A Precious Human Life

“Every day ~ think as you wake up

Today I am fortunate to have woken up.
I am Alive, I have a precious human life.

I am not going to waste it.

I am going to use all my energies to develop myself,
to expand my heart out to others,
to achieve enlightenment for
the benefit of all beings.

I am going to have kind thoughts towards others.

I am not going to get angry, or think badly about others.

I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

 

 

His Holiness
the XIVth Dalai Lama

 

 

 

Our Birthright

"Despite illness of body or mind,

in spite of blinding despair or habitual belief,

who you are is whole.

 

Let nothing keep you separate from The Truth.

 

The soul, illumined from within,

longs to be known for what it is. 

 

Undying, untouched by fire or the storms of life,

there is a place inside

where stillness and abiding peace reside.

 

You can ride the breath to go there.

 

Despite doubt or hopeless turns of mind,

you are not broken.

 

Spirit surrounds, embraces,

fills you from the inside out.

 

Release everything that isn't your true nature.

 

What's left, the fullness, light, and shadow,

claim all that as your birthright".

 

Thank you Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health

 

 

 

The Blue Room

Here we all are .... another year older (if we're so lucky) .... celebrating another New Years Eve and Day.  How can it be a year already?  My dear friend, Cindy Rabbitt, reminded me that I wrote a post as 2013 turned into 2014 which I didn't even REMEMBER.  Maybe turning 60 eight months ago is affecting my brain cells .... or maybe I'm just too busy .... or maybe I'm not busy enough.  So many questions, so few answers.
 
The only thing I am very aware of today is the ticking of the clock .... tick tock, tick tock .... TIME IS MOVING ON.  And oh good Lord .... Facebook and Words with Friends .... WHAT A TIME SUCKER!!!

But I digress from what I want to share today, as we release the old and move forward into The New Year.  I want to share a powerful practice of Release and Forgiveness.  It's called The Blue Room.
 
The Blue Room is a safe place where you can have a conversation with a person in your life, whether living or deceased, where you feel the energy needs to be cleared, exchanged or rebalanced.  It works very well with any relationship where you suspect old, karmic ties may be influencing your relationship.  Personally, I believe MOST relationships have some sort of karmic pull, and The Blue Room allows a safe space for making peace.  Since many of us are here to finish and release old business, possibly all of our close family, friends, and work relationships have some sort of karmic energy affecting us. 
 

The nice thing about this meditation is that it is not about cutting cords or ties, but instead it functions as an energy exchange and rebalancer.  Many times we don’t want people completely out of our lives, but we want to love them NOW, without all of the past life craziness.  The Blue Room allows this to happen in a graceful and gentle way. 

 

 

=================================================  

As we release 2014 and move into 2015,
I invite you to experience The Blue Room ...

Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths.  Imagine yourself in a room FILLED with all blue things.  Blue floor, blue ceiling, blue walls, blue furniture.  You are enveloped in blue.  You see a blue sofa and you walk over to it and have a seat.  You lean back comfortably, and again take 3 deep breaths. 

Now tune into whomever you want to invite into the room and welcome them to join you on the blue sofa.  See them walk through the blue door and walk over to you on the sofa.     Invite them to sit with you.  See them in your mind's eye; every detail of them.

Now calmly and sincerely explain to them
why you feel you were hurt, and how painful it was or still is.  Explain how much it’s affected you.  Take a deep breath, and look them directly in the eyes.  Say whatever is on your heart, both good and bad.  This is your time to speak honesty.  Listen to their response.   

Tell them that your intention is to live in balance with them from now on.  Tell them that you forgive them and wish them well.  Ask for an apology, and accept it.  Know that your Higher Self is interacting with their Higher Self,
and that we all want to be Loved.   

Tell them that you will be reclaiming any karmic energy of yours that has seeped into their being, and that you will be returning any karmic energy of theirs that has seeped into yours.  Perform the exchange and know that in doing so, you are ACTUALLY changing and rebalancing the relationship “in real life”.   

When you are done, you may hug the person or just let them go.  Whatever needs to happen will happen.  Follow your feelings.

Watch the person leave the room, through the blue door.  Feel free to invite another person into The Blue Room and welcome them to join you on the sofa.  Repeat the process until you have no one else you feel drawn to invite.

When you are ready to leave The Blue Room,
rise from the sofa and walk to the blue door.  Gently open the door and step back into this reality.  Take 3 deep breaths and open your eyes. 

================================================= 

  MAY EACH OF US  enjoy a very
Honest, Heartfelt, and Loving 2015.

Happy ReNew Year!

 

 

 

 

 

^ * ^ * ^ *  I love you, my Angel friend, Terry French, for introducing me to The Blue Room many years ago. 

Fly high and fly free! ^ * ^ * ^ *

 

 

 

Treat Yourself to 20 - 20 - 20

As a computer, smart phone, and tablet user, my guess is that you're like me and get COMPLETELY SUCKED INTO your device.  Isn't it amazing how time seems to DISAPPEAR when working (or playing) with our devices?  It is almost scary how they seem to be taking over our life. 

Today I was blessed enough to participate in Universal Avionics Health Fair for their employees.  Of course the Rule of The World came into play; I was invited due to my friendship with Deb Carnsew.  Thanks, Deb!

Having never exhibited in a Health Fair before, it was fun and creative to determine what I wanted to offer to the employees.  I decided to theme my table using a combination of Yoga and doTerra Essential Oils.  And what fun it was sharing both ideas with the employees!

I offered a hand-out of yoga poses that can be done in and around a chair, and offered sniffs and drops of several doTerra Essential Oils (Lavender was the biggest hit!) 

I also offered Tootsie Rolls to all with the reminder of ...

TREAT YOURSELF TO 20 - 20 - 20. 

 This means ....

• Every TWENTY minutes step away from your computer (or device)
• Look TWENTY feet into the distance
• For at least TWENTY seconds
• And TWIST, stretch, yawn, breathe, whatever ... just MOVE.

I was surprised at all of the head nods I received, and it made me feel so much a part of humanity.  WE ALL INSTINCTIVELY KNOW what is good for us, but we all find a thousand reasons not to follow our inner voice and hearts. 

You know the old saying .... "we teach best what we most need to learn" (Richard Bach).  I'm grateful that I had fun laughing at myself when asked "do you do this?"  Of course I admitted that I don't consistently follow my own advice.  But we did all agree, how necessary the practice of remembering 20 - 20 - 20 is. 

Have you figured out a way to avoid getting sucked into your device?  If so, PLEASE SHARE! 

I am a student first, and a teacher second.

 

Dear God ...

 

 

Lovely In Her Bones

I know it's been exactly 7 weeks since I've posted to my blog.  Why?  The biggest reason is because of the month of JANUARY.  I am so grateful to be in the accounting (QuickBooks) business because the first month of the year is typically crazy busy.  And this year was exceptionally busy.  Thank you God.

The flip side of that coin is that I spent many hours in my desk chair, staring at my monitor, and unfortunately many hours hunched over my keyboard.  Not good, I know.  I envy friends who have physical jobs as they get their exercise while working.  But, we all know there is no one right, perfect answer.  EVERYTHING has its trade-offs.

But since I returned from my training in Sedona, I have been toying with the idea of LIFE BEING EXERCISE.  And today my thoughts were justifed when I found this article ~

            How To Exercise Without Really Trying

This is very much what I have been thinking about.  Why do we feel like we have to "go to" the gym, or "go to" yoga class, or "go to" Zumba, to get exercise?  Certainly the social aspect of the "going to" makes it more enjoyable (or not ~ I guess it depends on one's personality). 

Trust me ~ as a yoga instructor, I'm not saying "don't go to" class.  However, typically a class lasts only 60 minutes, while the minutes we are typically awake during a 24 hour period, totals 960 minutes.  Why can't we take advantage of those extra 900 minutes each day and use those moments to focus on our movements?

A good friend of mine has shared with me her inability to exercise at home, very similar to my challenge of creating a TRUE Home Yoga Practice.  So I say to both my friend and myself .... CARPE MOMENTO.  Let's make EVERY MOMENT be an exercise. 

Here are the movements I have experimented with myself:

1.  Let's start with something we ALL do ... sit on the toilet.  Be aware of your leg muscles when lowering down and standing up.  Don't hang onto the sink or wall ... inhale completely, and then exhale and sit down using the thighs, and drawing the belly in .  Stand up on the inhale, again using the thigh muscles.  You can also do leg extensions while on the pot.  Slow the movement down, move with your breath, and FEEL it.

2.   My mother was The Queen of this one.  Use the extra few moments in bed each morning to stretch your arms and hands UP.  Open and close the hands, do wrist circles, palms to the ceiling and twist the hands from side to side.  Then roll on one side and do the yoga pose of cat and cow.  Wake up your spine.  BREATHE.  Then visualize and plan your day from bed.  What we think, we create. 

3.  When brushing your teeth ~ do legs lifts backwards, forward, and to each side. My electric toothbrush beeps every 30 seconds; there is my cue to change directions and/or sides.  Be sure to bend over the sink using your core to hold you up instead hunching over the sink and resting your forearms. 

4.  When waiting for the microwave, do side-stretches or forward bends. 

5.  When at the sink, stand up on your toes and release.  I also like to do this when standing in line at the grocery store. 

6.  Another fun experiment when standing in line .... imagine you have angel wings folded into your shoulder blades.  While you're waiting, E X P A N D those wings and flap them free.  You might be surprised at who turns to look at you; your energy DOES expand and light up when you do that.

7.  When watching TV, get down on the floor and do some forward folds over your legs.  You can still see the screen.  Or if you can't tear yourself away from the TV show, at LEAST do it during the commercials.  Even a few crunches during each commercial will add up to big benefits. 

I bet everyone of us could add to this list, and I invite you to share your thoughts below.  I struggle with going to exercise class just like most everyone else.  But I bet we would all agree that once the class is over, WE FEEL GREAT.  So let's take that thought one step further .... if EVERY MOMENT was an exercise, then we would feel great all of the time.  And maybe because we DO feel great, we'd be more willing to GO TO that social exercise class and feel even better.

Hey ~ NONE of us are getting any younger, and as my wise sister recently said to me ...

       WALK, or GET A WALKER. 

Let's take advantage of every second of every day and make our Life a Living Exercise.

I welcome your ideas!

From my almost 60 year old heart to yours ~
Diana

Twenty-Fourteen ...

That number just doesn't compute for me.  Maybe it's because I have thought about that number for about 40 years of my life (since my 20's) and I just couldn't really imagine myself being here.

But here we are in Twenty-Fourteen.  I'm here.  And so are you.

So NOW what? 

I have more questions than answers, but I do know one thing ...

 

WHAT DO YOU KNOW THIS YEAR?
I'd love to hear your thoughts. 





 

A picture is worth ...

... a thousand words.

No longer putting off moving into my office waiting for the carpeting to be installed, Dennis was sweet enough to set up my Creative Corner Computer so I could create the below YouTube of my experience in Sedona.

It's funny to look back at the pictures 4+ weeks later.  I didn't take ANY pictures during the many, MANY hours of yoga practice and training, but I obviously captured many images of our 4-times-per- week hikes in the beauty of Sedona.  Gee whiz ... if you didn't know me, and you just watched this video, you'd think I was NEVER in training. But that is far from the truth.

I am so grateful for the experience I had with everyone, both faculty and students.  I will ALWAYS REMEMBER everyone.

Brew a cup of tea, turn up the volume, sit back, and I hope you enjoy ~

Calgon ~ No ... EPSOM SALT ...

... Take Me Away!  Does you remember that Calgon slogan?

I believe we don't need to buy another "product" from a big corporation; simply go back to the tried and true Epsom salt and take the time to take a bath.

Of course it's rather ironic that I'm gaining this realization after REMOVING our soaking tub in our master bathroom to replace it with a huge walk-in shower.  But I'm grateful that we KEPT the bathtub in our front bathroom so I can follow this advice.

What is Epsom salt anyway?   After Googling (I love researching on the Internet!), I learned that it is Magnesium Sulfate, an inorganic salt made of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen.  The name was derived because one of the earliest discoveries of magnesium sulfate was made in Epsom, England. 

Potentially, more than half of all Americans are deficient in magnesium, which, like any deficiency, can lead to various health problems.   Sulfate helps forms brain tissue and joint proteins, and can strength the wall of the digestive tract.  I am all-for anything that I can do naturally to keep myself healthy, and taking an Epsom salt bath, 3 times per week, seems to have many benefits, just to name a few:

• Improved heart and circulatory health
• Improves the ability of the body to use insulin
• Flushes toxins and heavy metals from the cells
• Eases muscle pain
• Regulates electrolytes which leads to improved nerve function
• Relieves stress ~ and we ALL know what a killer stress is
• Reduces inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps
• Improves absorption of nutrients
• Restores pH balance (remember the pH strips I mentioned on the last blog?)
• There are even claims that it can reduce belly fat and help one lose weight!

So ~ how does one take an Epsom salt bath?  First of all, you buy the salt in any drug store.  I bought mine at Walgreens.  Dissolve 2 cups of Epsom salts in a bathtub full of warm water.  I've read that super hot water strips away protective oil from your skin (that explains why I always feel so dry after being in our hot tub, not to mention the chemicals).  I also love to add a few drops of Lavender Essential Oil to the stream of water filling the tub for a beautiful aromatic experience.  And of course, PAMPER YOURSELF.  Get some candles (battery operated are my favorite), turn on some soft music, and turn down the lights.  Use this time to visualize your strong and healthy body.  Stay in the water for at least 12 minutes.  Rinse off any left-over salt, and be sure to moisturize your skin immediately after the bath.  If you don't want to use a chemical-laden moisturizer, then try sesame, sunflower, or coconut oil.  Sesame is very warming, while coconut is cooling.  You can always try a mixture of different oils, as well.  Experiment and have fun with it!  Just be sure to have a special set of clothes to wear while the oil soaks into your skin. 

My mother ALWAYS took a night shower.  She told me that it helped her to sleep.  Besides, who wants to crawl into bed with all of the day's germs still on the body?  I've personally discovered that MOM WAS RIGHT (again).  It DOES make me sleep much better.  So I'm going to add these baths to my health regime. 

I'm very grateful to Kim, my roommate in Sedona, as she is the one who brought this information to me after giving me a FABULOUS MASSAGE one evening in her in-home massage room. Because she worked on some muscles that were tender, she suggested I take an Epsom salt bath, drink a lot of water, and go to bed.  And man, did I sleep that night!  Thank you, Kim.

A note on Kim ~ if you find yourself in Sedona, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you book a massage with her.  Her massage room is peaceful, her table includes an amethyst crystal biomat which is WARM, and her technique is crazy good.  Check out her blog, too ~

Sedona Expressions


There are so many wonderful ways to keep ourselves healthy without buying into the drug culture.  I encourage everyone to do their own research and try out different natural remedies before popping a pill.  I believe God already gave us everything we need to naturally live a long and healthy life. 

Believe in your own discernment and the wisdom of your body. 

Your Tongue Speaks Volumes

One of the coolest things I learned while in Sedona was about my tongue, an organ that is more vital than I realized.  I was certainly aware of my tongue back in 2007 when I developed candida ~ an overgrowth of yeast ~ which caused crazy bumps and a thick white coating on my tongue.   Not long after that I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  So obviously I have paid A LOT OF ATTENTION to the state of my tongue since then.

But my Sedona experience taught me even more.  I learned that the coating on my tongue actually consists of impurities, or toxins, that have been removed from my body, especially when I'm resting at night.  That coating, which is called ama, indicates that there is an accumulation of toxins that the body is trying very hard to expel.  If we don't remove this ama, then we aggravate ailments within the body, particularly digestive problems.  And we all understand that the digestive system is critical to our health. 

This ama also acts as a breeding ground for bacteria which can then contaminate the food (and liquids) we ingest.  Ama also can cause bad breath.

Depending on where the ama is on your tongue, can also point to where the ailments are in the body:

But there is a very easy and simple solution to ridding oneself of this ama:  regular cleaning of the tongue. 

For less than $10, one can purchase a copper tongue scraper.  There are many links on Google to buying one ~ but here is the exact same one that I'm using ~

http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Tongue-Cleaner-Exquisitely-Wrapped/dp/B008DEZOX8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_misc_1

Since learning about this, I have adjusted my morning routine.  Immediately after getting out of bed, I scrape my tongue.  It literally takes less than 30 seconds. I then brush my teeth right away to make sure that all of that ama is out of my system.  THEN I'll proceed with my morning beverage, which now is a cup of hot water (not coffee or tea).  I do this because:

• It flushes toxins from the body and aids digestion
• Cures constipation
• Aids weight loss by breaking down fat deposits in the body
• Good for cough and colds
• Improves blood circulation
• Reduces stomach, body, and head pain
• Increases sweating, which aids skin cells

You can also mix honey or lemon for even better results.  Personally, I like adding my Lemon Essential Oil.  For me, after I drink the hot water, I really don't want any coffee OR tea.  Maybe an hour later I'll make myself a cup of herb tea, but I have no desire anymore for coffee. 

The other part of my morning routine is checking the pH of my saliva (acid vs alkaline).  I do this right after scraping my tongue and before brushing my teeth.  This is another 30 second routine that tells me if I'm keeping my body pH neutral.  Again, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I was VERY acidic, so I'm highly motivated to stay out of that condition.  It has been proven that cancer grows in an acidic environment.  These are the pH strips that I use:

http://www.amazon.com/Ph-Test-Strips-Dispenser-Intervals/dp/B0007RSD0A/ref=zg_bs_3013605011_3


This is such an easy way to improve our health, and it takes very little time.  I invite you to consider making these easy changes in your daily routine.  

The smallest changes in our daily lifestyle DO MAKE the Biggest Difference.

Ghee brings me GLEE!

I have read PLENTY of yoga and health magazines, all of which tout the benefits of eating ghee.  Ghee this and ghee that.  Well ~ now that I have actually EATEN ghee myself, now I understand how great it is.

AND EXPENSIVE.

When I was in Sedona, my FABULOUS roommate, Kim, gifted me with a beautiful, 14 ounce, glass bottle of "100% Organic Pure Indian Foods, grass-fed Ghee", with a price tag that said $19.50.  After being very impressed that she would even give me such a gift, my next thought was "will I really eat this?" and if I like it, "Dennis will have a cow if I buy a $20 bottle of stuff that he doesn't like or understand". 

Then I proceeded through my 30 day Yoga Teacher Training and discovered that

1. I LOVE Ghee
2. It's easy to make!

So I did a little more research and learned this ~

• Ghee has a very high smoke point and doesn't burn when cooking
• It reduces cholesterol
• Good for your nerves and brain
• Helps to control eye pressure and helps with glaucoma
• Stimulates stomach acids to help with digestion
• Rich in antioxidants
• Helps the body absorb vitamins and minerals from food
• Strengths the immune system
• Inhibits the growth of cancerous tumors (I especially like this!)

So, I tried my hand at making it while I was in Sedona.  WHAT A JOKE!  I burned the *&^% out of it and made Kim's kitchen stink for about 48 hours (sorry Kim!).

Then one of my fellow yoga students suggested that I make it in a crock pot.  So when I got home last week, I bought a mini crock pot and tried it again today.  I followed the directions from this website ~

How to make ghee in a crockpot

... and it worked BEAUTIFULLY!  The only thing I changed from the website above was I turned the crockpot on high to MELT the butter, then I took off the lid, turned it to low, and let it do its thing for 7 hours.  And look at the result!

Hey ~ it matches my shirt!

That same original bottle that cost $19.50, cost me only $4.99 for a pound of organic, unsalted butter.  And it looks and tastes EXACTLY like the $19.50 version.  And I loved being able to give my ghee all sorts of love and attention while it was transforming itself from butter into ghee.

Now ~ what to do with it?  EVERYTHING YOU DO WITH REGULAR BUTTER.  I've already used it to saute everything, poured it on air-popped popcorn, made grilled sandwiches, added it to my kitchari, and put it on crackers.  To me, it tastes just like butter, if not better.  AND I know it's doing lots of great things for my body.

And the best part ... EVEN DENNIS LIKES IT.

So yes, ghee brings me GLEE!!

I invite you to try making it, too.  If you do, please let me know your experience and how you use it.

We all do learn from eachother.

Remodel Update as of Oct 28 2013

My first Monday back at home AND my first post-training Yoga Class today.  I felt SO welcomed by the Monday students, with hugs all around.  I really am involved with THE BEST Yoga Community anywhere and I am so grateful!  Thank you to everyone.

But most of the e-mails I'm receiving are asking about the remodel.  So here we go ...

First of all ... the King of our house, Mr. Muggins. 

We put this part of our wrap-around sofa back in place
so WE'D have a place to sit and read. 

But as you can see, Mr. Muggins has claimed it as his own.

 

 

 

This is our main living space ~ The Arizona Room ~

with the aero-bed on top of the hide-a-bed.

The bed is SO MUCH HIGHER

than it looks in this picture!

AND amazingly comfortable. 

This is also Dennis' main working space.

 

 

 

But he also has access to his NORMAL office,

which is really good,

because he's had lots of client work!

Here he is setting up a new computer for a wonderful client ~

 

 

 

 

This is my office, aka Our Guest Room.

It's a great place to do yoga right now

because there is no bed!

 

 

 

This is our living room ~

with everything gone except for the couch, which is covered.

See Muggins in the corner?

Through the sliding doors is our Arizona Room.

 

 

 

This is our master bedroom.

Yes ~ our real bed is under all of that plastic.

The door goes out to our Arizona Room.

 

 

 

Here's our guest bathroom shower.

This is where I do my oil and salt cold shower in the AM.

 

 

 

 

And the master shower ~ LOVE THIS ENHANCEMENT.

I'm standing in the south part of the shower,

shooting back towards the sink area.

 

 

 

 

Here is our kitchen-to-be

once we get counter tops, fixtures, and appliances.

 

 

 

And our garage ~

where our entire house is packed and waiting to move back in,

and where we cook and have a sink.

 

So as you can see, we're certainly NOT SUFFERING.  As I look at the pictures myself, I feel pretty darn blessed. 

 

"Home Camping" ~ maybe it will become a new trend!

 

Diana

 

 

And on the third day ...

... she rose from her transition to home!

Yes, it would have been a little bit of a shock to come back home even IF things were in order.  But to come back to the house in this state ~ VERY disorienting.

But today is the 3rd day and I feel MUCH better!  Dennis has been a sweetheart allowing me to make the house a little more cozy with some changes.  I'm back in my office and right now it's PERFECT without a bed or other furniture because I can do my sadhana in here! 

We also "upgraded" the hide-a-bed by placing our aerobed on top of it.  MUCH more comfortable, albeit a little high.  I need to use my step-stool just to get into it! 

And it was great fun to upgrade our garage kitchen.  The Sedona staff will be very happy as we bought an electric wok and I made Kitchari for dinner last night.  And yes ~ Dennis liked it!

 

We only have one sink in the house, but it's really working out fine.  We hung a towel rack, reorganized our things, and it's actually quite cozy in the garage!

 

 

And yes ~ we tried out our new Master Shower with the disco light shower head.  SO FUN!

 

 

 

So now it's time to catch up on a month's worth of receipts, paperwork, and clients.  And what a stack I have! 

 

Oh ~ and how could I forget ... I lost TEN POUNDS during my training in Sedona!  Now the real trick will be keeping it off. 

 

Now that I'm more settled, I will start sharing information that I learned during my training.  So I hope you will stay with my blog.

 

HAPPY SUNDAY!

Diana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no place like home!

 

AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE! 

The drive home was smooth with very little traffic, and I got home just in time for my hair appointment. 

My Welcome Home Celebration was wonderful!  Of course my sweetheart met me at the door with a glass of champagne and it was such fun slowly going through the house and being SHOCKED at the changes!

Best surprise of all ... the cabinets are IN!  Dennis didn't quite tell me the truth about the install as he wanted to surprise me.  And surprised I was!  We even have the washer and dryer hooked up!  So here I am again, back at my desk, in my empty office.  Of course the walls are blank, the furniture is covered, and we have no countertops, but it's still home.  It will probably be another month before we start moving back in. 

Mr. Muggins seemed to be mad at me when I first arrived ~ it took him awhile to warm up to me.  But he did sleep with us last night and it was VERY COZY in The Arizona Room. 

So here we go on my first day back in THIS reality.  I'm grateful that it's Friday so I have 3 days to get regrouped before the new week starts (and my yoga class on Monday at 2:15!).  I definitely need to take some time this weekend to figure out my yoga class and how I'm going to slowly incorporate what I've learned into my class.  I don't want to blow everyone away by doing too much, too quickly.  AND, I don't want to blow myself away trying to get everything here done quickly and mindlessly.  Life is a process ~ and I want to stay aware in The Now and ENJOY the Journey.  It was easier to do that during the training, and I know the rest test of my newly gained inspiration happens now. 

I do intend to keep this blog going so I can share many of the yogic concepts that I learned in my training, and to share other health-related information.  So I hope you'll retain your subscription to my blog and share it with the people in your world. 

It has been a true joy being able to share my experience with you. 

Carpe Momento and THANK YOU.

 

The Eve of Home

My last night in Sedona ... and I am feeling so blessed.

I had a *perfect* last day in Sedona, even with waking up at 3:45AM again.  I wonder when that habit will stop?  I forced myself to go back to sleep, and did so fitfully until 7AM. 

My first day post training and I'm proud to say that I did my new morning routine ~ including the entire bathroom routine, 12 Sun Salutations with the chants, and meditation.  It really is a wonderful way to start a day.

Then came the multiple loads of laundry (so grateful to be able to do that here since our washer and dryer is still unhooked and in the garage), and I got 95% packed.  It's CRAZY how much stuff I have here.  I have a feeling that I'll be giving even MORE stuff away when we finally get to move back into our home. 

Kim suggested that I check out the tea lady before I left, and what a pleasant experience that turned into.  I was the ONLY customer in the shop during my time there and I had a great time talking with the owner, Kim, and her assistant, Genie.  Check out the Afternoon Tea that they served to me ~ a yummy Merlot Berry tea, chicken salad finger sandwiches, and a freshly made scone with all of the right creams and fresh preserves.      

 

As we were chatting, I discovered that Genie has been a yoga instructor for over 40 years, is a psychic and is into numerology, astrology, and reading tea leaves.  You can imagine how the conversation continued from there!  I also ended up working on their computer to fix some issues for them, so I felt right at home!  If you ever find yourself in Sedona, or need flowers delivered in this area, I highly recommend you check them out ~

The Jazz Bouquet


Kim and I decided to skip my massage tonight and she graciously accepted my invitation to dinner at Elote's Café. Because it is soooooo popular, we had to wait an hour for a table, but God blessed us with the best sunset I've seen since I've been here.  It was the perfect back drop for my first picture with Kim ~

All of the locals I've met have talked about this restaurant, but I never made it there all month.  Now I understand why everyone raves about Elote's ... it was the BEST Mexican food I have ever had!  Very different from your "regular" Mexican food, and the corn relish ... FABULOUS!!!  Chef Jeff used to have a restaurant in Scottsdale, but closed it and moved to Sedona.  This is a MUST DO when you're in Sedona ~

Elote Café


Jeff is a hands-on chef and very down to earth.  He even delivered one of our dishes to our table personally.

So with a full tummy, an over-packed car, and a heart that is bursting with gratitude, Im signing off for the evening.  It's almost 11PM, and I need to clean my space here and hit the road tomorrow no later than 9.  I have a hair appointment at 2:30 for a trim and a color job, and THEN will go home.  Good news ... the cabinet installation is supposed to start tomorrow, so we'll hold all the right thoughts that it does happen.  I'm excited to see how the remodel is coming along ~ Dennis tells me that we just need the 3 C's:  cabinets, countertops, and carpeting.  And then, of course, we need to MOVE BACK IN. 

One day at a time, heck ~ one MOMENT at a time.  And I'm counting my blessings every step of the way.

I know White Light will carry me safely back to Sahuarita.

With Love,
Diana

 

The Gayatri Mantra

If you liked the first mantra I shared with you, I think you will LOVE this one!

Just click on the link below and download it to your music folder ~

The Gayatri Mantra - download by clicking here

The meaning of  this mantra is ~

Om

Earth Atmosphere Heavens

We meditate on the Sacred Light

of the effulgent Source.

Let that inspire our minds.

Om.

It is DONE!

... as I have completed and graduated from the 30 day Yoga Teacher Training Program from Seven Centers Arts in Sedona.

It was a very emotional and moving day, knowing that this incredibly unique and life-changing experience was coming to an end.  There were hugs and tears all around our new-found family. 

7 Centers Yoga Arts is a top-notch school with an incredible staff and I would recommend the program to anyone who wants to WAKE UP and re-evaluate their life.  I was exposed to and learned so much during this time that tonight I feel stunned, but happy.  Now I just need some time to assimilate all that I've learned and to be dedicated to my personal yoga practice and discipline.

I could never have done this without the unfailing support of Dennis and my family and friends.  I so appreciate everyone respecting my techno silence while I fully focused on the training.   I have felt loved and supported throughout the entire experience, and I am deeply humbled and grateful to be surrounded by such Love. 

I will REALLY MISS seeing my new friends from school ~ but I know I  have made lifelong connections.  This is the first time I am TRULY grateful for Facebook as a communication tool. 

I will admit, however, that I am tired.  What a blessing that my roommate, Kim, talked me into staying ONE MORE DAY to regroup.  She is so wise ...

Will be back in my own bed (albeit on the hide-a-bed in our AZ Room due to the remodel) by Thursday night.  But I don't care ... THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

My Love To All ~
Diana

My Last Weekend in Sedona (at least for THIS visit!)

It is Sunday night already!  Where did the weekend go?  Oh ~ that's right ... preparing my presentation and SHOPPING.  God Bless the Sedona Goodwill store!!

All kidding aside, it was a wonderful weekend.  By the time I got home on Saturday, I did a little laundry, got caught up with Dennis and the remodel update, and then it was time to get ready for Oktoberfest with my roommate, Kim, and her friends.

Nothing like falling off the Ayurvedic Wagon in one fell swoop ...

Let me assure you that I did NOT drink that entire beer, but instead swapped half of it for a lovely glass of red wine.  And that bratwurst ... the bread stayed on my plate.  Of course I did finish off the evening with a quarter of a giant pretzel with mustard.  IT TASTED SO GOOD!!!

The best part of it all ~ I STILL felt great this morning!

Here is a photo of my roommate, Kim, with her friend, Linda, who gifted us with the tickets to the event.  Kim is on the right. 

Kim is such a sweetheart ~ over the 4 weeks that I've been here, we've become friends, for sure.  She has taught me so much, and tonight she allowed me to show her how to create a blog.  When she really gets going on it, I will share the address with you as she has many valuable ideas to share.  She is incredibly talented in many arenas!

So here I am on The Eve of my last day and a half at 7 Centers.  I do still need to get up at 3:45AM tomorrow and Tuesday for a 5AM start.  I prepped most of my presentation this morning, but will tweak it more tomorrow evening.  Did you know that you breathe 21,600 times per day??

I send heartfelt thanks to my family and friends; I feel so supported and loved. 

CARPE MOMENTO.
Diana

Magical Friday Full Moon

Today was such a special day ~ our last full day completely immersed in the training.   Of course I have mixed emotions .... on one hand I am ready to go home, but on the other hand, I don't want to let this go.  Such is life, eh?

We did our last Sadhana with Jeff at 4:50AM.  No more neti pot, eye washing, and gum massaging with oil and salt, while squatting in the cold and windy morning darkness.  Our practice today (until breakfast at 7AM) was another Transformational Yoga Practice.  Thankfully, this time he didn't make us hold cobra for 10 minutes, but instead incorporated other not-quite-as-difficult poses (thank you!).  But we did finish the practice with full-on dancing which brings me such joy!  Our Sadhana practice is definitely a part of this experience which I will always treasure, and I intend to create my own daily Sadhana practice when I return home.

We took another lovely hike today ~ this time to the top of  Sugarloaf.  It was a much easier hike with another beautiful view.  It was a gorgeous day, so we took the opportunity to have a review class at the top.  We always begin and end our classes with at least an Om, and I've discovered that I especially love to chant outside. 

Since we were running a little late getting back to the Center, we took an early break and then reunited again this evening for a Fire Ceremony and mantra at sunset called Agnihotra.  I actually found a very good description of it at this website ~

http://www.soul-guidance.com/health/agnihotra.htm#Introduction  

Here are some images of our ceremony ~

Shrada is the founder of Seven Centers

 

 

 

 

 

After this we went into the yurt and I was SO SURPRISED to be greeted by this scene ~

 

 

Shrada had created a beautiful atmosphere in the yurt to discuss Vedic mythology.  She told stories of the Gods and Goddesses, she shared her experiences while visiting temples in India, and we chanted to the various deities that we discussed. 

 

To wrap up the session, while Shrada burned slips of paper with names of loved ones that we wanted to pray for, we chanted 33 names of The Divine Mother and threw rose petals into the center altar. 

 

 

 

Knowing that we were doing this under the Full Moon (the moon actually represents Mother), made the experience very memorable.  I was touched.

 

I had 2 more magical moments today that made this day so special.  The Center has 2 resident cats, one of which is quite friendly and frequently joins us during our class work.  In the entire 4 weeks, Lionheart has never come to me and cuddled in my lap.  Well, today he did.  I was so happy that I began to cry!  And of course it REALLY made me miss Mr. Muggins. 

 

My other magical moment today was coming home and finding a package in my bathroom.  A dear friend had sent me a beautiful card and a gorgeous amethyst bracelet.   I was so surprised and honored by such a lovely gift. 

 

So I go to bed now with a very happy heart. 

 

CARPE MOMENTO.

Diana