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.