LOVE this woman.

While not big on New Years Resolutions I am big on changing things that aren't working for me and I currently have some of those "things" going on in my life, and I am pondering the future.

I just read this on Facebook. Here is my Facebook Page if you'd like to be on it.
Such wisdom from Pema Chodron below:

 LEAVING THE NEST

All too frequently we relate like timid birds who don't dare to leave the nest. Here we sit in a nest that's getting pretty smelly and that hasn't served its function for a very long time. No one is arriving to feed us. No one is protecting us and keeping us warm. And yet we keep hoping mother bird will arrive.

We could do ourselves the ultimate favor and finally get out of that nest. That this takes courage is obvious. That we could use some helpful hints is also clear. We may doubt that we're up to being a warrior-in-training. But we can ask ourselves this question: "Do I prefer to grow up and relate to life directly, or do I choose to live and die in fear?"
Excerpted from "The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times", page 7.Heart Advice weekly quotes from Pema Chodron, courtesy of Shambhala Publications.

Bittersweet October.

The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.  Carol Bishop Hipps

Its almost back to school *sniff sniff*

Sadly can't remember where I got this. Somewhere on the internet. If its yours, thanks! Brought a tear to my eye and I don't even have a child.

My classes will be subbed from Tues July 31-Thurs Aug 9th

 *Yin Yoga UPDATE- yin students will be called and refunded for the two classes missed after all. take care friends!
Hi friends!

I suddenly have to split town for a family emergency and all my classes will be running with subs. 

All but Yin Yoga. Yin Yoga Thurs Aug 2 &  9 is CANCELLED.

I can A) make it up to ya

or B) You can get the class refunded.

Can't always plan for the family sadnesss.

I'll be missing my little yoga family which is YOU!

See you again soon.

And P.S. There is no Yoga on BC Day, Monday Aug 6 anyways.

Have a great long weekend.

Any other questions please feel free to email me at yoginilori@gmail.com anytime

OR I'm always around on both my Facebook Pages regardless of what city I am in so you can always find me there! (links on the right hand column of this page).

**Be sure to continue to register for the classes/sessions of your choice! Looking forward to catching up right where we left off, the week after next! ** 

A HUGE thank you to everyone who has been so supportive throughout this very difficult time. You all know who you are and you all mean the world. 

My sincerest thanks

Without getting into any gory details I'd really like to say thanks to so many of you. Friends, family and students alike. You know who you are (and there are lot's of you).


These past weeks have been a difficult time in my life and you all mean the world.
And my partner Silas thanks you too.


Ahh..life. We all have these periods. Thanks for making me smile through it all. :) None of us gets out of here unscathed and while at times bittersweet, it is still a beautiful world. And mostly because of friends like you.

I know I've been a lazy blogger these past weeks...

posting lots of you tube video's and quotes and not much more but...here's another one! haha! I couldn't resist. A huge thank you to a long time student of mine I cherish beyond words Carol for bringing this video to my attention. I thought I'd share too. Miracles happen in yoga class every single day and yoga really is for e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y. It's all in finding the right class and practice for "you". Us yoga teachers get to see students blossom  in every single class, and thats what keeps us doing what we do (it sure isn't the money)! 


It's better than money. So much better than money. The only thing this video is missing is a scan of the guys brain. I'd love to see it. Weight loss completely aside, this guy got his life back. Yoga is self care in the highest sense of the word. Send yourself and the people you love to yoga. There's no reason to wait. 

anybody out there you need to forgive?

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” ~Paul Boese

This is beautiful. Occupy love.

Love and Shadow at OCCUPY Vancouver-with Michael Stone

Two days ago Michael Stone took a stroll down to Occupy Vancouver and had this to say.

I lost a loved one

Death is a part of life as we all know, but its still incredibly sad knowing that the person you will miss is no longer walking around on this earth.You won't again look into those eyes, listen to their jokes, break bread with them, or again have the opportunity to tell them what they have always meant to you. Thats why it really is extremely important to tell people (*and often) how much they matter. We're all going to die (as much as we don't like to dwell on it) and tomorrow is not promised to anyone. My cherished loved one's name is Andy, and Andy knew very well just how loved he was, and what a huge impact he had on my life from my earliest memory. (I'd be feeling pretty rotten right now if that was not the case.) This was a very close friend of the family, and in many ways like the dad I never had as a child. Anyways, I'll be flying out of town tomorrow to celebrate the life of this wonderful man so ALL of my classes will be subbed by a whole bunch of FABulous teachers (that I am hugely grateful to). I'll see you the following week.

Below is a beautiful quote I came across this morning. Its really lovely:

Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy. ~Author Unknown


How active are your prefrontal lobes?

Browsing through some of my favourite yoga blogs when I spied this AMAZING video. Thanks Devil Wears Prana! Enjoy! Hope you love neuroscience as much as me. I just LOVE this stuff. Watch this until the very end. Fascinating.

You MUST visit The City of Vancouver Archives photo stream. Fascinating..

From top to bottom..

1)English Bay beach looking west towards Stanley Park-1913

2) English Bay beach present day (last year)

3) View of False Creek showing the C.P.R. Drake Street Roundhouse, coal trestle and Cambie St. Bridge-August 19 1916

4) A pic I took from the Granville St Bridge looking west present day

5)The C.P.R Roundhouse and turntable-1964-courtesy of Rick Horne

6) Pic I took modern day

7) C.N.R. Station (Union station) under construction March 23 1918

8) Pacific Station as it is today. Snapped this pic last Sunday.

This little blog can't do any of the pictures justice. You really must check out the City of Vancouver Archives (all old photos here courtesy of them). Click here for a link. Check out the panoramic shots! Unreal. I've been looking through them for hours upon hours.. Enjoy.

I'm not a fan of new years resolutions. you?

Resolutions no, intentions YES. Specifically for the New year? Not so much. I'm more of an "as I go" type of gal. I know myself so well and for me, the second I make a resolution (a.k.a. put pressure on myself), or say "I'd never", I'll do it. haha.. And then I feel horrible..blah, blah,blah (thankfully I grew out of that, and now save myself a lot of pain)!

I strongly believe in the line never say never. How do I know what I am going to be doing when I am ninety years old? (or if I will even get to be elderly in the first place?) I am simply not a fan of beating myself up, so I try not to. At this point in my life I make choices as I go along, and am always asking myself what I want more of, and less of in my life. I am hugely blessed to be in a solid relationship (the new year will mark 10 years), where my partner and I are generally on the same page. When we're not we really try and do the right thing for both of us. That often times means compromise. Thankfully we are both pretty easy going so that isn't usually too much of an issue.

The new year still holds so much hope for so many though, and with good reason. As far as the environment, global warming etc goes, the passing of time does make a very real difference, if we don't change our ways. I think that most of us have made some big changes that do and have, made a difference (or at least I hope it has, and will continue to do so).

In many ways I suppose the new year is a fresh start. *Although it's nice to know that if you blow it, every morning thereafter is a fresh start too. Its another opportunity to to ask yourself questions and decide to bring in more of what you love, and ditch what no longer serves you (or at least limit the stuff that no longer serves you). If this post sounds a little matter of fact, I sure don't mean for it to. I would never want to imply that making changes is easy, or that life is for that matter. Quite the contrary! lol! I just find that for me, having a strong support network, admitting when I am wrong, stopping to ask myself questions along the way, and most of all asking for help, helps me. And I find (for me) that setting intentions is being much kinder to yourself. I've quit a lot of things in my life and made enormous changes in my life over the years, and it was never the result of a New Years resolution.

But hey, thats only me right? it might just be the ticket for you or someone else!

I just love that provided we have good health, each moment can be a new start in just about any direction you choose in this part of the world. We just have countless choices that those in so many other places in the world couldn't even fathom. I wish all of my friends, family and loved ones, and those in my community, and all across this miraculous planet of ours a wonderful, healthy, vital, loving, joyous and peace filled 2011. I'm ready to bring it on.

Namaste xo

embracing change. its now winter in our city. ♥

Beginnings are often scary

Beginnings are often scary, endings are often sad, but it's the middle that counts. You should remember that when you find yourself at the beginning - Steven Rogers

some of the little reasons why i shed a few tears after yoga yesterday.

This reads: Thank you for The Y.O.g.a. and I hop you have a happy Chrismis ano a happy new year! and There aer only 21 more sleep's until Chrismis.

awww...and this is supposed to be me lol!

(just one side of my fridge)

love them all. the teachers i met, the parents...everyone.

everybody loves a nice pom pom blessing once in a while

the girl who made this one is even on my facebook. she is an amazing yogi and so grown up now!

Yesterday was my second to last yoga class with those wonderful Elsie Roy kid's I have grown to love so much these past few years. I have reminders of them all over my apartment and feel so lucky to have had the pleasure and joy of their magic and wisdom and fun for so long. It has been such an privilege to watch them grow and share in yoga with them each week, and they will absolutely LOVE my replacement! That I know for a fact. I know I will still be running into them at my favourite place in the world (the Roundhouse) which is so nice! It was a difficult decision but sometimes you've got to pass the torch! Change is good, it really is. I have taken a class up at UBC Hospital in more of a clinical/theraputic setting in place of it (and in addition to ALL of my other classes), and will be devoting some extra time to my volunteer activites... and the kids will get a wonderful fresh and new yoga teacher! It all works out. It always works out. If you are debating a change think long and hard... but don't be scared! just go for it. The world is waiting for you!!!

Everyday gratitude

My partner and I often discuss how thankful we are.

Because we really are very thankful every single day. Even when things aren't going our way. Life is still really good even on the bad days (and could alway be a heck of a lot worse)!

We are both healthy and blessed to do for work, what we would do for free.

And we support each other. Whole heartedly and completely.

Life is always changing, but for now our lives are exactly what we want them to be.It is important to cherish each and every day as things can change at any moment, and will.

I once did a workshop with Nischala Devi. She told us that gratitude brings more Prana into our being. I believe it. Stockpile some Prana this Thanksgiving and remember it's always there for the taking.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. Even the ones you may be estranged from. Send them love too, for they need it the most.

And feel gratitude deep in your heart, along with some extra Prana ♥

Namaste xo

p.s. no yoga with me on monday.