Sayonara August!

There is no doubt in my mind that my August is probably your January. Most people tire of cold come February, I tire of the heat come August. It is not particularly my favorite month. For the most part I feel like I'm being cooked alive and thinking this is what it must be like inside a Tandoori Oven.

Now, I am not a "calendar watcher" per say, so just because it's August 1st doesn't mean that things begin to go sideways. It's more of an internal feeling that just seems to "be there". For those of us who are internally lead you can probably relate. For those of you who aren't, e.g. my husband, try not to analyze too much - it's an internal thing. These internal shifts are happening all the time. Some you notice others you don't and they go by without your conscious awareness. For me come August or any other melting heat wave, I first start to feel a little "off", then I feel a bit run down, and then ultimately I just feel like crap. Over the years though, I've gotten pretty good at noticing when I'm off  - physically, emotionally and even mentally. Usually it's my husband that will make me aware of the mental shift, as gently as an analytical mind can. This shift I will eventually come around to admiting, sometimes with more resistance than other times.  : )

Ever since I can remember, the month of August has been a physical challenge for me. So over the years I've learned a few things that help. First and foremost is to remind myself that August and the god foresaken heat will eventually end!  My next item on the list is to see my acupuncturist and along with that a bit of NAET thrown in. Those things honestly get me through and remain thankful that I have access to these wonderful methods that work for me.

This year, I found it interesting that a friend and my husband stated the same thing on the same day, "Maybe you just need to rest." My friend Kyra informed me that most people in India during the hot months have people come in to scrub their floors, even if they are of moderate means, and that naps are taken in the afternoon. This got me thinking. For the most part, people here in the city leave on the weekends or take the month off to enjoy themselves and have some R&R. Quite frankly I do enjoy the "quietness" of the city during August and do a bit more outings myself, but I have great relief when September comes. In my mind when September arrives things go back to normal.

So I had to look at this for myself. My attitude is, "This is New York people, everyone back to work!" Perhaps it would behove me to rest a bit more during this month, which I have, and prepare in advance to take a long vacation during August. I heard Greenland is nice this time of year. I've had to ask myself if this is some sort of self fulfilling prophecy? No I don't believe so, and according to Chinese Medicine the month of August is a transitional month, moving from the Fire element into the Earth element which affects us on many levels whether we notice or not.

As I bid fare well to another August I am grateful that this month has brought clarity into my life and that right action can be taken to to maintain a healthy state of being and with that -- Sayonara August!

Fall Boots Are My Porn

The husband is at work, the boy is down for a nap... Strike up the mood music. Dim the lights. Remove the goods from their box. Ahhhhhhh... the touch of soft supple leather on my skin. ZIPPPPPPPPPPP.... purrrrrrrfect! Boots really are my porn.

Let's just talk boots for a moment. Pull on, Zip up, Bootie, Motorcycle, Platform, Wedge, Low heel, Medium heel, High heel, my beloved Ultra High heel, Ankle, Mid, Knee, Over the knee, I love them all. Nothing gets my heart racing more then walking into DSW. I feel the perspiration above my brow and my blood rush to my cheeks. Over come with excitement of which ones to try on I try not to be swept away with emotion. I only have an hour so I must make the best use of time. I need to be strategic about this. Zero in on boot section, up and down the isles, eyeing every single cute boot I see. I am prepared this year. I know exactly which two boots I am looking for so I am able to maintain focus. One pair for everyday wear and the other pair has to be hot and as high as they come, but let me get real for a second. I live in Athleta, sneakers and Birkenstocks. Truth be told I hung up those heels awhile ago. Living in South Florida for about a decade I could indulge in any shoe I chose and as the saying goes the higher the better. I walked from my front door to my car, from the car to the restaurant/club whatever. These days I'm much too tired at the end of a day to think about getting dressed to go out. I do miss it though. My days in the city consist of teaching classes and playing with my son at the parks. We walk everywhere. Heels simply won't do.

The other day I went down stairs to grab the mail. My heart skipped a beat, my eyes widen, Yes! I have found the pair. In my hands I was holding the sacred Nordstrom fall catalog. Once again Sam Edelman you have won my heart with your Utilitarian Boot. You are perfect in every way. I must have you!

The Eat Pray Love Phenomenon

According to USA Today article by  Kitty Bean Yancey Bali's tourism is up thanks to the book and movie "Eat, Pray, Love". Having jumped on the band wagon, some of these themed tours are promising a similar experience, such as Italian pizza and a Brazilian waiter while in Bali, of course for a price. Believe me, I am all for supporting tourism and global economy and being able to experience other cultures, I believe these to be invaluable. But why do we want to have someone else's experiences? Are our lives that bad or simply uninteresting just going through the motions with our habitual ways? It seems to me that the author Elizabeth Gilbert was able to take a good honest look at herself and that begins her quest.

It is much easier to watch a reality show on your couch with a bag a chips and judge what's going on in other people's lives. I too enjoy the occasional mind numbing program. It's a bit of a break from myself and all in a good dose of moderation. But how often do we look to escape our current feelings, thoughts, or life situations? It is apparent to me that lots of us are through addictions, preoccupations and other various avenues that keep us entertained for the time being.

I truly believe one of the hardest things to do as a human being is to get real with yourself, except oneself and ultimately friend yourself. If we are able to change our perceptions about ourselves everything else in life will follow suit. Deciding to take an honest look inside and embracing it all is a very brave thing to do.

Your Life and Experiences will be the Best teacher. Why run from it or pay for someone else's?

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Can we just not talk about BOOBS!

This is what I heard from a new Mom the other day after one of my classes. My ears perked up and I was ready to listen. Who doesn't like this subject? As someone who doesn't follow trends for the most part I was unaware that not breastfeeding is not PC these days according to some of the women that I've recently met. One of the great things about living in this city is the amount of options that are available for new Moms. Isn't there a support group for everything these days? Apparently not. I never jumped on the band wagon with that but did my best to go to some sort of class/get together every week when my son was a baby.

New Mom support groups are abundant here and probably would have benefited from joining one myself but joining anything really isn't my bag.

So here's the question, what about the women who can't or simply don't want to breastfeed? Some are in these support groups where week after week all they hear is talk about sore nipples, mastitis, latching on and leakage. It can be isolating enough being a first time Mom. Your world as you once knew it has been flipped turned inside out and all your hearing is boob talk.

Don't get me wrong I am grateful for those Women that forged the way and continue their mission. Standing up against the prudes and pharmaceutical companies and saying "No, it's not alright for me to be in hiding because of the simple fact I can nourish and sustain another human being." 

I chose to nurse my son and did so for a year. Being the "in thing" or not that's just what I wanted to do and it didn't come without it's challenges I can a sure you. If it wasn't for my friend Jillian who told me to stick with it for at least 6 weeks I might have given up.

Doesn't it really just come down to this, Choice? We women have fought long and hard to simply have that basic human right. We are blessed to live in a culture that can challenge the status quo. If you are looking for something you'll find it and probably a small army of others who feel or think the same. Why not just support each other without agenda? Own what you choose. If that means whipping it out on a packed subway car or mixing a bottle while eating out know that someone else is doing the exact same thing and with that I raise my milk glass to all the baby mama's.

I welcome your comments:)

What's So Wrong With Being Mainstream?

Here in lies the question that has been on my mind. Elephant Journal does a really good job of sharing lots of points of views when it come to Yoga. These views have got me thinking...why take issue with how people practice or what our marketing media driven culture has added to the "Idea" of Yoga?

Looking at my own time line with the practice, I was one that teetered on being a purist. That being said my first yoga class was at a fitness center and it was called YogaFit. It changed my life. I began looking for every yoga class available but keeping to only studios. I do not know why but that's just me. I found a teacher by the name James Kigar in South Florida. My world was rocked. In a packed room for 2 hours I sweated and flowed like never before. All thought ceased and a stillness is what was left in a girl that was mentally all over the place with no direction to speak of. That was the beginning for me. I felt like I finally came home.

These days I've found myself cringing when words like Chakra or Dharma are loosely used. We here in the West are notorious for taking something and running with it. Something that is sacred ends up being a line in a Tuesday night sitcom. What if we didn't have that though? Would I have inquired or studied some of the things that I've come to know and love? Who knows. It's out there and I believe it to be a good thing. I love my purists but to look down upon another persons practice that means something to them no matter how sliced and diced it is, isn't Yoga.  Yoga by definition is Union meaning one in the same. You dis your fellow man you inadvertently dis yourself.

This in and of itself is a practice. Some days I fail miserably, how can one not with Life itself? I feel that if we can let go of our own judgement about anything we raise the level of consciousness on this planet.

Let people be, meet them where they are at and listen. You might be enlightened.


I welcome your thoughts and comments below.