A new life begins!

Today's blog is dedicated to Giada Noel Toscano, born at 8:50 am on August 14, 2011!

Congratulations to her parents Jennifer and Vinny Toscano!

The greatest wealth is health!! ~ Virgil

She is spectacular!

Are you ready for Yoga?

Here in Westport I have discovered a wonderful place to practice Yoga. I started yoga a few years ago when I thought it was time and I was ready. I wanted to get the full experience from yoga, not just the physical exercise which I knew was beneficial, but the spiritual aspect of it too. I found a great studio in Norwalk (yeah Saraswati's Yoga Joint!). Loved it, but when Kaia opened up in Westport, and it was a 3 minute commute from door to door, I decided to give it a try. They have really tried to create a full experience for their students, and I think they have succeeded. Take a look at their website to see all the additional services they offer besides yoga.

I'm going to concentrate on the yoga aspect. At first I tried the basic classes which included a Kripalu Flow, Basics, Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Gentle. The basics class was really helpful for understanding the poses and proper alignment of them. It also helped me to ease into understanding the terminology which can be overwhelming!

After a few weeks of these classes I was ready for more of a workout so I went to the Vinyasa Basic/Intermediate classes. This level provided more of a continuous flow of poses that do get your heart rate up! I have not tried the Hot Yoga classes just yet, but my husband has and loves them! There are so many more classes than the few I've mentioned, so please check out the website.

Yoga has really helped me to tap into my body and how it moves, to feel what it is capable of on any given day, and to be more present and aware. I never fail to leave a class without feeling calm and centered. In fact, when I do not go to class for a period of time and then return, I wonder why did I ever stop going!?

Kaia has a great deal for people who want to try out all the different class options. It is the 30 days for 30 dollar deal and it is perfect for getting in a lot of yoga for a great price. When you are ready, this is the way to go and the place to go!

Pangs of Guilt

guilt (gltn.

1.

a. The fact of being responsible for the commission of an offense. See Synonyms at blame.

b. Law The fact of having been found to have violated a criminal law; legal culpability.

c. Responsibility for a mistake or error.

2.

a. Remorseful awareness of having done something wrong.b. Self-reproach for supposed inadequacy or wrongdoing tr.v. guilt·ed, guilt·ing, guilts

To make or try to make (someone) feel guilty.

Ah...the pangs of guilt: When someone is disappointed by you. When the scale does not read the right number. When the relationship is not working well. When you ate the wrong thing. When you didn't accomplish all you set out to do...today or in a lifetime. When the kids make mistakes. When you haven't gone to the gym. When you are not meeting expectations that others have of you. When you are not meeting the expectations you have for yourself. Can you fill in your own here__________________?

The opposite of guilt? INNOCENCE. Freedom from sin or moral wrong. All of the pangs of guilt are self-inflicted. All guilt does is sabotage oneself of the freedom of understanding that those judgements are unnecessary and get in the way of living life more freely, more joyfully.

So, dispense of the the guilt. Treat yourself kindly. Forgive.

The Pangs of Guilt

The joy of movement!

Remember what it felt like to fly on a swing?! I remember the pure joy of feeling as if I were flying...the higher I went the more exhilarating it was!

I have been making an effort lately to move more. The more I move, the more I realize that I've been taking for granted the fact that I am capable of participating in most physical activities that I would like to. How fortunate that I can wake up in the morning and choose from a variety of options how I would like to move that day. How can I not take advantage of this?!

Our bodies are such incredible machines that need to be maintained and taken care of...we are meant to move, and the more we do, the better it is for our whole being.

So, I will keep moving and enjoy the fact that I can!

my new friend

Here she is! I haven't named her yet...I just had my maiden voyage with her yesterday. She looks just like this kayak but is yellow... I can finally be a part of the action out on Long Island Sound! I've watched so many people out there on the water for so many years and now I can be out there too...

It has peddles so I can get a good workout for my legs, and of course the paddle when I want to switch to upper body. I got it at the Boat Locker here in Westport, and the people there were very helpful and knowlegable. They took the time to show me every working detail of the kayak and were patient when I kept asking them to show me one more time!

I'm looking forward to spending lots of time on the water this summer...if you see me, wave hello!

the rear view mirror

I was thinking about the words on a rear view mirror ~ objects are closer than they appear ~ what if the "objects" we see in the mirror are our thoughts, feelings and stories from our past? And what does it mean, "they are closer than they appear?" Are they still close enough to be affecting us in the here and now? Are we aware of how close they really are? How often do we keep checking them? And really, how often do we need to look in the rear view mirror? How about every once in awhile when the information will help us move forward, but not constantly looking behind us ( into the past) which can distract us from where we are going? Yes, it's a necessary and helpful tool, but how about several glances.... then keeping our eyes on the road in front of us.