Wishing you New Year Goodness! Every year the Chinese culture, all around the world, celebrates this time of year with good luck rites, house cleaning, family feasts, and fireworks. The next few weeks are set aside as a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as ancestors. Unlike our western Gregorian calendar, the Chinese calendar runs in accordance with lunar-solar observations; therefore, the date for the new year changes from year to year. This year, it starts on January 28th. Celebrations will occur the day before and continue until the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the new year. According to tradition, people must stay up late on New Year’s Eve to welcome the New Year, and then to let off fireworks to scare off ominous spirits and Nian, the New Year dragon monster. Chinese are careful of their actions on these two days as they will prophecy their upcoming year. In the first five days of the New Year, people eat long noodles to symbolize long life. On the 15th and final day of the New Year, round dumplings shaped like the full moon are shared as a sign of the family unit and of perfection (History.com). One legend states that hanging your hopes for the coming year on a Wishing Tree (synonymous with good luck and fortune) will encourage your dreams to come true. Further, some Chinese people refrain from regular routines such as hair and laundry washing in honor of the water god, celebrated on these days.  Chinese New Year Mini-Parade 2013 Chinatown San Francisco California
Photo Credit: You Tube
2 Comments
“If money were an object, what would it be for you?” My sister and life coach, Rebekah Anderson, asked me this question one day while hiking last summer. Immediately, an image of a bedazzled elephant came to mind. I hesitated and tried to think of something that would make more sense before I said it aloud, but the elephant was all that I could see. Over the holiday season, many of my friends and family told me that they would love to buy some of my new yoga leggings, but they want to lose weight first. After hearing this repeatedly so many times, I had to stop and think about it. It’s quite ironic actually… Yoga leggings are meant to be worn in during the PROCESS of CARING for our bodies, WHILE we DO yoga, hike, jog, go to the gym, etc. I mean, yes, my designs are really fun to show off, but they are also great for motivation to take care of your body. It’s exciting to slip on a pair of these and feel comfortable with yourself. You can always buy a smaller pair later and donate your first pair! For those who like a low waist and a thick band, you can choose this option for your body now. However, if you prefer a high waist pant, I have an option for you as well. Just choose from the pull-down menu. These fabulous leggings were featured on Studio40 Live in Sacramento, on January 4, 2017.  As we approach the end of 2016, this is a great time for reflection. What are the highlights of your year in 2016? Did you meet your goals? What surprises were you greeted with? What struggles did you overcome?  “O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! Thy leaves are so unchanging! O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! Such pleasure do you bring me… Each shining light each silver bell No other light spreads cheer so well… A symbol of good will and love You'll ever be unchanging… “  Photo credit: House Beautiful
"Only those who know how to breathe will survive." What if I told you that you have the power to heat your body to withstand temperatures of negative degrees Fahrenheit by simply using breathing techniques?
Within the last decade, one individual has broken numerous world records involving:
Through these breathing exercises, he is able to turn his own thermostat up as well as produce ample benefits including reduced stress levels, more energy and improved immune response to swiftly deal with pathogens. Now he is training groups of people all over the world through heightening oxygen levels. Oxygen is, by far, the most vital component humans need to live. We can go weeks without food, days without water, but only a few minutes without air. Do you ever think about how yoga and art are related? Thousands of years ago, a yoga philosopher named Pantajali created a framework called the 8 Limbs of Yoga. These limbs are guidelines for us to understand the yoga lifestyle of union.  The 6th limb is called, Dharana, meaning to focus on one object, concept, or sound. We can practice this concept on or off our yoga mat. This concentration method is often used in sitting meditation practices as we focus on a sound of a singing bowl, repeat a mantra, gaze at the flicker of a candle, or color a mandala.  I plunge my spoon into the glistening vanilla chocolate swirl, being careful to catch a drop of whipped cream as I lift it up to my lips. Oh, the bliss! My taste buds dance throughout my mouth. I go in for another, then another. Suddenly its gone. My 18 euro elegant ice cream sundae disappeared in minutes. I want more… but do I need more?   With the time change last week, the nights have grown longer and the moon energy has risen stronger. How does this change affect you? My students were asking me about my Sunset Yoga on the Bay class. I’ve spent the last eight months building this lovely community and outdoor class from 6-7pm on Thursdays. They were wondering if I was going to cancel the class when it got dark. The question sparked a tinge of anxiety within me. Many of my students can’t come any earlier because of their work schedule and the commute. I certainly didn’t want to lose this group and this experience, but I knew that as a yogi, I needed to be open to change and the flow of time. Please click on the button below to finish reading the article... (I was featured as a guest blogger on BeYogi.com). After all of this reflection, I decided to keep the time of my weekly yoga class the same, but change the style of the class to a Moonlight Meditative Flow, adding some flickering orange-colored solar-charged tiki torches and tealights for extra effect. The reflections of the water of the bay remind us to focus on our cooling flowing breaths. The orange color of the second chakra is the color of new beginnings and balance! Slip on these Moon Salutation Yoga Leggings to remind you to do yoga afterwork! Also, check out my Moon Salutations 10-Minute Video for FREE!  To welcome the time change, I've created this Very Special FREE Gift just for you! Flow through 10 Minutes of Moon Salutations after work to relieve your stress and achiness! With beautiful music and a gentle voice, I guide you through alignment, breath-work, and flow to help you feel rejuvenated and balanced. Sign up with your email to receive this FREE gift and much more!! This is a brief previewFangs, scales, or tentacles? Have you fashioned a monster? From snake-like, dragon-like, bird-like, or octopus-like, humankind has been creating monsters across cultures and time. Ironically, a fear of certain creatures and the unknown is shared on all continents. On the other hand, one of the important characteristics of historical heroes across cultures is being fearless in the face of big and often lethal enemies. This story and message has been told time after time throughout the human experience.
 Many cultures around the world take a day or few to acknowledge the reality of death. Many people believe that you will always live on as long as someone in the living world remembers you.
Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a happy day about celebrating a deceased loved one or ones and remembering them by making bread of the dead, their favorite foods and playing their favorite music. People build altars, ofrendas, in their homes or at the graves and fill them with their deceased loved ones’ favorite things, tissue paper decorations, and sugar skulls.  What are you going to be for Halloween?
This week, I challenge you to consider the following concepts as they relate to yoga and costumes. 1. You Always Have Choices In a yoga class, we have options. We can stay in Downward Facing Dog, or come down to Child’s Pose if we need to rest. We can lower through Charturanga with our knees up or down. Further, we can reach our arms all the way up to the sky or bring our arms into Cactus if we have tight shoulders in tree or High Lunge. These choices help us to stay present and aware of our bodies. We want to find a place of tension and ease in each pose. We want to challenge ourselves to build a little sweat and see what we are capable of, yet also listen carefully to our body and not lead ourselves to sharp pain or injury. Swami Rama teaches, “You are the architect of your spiritual life. Be brave. The brave alone enjoy the world.” I think she’s down for her afternoon nap. She’s not in any of her usual places, the bed, table, dining chairs, bathroom rug, kitchen tiles. She must be deep in the dark depths of the closet where it is cool and quiet. Yes!!! I’ll get to practice alone this time! I pull out my yoga mat and press play on my Spotify Playlist. As I adjust myself into Virasana and close my eyes, I bring attention to my breath. Then I flicker my eyes open and Boom! There she is sprawling out on my notes in front of me. She just couldn’t resist an opportunity to do yoga with me. Okay, I compromise, let’s do a seated forward fold together.  Preparing to visit Rome in January of 2010, I was flipping through the Italy Guidebook. Suddenly, my gaze was halted as I noticed an image of a foot statue in a sandal, resting on a pedestal. This looks strangely familiar, I thought. I remembered an episode of LOST, that I had recently watched, in which the characters came across a similar statue on the mysterious island with an enormous foot, in a sandal, resting on a pedestal. The creators of LOST must have been inspired by this mysterious piece of art history.  We all have one.  Have you ever noticed what happens to your body and mind when you watch a violent or scary movie?
It’s that time of year again! The air is cooling, energy is shifting and I find myself nesting. I’ve suddenly had the urge to cleanse my space, not just deep clean, but completely re-organize my office area, bathroom, and the daunting task of my walk-in closet! I was quickly able to donate 5 bags of clothing that I’ve been clinging on to for years, as well as donate art supplies to school teachers. Oftentimes, we have to actively step away or “burn” our past habits and stuff so that we can make space for new growth. In this area, we build heat to gain the power of “I can.” A strong third chakra reflects the ability to move forward in life with confidence and power. Therefore, we must keep our core in balance by making conscious choices to choose and to act.   Are you an aspirational yogi? Do you notice the wonderful benefits that yoga has on those around you, but you are hesitant to get started because you think that yoga is only for flexible people?
Maybe you think you’re too restless for yoga and you don’t have the patience to sit still. According to Yoga Journal, “of current non-yogis, 34% of Americans say they are at least somewhat likely to practice yoga in the next 12 months, representing more than 80 million Americans that call themselves ‘aspirational yogis,’ people who are interested in trying yoga.”  As I was walking out of Yoga One studio on a lovely July day in San Diego, a posted flyer caught my eye. “Summer Challenge- Complete 20 classes in 30 days- Ends August 30th.” At first I thought, “Oh, another one of those trendy challenges.” I’m not usually one to go for public challenges just because a business tells me to. Instead, I prefer to set my own goals and beat to the rhythm of my own drum. I tried to dismiss the thought, but a little voice inside of me nudged me to think a little deeper about this concept.  Green is the color of the sphere of energy that is our Heart Chakra. Our Anahata, heart chakra, is associated with breathing, lungs, and the circulatory system, just as green plants produce the oxygen that we breathe they also aid in making our blood and heart healthy. As the fourth and center of seven chakras, our Anahata unites and integrates the upper and lower chakras and is considered to be our center of equilibrium. It is associated with compassion and deep caring for others. Oftentimes, a vegetarian or vegan diet is associated with this chakra center as well. Individuals who choose a lifestyle full of vegetables and greens are said to be more sensitive and caring.
Dodging shouting street venders and colorful crowded markets in this chaotic neighborhood, my sister, Naomi, and I slid into a shop on Canal Street filled with purses. Naomi’s primary goal for this excursion to Chinatown in Manhattan was to find a knockoff Louis Vuitton book bag for school. I never cared much for name brands but I do like to see new places, people, and experiences. Chinatown NYC is one of the first ethnic neighborhoods in the US, located in Lower Manhattan, New York City. We heard that there are plenty of good deals to be had. I looked up and around the room. Purses, scarves, fake jewelry, and other trinket souvenirs filled every inch of wall space. One of the salesmen approached my sister to see if he could help her find anything in particular. She explained that she came here specifically for an LV bag.   I’ve always had a thing for trees. I’m especially drawn to palm trees. I find gratitude every day in the luxurious view of a Royal Palm blowing in the breeze just outside the bay window of my studio apartment. I feel like a queen with this unique form gracing me with it's presence. As I look to the right, I enjoy an even denser view of more trees in the beautiful Balboa Park. Disclaimer: I’m writing this blog post in effort to think through my own relationship with wine. I understand that there are readers on both ends of the spectrum- People who believe that Yogis Don’t Drink Alcohol and others who create Yoga and Wine Workshops. Please be open to my commentary and do not judge my vulnerability here nor take offense to any of my observations.
 Sarvabhauma is the sanskrit word for universal culture because yoga was meant for the whole of humanity.  Photo Credit: Notable.ca The word “yoga”, in Indian sanskrit, has many meanings, most of which relate to “joining” or “uniting.”
Yoga starts with individual growth, and from there, society and community develop. B.K.S. Iyengar states in The Tree of Yoga, “If a hundred people are practicing yoga and can be seen to be healthy, then others will begin to ask what they are doing. In this way the numbers are increased and soon there will be another hundred, or two or three hundred.” |
Hannah Faulkner
|
RSS Feed