Summer, Meet Fall. A Smoothie.

all you need (besides love):

1-2 fat mangos


1-2 cups organic grapes

1 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1-2 teaspoons  turmeric powder

3-6 stalks of kale

2-4 tablespoons coconut oil

all you do (besides be love):

1. add all the above into a blender.
   
2. blend on high speed
   
3. devour!

all the goodness is made up of:

as you perform step 3 above, know that while tasting delicious, this summer fall mash-up is full of goodness.

mangoes:
loaded with potassium,  vitamin B6, A, C, and E. includes beta and alpha carotene, pre-biotic fiber. protects against breast, colon, and prostrate cancer.

grapes:
storehouse of numerous health promoting phyto-nutrients such as poly-phenolic antioxidants, vitamins A, C and K, and minerals.

kale:
provides rich nutrition ingredients that offer protection from vitamin A deficiency, osteoporosis, iron deficiency anemia, and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and, colon and prostate cancers.full of vitamins K and A, as well as TONS of antioxidants and iron.

sage:
rich source of minerals like potassium, zinc, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium.

cinnamon:known to have anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-septic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, rubefacient (warming and soothing), carminative and anti-flatulent properties. Cinnamon has highest anti-oxidant strength of all the food sources in nature. it also comes full loaded with a variety of essential oils.


cayenne pepper:
full of vitamin B group, C and A, with high levels of essential minerals and potassium.

turmeric:just a few grams of turmeric per day either in the form of powder, crushed root or fresh roots can provide enough nutrients to help you keep away from anemia, neuritis, memory disorders and offers protection against cancers, infectious diseases, high blood pressure and strokes.

Let me know how yours turns out (so i can come over)!

source: yogitimes

Fall into Yoga

I have something I need to share with you.

Recently, I went to Mt. Madonna Center and participated in a one week yoga teacher training immersion. This week immersion is followed by a selection of 4 day weekends.One of which is this weekend.

During this one week immersion I learned more than I ever thought I could about the yoga sutras, ancient purification techniques, proper asana poses, anatomy, meditation, sanskrit, yoga theory, MYSELF, other people, Hanuman the monkey god, Hinduism--- you get the point.

In this one week time period, I did asana (physical yoga postures) for an average of 3.5 hours a day. Multiply that by 7 and you have 24 hours of yoga. Did I mention this was all in just a week? What a groove right?

But that's not my confession.

My confession is that, since that amazing experience--- I haven't meditated (in the traditional sit straight up and concentrate sense) or practiced yoga. I have not even stepped foot at Ayuh studio. That is almost 2 weeks without any yoga in my life.

I just get so busy.
Too busy for the very thing that sustains me and gives me bliss.

Then today I met up with one of my favorite yogini's (Mi-An). Hanging out is something we have not been able to do in more than a month. Because of me.

I just get so busy.
Too busy for my favorite friends.

We met outside Ayuh studio so we could take just one car. Our plan was shopping, health food store stop, and then yoga. By the time we got to the health food store, we had talked ourselves out of yoga. Even though the next portion of my YTT is this weekend.

Oh the shame, when all my fellow YTT students hear that I failed to keep up my personal practice.
Oh how my entire body is yearning for my dose of bliss.
Oh how I'm just too busy. Too tired. Overwhelmed. Burnt out.

As we neared Ayuh studio  to drop her off at her car, I saw the studio. Then through the window, I saw one of my favorite teachers (Sparkle). I felt a sense of something...

My friend and I both looked at each other. How silly to be so close and already dressed for the occasion and not actually participate in the act.

"Maybe we could just go in and say hi...", I meekly said.

"Maybe we should just practice and think about how amazing we will feel", my friend said.

I parked the car, and we got our mats out. My heart fluttered.

As we walked into Ayuh studio, my body began to melt.

When I laid my mat down for the first time in so many days, a knowing overcame me. That sense I had felt moments before, was that of coming home. It flooded me.

I looked around and saw so many of the familiar yogi faces. There was no need to be busy. No need to be judged or judgmental.

As the practice began, my body and soul just fell into yoga. It became my thoughts, my emotions, my words, my postures, and my breath. I was yoga. And I was home.

When the practice was over, and our teacher said her ending prayer and Namaste, my eyes watered with such immense gratefulness.

In an effort to celebrate this beautiful season, grab your mat, take your favorite yogi by the hand, head to Ayuh studio, and let's all

                     fall
                                            into
                                                          yoga.

ओम् तत् सत्
Hari Om Tat Sat!
The Supreme Being is the Absolute Truth