Love Love Love

Oh just something to happy up your Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning!




Via Yes & Yes

kaleidoscope experience

For some people, it's an a-ha moment, but for me, I think of them as kaleidoscope experiences...something shifts and when the shift happens, there's a beautiful burst of color.  I love when this happens in my own life, but I also love seeing it in others....

I remember distinctly remember the first time I heard Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours".  At that time, I was not much of a fan, and I remember friends pulling a "Sam" (Natalie Portman's character in Garden State), exclaiming how great the song was.  As the song played, it was upbeat and sweet, but the line, "It's our God-forsaken right to be loved" just did not sit right with me...It felt really negative.  I liked the song, but it wasn't my favorite.  

Fast-forward to a few weeks ago.  At the Cafe Gratitude opening, Jason played "I'm Yours".  This time, it really struck me.  Instead of the line, "It's our God-forsaken right to be loved"to "It's our God-intended right to be Love".  BINGO!  Needless to say, I now LOVE the song!  What struck me is not only that there is no longer negativity associated with the word "God", but how the song shifted from being a "consumer" of love to giving love... I've wondered what has happened in his world, what kaleidoscope experiences has he had to make that shift?  Maybe that shift is not really as big as I'm making it out to be.

It's just something that I've been seeing lately...despite all the bad that's in the world, I really feel like there is a lot of good right now too.  Maybe it's just that, that is where my focus is on... I hear about terrible tragedies every day, but I also hear about inspiring people who are working to make a difference or who are living their lives in peace and striving to live out their "God-intended right to be Love" in their everyday lives.  And that's where it's at...

Lately

weheartit.com

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.
-Agatha Christie


via 7upKels


This quote seemed most appropriate these last few days. 


 Self-doubt slowly snuck in and decided to stay awhile.  I am at an incredible place where I can create my world and my life, but sometimes it can be scary and overwhelming....lately I've been asking a lot of questions...who am I? who do I want to be? where do I want to go? How do I get there?? where do i live?? 


These growing pains are inevitable, but I know that at the heart of it, I am happy to be alive.


In this moment, I am thankful for friends and rich conversation.  Conversation that reminds me:

yesandyes.org

This is AWESOME

I loved this and I think you all should too.






Thank you to the teachers who have inspired me.


via Yum & Yuk

The Vegan Diaries

For the past few months, without even realizing it, my diet has become more & more "vegan".  About 3 weeks ago, I started consciously thinking about making the switch.  Everywhere I turned for information only affirmed my decision.  I'm not a "crazy PETA person", but the more I read about farming, not only did it make me sad, but also sickened me that, that was what I was putting into my body.  Dairy/Meat farming is NOT a sustainable way of living...According to Bittman (read on), the meat industry emits more greenhouse gases per year than transportation!

I was a little apprehensive about getting proper nutrition, and being a newbie, I emailed my favorite blogger, Sarah Von, from Yes and Yes!, for help.  (She does this awesome monthly hook-up, where you can ask for help and her awesome readers respond)  And I was inspired by all the information and resources they sent me.

Another blog, Yum & Yuk, is always posting tidbits from Mark Bittman about food.  And lucky for me, as I was perusing the bookshelves at the library yesterday, I came across his book, Food Matters.  I quickly devoured it (pun definitely intended). I also recommend it to anyone & everyone who is health conscious in the least...actually even if they aren't (Everyone READ it!).  He doesn't advocate for veganism, but a diet with less meat, dairy products, & processed foods, a completely realistic view of food for everyone.  Pick it up! It will be good for you!

So needless to say, I'm vegan...*for the most part.  I've cut out dairy & meat products for about the past 2 weeks, and I can't even begin to tell you how good I feel.  I have tons of energy and my face is even clearer!  I'm having a blast preparing new recipes and getting creative in the kitchen.  So be ready for more "Vegan Diaries".  I will be posting my favorite recipes & creations!  Also, if any of you have any tips or recipes to share, I will GLADLY accept them!



*What I mean by "for the most part" is that 90% or more of my meals are going to be solely made up of plants.  This leaves 2 meals a week that I can "relax" a bit, for which I will save for eating out.  When eating out, it's impossible to control what I'm putting into my body.  Even if I think I'm ordering vegan, I won't really truly know. I won't always take these 2 "free passes", but this way I won't feel like I'm "cheating" either.

P.S. I should also give a shoutout to Cafe Gratitude.  I sealed the deal after eating their insanely delicious  "I Am Adored".  Vegan food CAN be delicious!

Hurray!

I am finished with Winter Quarter 2011!! They say this is/was the toughest quarter in my program and now I'm on the other side! Aaaaaaaalright!

I'm also super proud of myself today because I did something new and completely intimidating.  I'm constantly raving about yoga, but I have actually never been to a "real" class.  (I watch/do live streaming classes from yogisanonymous.com) Lately, I've realized I need/want to take my practice to the next level, and to do that, I'm going to need a live teacher.  I've been meaning to check out a studio in my area, but I needed that extra motivation.  On Saturday I decided this was the week and tonight was the night!

Not only was the studio new, but so was the class for me - yin yoga, a slow, deep stretch.  I learned tonight that I practice a lot of yang yoga, and in order to go deeper within my practice I need yin too.  How perfect! The whole reason I wanted to check out the studio in the first place and this just happened to be the class that fit easiest into my schedule!

I enjoyed the class, very playful.  I felt super good on my mat!  The space was also inviting and inspiring.  They have a lobby area downstairs with quotes painted on the walls and the studio upstairs is painted with calming, neutral colors & has neat light fixtures.

So I guess from now on, on Tuesday nights, you know where to find me!  I'm going back to the studio on Friday for a vinyasa class, and I'm looking to sign up for monthly unlimited, so excited!

Inspiring Night

I am so excited that there is a Cafe Gratitude in my neck of the woods now!  This place is incredible.  Once you walk in the doors, all you feel is positive energy, not to mention the oh-so-tasty raw, vegan bites!  Little over a week ago, I was fortunate to have been at the opening party. The only words to describe the night are Pure Joy.  Joyful music, Joyful dancing, and Joyful conversations. It was magical.  The experience just resonated so deeply within me, my heart felt like it was going to leap out of me.  Even now, as I reminisce, I feel the energy ricocheting inside of me!  Beautiful, beautiful night!

When we got there, Jason Mraz was playing a set and the beautiful and talented Makepeace Brothers followed.  After the music, I got to meet Tristan Prettyman.  Tristan's music has been the soundtrack of my life for the past 6 years and I was jumping out of my skin excited to meet her! In fact, I was practically speechless, but she was kind enough to carry the conversation for me!

Tristan & I

Aidan Makepeace & I.  I'm pretty sure this picture is the definition of "smitten"