Friday (Sunday): Five little things I was grateful for this past week

This past weekend was busy- and I am thankful for that in and of itself. I was able to hangout with some amazing people, teach a great yoga class full of friends and new students, and celebrate the 30th birthday of one of my dear friends, but I did run out of time to post this--so it is a little late.

1. Fall leaves- although here in Chicago the weather is insanely inconsistent the beautiful fall leaves help to deal with the late 80' weather followed immediately by snow flurries the next week. When the sky is blue and sunny the red, gold, and orange leaves are so beautiful and the gradient of the trees themselves is worth stopping to appreciate.

2. The National Museum of Mexican Art- Chicago has great museums and for an extra credit opportunity our 101 students were able to attend the Día de los Muertos community night at this museum. Fellow graduate students and myself attending taking full advantage of the crafts, photo booth, snacks, and enjoying the colorful artwork of Mexican artists--- not to mention we had an amazing dinner following. How can you go to Pilsen and not get Mexican food. I am so grateful for the culture and museums Chicago has.

3. Hunter Boots- see point 1--rain, cold, snow etc. these things make it easier for me to galavant all over the city and stay dry.

4. Shutter Fly Photo Books- Theses are great gifts and they always are offering coupons. For my friends 30th, her husband created a book that all family and friends could log onto and edit--I dug up some winners of awkward middle school years and really enjoyed going through the old pictures. I think we all enjoyed her gift as much as she did.

5. Alternate Nostril Breathing-- so thankful I have this tool to use. For some reason in my class Wednesday night I just felt a wave of anxiety and a shortness of breath, hoping my classmates wouldn't notice too much ( I mean we were all really watching the Filipino hip hop group getting down outside the windows of our classroom), I subtly started using this breath to calm myself down. After a few rounds I began to feel better.

I am super thankful for my friends that attending my class Saturday morning--hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!!

Friday (Sunday): Five little things I was grateful for this past week by cloch1 featuring fall home decor

Mala Beads--what and why

Before I attended my teacher training, I had no idea what mala beads were-- so I thought I would take time to explain since I have made a few posts that include them.

Mala beads are prayer beads, so for all my Catholic friends and family they work similar to a rosary, they help keep track of where you are in saying a mantra. The strands include 108 beads, some including 4 marker beads or others with 2 larger beads all depending on the tradition of the mala i.e. Tibetan, mantra, etc. Many malas use a certain type of stone bead or wood that attaches itself to a meaning, others are blessed by gurus or monks, others are homemade  or just bought for being beautiful.


Many Celebreties have been seen where the mala around their neck, others wear them around their left wrist as a bracelet--there are also mala bracelets.

 

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0171/7374/t/3/assets/blog_Mala_Beads_Celebrity_Julia_Roberts.jpg?5245

 

http://vivsvogue.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/elle-macpherson-435.jpg

HOW, WHY, WHEN, and WHERE 

I use my mala

I try to remember to wear mine on a daily basis, even under my t-shirt. 

When I arrive super early to a yoga class I will sit and go through a mantra.

When I feel a wave of anxiety or other strong emotion coming on I grab a seat and mantra.

To start meditation on days when I am having a hard time finding my seat.

You can do this anywhere and noone needs to know. I have done it on my poof, at my desk, on the train, and in the studio.

Mantra:

"Om gam Ganapataye namaha "

It is to Ganesha- the remover of obstacles. This mantra is to help ourselves release and move past perceived obstacles form within. It helps to calm the chatter of the mind.

Make your own Mala:

Supplies-

•   cord or string for stringing the beads
•  a guru bead (etsy), it is a bead with three holes
• colored floss or a tassle
• beads (108) you can find these on etsy, it's the best deal
• they can be wood or stone
• 6mm or 8mm depending on your preference

• a needle for easy threading
• you can use one of those necklace trays but it is not necessary.

Begin threading your beads on the string, decide if you want to go all the way around with one type of bead or if you want to break it up into 21, 33, 33, 21 with a marker bead in between. 

I began wanting to knot the cord in between the beads but after one or two knots not landing where I wanted them I scrapped that idea and just beaded.

At the end cut your cord, thread both ends of cord through guru bead and attach / tie the cord to the tassle.

Not feeling all DIY--or are the supplies adding up quickly? There are some stunning amazing malas on Etsy.

Lily Baubles-$30 or under- which is a great deal on a mala.

  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilybaubles?ref=l2-shopheader-name  

Buzz Meditations- $60+

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BuzzMeditations?ref=l2-shopheader-name

My favorite- from Golden Lotus Mala $30-$60. These are beautiful and the shop is great.

 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoldenLotusMala

Just absolutely love this one- the frosted agate is amazing

Look for Treasures- $52

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/look4treasures?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Friday 5: five little things I am loving and grateful for this week

It's that time of year when the weather is changing, clothes in the closet are being swapped from summer dresses to big chuncky sweaters, and new catalogs with Holiday goodies start arriving in the mail. It's super easy to feel like what we have isn't right and that we need new this or that or we drool over the new boots in the window of the store on the way to yoga--living in a big city and constantly passing store fronts on my way to and from wherever I decide to go makes it easy to get caught up in the game of wanting what I don't have and not appreciating the things I do. These Friday posts are to help remind me that I have fabulous things and to appriciate all that I have- I am a LUCKY, BLESSED person and I find happiness from within myself not from the items I don't own.

1. Slippers--- paired with a cup of tea, fleece pants, and a bowl of popcorn and you have me! Slippers make the middle of the night and early morning bathroom trips easier and if my feet are warm I am generally warmer all over.

2. Knitting- I have only knit a handful of times before, but for some reason I was called back to it a week ago, it helps with my anxiety, keeps my hands busy and my mind focused, and I can create warm goodies for all. See no. 3

3. Wrist warmers- I am a cold person, I often times see my fingernails turning a lovely shade of periwinkle when it gets cold outside. My office tends to be either freezing or hot and wrist warmers--knit by yours truely-- are the perfect answer to typing in the tundra that can be the grad. student office

4. Puffy Vest- my godfather is amazing and has gifted me some super warm puffy vests, they are perfect to put over a fleece and still have arm mobility. Not to mention they make a great pillow--I took a nap on mine the other day while reading.

5. My Mala- I really love the one above and can't wait till I get a really beautiful one, but for now I just whipped one up on my own from beads I had in a drawer- it ain't pretty but the other day when I felt an anxiety attack coming on I grabbed my beads, sat on my poof, and let a Ganesha mantra take over. I got up about 15 minutes later feeling a whole lot better and in control of my emotions.

Friday 5: five little things I am loving and grateful for this week by cloch1 featuring a down vest

Pose of the week: Utkatasana (chair pose)

And no I don't mean the chair pose that I assume most of the week that looks like this,

but rather the one that makes your thighs scream and the sweat drip down your face-- attractive sounding right? This is a great strength building, warming pose (wonderful for this winter in October thing we are having in Chicago).

 

You can feel this pose working those legs--but without proper alignment you may feel this pose post-practice in the low back or knees. 

Benefits:

• strengthens legs
• tones abdominals
• lengthens spine and neck
• strengthens and opens shoulders
• can reduce flat feet
• builds ankle stregnth

Coming into / out of this pose:

•  feet can either be together with big toes touching heels turned slightly out OR you can have your feet hip distance- I personally prefer option one.
• inhale arms overhead
• exhale bend the knees (keep weight towards the heels so that when you look down you can see your toes--then give them a wiggle) 
• the spine should remain nuetral- don't have a sway back, sticking your butt out and don't over tuck the tailbone. You will know the sweet spot when you do not feel this pose in the lower back.
• try to bring your torso perpendicular to the ground

Modifications, props, etc.:

• placing a block between the thighs offers a little extra work
• you can enter chair through uttanasana, anjaneyasana, amongst other creative poses
• turn chair into twisted chair by hooking the left elbow outside of the right thigh (keeping knees and hips squared) then switch sides or fly into side crow 

 

(http://joypeaceandhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/chair1.jpg)

I think this will be my last pose of the week post for awhile- I am going to be doing a personal challenge and focus on one pose for a month that I really want to make progress with. For starters it will be hanumanasana (full splits) and I will post my progress one a week. If you want to join in on the challenge let me know--"practice makes progress"

Halloween: going green- Costumes for the eco-friendly / budget friendly conscious

It's that time of the year!! Happy Halloween-
I love Halloween, it's up there with one of my favorite holidays because I love getting dressed up. I was probably a huge pain in the butt for my mom because, even to this day, I tend to get big ideas when it comes to costumes rather than keeping it simple. I blame the creative, diy'er in me-- and I brought my wonderful, talented mother with me on the ride until I was in college, then it was my Aunt Lucielle and her sewing machine that suffered. 

I was a tissue box one year- resulting in my now refusal to wear a box with any costume, a piece of pie, a fat ref, and then there was my sister who every year went as a witch, I mean like every year. 

Here are a few samples of costumes over the years---

The one year my sister went as Peter Pan instead of a witch. I mean look at that scarecrow- well done mom, I think she made me costume crazy- that lady brought it.

Because like all tween girls, I wanted to be a fat referee...

Awe 4th grade- white tights and a cherry pie costume sewn by my mom, it was super comfortable and rather adorable.

 

Although not a great quality picture, these Aladdin and Jasmine costumes were a labor of love made from scratch on my aunt's sewing machine-which I managed to jam like five times with the silk and thread.

The astronaut was easy, painters coverall, patches from paper, and straps from electrical tape. I wore all grey and silver that I had at home and just bought a pair of $5 volleyball shorts form Academy Sports that I have worn under dresses and with other costumes.

Holly Golightly- one of my favorite characters. I went to the thrift store and bought a huge tuxedo shirt, threw on tights and volleyball shorts, and the day of made the mask from material, gold trim (both bought for super cheap) along with some crystals I had at home and finished it off with tassel earrings. I can reuse this shirt for Mary Poppins one year, the shorts were form the alien costume and the tights have made a number of appearances.

For me, spending about $50-75 on a costume, especially if both of us need  a costume, is just not an option so here are the steps I tend to take to pick out a costume.

1. Get Inspired- look at your DVD's are there any characters or people you would like to play

- think about when you were little, any toys you use to play with that would work

-is there anyone people tell you / significant other that you look like (Christian gets Aladdin sometimes so we went with that)

2. Get Resourceful- use what you, your friends, and your family have. If you need something, head to the Thrift store--maybe there you will find inspiration as well.

-if you must buy something, buy something that can most likely be used again, for the alien costume I wore that shirt out all the time.

- keep the basics, nude tights if taken care of can be worn another year, false eyelashes can be resused (clean them)

3. Get Crafty- When you make your own costume you can be sure that no one else will have the same costume as you.

- it doesn't have to be perfect, if you go for the overall idea with some good details people will get the look , and it is a costume so if you need to clew and staple instead of sew go for it

4. Costume Box- afterwards keep all your stuff organized in a costume box, it will come in handy the following year, you can loan things out to friends, and you never know what you can reuse. If you have kids or one day will this costume box will provide hours of joy and years of costumes. 

Crafting Basics- news paper or an old towel to craft on, hot glue gun, pins, and an imagination.

I am soooo excited what Christian and I came up with for this year--it's going to be one for the books.

Hint: Shopping list includes--feathers, blue and purple paint, red material, cardboard, duct tape. The inspiration came from my sister!

Pose of the week: paschimottanasana (seated forward fold)

As the weather gets colder and our bodies begin to crave warming and grounding foods, paschimottanasana serves that same purpose but as a pose. The act of folding forward is introspective, we fold onto and towards ourselves by hinging over our legs and flexing our toes towards our torsos;  and we also move inwards in regards to perspective, it is a moment to come back to the breath and your intention. Unlike back bends which are heart openers, forward folds protect our heart making us feel secure and safe. Because of this, paschimottanasa calms the nervous system as we fold and ss the sits bones root down and the backs of the legs press towards the earth we feel  grounded physically as well as emotionally. 

 

 

 

This is a great diagram for coming into the pose from dandasana!

I am sure my yogini Meghan would not believe that this is my pose of the week because when we were working on this at TT (teacher training) we made adjustments on each other so that we were in the pose without a curve in the spine. I got as far forward as the man in figure 3/3, I was bummed. I had this beautiful image of me laying out over my legs with a straight spine and my nose to my knee. EGO check and runners hamstrings- I swore I wouldn't ever teach it. I was just joking of course, because as the saying goes, "the poses you like the least are the ones you probably need the most." Amen- here is to practicing my Poschimottanasna. 

Benefits:

• helps with digestion (can aide in weight loss)
• combats anxiety, depression, insomnia
• helps relieve menstrual aches and pains
• relieves headaches and certain back pains
• can increase appetite
• stretches HAMSTRINGS
• legnthens out spine
• releases shoulders

Coming into / out of the pose:

• sit on a blanket with your sits bones at the very front edge of the blanket
• with legs out in front of you, remove the junk in yo trunk so that you can feel both bones on the blanket.
• sit up nice and tall as you inhale
• flex your feet, toes towards your face
• exhale pull bellybutton towards spine and HINGE AT THE HIPS
• keep your back straight for as long as possible, once at that limit take a nice long inhale and legnthen
• exhale drawing your naval in again, fold deeper into the space you just created and feel free to round the spine (rounding evenly thoughout) 
•  either relax the arms along side the leg or reach for the feet

Modifications: 

• use a strap around the feet if you can not reach them on your own-- you are not driving a herd of wild reindeer so relax your arms and hands on the strap to a gentle grip.
• if you can easily reach your feet you can place a block on the other side of your feet and reach for the block
• You can prop yourself up for a restorative variation by placing bolsters on your legs and relaxing onto the bolster.

Forward folds are great counter poses for twists and back bends. This is a mild forward fold and is used to counter camel, danurasana (bow pose), simple seated twists, and ardha matsyendrasana (half lord of the fishes)

photo 1:http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5762110332_2e15f0220c.jpg

photo 3: http://compassionworks.com/832/

5 things to help you fall asleep and sleep deeper

I have always had the great talent of being able to fall asleep almost anywhere. I was always the first one asleep at sleep overs and I rarely make it through a movie that starts after 7 pm-- always have been this way and probably always will. Staying asleep or going back to sleep is a whole other ball game- once I am up, I'm up.

Over the last year or two I have found myself waking up in the middle of the night with a racing heart and not being able to slow my mind down enough to fall back asleep. At some point last year, grad schools started to affect my ability to fall asleep- NOT OKAY WITH ME!

These five things help me fall asleep-- and I truly believe help me sleep deeper. I use one or multiple combinations of these tools every night depending on time available and my resting heart rate.

1. Lavender Oil- I rub a few drops of lavender oil on my feet (then rub my hands on my sheets and or temples). The lavender oil helps to calm the nervous system (aromatherapy) and it is believed that if you rub essential oils on the soles of your feet they will get carried throughout the body to where they are most needed. Plus your sheets smell amazing.

2. Bath- I love a good, long, hot bath. I will add some epsom salts and essential oils depending on what time of year it is or how I'm feeling. Bubbles are always beautiful and luxurious as well. To me there is something calming about the water and not doing anything else. Light a candle- it's all about a calming, soothing environment.

3. Meditation- The whole point is to calm the mind and to release tension. It is recommended to shut down all electronics and screen interaction about a half hour before trying to fall asleep in order to begin quieting the mind. Meditation is a great way to spend that time- start with just ten minutes.

4. Chamomile steamer (or other variation)- Any sleepy-time or chamomile tea will do. Steam a glass of milk or even just heat it up in the microwave, steep tea bag in the hot milk, add a small bit of honey and enjoy (maybe in the tub).

5.  Breathing-  no you don't need a mask but I liked the visual. A good calming breath that I use to fall asleep begins with a regular inhale and then I slowly work to extend my exhale so that eventually it is twice as long as the inhale. It is recommended to do this through your nose but I am an open mouth sleeper so I do this with my mouth instead of nose. The focus on your breath helps to calm the mind and the extended exhale is soothing to the body. I use this one every night at some point- especially if I wake up in the middle of the night.

Hope this helps some of you find some deeper quality sleep or find sleep a little sooner.

Good Night

ZZZ...


5 things to help you fall asleep and sleep deeper by cloch1 featuring tea cups