Tag Archives: restorative yoga

Tiny Tips Tuesday: Cool It Down This Summer with a Mini Restorative Yoga Retreat

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Dear Friend,

I wanted to personally invite you to my restorative yoga mini retreat workshop Saturday, July 26th. The class is limited to 18 students and we’re offering a pretty sweet deal if you register before the workshop.

If you already know you want to come, please click here to register. You will need to click the Workshops tab once you are on our online scheduling system. 

Below you’ll find all the details, but if you still have questions, please be sure to hit reply on this message and I’ll do my best to find an answer.

Hope you are well.

With much love,
Tami

If you wish you could hear from me every week with tips and tricks to help make life healthier, happier and a bit more sane, sign up for my weekly Teacher Goes Back to School newsletter HERE.

If you know anyone who you think would benefit from or like this post please be sure to forward it on to them.

cool it down details

Cool It Down – Summer Restorative Mini Retreat Workshop with Tami Hackbarth at It’s All Yoga

 When: 2:30-5pm Saturday, July 26th, 2014

Where: It’s All Yoga 2405 21st Street, Sacramento, CA 95818

Investment: $50 before the workshop $65 day of the workshop

Register now: This mini retreat workshop is limited to just 18 participants.

Beat the Sacramento heat this July with a cooling and rejuvenating restorative yoga retreat. Let’s cool it down and relax into a mini retreat right here in Midtown.

We’ll spend the afternoon in a cooling oasis of restorative yoga poses using blocks, blankets, bolsters, straps, sandbags, eye pillows, the wall and and sometimes even a chair to hold the body in deeply relaxing poses to relieve tension and stress while inducing your body’s natural relaxation response.

With the help of essential oils and chilled river rocks we’ll soothe the internal summer fire naturally bringing the body back into balance. In addition to this cooling and balancing restorative yoga practice, you’ll also enjoy some cooling and balancing treats to eat and drink.

This is a work shop of deep self-care, nurturing, healing, cooling and balancing. It promises to be a super relaxing afternoon.

A quick note about restorative yoga. It works well when you feel fatigued or stressed out, frazzled or after having a life change or hectic summer season. While the restorative poses look as though you are aren’t doing anything except laying on the floor, this is far from the truth; resting in a restorative pose deeply relaxes the body and allows the mind to settle in a state of calm and stillness.

The restorative style of yoga is appropriate for anyone, at any age, ability or experience level.  Previous yoga experience is not required.  We will provide the props.  If you want to bring your mat or any personal yoga props that you may prefer to use, please do. Dress comfortably in comfortable stretchy clothes.

 

Tiny Tips Tuesday! No More New Year’s Resolutions

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It’s getting to be that time of the year when most of us start to think about all the things we’d like to change about ourselves, our bodies and/or our families and our lives at the new year. Most people think of it as setting new year’s resolutions or goals if they just had enough will power, but I think we all know how that goes.

Most of us start the holiday season with high hopes it will feel different this year.

We’ll have the heart-connected family we’ve always dreamed of, our house will be magically transformed by Pinterest-worthy decorations and we’ll glide into the new year celebrating with lots of champagne and none of the heartache or hangovers most of us suffer with.

Let’s face it, most holidays fail to live up to expectations.

We eat our feelings or try to drink the discomfort away, we shop too much, we live in obligation and expectation and basically ruin the last six weeks of every year and then set ourselves up to fail again at the new year.

You know the drill.

Starting in the new year, I’ll….

  • Run a marathon (after never having run a mile before in my life).
  • Lose a ton of weight (right after I eat all my emotions over the holidays).
  • Floss every day even though I never have and we all know that’s what virtuous people do…
  • Fill in the blank on whatever your perceived shortcomings are here….

I’m here to invite us all to stop the resolution madness.

Resolutions don’t work and they leave us feeling worse in the long run, so let’s just quit before we start, shall we?

No more resolutions.

Ever.

Instead let’s focus on how we want next year to FEEL.

Yes, feel.

And this time we get to pick how we want to feel.

Would it be nice to set up your life around the way you’d like to feel?

When I think in terms of feelings, rather than ‘goals’ or resolutions, I come up with a completely different list.

Some possible feelings I am trying on for the new year: connected, cozy, compassionate – to self and others, nourished, nurtured, loved, abundant, rested, well taken care of, healthy, enough.

You get the picture. Nothing in that list even hints at what could be wrong with me, it is instead simply a wish for a better feeling life experience.

So rather than punish myself with exercise as a way to pay for emotionally eating or god forbid, not wearing a size six, I will focus my energy on creating experiences that cultivate my chosen feeling.

For example, last year I chose CONNECTION as my word of the year. The previous year I became a stay at home mom and found myself feeling super lonely and I wanted that to change. Each activity I chose in 2013 came back to this word: connection.

Would staying home in my yoga pants (again) help me feel more connected than getting out to the park and chit chatting to other stay at home moms? Would staying in town versus maybe running into terrible traffic be better than making a breakfast date with lifelong friends in the Bay Area.

You get the idea. I weighed my status quo against how I wanted to feel and made the effort to connect with friends and family.

I am not the first to suggest this idea of framing an experience as feeling: Rosie did it really well and even gives you a tutorial. Danielle did it too.

The whole point is this: you already have everything you need. 

{Pema Chodren came up with that gem. Someone ought to get the tattoo.}

Consider this post to be your invitation to have a better new year – one without resolution.

If this sounds like an idea you can get behind and you’d like to join in there are two ways.

No New Year’s Resolutions Option #1

Join me on New Year’s Day for Restoration NOT Resolutions: a restorative yoga and guided writing workshop. We will spend the afternoon together deeply relaxing and rejuvenating with a long restorative yoga session before we diving into creating an intentional feeling for next year using a guided writing exercise.

I am bringing hot stones and dairy free cookies and tea for extra warmth and comfort.

No New Year’s Resolutions Option #2

If you live outside Northern California, you can join in from home by resolving to give up resolutions, do an at home yoga retreat and do some writing on your own.

Either way, I wish you a wonderful new year filled with the feelings you wish to cultivate in 2014.

If you enjoyed this post, get email updates (it’s FREE).

Self Care Tip: Schedule Yourself A Break

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schedule a break

This time of year is busy, busy, busy. Report cards, field trips, high stakes state testing wrap up, finals, marathon grading sessions, end-of-the-year celebration planning and all those hormonal students with spring fever… it is enough to make anyone want to schedule a mental health holiday.

The end of the school year always reminds me of a championship baseball game that has just gone into extra innings. Everything feels completely necessary and like every second counts.

My friend and author, Rosie Molinary used to think, “Maybe something mildly bad will happen, like a really bad flu or a minor car accident, so that I can take a little bit of time off.”

Sound like something you might say to yourself? Me too.

Let’s face it, even if you don’t work in a school, spring is an extra busy time. Even nature is going a million miles a minute: the birds, the bees, the pollen and the trees.

Stress city!

So rather than trying to keep going and going and going until you completely burn out, why not schedule yourself a break?

Start with an hour for yourself in the next couple of weeks: a restorative yoga class, a nap,  a massage, a manicure or pedicure, a run outside without any distraction.

Then why not schedule a half day? A hike at a nearby river or lake, a picnic by a stream, a good book under a tree, a yoga workshop with your favorite teacher, an afternoon taking pictures of signs of spring, writing in your journal in a café.

Then try a whole day and schedule absolutely nothing and see how the day unfolds. Maybe try a pajama day and see how you feel.

The idea behind these breaks is to give yourself a bit of space and breathing room. You may find you are happier and even more productive than you would have been without the break.

Does the idea of scheduling a break freak you out or are you already grabbing your planner?  Please share in the comments.

Post inspired by Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance by Rosie Molinary. Specifically Day 306: Take a Personal Health Day and Day 57 Schedule Breaks.

Image Source: Serenity Retreat – Early Fall by FreeWine on Flickr (cc)

Mother’s Day Gift Guide for the Yoga Mama in Your Life

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mother's day

So I’m a yoga mama and these are things and experiences that I would love for my family to share with me this Mother’s Day. Maybe something here strikes your fancy too and you can share this list with your family.

A home-cooked brunch with her best friends. We’ve started a Mother’s Day tradition which involves my husband making waffles with all the fixins for me and one of my best girls and our families at home instead of fighting Mom’s Day crowds. We round out the meal with fresh berries, juice and coffee/tea and have the luxury of no waiting and actually delicious food when we want it. {Don’t forget to clean the kitchen after!}

The gift of time…. at the studio. Why not treat your favorite yoga mama to a private session, a restorative yoga party with her friends, a new class card or a workshop with her favorite teacher?

{Be sure to include taking the kids to the park certificates with the studio time.}

The gift of books…and time to read them. Amazon or Powell’s gift card and if you need a list of good reads check out the link.

The gift of time….in nature. Why not plan a picnic and a half day get away to a quiet slice of nature for some family bonding time? Just remember this is about treating mama to a day, so please pack the sunscreen, cold drinks and a way to corral the little ones.

We love spending time out in the UC Davis Arboretum, out by the South Yuba River and by the water in the East Bay.

The gift of quiet….at home. My restorative home practice helps me keep up with my ridiculously active two-year old. I highly recommend these props to aid the relaxation.

The bible. I carry this book with me all the time. Helps with sequencing, props, pose ideas.

The bolster. A key prop for super relaxation. I love mine so much I sleep with it. I get no props for my love note about these props, so feel free to take my word they rock the relaxation.

The eye pillow. Love the weight, the sweet lavender smell and the peach skin feeling. I’ve recently starting using 3 during my practice {one for the eyes and one for each hand} – delicious.

The sandbag. What can I say?  I love the feeling of grounding that comes from the weighted props.

What would you like to receive this Mother’s Day?

Image source: heart en route by rosmary on Flickr (cc)

Ten Things I Loved in April 2013

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For the last few months I have been doing these reflection posts after being inspired by Rosie’s. Taking time each month to reflect on the good things that happen each day/week/month has done wonders for my ability to actually stop and notice the good stuff. 

april 2013

Ten Things I Loved In April

Things I/We Did

1.      Pixie!  Good god, I love a dramatic before and after. Don’t you? My hair was getting so long and was constantly being pulled into a messy pony tail. Not exactly the look I was going for. Now I feel like I look like myself again. Weird, but true. If you are in need of a hair make over, my best girl Tari, is your gal. She is an artist.

2.     Showed up for a friend. Have you ever thought your presence might not matter? I’m here to tell you it does. The look on my heartbroken friend’s face when I showed up after her brother’s funeral made the long drive worth it. I couldn’t not go, you know? Being there for friends sometimes means actually being there.

3.     Spontaneous road/day trip to Lake Tahoe. Can you say beautiful? Oh my goodness, I was reminded how much pine trees and mountain air contribute to my happiness. Bonus being there with one of my besties who jumped right into the chase the toddler game.

4.     Dramatically improved the quality of my sleep. My ridiculously expensive night guard from the dentist got fixed this month and I started wearing it consistently and I have been experiencing the deepest, most restful sleep possibly of my entire life as a result. Honestly, I thought they were full of it, but this is the real deal. My jaw feels great when I wake up and I’m so much better rested. Who knew?

5.     Restorative yoga class, as in I took one. 75 delicious minutes of fully supported relaxation. Perfection.

Products and Services I Dug:

6.    Tari at Parlour By The Park. My girl, Tari, always works magic with my hair. She can do the same for you. If you’re looking to update your look or completely change it up (maybe even cut it all off!), Tari can make you look better than you thought possible. Give her a call. She’s works some serious magic.

7.    SwapAsana at It’s All Yoga. We swap clothes, shoes and accessories twice a year; once in April and again in October. I always score tons of cute stuff and other people tell me they love bringing my stuff home, so it’s a win/win. If you’re interested in coming to the next SwapAsana, be sure to follow It’s All Yoga on Facebook. And if you life outside of Sacramento, you can always host a swap of your own. It’s way less work than you’d think.

8.    Cozi.com. I missed an eyebrow appointment and we had a parent double booking this month. Clearly, it was time we started using a family calendar. Cozi came recommended from Hollee at Good Enough is the New Perfect and Asha from Parenthacks – so we decided to try it. This free app is pretty much changing our lives. No more missed appointments, double booked parents or forgotten shopping lists. 

In My Blog Reader

9.      Thug Kitchen. A perfect blend of easy vegan cuisine and filthy language. I wish I would have thought of this! If you have ever spoken to me in the reals (and are not a child), you have heard an f-bomb of seven fall from my lips. What can I say? I swear like a limited vocabulary sailor. Dairy free fo life!

10.     Ditch the Haters from Brittany and Tahn. So much wisdom and vulnerability to learn from here. So happy to hear not only did she turn down the date with the cute, mean guy, but told him why. Change your story, change your life indeed. 

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So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Image Source:  Meadow, 05/1972. by The U.S. National Archives on Flickr

How To Make It Through The Afternoon Without More Coffee or Trip to the Vending Machine

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Alternate post title: Turn Your Work Day Upside Down (In the Best Possible Way)

make it through the day

Do you often wonder how you are going to get through the rest of your workday? Or do you just get over yourself and order another coffee or pick up a sugar snack from the vending machine?

I have another way!  It’s free and easy and will leave you feeling pretty dang refreshed.

I used to do it at recess or lunch break when I was teaching and it totally helped me not grab for the extra caffeine and sugar which would ultimately leave me with an energy slump soon after.

If you ever get a chance to take a live class with me, at some point I will give you a daily yoga challenge/prescription that will change your life should you choose to accept it.

15 minutes of Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall.

After taking a full 90 minute restorative class with me recently, Jeanne took that challenge back to her office.

I asked Jeanne about her office yoga experiment and here’s what she have to say about it.

How many people participate?

JH:  3-8 people, depending on the day/time. We meet at 10 am and 3 pm each day.

How long do you practice?

JH:  We started with 5 minutes, now we are doing 10 minutes.

What’s the instruction?

JH:  I show people how to get set up and they follow. I tell them to let it all go – notice if they are trying to hold themselves off of the floor. Remind them to breathe. There is often a lot of chatter, so I suggest that we do not talk. Sometimes this works, most times it does not.

What’s the tone of the time in legs up the wall?

JH:  The tone in our office is pretty relaxed – we are perpetually busy, but we try to have fun doing it. So at 10 am, everyone is jacked on coffee and getting their morning underway, so the 10 am time is very nice to break up the morning crack-heads. The afternoon is more of a refresher, to get through the remaining time in the day.

How are people feeling before, during and after the legs up the wall party?

JH:  As I mentioned, before our session, people are either cracked out (10 am) or in a Food coma/end of day lull (3 pm). But regardless, during the mood is SO relaxed and goofy.

Everyone begins by cracking jokes, laughing, sighing, and ultimately silence does come at the last few minutes.

After the session, everyone rolls onto their side in a fetal position for at least 10 seconds before they come up. I have told them to TAKE THEIR TIME coming up. Afterward everyone moves a bit slower and has a smile.

How has this changed the atmosphere in the office?

JH:  The atmosphere has always been fun, but I think it’s created a different bond between certain people. We recently consolidated operations and had 6 people move from an office in Salinas to our office in Loomis. Combining forces has been great so far, and we have invited some of the new additions, and one did join (a male)! I think people feel more easy going and less apprehensive with each other, when they have a work-related issue- we can “out” ourselves on a mistake or an area of lacking knowledge, without feeling inferior. It’s more playful and “chill”.

What do you think, friends? Would you try yoga at work?

How-to Feel Refreshed After Spring Break

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how to feel refreshed

Tip #1 Don’t over schedule yourself.

Allow for down time to just hang out and do nothing. I know it is tempting to try to catch up on some grading or planning or housework, but don’t forget to take time for yourself.

Need some do nothing inspiration?  Check out one of my favorite sites: Love Wasting Time: A Pause In A World of Bigger, Better, Faster, More.

Tip #2 Sleep a little more at night.

My own sleep is much more restful in the hours before midnight so I try to get as many of those as possible. That may be because I get up ridiculously early with my daughter, but whatever. I try to be in bed by nine and asleep by 10. I know, I’m an early bird! However you stock up on your own sleep, please do. The more the merrier when it comes to sleep!

For some interesting facts about sleep click here.

Tip #3 Nap during the day or practice some restorative yoga.

It has been said restorative yoga can feel more refreshing than taking a nap. I have to agree (except of course when I’m too tired and I just fall asleep).

Practice with me.

A little home retreat for 90 minutes.

At home mini vacation for 15 minutes.

Tip #4 Take time away from working/computer/screens and step into nature.

The NY Times explains the science behind what we already instinctively know: a break from technology is a good thing.

You don’t have to go far – the back yard, a local park or lake –  just take your shoes off, lay a blanket on the grass and look up at the sky.

Tip #5 Exercise.

Sometime this is the first thing to go when things at work get busy, so while on break take advantage of this extra time to take care of yourself. Exercise is nature’s anti-depressant.

Maybe you check out a class usually out of reach because you are at work. Now’s the time to try that morning Zumba, weight lifting or ballet class. Why not try some Pilates or kickboxing? Or just grab your shoes and a friend and head out for a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood. Instead of driving to your coffee date, dust off your bike and cruise on over.

Tip #6 Connect with friends or family.

It’s during school breaks that I get to go out to lunch. Oh how I miss this during the year. So if you are like me and love a leisurely midday meal with a friend or close family member, get it on the schedule now.

Do you have any tried and true ways to make sure you return to school after break feeling refreshed and ready to face the end of the school year? 

Please share in the comments and if you found these tips helpful, please share with your friends and family.

If you enjoyed this post, get email updates (it’s FREE).

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Image source: dandelion photography Fine art photography – botanical 8×8 … by mylittlepixels on Etsy

What If I Fall Asleep In Class? FAQ About Restorative Yoga – PART 1

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what if i fall asleep FAQ

As many of you have noticed, I’m posting much more about restorative yoga here on the blog, mostly in an effort to explain what has helped improve my mental and physical health over the last few years. If it inspires you to take a restorative class or pick up a book or just take a break – hooray!

Some feedback I’ve gotten as a result has come in the form of questions, so today I offer you some answers to those you might be too embarrassed to ask.

Let’s start at the beginning.

What IS restorative yoga?

Restorative yoga classes are much different from regular classes. The biggest difference is that in restorative yoga we lie down with blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps, sandbags, over chairs and then we lie down some more.

In other words, probably the most difficult part of the class is making it there on time.

Once you’re there, we just lie down.

If you can easily get down on the floor and up again an hour or so later, we’re golden. We get comfy and let the props do the work.

Other people may have a more technical explanation, but I feel like lying down with the purpose of relaxing the body and brain is a good way to put it.

What if I fall asleep during class?

When was the last time you completely relaxed your body and didn’t fall asleep?

For most people,  it’s been a while. Plus most of us are pretty tired.

So, what happens if you fall asleep during class?

Nothing.

Well, you may get a little nap in.

I’m not going to call attention to you or make you feel like a horrible person or even think badly of you. I’m honestly going to think that you are tired.

I bring this up during every class, especially with new people, because I know I’ve felt embarrassed when I’ve fallen asleep in class.  I am pretty sure if you are falling asleep, it means you are tired and it’s a good thing you are there taking a break.

What if I snore?

It happens. Waking yourself up with a snore is usually how you know you were really asleep and not just spacing out thinking about other stuff.  Again, this is a pretty good sign you are tired.

How do you know so much about this sleeping in yoga business?

It used to happen to me ALL.THE.TIME. Dude, sometimes I’d fall asleep in the 5 minute savasana at the end of a regular class. Apparently, I have a long history of being tired.

In fact, it still happens to me. Just the other day I was practicing some restorative poses (ok, one pose) at home and I *totally* fell asleep.

How do I know I really fell asleep and wasn’t just thinking about other stuff?

Because the church bells alarm woke me up. {#protip – set an alarm when you practice at home}

What if I toot ?

Same as snoring. It happens. And then we don’t worry about it because it doesn’t matter.

So we’re all lying around over bolsters and propped up with blankets and blocks and then what? What are we D-O-I-N-G?

The short answer is we are doing nothing other than taking a little break from the constant go go go.

The longer answer is making your body comfortable enough for muscles to be able to really let go and relax and rest. During class I try to keep my talking to a minimum so you have a chance to experience physical relaxation and quiet at the same time.

We don’t get to do that every much in our modern constantly connected world. It can sometimes feel like a mini vacation.

So, do you have anything you’d like to know about restorative yoga?

Free Restorative Yoga for Sacramento Area School Teachers to Celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week

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thank you

National Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up – May 6-10th and to show my gratitude to my fellow educators, I’m offering a FREE restorative yoga class at It’s All Yoga.

Why?

Because I know how hard teachers work and I feel like they deserve a little mini vacation during the school year. I’d like to share a little rest and relaxation with my colleagues and friends. Plus I’d like them to indulge in a little self-care.

If you are a school teacher in the Sacramento area – you are invited!

This class is limited to 16 lucky teachers and will fill up. If you would like to reserve a place, please register online and click the workshops tab.

Want to learn more about restorative yoga? Try here.

Still have questions? Contact me – Tami – tgbtsblog AT gmail Dot com.

How will you celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week?

15 Minute Mini Vacation

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vacation

Friends, how about that Daylight Saving Time? I don’t know about you, but our house is full of what would seem to be hungover people. It is not pretty.

Yesterday was National Napping Day and I celebrated with a 15 minute mini vacation because I was simply too tired/wired to really nap and sometimes there just isn’t enough time or energy to do a whole yoga practice.

Are you in?

15 Minute Mini Vacation

You will need:

15 minutes alone

three pillows or rolled towels or bolster plus two blocks

this Tara Brach podcast and something to listen to it on

Do this:

Set yourself up in reclined cobbler’s pose – a pillow under spine/head, soles of feet together, knees splayed out resting on pillows or towels.

Here’s a picture:

Listen to the podcast.

Breathe.

Ta da! A 15 minute mini vacation.

I feel much better now. Don’t you?

If you’d like an entire restorative practice and are in Sacramento, come on by It’s All Yoga at 7:15 tonight.

Image 1: pinterest

Image 2: VanderbiltHealth.com

Health Benefits of Practicing Restorative Yoga

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health benefits

Do you practice restorative yoga?

Do you need a little proof that this practice is more than just lying around?

Restorative yoga alleviates depression in women suffering from breast cancer while increasing their well-being and outlook on life.

Restorative yoga resolves metabolic syndrome which increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (more information here). Those in the study had reduced blood pressure, a significant increase in energy levels, lower stress levels and an overall improvement in well-being.

Restorative yoga improves the quality of sleep.

Restorative yoga may even help people lose some belly fat.

Scientific evidence that restorative yoga decreases depression, blood pressure, stress, and belly fat while increases well-being, outlook of life, energy level and sleep.

Now let’s all lay down and relax a bit.

Do you have any questions about restorative yoga? Leave them in the comment section and I’ll be glad to find out the answer for you.

Image Credit: Manduka Equa Towel for Bikram yoga class by lululemon athletica on Flickr (cc)

8 Tips To Bring More Relaxation Into Your Life

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relax post it

When was the last time you relaxed?

I mean, really relaxed?

Like turn the phone off, shut the laptop and watched the leaves swaying in the breeze relaxed?

It’s probably been a while because most of us simply feel like we don’t have the time to relax.

Or the idea of relaxing brings up voices in your head that sound a lot like “relaxing is for vacation only!” or “that’s for lazy people!” or my favorite – “I’m too damn busy to relax!“.

Between back-to-back meetings, driving carpool, commuting to work, liking your brother-in-law barber’s vacation photos on Facebook, making dinner and watching the latest episode of the most talked about TV show, there isn’t much time for just lounging around. Most of us spend so much time going, going, going that we forget to stop and just be for a while.

And if we’re really honest, we really like being busy. Or at least feel trapped by being busy and we’re just not sure how to jump off the treadmill of modern life.

So rather than wring our hands lamenting about our collective state of busyness, my challenge is to schedule in some relaxation time this month.

Seriously.

Schedule some down time/relaxation for 20 minutes a day.

If you are suddenly very irritated with me and how I don’t understand how busy you are, then you may need to double your relaxation time this month.

There is an old Zen saying:

“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day—unless you are too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Where will you find these 20 minutes for relaxation?

Mostly I find mine when I close my laptop and/or switch off whatever screen is captivating my attention. Turn off the Facebook, friends!

It also helps to write it in your schedule as an appointment to yourself. If is feels silly writing “relax” on your calendar, feel free to give it a code name.

Tips To Bring  More Relaxation Into Your Life:

  • While on transit to and from work, put your phone in your bag and close your eyes for a few minutes to just breathe.
  • If you drive to work, turn off the sounds. No music, no podcast, no nothing. Enjoy the silence for the entire drive.
  • If you have an office you could close the door, silence the phone and massage your face for a few minutes.
  • Sit by the river/lake/stream/pond/urban body of water and listen to the birds.
  • Lay on the grass and watch the leaves flutter in the breeze.
  • Make snow angels if you like that sort of thing.
  • Meditate using a mantra. Here’s mine.

Of course, you could take a restorative yoga class. Or you could practice one restorative yoga pose at home before you go to sleep. Here’s one of my favorites.

What are other ways to relax? Do you schedule your relaxation? What are your feelings on relaxation?

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Image Source: Just Relax 97/365 by SashaW on Flickr (cc)

That Time I Knew I Was Going To The Nervous Hospital: AKA My First Restorative Yoga Class

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A person who recently took a restorative yoga class with me told the owner of the studio where I work that my class was hard.

Like, really hard.

Surprisingly hard.

When she asked why, the response she got may surprise you.

It was the quiet.

The quiet was the hard part.

The doing nothing while laying down with nothing to do was the hard part.

I was taken aback for a minute when she told me and then I remembered my first restorative yoga class.

Picture this: My body was supported in legs up the wall (just like the picture above), I was carefully covered with a soft, clean smelling blanket, my eye pillow rested over my eyes and then BAM!

No joke, within five minutes I truly believed I was going to have to live in the nervous hospital. I was clearly insane. The voices in my head got louder and louder the longer I stayed still.  I kept wondering when the men in the padded van were going to come wrap my clearly crazy self up in a straight jacket and take me out of there.

My mind wouldn’t quit.

The deep dark hidden secrets I successfully avoided by staying busy had finally caught up to me when my body got quiet.

Basically, my mind kicked my ass for an hour and a half while I laid there in the quiet waiting for the padded room dudes to come get me.

Needless to say,  It was quite a workout.

So I get it.

The quiet IS the hard part.

Sometimes I forget that laying down quietly with your body fully supported can be difficult.

I get it.

It clearly happens to us all.

I also get that sometimes we need to challenge ourselves to do hard things that are good for us.

Recently the New York Times published an article about how if you Relax! You’ll Be More Productive that has been widely across social media. I share it here with you because it perfectly illustrates my point about how lying down often, taking naps, taking vacations and breaks from your online world are hard, but totally worthwhile.

This gist of the article is exactly what I’ve said in my classes for years:

The less you do sometimes directly relates to how much more you can do other times.

So this, friends, is my invitation to you. Tuesday nights (and the first Sunday of each month) I teach how to live in the quiet. A nice supportive place to make friends with your inner critics.

Join me? It’s All Yoga in Sacramento, CA. Public and classes are available.

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Have you ever tried restorative yoga? Do you have a regular practice? What’s your experience?

A Resolution for Self-Acceptance

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In preparation for planning my yoga classes for the month of January, I settled in on the notion of resolutions or the need for change. I, myself, have made countless promises to myself to finally get it right this year.

Each New Year, I promise myself and set out to to become the new and improved version of me, one with no more of those pesky flaws I tend to worry about when no one else is paying attention. I suspect they may be too busy running themselves into the ground to worry about me.

As most of us have made resolutions each year and wholeheartedly and with great enthusiasm pursued our freshly flossed teeth, countless miles on the running trail and ingesting everything green in the grocery store, only to burn ourselves out by February and return to our previous state of unflossed teeth, couch/channel surfing and emotionally eating comfort foods because we have once again failed to change ourselves for the “better”.

What if we decided to do it differently this year?

What if we resolved to spend all our enthusiastic January energy into accepting ourselves for how we are, flaws and all?

What would life feel like in February?

In Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance, author Rosie Molinary, challenges readers to Accept Your Imperfections  and to “give up the perfection facade and just be who you are.”

This, my friends, is my challenge to you this month. And by you, I mean me.

Can we just practice letting things be as they are and learn to finally accept who we really are?

What are your thoughts or resolutions and self-acceptance? I would love to connect, so please let me a comment.

Also, if you’d like to practice letting things be, I am teaching restorative yoga at It’s All Yoga on Sunday afternoons from 4:30-5:45.

Image source: pinterest

Naps Are For Smarties

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You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no halfway measure. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That’s what I always do. Don’t think you will be doing less work, because you sleep during the day. That’s a foolish notion held by people who have no imagination. You will be able to accomplish more. You get two days in one – well, at least one and a half, I’m sure. When the war started, I had to sleep during the day because that was the only way I could cope with my responsibilities. — Winston Churchill

(Or you could always come take a restorative yoga class with me at It’s All Yoga and receive all the benefits of a nap – and more! – without actually falling asleep).

What’s your take on naps? Pro or anti? What are your napping best practices?

Ten Things I Loved In November

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Taking time each month to reflect on the good stuff has done wonders for my ability to actually stop and notice the good stuff. I’m truly thankful for Rosie’s inspiration.

Ten Things I Loved In November

Things I/We Did

1.      Voted. Since the election is over, we can now start answering our phone again. Yes, we still have a land line and we are the only living humans without caller ID, so you understand why this is so exciting. I’m also really happy with the outcome of the election and feel pretty damn good about the people in my Facebook feed. Hardly a reason to defriend anyone.

cutest ballot holder ever

2.      Draped over a bolster for hours at a time at the One Day Emotional Restoration Retreat with Michelle at It’s All Yoga.  Laying down for a couple hours, without sleeping, fully supported by props? Totally underrated. People, get yourselves to a restorative yoga class STAT!

pausing is good.

3.     FairyTale Town – Built in the 50’s, the play areas are metal and pointy and not at all what I expected. I think I liked it more than the kid, so we’ll definitely be going back.

4.    Embraced the leaves changing.

the twins

5.     Visited the redwoods in our backyard at the UC Davis Arboretum. Holy moly tree huggers! These redwoods ground me in a way I never thought possible or at least thought was reserved only for the ocean. I’m glad I’ve decided to embrace nature instead of bourbon.

tree hugger

6.    Introduced Ruby to the chickens who roam free in Fair Oaks. To be honest, I just really needed a change of playground scenery and deciding to visit the chickens was a pretty easy choice. A 20 minute drive from home and some serious laughs. Little girl was perplexed by their very existence. It cracked me up because a lot of the chickens were taller than her.

chickens are king!

7.    Celebrated Thanksgiving on Wednesday instead of Thursday. Dude, talk about taking the pressure off. I highly recommend it for the holiday avoidant.

On The Plate

8.     Mandarin pineapple smoothie {3 seedless mandarins, a bunch of frozen pineapple chunks and a container or plain soy yogurt in the blender with a touch of honey.}

deliciousness

9.     Polenta with marinara, olives, spinach, artichoke hearts and Daiya.

On The Bookshelf 

10.      Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

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So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

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My friend, Rosie Molinary, made a list and I loved hers so much I stole her idea. Now I’ve been inspired to pause and notice the good stuff each month.

How Restorative Yoga Healed My Body Image – A Guest Post from Anna Guest-Jelly of Curvy Yoga

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How Restorative Yoga Healed My Body Image

Let’s party like it’s 1999.

Or, let’s at least go back there in our minds. Picture this: I’m a curvy gal in my first year of college. I’m away from home. I have terrible migraines (this is nothing new). I hear that yoga can be good for pain, so I somehow get my hands on a Rodney Yee VHS tape and start practicing.

Only when my roommate is in class. Always with the door locked.

As I practice, I like it. I love it, in fact (which is weird because I have never liked any form of anything that looks remotely like exercise). So I want more of it — but I want more of what I see on the videos.

More tone on my body, more gymnast-like flexibility, more speed — more, more, more.

More to Less

As the years went by, I did get more of that — mostly the speed and flexibility. But then things shifted in my body: my curves got curvier, and I couldn’t go as far into poses as I used to.

To say this was a hit to my already fragile body image was an understatement.

I think I took about a year off practice at this point. I was so discouraged that I couldn’t do the poses I used to that I thought I shouldn’t bother. I thought I had finally reached that point where I was just “too big” for yoga, so it was time to move on.

Except, of course, I couldn’t. I still found myself surreptitiously doing poses — but “just to stretch,” of course. Not yoga.

Gimme Gimme

During my more, more, more days, no one could have convinced me to do a restorative yoga pose. One of my teachers would teach Savasana and then leave the room; students could leave whenever they wanted. The intention was to give people the space to take their time.

I took it as the opposite, though. I usually reached for my car keys while we were getting into position. Then I would politely wait as long as I could and bolt for the door. I’d say on my more restrained days that this took approximately 42 seconds.

I just didn’t see the point.

But then one day after my self-induced yoga break, after feeling particularly stressed from work and school, I decided to indulge myself in a full restorative workshop. What possessed me to do this, I’ll never know. (I think I thought of it more like a massage than yoga, so that made it okay with me.)

All I know is that after the careful precision of set-up, the internal (and sometimes external) groan of delight after settling in and then fully letting go into the poses, something shifted.

I felt relaxed, grounded and centered. And, yeah, I wanted more again — but this time it was totally different.

Me Time

You see, restorative yoga is all about y-o-u (or, in this case, m-e). Everyone’s set-up is slightly different.  This is really the goal of all yoga, but restorative invites you into it differently. The goal is to make yourself as fully comfortable and supported as possible. This was new to me as I’d been “raised” in a yoga environment where competition wasn’t explicitly encouraged, but it also wasn’t exactly discouraged.

This restorative yoga was about meeting yourself exactly where you are — and loving every minute of it.

When I realized that, I felt a marked turn in my relationship toward my body. For the first time, rest, ease and letting go entered the equation. For the first time, self-care became my priority, not what I tried to avoid.

After that, you couldn’t get me out of a restorative pose if you wanted to (but who would want that anyway?).

Thank goodness.

Want the low-down on Anna’s restoratives? Click here to download the Restoratives chapter from her book, “Permission to Curve,” for free!

All Together Now….A Long, Steady Exhale

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Michelle wrote an excellent piece about breathing called Epidemic Inhale. Please go read it.

No, really.

Go.

Read.

It.

Ok, while you were there did you follow her directions for a long, slow, steady exhale?

Feels good, doesn’t it?

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This is what yoga is for me now: one giant exhale.

A time and a place to just LET.IT.BE.

Reminders to pause, yawn, and be conscious of my breathing and how my body feels.

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It hasn’t always been this way.

I’m pretty sure most people are thinking I’m making funny shapes with my body when I’m “at yoga” and for a long time that is exactly what I did. The more difficult the class, the better.

I was ‘doing’ yoga, damnit.

But now, I’m focusing on the not doing. Letting things go. Asking myself what my body really needs in this moment.

More often than not, my body is craving rest.

And exhaling.

As a culture we spend so much going, going, going. Always pushing forward and racing from one project, meeting, soccer game to the next.  I am totally do this too. Even as I sit here with seven open tabs on my computer – including three email accounts, Twitter and Facebook.

So I rest.

You can too.

Ready?

All together now:

A long, steady exhale.

Ten Things I Loved In September

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My friend, Rosie Molinary, made a list and I loved hers so much I stole her idea. Now I’ve been inspired to pause and notice the good stuff each month.

Ten Things I Loved In September

Things I/We Did

1.      Old 97’s Too Far To Care Tour

My favorite band playing my favorite album start to finish in one of my favorite cities in the world? YES, please!

Seriously, one of the best shows of my life.

Imagine orange cowboy boots, Maker’s Mark up, and very, very loud singing along. Oh and the in-between-song hopping up and down in anticipation of the NEXT.FAVORITE.SONG!

Old97s know how to take care of their fans. For years, my girlfriends have talked about how “wouldn’t it be great if the 97s played TFTC at a show? Like, the whole thing?”

True story.

Dreams do come true.

-Thanks to fellow superfan/photographer, Lori Hillhouse of I’ll Show You My Four Leaf Clover, for the photo.

2.      I started teaching a WEEKLY restorative class at It’s All Yoga – Tuesdays, 7:15-8:30.

You should come. It’ll be fun.

Seriously, even if you aren’t in Sacramento or haven’t ever tried restorative yoga, you can do this pose (Viparita Karani or Legs-Up-The-Wall) for ten minutes and you will feel so much better than you do right now.

Check here for potential health considerations.

3.     I went to the movies! In the theater! Again! This time with a friend!

4.    We went to a swimming pool party at our friends new house. So happy to have even more friends close by.

5.     I taught a class for Sacramento Free Day of Yoga. So awesome to meet so many new people. Labor Day Monday – get it on your calendar now for next year.

On The Plate

6.     Fat Face strawberry coconut popsicle. 

7.    Sweet potato black bean stew.

September, in a nutshell – too hot not to eat frozen treats, but the calendar says fall and so we eat fall food.

Products (and Services) I Love

8.      Evernote. It is changing my life by letting me organized in one place.

9.      Pinterest. Meal planning just got ridiculously easy by dropping pins in my Evernote file.

10.     Emailing with my doctor. So efficient!

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So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide for the Yoga Momma

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Mother’s Day in the United States is Sunday, May 13th and I’m so excited because it is my first.

It’s recently come to my attention, thanks to Twitter, that Mother’s Day gifts need not be heart-shaped jewelry or flowers. Not that there’s anything wrong with those gifts (if you like those sorts of things), but not all mommas are into them.

So if you have a yoga momma in your life or if are a yoga momma yourself, here are some Mother’s Day gift ideas.

Photo credit: Vanessa Vitchit-Vadakan

Idea#1 – A Yoga Workshop

If I were to pick a workshop, I’d choose Mary Paffard’s Circles, Cycles and Spirals: Yoga and Ayerveda for Women’s Health.  It’s being co-taught by Mary and her daughter, Cyd on Sunday, June 3rd.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of taking a workshop with Mary, I highly recommend it. She’s wickedly, yet understatedly funny, infinitely knowledgable and is a huge proponent of rest. Clearly a teacher after my heart. Plus she has a British accent!

Idea #2 – A One Day Yoga Retreat

One of my 43 Before 43 was to attend a yoga retreat. I’ve already been to two in the last six months. I’m telling you, this is the absolute best spa day ever. Way better than actually going to a spa.

Michelle’s retreat (July 22nd) includes restorative yoga poses, journaling, silence, a delicious vegetarian lunch and a whole lot of heartwarming community. I couldn’t recommend it higher. Simply the best way to spend a day.

Idea #3 – A Private Yoga Session

Have you ever wanted to get pointers on a pose that just isn’t quite working for you? Do you have an injury or are you recuperating from an illness? Have you ever wanted the teacher in a regular class to focus on a particular area of the body?

Those are some of the reasons to have a private session with a favorite yoga teacher.

 Idea #4 – At Home Yoga Practice with MY favorite teacher

Sometimes life gets in the way of going somewhere else to practice. Wouldn’t it be nice to have what you needed to get on your mat at home?

Not sure where to start?

My favorite teacher, Michelle, has some videos for what ails you.

Work on your computer too much? Try this heart openers class

Feeling scattered and like your feet aren’t quite touching the ground? Try this grounding class.

Idea #5 – Yoga Props for Restorative Yoga at Home

I’m not going to lie, these props make me a happy, happy momma.

Click on the image for purchase information.

This list turns out to be MY real Mother’s Day wish list. Obviously not everyone is in Sacramento and able to come to workshops at It’s All Yoga, but there are studios close to where you live that your yoga momma might want a gift from.

Happy Mother’s Day!

What’s on your wish list?

Today We Rest

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The Nap Taker

by Shel Silverstein

No – I did not take a nap –
The nap – took – me
off the bed and out the window
far beyond the sea,
to a land where sleepy heads
read only comic books
and lock their naps in iron safes
so that they can’t get took.

And soon as I came to that land,
I also came to grief.
The people pointed at me, shouting,
“Where’s the nap, you thief?”
They took me to the courthouse.
The judge put on his cap.
He said, “My child, you are on trial
for taking someone’s nap.

“Yes, all you selfish children,
you think just of yourselves
and don’t care if the nap you take
belongs to someone else.
It happens that the nap you took
without a thought or care
belongs to Bonnie Bowlingbrook,
who’s sittin’ cryin’ there.

“She hasn’t slept in quite some time –
just see her eyelids flap.
She’s tired drowsy – cranky too,
’cause guess who took her nap?”
The jury cried, “You’re guilty, yes,
you’re guilty as can be.
But just return the nap you took
And we might set you free.”

“I did not take that nap,” I cried,
“I give my solemn vow,
and if I took it by mistake
I do not have it now.”
“Oh fiddle-fudge,” cried out the judge,
your record looks quite sour.
Last night I see you stole a kiss,
Last week you took a shower,

“You beat your eggs, you’ve whipped your cream,
at work you punched the clock,
You’ve even killed an hour or two,
we’ve heard you darn your socks.
We know you shot a basketball,
you’ve stolen second base,
and we can see you’re guilty
from the sleep that’s on your face.

“Go lie down on your blanket now
and cry your guilty tears.
I sentence you to one long nap
for ninety million years.
And when the other children see
this nap that never ends,
no child will ever dare to take
somebody’s nap again.”

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Today we rest. I’ll be at It’s All Yoga, but feel free to join me in spirit while you are at home.

Also, if you’d like to come try a class during November, send me a message or leave me a comment and I’ll get you a card.

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How are you resting today?

At Home Yoga Retreat {and Mini Restorative Yoga Class}

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This coming Sunday, November 6th, instead of teaching my regular Sunday Snooze restorative class at It’s All Yoga, I am lucky enough to be able to participate in the Emotional Rescue Retreat with Michelle from Love Wasting Time. {Don’t worry regular Snoozers, I’ll be back in the first Sunday of December}.

Check this out.

The purpose of the retreat is to:

• restore
• be pampered
• be in silence
• slow down, tune in, and align with your higher purpose
• reflect on the upcoming holiday season
• give yourself permission to take a day, just for you

A day of restorative postures, journaling, breath-work, discussion, meditation, an organic lunch and the support of a circle of women. Held in the sanctuary of the It’s All Yoga studio.

Sounds good, huh?

Want to join me in this day of retreating in the comfort of your own home?

What you’ll need:

45 to 90 minutes {or whatever you can do}

a quiet spot where you can be alone or with other retreaters

comfy, warm yoga clothes

yoga mat

pillows

blankets

eye pillow or dark scarf

ear plugs

blocks, bolster and straps if you have them {no biggie if you don’t}

quiet alarm

Or if you find this list to be too much, just yourself and a way to keep time.

To begin:

Turn off your phone, unplug your computer and shut off the TV.

Bring mat and all your props with you – including your quiet alarm.

Lie down in Constructive rest – flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip distance. Knees can be hip width or rest toward each other – whatever feels comfortable for your body. Hands can rest where they are comfortable.

Stay here and breathe normally 10 minutes.

When your alarm sounds, bring your knees to chest and gently rock side to side.

Find your favorite savasana (corpse) position using all the props you’d like. Some suggestions: knees over a bolster or pillow and covered up with a blanket, legs up the wall, a bolster running the length of your spine and soles of feet together with pillows/rolled blankets under the knees for support.

The idea is to make yourself as comfortable as possible so you can just relax. {For more information on restorative yoga}

Stay here and breathe normally for 30 minutes.

Yep, 30 minutes.

What if you fall asleep? You are probably tired.

What if your to-do list is suddenly in the fore front of your mind and you feel as if you must get up NOW? Let it go and know it will wait for you.

What if your mind jumps from topic to topic to topic? Just notice the breath coming in and out of your body and try to watch your mind instead of hanging on to each story.

When will the 30 minutes be over? In 30 minutes.

When your alarm sounds, gently awaken your body. Wiggle fingers and toes, slowly roll ankles and wrists, stretch arms over head and catch a deeper breath and maybe a yawn.

Wake yourself as if you’re sleeping in a really nice hotel and you have absolutely nothing to do.

Roll to the side – and rest – before you use your arms to push yourself to a comfortable seat on the floor.

Write about your experience while drinking a warm cup of your favorite tea and enjoying a healthy lunch.

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Have you ever taken a day for restoration? How did it go? Please share your tips, fears and thoughts.

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Books I Love…Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight In Our Busy Lives

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purchasing information

Happy Sunday!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy (end of) Teacher Appreciation Week!

I’ve been trying to write this post all week and yet between being crunched for time and technical difficulties (could be WordPress or user error – the jury is still out on that), it just hasn’t happened.

I am happy to finally be telling you about this book.

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You all know I love me some rest. In fact, I am currently enjoying a Pajama Day and I even have a Rest Manifesto.

Part of what I see as my role in life is to try to convince people to slow down and chill the hell out a bit. What is the damn hurry, anyway?

I found this book on a blog {forgive me, I have since lost the link} and when I asked the always lovely Madeleine about it, she highly recommended it.

Let’s be honest, the title alone was enough to pull me in.

I’ll admit, I cringed a bit about all the religious stuff. That’s how I knew I really loved this book, I kept reading despite the cringing. The resting suggestions are cringe-worthy if you ask me.

Here’s a little gem I shared with my Sunday Snoozers last week:

Remember the Sabbath. Rest is an essential enzyme of life, as necessary as air.

Sort of sums it up, right?

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

My life is so.much.better. when I take the time to chill out and get enough sleep. It’s better when I don’t take on every project offered or try to do everything in one day…or even all the yoga poses offered.

Having a hard time convincing yourself rest is time well spent?

Well, Wayne Muller (the author) has pulled evidence from many world religions arguing GOD wants you to rest.

Yes, you read that right: even GOD wants you to rest.

With chapters titled Rest for the Weary, The Joy of Rest and A Life Well Lived plus micro actions and poems, this is a perfect yoga book for the most non-yoga person.

I highly recommend this book.

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Poetry Break!

LET EVENING COME

Let the light of late afternoon

shine through chinks in the barn, moving

up the bales as the sun moves down.

Let the cricket take chafing

as a woman takes up her needles

and her yarn. Let evening come.

Let dew collect on the abandoned

in long grass. Let the stars appear

and the moon disclose her sliver horn.

Let the fox go back to its sandy den.

Let the wind die down. Let the shed

go black inside. Let evening come.

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop

in the oats, to the air in the lung

let evening come.

Let it come as it will, and don’t

be afraid. God does not leave us

comfortless, so let evening come.

–Jane Kenyon

In Case You Missed It Edition, Volume 21

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Each week I’ll give you links to posts that made me laugh, cry, think or at least raise an eyebrow. Please click the links and check out the posts. You may find something that rocks your world too.

Leave me some feedback in the form of comments below on what you liked, what you hated and what you’d like to see more of. I’m here to help you find the best of what is online.

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My Best Of…

8 Ways to Feel Happier During An Unhappy Time – is Gretchen Rubin some sort of psychic? After the week I’ve had, I do believe it’s true.

If you haven’t yet read The Happiness Project, please stop what you are doing and go get yourself a copy. I’m reading it a second time because it is full of super valuable reminders about how to take care of your own happiness.  It just came out in paperback this week. I bought a copy for a friend and I’m getting one for my birthday. Book club, anyone?

Do you treat yourself as well as you treat your friends and family? New research shows that self-compassion can lead to a healthier, happier you.

Have you met Sally at Already Pretty?  Her tagline: Helping You Recognize Your Own Beauty, One Post At A Time. Brilliant! Plus there is a new scarf tying tutorial – the pretzel.

Do you live in the Sacramento region? Are you needing a little quiet time for yourself and aren’t sure when, where and how to take it?

Well, I’ve got the answer!

First Sundays (that’s today, friends) I am teaching a fully restorative yoga class at It’s All Yoga. It’s called Sunday Snooze: 90 minutes of laying on the floor with blankets, bolsters, and blocks. It’s like a slumber party where I host and you actually get to rest. No undergarments in the freezer or awkward games of Truth or Dare. Just rest.

No experience or special clothes or even flexibility necessary. The ability to get down on the floor and up again is super helpful, however I’ll help if you need it.

If you’d like more information – check out my yoga classes page – or send me a message at TGBTSblog at gmail (dot) com.

Last little bit on rest… Do you know I have a Rest Manifesto? I don’t fool around when it comes to down time.

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That is the In Case You Missed It Edition for this week, folks.

Remember to click the links and leave some comments. This is a conversation, you know.

In Case You Missed Edition Archives -click it to see them all.


Yoga+Music {notquite365} – Springtime Can Kill You by Jolie Holland – Recipe Edition!

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It’s Tuesday and that means the Recipe Edition!

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Even though the no sugar, dairy, soy, gluten, vinegars, and stimulants restriction has come to a close, I’m still interested in keeping a lot of the habits I picked up during the month.

Home-cooking a majority of meals from scratch, buying lots of vegetables at the farmer’s market (and actually eating them!) and trying new recipes using ingredients in ways I hadn’t ever thought to use together.

Today’s recipe fits into each of those categories.

It was easy, healthy and delicious.

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Butternut Squash Pesto Gratin
Adapted from Giada’s Family Dinners

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 TBS unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, plus more for baking dish

1 (3 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

salt and pepper

1/4 cup basil pesto

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Lightly butter 8 inch baking dish

3. Cut butternut squash in half, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper – roast on baking sheet, face up until soft.

4. Cool and cut squash into 1-inch pieces

5. Transfer the squash to food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

6. Spoon half the squash evenly into the prepared baking dish.

7. Dollop half the pesto all over the squash and sprinkle with half the cheese.

8. Repeat layering.

9. Dot with butter and bake until the gratin is heated through and golden brown around the edges, about 40 minutes.

10. Serve

I served it with chicken and grilled zucchini.

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What about you?

Do you have any secret no-gluten foods you love? Vegetarian recipes you can’t get enough of?

Do you have any recipes to share?

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Today’s yoga brought to you by the sleepy home practice. Parent teacher conferences will keep me out of the studio today.

Wondering about Yoga+Music {notquite365}?

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Today’s music is –


Click the album cover for more info on the band and details how to buy this record. {hint, hint}

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Yoga Teaching Update:

NEW CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT!

Starting in March – first Sundays of each month – 90 minute – fully restorative class.

Please check my teaching schedule for more details.

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Occasionally I’ll still rotate into the FREE Fridays at 4:30 with the new It’s All Yoga teachers schedule

(21st and X in Sacramento) – you’ve got to sign up onlinewww.itsallyoga.com.

These classes are for every body – level 1/2. Bring your friends!

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{Don’t forget to CLICK the links!}

If you found this post useful, please share it on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks!


Yoga+Music {notquite365} – Crazy: The Demo Sessions by Willie Nelson – Recipe Edition!

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It’s Tuesday and that means the Recipe Edition!

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Happy 1st day of Winter!

We’ve been experiencing our version of Northern California winter with promises of relentless rain showers only to be slightly disappointed when they are intermittent at best.

But still, nothing says Winter Break like making soup and hunkering down on the couch with the Google Reader while it simmers on the stove. Plus, it helps with my lame food confession and in my quest for staying healthy during the winter so I can get out and have some fun over break.

Today’s recipe is from Regina’s Vegetarian Table

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Soup

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced {I’m not a peeler. Way too lazy for that nuttiness}.

2 potatoes, peeled and diced {See above}.

3 stalks celery, sliced

1/2 head cabbage, chopped

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes {I use Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted – roasting makes tomatoes even more delish}

1 can (16 oz) pinto beans

1 can (15 oz) corn {I use organic frozen sweet corn instead}

1/4 cup extra virgin oil oil

pepper

dash of cayenne (optional)

2 quarts water {I use 1 quart filtered water and 1 quart organic free range chicken broth}

salt

Directions

1. In a large pot, saute onion in a little oil until slightly tender

2. Add remaining ingredients except salt. Simmer for at least 3 hours uncovered. Add salt and oil before serving.

How easy is that?

Additional ingredients

I also add cooked pasta, cooked chicken and some parmesan cheese. Toasted crusty bread makes for a comforting healthy meal.

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What about you?

What are your go-to healthy foods?

How do you change your diet based on the season?

Send me your recipe and you may find yourself featured here!

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Today’s yoga brought to you by the restorative home practice. Pretty sure there is at least a 10 minute Savasana in my future. It’s like a power nap.

Wondering about Yoga+Music {notquite365}?

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Today’s music is –


I was surprised just how many classic songs he wrote. Love this record.

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Yoga Teaching Update:

FREE Fridays at 4:30 with the new It’s All Yoga teachers (21st and X in Sacramento) – you’ve got to sign up onlinewww.itsallyoga.com.

These classes are for every body – level 1/2. Bring your friends!

Looking for a restorative YogaNap ?

Please check my teaching schedule for more details.

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{Don’t forget to CLICK the links!}

If you found this post useful, please share it on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks!

Saturday Senses

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Saturday Senses is a way to capture the spirit of each week.



{via}

tasting :: apple cranberry crisp.

hearing :: patty griffin station on pandora.

smelling :: cookies baking.

seeing :: resting yogis.

feeling :: loved. friends, students, readers – old and new.

wishing/hoping :: everyone finds some time during this busy month for some relaxation and self-care.

What about you?

What are your senses this Saturday?

Looking back, how was your week?

Leave a comment and tell me all about it.

This weekly tradition inspired by Pink of Perfection’s Five Sense Friday.

Don’t forget to click the links!

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Curious about #Reverb10?

One Word

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Today’s #reverb10 prompt:

Prompt: One Word. Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

2010: Restorative

From deciding this is the style of yoga I want to teach to really learning what it takes for me to be fully rested, restorative was the word of this year.

I am planning to keep restorative close to heart in the coming year as well. I think it will come in handy.

Next year: Transformation

By this time next year, I hope to have become a parent.

What about you? What is your one word?


Free YogaNap Friday!

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photo credit: ashlee gadd

 

Who: You       

What: YogaNap – a little restorative yoga class taught by me.       

When: The resting is Friday, September 17th      

The class begins at 4:30 {register online to reserve your place – space is limited}       

Please come early to start the resting before class.      

Where: It’s All Yoga – Sacramento, CA       

Why: Wouldn’t it be nice to just rest?        

What are you doing to take care of yourself this week?

YogaNap+Milk&Cookies Update! (My Evil Plan is Coming Together – mwahahaha)

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Saturday I had the distinct pleasure in welcoming 16 school teachers – ranging from Kindergarten to college –  to the wonderful world of restorative yoga.   

What’s restorative yoga you ask?  

The long answer: fully supported yoga positions using props so that every muscle in your body can relax.  

The short answer: a yoga nap.  

Why teachers?  

There are so many reasons….  

1. This week begins National Teacher Appreciation Week.  

2. Teachers work really, really hard taking care of people.  I should know, I am one!  

3. The studio where I work (It’s All Yoga) truly appreciates the hard work and dedication of school teachers so we decided to celebrate by having a FREE class to say thank you.  

4. Plus restorative yoga is a little slice of DELICIOUSNESS (well, if you can turn off your teacher talk brain)  

Most teacher I know don’t do yoga, so I decided I needed a hook.  

I invited them to my special yoga den and lured them there with the promise of a nap and milk and cookies.  

Here are some of my lovely teachers post-practice (oh, and some cookies brought by Erin and Amanda!)  

who is that joker?

 

happy teachers all the way from loomis

 

post practice lounge

 

representing galt and west sacramento!

 

west sacramento again!

 

mmmm, cookies....

 

What’s my evil plan?   

Stay tuned to find out…  

 
  
 

   

 

  

 

Simple Ways Not to Lose Your Marbles During the Holidays

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Today I took a workshop with Mary Paffard of Yoga Mendocino. She is the beloved teacher of many of my It’s All Yoga teachers. Mary comes to Sacramento occasionally to do workshops.

Today’s topic: The Serene Heart.

Here’s some of the highlights:

1. We (Westerners, Americans, you, me) need to rest more. (HA! I knew it!)

2. Starting the day with a little yoga or meditation can set the tone for the remainder of your day.

3. If the beginning of the day doesn’t work, try a little yoga or meditation at the end of the day before you go to bed.

4. By a little yoga, I mean a little. One or two restorative poses. That’s it.

Maybe a little Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-wall) or Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose). I like to set myself up in both these poses and then cover my eyes with a lavender eye pillow and then cover my body with a blanket.

5. Pause, pause, pause. At the sound of every bell you hear during the day, pause. Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

6. Go into nature and observe. We have a lot to learn from the natural world about how we would be better served by slowing down during the cold dark months.

7. You have to give up some thing, to get some thing else. In other words, I have give up some time in order to gain some peace. Seems like a fair trade.

8.  When all else fails, take to your bed. Take a day off from the outside world and hang out in bed. Don’t wait until you are sick to do this. Schedule a pajama day and enjoy it.

Image Source: We Heart It