Reawakened with Anusara

Tonight I had the most amazing breakthrough in my yoga practice. I attended Michael Fukumara's 90 minute Anusara class and as always, he was incredibly inspiring. Michael was my first teacher back in 1999, when he still taught Ashtanga yoga. Each and every time I attend one of his classes, I feel absolutely incredible afterwards in my mind, body and heart.

I'm very attached to the Vinyasa flow style that I teach. I love the movement, the grace, the flow; feeling like I am truly dancing with my breath. Over the last year, after recovering from a car accident and resultant neck surgery, my yoga practice suffered a great deal. No longer did I have the upper body strength that powered me through my power yoga! No pun intended. Although I continued to teach, my personal practice declined. Anyway, I've not found many classes where I truly experience an opening, an unfolding, an awakening.

Tonight, I did. The class focused on the anahata or heart chakra. By the end of the 90 minutes, I felt incredibly open and light. I feel as if I floated from the room. And, now, I am feeling a shift occurring within. When I arrived home, I immediately went to Michael's website to check when the next Anusara Immersion would be offered. I've been wrestling with some personal decisions on the path my career is moving and I feel much more clear about the answers and the path to follow now. I'm trusting my heart that my decisions are true, no matter the result.

Wow, the power of yoga never fails to amaze me. What a beautiful way to end my day.

Namaste

The best gifts are trips and massages.....

Last month, someone said to me that the only presents that they ever wanted anymore were trips or massages. I must agree that those are two of the best gifts anyone could give! Both of them are experiences that allow you to fully enjoy the present moment and what could be better than being in the now?

I love massages but, a few weeks later, I don't have distinct memories of the experience. Trips, however, are a different story. Traveling is one of the most amazing ways to spend your time. You get to experience a new or an old favorite locale, enjoy food, drink, scenery, activities and more. If you get to do it with a loved one or close friend, even better!

I recently returned from a fabulous trip my boyfriend took me on to celebrate my birthday. We drove up the coast to Central California and stayed in Pismo Beach and explored the wineries in San Luis Obispo County. Nobody warned us that the wineries are a dangerous 5 miles from Pismo! It was all too easy to head over for a day of tasting.

The scenery was magical. Rugged California coastline quickly gives way to rolling golden hills sprinkled with wineries, beautiful trees and vibrant flowers. It was 72 degrees and sunny. At Wolff Winery, we were able to sit out in an enchanted garden, under a tree with a tinkling fountain beneath it and taste wines. Our host Clive was a hoot and a wealth of information. We felt like we were a million miles away in the quiet, scenic SLO valley. No thoughts of home, work, responsibilities interrupted our escape.

Experiencing a new place is just one of my favorite things to do. You have the opportunity to just be. And, even just a weekend of getting out of your head and living in the now is rejuvenating. So, I will always remember my birthday of 2009 through the memories and photos of our trip to Pismo Beach. Much better than a new necklace or pair of shoes any day!!