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The Cowgirl Yoga Experience: Yeehaw and YeehAUM!

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The Cowgirl Yoga Experience: Yeehaw and YeeAUM! www.bigskyyogaretreats.com                                              Ahhh to go on a yoga retreat. So exciting but so many choices! When it comes to finding a yoga retreat the choices are endless, from different locales, to spa retreats, to intense trainings, to weekend getaways, to long excursions. My mom and I have been saying for years we wanted to take a yoga retreat together, but timing and coordination were everything.  Not only did I have to find a chunk of time to take off work, but both of us wanted to align with the intention of the retreat.  We were also coming from different yoga experiences…there is myself who has been teaching yoga fourteen years, in my mid 30’s and extremely active, and my mom who enjoys gentle yoga, has a few injuries, and in her upper 60’s. We spent at least a month or two trying to find a retreat at the end of June to celebrate both of our birthdays, however nothing was aligning
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Food for thought! How is your life’s appetite?

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Food for thought exercise (literally and figuratively): How is your life's appetite and what are you hungry for?  I started thinking of this post as I was physically hungry for food, but it inspired the question about my appetite for other aspects in life which then led me to asking myself what am I hungry for.  The physical sensation of digestive hunger is easy to take care... if you are hungry, eat. If you are satisfied, stay as you are.  If you are stuffed, then don't eat more. We can take digestive appetite with traditional food and relate that into life's cravings... In terms of life's appetite ask yourself, "am I starving, satisfied, or stuffed?" When asking think of different aspects of your life like career, love/relationship, adventure, etc.  Perhaps you are bored with your career and  starving  for something new to bite into.  Or perhaps you are happy right where you are in your career and there is no need to change anything.  Or co
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I am not a number and neither are you!

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Let’s face it, does anyone really like stepping on a scale? I never met someone who finds this a positive experience. Yet when you go to the doctor you don’t have a choice.  If you followed by National Eating Disorder week posts a few months ago you can imagine why this is a sensitive subject. Back in my ED days I would weigh myself everyday and freak out if the scale gave me a number that was above the day before. I saw the low numbers as an accomplishment and prided myself that I was 103 and dropping.  Well clearly some time has gone by and I’ve been up and down the scale numerous times. Today I had to step on the scale due to visiting the doctor for a terrible sinus infection and let’s just say I was not pleased to see the number. I have been titled by many the “ workout queen” due to my lengthy workouts each day. I’ve been lifting heavier and know in my head that I’m gaining muscle but to see the number the highest it’s been in a few years felt like someone was slapping me
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Turbulence

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Turbulence I like being in control of my life.  When I’m out of control like on an airplane and there is nothing I can do to stop the turbulence, it scares the shit out of me.  That thought of just sitting here and breathing through the movement and “bumps in the air” is one of the hardest things, yet I don’t have any other option. I cant say, “Um excuse me Mr. Pilot but can you drop me off at the next stop.” No there is absolutely nothing I can do to control the situation.  Yoga Julie is thinking to myself…yes but you can use calming breathing techniques to ease the unease, but scared Julie doesn’t want to listen to her higher self.   In truth, whether on an airplane or on the ground there is always going to be turbulence. There are going to be frequent moments of feeling out of control, when you want the unpleasant situation to end, when all you want is a smooth flight. And then you wait and eventually you find clear skies and you feel in control.  Ahhhh so nice. Fast fo
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Reappearing because I have things to share... I disappeared from this blog for 3 years and don't know why...actually yes i do.  I was upset because I would only see 3 people read it and i got discouraged.  Social media has trained us to think that the more likes we get the more meaningful we will be.  But what happens if you get 200 thumbs up likes? Maybe people read the headline and thought hey in this instant i will hit that button and then scroll down to see what the next person is doing.  On the flip side...what happens if one of those 3 people that read my blog all the way through actually take it in and connect to you.  If 3 people absorbed fully isn't that more meaningful then a few hundred thumbs up that was taken on surface level? So that is why i stopped.  And here is why i am back.  I have things to say. I have things to share.  All of these things i find relatable to anyones life.  The things i want to say can be very random, as life happens at
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Sivananda Part 2

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The Sivananda Ashram Journey Part 2: Day 2 through Day 14: Day 2 was the official start of the Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy training, which in total was a 13 day course.  After that glorious 5:30 wake up bell and 6am-8am satsang, we had our opening ceremony, which included a puja (this is a traditional Indian prayer ritual to celebrate an event or deity).  It involved some chanting, being initiated into the training by the priest and teachers of the course.   After this the 14 or so enrolled in the course gathered with Dr. Marc Halpern and Marisa Laursen, as they explained what we would be partaking in for the next 13 days, as well as introducing ourselves.  I was feeling quite uneasy that morning and still felt like jumping out of my skin with this mysterious experience I was about to venture in to.  In fact, I was feeling so uneasy that after all the other students left, I personally approached Dr Halpern and Marisa in tears explaining to them how I was in a very fragile fear
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