Palm to palm

If you've read my bio, you know that consistent yoga practice played a massive part in my overall well being  and brought me back from an edge I almost threw myself over back in 2007-2008.

Where did I go?

This past year, some major drams in my yoga world went down, my favorite teacher moved out of state, and, for a short time, I took on managing a yoga studio. It was the perfect storm for some serious yoga burnout. I started to forget why I ever bothered to roll my mat out in the first place. I considered cross-fit. I let go of my public class. I walked away.

...and through the doors of another studio, one that's been around for a while but I'd never attended (there was never a need). Where I was anonymous, and completely oblivious to the "cool" teachers or established cliques among the student base. Where the practice was strong, and consistent and dependable and varied. No complicated demos. No clapping. My focus started to come back.

There is this moment at the beginning of class where people are kind of awkwardly waiting for the teacher to go ahead and start, still with a foot outside the studio, brain engaged still in to-do lists and post yoga class meals and errands and conversations and all the STUFF of being human and living in a city and trying TO GET SHIT DONE, you know? I know. That's me much of the time. Shallow breathing and disconnect. Searching for something deeper than the superficial grittiness of it all. Unable to sit still even for those first three minutes tops before the teacher sits down and says hello and then:

"Close your eyes and put your palms together."

And that's all it takes sometimes, for the breath to deepen, the skin to relax, the tension in the jaw/forehead/scapulae/heart to quiet; to return to that space of remembering. There I sat last week, palm to palm, tears brimming at the corners of my eyes, as I sat and sang and sweated for an hour and fifteen minutes, fully present with my sweet self.

So often this practice that is intended to bring us deeper inside instead becomes one more thing that pulls us off our center. Celebrity teachers with cult followings, $98 yoga pants, lack of diversity (cultural, body type, socioeconomic background just to name a few)--these do not in any way reflect the aforementioned sweetness, and I'll be the first to admit I got caught up in the hype. I forgot what it felt like to be perfectly content with me as me, and started looking outside of myself for answers. That's where the breakdown happened.

What practices in your life bring you closer to you? Performing? Working your garden? Being with your dog or cat? Writing? Being in nature? Meditation? Travel? Art? Little by little, these practices help us carve new paths down old roads until the edges start to smooth. Guard these moments vigilantly. Create space and put it in your calendar. Be unwavering in this commitment to yourself because really, what else is there? If we can bolster and strengthen those moments where we connect to source, when shit hits the fan we know what to do. It's not like it doesn't suck, or terrible things don't happen; no amount of wishful thinking will keep the bad at bay. But what a gift to experience the lows while staying connected to the truth: that we are already whole and complete. For me it's palm to palm; what are your practices?

FERMENTATION STATION!!!!

First batch ever!

A few people have asked for my sauerkraut recipe, so here you go.

Fermented foods are one of the best ways to boost immunity. The live cultures help to balance the healthy and not-so-healthy bacteria in your gut, which is a good thing, because it leaves your system less hospitable to bugs. Remember, one of the best gages of optimal health is a healthy gut; incorporating fermented foods into your diet on the regular is a great way to heal and support your entire system. Pill form is one option; if you have time, creating your own ferments at home is easy and fun and you can have your very own fermentation station bubbling away right in your own kitchen. It's a simple way to really feel good about yourself as it's really easy and the results are amazing! Plus, the flavor adds a pop to everything, whether eaten right out of the jar or sprinkled over your salad or sandwich.

In the words of Sandor Ellix Katz, High Priest of all things fermented,

"By eating a variety of live fermented foods, you promote diversity among microbial cultures in your body....Biodiversity is just as important at the micro level. Call it micro-biodiversity. Your body is an ecosystem that can function most effectively when polulated by diverse species of microorganisms. Sure, you can buy 'probiotic' nutritional supplements containing specific selected bacteria that promote healthy digestion. But by fermenting foods and drinks with wild microorganisms present in your home environment, you become more interconnected with the life forces of the world around you. Your environment becomes you, as you invite the microbial populations you share the earth with to enter your diet and your intestinal ecology."

Now if that isn't case enough, I don't know what is...

On to the recipe!!!

Simple Raw Sauerkraut 

What you'll need to start:

• A big bowl
• Quart size mason jars

Ingredients

• One head of cabbage (any color you like)
• Sea Salt (a few tablespoons)
• Water
• I'm not kidding it's that simple*

Instructions:

1. Peel off the outermost leaves of cabbage, and set aside.
2. Cut the head of cabbage into thin strips. Place a third of the lettuce into a large mixing bowl. Add a thin layer of salt. Roll up your sleeves.
3. Begin massaging the cabbage until it begins to soften and water starts to release. After the water is squeezed out, add the second third of cabbage, a thin layer of salt, and get squeezing. Complete with the last third of cabbage and salt. At this point, there will be a small pool of water accumulating at the bottom of the bowl.
4. Grab your mason jars. Usually I need two for one head of cabbage. Put half the cabbage in each jar. Compress the cabbage until it is tightly packed. I usually use a tall shot glass to push it down. You want the water to squeeze out so much so that the cabbage is completely submerged in water. 
5. Take the whole cabbage leaves you had set aside. Place them in the jar so that they completely cover the sauerkraut. At this point you may need to add a bit more filtered water so that the water line is above the cabbage.
6. To keep your sauerkraut compressed, you'll need to place a weight on top of the cabbage. I usually use a shot glass, but find something in your kitchen that fits inside the mason jar. 
7. Place your jars in a dark-ish place, and cover with a cheesecloth or cloth napkin. They need to sit for at least two weeks, and you should check them every day or so to make sure mold doesn't appear. If you do spot mold growth, simply scoop it out ASAP and make sure there is enough water in your jars. It's not a big deal as long as you catch it right away. 
8. After two weeks, your sauerkraut is ready! Close off the jars and keep refrigerated, where it will last for a few months. 

*This is the simplest iteration. You can get super creative as the process is incredibly forgiving. Ideas: shredded carrots, diced jalapeno or garlic, thinly sliced apples, two different colored cabbages...go nuts!

How do you know if you're healthy?

All right, check it.

Being healthy has nothing to do with having rock hard abs or a tight butt.

I mean, exercising/moving your body is of course an integral part of overall wellbeing. But being buff does not automatically equal health.

Running on the treadmill for hours while restricting caloric intake to cram one's body into an image of fitness is not healthy. 

So before you self-flagellate for enjoying dessert last night instead of making it to Zumba class, check out a few measures of optimal health.

SKIN: Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Processing toxins, operating from a state of inflammation, or hormonal imbalances are often at the root of acne and other skincare troubles (exzema, rosacea, etc). It doesn't matter how much junk you put on your face, if things are out of whack inside, your chronic skin condition probably isn't going anywhere. 

Is your skin clear of blemishes? Bright, and luminous? Ladies, can you make it through a menstrual cycle without breaking out? If your answer is "No" to one or more of these questions, there is something out of balance.

SLEEP: How is your quality of sleep? Do you fall asleep easily, sleep through the night, and wake up feeling refreshed? Physical repair happens between the hours of 10PM and 2AM, mental repair happens between 2AM and 6 AM...how often are these processes interrupted? Good sleep also helps offset stress--if you are regularly lying awake in bed, unable to sleep because of the stressors in your life, this is a big sign that something in your life is out of balance.  Sleep is an incredibly vital way to combat these stressors, give you some perspective ("everything seems better in the morning"), and regulate cortisol levels. So yeah, that means getting your ass to bed no later than 10:30 and waking up around 6. Give it a shot for a week and see what shifts.

DIGESTION (I was going to use another "S" word, but I'm not sure if we're quite there yet): This is quite an intricate topic, one that I will probably devote an entire series to, so let's keep it simple for the purpose of this post: When was the last time you were on antibiotics? Do you go one day (or even days) without eliminating? Do you have chronic constipation or diarrhea? Remember, you are what you don't poop!

Healthy digestion and gut function is also the number one way to boost immunity. Forego the flu-shot and eat whole foods (nothing that comes out of a box or package) and see for yourself if you get sick less.

Just eat real food!

Recipe: Italian Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers rock my world. This is one of my preferred recipes from my hands-down favorite cookbook, Practical Paleo-it's easy, delicious, and every time I make it, I appreciate the gorgeous presentation. It's also good to bring to parties as it's pretty, easy to transport, and you only have to throw it in the oven for about 20 min to heat it back up once you're there. I also bring leftovers to work and eat them cold, no biggie, still just as yummy. My grandmother used to make them for my pops when he was growing up so it feels good to perpetuate a little family tradition, too.

Drool

*Italian Stuffed Peppers*

Ingredients:

*2 bell peppers, halved and cleaned

*1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil

*1 onion, diced. If you have a particularly large onion, use half

*Sea salt and black pepper to taste

*4 cloves garlic, chopped

*1/2 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned

*1 lb ground beef, bison, turkey, or chicken

*6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

*Extra basil leaves for garnish

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F
• Place bell pepper halves in a roasting dish face down for 10-15 minutes. If you want the peppers extra firm, skip this step.
• While bell peppers cook, heat the coconut oil or butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the onions, adding sea salt and black pepper to taste, until onions are translucent and slightly browned on the edges. Add the tomoatoes and garlic to the onions, and simmer for about two minutes. I reduce the heat pretty significantly when I first add the garlic, or else it will burn. 
• Add the meat and cook until fully done. Taste, and add more sea salt/black pepper to your liking. Mix in the chopped basil. 
• Remove peppers from oven and flip them over. They should be slightly softened. Spoon the meat mixture into each one. At this point they're ready to go--if you want the flavors to mix a little more you can put them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Garnish with basil, and serve!

Hope you try this and enjoy! It looks kinda fancy but truly, surprisingly simple and easy to throw together. I'd love to hear how it works out for you.

How Soft Drinks Impact Your Health

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A tribute to a man

My uncle Elio died this morning from complications stemming from a long battle with diabetes. In recent months he lost his legs from the knee down. As much as I saw this coming, my heart aches today.

Uncle Elio was the youngest of seven brothers:

Eduardo
Jose Angel
Felo
Amaury
Oscar
Mario (my abuelo)
ELIO

Here is a photo I pulled from one of my cousin's FB pages of part of the family, back in the day. My great grandparents are front and center, my grandparents cut off in the back left:

Handsome looking bunch

I never knew the oldest two, who have also passed. I grew up around the youngest five, and didn't fully realize until I was much older how incredibly blessed I was to grow up part of such a warm, loving, rambunctious, fiery, well-fed, vibrant, hilarious, LOUD family. I think if you spent even one hour with this side of my family, you would think to yourself: "FULL OF LIFE!"

Elio was the youngest. He was sweet, kind, generous, and fun to be around. I remember wild parties at his house, one of the rare times the entire extended family would make the effort to get together. Every time I went to his house I would meet a handful of new cousins!

I wish him peace, and a safe passage.

The Future is Now: Introducing Farmigo

Drool

One of the more challenging aspects of a whole foods/organic lifestyle is the constant planning ahead. Am I right? This is pretty much the biggest gripe I hear from people making any sort of dietary/lifestyle change: "I tried the whole gluten-free thing but I was tired after work and it was easier to grab a slice of pizza than get to the market," "I stayed late at work and Bi-Rite closes at 9," "I live way too far away from Whole Foods to schlep all my food for the week across town on my scooter."

I get it. We are busy people in an urban environment, and between all the nitty gritty of everyday life, riding your bike to your local farmer's market in your work clothes with your gym bag and laptop in tow to peruse the produce might not be at the top of your to-do list. Even as I begin to make a living as a health coach - educating people about rest and nutrition and work-life balance - I still need to check in daily and remind myself to slow down, breathe, rest, and take time to actually enjoy the food I so mindfully procured. In my experience, and maybe you can relate, the food I eat is my biggest connection to nature, to the richness of the environment that surrounds me--even if I only see it during my once-per-month jaunt over the Golden Gate Bridge. There is something about slicing up a batch of recently harvested *insert favorite vegetable here*  that reconnects me to something bigger then all the running around, wakes up my senses, and nourishes my body. 

What if you could bridge the gap between convenience and sustainable healthy eating? Farmigo takes all the steps out of your weekly market trip and delivers local food directly from farmers to your community. This new online farmer's market "connect(s) communities of people (workplaces, community centers, schools and other locations), directly to multiple local farms, providing a personalized online marketplace for local, fresh-from-harvest food. Members in each food community shop at their dedicated Farmigo farmers market online (see example here), pick and choose their preferred items, and then have their orders delivered weekly to their food community site within 48 hours of harvest."

Kiva delivery in SF

What's not to like?

From veggies and fruits, to pasture raised beef and poultry, to coffee, yogurt, fresh herbs, bread, and more, Farmigo offers up mindful convenience. Similar to a CSA in maintaining the "farm-to-table experience," Farmigo is unique in that by bringing together larger communities, you are offered more choices, the farmers get paid more, and you can rest easy knowing that in no way are you participating in the industrial food complex. Hooray!

Not only does this service connect you to local farmers, but just think: you'll get the chance to interact with other members of your community outside of the typical workplace interactions. Farmigo unites all that we love about our food: the connection to local environments and people, fresh quality, and the joy of sharing that experience with others.

And that sounds like healthy living to me.

Questions about what the hell to eat?

Sage Advice

Don't believe everything your yoga teacher says. Believe what they actually do.

More to come on this topic I'm sure, as the deeper I get into the business side of the yoga world, the less and less I like what I see. If anyone has a positive experience managing a yoga studio, I'd LOVE to hear it...

For now, I advocate a healthy dose of open-minded skepticism! Not just with yoga, but everything.

Including food, and beliefs around food.

May we savor the food we eat this Thanksgiving such that we are truly nourished body and soul! May we love the one we're with and skip Black Friday...

I hope to write a bit more this weekend as I'll have some free time away from the city.

Much love, and a deep bow of gratitude to all the turkeys everywhere~
dani

Election results 2012

If it isn't obvious considering I am a yoga teacher/health nut/spiritualish person living in San Francisco, CA, I will share here that I was QUITE PLEASED with the results of the presidential election. Obama is still part of the machine; however I am a stand for civil rights for all humans and who wants to be on the wrong side of history when it comes to stuff like that!???

Moving on--Prop 37, which would have required the labeling of foods containing GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) did not pass, which was the BUMMER of the election. I've included a handy chart for you to get a good visual on where a lot of these so-called "natural" "healthy" foods actually stand when it comes to not only the health of their customers, but their stance on protecting the environment (e tu, Ben & Jerry's!?).

It's incredibly difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that people would actually vote against this measure; I'll take solace knowing that the campaign against GMO's isn't going anywhere. Moreover, we can still fight GMO's by choosing mindfully where we spend our money.

The following list comes from Paul Chek, outlining why it would best serve all of us (mother earth included) if we eliminate all processed foods from our diets, all of which contain GMO's. Enjoy~

CHEK Points on Processed Foods

• If you can’t pronounce a word on the label, don’t eat it! Chances are very good it is a chemical that your liver will have to work to detoxify.

• If it’s a non-food, don’t eat it! The more non- foods you eat, the more likely your body is to go bankrupt!

• The longer it lasts on the shelf, the worse it is for you! Unlike the natural foods that nature provides us with, many of the processed foods you eat today are so full of chemicals you can leave them sitting on the kitchen counter for days and the ants won’t even touch them! The bugs are smarter than we are!

• Never eat anything with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated oils/fats” in it! These are cooked fats that have been altered in a way that make them very hard to digest, as well as being damaging to the body.

• Never eat any food product that has been “enriched”! The only reason food manufacturers “enrich” foods is because they have completely killed and stripped them in processing, leaving the foods so void of nutrition that they must add things back to them.

• Currently, almost ALL processed foods contain genetically modified organisms! Eating any genetically modified food is a risk that you may want to seriously consider if you value your health.

I've got something to say (my 'yogic' rant)

I changed the name of my blog.

The change comes after many months of reflection on my place in the greater scheme of my life; both as a yoga teacher and a burgeoning business owner. More than that though-the name change is a reflection of my renewed commitment to my own truth--not some idea of it handed to me by guru or a dietary philosophy or some future concept based on how I've experienced the past that has me completely missing, you guessed it, the present.

The catalyst for all this was the breakdown of the system of yoga I practiced, which occurred around the same time my favorite teacher moved away. I started to seriously unpack my beliefs around what a living a spiritual life actually meant for me, on my own terms, completely free of the shade I was so accustomed to living in under the previous umbrella of "yogic" v "non-yogic."

A new light started to shine.

Something else happened; during this time of breakdown in one realm of my life, I began my official health training with the Chek Institute, growing a new skill and learning that blew my mind. I began to heal myself with food. The immediacy of the results hooked me and it was incredibly empowering to look at myself in the mirror and no longer feel ashamed of my skin; to re balance my hormones without the use of birth control or antibiotics; and to heal my digestion naturally without pills or a crazy cleanse. I began to listen inward, trusting the messages from my body: checking in more easily in times of stress or overwhelm; following my intuition with the food I was consuming; working out and playing hard when called to, while equally honoring the times my body needed rest and quiet. In short, I started to experience the life I had been longing for, that I thought I would find with my yoga practice, but in reality, had been consistently falling short.

It was also the first time I was in the presence of and learning from healthy people with genuine, authentic, dedicated spiritual practices--without one mention of morality. In the yoga world, I was so accustomed to these conversations about whether or not something was or wasn't "yogic." A few examples off the top of my head: eating meat,  drinking alcohol/smoking cigarettes/pot etc; eating organic; one style of yoga v. another; driving a car; flying on a plane, and so on, and so on, and so on. I was attracted to these new people because there was a whole lot less talk, and a lot more action. I saw people living into their own personal truth without any mention of right and wrong, good or bad, should or shouldn't.

It dawned on me: I was sick and tired of yoga. Just the thought of it tilted my eyes back to the top of my skull and had me running for the nearest shot of tequila.

Not MY yoga-the practice that gave me back myself; that made me feel stronger in my body and mind then I ever thought possible; that reconnected me to people and gave me some of the best friends in the world--no, no, that wasn't it. Rather, I found myself alienated from a culture whose breakdown revealed a foundation built on a faux-spirituality and spiritual bypassing that tuned me out out faster than you could say "om."

I don't care if you down a steak after every yoga class or subsist solely on organic raw sprouted almonds harvested lovingly from a biodynamic farm; what interests me is actual reality, not some idea. Do you keep your word, not only to yourself, but to others? Are you able to speak authentically from your own truth, rather than parroting something you've heard a million times or saying what you think people want to hear? Do you stand by your beliefs regardless of ever shifting popular opinion while staying open to a new perspective? Are you living a life that leads you every more closer to your heart and heart's purpose, or are you simply filling it up with as many distractions and to-do's as possible?

I'm officially coming out as a carnivore. No more hiding-this is the real yoga. Expect a lot more tyrannosaurusasana from here on out. I hope to see you on the mat, I promise not to talk your ear off.

Navigating a new normal

It's been an interesting couple of weeks over here in Sage land. I am managing two businesses, teaching 2 classes/week, plus going to school. My partner just moved in, I play on a softball league, and am coaching a leadership training through Landmark education. Hence the title of this post.

I am a little nervous about writing this post. But I recently got clear about the work I want to be doing, so I'm going to share anyway.

My stress level in the past three weeks has skyrocketed significantly. After returning from my year sabbatical in Thailand, I devoted myself to creating a fulfilling schedule that left plenty of time for nothing; I knew that my experience of happiness hinged on the possibility of plenty of idle-time---to nap or write, take yoga class, be with friends, cook, clean; the possibility of simplicity and slowness. I'd experienced life from the confines of a cubicle and I did not like what I saw; more than that, I did not like who I was in that box. I was angry, borderline depressed, drank a lot, and my self-esteem non-existant. The thread of yoga alive in my life at this time often was the only place where I actually liked myself, where I felt strong.  After re-learning how to like myself, I vowed that this balance was a million times more valuable than making tons of money. It took some time, but I found that balance and although money was at times tight, I felt healthy and happy for the first time in years, fell in love with a great man, and started teaching yoga.

Fast forward four years, and I'm noticing many old tendencies arising that I thought I had laid aside. Cattiness. Anger. Impatience. I've started drinking more. The glass is decidedly half empty.

I am bringing all of this up for a reason. As the Every Day Sage seed continues to germinate, grow, expand, I want to be as honest as possible. As a health coach I often feel like everything I'm putting out into the world has this glossy veneer of positivity--as if living a healthful, vibrant, happy, meaningful, fulfilling life is so easy. As if finding balance is the most natural thing in the world, and there is something wrong with you if happiness isn't your experience.

So, how DO we navigate the dark moments? Where what worked last week simply stops working? When old habits/patterns/addictions rear their ugly heads, seemingly out of the blue? In those moments of overwhelm, how might we simply sit with the sensation, instead of longing for distraction? When we feel small, how might we channel it into something creative instead of being cruel to our partners/friends/family members? How can we use the tools we've learned on our own selves? How do we quiet the inner critic, that at times relentless devil? How might we learn to honor equally both the peaks and valleys of our lives?

This is the current inquiry.

While exercise, eating whole foods, healthy relationships, and a spiritual practice are all what I wish to support people in, I also want to honor people where they're at. What if we could look at the bad, accept it for what it is, and then move mindfully from a space of acceptance, instead of should-ing all over ourselves or making our experience wrong, or (my personal favorite), constantly comparing ourselves to others we perceive as farther along the path? This is what I'm committed to: radical health and wellness for everybody--even you. Even me.

Come as you are, and fall in love with yourself.

Happy Friday

What are you up to this weekend?

Whether it's landing on Mars for the first time or accessing a previously impossible yoga pose, anything is possible once we commit ourselves.

 ...until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never have otherwise ocurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.

~Goethe

I'm navigating a new normal; two jobs, teaching, a relationship, starting a business, school, the Self Expression and Leadership Program, and of course, taking care of my own self. Walking my talk is challenging at times-but when I get really present to my commitments, suddenly I'm able to expand myself enough to encompass everything (AND get enough sleep AND practice yoga AND lay in the park two days in a row with dear friends).

I felt a little physically run-down this week, and let me tell you, it felt so good to give myself permission yesterday to simply rest rather than attend the sweaty Vinyasa class I've been going to on Thursday afternoons. Being committed to health means knowing when to rest just as much as knowing when to charge ahead! 

How do YOU stay connected to your commitments? When you feel overwhelmed, what do you know to do to restore balance?

Have fun out there~

xo
dani

How to create "Peace Points" in your every day

Something I'm committed to in my practice is off-setting the urban overwhelm with simple practices you can incorporate into your every-day. 

In this foot-always-on-the-gas-pedal culture of ours, idleness, relaxation, and let's face it, peace, are oftentimes elusive during our busy weeks. How many of us have crammed through the Monday-Friday race, and then at 6 PM on Friday night, ask ourselves, what just happened? Where was I? How has another week flown by already?

Peace Points (a term I first heard coined by the brilliant Paul Chek) are little actions you can take within your days that draw you back to your center, out of your head, and back to the "why" of your life. We all have greater intentions, purposes, and ambitions in our lives that often get lost in the busyness of it all; the following practices seem simple, but act as powerful ways to re-connect you with yourself. What's more, these pauses in your day, however brief, will actually serve to make you more productive, as you will be working with greater aim and purpose, not to mention clarity and focus.

Examples:

• Go outside on your lunch break, find a bit of grass, take off your shoes, and simply feel your feet on the earth. Take it a step further: lay down outside, and stare up at the clouds. Ten minutes of this and I guarantee a perspective shift.
• Scheduling in your exercise.You get busy and what's the first thing off your calendar? Usually self-care. Schedule your run/yoga class/dance class/gym session on your calendar, and honor it like you would the strictest of deadlines.
• Set an hourly alarm on your work computer. Every time it buzzes, stand up and stretch, or take 5-10 full, soulful, deep breaths.
• Wake up 20-30 minutes earlier in the morning and allot yourself some personal time. This can look like meditation; a nice, nourishing breakfast; a walk/run with your dog; catch up on reading.

I will continue to add to this list as I continue to implement them into my own life, but in the interim, how do YOU re-connect with yourself when you start to spin a little too fast?

Introducing Every Day Sage

Greetings~


I am thrilled to announce I am beginning a new business, Every Day Sage, where I will combine wellness, nutrition and yoga. I will be working with people on how to reach their health goals, including stress reduction, increasing energy, losing weight, and improving their confidence. I’ll accomplish this by supporting them with their food and lifestyle choices. I am specifically interested in bridging the gap between mindful lifestyle choices and the challenges of city living.

As you know, I have always had an interest in health and wellness and delight in sharing this knowledge with my friends, colleagues, family, the cashier at the store, taxi drivers, bartenders, and the many people I run into on a daily basis. I decided to increase this knowledge and learn, in a formal training program, how to live a better life through eating well and taking care of myself. I am currently enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. I am not only learning to improve my life, I am also receiving very detailed and careful instruction on how to coach others around food and lifestyle choices. It’s an exciting time!

I can't wait to share more with you about my new career path, and all of the benefits of this work. I’ll be inviting people to health consultations in the near future, to have the opportunity to support them to create happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. I’ll be in touch periodically to let you know how my training is progressing. I appreciate being able to share this with you. Please feel free to visit my Facebook page at facebook.com/everydaysage to get a preview of what I am up to!

I hope you are well and I wish you a great day! I look forward to talking with you soon. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions~


Big love,
Dani

Heartbreakthrough

The saga continues. It's been so interesting to see how people are dealing with it. Some are withdrawing, some are rooting down for the long haul; some are pissed, others beseeching--and then there's the occasional "OM OM OM LOVE AND LIGHT everything is fine!" sort of cheerleader voice thrown in. There are the folks who want the nitty gritty details, and others holding space for a bigger perspective; there are poets and jokesters and analysts but more than anything there is a sadness. There's just no other way to put it: this is a big bummer for everyone.


It's been just over two weeks since the you-know-what hit the fan and I am about tuckered out from the constant feed of news on the internetz. It's sick. I'm exhausted. I'm sick of hearing everyone and any one's opinions.

As much as it sucks, the more I think about it, the more it makes total sense. This is the year where everything is set to shift; the world as we know it is coming to an end. The end of this beginning is just another symptom of a greater cosmic unfurling. We are being cooked in the great pressure cooker of the universe, and shit is about to get real. Who'd have thought one of the first big shake ups of the year would be a complete crisis in the yoga community?If it weren't such a disappointing cliche, it might actually be really funny.


Government is breaking down, the health care system is in shambles, and access to education is rapidly diminishing; I can't find an apartment in the city to save my life so it looks like I'll be living with roommates until I'm 50, and I'm making less money/year than any year since I was 21. Old ways of being no longer serve and we are collectively feeling the great squeeze.


OF COURSE this top heavy, patriarchal, hierarchical, single white-man run organization is unsustainable. Of course the new paradigm will be a horizontal system run collectively and cooperatively. You can't preach riding the great shakti wave in every aspect of your life and then ignore her in how you run an entire global organization. Truly, I see this as what the universe is demanding-no longer asking, but DEMANDING-happen to not only all aforementioned systems, but also within each and every one of us.


Another reason I'm grateful for this drama is the light it's shed on a few dark corners of my own sadhana. There were aspects of the Anusara community that I no matter how I tried, I just couldn't relate to--now that this is happening, for the first time I realize I am not the only one who felt that way. For example, one of the tenets of the method is fostering community. This is an incredible part of studying Anusara--no matter where you go in the world, you will be met with open arms by similarly oriented folks. However, certain parts of it felt false to me--what I call the Anusara bandwagon. Sometimes all the "SHINE OUT" jargon felt like cheerleading which quite frankly is the last thing I needed. I kept waiting for something to click within me, like one day I'd wake up and feel different. One day I'd wake up and realize that new John Friend endorsed Manduka mat really would elevate my practice to a whole new level! (har, har)


So that's one thing. I feel a new freedom that I don't have to fit into a certain mold to gain acknowledgement (because, let's face it, I am not the cheerleading type and I'm rounder than most yoga teachers you see out there). For now, I am clear about what this is all about for me and in this moment, it's not about a license, or even a certificate. It's about following my heart and those teachers who speak directly to it. None of my teachers have resigned which I find interesting.


I heard a Baron Baptiste quote recently that went something like "When you squeeze and orange, juice comes out. When you are squeezed, what do you get?" This scandal is such fodder for the practice. It's a great opportunity to learn to make spiritual lemonade!


Love to all
<3

Bring a friend for free promo

Hey Everyone! I am lucky to be able to offer this promotion--for the entire month of February, bring a friend for free to my class: Friday nights @ 7:45. Much love...

Notes on a Scandal

On Friday, February third, two things happened that couldn't have possibly pulled my heart in two more opposite directions.

Ever since I started my novice yoga teaching career just shy of two years ago, I always said I wanted to give the practice back to communities who perhaps wouldn't have access to the teachings/public yoga classes. Friday afternoon saw me on the 49 bus up Van Ness for a meeting with case managers from La Casa De Las Madres, an organization that serves women victims of domestic violence. We are moving forward and I will teach one class per week to the residents at one of La Casa's centers. I start this Wednesday.

That same day, immediately before clocking out of my day job and hopping on the bus, I learned of a crisis in the Anusara community (for those of you who read this and don't know what that is, it is a method of yoga/spiritual practice that I have aligned my entire life with). I am not going to link to any information here as I do not wish to contribute to the online brou-haha, but suffice it to say, it rocked me to my core and I spent the weekend investigating my thoughts, feelings, and initial reaction to the news. In a nutshell, unsubstantiated allegations were made against the founder of Anusara, and it is rattling the community as we patiently wait for the truth to come to light.

The juxtaposition between the political drama of what in the West is an elite system (yoga) and spending an afternoon with women, most of whom are old enough to be my mother, who are at-risk homeless, living in single occupancy rooms without even a bathroom to themselves, effected me all the way down in my bones. My emotions ran the gamut between heartbreak, anger, disappointment, anxiousness, disgust, fear, annoyance, bewilderment, and uncertainty.

What a brilliant opportunity to practice.

In yoga, the first step is to remember the bigger picture; take a step back, breath fullness into the back of your body, listen, and allow for a little space. We practice this subtle attunement on our mats again and again, day after day, week after week, so that when challenges arise in our "real" life, we learn to respond in a conscious way instead of being held captive by habitual patterns of reaction. This doesn't happen overnight. I doubt there is anyone living for whom this level of presence is a permanent state! Think about it as a well-worn dirt road; regardless of your intention, it is really difficult at first to steer your wheels in a different way when they are so used to just grinding down the same old grooves. But with practice, it is possible to shape a new and distinct path.

If the moment, ahem, shit gets real, I bail on all practice and training and insight and growth I've been supposedly committed to for the past near-decade of my life, then what is the point? It is easy for me to default to the anger that used to so easily rage out of me, that for years now I have been training myself to channel into higher forms. I take this practice so seriously, and the hardest part for me is how with all the online back-and-forth, speculation, and full on vitriol, it is relegated to mere tabloid fodder. I am not over exaggerating or lying when I say yoga saved my life--my early twenties were spent throwing myself so fully into the void just like so many of the ones who came before me that I am grateful every day to be healthy and safe, and even better yet, happy. 

So I guess what I'm saying is practice more. The last thing I will do is claim to have all the answers; I am still young and have so many more experiences to come. All I know is it is on my mat that I feel the anchor that connects me, that connects all of us, to the source. It's the only place where that bigger perspective grows; tuning in to the universal, we are brought back down to earth.

Amen Hallelujah Namaste and a big dose of LOVE
x
See you on the mat, where the rubber literally meets the road (;

FOCUS 2012

Friends!

Here are my top three overarching goals/intentions/aims/foci for this great year of 2012, still so shrouded in mystery:

• Find a new home with my partner, Dave.
• Gain Anusara Inspired teaching certification, the next level of certification in the Anusara method.
• Create a lucrative career.

It is my aim to complete one action per day in service to each of these goals, even if that action is a simple prayer.

My practice goals for 2012

• feet flat on the floor in ado muka svanasana 
• drop backs
• full hanumanasana
• handstand (without the wall!)
• cannonball jumps into handstand
• hips over hands when leaping forward from ado muka svanasana to uttanasana
• full natarajasana
• full vasisthasana (both sides)
• pinchamayurasana (without the wall)
• Memorize the Anusara syllabi (the whole thing)
• LOVE MY BODY

These first few days of the new year have been soft and quiet. I have cut back on caffeine and haven't had a drop of alcohol...save that shot of tequila last Monday with Dave's dad. I am enjoying the clarity and focus that this time is providing, before the busyness of life takes center stage and my energy turns to projects, workshops, trainings, and hopefully a bit of travel.

I'd also like to send infinite blessings of gratitude to the endless support I receive every day. Thanks to those of you who read this blog! Oh, I guess that's another thing I'd love to fire up this year...

In service,

Dani

Fingers Crossed!

You guys! I just found out that Yoga Kula SF has some classes opening up!

Please keep your fingers crossed that they take me into consideration as a teacher there!

xoxoxoxoxo

First cold Friday in November...thoughts and wishes.

This is most certainly an incredible time to be alive.

I thought "hope" was what I felt when we elected Obama; this current is pouring forth from an entirely different wellspring.

I was 17 when the planes hit the two towers. A decade later, I feel my power returning.

Not just mine, all of ours, the collective. It's a cautious excitement, but an excitement nonetheless.

What joy to witness a movement that truly cuts through all ideological lines, you know? An evolution from the power center to the heart, a visible, upward moving connection.

The stakes are higher than they have ever been. And we are rising to the occasion.

I changed over to a credit union today. I was tempted to hop into H&M and peruse the fall merchandise, but I abstained; as alluring as those prices are I am committed to bolstering community with every action, this includes where I use mah monies.

The stakes feel higher inside too. No more lies. No more shirking responsibility. Most of all, no more excuses.

I am so tired of excuses.

May each moment be an opportunity to serve the highest. May we all have the courage to be nonviolent harbingers of TRUTH.

Tomorrow 11am I am assisting Katchie's class, then quick lunch, then will be heading down to march if anyone wants to join...

I'll leave you with this, it's been keeping me going all week, by the incomparable Martha Graham:

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open."

Sigue siguiendo

Things are trundling along. Seven people came to my Monday night class last week, a new record for me in that space so I am excited and humbled and working extra hard to make sure my classes are varied, fun, and challenging to the myriad of levels that are attending lately. The most exciting part is that the students are repeats; that is to say, it wasn't random that seven people showed up that night, I play a part in their presence at my class...suffice to say that I'm doing something right, and I'll be honest, after almost a year of barely one or two people showing up, it feels really good.


Next week is the one year anniversary of the first class I ever taught at Balance in Motion. Teaching yoga is absolutely 100% the opposite of what I imagined it would be during the year I was perpetually enrolled in various trainings and workshops, the year that I attended yoga classes at least five times/week, (even working at the studio to balance this passion--my biggest expense aside from rent), the year I was more-or-less sober and celibate, the year I (and here's where some yogi-speak comes in) remembered my essential nature, and finally stopped filling up the gaps with ridiculous, short-term flings, or searching for answers at the bottom of a pint. I had multiple dreams, vivid, realistic dreams of giving birth, my belly full and ripe; I'd wake up trembling, not so much from the actual details of the dream but from the fact that I knew in my heart I was giving birth to a new part of myself, a delicate, vulnerable part that I would have to hold close and nurture to fruition. It was an exciting time.

Cut to nearly exactly a year to the day later--I experienced some health issues that were quite the opposite of giving birth to something. I won't go into detail here because it's not the place but it was a sharp juxtaposition from my previous year of growth-in both cases, my internal landscape manifested itself physically. I was scared. I had forgotten, in my excitement, that for anything to truly blossom and flourish, old growth must be cut away to make room for the new. I learned that sometimes it feels liberating and expansive to let go of the old; other times, it sucks and I want to do whatever it takes to hold on to it, even after it's no longer useful. It's that old metaphor about the plant: if you don't transfer a plant every so often, it becomes root bound and dies. Same goes for us--my question is, why is the new pot so damn terrifying???


It is a difficult lesson to learn, and one I am still learning, every day. The yoga practice has illuminated the very aspects of myself that I used to run from. I don't know why I ever thought this would be easy! Because it's not, it's actually really fucking intense. That's why this practice works. It's uplifting in that it celebrates all the wonderful things that make you who you are; but it's also really hardcore sometimes to have this very honest mirror held constantly in front of you, and to STILL keep coming back day after day to your mat as a student, practicing, inquiring, listening. I know there is this stereotype of the always-blissed-out yogi, and while I have had moments like that, I've also had the opposite: moments where I feel like a dragon and all I want to do is spit fire at the instructor; or moments at home, where I roll out my mat only to do a couple poses before bursting into tears. I'm not going to tell you it's fun all the time, because that would be a lie, and I'm trying not to do that anymore...


Teaching yoga is an honor and a privilege. I am working on breathing into the growing pains, recognizing when I start to feel anxious about the new growth, and moving forward anyway. It's hard, but it's so worth it. See you on the mat! xoxox

Just what I needed to hear!

Look what the universe sent me this morning:

"I still don't get why people are so surprised that the turtle beat the rabbit over the long run.


Consistent effort, Dani, no matter how small, sparks magic, fills sails, butters bread, turns tides, instills faith, summons friends, improves health, burns calories, creates abundance, yields clarity, builds courage, spins planets, and rewrites destinies."

It's especially welcome as I FINALLY last night updated my yoga fliers and created/purchased updated business cards! It might sound small but it is something, I'm slightly embarrassed to report, I have been putting off for the past 10 months...maybe longer.

These little reminders are so tremendous--I don't know about all of you but I certainly, sometimes on a daily basis, feel like I'm banging my head against a wall. The bigger picture, the greater vision, is so clear, I just want to sink my teeth into it already: and then when I think about how far away I feel from the end result, I can't help but feel bogged down about the state of everything...(initiate thought pattern of doom).

And then I remember! That everything I do is one step closer to the greater vision, that there is no backsliding on the path, that I am doing the best I can, and there is plenty of room for me too, and my particular brand of passion and humor and desire. Sometimes all it takes to tune back into that remembrance is an anonymous email in my inbox on a bright Tuesday morning, on an early fall day, in the glorious city of San Francisco.

Thanks for reading, and remember, "...without you, space, time, and everywhere ever thought of would be far less."

Also, I find it excellent that the universe sounds decidedly like Tom Robbins....
LOVE

Happy Friday!

What's the good word this weekend? If any of y'all are interested, tomorrow morning I'll be at Katchie's 11 AM yoga class @ Yoga Kula, followed by lunch at Stable Cafe, hands down my favorite cafe in the city...

Want to join?

Wishing you all a sunshine filled weekend!

<3

Last night...

..... my teacher said something in class that hit me real good. She said many incredible things, as she is priestess/warrior/sage/yogini, but this one thing stood out in particular:

"By giving up thinking about how things should be, we can get present to how things actually are."

Simple, no? In that instance, she was referring specifically to asana, how, so often, as we are going through the physical motions in yoga class, we get so caught up in how we look: how our pose compares to the person next to us; how, jeez, I've been practicing this pose for years, why can't I just touch my toes/lift my leg higher/stretch my hamstrings et al a little farther; how, if I could just push my foot a little farther or suck my gut in a little more, I would be better... before we know it, we've gotten so caught up in "shoulding" ourselves that we've missed out on the pose completely.

I'm telling you, this blew my mind. I've heard this before but last night, it dug in a little more. Sometimes it's the seemingly simplest of teachings that hit the deepest.

I should all over myself all the damn time... and not just on my yoga mat.

I should have more money saved.

I should be working harder!

I shouldn't eat/drink/smoke/try/indulge/desire/trust/say that. I definitely shouldn't wear that...

I should feel more passion for my job.

I should already be farther along my path than where I am.

I should be more productive!

Sound familiar? The list could go on and on.

My teacher has this uncanny ability to speak to exactly what is going on in our lives--a little three second blurb in an hour and a half class has the ability to pierce right through the bullshit and hit me right where I need it most.

When we come to our mats at the beginning of our practice, but also as we initiate every pose, the first step is to soften simply to what is; open ourselves to the bigger picture, expand our perspective, and accept what is in front of us. Then, into that spaciousness, we organize our bodies in such a way that is optimal, regardless of body type, past injury, pain, and so on. Closing our eyes, breathing deeply, maybe the deepest you've ever breathed before, we drop out of our busy brains and into our bodies, and it is in this sweet spot that yoga occurs.

What I'm trying to say is that we already put enough pressure on ourselves in this foot-always-on-the-gas-pedal culture of ours; yoga doesn't have to be yet another masochistic activity we cram ourselves through. We practice getting present to and creating space around the physical postures during yoga class in the hopes that one day, that presence will trickle over into our "real lives." Once this starts to happen, our experience of life starts to shift, and we create space there too- around our relationships, in our careers, with our creative ideas and projects, and our daily interactions start to flow from this place of space, and we are no longer living at the mercy of habitual patterns and reactions.

What I'm trying to say is, be kinder. Yes, to everyone around you, but first, to your sweet sweet self. Our time is so valuable--don't waste it spending time with the should monster. Enjoy the people in your life-really take time to sit down and listen to them. Go for walks. Touch the things around you. Lay down in the grass. Move your body!

I'm excited to have this little teaching be my guiding light for the next cycle; my practice is going to be, when I catch my self "shoulding," I'm going to stop whatever I'm doing and take 10 long, deep, soulful breaths. I would love for you to join me.

And for you cynics, another nice side effect of the practice is long, leaner muscles, and a stronger core from the inside out. But don't take it from me, try it yourself!

Where do you should yourself? What other practices do you take to ground or return to the present?