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Friday, February 5, 2010
Exciting News!We see the word wellness all around us these days. It's one
of those buzz words that not many people dare to define due to the enormous responsibility of defining it.
It attracts our senses because we believe that it's a word we should understand, a state of mind that we should naturally,
intuitively know... I've tried many times to wrap my mind around my own personal definition of wellness; what does it
mean to me? How can I achieve it? What I've discovered is that a state of wellness is not something we can conquer
and your own personal definition of it will change indefinitely according to your own personal life experience.
The only constant I can identify with is the yearning for a state of harmony between the body, mind and spirit. Unfortunately,
experiencing a state of wellness is not as familiar as wanting to experience it. It is an investment and a commitment
of time and resources. When we opened Balance Yoga a little over a year ago, we opened with the goal of nurturing a budding yoga community
here in the Wyoming Valley. We noticed a need for a gathering place of sorts for like minded people to come, meet and
share with yoga being the common thread linking us all together. What a year it's been. We've watched you, we've
listened to you, we've practiced with you and we've grown with you to bloom beyond our wildest imaginings. So,
now we will take this next step together. In four weeks we are moving into new space which will more than double the
space that we have today. Our practice space will be bigger, brighter and more comfortable for you to continue on your
yoga journey. We are adding a meditation room, and a beautiful community/retail space. Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
- Naturopath is joining us. Beginning in March you can schedule your appointments with her in our beautiful new space
with two patient rooms dedicated to WELLNESS. We will also be offering body work including Thai massage, prenatal massage
and deep tissue massage to further nurture your body and mind. Our menu of options will be ready soon and we hope that
you will continue with us on this journey. We are so excited and we are so blessed beyond measure. Thank you for making this all possible and namaste. Peace
& Light- Balance Yoga & Wellness
10:06 pm est
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
My thoughtsI guess I am failing miserably at updating this blog in a reasonable amount of time. The Holidays
always through me off. I find them to be physically and emotionally wearing and it takes me weeks to recover.
So, I find myself on Groundhog day wondering where January went. February isn't much better since our family celebrates
4 birthdays within the first two weeks. Lots of aquarians... interesting. So, in an effort to update my web friends
I thought I would share some news and thoughts.
Firstly, if you don't subscribe to Vegetarian Times magazine
you might want to consider doing so. I picked one up the other day at the grocery store and found some delicious recipes
to try. As I write I am finishing up a delicious vegan "Smokey Pea Soup" - YUM! Loads of flavor, very
easy to make and totally filling. I also made a yummy roasted veggie linguine last night with some toasted kale leaves.
The kids even like the kale though I salted it a bit too much! I am currently in a space where I have been deeply committed
to exploring my diet to try to figure out what is going to work best for me both on several different levels - in no particular
order. Firstly, I need to feel good; secondly, I need to enjoy my food; thirdly, it needs to be manageable to prepare
and lastly my family has to also feel good about what we are eating since I am preparing most meals for 5 other beings.
So, in the beginning of January I led a week long yoga detox which included 5 mornings of a heated vinyasa detox flow, three
group meetings, 5 days of a strict vegan diet and 2 days of fasting. We had 14 people going through the week together.
Everyone came in with their own experiences, intentions and expectations. I hesitate speaking for all of us, but I know
that I felt a deep connection with everyone throughout the week even though I was leading the group so I imagine that the
students themselves probably felt an even stronger connection. It turned out to be a great week. The vegan diet
was pretty easy for me since I've done this for weeks in the past. The fast was difficult. I tend to lose weight
rapidly and I tend to be a little anemic so I went into the fast feeling pretty weak. My allergies began flaring up
with the supplement we were taking so 1/2 through the second day I had to begin introducing some raw nuts and by about 5 PM
that second day I heated up an Amy's veggie burger. About half of our group elected to not participate in the fast,
but the other half did and everyone seemed to have some challenges. In the end though we all felt lighter with a deeper
sense of clarity and profoundly more aware of our bodies, our practice and our diets.
So, the food dilema
I am now experiencing has to be related at least in part to that experience. The week after the cleanse was all about
regaining my lost weight which turned out to be about 5 lbs. I ate some unhealthy carbs, but other than that I couldn't
handle anything too heavy. Cheese and white products are still feeling a little strange. I am not sure where this
is going to take me.
Other things on my mind include our move at the end of the month, our new website design,
retail purchase orders, dentist appointments, birthday party's and turning 36. So, my plate is full, but my spirit is
fuller with peace, light and lots of love from 4 wonderful children and my very supportive husband. I hope to update
this more often but there will be no promises, just intentions. I hope to see you in the studio soon my friends.
4:20 pm est
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Welcome Lucy!It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome a new teacher to Balance Yoga! Lucy Howard is joining us
from the beautiful city of London and will be covering all of my classes while I am away on my Bhaktilicious journey next
week in San Francisco. Lucy had the pleasure of training in Bali, Indonesia at Shakti Spirit Yoga under the loving guidance
of Rachel Hull (www.shaktispirit.com). Please be kind to Lucy while I am away as she jumps into the routine and gets comfortable at the studio.
4:44 pm est
Friday, November 6, 2009
TrainingWell, I certainly need to update this thing more often. I understand I have some blog "devotees"
now; strange & wonderful at the same time. I don't think that anything I have to say is particularly important other
than maybe what time class is... I digress.
I have officially started my bhakti flow teacher training
and, WOW, it's a lot of work! But, it is work that I don't mind getting to. As matter of fact I am kind of obsessed
with it at this moment. I was officially accepted into Rusty Well's teacher training program in early September.
This is the teacher that blew the roof off of my practice this past July when I was visiting San Francisco. Since then
I've been bhakti obsessed! I have read and been told that when it is time, your teacher will find you and I believe
that is what has happened in my life. I had been contemplating different trainings to take my personal practice and
my teaching to a much higher level and was seriously considering several different programs throughout the country.
I didn't even really know of bhakti flow (this is the style of yoga based on Bhakti or the yoga of devotion), but after taking
just one class, I knew that was where I belonged and I felt that Rusty was the right teacher to study with/under.
The teacher training program that I am currently in is a 200 hr level course in which I am completing 100 hrs now and another
100 in March/April in NYC. I am currently completing the home study portion of the training which includes approximately
5-7 hours of written work, study and reading every week. I just finished up the week 2 assignments and am already learning
and applying the work into my own practice. I, of course, can't wait to share it all with my students when I am finished.
At the end of this month I will be leaving my family for 10 long days traveling to San Francisco ( one of my favorite cities
on the planet) and training with Rusty & crew. So far, the experience has exceeded my expectations and I am
really looking forward to meeting all of my teachers and the other students in person. I will be staying with
another student who is hosting me for all ten days. She, like me, is already a teacher and we happen to have a lot of
other things in common. She is a mom of two and we are becoming good facebook friends at the moment. I am very
grateful to be able to have this opportunity. I am filled with enthusiasm and energy. I have a feeling that over
the next month I will experience tremendous growth and change and I am welcoming that with open arms.
1:53 pm est
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Workshops this weekend!I am getting very excited! We have a busy weekend ahead and I am really hoping & praying
for a good turnout especially for the art reception on Friday night for local artist, Amber Summers. If you haven't
been in the studio in awhile please stop by to say "hi", take a class or just admire the beautiful work of Amber.
It is amazing what color can do to a room and our little studio is a great example of that! Amber is preparing some
music that reflects her work for our regular class time at 5:30, then immediately following we will be setting up some additional
art and bringing in the food! My favorite lunch stop, Something Special located in Kingston is preparing light, yummy
vegetarian appetizers for our guests & we will have some hot apple cider and organic wine on hand for drinks!
On Saturday morning we have planned a hike up Ricketts Glen's Falls Trail! I am hoping & praying for good
weather! If we have it the plan is to hike up the trail to Lake Jean and then sit & do some Yin Yoga on the sandy
beach. I am really looking forward to this time with my fellow yogi's & yogini's and of course any new faces that
show up! This event is free, so hopefully we have a nice crowd! If you've never hiked the Falls Trail before you've
got to come out and appreciate this local paradise - it's really beautiful! I may drag along my trusty companion, Sunny...
we'll see if he's up to it on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, my kids have other things going on that morning so they
won't be able to make it.
On Sunday we are hosting yoga teacher, Stina Forsell from Stroudsburg who
will be running the "Autumn Alignment" workshop from 4-6 PM. If you've never met Stina you'll soon find out
that she is a good time! Stina has a great sense of humor and and is a wonderfully talented teacher of yoga.
The workshop is for anyone - beginners - advanced as she will explore some foundational asanas and peel them apart focusing
on alignment using props and your body to take it "back to basics". I am hoping to attend, but with the week
I am having it might be impossible!
Well, that is it for now... I have two little yogini's tugging at me
for snacks. Look out for our "Journey Into Power" workshop next weekend! We are almost FULL, so if you
still want to attend please rsvp today! Peace!
3:50 pm edt
Friday, September 18, 2009
Getting BetterFinally feeling human again after a long 11 days. As many of you already know I had to have an unexpected
surgery last week. Thankfully I was able to have a laproscopic procedure, but I was still hurting most of last week
into the weekend. I am finally feeling more energetic and less tired today and hope that over the next week or so I'll
be able to start practicing again - gently, of course! This is the longest I've gone without practicing in quite some
time so I am feeling really different. Some old aches and pains that I haven't noticed in awhile have made their appearance.
What is interesting is that it is giving me a new perspective on my health and vitality without yoga in my life (or at least
without my asana practice). This time off the mat has given me a chance to reflect on my practice and how important
it is to my well being. Besides the aches and tightness in my physical body I've also noticed my temper flaring up more
than usual and my patience feeling tested more noticeably. After a challenging morning routine with my 5 year old daughter
yesterday she told my husband that I was acting like a "maniac"; this made me take a step back. I lost my
patience with her because she was being indecisive about choosing shoes for her outfit for school. Now, while I know
that we all lose our patience some of the time (with or without yoga in our lives) this made me feel sad. I don't want
my 5 year old daughter feeling bad before starting a long day at school - a school that she is just starting to adjust to.
While regretful of this and regretful of her feeling upset with me I realized that it was more about me feeling off balance
than feeling frustrated with her indecisiveness. She is after all a five year old child having a bad "shoe"
day... I would normally handle this situation better, but I am human and currently a human not fully practicing my yoga.
So, what I've been concentrating on today while in the studio is to step more fully, more clearly into this moment and use
this time to take inventory of any negative energy or feelings inside that may be bubbling up during this time of healing.
I am not normally a list person, but I'm going to make a list and keep adding to it so that when I am able to begin my
practice again; when my body is ready and my Dr. confirms that it is ready that I can focus on the positive
changes yoga makes inside and out. I was talking to a good friend yesterday about this - another yogini, and I
explained to her that I've felt good for so long because of my practice than I've forgotten what it feels like to feel
bad. This about sums it up. So, I will do my best to take advantage of this time so that I can better
relate to my new students just finding yoga and to all of the other non-yogis & yoginis in my life.
1:19 pm edt
Friday, August 7, 2009
Back from CaliIt's so good to be home. There is nothing in the world like coming home after a long vacation - even
a very nice, very relaxing & fun vacation.
I know that I said that I would be blogging about my yoga
adventures in California (and there were many), but the truth is I just didn't feel like opening up my computer. I really
stepped away from it all for two weeks and through my practice decided that my focus needed to be firmly set on my family
and our vacation. So, that is what I did.
California is a beautiful state and I now have a new appreciation
for it's beauty & diversity. We packed in so much it would be difficult to share every detail. But I will
say a few things.
San Francisco has it all except it is freezing cold there in July. The best yoga
classes at Yoga Tree in Castro (Rusty Wells) that I've ever experienced & the most challenging. Amazingly beautiful
city - friendly people, Alcatraz, delicious food! Tess and I walked those hilly streets for miles & miles.
I don't know how anyone living there could ever be chubby. I got a workout everyday just walking around.
Napa - oh, the wine. Wine country... & Ubuktu - the best food ever! Hands down the best meal we had the
entire vacation & all vegetarian. I am still dreaming about those potatoes.
Driving down the coast
on Pacific Highway 1 was the best day of the vacation. We took a slow ride stopping in Carmel. Carmel is like
a fairytale kind of place. The trees don't even look real. It is so beautiful and charming that I can't imagine
anyone visiting there doesn't fall in love with it's streets. It was very, very expensive though and we met some of
the rudest people that I've ever met. Snotty, rude, very rich people. After a few hours we headed S and took a
slow ride down through Big Sur. Big Sur is magnificent. God must have really been proud of what He created there.
I can't even describe how amazing it is. You just really have to experience it for yourself. I cannot wait to
go back someday and spend some time there just hiking around. I think Ed & I were speechless most of the ride just
giggling like kids, pointing at the sights and taking it all in.
Next was LA. Blah. We all hated
it there. It's a nasty, smoggy, filthy, crowded city. We did go see the taping of "The Tonight Show"
with Conan which was pretty cool. My husband really enjoyed that since he actually watches the show. I just kind
of took it all in and thanked God that I didn't have to spend much time in LA.
San Diego. We fell
in love with San Diego. What is not to love? Perfect frigging weather - PERFECT! Perfect temperature.
No humidity. No bugs. No rain. No clouds. Just perfect sun, beautiful ocean breeze and perfect temperature
ALL OF THE TIME. I want to live there. I would move there tomorrow if I could - no lie. Gorgeous coastline.
Great people & awesome downtown. If you've never been there. GO. Tomorrow if you can. My brother
lives there and he always says that he will never leave. I now totally understand why.
Great vacation.
Now back to reality which is a good thing. I can't wait to get back to my studio.
11:01 am edt
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Arriving at Omega - Happy Yoga & Beyond with Steve RossHello friends - I miss all of you already and I haven't even been gone a whole day. It's hard to step
away from you life for a week - especially for me. Especially after the weekend I had... Anyway, I am here and
happy to be here - I think... It was a three hour drive from home, but the drive was nice & peaceful. Not
much traffic and NY state is beautiful. I called my husband to tell him that and he reminded me that I must have traveled
up 84 hundreds of times with him... tells you how aware I am on a day to day basis. The Taconic Parkway (hope
I have that right) is really pretty - tree lined highway, definitely my pace. I arrived on campus right around 7 p.m.
and they greet you right in the parking lot. Everyone is soooo friendly. Lots of young people work here I guess
for the summer - wish I would have known about this place 15 years ago. After registration I hurried up to the dining
hall and enjoyed a most delicious vegan feast - the food is fresh, mostly organic and local - awesome. While I was eating
I happened to look up and exchanged smiles with Steve Ross - very cool. He looks much shorter in person, but I couldn't
miss that happy grin. I later found out that there are only 16 people in our class so I am really excited to learn and
grow from this week. We had orientation around 8 p.m. which was a standard typical orientation and I met a new friend
who said to call him "Tex" b/c he is from Texas. So, anyone who has read "Eat, Pray, Love" will
laugh to themselves. Ahhhh, enjoying a "meditation" tea in the Omega cafe and a vegan cookie - then off to
bed in my little hut. Love & Peace - Jenn
9:29 pm edt
Saturday, June 6, 2009
OK Marty... this is for you! I promised one of my student's today that I would finish this story. So, after a great but very long
day at Hershey Park here I am finishing up my Swenson story. I wonder if he will ever read this? Maybe if he googles
himself (like most people do every now and again), he will... I digress. (What if he thinks I'm crazy??? I digress
again.)
Focus, focus... So, where did I leave off? Oh, yes backbending. Backbending came to me
pretty easy. I feel strong in bridge & wheel. Open in camel & bow. I want & crave more when
I wet my palate with a nice locust or up dog. I'm sure you get the point. So, what threw me off was the fact that
the class before David's was specifically backbending. It was a sequencing class and I was a little tired, but really
wasn't paying enough attention to my body to realize that at the moment. So, there I was pushing my tired 35 year old
ass through some pretty advanced postures. At the time I felt good until we got to the drop backs. Drop backs
are interesting because I believe it's more of a fear thing that most people need to overcome. I understand that, but
never experienced it in backbending... until I felt my upper body crunch literally into my cervical spine while practicing.
I couldn't help but think that maybe I really hurt myself, but what I actually think I did was pull a muscle in my neck and
my spine had just had enough. I had to back off. This was hard to do and luckily this was towards the end
of the class so I really didn't have to back off of much. But I was aggravated. Here I was with this great opportunity
to learn & explore in a very safe environment with a master teacher and I was letting fear & an achy neck get the
best of me. Soon we settled in Savasana and I could not for the frickin life of me clear my thoughts. I was obsessing
about my neck. Then I had this great thought - go ask the teacher about it - after all, I was the STUDENT! Ohhhhh,
the excitement. I had a problem, a concern and I had someone there I could ask to help me out. That someone just
happened to be David frickin Swenson!!!! After savasansa many of the students must have had the same idea b/c he was
literally surrounded by students. So, I waited. After all, I had no where to go b/c I was waiting for the Anna
Forrest demo anyway. I sat my tired ass down on my mat & waited taking in the sights. About 20 minutes
later I had my opportunity. I think I may have actually hopped over or maybe I just flew, because I literally don't
remember my feet touching the ground. I was so excited. He was sitting down on the floor and I crouched down next
to him. The first thing I said was something like this... "Hi - my name is Jennifer and I just wanted to thank
you for the great class". He thanked me. Then, it happened... I began my gushing. It went something
like this... "I use your practice manual and I am inspired by you almost everyday so it really is such an honor to be
here practicing with you". He just smiled and thanked me again. At this point I think I must have been a
little scary. But, did that stop me? Nahhhh - I just kept rambling. Next I told him about my neck discomfort
during the drop back. He told me to show him. I got up and did what I was told. He stood up next to me and
adjusted my neck which instantly changed the entire posture. I no longer felt any crunching and actually felt better.
It was pretty cool. But the dork inside just couldn't stop. I had no control and then it happened. It went
something like this.... "Mr. Swenson - would you mind having your picture taken with me?" I literally
forced the guy to sit in a picture with me - which I guess I will have to post. I think it may have actually been his
son or his nephew b/c the guy that took the picture looked like him... After writing this all down I am now
kind of thinking that maybe it wasn't as much of a big deal as I made it out to be. Maybe I was such a dork after all.
People must react that way to him all of the time, right? Hey, as long as he doesn't remember me when I go to the teacher
training in September, right? Right!
And on that last thought I will say goodnight.
11:26 pm edt
Friday, June 5, 2009
Finishing my thoughtsSo, I never finished telling all of you about my amazing experience with David Swenson at the YJ conference...
I am thinking about this because of two specific reasons.
1. I've been really trying to refocus my
Ashtanga practice.
2. I just signed up for a 40 hour Ashtanga teacher training in Sept to be held at Back
Bay Yoga Studio in Boston with David.
Last month in NYC, I attended David's Backbending & Inversion
class which I was really, really nervous about since I battle major fears with most inversions. Backbending is a different
story, or was... I should say. ( I have a much deeper profound respect for the power of backbending after my 5, yes,
5 backbending classes that weekend. But that is another story altogether!!!)
My enthusiasm walking
into the class was probably annoying. I was just so damn excited to see this man in person. I purchased his practice
manual when I went through teacher training and since then it has rarely left my side. What can I say - the guy inspires
me. He was one of the first Americans to train with K Pattabhi Jois in CA back in 1975, then traveled over to Mysore
to study the entire Ashtanga system directly with Guruji in 1977. So, for most of my life on this planet David Swenson
has been studying a yoga system that I have fallen in love with. So, in my eyes, he is the MAN! I sat on my mat
and waited taking in the sights of much younger, much fitter people around me warming up their (very) flexible bodies readying
themselves for the class. I know, I know, I'm not supposed to compare myself to others or feel competitive in my practice.
BUT, my ego got the best of me... That ego coupled with the pure adrenaline rush of being there plus the anticipation
of meeting David was, well, awesome! So, David walks in. He is tall - really tall and thin, but a strong, healthy
thin. His hair was shaved close to his head and he has these wonderful twinkling eyes. He has a warm crooked grin
that matches his endearing sense of humor. I think the most interesting thing about being around him is he is just this
regular, cool guy. I instantly liked him and trusted him. I felt safe to explore my practice. So, we get
started with Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutations) and to hear him call the class was all I needed. There must have been
about 300 people crammed together and we all moved as one. At one point he asked us all to close our eyes and just focus
on our foundation - this was simply magical. Liberating. Exciting. He didn't run us through Primary Series
as this class was focused on backbending and inversions. For the very first time in my life I easily held my headstand
(and, I wasn't against the wall) then tried (for the first time) forearm stand (aka Peacock Feather stand or Pincha Mayurasana).
WOW - I was really impressed with myself at this point. HA! Then... handstand. Handstand has been
interesting for me. I practice it all of the time, but always with support and never really getting it. It always
seems like I just miss the purpose and once again, even with my beloved teacher it just kind of didn't work out for me.
Grounding, humbling. Back down from my high. Someday...
Next was backbending. Now, those
of you that know me know that I am a backbending freak. I freaking love backbending. Give me the opportunity and
I'll open up my heart for the whole darn world to see. So, needless to say, I was having a great freaking time until,
BAM... come back down to Earth again. And... pause - time to eat dinner. I shall return!
7:03 pm edt
Friday, May 29, 2009
My Favorite Vegan SoupThis is also a favorite for the kids! This recipe is from "a beautiful bowl of soup - the best vegetarian
recipes" by Paulette Mitchell which is a GREAT, GREAT book. Every single recipe I've tried has been delicious!
Tortilla Soup with avocado-corn salsa
Salsa 1 tbsp X-tra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tbsp fresh
lime juice ( I always add a bit extra) 2 tsp minced fresh jalapeno chili, or to taste 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp sugar 1 avocado peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch dice 1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed 2 tbsp
minced red onion 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro, or to taste - salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Soup 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 cup coarsly chopped onion 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and coarsly chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp ground cumin 3 cups vegetable stock 1 15 oz can stewed tomatoes 1
15 oz can garbanzo or black beans, drained & rinsed 1/2 tsp freshly group pepper, or to taste - pinch of red
pepper flakes or to taste 2 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley - salt to taste
*I always double the
soup recipe. Instead of using one bean or the other I use both black & garbanzo. I also use two whole red
peppers and almost triple the celery since I like a "meaty" soup.
to make the salsa
Whisk
together the oil, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, and sugar in a small bowl. Gently stir in the avocado, corn, red onion,
and cilantro. Season to taste; set aside.
to make the soup
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium
heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and leaves, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are
crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Add the cumin; stir for about 30 seconds.
Stir in the vegetable stock,
tomatoes, beans, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat;
cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and salt. Taste and adjust
the seasoning.
to prepare the tortilla strips
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over
medium heat. Add the tortilla strips in a sigle layer. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs. Transfer the
strips to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Top each bowl of soup with tortilla strips and a mound of the
salsa.
advance prep... This soup will keep for up to 5 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Prepare the salsa and tortilla strips the day of serving. Refrigerate the salsa in a covered container; store the strips
in a tightly covered tin at room temp.
4:35 pm edt
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Are you a vegan?I get this question all of the time. I am a yoga teacher... So, I thought I would address the
question with all of the truth inside of me to share with all of you. I am not a vegan, and I am not a vegetarian.
I am however, a struggling carnivore. At this moment in time my diet consists of approximately 80% vegetable base, 10%
fish & seafood, 5% chicken and 5% beef. I no longer eat any pork or veal. I do not eat or feed my family any
prepackaged meals or fast food and try my best to limit white foods including sugar. This is sometimes hard to do, especially
with a large family with four kids. Every-time we eat out or visit family or friends without fail someone asks me why
or how I got my children to eat so well. I am always perplexed by this until I have the chance to observe other children
and realize that my kids are different. What I've come to realize is that I never gave them a choice to eat any other
way. So, for them a vegetarian meal is not necessarily vegetarian, just dinner. We often make meals out of freshly
steamed artichokes and rice or fruit. I have delicious vegan soup recipes that don't skimp on flavor so for them it's
just yummy soup with crusty bread. Of course they still like chicken fingers like their friends, but instead of going
to McDonald's (which they think is disgusting, other than the play area) I make fresh, organic, free range chicken fingers
at home. We do still enjoy burgers on the grill and sometimes even hot dogs, but the meat is always organic and
usually local (thanks, Forks Farm). So... why am I a struggling carnivore. Two main reasons...
1. Animals are treated like garbage in factory farms. They are kept in filthy, inhumane conditions.
Conditions that if the American public was exposed to or chose to be aware of the agribusiness would be forced into severe
change.
2. I feel better when my body is not processing meat. I feel lighter physically and
mentally in my practice and in my life in general.
So, why do I continue to eat meat? Because I am
human and I make good and bad choices everyday. I strive to eat and live as clean as I can but I also have to live in
this world and raise my children in it. So, I try my best and forgive myself when I fail to make the right choices and
start the next day over again with good intention. This is my journey and it may not in any way, shape or form resemble
yours. I just wanted to answer this question. I will post my favorite soup recipe when I get home for Vegan Tortilla
Soup.
Peace-
Jenn
11:27 am edt
Monday, May 18, 2009
Post YJ Conference ThoughtsSo happy to be home and hanging with my favorite two little yogini's, Sophia & Tess - just catching
up around the house and reflecting on what an amazing weekend it was! I am sorry that I was not able to "blog"
as much as I thought I would be able to over the weekend, but there just was not nearly as much time as I thought there would
be.
The experience really was awesome and anyone reading this that has ever considered going to one of these
conferences I urge you to go. Don't allow intimidation to enter your mind! There were men and women
of every age and every level in almost all of the classes I attended. There were classes offered for every level and
interest whether it was asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy and some included all of the above. Having the opportunity
to spend time and learn from some of the most talented teachers in the world was both inspiring and grounding. Inspiring
because these teachers are often the folks we watch on the dvd's, author the books we study and grace the covers of the magazines
we read. Grounding because these same teachers that we strive to learn and grown from are really just like you and me.
They have the same struggles that we have in our practice - they have human bodies just like us that ache & get injured
and grow old. Of course my practice may never evolve into the grace of Sarah Powers and I may never be as strong as
Anna Forrest or as skilled as David Swenson, but I will continue to learn & grow in my practice and these teachers
and many others will continue to inspire me to get down onto my mat everyday. Over the next week I am going to try my
best to fill all of you in on the rest of the weekend. The thrilling moments, the joyful and the even the painful.
I hope you find this these words inspiring - I can't wait to see you all in the studio this week for class. Namaste.
1:07 pm edt
Sunday, May 17, 2009
YJ Conference - Day 1Exhausted, Exhilarated, Excited... Thankful, Amazed, Terrified, Grateful, Happy...
So many adjectives
are floating into my mind as I write this that I can probably fill the page with only those words and you would gain a pretty
fantastic idea of this day. But... I have a feeling that some of you are looking for some more details, so here
I go.
Waking up this morning to the anticipation of the day might have been the most magical part (no, no...
definitely getting adjusted by Swenson was better... I digress). I felt like a kid on Christmas morning racing down
the stairs to tear open at the presents under the tree. The first session started at 8 a.m. with Sarah Powers and her
Yin Yoga class. As many of you know I've been really interested in Yin Yoga for the last couple of months and exploring
the deeper opening postures more in my own practice. Since I am gearing up for a week long intensive on Yin Yoga next
month, I was really anticipating this class, however, I didn't have any prior knowledge of Sarah Powers. I got the room
somewhat early so I had a great spot up in the front - 2nd row, right in the middle of the room. The rooms here are
large, but warm & inviting and the energy from everyone in the class is palpable. I noticed Sarah right away.
She is physically beautiful, but what I found more profound was her presence. She had such peace and it became clear
to me right away that what I was most intrigued with was the fact that underneath her gentleness was tremendous strength.
She began by giving us a foundational understanding of the power behind holding these deep postures, which were held anywhere
between 3-5 minutes. Just enough time to stir up some uncomfortable feelings both physically and psychologically.
By focusing on the breath those sensations diminish leaving you with a feeling of centeredness that I have not experienced
in any other way with my own practice. It was beautiful! I could go on & on & on & on... but there
is so much else to share. I ended up purchasing her new book "Insight Yoga" and I can't wait to dig in deeper.
Next on the agenda and I mean like immediately next was "Sequencing Backbends" with Jason Crandell.
Jason is a fun guy. He is a good teacher and obviously very knowledgeable. His logic made sense to me as I agreed
with his more progressive logic in sequencing peaking at the "big" moves rather than a sequence that is more "pose,
counterpose" based. He led us through asana and began building on the foundational elements of backbending from
the very first pose. I can't wait to implement some of this stuff into my next class!
Since I am absolutely
exhausted and it's now midnight which I just realized I am going to pick this up tomorrow from here... The best is yet to
come. All I have to say is... Swenson!!! Talk to you guys tomorrow!
12:07 am edt
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Yoga Journal Conference NYC - Here We Come!!!!I am psyched! So completely, totally, 1000% excited because in exactly 26 hours I will be leaving
to trek up to NYC with two awesome yogini's to attend the Inaugural Yoga Journal Conference in New York - the greatest city
on the planet! The conference actually kicks off today with classes for studio owners which I would have loved to attend,
but, hey... I've got four kiddos who are having a hard enough time with me being gone for 2 & 1/2 days so that wasn't
going to work out this year...
Tomorrow evening we will be attending the Krishna Das kirtan. Kirtan
is a a traditional Indian call & response sacred sound practice which has become more popular in the West both inside
and outside of ashrams and yoga studios. Today Kirtan extends across cultures, races & religions offering a profound
experience of connection with the Divine. We often listen to Krishna Das in class - he has a beautiful, deep, soulful
baritone voice that transcends us to a place of peace, serenity and joy. I am so thankful to have this opportunity to
experience him live!
The rest of the weekend will be filled with classes & lectures with some of the
most respected teachers & gurus in the world. I will be taking 6 classes (3/day) to learn and grow both in my own
practice and my teaching. I am especially excited about David Swenson's backbending class and for the Anna Forest Vinyasa
sequencing class! I'll be blogging throughout the weekend on the experience so that all of my friends, students &
teachers can check in to see what's going down! So, check in often! Namaste!
11:59 am edt
Sunday, May 3, 2009
MEN & YogaBy
Molly Cornell
I’ve been teaching yoga
for 10 years in the Wyoming Valley and whenever I teach, wherever I teach, there’s always something missing:
men. Why don’t more men do yoga? I think men are absent from most yoga
classes for a variety of reasons. First, I think that men are intimidated to walk into a room full of women
who they think are “good” at yoga. Most men are competitive and like to be good at something
or win. If a man goes to a yoga class, he assumes that everyone will be better than he is.
He is embarrassed that he’ll be terrible at yoga. But he’s wrong: a
lot of the women in yoga are working on different challenges in their practices. As most of us know, some
yoga students can get their heads to touch the floor in a standing forward bend; others can’t even touch their hands
to the floor. These students aren’t yoga experts, but they’re willing to come and try and get
better at yoga. Most men feel they have to be competent at yoga before they even enter a yoga studio.
But the opposite is true--one goes to yoga with a beginner’s mind, to be open to learn and get better.
Even if you’re a complete beginner, you come with the attitude that you may not be “good” at yoga,
but you come prepared to try and improve. However, in my experience, most men are very competent at yoga
simply because they have the strength to get through a class. Another reason
men don’t come: they want to win, and yoga is a non-competitive exercise. Even
my husband Andrew says, “I don’t like yoga, because at the end of class, I can’t tell if I’ve
won or not.” But being in a non-competitive environment is great for men who compete in business.
They need to give their minds a break from the dog-eat-dog world of corporate America, and try something that is more
about the process than the results. A non-competitive exercise like yoga can help bring their lives more
into balance. One thing that might get more men into yoga classes is this: Yoga helps
to improve sports performance. Whether its golf, cycling, running or basketball, yoga helps you increase your mental and physical
performance. For example, I if your back is tight and you are a golfer, that will affect your range of
motion when you swing a club. If you start practicing yoga, doing twisting postures, for example, on a
regular basis, you’ll be able to slowly increase spinal flexibility, which leads to greater range of motion in your
swing and ultimately that leads to a longer drive off the tee.
The reason I mention all this about
men and yoga is this: at Balance Yoga, we want to see more men in yoga classes. In June
we will begin to offer a men’s yoga workshop. This will be a “men’s only” class
to introduce them to the basics of power yoga. We’ll also show them the appropriate modifications
for any injuries they may have. Hopefully, at the end of the session, these new yogis will be less intimidated about entering
a yoga studio and will understand that yoga isn’t about being the best at something or winning, it’s
about feeling your best, and bringing balance to your life.
9:35 am edt
Thursday, April 30, 2009
My First Blog!Hello-
Since our studio is finally settling into a good flow (no pun intended) it's
time to finally start our studio blog. The goal for this blog is for all of you to get to know us a little better and
for us to share our personal yoga experiences with you - our students, friends, family & others that might find us out
there in web world.
This is also a great way for us to check in while we are away at various trainings,
talk about upcoming workshops and give our yogic perspective of things happening around us. We'll also be talking
about great books we might be reading, new products that we might be loving and terrific recipes we might be trying.
We hope that you will check in from time to time and as always if you have any suggestions or recommendations
please let us know.
Peace-
Jenn
11:57 am edt
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