Condoms, Duct Tape, and Rope

I’m at Whole Foods.  All lines are full.  I pick the line that appears to be the shortest and moving the fastest.  Three more people ahead of me.

image: life.com

Then all of a sudden the longer lines to either side of me are moving much faster because the person 2 spots ahead of me strikes up a conversation with the cashier.  Not only are they chit chatting but there’s a price discrepancy on what she’s buying.  Then her eggs had to get sent back because a few were broken.  And for goodness sakes, I hope she doesn’t write a check.

Waiting, waiting, waiting, patiently.

One more person ahead of me.  She’s chatting to the customer as if he was her long lost cousin.  They’re chatting about the earthquake prediction, Japan, toaster doodles, and Kombucha.  Grrrrrr!

My turn!  “Hi, how’s your day?  Find everything ok?” says the cashier.   I muster up a smile and said, “yep.”   She’s taking her time sliding my grocery across the scanner.  Grrrr.. She’s intrigued at everything I bought.  She stops to scrutinize the fresh chard and cheese stuffed ravioli I bought.   I’m thinking, “scan it.  put it in the bag.  scan the next item.”  I was thinking so hard hoping her esp is tuned in this morning and she’ll get a hint.    Nope!

“This sounds really tasty.  What sauce do you use?” she asks and before I could even reply she’s rambling on about how much the pear and percorino ravioli is really good too.  “I often make my own,” she boosts.  Grrrr!  “Cool!” I say as I try not to mumble “yay for you for having time to make fresh pasta… I don’t.”   Ok.. maybe her esp is tuned in because she goes to offer a recipe before I could even say anything.  “It’s really easy.  I just use won ton wrappers and fill it with my own stuffing.  It tastes just the same.” she says.

Whoa…. what a great idea I’m thinking.  Thank you (sincerely).  She really made my wait pleasant after that.  Just a few words connected us.  Imagine that.. really connecting with someone and breaking the barrier of the usual ways we talk, listen, and interact with people.   Thank you random cashier at Whole Foods.

As I walk away I could hear her talking up a storm with the person behind me.  I caught myself thinking how funny it would be if I were to just buy some condoms, duct tape, and rope the next time I shop… they’ll all be organic, natural, and fair trade of course.

Wouldn’t this be an interesting conversation at the cashier line?

image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yogurt75/5166340411

Bwahahahaha

Affect or Effect

My Thing 1 has been learning about homonyms in school… like ate/eight, fore/four, fowl/foul…

image: http://thepioneerwoman.com

 

Two words: affect or effect.  Before you get flashbacks of grade school, consider how you’ve been affected by day light savings this week.   I’ve noticed many people I encounter have been… myself included.  Just when I thought I had my sleep cycle all figured out, it’s dark once again when I’m getting up at 5am.  This time I’m grumpier than ever.  But I manage to get up and dash off to teach a class.

Last night I had a big wake up call.  Thing 1 and Thing 2 were horsing around in the kitchen while I was cleaning up after dinner.  I was exhausted with a migraine and just wanted to get all the dishes washed, the Things bathed and ready for bed.  Just as I finished rinsing the last dish, they knocked over a plant and spilled dirt all over the place.  It was as if Mount St. Helen erupted in my house.  The poor Things were yelled at and sent to sit in a dark corner.   I grumbled about how they never listen, how they always act like little babies, how they never get along, yak yak yak.  I couldn’t stop my soap box.  The Things sat in the dark corner in the living room and after I cleaned up the dirt, I sent myself to sit in a dark corner in my room.  Dead silence in the house.   The dog even ran so fast into his crate that the momentum closed his gate behind him.

Wow!  I thought.  What just happened?  I was at the affect of some spilled dirt. Deep down there, I was probably at the affect of the gloomy weather around here too, the lack of sleep, and the news around Japan’s earthquake.   I realized how much I over reacted.

Often when we become at the affect of a situation, person, thing, event, we OVER REACT. It happens.  The best thing to do at that moment was to forgive myself.  Instant forgiveness.  And then it was easy to ask Thing 1 and Thing 2 for their forgiveness… they got to come out of the dark corner

How about you?  Are you often at the receiving end of affect?  Check it out the next time you’re holding a pose you don’t want to be in.  How does it affect you?  How about when someone pisses you off?  What kind of grip do they have on you? How does the weather affect you? Does it have to?

Inquiries like these help us out of that reactive zone… even if it’s after the fact.   The cool thing is:  once you realize where you are, you can now EFFECT change.   Perhaps instant forgiveness is in order.  How about compassion?   And cut yourself a little slack… so you can have an eye opening effect.

image: http://www.gather.com

 

Losing It

image: http://pointsoffturnovers.blogspot.com/2009/10/losing-your-voice.html

My voice that is.

The voice nabbing bug has been around the bay.  Thank goodness it wasn’t the flu.  Being the stubborn girl that I am, I refused to go to the doctor and am determined to handle this all naturel.  I’ve done all sorts of concoctions from a juice fast, lemon, honey, ginger, tumeric, hot totties, throat coat, cold season tea… you name it, I’ve tried it.  They’ve all really helped in it’s own little way but the last thing I need to do is REST!  Where can I buy that? lol

While I am losing my voice, my students are losing their belongings.  It’s quite comical what I’ve seen in the lost and found boxes of the studios I teach at.  In one day, there were two students who forgot their purses.  Their whole purses!  If that was me, I wouldn’t have made it far from the parking lot cause I keep my keys in my purse.   Water bottles are the popular lost items, but have you ever seen a wet underwear in the bathroom?  Eeeewwwww!  Towels, socks, t-shirts, and pants are also common items.  A complete lululemon outfit is rare but happens and no one wants to claim it.   Hmmmm… Perhaps these clothing items need to be burned!   I start to scratch my head when I see high heels, fancy boots and shoes.   Ok, so maybe they left in their slippers, but in a funny kind’a way, I’m happy to have been of service to these people… facilitating their journey to bliss and giving them the space to leave their crap behind.  Literally in this case.

Sore Throat Remedy:

If you’re feeling some itchies down yonder in that throat of yours, try this:   tumeric, honey, and ginger powder.   A girlfriend told me about it and she recommended black pepper, but I said “black pepper?!”  and opted for ginger powder.   Mix 1 tsp tumeric powder, 1 tsp ginger, and 1 Tbsp raw honey.  Adjust the honey until it forms a sticky paste and looks like melted caramel.   You could also add some lemon.  Shove it in your mouth and shallow slowly.   It’s not that bad.  It’s worked for me.   Here’s a simple youtube I found:

 

Auspicious New Years Traditions

image: http://weheartit.com/entry/5947751

 

Happy 2011!  The best thing about coming from a multicultural family is that I get triple the amount of good fortune blessings for the new year.

Two years ago I celebrated New Years Las Vegas style.  It was the last chance for me to experience the glitz and glamour of sin city before I moved.  And as the saying goes, “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” surely was a night to remember…. to remember to NEVER EVER do it again!  Dancing, drinking, and having a good time.   10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5… before the countdown was over, the only thing I remember toasting was not the rim of my champagne glass but the rim of the toilet!  Let’s just say that year was not the best year of my life.

This year, I celebrated in a much more chill atmosphere in the company of yogi friends at the grand opening of Breathe Los Gatos where I will be teaching amongst the best of the best with every yoga style under the hatha umbrella.  It was a fabulous night.  Henna tattoos, a chocolate fountain and this time I saw the brim of my champagne glass!  I truly believe that we get what we give and I’m feeling grateful to be surrounded by a bunch of people committed to share the magic of yoga.  If you’re around Los Gatos, come by tomorrow for free classes all day!

Just as Americans start to forget about their new year resolutions, I will be looking forward to ringing in the Chinese New Year on Feb 3rd.   Just like a western celebration, there will be fun, food, family, and friends.  I will be slurping up noodles that will somehow give me a longer life, scrub the house from top to bottom to sweep away all the ill-fortune of the past and make way for new fortune.  Speaking of fortune, we will shower our kids with red (the color wards off evil) envelops filled with money to wish them a long life, prosperity, and good health.

When that side of the family activities are long gone, I will be celebrating again in April with Lao New Year (“Bpee Mai”).  When I was young (or rather before I was “white-washed” LOL) we would go to the Buddhist temple where the community would gather for worship then entertainment, food, and water fights.  It’s auspicious to splash soak water on yourself but also on anyone you would want to wish a long life of health and happiness.

Although each cultural piece of me celebrates at different times of the year, there is one common thread amongst us all and that is we all crave to be a part of a community.  We all want to wash away the remnants of the past year, especially if it was not the best year of our lives. Our community of friends, family, and even strangers we encounter become our focal point of celebration.  It was no different whether I was barfing at a night club in Vegas or toasting with my yoga community, we all wish to live healthier and happier lives and I wish that for you!

What do you do to welcome the new year?

 

Bad Camel Pose Under Lunar Eclipse

Last night I felt like I did a very bad camel pose in a freezing yoga room with no heat to witness the lunar eclipse.  Oh my neck!  from gazing up.  I knew this phenomenon was going to happen last night but I completely forgot about as I collapse into bed about 11:30pm after a long day.  Just as my eyes were rolling into my head, I get a text message from my bro telling me “GET UP!  The lunar eclipse is happening!”  My brother who never cares about this kind of stuff somehow knew I was sleeping cause the words “GET UP!” was written just like that.  Without thinking, I jumped out of bed to catch my heart that beat right out of my chest as if someone injected expresso into my bloodstream.  I ran outside and looked up.  Nothing!  Did I miss it?  OMG!  How could I miss this event that occurs like 400 years or so?!

The air was so crisp and the sky had a simmering shade of midnight blue as the clouds pass.. ahhh there it is… it looked like a toe nail clipping in the sky.   More clouds.  I relax my neck and thought…. this is what a very bad camel pose feels like when someone cranks their neck back without lengthening. Ouch!

There was no doubt that it was also the Winter Solstice because not only did my neck hurt, but I stood there in the night freezing my toes off because I didn’t grab a sweater or blanket as I just jumped right out.  I didn’t want to come back inside either cause I wasn’t going to miss this!

As I freeze in the night, I can’t help but wonder how many other beings out there are looking at this spectacular event at the same time as me (although some were probably nicely propped back into a chair or lying on the ground with their hands cradled behind their necks).   I am reminded that we all are connected… somehow… someway… we all look up into the same sky and shine in the same moonlight.  One Love!

It was all worth it… “NASA reports that the last time these astronomical events took place in sync was on Dec. 21, 1638, and it won’t happen again until at least 2094.”  (Huffington Post)

If you missed it, there’s some great photos out there on Huffington Post and youtube.  Here are some of my favorites:

Image: Huffington post

Blame It On The Holidays

I was racing thru Trader Joe’s this afternoon looking for pesto sauce.  Went to the sauce section and there was this frumpy lady with her shopping cart.. and I say frumpy because she was all bundled up in her snowman jacket, scarf and a big’ol bag that I could’ve jumped in.  She was standing right in front of the sauce self.  I was mumbling to myself as I tried to scan the self… “there’s the tomato pesto, marinara, now where is the plain old basil pesto?”  She quickly turned around and bumped into me with her purse.  “Oh I’m so sorry dear. I’ve been bumping and turning into everyone this morning,”   she says.   “No worries,” I say.  She goes on to say how clumsy she’s been.  I blurt out, “Just blame it on the holidays!”  She laughs and says, “Oh no!!!  I wish I could blame it on the holidays but I’ve been a mess lately.”   I’m thinking, Oh man! I just want my pesto sauce.  I’ve got 10 minutes to check out and dash to pick up the kid and I hope the green light gods will be kind to me.

image by Philip James Corwin/Corbis

 

She continues.  I have no choice but to listen cause I wanted my pesto sauce!  “You see, I haven’t been present.  Constantly thinking of my granddaughter who was diagnosed with Leukemia…”  My heart sank.  I just looked into her eyes and she kept talking and I kept listening.  I completely lost track of time and she stopped abruptly and turns to the shelf and pulls out the pesto jar I wanted.  “Here’s your pesto sauce, dear,” she says with a big bright smile.  She even stood up taller and looked less frumpy.

The express lane opened up.  I paid.  I ran out the door.  Jumped into my car.  Drove to school and the green light gods were very kind indeed.     After settling the fear of being late for school pickup, I suddenly realized that I had a deep connection with a total stranger in the middle of Trader Joes.  I big rush of calm swept over me.  I am reminded how easily I can slip into overdrive… over load and miss out on the most important part of the holiday season… to reflect, connect, and slow down.

Thank you frumpy lady at Trader Joes for bumping into me and forcing me to listen and pay attention… for it was I who was not present!

Cherry on Top

My first Blog Award

Who would’ve thought that my ramblings would be recognized? Swedish Yogini mentions live.love.yoga blog is “thoughtful writing that makes me smile.”  Swedish Yogini is one of my favorite reads.  You can always count on her blog for inspirational real life stories accompanied by beautiful pictures.   I love it when people share of themselves so authentically. Thank You!!!

I can always expect that my practice will continue to surprise me each time I get on the mat, but sometimes it’s not so apparent in my life.  The limitations or self doubt that I put on myself is the very thing that prevents me from being surprised… for example never believing that my blog is worthy of being recognized.  How about you?  Do you often doubt yourself not being worthy of a raise?  a vacation?  to be recognized?  or even being successful?  Catch yourself doubting and then doubt your doubts. Cause gosh darn it!  You deserve it!  And I deserve this award because I pour my love into this and you guys keep fueling my fire!  T H A N K  Y O U !!!!

Here are the blogs I have the pleasure of passing the award to.  All are amazing yoginis who share generously from their hearts and definitely spread the joy across the blogosphere:

1. The Joy of Yoga

2. Domestic Dharma

3.  Lacylike

4.  Yoga Gypsy

5.  Gussying Up The Tuttle

With play come rules, and the rules are;
1. Thank the person that gave it to you
2. Copy the award to your blog
3. Pass the award forward to five other people of your choice
4. Share three things you like

Right now I like am in love with aerial yoga, cranberry sauce, and toe socks.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Acts of Kindness

Today, I have constantly been the recipient of “acts of kindness.”   At first glance, I would normally go into my “I don’t deserve this” rant, but rather  appreciated how there was a kind person (even two) for every grumpy person I met.

I had a normal friday full of stuff to do as usual and one of them was to wait at the dealer for my oil change.  I’ve been putting off this task for a while now because I hate wasting an hour waiting there and I usually don’t have good experiences at auto dealers.  To my surprise, I received the best service today.  The service rep and the cashier were super nice and my car got done quicker than expected.  Hmmm..

Off to the farmer’s market… I usually get flustered at the market either trying to find parking, getting cut off in the line to pay for my purchase, or people pushing and shoving to get the best strawberries.  Upon arriving, this lady waved at me to signal that she was parked in front of me and she was leaving.   Wow!  That was a first.  Then, went to get some tomatoes from the same vendor I always go to and he gave me a handful of jalapenos and told me to “make a kickass salsa” tonight.   These guys are always nice and friendly, but what a gesture!  Finally finished my rounds at the market at the food vendors to get some lunch.  Bought some yummy spring rolls and the guy gave me extra of every ingredient.  My spring roll was about 3 inches in diameter and looked like a mega burrito.  I didn’t even ask for extra.

To top off my friday, a wonderful friend and yoga teacher, Jennifer, offered me her extra ticket to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s sold out event next tuesday!

How coincidental is that His Holiness will give a teaching entitled Eight Verses of Training the Mind: Awakening the Heart of Compassion.

Yikes! A real lesson of, “give what you want to receive” in action!  Can’t wait!

Have a wonderful weekend!

My Second Family Drama

Yesterday I mentioned how I take a ton of pics but never download them off the camera.  Well today I was caught in a similar situation.   My friend Lacy came over for lunch today and saw this picture of another family on my refrigerator.  “Who are they?” she asks.   I’m not quite sure what she was referring to until I turned around and see this (look lower right corner):

My Other Family

BUSTED!  Ok so not only do I never download the pictures off my camera until I am forced to, but once they are downloaded, they stay there and apparently I haven’t been forced to print any out to put in these frames that are displayed throughout my house.  This refrigerator magnet frame was from some birthday party goodie bag that just got stuck on the refrigerator and I didn’t want to take out the standard family picture because I wanted it to remind me to hurry up and print out a picture to put in it.  I guess they have become part of my family   hahaha

I look in the back corner of the fridge and find this:

still empty

This was a souvenir from our Maui trip back in 2007.  I still remember the exact picture that I wanted to print out and put on this cute little magnet frame.  Now this picture has been archived off my computer onto a CD that resides somewhere in a box buried with other boxes in the garage.  -sigh-

Even more:

This was a souvenir from 2006 when we took Jazzy to the Mandalay Bay Aquarium. We wanted to spend some more quality time with Jazzy before her brother was born.

Hey, at least I turned the standard family picture around and it’s just a blank frame that sits pretty amongst the few other frames with our pictures in them.

As you can see I am not on top of it when it comes to digital pictures.  The problem I have is that the convenience of digital cameras have made me lazy.  I figure I could take as many pictures as I want with intentions of editing them later and choosing the best one to save, the best one to print, the best one to share.  Then the convenience doesn’t become convenient anymore.   The printer runs out of ink when I do decide to pull it out and print something.  Or I run out of paper.  Or when I do print one out, I have to let it dry and in the process the print out gets filed into a folder somewhere because I got distracted and had to put off the cutting of the picture and actually slipping it into the frame.  Wow!  How did such a simple task become so dramatic?

Isn’t that the story of our lives?  One of my students this week had this revelation.  She was struggling in airplane with a cramp in the standing hip and leg.  So we set out to stretch out that area.  During the process, she breathed and stayed with sensations.  After the hip release, I could see that she was not only in a new space physically, but a mental shift occurred.  “Oh my hip drama!” she laughs with relief.

Notice how drama weaves into your practice unexpectedly without you even knowing it.  Notice the similarity between the drama on your mat and the drama in your life.  Notice how this weave gets spun so tight that it starts to paralyze you.  It stops you from flowing.  It stops you from creating.  It stops you from experiencing possibilities.

As for me, Lacy’s detailed oriented eye, like a full memory card that forces me to download pictures off the camera, is the force that is forcing me to print out some pics for those frames.  Pictures of pictures in these frames for sure! Someone hold me accountable

Funny, Offensive, or Inappropriate

I’ve been wanting to write this blog for a while but couldn’t bring myself to just in case I offended anyone but after the sexy side plank post in the family planning isle, how could I not? I was reminded of this post when clearing out my magazine pile and stumbled upon YJ’s April issue with this ad:

Beautiful heart opener LOL

Yet another reason why I love lulu!  Apparently some people were offended by this.  I think it’s hilarious!  What I have learned in the past from my practice is to not take things personally (one of Four Agreements by Don Miguel.  Best easy read with applicable and valuable insights.  Read it!)

What’s the funniest perhaps borderline offensive or even outright inappropriate things you’ve heard in yoga class? Here’s some I came across:

“widen your anal canal”

“move your TNA aside” (for paschimottanasana)

“spread your camel toes” (teacher referring to the actual toes during camel pose)

“uhh where is everyone?” (A teacher says to a class as she walks in to a half filled class.  Like the people there didn’t matter.)

“hmmm you guys have a lot to learn”  (A teacher says as she shakes her head with dissappointment)

“relax and imagine I’m your boyfriend” (the gym director warns me about things not to say while adjusting students in happy baby)

WOW! is exactly what I thought when I heard these.  Some I laughed at.  Some I shook my head at.  Some I just didn’t care.  Bottom line is, I am in control of my reaction.  Obviously if I feel uncomfortable, I will respect my boundaries and perhaps not attend that class anymore.

Here’s to laughter!  Muh-wa-ha-ha!