Ok, confession time- I used to be a champ at holding grudges.  It's true.  I could stay angry at a person for stealing my pencil in science class in 5th grade if I really wanted to.  I used to believe that forgiveness was weakness.  If I forgave that pencil stealer, I felt like it was equivalent to telling the world they could steal my pencils and I'd do nothing about it.  I used to believe that forgiveness was something that showed people I wasn't strong and that I'd accept the poor treatment they showed me.  Most of my friends and family knew that if something happened where I felt personally betrayed or attacked by them, our relationship was pretty much over because I most likely wasn't going to open my arms in forgiveness anytime soon.  


Man, that's heavy.  I used to have my forgiveness locked in an iron fortress.  Few people ever witnessed it.  Just thinking back to those days makes my soul feel exhausted.  Holding grudges is tiring!  Being angry all the time wipes you out! After realizing, painfully (!), that my anger wasn't actually hurting anyone but myself, I decided to release it.  I heard this really awesome saying once that I often use as a mantra for when I start to feel angry or pissed off at someone- "holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." I really dig that because it's so true.  I used to think by not forgiving people, i was 'teaching' them a lesson.  Jokes on me, because more often than not, those people probably didn't even realize I was angry.  So I decided to embrace forgiveness for... ME.  I started to see that by forgiving people I was actually setting myself free from their invisible grip on me.  whoa.  Didn't see that one coming!  I used to waste so much energy on being mad at people and half the time they didn't even know I was upset.  So, I want to challenge you to do the same!  If you hold grudges, stay angry at people or generally find yourself resisting forgiveness, I want to really ask you to reconsider how you feel about forgiveness.  Forgiveness releases US from other people.  It gives US freedom.  It gives US peace.  And WE lose the guilt, frustration and anxiety over what other people do.  Let's spend this meditation Monday on the practice of forgiveness.  Who can you let go of today?  What situation can you free yourself from?  And most importantly, how can you release that toxic angry energy and channel it into something amazing?  Something that serves you!?  


Here to help with this meditation is Bex, of http://www.bexlife.com/.  I adore her and I love her metaphor in this meditation video!  


Give it a try!

Happy meditation Monday!

xo b 

There is something to be said about the power of relaxation.  Think about all you do in day.  Most of us go to work, run errands, have family to care for... the list goes on and on.  Add cooking, cleaning, chores, house stuff and life stuff into the mix and it's no wonder that relaxation kind of just... falls to the wayside. 

As a full-time yoga instructor it's funny how people sometimes assume I have heaps of time to just relax.  On a typical day you'll find me running from class to class, cooking meals for my husband and I, caring for my four-legged children (which one could argue that i'm almost borderline obsessed with!) doing loads of sweaty laundry, making funky playlists, writing, organizing workshops, fitting in my own yoga and workouts and grabbing a glass of wine with a friend.  

Truth be told- I love it all.  But I do get exhausted and run down from it every so often.  I feel the exhaustion in my body.  When I feel it creep in, I know it's time to slow down!  So for those of you that don't take daily or weekly 'time outs,' I'd love to share with you what I turn to during times like these in order to chill out, de-stress and relax:

*rent a movie and curl up on the couch for a couple of hours 

*hot bath with lavender essential oils and epsom salts

*reading a book in bed

*a long walk with the pup (or family!) 

*lighting incense

*10 minute meditation 

*journaling

*hitting up a hot yoga class

*20 minute nap

*getting a massage

*calling up a good friend and having some laughs

*unplugging from FB, my phone, my laptop and any other electronics that keep my mind buzzing 

*indulging in some alternate nostril breathing (http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/2598)

Do you have things you do or practice to help you relax?  Do you make relaxation a priority or wait until you're over-stressed or overworked to think about it?

Take a moment to find what relaxes you most and see if you can commit to it everyday.  Make relaxation one of your daily priorities.  We can even become more productive and clear-headed when we practice daily relaxation techniques.  

xo b


photo cred http://depositphotos.com/5520106/stock-photo-To-relaxation-sign-pointing-to-beach.html

Ever hear of EFT (emotional freedom technique) ?  No worries if you haven't.  I feel like this is the new age kid on the block. I'm here to shed a little light on this tapping technique that works wonders in breaking down your walls!  

The way EFT, or tapping, works is that a person taps certain meridian points on his or her body and combines it with verbal affirmations. Tapping these points on your body is almost like using acupuncture.  EFT can be used to shake up limiting beliefs, squelch anxiety and stress or even just help you become a more positive person by diminishing negative thought patterns.  

I have explored this technique before and definitely use it if I'm feeling overwhelmingly stressed out about something.  Although I don't teach it in my workshops (yet!) I suggest students learn about it. Think of it like a stress-less tool in your anxiety tool box!  We can never have enough of those! 

Here's a quick break down of EFT with Nick Ortner and Kris Carr.  They do a wonderful job explaining EFT and how to do it.  Nick also has a book out, The Tapping Solution, if you want to learn even more: 

this video is courtesy of http://www.kriscarr.com 

Have you ever tried EFT?  I've felt powerful shifts through using this technique.  Notice how some of these points are our third eyes, our heart centers and the crown of our heads.  I also really love that Nick encourages us to really dig deep into our anxieties.  He wants us to dig below the surface of our initial fears and discover what is really the driving force behind them.  

Next time you're stressed, give it a whirl!  Use EFT to tap into something amazing! 

xo b

I'm very excited to share a guest blog I did for ExtendYoga, a studio I teach at during the week.  I had to privilege of hosting one of my Present Moment workshops there a few weeks ago.  Check it out here http://extendyoga.com/2013/02/05/bring-your-mind-to-the-mat/  

xo b

If you're new to yoga, you may find yourself staring mystified at the schedule for your local gym or studio and trying to make sense of names like 'iyengar' and 'vinyasa.' Wondering which class is best for you?  Let me break it down for you and point you in the right direction!  There truly is a style of yoga for every body!  


Restorative The focus here is relaxation. If you're looking to de-stress, or you're just simply not up for a fast-paced yoga class, this is the place for you.  Blankets and bolsters do the work for you while you melt into your poses for anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes.  

Hatha This class blends many forms of yoga and allows students to alleviate stress and tension while holding their poses and finding time to explore them.


Anusara While these classes also focus on alignment and use of props, they integrate more personal creativity and lightheartedness into the practice. Students are encouraged to express themselves and have fun.  There is an emphasis on opening your heart throughout this practice which is great for relieving depression. 

Iyengar  This is a class focused on alignment. Props such as blankets, blocks and straps are utilized to help students move perfectly into poses. This is a great place to start if you're interested in learning the rudiments of poses.  


Bikram This style entails a series of 26 poses done in a highly heated room. It's a great style for sweating and grounding (it helps to move inward during practice so you don't think about the heat), so long as you can stand hot temperatures.


Vinyasa This class is focused on connecting movement and breath. You'll move through poses on inhalations and exhalations, and these classes tend to be a quick pace. It's ideal for people who crave a more challenging yoga class and enjoy the creativity and movement within a flow. 

My personal faves for:

anxiety relief- restorative, hatha and vinyasa (yes vinyasa moves faster, but I find that the faster pace helps keep my mind present with the movements and I love the importance on the breath) 

depression relief - anusara

releasing energy (that could build into anxiety)- vinyasa

people nervous to try yoga- restorative, hatha and iyengar  

Now that you feel more empowered to find the right class for you, grab your towel and mat and hit the studio!  enjoy yoga-ing!

xo b