Get your domestic chi in order: spontaneous tears and Nora Ephron

We moved. Only 8 miles, but 8 miles with 2 small boys and into a place with no storage in the heat feels like torture. There have been complications (so many leaks, a broken oven-- although it's far too hot for cooking), but we are here.

My adrenals have been taking a whipping and just to launch them into complete despair I CHOSE to drive to Sonora (only 25 minutes away--but there's traffic and more heat) when we should have been home eating and getting ready for nap. I needed Grocery Outlet and some blackout shades. You see, we live over an hour from the closest Trader Joe's or Costco up here, so sometimes I think I  NEED some inexpensive food .

Alas, the shades didn't work out and Grocery Outlet was more of a miss than a hit. They also charged me for 3 boxes of Lara bars rather than 3 individual bars (which I didn't realize until both boys were strapped into their carseats and one was smashing banana all over himself ). But damnit if I'm going to drive 25 minutes on winding roads and end up paying $16 for three 60 cent Lara Bars. No ma'am, we went back inside.

oh joy. thankfully, we are home and both boys are napping as I type.

This morning I was surprised to find myself spontaneously crying. Not that spontaneous tears are a rarity in my world, in fact they're quite common, but it still took me by surprise. I was catching up on a blog--Cup of Jo--in between wiping bottoms, cleaning up massive amounts of food on the floor and getting Finn ready to go to swim lessons. As most people who have been actually been paying attention to the world probably already know, Nora Ephron died of cancer a couple of weeks ago and upon reading this and seeing her face, I started crying. I've never really followed her...of course I loved some of her movies, but I was mostly ignorant to her amazing accomplishments and influence.  I think the tears were because of damn cancer again and the fact that she was just 5 years older than my mom would be. Her face even reminded me of my mom and she actually looks nothing like my mother. But she's somebody's mom. And she's a really cool woman.

I think it's a sign. I need a mentor in my life. so.....

As you may or may not know, I tend to pick something to obsess about for a while. It becomes a project and I spend all of my free energy reading about it and doing something with it. This week it's  Feng Shui. I don't know why. Maybe it's the fact that we are in a family financial crisis and I'm trying everything. Honestly, a lot of it seems like superstition to me, but I figure what the hell, might as well get our domestic chi in order. My point? I'm going to enhance my "helpful people" bagua and see what happens.

How about you? How's your domestic chi?

Image credit: Linda Nylind/Eyevine/ZUMAPRESS.com

Dreaming in 2012

I've never been much for resolutions, but I've always been a sucker for self-help books and activities like The Artist's Way or How to Think Like Da Vinci. I signed up for a newsletter the other day at mondobeyondo.org, and although I'm skeptical of 'life coaches' and such, I'm curious about what they do. They sent me a PDF 'dream generator' (a list of questions to write and think about). When Jasona came home early from work on New Year's Day and the boys were napping I convinced him to go through the exercise with me for fun.   Here are some of my answers. Maybe typing them on the screen as well as writing them longhand will bring them into existence *Poof*!

1. Where do I want to go?
In no specific order:
The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs (tomorrow would be nice), Europe: (Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey), India, Argentina/South America, Egypt, Thailand, Ireland (again)

2. What would I like to learn?
(again in no particular order): To telemark ski (better than now), to play a stringed instrument like the ukelele or banjo or guitar, to become more fluent in Spanish and another language, to sleep completely through the night, to knit, crochet and even sew (just a bit), various yoga poses and the teaching of various yoga poses, some martial arts, to dance salsa or swing or something similar, and to let go....(because there is SO much more I'd like to learn)

3. What emotion am I longing to experience?
a lengthy bit of elation would be nice.

4.   I'd like to surrender:
the pressure I put on myself to be 'good' at everything--to allow myself to relax and enjoy life more.

5. What adventure am I longing for?
Travel overseas

6. What would I like to own?
(in no particular order): a bike to convert to a mamachari, a deep soaking tub, a really nice bed, quality furniture, pots and pans, some new (to me) clothes.

7. What kind of chance meeting would feel miraculous?
A spiritual teacher (Dalai Lama), someone with amazing connections for us that lead to employment and wealth, my mom.

8. What are some joyful things that I wish I did regularly?
Ski (just need some snow!), rock climb, mountain bike, climb trees, dance. I used to do these more often and I need more of them.

9. What dreams keep coming back to me?
Living in Europe, earning a PhD., running a bed & breakfast

10. What is one dream I've never been brave enough to say outloud?
I feel like I could be some sort of 'healer/teacher' --someone that could truly help people on a deep level--to help people find their own path and joy in life. I haven't been brave enough to say this out loud because it sounds presumptuous and egotistical and hokey on some levels and (of course) I don't mean it that way. I also have so much spiritual work to do before I'd be capable of doing this and that's scary....as letting go of old patterns and bad habits usually is.



Okay. Now, your turn.....and here's to bringing dreams to reality in 2012!

Three minutes to energy, creativity and prosperity!

I was struggling for something to write about on this 29th day of National Blog Posting Month. Jason and I finally attempted to come up with a budget today--but I didn't want to post about money worries or scarcity, so I googled prosperity to see if there was any wisdom out there in cyberspace from the new age gurus. I found some fairly cheesy stuff (picture 5 minute You tube slideshows with words in Papyrus font and bad music); but there was nothing worth posting.

Then I remembered a Kundalini yoga kriya (a set of postures and breath) that is supposed to create energy, creativity and prosperity.

Have you ever done any Kundalini yoga? It is seriously crazy stuff. You can change your entire attitude and being in just a few minutes. So I broke out my book: Kundalini Yoga by Shakta Kaur Khalsa and thought I'd share it with you. I completed a yoga training with the author of the book and highly recommend it.

I also managed to convince Jasona to pose for the photos. (Not sure how I pulled that one off).

Damn. The copyright statement on the bottom of the webpage just scared me away from posting it here. Maybe I'm too irreverent, but I don't really understand the 'why' of it.  However, I do know that I don't want to piss off a yoga guru who could possibly invoke their yogic siddhis on me.

Instead--please do check out the instructions for this quick and easy 3 minute sequence for energy creativity and prosperity. There are 3 postures. You can do each for 3 minutes or just choose one. This can also be found on pgs. 130-131 of Shakta's book.

Here are the photos of Jason bringing it in:

Energize

Creativity

Prosperity: "Excel, excel, fearless."