I'm BACK !

Happy Marvelous Monday everyone! I have been gone for over a week and last Monday I was in New York but now I am here and ready to blog:) There is a fun week coming up with me doing an Acro Yoga workshop on Sunday-- should be interesting! I will be writing about it for the Atlanta Yoga Scene http://www.atlyogascene.com/ so stay tuned!!!

New York was absolutely amazing and such an experience. It was great to see where this country came from and it was great to bond with my sister. As you can see.....we took the city in our hands and experienced the Big Apple with pleasure.

Have a fabulous week and remember.....there is much to be thankful for in any situation.

Wednesday's Wine Pick!

This week’s pick surprisingly came to me when I got home from an awesome yoga class last night, and my husband brought out a bottle of red that was recommended to him from the wine shop. I asked him if I could pick his brain and therefore, this week’s choice comes straight from the mind and palette of my sweet Bill. Of course, I had to try it and I loved it! This will certainly become a regular wine in our house.

WHAT: Full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon

NAME: Siegel Reserve

YEAR: 2010

REGION: Central Valley in Chili

COST:  $9.99!!

Bill’s review: Siegel is a smooth and spicy cab with a bold finish on the middle back of the palate. It can be drank alone, but it would preferably go with a steak or some pasta, as it is a very big wine.

Enjoy!!!

Uneasiness -- turn easy

Lately, for some reason my mind has not been open to writing and it really has shown in my blog and even in my personal relationships. My mind was at a constant battle within itself for some reason and there was a strong sense of uneasiness and insecurity within myself.

This weekend, my husband traveled out of town and although I miss him dearly, I believe it was the best thing for my mind to weed itself out. My weekend involved a lot of yoga, prayer and meditation, along with much "me" time. Today in church, things became more clear and my mind finally felt at peace. I followed up with a great yoga class and found I was back to my social self by mingling before class with some girls. We talked to each other about how yoga gives us more than just a good workout and flexibility. Yoga brings a sense of your whole self and guides your awareness throughout your spirit, body, mind and energy. One lady was saying how her body was changing shape dramatically the more she does yoga, and I completely agreed. It gives your spine and energy the fluidity to move as it should, which in turn aligns your body as it was meant to shape. At this point in time, there is a sense of balance and peace and I am excited to hold in that energy as long as possible. When class was over, they were handing out bumper stickers which is shown below, and I thought it was a great way to conclude my weekend!

Even though my husband was gone, that didn't mean I wasn't spending much time with my other boys!!!

The Splits......day one.

Well....the splits for me this evening didn't work out any better than this past weekend, but I vowed to slightly stretch my body and have discovered I have a lot to work on!

Tomorrow, I will be attending Power 2 at Red Hot Yoga which will loosen me up nicely and I plan to get some insight from one of Atlanta's most respected instructors there on the best ways to move into this pose. Also...thanks to some fellow yogis, they have made me realize that patience and determination will be my friends;)

Better late than never!

Alright, so this week's Wednesday wine is posting a bit late in the day, but I think it's just in time for all of you to go out and buy some to enjoy tonight! I mean...we have already made it halfway through the work week, we deserve it!

Today's wine is not only absolutely delicious, but it has been on that I have been looking for since May. It was on my daily wine calendar and I looked high and low for this little number...even Total Wine said they didn't have it, but have heard it was great. Then, yesterday when I was at Super Target (of all places) - there it was in the wine aisle screaming out my name! It was even on sale for $10, so I bought it and here it is:

Name: pro-mis-Q-ous
Grape: blend of Zinfindael, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Sirah
Region: California
Price: $10
Flavor: It's a more full-bodied wine with some spice and blackberry, but it's also an easy drinker where you really do not have to pair it with anything except a wonderful glass and an eager palate.

Enjoy!

New Goal

I must say that although I have been doing yoga for many years, only lately have I dabbled into experimenting with different poses and styles. This past weekend at my Hot Power class on Saturday…we dove into a little pose called “The Splits”, or in sanscrit: Hanumanasana. This was not only somewhat frustrating because I could hardly get to a foot off the floor, but it was also motivating. With that being said, my new goal is to conquer the split before I start my Yoga Teacher Training program on September 24^th!

I will work on it this week and my goal is to work on it each evening or every other evening for five minutes….I will keep you posted! Oh how I love new thingsJ

Be careful with Bliss~

Bliss Yoga Class #3:

Our third and final introduction of class was by far the most beneficial and powerful. You know how sometimes you are “on” and sometimes you are “off”…well I was “on” this past Sunday and ready to dive into the delicious practice of Svaroopa yoga! We did a series of poses throughout the 90 minutes, but the one that stuck out at me was Half Frog. This pose opened me up so graciously and had me even feeling lightheaded afterwards due to the energy being released in my spine. After Half Frog, we did a lunge that must have put me over the edge, because there was a “zing” feeling going through my body and I had to sit down and take a drink of water. Awesome stuff!!!

The class ended with by far the most UNIQUE shavasana experience I have ever had….. As I lay there, letting my body unfold and melting to the earth… waves of energy flowed through my body so fierce that it felt like my mat was on a bed of jell-o. Finally, it became so intense I had to open my eyes for the duration of the resting pose….and let me tell you – I NEVER open my eyes in beautiful shavasana! I felt a sincere sense of well-being when we left and Bill looked at me and said, “you are glowing today.”

With that being said, let me just say there is a twist in the story. After class, we were in such a cloud that we thought it would be fun to check out the Historical District of Roswell. We went in a couple shops and then saw this cute little patio overlooking the street…so of course we had to discover this little hidden gem! We went up into this quaint overlook and ordered a glass of wine. For those of you who know me, you know that I enjoy wine and have a pretty high tolerance for it….not on SUNDAY!!! After opening up my spine and sending energetic fluid up into my body, then rinsing it with a glass of Chardonnay is not something I would recommend. It threw me for a loop and the next day I felt completely exhausted and wiped out.

Moral of the story: Yoga is a powerful energy balancing practice that you should have fun with and explore, but remain very respectful of what is happening to your body during this process and make sure to take care of your soul’s casingJ

Next time, I will cleanse myself with a glass of water or some herbal teaJ

The sneaky Chardonnay:)