Mantra Yoga + Health Magazine

I'm so happy and honored to be featured in Mantra Yoga + Health Magazine's first issue! Pick up a copy at your local Whole Foods or Barnes & Noble. Lots of great stuff in this issue including articles from some of my favorite teachers and 130 inspiring yogis from 10 different cities.

extras needed

We are looking for extras to be in two new Gurunista Gayhle episodes being filmed in and around Portland next week (May 22nd-26th). No acting or yoga experience required. We especially need attractive young men (20's-30's). Please email yogaseedpdx(at)gmail(dot)com with 'extra' in the subject line for more information. Shoots will not last more than 2-3 hours and you will be well fed. Please feel free to share this with anyone you know who might be interested. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwyWzeSVtQw

$10 classes

I'm teaching two $10 classes this week!

• Tuesday, May 14th: 7:30-8:30pm. Restorative/gentle/yin. Please email yogaseedpdx@gmail.com for more information.
• Thursday, May 16th: 1:30-2:30pm. Vinyasa. Yoga Pearl. 925 NW Davis. 

2013 yoga photos

photo by Keith Apland, edited by Katie Acheff

photo by Keith Apland

photo by Keith Apland

photo by Keith Apland, edited by Katie Acheff

photo by Keith Apland, edited by Katie Acheff

photo by Keith Apland, edited by Katie Acheff

photo by Keith Apland, edited by Katie Acheff

photo by Keith Apland

photo by Keith Apland

Ben Moon Photography for Yoga Pearl

Ben Moon Photography for Yoga Pearl

Ben Moon Photography for Yoga Pearl

Ben Moon Photography for Yoga Pearl

photo by Keith Apland

photo by Keith Apland

Gurunista Gayhle

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Last January, I met yoga teacher and actress Diane Hudock in LA. She told me about her hilarious idea to make a yoga comedy and I told her I knew just the person to help her out. My husband is a writer and director, and although he had never dabbled in the world of comedy, I knew he'd be perfect. Five months later, Diane came to Portland and we filmed the first episode of Gurunista Gayhle. With no budget to work with, it was a challenge to say the least, but we were so happy with the end result and the response from the viewers that we decided we had to do more! We played around with ideas about how to make the dream a reality and decided to do a Kickstarter campaign. With your help, we plan to make two more episodes. We have reached the halfway mark, but still have more than $1,400 to go with only four days left to do it!

We (Diane, Keith and I) are asking for your help and support. Please take a moment to watch the first episode if you haven't already, and check out Diane's video as well as read about what we're doing. Any amount, large or small, will help this project get made. Thanks for looking!

Here's our Kickstarter link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2081045858/gurunista-gayhle

Watch the first episode here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwyWzeSVtQw&oq=gurunist&gs_l=youtube..0.5j35i39j0.190.893.0.2358.8.6.0.0.0.0.222.824.1j4j1.6.0.ytns%2Cpt%3D-27%2Cn%3D2..0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.cGOo6qRvbbc

namaste. 

trail running

Taken this afternoon on my muddy, rainy, glorious run.

10 reasons why I'm in love with trail running right now:

• I love being in the forest.
• It's nearly impossible to think about anything other than RIGHT NOW when you're dodging roots, rocks and mud holes. 
• It's not boring.
• It feels better than running on cement, and definitely better than running on a treadmill.
• I don't have to dodge cars, or worry about being hit by one.
• I get to connect with nature and recharge.
• No stopping at stop lights or signs.
• Great for interval training with so many hills.
• It makes me feel like a superhero. 
• I look forward to it.

citrus ginger green smoothie

I love ginger and am surprised it's taken me this long to start experimenting with adding it to my smoothies. So glad I did! This smoothie is just the perfect combination of citrusy, gingery goodness. Here's the recipe:

• unsweetened almond milk (not sure how much, maybe 8 oz?)
• one small, sliced Gala apple (skin on)
• big handful of spinach
• juice of a whole lemon
• peeled navel orange
• one small banana
• 1/4 tsp ginger root powder

reflections

I met Arlene Bjork in the summer of 2008. My meeting her coincided with the beginning of my yoga teacher training and I remember thinking, wow. I want to be like her. The first time I laid eyes on her she was doing the splits up a wall as a warm up for the class she was about to teach. Her asana practice was nothing short of amazing. People throw the word amazing around all the time, but I really mean it. She was the first person I ever saw go into a scorpion forearm balance and it seemed physically impossible. I hadn't even known a pose like that existed before. I was just in complete awe of her practice and her confidence as a teacher. Through her, I discovered Jivamukti Yoga. A native New Yorker herself, she was good friends with Julie Kirkpatrick and Jules Febre (rockstar Jivamukti teachers in NYC) so she brought them down to teach at her studio in Richmond. Julie and Jules are mother and son and their teachings blew me away. They taught me my favorite Sanskrit chant, which I now have tattooed on me, and inspired me to be a strong and powerful, yet graceful and compassionate teacher. The following month, I traveled to New York City and skipped a dinner out with the girls to meander my way through the city and take a class with Jules. It was his birthday. Class was packed. Julie was there too giving an in class private. Afterward, the class presented Jules with a vegan birthday cake (Jivamukti is big into the vegan lifestyle). He was so young, yet knew so much as he had been brought up in the yogic tradition. He was utterly adored by his students and rightfully so. I thought, how could I ever be this good? When he and Julie visited Richmond, they told us that when they first met Arlene her hips were so tight that she looked like she was making a phone call when she sat in baddha konasana. I was shocked, I guess I just thought she came out of the womb in lotus pose or something. I remember thinking that I would never be as good at yoga as any my teachers. I also remember thinking that once I could do a scorpion forearm balance like Arlene, I'd be a true yogi. How silly, right? What a naive, young little thing I was. But I thought it. I also thought that teachers and yogis of this caliber must just walk around feeling like a total badass all the time. How could you possibly have a bad day if you can balance on your hands or stand on your head? I really felt this way. Let me also remind you that I was 22 and living in Richmond, VA. At the time, there was not much of a yoga community there. Arlene was our resident rockstar yogi and I had not even one friend (other than one of my teachers who befriended me and took me under her wing) who practiced yoga. Yoga was much less popular then, even though it was only 5 years ago. It has since exploded, maybe you've noticed? ;)

Fast forward five years. I now live in Portland, OR and hit the ground (or the mat, rather!) running as soon as I completed my 200 hours of teacher training. I haven't been keeping track, but I can say with confidence that in my five years I have accumulated at least 1,000 hours of experience teaching, not to mention the hours I've put into my personal practice. My 22 year old self would look at my 27 year old self like she looked at Arlene Bjork. Okay, maybe not that much, I still can't do a scorpion forearm stand without a wall, but basically, here's what I'm trying to say. I am grateful to all of my teachers, GOD am I grateful for all of my teachers. I am grateful to everyone who has inspired and pushed me to be better, kinder, more compassionate, stronger, gentler, more flexible (both in body and in mind) and tougher. I am grateful for all the many times I've experienced failure and discomfort, either mentally or physically in my practice or my teaching career. Theses people and these experiences have molded me into the teacher and woman I am right now. Whew- felt like I needed to say that before anything else. What I really want to tell you is that while I can make some pretty impressive shapes with my body, I still don't walk around feeling like a total badass all the time. I still have bad days. Sure, sometimes I do feel pretty rad, and I have plenty of good days, great days even! But I equate those feelings to my overall practice as a whole, not just the physical aspect of it. I now realize that all I've done is scratch the surface of what yoga is all about. There are countless postures that are still out of reach for me, but who cares? That's only a sliver of what yoga's about. I try with all my heart and soul to follow all the 8 limbs of yoga as best I can. I strive to be a good human being who contributes to this planet and serves others. I will say that I feel stronger, more confident and empowered because of my physical yoga practice, but it doesn't make or break me as a person. 

Sadly, Arlene passed away on October 31st, 2009. I still think of her often, especially when I tell my students to stay encouraged, as she would so sweetly remind us all the time, or when I have them hold plank for way longer than they even think is within their realm of capability. 

It is my hope that I inspire others the way Arlene, Julie, Jules and all my other phenomenal teachers of the past and present continue to inspire me. If you are a new teacher reading this, please stay true to your authentic self. Be inspired all you want, but don't strive to be like another teacher. Instead, strive to be the truest and most pure version of yourself. What could be better than that? 

new playlist

It's no secret that I love music. Here's a new playlist I created today using Spotify. It has a lounge-like ambient feel, without making you want to go to sleep. Check it out!

Amon Tobin :: Easy Muffin

Amon Tobin :: At The End Of The Day

Little Dragon :: Ritual Union

Thievery Corporation :: Until The Morning

Blockhead :: Insomniac Olympics

Da Lata :: Pra Manha

Blockhead :: It's Raining Clouds

Sylvia Striplin :: You Can't Turn Me Away

Leroy Hutson :: Cool Out

Bonobo :: Terrapin

Desert Dwellers :: Union

vacation recap

Upper Bowl at Skibowl

I am home from a most excellent mountain vacation with my husband and a few of our dearest Portland friends. I was chatting on the phone with my aunt about it today as I was out and about running errands and I told her I never thought I'd be able to afford anything I would classify as a dream vacation, but this was it. I told her how much we loved that our cabin was in the middle of the forest and had a nice kitchen so we could bring our own food and not have to leave. We loved cooking and sharing meals together, and waking up and having coffee and smoothies together in the morning. There was a hot tub on the deck and after we came home from snowshoeing and snowboarding for the day, we immediately poured wine and hopped in together and swapped stories about our adventures from that day. Last night, six of us piled on the couch to watch a movie under cozy blankets. We listened to good music. We did some yoga. We danced a little. There were no expectations. We had nowhere to be, no one to impress and it really felt like all of us were able to unwind and fully relax, something we all needed. My aunt pointed out that it sounded like my dream vacation wasn't about money at all, but more about the connectivity with close friends, the forest and the mountain. I realized that she was completely right and it made me feel grateful that I feel grateful for simple things! There were no arguments between anyone, no discussions about where to go to dinner, who should wear what, how to split the check at a restaurant, none of that. It was such a refreshing and invigorating vacation. Not to mention, it was only an hours drive from Portland so we didn't even have any travel related stress.

Lenticular cloud over Mt. Hood, February 6th, 2013

 My husband took the top photo of me at Skibowl yesterday. It was an amazing day. The snow was light and fluffy and for the first time ever, I was able to let go of some of the fear I have around linking tight turns. I had always refused to even try it because I was scared. If I ever gave myself permission to give it a shot, I wouldn't fully commit and would end up turning on my back edge at the last minute to avoid falling. But once I let go of the fear (and allowed myself to fall a few times), I did it. I wondered why I had never been able to do it before since it seemed like it was just a subtle shift of weight that allowed me to turn while still maintaining a sense of control, balance and ease. Fear is funny that way. It can be paralyzing and fill your heart with self doubt. There are so many great quotes about fear, but for now I think this one sums it up: "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy." -Dale Carnegie

Our sweet little Podunk Cabin

Keith and I at the top of the Lower Bowl chair lift.

The roads in the forest are a little different than Portland.

What I took from this relatively short but very sweet vacation was worth every penny and more that we spent on the cabin rental. I had been so tightly wound prior to this trip that I almost didn't even want to go anymore. We planned the trip before we planned to move and I was stressed. All I wanted to do was stay home and unpack boxes, but my spirit felt stuck and I didn't even realize it. As soon as I stepped out of the car on the first day and took my first breath of mountain air, I felt myself unravel a bit in the most perfect of ways. My soul felt cleansed and my spirit free. I don't need fancy things, lavish vacations or any of that stuff. What I need is what I already have.

Mad Love

Monday

My move is happening this week, and I'm taking these last few days in my neighborhood to soak it all in. True, I will only be a few miles away, but realistically I will not drive over here and search for parking so I can go on my favorite walks or grab a latte at my favorite coffee shop. At least not very often.

Today was such a beautiful morning. Sunny, bright and crisp! I took a nice long walk through the hills and made plenty of stops to close my eyes, breathe deeply and take it all in. It was a frosty morning, so it was refreshing and relaxing to hear the gentle crunch under my feet with each step, hear the birds chirping and the rumblings of the city in the distance. Usually when I go for walks, I listen to my iPod, but today I wanted to be extra present and it was really nice. Then I had a coffee date with my husband at our favorite little shop. What a nice day! I am loving all this Portland winter sunshine.

Tonight I'm teaching vinyasa at Pearl 24 at 7:30pm, and I have a fun new playlist! Join if you can :)

ch-ch-changes

My husband and I have been wanting to move for at least three years now. We live in a very lively section of downtown Portland, Oregon and dislike it for several reasons. Parking is a nightmare, it's loud (between all the people on the street, the major league soccer stadium next door and sometimes obnoxious neighbors) and it just never really felt like home to me. He already lived in the apartment when I moved here from Virginia, so I just moved in with him. The place itself is fine, it's just the fact that we didn't choose and create it together that has always bothered me. Also, silly things bothered me like the couch (it's not deep enough and therefore it is uncomfortable because my long legs hang off of it when I lay down). Side note about the couch: I told my aunt the other day that I had to twist myself up like a pretzel in order to fit on it comfortably and she said, where there is one good thing about that- you can twist yourself up like a pretzel so it shouldn't be much of a problem. Oh, the good old flip of perspective.

We vowed recently that we would move before MLS games started again for the season. After talking about moving for so long, I took my own vow with a grain of salt. I looked at a couple places and was unimpressed. Most of the places on Craigslist were available immediately and we couldn't afford to pay rent for two places for a whole month, and the one place I found that worked with our time frame was outrageously priced and I didn't even like it. My search left me feeling discouraged and defeated.

Then I remembered that we had some friends who lived in an apartment that we loved a couple years ago. As soon as we walked into their apartment, we both loved it and wished we lived there. I called the place and got some info and decided to go view it on my own without my husband. One thing about me, I am a bit of a 'screener'. Of course my husband needs to be happy as well, but if I don't like the place there's no point in him even seeing it. So again, with a grain of salt I went to see the place. I loved it right away. It had almost everything on our 'want list' and I easily pictured myself living there. After he got off work, I scooped him up, took him to see the place and within minutes we were filling out paperwork to move. I was happy, but immediately felt this sense of panic wash over me. Moving is expensive, our current apartment has been my home for four years, it was the place we came home to after our wedding, my friends and family have been to visit, it's just been all I've known for so long that moving makes me feel anxious. Another thing about me, I'm an instant gratification type of girl. I wish we could have started moving right away, but we had three weeks (which is now down to eight days) to wait.

The process of moving has been weighing heavy on me. I found out there was a wait list for one bedrooms in our building. That made me wonder if we were making the right decision. I thought to myself, "If our apartment is in such high demand maybe it's not so bad after all and we should just stay?". Another couple who has been sharing a studio in our building came to look at it. I liked their energy and wanted them to take our places in our little love nest. They didn't. Then another guy came to check it out. He was okay. Here's another thing about me- I obsessively read the energy of other people. I can't help it. Not only the energy of other people, but the energy of spaces I'm in too. I didn't think his energy was right for the space, but who am I to tell him that? Plus, why do I even care? That's another story for another day. I think he decided to take it, we haven't been asked to show the apartment again.

A few days ago, I started packing. That picture of boxes above has doubled in size since I took that photo and it's stressing me out. The space is small and the energy in there is all over the place. Plus, I knocked our lamp over and broke it so now we have no light in the living room until we move. Everything is so scattered and I am having a really hard time. I can't wait to be in the new space, but to be honest, in this moment I am feeling far more stressed out than excited. My husband is very calm and I can't understand it. I have a weaker constitution than he does and I easily get knocked out of balance.

Another decision we've made is to finally take the plunge and buy new furniture. I've never owned new furniture and neither has my husband. Yesterday we picked out our new couch and coffee table and let me just say that the couch is everything I could ever want, and the coffee table is to die for. There is no way I won't be comfortable in my new living room. As soon as I saw it I visualized myself curled up under a blanket with a glass of wine in my hand and my feet propped up. Not a bad visualization! After that big purchase, I dropped my husband off at work. As soon as I was alone in the car I screamed. And then I cried. While all of these changes are for the better, they are still big changes and I'm having a difficult time processing them all at once. God bless my husband for staying so calm in the midst of this storm. If he were freaking out too, I would really be losing my shit.

On top of all of this, I have been following a gluten free/dairy free diet since September and with everything up in the air, I am craving foods that are familiar to me, but that don't make me feel good.

I think it's safe to say that I am feeling overwhelmed. I feel the weight of the world is resting on my shoulders and I need it to stop. The move is coming up very soon, and for that I am grateful, but with the move comes all sorts of things like getting rid of things, unpacking, possibly painting, changing our address and all of our utilities, etc. I need the move to happen now. You'd think a yoga girl would be more patient. In some ways I am, but this way is not one of them. Also, we have a wonderful mountain vacation planned with some of our best friends next month, but that's now also starting to stress me out because when we planned it, we didn't know we would be moving. 10 days after we move, we are leaving for five days.

When I am feeling this way, I do things to make myself feel better. I run, I practice yoga, I bust my ass on the stairmaster, I go snowboarding, I close my eyes and breathe, I teach yoga, I have coffee with a friend, I allow myself more wiggle room with diet and exercise without abandoning either, etc. But I feel that all of those things are only temporary escapes and all the things that stress me out are waiting for me as soon as I return.

The good news is that I know this feeling will not last forever. There is an end point. In my yoga practice, when I'm holding something longer than I want to, I make the choice to embrace the pose, soften my rigid mind and watch my breath. If it gets really intense, I remind myself with each breath in and each breath out that this is not forever. One of my teachers told me last night that there is a difference between pain and discomfort. When something is painful, you come out of it. But when something is uncomfortable, wrap yourself around your breath and breathe through it. Learn the difference. There will be many uncomfortable moments both on your mat and in your life. Chill out and learn to embrace them. It is my intention to treat this challenging time in my life the same way I treat a challenging pose on my mat.

Namaste, y'all ;)