Out with the excuses, In with the love

Let's face it, most of us do not look like a cover model on Yoga Journal magazine, and our yoga flows aren't always as graceful as those on our favorite yoga DVDs. In fact, many times we look at some of those poses and think, "No way can I put my body into that position." In my years as a yoga teacher, I've lost track of the number of times someone has said, "I'm not flexible enough to do yoga." Many of these assumptions about yoga come from stereotypical images of a yoga teacher or student in a pretzeled out, advanced yoga pose. I often wonder how many people have never tried yoga out of fear of not being flexible, skinny, twisty, bendy, or whatever enough. 

I was never athletic growing up. In fact, gym was always my least favorite subject. I suffered a back injury just crossing my legs that ended up requiring surgery at the age of 16 years old. Despite being a yoga teacher, I am still not athletic. I have run (and I use that word loosely) one 5K ever, and don't plan on doing it again. Because of my back injury, I do have limitations, and I have learned out of necessity to listen to my body. 

Listening to the body is what I encourage everyone to do when they come to my yoga classes. I tell them that I will give instructions to guide them through poses safely, but that it is their responsibility to know their own bodies, because the reality is that we are all made differently and we all have different abilities. 

Earlier this year I took part in a daily yoga pose challenge. The challenge was to try a new yoga pose every day. The poses were pre-selected, so there were definitely some poses that my body simply would not do. When I first encountered such a pose, I actually skipped that day. However, after skipping one pose, I decided I would not allow myself to do that again. Rather than skipping an "impossible" pose, I would find a modification of the pose or do a different pose altogether.

Doing my own thing.

One of the things I love about yoga is that it is not competitive. It is actually more contemplative. So what I was able to remind myself during the daily yoga pose challenge is that it really doesn't matter what we look like in our yoga pants or whether we are doing the poses like the DVD or the cover of the magazine. 

My soul-nourishing, belly laughable attempt
at a modified variation of a handstand.

What always matters is whether the posture feels good (and safe) in our bodies and in our very souls. 

It didn't feel good to my body or my soul to miss a day of yoga just because I was unable to complete the assigned pose, but when I challenged myself to choose a different pose or modify the pose, even if it looked silly, my yoga practice was doing what it is supposed to do to begin with....nourish my body, mind, and spirit. 

So next time one of those excuses creep into your mind telling you you're too (fill in the blank) or you're NOT (fill in the blank) enough, I want you to take a moment to breathe, and mentally say to yourself as you inhale and exhale:

(Exhale) "Out with the excuses."
(Inhale) "In with the Love."

Then remember that when you take the time to listen to your body and your spirit, you will create the space to make that situation or that practice or that whatever it is your very own, and you will find nourishment for your mind, body, and spirit.

Be well.
Shannon

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

My breakfasts are normally pretty predictable. I'm a morning smoothie person. However, when I was creating my menu and grocery list for this week, I was suddenly struck with this overwhelming craving for quinoa with berries, mango, walnuts, and shredded coconut. So this morning, I mixed things up, gave my blender a day off, and made this super delicious Quinoa Breakfast Bowl! 

Top photo: Before eating
Bottom photo: All mixed up and ready to eat

 

I love this breakfast because not only is it absolutely delicious, but it is also so simple, and jam packed full of nutrition! Calcium, anti-oxidants, tons of vitamins and minerals, proteins, carbohydrates for energy, and so much more! 

It would also be super-amazing on top of a bed of mixed greens, with a squeeze of lemon, and a little mint. (I will probably do this next time.) 

                                                QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWL

(everything is pretty much "to taste")

• 1/2 c cooked quinoa (1/2 c dried quinoa + 1 c water, let boil, turn down to low, and cook covered for 15 mins. This will make more than 1/2 c, so save leftovers or share with a friend or loved one.)
• sliced strawberries
• handful of blueberries
• chopped mango
• chopped walnuts
• unsweetened shredded coconut (sprinkled on top)
• optional additions: mixed greens, lemon juice, mint leaves, sprinkle of cinnamon 

Be well.

Shannon

Cheap vs Frugal

We've all been there. Trying to save money, so we buy the less expensive item, only to have it break long before we had hoped, and in the long run, end up spending more by replacing it...sometimes multiple times. 

For my family, it's the blender. What we really want is a Vitamix. Who doesn't, right? But dishing out upwards of $400-600 for a blender/food processor seemed excessive to our family. So what did we do? We bought a smaller, much less expensive brand. What we discovered is that while it was good for some things we wanted to make, it wouldn't quite do the job with other food processing needs. So then we bought something else, a little more expensive, but still about half the price of a Vitamix. There are still times it doesn't work quite as well as we would like, but for the most part, it's been great....until the last couple of months (we've only had it about a year). Recently, we've had two mishaps with our blender: (1) The spout cap fell off and disappeared, so now when I need to blend, I have to put a piece of aluminum foil or plastic wrap over the top spout and hold it there so the contents don't splatter everywhere, and (2) it has started to crack on the inside. So we tried to save money by going with the cheaper blender/food processor...twice. The reality is that in buying those two blenders, we've spent about the same amount as a Vitamix. Lesson learned. 

What I have learned from my blender (and from any number of other "cheap" purchases) is that while the less expensive item might save you money in the short term, we end up spending more in the long run. This is the difference between "cheap" and "frugal." Cheap will cost you less in the short term, but in the end, sometimes the "frugal" option is the Vitamix. 

The same is true when we look at health care and essential oils. A lot of people look at the essential oils that I talk about all the time and say, "They're too expensive." When we look at the short term cost, they do seem "too expensive," because they cost more than that little 5ml bottle at the grocery store. However, when we look at the long term cost, what we find is that while we spend more upfront, we actually save more long term. 

Did you know???

• A 15ml bottle holds approximately 260 drops, and because with high quality oils (something else you're not guaranteed with the "cheap" oils), typically only one or two drops at a time is all that is needed.
• When your essential oils start running low, you can dilute them with fractionated coconut oil to extend the life of your oils without reducing the effectiveness of the oils.
• For many basic health concerns, a few drops of oil can solve the problem without a
  
  trip to the doctor. One drop of oil costs anywhere from approximately $.09 - $.90 as opposed to a $25 copay to the doctor + prescription costs. (There are definitely times when a trip to the doctor and a prescription is necessary, but there are also a lot of ailments we can take care of ourselves when we have access to the right tools.) 
• I prefer to get my essential oils through a wholesale enrollment (The oil company I use is only $35 - like a Costco membership), because it saves me 25% off the retail cost every time I shop, and there's no obligation to purchase a certain amount or even every month. (Also, if you bundle your oils by enrolling with a kit, the cost of the enrollment is included. And as with all bundles, the bigger bundle saves you even more!)
• Through the particular essential oil company that I use, If you decide to purchase a minimal amount monthly, you will receive a percentage of your purchase back to use toward FREE oils and wellness products. 

So as you can see, buying these "expensive" essential oils can actually save you money.

So the question is: Cheap or Frugal? 

When it comes to health, I'd rather be frugal than cheap. If you agree and are interested in learning more about how you can save on your health care costs through essential oils, please contact me to learn more.

Be well.

Shannon

Relaxation in the Midst of Distraction

Everyone looks forward to the end of yoga class. It is that time when you can rest your body, quiet your mind, and relax. Ideally, the room is silent, or perhaps there is soothing music playing or quiet sounds of nature in the background...birds, rain, the ocean, or a babbling brook. The reality is that this does not always happen. We don't always get our ideal, and so we have to learn how to relax in the midst of the chaos. 

As a yoga teacher, I have experienced guiding relaxation through the sound of what can only be described as a fleet of leaf blowers, through the thin walls of an adjoining business where someone was sharing the events of her life that sounded like an episode of Judge Judy, and while teaching an outdoor yoga class even experienced someone cursing at us and calling us crass names during relaxation. None of these are ideal scenarios for relaxation, and I have sometimes found myself getting frustrated that our time was being disrupted. However, it occurred to me that even in the midst of the chaos, those disruptions could not take away the positivity of the yoga practice that we were enjoying. The only way that positive energy can be disrupted is if I allow it to penetrate the space in my mind that has been filled with love and light during my yoga practice. 

What I have found myself doing now rather than getting frustrated whenever I am distracted or disrupted by my surroundings is this....Rather than allow that negativity into my circle of light, I send light and love out of my circle and into that place of distraction. I may bring more focus to my breath, and use it as a meditation and silent mantra of love and peace. 
I inhale peace. 
I exhale love.

So I encourage you the next time you find yourself in one of those situations of disruption when you are trying to meditate or when you are in the relaxation part of your yoga class, find your own mantra of healing and love, and in so doing you may find that you can have your peace and share it too. 

Be happy, healthy, and at peace.
Shannon