Yoga In My Backyard

Happy birthday to me…This post is a good story.

Years ago as part of a financial success program I was advised to make a dream list, mostly of financial hopes but also what I wanted to achieve personally. I stumbled across this list while cleaning out my office…a list I made 26 years ago. I set my intentions, filed the list away, and then sort of forgot about it. I suppose it is like making a wish and then letting the Universe take care of the details.

Wow…I can honestly say that the majority of those wishes have come true! Funny what I thought was important way back then…but here’s the thing that really hit me. Dreams do come true!! Intentions do manifest themselves!! When I found this list I had a profound sense of awe for the POWER of intention; a profound sense of gratitude for how things have worked out; a profound sense of appreciation for all the ups and downs that have occurred in order to make Freedom 55 possible for me; a beautiful feeling that God is looking out for me; and a reminder of how our thoughts, words and actions affect our future i.e. ensuring good karma or accumulating bad karma!

I am no way ready to retire at 55. In fact, I feel like I am on another adventure. One that is allowing me to realize yet another item on my bucket list – returning to India this winter! It’s never too late to shift your perspective, create good karma, and realize your dreams. Freedom 55 for me is happiness, contentment, watching my sons evolve into amazing young men, and making the time to savor the sunny skies…and embrace the storms. This is freedom…liberation…moksha…

Wow what a kick-off to the summer with record-breaking heat and lots of sunshine! No complaints here…Stay cool this season with some Ayurvedic tips!

1. Favour sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes like berries and cherries, kale and spinach, avocado and cucumbers.
2. Reach for cool drinks, but not ice cold. Try this: fill a jug with room temp water; add a handful of frozen pineapple chunks (will cool it just a bit); a splash of coconut water; and a few mint leaves. Leave it on your counter to enjoy throughout the day. Refreshing!
3. Stay away from oily, heavy, salty, sour, and spicy foods that are heating to the system. Instead choose drier, and more nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, legumes like black beans or adzuki beans, and cooling herbs such as cilantro. Oooo, I’m craving a cool Mexican salad as I write this!
4. Take a break from the heat and sunshine during the day, and go for evening walks in the moonlight…ahhhh…
5. Calming yoga practices like slow sun salutations and cooling pranayama (left-nostril breathing, Brahmari breath, etc.) are so beneficial to an overheated system. Tempers can also flare at this time, making you feel irritable and cranky. Make the time to sit quietly in meditation even just for 10 minutes a day simply connecting to the inflow and outflow of your breath.
6. Enjoy the sweetness of life! Laugh, be in the company of good friends, try something new…nourish your body, mind and spirit this season.

Happy Summer! I’ll be back to classes in September!