11.29.2009

Concerts

Going to a concert allows you to explore the world through music. You may hear it or feel it or dance it out, but you are absorbing the atmosphere in a group, hopefully with friends and kindred spirits near. Tonight I saw the Cranberries downton at the Midland and was taken back to a long time ago, when I first bought a tape (wow) by them, probably about 1993. I loved their sound and equally importantly the lyrics that discuss family, war, pain, and peace. Dolores O'Riordan has recently released a new solo album, The music continues to move me, I hope you can find that which moves you in life, it makes mine feel so much more worthwhile. She told us the song below is about those that carry us through the tough times in life. She's recently had 4 children, so perhaps a few difficult moments. What a blessing friends are! I consider her my friend :)

Namaste,
Kat

The Journey (lyrics) by Dolores O'Riordan on No Baggage (2009)

When I was lost
I saw you pointing towards the sun
I know I am not the only one standing here
And in the darkness I was walking through the night
I could see your guiding light, very clear

This is your life
This is your moment
This is your life
This is your moment

When I was weak we both went walking on the sand
We were walking hand in hand it appeared
One set our footprints when you carried me along
It was then that I abandoned my fears

This is your life
This is your moment
This is your life
This is your moment

This is your life
This is your moment
This is your life
This is your moment

This is your moment
This is your life
Your life
This is your time

11.25.2009

Thankful Yoga Class for a Family

Thankful Yoga will meet Sunday at 3pm @ BFF in Prairie Village at our regular location. This is FREE class, however, if you would like to donate towards our family in need, any amount or item is welcome and all of it will go towards the family listed below. There are six children and they live in Kansas City, KS. I was able to "adopt" them through my school district.

2 months old boy.... size 6-9 months. Needs a baby bouncer, diapers size 2, gift card to Walmart

4 yr. old boy - wears 4T shirt, 5T pants - likes drawing/coloring materials

7 yr old girl - wears 12/14 girls top and bottom - likes Hanna Montana, Twin comforter, playing cards

10 yr old girl - wears size 7 girls - likes high school musical, twin comforter, playing cards

16 yr boy - Lg. mens shirt, 32/22 - pants - MP3 player or IPod, headphones

11 yr. old boy - med. boys shirt, 8 boys pant size .,...Bakagon balls, remote control car


Hope to see you Sunday, let me know if you can make it! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Kat

11.22.2009

Let us Give Thanks!

This weekend I attended the memorial service of a dear friend from college that passed away recently. He beat cancer as a teen, and it returned at 30. If I could sum his amazing life-loving attitude up in one phrase, it would be one that the priest shared on Saturday, "Live it out!". Sunday I went to the UU church service with my mom and the Minister shared the story below, an excerpt from a New York Times article by Susan Schnur. To read the full article, click the title above.


"Once, many years ago, sleeping on the sofa bed in the living room of my boyfriend's parents' house in Teaneck, N.J., I witnessed a performance of gratitude the likes of which I have never seen elsewhere.

It was the middle of the night - I was up with my own back pain - when the light flashed on in the upstairs hall and Jon's father came padding down into the room. Oblivious of me, he went into the kitchen, cut himself a slab of rye bread with a butcher knife, then stood with it in the dining room under the street shadows.

''Chleb,'' he said finally, thrusting the bread into the air. ''Broit'' - he held the bread against his pajama pocket. ''Pane'' - he shook it. ''Lechem'' - kissed it. ''Bread'' - took a bite.

This he did over and over, saying the word in more languages than I could imagine existed -thrusting, hugging, shaking, kissing, biting, exclaiming - until he stood in the room empty-fisted. Then he burped roomily and went back up the stairs to bed.

I think of that night a lot, especially when I am up myself at 3 A.M. It seems almost premonitory. I think: What did I know about this man? That he loved his wife, yes. His children. That he checked on his kids too often in their rooms; changed the oil in his car every thousand miles; kept unnecessary dry goods in his basement. His family used to laugh at him.

He seemed sometimes, on an ordinary morning, almost stunned by the fierceness of his happiness. He was, it now seems clear to me, exhausted by his blessings; in a sense, afraid of them.

He was a Holocaust survivor, Jonny's dad."


As we gather with friends and family this week, let's allow ourselves to release the past and pain and embrace the true richness of the present moment.

With thanks,
Kat

11.17.2009

i *heart* yoga

Click the title above to read how recent research shows meditation may be wonderful complement to medication! See how heart health increases with meditation practice, blood pressure down, other benefits too! Cheers to savasana, healthy mind, healthy body.

One heart,

Kat

11.14.2009

Artists Helping the Homeless - Click here to see more!

In case you have not heard, KC is moving up in the yoga world! Check out this link to an annual event that helps homeless people and involves yoga! I have been reading a lot about yoga recently, and want to continue to get involved in more that just the physical practice of yoga, I hope to teach a part of the class at this event next year, we'll see if I can obtain my RYT by then! In The Heart of Yoga by T.K.V. Desikachar he writes some words of wisdom for us.

"However beautifully we carry out an asana, however flexible our body may be, if we do not achieve the integration of body, breath, and mind, we can hardly claim that what we are doing is yoga...In yoga we are not creating something for others to look at. As we perform the various asanas we observe what we are doing and how we are doing it. We do it only for ourselves. We are both the observer and what is observed at the same time."

He is a beautiful writer and person. I enjoyed this description of how we must focus on our own perspective, both on the mat, and in the world!

Warmth to you,
Kat

11.11.2009

Fruits of my Labor

Isn't it so easy to come up with an excuse as we end our day and head home from work? I'm tired, I'm hungry, so we skip the gym and grab some unhealthy food choice. What brings us to this victim state? At the end of the day, can we admit it? Ourselves. We might not know how to take that moment to sit and clear the mind before we turn reactive instead of proactive. It is immensely difficult but if we open the channel that contains love of self, it gets easier. Open this energy within yourself. Breath in health and let it wash over. If you can't get out to run or to pump those weights, or even to a yoga class, throw your mat down in your house, flick on your favorite beats, and your own body becomes not only the method to still any brain chatter, but indeed the weight to strengthen muscles, and the force to ground us.

If you want, test out chair flow with forward folds alternating for 3 minutes with deep satiating breaths, cow/cat for 2 minutes, and 5 minutes of gentle sun salutations. Consider trying it on once and see if it fits.

Here we can sweep up and expel tension, sweat out the woes of the day and whoever pushed our buttons, and find a nice clean cut between the day, and your very own evening, possibly full of gratitude for this fascinating life. Enjoy! You have earned it, you are amazing!

Light be with you...

Kat

11.05.2009

November Yoga Audio Class Link - Click here to listen!

Hello everyone!

I'm continuing to progress with the process of creating audio yoga classes! You can access the November 3rd class by clicking on the title above. Sounds quality is okay, I'm still exploring some options and positioning of music and microphone. In the future, I will make these classes available for a 5 dollar contribution for time and effort. For now, here is another free class for you to enjoy. I welcome feedback, I think it's a little hard to hear at first but gets more clear pretty quickly. Also, the end is left open for whatever length of time you wish to enjoy savasana!

Peace and love,
Kat

11.01.2009

November Poem

As we once more connect ourselves to the present moment, let us consider the beautiful Sunday that lies before us. Here is a poem to capture it's magic.


"How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow."
- Elsie N. Brady, Leaves

In case you might be curious the flowers pictured at the top of the blog are from a lovely amaryllis that my mom gave me a few years ago. It is now sitting in the garage, letting go for a while until the cherry red flowers shoot up like stars once more!

Namaste,
Kat

Springtime

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