Reason for the Season

I was sent the below ideas today and thought "Wow someone is thinking!" So I thought I would share it with you all.

1) Simplify. Cut a few things out if you're feeling you don't have enough time, money, etc.

2) Watch your thoughts - we get hung up on thinking "I don't have enough." Switch it to "I have enough time, money, etc. Our thoughts are what drive us crazy - not what is actually happening to us.

3) Don't lose sight of what's important: family, friends, sharing time together - being happy! Be present in the moment and grateful for the friends and family you have.

Let's remember the true reason for the season - Christ's birthday and truly thank God for such an amazing gift given freely to us all!
Namaste

I Love This Quote

A friend gave me this quote this morning after yoga class and I love it so much I had to share it!

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving well-preserved, but to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other and still screaming, 'Whoo, what a ride'"

Make it an awesome day.
Namaste.

What will Matter

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you have collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass on to someone else. Your wealth, fame, and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear, so to your hopes and ambitions. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of our days be measured?

What will matter is not what we bought but what we built.
Not what we got but what we gave.
What will matter is not our success but our significance.
Not what we learned but what we taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion and valor that encouraged others to do the same.

What will matter is not our competence but our character.
Not how many people we know but how many will feel a lasting loss when we are gone.
What will matter is not our memories but the memories of those who loved us.
What will matter is how long we will be remembered by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It is not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose a life that matters.

Fun Things to do to Keep Your Sanity In December

This time of year we all get so wrapped up in our list of things to get done before December 25th, that we end up exhausted, sick, tired and missing the true meaning of the season. Now I know there are things we have to get done but this year I am going to make the effort to slow down and savor the season. Here is my list to help me stay on track during this fun and busy time.

1. Remember the reason for the the season and base your priorities on the birth of Jesus and his teachings.
2. Be a tourist in your own city and seek out fun holiday things you have never done before.
3. Make hot coco with real milk and melted chocolate - no Swiss Miss.
4. Cut down your own Christmas tree. Enjoy the fresh air.
5. Bake cookies, let the kids help and take lots of pictures.
6. Set aside 1 hour, once a week - make an appointment with yourself if you have to - and pour a cup of tea and grab your favorite book, set the timer and enjoy.
7. Make it a goal to get to bed once a week at 9pm. You will be amazed at how much energy that will give you.
8. When you decorate play some Christmas music - favorites for me include "Carole of the Bells", "Ave Maria", "Silent Night", and "Charlie Brown Christmas" sound track!
9. Practice Yoga and or workout a few times a week - make that appointment again if you have too. I do and I am there at 5:15am.
10. Practice patience - this time of year we are presented with many opportunities to either blow our stack or we can breathe deeply, smile and remember that we are all trying to get it all done on time.

Make it a peaceful day - it is a choice!
Namaste.

December

Each week I will be listing fun things to do in preparation for Christmas. This will give us a chance to truly enjoy this beautiful season by showing patience and love to those around us. It will also help us keep on schedule and help us prioritize things better. Here is to a happy and healthy Christmas Season!
Namaste.

Happy Thanksgiving

"Finding hearts in nature!"
Each day I practice at making it a priority to give thanks for what I have. I want to be careful so that I always realize just how good I have it. I am not rich person but a person rich in love. The job I have doesn’t include a “corner office.” However, I love what I do and look upon it with honor and as a privilege.

It’s easy to complain about many things in this world. It is simple enough to talk about not having what we want and forgetting what we have. Being dissatisfied comes all too easy today. This is what I say; it could always be worse. For me the glass is always “half full” instead of “half empty.” I thank God each day for what I have, what I’ve gone through, and my hopes for the future. This helps me cultivate my attitude of gratitude. Happy thanksgiving!
Namaste.

30 Days of Gratitude Continued

As I contemplate the next ten things I am grateful for many things come to mind, most of which I have already listed, faith, family, health etc.. And even though I have listed friends before I am going to list them again because they truly help me in my day to day journey. So hang on and here we go!!!!

1. Girl friends – because they listen, even if they don’t have the answer and you know they will be there for you as we travel through life. And it is great to talk about “Hot” flashes to those who really can understand!!!!
2. Watching birds fly – their grace and heights are something to aspire to.
3. My hair dresser - because he gave me a fun hair cut and I have cut down my getting ready time to under 25 minutes – an all time record for me, and that includes a shower too!!!!
4. My yoga practice - because it teaches me all things come with patience and practice.
5. That my kids still like to hang out and talk with me - of course hot coco and cookies always help them get into the mood!
6. That I have had a very positive response to my Art show coming up in December.
7. That even though my kids disobeyed Mike and I last week - it has opened the door for more great teaching moments throughout the week.
8. That my car gets me around town – or else I couldn’t do all that I want to do such as teaching yoga downtown etc…
9. That the kids have a long weekend - we can all do fun things together like set up our Christmas lights outside!
10. My parents – they truly helped form the person I am today by giving me a great and solid foundation
11. Bonus: Last but never least Michael – my husband that I am so blessed to have in my life and who loves me for me and has built a beautiful life with me – I truly am blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and may God bless you all!
Namaste.

30 Days of Gratitude Continued

As I continue to list what I am grateful for, I stopped and thought about this past weekend. It was a challenging one in terms of parenting. Even though we found out that the boys had disobeyed us, it was a great "Teaching Opportunity" for us as a family to reconnect with our core values and to teach the boys that not everyone is going to agree with us but that we have to remain true to who we are rather than conforming just to fit in. So here are my next top ten items I am grateful for.

1. Time – with the people you love
2. Forgiveness – sometimes a challenging gift to give and a beautiful gift to receive
3. Timmy’s morning smile – it starts my day off on the right foot
4. Hugging my children – I know for those moments that are completely protected
5. Coffee – that is it decaffeinated so I can drink it all day without the shakes
6. Washer and dryer – it saves me so much time than if I had to hand wash everything
7. The weather in upstate NY – this November has been amazing and I bet lots of Christmas lights will be on more houses than normal since the weather has been so beautiful and more people are out
8. Holding the door open – especially when it is your child doing it for you without being asked
9. My feet – they get me from place to place and are priceless when working out
10. Life’s “Ah ah” moments – when you truly get want is going on – better late than never


I hope this post has got you thinking of your next top 10 things you are grateful for and hopefully you will share that with someone and this spark of gratitude will catch on fire!
Namaste.

Grow in Peace

Hard work and dreams are always characteristics I admire in people. My friend Carrie is this sort of person. She has a dream of helping children in Uganda and is holding a fund raiser this Saturday November 14th. I am sure it will be a wonderful and enlightening evening. I hope all that can make it will there. Here is Carrie's website for additional information www.yogashines4change.com . I hope to see you there!

To help Carrie with her efforts I will be donating a piece of wearable art. This necklace is called "Grow in Peace" and is chuck full of symbolism. Below are the details.

Description: This 16 to 17 inch adjustable necklace is full of symbolism. I used a variety of materials including fine silver for the heart pendant; sterling silver chain, wire and clasp; 4, 6mm grade “A” cultured white round pearls; hand crafted brass “s” hook; a real birch twig: and a 10mm briolette cut amethyst.

Symbolism:
The heart shape symbolizes “Love”.
The “Sunflower” motif on the heart was casted from an antique ink tray that I molded, and represents always looking and facing the light.
The twig branch reminds us to keep ourselves rooted while we grow.
The pearls are for protection, honesty and innocence – all gifts we strive to give children.
The brass “S” hook represents the unexpected turns in life that bring about great change.
And the amethyst represents contentment, spirituality, dreams, healing and peace – gifts for our world.

Special note of the placement of the pearls. I placed 3 pearls on the right side to represent the "Trinity" and on the left side I placed a single pearl to show that one person can help change the world.
Namaste.

30 Days of November, 30 Days of Gratitude

As I start thinking about the upcoming holidays two thoughts run through my head, one of panic – will I get it all done and the second one is of gratitude. Thinking back to past years I know I will get everything that needs to get done, done and that helps calm me down which allows me to put time into meditating on things I am grateful for. So I thought I would share my top 30 with you all throughout the month of November. So here are my first ten:

1. Faith – knowing that there is a loving God
2. Family – a blessing that goes beyond words
3. Health – being able to move around comfortably
4. Friends – knowing they are there for me and I am there for them
5. Home – a warm and safe place to be with family and friends
6. Books – they keep me entertained as they teach me many things
7. My hands – they help me express myself creatively
8. An unexpected smile – it can be from anyone and you feel its radiance
9. The sound of children laughing – the best music out there
10. Hope – makes life worth living

I hope this post has got you thinking of your top 30 things you are grateful for and hopefully you will share that with someone and this spark of gratitude will catch on fire!
Namaste.

A Busy Month

Wow this past month flew by! There was so much going on with the kids, sports, school, yoga, art, and a weekend away with friends. So much to tell and so little time to tell it in, so it it goes.

The month started out with the normal schedule then we added travel basketball for both boys, I added a couple new yoga classes to my teaching, holiday orders for custom artwork www.nicholsforpennies.etsy.com started to come in, Nick turned 13 and we celebrated it with the family - 35 people, Baytrail middle school got a new library that I helped set up, volunteering at the Elementary school started, I am Timmy's classroom parent with Amie, my book club read "The Priest and the Medium" and then we spent the weekend in Chataqua and went to see a medium in Lilydale, Nick and I did a Halloween morning 5k downtown, and Timmy did a half mile race that morning and came in 4th place! The list goes on and on but you get the general idea. October was fun, busy and beautiful!

Since Thanksgiving is this month, I am making it a point to take a few minutes each day to give thanks for the blessings in my life. Even though life is busy, there is always time to think and be grateful. Today as we celebrate our 16th year of marriage, I am thankful for my husband and the life that we have built together. Of course there have been the typical ups and downs but when I take time to remember there have been a lot more ups than downs and even during the "down" times it was nice to have each other to lean on.
Namaste.

Helpful tip

This passage is from the book "Quantum Wellness Cleanse" by Kathy Freston a book I highly recommend. I am in the middle of this cleanse and found it hard at first, however I am loving the cleanse now. I feel better, more alert and am developing a heightened sense of awareness! Thank you Chris for recommending this book and doing the cleanse with me!

"Remember the importance of little things - remember how you feel when someone cuts you off in line, or drives aggressively or behaves rudely to you. And remember how you feel when you encounter someone who is light and caring, who does you a small favor. Remember the ripple effects of your behavior, both positive and negative. We can be lights to others, with very little effort and the practical positive effects can be far beyond anything that is obvious to us."

"Remember also that if something is not going to matter to you in 30 minutes, it shouldn't matter to you now. Will you even recall the person who didn't say please or thank you an hour from now? Don't allow small things to bring out any unkindness in you."

"Throughout the day, in every decision you make, ask yourself what your highest Self would do. If you were already completely enlightened, how would you handle things? How would you respond? What energy would you extend? And then act as if you were that person."
Namaste.

Everything has its Season

I was reading from a book my friend Chris had given me called "Simple Abundance" by Sarah Ban Breathnach. The entry was September 28 "A Time for Everything".
It starts out:
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." - Ecclesiastes 3:1

The author comes back with: "Yes, but they are not the same time. You cannot raise happy, secure, emotionally well-adjusted children, revel in a fabulous marriage and work a 60 hour week. You want to, I know. So do I. But we can't. It is physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually impossible. We have tired. We have failed."

She continues: “We can not circumvent the laws of Heaven and Earth just because it would be convenient. Just because it would fit nicely into our plans. We have tried. We have failed."

"When we cannot do it all at the same time, we are meant to do only some of it. In order to find out what the 'some' is to be, we need to ask: What is it I truly want right now? What is it I truly need? How do I get it? How much does it cost in life's currency?" (This is where I am at in my own life.)

"This might be the season for you to wipe a runny nose. That doesn't mean the season of running your own business won't occur. This might be the season of ......."

"You probably can have it all, just not at the same time. You might have to make certain compromises when your children are small. But your children are going to be small for a very short period of time... It will go by in a blink of an eye and you will only be 40, 50, or 60 with another 15 or 25 years ahead of you. A quarter of a century to do what you want to do, the way you want to do it."

"Blessed is the woman who know her own limits."
Namaste.

Transending by Kelly Corigan

I love this and believe it is so true. I first saw it on my friend Julie's blog and play it every once in a while when I need a good cry and to be reminded of how special girlfriends are. Please watch this and let me know by writing a comment. Have a beautiful day and thank God for friends!!!!
Namaste.

Will You Help Me Change the World?

"Will you help me change the world?" was the opening question from Don Miguel Ruiz the author of the "Four Agreements" as he and his son Mikey began their lecture at Geva Theater here in Rochester, NY yesterday. I am very grateful that I was present for such a beautiful and inspiring talk.

We each have our own story in which we are the main character and the rest of the people in our lives are secondary characters. When we own our own story and embrace who we authentically are and stop pretending to be what we are not, that action will help us live in peace. It is effortless to be who we truly are and it is a lot of energy to be who we are not. Just imagine if you will for a moment, all the energy we could invest into doing for others if we just let go of pretending to be what we are not. Think of all we could accomplish.

The word is very powerful. It can be the tool to create great beauty or the tool to create great despair. If we could embrace one agreement let it be this - be impeccable with your word. The word starts in our heads; it is how we talk to ourselves. If we start showing greater kindness here just think how that will translate when we start to speak to others. Being kind with our words towards ourselves first shows great respect. When we respect ourselves it shows and others will follow suit and respect us back.

The other agreements are: Do not take anything personally; Do not assume anything; Always do you best!

When we take things personally we are allowing a power shift to occure. Instead of believing ourselves we are letting someone's point view become our own. The example used yesterday by Mikey was this; You are walking down the street when a stranger points at you and shouts, 'You're stupid!' Well if you know that you are not stupid you can let it go. However you if take it personally all of the sudden you start to question yourself and you start asking 'Do I look stupid?' and the stranger's words now have power over you. But, going back to the first agreement if we speak kindly to ourselves, someone else’s words will have no power over us.

When we assume we are the story tellers at that moment. What we are assuming is not based on fact rather it is based on what we preseeve as the truth. We take action on assumption - be mindful of this because it could lead to great and unnecessary drama in our lives. When we do not assume, we judge less and get more out of life. Remember judgment is not excepting ourselves and others the way we are.

Doing our best puts all these agreements into action. Know yourself well, be kind with your words, understand your intent and have faith. This will help us know what our best is at a giving moment, and know that our best will change from moment to moment. Use focus and attention, they are the bridges from one mind to another.

And finally in the words of Einstein, "Imagination is better than knowledge because it has no limitations!"

You are a child playing adult - always remember the child in each of us!

My prayer is that I will help change the world for the better! I hope this information based on the "Four Agreements" by Don Miiguel Ruiz has started you to think differently. Please read this book - it is life changing!
Namaste!

A Serendipity Weekend!

Serendipity: The faculty of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for. This definition basically explains my weekend. What a wonderful, humbling and surprising weekend it was.

The Memorial Art Gallery’s annual Clothesline Arts Festival was this past weekend. I am blissfully exhausted from it and thrilled I was a participating artist in this wonderful event.



Quick timeline:
Friday my husband and I brought the displays etc… that I would be using for the weekend and dropped everything off at my tent/booth.

Saturday my friend Kim helped me decorate and open up the booth. My mother-in-law came to help me in the afternoon. Saturday rained and it was slow. I was a bit discouraged with the sales of that day but the company I kept was beautiful and the conversations warm and wonderful. The day brightened towards the end and little did I know things were in the works for a serendipitous day on Sunday. That was when I met Alison an artist who’s paintings are beautiful and familiar but I could place my finger on it. That evening when I got home I looked through my stack of business cards from artists I have collected over the years. Sure enough I found her card from 12 years ago! Well the next morning I showed her and how we laughed. One things lead to another and we traded our artwork and both walked away with a huge smiles on our faces knowing we were kindred spirits! How fun!

Sunday my son Nick came early (7am) to help me set up and open. The weather was perfect. When the coffee cart came around they even had our favorite muffins to boot! Nick and I set the tent up a little differently that morning and had a blast doing it. That was when the magic started. My dad popped in to say hi and wish me good luck and then people started coming in droves! It was awesome. I encountered many smiles and stories as ladies read my “Treasured Lockets” as they were picking out just the right piece for a dear friend. It made me feel so wonderful that my art was affecting so many in such a positive way. My friend Cindy came to help and the luck continued. My friends popped in and out all day and each one touched my heart with their words of encouragement and friendly smiles – I am blessed! The cherry on top was when Mike and Timmy came to pick up Nick and how they loved the booth and all the action inside. Timmy asked if next year he could help and I am thrilled!!!!!

As I write this posting, my coffee is hot, the weather is chilly and bright and I still have a huge smile on my face!
Namaste.

Creating and Remembering

I have been creating a new body of work to be unveiled at the Rochester Memorial Art Gallery’s Annual “Clothesline Arts Festival” next weekend September 12-13.

This year preserving, reusing and remembering what is important in life is the main theme of my collection for autumn. I have been expanding my “Treasured Locket” line to include glass hearts and cut up jelly jars. I have been combining antique and vintage papers to create one of a kind miniature collages that are then sandwiched between the new shapes of glass and soldering them. To finish the pieces I have added vintage ribbon from France dated 1920’s to 1940’s, military laundry pins from the 1940’s, sticks, gems, pearls, my handmade PMC charms and Indian nickels, depending on the design.

In most of my pieces you will find a heart, a house and a pearl. The heart and house will be found in every collage that is in my “Treasured Lockets” to symbolize love, family, friendship and home. The pearl that is added to most pieces stands for love, honesty and protection.

My hope is if you are in Rochester next weekend that you will stop by my booth #429 and say hi!

Meanwhile make it an amazing week and smile often!
Namaste.

Lazy Days of Summer

Lazy Days of Summer – I am still waiting for them to hit. Life has been very busy around here. I thought that once baseball season came to a close at the beginning of August our “Lazy Days of Summer” would start, but no such deal. Timmy had basketball camp with his cousin Gabriel and Nick got himself into a pick-up basketball league at the same time. Once that was all over I thought here come our “Lazy Days of Summer” but again no such deal. I am still the glorified taxi driver – and I might add they don’t tip very well!!!! Ha! Ha!

The past couple of weeks we went to the “Purple Monkey” in Weedsport for antiquing, Mackenzie-Childs just because, on the Colonel Belle a boat on the canal for my husband’s 25th high school reunion and spent time at the urgent care unit for Timmy to get his foot x-rayed after dropping an oversized skate board on it. Thank God he didn’t break his foot but the little guy will be loosing a bunch of toenails in the near future.

In addition to all this we had friends from Chile over, I am restarting my training of the September Triathlon (I had a walking pneumonia), teaching lots of yoga as usual and working diligently on my artwork for my September show.

Well that has been life up ‘til now, I will keep you posted on other fun things going on. Have a wonderful day and remember, “Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and leave the rest to God!”
Namaste.

Tell yourself "I Can!"

Being positive takes effort. It is a choice to be sure. Great things can come out of it. How do we start? We can start by saying "I can!" It is as simple as that, now the work must begin!

I have a laundry list of things I want to accomplish. It ranges from doing more artwork, to cleaning the house, to organizing the basement, to getting into better shape, etc... Where to start?

Now that is a good question. I am practicing taking one minute or hour at a time and get through that with something positive to show at the end of it. It is like being in a yoga pose and when it gets really intense and you want to get out of it just sticking with it and breathing through it and the next thing you know you did it. What a great feeling that is!

I am going to do some art work now and I'll let you know how it goes! Remember these two words, "I can!" and watch your world change!
Namaste.

This is a new film that I am looking forward to that I first viewed on a friends blog. Please see below post "Alice in Paris" to link to her beautiful blog. Meanwhile enjoy the film clip.
Namaste.


Oops this is not working. Please see Alice in Paris' blog! It is a great movie clip!

Alice in Paris loves Art and Tea: steamy#links#links

Alice in Paris loves Art and Tea: steamy#links#links

Something New

When was the last time I tried something new?
It was about 3 weeks ago on my way to the YMCA at 5:15am!

What was it?
I brought my camera with me and captured the sunrise over the vineyard that I am blessed enough to pass every morning on my way.

How did it make me feel?
Witnessing and recording this sunrise made me feel connected to this amazing universe and blessed that I could see such beauty doing ordinary things like going to train and teach yoga.

Would I do it again?
Absolutely - I think it would be amazing to capture the sunrise at the same location during the different seasons.

What did I learn?
I learned that there is beauty in everything we do - we just need to be present to appreciate it!

What will be next?
I would like to create a large collage on canvas. I am always creating tiny ones for jewelry but I think it is time to do it on a large scale!

What is next for all of you?
Namaste.

Just Something to Think About

When was the last time you tried something new?

What was it?

How did it make you feel?

Would you do it again?

What did you learn?

Feel free to let me know! I will write mine in my next posting, meanwhile I will look forward to hearing from you!

Namaste,
Joan

While I was reading...

When I was reading yesterday, I was reminded how much I enjoy the following quote; “Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you’ve never been hurt and live like it’s heaven on earth!” – Mark Twain

Have a beautiful day.
Namaste.

Gratitude

As you know I have been sick with a respiratory infection for 3 weeks now. I am getting better slowly and I began to train a little last week for the triathlon in September. I am bummed that I lost so much endurance and that I have to start from square one. I feel a bit overwhelmed at the task ahead of me and I am practicing positive thinking as I tell myself, “with patience I can do it!” It is humbling.

I told you what I lost now here is what I gained. This is an exercise in gratitude that I do to keep me in a positive frame of mind.

I found a lot of time to create in my studio and my artwork is really growing in both volume and quality. I have had more time to practice my skills and experiment with new ones. I love the direction that my work is taking.

Next I have developed a deeper yoga practice, truly focusing on my breath and the healing qualities that it has. I have found new strength and peace in the same asanas I have been practicing for years.

Last but not least my family has pitched in beautifully knowing that “Mom” needs the extra help. That effort they have put forth has put a big smile on my face and I am grateful.

I hope this week we can all see the glass half full.

Namaste.

Bump in the road

I was just reminded of something that I needed to remember. First that we do live in a beautiful universe and there are bumps in the road.

This past week I have been sick with a respiratory infection that has truly interrupted my flow of life. I ache, I am tired and I have no voice but I still see how lucky I am. First I have been concentrating on the fact that I am blessed with good health 99.99% of the time and this “bump in the road” made me slow down to see that and to understand what a gift I have!

This “bump in the road” also slowed me down and allowed me to get the rest my body needs – naps are good.

This “bump in the road” has helped me listen to my family better since I have no real voice to speak of at the moment and in forcing me to listen I have given the gift of time to those who are most important to me.

This “bump in the road” has brought me to tears and I felt cleansed afterward. I released my sadness and have moved on lighter.

This “bump in the road” gave me the time to be more creative. I have been drawing new ideas for my upcoming art show this fall and getting my artwork done peacefully, and unhurried.

I could go on and on about how this “bump in the road” has effected my life positively but it all comes down to this, it was put there by God to help me slow down and smell the roses. And for this I am grateful. Also a special thanks goes out to Dr. Rob and his brother Ray for helping me put it all into words.
Namaste.

Summer Reading

This summer as part of my New Years resolution of "Effort", my summer reading will include some classics that I read long ago. One that I will be starting next is "To Kill a Mockingbird". I remember bits and pieces of the story and I remember it changed me.

A book that was given to me by a student of mine - Sue, was "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society". I finished it last week and simply loved it and would recommend it to all. I believe it is on the New York Times best sellers again this week.

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" is written in letter form and the characters are from England in 1946 after WWII. When Sue gave me this book I had just become traditional "Pen pals" with Ali from England. I thought that was interesting timing.

The book I am currently reading is called "March" recommended by my dear friend since I was one years old! - Maureen. It is about the journey of the father from the book "Little Women" during his years in the Civil War.

This book has some graphic descriptions and I can only read it during the day. I am very sensitive to certain types of material and if I read them right before bed, I have trouble sleeping. So right before bed I usually read "Yoga Journal", or different art books, sketch my latest ideas or journal. That seems to keep me in a positive mind set for sleep.

Think about it. If you are feeling negative become mindful of how you start your day and how you end it. If we begin and end our day listening or watching the news and we are feeling negative change that behavior. We can get the news during the day so we can stay current and it gives us a chance to talk about it and move on from it. This is just a thought that I find helpful and keeps me starting and ending my days peacefully.
Namaste.

Well here I go again

Well here I go again! Today I start my training for my second triathlon. My friend Marcela asked if I would do it with her the day after we finished our first one. I was on such a high I said "Yes!"

Over the past three weeks I waivered a little bit while I have been healing a torn calf muscle, but I am thrilled to try again. My goal is the same - finish standing up! This triathlon will differ from the first since the swimming portion will be in open water not a pool. I figure I got to try that way too. This triathlon is called the "Finger Lakes Triathlon" held on September 20th (burr - I better get a wet suit) in Canandaigua.

This time around Marcela and I have added to our "Team". We now get the pleasure of training with 4 additional women who all have the same goal - finish standing up! I know we will have a wonderful time as we work hard. "Anything worth while is hard work!" I believe this to the core.

Tonight we start our swimming lessons to prepare us for the half mile swim. Once our endurance is up again we will start training in the lake. What an adventure. Keep sending positive thoughts our way and if you live in the area and what to train with us let us know!

Have a wonderful evening.
Namaste.

The Fourth of July

Koda is dressed as a Yankee Doodle!
(She's a golden doodle - get it?)




And we are off to show everyone our spirit!






Our neighbor Mike all set for our parade!




My sons Timmy and Nick on the move.




Nick and his friend Jake (in the gorilla suit).






Isabelle (my niece) and Timmy getting ready to go.

We are fortunate to live in the neighborhood that we do. People are kind and helpful. There are about 75 kids ranging in age from Seniors in high school to all the way down to preschoolers. Our "Helmsford Way" family has a lot of spirit which we showed yesterday on the 4th of July. Our fourth of July Parade down our street was a big success and boy did we all have fun.

Thank God for freedom - we truly are lucky!
Namaste

The First Few Days of Summer

The first few days of summer life's busy pace slows down for a moment. The kids can sleep in and the house is peaceful as the coffee is brewing. Today was one of those days that is starting out beautifully. I taught my normal 6am yoga class and when I returned home I did my own practice outside in the backyard. The sun was peeking out from between the clouds and a soft breeze was blowing as my "Shadow" (Charlie my dog) was next to my mat sniffing the air and I am sure he was thinking - "Life is good!" because we think a like!

As Timmy got up he grab his book and snuggled into his favorite chair to read - music to my soul! I put down the dishes I was washing and followed suit by grabbing my book and off I went to my reading corner. The morning passed slowly as we each enjoyed our books. Then Nick got up and he too went for his book to read. What a peaceful way to ease into the day and to top things off it is Friday!

I hope you all are having a mellow and peaceful start to your day!

Namaste.

Inspiring Quotes

I collect quotes. It is something I started to do about a three years ago unbeknown to me. I know that sounds strange but it is true. I would hear or read something that would resonate with me and I would write it down to reflect and share it later in one of my yoga classes. I now have 100s of saying that seem to fit perfectly at different moments. Today I thought I'd share a few with you.


My all time favorite one is "Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and leave the rest to God!" - author unknown.


"When you can't stand life any more....Kneel." - unknown (Sent to me by my friend Margaret)


"How far we go in life depends on our being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak; because someday in life we will have been all these." - George Washington Carver


"The shortest distance between two people is laughter." - unknown (I got this off my cousin Anne's refrigerator when I was there last.)


"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Those who look outside, dream...Those who look inside, awaken!" - Carl Jung


"Faith is like the wind, I can't see it but I can feel it." - from the movie "A Walk to Remember"


"Our very breath is a profound gift. Breathe life into your creative dreams. Breathe through difficult places. Breathe in Joy. Just breathe!" - Unknown (given to me on a card from my friend Cindy)


"I choose love... No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God Loves." - Max Lucado


"Pray for world peace and pray that it can being with you." - Joan (me)


Just some thoughts for the up coming week. Make it a great once! Peace.

Namaste.

Fun Questions - Pass it Along!

I was visiting my favorite blogs this afternoon in between running up and down the stairs while taking care of my sick son Nick. When I popped by "me&mine", ( http://ginamharris.blogspot.com/ )Gina had this great list of questions her friend Jen sent to her and said we should all answer it on our blogs, so here I go. Please feel to copy and add to your own blog - it is fun!

What did you do today?
Taught yoga at 6am; took my 8 year old Timmy to breakfast; helped at school with their poetry reading; was presented with the best book of poems ever from the kids (I teach them yoga throughout the year and they each wrote me a poem as a thank you); got my mirror on the van fixed (this is the third time I had to get it fixed – I keep hitting them on all sorts of things from the garage door, to a construction sign and last on the garbage tote); I got my hair cut; started laundry and then my son came home with a high fever from school, so I have been playing nurse ever since.

What are you wearing today?
My “Irresistible” denim colored t-shirt, navy blue cargo pants and flip-flops.

What's for dinner?
Mediterranean pasta and maybe a glass of wine

What would you eat for your last meal?
Spaghetti and my mom’s meatballs and a beautiful full bodied glass of red wine and a green salad!

What's the last thing you bought?
Gift cards for Timmy’s teachers from a yoga studio called “Breathe” here in Pittsford, NY

What are you listening to right now?
Peace and quiet with touches of laughter from my younger son and the groans of my older son.

What is your favorite ice-cream flavor?
I don’t like ice cream – I know I must be crazy

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Wow this is a tough one. It would have to be by the water. I love the Outer Banks of NC, I love the finger lakes of NY, and I love the Islands of Greece. I think the outer banks would win. Or I could go for a villa in Tuscany!!!!

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Ireland and have a pint and listen to other people’s conversations!

Which language do you want to learn?
Italian.

What is your favorite quote of the moment?
“Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and leave the rest to God.”

What are your favorite colors?
Periwinkle blue, cobalt blue, bright pink, flashy orange

What song would you like to learn to play?
Anything by Mozart.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
If shoes count I would have to say my Nato flip-flops. Otherwise I’d say the blouse I got when I was in Greece last summer.

What is your dream job?
I have it. I always wanted to be a mom first, artist second and yoga teacher third. I am blessed.

If you had an extra $10,000 now, what would you spend it on?
I’d save it for my sons college education.

What are you going to do after this?
Start dinner.

What are your favorite movies lately?
“13 going on 30”.

What's your favorite fruit?
Blueberries at this moment. If you ask me five minutes from now I might say cherries. I love all kinds of fruit!

What inspires you?
Photographs, nature and certain colors like blue.

What is on the walls in your bedroom?
The color of our bedroom is light taupe, our ceiling is really dark taupe and I added crown molding in ivory to separate the two colors. I have hung tree branches for my curtain rods (they fell down in a storm a few years ago so I recycled!) and draped white fabric over them. I have bookshelves mounted on the walls and 3water color paintings. I love what is on my walls!

Your favorite book?
I learned the most from “The Four Agreements”, had a blast reading “Twilight” because it is something I would never have read before and my favorite classic is “Pride and Prejudice”.

Do you collect something?
Anything by Mackenzie – Childs of Aurora, NY and I love to collect quotes .

What a Great Friday!

My day started out early as usual at 5:15am. However on this day I did not head out the YMCA to workout and teach yoga, instead my friend Cindy and I picked up our coffees, got gas and headed out of town to the Mackenzie-Childs Annual Barn Sale in Aurora New York through the fog and rain - can you tell we are “Die Hards”? When we got there it was packed, so much for thinking we would be one of the first ones into the barn. Next year we will be one of the crazy ladies who will spend the night in line and will be one of the first ones in - I think the experience alone will be a hoot!

Well 2 1/2 hours later of standing in the rain with lots of fun women, (some were singing, most of us were laughing as we ran in and out of line for coffee and to use the bathrooms and stating we couldn't believe we were all standing there getting wet - however none of us left mind you), we made it into the barn and we were not disappointed at all!

In the barn we hunted through tons of merchandise looking for our treasures and let me say we found many! Too many and had to start doing the math and putting some things back so we wouldn't break the bank. In the end Cindy and I were very pleased with what we selected and headed off to the next line - The Check Out Line - and waited another hour or so for them to take our money! By this time the sky was bright and the sun was shinning beautifully. We packed the car and raced home to beat the buses -we made it!

Next came the mad dash to get the kids snack, clean the house, and cook because my friends were coming over for book club! We affectionately call ourselves "Twilight Freaks" and were discussing book two "New Moon" from the "Twilight" saga that night. Well I am happy to announce that I made it and by 7:00pm all was ready including the staging of the bonfire!

Needless to say we all had a riot! My friend Teri from yoga class got best dressed that evening, my friend Kathy had the best quote, and Lorraine made the best pepper dip - which we now need the recipe! We discussed the book around the fire, and made up our own "New Moon" chat pack questions game and laughed our heads off! All in all a fantastic Friday evening!

Remember our friends are a blessing.

Namaste.

Wow!!!!

Well I did it! My first Triathlon was amazing. This is me before the race as we were getting our gear prepared in the transition area. I had a smile on my face from start to finish. I kept joking that I felt like I was on vacation in some foreigh country because this was all "Greek" to me! The spirit around me was electric. The weather was wonderful around 69 and overcast which was perfect. I guess last year it was sunny and in the 90's - oh my! My boys and husband were there to cheer me on! As I was coming back from the biking towards transition, my sons ran next to me and cheered me on - it is still bringing tears to my eyes when I think about it! As you know I have been having problems with my leg and that has been preventing me from running. Well I am proud to announce I ran the entire time. While I was running I was saying the "Hail Mary" - my mom's favorite prayer and thinking of her and the next thing I knew was I could see the finish line. I became very emotional but kept on going. My family was there to greet me including my sister-in-law Meg! All in all a great day. More to come.

Namaste.

The boys and I after I finished

Tomorrow is the Day!!!!

I am writing on Saturday evening, taking advantage of having the house all to myself since my husband and sons have gone to the "Red Wings" baseball game downtown. I am very excited about my very first "Triathlon" tomorrow. I just finished packing the van with our bikes and equipment. I am doing this with my friend Marcela and a group of people from the Eastside YMCA.


This has been lots of hard work and loads of fun. The people I have met during this time have been unbelievably helpful, encouraging and kind. I now look at tomorrow as a great social event that I don't have to shower for! Talk about freedom!


In any event I keep thinking how blessed am I that I get to try something as cool as a triathlon! At this moment I am filled with so much gratitude for my health, the way I can move, my family and friends. Tomorrow will be a wonderful experience that I will share with you all afterwards. Meanwhile keep me in your prayers!


Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

Namaste.

What Will Matter

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will
pass on to someone else. Your wealth, fame, and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. Your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire too.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built. Not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance. Not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion or valor that encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character. Not how many people you know, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you.What will matter is how long you will be remembered by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose a life that matters.

My friend Cindy sent this to me and I thought it was beautiful. It really makes us reflect on the question: When I am gone how do I want to be remember and by whom? That should keeps up making effort to do better. As the old saying goes...Know better, do better!
Namaste.

While I can, I will

“While I can, I will” is a very powerful mantra to me. I thought of it while training for my first “Triathlon” which is now less than two weeks away. This thought pattern occurred to me after rereading the “Five Remembrances of Buddha”. The Five Remembrances are: 1. I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old. 2. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape ill health. 3. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death. 4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them. 5. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand. (As found in “The Plum Village Chanting Book” by Thich Nhat Hahn - 1991)

When I first read this, years ago, I wasn’t ready for the information and found it very depressing. Something, however kept me going back to reread it because it just didn’t settle with me well. Eventually I had that “Aha!” moment and got it. Instead of it making me sad as it once did, it liberated me to truly understand the gifts that I have in this moment, to appreciate them and live in the moment with discipline, conscience and love.

Once I understood the concept that things will change in every aspect of life I started to make more effort in my life. It wasn’t with great leaps and bounds at first rather it was very methodical. I am like the tortoise from the story “The Tortoise and the Hare”, slow and steady and I keep on going.

In any event while training there have been times when I simply wanted to be lazy and blow it off and then I realized I may not always be able to do this and while I can I should. That has kept me going and often puts a great big smile on my face as I say a prayer of thanks. This philosophy has also spilled into other areas of my life especially with my children. They will only be this age once and I best enjoy it and I do taking time which is the biggest and best gift I can give my children!

Think and meditate on the above and put it into action. It will create a rich and thoughtful life.
Namaste.

"If"

The card I received from my dad this morning for my birthday had the most beautiful poem on it and I would like to share it with you all. It is called "If" by Emily Matthews.

"If you can value truth above approval, friendship over beauty, wealth or fame. If you can share your gifts and talents wisely, leaving someone better off than when you came. If you find happiness in simple pleasures and see the rainbow, not the falling rain. If you have faith to keep right on believing in miracles that no one can explain. If you look until you see the good in others and keep your spirit honest, true and free, then you'll be the happy and successful person you were meant to be."

"If you could see all the flowers in the world. If you could hear all the laughter in the universe. If you could make all the dreams that ever were wished come true, then you would know a little part of the joy of having and loving a daughter like you."

This has to be my favorite card!!!! Thanks Dad! You made me feel like a million dollars today!

Namaste.

Welcome to the Last Two Weeks of My Life!

Wow when I think back through the last two weeks I am thrilled to have had the experiences that I had. Some highlights: I met Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs, I received the autograph of another favorite artist Leigh Standley, I went to see Yanni perform, I went on a field trip with my younger son Timmy, I had a few custom orders that allowed my imagination to take flight, I went to a “Read-In” with my middle school son Nick, I went on my first bike ride with other tri-athletes, I was interviewed for a magazine article that will be featuring my artwork, I did the baseball thing for my boys and of course taught yoga – always a favorite.

As I sit back and reflect I see how blessed and lucky I am. I also recognize the effect these moments have had on my life. Some of the above items are very ordinary but for me have had extraordinary out comes. For instance when I was on the field trip, Timmy kept looking at me and would say “I am so glad you’re here!” Nick was the same way during the “Read-In” just a little less obviously. It is funny and heart satisfying to me because I always have done these things for them and they still appreciate it. They made me feel like a million dollars and smile a lot!

When I met Victoria and Richard, the original creators and owners of MacKenzie-Childs and now the creators and owners of “Victoria and Richard Emprise” I was thrilled. My sons were with me. Initially it wasn’t their thing to do but they went along with me. They ended up enjoying themselves and we all came away with this amazing sense of positive energy and hope. Like Walt Disney said “If you can dream, you can do it!” Victoria signed a plate I purchased and she signed my copy of “Where Women Create” the book that launched the magazine. What a fun person to be around very open, obviously immensely creative and very engaging with my son Timmy who really loves art. Here is their wed address http://www.victoriaandrichard.com/ .

Another favorite artist of mine is the creator of “Curly Girl Designs” Leigh Standley. With my purchase of cards and a water bottle she signed a copy of “Where Woman Create” the magazine. What a cool thing to do!!!!! Here is her web address check it out http://www.curlygirldesign.com/ . My favorite saying of Leigh’s is this: “I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara that I could save the world!”

I have been a fan of Yanni’s for about 14 years and this was the first time I was able to see him perform and WOW!!!! If you ever get the chance to see this show “Yanni Voices” do it, you will love it. The talent of these people words can not adequately describe, however the phrases “hard work pays off” and “practice make perfect!” sure do. I believe all the performers could be the poster people for these sayings! Talk about inspirational! My mother-in-law took as my birthday gift and treated me to his CD “Yanni Voices” which is beautiful. I have been playing it everywhere. I loaded the CD on my computer, IPOD and play the CD in the car. I have played it in my yoga classes too and students love it! Check out his website http://www.yanni.com/ .

As you know I have been training for a triathlon and as part of my training I have been riding outdoors but last week I got the opportunity to ride with a group and let me say how thankful I am to all of them especially Jamie and Andy. They helped me understand when to shift and watched my back! They where all very kind and inspiring! Now I am really excited about the race which is less than 3 weeks away! My friend Marcela and I went out yesterday for our ride and I was able to pay it forward and give her the information that was given to me and I know it helped her too. It was totally awesome yesterday as we rode, we felt like kids again racing around! What a feeling!

In a nutshell you now know where I have been these past two weeks. Try to make everyday extraordinary by doing the ordinary and sprinkle in some adventure from time to time too! Listen and follow your heart the magic ingredients are love and courage! Make that extra effort you will be glad you did!
Namaste.

PS I just started “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho – it is a beautiful book! More on that next week!