Have you ever been in a yoga class, and felt weepy? Maybe in a long pigeon pose, or in savasana? You are definitely not alone. It has been my week for tears. It is certainly not the first time, and won’t be the last, but it always brings a feeling of unease and vulnerability.

Is everyone noticing me? Do they think I am crazy? Thank God I have taught enough classes to know that most of us go through it at one point or another, so there is nothing to be ashamed of. It is easy to forget these occurrences as I typically LOVE each yoga class. My body and mind feel free and full of bliss. A teacher once said to me that yogis become sensation junkies. We are completely addicted to feeling our bodies open. We just sometimes forget that we have to let the emotions open as well. As we move through yoga asana, we move energy in our bodies. We literally move emotions through our cells. The hope is that the negative emotions and/or energy are released and don’t become stuck in our cells creating illness, stress and ultimately mental instability. I have learned enough in my practice to know that when I start feeling that tightness in my throat and the tears starting to well up, I have to simply release and let it happen. It never gets easy, but I urge you to do the same. A yoga class is one of the safest places to let it out. Your instructor and fellow students will surely have the same experience eventually, if they haven’t already.

So, what has me weeping like a baby? Answers. It occurred to me yesterday, that I don’t have the answers. Believe me, it is not the first time I’ve come to this conclusion, but it seemed groundbreaking at the moment. I (as well as many of you) put so much pressure on myself to know exactly what to do next. Of course there is the obligatory advice seeking with my friends and husband, but at the end of the day, I usually rely on myself to make the appropriate choice.

When do I really give myself permission to accept that I DONT KNOW THE ANSWER?! Rarely. And, on top of that, doing so without judgement…HA, never. Yesterday I found myself thinking, “How can I get through feeling inauthentic in a career, being a new mom, balancing time with friends and my husband, and also teaching/practicing yoga?” Right now, I really have no idea. And, that is ok. At the end of the day, my life is incredible, and I am grateful for each moment. But, that doesn’t mean that some of those moments feel hopeless, stuck and frustrated. We all get this way, so why beat myself up about it?

Today, my practice is to ask for help, to accept that I don’t know all the answers, to welcome that feeling, and move through it without guilt. I will let the tears flow when they come knocking, and see where it takes me. So, next time you see or hear someone sobbing through savasana, send a little love and compassion their way. We all need it.

Laura Munkholm teaches Prenatal Flow at 10:45am every Saturday. Laura’s prenatal classes offer gentle yoga options as well as an opportunity for women to flow and move in their bodies to create the strength they need for their birthing day.

Holistic health and nutrition is a passion of mine and I’m always looking for ways to fine tune my diet to live a healthier lifestyle. The more I upgrade my daily eating habits the more I tap into that body wisdom and not only understand but feel the direct correlation to the quality of food that I’m eating and the way I feel physically and emotionally.

When I began my studies in nutrition I was devastated to learn that dairy might not be all that good for me. Like many clients I have worked with, we tend to have a very deep emotional connection to dairy and it’s hard to picture life with out it. I’m sure I’m not the only one who whet home, looked in the freezer at my half gallon of ice cream and wanted to cry! But, I wanted to be dedicated in my quest to live a healthier lifestyle and be a better nutritionist. I quickly replaced my whole milk that I was raised on with almond and coconut milk and was surprised to discover I didn’t really miss dairy milk. But I really missed the ice cream! I tried the healthier coconut ice cream in my nightly ritual of making milkshakes after dinner and I was still not satisfied. So what can a girl do who is on a mission to find delicious ice cream that is dairy free and not loaded with high fructose corn syrup? Make it herself!

I found a recipe in a raw food cook book that gave me the idea of using cashew cream in replace of heavy whipping cream. I then added some almond milk, coconut milk, agave and honey and I was convinced I had stumbled upon something amazing. I threw in an egg for good measure and poured my mixture into my ice cream maker. 1 hour later I was eating the best dairy free ice cream on the planet!

As I navigated my way through improving my personal dietary choices I’m noticing some pretty amazing shifts in my life. An Idaho girl raised on a farm is now drinking Almond milk?? But as I make these subtle changes in my diet I am discovering some not so subtle changes in my life. I can feel how everything I eat effects me in every way possible such as how I look, how I feel and definitely my mood.

Try this incredible ice cream for yourself! You will never go back to the old stuff. As a side note, it freezes a little harder then normal ice cream so I suggest making a milkshake (of course!). Add the ice cream and a small amount of Almond milk to your blender and enjoy.

1 c coconut milk

1 c cashew cream (1 cup of cashews soaked in water for 2 hours and blended until smooth)

4 c almond milk

1/2 c honey

1/4 c agave

1 egg

For Mint Chocolate Chip add:

1 t peppermint extract

1/2 package dark chocolate chips

ABOUT EMILY:

How I ended up at this “small but mighty” studio as I have heard it being described is nothing less then serendipitious. I instantly felt at home as I walked through the doors.

The catalyst would be miss Katie Brauer and the video on how it all happened can be found here: http://youtu.be/6DodcK4BzlM

Can I mention that this class was one of those epic, tears in your eye classes with Tim Flood taking it even deeper with his buddhaful music. Bliss (though I feel that is not really unsual for what goes down at Bindu on a daily basis).

Also, the instant love and connection we felt for Katie Brauer had us fly her down to San Francisco to be in our photoshoot and one of the goddess faces of our company. Did we mention we LOVE her?

We feel so honoured that Bindu now carries our special mala beads that are each individually made with intention and love.

So what are mala beads?

Mala beads are sacred necklaces that have been worn for thousands of years in traditions of yoga, Buddhism and Hinduism. These necklaces are made with 108 (Plus one additional guru stone) beads being a very sacred or auspicious number. Known to bring good luck, good energy, healing, health and fortune to its wearers.

Each Tiny Devotions mala is made with a different intention. Each stone represents something whether it is strength, love or healing. We are dedicated to helping you find the perfect mala for yourself or as gifts

If you are wondering how to choose mala beads check out this guest blog that we wrote on Crazy Sexy Life. http://crazysexylife.com/2011/wearing-your-intention-how-to-choose-mala-beads/

Our goal as a company is to inspire as many people as possible to create goals, set intentions and manifest their dreams.

We would love for your mala beads to be a daily reminder of gratitude for what you have achieved and the gifts you have in your life as well as a tactile reminder of what your intention is: what you desire to create and achieve – how you would like to be in the world.

See you soon at Bindu.

Namaste

Diana, Tiny Devotions
www.tinydevotions.com

Please feel free to join our online community at www.facebook.com/tinydevotions or follow us at twitter.com/tinydevotions

The butterfly effect is a metaphor that encapsulates the concept of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory; namely, a small change at one place in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. A butterfly flapping it’s wings in one area of the world, causing a tornado or some such weather event to occur in another remote area of the world.

As many of you know I have left for a surf adventure to the Metawaiis in Indonesia and a brief visit to Australia for my brothers wedding, certainly a magical month ahead. I am grateful for a life so full of travel as traveling provides incredible opportunities for growth and reflection, and of course random encounters….. but nothing is ever random is it?

Yoga for me is embracing life’s experiences off the mat and deepening into my own personal evolution. Exponential growth is something I am dedicated to this lifetime and the vehicle for that growth is inviting in experiences, people and places that cause shifts – growth, friction – growth, fun – growth, insight – growth…..and then some.

My final 3 days in San Diego were mind blowing and boggling to say the least. A visit from an unexpected messenger set me alight and alive with the mystery of the universe in perfect timing for my departure on another journey of limitless possibilities. Those last 3 days I could barely even find the words to describe what I had just experienced, and actually I still can’t, my logical mind is beyond comprehending how/why such events continually happen to me and fan the fire in my heart to deepen into truth and relationship to source, and an ever expanding gratitude for the divinely orchestrated life I was born into.

Leading up to trips I experience great anticipation for what lies ahead and the potential that dwells in the open space of possibility. New found friends, soul mates, insights, shifts, change, the gratitude for time to digest and integrate past experiences and witness as they find their resting place in my cellular structure. Mmmmmmm life is sweet, rich and full. For that I am truly grateful.

On my initial flight from San Diego I sat next to a young man, he was super open energetically and with a purity that was very present. He seemed surprised when I began talking to him and even more so when I pulled out my video camera and asked if I could interview him. He asked why? My response was “You never know who you are sitting next to or why you have crossed paths, amazing and sometimes crazy things happen in my life constantly and I have made a commitment to capturing some of them on film. You never know what is about to happen in the next moment……” He agreed and I started filming and asking him questions. His name is Lukas, he is from Germany, he is studying to be a Doctor and right now he is a courier of bone marrow. I look down and I see that he is carrying with him a cooler that has valuable bone marrow inside. He is on his way back to Frankfurt via LAX and then Munich, to deliver this bone marrow to a patient who is in her mid 40′s and suffering from leukemia. At one point in the conversation he says that he is actually thankful for me as a distraction from his anxiety. I ask why he is anxious, he shares that he has 20 minutes once we touch down in LA to get to his gate and board his flight to Munich, if he misses that flight, the bone marrow will expire and his patient will not receive what could be the key to her survival. HEAVY. As the air hostess comes around and asks if we have connecting flights, I say “Do you realize who this guy is and what he is doing?” I share his situation and she thinks we are joking, the looks on our faces and the faces of those in the near by seats very quickly assures her we are not. She says there is nothing she can do.

Hmmmmm. So as Lukas left the flight running, in his wake I was left in deep thought and have been since, now 2 days later I continue to ponder the effect that each of our actions have on those in our immediate environment and then on those all the way across the world. For Lukas, whom he encountered between gate 77 where we pulled into and his departure gate to Munich, and the choices these people made in each moment would directly effect the outcome of this woman’s life in Frankfurt. Point A to point B and everything in between.

It is impossible to know the effect that your actions have on others, positive or negative, unless it is communicated by those people. So today, after my 3 hours laying on the beach between surfs (btw every time I am down here I underestimate the sting of the Aussie sun) Tan lines aside, I have made a commitment to not only becoming more aware of my own actions and the potential impact they could have on others but also a commitment to openly sharing with others more often when I am moved and inspired by who they are and the experiences I have shared with them as well as communicating when another’s actions have had some other impact, be it negative or not so fun. In my reality, it is all good and all appreciated because the friction of the not so fun moments ultimately lead to growth, and at the end of the day, that for me is what I am committed to, period.

So on that note I will leave you with one of my favorite poems from one of my favorite poets, Danna Faulds.

Receive the interconnected majesty of All That Is.
When a cardinal sings in your yard, something very like a cat pricks up its ears a hundred light years from here. When you feel grateful for your life, across the world, someone’s heart lifts for no apparent reason. The universe is like that, invisible threads connecting. Some say the world is One. I say that language may be limited, but oneness is unthinkably inclusive.

Nothing you do or say, imagine or pray is outside creation’s web. Know yourself as a vastness and someone you never met may find themselves directly experiencing Truth for the first time. The universe is like that, light pouring into light, love increasing, the awareness of connection growing wider and wider until inside is outside and outside is inside, and all we are left with is miracles.

My journey into alignment with my own Truth came (very cliché) during my first trip to India. I had just retired as a Professional Snowboarder and upon arriving in Bombay, the moment I stepped off the plane I was smacked in the head with my shadow side and what followed was a month of hell. Everywhere I looked, every experience I had was a reflection of parts of myself I had not embraced and didn’t want to. A control freak, impatient, selfish, arrogant, rude, uptight, I loathed it – India and I loathed myself. India showed me all these qualities that my siblings and others had pointed out over the years which I shrugged off, certain they were mental, but now here I was day after day unable to ignore what India was shoving in my face, the aspects of myself I had chosen to ignore and edit out of my reality for years.

At one point in an ashram in the south I endured hours of asana and the chanting of mantra’s each day that sent me into a state of temporary insanity, too much to handle, I hopped on a plane to Sri Lanka to surf and escape the crazy stinky country and the parts of myself it so shockingly illuminated. As far as I was concerned I couldn’t have cared less if I ever returned to India again. But I would return to India after a month of surfing and I am oh so glad I did, a love affair with the country and myself began and set in motion what continues to unfold as a truly magical life.

There is no doubt for me that the 4-6 hrs a day I spent in the ocean, floating in that great body of water, riding waves and bathing in the suns rays, bought me into a coherency with nature in a way I had never experienced before, this was the beginning of a relationship and recognition of my own true nature and ignited a sensitivity, attunement and alignment with my own Truth. Since then my life has been guided by deep impulses that are unmistakable, and that cannot be ignored, loud beacons or markers that guide me and signal me when I am out of alignment and affirm and confirm when I am right on track.

So when a student asks me “ How do you know what your Truth is and if you are living it?” my response is this; if you get quiet enough inside, and listen, your Truth is loud, clear and unmistakable. If you have the courage to ask the questions, and then even more courage to listen, it is the deep sense of knowing that rises up from the bottomless well inside. Whether you are questioning your career path, the man or woman you are dating, the environment and the people you choose to spend time with on a Saturday night, in the potent stillness the answers lie and it is very clear. The question that then remains is; if you choose to acknowledge that Truth, which often requires making difficult choices and taking action to redirect your path.

It may be some paramount event or experience that catapults us into this enquiry or maybe just a curiosity and exploration, regardless of what it is once the relationship has been established and the cultivation of a sensitivity to the knowing grows, it is incredibly hard to ignore and is an incredible resource for guidance. Life becomes really simple when you realize that each choice you make, takes you closer to or further away from your Truth.

I know I am in my Truth when my thoughts, feelings, words and actions are in alignment, just as I know when I am not, because when I get quiet and ask, the answer is always deafeningly loud and clear.

My Truth is echoed as an incredible flow in my life, and for that I am truly grateful.

Katie Brauer is an ambassador for Lulu Lemon and owner of Bindu Yoga Studio in Del Mar, CA. Her studies in the Kripalu and Krishnamacharya linage, Ayurveda, Bhakti, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and somatic movement infuse her progressive approach to the embodiment of Yoga on and off the mat. Known for her inspirational teaching style, her classes are a blend dynamic movement, yoga philosophy, technical alignment and her heart felt humor. She draws on her own life experiences, her many teachers and her numerous adventures around the globe to bring you a truly multi-dimensional practice and experience.

You are going to the bank.  In your mind, this should occur by your car starting easily and all traffic moving out of your way.  There should be a parking place right in front, with time on the meter. Further, you should be able to go into the bank and conduct your business with no waiting.  The teller should be polite, accurate, and even know your name.  These improbable expectations are somehow lodged in the back of your mind so that when reality intrudes, such as there is a lot of traffic or there isn't a parking space, you become frustrated, irritated and even angry.  At this moment, you are reacting to the way you think something should be and not the way things actually are.

In daily life, we are constantly being pulled between trying to get what we want and trying to avoid what we don't want.  Whether you are busy pulling something in or pushing it away, there is a relationship between you and the object or event that limits your freedom.  All day long, we react to things going right and things going wrong. 

To avoid getting caught up in the incessant push-pull, try asking yourself this question: How should it be?  You might begin to see more easily your attachment or aversion to the outcome of some event.  It will help you to remember that things are the way they are, and that you have a choice about whether you will be controlled by attachment and by aversion.
 

When we allow ourselves to be released from attachment and aversion, we experience things as they are and benefit from living in the present moment.  It's an opportunity to practice your yoga off of your mat.

At first everyone was sad to hear that one of their colleagues had died, but after a while they started getting curious about who this person might be.

The excitement grew as the employees arrived at the gym to pay their last respects. Everyone wondered: "Who is this person who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he's no longer here!"

One by one the employees got closer to the coffin and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood over the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.

There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself. There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU.

You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.

Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

I remember many years ago, I was working as a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch and I had gone to one of the more senior brokers to ask him if I could take him to lunch to get some help. He replied that he never went to lunch as that was his exercise time and it was important for him to do something for himself each day. This was his sacred time, his “me” time and nothing could replace this on his schedule. (He did let me take him for coffee one morning though!) I have always admired his dedication to keeping his lunch hour free for himself – 12 years later he still works out everyday at lunch and he is one of the sweetest, happiest people I know!

We tend to think that everything else is more important than doing something that’s good for us. Many of us may feel as though we are being selfish or self-centered if we prioritize doing something for ourselves. It is socially acceptable (even praised!) to cram as much stuff onto our schedules as possible and if there is time left over then we “may” do something for ourselves, that is if we have the strength left! But how can we be of any good to others if we do not look after ourselves first? It’s no secret that yoga makes us feel better, as we are able to access an inner peace and stillness that only comes from a yoga practice. Anyone practicing yoga regularly will tell you they feel calmer, more relaxed, have better relationships and an overall sense of well-being.

It’s a matter of making it your sacred time and prioritizing it in such a way that nothing can take its place. Look at your schedule and see when you’re sacred time can be – it doesn’t have to be the same time everyday. This is your life and if there is something you can do each day that can make the quality of your life better than it should be a top priority! Nothing is more important than you and your state of mind!