Ohm Report - 2

I have one word for you: Ayurveda. This ancient health care system is completely rocking my world. I am veraciously reading everything I can get my hands on and every single page I turn brings a deeper sense of peace, gratitude and understanding of Self.

Here is a link to take a quick quiz to see which dosha you are.

I have a spiritual guide that I see every week, and she once said to me, "When a pilot is flying a plane, and she is navigating her way at night, she looks at a computer screen. That small screen might give her a good glimpse of the information she needs, but the sky and the Universe is so much more expansive than what she has access to see. In life, we often limit ourselves to thinking our options are only what we can see. When we open to receiving, we begin to realize there are things we never even considered that have been waiting for us all along."

When I dedicated six months to the practice of yoga, I had a picture in my head, a screen, of what was going to unfold before me. As I move deeper and deeper into my practice I am starting to experience that huge expansive sky of possibilities, and I am deeply humbled and completely grateful.

Also, here is a picture that I captured of Lily yesterday. She had just woken up from her nap and started telling me the most incredible story about her dreams. She always makes the awesomest expressions.

I don't think the technical light/shadow ratio is perfect, or any of the technical stuff really, but sometimes photography, for me, has nothing to do with the brain- sometimes it's just about capturing what is, exactly how it is, and keeping it close by forever.

Namaste.

 

 

Right Here

We had grand plans. RVs and road maps and tourist traps and the bigest ball of yarn in the world. There were reservations all made, and suitcases packed, and new bathing suits (for the beach on Christmas day of course) with tags just clipped. And then, just a few days before departure, we looked at each other and we were like, "No."

This past year has been complete mayhem. The number of weddings we shot (15 in September alone) had us zooming around nonstop. Each weekend it was a different state, or two or three, and we missed our children and we missed each other and we missed hanging out in our pajamas until 3:00pm.

So we decided that, no, a huge trip was not what we really wanted. What we wanted, and so desperately needed, was three weeks of absolutely nothing. No plans. No to-do lists. No money spending. No running around. Just three weeks of nothing.

I know you already know where this is going.

Those three weeks of nothing turned into three weeks of everything.

Not all days were filled with rainbows and unicorns. Honestly, some days all I felt like doing was crying. Like straight up, from the bottom of my guts, sobbing. But it was precisely what I needed. I needed the space and time to feel, to heal, to just be human and eat pancakes for dinner, and learn to french braid Lily's hair and play board games with Braedon. We all needed this time to just be. Together. Home.

Thomas is getting ready to go back to work in a few days and he asked me tonight, "Do you think we did enough during my vacation? Do you think we should have traveled?"

I hugged him so super tight and assured him, "This has been the best three weeks ever."

I thought my big dream was to travel the country. To go, go, go and chase the warm sunshine coast to coast. To my surprise, I found the sunshine after all.

Right. Here.

(Totally not professional- but I love everything about it- instagram picture from today- by Thomas Gardella)

 

 

Ohm Report - Week 1

I am determined to learn new ways of coping with stress and finding self-love and bliss. Yup. There. I said it. As part of some major life shifts I'm making, a week ago I made a commitment: I joined a yoga studio and challenged myself to go to one class, every day, for a full month (with one day off per week).

Right now it isn't so blissful. My hamstrings hurt with every single step I take, my upper back is tweaking out from so much good posture, and most days I have to practically drag myself by my hair to show up and roll out my mat.

I guess when I signed up, I thought it would be a light-switch. I thought I'd show up on day one and be bathed in golden light and instantly be blessed with infinite flexibility and core strength. You know what I was instantly blessed with? $80 leggings from Lulu Lemon that just after cutting the tag I realized are way too big on me. Yup. Nothing says bliss like over-priced yoga pants, baggy in all the wrong places, right?

But here's the thing: I made this commitment and I am determined to see it through. And for all the awkwardness that this new adventure has delivered, there have been incredible moments peppered here and there. Moments where I could cry with how beautiful and graceful it all is.

As week 1 comes to a close, I can report that I cannot touch the floor in forward fold, I cannot sit on my fanny with my legs out straight, and I cannot lie in shavasana for more than two minutes  (seconds!) without my to-do list creeping in. BUT  there are some pretty amazing gifts I've unwrapped as well.

I have fallen in love with my lungs, my heart and my ujjayi breath. I am getting better at carving out an hour a day to be kid-free and just focus on myself without feeling completely crushed by guilt. AND I sleep for at least 9 hours every single night. Which is like, WOAH.

I'm not really sure why I am sharing this on here except to say that in my experience, new habits feel kind of not awesome at first. Change is not always a graceful swan dive into crystal clear blue waters. In my case, with this whole yoga thing, it's a total sideways, forgot to plug my nose, belly flop. But I'm still showing up and I'm still carrying a heart filled  to the brim with hope. Flashbacks to saggy-elephant-ankle-tights-in-third-grade and all.

Namaste.