the universe is screaming at me!!

There are always signs presented to us....do we see them?

The most interesting parts of the scrap business are the people you meet and the stuff they discard as trash!

"ones mans trash is another mans treasure"

In the past 2 months we have recieved a brass statue and a set of dishes.

The dishes were brought in by a woman who had carried them back from Thailand over 25 years ago. They are made of brass and the flatware is engraved.

Engraved with what you ask?

lotus petals, ganesh, and buddhas!!!

Not only have I not seen anything like this.....but the symbolism is ironic.

Is the universe screaming at me or what!!!

I now have a gorgeous Ganesh statue living on our balcony and a set of dishes I can't wait to use.

All of these beautiful objects are a reminder to let go, remove obstacles, simplify, and enjoy the unexpected gifts in everyday life.

Ganesh seems to be my mantra lately......thank you universe!

The end of the year is coming quick.....I hope to enjoy the last few moments in 2010.

May 2011 bring unity, consciousness, gratitude, and love.

shanti shanti shanti om

Happy Holidays!!

I hope that everyone had a fantastic feast last week!

We have so much to be grateful for.....and the best way to show our gratitude is to give back.

This Sunday, and the first Sunday of every month, there will be a Community Yoga Class offered at Bindu Yoga Studio.

This starts at noon and will go to 1pm....or a little longer!

Great music!

Great vibes!

All donations will go to support animal welfare.

There will be a closed box so that donations are anonymous.

We would love to see you there and please pass this on to anyone who you think would be interested.

This class is open to all levels.......

Come explore,

breathe,

connect,

and give back.

Much love,

Andrea

bindu-studio.com

"The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others."-Mahatma Gandhi

NO TURKEY! Turkey day!

As Thanksgiving Day approaches I start to think of the food I will make this year. It's been over 4 years that I have been vegan and Thanksgiving dinner was always my favorite!! I love the gathering of friends and family to celebrate each other and all that we are grateful for.

I am SO grateful for this magnificent earth we have been given and all the beautiful creatures that inhabit it. The more I see and learn the more I know that being vegan is a conscious way of supporting the Earth and promoting change.

Why is a cow or a bird any different than a dog? Why do we turn a blind eye to the horrifying industry that provides us food? When did we begin to think that it was ok to torture and poison animals so that we will then eat them and incorporate that fear and torture into our own bodies?

I am more passionate about this than probably anything in my life. I rarely "preach" about it but since I am basically speaking to myself I won't hold back!

The moment we start to see each person, animal, living creature as a gift that deserves the same respect that we expect....the sooner we will find peace and health as a human race.

As I leap off my soap box!......I can't wait to try these awesome new recipes and share them with my loving and very understanding family!

love and peace xo

I recently got Amal Oils 100% Organic Argan Oil, an amazing oil from Morocco that is super rich in vitamin E, antioxidants and amino acids like Omega 3, 6 and 9. It's incredibly versatile because you can use it on your skin, hair and nails. It's a great moisturizer for your hair and skin, it reduces wrinkles and acne, and it strengthens your nails. You should check 100% Organic Moroccan Argan Oil out!

You can get 100% Organic Moroccan Argan Oil for 20% off for a limited time.

Pure Citizen

A new site that sends you notices on special sale events for eco products!

So far the products have been things that I have never seen before. Exciting!

You sign up as a member for free and they send you an email daily.

PURECITIZEN.COM

BUDDY MILES DAVIS....oh how I love thee.....aren't animals amazing!!!

CONNECT

CONNECT...ION

Namaste,

My Monday evenings have grown into one of my most favorite and most needed evenings of the week. This is the night that I give, reflect, move, sweat, honor, guide, and hopefully inspire. I know that I probably learn more in my classes than the students who attend! When I was teaching 17 classes a week I loved every moment. Now that I teach 2 there is a different feeling of "ahhhh" when I step into the yoga studio. This time of intention and breath is cleansing and renewing.

As life continues to ebb and flow I find my own yoga practice as well as my teaching has evolved. I feel a new sense of being grounded and quiet. A yearning to connect to the true and simple pleasures in everyday life. Maybe it's just the aging process!

I love and try to live by these words:

"the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others"- Gandhi

serve with heart and soul, breath and hands, words and intentions.

shanti shanti shanti

xo

Super food??!

Greetings!

Tomorrow is a day of emotional upheaval. On one hand it could begin a new and improved life for my father and on the other.....a change less welcomed. As I sit here, I find myself wondering what I can possibly do to make the healing process even a little bit easier, faster, more effective for him. After his thyroid is gone his body will go through a change that will then be corrected by medication for the rest of his life. A small price to pay for a long and healthier life!

In my search i have found this Sun Chlorella. It seems like a wonder supplement....is it too good to be true? Their site is beautiful and full of great info. I'm hoping it is all it says it is. If their info is correct this may be something that I will start asap!!

May the surgeon have a great nights rest and peace to all!

METTA

I noticed this word, metta, as a greeting used on a yoga website. After researching the meaning I Love It!

The Pali word metta is a multi-significant term meaning loving-kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non-violence. The Pali commentators define metta as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others(parahita-parasukha-kamana). Essentially metta is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest. Through metta one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence which seeks the well-being and happiness of others. True metta is devoid of self-interest. It evokes within a warm-hearted feeling of fellowship, sympathy and love, which grows boundless with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers. Metta is indeed a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love.

Metta makes one a pure font of well-being and safety for others. Just as a mother gives her own life to protect her child, so metta only gives and never wants anything in return. To promote one's own interest is a primordial motivation of human nature. When this urge is transformed into the desire to promote the interest and happiness of others, not only is the basic urge of self-seeking overcome, but the mind becomes universal by identifying its own interest with the interest of all. By making this change one also promotes one's own well-being in the best possible manner.

Metta is the protective and immensely patient attitude of a mother who forbears all difficulties for the sake of her child and ever protects it despite its misbehavior. Metta is also the attitude of a friend who wants to give one the best to further one's well-being. If these qualities of metta are sufficiently cultivated through metta-bhavana — the meditation on universal love — the result is the acquisition of a tremendous inner power which preserves, protects and heals both oneself and others.

My intention today and everyday is to live a life as close to metta as possible.

shanti shanti shanti, om

Wagging Green!

If you know Josh and I then you know how in love we are with our dog....Buddy Miles Davis!

As with everything in life, I try my hardest to tread easy on the Earth and do my part in changing the way we live our lives. Eat organic foods, reusable grocery bags, hybrid car, bamboo dog collars!!

This awesome company, Wagging Green, is an American Company selling a great product for our 4 legged loves. They even have a recycling program. You get a discount for sending back the old ones for new pretty ones!! Check them out!

wagginggreen.com

Ganesh....ABUNDANCE!

As Nikki Doane said....Ganesh is a symbol of Abundance....not over indulgence! I think that is a beautiful and thought provoking way to look at Ganesh. Abundance, within reason, is a gift. It's learning boundaries and acceptance.

Rainy Day

What a Rainy Day! Water cleansing our earth and feeding it at the same time. A sure welcome into the fall season. There is nothing more relaxing than a rainy day. Somber and gray....soothing and melodic. The perfect excuse to sit back and relax.

I have recently taken up the new job title of Office Manager @ Stuart Recycling! I manage myself and maybe my father! It's quite a shift from teaching yoga full time and has proven to be equally exhausting. Taking on this new endeavor has clearly proven how important yoga is in my life. Time and time again the universe points this out to me.

I had the chance to attend Nikki Doanes Workshop last weekend and it was just the awakening I needed. It kicked my butt and at the same time brought me back to the simple concept of intention and the not so simple devotion. It was a beautiful and educational experience. Now i can pass that onto my classes which is exciting.

This new season brings change and a set of new intentions. We welcome the Jewish New Year and the new harvest. The new moon and the breeze!!

Light and Love

Shanti Om