Dietary Discernment

As we near the end of the Summer Holidays, it is not unusual to have allowed the enjoyment and celebration of the last few months catch up with you. I, personally, have been a little looser with allowing myself to indulge and be a little bit more relaxed about my routine over the past couple of months. No matter how great a shape I am in, self care is a daily practice and my daily habits catch up with me. That is what I always follow the Summer with some sort of revamp to my diet.

I am a love your body as is girl, however, I know that we are the result of a series of choices that we make. So it's time to make a few.

Here my top 3 guidelines for setting yourself up
:

Choose a plan you can stick with. 
You don't have to starve yourself on a liquid only diet. Or eliminate every single vice. There is no one right way of eating. In fact, your own body may change in terms of what it needs. We go in phases, and our bodies respond differently at various times in our lives. Take some time to consider what you are able to do today. Can you spend some time with measuring and portions? Perhaps the Zone is for you. Don't want to calorie count? How about going sugar and grain free for a week or two.

Make it a fun project.
When your food plan is enjoyable, it can be something to look forward to. I remember trying the Raw Vegan Diet and all of the delicious treats I had never sampled. Or going into a Raw Vegan cafe and realizing that I could order the "Cheeseburger" guilt free. I have recently started using a produce delivery service called Farmbox LA and I get very excited to see what foods they have sent me to explore. I love that I can prepare something I have never tried before.

Leave perfectionism behind. 
If you happen to go off of your plan for a meal, simply get right back on it the next meal. Being perfect (or thinking there is such a thing) can really hold us back from trying new things. Let your inner critic have a job, like looking for recipes that go with your dietary choice.

This next week may still be a holiday for you. Even so, begin to reign it in and make some discerning choices. For instance: choose the dark chocolate instead of the slice of cake. Or have a glass of wine, but push away the bread basket. Indulgence is still possible if you are willing to make conscious decisions.

Celebrate Your Self!

When you have trouble motivating yourself to get to a yoga class or take a run, consider this: exercise is a way to celebrate your body. The fact that you have this amazing instrument which allows you to express movement through dance, experience emotions like joy and taste the deliciousness of nature is a blessing. We are abundant beings in the universe. Nature is full of a richness that cannot be bought. The trees dancing in the sunlight, the moon river reflected in the ocean. All of these simple joys are priceless.

I went to a wonderful potluck celebration over the weekend, which was a reminder of this body as amazing gift. The celebration was a response to the illness of a woman who had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. This woman had no family, and not very much money, but still she has a sense of humor and a joy for life. In honor of Lucretia, we sang songs, danced and shared food. Those who had money to give, gave money. Those who did not, wrote heartfelt blessings in a card to her. The evening celebration reminded me that we need not gather and huddle in suffering, but can come together and  give forth joy. It is just as powerful to celebrate!

Be reminded today, that your body is a priceless gift and find five ways you can celebrate. Dance. Eat delicious foods that are of the earth. Notice the subtle feelings that run through you from moment to moment. Sweat and pay attention to feeling your muscles. Sit in silence and listen to the sounds around you. The wind rustling throughout the trees or human sounds like a hammer in the background.

Take time to look another in the eye and smile in mutual celebration
, for we are all expressions of this same amazing energy of life.

Sexual Energy is Creative Energy

What's more arresting than talking about sex? This topic is a real favorite and seems to grab everyone's attention . It's really not a stretch to say that sexuality and creativity go hand in hand. In fact, the most creative energy out there is sexual energy. That is the very energy that created each of us. You and I  are a product of that potency. And it all probably started with a little crush.

This idea can go two ways:

1. Thinking about someone you have a crush on can be extremely motivating. Have you ever felt that feeling when you first meet someone who piques your interest? You are able to stay up all night, lose your appetite and have a permanent smile pasted upon your face, barely needing anything to keep going. You are fueled with the sheer energy of hormones. When I need some extra kick in my work out, nothing energizes me quite like a crush.

2. If sexual energy is so potent, why spend it on a mere crush? If you can create an entire person with that energy, than imagine what else you may be able to create. I have authored a book, painted, written poetry, acted and cooked in place of ...well...you know.... This energy is a kissing cousin of any creative project. Some people have babies and others feel that they have birthed a child when they launch a creative project. The point is: do you really need another make-out session, or is something bigger wanting creative expression? Only you know. No judgment, only options.

Lastly, you can do a combo. One of the best ways to get motivated is to have a secret crush, and do absolutely nothing about it. If you don't have a crush, then you have homework. If you DO have a love, and it's out in the open, then a make-out session is in order. Take a risk today and have fun with your sexy. It can be as simple as a flirty wink, a pole dance class, or a thought nobody knows you're thinking....

Enjoy!

YOU ARE THE SUN (salute) OF YOUR UNIVERSE

“Even 
After 
All this time
The Sun never says to the Earth,

"You owe me."

Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.”- Hafiz

 I have always been moved by the above quote. The generosity of the Sun, even though the other planets revolve around it, is a wonderful reminder here. I felt it was timely, for the New Moon is in the sign of Leo today (August 7th). We get an opportunity to set our creative intentions. In a world where we are taught that being center stage is selfish, it can be against the grain to step into the spot light and own our place in the world. Here's an idea: each of us has a unique vantage point, and a life that is important to fully express. When we share our own perspective, others can learn from our experience, and interpret its meaning for their own lives. We are constantly dancing with one another.

 Creative expression comes in many forms. The most obvious are the arts, like dancing, writing, painting and theatre. Play is also a form of creativity, as are our children that we raise or gardens that we plant. A delicious meal that you make out of nature's gifts is creative. I once heard that creativity is the way you organize what already exists.

The idea that Spirit understands itself through you and the play of your life, makes taking center stage feel a bit more generous, doesn't it?  As we create our lives and craft our surroundings, our actions have an effect upon others. In that sense, you are the center of the universe, and you have the ability to generate real change and influence others in a positive way.

When I imagine the importance and the impact of my actions, I feel much more responsible and generous. I can imagine that I am the Sun at the center of my Universe and I give off heat and light that has the ability to inspire and nourish those around me. Today, when I salute the sun, I will imagine what it would feel like to be that ball of energy. I will embody that light. And as I am the center, in the center of me is my heart. Let's come from the heart, let's see how our creations  give to others.

Creative Eating

You are what you paint! Summer is a time for play and projects, and we are right in the heart of it as we head out of July. The difference between snacking unconsciously in front of the fridge or taking the time to make your food into an experience changes your relationship to what you are eating, and therefore the result. What if you are the WAY YOU EAT. So create and enjoy! Be creative.

I am not a chef by nature. I often pretend that Whole Foods is my personal chef. But with the overstock of fresh fruits that I have had delivered to my door from the local organic food delivery service FarmBox LA as of late, I need to find a way to make use of the excess sweetness in my fridge. I also love the idea of creating and making my food a project.

Case in point: Painted Fruit. (See below.)

I have daily recipes in my book. Some offerings from celebrity chef Melissa Costello, who works with Tony Horton and is one hundred percent vegan. I have an offering of an afternoon pick-me-up from the extra cool Justin Theroux, and I picked up this stellar RAW dessert or breakfast treat from my favorite vegan yoga-loving family, the Harrelsons. Yep, that lovable Woody we all so adore.

Leave it to this bunch of creatives to make their fruit fun. This is a great project for your kids, because the "paint" is dark green and super messy, but it's also good for them, as it is jam-packed with sea minerals and greens that are nutritious for the bloodstream. It is sweetened with agave which is low glycemic, and it is also hearty because of the RAW nut butter combo which is easy to digest. Since I am my own kid, I like to make this on my own and add coconut or nuts to give it extra chewiness or crunch. If you insist, you can add some granola.

Not only can you re-create your body with cardio, but you will be well on your way towards creating your way into a juicy, messy, sweet treat with this delectable recipe.

Painted Fruit

• 1 heaping tablespoon raw almond butter 
• 1 heaping tablespoon raw tahini 
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar 
• 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon hempseed oil 
• 3 tablespoons spirulina powder 
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt 
• ½ cup coconut water 

In a small bowl, mix almond butter, tahini, agave, lemon juice, cinnamon, and hempseed oil together until creamy. Slowly stir in spirulina powder. If mix starts to get too thick, start stirring in the juice and then add the remaining spirulina. Mix to desired consistency.You may forego the juice, depending on desired thickness. 

Pour or spoon the mix over freshly cut fruit (banana, mango, papaya, heaps of berries). Garnish with more cinnamon and dried coconut shavings.The paint doesn’t last very long, so consume immediately, share with friends, or store in the fridge! May be served with chopped almonds for added crunch.

Act As If

If you were a yoga pose, what pose would you be? Would you be a Reverse Warrior, solidly leaning away from conflict? Or would you be an Eagle Pose, finding balance as you gaze with soft focus at the big picture of the entanglement of opposites that creates tension and steadiness down below? How about the way you hold your stance? Would the way you pose be just as important as the pose itself? Have you tried imitating the masters like Iyengar, or tried to mimic the beauty and grace of yoga practitioner Christy Turlington? 

"Acting As If" can be a wonderful tool for practice. Just as you may have playacted as a child, so too can you use this practice in assuming the position. When I work with actors, I find that they are able to imitate and adopt the postures of the masters. When you start by acting, you may very well begin to feel differently. The phrase "You can't think your way into correct action, but you can act your way into correct thinking" is a motto I live by when it comes to motivation. I have mastered this in my workouts and my yoga practice, but I still need practice in my day-to-day life and shifting my attitude. How about those days when you feel down? Or when things just aren't going your way? 

Here are 5 active tips for changing your mood:

1. Smile.

 Just a simple smile can shift your mood through correct action.

2. Gratitude list. 

Often we can act our way into correct thinking by creating a gratitude list of 5 things we are grateful for. Soon, we feel better and move through the world from that place, and more abundance comes.

3. Fake it til you make it! 

Fake laughter becomes real laughter. Try a few minutes of really laughing out loud hard. Before you know it that laughter will become real, and will be the best abdominal exercise you can get.

4. Act As If.

If you find yourself a ball of nerves, act like your favorite rock star and watch your confidence level rise.

5. Work It Out!

Lastly, don't wait to feel motivated before you work out. Start working out and watch how your energy level rises! 

Nurture With Nature

I have had a particularly intense week. After a month of travel, a few personally emotional ups and downs, as well as a pretty bad car wreck, my body, mind and spirit have been banged up, in an important way. I feel a personal earthquake shaking my foundation and the need to recalibrate on every level.

The actions I have taken towards nurture have been by grounding into the elements of nature.

AIR ELEMENT: I have slowed way down by doing only what is scheduled and not adding to my to-do list, leaving plenty of wide open space for contemplation, meditation, and time to walk to my destination. This action of simply slowing to a walk naturally brings me into the now. This reminds me to put my head where my feet are and become completely present. The motion and action of walking balances the hemispheres of the brain, creating a meditative space and an opportunity to fuse and blend my masculine "doing" energy with my feminine "being" energy. The mind and the breath both connect to the element of air, and I am reminded to breathe the fresh air a little deeper, as well as to notice the green trees that help to purify the air and provide plenty of oxygen. Dark leafy greens help to cleanse the bloodstream, and represent this air element. A green vegetable juice and an arugala salad strengthens and oxygenates my blood.

FIRE ELEMENT: Laying in the sun and gazing at the sunset vitalizes and replenishes my fire and fuels my creativity. I spent about 45 minutes each day reclining in the sun and drinking in the Vitamin D and the light. After my book tour, I really needed the new creative fire to get stoked, as I have poured out and emptied most of my creative fire energy, after reaching the culmination of my dream come true: Connecting with all of you personally. Lighting the flame in our classes together, we recreated with the theme of FUN! Cinnamon in my green tea latte and even cold pressed coffee fired my system with energy and got me moving!

EARTH ELEMENT: Feeling the ground beneath me and grounding into the gravity of the Earth is important to my well being. My physical body gets grounded when I sit upon large rocks, or literally pound the pavement. The sandy beach I walked upon today was littered with bodies of all shapes, sizes and ages, digging into the sand and building sand castles. As I watched two young girls digging into the sand, I could remember how healthy and grounding that felt. I also saw a boy who had buried himself waist deep in the sand. I tried to imagine that feeling from being young and firmly planted. Try imagining this when you are finding your balance in Tree Pose. The roots of a tree grow equally deep into the earth as the reach of its branches and leaves toward the sky. Root vegetables and grains can help to ground me when I feel too high. Imagine foods that grown beneath the ground. This weekend I practiced yoga with a group that does a food delivery from Los Angeles local organic farmers, FarmBox LA.

WATER ELEMENT: During these summer months, water is especially important. It's wonderful to start the day with purified water to get your system going. Many like warm water with lemon to cleanse the system. You may also try fruit- and herb-infused water for organ functionality. Water is cleansing and purifying. Baths and swimming in salt water help to pull out and rid the body of toxins. I have been doing an epsom salt/baking soda bath (one part each, one cup) to pull any traumas or aches and pains that my body may be holding. Juices and fruits are special in the summertime. Try eating watermelon or any juicy melon, but eat it alone. Separate from other foods to digest it easier.

Nature is the ultimate nurturer. Identify what you need, and find actions that balance you out. Slow down and go with the flow. It's Summer!