What the Heck is Ayurveda?

"Ayurveda is about vibrant living. The word means 'Science of Life.' It helps us to find health and wellness by living life in balance. Many scholars consider Ayurveda the oldest continuously practiced form of healing. It originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda understands each person is a unique individual—with our own personalized health needs. This ancient science is often called the 'Mother of All Healing' because it provides tried-and-true principles for simple, daily food and lifestyle choices. Balance, well-being and vibrant living are all within reach with Ayurveda." ~Elizabeth Stites

I am very excited to be presenting a workshop this weekend with Ayurveda expert Liz Stites. We are presenting Yoga and Ayurveda for the Season. We will be focusing on how to make the most of the Kapha Energy or Energy of Spring. We will present easy tips, techniques and yoga poses to keep you in perfect harmony through this change of seasons. Please join us at Shine Yoga Center in Hyde Park from 2-4 pm. Shine pass holders can use your class pass. For everyone else it's just $15 for a great class and info you can use in your everyday life. I hope to see you there! If you aren't able to make this workshop but are interested in learning more about Ayurveda please visit Liz's site www.ayureka.com.

The Luck o' the Irish

I'm hoping today really does bring some luck as I start a new newsletter. Please click the link below to check it out for today's dose of inspiration. In this issue  I'm reflecting on the events of Japan over the last week in relation to the resilience and joy of the Irish heritage. I've also included my favorite Irish Blessing. Once you visit the newsletter link, please feel free to join the list and share with friends. If you are on Facebook, I've also started a company page for Flourish Unlimited ~ Yoga + with Kate Noble. I'll post that link below as well. I hope you have a great day! Kate

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Spring Cleaning

Oh yes! It's that time of year in my little part of the world. Although it's not officially spring yet, Mother Nature has begun her work in this next growth cycle. The sun is shining a little more; coaxing life from sleep. The winds continue to scrub away old debris. As the heavens have opened up, the earth is recieving a deep and rich soaking. The rivers are over-flowing with energy and every where you look nature is sprouting and budding; the gray of winter is steadily coming back into full color.

In my last post, I spoke of how I've been mildly ill for oh too long now. In the midst of this "illness," I remembered a friend once commenting that she viewed illness as the body's natural way of detoxing. I'm trying to keep this in mind as I move through this cold/flu/fever/whatever. Synchronistically, I ran into my friend, Ann, for a brief moment at the grocery store a few days after remembering her remarks.  Later that week she ended up commenting the very same sentiment in response to my blog. I have this little game I play that when three "hits" on a certain subject show up in my life, I imagine that "spirit" is working to get my attention or to verify an experience I've been going through. So, I'm going with the idea that my body is doing it's own spring cleaning or detox and I am continuing to be gentle with myself to support the process.

This little event has also inspired me to begin a new feature where I will "Spotlight" some of the inspiring people in our community. I have certainly benefited from the wisdom and talents of so many and am excited about the opportunity to pass on their insights. Ann has graciously and enthusiastically offered to be my first "Spotlight." We'll be working on a little interview this month so that I can share this remarkable woman with you. Helen Keller said it well, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." 


Happy Spring Cleaning, Detoxing, Fasting and Whatever Else you might be doing to transition from the season of winter to spring. Look for Ann Segal's interview to come. In the meantime you can visit her website at www.annsegalphotography.com

Sometimes You Do Everything "Right" and It Still All Goes "Wrong"

For any of those of you who have been following along here, I apologize for my absence. I have been sick for over three weeks - not full on sick but definitely not functioning at my best. So, as I've spent the last two months (and really the last 10 years) talking about the importance of a healthy lifestyle to  stay well, I can't help but feel a little hypocritical for being "under the weather" for so long now. I guess more than anything though my illness is a small reminder of our own individual vulnerability. The truth is that while what we do does matter, it isn't everything. There are so many other forces at work in our lives than what we personally control. Because we can't control everything it is helpful to have an internal anchor to help us stay afloat when the seas get rough. 

The concepts of yoga are instrumental in helping each of us connect more fully to the internal anchor that is always present in our hearts and minds. A key element of the Anusara yoga style is to "look for the good first." By doing this we can begin to transform all the things that have gone "wrong" in our lives into experiences that allow us to connect with and understand the big picture of life more fully. The next time something "goes wrong" for you, perhaps you can look a little deeper and ask yourself what strength you might gain by moving through this experience. Life is certainly full of difficult challenges and we can either let them break us down or get stronger from them. 

I want to say a quick thank you to all those who have helped me over the past few weeks in the smallest of ways by covering for me at work, making me soup, helping with my kids, and just by being more gentle with me. This concept of being more gentle with people is one I will carry out of this last challenge. Being "sick" for so long has been a reminder of how possible and likely that someone may be walking along appearing to be completely normal on the outside but inside feels terrible. I think it's safe to say that most everyone really is doing the best they can with what they have. I think an extra dose of gentleness towards ourselves and each other is a great way to make the world a better place with very little effort.