YOGA POSE OF THE DAY: HANDSTAND

“Transformation is sustained change, and it is achieved through practice.” B.K.S. Iyengar

I’ve been working on my handstands in my yoga practice, and am just beginning to appreciate this challenging and rewarding pose.  Finally, I can feel the grace and ease when my body is truly in alignment. I used to try so hard to get my handstands “right,” and they always eluded me.  Then I learned how to trust my wrists…trust my arms…trust my shoulders…and the rest of my body naturally eased into place.

Things can be easy when we let them be.  It is an adjustment to get used to flowing with the current when we are used to struggling.  Handstand reminds me that when I am in alignment with my daily actions, every endeavor feels more graceful and effortless…

This Old House

As many of you know, in addition to designing projects for clients I also buy properties to renovate and resell.  For the past few months, I’ve been looking at one house in particular.  Just the other day I checked it out again and realized that I truly loves the architecture and would like to give the house a new lease on life.

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Off the Beaten Path

I’ve just returned from a trip to Mount Shasta where I went to see the full moon. I felt drawn to be there.

Astrologically, the planet Pluto (and I believe it is a planet regardless of what NASA says) was directly over Mount Shasta this weekend.

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Assess, Release, Cleanse, Rinse, Repeat

courtesy of Timothy Dahl at CharlesAndHudson.com

Our development project in Maui is well underway. My team and I have approached every facet of it through the filter of the SoulSpace process; deeply and energetically understanding what has been there, clearing out what no longer serves the space and those who will occupy it, and leaving a blank canvas from which to dream about what it can be and put those dreams into action.

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Family Matters

In my last post I shared a cathartic experience I had in a yoga class during my trip to Michigan for my nephew’s high school graduation last month.

Everything about the trip held a lot of emotion for me. I was surprised in some ways and not surprised in others.

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Taking It To The Mat

Last month I visited my hometown in Michigan for my nephew’s graduation.  It was a valuable reminder of the importance of family.

One thing I wanted to share about the trip was an amazing experience I had “on the yoga mat” while I was there.  The yoga class I took in Michigan was one of the most intense I’ve ever had.

The first half of the class was fairly straight forward; allowing the students to do the movements, postures and vinyasas on our own. The instructor would make minor corrections to individuals if necessary. And then something surprising and unexpected happened.

I felt self conscious.  Even a bit embarrassed.

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Beauty – The Soul’s Inspiration

I’ve been going back and forth to Maui and have just returned. Each time I’m there I think about a concept that’s so fundamental to our very existence but we don’t discuss enough.

Beauty.

Both what we’re creating in Maui at the Ke-Ao Lanihuli ranch and my home in Los Feliz remind me how beauty settles the soul and mind – and reminds me that everything is OK in my world. Although I’ve lived in my home for going on 8 years now, I wake up every day with a grateful spirit, thankful for the beauty that I live in and am surrounded by.

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With a Single Step

Perpetual oil spills and never ending wars. Corporate greed. Anger and mistrust with government and each other.

We stand on the brink of our own destruction. We’ve lost a connection with and respect for our planet.

Now, we’re toying with the delicate balance of life, with the very ecosystem of our existence, and the universe will balance the scales whether we like it or not.

The time for restoration is upon us.

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Space – The Final Frontier

Here’s an idea:

Instead of keeping torn, dirty or broken down furniture and walking past it each day, get rid of it and let the empty space inspire you with possibility. One thing that all of us are challenged with is creating the space to “just be”.  We fill our days, our lives, our homes, our every waking moment with stuff, be it physical or mental. There is a part of us that’s afraid to create space in our homes and in our minds and have it “just be” there, without feeling the need to fill it up. But there is a way to get into that state of be-ing.

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Out With the Old, In With the New

Now that 2010 has finally taken hold I’m able to look back at the transition between the two years and say good-bye to one of the most challenging periods of my lifetime. Challenging from the perspective of what’s happening in the world at large and more specifically what’s happening to the friends and family in my life.

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