Have you experienced a Yogasm?

Our SYL team had a BLAST at the King William Fair on Saturday! For more great photos courtesy of Buzzetta Photography, check out our Facebook page!

Still trying to recover from a week-long party? Take it easy today... maybe join us for a smooth 6pm Vinyasa flow tonight. In the meantime, enjoy this article from mindbodygreen.com...  I'm sure you can relate!

Friday ~ Fab Find

This is so fun: Office Bowling! Cause, really we understand - not everyone can dart out of the office for our Yoga for Lunch class! Each game is made out of recycled cardboard and comes with 6 pins, one ball and one pin set-up guide.

Check it out on Cardboard Safari here! Have a fabulous weekend SYL friends!

$28

Thursday ~ Tunes

So the blog's been a bit choppy lately. I whole-heartedly apologize! :) However, I do hope you enjoy this yoga mix!! Enjoy your day... LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST!
Namaste,
Kristal



Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Monday ~ Mantra

Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

Lao Tzu

Have a beautiful first week of Spring my friends! See you on the mat!

Namaste,

Kristal

Friday ~ Fab Find

It's warming up out! Time to tuck away the hoodies and thick yoga pants! Bring on the crops and flip-flops! These Hard Tail shirred knee length crops are really cute and I'm sure just as functional! You can find 'em here! Have a wonderful weekend friends! Namaste.
$64

Wednesday ~ Healthy Recipe - Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Mmmm, mmm good! That's what I said when I tasted these delicious treats that Donna made last week. I needed to share the goodness - so here goes! (Still can't believe these are healthy cookies.)

Ingredient List (makes 24 cookies cookies)

• 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbs. vegan margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup applesauce or prune purée
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Icing

• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice

Directions

To make Cookies:
1. Stir together flaxseed meal and 3 Tbs. water in small bowl. Set aside. Whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat margarine, brown sugar, and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add flaxseed mixture, applesauce, and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Stir in oat flour mixture with spatula or wooden spoon. Add oats and raisins, and stir to combine. Cover, and chill 2 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Roll cookie dough into golf ball–sized rounds, and place dough balls 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten each cookie to 1/4-inch thickness with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies look dry on top and are just beginning to brown.
Meanwhile, to make Icing:
4. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in small bowl until smooth; Icing should be thick, but spreadable. Gently brush Icing on hot cookies with pastry brush. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container. (from Vegetarian Times)

Donna's Note: I replaced the 1 cup of oat flour for 1/4 cup almond meal, and the rest with wheat flour. I replaced the sugar with 2/3 cup agave and added chocolate chips. For the icing, I used 2 tbs of vanilla soy milk instead of lemon juice.

C'mon... you know you wanna give these a try! Let us know how they turn out!

Monday ~ Mantra

Here's to a relaxing and fun Spring Break week!!
~ Namaste

Friday ~ Fab Find: Double Paper Cut Luminaries

In honor of tomorrow's luminaria event (which I'm really looking forward to), I thought I'd post these adorable candle luminaries!! They'd be an adorable little addition to any accent table! You can see more here!

$44 for a set of 12

Thursday ~ Musica!

Create a MySpace Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Wednesday ~ Recipe: Avocado-Apple Salad With Maple-Walnut Vinaigrette

Don't have a photo for this one, as I haven't spent much time in the kitchen this week. It does sound tasty however!! If anyone gives it a go, please do tell me what you think!!

Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients

6 cups mixed baby greens
2 Gala or Fuji apples, sliced into thin wedges (about 2 cups sliced)
1 cup thinly sliced jícama (about 1/2 medium jícama)
1 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 large avocado, cut into 1-inch cubes
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
Maple-Walnut Vinaigrette

Preparation
Place greens in a large bowl. Top with apples and next 4 ingredients, arranging them in clusters, if desired. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup pecans. Drizzle with Maple-Walnut Vinaigrette just before serving. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup pecans. (Cooking Light)

Tuesday ~ Pose: Warrior III

Virabhadra = the name of a fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva, described as having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet; wielding a thousand clubs; and wearing a tiger's skin.

(veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna)

Stand in Tadasana, exhale and fold foward. From forward fold, exhale and step your left foot back into a high lunge position. Your right knee should be more or less at a right angle. Lay the midline of your torso (from the pubis to the sternum) down on the midline of the right thigh (from the knee to the hip crease) and bring your hands to your right knee, right hand to the outer knee, left hand to the inner. Squeeze the knee with your hands, lift your torso slightly, and with an exhalation, turn it slightly to the right.
Now from the lunge position, stretch your arms forward, parallel to the floor and parallel to each other, palms facing each other. Exhale and press the head of the right thighbone back and press the heel actively into the floor. Synchronize the straightening of the front leg and the lifting of the back leg. As you lift the back leg, resist by pressing the tailbone into the pelvis.
Normally students come up into Virabhadrasana III by lunging the torso forward. This tends to shift the body weight onto the ball of the front foot and unbalance the position. Don't allow the torso to swing forward as you move into position; instead, as you straighten the front knee, think of pressing the head of the thighbone back. This centers the femur in the hip joint, grounds the heel into the floor, and stabilizes the position.
The arms, torso, and raised leg should be positioned relatively parallel to the floor. For many students the pelvis tends to tilt. Release the hip [of the raised leg] toward the floor until the two hip points are even and parallel to the floor. Energize the back leg and extend it strongly toward the wall behind you; reach just as actively in the opposite direction with the arms. Bring the head up slightly and look forward, but be sure not to compress the back of your neck.
Stay in this position for 30 seconds to a minute. Release back to the lunge on an exhalation. Bring your hands to the floor on either side of the right foot, and on an exhalation, step your left foot forward to meet your right. Stay in this forward bend for a few breaths, then repeat for the same length of time on the other side.

Benefits: Strengthens the ankles and legs * Strengthens the shoulders and muscles of the back * Tones the abdomen * Improves balance and posture
- YJ

Monday ~ Mantra: Isvara Pranidhana

"Only by releasing our fears and hopes for the future can we really be in union with the present moment. To surrender the fruits of our actions to God requires that we give up our egotistical illusion that we know best, and instead accept that the way life unfolds may be part of a pattern too complex for us to understand." Judith Lasater

Several students and friends have asked what arm tattoo means and so I thought I'd share about it on this beautiful Monday! TKV Desikachar in the Heart of Yoga writes, "If we concentrate more on the quality of our steps along the way than on the goal itself, then we also avoid being disappointed if we perhaps cannot attain the exact goal that we had set for ourselves. Paying more attention to the spirit in which we act and looking less to the results our actions may bring us -- this is the meaning of isvara pranidhana."

Isvara Pranidhana is the fifth and final niyama, or observance towards ourselves, in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Isvarar translates to "Lord," "God" or "the Divine Creator." Pranidhana implies giving up, letting go of burdens, or relinquishment. In English, this terms is most often referred to as a "Surrender to God."

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Holy Bible, Proverbs 3:5

Got this done last December with my good friend Esme holding my other hand. :)

Friday ~ Fab Find

Spring has arrived!! Check out these fingerless gloves! You can view other images and colors via this Etsy link! It's First Friday... time to celebrate!!

Thursday ~ Tunes

Here's my latest playlist on the old ipod titled, Weekend Flow:


Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Wednesday ~ Healthy Recipe - Banana Cookies

Eddie and I were graciously invited to an Oscar Night get together over the weekend and I thought to myself, "Sweet! An excuse to get my butt back in the kitchen!" I wanted to take something that would be quick, easy and well, sweet! Let me tell you, from what I hear - these Banana Cookies were a bigger hit than the show itself. Ahem... introducing Healthy Banana Cookies (recipe from allrecipes.com):

Ingredients: 

3 ripe bananas

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup dates, pitted & chopped

1/3 cup vegetable oil (can substitute with apple sauce) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extraxt

I added a few pinches of cinnamon 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, dates, oil, and vanilla. Mix well, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. 

3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased (I sprayed a bit of Pam Olive Oil spray) cookie sheet. 

4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown. Voila!

Tuesday ~ Pose: Child's Pose

(bah-LAHS-anna)
Bala - child

We're starting with something simple today, and a favorite to many! Child's pose, also known as balasana or resting pose. It seems pretty simple but here's the breakdown just so you know what you should be feeling:
Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips. Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs. Broaden your sacrum across the back of your pelvis and narrow your hip points toward the navel, so that they nestle down onto the inner thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your neck. Lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso, palms up, and release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. Feel how the weight of the front shoulders pulls the shoulder blades wide across your back. To come up, first lengthen the front torso, and then with an inhalation lift from the tailbone as it presses down and into the pelvis.

Benefits: Gently stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles * Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue * Relieves back and neck pain when done with head and torso supported

Modifications and props:
If you have difficulty sitting on your heels in this pose, place a thickly folded blanket between your back thighs and calves.

Go on, give it a try! Just make sure no one's around if you're at work. ;)

Monday ~ Mantra: Om

The Sacred Symbol OM

What does Om even mean? Here's a brief breakdown taken from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali:

In chapter 1 (Samadhi Pada) of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali gives us the concept of Ishvara as "Ishvara is the supreme Purusha, unaffected by any afflictions, actions, fruits of actions or by any inner impressions of desires." (translation by Sw. Satchidananda) (sutra 1.24). The following sutras provide us an insight into the sacred symbol OM:

• sutra 1.27: "The word expressive of Ishvara is the mystic sound OM (pranava)"
• sutra 1.28: "To repeat it with reflection upon its meaning is an aid."
• sutra 1.29: "From this practice all the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the inner Self."
• sutra 1.30: "Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from ground gained – these distractions of the mind-stuff are the obstacles."
• sutra 1.31: "Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing."

As we can see from these sutras by Patanjali, chanting of OM can make us free from obstacles and provide us a glimpse of the inner self.

Hymn to Full

I love that I have several close friends and SYL students who are along various stages of pregnancy. Came across this sweet poem while doing a little prenatal yoga research.... this one's for all the mommies and moms-to-be out there!

"Here is my hymn to the washing machine full of diapers full of fluorescent mustard baby poop. Here is a hymn for clogged milk ducts, bras stuffed with cabbage leaves, breasts bursting with nourishment.

Here is my hymn for hampers: seventy-five thousand shades of pink soaked in soured milk and baby pee. Here is my hymn to a full house, my hymn to clutter, my hymn to nothing ever gets done, not dishes, not floors, not groceries, not even poems.

Here is my hymn to calendars, full of doctor’s appointments: pediatric, obstetric, chiropractic.

Here is my hymn for my daughter, full of vigor and vitality, her belly round, her brain busy absorbing the world, one primary color, one consonant, one note, one face, one scent at a time. And finally, here is a hymn, the first hymn ever to my heart, who now knows how to overflow."

- Robin Merrell

I hope your heart is overflowing,
Kristal











Robin Merrill

Sun is shining...

Beautiful day out. I decided to run a few errands before the 6pm class tonight. While at Target, roaming the aisles shopping for some items for the studio (and eyeing a few items for me) I had two interactions with employees. Both were ter-rib-ble!! I mean, I understand working at Target may not be the best gig in the world but are people seriously that unhappy? I got a nasty look from one lady and the other who rang me up never once made eye contact with me. Growing up, my sister and I used to joke about people like this and say, "What crawled up your butt and died?" So bad I know. Of course, these unpleasant people didn't stop my from making my purchases, but I couldn't help but run out of there feeling crappy.
I felt the urge to run into Starbucks prior to my return to the studio and I was not gonna slide into the Target one. So I drove to the nearest one already anticipating a barista-ttitude! Nontheless, I headed in, placed my order and to my surprise exchanged not only nice small talk with the young guy at the counter, but even a laugh about how we both thought it was still morning (I got a 'good mornin' as I walked in). Silly I know, but let me tell you, it felt good after what I had just gone through. As the barista called out, 'mam... ' I headed to back to the counter to pick up my drink and he handed it over saying, 'has anyone told you today how beautiful you are?' I had to chuckle and scurry out after saying thank you. I'm flattered really, but that's not what this is about. You see, it amazes me that from one minute to the other I went from feeling pretty damn shitty to GREAT! If only more people took the time to realize what being nice to others does... perhaps we could contribute to a much happier society (or atleast shopping experience)! This is not about Target or Starbucks, it's about leaving a lasting impression on someone who just may be a complete and total stranger. A smile goes a L-O-N-G way believe you me! A nice gesture or remark goes even further - especially in the service industry (which we are all a part of in some form or another).
The Sun came out today after a slew of rainy, cold and grey days. Now back at the studio... I'm feeling the love and the light!

SYL

This photo is unbelievable!! Our uber-talented photographer Sean Buzzetta has given us a sneak peek of what's to come from our studio/instructor photoshoot a few weeks ago. What a tease he and his wife are! If you or anyone you know is in need of photography services... I highly, highly recommend this husband/wife duo! Aside from the talent, they're down-to-earth, young, vibrant and oh need I mention... yogis? Stay tuned for more pics!
I must say, it feels so nice to be back on track. The blog track. The teaching track. The having-a-sense-of routine and responsibility (again)-track. I can, with a very humble heart, say that at this point I am complete. Southtown Yoga Loft is undoubtedly a dream come true for me (and the hubs). It took going through what felt like hell and back in order to get here, but you know such is life right? If things were all smooth sailing all the time, what would we learn from, how would we grow as individuals and members of an ever-changing society? What then would we have to contribute? Nada.
A sincere thank you to those who joined in the Grand Opening festivities last Friday night. I tried to express my love and gratitude with a lump of emotions in my throat... so if it didn't come across clearly - it's here now. I am obliged. The studio is now well into it's second (official) week and it's so lovely to see new students from in and around the community. We will grow SYL together!
As for this blog, I'd like to use this resource as a community board where we can get to know each other and our community a little better... on and off the mat! Feel free to shoot me comments, suggestions, questions, etc.! I'm here for you as your teacher and friend.

(Smiling),
Kristal