kath breathes

There's a saying that goes something to the tune of: "We're so used to working so hard that not working is the new hard work".  

Constantly going and striving and meeting the demands of our daily lives have left many of us feeling like failures when we are not going, not striving, not perfecting these demands.  

For me personally I have embraced that my personality traits lean towards a consistent state of achievement, advancement, whatever you want to call it.  However, what I have let go of/am working on letting go of is to let that desire interrupt other aspects of my life and to let that desire bully me into feeling like a failure.  

Luckily we have a tool and a practice that we can always tap in to that allows us to 1.) accept that self-nourishment, reflection, and rest is a critical component to our longevity as functional humans and 2.) Not Working truly is hard work! It's something you have to practice.

This morning I slightly cringed when my alarm went off at 5:15AM.  I felt warm in the covers of my king bed, my kitty was sleeping soundly near me on her favorite soft blanket.  My breath is shallow since the alarm stunned me.  I have my clothes laid out and ready to go. As I feel my breath becoming more rhythmic and ‘awake’, I make my way into the bathroom where I put my contacts in and brush my teeth.  Just as habitual as these two everyday tasks, I know the next component of my day is coming to my mat. 

I feel a little tight in some areas, I have a bruise on my thigh from tumbling out of a pose (multiple times), my once broken tailbone which protrudes out is denying the fact that 5 boat poses will be in its future very soon.  I can’t wait to wake up though.

I land on my mat, hands at heart center, equal standing position. My breath is a better tool to really wake me up than that annoying “Sencha” iPhone tone will ever be.  . .

Slight constriction back of the throat, full inhales and exhales, bandhas engaged.

Now fully Awake and Present with my breath.

I (literally) just got back from leading silent meditation at Target HQ.  I love to see more and more team members come to the space and try meditation.  When I was in YTT, one of our teachers (Lindsay Kathleen Brost) described the meditation practice as one of "unlimited do-over's."  This has stuck with me as I continue practicing meditation and I felt inclined to share it during today's session.  

Unlimited Do-Over's ... what else in life besides our breath practice can we just keep starting over.

Saturday, November 29th -

Union of Opposites 

So, for the month of December, I'm going to put increased focus on my Ashtanga primary series practice.  While my favorite practice as of now is still hot vinyasa, I truly can recognize the 'union of opposites' when I practice Ashtanga.  

Simplistic, yet intricate 

Silent, yet the strong ujjayi is our music

The sequence is the same, but as we know, no practice is ever truly the same

I will attempt to post some insight and photos as the month rolls on.  As always, you are welcome to move & breathe with me.  Check my facebook for where I'll be practicing (either in the North Loop @ 222 or at LifePower Yoga). 

This weekend is my 2 year anniversary of living in Minneapolis! I moved from Columbus, Ohio - a place that I absolutely love and holds a special place in my heart. 

I was super excited to start a new adventure in Minneapolis (given I knew only 3-4 weeks in advance that I was even going!) and honestly felt like I would continue my life as I knew it just in a different location.  I tell people I grew up in Columbus. Because I did. The best and hardest experiences I've had took place there and I am who I am today because of the people in my life and every detail that made up my 5 years there.

In yoga, I love balance: the balance poses and the concept of balance. One of my definitions of balance is the equalizing of holding on and letting go. I apply this to life:  I find myself grasping so tightly to that time in my life, and truthfully at the same time sometimes trying to black it out. 

A change of city has brought me that balance.  As much as I reminisce the first Saturday of every month about Gallery Hop and feel excitement knowing college football season is around the corner (Go Buckeyes!), I equally have let anchoring lifestyle habits, toxic friendships, and a once bitter mindset go.

Minneapolis, I am thankful for your beautiful landscape/geography, the liveliness of our people whether it be 90 degrees or -20, the friendship, love, and adventure I've come across in a mere two years.

My little kitten is already 5 months old! :-) She came home when she was only 8 weeks old and has been such a little adventure. Her toys of choice are her first ones she got: a little sushi set from Target's Boots & Barkley line.

She actually plays fetch with the little sushi rolls. How cute! When she's not pouncing, prancing, and scampering around she's either sleeping on the kitchen chairs or getting into some mischief.

At the Humane Society they were feeding her Purina kitten food, since then I've switch her to FreshPet's line of natural cat food. I buy it at Whole Foods and retails for $8.99 for a 2 lb. bag. Target also sells it and I'm guessing other major pet stores. I recommend it!

While Thin Mints may be out of scope in your diet, I've fallen in love with making mint chocolate protein shakes.  Just add a peppermint/mint oil to your favorite chocolate whey protein powder!

You damn right I feng shui my cube at work.. This is the feng shui map I use. The picture of my cube at work is the transition from the red side of the cube "fame & reputation" to the "relationships and partnerships" corner.   

In the red/fame/reputation area I have certificates of recognition, Great Team Cards (Target term), and my bullseye dog figurines.  I read that if you prefer not plaster your cube with an "I Love Me" wall/Shrine to Yourself, you can display things representing reputation and brand recognition. in this case, I chose to put up my bullseye dogs - because who doesn't associate a cute bull terrier with a little bullseye around it's eye with Target. 

Secondly, after almost a year of interrogation why I don't put up more pictures of friends, I decided that it was time to actual get photos printed - On a side note: who does that anymore? ... my experience with getting photos developed made me feel like I was slapped into a time wrap and pushed back to the early 2000's....

-a wise yogi