Dare to Live Wide Open

Written by a true yogi, a true artist, and a true friend...she has inspired me to look deeper, to accept challenge...and to live wide open. Thank you, Brittany.

Dare To Live Wide Open

I challenge you

To be more loving

In the presence of a stranger

To live without judgement

To show empathy

In the presence of other's pain

To open your heart

So others can see you

I challenge you

To let go, to slow down,

And appreciate an inconvenience for its lesson

Or see beauty in the mundane

I challenge you

To be open to the possibility that anybody can inspire you

And that you can spark the fire in someone else

I challenge you

To believe anything you dream of can be possible

And that every single day is an opportunity

Most of all,

I challenge you to see the light in yourself

And once you do, find it in everything else

Namaste.

Be inspired. Visit her blog: Heart of a Yogi and her Etsy Shop

Zen Shorts and the Buddha Board

Let go of things you don't need.

Good luck can sometimes be bad. Bad luck can sometimes be good.

Be happy with who you are and what you have.

In the book Zen Shorts, Jon J. Muth shares a story of what happens when 3 siblings befriend a giant panda named Stillwater. Each day as the siblings take their turn to visit with Stillwater, the giant panda chooses an appropriate Zen fable to share with each child. To Addie he tells a story about the value of material goods. To Michael he pushes the boundaries of good and bad. And to Karl he demonstrates what it means to hold on to frustration. They way Muth has structured these stories within a story brought a great practice of focus and a test of attention at Storytime Yoga. There are great lessons to be learned in this book and each time I read this story to a child, I wait for that "Ah-Ha" moment in their eyes.

After the story, in hopes of holding on to the focus gained during the story, I introduced the Buddha Board. The Buddha Board is based on the Zen concept of living in the moment. Painting on the surface with water allows a design to be created. Then, as the water slowly evaporates, the art will magically disappear leaving you with a clean slate and a clear mind - ready to create a whole new masterpiece. I had my storytime kid take a turn to draw something from the story that stood out to him. After the image was created, the goal was to sit as still as possible until the entire image disappeared. Now, maybe it was the peace of the studio setting that made him sit still the entire time focused on the board - maybe it was the calmness of the storyline in Zen Shorts...maybe this little boy found his inner peace - the peaceful state that lies within each one of us, that we are all capable of achieving. It was a very proud moment.

Stay Strong!

This is just awesome! My teacher, Clarissa, recommended I watch this and it brought the biggest smile to my face! It's like the "We Are the World" for yogis! And it has some of my favorite yogis in it - Wah!, Krishna Das, Donna De Lory, Seane Corn, Suzanne Sterling, Jai Uttal...just to name a few! And Gaura Vani just cracks me up the whole time!

The Stay Strong Project is partnered with Global Green USA, an organization involved in supporting efforts for the Gulf Coast recovery and other environmental and humanitarian concerns, including: green building, climate solutions, security and sustainability and clean water projects. Their mission: "The essence of the Stay Strong Vision is to inspire each other to come together in service, celebration, and prayer, and to remain positive in challenging times. Our goal is to sound a call to action, now more than ever, to bring healing and love to our Mother Earth and to all who inhabit our beautiful planet!" Love.

Purchase this song on iTunes and 100% of the proceeds go to Global Green USA.

Start them young!

So excited to announce the new Baby & Me session starting February 26th! I love seeing the tiniest of yogis in our studio! Create a safe and lasting bond with your baby through yoga in a setting that is beyond peaceful and full of love! Even though babies cannot move on their own yet, your moving them and putting them into poses will benefit them in so many ways - including strengthening still forming muscles, aiding in digestion, and may even improve sleep patterns. So many good things come from this positive environment, not only for baby, but for you, the mom, as well! Learn to breathe, reset your body, and stress less!

This time is a gift for your baby and yourself!

Register today: www.alluemyoga.com - workshops tab

Girl Scouts - Try it!

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