This will sound like some sort of propaganda for Ana Brett and Ravi Singh's DVDs but I really wanted to share something; for my own benefit of reminder and to offer a powerful method to anyone who needs it.
Lately, I've been in something of a funk. I know what it is; it's being in that strange in-between place where you've left an old way (that no longer suits you) behind, and have yet to manifest the new life fully enough to be immersed in it yet. Some call it leaping into the void, others have called it living the split. I call it the pits at times! Feeling pulled in 100 possible directions, not able to hear my own inner guidance which always points me in the direction for my highest good, and having a simultaneous feeling of both fatigue AND excessive electrical energy with no outlet. Yikes. Sort of like PMS with an existential crisis kick, how lovely. But I get it, I observe it and I let it flow. Sort of, lol. (Honey, if you're reading this, just keep smiling!)
I have been looking for new employment for a few weeks now and was trying to stay open to a couple of vastly different scenarios; moving to Portland within weeks or even days, or staying in LA and starting a new gig someplace I will enjoy and feel honored for my true worth. Tall order it seems in this town, but I have faith. Well, not having a focus has been keeping me from manifesting something, and the fears around an abrupt move and lengthy drive finally got the best of me. We decided to stay put for now, save, search and make a nice orderly, relaxed move within a year at the most. I think, lol. Anyway, it lets me focus on the here and now, gives me someplace to direct my energies. But still, I've been feeling frazzled and old addictions and cravings have been out of control, and I just haven't even given a damn really. I've kept it vegetarian and mostly vegan but you can have some pretty unhealthy things even in that realm. My recent batch of homemade and hearty veggie stew was fabulous, healing and my love helped me top finish a huge pot within about 2 days where that used to last me a week, but the rest of the time...oy.
So just now I took a stand with myself, hearing the wise words of the great teacher, Sri Pattabhi Jois who said "Practice...and all is coming." I cannot deny that when I have a daily practice of any yoga I suddenly find myself moving with grace and strength, making informed choices rather than subconscious ramblings, and feeling a sense of openness and love towards everything and everyone. So why the HELL don't I do this daily then, especially when I'm now home daily, cyber hunting for new employ? Resistance. Plain and simple.
Old patterns are like living entities and they know what habits give them power and what habits threaten their very existence. If you were a nasty little habit who knew that when your "host" did yoga it meant the end of power for you altogether, you'd provide ample energy towards resistance too. And so it goes. Your higher self knows the answer is daily practice, it works beyond a doubt to where I only want things in and on my body that are truly life giving and as simple as nature gets; mainly fruit and greens. But those old reliable friends, my patterns of comfort and numbing that kept me going in their own strange way, well they want to live. But as I said, I took a stand. After all, who's in charge here?! This is MY life, and lately I feel like I spend more time thinking about and planning how I WILL live it than actually living it. I want no part of this anymore. Those patterns served their purpose for a time but now I bless them, thank them and let them goooo!
I put on a DVD by Ana Brett and Ravi Singh called Solar Power. It's incredible; about an hour of vigorous but very safe and approachable Kundalini yoga with lots of breath of fire for cleansing and rejuvenation, and some truly miraculous moves and meditations. I'd forgotten just how much every cell in my body loves this work. I love all Kundalini and all Hatha, but this DVD calls out to me right now. The Solar Power DVD focuses a lot on opening and strengthening the solar plexus; the epicenter for your nervous system and the nadis and is said by yoga to be the seat of power, focus, fearlessness and WILL. I'll take two of each please....maybe three or four of each?
So I got down, found myself far more rusty than I thought, and yet continued on because it felt great and I KNOW it does its job. That is the magick, the alchemy of yoga; if you just breathe and do your part, the poses do the work for you. If you trust in the wisdom of the poses and the teachings, then your part is relatively simple. I sweat, I shook, I burned, but I also felt broken open, released, melted and FULL OF LIFE. This is how I want to feel all day, every day...well, a more fit version, but with this underlying sense of life force and pure joy.
Is this a revelation for me? No. I've known that a daily practice was the key for me for ages, but there is always a turning point at the beginning of true, deep, permanent change. People often describe me as looking and sounding like a faery
Sat Nam
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
new days, new ways!
Ah, back in the "olden" days, when cell phones weren't even a concept yet, we had no caller ID and no one had heard of the World Wide Web yet, I was a gym rat. Yep, I not only spent an inordinate amount of time pumping iron and leaping about in step aerobics classes, not to mention tackling THE GAUNTLET for up to 45 minutes (no easy feat folks), but I also worked in a health club. It was a dream job, except of course for the horrible hourly wage and meager tips (about $5 per day if I was lucky), but I worked the juice bar at an old school club that was slow to dead during the day, watched MTV on a giant screen TV all day (back when they played MUSIC VIDEOS and there were a few white folks on there who were allowed to be dorky white folks) and ate free muffins and bagels. It wasn't a bad setup. I'd work from 6:30am to about 3pm, then have the club to myself during the slowest possible time. I even got one of the personal trainers, a bodybuilder, to train me a few times per week for free, out of the goodness of his heart. The trainers there taught me a lot, and they were also self-taught, no college degrees in exercise physiology, etc. Nope, these folks knew their shit inside and out because it was their consuming passion, and I got to study with them every day. One thing I learned that changed the way I trained forever was that the order in which you exercise makes all the difference in terms of results and energy. For example; most workout classes and DVDs have you do cardio first, then toning or strength training. That actually works backwards and leaves you feeling more tired than you need to be with fewer results and here is why; your body burns fuel in a specific and predictable order. Carbs always go first, it's the easiest and most abundant fuel source, making it also the most efficient fuel source and the body always strives for 100% efficiency, as long as we stay out of its way.
Next comes protein use, which takes a lot of energy to convert into a usable fuel source so it's not terribly efficient but it certainly aids in rebuilding muscles. Then finally, after tapping out the stores of carbs and protein, the body goes to town on the stored fats in the body. So let's look at why it makes all the sense in the world to do strength and resistance training BEFORE cardio; since strength and resistance training are anaerobic forms of exercise they are usually also rather strenuous and require large amounts of fuel to keep you going. We've probably all felt that wonderful but also challenging exhausted feeling after a good weight training or strength training session. Having a full store of carbs to draw upon means you can do more, feel better and be ready to then use that protein store for rebuilding muscle tissue. Ok, so then you finish, do a little stretching (I hope!) and move on to whatever your cardio of choice is, meaning something aerobic. If your carb and protein stores are already tapped out thanks to the first half of your workout, voila! Rather than doing cardio for 20-30 minutes and still coasting on carbs with nary a fat store accessed, your body will turn to fat stores right off the bat because it needs some kind of fuel. It's good old Greek logic, and when they taught me this simple truth, it changed my life! I was able to enjoy training more thanks to better energy throughout and easier recovery (another nice side effect of the right fuel for the right exercises) and the results I saw were incredible!! I could do far less pushing and see 10 times the results. Most exciting.
Buuuut, I find myself now a reformed gym rat, not wanting to spend hours at a gym, nor do I want another big treadmill or more equipment in my home. I enjoy having a home that is, apparently anyway, machine and steel free. I also find the whole concept of creating scar tissue in the muscles as a means of building muscle and burning calories to be a rather self abusive way to go about it. Call me crazy, but I do. I truly believe that you can be strong, flexible, energetic, lean, toned and have incredible endurance without old school exercises. Now that being said, if you truly love that old school stuff then I also believe that changes things; intention is everything and as long as you love what you do the results will be far greater than if you are grudgingly going through the motions. I can no longer find the same joy in being at the gym or living strapped to equipment, but I very much want to regain my strength, my lean body and my incredible energy. My plan? A whole new ballgame.
What I am embarking on now is a combination of strength training, flexibility training and cardio that looks and feels very, very different. I will do yoga FIRST, allowing my body to use those carb and protein stores as I move through vinyasas, power yoga and/or kundalini, and THEN I will move onto creative cardio like ecstatic or trance dance, maybe even some of the step aerobics I always loved. That never felt like work to me, I would smile, giggle and bounce through those classes like a giddy schoolgirl because I loved the choreography and the movement so much. The fact that it created a cardio monster with strong legs and glutes was a nice side effect. So that might be something I resurrect as well. I also have this gorgeous 18 speed bike and once my love and I are in Portland (hopefully soon) where it is FAR safer to ride, that can and will be an alternate source of joyful cardio for me.
So the bottom line is, it's the same wisdom, the same approach to overall conditioning and fitness, just using different tools to get me from here to "there". This will also make it a very enjoyable process. I won't deny I got a major thrill out of my gym rat time; I grew to love the sound of clinking metal or the cardio machine room humming away and I oddly enjoyed my callouses and the smell of lubricant all over the gym. Maybe someday it will call out to me again but I doubt it.
Today, I start with a great Kundalini set for the chakras, followed by some really exquisite and invigorating ecstatic dance (Shiva Rea, here I come!). Should take roughly an hour at the most and will leave me feeling supple, energized and blissed out. I never felt those things after my 2 hours at the gym. I'm glad I had those experiences too, they formed who I am now and gave me great benefits then. But I am even MORE glad that I am having these experiences now. ;)
Next comes protein use, which takes a lot of energy to convert into a usable fuel source so it's not terribly efficient but it certainly aids in rebuilding muscles. Then finally, after tapping out the stores of carbs and protein, the body goes to town on the stored fats in the body. So let's look at why it makes all the sense in the world to do strength and resistance training BEFORE cardio; since strength and resistance training are anaerobic forms of exercise they are usually also rather strenuous and require large amounts of fuel to keep you going. We've probably all felt that wonderful but also challenging exhausted feeling after a good weight training or strength training session. Having a full store of carbs to draw upon means you can do more, feel better and be ready to then use that protein store for rebuilding muscle tissue. Ok, so then you finish, do a little stretching (I hope!) and move on to whatever your cardio of choice is, meaning something aerobic. If your carb and protein stores are already tapped out thanks to the first half of your workout, voila! Rather than doing cardio for 20-30 minutes and still coasting on carbs with nary a fat store accessed, your body will turn to fat stores right off the bat because it needs some kind of fuel. It's good old Greek logic, and when they taught me this simple truth, it changed my life! I was able to enjoy training more thanks to better energy throughout and easier recovery (another nice side effect of the right fuel for the right exercises) and the results I saw were incredible!! I could do far less pushing and see 10 times the results. Most exciting.
Buuuut, I find myself now a reformed gym rat, not wanting to spend hours at a gym, nor do I want another big treadmill or more equipment in my home. I enjoy having a home that is, apparently anyway, machine and steel free. I also find the whole concept of creating scar tissue in the muscles as a means of building muscle and burning calories to be a rather self abusive way to go about it. Call me crazy, but I do. I truly believe that you can be strong, flexible, energetic, lean, toned and have incredible endurance without old school exercises. Now that being said, if you truly love that old school stuff then I also believe that changes things; intention is everything and as long as you love what you do the results will be far greater than if you are grudgingly going through the motions. I can no longer find the same joy in being at the gym or living strapped to equipment, but I very much want to regain my strength, my lean body and my incredible energy. My plan? A whole new ballgame.
What I am embarking on now is a combination of strength training, flexibility training and cardio that looks and feels very, very different. I will do yoga FIRST, allowing my body to use those carb and protein stores as I move through vinyasas, power yoga and/or kundalini, and THEN I will move onto creative cardio like ecstatic or trance dance, maybe even some of the step aerobics I always loved. That never felt like work to me, I would smile, giggle and bounce through those classes like a giddy schoolgirl because I loved the choreography and the movement so much. The fact that it created a cardio monster with strong legs and glutes was a nice side effect. So that might be something I resurrect as well. I also have this gorgeous 18 speed bike and once my love and I are in Portland (hopefully soon) where it is FAR safer to ride, that can and will be an alternate source of joyful cardio for me.
So the bottom line is, it's the same wisdom, the same approach to overall conditioning and fitness, just using different tools to get me from here to "there". This will also make it a very enjoyable process. I won't deny I got a major thrill out of my gym rat time; I grew to love the sound of clinking metal or the cardio machine room humming away and I oddly enjoyed my callouses and the smell of lubricant all over the gym. Maybe someday it will call out to me again but I doubt it.
Today, I start with a great Kundalini set for the chakras, followed by some really exquisite and invigorating ecstatic dance (Shiva Rea, here I come!). Should take roughly an hour at the most and will leave me feeling supple, energized and blissed out. I never felt those things after my 2 hours at the gym. I'm glad I had those experiences too, they formed who I am now and gave me great benefits then. But I am even MORE glad that I am having these experiences now. ;)
credit checks for employment??
I have two words for ANY employer, friend or foe, who asks for a credit check or legal background check before considering someone for employment; SUCK IT.
This started to become a random request a few years ago out here and I did agree to it once, but it was also after a 4 hour interview where it was quite clear we loved one another and the job was mine. Today, I would make a difference choice, but they ran my credit with me right there to observe and make sure it was kosher, then we shredded it on the spot. My credit was shaky then but it made no difference to them; they were looking more for warning signs like fraud issues, evictions, court cases, etc. I've never had anything even remotely resembling that, but I do generally have acts of civil disobedience. When a mega corporation puts the screws to me because they figure they can and I can do fuck-all about it thanks to 2 year contracts and monopolies on certain services, I say to hell with them and toss my cell phone into the garbage. Does this mean I am an untrustworthy employee? Far from it. I have such a deep moral well I would rather trash my own credit than allow a corrupt organization to disregard contract terms and treat me like a slave. When I see a person or a company behaving THAT far out of integrity, I take a stand, credit be damned. But I pay my rent on time, keep my utilities going and protect privacy for anyone or anything, especially when it comes to work.
I have held positions that involved personal work to the degree that I still have my old bosses' house keys (at his insistence, just in case) and access to their social security numbers, credit card info, etc. Have I ever bought even so much as a cup of coffee without my boss saying to do so? Of course not! How morally bankrupt have we become as a society that employers now feel completely justified in requesting legal background searches, drug tests and credit checks? NO ONE is entitled to this information, although I do admit that when working with children or other such sensitive positions I could see the need for a background search. Still, it touches on basic privacy issues in my book and it bothers me to no end to see how commonplace it has become to see want ads for administrative assistants, secretaries, etc requiring this kind of hoop-jumping bullshit. I will NEVER agree to this or even consider working for someone who views this as necessary. This is why you check references people; you take the time to CALL the former employers, to VERIFY the information on the resume, to check with personal references as well and guess what....it works! Sure, some real shifty folks can slip through those cracks, but I'd rather risk that as an employer than ask every applicant to give up their personal privacy. So what if I smoke pot on the weekends? So what if I defaulted on a student loan? Incidentally, I did neither of those things, but you get my drift.
Whether your credit and background are sterling isn't the issue either. You could be drug free with the world's best credit and I would urge you NOT to submit to this kind of fascist employment screening. If our work histories are honest, accurate and laudatory, it is none of your business what we do on our own time. Period.
Due diligence is one thing...invasion of privacy as common practice is something else entirely. And to this I say NO WAY!!
This started to become a random request a few years ago out here and I did agree to it once, but it was also after a 4 hour interview where it was quite clear we loved one another and the job was mine. Today, I would make a difference choice, but they ran my credit with me right there to observe and make sure it was kosher, then we shredded it on the spot. My credit was shaky then but it made no difference to them; they were looking more for warning signs like fraud issues, evictions, court cases, etc. I've never had anything even remotely resembling that, but I do generally have acts of civil disobedience. When a mega corporation puts the screws to me because they figure they can and I can do fuck-all about it thanks to 2 year contracts and monopolies on certain services, I say to hell with them and toss my cell phone into the garbage. Does this mean I am an untrustworthy employee? Far from it. I have such a deep moral well I would rather trash my own credit than allow a corrupt organization to disregard contract terms and treat me like a slave. When I see a person or a company behaving THAT far out of integrity, I take a stand, credit be damned. But I pay my rent on time, keep my utilities going and protect privacy for anyone or anything, especially when it comes to work.
I have held positions that involved personal work to the degree that I still have my old bosses' house keys (at his insistence, just in case) and access to their social security numbers, credit card info, etc. Have I ever bought even so much as a cup of coffee without my boss saying to do so? Of course not! How morally bankrupt have we become as a society that employers now feel completely justified in requesting legal background searches, drug tests and credit checks? NO ONE is entitled to this information, although I do admit that when working with children or other such sensitive positions I could see the need for a background search. Still, it touches on basic privacy issues in my book and it bothers me to no end to see how commonplace it has become to see want ads for administrative assistants, secretaries, etc requiring this kind of hoop-jumping bullshit. I will NEVER agree to this or even consider working for someone who views this as necessary. This is why you check references people; you take the time to CALL the former employers, to VERIFY the information on the resume, to check with personal references as well and guess what....it works! Sure, some real shifty folks can slip through those cracks, but I'd rather risk that as an employer than ask every applicant to give up their personal privacy. So what if I smoke pot on the weekends? So what if I defaulted on a student loan? Incidentally, I did neither of those things, but you get my drift.
Whether your credit and background are sterling isn't the issue either. You could be drug free with the world's best credit and I would urge you NOT to submit to this kind of fascist employment screening. If our work histories are honest, accurate and laudatory, it is none of your business what we do on our own time. Period.
Due diligence is one thing...invasion of privacy as common practice is something else entirely. And to this I say NO WAY!!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
into the void!
And I mean that as a positive statement of utter glee, lol!
I sit writing this at an empty desk, across from the cubicle I have occupied at Turner Broadcasting for about 2 years. I had a good time, laughed a lot every day, actually liked my boss and made enough to keep me afloat, though never enough to put any aside. This means that when I gave my notice about 3 weeks ago after some soul searching and discussion with my love, I was taking a tremendous leap of faith. I still am. My temp agency might have a gig for me any minute now, they usually come through and like to keep me working, and there are other irons in the fire I don't want to jinx (or dissipate the energies of either, in witchy terminology) but I am literally falling into the lap of the Universe and trusting...that I will land someplace just right for me very soon, that it will all be and already is a-ok, that this was an empowering choice.
While there are a handful of people here I will dearly miss and for whom I feel great affection, I find it rather easy to slink away like Batman later. Most folks leave after an awkward and obligatory cake and champagne sendoff in conference room A (though the recent goodbye to a much beloved employee who is now living his dream of being a pilot was incredibly authentic and deeply moving) which I managed to duck thanks to hedging on my last day as much as possible. Few people here realize I will be gone for good in a matter of moments, just the way I like it. ;)
There will be a few hugs, some will actually be genuine (Brett, Sammy, Beth, etc), some will be polite, and others will wonder in a week or so where I am and whether I'm out sick or on vacation, lol. I know of a few who will celebrate my being gone; I ruled over Brett's kingdom with an iron fist. But tomorrow, as I sit in a cafe watching people, job hunting and resume tweaking, I will feel calm, peaceful and know this was the right choice.
A few months from now, maybe a year at the most, my love and I will find ourselves living the dreams we share in Portland. For now, we prepare, observe, enjoy the last trips to Santa Monica and Topanga, knowing one day it will all be a golden memory....and a bittersweet departure.
Leaping into the void takes confidence and courage, and I found my most unsettling moments to be right after I make the declaration to myself and the Universe. Then came an odd sense of tranquility and feeling incredibly powerful. Knowing your worth, inside and out, is intoxicating. I am grateful to know this feeling now and to have come to this place.
This is the alchemy of "age" and the passage of linear time here on earth; I feel I become younger and more childlike and free by the day yet the strength, courage and wisdom are extraordinary. I've never been as bold or guided by self love as I am now. This is unlimited being, pure being and the way of living I have waited for all my life. I sense the beginning of something new and amazing...this is the first step. One giant leap into the beautiful unknown. I'll let you know where I land. ;)
I sit writing this at an empty desk, across from the cubicle I have occupied at Turner Broadcasting for about 2 years. I had a good time, laughed a lot every day, actually liked my boss and made enough to keep me afloat, though never enough to put any aside. This means that when I gave my notice about 3 weeks ago after some soul searching and discussion with my love, I was taking a tremendous leap of faith. I still am. My temp agency might have a gig for me any minute now, they usually come through and like to keep me working, and there are other irons in the fire I don't want to jinx (or dissipate the energies of either, in witchy terminology) but I am literally falling into the lap of the Universe and trusting...that I will land someplace just right for me very soon, that it will all be and already is a-ok, that this was an empowering choice.
While there are a handful of people here I will dearly miss and for whom I feel great affection, I find it rather easy to slink away like Batman later. Most folks leave after an awkward and obligatory cake and champagne sendoff in conference room A (though the recent goodbye to a much beloved employee who is now living his dream of being a pilot was incredibly authentic and deeply moving) which I managed to duck thanks to hedging on my last day as much as possible. Few people here realize I will be gone for good in a matter of moments, just the way I like it. ;)
There will be a few hugs, some will actually be genuine (Brett, Sammy, Beth, etc), some will be polite, and others will wonder in a week or so where I am and whether I'm out sick or on vacation, lol. I know of a few who will celebrate my being gone; I ruled over Brett's kingdom with an iron fist. But tomorrow, as I sit in a cafe watching people, job hunting and resume tweaking, I will feel calm, peaceful and know this was the right choice.
A few months from now, maybe a year at the most, my love and I will find ourselves living the dreams we share in Portland. For now, we prepare, observe, enjoy the last trips to Santa Monica and Topanga, knowing one day it will all be a golden memory....and a bittersweet departure.
Leaping into the void takes confidence and courage, and I found my most unsettling moments to be right after I make the declaration to myself and the Universe. Then came an odd sense of tranquility and feeling incredibly powerful. Knowing your worth, inside and out, is intoxicating. I am grateful to know this feeling now and to have come to this place.
This is the alchemy of "age" and the passage of linear time here on earth; I feel I become younger and more childlike and free by the day yet the strength, courage and wisdom are extraordinary. I've never been as bold or guided by self love as I am now. This is unlimited being, pure being and the way of living I have waited for all my life. I sense the beginning of something new and amazing...this is the first step. One giant leap into the beautiful unknown. I'll let you know where I land. ;)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
limiting ideas from limited minds
I wanted to rant for a moment about the subject of genetics, and by that I mean the incessant scapegoating I see in blaming overeating, emotional issues, food addiction and inactivity upon this allegedly irrefutable scientific paradigm. First, let me just say, BOLLOCKS. Man is simply another form of animal life on this planet. Sure, we like to think we're superior for reasons we've created with the brains we only use about 10% of, if we're brilliant that is, but we are, in fact, mammals folks. Animals with fur and teeth and instincts and basic traits just like all the other animals on this planet. The de-evolution of our species thanks to "civilization" makes no difference to this fact whatsoever, so we can easily look to nature for a template of who and what we really are underneath the scented soaps, shoes, clothes and frapuccinos.
In nature, in the animal kingdom (and by this I mean WILD animals, not domestic ones which we have tainted with canned cooked/dry foods and confinement) there is NO obesity, NO cancer, NONE of the aspects of aging and cellular breakdown or "middle age spread" that we use as excuses and accept as "normal" on a daily basis. Now with our domesticated beasts, thanks to vaccinations, processed and cooked foods pumped full of shit they neither want nor need naturally and lives of general inactivity, yes, our companion animals now share our diseases; from obesity to osteoporosis and everything in between. Animals are also HIGHLY empathic and tend to take on OUR issues, very likely as a method of reflecting them to us but we are seldom aware of it enough to benefit from it and help ourselves and our furry families.
WILD animals are beautiful, healthy and always the perfect weight/size. It's only when we get involved that things go downhill for them, lol.
Now, having heard many animal parents (I won't call them owners) laugh off the obesity of their animals as the result of aging or genetics I pondered this intently and could not get my mind around this. It's utter and complete rubbish. Animals are no more meant to become fat and diseased with the passage of time than we are. Cells are constantly regenerating, and as long as we do not deplete our body's enzyme stores by consuming cooked foods and processed crap we can and do stay healthy, young and beautiful for far longer than people realize. Animals are no different. Humans and animals share more than we can even comprehend right now. And while science likes to tout its findings as "truth", we have to keep perspective on this folks because scientists are just humans, and right now we are still SO very much in the dark we actually still believe there is "junk DNA" (not the case at all), that the appendix and tonsils serve no important purpose and can therefore be removed as superfluous hindrances, and that we understand and can comment upon the subject of genetics. Long ago it was acknowledged by some of the greatest thinkers of our time that man only uses a tiny percentage of our brain, so while on the one hand we outright admit that we're working with less than half a load we also profess to know "the truth" and how it all works. Well, our minds are not there yet. Our spirits, however, always know; always have, always will.
It is my personal belief, coming from that deep resonance inside connected to my true Self, that we are nowhere near understanding genetics, DNA and human physical evolution yet. Not with our minds anyway. There is NO genetic predisposition to anything that relegates us to certain doomed paths. Ever. Every moment we are our own gods creating our own realities, our own universes. It's all about choice and belief. What you believe, you create, period. Your conscious mind, which is only about 10% or less of the equation, can believe something positive, but if the subconscious aspect of your mind, which is clearly driving the bus, believes otherwise guess who wins? We are hypnotically programmed via the media and the people all around us to accept science as law. It's a fascinating area of discovery, but it's in the infancy stages compared to where we will find ourselves very soon. I equate it to looking into a beautiful snow-globe and somehow convincing yourself that it's actually the entire Universe, lol.
We have far more power than most of us can even imagine right now, which is unfortunate but I do see that changing; people are awakening to their true power and one day will cease to look to others for rescue. There is a tremendous shift going on right now; on this planet, in our Universe, and we will never be the same or be able to go backwards, and it's a GOOD THING!!! One day things like invasive surgeries, drugs, "elections" and all facets of limited mind will be a memory. Personally, I will roll around in the grass like my beautiful old furry sister Cotton (the sweet puppers I grew up with and loved so much) and dance all day long at the feeling of new freedom.
Maybe it's the fruit talking. ;)
In nature, in the animal kingdom (and by this I mean WILD animals, not domestic ones which we have tainted with canned cooked/dry foods and confinement) there is NO obesity, NO cancer, NONE of the aspects of aging and cellular breakdown or "middle age spread" that we use as excuses and accept as "normal" on a daily basis. Now with our domesticated beasts, thanks to vaccinations, processed and cooked foods pumped full of shit they neither want nor need naturally and lives of general inactivity, yes, our companion animals now share our diseases; from obesity to osteoporosis and everything in between. Animals are also HIGHLY empathic and tend to take on OUR issues, very likely as a method of reflecting them to us but we are seldom aware of it enough to benefit from it and help ourselves and our furry families.
WILD animals are beautiful, healthy and always the perfect weight/size. It's only when we get involved that things go downhill for them, lol.
Now, having heard many animal parents (I won't call them owners) laugh off the obesity of their animals as the result of aging or genetics I pondered this intently and could not get my mind around this. It's utter and complete rubbish. Animals are no more meant to become fat and diseased with the passage of time than we are. Cells are constantly regenerating, and as long as we do not deplete our body's enzyme stores by consuming cooked foods and processed crap we can and do stay healthy, young and beautiful for far longer than people realize. Animals are no different. Humans and animals share more than we can even comprehend right now. And while science likes to tout its findings as "truth", we have to keep perspective on this folks because scientists are just humans, and right now we are still SO very much in the dark we actually still believe there is "junk DNA" (not the case at all), that the appendix and tonsils serve no important purpose and can therefore be removed as superfluous hindrances, and that we understand and can comment upon the subject of genetics. Long ago it was acknowledged by some of the greatest thinkers of our time that man only uses a tiny percentage of our brain, so while on the one hand we outright admit that we're working with less than half a load we also profess to know "the truth" and how it all works. Well, our minds are not there yet. Our spirits, however, always know; always have, always will.
It is my personal belief, coming from that deep resonance inside connected to my true Self, that we are nowhere near understanding genetics, DNA and human physical evolution yet. Not with our minds anyway. There is NO genetic predisposition to anything that relegates us to certain doomed paths. Ever. Every moment we are our own gods creating our own realities, our own universes. It's all about choice and belief. What you believe, you create, period. Your conscious mind, which is only about 10% or less of the equation, can believe something positive, but if the subconscious aspect of your mind, which is clearly driving the bus, believes otherwise guess who wins? We are hypnotically programmed via the media and the people all around us to accept science as law. It's a fascinating area of discovery, but it's in the infancy stages compared to where we will find ourselves very soon. I equate it to looking into a beautiful snow-globe and somehow convincing yourself that it's actually the entire Universe, lol.
We have far more power than most of us can even imagine right now, which is unfortunate but I do see that changing; people are awakening to their true power and one day will cease to look to others for rescue. There is a tremendous shift going on right now; on this planet, in our Universe, and we will never be the same or be able to go backwards, and it's a GOOD THING!!! One day things like invasive surgeries, drugs, "elections" and all facets of limited mind will be a memory. Personally, I will roll around in the grass like my beautiful old furry sister Cotton (the sweet puppers I grew up with and loved so much) and dance all day long at the feeling of new freedom.
Maybe it's the fruit talking. ;)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
a little goes a long way
This morning something unusual and wonderful happened. My body missed Kundalini yoga so much, since I've been focusing on Hatha forms like Power Yoga lately, that I actually awoke before my alarm, unable to go back to sleep and unable to think of anything OTHER THAN getting up and doing some yoga. Yes, I was sleepy and wanted to snooze a bit longer, but I couldn't! I got up, pulled on comfy jammies, popped in Ravi and Ana's classic DVD, "Kundalini Yoga: Total Tune Up" and did the fabulous 30 minute "Warm Up & Open Up" set. I always love this one as a morning quickie that covers a lot. It has all of the classic warm up moves I LOVE; Sufi Grinds, Spinal Flexes, Spinal Twists, Crow Pose, Butterfly, Open Leg Stretch, Sciatic/Life Nerve Stretch, lots of Breath of Fire...so perfect for first thing in the morning! That really felt amazing, and for the first time in my life there was no sense of making myself get up to do it; I HAD to do it, I WANTED to do it and couldn't resist. :)
And while I could easily say I have covered my yoga bases for the day with that, I actually cannot wait to dive into more after work; either Yoga Beauty Body or Yoga Bliss Hips...both are amazing in their own ways. YBB includes what Yogi Bhajan called "The Magnificent Seven Series" that women especially (but men too) should do every single day for long, radiant lives. YBH is great for dealing with the tension stored in the hips, often related to fear of the unknown and fear of moving forward in life, and also includes some great venting/emotional release work and great heart openers...it really does bring you into Bliss. So I will see which of those beckons later.
Today I feel very calm, positive, unflappable. I have a mad dash across town at lunchtime, checking on a job lead that could be just the ticket. ;) I also have an interview on Monday and really liked the woman I spoke with about it, she spoke my language, using words like "resonates", lol. Funny the little things you pick up on to recognize "your people". That will be fun for me, I find the company intriguing and will share more later.
When the Portland gig I was attached to disappeared on me yesterday right after reading some not-too-flattering things about the person (divine timing anyone?? lol) I was very reactive about it all...and then I felt a total shift; calmness, reassurance, and a new plan of action. We stay here for a little while longer, continue to save and scout and prepare, and do the move this year anyway, without the mad dash for a change. Since all of my moves prior to this involved stress or just mad dashes at the last minute, I'd love to change that pattern and create a new one. Well orchestrated, perfectly timed, peaceful and joyful moves. :) I'm also proud of myself for getting over the reactive moments pretty quickly and finding Plan B so quickly and with such openness.
I tell you this folks...yoga is NOT about being flexible, or strong, or beautiful...it's about letting go, finding your center when it seems impossible and living from your spirit, not your fears. And even a tiny little bit goes a very long, long way.
And while I could easily say I have covered my yoga bases for the day with that, I actually cannot wait to dive into more after work; either Yoga Beauty Body or Yoga Bliss Hips...both are amazing in their own ways. YBB includes what Yogi Bhajan called "The Magnificent Seven Series" that women especially (but men too) should do every single day for long, radiant lives. YBH is great for dealing with the tension stored in the hips, often related to fear of the unknown and fear of moving forward in life, and also includes some great venting/emotional release work and great heart openers...it really does bring you into Bliss. So I will see which of those beckons later.
Today I feel very calm, positive, unflappable. I have a mad dash across town at lunchtime, checking on a job lead that could be just the ticket. ;) I also have an interview on Monday and really liked the woman I spoke with about it, she spoke my language, using words like "resonates", lol. Funny the little things you pick up on to recognize "your people". That will be fun for me, I find the company intriguing and will share more later.
When the Portland gig I was attached to disappeared on me yesterday right after reading some not-too-flattering things about the person (divine timing anyone?? lol) I was very reactive about it all...and then I felt a total shift; calmness, reassurance, and a new plan of action. We stay here for a little while longer, continue to save and scout and prepare, and do the move this year anyway, without the mad dash for a change. Since all of my moves prior to this involved stress or just mad dashes at the last minute, I'd love to change that pattern and create a new one. Well orchestrated, perfectly timed, peaceful and joyful moves. :) I'm also proud of myself for getting over the reactive moments pretty quickly and finding Plan B so quickly and with such openness.
I tell you this folks...yoga is NOT about being flexible, or strong, or beautiful...it's about letting go, finding your center when it seems impossible and living from your spirit, not your fears. And even a tiny little bit goes a very long, long way.
Monday, May 3, 2010
so much transition!
As it looks to be just weeks away from our big move from LA to Portland, my love and I are both moving forward in our fruitarian shift AND enjoying final hurrahs at some much beloved places in LA we shall both miss; Gilbert's, The Water Lily Cafe in Topanga, etc.
Yesterday we had an extraordinary day! We slept in (mmmm) took our time getting up and ready, I enjoyed a Whorebucks ritual I've not partaken in for ages, then we went to Gilbert's in Santa Monica so my love could enjoy his lifelong favorite meal there. I wasn't terribly hungry, I just picked at a few things. Oddly, I find lately my appetite is rather small and cravings very nondescript. Then we went to the beach, or the Santa Monica area that overlooks the ocean, and GOD that's gorgeous! The weather was spot-on spectacular and we even found legal free parking RIGHT where we wanted to be, just as we pulled up. I love those simlpe moments of serendipity and flow. After ocean-gazing and people watching while my love snapped gorgeous pics, we headed up PCH, which always reminds me of my long lost friend Mac. It was his dream to come visit Los Angeles and drive up the coast in a convertible while listening to the Beach Boys at full blast. Well, I can't stand the Beach Boys so I skipped that part but I always send him love when I find myself zooming up PCH on exquisite days like that. :)
We went through Topanga and stopped at my old favorite cafe, The Water Lily, for a little while. I used to go there every weekend and sat for HOURS inside, with my trusty laptop and headphones, listening to music while writing my novels, and watching the locals. Such a strange community, Topanga. I find it to be so incredibly beautiful and healing to be there, but the locals are mostly assholes with money or the Birkenstock granola crowd, neither of which are very welcoming clans. Nevertheless, I've loved it there for a long, long time, and had a tearful moment realizing that very soon the Water Lily would be but a beautiful memory for me. Thankfully, my love took some lovely pics inside for me to cherish. I'd love for us to do the same at the Inn somehow before we go, one last brunch hurrah, creekside.
But today we are on a routine we are testing out and using as a simple, cleansing and inexpensive way to live for a while; fresh raw oj all day, bananas and banana smoothies at night. Bananas are filling, yummy and super cheap. OJ isn't cheap, but about $5 per day for me, double for him, and oddly satisfying. It's making sure the water intake stays high and we keep energy intake up that makes it work. And yoga of course!
So whether we move to Portland in a few weeks or a few months, a major life change is underway and we both feel the shifts already, in a very positive sense. Where a week or so ago I was VERY stressed and worried, I feel wonderfull at peace, excited and thrilled about it all. I cannot wait to see the apartment we land in and in which we create a beautiful new space, and I cannot wait to see my old friends from high school who live up there there...even my monthly horoscope on Astrologyzone.com echoes this feeling with some incredible news about Pluto in my chart this year and for the next few years, making this the biggest time of positive change in my life and the time where I realize my TRUE worth and true callings, and actually live them, finally. I've been feeling that and saying that, and there was my monthly horoscope telling me I was right. ;)
Yesterday we had an extraordinary day! We slept in (mmmm) took our time getting up and ready, I enjoyed a Whorebucks ritual I've not partaken in for ages, then we went to Gilbert's in Santa Monica so my love could enjoy his lifelong favorite meal there. I wasn't terribly hungry, I just picked at a few things. Oddly, I find lately my appetite is rather small and cravings very nondescript. Then we went to the beach, or the Santa Monica area that overlooks the ocean, and GOD that's gorgeous! The weather was spot-on spectacular and we even found legal free parking RIGHT where we wanted to be, just as we pulled up. I love those simlpe moments of serendipity and flow. After ocean-gazing and people watching while my love snapped gorgeous pics, we headed up PCH, which always reminds me of my long lost friend Mac. It was his dream to come visit Los Angeles and drive up the coast in a convertible while listening to the Beach Boys at full blast. Well, I can't stand the Beach Boys so I skipped that part but I always send him love when I find myself zooming up PCH on exquisite days like that. :)
We went through Topanga and stopped at my old favorite cafe, The Water Lily, for a little while. I used to go there every weekend and sat for HOURS inside, with my trusty laptop and headphones, listening to music while writing my novels, and watching the locals. Such a strange community, Topanga. I find it to be so incredibly beautiful and healing to be there, but the locals are mostly assholes with money or the Birkenstock granola crowd, neither of which are very welcoming clans. Nevertheless, I've loved it there for a long, long time, and had a tearful moment realizing that very soon the Water Lily would be but a beautiful memory for me. Thankfully, my love took some lovely pics inside for me to cherish. I'd love for us to do the same at the Inn somehow before we go, one last brunch hurrah, creekside.
But today we are on a routine we are testing out and using as a simple, cleansing and inexpensive way to live for a while; fresh raw oj all day, bananas and banana smoothies at night. Bananas are filling, yummy and super cheap. OJ isn't cheap, but about $5 per day for me, double for him, and oddly satisfying. It's making sure the water intake stays high and we keep energy intake up that makes it work. And yoga of course!
So whether we move to Portland in a few weeks or a few months, a major life change is underway and we both feel the shifts already, in a very positive sense. Where a week or so ago I was VERY stressed and worried, I feel wonderfull at peace, excited and thrilled about it all. I cannot wait to see the apartment we land in and in which we create a beautiful new space, and I cannot wait to see my old friends from high school who live up there there...even my monthly horoscope on Astrologyzone.com echoes this feeling with some incredible news about Pluto in my chart this year and for the next few years, making this the biggest time of positive change in my life and the time where I realize my TRUE worth and true callings, and actually live them, finally. I've been feeling that and saying that, and there was my monthly horoscope telling me I was right. ;)
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