Live Like Someone Left the Gate Open
January 9, 2013
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
- When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
- Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
- Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ELATION.
- Take naps.
- Stretch before rising.
- Run, romp, and play daily.
- Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
- Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
- On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
- On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
- When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
- Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
- Be loyal.
- Never pretend to be something you’re not.
- If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
- When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right. Think good thoughts for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE…Getting back up is LIVING…
Namaste
The Joy of Daily Practice
November 26, 2012
Guest post by Krista Budgell
At present, my daily practice happens, it simply unfolds. I go to bed at night eager to get on my mat in the morning. I love waking in the early hours to the quiet house. With my first sun salutations, I welcome the gradual easing of stiffness, the rising heat of my body and the flow of my breath.This hasn’t always been the case.
I have practiced yoga for twelve years, and during this time my practice has taken many forms. I have enjoyed group classes, teacher trainings, specialised trainings, home practice and even a few private tune-ups. I have immersed myself in and have sometimes dabbled with various “styles” or perhaps more accurately “brands” of yoga. I have found the time to practice one, two, three times a week and sometimes, daily.
An Impressive Commitment
No, I am not a “yoga rock star”. To the outward eye, my yoga asana (posture) practice is less than impressive. I do not move in and out of acrobatic shapes and super-advanced expressions of postures with ease. I will likely not get a call to pose for the cover of Yoga Journal anytime soon.
I suppose what is “impressive” is my commitment to my yoga practice. Yoga is what tethers me to this life. It helped me birth my two beautiful children with relative ease, it has taught me to be more responsive and less reactive (sometimes). On more days than I want to count, it has been a substitute for sleep. Yoga has helped me be a better mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend.
A Deeper Connection
In her book, Bringing Yoga to Life Donna Farhi says “Daily practice provides a context in which we can gradually awaken to ourselves as we are”. When we sit and breathe deeply and mindfully, drawing our attention inside we connect with the only part of ourselves that is real, that part of ourselves that is ever present and unchanging; we quietly connect with the mysterious and powerful life force that moves through the body and flows through us all.
Tips for maintaining a daily yoga practice:
- Create a refuge so that when you enter that space the body and mind begin to downshift.
- Establish a particular place or places for your formal practise. You may enjoy the supportive practice space of the “formal” studio and/or set aside a space in your home.
- Ensure that your place of practice is clean and calm. If you are lucky enough to have a space in your home to devote for practice, regularly clear the area of unnecessary or distracting items. Perhaps establish a focal point, this may be an altar, a meaningful photo, a flower or a candle.
- Ideally, practice at the same time each day. Overtime, the body and mind become conditioned and eventually crave the practice.
- Make a concerted effort to secure your peace and quiet during this time; turn off the phone and computer, train those around you to give you this time to yourself. If you have young kids or pets be prepared to share the mat.
- If you choose an early morning practice have everything ready to go the night before: find your car keys, lay out your clothes, and fill the kettle.
- To avoid scrambling mid downward dog have accessories, blankets and music at arms reach.
- Dedicate your practice. This could be a formal prayer or mantra, or a simple statement of intention that will serve to ground you and keep you connected when the mind and body attempt to wander.
- When you are finished, roll up your mat and put everything back where it belongs so it feels fresh and new when you return.
- Offer gratitude for the resources and inclination to practice.
Like any daily practice, I feel the ups and downs. Some days, the distractions, internal and external seem endless and insurmountable. Obviously, some interruptions are important and genuinely require attention, very often though, things can wait. I am training myself to notice the distractions as they arise and then return to breath and return to the practice. After all, it is the acute attentiveness that I am learning on the mat that I want to bring into everyday life, relationships, work and play.
In the meantime, I practice and wait patiently for Yoga Journal to call.
Guest Post by Krista Budgell (Bootcamp and Vinyasa Yoga instructor)
Krista has been an avid yoga practitioner for over twelve years. The practice of yoga has not only deepened her understanding of the mind-body connection but has been integral in her quest for a happy, healthy and balanced life. She has completed trainings in various yoga styles which include Bikram, Ashtanga, Prenatal and Hatha. It is her intention to create a playful, yet supportive space in which students can find ease in their bodies, quiet in their minds and joy in their hearts.
Supporting the Ottawa Distress Centre
November 7, 2012
Guest Post from Elation Yoga Teacher Jane Brown
Join me on Sunday Nov 11, 18, and 25 from 5-6 PM for an energizing and rejuvenating yoga class and to raise funds for our Ottawa Distress Centre
There were a lot of things that I didn’t realize when I started to volunteer at the Distress Centre three years ago
- I learned that there were 39,000 calls last year to the Distress Centre lines; over 100 calls per day
- I learned that it takes 150 volunteers to answer the calls to the Distress Centre; calls that are answered 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.
Having the Distress Centre means that:
- persons with mental health issues or other disabilities can get ongoing support; a place they can call every day if needed, a daily check-in where they connect with a caring voice
- persons who feel they have over burdened their loved ones with their problems can talk freely to a volunteer who is not overwhelmed by their issues and can empathize and help them make decisions or find a way forward
- individuals who never thought they would need to call a Distress Line, people like you and me, can find support in the middle of the night when life events leave them in a tailspin
- countless individuals in crises do not end up frustrated in emergency departments of our hospitals but instead get immediate support and connection to community resources
- lives are saved; individuals get support and help to get them through the hardships of their lives.
It has been such a privilege to be trained and to volunteer at the Distress Centre for the last three years.
I’m looking forward to seeing you at one of the Elation Sunday $5.00 Community Classes supporting the Distress Centre.
We Love Jane!
October 31, 2012
Jane Brown is a long-time Vinyasa Yoga teacher at Elation Centre. Her training with Saide Nardini has taught Jane to access the core and create a strong, energetic class flow. Jane teaches Tuesday and Wednesday evenings where she offers both core and hips focused classes, combining a meditative inner focus and strong core engagement. If you want to target your core and get moving, Jane’s classes are for you!
Jane’s path of self discovery began in her twenties when she began her commitment to Zen meditation practice. In her early 40s, she discovered yoga. Body, mind , and spirit found comfort, strength and vitality in the practice. After retiring from her career as a high school teacher/ counsellor and parenting her two daughters into adulthood, Jane delved deeper into her practice through 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training and exploring the principles of core vinyasa through training with Sadie Nardini. She helps students experience peace, ease and joy in the practice and to find the benefits of building strength, flexibility, balance, and focus both on and off the mat.
Pumpkin Scones and Chai Tea
October 6, 2012
Welcome to Thanksgiving weekend!
Wishing everyone time this weekend to slow down, enjoy a cup of tea and reflect on the many blessing in our lives.
With my internal clock used to getting up at 5:00am most weekday morning to teach Sunrise Yoga Boot Camp - Saturday mornings are usually no exception. Many weekend mornings I try to stay cozy in my bed and get another hour or two of sleep, this morning however I was full of energy, perhaps looking forward to a long weekend 
. So up before the sun and relishing the quiet of the still dark and rainy mornings big mug of chai tea and homemade scones felt like the perfect way to begin the day.
Recently diagnose
d as being quite sensitive to both gluten and coffee, I’ve been searching for some new recipes. I found the gluten-free scone recipe on MindBodyGreen, a fun website with health, yoga, nutrition and lifestyle tips, and the chai recipe is from one of my favourite cookbook, the Rebar Modernfood Cookbook. I’ve been making this chai recipe for years and it feels like wrapping myself in a warm blanket. You can use green or black tea, decaf or regular for your chai.
(P.S. I am so grateful for our latest 12-Day Cleanse, it helped me finally kick my coffee and gluten habit – man I feel good!)
The Rebar Chai Tea recipe is listed here on the website. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Date Scones (Gluten-Free and Vegan), recipe by Winnie Abramson
Yield: 8 scones
Ingredients:
- 9 ounces almond flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand finely ground almond meal/flour, and for those who prefer to measure in cups, this was about 2 ½ cups)
- 1 1/2 ounces coconut flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand, and this was equal to just under 1/2 cup)
- 2 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons demerara sugar plus another 2-3 teaspoons for sprinkling on top of the scones before baking
- 3/4 cup packed canned organic pumpkin
- 1/4 cup organic coconut oil, warmed so it’s a liquid, if necessary (coconut oil will melt in hot weather, but will be solid when the ambient temperature is cooler)
- 1/4 cup chopped organic pitted dates (I soaked my dates in water for about 10 minutes to soften them before removing the pits) or raisins
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine the almond and coconut flours in a medium bowl and whisk with a fork. Add the baking powder and the salt and whisk again.
- Add the pumpkin, the coconut oil, sugar and the dates or raisins to the flour mixture. Combine all the ingredients with a wooden spoon (or your clean hands) until a ”shaggy” dough forms. If the dough seems too wet, you can add a bit more almond or coconut flour.
- Turn the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a silicone baking pan liner) and flatten it into a thick circle. Cut the dough into eight equal triangle-shaped pieces, and then sprinkle the top of the scones with the additional organic sugar (press the sugar down a little so it adheres to the scones).
- Move the pieces apart a bit so the scones are separated from each other by an inch or two, then bake until they are starting to brown on top. Start checking at 15 minutes, but these should take 18-20 minutes to bake. Transfer to a rack to cool before serving.
Recipe and Ingredient notes: I purchased all the ingredients at the local SuperStore in Westboro. I didn’t have demerara sugar, just brown sugar, so I used that and it seemed to work fine.
Perspective: Inspiration From an Injured Shoulder on the Mat
September 20, 2012
Guest post by Catherine Lesage
Some of the many great teachings of yoga is to find balance between strength and flexibility within body AND mind, allowing the flow to move through us. To trust and be guided by the body’s own intelligence that brings us back to our starting point and accepting the richness of a beginner’s mind where great perspective lies.
Suffering from shoulder pain stemming from a recurring injury, I chose to attend a yoga class with the intention of soaking in the practice by simply showing up and receiving, not being able to move too much. This process of allowing and receiving led me to a whole new opening outside and inside my body : a reacquaintance with myself as a beginner yogi, opened to explore new ways to move that were respecting of my physical starting point and new connections to be made from my body to my heart. A shift, a perspective unfolded which had I not had this injury, I would not have explored and processed the same way.
Living in a society that tends to believe in the « NO PAIN NO GAIN » philosophy, mine was to receive the PAIN to GAIN an opportunity to nurture suppleness and strength of the mind that would ripple out to my body.
The word « INSPIRE » finds its roots in the word « INSPIRARE » which means to « TO BREATHE ». The word « ATTENTION » comes from the Latin word « ATTENDERE » which means « TO STRETCH FORWARD ». Today, I chose to breathe life into a new perspective and to stretch my mind and soul forward !
And the benefits of that flexibility will spill effortlessly into my life and others.
P.S. And the shoulder feels good !
HOW DO YOU NURTURE YOUR BEGINNER’S MIND ?
Catherine (Teacher, Physical Education Specialist, Kids/Teens Yoga Teacher) is a life-long educator, yogi, and leader in the field of Kids’ Yoga education. She is also a former lawyer and ethics officer. She is known for her contagious creativity, enthusiastic leadership, fun, and collaboration. She has created a unique holistic movement model for Kids’ Yoga. Catherine brings a dedication and warmth to the delivery and is highly committed and passionate about helping children experience the benefits of Movement through Mindfulness, Play, Creativity and Yoga. For more information on Catherine, please go to http://www.littlefeetyoga.com/
Balance: A Practice On and Off the Mat
August 7, 2012
By Caroline Elson
Like all us, there are times when I come to the mat and I am challenged by the balancing postures. After many, many years of practice the Tree pose has definitely come more easily, although there are still some days when I step into Tree and I am surprised at the movement in my foot. I do always give a good chuckle at the times when I am in a balancing pose such as Warrior 3 and my mind wonders to the thought ”how good my balance is today” at which point I promptly fall over. Ego and lack of focus will cause you to fall over.
On the mat and off the mat my ability to balance is grounded in how busy my mind is, how well I have eaten and rested, which of course speaks to how busy I am. Coming into balance on and off the mat, takes practice and discipline. We begin by noticing where we are at, what is happening in our bodies, and we choose what we need to come into greater balance. With the postures, this means I notice how tired or focused I am and I choose which variation is going to support my best postures. Off the mat, this means noticing the balance I have in my time, energy, and relationships, and noticing what is serving me and what is not. I make changes and adjustments with this knowledge.
Being aware of the balance we keep in our lives, adjusting slightly with each day and taking time to rest and to come into stillness, will help in our balance on and off the mat.
Less is More
July 9, 2012
guest post by Catherine Lesage
Nowadays, we are exposed to an abundance of opportunities for rich experiences for our children; for them to learn from others and be with others, to get better and to be better.
Our culture emphasizes performance, busy-ness, enrichment, readiness for future tasks and a full schedule could mean a fuller life. The children feel those implicit messages and become bearers of them as we feel compelled at times to offer them many opportunities in the hopes of supporting their growth.
HONORING THE SACRED: FAMILY TIME
I believe that just like a tree needs strong roots, family is the roots for the children. Our willingness to create space and time for spontaneous curiosity, playtime, laughs, creations as a family allows waking up to ourselves, fosters the process of understanding and compassion, finding delight in the ordinary moments of ordinary minutes of ordinary days where true contentment lies.
B.K.S Iyengar equates a form of spiritual practice in Light of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Sutra 3.1, with the passion and wonder in children as they become totally absorbed in a task, oblivious to their surroundings which fuels their concentration.
Who can ask for more ? Offer yourself and your children the gift of time and be inspired (« inspirare » = to breathe) with children, play like children, and learn how WONDER-FULL you are !
What will you spontaneously do today with the children?
PUT SOMETHING IN (by Shel Silverstein)
Draw a crazy picture
Write a nutty poem
Sing a mumble-gumble song
Whistle through your comb
Do a loony goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before
Catherine (Teacher, Physical Education Specialist, Kids/Teens Yoga Teacher) is a life-long educator, yogi, and leader in the field of Kids’ Yoga education. She is also a former lawyer and ethics officer. She is known for her contagious creativity, enthusiastic leadership, fun, and collaboration. She has created a unique holistic movement model for Kids’ Yoga. Catherine brings a dedication and warmth to the delivery and is highly committed and passionate about helping children experience the benefits of Movement through Mindfulness, Play, Creativity and Yoga. For more information on Catherine, check out her website littlefeetyoga.com
Letting Go of Our Stuff
June 19, 2012
Somewhere we got the 
idea that more is better. But when the bookcases are stacked high, closets overflow and the wood in the garage falls when we go to retrieve the bike, it becomes clear that more is simply too much. Things begin to interfere with the flow of energy in our homes, our body and our lives. Our “Stuff” becomes “Our Stuff.”
Our home environment tends to mirror our inner environment. As things begin to pile up at home our internal landscape becomes clouded. We may become lethargic, distracted and confused. Energy stagnates and we may have a sense of being “stuck”. And perhaps, as the body becomes congested, more serious symptoms of disease can set in.
In her book Clearing Clutter with Feng Shui, Karen Kingston maintains that each of our belongings is attached to us by an invisible thread. We can all visualize the restrictive ‘cobwebs’ that can form and that limit our potential and weaken our life force energy.
We may ‘collect” things for any number of reasons. Sometimes we want security, like the lawnmower that sits in the garage even though we replaced the grass with pavers two years before. Perhaps we identify with a special time from the past, like the prom dress in the back of the closet that reminds us that we were once a size two. And we may be afraid that by selling a gift we have received we are somehow rejecting the giver.
Sometimes the reasons for holding onto things are more deeply rooted. Our identity or sense of who we are may be based on what we have rather than who we actually are; feelings of inadequacy, emptiness, and fear that can be stifled by buying a new pair of shoes. Similarly, when we feel “too good” the acquisition of things can function to dull our intense feelings of happiness, containing them and making them easier to bear.
Whatever the reasons for acquiring clutter, much of our holding on to things keeps us from living in the moment. The good news is that there is a remedy. By eliminating the obstacles in our living spaces we begin to eliminate obstacles in our lives and invite change.
The practice of clearing clutter is much like our yoga practice, it challenges us to examine what is behind our deepest fears and emotions, to look deeply at what is, and to face the void in our lives that we are we trying to fill. When we practice asana (postures) we learn to release tight areas of the body that restrict the flow of fluids and energy. This deep “letting go” revitalizes, reorganizes and energizes the body, mind and spirit. Similarly, when we are able to release unnecessary things from our living spaces we release stuck energy in our lives. By de-cluttering we bring a balanced and harmonious flow of energy into our space, our body and our mind. We may even start to notice new life opportunities appearing, as if by magic.
What constitutes “clutter”? Clutter is a disorderly state or collection. Clutter includes but is not limited to things we don’t use, unwanted gifts and inherited items, areas that are untidy, things that we do not like, items in disrepair or unfinished, stuff we warehouse for relatives and friends, paperwork, books that we can easily find in the public library, sentimental stuff (particularly tricky) and too much stuff in a small space.
Strategies for clearing clutter:
Just get started. You don’t have to wait until you have time…anytime of the day or night works. If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, tired, angry, happy or just too busy, clearing clutter is great therapy.
Start with something small. We all have different kinds and amounts of clutter so start with something manageable, like the drawers of your desk or the linen cupboard. Eventually, you will move through all of the areas of your living space and even your car!
Remember this is a process. It has taken time to accumulate these things so it will take time to eliminate them. It is likely that you will need to go through each area of your home more than once. Be patient and compassionate with yourself.
Designate bins, bags or piles for:
- Garbage
- Repairs, for things that need fixing that you are sure you want.
- Things to be donated or gifted. It feels good to give away the things that we no longer want or need and things can go to someone else to appreciate. This helps to maintain the universal flow of energy.
- Things to be sold, exchanged or returned. The spring is a great time for a yard sale. Post more valuable items on kijiji or Craigslist. Give the skill saw back to your neighbour.
Begin to sort through your things using Karen Kingston’s Clutter Test:
- Does it raise my energy to think about it or look at it? We can rationalize anything, so “tune in” and trust the feeling-sense that you have in your body.
- Do I absolutely love it? Is it something special or merely nice?
- Is it Useful? Or when will I realistically use it again?
Enjoy the process. Know that every decision is the right decision. Trust the universe to provide. Most importantly, express gratitude. We are deeply blessed to have so much. Others should be so lucky.
Guest Post by Krista Budgell (Bootcamp and Vinyasa Yoga instructor)
Krista has been an avid yoga practitioner for over twelve years. The practice of yoga has not only deepened her understanding of the mind-body connection but has been integral in her quest for a happy, healthy and balanced life. She has completed trainings in various yoga styles which include Bikram, Ashtanga, Prenatal and Hatha. It is her intention to create a playful, yet supportive space in which students can find ease in their bodies, quiet in their minds and joy in their hearts.
Guest Post by Halima – Spartan Gal
June 6, 2012
Elation Centre runner, Halima Anisman, tells us about her experience in the Spartan Race.
I finished the Spartan Race this past muddy, rainy Saturday and it was SO FUN! I loved every minute of it and I highly recommend it.
This was my first race ever and what a great day. It is for sure a race for all levels. If you can run 5km, you can do this race. The obstacles are mostly made to make you uncomfortable (crawl through mud under barbed wire, run through mucky water, carry heavy awkward objects for small distances, and climbing walls). My final time was 55:06 minutes, but I feel I could have done it much faster. There were many times where I had to wait for an obstacle or was stuck single file behind other racers. Next year, I’ll be more aggressive. Most racers were there for a good time so it was just so fun.
To anyone considering this race for next year, I would say do trail running and as many push-ups as possible! Most of the obstacles required upper body strength and the most fatigue came from running. The only obstacle I could not complete was climbing a 12 foot rope, unassisted (no knots, or anything!). All the rest I could do and I have very limited upper body strength.
Hey, maybe a Beginner Spartan Training Session at Elation Centre for next year?!
Thank you, Deb, for making me a little faster for this. Looking forward to starting my 5-7K Trail Running with Elation this summer!