Thursday, January 27, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
The Good Life
Before my parents were ever granted American citizenship, they were Nepali. Though I was born in Virginia, I managed to spend a considerable time of my youth in Kathmandu, Nepal. While in my "motherland" I lived in a family compound of sorts. In traditional Nepali culture for any family who can afford to do so, this living arrangement is quite normal. My parents had a home adjacent to my dad's two brothers' respective homes; the three brothers, of course, had their homes directly in front of the home of their greatly-revered parents.
Immediately on the outskirts of the Adhikary family compound lived two other large families. The Dhungels and the Thapas. My dad's closest friends, till this day, are members of the Dhungel and Thapa families. Their children have carried on the tradition and today, my cousins are dear friends with the Dhungel and Thapa children.
Every time I go to Nepal this is one thing that strikes me about Nepali culture: though there is limited electricity, limited water, limited resources, blatantly shady politics and a host of other infuriating issues, the simple things in life like sharing genuine laughter with your loved ones is always available in abundance.
This morning, I'm writing from Michigan where the weather is cold and damp. I was drinking breakfast tea at my parent's place which is just down the road from my own and I happened to notice that our family dog, Sathi, has aged so much the skin around his neck is drooping. It reminded me of my childhood in Nepal. My Ba (grandpa) was so old his neck looked the same as Sathi's does now. Every afternoon, Ba would bask in the sun. Sitting firmly on a plastic lawn chair, he would stay planted on the porch with his wooden stick beside him. He always wore a hairstyle known to Nepali people as the, "Toop-pee."
(Shown in the picture)
My sister and I found great amusement playing with his Tooppee and we often placed our tiny hands on the flesh of his neck and flicked the saggy skin with our index fingers. This brought about a sense of joy that no game of Wii Fitness or Bejweled could ever replace. Ba never got angry, he would just laugh and laugh. We would join in and the most boisterous sessions of Laughter Yoga would take place at it's purest form. No jokes. Definitely no sense of humor--we were too young to have developed a serious sense of anything--just laughter!
As an adult I often hear friends and loved ones talking about success and happiness. I was once asked how much money I would have to earn before I felt, "happy." It seemed such an odd question, but not everyone has had the fortune of always having known the good life... a life that embraces the simple pleasures of family and friends.
Immediately on the outskirts of the Adhikary family compound lived two other large families. The Dhungels and the Thapas. My dad's closest friends, till this day, are members of the Dhungel and Thapa families. Their children have carried on the tradition and today, my cousins are dear friends with the Dhungel and Thapa children.
Every time I go to Nepal this is one thing that strikes me about Nepali culture: though there is limited electricity, limited water, limited resources, blatantly shady politics and a host of other infuriating issues, the simple things in life like sharing genuine laughter with your loved ones is always available in abundance.
This morning, I'm writing from Michigan where the weather is cold and damp. I was drinking breakfast tea at my parent's place which is just down the road from my own and I happened to notice that our family dog, Sathi, has aged so much the skin around his neck is drooping. It reminded me of my childhood in Nepal. My Ba (grandpa) was so old his neck looked the same as Sathi's does now. Every afternoon, Ba would bask in the sun. Sitting firmly on a plastic lawn chair, he would stay planted on the porch with his wooden stick beside him. He always wore a hairstyle known to Nepali people as the, "Toop-pee."
(Shown in the picture)
As an adult I often hear friends and loved ones talking about success and happiness. I was once asked how much money I would have to earn before I felt, "happy." It seemed such an odd question, but not everyone has had the fortune of always having known the good life... a life that embraces the simple pleasures of family and friends.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sweet Sattvic Snack
I have a crazy-insane sweet tooth and I've been wanting a giant plate full of brownies and chocolate chip cookies ever since I deprived myself on Christmas. At times like these, I always think of my Canadian sister, Chelsea, who said to satisfy her sweet-tooth she opts for a giant bowl full of pomegranate seeds :) I agree, it is pretty fantastic! Enjoy!!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
So much for Sattvic!
The late great judge William Strong, nominated by the wonderful Yankee, Ulysses S. Grant, had a fantastic saying about failure. "The only time you don't fail is the last time you try anything - and it works."
Last week, as you know, I failed in my Sattvic journey by drinking two cups of coffee and though it seemed like a huge blunder, this week has definitely taken a complete nose-dive for the worst. Thursday night after a great Heated Power Yoga class, I met with a friend at my beloved Sidetracks Bar & Grill. While there, I felt so overwhelmed by hunger I completely forgot about my Sattvic Diet! I ordered and devoured, what else? Their brand new dish, The Yankee Pot Roast. Jeepers.
If that wasn't bad enough, last night I had a mini-reunion with some college friends. One of them ordered Hot Chicken Wings. The mere apple I ate for dinner didn't seem to suffice--as soon as the chicken was placed at the table before me, the aroma of the hot sauce enveloped me.
It wasn't even until this morning, in one of those slap-your-forehead moment-of-clarity moments that I remembered I wasn't supposed to be eating meat. Ay yai yai.
Good thing today is a new day. I will continue to try the Sattvic way and make Judge Strong proud.
If you, too, are having difficulties: remember, STAY STRONG!
Last week, as you know, I failed in my Sattvic journey by drinking two cups of coffee and though it seemed like a huge blunder, this week has definitely taken a complete nose-dive for the worst. Thursday night after a great Heated Power Yoga class, I met with a friend at my beloved Sidetracks Bar & Grill. While there, I felt so overwhelmed by hunger I completely forgot about my Sattvic Diet! I ordered and devoured, what else? Their brand new dish, The Yankee Pot Roast. Jeepers.
If that wasn't bad enough, last night I had a mini-reunion with some college friends. One of them ordered Hot Chicken Wings. The mere apple I ate for dinner didn't seem to suffice--as soon as the chicken was placed at the table before me, the aroma of the hot sauce enveloped me.
It wasn't even until this morning, in one of those slap-your-forehead moment-of-clarity moments that I remembered I wasn't supposed to be eating meat. Ay yai yai.
Good thing today is a new day. I will continue to try the Sattvic way and make Judge Strong proud.
If you, too, are having difficulties: remember, STAY STRONG!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Weekly Vlog #2: Back Care Basics
My good friend, Numa, requested I teach her some back-care yoga for her "bad" lower back. The beauty about this whole situation is that she lives in England. I was able to create this video in Michigan and somehow it will help her overseas! The wonders of modern technology and the ancient science of Yoga meeting are simply astounding to me.
Enjoy!!
Enjoy!!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Embrace Uncertainty
Yesterday Ann Arbor was hit very hard with a crazy snow storm. 
There were cars on the sides of the roads, flashing red and blue lights, beautiful snowflakes all twirling into one another. Each and every one was absolutely different and spectacular. I still had my Heated Power Yoga class and I'm so happy I did! When I first started Take Five Yoga I thought for sure all of my classes would be packed and when they weren't I was a bit disappointed.
After last night, however, I realized I'm exactly where I should be. It's only week 2 and I still had a class to teach because even in the snowstorm I had a student who drove all the way over to my teeny-tiny studio. One of my two Yoga gurus, Stephanie Keach, wrote to me this morning from Asheville, North Carolina. She dropped me a quick e-mail with only three lines that were just enough. The last line was: "Tiny is big."
2010 was a year where nothing went as planned in my life. 2011 has already taught me so many life-lessons I will cherish forever. Mainly, I think it's important to embrace uncertainty. Who knows what can happen in the next hour, day, week or year? We have absolutely no control over most things in our lives. We may as well just surrender and go with the flow in the meantime.
Crazy snowstorm? I say, hit the slopes!
There were cars on the sides of the roads, flashing red and blue lights, beautiful snowflakes all twirling into one another. Each and every one was absolutely different and spectacular. I still had my Heated Power Yoga class and I'm so happy I did! When I first started Take Five Yoga I thought for sure all of my classes would be packed and when they weren't I was a bit disappointed.
After last night, however, I realized I'm exactly where I should be. It's only week 2 and I still had a class to teach because even in the snowstorm I had a student who drove all the way over to my teeny-tiny studio. One of my two Yoga gurus, Stephanie Keach, wrote to me this morning from Asheville, North Carolina. She dropped me a quick e-mail with only three lines that were just enough. The last line was: "Tiny is big."
2010 was a year where nothing went as planned in my life. 2011 has already taught me so many life-lessons I will cherish forever. Mainly, I think it's important to embrace uncertainty. Who knows what can happen in the next hour, day, week or year? We have absolutely no control over most things in our lives. We may as well just surrender and go with the flow in the meantime.
Crazy snowstorm? I say, hit the slopes!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Having trouble sleeping? Turn off your ipad & turn on your Yoga Nidra
My dad recently purchased an ipad and my entire family's gotten completely hooked. Mainly, to Pandora. It's amazing that just by plugging in one artist you're fond of, let's say Manu Chao, the Pandora Gods can somehow find a similair artist like La Vela Puerca and viola! It's musical heaven. I can see how most people might not want to put down their ipad once they buy one. Unfortunately, it seems that a recent CNN study has revealed this problem many ipad owners are experiencing--being unable to put down the pad--is creating a host of other issues. Mainly, a loss of sleep.
The often controversial Medical Doctor and practitioner of Natural Health Remedies, Dr. Joseph Mercola makes the following argument:
"Everything in nature has a rhythm, and that includes your body. The ebb and flow of the ocean's tide, the rising and setting of the sun, and the transition from one season to another all happen with comforting regularity. Your body, too, strives to keep its 24-hour cycle, or circadian rhythm, steady and even.
This is why most of us naturally feel like waking when the sun comes up, and sleeping when it's dark.
Researchers have also shown how your circadian rhythm is involved in everything from sleep, to weight gain, mood disorders, and a variety of diseases.
Unfortunately, modern life throws multiple wrenches into the works, as it were, mainly by artificially extending 'daytime.'"
So the next time you want to log on to your ipad or lap-top try weighing your options: is the momentary satisfaction worth the next day spent groggy and half awake?
The often controversial Medical Doctor and practitioner of Natural Health Remedies, Dr. Joseph Mercola makes the following argument:
"Everything in nature has a rhythm, and that includes your body. The ebb and flow of the ocean's tide, the rising and setting of the sun, and the transition from one season to another all happen with comforting regularity. Your body, too, strives to keep its 24-hour cycle, or circadian rhythm, steady and even.
This is why most of us naturally feel like waking when the sun comes up, and sleeping when it's dark.
Researchers have also shown how your circadian rhythm is involved in everything from sleep, to weight gain, mood disorders, and a variety of diseases.
Unfortunately, modern life throws multiple wrenches into the works, as it were, mainly by artificially extending 'daytime.'"
So the next time you want to log on to your ipad or lap-top try weighing your options: is the momentary satisfaction worth the next day spent groggy and half awake?
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