Trauma in my mouth

Today, I ate ants

I'll get to that in a minute.  This morning I taught a beginner's Yoga class focused on externally rotated standing poses (Prasarita Padattonasana A, Vira II, and Uttita Trikonasana).  I opened with a quote from Albert Einstein:

"I am who I am so I can become who I always was." 

Apparently I am an ant eater.  Here's me on a trail run:

Aren't I cute?  Very weird karma in this cyle of life....

Today I sat at my desk at work and suddenly remembered the bag of nuts I left from yesterday.  Yum, sounded very good.  I opened the sealed ziploc and scooped a bit of almonds, sunflower and pumkin seeds (actually shoveled a bunch) into my hungry mouth.  Something tickled my wrist near the ziploc and I realized the bag was alive.  Crawling with ants.  I had a slight panic attack swallowed the nuts practically whole and drank a gallon of water.  I never felt an unidentified tickle in my throat or had ants in my teeth but I was highly traumatized by the event.  Protein right?

Here's me doing Vira II:

Three-legged dog.  (Not looking for ants, not even hungry)

Thank God I didn't find any ants here:



What did you eat today?

Giving Project update:  Yesterday, I gave away two big, beautiful apples I had planned to save for myself for later.  Today, nothing.  Tomorrow, a biggie...

Don't forget to vote.

Last night I got serious

You might be thinking, she's always serious. Alot of my posts lately have a contemplative undercurrent.  I suppose it's just where I am.  All my life everything has to have some big swoosh associated with it - a big goal, another child, a trip, a job, a problem, a sadness that cracks your heart, a joy so high you have to look down to see heaven.  Not much middle ground for me.  But  I believe in the stillness of the middle is the big stuff. 

So Saturday night I was painting my youngest daughter's toenails and she was painting mine.  A nice 'still' activity unless you want Picasso on your peds.  In this very regular enjoyable moment I decided I am in training mode.  I have no race picked out but I want that focus and discipline of training.  Real traininng.  I love knowing what I have to do over a week's time, build on it and be somewhere completely different in a month.  See, I dont' like to sit still.  Which is why meditation is a huge challenge and why I do it everyday. 

I find it ironic that we work towards ease in finances, in relationships, in health, and perspective and then we crave the ooze and grit of a challenge.  As long as we know some days we walk in stead of run, sleep instead of read, listen instead of talk and are cradled instead of support -  It will work out.  Balance.   

Here are some events I am considering (I have done each of these at least once accept the Sprint Tri):

Patrick Henry Half Marathon in August 
Richmond Half Marathon in November
Sprint Triathalon in August  
Richmond Full Marathon in November

Thoughts/ideas?

Mostly I am considering what will have the least impact on my family regarding training time.  I don't mind getting up super early.  Between work, their activities, Yoga and the churn of life it's hard to find the stillness in which lies the training time.  Sure It is there.  I'm hoping these will help me find it:

My new kicks.  Asics.  Usually a Nike girl.  So far so good.  Tomorrow I am teaching my 3rd Yoga class since getting my 200 hr Teacher Training.  I am in my skin when I teach Yoga.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Surely in teaching the sweet spot of stillness I'll cultivate my own.  I'm serious.

Have a great Monday.

Giving Project update:  Yesterday I gave away this to our local Goodwill:

Gently used.  Well-loved.  Not replacing it. 

What are you serious about?

The Kissing Hand

My Giving project

So, today's giveaway is also a book. 

Another favorite mine.  No coffee stains.  All pages are present.  You may think it's not a big deal for me to give away books during my "Send me to Cali" campaign, but if you are a Barnes and Noble/Amazon whore like me, you'll know I can never have enough books and I love them all. 

The Giving Project Rules of Engagement are:

It has to be something I have enjoyed, spent time with, admired and loved well.
It has to be something I will not replace.
It can be new as long as I  like it and it would've meant something to me if I had kept it.

Today is my Mom's birthday.  Though this gift was earthly for just 28 years.  (She's been in heaven for 14) is it my best, truest, most astonishing gift and I did nothing to get it.  My little soul got her.  HER.  And in her In her honor I hand you this.

A kind thought, a moment of truth, quiet/air/what is.  Place it across your heart and breath it in.  I know.  It feels good.  Now give it away and look back down at your hand.  It's still there.  The Boomerang Affect.  Happy Birthday, Mom.  I love and miss you!

P. S.  That's her engagement ring on my right ring finger. 

Don't forget to help send me to Cali.  (if you are so inclined)  Click and vote.  Tell me you did (1 entry) and you'll be in the running for my beloved Chi Running.  All Giving Project winners announced and gifts mailed on 4/16.  You can vote everyday at this link until 4/15.

What's your intangible boomerang gift?

Sit down and rest

Need a good cry?

 Read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.  This is a tale about a relationship between a young boy and a tree. The tree always provides the boy with what he wants: branches on which to swing, shade in which to sit, apples to eat, branches with which to build a home. As the boy grows older he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the boy very much and gives him anything he asks for. In the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, the tree lets the boy cut it down so the boy can build a boat in which he can sail. The boy leaves the tree, now a stump. Many years later, the boy, now an old man, returns and the tree says, "I have nothing left to give you." The boy replies, "I do not need much now, just a quiet place to sit and rest." The tree then says, "Well, an old tree stump is a good place for sitting and resting. Come boy, sit down and rest." The boy obliged and the tree was happy.  (Wikipedia)

As I  campaign my way to Cali through Yoga Journal's Talent Search, I promised to give something away everday until 4/15 when the voting ends.
Here's today's gift:

My beloved copy of Judith Lasater's Living Your Yoga.  Your are probably thinking:  "Used book, big flippin' deal."  It is.  This is a well-loved book and I am ready to let it sail into the world with my blessing and hope it will affect you as it has me.  And it's in very good condition.

BTW, that's me in tree pose posing in front of a tree referencing The Giving Tree.  Clever, huh?
Here's how you win one of my favorite reads with my love all over it:


Help send me to Cali.  Click and vote.  Tell me you did.  (1 entry)

Leave a comment.  (1 entry)

Follow me.  (1 entry)

Have a friend Click and vote.  Tell me you did and I'll believe you.  (1 entry)

Give something away and tell us about it.  (1 entry)

Winner announced 4/15.

Favor:  Pray for my young friend, age 8 who's on heaven's doorstep.  Pray for her parents to find a tree stump on which to rest.

Give up  your burdens and rest.  Luxuriate in your life.  Run your race.  Live Your Yoga.

I've always wanted to be a centerfold

Help me get to the West Coast, y'all.
Yoga Jounal along with Athleta (totally cool fun durable work out and street clothes) is sponsoring a talent search for the next YJ model.  The winner is flown to California for a photo shoot and treated like Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman (minus the currency for intercourse).  I am no beauty queen or pretzel but I could be a centerfold with clothes and I doing my darndest to live - REALLY live a Yogic life.  It's my soapbox, my soul and my passion.  My light.  Here's the photo I sent in.  Because it's far from perfect but a very good effort, I hope it's enough.  I think it makes me real.  Somehow I became a first round finalist.

I could've sent this one in but I needed to shave (my armpits).  The only good part is my neck screams:  I'M ALMOST 43 and nowhere on the site do they ask your age.  That could've given me an edge. 

(Date wrong on photo.  Husband took pic during Ohio State Basketball Game.  That's sayin' Something.)

YOU can give me an edge.  Vote for me.  Please, please, please.  Send me to Cali.  Make me a centerfold.

Go to the link below and click once everyday until April 15.  Taxes are due that day and your vote for a 40-something gal who wants be share Yoga in the most massive way.

 
http://talentsearch.yogajournal.com/view/1908

I would do the same for you.  In honor of my request to get something I am going to actively give something away everyday until April 15.  I'll fill you in next time.   Give, give, give and you shall receive.

Boo-yah!

Boo-yah (Urban Dictionary)
The way people from the Southern US say; "great" or "fantastic". Mostly the male portion of the population. Most frequently used when a positive accomplishment has taken place. 

Here's why the boo-yah's are poppin':

I'm clean.  Here's the detox down low:  I ate a river of brown rice and lentils and a wagonload of fresh, whole, beautiful, colorful fruits and vegetables.  No diary, no sugar, no white flour, no preservatives, nothing with legs.  Yes nuts.  Yes raw almond butter.  I know you are thinking she so drank her Pinot Grigio out of a bag in the loo and hid it behind the bidet. Nope.  I did let the coffee slide however.  I had a cup in the morning and saved probably $412.00 per week by not going to Starbuck's.  The caffeine made me nice hopefully it didn't pollute me.

What I learned 

It takes 21 days to break a habit.  I no longer need or crave sweets or think it's okay to eat cookie dough and pretend it didn't happen.  I have moved ahead of my carb addiction.  Boo-yah! This is now crap to me instead of heavenly goo that makes all my problems go away:

EVERYONE needs a rice cooker. 
I wouldn't have survived this process without this:  (not the actual brand I bought, but mine was from Target for $39.00 and worth every cent.)

My version of detox was really a mild one.  People go all out and drink only premade green drinks for a number of days like my sister.  She was all like "Wow, I can't believe you did this for 21 days."  "This is hard." 

Reality check:  I did chew.  Mastication is not over-rated.  It wasn't nearly has hard as the hard-core detox programs.  Mine was a pre-school version of it.  My sister's was a graduate degree from Harvard.

The point:  Anyone can and should clean up their diet.  It was hard for me since I once wished out loud that scones were good for you.  I feel better, more focused, my skin has improved and I don't buy gummy worms to eat in the car on the way home from Kroger anymore.  An all around good time AND I'm saving money.  Do it.

 Oh, and I finished my Yoga Teacher Training. 

Pop some boo-yah's.  Tell me something good. 

Here's Chaka Khan singing that song.  (Tell me somethin' good)  Look it up on itunes.  It'll get you going.

Not me

It took 42 years.  I am figuring out know who I am not...

I am not a long, lithe fast runner but that doesn't make me a fat, slow wanna be.  I still love to run (sometimes)

Not me

I am not a ballet dancer - long, lithe, light, bony sticking glass in my belly so I can feel something (i.e. Black Swan).  I am a dancer.  I am never more electrified (almost) than when a good base and clear floor space opens up.  Baby got back - and pelvis and hips and shoulders and goo in every cell when the music starts.  I get lost and please don't find me.

Not me.

I am not a pretzel.  I am a Yogi.  You are too whether you  know it or not. That's a whole other post. 
I AM NOT TOXIC.  Or at least in 21 days I wont' be.  My friend Kathryn and I are detoxing together starting today. 
No flesh.  No dairy.  No processed foods.  No white flour.  No white sugar.  No caffeine.  No alcohol.  Yes lentils.  Yes fresh fruit and veggies, basmati.

I will check in during this journey often during the next 3 weeks.  I won't lie or pretend it's something it's not but I will have utter faith that in my moments of really, REALLY wanting M & M's, I will get me some Eminen and dance my face off.  I am not Meg Ryan.  (hiding her stash and looking for it in the trash.)  Trust me.  I trust Kathryn and we are in it to win it.  Have a great day.

Me in my new purple jacket.

(in my mind.)

What are you not?