anything vs. everything

A quote by David Allen reminds us that, "You can do anything, but not everything." An obvious dig at our over-scheduled, under pressure, multitasking lives, most of us can relate to the fact that we can only do a certain amount of things or to a certain degree before quality and sanity begins to degrade. But think about how these words apply to your yoga practice. Are you okay with not achieving certain goals? Do you happily sit out certain parts of a yoga class? Really?

It's easy to answer, "yes," if you're just picturing a bunch of humdingers that you have no desire to work toward. When you see something as completely unachievable, of course you won't care if you don't do it. However, what about a pose that you have been working toward or a pose you've always struggled with? What if some poses are always a struggle for your body or just not appropriate for you to practice?

When you're enthusiastic about something like yoga, it's natural to strive toward progress. Finding more space in your hamstrings, deepening a hip-opener pose or nailing that first arm balance might feel like little milestones that have defined moments in your yoga. That's great if the progress is gentle and genuine. Yet there are times where we all feel frustrated and we might do well to focus on a few important reminders.

1) Prioritize meditation. Physical progress can only go so far without deep awareness and self-control. Eventually, you will hit a wall and if your mind is not where it should be, you will push through anyway, usually resulting in injury, frustration or perceived failure. I've been there! Early on in my yoga practice, I was focused on seeing and feeling physical changes. Little did I know how changing my focus would change my life. If everyone put their mental state first, there would be no such thing as a "yoga injury."

2) There is no competition. Though it might be obvious to control your frustration when you don't achieve a pose, remember the equal importance of avoiding patting yourself on the back when you do achieve a pose. I know it feels great when you're finally comfortable with a pose you've worked long and hard to pull off, but if we truly acknowledge this lack of competitiveness, it works both ways. 

3) Yoga is a lifelong journey. We all know this. Progress doesn't happen overnight, we need to have patience, take it slow, be content...etc. To embrace a yoga lifestyle is to know that we need to be gentle and tuned in to our bodies, but it's all easier said than done. 

4) Practice alone. When you first begin to practice on your own, I believe that it's one of the first steps toward accepting your real practice. When there are no cues from the instructor, no friends or classmates to impress, your mind and body come first. Nothing can replace a studio practice either, but practicing on your own can be a great way to bring things back to basics and simplify.

"You can do anything, but not everything," is a powerful phrase to meditate on. You can only push your mind and your body so far before you are compromising something. It's better to do a little bit of mindful yoga than a lot of mindless yoga, as with any other task in your life. So pay attention to wherever you are and let yourself be ALL there. Namaste!

raw food break-down

"The food you eat can be either 

the safest and most powerful form of medicine

or the slowest form of poison."

Ann Wigmore

I am most certainly not a raw food purist. (Very far from it!) I only recently began getting more serious about a raw vegan lifestyle for the benefit of my husband's various health issues. We've all probably heard people or organizations touting the benefits of going vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, low-sodium or low-carb, but our culture has warped the word "diet" into meaning something temporary, inconvenient or restricting. 

Di•et (DIet): a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.

In my opinion, a diet shouldn't give off that vibe at all. If you're "on a diet" and feel restricted, hungry, moody or sick, then reconsider your motives and choices. Regardless of what you're eating, food should always provide energy and vitality; that's what it's for! Just as everyone's body is different, so are everyone's dietary needs. Wherever you are, practice non-judgement/harming. (Ahisma)

If you really pay attention to your own bodily functions, rhythms, mood, stability and energy level, it should be pretty obvious what types of food make you feel best. For instance, at a recent Fall Festival (and after a refreshing week's-worth of juicing and raw foods), Dave and I enjoyed a bit of what can only be described as "carnival-food." I won't deny that fresh homemade French Fries with neon-orange "cheese" didn't taste good, but we both felt truly sick and sluggish the rest of the day. (As if neon-orange "cheese" goop was coursing through my veins.)

I am in the process of reading this book, among others, pertaining to a raw food diet. There is definite science behind the fact that eating raw (living) food provides significantly more nutrients than eating cooked (dead) food. There are a lot of misconceptions about eating raw and a ton to learn and consider!

In a previous raw recipe post, I received a wonderful question about raw food from Mila of Cheerfully Chaotic blog. It's surely a common question!

Q: "I've always wondered - what about cold days when you just really want something warm? What would a raw foodist do?"

Don't get me wrong, eating raw in the summer is much easier and feels more natural for most people. But including raw food into your winter diet doesn't have to feel unnatural. Especially if you're not used to eating totally raw, here are some great tips:

A: 1) Warming foods in a dehydrator or oven is acceptable for a raw food diet. Anything warmed gently under 100º is still considered totally raw.
2) Many raw soup recipes recommend additional blending in the blender to allow the soup to warm nicely from friction alone or adding to the stove-top until warm to the touch. (Be careful if you use a Viatmix, as they can easily boil)
3) Adding extra spices helps build internal "heat"
4) Allowing fruits and veggies to cool down to room temperature before juicing makes for a more tepid drink
5) And of course, enjoying plenty of hot tea! :)

Another common question: 

 Q: "So is eating raw just salads?" 

A totally understandable misconception, but eating raw is not limited to salads. Salads are an obvious and common way to include raw foods in your diet, but variety is important. (And if you're looking to eat 75%+ raw food, you'd get pretty sick of salads.)

A: Using raw foods, you can make things like fresh juice, smoothies, salsas, hummus, soups, sauces, sweets, trail mix, dips and more. Raw foods include:

• all raw fruits and vegetables
• nuts and seeds (not roasted or processed)
• nut butters
• sprouts
• roots, root vegetables and squashes
• fresh herbs and raw spices
• seaweeds (yay for sushi!?)

Raw Food Pyramid - ©vegan-raw-diet.com

As with any lifestyle choice, the more you learn, practice and prepare, the easier it gets.  Pinterest is a wonderful resource for raw recipe ideas that is helping me discover new ideas everyday. Sometimes, since we're new at this, it still gets frustrating to stay on top of meal-planning. But when I see how positively raw food is effecting us and I take note of how well I feel, I know that incorporating as many raw foods as possible isn't going to be a temporary diet.

So what do you think? Do you currently include plenty of raw foods everyday? Are you trying to include more?

10.5 tips for beginner yogis

Starting out with yoga (or even thinking about trying it) can be overwhelming. I know, we've all been there! I remember trying to navigate my very first yoga class, so different than the aerobics class I took earlier that week. I could tell that I was supposed to be relaxing, but was I really breathing right? Was I doing the poses perfectly? Could other people tell it was my first class? I felt like it was glaringly obvious that I was a newbie. I had so much to learn and unlearn. :)

Regardless of how welcoming the yoga community is, we all still feel like this sometimes.

It didn't take me long to realize that yoga isn't at all about perfection. But over the years, I've found that many practicing yogis and non-yogis alike still share the same basic concerns, habits, misconceptions and frustrations. Sometimes we can all benefit by 'taking a step back' and acknowledging all that yoga really is and is not!

1.) Inherent flexibility will not give you any advantage. Read that again. You do not have to be flexible to do yoga! Flexibility and mobility is just one of many GOALS of yoga, but everyone's body is different. There will always be certain poses that some people can do and others can't, regardless of however you define "flexibility." So stop comparing yourself to those around you because being able to stretch like Gumby will absolutely not make you or your yoga practice any better! (Though I always thought Gumby was pretty cute.)

2.) Focus on your own practice. When you first start yoga, this can be challenging. You'll need to stay focused on the instructor for a while to learn the poses. But once you're a bit more comfortable, work to drop your ego and never mind how you look in a pose, what you're wearing, what you're doing after yoga or what anyone else around you is doing. This is a time to get away from stress, comparison and daily life. Turn your attention inward and focus on your present mind and body.

3.) Everyone mixes up right and left sometimes, so don't worry. There are just some days that you, your neighbor or your teacher cannot seem to delineate left from right. No big deal! If you make a mistake, just be sure to visit both sides for asymmetrical poses to keep your body in balance.

4.) Stay calm when you trip, stumble or fall on your face. To reiterate #2 and #3, everyone is focused on their own practice and mistakes are part of learning, so don't be embarrassed or frustrated! Sighing in frustration, shaking your head or throwing a quiet mini-tantrum is only going to distract others and make it harder for you to stay present in your practice. Just chill out, take a few focused breaths and slowly try again or take a break in Child's Pose until the class moves on

5.) Don't worry about advanced poses. It might be tempting to turn your yoga into something it's not: a platform to show-off your athletic prowess. It's okay to have a goal pose and be proud of your achievements, but you must learn to totally accept wherever you are right now. Never be ashamed to rest or skip any posture you're not comfortable with. Your practice will naturally build over time.

6.) Take a few minutes a day for yoga. Just a little each day (a few of your favorite poses or just some breathing practice) will help your mind and body more than 1 long class once or twice a week. Give yourself peace and quiet to just tune-in to your body, mind and emotions for the day. Every little bit counts.

7.) Leave the baggy clothes at home. There is a fine line between yoga clothes and pajamas, so it might be tempting to wear that big loose t-shirt or a comfy baggy shirt that makes you feel like a trendy yogi. But trust me, as soon as you try your first Forward Fold or Downward Facing Dog, that not-so-awesome baggy shirt will flip up over your head, blinding, smothering and annoying you for the duration of class. Stick with fitted tops.

8.) Clean and dry your mat. Don't suddenly be ashamed if you haven't thought of it yet, but yes, yoga mats get dirty and yes, they should be cleaned every once in a while. Be careful what you use to clean your mat (more on that here) and keep in mind that full drying time can vary from 24 hours to 3 days depending on the type of mat. Sometimes a mat might feel dry to the touch until you get into your practice, so if your mat ever feels damp or slippery, please don't hesitate to ask for a spare for a safe and comfortable practice.

9.) No judging. You might hear gentle reminders in your yoga class to "leave the ego at the door," "stay present in your own practice" or reassurance that "no one is judging you." In yoga philosophy, ahimsa—often translated as "non-violence" or "non-harming"—is a very important practice of cultivating an attitude of loving kindness, contentment, or non-judgment. We use this to create a welcoming atmosphere in the studio for ourselves and others. So no one has to wear that "newbie" sign around their neck. :)

10.) Ask questions and make requests! Your yoga teacher really loves yoga and only serves to suggest poses and facilitate your learning. If something doesn't feel right, you have an idea or you're curious about why we do certain things we do, please let your teacher know so that he/she can help you improve your practice! If you do not practice with a teacher, I would encourage you to seek one out in your area that gets you excited about yoga. There are many types of yoga and teachers of all kinds, but it's important to have someone to correct your mistakes, help you in your journey and guide your practice.

10.5) Always respect regular class etiquette and your fellow students. This tip didn't deserve to be a full #11 tip because it's only common courtesy. Arrive early or on time for class, do not bathe in overbearing perfumes, be quiet and turn off your cell phone. Duh!

Hopefully these tips are encouraging for your yoga practice. Use them to deepen your understanding of real acceptance among the yoga culture. Save them, pin them, think about them or meditate on any that challenge you. We could all use occasional little reminders for the simple things sometimes, so don't forget these basics! Namaste <3