Intention

Intention. 
I used to hate when in a yoga class the teacher would say "if you would like to set an intention for class today..."  I didn't get it.  I was in a yoga class to work out.  My intention was to exercise.  And I really didn't like the feeling of not being "deep enough".  But now I have a new perspective on intention.  I think it is probably a result of continuing to practice and study yoga philosophy that now I do set an intention for my yoga practice and it's not just to "get a yoga butt" :)
Yoga is my preferred method of "loving movement" or exercise but it may not be for you, and that's obviously fine.  I'm not trying to convince you all that yoga is the best way to get your bodies moving.  We are all different and enjoy different things.  I always say, find what YOU like to do so you will stick with it.  It is easy for me to want to work out because I thoroughly enjoy the practice I have on my yoga mat.  Yoga is what I have found to be the best for me.
But whether you have a yoga practice or not is besides the point of this post.  I wanted to share with you a new practice I have started about two weeks ago. One day  I woke up before Isla, sat up bed and did a short meditation.  Just sat and listened to my breath.  And as I was doing that the thought occurred to me to set an intention for the day.  For me, for this particular day, the intention that I set was to slow down and be patient. And throughout the day before I spoke or did anything, I was reminded of that intention.  It made my day so....nice.  I was so excited how taking that simple moment before getting out of bed to make a promise to myself and others about the way I wanted to show up in the world really allowed me to be in a way that was useful.  So I tried it the next day too.
And I was humbled.
I didn't set as clear of an intention.  Really  I was just mostly kind of hoping to recreate what had happened for me the day before.  But it didn't work.  Because the intention was unclear I found it difficult to remain as in balance as I did the day before.  So I re-learned the lesson of letting go of expectations, and staying in the moment.  The flimsy intention of trying to feel the way I did yesterday wasn't right for today.  So now everyday I do try to really listen in.  To let myself be open to what I feel for this day.
And sometimes the intentions are the same.
And some are different.
Some days it's easy to step into the space of being wholly present with my words and actions so I may align with the best possible version of myself, and some days it's really challenging.
I have learned to try my best, to see those challenges as teachers.  To know that whatever is being presented to me at this moment is something I need to learn.  An opportunity to test my practice.
So I know that it may seem hard to sit in silence for a few minutes in the morning when most of us wake up to the alarm, to get ready for work or a child crying to be fed, or any number of  responsibilities to get to right away when waking up.  And I do too, and it can be hard on some days.  When I don't get to have those moments in bed when I wake up early I take them once breakfast is ready and Isla is eating or whenever I can find time. I try to do it in the morning but there is no reason why you can't get started half way through the day.  Maybe on your lunch break at work, or during nap time.  Anytime is an opportunity to set an intention for the way you want the rest of the day to be.  And if not today, there's always tomorrow. :)

Why not try to set a morning intention for your day today?

Let me know how it goes!

Peace, Love, Light.

Water

We all know we should be drinking water and lots of it.  I only recently discovered how little water I was consuming and how a few small changes have made me feel a lot better!
First, some of you may or may not know I am newly pregnant.  And since I am health conscious, I have tried to be even more so during my pregnancy.  With the knowledge that what I feed myself feeds the tiny life growing inside of me, building his/her every cell, I have been *trying* to make the best choices possible.  I say *trying* because for some reason I have been craving bread.  Bread, toast, bagels, you name it.  Because of that I try to make sure I am getting lots of nutrients at other times.  Lots of leafy greens, whole grains, fresh fruit, and of course my prenatal vitamins.  That being said, I have been staying away from coffee and tea.  Not just because of the caffeine, but I actually haven't been feeling like drinking them either.  Funny thing about being pregnant, your body has ways of telling you what is not so good for your baby and a strong aversion to coffee has been with me for the past 20 weeks.
And I have been constantly feeling thirsty.  So water, water, water is pretty much all I have been drinking.(only just recently I have had some tea, but I have found I don't really feel that great after I drink it!)  So water it is.  And you know what, when I stick to water I feel so good!
I recently read/heard a tip to start the day with a big glass of water.  Before you do or have anything else first thing in the morning when you wake up drink a glass of water.  This was not something I generally ever did but have now started to do and I love the way I feel after that first glass.
They say that drinking water first thing in the morning is a good way to rid the body from any toxins that have been released through your night's sleep.  The water flushes them away.  Water in the morning helps to jump start the re-hydration process.  As you sleep through the night you are obviously not drinking water for a period of (hopefully) 6-8 hours.  In which time your body uses up its supply of water and starts to become dehydrated.  It's important to rehydrate before you become too dehydrated and feel the effects(headache, dry mouth/skin, nausea, fatigue).  Which brings me to the next benefit to drinking water in the morning, it brings you energy!  The body is made up of 60% water.  And most of the functions of the body need water to work properly (i.e. circulation, digestion, elimination).  When there is little water being put into the body these functions must work harder and this causes you to feel tired and sluggish.  All of these benefits will keep you healthy and radiant from the inside out.
So, what if you "don't like water"?
Well, there are many things to be said about this.  First thing to consider is; if you are not drinking water, what are you drinking?
Chances are any number of the following, coffee, tea, soda, juice.  Right?  Well, some of these things maybe  good at giving your body hydration, like tea and juice.  Depending on what kind you choose.  Herbal tea and other choices that do not contain caffeine, I have read, can give you an adequate supply of water.  Juice that is freshly squeezed(I'm not talking about sugary juice drinks that may or may not contain any real juice)has may benefits as well, and since fruits and vegetables that you can juice yourself ,or that they do at Whole Foods ;), contain mostly water and are therefore hydrating, but also contain natural sugars so you won't want to be drinking 8-10 glasses of juice a day, even if it is freshly squeezed from organic fruits and veggies.
Coffee is very DE-hydrating.  I'm not saying you shouldn't drink it.  Do what you want.  BUT arm yourself with the knowledge that coffee does dry you out, can intensify stress, increases acidity in the body (you want your body to be alkaline, not acidic), it causes a loss in nutrients, and may reduce fertility.   So drinking coffee all day doesn't sound so good anymore....and I was definitely one to do so a few years back.  I worked in a place where there was free coffee, and it was all I had to drink all day long.  I used to own a coffee maker and I no longer do because when I worked afternoons and my partner and then-roommate worked mornings we would make a whole pot of coffee.  They would leave for the day having had one cup (maybe two) each leaving me with the rest of the pot.  Which I drank.  Always.  Yikes.  So I am just suggesting drinking a big glass of water BEFORE a cup of coffee and not the whole pot.  And who knows?  You may feel so energized from your glass of water in the mornings that you no longer wish to have coffee. Maybe...
And lastly soda.  I choose not to drink soda.  It is sugary, contains caffeine(see above), it's pretty much empty calories.  Not to mention it can rot your teeth and make your bones weak.  So I avoid it.  And have done so successfully for a few years now.
But it tastes good, you may say.
It does especially when you're eating with it junk food, like salty chips, fried food or pizza.  But, and I do promise,  that when you start to make healthy food choices and cleanse your palate from the heavy, salty, sugary foods, you'll find water is the best companion to your fresh, healthy food.  If you don't believe it can be done, see my post here.

So if all this info doesn't make you thirsty for water, here are a few tips to make it more palatable.

1.  Try adding fresh squeezed lemon, cucumber slices, or mint to the water for a nice, refreshing flavor.

2.  Try sparkling water.  Especially if your go-to drink of choice is soda.  It hydrates just as well as still water, so drink up.  This is a suitable substitute during meals and while "at rest" like during work hours, or watching a movie, but if/when you are exercising choose still water.

3.  Find a cool water bottle.  I know it may sound silly but this may help!   I have this great stainless steel water bottle that I think is super cute, it holds a lot of water and I drink probably 6-8 of these daily.  It is now the only thing I drink water from even when I am at home.  Maybe for you there's a favorite glass you just like drinking from, use that.  Or maybe you like to drink from a straw, or water with ice.  Find what you like and stick with it.  And you definitely don't have to spend the $20 or whatever crazy price they sell the "name brand" stainless steel water bottles for either.  This one I got  for just 5 BUCKS!

How much water do you drink everyday?  What is your preferred method?  Try starting the day with water and let me know how  it goes!

Eagle Arms

If you're like most people(myself included) you might spend your time doing any number, or all, of these things:
Sitting hunched over a computer keyboard
Looking down while chopping veggies and stirring pots
Gripping the steering wheel with less-than-perfect posture in traffic
Finding yourself with tense shoulders because of holding and nurturing babies (yours or otherwise)
The list can go on and on and the result is a pain in the neck! Well, the neck and shoulders. BUT, there is a remedy, a quite simple one, to help ease your pain. This is a great one that can be done anytime, anywhere: Eagle Arms.
I LOVE EAGLE ARMS. The stretch is really wonderful and goes deep into the middle of the upper back and shoulders.

To practice Eagle Arms bring one elbow on top of the other and continue winding arms around each other until your palms touch or you touch your wrist. Then press your shoulders down away from your ears and lift your elbows up towards your face. Play with the amount you press the shoulders and lift the elbows until you find a juicy stretch in between your shoulder blades and HOLD for 3 to 5 breaths or more. Then repeat on the other side.
If your shoulders are tight or it is hard for you to get into the position of Eagle Arms, don't worry! You can get the same benefits of the stretch by stacking your elbows and wrapping your arms around yourself like a big hug.

If you want a little bit more of a stretch throughout your back and in your neck you can drop your chin to your chest and round down through the spine. This can be done in either variation. Breathe all the way down your spine and feel how the entire back of your ribcage expands.









This is definitely a pose in practicing self love. By taking good care of yourself you are more equipped to take care of others around you. This goes for people you know and love and those you don't! (Ever smile at a complete stranger?) One of the reasons I love practicing yoga is that it is a form of "loving movement"(to use a FLY Lady term ). A lot of other exercise programs are harsh and seem almost violent, pushing hard through the workout in hopes of certain results. In yoga we are encouraged to turn inward, listen and feel, soften and experience, to be in the moment intimately with our own life force; our breath. The practice brings awareness to every moment that we are alive, that we are able to move our bodies and to be deep in gratitude for that fact. And sure, with the practice may come strength, flexibly and muscle tone, but that is not why we do it. We practice to be connected more deeply to ourselves, at our deepest core, so that we may more fully connect with each other.
I hope that you take time away from whatever may be causing you tension in your shoulders and practice this pose.  Like I said, it can be done anywhere, at your desk, in the kitchen and even in the car.  You have no excuse not to try!  Let me know how much you love Eagle Arms too! (Or not....and that's okay, too.  As long as you TRY.)