What you think you know.....

I have to tell you that I'm kind of getting tired of people. In fact, they are starting to annoy me. You see, when people find out that I teach yoga, Ayurveda and meditation they get really curious. I start to speak, they interrupt and then proceed to tell me all the other things they do or have ever heard of that they believe to work better. I get to hear about sleeping programs, belly fat cures, south beach diets, eating for your blood type and so many herbs and concoctions that I want to vomit.

I'm sick of these people eating 20 pills a day, cleansing for 3 - 7 days on some expensive over the counter crap that does NOTHING long term (very little short term) for them and going to a frickin' "develop your intuition" workshop for a weekend thinking they are going to meet an angel, their dead relative or Jesus. Keep in mind that none of this is cheap.

The absolutely hysteric thing (or really not) is that I'm sitting there looking at these people and they don't look healthy. Many are overweight, they look tired and their mind is so scattered that I absolutely KNOW they can't even hear a thing I say let alone remember it. I simply stop talking, pretend to listen and begin to pray for them. The lightning bolt that would get them into my studio, however, never magically appears.

Here are my favorite things that people think they know:

Cleansing:
Most people believe that they can buy an over the counter cleansing kit that flushes out their colon in 3 - 7 days and resets their digestion. This is just total BS. Your body is quite capable of flushing out its own colon. You are wasting your money.

Herbs:
People self-diagnose and self-prescribe with herbs and will then go on to tell everyone that they know to take that herb too. This is just dangerous. Herbs mixed with prescription medicine can have catastrophic effects to your liver. You need to know what you are taking and involve your doctor in your decisions. Further, if you are unhealthy, it doesn't matter what food or medicine or herbs you put in your body....you probably aren't digesting them very well and therefore not absorbing them very well either. If you are swallowing 5 or more supplements a day...time to step back and look at what is really going on in your body.

Yoga:
People believe they can't do yoga. I've taught yoga to children, the elderly, the wheelchair bound ridden and to people recovering from cancer sitting in their hospital beds. Everyone can do yoga. CLICK THROUGH FOR YOGA

Meditation:
They've "heard of it" or "tried it for 5 minutes one day" and decided they can't do it. It's not for them. Again, this is just total BS. Meditation is a practice that requires commitment and dedication. If you are not meditating, its because you are not willing to do the work required to establish a practice. Sorry, I know that's blunt. CLICK THROUGH ON HOW TO MEDITATE

Protein:
They say "I just gotta have a little meat everyday...I crave it. I need protein". The fact is that there is a place for meat in an Ayurvedic diet depending on your Element or "dosha". If you are a Wind body (Vata) you get to eat meat. Otherwise, you would be healthier not to. Eating meat means you are eating only 3 - 5 servings per week. A serving is the size of the palm of your hand. Most people only need 49 grams of protein a day. Protein is found in everything....beans, whole grains and veggies. You don't need protein from meat. In fact, meat has been PROVEN to cause cancer and is full of saturated fat that is PROVEN to cause heart disease. CLICK HERE FOR PROTEIN FACTS

(and btw...pigs are smarter than dogs, cows will run to you if they know you and you call them and so will chickens.)

Allergies:
They say..."but I'm allergic too....(insert endless list here)." You are not allergic to all the crap you think you are ESPECIALLY the "self-diagnosed" allergies. Your digestion is simply a wreck and your digestive fire (Agni) needs stoked. CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO STOKE IT

Okay, I'm done having a Pitta (Fire) meltdown...think road rage.

People, I need you to get serious and take responsibility for your health and healing. The FACT is that you are not your body, you are not your mind and you are not your spirit. You are an amazing combo of the three. We gotta clean out your body, calm down your mind and get you connected to your spirit. My job is to help people get healthy and happy. Let me help you.

7 day meditation challenge
Elemental Cleanse
FREE introduction to meditation (Tuesday, January 4th 6 - 7 pm)
FREE introduction to Ayurveda

Snow Policy & Sangha

ALWAYS CHECK THE CLASS SCHEDULE FOR SNOW CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Yogis,


We have struggled for two year now to create a snow policy that meets everyone needs. This has been hard to do for lots of reasons that support no closings, yet are countered by reasons that support closings. The bottom line is I am finding it very difficult to serve the individual desires and the collective needs.


Most western minds perceive that EOM is a "business" and expect the same "business" type service as they receive at groceries, department stores and other business spaces. Some aspects of EOM are a business. When you come in and shop, it is a business. I think you appreciate our flexibility, our willingness to give discounts and the need to never ever have a receipt or a reason. When you pay for yoga, know that you are paying rent, utilities and the instructor's fee.


When you come in to practice yoga, EOM is "community". This term in sanskrit is "SANGHA". Basically, that means that Elemental OM is a place you can come to to practice with like-minded people. It is a kinship of yogis who care about similar things and more importantly, care about each other's happiness and welfare. In Buddhism, Sangha is right up there with Buddha and your Life's Purpose or "Dharma". That's how important Sangha or community is in Buddhism.


So, I'm just doing what is safest for our community:


If there are school closings, winter weather advisories or you look out the window and question whether you should be driving or not......CHECK THE CLASS SCHEDULE! If we cancel, it will be on the schedule. I tend to get up very early on the days that it is coming down and watch the news and my neighborhood. I will then make a decision and post it to the class schedule.


I apologize in advance for the closings. I will save "embracing uncertainty" and "going with the flow" as topics for future blogs.

Yesterday, today and forever.....

I've had a disaster of a week. We don't have to rehash, but let's just say I'm still cleaning up the mess of the xmas tree falling over and it will take a carpenter to finish up the repair on the flood in my kitchen. My body is sore from painting. I'm 3 months behind on my accounting. ....we'll just stop at this point because I know you don't want to here about the yorkie pottie clean up...must have eaten an xmas bulb. Needless to say, my yogi magical powers seem to be failing me this week and I'm stressed...worried...think Vata Pita imbalance BIG time.

In the midst of all this, I found myself standing at the check-in counter in the warm sun mindlessly entering credit card transactions into the system. In a dreamy state, I had a vision of a more normal life. I imagined waking every morning to a clean house. I would make coffee, light a fire and read an actual newspaper. I would walk my dogs. I would go to the studio every day. I would sit around with my yogis and drink tea and talk about philosophy and theology. I would have a salary. My accounting would be done. My nails would be done. My hair would be done. I'd smell good all the time.

All of this left me as daydreams do and I didn't really have another thought about it. It was just a subtle thought. Later, Hewitt (our resident poet) stopped in. Hewitt is what I would describe a Sage. He's very well read, well spoken and obviously well written. I love when Hewitt pops in because he always says something that is a direct message from God to him to me. I know to listen. Busy and distracted, I wasn't listening well. The plumber had come...people were showing up for class. Still, after sharing my daydream, Hewitt said to me the phrase..."yesterday, today and forever."

This phrase is from the Bible. I googled and found a lovely poem by by Albert Simpson:

Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same.
All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His Name!

It stopped me cold. I had just been wishing for sameness. I was wishing that each yesterday and each today and each forever would be the same. Hearing this phrase made me circle back hugely in my subtle intention. You see, I hate sameness. Some part of me believes that the minute everything becomes the same and easy, I will be done with this incarnation. (Note to self: be careful what you wish for and rethink this disbelief about effortless ease)

It also struck me because within the midst of all my chaos, I'm the same. I'm always the same. Your core is complete and whole and pretty much okay with whatever is going on around you. I guess that's why in the middle of total chaos, you can enjoy the warmth of the sun. Yesterday, today and forever.

Yoga and Money

I'm elbow deep in writing my business plan to facilitate the expansion of EOM. (read...give a yogi some cash please...) There is some good news supporting me...

Apparently, this is how you guys like to spend your money right now:

1. Small Indulgences
2. Health & Fitness
3. Prevention of aging and sickness
4. Going Green
5. Staying home
6. Consumers want more time

Yoga is just $13 class. It is health and fitness. It reverses the effects of disease, aging and cures sickness. It educates you and empowers you to make compassionate choices for your planet. If you come to the studio enough, you will eventually get to stay home and practice in your own personal sacred space that we taught you to make. As far as wanting more time, the more you meditate and practice yoga, you will develop yogic superpowers known as siddhis. Included in the list of superpowers is the ability to bend time.

Not bad?

All about you: (This is from Yoga Journal's study)

• You are spending $5.7 billion dollars a year on yoga.
• There are about 16 billion of you. This number has stayed the same for the past 10 years, but your spending on your love has more than doubled.
• 72.2 percent are women; 27.8 percent are men.
• 40.6 percent are 18 to 34 years old; 41 percent are 35 to 54; and 18.4 percent are over 55.
• 28.4 percent have practiced yoga for one year or less; 21.4 percent have practiced for
• one to two years; 25.6 percent have practiced two to five years; and 24.6 have practiced
• more than five years.
• 71.4 percent are college educated; 27 percent have postgraduate degrees.
• 44 percent of yogis have household incomes of $75,000 or more;
• 24 percent have more than $100,000.

Pausing to look at EOM, this is what I notice about you:

• You are spending about $80/month.
• 90% of you are women
• 40 % are 18 - 34, 40% are 35 - 54 and 20 percent are over 55 (2 % of those are over 70)
• Regardless of age, you are all at different skill levels...(that means age doesn't correlate to skill).
• 50% of you have practiced for one year or less, 45% of you have practiced for two years, 5% have practiced longer.
• All of you seem super smart to me so if you didn't go to college, you could have and probably would have kicked some buddhi butt at Harvard.
• I think most of you have super sweet lives and you are very generous. Because of your generosity, EOM can offer yoga FREE to a lot of people when they find themselves in a bad situation. We do this quietly. We can do this because of you.
• You are each very unique and add to the beauty of the studio.

Shanti, Pamela

Meditation slows and reverses again.

Cnn had an article today about the reversal of aging in mice. (CLICK HERE) Apparently it has to do with the length of these little caps in your body called telomeres. As we age, these caps are diminished, shortened and open up which causes us to show signs of aging like gray hair. The mice were genetically mutated so that the telomeres would do something or other....it got complicated.

Anyhow, the end result was that the mice regained eyesight, smell and even fertility! It got me to thinking about those telomeres and what meditation might do to them. You can click through to the amazing published study below, but in a nutshell.....meditation and mindfulness training appear to slow the deterioration of telomeres and therefore meditation and midfulness can stop and possibly reverse the effects of aging.

You've been hearing me say it for ages....for every day you meditate, you save a day of aging. Forget the fancy creams...go sit on your butt.

Can meditation slow rate of cellular aging? Cognit... [Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009] - PubMed result

Elemental OM is having a baby

(This was our studio in Lebanon...before...gutted)

Yogis, I am so excited to announce that we are opening a Yoga STUDIO on Red Bank Road. The Learning Center is moving across the street behind Salt of the Earth. I plan to teach the Elemental Cleanse from this facility so that more people in Cincinnati with have access to the Cleanse.

The Cleanse will become a 3 hour program that includes the lecture AND yoga. I tested this methodology in Lebanon during the fall and it worked really well. We were able to take the lecture to the mat and practice meditation and yoga together. The Elemental Cleanse will soon be offered nationally as an online educational program including a community forum to exchange recipes, ideas and bounce questions off of experts. This online program will fold into the lecture series here in Cincinnati.

The studio on Red Bank will offer Hatha and gentle yoga. The classes will grow as we grow. There are lots of studios in that part of town so our studio will truly have to focus on building a community through outstanding customer service. I think we have a great opportunity as we are sharing space not only with the Midwest School of Astrology but several therapists offering massage, reiki, Alexandar and Acupuncture. It's the perfect blend to support true healing on every level.

We are located on the very back of the building that Salt of the Earth is housed in. This is great news because they are an Organic restaurant! The theme of the new studio will be total comfy EOM zen. If you have been to the studio in Lebanon, you will feel right at home on Red Bank. True to our nature, EOM is taking over an unusual space and transforming it into a magical experience! I can't wait to share our transformation with you. Shanti, Pamela

My Weekend with Dr. Richard Miller...IREST

I've returned from my weekend getaway to experience Yoga Nidra (IREST) with Dr. Richard Miller. It was a profound weekend on many levels. First, I really needed a forced rest and second, I've been at a Spiritual crossroad for the past 6 months or so and was getting really really frustrated. My yoga hasn't felt right. My meditations have been forced. I haven't learned anything or heard anything new for months and months and you guys know how much I read....

I've been smiling a little less lately. I hate to admit it because I want to be a beacon of light for all of you. I want to lead by example. It's very important to me. This is what has happened to me. I reached the point of spiritual growth where you want to run off to an Ashram and renounce the world. I haven't been able to break through that feeling and I've been acting on it by slowing pushing it all away. I've been desperately reading, learning and searching to find the bridge that allows me to stay in my world which I love and not run off. However, the lure of solitude and quiet has made the activity of my current life unbearable. I was coming to the conclusion that all of this is a bunch of garbage unless you live in an Ashram. Kids, family, pets, cars, phones and jobs.....oh my. It's not sustainable. It's too much work.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret that practicing yogis, gurus, clergymen, saints and nuns don't tell you. Your journey never ends. Not only does it never end, it starts over again and again where ever you are. The "where ever you are" feels a lot like the first time you started, just different surroundings. What does that mean? It means you are living on a wheel that just keeps spinning. The best you can do on your path is to spin out in a more compassionate manner. When I speak of compassion here, I'm speaking about the compassion that you show to yourself. There isn't a font bold or big enough for that last sentence...compassion that you show to yourself.

This is an important piece of spiritual growth because we have the belief that as we heal our lives and grow, our problems will not only go away, but we won't have any more problems. This simply isn't true. Karma is working its way through your life and you will be met again and again with all kinds of challenges that you must resolve. What's the point otherwise? We are here to learn and grow. We are here to greet the challenges of our life. Your spiritual connection will allow you to do this with a smile on your face.

This weekend I found my smile. I don't have to run off. I can have it all. I feel giddy and present now. What's the secret? The secret is to simply be...to practice being. To just BE here. BE HERE. Be. The secret is to look at the world with new eyes in every moment. To be amazed at the people and objects around you. To engage with joy and love. To feel your emotions and embrace your duality. Now I know that sounds like a bunch of crap. BE. Be Happy. Be present. That's not a new concept. You are right. It's not a new concept. The problem is that you need a practice for learning how to BE.


Yoga Nidra is that practice for me. Yoga Nidra truly teaches you to embrace your duality and accept things as they are. Yoga Nidra teaches you to be expansive and yet small. It teaches you to meet your negatives with your positives and find a neutral playing field that we refer to as happiness. Do I sound drunk? Amazingly, that's how I feel. My practice is going to change dynamically. I am going to meditate because I love it. I am going to do yoga because it makes me feel so good and I love it. I am going to practice Yoga Nidra because it is teaching me how to BE. I love this feeling of being drunk.

The Lover is ever drunk with Love.
He is mad,
she is free.
He sings with delight,
she dances with ecstasy.
Caught by our own thoughts,
we worry about everything.
But once we get drunk on that Love
whatever will be, will be. ~ Rumi

Value System

I am currently drafting a business plan for EOM to facilitate not only its expansion, but also the development of a therapeutic product line. There is loads to learn and decide when developing a business plan so I've been reading many books and seeking advice from friends, family, clients and professionals.

A friend of mine asked me what my core values are and how they resonate at work. I thought it was a great question because I'm constantly challenging my Immersion participants to connect with what I call their "soul qualities". These are the "satvic" or pure qualities of their nature. They might include kindness, compassion, optimism or humility. I think core values are the same.

I took some time with this process and realized that what I personally want to do does align with what I want Elemental OM to do. I personally think there is nothing more important in life than learning. Michael Angelo said on his death bed in wonderment, "and still I am learning..." I want to say that on my death bed and I want all of you to say it too.

Education is a core value for me and for EOM.

I can only do so much for you in the one hour and fifteen minutes that you are in my class. I need you to do a lot of your work on your own. I want to empower you through my speech and my actions to take charge of your own healing. Ultimately, you must heal yourself. I can give you the tools, but you must do your work.

Empowerment is a core value for me and for EOM.

I want to create a space that is nourishing and facilitates healing. I want you to feel like you've walked into your best friend's home...you know the one where you can just go straight to the kitchen and dig through the fridge. I want the doors to be always open. Hang out. Borrow a book. Give me and EOM advice too!

Facilitate Healing is a core value for me and for EOM.

I expect you to do your work. It doesn't matter what you are going through in life...death, divorce, illness or depression; the cure is the same. Sit down and meditate. Express Gratitude. Move everyday. Choose the more nourishing choice for your body and your mind. You have to do these things everyday. I do feel for you. If you need a hug, I'm here. If you want to talk, I am here, but you still must do your work or you will never change yourself or your life.

Stern compassion is a core value for me and maybe for EOM...he has a hard time being stern.

I expect you to embrace your practice with joy and with regularity. This goes to the discussion about doing your work. Your work shouldn't feel like work. When you come to EOM, love every minute of it. It's your little world away from the world. As soon as you walk through the doors, you've got nothing else to do but work on yourself for the next hour. LOVE IT.

Joyful discipline is a core value for me and for EOM.

Putting this all together, my Personal Mission statement for EOM is:

"To educate and empower my clients in a compassionate, joyful and disciplined manner so that they might facilitate their own healing."

Now that I know my core values, I can always compare my business decisions to them. If it's a match, then it is a good decision. I challenge you to pause and think about the what you are trying to accomplish through your work. What do you value? What do you want to accomplish through your work? Does your place of employment match your values?

Shanti!

Gratitude Exercise

Gratitude Exercise
(or what I call the good, the bad and the ugly)

My desk happens to be under the stairs of my little studio. My yogis practice
yoga above me and pause at the cubbies outside of the yoga room to put their
shoes back on and gather their things. They talk to each other up there,
unaware of my presence. I can’t help but listen and am always amazed by the
things that come up after their yoga practice.

A ways back, I was sitting below and got to overhear one yogi talking
passionately about how mean her mother was growing up. Her voice was
bitter and hurt. You see, her mother criticized her for her entire life. Her
mother told her that she was skinny, clumsy and lazy. This yogi has tried her
entire life to please her mother, but all she gets in return is her mother’s
disapproval. She hears in her head her mother telling her how selfish she is.
Because of that voice, she feels selfish and doesn’t take time to nourish herself.
Even her yoga practice makes her feel guilty.

She went on further to say that the day she found out she was having a baby
she swore to God she would never treat her kids the way she was treated.
Instead, she makes a practice of telling her children that they are beautiful and
kind. When they break things, she’s quick to tell them, “it’s okay, it was just a
thing.” She’s quick with hugs and laughter.

I thought to myself how lucky she was to grow up with such a mean mom. I
wondered at what kind of work her children would eventually do and how they
would serve the planet knowing how special they are. I wondered at the life
her mother must have led to be so bitter and resentful. I felt sorry for my yogi
and for her mother. I prayed that my yogi could forgive her mother and see
the underlying blessing of the hidden gift her mother had given her. Her
mother had given her the power to be a beautiful mom.

We have all been given hidden gifts through our suffering. The process of
realizing the hidden gift ends the suffering. The following exercise called “The
Good, The Bad and the Ugly” will allow you to unearth the hidden treasures
not only in the less happy things that you have experienced, but also in the
happy things. This exercise will take some time. Plan to work on it in bits and
pieces. You may become very emotional during this exercise. Allow the
emotions to come up, acknowledge them and release them. Ponder and
journal your thoughts.

Take a piece of paper and fold it into 3 equal sections. In the first section,
write “The Good”, in the second write “The Bad” and in the third write “The
Ugly”.

“The Good”
Write down 3 wonderful milestones in your life. These are things that are really
big deals…things that you are immensely proud of.

Examples:

1. I bought my first car with money made babysitting.
2. I put myself through college.
3. I paid cash for my home.

“The Bad”
Write down 3 not so wonderful milestones in your life that were the result of
other people or outside situations. These are things that changed the course of
your life and you are not too happy about them still.

Examples:

1. My dad left my family when I was a child and I never saw him again.
2. My mother abused alcohol and was mean to me.
3. I was fired from my job.

“The Ugly”
Write down 3 things you have personally done in your life that you still feel
shame, disappointment and grief over. Be honest and know that this exercise
is landfill when you are done.

Examples:

1. I lied to......and it caused.....
2. I cheated on my wife.
3. I have credit card debt and am not meeting my saving goals.

Now, for each item, either just think about or better yet, journal the situation.
For example, who motivated you to get the babysitting job to buy your first
car? Why didn’t your parents buy your first car? What values do you have
today because of this accomplishment? That’s the good, and that’s pretty
easy.

For the bad and the ugly, you need to journal around why the situation
happened not just to you but to others involved.

• Who were the people involved.
• Why did they allow the situation to happen?
• What were they/you going through at the time?
• What were your thoughts?
• Walk in the other person’s shoes.
• What did you learn?
• How did it change you or them?
• What was positive that came out of it?

In doing this, you will find compassion and forgiveness of the person, the
situation and yourself. You will also realize that each of these life events happened for a reason. You did learn a lesson from them and you did grow in some way. Every single
thing that has ever happened to you is perfect because it got you to where you
are today and today is perfect. When you can look at the good, the bad and
the ugly as a gift and be grateful, the suffering around the situation ends.

We had a birthday!

Elemental OM turned 2 this month. We missed our big bday celebration due to some unforeseen events in my life that had me running back and forth to California. For EOM's birthday, I'm giving him (he's a boy in case you couldn't tell) an energy cleaning from a healer. To support his detox, I'm asking that all the yogis bring in written prayers, poems, crystals, flowers or other items to offer up in gratitude to our little guy and to Lebanon. The healer is going to work on the community in Lebanon as well.

According to the healer, Route 42 is giving us (Lebanon) a lot of trouble. We should all be potting extra plants in our homes. Fill your home with the scent of lavendar, sandalwood or jasmine. If you love crystals, he had the following advice:

"Place a crystal outside your door and ask it to take in all the negativity and transmute it. Place another small crystal outside your door, you can program it with the thought "inside these doors is a wonderful, healing space" or words to that effect and ask the crystal to emanate that vibration -- actually all of your crystals should be programmed to emanate a high vibration of healing love, your life will improve. Hey, it's worth a try, right? The emanation crystal should be placed on the side of the door that opens into your home and the negative vibe crystal should be on the other side."

In general, I think we should all be having wonderful and positive thoughts for Lebanon. The studio is still doing well. We are down from last year which is a little sad and frustrating, but I know the economy is bad. I've added a FREE class every week for the last few weeks and will continue to do so. Even if you can't budget in yoga, I'd like you to come and take advantage of that opportunity. Also, if you ever want to be a "check" in person or practice yoga in trade, we can work something out. Also know that you can always call me and I will help you in any way that I can. If you can't afford yoga and need it (and you do), please tell me and let that be my gift to you. It always works out in the end.

I want to remind all of you that the studio is a community. I know we tend to think of it as a business, but its really just a sanctuary for you. We do depend on you to keep our doors open and the toilet paper refilled when it runs out....

Do give a big hug to our instructors. You guys are spoiled rotten and don't even realize it!

Happy bday baby boy! We love you.

CLICK HERE FOR ELEMENTAL OM's ASTROLOGY CHART...super cute

Words of the Dalai Lama..."F@#k it, I'm going to Canada"

I had the honor of going to see the Dalai Lama yesterday in Oxford thanks to one of my amazing yogis. What a cool dude! He wore his saffron robe and sat on a couch in easy pose after methodically untying his shoes and taking them off while the crowd of thousands looked on in total amusement. He spoke simply from his heart with no plan.

Background
The current Dalai Lama is the 14th Dalai Lama. The legend is that each Dalai Lama is the incarnation of Buddha and is known as "the living Buddha". All of the Dalai Lama's predecessors have been men, but he has mentioned that the next incarnation could be female. I like that thought. The Dalai Lama is not only a religious leader to Tibet and all of Buddhism, he is also a political leader of Tibet. The current Dalai Lama has been living in exile from China since around 1960. He was forced to flee for his life during the Tibetan Uprising of 1959. That's when the Communist government of China cracked down on Tibet killing thousands of monks and driving them out of their homeland. Can you imagine?

What did he say?
I sat amongst many college students txting about drunk girls (I peeped over his shoulder) and talking party plans for the evening. (no judgment, I went to college too). Couple that with my own ears inability to follow an accent and I only picked up on 1/2 of the speech. For me it was more about soaking up his energy anyway.

This is what I heard:
Be your true nature. Your true nature is gentle, kind and compassionate. We gossip and talk about violence because violence is actually an aberration. Even in a large city, you can count on your fingers the number of violent deaths. That's because most every single human on the planet is actually quite kind and peaceful. That is our true nature.

Respect each other. Your religious traditions are wonderful and you should honor them. Embrace it. Live it. Respect the religious traditions of others. We are all saying the exact same thing and it is beautiful.

Do not judge a religion by extremists who are using religion to manipulate power and money. (and don't think it is limited to Islam extremists misinterpreting Jihad...pretty sure Christianity had a dark age). Religion is good. Traditions are good. Power and money as motivators...not good.

Finally, the Dalai Lama said, "Either you (Americans) get it or not. If not, "F@#k it, I'm going to Canada". At that point he laughed and so did I. That was probably the thing he said that moved me the most. You see, I get all the other stuff. I say it to you guys all the time...so nothing new there.

F#$k it...how wonderfully liberating. Sometimes I sound like (I hope to just myself) "blah blah blah blah...are these people hearing me...blah blah blah...." We have been open for 2 years now and classes should be 10 to 15 people deep. They aren't. (In fact, I've been getting up at 6 am every Saturday for the past year to teach 3 people...thank you 3!) I wonder if the location in Lebanon is the issue or if something else is going on. We have awesome facilities, good pricing, amazing teachers, a good schedule with variety and a really good message. Still, I can't get you guys to commit. It's very discouraging. I wonder how I have failed to fill up that cute little studio? Do we lack community? Is our message of self-help, self-healing and peace not sound? Is anybody listening? Seriously, you have 6 dedicated instructors at EOM who have dedicated a huge chunk of their experience to helping you.

In between questions to the Dalai Lama, floods of people streamed out of the building. To be fair, he was hard to understand. But, my God, it was so rude. Here is the living Buddha sitting before us and people were getting up and leaving in between his words. Late for a party? Avoiding the jam in the parking lot? Bored? If the reincarnation of the Buddha can't hold an audience captive, why would I be able to?

F@#k it. Either come or don't. My message is the same. There's always Canada.

I'll see the 3 of you on Saturday!

What is "enlightenment"

Speaking to my Immersion Participants the other night, I found myself lost in a profound moment of realization; Enlightenment is totally and absolutely obtainable for every single person sitting in front of me. In fact, Enlightenment is not only obtainable, but....OMG...they have all experienced it already and just don't know it! I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT TOOOOO!!

This realization has come after years and years of questing for some amazing Kundalini experience of divine bliss and union with Spirit. Years of meditation, workshops, yoga, gem therapy, reiki, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, regression and yes there was even that tantric shamanic water journey where everyone but me got naked in a pool and "rebirthed" (I kept my bathing suit on..shy) As I've heard Bryan Kest say...I've been waiting for Kundalini to awaken and shoot up my A#s!

Now I wouldn't take a minute of my questing back. I've had a ball and I love yoga, meditation and playing in the Astral fields, but I want to share with you my realization and it may save you some time and money. Buddha would not share with his disciples what Enlightment was. He would only share with them, what it was not. He did not share what it was because our silly egos would choose to make it some unobtainable thing that only people like Mother Theresa, Jesus (and yes, he was born enlightened) and Gandhi would get to experience. We would decide that we had to be walking that path to obtain it. Well, our egos did that anyway so I will share.

First, Buddha said that Enlightenment is not suffering. Enlightenment is NOT SUFFERING. Enlightenment is simply not suffering. Can you find a moment in your life when you were just happy and floating along? Can you find a moment when everything was just groovy? Your body felt great, you felt vibrant and alive, your mind was happy and you were simply enjoying your existence. A moment. Just one. I know you can find one and probably many. Those were moments of Enlightenment. You already know what it feels like.

When you are not suffering, you are happy. Happy = Enlightenment. Totally obtainable. Already experienced in many moments by the masses. During the Immersion we do a lot of things that work together to facilitate happiness (read enlightenment). We eat better, move more, embrace mindfulness, meditation and quiet. We work on letting go of the past and planning for our future. We cultivate the pure qualities of our soul and move away from the "not so pure" qualities of our ego. Ultimately we embrace our life's purpose and, you guessed it, we get happy. LEARN MORE about the Elemental Immersion.

Talking the talk....walk

Monday night I taught the Immersion at our new Learning Center. My kids tagged along as they sometimes do when I teach in the evenings. We always make a plan at the beginning of class for entertainment and snacking so that they don't interrupt the flow. On Monday, I gave them some cash and told them they could walk around the outside of the building and get a treat after they did their homework. We practiced the walk....good to go. I failed to realize, however, that the doors to the building would lock behind them. They headed out and when they came back, they couldn't get in. I had turned my phone to silent to teach and in a panic (instead of knocking...I was seated literally 20 feet from the door) the kids called their dad...the ex. (yea, I got one of those too.)


He told them to knock. They knocked as if a mass murderer was behind them. Answering the door, I realized they were on the phone with their dad...the ex...and my immediate thought was, "oh boy...here we go...I'm in trouble now". My phone on silent, I knew the nasty-text messages were piling up. After class, I checked my phone. Nothing. Not a single message. Later that night I got a message simply saying to please not let the kids wander strange buildings on their own. I paused and thought that that was probably a good idea.


And then it struck me...


I'm not talking the talk, I'm walking the walk and it's EASY!


In yoga, I frequently speak about how you can only change yourself. You can't change other people. I talk about how the people in your life will shift as you shift. I tell my yogis to be patient. This shifting simply happens. It takes time. It never fails that someone will bring up the fact that they have a terrible relationship with an ex or with a relative and it is driving them to insanity. It pushes all of their buttons and they can't disengage. They are stuck in an exchange of hostility and bitterness. I always tell them to simply start serving the other person. It's called Karma yoga. Just find a way to meet the persons needs. Don't respond to the violence. Disengage, serve and meet them with understanding and compassion.


This is a practice. Just do it. It's hard. It's painful and then it's easy. I usually then go on to tell everyone that they are learning amazing skills of yoga which will help them change themselves. They are becoming more compassionate and understanding. They are learning skills that others do not possess and therefore they have a higher responsibility to set an example and to "be the change." I'm sure it sounds like "blah blah blah" by the end of my speech.


To be honest, it sounds like "blah blah blah" to me too. You see, I also have an ex. I also have some people in my life who are difficult. I still practice Karma Yoga though because I believe in yoga and I know that a shift will occur if I simply practice. I know this in my heart, but I've been doing this for a long time waiting for this shifting.


I locked my kids out of an office building in the dark. They called their dad who was 30 minutes away. They were panicked. He simply told them to knock. I received a gentle reminder one hour later that it probably wasn't a great idea to let your kids roam around unfamiliar buildings at night. I paused and thought, that's a good idea. No drama.


This S#*t totally works!

Kundalini Energy

The purpose of yoga is to line up your subtle energy channels and awaken the Kundalini or Spiritual Energy that lives coiled up at the base of your spine. We do this with breath, movement, intent and meditation.

These energy channels are known as Chakras. Chakra is a Sanskrit word that translates to our English word "wheel". You can envision these Chakras as spinning wheels strategically placed along your spine. Interestingly, they are located on each of your endocrine glands. There are seven main chakras and hundreds of others.

The root chakra is located at the base of your spine. The color is red. This is where your day to day activities live. It is linked to your adrenal glands. This is where your karma lives. When this chakra is open you feel connected to earth. You make good choices to nourish your body.

The sacral chakra is located just below your belly button. The color is orange. It is linked to the gonads and reproductive system. This is where your creativity and sexual energy lives. When this chakra is open you feel spontaneaous and joyful.

The solar chakra is located just above your belly button. The color is yellow. It is linked to your pancreas. This is where your willpower lives. This is where we plant the seeds of our intentions and desires. When this chakra is open you feel powerful and able to manifest anything you want.

The heart chakra is located on your heart. The color is green. It is linked to your thymus. This is where you give and receive love. In yoga, if your heart chakra opens, all the other chakras will open. The heart chakra is where your spiritual energy connects to your earthly energy. When this chakra is open you understand universal love. You give and receive freely.

The throat chakra is located at your throat. The color is sky blue. It is linked to your thyroid gland. This is where your truth lives. The voice that strongly guides you to make good choices for yourself lives there. When this chakra is open, you are able to tell truth from nontruth. You speak your truth with kindness.

The Third Eye is located just between and above your eyes. The color is indigo. It is linked to your Pituitary Gland. This is where your intuition lives. This chakra gives you a sense of knowingness and connection with your soul. When this chakra is open you have a sense of yourself as an enormous expansive creature that is connected to all things.

Finally, the Crown Chakra is located just above the crown of your head. The color is white or gold. It is linked to your Pineal Gland. This is your direct connection to spirit. When this chakra is open you feel the presense of spirit within and without you in every moment of every day.

The Kundalini energy is represented as a snake coiled up three and one half times in your root chakra. It can awaken gently over time with yoga or it can awaken suddenly on its own. A sudden awakening frequently manifests as severe back pain, but other symptoms may appear as well. When this energy awakens, you begin your spiritual journey back to your true self.

As you practice yoga, envision this rainbow of energy flowing up and down your spine. Imagine that it is connecting and releasing at the same time. Imagine that it is healing you on all levels.

Materialism vs. Spirituality

We are midway through our cleansing program and this is when we really start to get in touch with what we want out of life. We establish intentions and desires to manifest the things we want in life. I call it “Building your Foundation”. During this process, you can ask for anything you want. It doesn’t matter if it is a new Ferrari , a new home or a new lover. The sky is the limit.

The premise is that the Universe is a cornucopia and you are here to reap the rewards of unlimited creation and expansion. You are one with the Universe and therefore you are a creative force that is continuously expanding. You have desires that are good and appropriate and you deserve to have everything you want. Wow!

That’s truly how I pitch it. (think used car salesman here). Well, the other day, I had a concerned participant ask a very good question. Everything she knows about being Spiritual includes austerity. She has been taught that wanting less, giving more and walking a simple path is the road to enlightenment (use the work happiness here). I had to pause. You see, that’s what I have been taught too. That’s what the great Spiritual works profess.

A lot of what we have learned about walking a Spiritual path and living an enlightened life (think happy life here) is superficial. We have missed a a very important piece and that is the fact that you are born in this life to have a certain life. You are predisposed to wanting and desiring certain things to fulfill your purpose and to allow you to learn your lessons. We are not all here to run off to an Ashram and become a monk. Some are here to have a totally different experience that could include driving a red convertible Ferrari.

You create your life. You have certain boundaries and foundations that must be in place so that you feel safe and secure. When your boundaries and foundations are solid, you can let your guard down and relax. When you relax, you begin to get happy (think enlightened here). For example, I am a person who owns a home and has a mortgage. I must be able to pay my mortgage every month and this requires a certain income. If I am not making enough money to pay my mortgage, I have to worry. I begin to suffer. I cannot meditate and I cannot connect with the Spirit that leads me to enlightenment (think happiness here). A foundation for my happiness is the ability to pay my mortgage without fuss or fanfare. I just want it done. I don’t want to worry or stress over it.

I am a person who needs to look a certain way. I like to weigh between 125 and 130 pounds. I like to have good muscle tone, good skin and I want to be 5’5”. Go ahead and laugh. I used to be 5’6” and shrinking an inch over the course of my life caused me undue stress so that is part of my foundation for happiness. When I start to push beyond 130, I get muffin top…you know…when your love handles hang over your jeans. I hate this. I become very concerned with my clothing choices top and it takes me twice as long to get dressed in the morning. I don’t want people to see my muffin top and judge me. I need to look good to be happy.

As you grow spiritually, your desires do change. I find that I do want less volume. Know that I used to live in an 8,000 square foot home with marble floors and crystal chandeliers on a golf course. I had a convertible sports car, a mink coat and an AMEX with no limit. It didn’t make me happy. It didn’t make me happy because I was spiritually unfulfilled. I do want to live more simply now, but more simply to means that I want an eco-home on a big chunk of land with a pond and a meditation hut. I’d like part of the property to include a healing retreat center. I’m thinking this should be in the mountains somewhere. “More simply” is way “more expensive” than the house I lived in on the golf course. The difference is that my desire is now in line with my life’s purpose of teaching and healing. It facilitates my happiness and allows me to connect to Spirit. It allows me to do my work. It’s my dream, but is it a “foundation to happiness”?

It is not. It is not a foundation; it is a dream. It is still on my list. The McMansion on the golf course was a foundation. At the time, I really needed it to be who I was. I needed to prove something to others and to myself. Now that I have grown spiritually and know who I really am…Spirit…I know that I simply need to feel safe and secure which is simply paying my mortgage. I also know that I can have whatever I want and its fun to dream. I want the healing center…I’m detached from the healing center. I want it. I’ll get it. It doesn’t change who I am. I do not want the eco house because I need approval from other people. It isn’t a foundation because I know that I’m the only darn thing that can make me happy. Happiness is within me, not outside of me.

In a nutshell, you can see that this is a process. You must begin where you are and allow yourself to gradually accept that you have no foundation. This will happen organically as you unfold in your spiritual growth. You have no boundaries. You have no borders. It’s all an illusion. I’m assuming that for me there will come a day when I don’t have to look a certain way. I won’t care how others perceive me. I will be completely ego free. I’ll grab a hold of my muffin top and wonder in amazement at how soft skin can feel. We will all still have our mortgages though, because we all live in this world!

Meet yourself where you are. Accept that what you want is appropriate. Build your beautiful foundation based on your unique needs and desires. As you grow spiritually, they will change. They will simplify, but don’t be surprised if they become big beautiful dreams that allow you to serve humanity.

Is your body releasing?

The Elemental Immersion is well under way for fall! Many participants are starting to experience symptoms of detoxification! This is good. As the body releases toxins stored in your cells, they enter your digestive system. Through meditation, your mind begins to release accumulated bad thoughts and memories. In a nutshell, your toxins, physical and emotional, are activated as they push from your body. As you release, you may experience the following:


Clogged sinus
Constipation
Cough
Diarrhea
Depression
Fatigue
Fever
Flu symptoms
Cold symptoms
Gas
Headache
Irritability
Moodiness (extremes of sadness and happiness)
Skin rash
Stomach ache

This is part of the process. If you are having this experience, it's time to rest. Be gentle with your body and mind. Nourish yourself. This is a great time to receive a professional Abhyanga massage, take a day off, journal and even nap! It's likely that you have been pushing yourself very hard for years and years. Let your body and mind heal.

Butterflies lifting off

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly ~ proverb




Today I had the pleasure of having a conference call with Pamela Slim and Charlie Gilkey. If you aren't familiar with them, both are amazing and talented people that help business owners realize their Dharma. Dharma is your life's purpose and actually translates to "that which you must uphold". That means that you MUST fulfill your Dharma or else you are probably coming back to this earthly realm for act 2 of this life's Dharma.




I needed to talk to them because my business is in the process of dramatically changing...think caterpillar to butterfly and I'm all wrapped up in a cocoon undergoing dynamic change in a liquid ooze. When you are in this zone of change, it is easy to get off track. Lots of people want to help you change. Lots of people want you to change the way that they changed. There's loads of advice out there on this year's "in" colors for wings. It's confusing. It's easy to get off track.





It made me think about how important it is, whether you are on a business or spiritual journal, to surround yourself by like-minded individuals who support you and lift you up. You see, Charlie and Pam don't care what I do; Charlie and Pam care that I am happy. They want me to succeed because their Dharma is to educate, motivate and uplift. When they are helping me, they are helping the entire planet. It makes them happy.




On your journey, as you shift from caterpillar to butterfly, you may find that you need to reach out to new people to uplift you and motivate you. Choose people who want you to be happy. You may also notice, that others in your life who liked you more as a caterpillar will go away. Let them go.



Enjoy the journey.

Fire Pages...get it out, burn it up

Many of the thoughts roaming your head are Fire or Pitta thoughts. These thoughts tend to be heated; complaining, criticizing and judging. Many of the thoughts are aggravated by the Wind or Vata in our brain. We worry. We stress. The thoughts go and go and go and continue to build steam until we want to explode or collapse from exhaustion.

When you are establishing a meditation practice, your thoughts can drive you absolutely crazy. I find that in my moments of imbalance, it is very productive for me to journal in a crazy way that I call Fire Pages. Before I meditate which for me is in the morning, I sit down with pen and paper and write down absolutely anything that is flying through my head. I may write one to three pages of complete and total nonsense. I get all the Fire out of my head. The sentences don't have to make sense. Spelling does not count. No one, including you, ever has to see these pages. In fact, when you are done, burn the pages....Fire pages...get it?

Here's an example of my head.... my leg itches. i hope the dog doesn't have fleas again. i hate fleas and I hate chemicals even more. oh noo my eye itches now. must not be fleas. perhaps its an allergie. i should have the ducts cleaned have thay ever been cleaned i wonder. i have somuch tpo do today. i hope i get to yoga tonight its yin and i love yin and i haven't seen stacyt forever and i want to give her a big hug. did i pay my amex bill? i think i did. i should cancel the other one. i never end up with a fee ticket to anywhere anyway it really isn't worth the feee. ........

You get it?

Try this before you meditate and see if it calms your thoughts. This is also a fun way to enhance your creativity as it is very freeing! Write down your innermost thoughts and feelings. Don't judge yourself when they are "negative". All your emotions are perfect, good and wonderful! You just need to honor them and then move away from ones causing stress and unhappiness.

Favorite Recipes for Health & Healing

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GINGER AS A DIGESTIVE AID

• Fresh Ginger
• Fresh Lemon or Lime
• Organic Salt

Peel and grate the ginger into an airtight container. Add Salt to taste and cover with lemon or lime juice.

Place sealed in the refrigerator and gently shake the mixture once a day for 3 days. The marinated Ginger will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Take a small amount prior to eating each meal.

You may place a small amount in hot water for a refreshing ginger tea.

Elemental OM’s favorite easy easy detox dish: KICHARI -----google for more recipes

• 1 bag mung dal, if split, you do not have to soak. If whole, soak for an hour or even overnight. Mung dal or lentils are red, yellow and green. Choose whatever color speaks to you.
• Vegatable broth or water
• Garlic, minced
• Onion, chopped
• Celery, chopped
• Carrots, chopped
• Organic Salt/Pepper, to taste
• Cumin, 2 or more Tablespoons
• Cayenne Pepper, to taste
• White or brown rice, prefer Basmati

Put mung dal (lentils) in pot and cover lentils with vegatable broth. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer. You may cover with a lid. You will have to keep checking the liquid level and adding broth or water to keep moist. Add garlic, onions, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper. Simmer on low until beans are cooked through. This should only take 40 minutes or so.

Serve with brown rice!

Gingered carrot salad:

Organic Carrots, peeled and sliced thinly

2 tbsps of olive oil with an infusion of garlic

1 teaspoon or more of fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon of poppy or sesame seeds

pepper

Mince a clove of garlic and mix it with olive oil. Set aside to marinate. Peel and slice your carrots thinly. Toss with grated ginger root and seeds. Add pepper. Strain the olive oil and poor on salad and toss.

GHEE AS A DIGESTIVE AID

1 pound of unsalted butter

Place the butter in a heavy, medium-sized pan. Turn the heat to medium until the butter melts.

Turn down the heat until the butter just boils and continue to cook at this heat. Do not cover the pot. The butter will foam and sputter while it cooks. Whitish curds will begin to form on the bottom and top of the pot.

The butter will begin to smell like popcorn after a while and turn a lovely golden color. Keep a close watch on the ghee, as it can easily burn. After a while it will become a clear, golden color. You will have to take a clean, dry spoon to move away some of the foam on top in order to see if the ghee is clear all the way through to the bottom.

When it is clear and has stopped sputtering and making noise, remove from heat. Let it cool until just warm. Pour it through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass container with a tight lid. Discard the curds at the bottom of the saucepan.

The ghee is burned if it has a nutty smell and is slightly brown.

1 pound of butter takes about 15 minutes of cooking time. The more butter you are using, the more time it will take.

Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf, covered. It does not need refrigeration. The medicinal properties are said to improve with age. Don’t ladle out the ghee with a wet spoon or allow any water to get into the container, as this will create conditions for bacteria to grow and spoil the ghee.

Two pounds of butter will fill a quart jar with ghee.

CRANBERRY BLISS BALLS

* 1 cup pine nuts

* 1 cup sunflower seeds

* 1 cup almonds

* 2 cups dried cranberries

* 2 tablespoons or more of maple syrup

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 1 teaspoon or more nutmeg

* ½ cup shredded coconut flakes

Place the pine nuts, sunflower seeds and almonds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add the dried cranberries and pulse again three to four times. Then add the maple syrup, vanilla and nutmeg. Continue to pulse until the mixture begins to stick together. Taste for sweetness. Add more maple syrup if necessary to hold the bliss balls together.

Place the shredded coconut flakes in a flat bowl. Roll the nut and cranberry mixture into 1-inch balls, dip in maple syrup and roll them in the coconut flakes to coat. Store in an airtight container.

Play around with these, you may use any dried fruit or nut combination that you love. Consider figs, dates, raisins and other nuts. You might also consider adding Carob or a high quality dark chocolate.

A magical cure....Ginger

Most days of my life you will see me walking around with an insulated water bottle. In the bottle is one of my favorite cleansing secrets…ginger tea. I make my own by simply boiling water and pouring it over some fresh grated ginger. When I get bored, I may add some lemon or a tea bag of some other flavor. I find that the ginger tea keeps my digestive fire high. It soothes me when my tummy hurts and I find it very effective at soothing the cramps I get “once a month”. Every sip is also a wonderful reminder to me to make good choices and to nourish my digestive fire.

When you begin the practice of drinking herbal tea 24/7, you will notice that you become very thirsty and that you are urinating ALL the time. This only lasts for 2 – 3 days and then your body will be done with that initial flush of toxins.

I also have a practice of taking some “Ginger Elixer” prior to eating my meals. I find that it begins to heat up my digestion before I’ve taken my first bite. Honestly, the smell of it alone will fill my mouth with saliva and make my tummy start to grumble.

Ginger Elixer: Peel and grate a nice chunk of ginger root. Add organic salt or sea salt to taste. (a tsp or so) Add lemon or lime juice to cover. Shake the mixture up and put it in the fridge to marinate. The Elixer will last in the fridge for up to 5 weeks. It gets spicier as it marinates. 15 minutes prior to your meal simply take a little pinch of it. You can also add it to whatever you are cooking.

Ginger is one of those herbs that simply make everything better. You can hardly find an herbal holistic cure coming out of India that doesn’t have some ginger in it. Ginger is thought to enhance other herbs and bring out their healing properties. In Ayurveda, ginger is deemed “sattvic” which means that it is pure. It is used to tame the Wind in your body, invigorate the Earth and stoke that Fire! It’s heating and its wonderful for digestion.

Ginger is commonly used to treat nausea and vomiting, not only in day to day life, but also in patients being treated with chemotherapy. Researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that ginger not only kills cancer cells, it also prevents them from building up resistance to cancer treatment. The American Cancer Society, concurs wit UM having done preliminary research on animals that show ginger may be useful in treating cancer through chemotherapy.

In a double-blind, comparative test at Brigham Young University, Utah, researchers found ginger root to be more effective in coping with motion sickness than the popular, over-the-counter drug, Dramamine. Cornell University study reveals that gingerol, an active ingredient in ginger, prevents abnormal blood coagulation, guarding against heart attacks.

Ginger is used holistically for the following
cold and flu		vomiting
indigestion		burbing and gas
abdominal discomfort from gas and bloating		abdominal discomfort from menstruation
arthritis		hemorrhoids
headaches		heart disease
diarrhea		cold, cough and flu
asthma		bronchitis
depression		mental stress
exhaustion		restlessness and anxiety