JOY is not something that ‘happens’ to us. it’s not something we wait for, or something other people give to us. JOY is something we CHOOSE. something we PRACTICE. our reality is largely the nature of our thoughts, so practice manifesting JOY and abundance, just as you would practice landing a handstand. the results are well worth it
HAPPY NEW YEAR! This morning, January 1, I woke up feeling…. different. (And not simply because I had imbibed an inordinate amount of pink champagne at various NYE festivities, and kissed a few friends (and maybe even one or two strangers) last night as the ball dropped)….. Different, because I know that today is a brand new day, in a brand new, squeaky clean sparkling new year! A day, and a year where anything is possible. Life just feels… new. vibrant. brimming with all the potential for whatever I choose to imagine.
2011, for me, was a year of learning. and growing. I almost feel as if I knew all along that it was merely a preparation. A time to listen, and feel. To overcome, to persevere, and to clear space for all that is to come in 2012. And now…. 2012 is here. So as I tumble out of bed, I feel almost giddy as I down a glass of fresh squeezed OJ (resolution #1 – no diet sodas) and brew my own coffee (resolution #2 and #3– consume less sugar, and don’t squander money at Starbucks for ludicrous half-caff sugar free mochas).
For the New Year, I have resolved to begin each morning by drawing an ‘angel card’ for a daily intention. These are small cards with one word printed on them…. representing the specific ‘angel’ that is working with you to guide you along your path each day (resolution #4- be open to study and explore my own spirituality). Today, I decide to shuffle the cards before choosing. As I do so, I start to feel an inexplicable pressure to choose the right card. The best card. I mean… I’m kind of expecting this little card to offer some deeply profound insight for the ENTIRE year. After all, my friend Katie has told me that she is positive 2012 will be my MIRACLE YEAR. My friend Cathy has told me that, exactly one year ago, her psychic predicted that 2012 was going to be my YEAR of ABUNDANCE (No pressure). This card I’m about to pick HAS to be perfect! But then…. I breathe, and realize that I’m being ridiculous (resolution #5 – stop trying to be perfect, and accept my soul’s inherent perfection). SO I calmly continue to shuffle, meditating on my intentions as I do so (resolution #6 – practice meditations). Just then…. a kind of miraculous thing happened. At least…. I choose to think of it as miraculous (resolution #7- notice, and appreciate small miracles…. they are a key to the divine). As I am shuffling… 3 cards flip themselves over. Now… this breaks all the rules (resolution #8 – break more rules) of having to CHOOSE just ONE card, but I harnessed resolutions #7 & #8, and just went with it.
the 3 words facing me were: ABUNDANCE. AWAKENING. and AUTHENTICITY. As I stare at each card, I marvel at the perfection of these words. I look forward to the vast potential of this new year. This fresh start (resolution #9 – learn from the past. Be present. Look forward). It’s beginning to appear that 2012 will… in fact… be my personal MIRACLE YEAR.
ABUNDANCE. AWAKENING. AUTHENTICITY. I couldn’t have chosen better myself. Which leads me to notice…. a rather wonderful lesson: sometimes…. The true path to your destiny, means getting out of your own way, and trusting that LIFE…. may have bigger plans for you, than you could ever have imagined for yourself (resolution #10- Trust more. Fear less) I hope YOUR New Year is….. MIRACULOUS.
One filled with joy preaches without preaching. ~Mother Teresa
live your life to the fullest, and practice radiating JOY! not just “in general”, but specifically…. now. today.
breathe. read. send an email to an old friend. make a new friend. practice the power of positive thought. taste every bite. take a bubble bath. do a 2 minute meditation on ‘gratitude’ at your desk. get your exercise by JUMPING for JOY!!! you have the power to brighten someone’s day….. do it. and never forget…. that by “preaching” joy with even your smallest ACTIONS, you receive the ultimate gift yourself. true happiness.
Late last year, I took a trip around the world, and one of the many highlights was a jaunt to Mal Pais, Costa Rica (see previous blogs). This sleepy little village is a haven for venturesome surfers, located square between the beautiful rolling waves of the coast-line, and the alluring greenery of the dense rain forests. In short…. Paradise.
During my visit to this Utopia, one of my favorite treats was cracking open a fresh coconut (straight from the tree) for the hydration of it’s water. And by “cracking”….. I actually mean machete-ing. and by “water” i actually mean ‘liquid Bliss’. That’s right. Part of my enchanted exploration of our planet involved learning to wield a heavy, hand-made machete to cut the coconuts down from the branches & break them open for their delicious meat & milk. (no harm came to the coconut trees in this massacre. Their fruit is meant to be harvested). This fresh coconut water kept me hydrated and energized through hours upon hours of sunshine, surfing, and hiking through the wilderness. It kept me cool in the warm daylight, and sweetened the starlight drenched nights.
Back in the real world of los angeles, it’s not quite as easy to find a) a coconut tree springing out of the 405 freeway, or b) a handy machete to carry around in my yoga bag. SO….. I have recently been introduced to the next best thing! YogaEarth “Purity” organic coconut water. Easily transportable, this 100% organic powder is hand- harvested from coconuts in Bali, Indonesia (another elysian Arcadia I visited on my travels). Each tiny packet packs a HUGE punch of hydrating electrolytes, which give your water a flavorful boost, and can easily sustain you through a rigorous yoga flow. Or….Tough Mudder. or deep sea fishing adventure. or… any other earth shattering feat your sense of adventure brings your way!
To be honest, i’ve never been one who Loved the taste of straight up water. I mean…. i Drink it. but it’s more out of a sense of obligation. in fact: obligation… mixed with guilt. Dehydration wreaks absolute havoc on your endocrine system. So i drink water… because, I know it’s healthier than… say… a boba tea. or an In-n-Out milkshake. But in most cases, i would much rather have either of latter. Those who know me, know that i have a (not-so-secret) penchant for Diet Dr. Pepper. It is one of the guilty pleasures i am trying desperately to quit. Let’s face it. it’s not exactly the ideal “poster drink” of the yoga community. PLUS, i am constantly reminded by my loved ones that sugar substitutes have lately come under scrutiny for causing strokes in later years. Awesome. SO…. In my recent quest to cut down on my (formerly embarrassingly high) intake of diet sodas and high calorie/ sugar-rich sports drinks, “YogaEarth Purity” is exactly the ally I need to thwart the insidious enemies: aspartame & dehydration.
And perhaps even MORE amazingly…. Each sip I take brings me back to that relaxing beach on Mal Pais, where I lay (arms distance from my machete), enjoying a quiet siesta in a swaying hammock between 2 coconut trees, listening to the rolling surf kiss the sundrenched shore. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
** look for purity at YogaEarth.com. I am thrilled to be one of their newest ambassadors!
Typically, I like to begin these blogs with an itemization of “5 Things for which I am thankful”. Today…. I think I will break with tradition, and instead begin this post with…
“5 Things of which I am TERRIFIED!!” 1) being attacked by sharks 2) drowning in the open ocean 3) being attacked by sharks 4) getting lost at sea, forced to seek survival on a raft, bereft of companions, and reduced to forging a bond of friendship with a volleyball named Wilson 5) did I MENTION the sharks????
You might ask, “why the radically modified (and slightly morose) list?” Well I’ll tell you: This coming Saturday, I am forgoing my usual weekend routine of happy hours, leisurely brunches, and dozens of languid hours at the beach. Instead, I am embracing my inner explorer, and embarking on an epic journey… Deep Sea Fishing. In Mexico!!! Why?? Well…. because I have a profound thirst for adventure. And no one has ever accused me of being practical or mundane. But the even broader importance of this trip is that So much of what I teach is based on the idea of being OPEN to opportunities that present themselves. I am constantly encouraging my students to grow in their practice (on and off the mat) by coming out of their comfort zone, and reaching for that which they have not yet mastered. On the mat, this may manifest as a willingness to fall while exploring the balance of ‘half moon’ pose. Off the mat, it may be revealed as taking on a new job, or training for a triathalon. Either way, the embracing of change is an imperative element of growth. Last week in my Yoga class, I referenced a quote from one of my favorite artists, which has become almost like a mantra for my life.
I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it. ~Pablo Picasso
Yes. I was one of those annoying students in elementary school who was always raising my hand in class and “Oh! Oh!”-ing to be called on. I LOVED learning and reading, and turning in papers…. I basically Hermione Granger-ed my entire way through the educational system. And while I LIKE to think that I’ve become less annoying about it…. my lust for learning & expanding my horizons has not changed that much since those early days in pigtails & plaid uniforms. I still yearn to learn MORE. To discover… MORE. About…. almost everything! I enjoy taking on challenges, and diving head-first into exotic experiences…… and doing so, usually involves a fair amount of ‘fearlessness’. An un-tempered willingness to reach beyond what we know, and to leap head first into uncharted waters. Be they metaphorical…. Or (in my case) literal.
So…. whether it’s Deep Sea Fishing, Tough Mudders, or new relationships, I find that being open to learning the profound lessons held in any of these enigmas, MAY just teach us something about ourselves along the way. And if I manage to return safely from my weekend out on the Open ocean, with NO land in sight… I’ll happily share my insights and experiences with YOU. If not…. I guess I’ll be sharing them with ‘Wilson’. And my raft.
I came upon this quote earlier today over my Venti iced coffee as i was preparing to teach. At first, it sounds pretty basic…. i mean, we’ve heard it a million times: “follow your heart!”. it’s not exactly an earth-shattering revelation. BUT…. maybe….. it could be. Maybe Confucius did not intend this advice to be applied only to the broad spectrum of our careers and life journeys. MAYBE…. he meant it to apply to every individual day. or even…. every individual moment.
Like most of us, I sometimes get swept up in the big picture. The grand plan. In that respect, I ABSOLUTELY lead with my heart (sometimes, even at the expense of my head). I mean, 5 years ago I picked up my life in NYC, packed it in one suitcase, and moved it all the way across the country to LA with no job, no family, and no idea what was in store. nothing but faith. I’d say that qualifies as leading with the heart. BUT…. what about every day tasks? what about grocery shopping. or looking for parking? When i’m doing laundry…. am i doing laundry “with all my heart”? Well… maybe not. but WHY not? aren’t we reminded in every yoga class to be present in THIS moment? if so, wouldn’t it be wise, and maybe even make life a bit more joyful, if we DID do laundry, and buy groceries, and find parking with all our heart? Every moment we have is a truly special gift. i mean let’s face it. all we have to do is turn on the News for 5 minutes to be reminded of how fragile & precarious life is. and so MUCH of life is spent doing what might be considered menial, or mundane tasks. brushing our teeth, doing the dishes, getting dressed, running errands. but what if they weren’t mundane? what if we made a conscious effort to make those moments count just as richly as any other?
If we really want to make the most of the time we have, we won’t wait until the weekend, or our vacation, or the fulfillment of all our hopes and dreams, to be happy. we will create our own happiness NOW, by placing great value on these everyday tasks. perhaps we can shift our view. after all…. “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. what if…. we could make grocery shopping a reminder of how fortunate we are to be able to put food on the table. what if brushing our teeth was not just “brushing our teeth”, but rather, a commitment to longevity & wellness in the body. and so on….
so today, maybe make an intention to take the sage advice of Confucius, and “wherever you go, go with all your heart”. Even if, where you’re going….. is the laundromat.
5 things I’m grateful for today: 1) every French teacher, Yoga teacher, and teacher of anything I know, who has ever touched my life. 2) thai tiger balm 3) machete sharpeners 4) my rip curl rash guard 5) fresh coconut milk from the tree outside my cabana
Costa Rica: Day 3
8:00 am- woke up this morning a bit groggy & violently scratching my left wrist. I looked down to find I had 2 rather large, somewhat scary looking mosquito bites. I looked UP to find that the very romantic looking mosquito net that had been wrapped around my bed had somehow been pushed off to the side. I must’ve had a tumultuous nights’ sleep to cause such disarray… (which makes sense, since I vaguely recall a dream about being chased by a giant, menacing SoyJoy bar). I also remember, somewhat cavalierly NOT applying bug spray last night. As I sit up, I start scratching my forearm… I look down, and even without the aid of my contacts, I can make out at least 20 bites from wrist to elbow. Perfect. As I leave my cabana to go machete my breakfast of coconuts and starfruit, Jonathan (the tall handsome resort owner) must notice even more bites because he looks at me and slyly says “ahhhh you must be very sweet!”. Excellent. Mosquitos love me. I’ll add them to the list which already includes pervy geriatrics in flourescent speedos, and greasy european tourists who always seem to resemble french pedophiles.
Fortunately, my new British friend Chris (the hilarious half of the British couple I met yesterday) is at breakfast and has some tiger balm he acquired in thailand, where they SWEAR by it for mosquito relief. I slather it on, and after the initial burning sensation (worrisome) I start to feel a cooling relief (pleasant). After Jonathan gives me some pointers on sharpening and effectively wielding a machete (FYI… These pointers include how to get one home to LA in my checked luggage) I sit down again to find that Jamie and Katie (the supermodel half of the British couple I met yesterday) have joined for breakfast, and we converse about our journeys in Mal Pais. Katie laughs as I explain how I have developed the bizarre habit of inadvertently speaking to the locals in a strange fusion of Spanish, English and French (the language I studied but never perfected in high school). ’Franglish’, you might call it. I actually contemplated taking snapshots of people’s faces as they try to decipher my Franglish. I suspect this would make an interesting coffee table book.
7:00pm- after sheathing my machete this morning, Jamie and I headed to what has become our own private yoga studio out in the open air between the pool and the jungle. We use Jamie’s iPhone to rock out to ‘Mike Snow’ and ‘Florence and the Machine’ as we Vinyasa our little hearts out. Sweaty and serene, we dive into the pool to cool down before biking to St. Theresa for our first surfing lesson. On our cycling journey into town, we are serenaded by a un-ending chorus of “Hola Chicas” and “Muy Bonito” and…. Some other ‘salutations’ which I couldn’t understand because I’m QUITE sure ‘Dora the Exolorer’ never said them.
When we arrive at the surf shop, we meet our fearless leader. LoLo. Now….. It is nearly impossible for me to describe in words, or even photos, the sheer and sublime AWESOMENESS that is LoLo. For starters- he is a Frenchman who lives in Costa Rica, so he TOO speaks something along the lines of Franglish, and I instantly feel we are kindred spirits. LoLo also speaks so rapidly and with such a thick accent, that you must be quite quick-witted to follow anything at all he is saying. personally… I love this. AND i love that he named his son Neo- after the Matrix. LoLo is incredibly tan, and has hair like Richard Simmons. If Richard Simmons never used conditioner and was violently electrocuted. LoLo says this helps protect his brain in case his board ever hits him in the head. and with that…. We hop in his SUV and drive 20 min. away so we can surf Hermosa Beach, which is renowned as one of the ‘Top 10 Most Beautiful Beaches’ in the world. When we arrive, I understand why. First we have to carry our boards through the jungle (true story) to Reach the surf. When we emerge, I am standing on the pristine white sand of the wide expanse of the most stunning beach I have ever seen. It is So reminiscent of LOST, i am quite sure that, at any moment, ‘The Others’ are going to come running out of the jungle to ambush us. But they don’t. Instead I turn around to see that LoLo has slathered on so much SPF, that his face is literally white, in humorous contrast to his over tanned body. KoLo is also SUCH a Bad-Ass, that he teaches surfing in a sunhat… Which, in the 3 hours we spend in the ocean, never once falls off. LoLo is basically a surfing ninja. While listening to him explaining ‘Board Safety’ and ‘take off’ techniques, I am ceaselessly amused that LoLo (in Franglish) refers to toes as ‘fingers’….. ”Don’t put tout your weight en your fingers, bueno?”. I love this guy.
Surfing is such a fascinating experience. At any moment, you could be absolutely destroyed by the power of the Sea. As I walk into the surf, I look up and see birds of prey circling over our heads. I decide not to take this as an omen of impending doom, and I head directly into the Sea. I begin my first take-off and immediately wipe-out, but excitedly turn around for more. My third attempt, i get up and make it shore. Before long, I am not simply standing on a board…. But actually riding on the sea to LoLo’s cries of “Allez Elise!!!!” “Voila!” “Very Tres Buena!!!!”
Now LoLo… is an absolutely Fabulous surfing instructor. The best. As a (Yoga) teacher myself, I am very aware of the difference between being a talented practitioner, and a gifted teacher. I’ve been extremely fortunate in my Yoga practice over the years to have learned from so many talented teachers…. Many of whom never demonstrated a single pose. I understand that in Yoga, sometimes the teachers with the most impressive asana abilities physically, understand little about teaching others, and even less about the true meaning of Yoga. Teaching is a unique talent. LoLo… Has this talent. Yes… He gives excellent cues on how to establish and improve your technique. Moreover, He gives you the tools you need to truly become a surfer. Balance, knowledge, position, breath, ease. most importantly…. LoLo teaches you to read the Sea. To understand and respect it. When he was teaching me, I felt- with every molecule of my being- that his sole purpose is to share his passion for surfing with beginners. To make us love it as much as he does. To open up- not just our bodies- but our hearts and minds and souls to this astounding world he lives in. A world we might otherwise merely pass through, unaffected. He wants us…. To fall in love with Surfing. And today…. Out in the open ocean…. Somewhere between sunset and twilight…… I fell in love.
5 things I’m grateful for today: 1) jurlique hair de-tangler 2) 50 SPF (again) 3) glorious sunsets 4) My super sexy head-lamp 5) my iPhone camera
Woke up this morning and the last thing I remember is blissfully drifting off to sleep, gently serenaded by a melodious symphony of crickets and waterfalls. Though I could very easily envision myself sleeping for another 5-6 hours, I decide that this would be a wonton waste of a lovely morning in paradise. As I blearily make my way to the complementary traditional breakfast of fried eggs, rice and beans, I am reminded that I am indeed in the middle of the rainforest. Outside, there is somehow an astounding combination of sunshine and pouring rain. I immediately regret not buying the raincoat The salesman at REI was trying to sell me… But I am grateful for the 1$ poncho I bought at bed bath and beyond. I don’t quite need it yet, as breakfast is served on a covered patio overlooking the private outdoor Yoga space… So I sit sipping my orange juice and coffee enjoying a new serenade: heavy drops of rain splashing on wide thick jungle leaves. The rhythm and sound are complex and unique… More like an obscure Ravel than a well known Mozart rhapsody. The effect is mesmerizing. But just as quickly as it showered… It vanished. Leaving only sunshine and cumulous clouds, hanging puffy and white over the tumultuous ocean.
After breakfast, and a lovely conversation with 2 vacationing Brits, I took a nap in my hammock. That’s right. A post breakfast siesta. In the sunshine… Content and relaxed. A lifetime away from network meetings and Hollywood Blvd. For a moment in time, my life paralleled that of the stray cat that somehow adopted our resort as it’s home. As I slouched in the hammock, she creeped in the open door of our cabana and luxuriated on Jamie’s bed like she owned the place.
After my nap, Jamie & I decided to explore. No map. No tour guide. No over-stuffed red bus filled with hawaiian shirt-clad retirees. We simply embarked on a journey with no destination in mind, save maybe a fruit stand and a strip of surf. We trekked the dirt road and then meandered off the beaten path to the rocky strips of beach near our hotel. We came upon a small sign that read simply ‘bicyclette’ and we followed it into the jungle, until we came upon a young boy, riding his red bike with the prowess of an iron man triathlete. I smiled, mustered my best Espanol and shouted “bueno! Muy rapido!!”. Now… This may or may not mean “Good! Very fast!!”. I don’t really know, as my remedial knowledge of Spanish is limited exclusively to the handful of ’Dora the Explorer’ episodes i have watched with my 5 year old nephew Parker. Despite my linguistic shortcomings, Jamie and I somehow manage to utilize our limited combined understanding of Spanish to bargain our way down to renting bikes for the week at nearly half their listed price. ”Muy Bueno”!
Now equipped with transportation, we hit the dirt trail that (we assumed) must lead to the heart of town. As we began to ride, I noticed my bike seat was about 7 inches too low, which, (when combined with my ‘vibram 5 finger shoes’) made me look almost uncannily like a circus clown. I also noticed that we were riding beach cruisers over terrain which simply screamed for 12 speed mountain bikes. Moreover…. I noticed my breaks were not EXACTLY the most reliable. In fact… I had to spin them backward 2 full rotations before they would engage. “Ha!” (I thought) “ALL part of the adventure!”.
We rode into town and stopped off for some water and fresh fruit. Figuring that no self respecting Costa Rican would steal our baby pink beach cruisers, we leaned them against a coconut tree and walked around. in addition to the many human inhabitants of this region, there is quite a population of stray dogs. All…… even the vicious looking breeds…. are incredibly docile and friendly. Some look well-fed (no doubt by bleeding-heart tourists like myself) but most are very thin, and scavenging for food. Even these dogs seem somehow happy, and not at all lonely, but STILL I am compelled to enter a bodega & buy dog treats to share with the many lovable mutts that cross our path. A disproportionate amount of these seem to be nursing mothers, which practically breaks my heart, but they appear to be fending for themselves quite well,and though they graciously accept my compassion, they have no need at all for my pity. If I ever made a home here, I would have to rescue millions of dogs because I fell in love with each & every one of them. Ridgeback to chihuahua.
On the journey back to our resort, I discovered a new love of bike riding. The breeze cools down the warm air, making it seem somehow less humid. There is so much lush beauty all around you, that it is difficult to keep your eyes & focus on the path. With no defined road or rules, and barely another vehicle in sight, you feel a sense of freedom and daring. I somehow felt simultaneously tranquil and invincible. Halfway home, as i was racing down a hill, incredibly happy with myself, my bike chain gave way. I heard a BANG and began plummeting out of control straight toward an oncoming ATV until I was able to swerve, narrowly miss a drop off into a creek, and finally stop myself by dragging my five finger shoes along the rocky path. Happy to still be alive, I realized that- despite this brush with death (or at least.. brush with minor injury) fortune had smiled on me. I looked up to find that I had crashed right in front of the bike rental shop. And by ‘shop’, I mean the back porch of a family home where my bike was quickly repaired by a mechanic. And by ‘mechanic’, I mean a friendly bi-lingual man who had to be over 60, but whose lifetime of surfing gave him a physique to rival most 30 year olds I know.
After another hammock siesta (yes. One day….. 2 naps) and a dip in the waterfall pool, we take another excursion, this time on foot as we traverse the rocky 8km strip of beach along the coast. We end up down where the fisherman cast their nets and watch for a bit. The oldest is in his seventies, the youngest can’t be more than 10. the sun sets slowly, and the evening air hangs sweet and thick like molasses. I feel as though I am in another world, and another time……
Back at the resort, I float under the stars for a bit of nocturnal meditation, and then retreat to the open air yoga studio for some self- led candlelight yin yoga. I am joined by a friendly 90 lb. Dog who has followed me, and curls up near my mat for what appears to be his own meditation. We breathe together, and my mind lethargically quiets…
Rejuvenated, Jamie and I decide to bike down to Mary’s, the only local bar. And by ‘bar’…. I mean open air hut near the fish market. The dirt path is dark, so I strap on my handy (and EXTREMELY fashionable) REI ‘headlamp’, and valiantly lead the way. Within moments, we are sipping fresh fruit daiquiris and eating the most DELICIOUS ceviche and barely seared ahi tuna I have ever placed on my tongue. Caught only HOURS earlier, the fresh fish simply melted in your mouth. I’ve never experienced anything this delectable. During drinks, our waiter (a 20 year old blonde surfer from the Big Island) invites us to join him and his friends sailing tomorrow. Sadly, we have already booked a private surfing lesson at the same time… But we thank him and take a rain check.
On the ride home Jamie and I converse about very important daiquiri inspired topics- from boys, to wikileaks, to world peace. And though it may not benefit the whole ‘World’, We fall into bed content to have found our own little oasis of Peace…. right here under the stars and the mosquito netting.
