Sun Standing Still

The summer solstice marks the official first day of summer. On this day, the northern hemisphere is tilted most towards the sun, the sun is highest in the sky, and we enjoy the longest day of sunlight. These characteristics are the reason why, in Latin, the word solstice means ‘sun standing still’, a suggestion that the sun pauses as it reaches its most extreme height. This day also marks the point when days begin to shorten but lets not focus on that – we in the northern hemisphere only have so much time to enjoy the warmth of summer.

I have not been able to find when celebrating the summer solstice became a thing, but in 240 B.C., the Greek astronomer Eratosthenes made the first good measurement of the size of Earth by noting the angles of shadows in two cities on the Summer Solstice. So, the idea of the Summer Solstice has been around for quite some time!

In ancient times, the summer solstice was a marker to figure out when to plant and harvest crops and helped to predict annual flooding. It was also used to mark the 1-month countdown to the Olympic Games. On the other hand, Pagan folklore believed evil spirits would appear on the summer solstice, and people would wear protective garlands of herbs and flowers to protect themselves from evil spirits. Other summer solstice traditions hold that the ashes from a Midsummer bonfire can protect one from misfortune or that the ashes—when spread across one’s garden—will bring a bountiful harvest.

Many ancient cultures held festivities and celebrations on the Summer Solstice (Midsummer):

• Kronia, a festival celebrating Cronus, the god of agriculture, was also held around this time. The Greeks’ strict social code was temporarily turned on its head during Kronia, with slaves participating in the merriment as equals or even being served by their masters.

• In the days leading up to the summer solstice, the ancient Romans celebrated Vestalia, a religious festival in honor of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. During Vestalia, married women could enter the temple of Vesta and leave offerings to the goddess in exchange for blessings for their families.

• In ancient China, the summer solstice was associated with “yin,” the feminine force. Festivities celebrated Earth, femininity, and the “yin” force.

• Before Christianity, ancient Northern and Central European pagans (including Germanic, Celtic and Slavic groups) welcomed Midsummer with bonfires.  It was thought that bonfires would boost the sun’s energy for the rest of the growing season and guarantee a good harvest for the fall.

• Midsummer was a crucial time of year for the Vikings, who would meet to discuss legal matters and resolve disputes around the summer solstice.

• Many Native American tribes took part in solstice rituals, some of which are still practiced today. The Sioux, for instance, performed a ceremonial sun dance around a tree while wearing symbolic colors.

Today, cultures around the world still celebrate Midsummer, from hosting bonfires to wearing garlands in their hair and dancing at a festival or heading to an archeological site (Stone Hedge) to watch the sun rise between massive stones. I don’t know about you but since learning about the history of the Solstice I want to celebrate it meanings.

Here is a website to give you some more ideas on how you can celebrate the Solstice this year: 5 amazing ways to celebrate the summer solstice | Wanderlust

Outdoor Therapy: Planting the Seed

Have you noticed that in the midst of uncertainty, confusion, and heartbreak, taking a healthy seed, dropping it in soil, exposing it to water and sunlight, and watching it grow can bring a sense of peace. 

I know that I am eager to care for everyone but myself. I am quick to share a kind word with a friend but I am my harshest critic. I am patient with my family but I placed myself on the shortest leash. Caring for my garden is a way for me to remind myself what self-care looks like.

As I check on my plants’ health, presence, and location, I start to tap into its needs and desires. Slowly, this simple act of caring for my plants help me connect with myself and begin paying attention to my own needs. I am able to understand that, sometimes, pruning is required in order to grow. That you need to expose the roots (sometimes quite literally) to see what is affecting the overall health of the plant. It takes some time, but eventually I am able to see how tender I am and to appreciate that I need to be seen and heard, felt, and catered to. I begin to uproot the stories written for me and begin to write my own. And I think, in some way or another, this happens to all of us. We grow so accustomed to hearing our stories from other people, or maybe even ourselves, that we forget the impermanence of it all and our ability to rewrite those stories. 

Grow at Your Own Pace

• On average, it takes a flowering plant up to 100 days to complete its growth cycle. So as you begin to write your own story, be patient, and remember that any good story takes time. 

• In the beginning, a seed needs daily attention, but once its roots are anchored it can flourish with minimal maintenance. We too need constant reminders in the beginning when we want to make a change. As the change becomes routine, we can loosen the reigns.

• There will be times when the external environment puts extra stress on the plant and they need special attention. It’s ok to take time for yourself and be selfish when your world becomes stressful. Relax with a massage or enjoy that piece of chocolate cake!

• Oftentimes, you plant a seed not knowing what is going to emerge from the soil. Sure, the packet of seeds you picked up at the supermarket might say kale but you never really know until it starts to sprout. A certain idea may sound good at first, but as it develops you may find that it’s not for you. It’s ok to uproot an idea if it not working for you.

With plants, we don’t have to give too much or more than what’s needed; we just need to take the time to pay attention to its needs. The same is true with us. And as we reflect, we can begin to discover. As we take the time to pay attention to engage in a moment of self-discovery, we can begin to write our stories with authenticity and patience. 

Self-Care in Athletes

When we look at athletes we see strong, healthy bodies. What we don’t see is how play and practice affect their bodies. Occasionally an athlete becomes injured and must go through rest and rehab to heal their body, but what most people don’t know is that the daily stress of giving 110% can cause major issues in the long run.

High-level athletes put extreme expectations on their bodies every day. They push themselves to and sometimes past the limit on a regular basis. This is a must when playing amongst the best.

This continual stress put on the body is called microtraumas. Microtraumas occur every day in everyone; however, the extreme stress athletes put on their bodies are more likely to produce deep seeded microtraumas that if left untreated can produce lifelong physical and mental disturbances.

Think of microtraumas as cracks on a road. A freshly paved road (or a young athlete) is smooth and crack free. Overtime, as cars continually drive over it, the roads composition (an athlete’s body) begins to weaken. If the road remains uncared for the weakness turns into cracks and potholes (an injury). Eventually the road will need to be repaved (surgery). If, however, the road is cared for and initial cracks are filled (self-care), it will last much longer.

On the surface, microtraumas are not felt or are injuries that need to be cared for immediately which can make them so harmful. Athletes unaware of what microtraumas are go about their training not thinking about what they are doing to their bodies until they experience pain. Only then do they think about their bodies. Imagine if the athlete understood how daily training affected their body and took care of it 3-4 times a week, 20-30 minutes at a pop. They would be stronger, less injury prone, and recover quicker.

Signs an athlete is developing deep seeded microtraumas:

• Fatiguing faster than normal

• Soreness after most or all training days

• Ongoing or recurring injuries

• General stiffness

• Irritability, moody

• Unfocused

Options for selfcare:

Myofascial Release:  techniques to target pain “bound” by tight fascia. When performed on an injured area, myofascial release therapy liberates bands of scar-like tissues (adhesions) and trigger points to restore function to the affected muscle and joint, which minimizes pain and boosts recovery time.

Yoga: helps become more peaceful and in turn achieve greater focus, and returning the body to its natural state that they could dramatically improve physical capacity.

Meditation and mind work: athletes who perform mediation regularly cope with injuries and pain very proficiently.

The Art of Mastery: Staying the Course

The first week or so of making a change or getting on the path to mastery in life or a skill is always new and exciting. Then you’re reminded of life and its unexpected wrenches it throws into your plans. You’re excitement and enthusiasm begins to wane and soon enough you’re back to the routine you are trying to change. BUT, I have a few secrets to help you keep the energy to stay the course and bounce back onto the path of mastery whenever a wrench is in your way.

The human body follows The Law of Attraction, what is in motion stays in motion. We gain energy by using energy (within healthy limits). Also, you cannot hoard energy or save it for later, it comes into existence through use.

Now there is some conditioning that occurs in childhood that affects our natural source of energy and the ease to tap into it, but I am here to motivate you to get out of the rut you are in and live your best life; not talk about your upbringing.

So, here are my 5 Secrets to Staying the Course:

1.      Maintain physical fitness

From my very personal experience, finding time to move and connect with my body and mind is a game changer. On mornings when my alarm goes off and I tell myself it’s ok to sleep in today verses the mornings I tell myself you’ll feel better afterwards my mood is completely different and my day goes smoother. In turn, it is easier to maintain the course when you are in a good mood and you can handle the days hiccups with ease.

2.      Acknowledge the negative and accentuate the positive

It is clinically proven that people with positive mindsets suffer less illness than those with a negative outlook. Illness is a major energy suck so when you’re prone to getting sick it is hard to have the energy to keep on track with your goals. There is no such thing as too much positivity, unless you deny that there are negatives that do occur. Speaking of negativity, a hard blow in life can be one of most energizing experiences… if you acknowledge it, face it head on, and move forward. Proving to yourself you can do it is the MOST energizing act you can do.

3.      Tell the Truth

When you don’t beat around the bush you save ample time and energy by getting to and working out the issue at hand faster. There is a right way and wrong way to tell the truth. Focusing on how you’re feeling and not placing blame allows for constructive criticism, discussion, and a gameplan to happen without hurt feelings. Remember, sometimes the person you need to be truthful to the most is yourself.

4.      Honor but don’t indulge your shadow side

Burying apart of yourself limits access to your energy potential. Emotions carry a great deal of energy and relearning to feel anger, sadness, jealousy – all the emotions we are told not to feel – can help us tap into more energy. When dealing with these powerful emotions, choosing to tap into their energy in a responsible manner is key, like using anger’s energy to work on a project or jealousy’s energy to keep you motivated to reach a goal. Emotions are not a bad thing but when we bottle them up they explode like a shaken can at the worst possible moment and we have no control over our actions.

5.      Set your priorities, make commitments, take action

You must know what you want to spend your energy on, or your energy will be in control taking you wherever it wants to go. When you have a lot on your plate and feeling overwhelmed the worst thing you can do is attempt to do it all at once. Making a list of what needs to be done, putting the items in order of importance, and attacking one at time creates more energy than multitasking. Plus, checking things off is quite cathartic and energizing in itself if you ask me. Another way to maintain course is to set a deadline to reach a certain goal. Remember though, mastery is not about goal accomplishment but more about the daily process. Too much goal setting can have the opposite effect. If it is a work goal you have coworkers and bosses to keep you accountable, but if your goal is personal making it public to supportive friends and family will be your accountability. Lastly, GO FOR IT!!! Have the confidence in yourself to know you can do this.

You now have all tools and knowledge to go out and live your best life! We defined what mastery is, learned keys to master anything, gained an understanding of why making a change is so difficult, and secrets to maintaining the course.

To re-read previous blogs go here: ShaktiShiva’s Blog shares information & resources to help YOU! — ShaktiShiva Massage & Yoga (katieschlieppwellness.com)

Want some extra support? Join my Facebook group Helping Each Other Live Our Best Lives: https://www.facebook.com/groups/863542008429963/

The Art of Mastery: Making Resolutions Stick

The start of the New Year is a great time to implement changes you want to make in your life. The New Year resembles a fresh start, a clean slate, a good starting point to reset. We vow to make these changes, you tell people what you’re going do to, you are excited. The first couple weeks go great but then ‘life’ happens, and this perfect new routine gets challenged and it ends up being the first thing to go to fit ‘life’ in. You have all the right intentions; you made a great plan, but you still backslide. You’re frustrated because this happens every year no matter what you do. You ask yourself if making a change is worth all the hassle and does change ever stick.

YES and YES is my answer to these questions, but there’s fine print to my answers:

The ’backslide’ is inevitable whenever ANYONE makes a change. There is more to making a change than just physically doing the actions. Our body and mind are built to remain in homeostasis, there is a built-in mechanism that keeps us ‘within normal limits’ and it will force us back into these limits if we exceed this boundary. For the most part, this is a good thing. This built-in mechanism controls our bodily functions and keeps us alive. It regulates our breathing to keep enough oxygen in our body, it pumps our heart at a specific pace so nutrients are circulated properly, it will release insulin if our blood sugar gets too high. This mechanism keeps us in equilibrium.

We have to keep this in mind when are making changes to the way we live. Initially, our body will fight back. It will want to remain in what it knows as homeostasis. The best example, and most popular change people make is adding a workout routine, let’s say jogging. You’re excited to start, you bought new workout clothes, got the fancy shoes. You get 100 meters into your first jog and you’re sucking wind, dizzy, and you are walking already. Most of us will immediately say “my body is just not made to run”, and we stop; however, these physical reactions are just the body trying to remain in equilibrium. This built-in mechanism is basically screaming, “WARNING! CHANGES OUTSIDE THE NORAML ARE OCCURING, STOP IMMEDIATELY”. Anytime anyone makes a big change our bodies will react like this.

So how do you keep from backsliding?

First, you must accept that you will backslide and when you do be kind to yourself. Whether the backslide is for a day, a week, a month, reset. Go back to your plan and start again. Kinda sounds like the mastery curve I mentioned in my October blog 😉(read that one here: The Art of Living in Mastery: What is Mastery and the Mastery Curve — ShaktiShiva Massage & Yoga (katieschlieppwellness.com)).

Second, you gotta put the work in. Change doesn’t just happen because you make the plan. You must be intentional with your actions, work at it every day, and find ways to make it fun. Staying disciplined is the hard part because, like I just explained, the body will fight this change. STAY STRONG! (Among other reasons, this is why I take a long weekend to myself every 3-4 months and reflect. It allows me to see what is working, what I need to get back to, and what is not working. It’s a great tool to help with discipline).

Lastly, start small. The worst thing you can do is implement a major change day one. Instead, make a plan using the idea of starting with the end in mind. Sticking with our jogging example, lets say you vow to run a half marathon. If you go out day one with the goal of running 13 miles, it is not going to go very well. You start with the end in mind, choose a race you want to run a few months out then build a running program back from that. That way you start with shorter distances and work your way up to 13 miles. This will help minimize the push-back from that built-in homeostasis mechanism. I am not saying this will make the change easy, it may still be tough in the beginning, you will probably still backslide, but starting with the end in mind will decrease the amount of backslide and increase your success rate.

Alright, now that you are in the know about mastering change, what changes or resolutions are you going to make for the New Year? I’d love to hear from you, and if you would like assistance in making a plan for this change I am here to help.

GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY THE PROCESS!

The Vata Dosha; In-Depth

Imagine the typical fall day; cold, windy, dry, cloudy. This is a perfect description of the qualities of the Vata Dosha. This Dosha is responsible for movement of our body, mind and senses.

A person dominant in Vata will most likely be thin and have trouble gaining weight. Their body is narrow, skin is cold and dry, hair is thin. They tend to have a quick mind, are flexible with their schedule, and resourceful. They are the ones that are always on the go, forget to eat meals, and seem disorganized.

A person not dominant in Vata can still go out of balance in this Dosha in many ways. If your anxiety or stress levels suddenly increase, you consume high amounts of cold, raw, bitter foods, or you become overworked, skip meals, and don’t sleep you can aggravate your Vata Dosha. The Fall and Winter seasons also naturally increase your Vata.

What does an aggravated Vata Dosha look like?

• Constipation, IBS, gasy

•  Aching joints

•  Dry, rough skin

•  Muscle spasms

•  Worry, anxiety, impatience

•  Overactive mind, lack of focus

•  Insomnia, fatigue, restlessness

•  Low appetite

Don’t worry, there are things you can do to prevent Vata from going out of balance and to help bring Vata back into balance. The easiest way to do this to adapt Kapha-like qualities into your routine.

•  Movement that is slower, calming, stabilizing, restorative

  • Ex. Yoga Nidra

• Warm, soothing, nurturing foods

• Soups, stews, root vegetables

• Include warm baths and oils in your self-care routine

Looking for more information and advice on creating a balanced lifestyle?

Email me at info@katieschlieppwellness.com for more opportunities to learn about developing your best life.

Intro to Ayurveda and your Doshas

Ayurveda is the oldest form of healing. It has been around for 5000 years and developed as a preventative medicine focusing on maintaining balance rather than what we see primarily in todays society, a more passive approach that focuses on treating illness and disease.

Ayur translates to life, veda to science. Ayurveda is the science of life. Followers of this healing science equate health to balance in lifestyle, diet, environment, and thoughts. In other words, what we do, eat, think, where we live, the climate, the people we surround ourselves with, how active we are all help determine how to remain balanced in our lives, AKA healthy. It is holistic and unique to each and every individual as we always look at the whole life and yet each person is completely different. There is no one textbook way to balance everyone.

So, how does this all work?

Ayurveda believes everything in nature has specific qualities: heavy, hard, liquid, soft, hot, sharp, light, mobile, clear, pervading, etc. They group similar qualities together into 5 categories, the 5 Elements: Earth (qualities of solidity), Water (qualities of fluidity), Fire (qualities of transformation), Air (qualities of movement), Ether (qualities of space). We, as humans, are apart of nature so we have all 5 of these categories within us which makes up our constitution. Our constitution, like a fingerprint, is unique to you. We all have different levels of these categories.

If the Elements are qualities from Nature, our Doshas; Vata, Pitta, Kapha; explain the interplay of these elements within us and describe our physiology and psychology. Similar to the 5 Elements, we are made of all 3 Doshas, just at different levels. Vata is the Dosha of movement combining the energies of Ether and Air. Pitta, the Dosha of Transformation, combines Fire and Water, and Kapha combines Water and Earth to make the Dosha of Structure.

Vata Basics:

- Movement, breath, muscles

- all tissues, heart

- Balanced: creativity and flexibility; Imbalanced: fear/anxiety

Pitta Basics:

- That which breaks things down

- all transformation, metabolism, assimilation

- Balanced: understanding, intelligence; Imbalanced: anger, hatred, inflammatory illnesses

Kapha Basics:

-Cohesion, lubrication, moisturizes, maintains immunity

- Balanced: expressions of love, calmness, forgiveness, or attachment

- Imbalanced: greed, possessiveness, congestion

Ayurveda uses the knowledge of your constitution (the elements you are made of) to determine what is needed for balance, for health. The way we live our lives, the food we eat, the thoughts we have either takes us toward or away from balance, but maintaining balance is harder than it sounds. Ayurveda believes in the Law of Continuity, or like follows like, which means if you are Vata you enjoy doing Vata like things, so you continue doing more Vata things; however, too much of one thing is never good so you need to incorporate Pitta and Kapha to maintain balance. The hard part comes when determining when too much of a good thing is too much.

Curious about what Dosha you are? Take this quiz to find out: The Ayurveda Experience - Dosha Quiz

I hope this was a good introduction to Ayurveda but there is so much more. I focused on some of the basics, but I plan to go further in next months blog diving deeper into the Doshas and how the climate, the food we eat, and thoughts we think affect our balance.

Getting Married, Sober

November 30th, 2020 will be 4 years since my last drink. Sobriety has been the best and hardest decision I made in my, almost, 38 years.

Choosing a sober life lifted the fog of alcohol clearing the path I was meant to take, and I was no longer lost. I no longer wake up hungover, dreading my day or trying to recollect what stupid things I did the night before, and wake up excited to see what the has in store for me. I no longer crave greasy fast-food and I nourish my body with (mostly 😊) clean, whole foods. I am active, I enjoy the work I do, and have gained confidence in myself I never had before.

I have also lost so-called friends, have felt left out at parties, have not been invited to parties, get weird looks when I tell someone I don’t drink, all because I choose to be sober. When I have tried my whole life to ‘fit in’, remaining sober is difficult because it is ‘not normal’ where I come from.

My insecurities rose this year. Thoughts about drinking again increased. All because I was getting married.

Growing up, going to a wedding meant lots of alcohol, dancing, and craziness. If you weren’t tipsy, you weren’t celebrating enough. At least that was my perspective back then, and I felt pulled between my past and my present. What used to be important and what is important.

So, it wasn’t the stress of planning the wedding that allowed me to ponder the thought of having a drink. It was worrying that our guests wouldn’t have a good time, that people wouldn’t come because it wouldn’t be fun, that I would feel left out at my own wedding – not because there wouldn’t be alcohol available, but because I wouldn’t be drinking (crazy, I know). “Maybe just one drink would help me loosen up and have good time? Maybe if I have a little buzz the rest of the guests will have more fun?,” were the thoughts invading my head all the way up to our Big Day.

I did choose sobriety over ‘fun’ – I guess a better word would be ‘craziness’. Were there times when I wanted a drink? Yes, but being present for this amazing day meant more to me than getting tipsy. Remembering all the details on a day that flies by was more important than waking up foggy and having to use pictures to remind me of what happened. Knowing my priorities and knowing what a slippery slope I would put myself on kept me sober. The life I have now, without my bar-friends and the occasional awkwardness, outweighs any excuse to pick up a drink.

Remaining sober on my wedding day was the best present I could give myself. I validated that all my insecurities about getting married sober were all in my head, and everyone had a wonderful time.

Lessons from the Tetons

Last year I knew wanted to hike in Grand Teton National Park. What I didn’t know was that desire would turn into a 4-day adventure that would test my will and comfort zone along with bringing me up close and personal to the expansive beauty of nature. Most of all, it reminded me what Living feels like. And I would do it again in a heartbeat!

So, this was the first time I ever attempted a trip like this. I have camped for a weekend here and there, but I have always had showers and a way to contact someone in an emergency. This trip I have neither for 4 days! The initial plan was to loop around Grand Teton Peak in 5 days, 54 miles. Matt, however, was convinced we could do it in 4 (eyeroll, lol) and that meant at least 12.5 -15 miles a day hiking, and not to mention the 30lb pack we each were carrying.

A few weeks out I talked to the park and they told us their winter came late and was heavy so the trails were mostly snow covered but having the will (or some may call it stubbornness) we wanted to stick to the plan and encircle the Tetons. We walked out on a Friday morning keeping our fingers crossed the snow wasn’t as bad as they were saying. Low and behold we ran into a Warden and he said it wouldn’t be possible and gave us a new itinerary. We still were getting back to the Teton Crest Trail, or so we thought, just coming down a canyon not as far north.

So, on the second day we headed further into the mountains. We began to hit patches of snow and loose the trail occasionally. At first, it was fun and challenging but as the snow became more widespread and the mountains got steeper the fun and challenge turned into fear and survival mode. We got to the top of a peak with no trail in sight, only snow. I knew it was time to tap out and turn around when the stress/fear/anxiety/adrenaline, call it what you want, turned into tears. The walk back was slow and careful as the snow was quickly softening in the afternoon warmth. We made it back to solid land, set up camp, and made a backup plan to the backup plan.

By the end of our hike we still managed 10+ miles per day, 50 miles total, gaining and losing 1000-2000 feet each day. PHEW!!! The weather was almost too perfect, lol, because at 8500ft, above tree line, and not a cloud in sight, the sun is quite warm. Lastly, it was bittersweet to walk out and see crowds of people, cars and hear the dings of text messages.

Like I said in the beginning, I would do it again in a heartbeat because the beauty and simplicity of the backcountry outweighed any of the challenges - the sound of rushing water, wildlife in their natural habitat, humans being the minority. We probably drank the freshest and cleanest water we have ever drank.

We were Living. Living the way we are meant to live. We enjoyed pushing past our comfort zone every day. We found freedom and joy in the unknown, letting go of control and allowing nature to dictate our plans. It reminded us that the things we worry about are minuscule to the bigger picture and it is mother nature who is in control, not us. So, take that adventure, whether it be physical, mental, personal or professional, and see what using your full potential feels like.

My Month at Yogaville

Words are hard to come by when trying to express what a month at Yogaville meant to me.  It was beautiful, simple, mind blowing, insightful, accepting (ok, maybe I found a few words); a place I didn’t just stay at for a month… a place I kindly called home for a month.  I found peace there.  I found my purpose there.  I found a connection to a part of me that I didn’t know was there. 

I took this journey with 8 other people; Lisa, Monica, Gwen, Francesca, Tia, Nancy, Leela.  I love them all for helping me grow.  With a large group you get many different personalities and perspectives, and when you are required to accept them into your life for a month you learn a lot about yourself.  I became close to a few and butted heads with a few, but it is the people I did not relate with that gave me the best insight about myself.  I very easily could have kept my distance and stayed in my bubble of comfort, but after a few days I realized I was missing a chance to grow by building a barrier just because my perspective was different than theirs.  I learned that, even though we may have different viewpoints, it is about respect, and when I am centered in respect I can counter with my viewpoints without being defensive, aka an adult discussion which we don’t see enough of lately.  When I drop my barrier and allow myself to truly listen whether or not my values align with theirs I give myself the opportunity to learn something new. 

The question I get most is, “what did you all do there? Just yoga?”.  Well, yeah, but what most people don’t realize is Yoga is more than your typical yoga class.  It’s a lifestyle that integrates the relationship between your mind, body, and spirit.  I meditated 3 times daily to remain focused on my goal and connect with my Inner Self.  I did a daily physical practice (alternated between yoga class and running) to stay strong in my body.  I read the ancient texts and went to discussions to deepen my understanding of Yoga Philosophy.  I worked (Karma yoga, aka selfless service) 24 hours a week in the kitchen, farm, and guest services to learn to give without expecting anything in return.  Doing this for a month helped me realize that there is more to me than just my body and mind.  I tapped into something deep within me, an energy that is constant, never-changing.  PEACE.  I have never felt as content as I did living in Yogaville. 

Wanna hear something crazy? (if you don’t think I am already, lol).  EVERYONE has this constant, never-changing, peaceful energy within them.  We just cover it up with thoughts, to-do lists, material items, things we are told from a young age are important.  Yes, we need these things to live, but… we can also have this serene sense of contentment as well.  THIS is what I did for a month.

I can hear you already… “I don’t have time to do all that stuff”.  Being home now I don’t either, but I’m slowly making changes to have time for SOME of the practices that I used while at Yogaville.  I am letting go of some of the old to make room for some of the new.  Is it easy?  NO!  But nothing worthwhile is easy.  Yoga Sutra 1.14 states, “Practice(change) becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and in all earnestness”.  In other words, change will not happen over night or in a week, it will come with consistency over a long period of time and with enthusiasm. 

Was it hard to come home? YES.  Do I yearn to go back? YES.  But, my path isn’t at an ashram, not yet at least.  I am here to empower others, YOU! my students and clients, to find peace in mind, body, and spirit.

OM SHANTI