Loss

What is the lesson of loss? To lose something is to open another spot up in your being for something else. You lose weight, you open up a spot for better health, more activity, longer life. You lose a loved one, you open up your heart to the memories that helped you become you. Often loss causes reflection on where you are in your life and you set new goals, new paths. In yoga you are opening up your heart, exposing yourself to looking at things in a new way. Sometimes it's upside down, sometimes it's from deep within, other times just being present gives you another way of looking at something. Loss is not bad, loss is growth. Namaste.

Size 6

No, I'm not into a size 6 but I tried a pair of size 6 jeans on and got them over my hips! I had to stop myself from squeeling out loud in the dressing room. Was I ever a size 6? I did buy some new jeans in size 8. I'm actually very happy in a size 8. I put my goal weight on Weight Watcher's at 140 but I really think 145ish is probably more realistic for me. I'm at 155 right now. I see my doctor next month and will discuss it with her. I'm losing about a pound a week, unless I over-indulge and then I stay the same give or take a pound.

Start fresh each day

Too much wine, too many cream puffs, Gorilla BBQ and a killer martini on Sunday. Great weekend, but used all my points up for the week. Now I have to eat lettuce the rest of the week. LOL

Although today didn't start off very well either. I woke up late because we forgot to change the clock in the bedroom for Daylight Saving Time (probably to do with the martini the night before)so I had to get breakfast at Starbucks on the way in; non-fat chai and their turkey bacon sandwich. I could have gone to McDonalds. I really wanted to go to McDonalds and have a greasy sausage and egg sandwich, but I digress...Starbucks was the better choice. It was low-fat and I got my milk in for the day.

Hey I'm not going to beat myself up over indulging this weekend. A girl's gotta have fun! I figure I'll be good the rest of the week and I workout enough it all evens out. I'll just make sure to drink all my water and flush my system out and write down everything I eat. Maybe do some detox yoga, twisting it all out. My husband and I took a long walk on the beach Sunday, so that burned some calories too.

My philosophy is if I over-indulge, I let it go and start fresh the next day. Every Monday I figure out what my workout regimen is going to be and mark it on the calendar. I make sure that exercise is just part of my life, like drinking wine and eating killer bbq ribs once in awhile. It's a balancing act you have to work out with your body.

P.S. Gorilla BBQ was featured on Diner's, Drive-in's and Dives. If you are up our way, you need to go there. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

Jai Uttal-Rama Bolo

My yoga teacher, Linda Grace Foster went to this Kirtan by Jai Uttal. I wanted to go, but had previous plans. If you click on the link you can hear it for free. I didn't know what a kirtan was. It's basically a whole group of people singing ancient chants together about the many names of God and the Goddess. I listened and it's quite uplifting. Jai Uttal's website explains it well here.

Here is translation of the chant Rama Bolo from Krishna Das:

Rama Bolo Rama Bolo, Bolo Bolo Ram
Sita Bolo Sita Bolo Bolo BoloRam
Hanuman Bolo Hanuman Bolo Bolo Bolo Ram

Oh my friends, sing the Name of God! When it gets too damn hard, just sing. Have no fear, don't give up. Sing! When it gets too good, sing. When it falls apart, sing. When it comes together, sing. Cry and sing. Sing and cry. Living sing. Dying sing. Listening sing. Singing sing.

I love this message. Don't you feel better when you can sing out loud? This is quite an education learning about yoga and all the different paths it is taking me down.

RAMA, SITA, and HANUMAN:

Rama, a prince, is also an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Sita is Rama's wife.

Hanuman is a monkey who serves Rama and Sita, and rescues Sita from evil.

BOLO: "Bolo" is the imperative form of the verb "to sing."

Oatmeal

I eat oatmeal almost every morning now. I use non-fat lactose free milk to cook it in. Lactose free milk has a little sweeter taste to it and is gentle on the stomach. I cook the oatmeal in the milk with a dash of salt, honey, vanilla and cinnamon. I use the 1 minute oats because I'm impatient to eat my breakfast in the morning. Sometimes I will add dried fruit to the mixture if I have any. Cherries are my favorite to add.

Ganapati Mantra

Shrim Hrim Klim
Glaum Gum Ganapataye
Vara Varada
Sarva Janam Me
Vashamanaya Swaha

Let the energy in the obstacles and difficulties return to their sources. Let that energy be transformed and returned to you in a usuable form.

Gayatri Mantra

Om bhur bhuvaha svaha
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dhimahi
Dhiyo yonah prachodayat

We contemplate the glory of light illumnating the three worlds: gross, subtle, and casual.

I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and divine grace of universal intelligence.

We pray for the divine light to illumine our minds.