Yoga Blog | Fitness, Health and Wellness Articles

On July 1, 2014 in General by Hayley

I hate poison ivy. On my 40th birthday, I woke up with it and wound up in the hospital begging for cortisone shots.

I hate being uncomfortable. I hate being too hot, too cold, too sunburned, too itchy, and summer is the worst time for all of it, with all the bugs, going to the pool or beach, air conditioned buildings.

I will do ANYTHING to avoid being itchy. Here are some suggestions to help get you and your skin through the summer in one piece.

Sunscreen – I use sunscreen whenever I go outside, whether I’m going to be out running or just running to the grocery store, if my skin is exposed to the sun, I spray on some sunscreen before I go.

For Sunburns – Unfortunately, the best intentions with sunscreen don’t always pan out. I recommend aloe gel to soothe sunburns. You could even keep an aloe plant growing and break off leaves as you need them (great for kitchen burns too, by the way) Peppermint oil is also very soothing and cooling. Add a few drops to a spray bottle full of water to spray yourself.

For Dry Skin – Truly, hydration is the key here. Make sure you’re drinking enough fluids. Sleep is also really important for your skin, so make sure you’re getting enough sleep every day. And of course, keep feeding your skin a good, natural moisturizer. {Are there ingredients they should look for to consider it ‘good’?} Coconut oil is a great option. Apply it, or any body oil, as soon as you’ve finished a shower as soap and hot water can be very drying for your skin, and the water already on your skin will help the oil to soak into your skin.

For Bug Bites – A few drops of lavender in a spray bottle of water will soothe bug bites. Melaleuca or tea tree oil applied directly to the bite will also calm the itching. essential.me

For Poison Ivy – You obviously want to get the oils away from you as quickly as you can and scrub them off of your body to avoid rash, but if you’re too late for all that oatmeal, lavender peppermint, frankincense, myrrh, and jewelweed are all great for soothing itchy, inflamed skin.

Keep some peppermint leaves in the freezer to apply to sunburns or bug bites.

I’ve just shared some great tips to help keep your skin hydrated and soothed through the summer months. What are your natural remedies for itchy skin during the summer? Share them with me on Facebook.

XO Hayley

Previously published on Mind Body Green and Hayley's Blog.

By Hayley Hobson

With her unique specialization in the combination and complement of pilates, nutrition and yoga, Hayley offers a cocktail of lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. Hayley is a columnist for Elephant Journal and has been featured in Pilates Style Magazine, Natural Health Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. She currently lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline. Read more about Hayley and check out her new book at HayleyHobson.com

Get Happy with one of Hayley's Empowering classes today:

Empowerment Flow

Tighten Your Core

Core Yoga 4

Tagged With: Hayley Hobson, remedies, summer

Patriotic Green Smoothie

On June 30, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

What do you think about this? Do you find you can make healthier decisions later on when you fuel yourself with healthy choices earlier on?

Let me know in the comment section below.

Enjoy your holiday weekend. Eat (or drink!) your greens and remember to drink lots of water.

With love and firecrackers,

Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: Smoothie Recipe, The Conscious Cleanse

The Truth (and Tales) about Water

On June 24, 2014 in General by Hayley

But here’s the tricky part. Your body is after hydration and nourishment. You get a lot of your hydration needs from your food. Ever juice a cucumber? It’s mostly liquid! Sometimes, your body will kick out “I’m hungry!” signals when you’re actually thirsty and craving hydration!

This “You must drink 8 glasses of water a day” doctrine only became the fashionable when we stopped eating our veggies and started eating more processed food. Yes! Your body needs to be hydrated, you can’t live without water. There are studies out there nowadays that are showing that we’re already getting a lot of water in our daily diets, especially if we’re eating healthy with lots and lots of vegetables and fruit. And let’s face it – water can get pretty boring.

There are lots of great ways to get the amount of water your body needs to keep you hydrated. I drink a 20oz. smoothie every morning, go through a 20oz. water bottle that I carry around with me all day long and I drink at least one or two probiotic Kevita drinks a day. That alone is almost 64oz. of liquid! And that’s not even counting all the vegetables I eat daily.

Here are some tips to help you get the water your body needs to keep up with your busy life:

1. Eat your Fruits and Veggies

Cucumber, celery and radishes are more than 95% water! Throw some in your salad or keep some spears handy for snacking (add some hummus for also important protein). Tomatoes, green peppers, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, baby carrots, are also great vegetables for their water content. Watermelon, star fruit, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe are sweet treats that are all more than 90% water.

2. Don’t Overdo it

You CAN drink too much water. You can actually flood your system with water, producing low sodium levels, flushing out minerals and vitamins that your body actually needs to perform at peak condition and do a number on your kidneys. If you’re eating lots of clean veggies, you’re getting LOTS of water. But when you do drink water, don’t chug it, you’ll just wind up peeing it out without doing much to hydrate you. Sip it throughout the day instead. And speaking of pee, THAT is the real sign of your state of hydration. It should be a pale yellow color. If it’s almost clear, you’re drinking too much. If it’s dark yellow, go drink something!

3. Make Your Water More Interesting

Filter your water whenever you can. Infuse it with calorie and sugar-free flavors, a slice of lemon or a chunk of cantaloupe. Figure out if you prefer glass, plastic or stainless steel containers and then get a bunch and keep them filled and handy. It sounds silly, but having a glass or bottle you enjoy drinking out of can make a difference in how you feel about drinking! Drinking champagne out of a juice glass isn’t nearly as fun as drinking it from a champagne glass, right?

Everything you drink contributes to your daily water consumption. Just remember that caffeinated drinks will dehydrate you, so you should replace them with something to hydrate.

Water is not the goal, hydration is. Keep your water consumption interesting, listen to your body, and you will always be hydrated.

I’ve just given you really important information about water and helpful hints on how to keep hydrated. What fun ways do you have to stay hydrated? Share them with me!

XO Hayley

Tagged With: Hayley Hobson, healthy living

Sweet 'n Sour Pineapple Limeade Juice

On June 24, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

Cucumbers are one of nature’s best beauty foods–full of minerals (especially silica) that promote healthy skin, hair and nails. And pineapple contains the anti-inflammatory enzyme, bromelain, which aids digestion.

If you want to get a radiant summer glow, this is the juice for you. Both detoxifying and hydrating, this juice will delight your taste buds with its burst of citrus twist! I hope you enjoy it as a morning juice or a refreshing summer snack.

Are you ready to fire up your juicer and give this sweet summer juice a whirl?

Let me know what you think of it in the comment section below.

With tart and tangy kisses,

Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: juice, summer recipes, The Conscious Cleanse

Summer's Bounty: Taste the Season

On June 16, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

The other day as I was enjoying yet another mango snack, I started daydreaming of the time spent in Costa Rica studying abroad in college. One of the young local girls that I lived with ate a few mangoes a day sprinkled with lime juice and salt. Talk about a nutritious and delicious snack! Fresh, ripe fruit is literally nature’s candy.

This got me thinking about the importance of eating seasonally.

There are many excellent reasons to enjoy produce at its peak. One of the top reasons being taste and nutritional value, and the close second being cost.

Produce picked and enjoyed at its prime is literally bursting with flavor. It smells sweet and fragrant and is often perfectly delicious when enjoyed in its raw, natural state.

When produce is allowed to ripen on the vine it actually makes it more nutritious too, providing us with all the minerals and nutrients that our bodies need to thrive and feel satiated.

The other awesome reason to eat in tune with the seasons is take advantage of the abundant supply of certain foods. When there is a lot of one type of produce being harvested, it naturally drives the cost down. Take for example strawberries (delicious after the cleanse once you determine you don’t have a strawberry allergy or sensitivity). I’ve noticed at my local health food store that in the dead of winter, a package of organic strawberries costs about $9 bucks! In June, the same size package goes on sale for about $5.

Eating in season is good for our health and our wallets!

There is also a more subtle, perhaps abstract reason to eat in tune with the seasons and that is to eat in a way that nature intends puts us into a framework that says “I trust life and know that all of my needs (nutritionally or otherwise) will be met.”

When we look to nature we notice that there is a natural, I would say divine, order to things. Everything has its place and purpose, and for good reason.

If you’re feeling inspired and wondering what foods are in season right now domestically check out the partial list below. I’ve also included a new green smoothie recipe inspired my days in Costa Rica that I know you’re going to love. It’s called Mango Unchained.

What about you? What are your favorites from summer’s bounty?

With love and mango smooches,

Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: seasonal produce, The Conscious Cleanse

Cell Phone Mindfulness

On June 16, 2014 in General by Hayley

My phone is my #1 tool for my job, it goes everywhere I go and is a huge part of my life. I’m not kidding. A few weeks ago, I freaked because my battery was only lasting 2.5 hours. The guy at the Apple store laughed it me. “Sorry to say, Miss, nothing is wrong with your phone. You just go through more data than I’ve ever seen.” He’s ever seen? Seriously? He works at Apple! Now I have 3 batteries, plus my charger and I can’t leave home without them.

My phone makes it possible for me to do business on the go, so that I can have flexibility in my life, and be able to spend time with my daughter and husband. But the phone also gets in my way all the time. I’ve taken conference calls with an earbud in my ear while giving Madeline a bath. Not good. I’m there with her, but… not really, you know? It might be like going over homework with the news on for you. Or playing Candy Crush while you’re on the phone with your mom. We’re there, but not really?

I can’t not answer it either. If I don’t respond immediately when clients contact me, I run the risk of losing them. It has happened. I quickly became a slave to my phone. I hate to confess it, but I have been ‘that girl’ who’s texting during Savasana at yoga. It drove everyone crazy – my husband, people around me. It drove ME crazy.

Now, I could give you a list of “NO PHONE RULES”. Like:

Rule #1: No phones at the dinner table
Rule #2: No phones in the bedroom
Rule #3: No phones at yoga class

But that’s not realistic. I’ve tried to implement these rules myself, but when I’m dealing with people in different time zones, I have to be flexible to that too. Besides which, a list of rules really isn’t going to get to the source of the issue. Communication is.

My phone is probably the source of half my arguments with my husband. We had to have a really honest conversation about cell phone usage. We laid it all out. I need my phone to have the flexible lifestyle we’re building. But the phone interrupts intimate moments and he often feels ignored. It impacts our daughter. We both groan when we hear it chiming at 11pm.

It wasn’t a pretty conversation and it will not end all of our arguments, but he got clear on how integral the phone is to my business and I got really clear on how important it is for me to not be tied to a computer to make my living. And we both got really clear on how technology impacts our lives.

So here are the three things that I think you need to do to have your phone NOT rule your life.

1: Take an honest look at why you are using your phone. Do you really need to be that connected? Is keeping up to date on social media adding to your life or taking away from it? If you discover that you are using your phone to put distance between you and other people in your life, that might be pointing to a larger issue in your relationships.

2: Communicate and compromise. In the grand scheme of things, arguing about a phone is pretty silly. Talk to the people who you’re impacting by being attached to the hip to technology. Really understand that impact and find common ground to compromise on.

3. Lay some ground rules and boundaries – for yourself AND for your clients. I literally cannot be in the same room as my phone in order to have space from it so I won’t hear that little buzz telling me I have work to do. I can’t bring my phone to yoga with me. In my world, sitting down with my family for a meal is a rare pleasure. I leave my phone in the car, to be completely present when we do. But the people who expect you to be available 24/7 – remind them that texting at midnight or 5am isn’t appropriate. They’ll get it. I know they will.

I’ve just given you some great advice for balancing your life with your cell phone. Got tips and suggestions you’d like to share? Post your suggestion here!

XO Hayley

By Hayley Hobson
Previously published on Positively Positive and Hayley's Blog.

With her unique specialization in the combination and complement of pilates, nutrition and yoga, Hayley offers a cocktail of lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. Hayley is a columnist for Elephant Journal and has been featured in Pilates Style Magazine, Natural Health Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. She currently lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline. Read more about Hayley and check out her new book at HayleyHobson.com

Get centered with one of Hayley's classes today:

Happy Hips

HardCORE Pilates

Core Yoga 4

Tagged With: Hayley Hobson, Mindfulness and technology

Summer Coleslaw

On June 11, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

It’s said that we “eat with our eyes first” and this salad is truly a summertime feast for the senses! A colorful plate, besides being beautiful, also reminds us of another key cleanse principle: nutrient density! This salad is overflowing with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory vitamins, such as the bone building vitamin K and the immune boosting vitamin C. And if that wasn’t enough, this salad is great for the gut! Fresh asparagus contains a large amount of inulin, a type of dietary fiber, which happens to be a favorite food for beneficial intestinal bacteria. Parsley too is packed with L-glutamine, an amino acid that is key to GI repair and strength. Wow! Please pass the salad!

The other thing we adore about this salad is its versatility. The recipe is large enough to feed a crowd at a potluck or summer BBQ. It’s also a tasty way to add color and crunch to a Spicy Black Bean or Bison Burger. Have you tried our Millet Buddha Bowl yet? This salad would be a brilliant substitute for the plain cucumber and cabbage.

Since the walnuts in this recipe are optional, this is the perfect recipe to illustrate how easy it is to adapt recipes to fit within the food combining guidelines. Simply omit the nuts if serving atop or along side an animal protein or non-gluten grain.

With love and a rainbow of veggies,

Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: summer recipes, The Conscious Cleanse

The Meaning of Holistic

On June 10, 2014 in General by Hayley

My husband was not on board with the changes – AT ALL. He just didn’t want to deal with it or the extra spend money on expensive all-natural products. If I didn’t do the shopping, we wound up with Windex and Pepto Bismol. At first, I fought him on it. Then I just started throwing things out, wasting money and he hated that way more. When he saw the results of me being happier, healthier, the kids, he was willing to experiment himself. The other day, I came home to a bottle of generic Lysol on the counter and I gave him this look. He explained that it was actually a natural brand, but he didn’t want to just throw out the old bottle. He recycled an old bottle! I was so proud.

For myself, I believed in it because I had to. I had so many health issues, there was so much toxicity and inflammation in my system – between my type A personality, my parents and stress. I had to educate myself to change all these products and my life has been so much better since.

There are so many things you can do to create a healthy, holistic life. The key is to eliminate what’s toxic and create alternatives. These were the first three baby steps I took:

1. No More Chemical Products
I stopped buying all the cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals. Even chain grocery stores now offer several lines of eco-friendly cleaning products – including the bottle they come in, and they’re no more expensive than the name brands. Better still, search the internet for how to make cleaning products at home. Did you know that vinegar and salt will unclog a drain?

2. No More Drug Store Remedies and Cosmetics
Most drug store ‘remedies’ only mask your ailment symptoms, they don’t cure the ailment. Essential oils and fresh herbs will get rid of a headache, nausea, itchy, rashy skin. All those cosmetic colors in your purse are a result of chemicals mixed together, and many have been tested on animals for your safety. Anti-perspirants and moisturizers also contain pore-clogging chemicals that will build up in your system over time. There are healthy, natural products out there for all this.

3. Mute and Unfriend
You can’t let people drain your energy. Sucking energy out of people is one of thet most toxic things in our life. We all have toxic people in our lives. I’m not saying you have to break up with them, but you don’t have to engage them either. You can’t expect the world to change for you. So change how you deal with it.

4. No More Grocery Produce
Search the internet for nearby farmer’s markets and co-ops. Going to the farmer’s market can be a fun family activity. If you don’t have time for that, co-ops are a great alternative. Both of these options support your holistic lifestyle and your local growers.

Adopting a holistic lifestyle doesn’t require instant, overnight changes. You don’t have to go purge your cabinets and refrigerator of everything you’ve already bought. Replace the toxic with the non-toxic alternatives as you run out of what you already have. Adjust how you respond to toxic people. One day, you’ll wake up and realize how much better you feel.

I’ve just given you 4 really basic tips on how to become more holistic. What have you changed to create a holistic lifestyle for yourself? Let me know here or on my Facebook page!

This post has been published on Mind Body Green and Hayley's Blog.

By Hayley Hobson

With her unique specialization in the combination and complement of pilates, nutrition and yoga, Hayley offers a cocktail of lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. Hayley is a columnist for Elephant Journal and has been featured in Pilates Style Magazine, Natural Health Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. She currently lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline. Read more about Hayley and check out her new book at HayleyHobson.com

Get Happy with one of Hayley's Empowering classes today:

Empowerment Flow

Tighten Your Core

Core Yoga 4

Tagged With: Hayley Hobson, healthy living

Yogi Soup

On June 3, 2014 in General by Jessica Wyman

This one is packed with tons of nutrition and even a few detoxifiers to keep your body nourished and clean.

This recipe is about 2 servings. Eat half now and half later.

Ingredients:
• 12 toasted seaweed sheets
• 6 mushrooms, sliced (Choose a variety you like or is available - button, crimini, baby bella, etc.)
• 1 cup radish, thinly sliced
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• ½ cup shelled edamame, non-GMO
• 2 tbsp miso
• 2 tbsp tamari sauce
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 6 cups filtered pure water

Directions:
Bring water to a boil and then add the broccoli, mushrooms, radish, broccoli and shelled edamame. Reduce temp to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes. Cut nori sheets in half lengthwise and then into strips. Add to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let it rest for 1-2 minutes and then add the miso and tamari.

Want more free recipes like this? Click here to get a FREE digital copy of Jessica Wyman’s cookbook, Girlfriends Organic Kitchen. She is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher and put together a collection of crazy delicious vegetarian and gluten free recipes.

By Jessica Wyman

Jessica Wyman is a rockin’ wellness maven with a passion to show you the ropes of living your best life. As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher, Jessica has a grounded and balanced approach to being your best. If you want to learn how to have your best body yet without counting calories, crazy gimmicks or challenging meal plans, then join Jessica for her 28 Day Nutrition Program, Healthy is Sexy. {Yoga, Smoothies, Fashion, Wellness and even Natural Beauty Tips} to help you with your Healthy is Sexy life and body. Glow from the inside out. Get free healthy recipes and wellness tips you’ll actually use at www.jessica-wyman.com

Website & Blog |Jessica-Wyman.com
Join me on Facebook |Facebook.com/JessicaWymanWellness
Pin My Stuff |pinterest.com/jessicawyman
Follow me on Twitter |@WymanJessica

Click Here for Your Free Copy of Jessica's Cookbook!

Boost your energy with the following YogaDownload classes:

Yoga to Touch Your Soul - Christen Bakken

Infinite Freedom - Alex Cordoba

Tagged With: Healthy Eating, healthy recipes, Jessica Wyman Wellness

A Conscious Cleanse Guide to Mindful Eating

On May 28, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

A Conscious Cleanse Guide to Mindful Eating

By Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: mindful eating, The Conscious Cleanse

Be Here Now: 3 Tips to Help You Stay Present

On May 27, 2014 in General by Hayley

Be Here Now: 3 Tips to Help You Stay Present

I love my work. I love running a business and I spend large portions of my day on my phone between emails, texts and client calls. I have perfected “being in the zone”. When I’m really focused on work, it's almost like nothing else exists. I like to think when I close my laptop, I can shut work off, but my brain just doesn’t do that. Last night, my daughter crawled into my lap while I was working and proclaimed it “bath time”. I closed up what I was doing and took her to the bathroom where we filled the tub with bubbles and I hopped in with her. I was kind of proud of myself for shutting down early and focusing on Madeline. Until Madeline starts belting out “Let It Go” from Frozen at the top of her lungs and I realize that I had been sitting in the tub with her this whole time, running through my to dos and planning out my trip, not paying any attention to her at all.

I think the key to being present in your life – for your kids, your husband, family, friends – is to set some ground rules for yourself, to attend to the things that would distract you from being fully present for them. Here’s what I suggest:

1. Plan and then let it go.

I’m so busy, and let’s face it, I’m one of those driven Type A people that I actually have to force myself to shut down in order to be present every day. Sometimes, I even put reminders in my calendar to block out time that is just for Madeline or my husband. But I also know that if I plan my day – schedule out every project I need to work on and stick to it, that when it’s Madeline’s turn, I won’t have all those work tasks looming over me, unfinished. Every morning, the first thing I do is take time to plan out my day. I’m not talking huge to do lists – I hate them, and will quickly ignore them if they get too long. And then stick to the time you promised to be present. If I don’t know what’s coming, I can’t even make the time for my family or myself.

2. Define ‘meditation’ and then do it.

Again, I’m Type A. The very thought of sitting still with my legs folded, back straight, palms up on my knees – doing NOTHING is excruciating (2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10). It actually causes stress – trying to live up to some standard of what I’m supposed to be doing. The idea of meditating is to create a calm, clear, centered mind and there are a million ways you can do that if the ‘usual’ definition of meditation doesn’t work for you. I’ll do an extra long yoga class because I know I actually need the first 20 minutes to get out of my head. Running is another meditation because I get out of my head and into my body. If you can devote yourself to taking some time each day – whatever way works best for you – you will quickly see the value in having a clear, calm mind for everything else.

3. Create phone rules and enforce them.

I admit it. I am all but surgically attached to my phone. Once it is in my hand, I am on it nonstop until I put it down again at the end of the day. Texting, emailing, phone calls – ALL. DAY. LONG. I have 3 additional batteries charging at all times so that I can switch them out as the day goes on in addition to the battery in my phone, and I will go through ALL of them in one day. But I realized that my family was suffering. I was suffering because I could never put my phone down. So, I had to create rules for myself and then force myself to live them. I don’t charge my phone at my bedside, so I’m not tempted to look at it if I wake up in the night, or the minute my eyes open in the morning. I forced myself to wait a little while when I wake up in the morning before I check it for the first time. When I have a family day, the phone stays home.

Putting Madeline to bed last night, I didn’t bring the phone in with me. She started telling me this story. I just sat there for 20 minutes listening to her talk to me, completely focused on her story. That is what being present means.

I have just given you 3 great tips to help you live in the present. In what ways do you get distracted? When do you notice it the most? I would love to hear from you. Please leave your comments in the box below.

If you know someone who could benefit from this post, please share it with others. Post it on FB, Pinterest or Tweet it.

XO, Hayley

This post has been published on Positively Positive and Hayley's Blog.

By Hayley Hobson

With her unique specialization in the combination and complement of pilates, nutrition and yoga, Hayley offers a cocktail of lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. Hayley is a columnist for Elephant Journal and has been featured in Pilates Style Magazine, Natural Health Magazine and Triathlete Magazine. She currently lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline. Read more about Hayley and check out her new book at HayleyHobson.com

Get Happy with one of Hayley's Empowering classes today:

Empowerment Flow

Tighten Your Core

Core Yoga 4

Tagged With: Being Present, Hayley Hobson, Life Balance

Mason Jar Meals

On May 20, 2014 in General by Jessica Wyman

That means I have to plan ahead so I can make healthy eating a breeze. In fact, figuring out healthy eating tips for the busy woman is the most common area of concern for my clients.

We’re here, we’re there, and it seems we are bustling around everywhere.

One of the best tips I can share is to make ahead. I am a huge advocate of cook once and eat twice, or even three times. What if you could even make it five?

There is one kitchen item that makes it’s so easy, and even adorable. Drum roll…..the mason jar. I’m not suggesting canning your food for storage. They are inexpensive and even if you lose the lid, they are a dime a dozen (not literally, but close). You don’t have to go buy a whole set of Tupperware just to have a lid for that one container. Plus they’re just cute in a Pinterest or Instagram worthy way.

By Jessica Wyman

Jessica Wyman is a Hippie in High Heels. Her passion is in the kitchen! She runs online nutrition programs where she teaches women how to eat right for real health. Her popular online nutrition programs help you stop the calorie counting and enjoy a multitude of easy, satisfying and healthy meals. As a multi-passionate business woman serving as a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master, Author and Heart Centered Entrepreneur. She works with women to improve their health and businesses by giving real advice for real women in the real world.

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/JessicaWymanWellness

Click Here to learn about Jessica's new 5 day Mini Nutrition Program

Boost your energy with the following YogaDownload classes:

Bound Wild Thing - Kyle Weiger

Infinite Freedom - Alex Cordoba

Tagged With: Healthy Eating, Mason Jar Recipes

The Tragedy of Normalcy

On May 12, 2014 in General by Anitra Lahiri

We are a world of tragedy, but not just in the sense you may be thinking. When we Americans hear the word “tragedy”, we may think of September 11th and recall the sickeningly horrific images of fellow Americans being forced to jump out of their office windows to their death rather than be burned alive. Or perhaps you think of the always-shocking reality of the Holocaust (and if you’re knowledgeable about history or current events, then you may be asking, which one?). Or, if you are a parent, “tragedy” may mean school shootings.

But we’re creating our own daily tragedy.

Stop and think: When is the last time you heard someone complain? When is the last time you complained? This weather is crazy. My spouse works too much. My job is overwhelming. Being a stay-at-home mom is so boring. I have SO much to do. Situation X, Y, or Z is so unfair. My kids are annoying. This cold sucks. I hate all this housework. On and on and on we go, fighting reality, griping about, well, almost anything.

Now, think … really think: What do you suppose a fatality victim of 911 would give to be able to experience the weather, no matter how “crazy” it is? What would a homeless woman who has lost her “overwhelming” job give to have that job back? What would a parent of a child killed in the Newtown, Connecticut shootings give to be able to hug their “annoying” son or daughter again? What would a mother who is dying of breast cancer give to have the “boring” life of a stay-at-home mom? How much would a man who is dying of a bullet wound right now want a “sucky” cold instead?

We have become a culture of chronic complaining, of under-appreciating the thousands of gifts we are given every single day.

As I sit here at home on this cloudy October afternoon, I feel utter gratitude for the sense of sight that allows me to see the resplendency of a New England autumn; for the sound of my boisterous sons as they wrestle and bicker; for the aroma of a simple chili warming in the slow cooker all day; for my husband who spends his Saturdays working non-stop for the good of the family; for the access my son has to insulin for his diabetes; for my husband’s cold that is starting to dissipate and which urged me to finally purchase him health insurance. On and on the list of minuscule-to-massive miracles goes — for each of us, if only we would open our eyes to what is good rather than to what isn’t exactly as we want it.

The next time you are tempted to complain, stop and reconsider. Open your eyes the way a blind person would if he could. Appreciate what has been given to you the way a person who lives in poverty might. Drink in your Life the way a mass-tragedy victim would if he could. Ask yourself: What small gifts are in front of me every single day? How would a victim of a true tragedy view my life situation? If I were to die tonight, would I still complain in the same way?

The tragedy of normalcy is that for many people, the miracles that are right in front of them are so normal that they no longer notice them. Instead of falling victim to the tragedy of normalcy, decide instead to focus on the miracles that abound rather than on the imperfections that are inevitable. It will change your life for the better.

By Anitra Lahiri

Anitra Lahiri is an avid Yogi, Yoga Instructor, mother, and writer who strives (and often fails!) to infuse all aspects of her life with Yoga philosophy and practice. Her Yoga blog, Under the Lotus Tree, is for anyone who simply wants to live a healthier, more meaningful life. Read more from Anitra at her blog - underthelotustree.com.

Begin your Awakening with the following classes at YogaDownload:

Bhakti Flow - Lauren Pech

Warming Heart Flow - Jackie Casal Mahrou

Tagged With: Perspective

Sesame Ginger Grilled Bok Choy

On May 12, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

And why not challenge the status quo and think about giving our “grillables” a fresh green makeover, since that’s what we like to do around here.

Bok choy, also spelled bok choi or called pak choi, is a Chinese cabbage that is part of our favorite cruciferous vegetable family. This exotic leafy green not only helps the body detoxify, it also delivers a decent source of green protein! Bok choy’s greatest claim to fame is that it has enough beta-carotene to be highly recommended by the Macular Degeneration Association for eye health. Something I’m particularly interested in these days as my 20/20 vision becomes a thing of the past.

Check out this recipe for Sesame Ginger Grilled Bok Choy. It’s amazing what a flavorful wash of ginger, garlic, and sesame, can do to add some spring into this little-known leafy green’s step.

With besos and bok choy,

By Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: Healthy Eating, healthy recipes, summer recipes, The Conscious Cleanse

Ditch Your Scale for Good!

On May 6, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

I choose the word “battle” intentionally because that’s exactly what it had always been – a knock-down, drag-out war – against myself, against my weight, against food. You name it. If I thought it would help me lose weight, I would battle it too!

In a study done by Self Magazine and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 75% of American women have unhealthy thoughts and feelings related to their body and food.
3 out of 4 women have a negative relationship to their body and to food.

That statistic is alarming although not at all surprising considering that was me not that long ago. After getting into a life-altering bike accident in 2004, I gained 40 pounds on my small 5’1” frame and subsequently spent nearly a decade trying to lose it.

My battle against my weight included the latest and greatest diet fad, cayenne pepper and lemon water fasts, calorie and point obsessing, pre-packaged meals and even diet pills.

I was on the yo-yo diet roller coaster. I would lose 5 pounds and gain back 10. It was miserable. I felt horrible in my body. I hated the way I looked in my clothes, felt overwhelmed all the time and was depressed from the searing chronic pain in my back.

I remember thinking, “if I could just lose the weight, the pain would stop.” I equated weight loss with happiness. I thought if I lost weight, life would be good again and I’d be happy.”

Have you ever thought that life would be better if you just lost weight?
Looking back now I know that my life felt so out of control after my accident, that my weight was the only tangible thing I thought I could control. My physical and emotional pain levels were so off the charts that fixating on my weight was all I could grasp onto.

If you feel like you’re obsessed with the number on the scale or the size of your jeans try to look at from a different perspective.

Is there an area of your life that feels out of your control? Are you unfulfilled in your work? Are you struggling financially? Are you grieving the death of a loved one?

My ah-ha moment came when I realized that losing weight was actually a very small game to play in life and that my struggle was part of a larger problem. It was easy to believe that my life would be perfect if I lost weight, but ultimately the work I had to do was much grander. I had to learn to love myself.

Now, there is no flip-of-a-switch or magic pill to this process, but there are a few steps that helped me get off the yo-yo, self-loathing diet train (see below) and it starts by all of us realizing that we are more than the size our thighs and we are more than a number on the scale.

Marianne Williamson says it the best, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

What’s holding you back from being the brilliant, gorgeous, talented person you truly are? And don’t say your weight! Go beyond that and tell me about it in the comment section below. What are you battling? What are you fighting against?

By Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: Body Image, The Conscious Cleanse

15 Lessons a Yogini Learned About Marriage and Relationships

On May 6, 2014 in General by Jessica Wyman

15 Lessons a Yogini Learned About Marriage and Relationships

Below are 15 things I’ve learned in 15 years of marriage.

1. Choose a partner where there is passion, but also friendship. For me, having someone that I can talk to as a best friend was just as important as the spark. I plan for this to last forever, and flames can fizzle out, it’s what else you have going that sustains. Lucky for me, I married my best friend and 15 years later the spark is still there.

2. Is it more important to be right or happy? For a long time I picked right. I figured out happy is more fun.

3. Honor each other’s strengths. It is so easy to be frustrated when your partner doesn’t notice the dirty dishes in the sink, but they probably let go of things we overlook. For example my husband overlooks the fact that I can’t seem to pull glaringly obvious weeds in the sidewalk crack.

4 - Take care of yourself. Stay healthy. Make sure you feel your best. It makes you easier to be around when you feel your best.

5. Play! Don’t stop having fun just because you are getting older. Playing tag in your backyard or Uno at the table reminds us to enjoy the little things in life and stay young at heart.

6. Remind yourself why you fell in love. Think about the things you enjoy about your partner.

7. Tell them how you feel, and do it often. Tell them the things you like about them. (see point 6)

8. Tell the other person what you want and need. No one is a mind reader.

9. Listen to them when they say what they want and need. Try to pick up on the subtleties, and ask them if you need to clarify.

10. If you have children, remember to make time to be with each other. I am sure you’ve read this piece of advice a hundred times, but it can be as simple as a movie night after the kids are tucked in bed. Feed your relationship so that it’s still there when the kids are grown up and moved out.

11. Spend time on YOU, without your partner. They fell in love with you and your uniqueness. Honor who you are and continue to grow and develop yourself. Not only is it good for your spirit, but it gives you things you things to talk about.

12. Allow them the same courtesy (see point 11). Being in a relationship doesn’t mean spending every available second together. It means enjoying the time you have together.

13. Relationships are a partnership. No one person should be in charge. If you disagree, hear them out. Ask questions in a respectful way. Kindly share your thoughts and make decisions together. Remember, that you might make a concession for the sake of keeping the peace. Or after listening with an open mind, you might actually be persuaded after hearing their point of view.

14. Find something you enjoy doing together and actually do it! We love hiking and tennis. My husband is on tennis leagues, which he does for himself, but I LOVE being his practice partner.

15. Do nice things for the other, without ANY expectations of something in return.

Thank you for taking the time to read. Please be sure to comment on life lessons you’ve learned through a relationship. I can’t wait to hear from you.

By Jessica Wyman

Jessica Wyman is a Hippie in High Heels. Her passion is in the kitchen! She runs online nutrition programs where she teaches women how to eat right for real health. Her popular online nutrition programs help you stop the calorie counting and enjoy a multitude of easy, satisfying and healthy meals. As a multi-passionate business woman serving as a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master, Author and Heart Centered Entrepreneur. She works with women to improve their health and businesses by giving real advice for real women in the real world.

Connect with Jessica at:

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/JessicaWymanWellness

Click Here to learn about Jessica's new 5 day Mini Nutrition Program

Get inspired to have more meaningful relationships with one of the following YogaDownload classes:

Hearts Wide Open - Dana Damara

Warming Heart Flow - Jackie Casal Mahrou

Tagged With: Jessica Wyman Wellness, Yoga of Relationships

7 Tips to Get You Cooking Like a Pro

On April 29, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

Time is a funny thing. We all have the same 24 hours in the day and yet the feeling of “not having enough time” is very real for all of us! We spend a great deal of our day at work, sleeping, and if we’re lucky, we get to go to the gym or hang out with friends. We live incredibly full lives so it’s no surprise that we often end up sacrificing kitchen time. Did you know that Americans now spend more time watching cooking on TV than we spend actually cooking! Crazy! As a nation, our health crisis certainly shows it.

The Conscious Cleanse aims to get you back to basics, to re-set the frazzled clock to a slower and healthier pace. This, of course, includes getting you back into the kitchen.

Cooking real food takes real time but it doesn’t have to become your full-time job!
I’ve rounded up a selection of go-to kitchen habits that, with a little extra effort and some practice, will make you a speedy chef in no time.

By Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: Healthy Eating, The Conscious Cleanse

30 minutes to Change

On April 29, 2014 in General by Dana Damara

I don’t think it is… not all the time anyway. Not in this day and age with all the tweets, bells, ring tones and information access we have at our fingertips. I think it’s challenging. Not only do we have technology working against us, but we also have our lovely mind playing games with us. We have an agenda. We have patterns. We have a plan that we think is “the” plan. We have rules and obligations and responsibilities! Argh! It’s so tiring … how can we even begin to “be the change” when on some days, we’re just treading water!

Breathe in and then breathe out. Here’s a really easy way to make sense of it all. And you need maybe … 20-30 minutes in the morning, or at night .. or whenever you can steal it.

Two minutes: Deep Ujjayi breathing while seated

Ten minutes: 5-7 rounds of Surya Namaskara of your choice
Here's my YouTube Channel for some simple ideas).

Ten minutes: Hold three/five postures that help you with stamina and balance: Warrior postures are good Virabhadrasana I (pictured below), Virabhadrasana II, Trikonasana, Parsvottasana (and all their variations), balancing postures, (Vriksasana, Natarajasana), arm balancing (Bakasana, Astavakrasana).

One minute: Get upside down … pick any inversion: Sirsasana, Adho Mukha Vrksasana, Pincha Mayurasana, Sarvangasana or even Viparita Karani (pictured below) – just get your feet over your head!

Two minutes: Savasana .. I mean it, be still.

Five minutes: Chanting or journaling .. you pick what’s going to best center you and keep you grounded throughout your day.

There is nothing more important than your clarity, nothing. And you won’t find it anywhere else but inside, silent and moving with breath. From there you can feel into the reality of your day as it unfolds. Everything will make sense and what isn’t needed will fall away as if by magic.

By Dana Damara

“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."

- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini.

Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.

Download Dana's class at YogaDownload:

Simple Power Vinyasa Flow

Hearts Wide Open

Tagged With: transformation

Thought For Food: 5 Things You Must Know

On April 22, 2014 in General by Hari

Thought For Food: 5 Things You Must Know

Unconscious Programming
It’s estimated that we have around 90,000 thoughts a day! What’s more, the vast majority of these thoughts are the same we had yesterday, and the day before, and the day before… When you understand that most of your thoughts are coming to you on an unconscious level, you realize that the messages these unconscious thoughts hold becomes quite important. Thoughts like, “I can’t do this pose,” “I’m not as good as these yogis,” “I always put the weight back on,” “My best days are behind me,” or anything else you want to insert there. These thoughts go on unnoticed for most people, but here’s the thing: they are secretly ‘programming’ your mind - your unconscious mind and reinforcing the less-than-positive image you hold of yourself.

New Image
One key way to reverse the effects of these unconscious messages is with conscious counter-programming. Look in the mirror with passion and enthusiasm and say the opposite of the limiting statement. For example, “I can get into this pose; it’s straightforward enough,” “If they can do it, so can I.” Repeat it. Say it often. Look yourself in the eyes and believe it. Whenever that doubt arises perhaps wear one of those rubber wristbands and when you catch yourself saying an un-serving statement, flick the rubber against your wrist so it hurts. This will instill a negative association to the statement. Then, say the empowering counter-statement instead.

Visualize
We’ve heard it a ton of times before - and that’s because it works. Just visualizing the move or exercise you have to do in great detail before you do it, will help you perform well.
Think about it - isn’t the best time to rehearse something when you know you’ll perform it perfectly? Just imagine the movement in perfection and it will lead to a better result when you do it from a physical standpoint.

Belief
Henry Ford is quoted as having said, “If you think you can, or you think you can’t – either way you’re right.” Having a belief that you can do it, will lead your brain off to think about all the ways in which you will achieve it. If you believe you can’t, your unconscious mind will go off and look to validate all the reasons why your belief is correct. The unconscious mind works a bit like Google, in that it will provide search results for whatever is put in. Further, make sure you put in measurable questions into the search bar. For example, “What do I need to do in order to achieve XYZ by 123 date?”

Wordsworth
The language that you use greatly affects the results you observe. Avoid using words like ‘try.’ For instance, “I am going to ‘try’ to do yoga three times this week.” What does the word ‘try’ imply? Lots of effort with no reward. Hear Master Yoda from the Stars Wars films when you use this word, as he speaks it to Luke Skywalker in Empire Strikes Back: “Do, or do not - there is no try.” Words like ‘should’ must also be eliminated from your vocabulary when used in this context: “I should lose weight”, “I should do yoga more”. You should this, should that, should, should, should, until you’re standing in a big stinking pile of ‘should!’ Change that to, “I will do XYZ.” That provides firmness and completeness of decisions. Or say, “I chose to XYZ,” as this implies desire and choice. Or “I’m looking forward to XYZ,” as this will provide a sense of expectation and joy. Review the language that you are using to describe your experiences and make a concerted effort to address any areas which are not serving your goals for your health and fitness.

If there’s one thing to leave you with, it’s this: you become what you think about most of the time. Take an inventory check on some of your 90,000 thoughts a day and order in some new supplies if needed.

Learn how to become a high performer by training your mind, body and soul by checking out Hari’s new course (50% discount for YogaDownload.com readers - use code ‘YogaDL’ on checkout). Stay in touch by signing up to and start training your mind by reading the book The Thought Gym.

By Hari Kalymnios

Edited by Jessica Raye

Hari Kalymnios is an author, wellness coach and yogi who helps people who need more energy in their lives. His goal is to facilitate understanding about what it takes to live energetically so that people can perform as their best, experience all life has to offer and live without restriction. He does this through his book, courses, speaking and coaching and firmly believes that if you “train the mind, the rest will follow™”.

Start training your mind with one of the following YogaDownload Classes:

Yoga Nidra - Celest Pereira

Tough Flow - Celest Pereira

Tagged With: Power of Thought, Training Your Mind

Ho’oponopono What?

On April 22, 2014 in General by Dana Damara

However, if you are like the rest of us who still project (consciously or unconsciously), or still have some healing to do, read on.

First off, you may wonder why this would be written and published for a yoga website. Well, to be perfectly honest, this IS the yoga. You may think you’re attending class to open your hips, lengthen your hamstrings or strengthen your abdominals, and thankfully, that will happen. But underneath all that density and ego, you are journeying to your soul. You are aligning with who you are at a deep level of awareness.

It’s our intention, to be one with what we think, say and do. To align how we react with how we really feel. And to be honest, we can’t do that when we are still occupied with anger, resentment, grief and old patterns that we are flinging out there on unsuspecting individuals. It won’t work, so we do the work. We breathe, we move, we awaken and we forgive. We take responsibility, we express compassion and we move forward in grace.

Here’s the key … it’s called Ho’oponopono and it’s a cleaning process that consists of repetitions of the following phrases:
I Love You
Please forgive me
I am sorry
Thank you

These phrases repeated will ignite the self-transformation process for the practitioner. This is exactly what Dr. Hew Len did to invite divine transformation powers for his surroundings during his work at Hawaiian mental hospital. This is exactly how I did it when I was leaving my old life for an unfamiliar new one.

It’s very powerful, I believe, because it allows you, the one wanting the healing, to take ownership of your feelings. It allows you to separate yourself from the person supposedly causing you conflict. (They aren’t you know … it’s all your own stuff.) And it allows you to dig deep into your heart, not your head, for forgiveness … which by the way, is all about forgiving yourself and finding gratitude for the other person and how they showed up in your life.

Try it … This is what mine sounded like:

I love you for giving me such angels that I get to guide in this lifetime.
Please forgive me for not loving you in a way that you could understand.
I am sorry that things did not work out the way we both planned.
Thank you for doing your best.

I swear, there was an audible “whoosh” at that moment. Even if you don’t ever get to say these phrases to that person, do it… try it today. The veil will lift and you will see the beautiful movie you call your life for what it really is. Love.

By Dana Damara

“My passion on the mat is proper alignment, powerful breath and effortless flow so you feel that off your mat. Your practice becomes sacred space where you arrive to find more meaning, depth, authenticity and integrity in your life."

- Dana Damara: mother, author, yoga instructor, speaker and yogini.

Visit DanaDamara.com for more inspiration from Dana.

Download Dana's class at YogaDownload:

Simple Power Vinyasa Flow

Hearts Wide Open

Tagged With: Ho’oponopono, Positive Affirmations

Making Meditation and Deep Breathing Fun for Your Kids!

On April 15, 2014 in General by Lisa

Making Meditation and Deep Breathing Fun for Your Kids!

Invariably running in overdrive, kids are distracted, unable to focus, and unequipped to cope when things do not go their way or when faced with challenging or stressful situations. Being constantly wired or in “go” mode is not a healthy state for anybody, and kids especially need to rest their minds and bodies, yet many children do not know how to slow things down, or relax.

As yogis we can appreciate that the benefits of simple proper breathing and meditation extend beyond controlling stress: increased oxygen levels, improved blood circulation, improved posture, enhanced mental clarity and ability to focus, elevated mood states and pain control, to name a few. Sounds extremely beneficial—and necessary—but how do you convey this to kids?

Most kids, when told that something is good for them, shy away from it. Not that they necessarily gravitate toward things that are bad for them, but “good” simply does not sound like “fun” to a kid. Can breathing and meditation techniques be engaging and fun for kids? Of course they can! Children do not need to sit in lotus posture chanting “ohm” or endure boring lectures about the advantages of taking slow, deep, diaphragmatic breaths–and many children won’t —to benefit from, or learn, breathing and meditation techniques.

Wise and crafty mamas have been known to disguise broccoli in chocolate sauce to get their kids to want to eat it, and with a little creative thinking, traditional breathing and meditation techniques can be served up in a similar manner. Call it yoga incognito, if you like, but it works!

Adapting traditional techniques to appeal to different ages, personalities and tastes while speaking in a language that kids can relate can be challenging but also a lot of fun. And when your kids or the kids you teach experience their “aha” moment and “get it”, enjoy it, and want to do it again, the reward for your creative efforts will be infinite as you realize that you’ve planted a seed that will continue grow within that child for life.

Ready to give it a try? Think of your favorite breathing or meditation technique. Now think about ways you can make it appealing to a kid. Pop on your creative-thinking cap and practice the technique yourself – really explore it with an open mind and see what comes up. Does it remind you of a character? Darth Vader is a popular and obvious choice for Ujayyi Breathing. Is there a movement or action that conjures a fun name or analogy, for example Twizzler Breath or Twister Breath for Alternate Nostril Breathing. Body Scan Relaxation/Meditation Technique? – Easy, breezy! Or Ipad Reboot and Recharge! (See Below)

You are only limited by your creativity and imagination and if you ever feel like you are getting stuck for ideas, consult an expert. Yes, a kid. Teach the technique and ask them what it reminds them of. You’ll never be short of fun and appealing ideas when you enlist the help of a kid!

Here is an example of how to get creative with a meditation:

Ipad Reboot and Recharge - For kids ages 8 and up and adults too!
What is I-pad Reboot and Recharge? I-pad Reboot and Recharge is a relaxation technique where you focus on closing down the applications you have running in your mind and body, leaving you refreshed, recharged and revitalized.
How does it help me? Have you ever left your I-pad (I-pod, computer, phone etc.) on all day and night and not recharged it? The battery ran out, right? Well, people are not much different. Our minds and bodies are very busy machines that work really hard, to keep them functioning at an optimal level we need to unplug and rest up every now and then. Reboot and Recharge!

How do I do it?
Begin in a comfortable position – preferably lying on your back. If this is not possible, sit comfortably in a chair, both feet in contact with the floor, spine naturally erect, shoulders and arms relaxed, hands resting in lap.

Take a deep inhale through your nose and open your mouth to exhale with a sigh, allowing the body to relax as you exhale. Repeat three times.

Imagine you’re an I-pad, you’ve been working hard, almost all of your apps are open or running and your battery is fading. We need to close down your apps and charge you up so you will feel like new again. Let’s journey through the apps and close each one down by focusing on it and allowing it to relax.

Slowly move through the body, imagining each body part as an app that needs to be switched off. Focus on it and switch it off, relax it. When you feel ready, move along to the next app and do the same.

Once Scan is complete take a moment to recharge your I-pad, soaking in vibrant energy as you allow it to charge up!

By Lisa Roberts

Lisa Roberts is a Registered Yoga Teacher, Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher and certified Children’s Yoga Therapist. Involved in the pediatric wellness field since 2006, she was the first complementary therapist to work from the inception of a pediatric wellness program for oncology patients and their families/caregivers at New York University’s Hassenfeld Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. In 2008, following a move to Saint Louis MO, she volunteered at a major children’s hospital to continue her work offering wellness techniques to staff. Launching YoYo Yoga Therapy, a private yoga therapy practice for kids aged 1 to 101, in 2011, Lisa was hired as an independent contractor as the hospital’s first yoga instructor, where she continues to work today, creating curriculum and teaching yoga to patients, patient siblings, and staff. Visit Lisa's website and connect with her on facebook for more information.

She is the author of Breathe, Chill – A Handy Book of Games and Techniques Introducing Breathing, Relaxation and Meditation to Kids and Teens.

A compilation of 70 fun breathing, meditation and relaxation exercises cleverly disguised as engaging games and activities Breathe, Chill is presented in a simple kid-friendly format: What is it? How does it help me? How do I do it? Adaptable for kids of all ages, the techniques presented can be accessed in a classroom to focus an entire class before an exam, or a hospital room to help a patient relax during an uncomfortable medical procedure, and everywhere in between.
Order your copy today!

Check out these Kids Yoga classes available at YogaDownload:

Kids Yoga - Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Yoga for Kids - Jungle Animals

Tagged With: Kids Meditation

The Power of Surrender

On April 15, 2014 in General by Kristen

In the state of letting go, we find the answer. We find the joy and the wisdom, the humor and the strength when we choose to release. When we melt into the posture. Child's Pose becomes an embrace. It becomes a surrender to the Lotus Feet of the Guru, a romantic way of saying our Inner Knowing. We put down the swords of our ego, we rest our chest to our knees and find the breath moved to our lowest back. Our hearts melt over our thighs and our forehead to the floor reminds us to look deep, deep inside ourselves to find the Light. What better posture to pray then to the All That Is? What better way to prostrate ourselves to our own Inner Bliss? What simpler pose can there be than Balasana?

Ah, but it is not so simple! Our tight hips rebel at the forward fold. Our knees resist the deep pressure and our backs decry the need for length. Opening up our hands before us to reach into the Earth, we ground ourselves into Her strength, much as one does when practicing Inipi Ceremony in the Sweat Lodge. We ground our foreheads to the cool Earth to release our burning minds into the ageless soil as the sweat pours down our bodies. There is no escape and so in surrender we must turn in order to breathe the cool exhale of the ground assisting the release of toxic thoughts and foods and energies that are sweated from our pores.

In our Pose of the Child, we are calling for renewal, rebirth and recalibration to another Pulse- that of the Primal first Mother, our very Earth itself. Our surrender to her and ourselves ushers in a new breath deep into our lungs via the back of our body. It opens a sweet state of bliss and release into the mind. It calls us to rock ourselves to peace on this endless internal ocean.

No, Child's Pose is not the simple pose it masquerades itself to be. For surrender to the Greater Self is never coerced, but is always, always given when bowed to with sincerity.

By Kristen Eykel

Kristen Eykel CHt. is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Birth Doula, Usui Reiki Master, IKYTA & E-RYT Yoga Specialist & Certified Advanced ThetaHealer. A member of Women Speakers Association, Kristen is also the Yoga Expert/ Media Spokesperson for Total Woman Gym + Day Spas, and has been featured in Yoga Journal, Fit Pregnancy, Health Magazine, Shine.com, and IVillage.com among others. Her website has links to her 6 Yoga DVDs. You may also catch her meditations and workshops on her channel or purchase her Yoga Emergency downloads here at YogaDownload.com

Download or Stream one of Kristen's Yoga Emergency Classes today:

Yoga Emergency - Arms and Shoulders

Yoga Emergency - Full Length Stretch

Tagged With: Balasana, Surrender

Cooking Fresh with Locally Grown Foods

On April 8, 2014 in General by Leslie Vandever

Or what about an omelet, made with fresh eggs collected just this morning and filled with local spinach and freshly made feta cheese. A pinch of sea salt and a light grind of black pepper, and oh my, it’s breakfast!

Here are a few good reasons to use fresh foods grown where you live:
1. You know where they came from, and who grew them.
2. You’re supporting your local farmers, and in turn, your community.
3. You know how fresh the food is.
4. When you buy it you meet others who also enjoy cooking and eating fresh!

And then there’s this: fresh, locally grown foods are healthy, low in cholesterol, and just plain taste good.

Visiting a farmer’s market can be a singular experience. When you go to one, you’re planning a treat for yourself, your family and friends. You find a variety of delicious, colorful, high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables in season, some fresh-laid eggs, and a cheery bunch of flowers for the table. Then there are the surprises: the booth with the homemade jams lined up in jewel-colored jars, the one with the homemade tea towels and tablecloths, and the bread booth, filled with freshly baked bread of all kinds. The aroma is indescribable.

Eating and cooking fresh locally grown food is a treat. But it’s also good for the community. When you buy from a local farmer, your money is going right back into your town, your county, and your region. You’re supporting not only the farmer, but her employees as well. She plants and harvests for you and others in her—your—community, providing foods that are in season, rich with nutrients and always delicious.

Buying your foods fresh from local farmers markets, shops and farm stands has another benefit: community. You have a unique opportunity to meet and get to know your fellow community members. Some of them might be nearby neighbors. You can make new acquaintances, meet others who also appreciate cooking and eating fresh, and make new friends who will someday become old friends. It feels good, putting down roots in the place you live.

There’s also an argument to be made regarding the bigger picture. Buying fresh foods that are produced locally helps to lessen our environmental footprint in several ways. Many, if not most local farmers don’t use pesticides or herbicides while growing their crops, preferring to keep insects and weeds under control using natural methods. When you slice a tomato grown locally, you know you aren’t about to eat residual chemicals that could be harmful.

Some argue that food grown and consumed locally will, over time, reduce greenhouse gasses. Whether it would help the big picture is still under debate. Still, it’s a good one to have. But growing, harvesting, selling, buying and eating locally can only be a good thing.

For further health information about foods and more, click here.

By Leslie Vandever

Leslie Vandever is a professional journalist and freelance writer. She loves writing, cooking, and reading, and under the pen-name “Wren,” she writes a blog about living well with rheumatoid arthritis called RheumaBlog.

References:
Farmers Markets. (n.d.) Nutrition.gov. U.S. Department of Agriculture. National Agricultural Library. Retrieved on February 26, 2014 from http://www.nutrition.gov/farmers-markets
Good Food Essentials: Shop Wisely, Cook Simply, Eat Well. (2011, Aug. 19) National Resources Defense Council. Retrieved on February 27, 2014 from http://www.nrdc.org/living/eatingwell/food-essentials.asp
Healthy and Sustainable Food. (n.d.) The Center for Health and the Global Environment. Harvard School of Public Health. Retrieved on February 27, 2014 from http://chge.med.harvard.edu/category/healthy-and-sustainable-food

Try one of these YogaDownload classes for better digestive health:

Belly Fire - Yogic Practices for Good Digestion - Katie Silcox

Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman

Tagged With: Eating Local Food

Sacred Sound

On April 8, 2014 in Astrology by Alanna

Mantra is not a scary word. Nor is it an impractical practice. It’s an easy practice that people who do not employ more physical forms of yoga can engage in. It can even be practiced by folks who have no interest in physical yoga. The Beatles incorporated mantra into many of their songs, and were some of the first western proponents of the recitation of mantra through their travels in India and subsequent favor of the Transcendental Meditation movement. It’s an easy, accessible practice akin to singing in the shower: It can be done whenever it suits you, on your own, and no matter what kind of voice you are working with.

Mantra, when chanted correctly, has the power to correct, redirect and reunify all that is separate - namely, the prakriti, or manifest reality, dissolves back into the purusha, Ultimate Reality. For us, as individuals, this means that mantra has the ability to reunify any feeling of separation we have from source. This is yoga!

From the world renowned author of Myths of the Asanas: The Stories at the Heart of the Yoga Tradition comes this insightful and contemporary resource of mantras and myths for the modern-day spiritual practitioner ready to make profound shifts in the way they embody their practice in day-to-day life.

Are you ready to connect all aspects of your life? Alanna Kaivalya believes that mantra, when chanted correctly, has the power to correct, redirect, and reunify all that is separate. In this inspiring and uplifting book, Alanna offers a comprehensive resource in using the vibrations of Sanskrit words to change your subtle energetic fields so that you vibrate with the living, breathing expressions of these mantras. With Sacred Sound, readers can expect tremendous shifts in their spiritual practices, simply by learning the roots and applicability of 20 of yoga's most beloved mantras.

Pre-order your copy of Sacred Sound on Amazon.com now to get your copy as soon as it is available on April 15, 2014!

Here's a short video introduction to the practice of mantras and the book:

Click here for Alanna's complete listing of classes available at YogaDownload.com!

Tagged With: Alanna Kaivalya, Kirtan, Mantra, Sacred Sound

Steamed Artichoke with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce

On April 1, 2014 in Healthy Recipes by Jo and Jules

Steamed Artichoke with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce

A few weeks ago, as my kids and I were anxiously peering into our first box of freshly delivered, organic veggies, we discovered an artichoke! I was so excited because I love artichokes! I have fond memories of sharing steamed artichokes with my mom, as a kid when we lived in California – which I’m pretty sure, is where my butter and salt addiction originated.

Without even thinking twice about it, I tossed the artichoke into the steamer basket and 30 minutes later, there I was sharing a steamed artichoke with my boys. They LOVED it. Whether the draw was the pink Himalayan sea salt, the butter or the act of learning to scrap the leaves with their teeth, they devoured it.

If you’ve been with us awhile, you know that Jo and I are always thinking of ways that we can take favorite originals and turn them into Conscious Cleanse classics.

And so the Cilantro Dipping Sauce was born!

By Julie Peláez and Jo Schaalman

Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.

To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit consciouscleanse.com.

Download a class from Jo and Jules today!

Connect to Core - Jo Schaalman

Hot Yoga Detox Class - Julie Peláez

Tagged With: The Conscious Cleanse, Yogi Recipes

Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Yoga, health, wellness, and recipes from YogaDownload.com

Get Happy with one of Hayley's Empowering classes today:

Get centered with one of Hayley's classes today:

Get Happy with one of Hayley's Empowering classes today:

Get Happy with one of Hayley's Empowering classes today:

Begin your Awakening with the following classes at YogaDownload:

Download Dana's class at YogaDownload:

Download Dana's class at YogaDownload:

Search

Categories

GET THE LATEST