YOU are more important than a number!

A few weeks ago I went to dinner with a few friends.  At one point during this dinner, I remember making note of my butter knife and imagining what it would feel like to slice my veins open with it. Thinking that it had to be better than enduring this entire dinner conversation. This is literally what I envisioned as I sipped my alcoholic beverage and listened to this discussion go down. This hasn't been the only time. In fact, I've been brewing a post like this since January; if not before. I just feel like lately, I keep having the same dinners over and over. So much so, that I've finally decided I'm going to say something.

So, the ENTIRE 3 hours spent over dinner revolved around weight and the number that reflected back to them on the scale. Sure, at times I may have felt super uncomfortable during these conversations because I was definitely bigger than the rest of them, and if they thought that about themselves just what did they think of me?

But listen, if exercise and getting healthy is what you’re into; by all means! And Kudos to you for working on your health. Seriously. Losing inches and pounds is HARD work and you most definitely deserve to be congratulated and applauded for each pound lost and the dedication it took you to get there. It's inspiring! It truly is! But if your entire dinner conversation revolves around a number on the scale; THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG! If you’re holding yourself back from dating or from taking a trip because the number on the scale doesn’t reflect what you, in your mind, classify as “perfect”; then THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG! Regardless of what that number is, you are BEAUTIFUL!  

No, I’m not just saying that. You are so much more than that number. You see, were put on this Earth to make a difference regardless of how big or small you are. That number, small or large, DOES NOT define you as a person and quite frankly I hate to break it to you, but changing that number will also not define you as a person either.

It’s not going to magically drop off a man at your doorstep… It’s not going to magically make everything okay. You’re going to get where you so desperately want to be and the unhappiness isn’t going to magically go away.

By now you’re reading this, infuriated with me and thinking “Well Miss Know It all, what should I do then?” My answer to that is, well, I’m not exactly sure. I don’t know all of the answers. But what I do know is that from the moment you begin to look within yourself your life will begin to drastically change.  If someone walking down the street taunting you about your body and the way you look isn’t okay; then why is it okay for you to be doing the same thing to yourself over and over like a broken record? Those flaws or imperfections you’re focusing on day in and day out are YOU. In all retrospect, they aren’t really flaws; they’re what make you a person. A beautiful, living, breathing person with beautiful insight and valued opinions appreciated by the world and the people like me that reside in it.

It’s time to focus your attention in and become comfortable in our own skin! I know it's easier said than done. Of course, even the most positive person has their days where the self-negativity arises. But I promise you that if you remind yourself over and over that YOU'RE WORTH IT, that you are more than a number, that you're more than the size of your calf, arm or your butt and focus your attention on the positive; that negative self talk will go away. It might come back... Matter of fact, I'll warn you that it most definitely will.  Just because I say that it’s okay to tune into your body and accept the way it is doesn’t mean you can’t long for change. It’s okay to want to change your body!  To work towards a healthier you. It’s okay!

What’s not okay, and what I won’t just sit by and watch, is you tormenting yourself over the way you look or the number that reflects back to you on the scale. Of course I’d like to work on my own body and improve my health by shedding some of the excess weight that I carry. But do you know what I don’t want to do? I don’t ever want to lose ME! Because big or small, I am still me and I’m not going anywhere... and neither are you.

All the love in the world,

M

Meditating with Mala Beads

Some of you are probably thinking, “What on earth is a Mala?” Well, similar to the Holy Rosary, a Mala is a string of beads. Think of it as a Buddhist Rosary. Typically these beads are used to count mantras; or Sanskrit prayers in sets of 108 repetitions. However, you can also find them in numbers that divide into 108 evenly like; 18, 27 or 54. Use of a smaller amount of beads usually leads to a bracelet of some sort or a shorter necklace if using bigger beads.

Why 108?

The reasons for 108 puzzle just about anyone I meet. There are many many reasons for the meaning of 108 beads on a Mala. Here are a few as defined by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati;

Heart Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.

Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.

Pranayama: If one is able to be so calm in meditation as to have only 108 breaths in a day, enlightenment will come.

Pentagon: The angle formed by two adjacent lines in a pentagon equals 108 degrees.

Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

Astrology: There are 12 constellations, and 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole.

Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.

Goddess names: There are said to be 108 Indian goddess names.

Sun and Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.

Moon and Earth: The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.

Paths to God: Some suggest that there are 108 paths to God.

Seriously, these are just a few. Regardless of the meaning, the importance of the beads is to count *mantras (*(originally in Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation; typically given to you by a teacher or chosen by yourself.) with devotion, feeling and your utmost full attention.

The hardest part is choosing a Mala for your own personal practice. Many yoga studios will sell these, but you can also find them at places like Crystal Life Technology in Geneva, Illinois or Beadniks, Chicago. At Beadniks, you can actually sign up to make your own Mala. (You can find my experience on Mala making here).

You want to choose a mala that best suits your needs and style. The best advice I can give is to feel the beads in your hand. Close your eyes, and feel the energy of the beads. Go with what appeals most to you.

You also have the option of looking through Pinterest for Mala ideas as well as Googling the meanings of the various beads and materials. By doing this, you can use your intention of your yoga practice to pick the perfect mala for you.

As far as price, it truly depends on what you’re looking for. The type of material generally decides the cost of the Mala. I would say in general, expect to pay $35 + for your own Mala. Just because you’re making it yourself, doesn’t always mean it’s going to be cheap. The better quality of materials, the more expensive it gets. Sure, you can go to Hobby Lobby or Michael’s and use their coupons (I have). Starting out that’s a great option. But if you’re looking for something that’s going to last, it’s going to be an investment. Think between $70 and $200 easily.

Using a Mala is quite simple once you get the hang of it. You can use it in various ways of meditation, but the way I will break it down for you today depicts the old fashioned, sit down and meditate style.

1.    Find a comfortable space in your home or yoga practice area and come to a seat either in crossed leg position or any position that suits your comfort level. If you’ve got a bolster, sit on that.

2.    Close your eyes and begin to notice your natural breath.

3.    Now, bring awareness and attention into your breath and continue to breathe deeper and slower.

4.    Set your attention to your mantra or affirmation.

5.    Next, hold on to your mala beads by gently hanging the first mala bead on the middle or ring finger of your right hand. If you’re left handed and this is more comfortable, use your left. (*In India, using the left hand is considered impure, but from a more Westernized perspective, either hand is okay.)

6.    Place your thumb on the guru bead and begin reciting your manta. Each time pushing the mala bead away with the thumb and moving onto the next bead.

For mantra ideas, start here. It doesn’t have to be something in Sanskrit though. Even the simplest thing such as; “I am filled with love and kindness” can be your mantra for mediating with your mala. (Whew! Say that 5 times fast lol)

Don’t have a Mala? That’s alright! Try using a mantra and repeating it 108 (or a smaller amount of times that divides evenly into 108)

Graduation Weekend!

Yesterday was insanely busy... BUT, I've also been putting off writing this because that means it's done... My FINAL post in my "yoga teacher training" series. This weekend went by so fast! This entire time just flew by actually.

Friday we had our prenatal training. If I'm being honest, I feel like MY yoga teaching is pretty much a prenatal class now. All of the things I do are super gentle in that aspect. Some of it in fact is THE EXACT SAME THING.

After we had our graduation celebration at Jane's house. We had our spouses there and just celebrated being together one final weekend and all that we have accomplished. Jane & Steve's hospitality was spectacular! Their home really made Eric and I miss Nottingham! (Shocker, I know!)

I got to try my first Dinkel's cake too! 

Saturday we started the day with a much dreaded practice; Baptiste yoga. I knew it was going to be challenging and I knew it was going to be hot. I was truly afraid of it though. I wasn't the only one who was super vocal in the fact that I truly just did not want to go to this practice. That was reassuring, but I still wasn't sold.

We parked and walked to the studio and I thought... "Great... more walking - in the snow! UGH! Seriously?" Then, Mindy opened the door to s t a i r s. THREE flights of stairs to be exact... and I thought, "Are you effing kidding me? You want me to practice this God awful yoga class, and first I have to walk up ALL of these stairs?" Pretty sure I rolled my eyes, and continued on.

I walked in to the studio space and thought "Hmm. Well... The space is pretty. At least there's that" and proceeded to take off my shoes and fleece.

I filled out the wavier and got to the question that asked about medical conditions and physical limitations. I stared at it blankly for quite some time. All I thought was "What do I write? ... Well, I fell on my knee... That's certainly been a pain in the ass in my regular yoga classes. I guess write that it sometimes gets achy..."

Then I refocused on that word limitations... "What are my limitations? Well, clearly they weren't the half block and three flights of stairs I just climbed. I mean, I'm here aren't I?"

I glanced at Eb and then took my attention back down to the piece of paper. My focus solely on the word limitations at this point.

"Limitations? Clearly, you can see what I look like. I'm plus size. That's a limitation! Because I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to do half of what you want me to... So, what's my limitation?? I'm fat! That's my limitation... That can't be a limitation. You can't write 'fat' or 'plus size' there. That's stupid. Why would you write that?"

No sooner then I literally had this conversation in my head (and no, I swear I'm not crazy either lol) the words 'Plus Size' were scribbled on the page. Immediately I wished for white out. Did I really just talk about how achy my knee had been... and then proceed to classify the way my body looks IN THE SAME ANSWER? Yep, I sure did.

THAT'S NOT OKAY! My body is my body. I should not feel that as a limitation. I work around it. That's what I've been working so hard for... That's why I did ALL of this!

Regardless, I reluctantly handed in the form and went into the room to get set up.

My initial reaction; "Great... they don't have bolsters... So on top of me being uncomfortable and hot, I'm going to ache because I'm on the floor." The first thing I did when I walked in that BEAUTIFUL room was notice whether they had bolsters or not. Not the beautiful view. Not the huge half dollar size snowflakes falling from the skies. Not the tree limbs covered in thick sheets of snow... But bolsters? Really?!?

I went over to the wall, and noticed they had super size blocks.

This changed everything for me! I grabbed two, then I picked up a blanket, strap and two regular size blocks. I laid down my mat. and then put the two monster blocks together and laid the blanket over them.

MAGIC! I had a seat! I sat down.

When I finally got the nerve to get out of my head I realized, the view was GORGEOUS! The temperature? A mere 80-something degrees (it ended up getting to 93 during practice). It was pure heaven being warm and cozy in a shirt and leggings and seeing snow and frigid cold staring back at me through the windows.

We huddled first and talked fears. Throwing them out, and writing them down. Then we dedicated our practice to letting go of those fears and tuning into our own body.

Eb was AMAZING! Just spectacular.

By the end of practice I realized; I may not have been able to do everything or even what most of my classmates did. But I did what I could. I tuned into my body and did what it needed... You have no idea how amazing this feels unless you've done it for yourself. This is why I decided to become a teacher... THIS is what I want to share with the world.

I have to say - I learned more about myself on that mat and in that room in the 2 hours we were there than I ever expected.It was raw and it was beautiful. The things I thought I would hate - I LOVED! Had I not at least tried, I never would have known this. It made me realize that catering to my fears and then letting them win time and time again had me truly blocking out the joy in life by blocking out the pain. Never again will I let fear define or the choices I make! I am filled with an abundance of positive energy, and I will take that in all that I do going forward!

Fear is a NASTY thing! It swallows you whole, and takes charge! If I had given in... I never would have experienced what I did. Sure, I'm not proud of some of the things that happened. But, I learned from them. That's all I can ever ask from something like this.

After practice, we headed over to Native Foods for lunch. I wasn't as impressed as everyone else was with their nachos... But their Chili... YES!!!! So so good! I also managed to fall in love with Wicker Park too. (imagine that)

Later in the evening before we went home, we also had a few Puja ceremonial things... AKA "The Woo"

Here we wrote one thing we wanted to be rid of and to let go of and then lit it on fire and threw it in the bowl. Mine was fear... I know you're not supposed to talk about it after you burn it. Because at that point; it's done. BUT, I want to remind myself. I want to share this with people.

DO NOT LET FEAR DEFINE YOUR LIFE OR THE CHOICES YOU MAKE!

The roads Saturday night were awful! But, we made it home. At almost midnight, but nonetheless we made it!

Sunday we started at 9. We had a lot of little ends to tie in our classroom things. MY favorite part was definitely lunch at the diner, and our closing ceremony. Mindy made AWESOME yoga guy cookies!

There is no doubt, I am going to miss these girls something awful! I am so grateful for each and every one of them. They've changed me and I love them for that!

Here is my "Mishelle, go stand over here so I can see if the lighting is okay" pose. LOL

taking a moment to clarify

Lucky you! TWO blog posts in a week during training! (and in the same day!) I'm feeling the feels people!

Truthfully though, I feel like I need to clarify on this.

I think maybe I was a little too harsh previously in saying what I'm learning is not the style I want to teach. I can't see myself doing any other training. This was definitely perfect for me - and I will go out on a limb -a much supported limb- and say it is the BEST teacher training in my area.

BUT I'm longing for more things. The things I like most.... Like Restorative yoga, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Mediations... You could say I'm having a Veruca Salt moment. That's all I was eluding to. I want more! I want it now!

I know I'm being pushed in a good way and for good things. And part of training is doing the things you don't want to figure out what you do. I get it.

I just want a class I can keep up with. That's probably the Kapha in me. But it's truly how I find my release. I want to give that to people.

In student teaching and other various classes I've attended, I can't always keep up. I'm a lot slower in practice than my classmates. Then when I try to instruct a slower pace, it doesn't happen. I don't know how to fix it. Other than cueing. Which is also one of my issues.. I just want to teach people that you don't have to rush through something. You don't have to fit this many poses in a class. You don't have to take me from seated to standing to kneeling to seated to standing... 9 times out of 10 it takes me a little longer to move into something new. I can't change the way I get down from standing.. or the way I lay from sitting.

Back to cueing. I'm having a really hard time with the cueing (like Kosha cueing and what not) It's not too woo for me to experience it in a class. But I'm finding that it's too woo for me to use to direct people. I think that's maybe part of my problem too. Maybe part of that is it's really hard for me wrap my head around it all. I'm thinking that I'm expected to be all WOO about it.

I think I'm overthinking it and making it harder than it really is.

The good thing is all problems have solutions! I just need to find mine.

Thank you all so much for following me on this path!

Slow down!

I keep saying "I just have to get through November" or "this sucks" in reference to missing Sundays... My husband... FALL... But in all honesty, I don't know what I'm going to do without these girls in my life every week!

As much as I say "I don't want to do this" pertaining to something challenging... I push myself through it, and I have these girls to witness it. As much as I say "Man, I really HATE being here for 12 hours EVERY Sunday"... I have these girls experiencing it right alongside me. So - yeah I want my Sundays back. But I wouldn't trade this for the world.

I've become one of those girls who can cry on the fly. That's teacher training. It's changing me. It's bringing things out that I buried deep inside and things I didn't know were there. We're sharing and we are changing and growing together just as much as we are separately. I find each one of these ladies SO inspiring! It's going to be hard when this comes to a close. So, I'm getting the tissues ready!

Friday night we went to Chicago Diner after training. I'm definitely looking forward to more outings like this! The best part was our dessert circle; 3 desserts constantly circling the table. :-)

Sunday morning we had a restorative training. If you didn't already know I was super into restorative yoga; my notes surely give me away! I found myself not wanting to do the poses (I've done all of them before) but taking notes frantically as Cindy spoke. I'm looking forward to a certification training from her next year!

Officially, I'm the cool kid storing her mat at her studio... (But more importantly, I got tired of lugging it back and forth all weekend lol)

Ganesha Plus Training... :-) *That's a thing now!

I was all cute and matchy matchy Sunday. bears sweater, headband, matching tank colors. I rocked it!! Then someone asked me who we played and I had no clue. (Turned out it was a Bye week!) lol My response was "I just wanted wear my new sweater and look cute!" lol Here's me Snap Chatting during lunch!

Sunday we also went over Business of Yoga. Which happened to be perfect for when I got home. I've yet to make my own official announcement; but those important to me know AND my husband sport of spilled the beans on Facebook. I love his love and support for me. It means the whole world to me!

I'll be making a more detailed announcement in coming weeks. But I'm proud to share that come December, I will be a part of the team at Focus Om (formerly A Journey Om) in Batavia. I will have 2 regular classes; True Beginners on Thursday mornings and Curvy Girl Yoga on Saturday mornings beginning the first week of December.

I've began to add these tabs under my Class Schedule here on the website. But, I'm sure you want more detailed info as to the cost, and whether you have to sign up before hand. So I will be sharing that information soon enough! Right now, I'm just designing my classes, getting my information ready for their website, and starting to market myself.

I still plan on having other locations that I will be teaching as "Savvy Serenity". More details on that will be coming soon! I'm also structuring those classes, securing locations and dates! I'm planning a small series of classes called "On The Mat" so look for that real soon! You can sign up for notifications on those classes here;

After what was THE MOST insanely A M A Z I N G weekend, I've been down for the count.
Friday morning a friend called me with last minute tickets to Zac Brown Band at Wrigley. OF COURSE I rearranged my entire schedule to go. It was the MOST amazing experience EVER! Seriously! We got SO close to the stage!

And que my new Zac Brown Band obsession! lol

Sunday was my 3rd weekend of training. That's the day my sickness first started. So, I didn't even have a solid plan as to recap the weekend here like I normally do. We had a late start - so that was awesome!

I was so overly tired that I completely fell asleep in Yoga Nidra. Like, more than once. I know I jolted like 3 or 4 times. I'm not sure how many times I snored, but at least once I was told LOL I was so tired! and I knew I was getting sick. I just felt off. So I'm not surprised. It was SO relaxing. Sometimes those are the best "naps".

After Yoga Nidra was lunch. It took me forever to get up though. Once I did, the room looked like a total "morning after the sleepover".

We also taught our 5-Pose sequences. Wasn't my best work! By that time I was exhausted, and feeling more miserable. I know I should have practiced more. But I didn't I'll definitely have to work on that for the next one. We teach a 10 Pose Sequence. I need to find my voice.... And I need to be better with things coming off the top of my head. I'm not good with that in real life - so it doesn't surprise me that this may be my biggest challenge!

A Day In The Life (2nd weekend of training)

Thought I'd do a little something different this time around... Here's how my day went for the most part. Times are probably off. Times are definitely off.. But you get the jist! This was a lot of fun to write this way! :-)

5 AM - Wake up call! It's 5 AM, on a S u n d a y! My alarm is going off and instantly I wished I had went to bed a little earlier the night before.

5:15 AM - Alright, fine! I'm up!

5:30 AM - FIFTEEN MINUTES HAVE PASSED???? CRAP! Time for a shower. Looks like the hair is going up today... OH! I'll wear that cute headband!

6:00 AM - Thank God Eric is taking me. I'll die if I have to drive myself. Wait...We need gas??? UGH! He's in the car already. I'll be right out!

6:01 AM - Shoving everything in a bag... (Seriously, Thank the lord Eric is driving me. If I have to lug this thing around for even 1 block, I'll literally cry!)

6:04 AM - CRAP! I forgot I went to Trader Joe's last night. YES, I'll have snacks today! "HOLD ON! I'LL BE RIGHT OUT!" Throw everything in lunch bag

6:07 AM - OUT THE DOOR!

YES! I'll sleep in the car on the way there.... Yeah; that didn't happen.

6:10 AM - Can we stop at McDonald's so I can get ice for my water?

6:13 AM - Pull into McDonald's.
          Eric: "What do you want?"
          Me: "A large ice water - extra ice!... Ooh! and a Blueberry muffin..."
          Eric: "A muffin? Really?"
          Me: "Yeah, nothing heavy! I'll be the girl in the corner with the smelly farts.. or worse!
                  in the bathroom! lol"
          Eric: "Okay.... Yeah Can I get a large ice water; extra ice, a blueberry muffin, and
                    a Steak, egg and cheese biscuit?"
          Me: (blank faced) "I want that..."
          Eric: "NO! You said you didn't want anything heavy!"
          Me: "I know.... But.. it sounds so good....."
(long pause)
          Me: "Well, can't I just lick it?"
          Eric: (Laughing hysterically) "OMG, Really? NO!"

6:17 AM - I take the smallest bite of Eric's Steak, Egg & Cheese Biscuit. It's literally the best thing I've tasted - EVER! (Well, it feels like it). I literally chewed it for like 5 minutes lol

6:20 AM - stop for gas at Meijer

6:27 AM ON THE TOLLWAY!

I'd really like to sleep now, and I'm trying.. But, there's this thing on my shoulder...

7:20 AM - ARRIVED AT THE NEW STUDIO!

OH MY GOSH! This space is SO freaking cute!!!!!!

7:30 AM - Guess I better set up my space...

7:35 AM - Practice begins!

Que Mishelle feeling nauseous and like the room is spinning.

8:00 AM - PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA

8:01 AM - PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA

8:02 AM - PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA

8:03 AM - PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA

8:04 AM - PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA

8:05 AM - PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA

8:06 - 8:16 AM - PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA

8:20 AM - OH. MY. GOD. PLEASE SAY PREPARE FOR SAVASANA.... I'm going to die!

8:23 AM - YES! SAVASANA!

BREAK TIME! Time to break out the Excedrin Migraine. *remember to ask if forward folds normally make people want to throw up and die... literally die on their yoga mat!

9:00 AM - That banana in the cooler is MINE!!!!

9:01 AM - Walk past Rachel as she is putting on her flannel. Date drops on floor at my feet.

9:02 AM - WHAT. THE. HECK. IS. THAT. OMG. What do I say? Seriously. It looks like a turd.
                 OMG! I almost stepped in it...

9:03 AM - Still staring at the proposed turd

9:03:30 AM - Rachel: "OH! My Date!"

9:04 AM - DATE!!!! She said date!!! It's a date... Not a turd! HOLY CRAP! (literally... LOL)

9:09 AM - Linda just walked in with coffee from Starbucks...

9:10 AM - Now I want Starbucks...

9:13 AM - walk to Starbucks

9:15 AM - Hey cute handlebar mustache guy! Oh, you're a flirt too.... Please break out the Pumpkin Spice Latte kit JUST FOR ME.

9:17 AM - FINE! I'll wait. Jeeze! Carmel Macchiato it is I guess..

9:18 AM - Handlebar Mustache Barista: "What's your name?
                Me: (OH-M-GEE! They write your name on the cups here!) Mishelle... BUT WITH AN
                       S, INSTEAD OF A C!
                Handlebar Mustache Barista: (smiles)
                Me: (Nearly faints... OMG! HE'S PERFECT!!!!)

9:20 AM - COFFEE IS READY! Oh look... He crossed off the wrong spelling and wrote it right... just for me... He knew!! He knew!

9:30 AM - get back for lecture time!

9:31 AM - Is it me? Why are my ears like icicles?

9:35 AM - No seriously.. I'm freezing! Am I getting sick?

9:37 AM - Linda, Rachel and Michelle are all cuddled under a blanket... I want a blanket! Maybe it isn't just me...

9:40 AM - Rachel gets up to put on a sweater. YES! It isn't me! It's cold! Like Antarctica cold in here! I'm getting another blanket!

time passes...

12:55 PM - HOLY CRAP! It's almost 1???? LUNCH! YES! Wait.. I forgot a fork. Didn't I?

12:58 PM - Pretty sure I forgot a fork!

1:00 PM - I forgot a fork!

2:00 PM - stuffed! still have a headache. I'll muster through it...

more time passes...

4:00 PM - WHERE IS THIS DAY GOING? Why is it going so fast?

4:05 PM - SNACK TIME! GO!

4:07 PM - hummus falls on the floor. "NOT THE HUMMUS!!!"

4:08 PM - OMG! Linda's chips are delicious!!!

time passes....

5:10 PM - OMG Suzie's sounds so good right now...

more time passes....

6:10 PM - Seriously though. Suzie's!

6:11 PM - Time for some Cat/Cow talk...

Seriously.. I must post this in the group... LOL! I really want to bust out with my Unicorn... I know.. I'm delirious. Control yourself Mishelle!

7:00 PM - I still want Suzie's. Dang me for only bringing a salad and fruit!

7:01 PM - VARK Test... hmm.. I scored pretty evenly. Go figure. But wait. I totally thought I was more of a visual learner than anything. No.. This is right... 

7:30 PM - TIME TO GO! I'm texting Eric I want Suzie's dangit!

7:45 PM - OMG! This is the greatest thing ever! EVER!

9:30 PM - Oh, we're home already???

TIME FOR BED!

giving the gift of Yoga

Going into my first class, I wanted to make it extra special. Sometimes on really amazing practices, a couple of my instructors would also have a bowl of chocolate set up for you to grab a piece on your way out. Sometimes we would even grab a tea bag to have when we got home or the morning after.

I wanted to be able to incorporate this into my class to show how much I appreciate all those who came out to support me truly begin my journey as a teacher.

So, I came up with a little "fluff pack" as one friend likes to call them. Essentially, it's a little piece of heaven for them indulge in and a little piece of me to remember while they enjoy their treats.
 

I came across this tutorial on Pinterest and fell in love with the cute packaging!

From there I began gathering my materials;

• Treat Bags - I found similar treat bags on Amazon here.
• The Goodies - I decided I was going to give away both Dove Chocolates and Tulsi Organic Tea and some Tazo Green Tea bags; so I purchased both milk and dark chocolates and a couple different flavors of the Tea (including Peppermint - my favorite) at my local Target. (Because that's where I purchase EVERYTHING!)
• Fabric - (I ventured to Hobby Lobby and began choosing fabric that caught my eye. I ended up selecting 3 different fabric prints and ordered 1/4 yd each of them. You really don't need much here.
• Lace Ribbon (you want this thick, like in the above photo and it's totally optional; I didn't end up using any of this)
• Pinking Shears (not necessary, but I love the way this look on fabric - and someone even commented on the fact that I used them! Which was nice.)
• Twine (You'll need a needle big enough for this to thread it through the top of the fabric. You may also choose to make a tiny slit with your fabric shears)
• Gift Tags - (I found cute brown ones from Hobby Lobby)
• Rubber Stamps/Ink Pads - you may already have this on hand. I just selected a few stamps that I felt had the most positive message and used those.
• Pretty paperclips - Target Dollar $pot has a GREAT selection of these. They always have the cutest things.
• Washi Tape - (this will secure the package closed)

From here I just began cutting the fabric/ribbon, stamping the gift tags and cutting the twine so that I could have an assembly line when I was ready to put my packages together.

When I was ready to assemble my bags, I also took out my amazing business cards that I ordered from Zazzle. A few weeks back, I took advantage of their 50% off sale. I also became a member of Zazzle Black for 30 days so I could also receive the perks of free shipping. You can literally go into your account and choose not to extend the subscription after you place that first order. So I didn't have to set a reminder - HUGE PLUS! I ended up ordering a few sets of business cards, loyalty punch cards, 5 class packs for when I begin normal classes, referral cards and one free class passes. Zazzle often runs 50% off business cards and other various discounts regularly.

So I set up my assembly line;

And here's what they ended up looking like when I was finished stuffing them!

I have to say; I am pretty impressed with myself on the way these turned out! I even had a few people come up to me and say, "Do you ever sleep?" haha. I had one say "Are you kidding me? These are so cute!!!! I'm taking a few!" It was an awesome feeling to make so many people's day with just something I took the time to make. Not even with what was inside; although EVERYONE enjoyed their tea and chocolate. But, because of the package. I really just wanted to take the time to say THANK YOU for coming to support me and for believing in me!

I've managed to Pin a few more packaging ideas that I really liked. Not only do I want to spoil my Yoga students with fun gifts like this, but it would be great for Christmas time for cookie exchanges or small gifts to friends and loved ones.

Anyway, I actually have a few things up my sleeve based solely on this practice, so I would definitely want to welcome those who attended this class with me. In my packages, I have included things that will not only bring them back, and also bring their friends. I'd love for them and anyone else to follow along on my journey with me! Please continue to share my posts with your friends! I love that I'm inspiring all of you not just in Yoga but in your lives. The fact that I can do that means the world to me!

Balanced Bliss Sequence

Words cannot begin to express how grateful I am to all of those who came to my class last night! Thank you all!

I tried like heck to make this available on Spotify, but I couldn't find a lot of the songs there. To be honest, I'm not the greatest with Spotify either. That's why I went with what I knew. But, both playlists are about an hour and twenty three minutes. The first playlist is what was started in class. After the reading, I switched to the second playlist.  If you remember or want a specific song, let me know and we can probably figure it out.

Here's a screen shot of my iTunes playlists in case you want to purchase any of those songs. (Photos show the order they were played; from left to right). I'll figure out this whole sharing thing sooner or later :-)

This was played through the actual yoga sequence

This was played after the reading. Towards the end of Enchanted Forest, I had begun to have you come back to 'reality'. We completed the end of the practice with Balance playing; which was also the song we started the practice with.

The reading was an excerpt from Melody Beattie's Journey to the Heart. If you'd like the exact reading, let me know!

You can find this book on Amazon.com which is where I got mine!

If you have any questions or want further explanation on any of the poses we did, please let me know! Simply fill in the information and click submit. Once I receive it, I will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

**Please note; due to me being in training the entire weekend of August 21-23rd; I may not be able to get to my email right away. Expect a response no later than Monday August 24th.

It was a pleasure having you in my first yoga class!