Seeing a Blue Moon through the Lights...

Tomorrow is New Years Eve... no resolutions pour moi, I don't think I have ever made them. That feeling of imposed expectations seems to loom over me... I could say that I want to practice more yoga, become more 'green' (whatever that means) but I'll end up doing that regardless.

Something that IS special about tomorrow, however, is the upcoming full moon. In fact, tomorrow will be a Blue Moon: a full moon that is not regularly timed in the lunar calendar. Due to the extra 11 or so lunar days in a year, every two or three years we have an extra moon, or 'blue moon'.

Not only is tomorrow evening a Blue Moon, but there will be a full lunar eclipse at 2:22 pm (eastern-atlantic time)! I have always loved the night sky, moon especially. Growing up I could always see the stars at night, since our neighbourhood doesn't have street lights or sidewalks, the milky way and constellations shone brightly. (northern hem. constellation) I used to sit outside in the summer with a constellation map and binoculars and examine the night sky.

Far more than the sun, the moon has always appealed to me. Perhaps it's the connection with the Feminine Devine. Brooks over at Yogic Muse has spoken about her love of the Sun, and it was a reminder of how much I prefer the moon and Her silvery light.

I always miss the starry sky in every city I've lived since I moved away. The light 'pollution' takes such a significant portion of the sky, stealing my favourite natural phenomenon away.

Light pollution is also known as photopollution and is defined by the International Dark Sky Association as ' Any adverse effect of artificial light including sky glow, glare, light trespass, light clutter, decreased visibility at night, and energywaste.^[1]

Although easily scoffed, light pollution does have environmental impacts, the most obvious is the amount of energy required to produce such large amounts of artificial lighting. (Halifax skyline)

In the United States, over-illumination is responsible for approximately two BILLION barrels of oil usage per day. I know that in our apartment building hall, lobby and stairwell lights are left on 24 hours a day. Really... as if there is a need. Lighting is responsible for one-fourth of energy use worldwide.

Wikipedia also has some info on how light pollution can adversely affect animal and human physiology... although interesting, I would want to read a few more peer reviewed studies before I commented on this directly.

Halifax isn't a big city, at approximately 300,000, nevertheless the night sky is limited to a few random twinkles and that ever-present glow. Nova Scotia's provincial park- Kejimkujik will become among the first to be 'light-free' or a dark-sky preserve with artificial light becoming illegal. A very cool idea.

In order to celebrate the Blue Moon and Lunar Eclipse, I'll be practicing a few Moon Salutations. Slightly different than Sun Salutations, adding some crescent moons between vinyasas in order to honour the Moon.

This sequence is slightly different than what I usually practice... but then I feel that while the Sun encourages routine and strength, the Moon fosters creativity and fluidity. Opening your heart and self to the inner Devine Feminine within, whether you're female or male. We all can nurture this sense of connection, love and empathy.

Practicing in the evening, while the moon shines brightly through the window becoming your only light. Since dark arrives early here in Halifax (ummm, 5pm currently) I'll have 20 minutes to Honour the Moon prior to getting gussied up for evening snack luck with friends!

I wish you all a wonderful, creative evening on this rare and beautiful Blue Moon... and maybe a quick glance up to see how your night sky seems...

Blessings!

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

writing about family

If you'd like to read about grandmère I wrote about her here... As it's nothing to do with yoga or the environment, I didn't quite feel it was appropriate to the theme of EcoYogini.

It isn't really the happiest of reads, so don't feel you must go there to visit with my memories. :)

Many Blessings!

Holidays.... and the thoughtfulness of family

So my family has been slowly accepting of my strange, eco, ways. Don't get me wrong, I still get the "Oh Lisa..." look with a smile and a head shake, but they've really been quite supportive. (my wrapping supplies- magazine paper and kitchen cooking string)


Take the holidays. I arrived home from a three hour drive (I know, so environmentally friendly. At least my car is uber fuel efficient) with my magazine wrapped gifts. I had two more presents to wrap, and my mom declared that unfortunately she didn't have any more newspaper left. She had wrapped ALL of mine and Andrew's presents in newspaper. YAY!

We wrapped quickly and booted it to the nursing home where my grandmère is now staying with guitar in tow. Since we arrived right when she was in mass (it's owned by nuns) we sat and waited for a while. I'll most likely write about that experience in another space... it was, extremely emotional to be there. I did end up playing a few songs in French for her after mass finished and she was so happy. I really wish it would have stayed with her longer than that day...


The following morning I discovered that my mom had put a LOT of thought into each gift, from natural trail mix to snack on, to LOCAL hand made soaps to a fair trade bracelet and earrings made by widows in Sri Lanka. I will admit that reading the story behind the bracelet made me tear up (I am such a sap).

My Tante B. had even wrapped her gift to me in tea towels! I was so touched by her thoughtfulness. It was a sewing kit, which is fantastic since I actually don't own a single needle or thread.


And how was yoga? Well, I managed to take my advice and "LET GO" a lot of my expectations for when to practice. I got in one, fantastic 45 minute practice in the living room of all places. I had forgotten that "my" room would have a mattress that wasn't easily movable, so kitchen or living room it was. Mom was vacuuming and dad was chatting, but it was fine. I dealt with mom's several photo moments "but I just wanted to get a picture of you doing yoga next to the tree!" (me ignoring the flash, second- a little wobbly since I had to hold it FOREVER as dad's camera took awhile to reboot) and even showed them a few wall handstand stuff I had been practicing :)


The best parts were those before and after the gift opening. My favourite part of this Christmas: my grand-mère's ridiculously large happy smile when she realized I was there to play and sing for her.


Blessings!


article and photos copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

DIY Holiday Guerrilla Yoga

As my contract ends and I've FINALLY written all 60 reports, plus made countless lists and cheat sheets for the person coming back from Mat leave... I can focus on making the trip home for the weekend. My last day is tomorrow, but after two long weeks of vacation (woot!) I will return to a new (although still temporary) position!

LED lights on our "Yule" Lights walk on Monday

These past few weeks I've been pretty darn consistent with practicing yoga at least two and often three-four times a week. Although the holidays often bring families together, they also bring families... well... together. I adore my family, but we all have our own little issues that don't get resolved magically through a nice lobster dinner (lol, alright, so WE eat creamed lobsters for xmas dinner/lunch...).

On my drive home today, all of a sudden I realized I needed a bit of a *plan* for my yoga practice while at home. Since this wouldn't be the first time I've brought my yoga mat with intentions of practicing, I have a few insights. I thought I'd share some of my strategies and thoughts on how to practice yoga while visiting parents and family and hopefully avoid the: "What ARE you doing??" look.

Step One:
Pack. Yep, may seem silly, but I've brought my mat and forgotten my yoga clothes before. I also forgot my mat... Step one is to actually pack your yoga "stuff" so that when you open your luggage/bag you'll see it there... reminding you silently of how awesome yoga is. While we lived in BC, I could actually fit my yoga mat in my luggage.. so no yoga mat bag needed!


Step Two:
Mentally review your stay. It's likely that Christmas Eve, Christmas morning will be "out" for yoga practice. At my house we have traditions... and downward facing dog isn't one of them.
Think about a few days and times that might work to steal away some practice. File them away as "options" to keep open. For myself, I'm thinking Boxing Day, Christmas afternoon or Sunday morning.
Accept that out of three options, you might only practice once, and you will be darn proud that you did!



Step Three:
Think about "where" you will be practicing. I've tried to practice in my parents living room, while they surreptitiously stayed away... but that was weird. Mom was vacumming, I was staring at their TV, dad went down the hall to go to the bathroom... yep. Not exactly ideal.
Right now I'll be hanging out in the "office" which will function as bedroom, office and yoga room. Other options might be the spare room, a friend's house or a local studio.


Step Four: 
Release expectations. Practicing away or at your parents house definitely is not the same as in a studio or at home. You definitely won't have the same space, but then as long as your mat fits, you are good to go. Swan dives can transform into arms out in front of you forward folds, or hands in prayer position fold. Perhaps some sequences from "Yoga Journal" or something from memory (like the sun sals) or one of The Joy of Yoga's sequences (which are awesome btw!)



Holiday practice is about releasing stress and reconnecting, so it doesn't have to be some crazy special sequence, it just has to do the trick. :)



Step Five:
Tell who you're staying with... I gotta say, it would be weird to just start practicing yoga while my mom was knocking on the door asking "Lisa, what are you doing in there???". I'll just let her know that I was hoping to get a short practice in during my visit and that it won't take away from "mom and daughter" time at all.


Step Six:
Let go. If you don't get actual asana practice in, don't worry about it. You can take a few moments each morning to sit with closed eyes and center. Take deep breaths if you feel old anger-frustrations arise. SING! Family is so beautiful and essential, enjoy your stay, however short or long, with love and laughter.


And if you get annoyed, take a few "yoga time outs" in your room. Go to the bathroom and do Lion Pose while staring yourself in the mirror and TRY not to laugh. I dare you.


Blessings!






article and photo copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

How life is hidden in seemingly barren places... Yule musings

Happy Yule and Winter Solstice! I thought perhaps it would be fitting to clarify a little bit regarding my previous post and the Canadian Boreal Forests as Yule and Solstice are good times for insight and thoughtful re-evaluation.

The Canadian Boreal Forests consist of close to half of Canada's total. So much forest, wilderness and wide space... Canada is known for it's forests. We are a huge country that is sparsely populated in comparison to countries like the United States or those in the UK.

The actual 'boreal' forest encircles the northern globe to encompass Canada and Eurasia and makes up almost 1/3 of the world's forests. Canada's third of this massive forestial ecosystem, contains wetlands that filter millions of tons of water each day. Wetlands like the black spruce peatland pictured here. When I look at this picture I see life, lush and green. Perhaps because I grew up on the Atlantic coast, where trees are quite smaller than other parts of the country, and hemlocks and wetlands are prominent and essential for wildlife growth and water.

Unlike more southern forests, the boreal forest is characterized by long cold winters and short summers, resulting in more coniferous tree species. Wetlands (i.e. peatlands), bogs, marshes and fens consist of 30% of the Canadian boreal forest. These invaluable wetlands filter millions of liters of water daily and provide habitat for more than 13 million ducks... which is about 40% of the American duck population. (Hinterland Who's Who). Canada's Boreal Forest is the largest intact contiguous forest on Earth.


According to Environment Canada, the Federal Government Site, harvesting of the boreal forests has increased steadily over the past ten years. As paper production takes up the majority of the harvest, it has been supposed that increased consumer demand has resulted in increased harvests. These harvests are creeping up to more northern, ecologically fragile areas each year.  Approximately 1 million acres of forest are mined annually (David Suzuki).


Unfortunately, most science behind renewable forestry comes from research done in southern regions or forests and not in mid-northern boreal ecosystems. There is a difference, as northern forests are more fragile and prone to soil erosion, regrowth is extremely slow and wildlife easily affected by disturbance. A dominance of those all important wetlands can result in even more soil modification. High moisture content and lower structure can result in displacement, compacting and decreased nutrients to name a few (EC). 

According to the World Resource Institute, the current harvesting practices of Canadian Boreal Forests is unsustainable as implementation of sustainable policies are inconsistent.


According to Environment Canada, about 90% of harvesting in the boreal forests are done through clearcutting. Including full-tree and tree-length.


Further, the paper and pulp mills have historically caused toxic run-off with mercury, dioxins and and furans, polluting local water ways that supply all of Canadian water systems. According to the IPCC, forest clearance may account for 1/4th of all carbon dioxide emissions... annually (David Suzuki conference).


Although the ginormous forests of mountainous interior of BC were different and beautiful in their own right, I have always loved the small, short coniferous forests of Atlantic and Northern Canada. There is something striking about recognizing the importance of something seemingly barren... understanding that life flourishes and dynamically impacts each part of our world.

Beneath the surface of our sleeping time, like Yule, the Boreal Canadian Forest reminds us that life is in every thing. To be cherished and protected.


I am indeed, a tree-hugger. :)


Happy Yule~


article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com


 

Kickin' the Paper Towel Habit- For our Forests

I admit, I was a paper towel addict. It's so convenient... and easy... and disposable. In my family we always had huge rolls of paper towel, for toast, crackers, cookies, chips, cleaning up spilled things... even though we had the half piece option we used a lot of paper towel.

One of the first steps in my cleaning eco-fication was to switch to paper towel made from 100% post consumer recycled paper. If every household in North America replaced just one roll of virgin-fibre paper towel for 100% post consumer recycled we'd save 550,000 trees (Natural Resources Defense council as quoted in Ecoholic Home 2009).

Approximately 400,000 ha of Canada's Boreal Forests are harvested each year with most for paper mills (Ecological Assessment of the Shield Ecozone-Government of Canada). Seriously, I do not need to eat my crackers on material that was bleached and soaked in chemicals from our beautiful boreal forests.

Over the course of a year I noticed that we used less and less. Mostly because brown paper towel doesn't really suit food purposes, so I started choosing plates over paper for snacks. Also, they were more expensive, so we only bought one or two rolls at a time. It got to the point that we only ever used the paper towel for cleaning the bathroom. I honestly didn't think I'd be ready for using cloth only to clean the bathroom. Really- for some strange reason I thought that my cloth 'lavettes' would leave streaks on the counter and mirror and be too gross to clean the toilet.

Then, a few months ago we ran out of paper towel. I looked at the bathroom and it's glorified mess and went to the drawer filled with dish cloths (we sadly do not have a dishwasher in our apartment, other than one named 'Andrew' as it's his chore...). I chose the few that looked a little sketchy and on their way out, took a deep breath and gave it a go.

I needed a strategy. I wasn't going to clean pee off the toilet and THEN wash the sink- ew! SO, I decided that my plan of attack would be: mirror, sink, counter, bathtub and shower curtain and last toilet. I had also been using vinegar, water and tea tree oil for a few weeks on the counter, mirror and faucets. I assumed that it would streak and leave weird water spots since the cloth wasn't dry.

Black Spruce peatland (Hinterland Site)

I was so wrong. In a few minutes the bathroom was great! The faucets left NO water marks at all. I have to concede that vinegar-water really is perfect for those surfaces. I had long since given up on buying sponges, since those that aren't made from plastic are pricey, and washing the tub with a cloth was VERY weird and a lot trickier than expected. Vinegar-water and baking soda really doesn't work for my bathtub, so I keep a 7th Generation tile-tub spray that lasts forever and works amazing.

Now our apartment is paper towel-free. Since it's only the two of us I clean the bathroom (my chore since I'm picky!) about three times a week which results in three cloths to be washed a week. Which isn't a big deal at all. Now it seems strange to eat food on paper towel when there are perfectly fine plates or... our hands, to eat from. The only time we have ever missed paper towel is when (on rare occasions) we eat bacon... Last time Andrew placed the pieces on a cookie rack for the fat to drip into a plate beneath it... lol.

Really, switching to cloth wasn't as annoying as I thought it would be, and that's one less thing we have to buy each week. :)

Alright, now we're off to watch 'The Muppet's Christmas Carol' with friends where we will eat nachos, drink rum and eggnog and enjoy Yule :)

Blessings!

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Yes-Attachment; Why Recycling Doesn't Cut it

I think that our biggest road block on this sustainable path is/will be our disposable lifestyle. We are so imbued with everything around is being easily replaced, the "convenience" of our throw away lives that the concept of stepping back is treacherous. It's so tempting and easy to buy products that require less preparation, less maintenance and can be replaced.

My reusable hemp tea-bag filled with yummy organic fair trade tea in a handmade ceramic mug... on handmade cloth table settings... lol I am a geek

These products aren't really going "away"- there is no real, fairyland "away", instead they are all slowly accumulating in landfills and dumps a few miles from our homes. 

Cue recycling. How awesome does it make you feel, you're preventing plastics and paper from going to the landfill! I used to feel like an environmental superhero- I was recycling paper, plastic and glass and composting. Buying more plastic was fine, since I tried to only buy what was recyclable here in Halifax (#1,2 only...). Until I read what Beth had to say over at Fake Plastic Fish. Here's a quick synopsis of why recycling isn't enough:

1. Plastic is forever, literally. All plastic ever created (bar what was burned) still exists today on Earth. A large bunch of that plastic is floating in the pacific garbage patch (a ginormous plastic blob in the middle of the ocean). A huge percentage has broken down into tiny plastic beads called "nurdles" that are being ingested by fish and other organisms in the ocean...subsequently killing them. Creating virgin or new plastic requires toxic and carbon emitting petrochemicals. For a fantastic account of Alan Weisman's (A World Without Us author) experience read "Polymer's Are Forever".


2. Most plastic containers and products are made from virgin plastic. So by buying that plastic yogurt container you're essentially supporting a new "forever" plastic into our world.

3. Most of recycled plastics are made into non-recyclable objects such as patio furniture, car bumpers etc. So although they don't go immediately to the landfill, after their use as plastic furniture they are no longer recyclable... and end up there anyway.

4. Recycling is downgrading... and with each process the plastic is less stable and less "usable" or marketable. Essentially, most of what you buy is adding to the amount of plastic in our world, recycling it just puts off the inevitable.

5. Recycling companies ship their plastic to others countries to process. Countries that may not have as stringent health and safety policies that we do here. According to Beth's article, much of the UK's and US's plastic is shipped to China, where people are paid low wages to work in toxic conditions... sorting our plastic. Although there is no mention of Canada, where the US goes, Canada is sure to follow. Please check out the video... and see for yourself.

For further info check out Fake Plastic Fish- an awesome site and check out the Ecology Action Centre's "7 Misconceptions about Plastic Recycling".

Obviously, recycling is better than simply throwing everything into the landfill. What I came to realize, however, was that by continuing to purchase plastic and disposable items by assuming that recycling was somehow a closed loop system, I was deluding myself as to my continued contribution to waste in our world.


Now is the time to begin changing the way we view our lives and making those changes to separate ourselves from a non-attached lifestyle. In this one area, the yogic concept of non-attachment doesn't apply, I say YES to attachment. Although Non-attachment could help us purchase less, we do still need to recognize the importance of what we have. 

Even simple things like disposable tea-bags, disposable j-cloths, swiffer mops, paper towel, food in plastic containers (i.e. rice, yogurt, juice) or getting your coffee in a cup. We need to view our lives as a process to be cherished, with a commitment to take a few extra minutes for something reusable.


Small steps are the way to go, and I have to admit this whole "reduce" concept was HARD. We were paper towel buyers (recycled content though!), and ziploc bags and containers... non-bulk food people.


We have now officially moved to glass containers, no paper towel or napkins, reusable dishcloths and buying rice/flour/granola stuff in bulk (in my awesome lioli bags). I have a reusable hemp tea bag and have started to buy fair trade bulk tea leaves. We still have far to go, but it seems realistic now, doable. All of a sudden, recycling doesn't make me feel good anymore. Reusing does.


The next few posts will tackle a few of the steps we've taken- paper towel, plastic containers with a few that we're still trying to make (with a quick post on how to reduce waste during Yule...).


Blessings!


article and photo copyright of EcoYogini @ ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Unexpected Bliss... Music

Fun News!!
I wrote a guest post for Christine over at BlissChick a few weeks ago for her to post while she's recovering from her fantastic Kripalu DANCE experience (Yoga Dance- how cool is THAT?).

It's posted today!! A hint.... who knew Michael Jackson would grace my guitar?

Toys didn't make the cut.... but Singing did

What is your favourite Christmas/Yule/Holiday memory? And I mean, when you think of the holidays, what memory makes you glow and feel all warm and happy? Does it have anything to do with receiving presents or gifts?

When I read this question on SlowChristmas.org it gave me pause. Right now the holidays are filled with daily questions of "Are you ready? Are you all ready for Christmas? Have all your shopping done yet?" and comments of stress, exhaustion and dare we say... misgivings. 

Taking a few moments to actually wade through those gnarly clouds of stressful, consumerist thoughts to actually remember completely the *feelings*, the emotions of my favourite memories took some time. I thought I'd share mine with you...

My absolute best memory of Christmas is actually Christmas Eve. In my pre to mid teens we started going to the evening, Christmas Eve mass (French Catholic) so that we could take our time Christmas morning. After we'd return from attending church, we'd have a few minutes to unwind while mom and dad set up the snacks and beverages.

You see- each year they had family friends come over for rum and eggnog, spiced apple cider, chips and lobster dip, cookies and snacks. My parents friends would all gather in the living room, with the tree lit and soon there'd be choruses of "Play Lisa, Play some Christmas songs!" I'd sigh dejectedly like the teenager I was and trudge up. What they didn't know was that I had specifically practiced the Christmas piano songs for weeks before. I really wasn't "too cool" for that.


Eventually enough drinks were had that a few would join me up on the bench and belt along, off key and laughing. I had to fight to keep myself on that bench and not be slowly and a little woozily pushed off... Around midnight they all eventually braved the cold snow to make a (short) drive down the road home and while my brother and I fell asleep I could hear them whisper and sneak the gifts from the closet in their bedroom.



Such a sense of family and connection. THAT has always been my favourite Christmas memory. Sadly, in recent years these friends have all had grandchildren and instead go there for Christmas Eve... (women get married and have babies a lot earlier if you stay in the village... I'm sure if I wasn't engaged my mom would have given up!). I never knew how much I loved that part of Christmas until they stopped coming.

This memory really has nothing to do with presents. I actually can barely remember any gifts I received past a few years ago. The materials things weren't what stuck with me, but the feeling of being together, or shared love and friendship... that's what has stayed.


If the holiday memories are going to be predominantly about experiences and not things, then why are we stressing about gifts? This simple question has made me realize that choosing to simply give a gift over Yule wasn't going to make the *cherished* bank. 


My first step in establishing a Slow-Christmas/Yule tradition are the carols that I love so much. Even though I'm not Christian myself, something about Christmas songs bring so much love and joy in people's hearts. This year I've officially made plans to bring my guitar home over Christmas weekend and sing at the hospital where Grand-Mere is staying. When I informed my mom, she thought about it for a few days and called to say she'd asked the staff's permission and she was bringing cookies.


What's better than yummy homemade cookies and song?


I think it would be lovely if you, fantastic reader, would blog about your favourite Christmas/Yule/Holiday memory... and check out SlowChristmas.org. Seriously a beautiful site.


Blessings!


article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Individual Change: Community is the result of Sustainability

All this talk of Copenhagen have left me with a little sour taste. I've been avoiding discussing the climate change talks here just because the summit is currently so far out of my control. That and Canada's Prime Minister, Mr. Harper, has been a little, shall we say- reticent on the entire subject. Which is so disheartening.

In any case, recently after a lecture on acidification of the oceans at Dalhousie Univsersity, a few friends were chatting about the the individual's impact on climate. Unfortunately, the reality is that big business and corporations have such gargantuan carbon footprints compared to our drop in the bucket electricity and vehicle use. Real change and impact must come from industry in order for us to make any large environmental difference.

These truths, although frustrating are important to recognize as it leads us to the next step: individual changes should not be the end of the eco-street. Recycling and turning off the lights won't really save our Earth. I do believe that in this acknowledgment comes true change. As industry is money driven... by consumers... the individual.

We, as individuals, consume the oil and petrochemicals that have been damaging and irrevocably changing our eco-systems. Without the consumer, the need for oil to run our computers, our vehicles, our lights and heat or to make the plastic and disposable lifestyle the huge polluters wouldn't exist. From this perspective, the individual CAN actually make an impact.

I also strongly believe that small introductions to eco-changes, gradual transformations to a more sustainable societal culture will lead to awareness and value shifts causing changes in voting, governmental policy and impact on industry. Call me an optimist, but I believe in social norms and pressure to impact how we regulate our public sectors. (playing crokinole on my father's childhood board with friends at the cottage)


Colin, from No Impact Man, speaks regularly of how a sustainable life doesn't have to be about sacrifice, but is about community and connection. Instead of plugging away at our computers and televisions or placing value in amassing further material goods, we as a culture could spend time improving person to person relationships which as a result would lead to a happier life. So many studies have found that humans are social beings that have been curiously suffering from increasing diagnoses of anxiety, depression, stress and panic-related disorders. We've been feeling increasingly disconnected in our ginormous cities spending all our time striving for a golden space of wealth, without ever significantly connecting.

When was the last time you asked for sugar or flour from a neighbour? How big is your "community"? I know that in Halifax I had to make an effort to meet my neighbours which included baking some cookies on several different occasions and making sure that when a new neighbour moved in I introduced myself (Andrew was not happy that we weren't keeping the cookies all to ourselves...lol). If there was an emergency or crisis, I would not depend on my neighbours for help. 

At the same time, in my home village where I grew up there is a huge sense of community. For example, my uncle has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Unfortunately, the medical care in Canada really isn't all rainbows and flowers, and cancer treatment is only ever covered if you receive it while you are physically IN the hospital. Which these days only applies to some types of cancers... the rest being prescription medications. Which are expensive and NOT covered. My uncle is a fisherman and obviously self-imployed... and obviously does not have ANY medical insurance. 


Just this weekend, my village had a bakesale and auction in order to raise money for my uncle who hasn't lived there in my entire lifetime. They raised over 17,000 dollars which will help his family live and pay for some of the medications. Even though everyone in the village amounts to a population of 500 (ish) and are all currently suffering under the economic strain of only now starting a new fishing season and haven't been getting paid since last May, they rallied together to help support my uncle and his family. 


All this to say that community and connection are beautiful cultural norms that we've been moving away from since the advent of city, high paced living. Unplugging and placing value on interactions and experiences as opposed to material gifts is the way to lead a more sustainable and loving life.


This week I really want to explore this concept of a "slow Christmas/Yule" and what exactly that could mean. Since this post is already ridiculously long, I'll leave some for tomorrow's post :) Thank goodness I'm a fast typer, so I can spend less time writing blog posts and more time following my advice- and spending time with friends and Andrew. (playing frisbee and lost it for the THIRD time over the fence)



Real time, not watching a movie or looking at stuff on the internet while sitting next to each (yes Andrew and I are guilty of that). Today we went skating, Andrew for the first time in 17 years. It was so much fun and the kicker- it was free.



Blessings!


article and photos copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Yogoco; Eco Yoga Mat Bag!

Yoga accessories... do we need them, should we simply let them go, are they essential to practice... In a Lulu Yoga World, my first Punk Rockah Yogini reaction is to reject these trappings. Annnnd, then I tried to practice in pajamas, jeans, on the floor without a mat. In five seconds I go from Punk Rock Yogini to Prep-Yogini (eco-prep of course) who covets green clothing, mats and bamboo blocks. Sigh.

Cue Yoga Mat Bags. Most yogis know that bringing your mat to class can vary with complexity and hassles. Depending on what you want to bring, it can involve showing up with your bag to bringing a change of clothing, keys, face cloth, towel and water.... perhaps if you shower afterwards (I'm thinking Bikram or Hot Yoga) extra things like shampoo and soap may need to be added.

For myself, I always bring at least a headband, hair tie, my purse, house keys and bottled water. In the winter I bring a hat, mittens and scarf. I prefer to have a yoga mat bag and since I like pretty things, my current bag is well, a little bit shiny and colourful and is a lulu bag sadly. Andrew was using my very first yoga bag, until the zipper broke and he's been using a rubber band, stick and some flare keeping it together.


I have been trying to find an eco-friendly version that is equally functional and beautiful as those sold at Lululemon without any luck... until now.

A few weeks ago Avi, owner and founder of Yogoco Yoga mat bags contacted me regarding reviewing the Yogoco Mat Bag. I had seen these bags before and drooled excessively, what a beautiful bag. Prior to reviewing the bag I had a few extra questions concerning the construction which Avi answered readily and in detail. She was fabulous in addressing my concerns and clarifying the process.

A Yogoco bag combines eco-ness and uber functionality to create a beautiful, sturdy and "green" bag. The company takes pre-consumer t-shirt fibers collected from the cut and sew process of a local fabric house. The fibers are sorted by colour and blended to create new fibers for the bags. The result are fluffy fibers that they can use as stuffing and padding or spun into new yarns, retaining the colour of the t-shirt fibers. 

This assures that Yogoco isn't contributing to the cotton industry which as of 2002 was 73% genetically modified and uses one of the highest amounts of pesticides and chemicals to produce along with monocultures that are extremely destructive to soil. Further, they aren't dying their yarn which would potentially contribute to chemical run-off in the factory and saves huge amounts of water.

When I asked about using scraps from organic cotton fabric, Avi reported that essentially 10% of the material used does come from organic cotton. However, she pointed out that organic cotton is still a growing industry and difficult to attain.

Yogoco bags are also made in the USA, which is fantastic as it facilitates monitoring of clean and environmentally safe working conditions and drastically decreases the carbon footprint compared to sourcing work to eastern countries.

I received the bag last night and it is BEAUTIFUL. My yoga mat fits with a TON of room in the large mat compartment, so if I ever do require a mat replacement and choose a larger mat there will be no problem. I could probably roll up both Andrew and my mats and have them fit in that bag. Awesome. (inspecting the ONE tag with twine!)


The extra compartment for towel, water bottle etc is also great. It has a handy extra pocket on the inside for keys and hair ties and it's large enough that my cloth mat will actually fit! This bag is going to be perfect for our summer Yoga in the Park where last summer I was carrying about ten different things as both my cloth and rubber mats didn't fit in my regular bag.

I was a little worried about how the bag would arrive with packaging and Avi did not disappoint! The bag arrived with minimal taping in a cardboard box (which will be re-used as a gift box this xmas). Inside were minimal tissue (made from recycled paper) and the bag which was stuffed with recycled butcher-type paper. All of the recycled paper will be used either as gift wrap or tissue this xmas by myself a few friends. Even the *one* tag attached to the bag was minimal and tied with rustic looking twine. No plastic at all. WOOT!


According to Avi and the Yogoco site, they use soy and vegetable-based ink and recycled paper on all tags, brochures, business cards and postcards.


Two glitches: 1) the nylon lining on the inside of the bag. Avi explained that (especially for Hot Yoga) having a wipeable lining that was easy to clean and would slip the mat and clothing in the bag was essential. She also indicated that the lining consists of 5% of the weight of the bag and that they are searching for a US made, sustainable alternative.

2) The price. Although I believe that the price reflects what needs to be paid when we aren't supporting slave-labour wages and poor working conditions along with innovative design and beautiful fabric, the reality is that the bags are not cheap. However, I always feel that investing in local, sustainable companies who make quality, durable products are worth the extra money and saving-time. So this "glitch" probably would just result in a little extra thought on saving up. My goal is to invest once in something I feel great about and never have to buy another bag.



This bag is the epitome of green and I heart it very much! It would make a fantastic gift for a Yogi/ni, ecoholic or not. Seriously, I did a happy dance at the post office and in the apartment. (the bag with the cloth AND rubber mat inside!)



Many Blessings and soon to come- Slow Christmas and what that means :)


Article and photos copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Personal Practice: Respect for our Sacred Selves

Winter has arrived and with it this strange new sense of "need" for home practice. The mornings I see the moon set and the evenings I see it rise, so the result being I only ever see the sun on the weekends. It's a very strange feeling to open the door at the end of the day at work and it being just as dark as it was when I entered at 8am.

Thank goodness for Yogaglo, as it has been a nice alternative on those days that I don't want to "lead" a class (either just myself or with friends) and has allowed me to experience new styles and sequences without paying 18$ for a studio class.

Challenges remain for the home practice adventure, which have cropped up since I have been practicing at home more frequently. Prior to my "yoga budget" a few months ago, I had finally attained a mental space of focus while on my mat. It was like magic, as soon as I stepped on that rectangular green rubber *most* of the outside world stopped. It was easy to acknowledge and move on from erroneous "life" thoughts and simply be present.


The past few weeks this ability has completely disappeared during my home practice. For a while I chalked it up to stress, emotional whatevers.... but finally yesterday I figured it out. It's combo of Pavlovian triggers and accountability.


One of the reasons that we spent some time talking about creating a visual/scent/auditory yoga space at home was because of our tendencies to create associations. A yoga studio is always going to be the space where "practice" occurs, which makes it easier for your mind to get into "yoga" mode. Unconsciously set neural pathways are immediately set into place to encourage what "usually" happens cognitively in that space. 

Which is fantastic, except it doesn't encourage generalization of skills in any way shape or form. That's ultimately what we want- right? To take our sense of "zen", of Presence, of Yogic Joy out into the big wide world with us. With any set of learned behaviour (whether conscious or not) the more practice in varied settings, the more likely our brain will be able to generalize that skill. With something as subtle and immeasurable as mindful awareness, it is even more important to start building the neurological base for increased likelihood of a more "yogic" response in the hectic everyday life.



Practicing at home is a nice next step in the journey of Yoga as Life and not simply Asana (physical). Except, all of a sudden my mind zipped right back to anxiety, Type A, GO mode. I'm surrounded by visual reminders of what I think I "need" or "have" to be doing. The phone rings and disrupts my practice. The oil burner sizzles as the water was boiled off. I'm hot, or I'm cold.


Why not simply ignore these distractions? Other than the fact that it's a LOT harder to do than in the studio, personal practice has almost no sense of external accountability. No one can see me pause to blow my nose, open the window, answer the phone or take a drink of water. No one will know if I (gasp) fast forward the *boring* (read: difficult) part of meditation at the beginning or end of the online class.

(ocean waves on Barrington Street during Nocturne; Art by Night)  

 

Instead of being essentially "stuck" in a studio for an hour or 90 minutes, I am virtually free to stop practicing any time I want. No one will frown if I end the class early, skip savasana or fidget and chat. It actually took repetitions of "where else are you going to be for the next 60 minutes? In this class- you've committed. So use it to focus on the "now" as you aren't leaving any time soon" for my focus to strengthen during class. They were right- during a studio practice you're committed and there for the next set period of time. All the thoughts of errands, job, life-partner stuff need to be acknowledged and let go as there is nothing you can physically do about them during the class.


Except at home you could...


During our friend yoga practices at the apartment we've really taken to chatting during the online class along with beginning and ending much to late/early. It's partly my fault, as I set that tone. Unfortunately, the result has been a decreased sense of personal respect for the reason why we were there, ourselves and our practice. Instead of creating a space where we can nurture our practice and our learning, we have been half-heartedly attempting postures and "punking out" prematurely. "Instead of attempting a pose or moving into the modifications I can simply sit back or straighten into standing." Essentially cheating myself of achieving the potential.


Now this doesn't mean that yoga at home can't be lighthearted and playful. I think that balance of sincere and fun is what I'm trying to find. 


So here are a few things I'm going to try to do differently over the next few weeks during my solitary personal practice and when friends come over:

- Light some of my beeswax candles to set the tone
- burn some essential oils
- turn the ringer off the phone
- When alone or without yogaglo- play some "yoga" music
- inform myself and friends of start and end time
- stop chatting during "class"
- stop skipping postures or gawking at crazy examples of flexibility. Instead I'll do the modification or child's pose
- renew our "ohms" at the beginning and end of each practice


How is all of your Personal Practice Adventure going? I know Jamie from "On the Mat" had some concerns re: pets invading the yoga time. Since I don't have any pets I was just wondering if any of you had some suggestions for her :)


Blessings!


article and photo copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

DIY Sugar Scrub; Sans Chemicals!

With the entrance of the snow, also comes dry, arid weather. Prior to moving to Vernon BC, I thought I knew what "dry" was. After a few years of seasonal eczema on fantastic places like my forehead, I realized that the regular "moisturizer" wasn't going to cut it. 

That's when I discovered sugar scrubs. The first was from Aveda and I adored how soft and moisturized it left my skin. Close to thirty dollars in the hole for this magical product I had to admit that I couldn't afford to use their scrub regularly. I had just started to read ingredients on my beauty products, so checked out the sugar scrub. You'd assume- "sugar scrub" would imply, well natural ingredients. That's what you could assume by reading the list on their website: 

Amyris, Avocado oil, bay leaf, Caribbean cane sugar (ahem- fair trade?), Coconut oil, Lime, Passionfruit oil, Salt, Vetiver.

Right, what about the other 30 ingredients on the container?? Are they just for show... since they aren't listed anywhere on the website I'm assuming they're just taking up space on the bottle... right? *cough*. We all know how I feel about misleading the consumer in this "I'm green" crap.


As soon as I finished the scrub I set about to see if I could actually make my own. Honestly, I assumed that there was a reason for all the extra synthetic chemicals, like it would start to smell like rotten socks within a few days. I had my doubts I wouldn't just create a moldy mess that would cause major breakouts (ok, a bit dramatic, but it happens! the catastrophizing I mean). 


I found a recipe on Make Your Own Cosmetics (awesome site) and was... successful!! Perfectly so! Oddly enough, my scrub was JUST as moisturizing, yummy smelling (if not better!) and exfoliating as Aveda's. The difference; mine had ZERO synthetic chemicals, and less ingredients than their "fake" list above. One batch will last for a few weeks with no weird smell and doesn't need to be refrigerated. I can now say no weird rashes or death-mold has grown from not having supposedly necessary preservatives. 


I also love that once you buy a bit of the ingredients in bulk you can make different scents or consistencies. I've even made candycane versions with natural dyes and layers as a Christmas gift.

Sugar Scrub Basic Recipe:
3/4 cup of fair trade organic brown sugar (adds a nice smell, but white would do)
1/4 cup of epsom salts
2 tbsp of local (organic) honey
4 tbsp of sweet almond oil (jojoba=rejuvinating, grapeseed= less oily)
essential oil to scent


Epsom salts and the oils are easy to find at any local health food store. My favourite essential oils include cinnamon and clove, but I've found some yummy cacoa extract that smell delish!


Mix together and store in a glass resealable container (I like anchor, you can find them at Canadian Tire or the Superstore). Be very careful when you shower as the tub could be slippery afterwards! I usually keep mine in the shower area so that I remember to use it a few times a week (frequent exfoliating isn't so fantastic for your delicate skin!).



Really what I've started doing is just generally mixing stuff together to the consistency that I like, but then I'm haphazard like that...


Blessings!



article and photos copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Andrew and Lisa: The Branch-Stealers

We are stealthy, branch stealing bandits, Andrew and I. We woke up this morning to the first real snow of the winter and my first thought was "Perfect!! It'll make AWESOME pictures". So I made Andrew hurry so we could go out before it turned to rain (it never did), we bundled up and hopped in the car to the park (so green, I know).

My plan: stealth out, "borrow" VERY gently a few stray branches, take a few pictures along with some yoga moves and stealth back.

What actually happened: It was windy. And snowy. Did I say windy?? Sigh- when does it EVER snow here without wind? I should have known. The first five seconds were exciting... until my toes got wet from the slush-puddles. Since we both have extremely poor sense of direction (I think I need a GPS stuck to my head at all times) we initially wanted to just go on the main path until I saw something suitable. (on the search, prepared with french-pressed coffee)


The downside to that was that there actually were some people out in the park that day other than us. Crazy people walking their dogs and running in the ridiculous wind-snow-rain-slush storm. Inhibiting our branch-activities.

So we cautiously stepped onto a more secluded path and just when Andrew had started to use "that" voice (me: "not yet, there's a lady coming down with her dog, I don't want her to think we're cutting branches!") I saw some branches under a tree that were.... ALREADY CUT. (I am jumpin' in, no hesitation, must-have-branches!!)


It was a sign. Definitely. I mean, we weren't even harming any trees for our branches, perfectly sustainable! (me with our spoils- YES)


So, I hauled together a huge armful and dragged them back to the car. The wind was so strong that it pulled my branches back... and me with them. By the time we got to the car there were no more thoughts of "tree pose" or warriors in the snow. All I cared about was the nice warm car (and a few people looking at us strangely with our loot).

They were slightly wet when we arrived at home, but a quick "mat" from a blue recycling bag and an hour to dry off later (during which time I went to a local craft fair which was awesome- more like artisan fair), I was ready to decorate.(our dining room table branch-deco complete with inedible cookies)

Armed with oranges, baked cookies that turned out more like rocks but look nice (I guess unbleached flour and sugar cookies don't really go together...), branches and candles I was ready.


I was going to stick to the natural- soy/beeswax candles, coffee beans (in the vase) and oranges, but I did already have some terrible, sparkly purple abominations that I thought should be put to good use. So it's a mix, a sparkly reminder of what we are moving away from in our healthy, community Yule apartment. (a little "sapin" in the bathroom)


Here are my messy, needles everywhere, results. Now our space feels festive and it only cost the trip and experience.

 The book shelf- my "piece de resistance"

Blessings!

article and photos copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Green Holiday Decorating... Complete with Eco-Recon

This weekend marks the beginning of our apartment winter season decorating. Previous years have always discouraged me from initiating any sort of decorating for the holidays, there is just so much "crap". Seeing all that fake petrochemical based wreaths and plastic imbued "snow" seriously gives me the heebs. Why I'd want to surround myself with fake plastic stuff is beyond my comprehension. All those plastic things off-gas into our homes so that we breathe in lead dust, VOC's and yummy-ness.



That being said, I do want my space to feel festive. The natural and "eco" consumer alternatives are usually pretty darn pricey. So every year we've had a difficult time buying stuff to decorate for a few weeks.


This year we're trying a few different options. We are going to have a bit of a DIY Yule.


1. First up is that YUMMY Christmas tree smell. Since we aren't technically allowed a tree in our apartment, THAT whole debate can be left for another post. We're going to get a nice little rosemary bush. It will be small, so less decorations needed, and we'll have fresh rosemary all year round! (tree pic from ecobites)



2. On that topic, this weekend will be Mission: Branch. Yep, Andrew and I will be going out to some wooded area (the park might be a liiiittle iffy on trying to sneak our branches out of there unseen!) and kindly borrowing some branches for decking our... table or whatever. Branches are free and will smell like Christmas without actually chopping down a tree. However, I may have to macguiver a branch watering system to keep the needles from falling off within a few days....


3. Pinecones, sticks and beautiful stones. Why buy fake plastic versions when you can have the real ones for free sans chemicals? This will be combined with Mission: Branch.



4. Christmas Cards as decorations. Since I've already received a few kind cards from clients, why not use them? I love the idea of cutting out images and stringing them together to make garland.


5. Candycanes are a fun tasty way to add festive spirit while assuring some tasty snacks later! There are organic and non-synthetic versions out there, but they're pricey...


6. Natural Scents. I think out of all the visual decorations, nothing reminds me more of Christmas than the smell of apple cider or cinnamon. Burn some essential oils, make apple cider or bake some cookies.


7. Instead of petro-candles, check out some local beeswax candles or tealights. Many larger candles have a yummy honey-ish scent all on their own. This way you'll know that your candle isn't off-gassing weird synthetic chemicals or petroleum into your sealed for the winter home.


8. Gingerbread House!!!!! Need I say more?


9. Fruit such as bright red local apples can add some excellent colour to the green branches you'll recon and delicious smelling cinnamon sticks.


10. If you like twinkle, LED lights are the way to go. There are many versions on the market now and you can even get more warmer tones (unlike a few years ago when you were stuck with spaceship blue).


If you'd like more ideas check out Ecobites DIY Eco Friendly Christmas Decoration. They have some fun kid-activities too! 


What about you? Do you have some fun, natural ideas for green holiday decorations, I'd love to hear! :) We will be sure to document our ultra stealthy Mission: Branch this weekend!



Blessings!


article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com   

Yule-tide musings

Andrew and I, living on a budget, have been trying to enjoy a more frugal lifestyle and benefit from that which is "free". Seeing value in the moment, in the experience as opposed to the object is a difficult road for most of us who've been indoctrinated and "brainwashed" in our society's culture of consumerism.

Christmas is the most flagrant example of consumerism at it's best. Oh the excitement of opening a gift, of seeing all those prettily packaged boxes under the tree. I'm not going to lie, it's pretty darn exciting every time. 

At the same time I LOVE giving. I adore searching out the perfect gift and seeing the receiver's face when they open it. My most fond memories of Christmas though, have to do with family gatherings and friends over on Christmas Eve, with the tree decorated, some spiced rum eggnog and apple cider and Christmas carols sung while I played the piano. 

All of November I sincerely resisted all the beginnings of Christmas season preparations (mostly due to the ridiculous consumer aspect). Now that December is here I find myself starting to get excited again. Excited to actually decorate our apartment for Yule this year. For finding perfect little gifts and searching out fun-free Holiday season-type stuff to do.

On this day of the full moon, while I watched the moon set this morning and rise this evening, so fantastically full and ready... My thoughts moved to what I want to preserve this December.

Here are my small December-Yule Mini-Adventures:

- Embrace my Personal Practice as it has faltered a tiny bit.
- Discover some fun free activities in the city such as caroling
- Decorate our apartment sustainably and cheaply
- Bake something seasonal and yummy
- Find small meaningful gifts for family members- either "green" or handmade
- Officially celebrate Yule/Winter Solstice with a bit of ritual
- Have a Christmas/Yule supper with friends who are remaining in Halifax
- Watch some fun Christmas movies like "The Muppet's"
- Practice Yoga and kindness
- Mom- when you read this: have a fun Christmas Eve with music!
- Bring my guitar to the hospital and sing Christmas Carols to Grand-mere and other hospital bound persons.


Some of these adventures will involve posts :)

What will you be doing for the Holiday season this year?

Blessings!

article and photographs copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com