Heartfelt goodbyes & Open-armed hellos

goodbye 20s and hello 30s!
Es my birthday this weekend and rarely do I celebrate or make that information public.

This year, however, I'm feelin' it....feelin' it deep from within.....a shift, a change, a sliver of clarity that is so kindly helping me to release an unserving version of myself and ushering in a brand new version of ME!

I'm so jazzed to be 30. I'm a real adult now! The wild 20s can now be put to rest. And I'm totally cool with that. 

My 20s were a trip, like most young people can agree. I dabbled in a little of this and that and tried a bunch of different selves on, only to have circled back to my center....something I haven't felt since I was a child. 

My 20s were a great time of experimentation. I went to college, got kicked outta college, went back to college, worked a bunch of strange jobs, lived in quite a few different houses, had 30+ different roommates over the years, collected over half a human body's worth of tattoos, dabbled in enough illegal substances to now know what NOT to do, got to see what jail was like for a couple of days, graduated college w/honors, had too many boyfriends, broke up with those boyfriends, met the mustached man of my dreams and found instant soul-love-connection, drank insane amounts of beer, absorbed myself into Krishna Consciousness, went 30 days without eating, moved out of Iowa to Arizona, discovered the magical world of plants and potency of the desert, crashed a moped which changed my life forever, found yoga, then the gong found me, and so much more I can't even put into words.

Through a decade of soul-searching and reckless abandon I found an equal sense of freedom and liberation in the pure ability to TRY THINGS OUT. I know I'm wiser because of it. I did not expect myself to be accountable for anything considered stable during my 20s except for the fact that I always worked and paid my bills, always held my own and always found my way. Though not everyone I encountered on my path understood my logic or reasoning at times (or lack thereof), I am blessed to have met so many fascinating and awesome people. And I've been gifted with a certain small group of amazing friends and an incredible family of sweet people who have always loved me. No matter how weird or crazy or strange my extreme swinging pendulum may have swayed in the past, I was always supported and appreciated during those times of exploration. So to those certain folks....you know who you are. Thank you for accepting me every bit of the way.

Now I embark on the first day of the rest of my life. That's how brand new I feel. And that's my motto every day. I feel a growing excitement encroaching....a sweet taste of adventure:::of travel and healing:::of wisdom and purpose:::of ageless beauty:::elegance and grace:::: all built upon a solid foundation of WISDOM through EXPERIENCE!

And how fitting.....take a nice nostalgic listen to the Stones Ruby Tuesday....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a00_tPLcE_g

May you also be inspired for adventure....
peace, love and blessings,
THE WISE OWL

xoxox

Fall into Balance

Happy Fall Equinox y'all!
Today marks the balance of :::night and day:::dark and light:::12 hours of each.
The Equinox offers us the understanding of balance, stability & equilibrium.
The residual effects of this last Full Harvest Moon in Pisces (On Sept 19) may have left you feeling equally inspired and tired. We were harnessing the balance between intuition and logic ::: freedom and routine ::: emotions and thought.
But really I think we are ALL tired here in the Valley of the Sun as it is STILL so hot. We've had a long knock-down-drag-out summer it seems. The high temperatures lately have been in the low 100s and flirting with the 90s, which is definitely a step in a more comfortable direction. I'm not usually one to complain much about the heat since I CHOSE to move to Arizona (plus this is the first of 3 summers that I've had any A/C in my car!).
But dang, I can't wait to open up all the windows in the house, burn a bunch of sage, put on some beautiful music and invite the winds of change back into my space!

We are now transitioning from summer to fall, from lightness to dark, from dynamic powerful heat to a cooler and calmer vibe. And I think it goes without saying that we are so ready for that! It's also a time of death...the death of one cycle and the birth of another. It almost feels like a precarious time of growth with a lot of old stuff surfacing in order to guide us through our darkest elements. So we need to remember that we are being Divinely supported on our paths to do this work....to walk the Void.

Those who seek the light must know their own darkness first.

That's been swirling around in my brain this last week as I've been contemplating where in my own life Universal messages are showing up. I've been hung up on avoiding the unique gifts of my Ego and now I'm not afraid to admit it. I've felt shame around being awesome and inspiring and powerful. WHY?
If I strive to control my life with a fine-tooth comb yet completely give away my personal power at no cost to anyone except to myself, how will my cup ever be full? How does that cultivate balance?

Some past injuries have been flaring back up and begging to be dealt with. I had to put my pride aside, accept that I need to take a step back in my personal practice, ask for help, dig in and give myself some LOVE.
I've been working really hard....I've been serving and giving and guiding and thinking and doing and teaching and networking and putting myself out there and starting a new business and working and still feeling broke and blah blah blah and yada yada yada....  
So now my cup is almost empty. How do I fill it back up? Where is the love for me?
Oh yeah...LOVE is all around me, I just need to receive.
So now listen to this amazing song then proceed.    :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjAoBKagWQA

We've got to recognize that we ALL have a darkness inside. If you think you don't then I don't believe you are human! And that's quite alright because it shows us it's ok to have fears, doubts, insecurities and lessons to learn. No one can escape from that, hence why we are here! You'll have to face your darkness at some point in some way. You can't hide from it.
Light casts shadow and that darkness shows up in every mystical teaching out there. Sometimes I feel like I myself am the Queen Darkness, the Holder of the Night, the Walker of the Void, Kali at the gates of hell, and the Wise Owl who seeks to emerge from the darkness to fall back into the light of balance.

But from walking in the dark we discover who we truly are. We may need to let go, grieve, release anger or resentment, get sad and have a moment or two or three. But through that process our strengths, our power, our intuition and our warrior spirit shines! If we can face the darkness then surely we can hold the light! We've made some peace with our own struggles and are drawn back into balance.
I think this is the key to opening the heart and understanding the balance of dark and light:::feminine and masculine:::receiving and giving::: for the heart has no boundaries, no limits, no labels, no polarities, no discriminations. In the space of the heart all is ONE. The heart is pure. Love is infinite and all around us, ready to be received.
So if you are like me and have been giving and giving and giving some more and ready to collapse, then ask yourself, "How do YOU feel?" What do you need to fill your cup back up? Are you receiving your own unique gifts and grace with open arms? Or is your Ego stuck in a space of doubt and insecurity? Do those you surround yourself with support you on this path of growth? Are you ready to love and believe in yourself?

Close your eyes and breath. When thoughts arise listen to the breath for information. How do you feel? Breathe into the spaces that feel weak or neglected.
Let yourself be FREE to explore the space of darkness inside. Trust that all is working in YOUR favor.
And allow yourself to emerge with the lightness of who you who TRULY are.
Set an intention to fearlessly Shine Your light.

May you utilize this Equinox to Fall back into Balance.
Cheers and blessings,
the wise owl
XOXOX

Sedona Magic!

We had a BLAST at the Sedona Yoga Trek Day Retreat this last Saturday. Lisa Hecke and I teamed up with a group of fantastic women to explore New Moon energy in beautiful Northern Arizona. 

We ventured around parts of Oak Creek, Crescent Ranch, were soothed by native flutes at Montezuma's Well, swam in cold clear water, wildcrafted some herbs, practiced yoga overlooking beautiful red rocks, bought some amazing new crystals, enjoyed a peaceful picnic & experienced the healing power of the gong outside in the forest. 

It was magical to say the least!

Hope you can join us again sometime for an outdoor yoga adventure!

cheers & blessings,

the wise owl

xoxoxo

the passive-aggressive hippie....

I couldn't resist.....

(isn't aggressive spelled with two "g"s? hmmmm)

I like being able to make fun of myself in the yoga world. You almost have to to survive!

I went to a party once and when a guy asked what I do for a living I said, "I'm a yoga teacher." 

Although he replies with words it could have easily been translated into an immediate erection.

"OHHHHHHH yeahh...so you can put your foot behind your head?"

I'm not stupid. I know he was on the edge of his seat waiting for me to show him right there that I could. Unless I'm trying to pick up a date, why would I entertain that thought in any way?

All you can do is laugh.

There's a stereotype for everyone and everything. And the funny thing is that I think many folks perpetuate their own stereotypes! Just take a look around and OBSERVE what you see. 

So all we can do is laugh.

There is a deeply earnest undercurrent to the science, art and practice of yoga, but ya can't lose your humor! My man helps me with this EVERY DAY. He's the ultimate jokester and drives me insane with his continuous antics of sarcasm. He always says, "I'm just funnin". Although I get uptight sometimes, I love him for it. It's what keeps me sane. It's what draws me away from mental rigidity and back into the space of playful behavior.

Yes meditation is strict business and there are plenty of teachers, spiritual leaders and gurus that will tell you there's no room for smiling, laughing or the distractions of mindless pleasures.

But I believe a lighthearted approach just may save ourselves from ourselves.
Humor can pull us away from our insecurities and sensitivities. With humor we focus less on dogmas and imposing a somewhat passive-aggressive approach upon others, and instead just take a backseat and enjoy the ride.

I remember years ago when I explored the practice of veganism and instantly adopted the approach as the only and one approach (this is my baggage and story, not yours....so if you are a vegan I really don't care either way.....do what makes YOU feel best!).

Suddenly everyone around me got nervous. I couldn't eat anywhere with anyone because the menu didn't fit my life (I was in Iowa at the time, mind you). Suddenly what started as an attempt to regain my health and cleanse my body, mind and spirit from negative karma and acidic foods, turned into a militant passive-aggressive bitch patrol. I was gettin WAY TOO SERIOUS!

It wasn't so much the fact I was abstaining from all animal products that put others on edge, but more so my judgmental, confrontational, intimidating and somewhat dominate attitude that accompanied it.

So when I saw this cartoon I couldn't resist.
Just do what you love and love what you do. 

Let others do the same.

Find what brings you together rather than what pulls you apart.

And for God's sake, just laugh it off.

That's my motto as of late and I hope you can find comfort in it too.

from the cheesiest, tackiest and silliest place within me,
I bow to that same space within you!
NAMASTE!
the wise owl 

xoxox

best gluten-free, milk-free, sugar-free banana bread ever!

Even if you don't have an allergy or aversion to wheat, gluten, milk, sugar, etc....
this banana bread recipe is a keeper! It's simple, easy and contains few ingredients. Plus it's DELICIOUS!

I think this banana bread is one of the healthiest you could make, without skimping on flavor, texture and overall yumminess. Instead of vegan shortening I used the same amount of Organic grass-fed butter. I also threw in a couple tablespoons of chia seeds, and a dash of cinnamon. Try experimenting with adding some frozen blueberries and a handful of rolled oats, ground flax seed, or add a 1/4c Maca Root Powder.

http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-banana-bread/

paleo banana bread

Naturally sweetened Paleo banana bread is easy to make with low carb gluten free ingredients including almond flour.

This Paleo recipe for banana bread is a high protein gluten free treat that is quick and easy to make. When I posted my recipe for Paleo Bread, the feedback was so amazing that I knew I’d need to come up with more gluten free Paleo bread recipes for you all.

Paleo Banana Bread

printer friendly

• 3 bananas (about 1 ½ cups) mashed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup vegan shortening
• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Place bananas, eggs, vanilla, honey and shortening in a food processor
2. Pulse ingredients together
3. Pulse in almond flour, salt and baking soda
4. Scoop batter into a greased 7.5 x 3.5 magic line loaf pan
5. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes 30 minutes
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool
7. Serve with Dandelion Root Coffee (optional)

Serves 12

Addendum: Please note, I made a mistake in transcribing this recipe from paper to website. The correct baking time for this recipe is 55-65 minutes, not 30 minutes. I apologize for this error.

When you make this banana bread, be sure to use ripe bananas. Also, if you want the loaf to be as tall as mine, then use the recommended size loaf pan, if you use a larger one, your batter will spread out to fill the horizontal dimension of the pan and will be short when it comes to the vertical dimension.

If you do not have (or are allergic to) the recommended ingredients and wish to make the loaf, feel free to experiment with your own ingredient choices and let us know how it goes. I am not sure how your desired substitutions will work out; as I often say, I wish I had a crystal ball and could automatically know if an ingredient change would work (or not). However, I do test each recipe, each time I make the slightest variation (think ¼ teaspoon of baking soda –if I add or subtract that, it’s a whole new batch of bread in the oven).

So, since I’m out to make the most recipes I can for my family (and you all), I’m moving on from this recipe and heading out to conquer others and make more gluten free Paleo recipes for everyone.

Elana's pantry is one of my favorite sources for tasty recipes of all kinds. Check out her website and amazing books!

the Yoga of Driving

WARNING! this post contains venting, cursing & bold opinions!

Alright Phoenix Valley dwellers, what the hell is up with your driving!?! This shit is BANANAS!
My blog is not intended to carry a negative vibe at all. However, I feel SO DAMN STRONGLY about this commentary I must share it with you.

I am completely disappointed, saddened, scared and bewildered by the extremely poor driving in this Valley of the Sun. I grew up in Iowa and we NEVER had as terrible of drivers as we do here. I was recently in Washington state and drivers actually stopped for pedestrians. They honored the speed limit. They signaled when changing lanes. They waved and smiled and treated each other with respect.

I'm not sure exactly what phenomenon takes place when exiting from the 60W & entering onto the I-10E, but it's as if EVERYONE immediately slows down, gets on their phone and begins a happy hour of Face-booking, texting and God help us, entertaining pornography. Literally, a friend caught a man watching porn on his phone while driving. WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?

I've conducted quite a few of my own social experiments while driving and I've noticed that on average, 1 out of 3 drivers on the road are on their cell phones in some way.

Our vehicles are not running on tracks via auto-pilot. We do not just strap in and sit back, crack a cold one, and browse the web. WE are the ones operating. When did it become socially, ethically and legally acceptable for us to neglect the obvious task at hand? Why is it that we cannot spend 20 min alone in our cars with the best music, surround sound, air-controlled temperature, flat screens, navigation and the convenience of independent travel and STILL feel the need to distract ourselves from being present? How much more do we want? How much more can we stand before we completely crumble as an intelligent human race?

There is a yoga to driving y'all. It's called breathing, paying attention and not being an asshole. It's not okay to cut people off just to get one car ahead at a stop light. It's completely inappropriate to ride someone's bumper and then flip them off because you think they're in your way.
It's not helpful to your neighbor to change lanes without checking your blind spot and forgetting to use the blinker. (The blinker has one purpose....to signal a turn or change in lanes....that's why it's there!) It's not safe for you or anyone around you to run red lights. I know, because someone talking on their cell phone did that to me and T-Boned my car.
When did we get so backwards?

My intention when driving is to be present. I usually chant, breathe or just put a good jam on that keeps me positive and alert. Heck, sometimes I drive in silence just so I can better hear what's going on around me. And I've worked on my driving. I'm not perfect. I'm guilty of getting on the phone here and there, messing with my hair, fumbling around with the CD player, trying to drink coffee and shift gears at the same time. And I was once a rage-filled, fired-up speed-demon who had been in a few accidents, pulled over 25 times or more and was doing stupid shit enough times to know better. So now that I am aware, I try to use my yoga tools when I'm in the car.

If you are wearing your ear-buds listening to an iPod in your vehicle, can you REALLY hear the ambulance sirens encroaching behind you? Are you even aware of your surroundings? Did you even see that car pulled over next to you trying to change a tire when you just buzzed by at 80 MPH without even giving them some space?

Yoga is about creating a connection, and the real power of Yoga shows up OFF OF THE MAT when we apply it into our lives. In this case, it might show up as getting into the vehicle and connecting with the machinery
 ::::seatbelt, check::::mirrors, check:::::gas, check:::::
It might show up as
 ::::::breathing, check::::::calm the thoughts, check:::::::senses engaged, check
:::::phone out of my hands & hands on the wheel, check::::

My invitation to you is to challenge yourself to drive more mindfully.....to NOT TEXT WHILE DRIVING! Try it for a week. Maybe just a whole day is grueling but give it a go. See if you can instead breathe through the urge to check your phone. Stop and think before you make your decisions.

What might shift in your perspective if you pulled yourself away from the distractions and temptations to get mad at others, and instead just breathe? What changes could our entire Valley make it we ALL chose to be present while driving instead of completely disconnected?

Think about your safety....think about the safety of others.....consider your actions and reactions.....
and may a Positive force be with you!

Because I LOVE YOU.....
the wise owl
XOXOXOX

Where is the Line?

Boundaries...limits....how do we know when we've established them? How do we know when we've crossed them? Where is the line of our personal space and emotional respect? And how do we honor the boundaries of others?

Boundaries are sometimes difficult to identify. As a global society we've created lines around our homes, states, countries and continents. Those lines did not exist until humans created them.
But what about the boundaries and lines regarding the intangible? We can't see feelings and emotions unless they are expressed through body language, words, art, music, so on. Emotional lines and boundaries can be blurry, muddy, confusing and altogether mysterious. How do we know we are in line, or in other words, "aligned" with our personal space and boundaries? Can we perceive and honor that same alignment for others?

Creating boundaries for oneself physically, emotionally and spiritually is an on-going human project. Our boundaries may shift and change as we grow and evolve into different versions of ourselves and step into new situations. In one sense I see boundaries as a form of segregation and separation....isolating this from that, acknowledging differences rather than similarities. A lot of effort has been geared toward unity and oneness because are all cut from the same fabric and it seems as though we've forgotten that! We are ALL spiritual beings having an awesome human experience, right?

I feel this is Truth, yet we still have the day-to-day task of creating and honoring our own individual boundaries while balancing that in a collective unified human experience. So again this raises the question, can we discern between what one needs and what is best for the whole? How much do we give to ourselves in relation to what we offer others? When do I need to put my own needs first and when is it best to take ourselves out of a situation and just simply respect what another is saying?

These questions don't necessarily have a black or white answer, though one element does seem to weave together these concepts.......effective communication....expressing AND listening.
Although we have potential to be psychic and highly intuitive beings, we're not on the level to communicate telepathically on a daily basis. So thus we must express how we feel, be honest with ourselves first to then extend that honesty to another. And here we are presented with boundaries.

You know that feeling of being super drained and not having much time to rest alone or regain one's peace of mind. Sometimes our work and life events, however healing or destructive they might be, can leave us feeling isolated and in need of human empathy and understanding. Checking in with our state of emotions is the the key. If feeling lost, grumpy, tired, annoyed, empty, drained, whatever.....admit that! That is the recognition of a boundary. We're then acknowledging how WE feel. We've then created an awareness. We've tapped into our current state of being and are aligned with our personal space in that moment.

Effective communication leads us to the next step of sharing with others our personal boundaries. "Tonight I'm feeling pretty tired and quiet. I just need to relax. I'm not in the mood to________(fill in the blank)".
 Here's where we LISTEN. We perceive how the other person is feeling because they've shared with you that information! That is a boundary, a line, a request to be respected in that feeling. It is not something personal or hurtful. It is simply one being trying to communicate to the other being how one FEELS thus creating boundaries.

These boundaries are necessary to keep one's cup full. You know that saying about how if your cup is always empty you have nothing to give. That's acknowledgement of a boundary. "Tonight I need to step away from the distractions of others and fill my cup back up." But many folks who are not aware or do not understand their OWN emotions have a difficult time respecting this boundary and see it as a personal threat. How can we ever all get along if we aren't open to respecting oneself and another's boundaries? If we are unwilling to put our EGOS aside for the sake of empathy toward another, communication will not convey the message we're hoping it will. It just won't be received as intended and we're stuck in a emotional and communicative breakdown.

Of course the other side of the coin is learning to open one's perspective and dissolve unnecessary boundaries which limit and prevent the exploration of the the greatness around us. Sometimes we fill our cups by sharing collectively an experience that brightens our day. Those lines and boundaries that we think are protecting us may only be held up by fear. That is a topic for another day, but it's always healthy to assess both sides of a discussion. It takes two to tango, eh?

Acknowledging, creating and maintaining boundaries is a challenge for many of us, myself definitely included. But that's why we are here....to learn, grow and shift with the changes of life! We've gotta get grounded in ourselves in order to know what we need to thrive, to gain perspective of our emotions, and personal space. We come mindfully back to our center to understand how to lovingly commune with others. A nice way to regroup and ground oneself back to center is to simply practice a free, easy and simple technique:

 3-part Yogic Breath.

1. Sit crossed legged on the floor with hands on the thighs (sit against a wall if you need spinal support); OR sit upright in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Lift the spine long and tall and close the eyes.
2. Relax and soften any areas of tension such as the brow-line, jaw, shoulders, hips, etc.
3. Notice your natural breathing and check in with how you are feeling right in the moment.
4. Begin to deepen and lengthen each breath in and out through the nostrils, slowing everything down.
5. On an inhale, expand the low belly and low back out like an inflated balloon, then exhale completely, gently hugging your navel in toward the spine. Repeat 3 times.
6. Then add a second part....Breathe into the low belly/back and lift the breath up into the rib cage as well. Exhale through the ribs, then belly, navel hugs the spine. Repeat 3 times.
7. To breath in 3 parts now, fill up the belly, ribs, and then bring the breath up into the chest and collarbones. Hold the top of the breath for a couple seconds. Release the breath like an elevator, letting go through the collarbones, ribs, back down to the belly, holding the bottom of the breath a couple of seconds. Repeat this complete breath for a couple more minutes.

If you have high blood pressure or feel lightheaded, dizzy or strange, you'll want to take it nice and slow to begin. Honor how YOU feel then gradually increase the depth and length of the technique.

This simple breath can do wonders for your nervous system and emotional state. If you feel overwhelmed, confused, tired or just need to ground yourself back to center, try this pranayama (breath control). It can help you fall asleep at night, calms the mind, improves lung capacity and diaphragm strength, and increases overall vitality.
You may also find yourself aligning with the present moment and more able to understand your own boundaries and how to respect those of others.

Happy Breathing!
the wise owl
XOXOX