My Faves: From a Kicking-Ass Guide to The Joan of the Arc that is the Vag

Social media... despite the nay-sayers, it definitely has evolved into THE way to connect. Instead of discussions on the blog comment sections, more frequently people are engaging on the blog's facebook page.

I definitely find myself sharing interesting reads and blogs on my personal Facebook and so I'm sharing a few of my recent faves here!

1. The Militant Baker:
I am in love with her writing, her courage, her gorgeous project "Body Images", her inspiring perspective on life and acceptance. I am in LOVE with this space.
Particularly I am swooning over her ridiculously profound article: "How to Kick-Ass on a Daily Basis". Go read it. And swoon with me.

2. Turquoise Compass:
I actually know Jess from way back... I think I was 14yrs old when we first met (at the Weslyan Church's Living Christmas Tree. I was Catholic, but a pretty decent singer. Let's just say we prayed for my soul before every performance :) ). We went to different schools (come from different faiths) but she's been a bit like a little sister to me.

I'm so excited to share her lovely new blog showcasing her breathtaking photos and world wide adventures!

3. "Thoughts on pain in yoga: 4 Types of pain and how to practice with them" by Yoga Gypsy.
In a poopstorm of yoga and injury polarized social media discussions, it's extremely refreshing to have someone take a balanced approach and unpacking pain in yoga. La Gitane, author of Yoga Gypsy always writes such useful and practical posts.

4. Five Seed: A Farewell :(
I ADORE Five Seed products and I heart Yancy. She rocks. Sadly (selfishly for me, honestly), she has made the brave decision to move on with her business. I support her decision 100% and hope that the next step brings her much joy. I'm excited for her book on skin care!

Her Farewell post has a link to her Etsy page where she's selling her products at 40% off. Seriously, it is worth every single penny! (I heart her Flower Elixer especially, but all her scents smell delicious!)

5. Mama Hayes.
Steph, Mama Hayes, is my fantabulous, crafty, momma-rockin', pal. She is also co-owner of the most phenomenal photography and cinematography company: "Love and Anchor" (seriously, take a minute to check out their wedding videos- GORGEOUS).

I feel most thankful that I was honoured with being a part of the birth of her beautiful boy, Rowan (Andrew and I drove her and Matt to the hospital- it was eye opening for Andrew: "She is in so much PAIN!").

Steph writes from the heart and I am going to miss her and the fam when they move to Ontario this fall. If you live in Ontario- these guys are ridiculously awesome!

6. "Celebrating Yoga in America" by Carol Horton at Think Body Electric
I've always found Carol's posts to be challenging and well-informed all rolled into one. This post, particularly, gets interesting in the comment section. I'm still digesting how I feel about what she writes, her perspective and some of the discussion in the comment section. Definitely worth a read through.

AND... to finish off the fantastic link love list before I head off to the cottage (sans internet!) for the weekend:

7. "Tiny Tampon Queen Stars in Best Menstrual Marketing Ever" on Jezebel.
Although I heart DivaCups, I would have to agree this ad rocks. "It's like Santa, for your VAGINA!"

Happy Natal Day Weekend! See you on the Flip Side!
(off to practice some yoga without any smidgeon of civilization)

A Sci-Fi, Fantasy Girl at Heart: The Gandalf Award

I don't generally pass along awards. Oh I know, that sounds so snooty of me, but what I mean is that I really appreciate them- they are fun, (most often) kind and a great way to pay some link loving forward. It's just sometimes they can go ON with the same ole same ole blog awards. Like that chain letter you just risk the "forever having face warts if you don't keep the chain going" curse and say "eff this noise, I am SO over you chain letter". Or something to that effect.

However, last week I received the COOLEST award ever... the Gandalf Award:

"The Gandalf the Gray Award- When you make a point your arguments are so thought out and so persuasive no counter argument can stand"

(Awww- thank you Christopher from Modern Man of the Cloth- I am honoured!)

Tolkians; ouuu and ahh with me. My absolute favourite part of the entire trilogy of movies was when Gandalf shouted "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!". Gandalf went from being a "meh" character in the books to a "you kick some serious orc butt! I heart you!".

Today I found myself in the lunchroom explaining the theory and history behind Prometheus and the Alien quadrilogy to my coworkers and how, in actuality, the face huggers and Alien actually are the result of human-goop-engineer interaction. I realized that perhaps I am a geek, because even though I know all this mostly from Andrew who LOVES the Alien franchise, when a coworker asked why I didn't just block him out while he geeked out over Alien, I had to admit that I found it interesting. (unlike accounting, that I definitely block out).

I have read all of the Dune books written by the original author (I tried reading his son's Dune books but they were terrible). I love Star Trek, specifically Voyageur (which I know is disliked by most Trekkies), and Star Wars... (and if we were honest Stargate SG-1, I mean who can say no to MacGyver?) and anything Joss Whedon (Firefly and Dr Horrible Sing-a-long blog anyone?). And well, most any sci-fi television show out there. (oh Sam and Dean, you are so adorable).

I will see any comic book movie, no matter how terrible (and yes that includes Cat Woman and the latest Wolverine movies- why can't they just make a Gambit movie? He was my favourite), and I am currently re-reading the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K Hamilton. Name a sci-fi fantasy series with a strong female character and I have read it. (If you haven't already, check out Kim Harrison's The Hollows books- ADORE!).

If you haven't seen this video of John Hodgeman giving a speech on Jocks vs Nerds in 2009, it is worth the watch!


Being a nerd is cool, as you can see from the video above, so I want to thank Christopher from the Modern Man of the Cloth for gifting me with the BESTEST award in blogging I have ever received.

Does my Dove Response solidify the Ego (ie the "antithesis of yoga"?)

"...isn't your article solidifying the ego which is the antithesis of yoga?"- Daniel

This comment was posted on my "Response to Dove- 10 things you need to tell yourself" post last week.

I think this is an important question and I thank you Daniel for voicing it (in a very nice way :) ). The interesting thing about yoga is that although most yogis firmly state that yoga isn't a "religion" nor "spiritual" (which would allow for guiding mores, written "archaic" and authentic guidelines to live by and an ultimate end goal- ie enlightenment), many yogis bemoan the superficial (ie physical only) aspect of practitioners and Western Yoga.

I find many aspects of yogic teachings useful tools for my daily life. However, it is not my spirituality- I am pagan and some of my spiritual beliefs don't quite mesh with yoga. I'm ok with that.

So, to Daniel's comment.

As I haven't studied yogic teachings in depth, I'm certainly not qualified to give an overly educated answer. What I can do is give my own perspective, educational background in psychology on the question of "ego", attachment, mental health and yoga.

I find the use of the term "ego" to be troublesome for many reasons, one being the direct historical connotations of the Freudian origins of the term. In psychology, although Freud was a revolutionary, his therapy techniques and theories are no longer viewed as accurate nor are they recommended for use (outside of Europe and some practitioners in Quebec). Vilifying the "ego" (or the "id") isn't helpful, instead it's an extremely simplistic way of viewing the human sense of self.

The reality is that as social persons we function within relationships with others. These relationships with other people are forged and strengthened through emotional attachment and interactions. Our own sense of the Self and self-worth is created through thousands of interactions, emotional bonds with firstly our families and then others as well as situations throughout our lives. This sense of self, in it's healthy form, is an important prerequisite in order to form healthy and appropriate emotional attachments and relationships with others.

Although our society has definitely moved to a more narcissistic part of the Self spectrum (all about ME), I do feel that the other extreme is equally unhealthy from a mental health, relationship perspective. I plan on living life at 100%, and I am a firm believer that the people, friends and loved ones in my family are an essential component in this path.

With regards to the "ego" of telling yourself 10 things you love about your intrinsic (non physical self), I feel that in the context this exercise is necessary for the majority of women in western society. Our society sends extremely strong messages about a woman's worth based on her physical appearance. As a result, often women (and young girls) base, at least a portion, of their self worth on their physical appearance.

Disordered sense of self, body-image and eating (more prevalent in women in western society) can lead to dieting (which leads to health problems), depression, and eating disorders. Here is where I feel using a simplistic rhetoric of "ego=bad" for a reality where simply "letting go" isn't working for the thousands of women who struggle daily under a barrage of unhealthy messages and sense of self-worth tied directly to a forever aging body. Especially in a physical discipline like yoga, where the billion dollar ad industry is specifically marketed to lithe, young, (white) women and many traditions focus on the physical body in order to achieve mental clarity.

(a perfect example of yoga ad industry...)

If you are a person who has a fantastic sense of self-worth and feel confident where you are intrinsically (and, as unjust as it is, this is more likely true if you are male) then I see the "non-attachment" of yogic teachings being useful. If you find these yogic teachings as being helpful to you, and have fully adopted to follow a yogic lifestyle, I respect and support that 100%.

I do believe that the majority of women (and some men) could certainly benefit from actively finding a sense of self-worth from internal characteristics starting with explicitly stating what they like best about themselves that isn't tied to their physical body. If this isn't "yoga"- I'm 100% ok with that :)

Ten Things you NEED to Tell Yourself (a big EFF YOU to Dove)

The Yoga Culture is a tricky place to navigate when it comes to body image and self-acceptance. The very activity of yoga attracts naturally bendy, lithe, young and slim bodies and the multi-billion dollar clothing and accoutrement industry (like typical capitalistic patriarchal companies) rely heavily on bombarding consumers with a "yoga body type ideal" that is unrealistic (and arguably detrimental to women's sense of self worth and acceptance).

The recent Dove commercial "Real Beauty Sketches" have been making the rounds on facebook, with their fair share of criticisms (please read Little drops post on this, it's like she read my mind.... creepy). If you don't feel like reading the awesome post at Little drops, needless to say I find the video ridiculously patronizing and that it perpetuates the damaging social culture of external beauty above all else for self worth.

Ugh, can't we step out of the box for a second Dove? I wouldn't be so disappointed if so many people weren't attaching themselves to the video as if it were just so 'GOOD' of them. As if they weren't just continuing an external self-worth which conveniently allows them to sell their product (which will make our skin so beautiful). And do I have to point out that Dove is owned by Unilever... who also owns AXE- a company that produces THE most offensive patriarchal and sexist advertisements? (and has been criticized for their highly polluting and toxic products).

Women are often made to feel like we shouldn't go on about how awesome we are, it's often about what we give... about others (our children, our partners, our friends and family). As narcissistic as the next bit may seem, Eff it. We need this.

So. Here is MY "Real Love" challenge to you, readers. (it's a two part'er):

1. List TEN things you love about yourself that have nothing to do with your physical external self (in the comment section, or write a blog post and share it here)
2. Compliment 3 female friends on something INTRINSIC to their personality that you love.

Here are my top 10:
I love...
1. My Passionate Self.
She's the reason for my feminism, my commitment to the environment and my refusal to be discriminated against because of my genitals. She effing rocks.

2. My Opinionated Self.
All the haters can eff off, having a strong opinion makes me a strong, leadership-driven, person.

3. My Sensitive, Emotional Self.
Whatever, I love that I cry at ridiculously sappy commercials (or topics). It helps with my ability to be empathetic and it balances out my awesome Opinionated Self.

4. My Geek Self.
I adore science fiction (Dune, Star Trek, Star Wars- it is all awesome). That makes me ridiculously interesting.

5. My Voice.
For singing, for talking (with my soft Acadian French accent that's barely discernable).

6. My Silly Self.
Yes I may be 31 years old, but I think it's fantastic that I don't take myself that seriously, that I love to dance terribly in the kitchen, make silly faces or laugh at myself. I know I'm smart and successful, I don't have the urge to constantly remind others of that.

7. My Intelligent Self. 
Yep, I am a smart lady. I have finally grown into my smartness, and love that it is balanced by my silliness.

8. My Raunchy Foul Mouth. 
It's fun to swear. What else can I say?

9. My Acadian Self. 
I am so proud to come from such a rich and strong cultural heritage. Despite the haters, I ADORE my Acadian French, including the fact that I can codeswitch like nobody's business. That takes skill.

10. My Friends and Family. 
I know this seems external, but my friends, husband and family make me so incredibly happy and complete. My love for them is something I treasure. It's cool to actively LIKE (and LOVE) someone without shame, without reservation.

Ok, your turn!

Moving to New Zealand!!

One of my bestest friends Margaret is embarking on a ridiculously exciting Adventure with a capital A.

(Step 1: complete side head shaving for a the "ADVENTURE HAIR")

Tomorrow morning at 5am, I drive her to the Halifax airport so she can start her 33 hour journey to New Zealand... where she will live and backpack, by herself, for an entire year.

(Amazing neon pink zebra Duck Tape)

Seriously. She quit her job, sold her car, gave away her clothing (even her handmade Halloween costumes!) and packed her entire life into a 35lb backpack. She had to pare down all her belongings to five outfits that better have multi-purposes and practical perks (such as easily washable underwear in a sink, but they look kinda cute too).

(Margaret and her life for the next year- all laid out on her 'nest' that she sleeps on when she visits)

Experiencing this process with her; how people are reacting to her Adventure (surprisingly, a lot of negative nancies out there), how life becomes a constant set of emotional 'goodbyes', and how we re-evaluate what is absolutely necessary in our lives. I was thinking about how I'd prioritize a travel yoga mat... lol.

(Ms Margaret is READY for her Adventure)

She's decided to blog about her journey (ok, really I told her she better friggin' blog and post pictures while she's there...) and I've given her a crash course in blogging over the course of the past two days. It's the cutest blog ever: "The Ginger Travels" (she's a redhead :) ).

She is so Courageous and I admire her Moxy and sense of Adventure.

A huge part of me is going to miss her while she's gone, despite this world of uber connectedness.

Bon Voyage ma Margaret, tu me manques déjà. 

article and copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

The Courage of Choosing NOT to have Babies

Choice.

Our lives are all about choosing the next step. Whether we buy into 'planned destiny' or not- as a society we still strive for the ability to choose.

The 'Green' movement is based largely on making consumer choices (or opting out of consumer choices). As sad as it may sound, no one truly believes the government has a lot of control in the matter and we've all 'bought in' on the belief that since money makes the world go 'round, how we *choose* to spend it (or not) will make a difference.

The current North American Yoga Culture is based on choice. We choose what we wear, what mat we practice on, and what style of yoga we practice.

We're judged on both counts. Greenies want to make the BEST choices (and there are always reasons why one is better than another) and yogis want to convert other yogis to the BEST yoga style (in one breath arguing why one style really DOES answer all woes and ending with the sad attempt at false inclusivity of 'but _____ style isn't for everyone'...wtf? you don't believe that! you just spent 5 paragraphs arguing if applied properly, or committed to appropriately, implying that all failure is the fault of the practitioner and NOT the practice, it was the answer to world peace!! Bah!). 

As a feminist, I feel strongly that I should have a choice in how I live my life as a person. I don't want to feel that someone else is making a decision on my worth or identity based on the fact of my genital parts.

I have a friend who chooses not to have children. I've witnessed the 'just give it a few years, you'll see' remarks (honestly, I should have given him a little kick in the shins for that one... but I punked out for social etiquette... and we were at a birthday party...).

Her decision is a great environmental decision, no matter how you slice it. The reality is that babies pollute. Instead of made to feel awesome (as she should) by her choice, she's judged for making a decision that is best for HER self and her body.

As if she were born to make babies. As if her uterus defines her entire point of existing.

I'm sorry, I really don't want to be defined by a piece of my anatomy. There is nothing abnormal about deciding not to make children. I know hundreds of amazing parents, but I also have seen first hand how sensitive children are to parental input.

Honestly, I admire her courage and self-awareness.

She has the self-awareness to know that children are not for her. That takes a huge dose of courage to stand up to social pressure and to make a decision that is best for HER and her partner. Instead of judgement, I am in awe of her Strength. 

Instead of passing judgement let's celebrate how we can make informed choices.

Let's recognize that not all choices are circles. Some are octagons. 

(Me and my Gorgeously Righteous friend H. She is a an awesome Hockey player!)

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

How To Practice Yoga Outside: How the Cool Kids Do It

Summer is in full swing and let me tell you, the BEST part of being an EcoYogi is practicing yoga outside. It's an important part of truly living the glamourous crunchy EcoYogi lifestyle. No really, you haven't lived until you've surya'd under the sun next to the ocean, practicing one armed downdog so you can flick ants off your mat (perhaps accidentally squishing them... you know- by accident).

 (Salutation Nation last September in Halifax Commons. Choice of event wasn't the greatest as there were THREE softball games going on with balls flying into the crowd a few times!)

Beyond the silliness of some ridiculous capitalistic "raising money to practice for free in central park", Outside Yoga is all about connecting with Nature and your green crunchy self. If you ever need a bit of motivation to crunch-ify your life, practicing yoga outside can give you a boost.

As this will be my sixth summer of outside yoga practice, I've gathered up a few tips on outdoor yoga practice that I thought I'd share. Especially for all my EcoYogi peeps who have yet to take the outdoor yoga plunge!

(equipped with my old flaking mat I saved for Yoga in the Park, my Klean Kanteen water bottle and sunglasses!)

Outdoor Yoga Mat Tips:

• Choose your yoga mat carefully. Now, I don't want to endorse buying several mats, cuz that's wasteful... but if you have a less preferred mat I would suggest using that one outside. Outside Yoga can get dirty and messy...
• Be prepared to clean your mat more often, or to accept that your outdoor mat will be messier.
• TPE and rubber yoga mats are ruined by the sun's rays. No lie.

(practicing on the red beaches in PEI last summer. Although it was overcast, the temperature was warm and the ocean was so powerful)

Weather Tips:

• Check the weather before practicing outside. I know this sounds silly, but if it's giving 30 degrees outside you might choose something you'll sweat less in... That and practicing in a torrential downpour might not be your plan for that day.
• Wear sunscreen and sunglasses. Skin cancer isn't cool.
• Bring water and extra sunscreen. You never know.
• If it's windy- rocks, flip flops or blocks work really well to keep your mat from blowing up around your legs. Cuz that's just awkward.

(practicing on the dock at the cottage this summer. studiously facing away from the neighbours)

Space to Practice Tips:

• Choose a flat surface to practice on. Scope out your spot- it might look like a slight incline, but when you've only ever practiced on a studio floor, you'll feel like you're listing to the side or about to fall flat on your face. 
• Check for dog poo. Seriously, parks are terrible for this. Last year during our practice a poor girl put her hand in the grass only to find out it wasn't just grass. :S
• Remove rocks, broken mussel shells or any other sketchy debris. 
• Practicing on a dock can be fun... but remember docks typically move on the water. Be mentally prepared to have a bit of a tipsy practice. Hangover yoga could be a bad idea. (trust me).
• Choose your level of privacy. Practicing in a public space means accepting that people will see you and perhaps even take your picture ("look honey- a yogi!!"). More privacy=a tree-friendly area in the park, less privacy=the dock. You might like the idea of practicing surrounded by water, but all the other cottages or lake people can see you clear as day.
• Be prepared to politely ask some creepy old man in a motorized chair to stop zooming in on you and your friends' chests and taking pictures from 5ft away. (this happened two weekends ago).

Yoga Tips:

• Your practice might not be exactly the same. It's amazing how our foundation is so essential to what we expect from our practice.
• Balance postures are tricky when the ground is uneven, your drishti (focus) is on swaying grass or moving waves and the wind is actually pushing on you. All the cool yogis fall over more outside.
• Focus and concentration are a bit trickier to come by when there are squirrels, crows, ants crawling on your mat, container ships and small children screaming "look mommy! YOGA!!!". 
• You may feel more vulnerable in savasana with your eyes closed. 
• Using a water bottle as a block is completely acceptable.
• Outside Yoga is the perfect environment to have a playful practice!

Now- google your city and "Yoga in the Park" and you are as good as ready!!

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

How To Not Hate Your Body

(caution: please excuse the moment of drama- am feeling it today!)

How to not hate your body:

- accept that the medical test results are right and that you are perfectly healthy.
- therefore, accept that you will menstruate every 1.5 to 2 weeks for at least 10-12 days straight.
- accept the fact that the doctor informed you that "this is the way you're built".
- don't imagine kicking the doctor in her shins. That's not nice. Maybe imagine it a little.
- be happy that you don't have cancer, or fibroids, or a missing uterus.
- be angry that you don't have cancer, or fibroids, or a missing uterus.
- go back to being very relieved, guilty that you even thought the angry-cancer part- and repeat.
- acknowledge that your body is strong and capable of running and a vigorous yoga practice.
- be excited that you can build muscles- it will come in handy when you become a superhero.
- celebrate that you can make babies in your non-missing uterus.
- go rock in a corner at the thought of pregnancy and child birth and what that would do to your now present uterus and other bits.
- get back on track and think of positive things about your body.
- like how you don't have ugly feet.
- and you don't have to pluck your eyebrows anymore cuz wouldn't you know, your mom was right: they stop growing after you turn 25.
- your vocal folds are pretty darn fantastical as they allow you to sing without people cringing.
- your brain and heart, although sensitive, allow you to be creative, enjoy fantasy novels, create music, to laugh and to love the wonderful man who is your husband. Excellent.
- And the giraffe neck is perfect for wearing ridiculously long and dangly earrings.

Basically, how not to hate your body is to be grateful that you have one.

(me-not hating my body while we dance to LMFAO at 1am at the cottage last weekend)

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Sans Internet or Cell Phone Connection

For the next six days I will be on a much needed internet break.

Practicing yoga, reading, playing guitar, going on a lobster boat, eating lobster chowder (yum yum!), making s'mores, watching the stars and visiting my new cute niece! (don't worry, pictures will come)

 (some Atlantic ocean mackerel fishing on dad's lobster boat to look forward too!)

Some fun (and quiet) lake time to look forward too!

See you next week and Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian peeps!

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Canada vs America :)

Checking my blogger stats has been informative... one interesting point is that most of you peeps are not Canadian... (so sad!). :)

Weirdly, I grew up assuming that there was almost no difference between American culture and Canadian culture. Until I started bartending for mostly American tourists and until I spent a month in Florida during my 20th year (at which point I realized that after being asked if we get 'cable' in Canada, that Rick Mercer's 'Talking to Americans' on the CBC may actually have some relevance today... the best- at 5minutes his discussion with University students about how Canada leaves senior citizens on ice flows to perish. Oh and Saskatchewan is a province in Canada).

Despite our consumption of mostly American media, there are definite differences. Here are a few of my favs:

1. Ketchup chips: For some strange reason, ketchup flavoured chips are only available in Canada. I know- why?? I mean, they are fabulously delicious, Americans you have no idea what you are missing.

2. Taking off your shoes in the house. I know I've talked about this before, but after living in four different provinces across the country and having friends from all provinces and territories across Canada, 90% of Canadians consider it rude to leave your shoes on in the house. Taking your shoes off is cool and environmentally friendly. :)

3. We have a slightly softer accent. I know it's tricky for non North Americans to hear, but from a Canadian perspective I can pick out an American accent with about 90% accuracy. Seriously, even if you're from Chicago or Seattle. Canadians, for the most part, have a softer sounding accent. I think it's our stronger British attachment and influence.

4. University vs College. In Canada College= community college, University= university...

5. Celsius vs Fahrenheit. Canadians use Celsius... mostly because it's more accurate. :)

6. Smarties. I adore smarties, they are so much better than M&Ms. Yummy chocolate delicious goodness.

7. Equal marriage rights. Yep, I am so proud that my country supports same sex marriage. Woot!

8. More relaxed alcohol ages and regulations. I'm not sure why this really matters, but I've always found it puzzling how in the states drinking age is such a big deal. In all provinces (except Quebec  and Alberta where the legal drinking age is 18), your 19th birthday is a fun time.

9.  It's MUCH easier to figure out how much money you have in your wallet. From a quick look and colour count you can easily see if you have 5 or 20 dollars. Five bills in Canada means at least 25$ whereas in the states it could only be 5$... and you have to actually physically check each bill. Also, checking your coin section could reveal another 10$ in loonies and twonies. WOOT!

10. Canadians are more polite. Ok, although this isn't 100% true, I do think that the British influence has had an effect here. Also, I feel that this also applies a bit to Atlantic Canadians more so... that and the fact that it was commented on for the three years I bartended that I said "pardon me?" instead of "what?".

Incidentally, this is all on top of being a fan of our public health care system (although, there is room for improvements, I cannot imaging dealing with cancer drug costs without a health care insurance plan), culturally inclusive culture (relatively), dual official languages (woot le français!) and awesome beer.

Oh... and I found it really weird that while I was in New York everyone said "GOD bless you" when someone sneezed. It was so different I was consciously jolted every time I heard it. Ten years of living across Canada (and 20 years living in Atlantic Canada) and never once a person said the "God" in the "Bless you".

Of course, I'm well aware that there are definite fun parts of living in the USA, just like every other country :) Since I'm Canadian though, sometimes it's fun to share parts I enjoy about living here!

Canadians (or non-Canadians!), what do YOU find particular about Canadian culture? (and please don't say 'aboot'... no one actually talks that way). 

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com 

What can happen sans internet

A weekend without cell phone service or internet looks like:

Our beautiful getaway for the weekend. My parents built this cottage over 25 years . All the woodwork you see (including the barrel coffee table, the window coverings, the stairs- even the bedframes and bathroom vanity) are all hand crafted by my dad. We spent a lot of time just reading by the fire.

 Chillaxing with the view of our lake our first evening there.

 Potential real estate for friendly tree swallows who nest every year (and eat up all the mosquitos!)

 look WAAAY up, this pine has a tiny board that childhood friends would climb up up up with the help of a few 2x4s and a rope. 

 About halfway up the cottage's road Andrew's cell phone buzzed- brief moment of service! Andrew here trying to see if he could respond to the text. Moved two feet and the service was gone.

 On the 'main' dirt road, going for a walk after supper

 I've always loved the hand piled rock walls that divided land randomly in the woods (this was off the road into the woods about 15 ft). As this wall would have been made at least 80 years ago, when horses and wagons logged in these woods, it's strange to think that although the land was never developed, someone felt it important to divide the land.

What do you do when internet isn't available? Attempt to move some tree logs!

 Mr. Loon came out on our last day!

 The absolute stillness was breathtaking. Nothing but the sound of the river, the birds and the wind through the trees. It was long since due. Although parks and treelined streets are nice, nothing can replace the complete silence of being in the woods.

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

Taking Back My Dreaming

Squinting through my pinkie finger, the harsh lines of reality fell away and the blurry forms of light and colour filter through. Greens of every shade up above with browns of every hue below. It's the secret movement that only a few humans know to bring into focus all that is faery, magical and Bright. With this symbol I can read the faery writing (in harsh reality taking the form of ant trails eaten in the bark), find the hidden faery paths and dens and live more fully.


I'm lying in the crisp, crunchy snow. The cold slowly seeping through my mittens, tuque and snowsuit. Surrounding my snow cusped body are fir tree crystal walls with the dome of this hall reaching up and into the tree tops. Tiny drops of rainbow-filtered diamonds sparkle- the ceiling reflects a million colours with the hint of a blue sky peaking through. In my winter hall I can hear chickadees and blue jays singing to me amid a resounding snow filled silence.

These experiences might seem silly now, but they didn't feel as unrealistic when I was 6-8 years old. I dreamed and imagined my time away. Everything seemed possible.

If I had to guess when the dreaming stopped happening I would have to guess it began when I moved to a city for my undergraduate degree and was slowly chipped away until it was completely destroyed when I started my "big girl job" in Vernon 6 years ago.

I don't think I was aware of the loss. I don't remember thinking anything of it. One more part of the transition into the "real world" after school. No more dreaming.

Well I take it back. I like the dreaminess of the "other" reality. The creativity, the hopefulness, the movement forward never back.

(me testing out the lake waters three years ago...)

Therefore: here is my TAKE BACK THE DREAMS list (complete with unrealistic, unachievable, all out dreaming):

• I will write music and sing on stage- people will actually know the lyrics to my songs!
• I will live on the ocean in a tiny off the grid house. It'll have a garden, lots of bird feeders and I'll be able to practice yoga with the ocean waves crashing. The sound of the ocean will lull me to sleep every night. (So will Andrew :) ).
• Andrew and I will travel to countries and experience life elsewhere- to Ireland or New Zealand or a country in South America. 
• I will spend summers exploring and experiencing in the wood.
• I'll take my teacher training- and it will be extensive and years of study. 
• I'll write a book. I've always wanted to do that. 
• I will spend some time quietly observing and reading in a tree. 
• I'll always see the magical in the every day- colour sparking into Hope.

What are your dreams?

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Analog Books: My Top 5 Favs

There's so much going on right now in my little corner of the world: a public transit strike nearing into it's fifth week, issues regarding my rights as a woman, becoming disconnected from Nature... that tonight as I sip my Guinness, I feel like discussing something non consequential. Just for a minute then it's back to regular programming here at EcoYogini.

Books. 

I've mentioned before that I am a fan of REAL books, analog books. Ya know- Un-Kindles. Andrew got one for Yulemas from yours truly and I scoffed as he fell in love. 

I even read a book on the Kindle... and despised every moment of it (although I was glad that I didn't actually purchase the analog book- it was crap). It felt awkward, didn't smell like a book and I didn't get to turn to the pages or feel the cover. I felt separated from my book. 

So, in the name of loving Analog Books, here are a few that I have firmly enjoyed these past few months:

1. Hiroshima mon amour: An acclaimed 1959 film, the screenplay written by Marguerite Duras is as beautifully written as I expected. At face value it's quite a stark and commonplace reminder of bombing of Hiroshima through a long conversation and flashbacks between two lovers; a French woman and a Japanese man. Worth every minute of devouring.

2. The Magicians by Lev Grossman: If you love fantasy, if you love Harry Potter (or even if you were kinda annoyed with Harry Potter and his snivelling ways), you will ADORE The Magicians. A tongue and cheek dark humoured account of what would *really* happen if a place like Hogwarts actually existed. Subtle (and not so subtle) nods to Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Adventure Brothers and other fun geek-y stuff you'll recognize. Don't be fooled though, this book is so much more emotionally and philosophically deeper than a quick magical tromp through Hagrid's forest.

3. Widdershins by Charles De Lint: If you like rich literary description and First Nation culture (although Mr De Lint himself isn't First Nations as far as I can tell), this is a treasure. I read this before I read Onion Girl (the first book) and honestly I enjoyed this one better. I love how the ordinary and otherworldly meet and collide. Charles De Lint being Canadian doesn't hurt either :)

4. Dune (and all other Dune novels written by Frank Herbert): Ok, this really marks me, but I have now joined the ranks of nerd-dom. Dune (and subsequent novels) was an amazing read of science fiction. Despite the fact that I was irritated by the obvious woman portrayed as greedy, power hungry witches or just plain psychotic, the story itself was mesmerizing. That and the significant ecological aspect of the series. (Also, I now totally get all the references in this amazingly hilarious Nerds vs Geeks).

5. Kim Harrison's Demon Series: And... no finish off with a good dose of awesome Fantasy fluffiness- Demons and vampires and witches... the way they should be. Yep, if you love non gaga fantasy and good writing (unlike the Sookie Stackhouse series), then you should read Kim Harrison. Unlike Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake and Merry Gentry debauchery, these characters actually stay true to form and have lasting substance (at least for a novel about Demons and Witches). And... her latest book just came out!


There you have it, my recent top 5 books (and a series) for your enjoyment! What are YOUR top 5 books?

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Local Eco-Studio Love: ALL YOGA

As prices for yoga are skyrocketing I was surprised and excited to learn that a fabulous yoga studio across the harbour in Dartmouth was promoting the opposite: a lower price for yoga. Since it spread it's pretty yoga wings a few years ago, ALL YOGA has been one of the most supportive and truly community based studios in HRM. Truly listening to it's student base and initiating an open communication with other yogis in the community. Recently they've begun offering not only karma classes, but seva classes- FREE, no donation accepted.

To top it all off, one of the pioneers of having their electricity from Bullfrog Power in Nova Scotia, this studio was constructed with environmental materials, from the paint to the non-toxic glue in the flooring this studio is easy on the toxins and the planet.

ALL YOGA's Mandate: "We honour the tradition of Yoga and offer sanctuary for ALL people to develop a personal practice for the health of their body, their mind and their spirit." I love the inclusivity and acceptance.

It only took me a whole year to get my butt over to the studio (it's a bit of a drive from my downtown Halifax apartment) but the experience was worth it! After a fabulous class with the owner, Kim, she kindly agreed to share a few more pieces of her Story with you!

1. Owning and running a yoga studio is a big step in a person's life. What brought you to this decision in your Yoga Life?

 I was originally asked to open a studio by a friend who had a yoga franchise.  I wasn't even a yoga teacher yet but she needed someone to open in Dartmouth.  I originally said no as I found out I was pregnant but when I went to my teacher training program (with my 3 week old in tow), I was asked again if I was interested.  I thought that working for myself would really suit my life with 3 kids and a husband to care for.   I love Yoga so it was a natural transition.

2. While building your studio, you made the decision to invest in environmentally-friendly and non-toxic materials. What prompted that decision? Were there challenging aspects to eco-building?

It was important to me to be true to what I believe and as sincerely as possible to practice what I preach.  Simple as that.  How can I ask people to take care of the environment and then use paint and floor glue that is bad for them and for the earth?  Just doesn't work for me.  Thou shalt not lie.

3. Recently your studio has announced some fairly drastic changes in pricing. Free classes, significantly lower pass and monthly/yearly pass prices. We, as students, are often told that high prices of yoga classes reflect the true cost of running a studio and can't be helped. What prompted you to make these changes? 

Because I originally started as something else my prices reflected that.  I have no business training but when I looked at the prices of yoga passes and memberships at my studio and realized that I couldn't afford to practice here it was a rude awakening.  Just because everyone else is doing something a certain way doesn't mean that I have to.  I am very interested in more people, just like me, coming to my studio.  If that means that I need to lower my prices so that they can come then that is what is necessary to continue to breathe life into my space.

  

I do have to make a living and pay the bills and it is VERY expensive to run a studio,  The way I see it,  if I only have a handful of people paying A LOT we will not survive as a studio, if I have many people paying less, then we have a fighting chance in the world of international franchises moving into town.  Price does not reflect quality, it reflects value and exhibits concerns for the budgets of our clients.  

4. With the recent drama surrounding the Western Yoga community on the blogosphere (commercialization of yoga, the Equinox video and NYT article) how are you finding the balance between living and Living Yoga?

Nothing has changed for me.  There is and always will be drama in life and ALL life is YOGA as our motto says.  My practice allows me to view what is going on in the world from a place of equanimity and interest.  I don't see it as two things, "living and Living Yoga"...I just live.

(Kim- center with short black hair and beige scarf- and her lovely teacher peeps!)

Thank you very much Kim for sharing your thoughts and Journey! If you live or are visiting the Halifax-Dartmouth area, ALL YOGA is a fantastic space to practice. 

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

Deuxième place! Squee!

Yay Second Place!!!

Très cool, merci beaucoup tout le monde pour m'avoir soutenu! Shu fière d'être une blogueuse canadienne (pis acadienne!). 

Merci!

A Niggling, Wiggling Unfurling to a New Path in 2012

2012 is the year of being 30. ACK. THIRTY. Trente. Shu dans mes trentaines. I don't feeeel thirty (perhaps it's the fact that I work with preschoolers?).

As I've written, New Year's resolutions are not for me. That said, I definitely have a little niggling, wiggling thing. A bud. A something in the center of my chest. Metaphorically, but it's weirdly manifesting as a physical sensation. This niggling thing feels like it's waiting for a momentous *thing* to happen this year. Some event that will allow it to flourish, open up and stretch out.

Weird, I know.

Therefore, although I'm not going to have "resolutions" per se, I think a few comments on a more Authentic Path (inspired from Simply Authentic hehe- thank you!) would be a lovely exercise.

Firstly, to move forward I need a quick peak back to 2011:

The new snow last January 2011

Word of the year: WORK, work and more work. 2011 was the year of my job. I traveled to Ottawa, Montreal (twice!) and all over the province for work. I gave presentations to countless groups of parents, early childhood educators, teachers, SLP colleagues, principals and began the huge Hanen program LLLI. All in French. I was interviewed three times by the radio, wrote a few articles that got published, implemented bilingual standards of care for the entire province, co-taught the SLP master's pediatric dysphagia class, helped plan a provincial Expo, took evening French language classes... sigh I was busy and am very proud of all that I accomplished that year.

Our trip to PEI six months ago

That said, I feel like everything else has taken a back seat. I didn't write as much music and my yoga practice in the studio disappeared into oblivion. My first year of marriage and really it's work that stands out.

My eco Halloween as the Paper Bag Princess costume

Also, my environmental journey hasn't really made any huge steps.
Some notable changes:
- We successfully made and preserved jam (yum!)
- I now wash my face with honey
- I started sewing more
- We rode our bicycles in the summer (but not nearly enough)
- We went to the farmer's market a lot more
- I started drinking loose tea
- I stopped dying my hair (no more highlights!)
- we tried rooftop gardening and failed miserably
- we started drinking whole milk from local cows
- we got a dishwasher

Wow... not that impressive huh?

Ok. So. I'm thinking, 2012- the year of 30. Needs to be a little more artsy, more guitar-ing, more singing, more writing, more yoga-ing, more ART-ing.

Some ideas to make this happen:
Writing-Guitar-ing-ART-ing: last year this "resolve" dissolved (haha). It's time to do what worked when I was in university; go to a coffee shop and write over yummy coffee. We live in the city and have fabulous coffee shops nearby. It's time to take an evening every week for a little coffee/writing jaunt.
Also, using the once a week that Andrew is in an evening class to practice and create songs instead of reading a book or watching tv would be a good goal.

Yoga: I'd like to actually make an effort to attend karma classes this year. I'm making plans with my friend yoga crew to crash some local studios en masse.

Work: No more taking extra, after work language courses, agreeing to co-teach the master's pediatric dysphagia course, checking emails from home...

Blog: Announcement!! I was so surprised and honoured to be invited to write for the FABULOUS Green Phone Booth!! As of this month, every two Fridays I'll be writing over at the Booth... yay Eco Superheroine!

Environment: on that line of thought, I'd really like to make ONE (only one) other large life change in decreasing my impact on the planet. This is going to take some thought, because if I go too big it just won't work. I'll keep y'all posted on this one :)

NEXT: Tomorrow evening I'll be taking key words from the above Paths and will be ART-ing all over a page. This page will be put up in the kitchen for daily viewing, reminding and smiling.

anyone else for the niggling, wiggling feelings?

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

YogAttitude Cards: Review and Giveaway!

A little while back I received an email from the lovely Nadine Fawell, asking me to review her new Yoga Cards- YogAttitude. As I adore receiving emails and I'm always pretty good at responding, I wrote back just to make sure she knew I wasn't a yoga teacher (and perhaps not as "qualified" as she might like).

Silly me, of course she knew that- she wanted the student perspective!

A few short weeks later I received MAIL (I LOVE mail!) with a little box of yoga treasures to check out. Unfortunately my life also kinda blew up in October and it took a little longer to review than I'd hoped.

I'll be honest, I've never really enjoyed the yoga cards that I've seen floating around. The large, new age-y cards with some meaningful "yogic" inscription that some yoga teachers like to read in class. I was a little nervous about how I would use these cards I'd agreed to review.

Then I opened the box and realized I had found the yoga cards for me!

First of all, this cute little box is fantastic. I am a huge fan of the peacock feather graphic and the actual name of the cards "YogAttitude". The cards are quite narrow, which I was initially concerned about how I would use them, but after a few trials I realized that the narrow, smaller cards are actually better for practice.

Whereas the larger, clunkier cards are unwieldy and not really meant beyond a one card deal, Nadine's smaller cut cards are PERFECT for creating a sequence of yoga asana  to keep near your mat as you practice. She's also divided the cards into asana pictures and words to inspire, which allows the yogi truly carve a unique practice to their needs. That and smaller cards means less waste!

The cards come with a well written, not too froufrou workbook... which is pdf!! YES! Extremely environmentally friendly, if I choose to I can print it on recycled paper.

The size of the box and cards along with the pdf file workbook means that these are a wonderful accompaniment to my current traveling reality- I can easily bring yoga inspiration with me all over the province!

Beyond the practicalities of the cards are the actual images. If the usefulness didn't get me, I was instantly a fan when I saw how real Nadine's yoga asana images were. No uber skinny, American Apparel Yogini- but a gorgeous, strong, tattooed (LOVE her peacock tats!) Yogini to be inspired by.

So. How did I use the cards, really? I tried to go through and use them as a sequencer, but that really just didn't fit well with my style of practice. I tried choosing a few inspiration or "goal" asanas and that went marginally better.

The best success, for myself? I use them in a familiar way- almost like Tarot cards.

Yoga Asana Trio Prep w YogAttitude:
Taking the cards I close my eyes and begin to ground my Energy using my breath. I feel the cards and breathe into what is unconsciously influencing my life and choose a card. I breathe into what has been the root, the anchor in my world- and choose a card. Finally, I breathe into what I would like my life, my practice, to reflect- and choose a card.

The result- a trio of asanas meant to support, sustain or strengthen each aspect: the Unconscious, the Anchor and the Wish.

I have truly enjoyed these cards and am very thankful for Nadine in sharing them with me.

In the spirit of Giving, Nadine has sent me not one, but TWO decks (Yay! Thank you Nadine!)... and I would like to share a deck with YOU! Perhaps you'd like it for yourself, or for a special yogi(ni) in your life (a fantastic Yulemas gift!).

GIVEAWAY RULES:

All you have to do is leave a comment saying how you'd use the cards (or how you imagine your giftee would benefit from them) by Saturday, December 4th, 4pm Atlantic Time. An email address, or a way to get in touch would be necessary :)

Good luck!

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

A year already...

One year down, forever to go.

Being Thankful for Change

After each yoga practice I thank my body for being healthy enough to practice.
My bones, my muscles, my heart and my lungs for the privilege of movement and without injury or disease.
I give thanks for my inflexibility, as at least I can practice.
I spend a few moments sending thoughts to those I know who are too ill for this practice.

Today I am thankful for my beautiful family, loving husband and fabulous friends.

I'm thankful that our social mores are moving towards making the environment matter in our daily lives and for making polluting increasingly "uncool".

I'm thankful that as women obtain more equality across the globe, so will our societies become more just, healthy and environmentally conscious.

I'm thankful that through practicing yoga mindfully I can connect with myself, my community and our Planet.

(Here we are so thankful for our delicious wedding cake! A year this coming Sunday...)

Change comes from within each of us. 

I'm thankful that we all can make change happen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

How to Enjoy A Book

(For those of you considering abolishing "real" books from your life in favour of a (no!) e-reader, I present you with a few essentials to live by...)

How to Enjoy Books

(this is one of our book shelves, with my current book  that I'm enjoying: "Wildwood" written b y Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis)

Step 1: Entering a small, locally owned bookstore/library/Secondhand bookstore pause briefly and take a deep breath. You are now surrounded by books. Enjoy this moment thoroughly.

Step 2: Start perusing each section, gazing upon the rows and rows of colourful spines. Perhaps grazing your fingers across a few, tilting your head sideways so you can read the titles or even removing a few to take a peak at the cover. Don't rush, walk slowly or stand quietly for a few moments. It's socially acceptable to do this in a book purchasing/borrowing space, take advantage.

Step 3: Find a book that interests you. It may be the topic, the title or even the cover art. Pick out the book and hold it in your hands.

Step 4: Pass your hand across the front of the book. Feel the finishing of the book, the weight of it in your hands. Is it a light book, or is it extremely heavy (meaning the possibility for a very lengthy and amazing read). Does the cover have bumps or art that feels different?

Step 5: Read the description at the back and check for an author's photo. You never know, it may sway your decision.... seriously.

 

the beautiful illustrations in the book caught my imagination

Step 6: If you've made it this far it means you've got a serious contender. Open the book and take a rifle through. Feel how the pages move. Do they have rough edges? (I LOVE those books!) Do the pages feel dry and stiff or do they flop through, heavy?

And... the ultimately most important part of the Book Adventure:

Step 7: Open the book and bring your nose in close. No, no, I mean REALLY close- right up in the pages. Inhale...

You might call me a huge weirdo, but different types of books have different scents. Some pages smell like chemicals, some like older paper. Library books have their own special smell (umm, I am not a fan honestly lol).

Books are so much more than the story inside. Having a real paper book has Seven essential steps before we even get to the Story World waiting inside. E-readers.... they can't even compare.

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com