i was fortunate enough to have a massage cancellation just in time to join in happy hour yoga at blissblissbliss. we support a local charity with our happy hour yoga classes so they are totally donation based. for the last quarter of 2010 we are supporting scott's run settlement house. today was a 12 hr day so i was wondering when i was going to be able to fit at least 15 mins in there. i love these kinds of opportunities, it worked out perfectly!! it felt great getting in a whole hour of yoga today.

until tomorrow, hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 18

i had a hell of a day planned out: up at 7am, to take a yoga class by 8, take pics of another yoga teacher at blissblissbliss for our upcoming newsletter, two clients in the morning, nice lunch break for 2 1/2 hrs then back to bliss for 2 more clients and 2 yoga classes.

but then sometimes life throws you a curve ball.

i woke up queasy as anything and feeling very under the weather. so i text yoga teacher and tell her i can't make it & go back to bed. an hour and half pass by at the blink of an eye because i pass out that hard!

wake back up - still feeling rough so decide to cancel my two clients this morning rather than push myself through it like i normally do.

back to bed only to wake up at 1pm, yes, 1pm only to realize i don't feel much better. so i cancel my other 2 clients and both yoga classes. i really hate canceling clients & classes like that. i feel like i've let so many people down. :( everyone is so understanding though, and thank god for that!

it's almost 4pm and the only thing i've had to eat is 2 pieces of toast and some homemade chai.

i don't know if it has anything to do with the cleanse or not. maybe the cleanse is really working something out of me. i took the day off from taking any of the gaia herbs supreme cleanse products. as long as i am better tomorrow i will resume the cleanse. as far as yoga for day 18 goes. it's restorative all. the. way. baby!!

after a bit of playing around on the intertubes, i found this lovely article about how to create and maintain a daily yoga practice. very good advice, be sure to check it out!

be well, hugs & namaste

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a house that heals

the auburn and rust colored leaves fall to the ground as the wind picks up. the sun slowly peaks it's beautiful yellow rays out from behind the gray clouds to remind us that it's still there. but we know, winter is coming.

we moved into this little house in a hurry. the creaky, distressed, old oak floor and fireplace lured us in. but, will we be able to make this house a home? right away i saw us in this little house but it took some convincing on ryan's behalf. eventually he gave in and we never looked back.

deceptively misleading from the large front yard outside, this hobbit-looking house opens up nicely on the inside. two bedrooms, one bath, a vast living room that opens into a dining area, a much smaller kitchen than we'd prefer, but we'll manage. lots of space for the pets to run and play. not to mention, spending ample time on the back deck and small fenced in back yard. a real treasure, tucked away between two other houses.

the 92 year old sweetheart living next door tells me that it's the oldest house on the street. but exactly how old i wonder? doing a little detective work, i find out that the house was built in 1935. that explains why when you stand in one corner of the living room you are taller than when you stand in another corner. with a little love, some paint and a lot of elbow grease this house was made into a home in 2 weeks flat.

** this was written in my journal. i will share with you more adventures of this little house again.**

image credit me - photo taken shortly after we moved in

40 days of yoga - day 17

today i did a 20 minute home practice dvd with natasha rizopoulos. she's the beauty you see in a lot of the beautiful yoga journal pictures and videos. what a beautiful lady inside and out. truly inspiring. i would be honored to take one of her classes/workshops one day.

a bloggy friend is doing a month of yoga for november. be sure to check liz out over at simply by the sea.

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 16

the cleanse is going well. as part of my cleanse i wanted to make sure to book an ayurvedic massage session at blissblissbliss. just like the one i had on day 10.

anytime you are doing a cleansing you should try to find a massage therapist who does ayurvedic treatments as they really help the body shed it's toxins. not to mention, being slathered in warm oil is divine!! i am also certified to do ayurvedic massage and i really love doing these treatments. in fact, i am giving one to a client later in the week.

as far as my yoga challenge, i was able to get in some yoga before i gave a massage this evening. i made sure that after being holed up all day catching up on weeds (love this show!!). i love mary louise-parker and saw her play the leading role of hedda in hedda gabler last year.

i taught shoulder and heart openers in my morning vinyasa class today so i made sure to do a few of the asanas that i taught before and after giving a massage so that my shoulders were ready to do the job.

if you are still doing the yoga challenge, how is it going for you?

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 15

wow, today is day 15 already. i have to say that the more i do yoga, the more i crave it. it's becoming easier & easier to get my 15 minutes in each day. today included some surya namaskar and some balancing poses... aka, melita's still working on her headstand ;)

hugs & namaste

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monday moment of zen

“how you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself. so always think positively.”
~ norman vincent peale

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40 days of yoga - day 14

oh glorious day off!! i am so stoked to just be chilling in my house & staying in my pjs all day!! i haven't had a day off in a long while i'm afraid, so i'm not taking this one for granted.

i had a leisurely breakfast and have been snuggling on the couch with my pets and reading 168 hours. it's really amazing to see where all of our precious time goes. before reading this book, i've stopped using the excuse of "i don't have the time for (insert activity of choice here)" now i just say "i haven't made time for (insert whatever here)."

my yoga practice today included the 3 poses that i've been working very hard at recently - headstand, crow, and wheel. all of which i am slow achieving. i'm such a pitta when it comes to um, lots of things and i'll challenge myself to achieve certain postures. for example, 2009 was the year of chaturanga dandasana and i was hell bent on accomplishing it. so i would practice it until my arms burned and were sore for days. yes, you could say i'm a pitta for sure. ;)

now it's time to make my self a little lunch and resume my chill time some more. i hope you are having a wonderful sunday loves!!

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 13

today my hour of yoga was spent with my friend lela at blissblissbliss. she lead a yoga & meditation class. while it was mostly meditation there was some wonderful movement at the beginning followed by a few of her favorite guided meditations. fantastic class!!

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40 days of yoga - day 12

after a long day of teaching two yoga classes and giving 3 massages i'm pretty pooped today. it's been a long week and i still have to force my way through tomorrow before i can rest. looking forward to sunday when i don't plan on coming out of my pjs let alone coming out of my house. :)

today's yoga included 15 minutes of legs up the couch. yes, legs up the couch. :) that's leg's up the wall's sister... or distant cousin. i also played around with my crow/crane pose and malasana. saving all of the harder poses for when i have a bit more stamina.

hope you all are well. happy yoga-ing ;)

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 11

today yoga session was just what i needed. i was able to attend heidi's morning vinyasa class at 8am at blissblissbliss. check out heidi doing the asana of the month for november. :) today we focused on heart opening with some gentle back bends. it was perfect!

being that today is an auspicious day (11/11) i am starting a 14 day cleanse. the cleanse i am using was suggested to me by my ayurvedic practitioner. i am doing supreme cleanse by gaia herbs. i will keep you updated as to how the cleanse is going as well as my progress on my daily yoga challenge.

enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 10

today was nice. and. slow. :) i didn't actually get in any asana but did 15 minutes of pranayama & contemplation in the tub.

as i was lying on the table before my ayurvedic massage treatment at blissblissbliss began, i set an intention to be open & receptive. after my wonderful treatment, i came home, make a cup of mint tea and vegged on the couch with my copy of 168 hours. i indulged in a little nap as well. after ryan came home, i made a very simple dinner: roasted cauliflower, broccoli & chickpeas and a salad. i decided to keep it low key and get into the tub to soak for a while. listening to my body and taking it easy was exactly what was in order for me today. but i still got my yoga in ;)

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 9

i teach a 8am vinyasa class at blissblissbliss on tuesday mornings. this morning no one showed up to class so instead of pouting about it, i saw the opportunity to do my own practice.

being that i'm on a kimberly kick, i decided to practice about 40 minutes from her get your yoga on cd. it was a little more intense of a practice than the newbie yogi cd that i did yesterday but amazing nonetheless!

it was a really amazing start to my day. opportunities are always there, we just need to take them!

only being 9 days into my 40 day challenge, i can already feel my body getting stronger. i have more desire to get on the yoga mat every day, even if it is only for 15 minutes. :)

hope your tuesday is a tranquil one!

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 8

today i felt inspired to do more than just 15 minutes of yoga. i was compelled to pull out kimberly wilson's cd: vinyasa yoga for the newbie yogi. it's always nice to mix up my practice and return to some basic poses that might get overlooked once in a while. i feel completely refreshed and relaxed.

ahhhh namaste

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monday moment of zen

"through the practices of yoga, we discover that concern for the happiness and well being of others, including animals, must be an essential part of our own quest for happiness and well being. the fork can be a powerful weapon of mass destruction or a tool to create peace on earth." ~ sharon gannon

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40 days of yoga - day 7

after celebrating diwali all weekend long i felt that my practice should definitely include some twists. today i focused on a slower paced flow that included lunge twists, headstand and shoulder stand.

this week was pretty intense for me. week in review:

• did 17 massages at blissblissbliss
• did 2 massages from home
• taught 7 yoga classes
• taught a yoga private session
• took two yoga classes
• kept up with my yoga challenge
  

tell me, how did your week go? if you are in on the 40 day yoga challenge, how is it going?

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 6

after a long day, i rolled out my mat with the minimum in mind. i'm tired after a long week but still needed to get my yoga in. i split my 15 minutes evenly over:

asana - pranayama - meditation

hope you all have a happy weekend.

namaste & hugs!!

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40 days of yoga - day 5

i am so thankful for my yoga practice today! i got to indulge in not one, but two of my friend lela's yoga classes at blissblissbliss. i sort of feel like i am making up for the past few days of only getting in 15-20 minutes per day. i feel amazing today!!

one of my bloggy & real life friends lauren has decided to join in on the 40 day challenge and it was so fun that we got to take one of lela's class together.

so, how is the challenge shaping up for you??

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 4

it's a rainy day here in west virginia and energy is running a bit low. that plus i have a 12 hour day of work sooo my 15 mins of yoga today are one of my favorite poses of all times... viparita karani.

if you have joined in on the 40 days of yoga challenge tell me how it's going for you.

hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 3

it's 11pm and i'm just now rolling out my yoga mat. i'm really quite tired and would just rather go to bed but alas i can not give up. as my energy is winding down for the day i am just planning on doing around 15 minutes of a slow, restorative yoga starting with child's pose.

have a lovely night everyone! a big thanks to those who have joined in the challenge with me. hugs & namaste

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40 days of yoga - day 2

tuesday mornings i teach a vinyasa class at blissblissbliss from 8-9am. i made sure to get up extra early this morning so that i could get my practice in before i taught my class.

i did approximately 20 minutes of yoga this morning. i focused on opening my joints and trying a softer version of headstand, shoulder stand and wheel pose. instead of muscling through like i'm sometimes known to - hey, i'm a pitta ok, it's in my nature ;) i took a slower, more meditative approach to the more difficult poses.

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40 days of yoga - day 1

i've been thinking about my own yoga practice a lot recently. as a yoga teacher it is sometimes hard to get in my own practice. i'm usually preparing classes for my students and their practice becomes mine. i'm trying to remedy this situation by taking on a self-challenge of 40 days of yoga.

there are only two rules: teaching a yoga class does not count & i must do at least 15 minutes of yoga every day during this challenge. i plan on blogging about my 40 day yoga journey as a way of keeping myself accountable. whether you are a yoga teacher or not, i encourage you to join in the journey of 40 days of yoga with me. namaste

day 1:

- i did 5 minutes of a restorative version of supta baddha konasana today between clients

- after getting home i did 20 minutes of sun salutes, played around with a few balancing poses, supine twists and savasana

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monday moment of zen

"may you be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
may you know your true health, happiness and wholeness."
~ traditional buddhist meditation

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