have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend!

Not sure what you'll be doing the rest of the week in this glorious city of ours, but it promises to be lovely, sun-shiny and fabulous! I'll be under the sails at the Convention Centre learning lot's at the Yoga Conference.

You can still print off free admission tickets here

Have fun whatever you get up to!

Please don't forget...

There's no yoga with me this Thursday due to the Yoga Conference!

(That means no baby & me yoga, no prenatal yoga and no mixed levels classes).

I'll see ya the following week♥

The Barefoot Professor: by Nature Video

I know a great many runners and have a huge number who frequent my classes. I prefer to walk (and walk and walk..I love my walks)! Anyways running, walking, hiking, surfing, whatever keeps us active is marvelous. I imagine that like me, you have read all the many studies and articles coming out on on running and footwear. If you are a runner it is worth thinking about. Wanted to share this video as it is great. I found it on Leslie Kaminoff's blog.

Success isn't happiness. Happiness is success.

How to work out at home :)

LOL! This so funny. A friend on Facebook posted this and it's too cute not to share. Very important to remember..."Lift with your thyroid". Also some important tips for what to do if your weight is complaining or giggling. hahaha...(p.s. picking up baby by the onesie is not a good idea in real life whether they're giggling or not)

The people have spoken! Again!

The Roundhouse Arts and Recreation Centre and Mt.Pleasant Community Centre have taken the number 1 and number 2 spots for the "Best Community Centre's in Vancouver" in the Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver 2010 readers choice awards. No surprise to me whatsoever! We are blessed to have many fabulous Community Centre's in this beautiful city of ours (and more sprouting up all the time), but I certainly have a soft spot for the winners. Both of them. I love the staff, the instructors, the programs and of course all the beautiful participants, friends and yoga students I have met over the years. Even if you don't live in either neighborhood, I cannot recommend enough taking a trip to check out these fabulous places. Both are very cool and different from one another.

The Roundhouse is steeped in history and is absolutely stunning. It has the Engine 374 Pavilion and is brimming with cultural events, theatre, dance...it truly is spectacular and worth checking out.

Mt.Pleasant is brand spankin' new. We moved from the old location less than a year ago now and the place is very impressive...It's huge and has a gym, a climbing wall, a fitness centre, outdoor space, a cafe...and it also has a VPL library on site and a child development centre upstairs.

The Roundhouse also picked up the "Best Yoga Downtown" award through the Vancouver Courier "Stars of Vancouver 2010" readers choice awards.

And they both have yoga with me!!

There is something for everyone at both places whether yoga tickles your fancy or not...so come check us out!!!

Just want to give a shout out the dads who have been coming to baby yoga lately

It takes a real man to come to baby and me yoga and I've been pleased to see a few lately at both Mt.Pleasant and The Roundhouse. It's yoga, and dad's need yoga too. There have been a few regulars over the years but not too many. Just wanted to make a little post to tell you how cool you are dads. I love my momma's but I love my baby daddies too! Feel free. I know that you will always be few and far between at baby yoga but know that you are more than welcome anytime.

Over the years I have had parents who have occasionally traded off with their partners as well. That is A OK. As long as there is room everyone is welcome. I have had grandparents, nannies, friends and aunties at baby yoga, and yes you are all welcome in my classes. There is simply not enough out there for the lovely men in our lives baby program-wise in my opinion. My baby and me programs are just that. Baby & me. Not strictly mom & baby and they never were. Just wanted to throw it out there. Namaste xo

Body Worlds

We all have one and we all hope it's going to last, remain disease and pain free (and looking half decent for as long as possible, let's be honest here)! If you have an interest in your body, aren't squeamish, have a fascination with the human body and would like to see what lies beneath your skin, I can not recommend enough taking advantage of this incredible one of a kind exhibit.

I have been looking forward to it's return for months!

It's Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds.

It's back and is as magnificent as ever I am sure!

It's an Anatomical Exhibition of real human bodies. Personally I love it. It isn't gory. It is simply real (and very tasteful I might add).

This year it is Body Worlds-and the brain. Sunday's the big day for me. I bought my tickets weeks ago and will be dragging my partner back there again this year haha...

(just kidding he thinks it's cool too)

The exhibit is at Science World. For more info or to purchase tickets click here

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Namaste xo

Came across a wish tree today...

People in my neighborhood made a "wish tree". It was a pleasant sight to see. Many of the wishes were for more trees. People wished for health and happiness for loved ones, and someone even wished to become a grandparent. Looking at the wishes made me happy, and I couldn't help but make a wish that the wishes of all who posted their wishes, came true.

Have you ever felt this way? I hope you do.

One beautiful June afternoon, as I stood on my ladder, I was overcome with a feeling of what I can only describe as profound and utter well-being. For no apparent reason, I dropped through some unexpected crack in my ordinary mode of consciousness into a state of "time out of time". The most mundane moments were infused with the deepest sense of satisfaction. The enhancing perfume of the iris at my feet; the steady hum of farm machinery in the distant field; the cat curled up in the sun, watching; even the rich oil smell of the paint.

it all seemed so completely right. I was utterly OK.

-Stephen Cope

The time of the autumn equinox is here

Technically it is still summer in these parts until tomorrow but I'd like to wish you all a really glorious fall. The leaves here in Vancouver are only just beginning to change, but the smell of fall in the air is undeniable. In fall and winter yin energy is at it's highest. The sun is rising later now and nightfall is coming sooner than expected. Our days and nights are closer in length, and south of the equator spring is just beginning. Whatever fall is conjuring up for you I hope it's lovely, inspiring, healthy, safe and very happy.

Free Admission to the Yoga Conference Oct 1-3-Convention Centre

Free Admission to the Yoga Conference/Show!

Just print 'em off ;) **Click here

I have been trying to get as many passes as I can to my students but if you want more you can now just print them off! Yay!

Let's spread the good word of yoga!

I'll see ya there!

Namaste♥

Steve Jobs: How to live before you die

At his Stanford University commencement speech, Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple and Pixar, urges us to pursue our dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks -- including death itself.

Letting go of the false self.

Most of our energy ges into upholding our importance. If we were capable of losing some of that importance, two extraordinary things would happen to us. One, we would free our energy from trying to maintain the illusory idea of our grandeur; and two, we would provide ourselves with enough energy to catch a glimpse of the actual grandeur of the universe.

Carlos Castaneda

Asana practice has been a wonderful through line for me because it's a way of embodying that work with attention, a way of spreading attention throughout the whole of the system, and a way of reflecting the perennial nature of life. You arrive back at the mat day in and day out, and yet you're not the same person you were the last time you were on the mat. Millions of cells have come and gone, different food has been metabolized on all different levels, whether it's food of thought, food of emotions, food of light and energy, food of relationships, food of organic substances. So there is all this different play in consciousness occurring each time we practice. And then there is the beautiful metaphor of it, training one's consciousness to absorb multiple lifetimes within this lifetime.

David Kennedy

CBC News - British Columbia - VIDEO: Parents should save receipts for children's tax credits

CBC News - British Columbia - VIDEO: Parents should save receipts for children's tax credits

Not really one to post news stories to my blog but this news is worth sharing (click the blue link above). If you have children and live in this "very costly city" I hope you are getting all of your child tax deductions (which include the parents of the children who come to my kid's yoga classes too I am sure)! This video is a reminder and was just posted today on our CBC.

My mailman brought 'em today!

Stacks of FREE admission passes to the Yoga Conference!

I will have them on my person and will be giving them out to students and to other teachers to give to their students. If you want some get in touch, find me, or come and pick them up.

Good times abound at the Yoga Conference! If you are into yoga, you do not want to miss the Conference.

Oct 1-3 @ The Vancouver Convention Centre

For more info click this link www.theyogaconference.com

community and garden are two really beautiful words.

Not really sure how, but my (neglected) garden plot still manages to put food on our table. I haven't been around the garden much the past few months but hey...it happens to all of us. That thing called life! Now that summer is winding down I will be making the garden much more of a priority again. Luckily for us here in BC we can garden all year long and grow much of our own food. Here are a few pics of the garden this morning. Every garden is just such a heavenly place to be. In spite of my neglect I've still got lettuce, potatos, beets, peppers, squash, basil, cilantro, thyme, parsley, chives, pumpkins, rosemary, onion...I can't even think of what else right now. Soon I will also have eggplant, and hopefully a few carrots. I am looking forward to growing garlic this year as well. Hope I don't miss the boat again on the planting of the garlic again! Really can't recommend enough, growing your own food. It is truly something I wish I started doing long ago for countless reasons.

what will be our jack-o lanterns!

“As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery… we have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion, while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility are the sources of peace and happiness.”
~ Dalai Lama

update on classes ♥

** Mount Pleasant Update* Baby & Me Yoga is full but there is still space to drop in!

**There is Just one spot left in Wednesday evening's Prenatal yoga. This class WILL have a waiting list come Wednesday so if you were thinking of registering I would get on it asap.

All other classes at both Mount Pleasant and The Roundhouse are still accepting registrations! Looking forward to seeing my old friends and meeting many other new ones this week! Yay!

Namaste & Cheers to what's going to be an amazing, blissful, chill, healthful & happy fall ♥

This doesn't look like the most appetizing thing in the world here I know, but it's my favourite way to enjoy kale.

Last year I had such an abundance of it in my garden that I had to get creative in finding ways to get it in me and this is by far, my favourite way.

Kale chips. My boyfriend isn't a fan (and I'd be lying if I said that they tasted better than potato chips haha), but they are delicious as far as I am concerned, majorly healthful, and perfect for that crunchy salty craving. I made these last night and they seriously take 15-20 minutes. There are many variations for the recipe but I keep it simple. I just wash and dry the the kale (certified organic or from your garden preferably), break pieces off the stems (bite size), turn the oven on to 300 and lightly toss the kale in olive oil (extra virgin/cold pressed if possible). Personally I spray a very light coating on. I sprinkle with sea salt, bake, and minutes later voila! I start crunching away!

It is important however to keep a close eye on them, turning them every ten minutes, as they burn easily. I don't overload the pan either. I like them crispy like chips so I don't crowd the pan. Dark leafy greens have more nutrition per calorie than any other food source and with cold and flu season coming it's good to up the nutrition quotient any way we can! bon apetit and namaste.

Rumi.

Burdens are the foundations of ease and bitter things the forerunners of pleasure~Rumi

One of the truest quotes I know. In my life anyways. Burdens really are the foreunners of pleasure, for without the burdens, the pleasures of life wouldn't be nearly so sweet...

Thoughts On My Bike

On this Saturday morning I can't believe I have already made tonight's dinner, been to my community garden plot and gone for a bike ride, and it isn't even 10 o'clock yet. I'm an early riser and this morning especially so. I like it though. I do it on purpose. It's the only way I can think of to add hours to my day, and make my days and life, a little longer...

I'm weird I know. But it is absolutely true. Thats how I live.

Heres another video by Andre Dorfman made for a Tanya Davis song. I like these videos. You aren't going to rock out to them, but they are sweet and often give you something to think about. Since I just got in from a glorious bike ride of my own, I thought I'd share. This video struck me as being a tad anti-car. Personally I love my bike, but I also love our cars (my partner and I are V.W. enthusiasts). I think there is a place in the world for both. Adventure and life awaits! Namaste.

it's the weekend again!

Decided to take a little bike ride to Queen E Park last week and it is really so very gorgeous all the year through, and always changing. It is just at Cambie and 33rd. And of course it's free! The views are priceless. The energy, the smells, the prana...the peace.

It's always there for the taking.

I decided to go into the Bloedel Floral Conservatory and it is still as lovely as ever.

And it cost a grand total of $5.35 to get in.

Can't recommend it enough. We've all been there. I'm glad I went again. It's all here in our backyard for the taking. For more info click here

For more pics scroll down. You can also click on any pic to enlarge

Been to VanDusen lately?

My pics really don't even begin to do the place justice. VanDusen Botanical Garden is just so gorgeous all year long (not only during the festival of lights). Spent the afternoon there the other day and wow, it's good for the soul.

This is a really quick post but thought I'd share a little bit to remind you that even with the hustle and bustle of fall, kid's (and educators) going back to school, and just with the all round craziness of life, it's so important to take that time for you. And here on the coast, nature abounds!

Make that date with yourself. Pencil it in. It's the sort of stuff that truly adds years to your life.

The weather is still nice and you don't even need a yoga mat. I spent the afternoon here with the heron in this picture, drinking coffee, smelling the smells, listening to the waterfalls, practicing some yoga on the grass...

Life is just so beautiful but super short. Make the time for yourself. Namaste.

For more info on VanDusen Botanical Gardens click here

Heres the lowdown on classes as of this morning!

So far all classes are a go! And going smashingly well I might add!

*With the exception of Monday Daytime Yoga at Mt.Pleasant.

*Attendance wise it is hurtin' :(

This class is from 1230-200pm in the afternoon and is as cheap as I can make it.The session is from Sept 13 to Dec 13 and costs $132.50 to register which amounts to $10.19 per class.

This class had quite a few teachers in it all summer long, and with school going back it is now lagging behind in attendance unfortunately. Strangely enough these classes get loads of drop ins every class, but reaching the minimum "registration-wise" is needed for them to keep them running.

Wednesday's daytime class is doing better and there is always the option of doubling up and doing the Monday and Wednesday (2 times per week) for a total of $252, which is dirt cheap.

So..I just wanted to put it out there! *If you wanted Monday Daytime yoga to continue, register asap as it may soon be gone. Register in the next 48 hrs if you can.

You can click here to register!

Register and please tell your friends, and let's do it up! ASAP!

*It is a great deal and quite likely the most inexpensive yoga in the lower mainland.

♥namaste yoga friends♥