Yogini For Uganda

Thank you!

2009-12-22T08:20:00.001-05:00

Final numbers are in and the deadline has passed. The results... $11,013.49 raised! We did some good work together. Thank you to everyone who participated, gave, supported, cheered, sneered, doubted and lent a hand. Every part of this past year was worth it for this.

"Skating away on the thin ice of a new day"

2009-12-16T17:24:00.016-05:00

In the wee hours

2009-12-12T23:18:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I will wake for the final event for this Seva challenge. Tonight is the last long haul of ironing, printing and planning. I am almost done and ready to rest. To rise and shine and greet those who join me. May you be well and may we gather tomorrow for the greater good, us included.

a few brought a lot

2009-12-11T08:20:00.005-05:00

Last night's Change for Change was a success in my book. The crowd was small, very small. There were many faces I did not see that I had expected - that's just the thing with expectations though.

Those that did attend really brought it. They showed up with buckets, tubs, jars, and large bags. And they stayed and smiled and drank and laughed. All the while the talented and charming Clint - aka Eli Charleston - played his rag timey tunes which filled the air with sweet sounds and mixed with the holiday decorations.

All in all 9 full coffee cans are ready to be deposited, with a few more trickling in. The cans are heavy - weighed down by the generosity within them and the months of gathering and giving.

Thank you to everyone who came out in the freezing night air. Thank you to Clint for playing for Change. Thank you to Suba and the ladies of MQ for hosting the event and thank you to my co-workers there that shared their time and space to lend a helping hand.

So while the turnout disappointed me, that feeling quickly dissipated once I realized that the people who were there were so full of love that it filled the room as if there were hundreds and that is more than enough.

So I might have to make a few trips to get all this change counted... I'll keep you posted on the final amount.

Namaste friends.

Here we go...

2009-12-10T15:59:00.002-05:00

Change for Change is tonight from 5:00 - 7:00 at Suba at 272 North Street, in Harrisburg.

My second wave of excitement / nerves kicked in about a half hour ago... the first wave kicked in when I saw the article in the Patriot this morning. Mostly I am excited to see what happens, who turns up and what the outcome is.

Eli Charleston will be playing live for the entire time!! Fun times no matter the outcome.

Hope to see you there!!

Check out the article in today's Patriot News!!

2009-12-10T09:36:00.005-05:00

A big thank you to writer Lara Brenckle and to photographer Christine Baker. Please take a moment and check out the article in today's paper - click here to read.

** Photograph by Christine Baker, The Patriot-News

Photog in the house

2009-12-08T08:10:00.007-05:00

In the week before an event I am usually to be found in my basement madly printing away until the wee hours of the morning. And often guests, helpers and visitors pop over to lend a hand or to say hello. Last night my visitor was a photographer from the Patriot News. I was nervous before their arrival and then relieved - it really was an enjoyable experience, I forgot about the camera and the photographer, Christine, was as cool as could be.

Midas touch

2009-12-07T08:42:00.005-05:00

Change for Change - December 10th

2009-12-01T07:31:00.003-05:00

A little while back I mentioned a little fundraising idea called Change for Change... and I asked you to start saving some change or to set a can out at your place of business or home. The idea being that we will see how much what is spare to us can do for others when it is combined.

It is almost time to see what happens...

On December 10th, from 5:00 - 7:00pm at Suba Tapas Bar, I am holding the Change for Change benefit. The idea is pretty simple - stop by, donate your change and together we will see what happens next.

Bring your change in a baggie, a dish, a pocket, a jug, a bucket, or a handful... and toss it in one of the collection cans. While you are there stay for some drinks and tapas. Your beautiful bartenders that evening have graciously decided to donate their tips from 5:00 - 7:00 to the cause! So come on out... a little spare change can go a long way.

Change for Change - Thursday December 10th. Happy hour never looked so good.

Yoga for Uganda

2009-12-01T07:19:00.005-05:00

The ever talented Megan Caruso (artist, designer and maker of things) has once again come up with yet another beautiful poster and a lovely apparel design for the final Yogini for Uganda event... I am continually stunned by her talent and so very grateful to her great contribution to help out with the fundraising effort. For those of you visiting this blog for the first time Megan is the clever designer behind my logo, printed materials and images for the tees...

I spy with my little eye...

2009-11-28T11:32:00.004-05:00

Great success last night. With gratitude and respect, thank you to all the fantastic musicians and to everyone who came out and made the night what it was. Good times indeed with a great group of people. Together we raised $1,055! .

* Photograph by Jeff Lynch

Uganda Rocks, Part Deuce... TONIGHT

2009-11-27T11:39:00.006-05:00

Take a nap and then get on your dancing shoes... be a part of a night of live, local music for the greater good.

Spy Club, Second Street, 9:00 pm until the wee hours...

$10 at the door

Build a school, sustainable farm, and birthing center for Ugandan communities in great need.

The Sentinel Online : A E : Arts : Area bands rock for Ugandan charities

2009-11-27T09:52:00.000-05:00

The Sentinel Online : A E : Arts : Area bands rock for Ugandan charities

Thanks to Lisa Clarke - area entertainment writer, and to Jeff Lynch who sparked her interest... Uganda Rocks and Yogini for Uganda has a write in The Sentinel.

2009-11-26T21:30:00.002-05:00

Gratitude

2009-11-25T09:41:00.002-05:00

I bow to you all in gratitude and acknowledge your very important roll in the world... thank you endlessly.

Hero on Bridge Street etc etc

2009-11-23T17:32:00.005-05:00

Last night I printed my logo on all the shirts for Uganda Rocks Part Deuce... and this afternoon I turned them over to Josh at Axis Custom Apparel to print the poster image on the front. This is the first item that I will not have a chance to actually print the entire shirt, a process that is important to me - and while that disappoints me I could think of no one that I would rather have getting the job done.

Thank you Josh and the rest of the crew at Axis... your kindness and radness it is fully appreciated.

Spontaneous advocate

2009-11-22T11:22:00.006-05:00

Last night I had a spontaneous fundraiser.

Our story begins with my usual weekend gig as a bartender... I had four people come in. They sat themselves down directly in front of one of my Change for Change cans and a few postcards for Uganda Rocks ~ Part Deuce... they asked about it, I told about it. And what happened next was a flurry and a mad fundraising delight. One of the women in the group starts going from person to person, table to table explaining to people what I was doing. She is out there on the floor of the restaurant striking deals, asking donations, and buying drinks for patrons if they donated $10, $20, $1, .$25... around and around the bar she went. It was fabulous.

The band played, people carried on, drinks and tapas were consumed. An hour passed and the foursome got up to leave and this is what the previously 25% filled can looked like. She raised over $100.

Thanks spontaneous fundraising friend.

Either you're a part of the problem or a part of the solution...

2009-11-20T15:19:00.011-05:00

A comment was left on the Facebook event wall for Uganda Rocks Part Deuce that had me so worked up that my hands were shaking and my palms were sweating... I 'm aware that people have differing views, and I realize that some people hold to the opinion that a better use for money raised could be found in our own country, towns and communities but this comment was well...wow! It had been a long while since I encountered such bigotry, hostility and hatred.

Without naming a name (although this "fella" sure wasn't shy about sharing his opinion openly) or quoting him correctly by inserting the proper amount of f-bombs ... his sentiment summed up was that raising money for Uganda (or anyone outside the US) is a scam and he felt and actually wrote that the "people, (he did not use the word people but rather a word that starts with n) in Uganda should die of thirst".

Why the hate? I am curious what this person's contribution to life is? I almost commented back, I almost emailed him but rather I deleted the comment and moved on.

But I will say this - part of the money raised does stay in the USA, it goes to support yoga programs for urban at-risk youth. This guy probably doesn't like urban youth either. And I strongly believe that we, I, you , me, can benefit from helping others within or outside of our own borders. And if you want to help your own town, community, neighborhood or country - then do it. Raise the money, create the projects... walk the walk. Peace.

How many hands does it take to make a chicken shirt?

2009-11-19T15:17:00.005-05:00

I ran into a bit of a dilemma yesterday... and I am pretty sure my head was about to split right open. I needed to solve a problem. I needed to solve it fast.

How did I solve it - I went to the Deuce Gibb Salon. A hair cut at a time like this you might be saying? No... initially this visit was just to deliver some posters and postcards to Deuce who's band is playing in Uganda Rocks ~ Part Deuce (hence the Deuce part of the event name)... and to talk over some last minute details regarding the show but what I got out of the visit was a breath of fresh air and a big sigh of relief and many a helping hand.

If you have never been to Deuce's salon I highly recommend it. Not only do they deliver excellent services but the staff there are as cool as cucumbers, oh so nice and it is a welcoming, comfortable, cool place to hang.

So.... yesterday I was having a screen burning issue - our local art supply store is leaving us and everything is 50% off and while that is fantastic for those of you who want to stock up on supplies it was not so good for me yesterday when I needed something and the screen printing aisle was completely cleaned out of all items. No supplies, no screen. No screen, no cool new concert tee. Sadness settled in and disappointment that I should have planned ahead in some unforeseen way... but I don't really have time for "should of" and "could of" I needed a real solution - the shirts are on the way, and the benefit show is around the corner.

The solution - Axis Custom Apparel ... they checked out my issue and solved the problem. When another problem came up, he solved that one too. The owner even took the time to show me the shop, the awesome equipment and process. This is the place to go to get your custom apparel done. I love my basement workshop but these guys have the set up and the owner is cool and kind enough to take time out of his incredibly busy schedule to help me out.

Thank you Josh at Axis - and Deuce for sending me down there. Sometimes you cannot do everything yourself, actually very rarely, and when you can't and you have reached the end of your abilities - open you mouth, ask for help... you'll be surprised where it comes up. It also shows once again that New Cumberland is a very cool place to be.

Are you ready to Rock?

2009-11-17T11:51:00.004-05:00

Friday November 27th (the eve after Thanksgiving) is Uganda Rocks ~ Part Deuce @ Spy Club ( which is inside the Dragon Fly on Second Street)

Your ticket price of $10 will help to build an eco-birthing center for mothers with HIV/AIDS in Uganda, a seven room primary school with attached sustainable farm, and will help to leave a living legacy for a community pf people in great need.

Mechanical Minds goes on first starting the night with a blend of hip hop, spoken word and jazz instrumentation, Blue Elephant is up next bringing us the blues... and after that the Martini Bros rock like rock n' roll should be done and the ever excellent Suburban Transit closes out the evening with their stellar funky style.

Friday November 27th 9:00 pm... $10... a small way to give thanks by giving.

Hope to see you all there.

Bizarre success!!

2009-11-15T12:38:00.006-05:00

whooshhhhh... what a day!

What a fun, exciting, cozy, inspiring, non stop day!

Huge success for Yogini for Uganda at the Odd Ones Bizarre yesterday - with sales coming in at $1,035 (and counting) we have now raised $8,112.75!!!

Thank you everyone who came out yesterday, to all the vendors and creative community who came out in support! Thank you to Mantis for putting together another fantastic Holiday Bizarre. And a very special thank you to the artists and friends that contributed their time and hands to getting everything together.

** Photograh by Elliot Stevenson

ready. set. and go....

2009-11-13T14:24:00.004-05:00

Almost ready for tomorrow's Odd Ones Bizarre... thanks to all my peeps for lending a helping hand in all the ways that you did.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

2009-11-11T16:27:00.004-05:00

Everything we do has consequence - whether the outcome is positive or negative depends on many factors and viewpoints.

Today I want to send out a very special thank you Mia, a sister in the Seva challenge, who has decided to donate what she has raised so far to my fundraising goal. With that amount we have now raised $7,077.75!! I am teary eyed just thinking about it. Namaste Mia - I bow to the divine in you.

Thank you Mia. Thank you to everyone who helped you raise the money. Thank you to everyone who is supporting this simple, sustainable way to make a positive difference in the world. Beyond politics, beyond borders and religious views - just one community helping out another and not wanting anything in return.

That is some positive news to focus on in these confusing and troubling times on our planet - good stuff like this is what builds bridges of peace from person to person, from place to place. I am continually touched by the generosity and support I find in the community where I live and grew up. I could not ask for better friends, teachers, co-workers, community and family. I am beyond grateful and thankful everyday.

What better way to salute veterans on this day than to try and make the world a better place so no one has to fight anymore. Idealistic but I'll take it.

Save this date

2009-11-10T19:57:00.006-05:00

Sunday December 13th - we will gather. stretch. dance. listen. sit. move. breathe and come together... for a day of yoga. of union.

yoga for the greater good.

After... and then there were none

2009-11-10T08:15:00.004-05:00

The making of one purple tee..

2009-11-09T21:24:00.002-05:00

Before...

2009-11-09T16:37:00.001-05:00

These little sweeties are getting their lotuses tonight... Organic tees for all sizes!

rise & shine

2009-11-09T07:17:00.002-05:00

Right after waking up and making the coffee I went downstairs to check up on last night's work - see how everything is drying, see if any little brownies finished the work for me in the night... see what's what.

Standing in the "studio" I had to fight off the urge to start printing - I was justifying it to myself thinking, "well small black lotus wouldn't take that long..."

I walked away before I got myself into something... and to keep productive I'll bust out some rows on this scarf. Knitted with love for Uganda using organic cotton made in the USA.

good night sleep tight

2009-11-08T22:16:00.005-05:00

sorted and ready to go

2009-11-08T14:02:00.002-05:00

It doesn't get much better than a chicken with side burns...

2009-11-08T11:56:00.000-05:00

Let the screen printing begin...

2009-11-08T11:43:00.003-05:00

I am excited about this next batch of apparel. I am actually excited about the next three batches.. (Uganda Rocks, Part Deuce is going to have a pretty killer concert tee and Yoga for Uganda will have a lovely new design as well).

Today I am working on items for the Odd Ones Holday Biazarre next Saturday. I changed the color scheme around a bit and this time went for Autumn hues and cozy shades. Heather grey, warm yellows and unbleached organic cotton make up the majority of pieces... and I have new styles like soft long sleeve tees and cozy hoodies. I did a run of the popular short sleeved organic tees for both men and women.

Of course there are more totes and a nice assortment of organic apparel for wee ones including onsies, hats, bibs and long sleeve baby tees... these will also be available at the Om Baby Open House at BeFit Yoga on Saturday December 5th.

Now that the laundry is done... it is time to start printing.

See you Saturday!

Change for Change, I knew I was saving these for a reason...

2009-11-08T10:22:00.012-05:00

I am a saver of things that are useful. Never knowing when you might need or want to create something out of something I tend to keep a hold of things for future use, like coffee cans for instance.

There is a brand of organic coffee that is sold in a sturdy classic coffee can. For a while the ease of the already ground can o' coffee was my standard coffee purchase which left me with about 33 cans over time. Refusing to throw out such a useful item... I kept them knowing one day I would re purpose them at least once... or twice. At the time I was thinking lanterns to light a path during a party... collection cans for a fundraising challenge, I had not really thought of that one at the time.

So now we get to Change for Change and what the collection cans are doing inhabiting my dining room like a temporary art installation.

A few months ago I was thinking about ways to raise money in times when the economy and the world feel unstable. People are concerned, and rightly so, about issues that hit far closer to home than Uganda. It does not seem that these are times that large monetary donations will be flying in - and I am, I will admit, uncomfortable with asking people for them. And so the idea of Change for Change was born. A way to take what is spare to us in our everyday lives, and gather that together to help others.

Last year I deposited two or three coffee cans full of change into my savings account. I was delighted at the amount hidden within this small vessel. A ha! light bulb moment... What if all the cans I had saved, and then some, were full. What a difference we could make, what an impact and change we could help to create.

Once again with the help of the ever talented Megan Caruso the Change for Change campaign was born. The idea being that a little spare change from everyone will go a far way to helping others and bringing our community together at the same time.

From now until the end of the Seva challenge, December 15th, I am asking you to save your spare change and help make a difference.

There are several ways this whole thing can work...

You can pick up a can from me and take it to your work, home, office, school, neighborhood, bar... etc.

You can take one home and fill it from your already saved change.

You could have a party and ask your guests to bring change.

Or you can let it sit quietly in your home and fill it for the next five weeks - see how much accumulates.

Along with your collection can - or when you see them out and about - I will have information about the challenge so everyone can see where their money is going.

Perhaps you live far away or have a giant vessel full of change to donate - impossible to travel with or too far away to drop it off.

You could if you so desired deposit your change and donate the amount of your choosing in the form of an online donation or check. (Directions to do that are found in the upper right corner of the sidebar here on the blog - or email me:)

Near the end of the challenge, on Thursday December 10th, there will be an event - a time to get together and bring your change with you. Either in the can or in the vessel of your choosing - a baggie, a jug, jar, bucket or dish... I will announce the details of that event shortly.

So "Where", you say, "is the first place I can get one of these cans or learn more about it"... well I will be at Odd Ones Holiday Bizarre*on Saturday November 14th, held in the HHA Building, 1230 N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg PA. After that you can email me here to request a can. You can pick one up at Suba, in Harrisburg, where I work Friday and Saturday nights. I will also have one with me at upcoming events and will post a list of places where you might see one.

I may even have a "pick up your can" fundraiser... hmmm.

And, maybe you don't want a can - well then, keep your eyes open for them. Look where you shop, eat, get coffee, at a friends house or business. If you see one - throw in a little spare change if you can. In the end we'll see how much we can raise together just by giving what is spare to us.

I'm excited...

*(The Odd Ones Holiday Bizarre is a collection of local artisans selling their handmade goods. I will have a table there with new apparel, organic sugar scrubs, hand knitted scarves, hand loomed rugs - all the proceeds of which go towards the building of a primary school, sustainable farm and eco-birthing center in Uganda.)

2009-11-07T15:25:00.004-05:00

2009-11-04T11:03:00.004-05:00

Seva Challenge team update

2009-10-28T16:50:00.002-04:00

Three participants in the Seva challenge have reached their fundraising goal!!

Congratulations goes out to Megan Amanda Ridge (Pennsylvania), Sofi Dillof (Vermont) and Tracey Campbell (Denver)... !!

As a team so far the participants of the Seva challenge have raised $340,000!!

Busting out rows for the odd Ones

2009-10-19T17:28:00.006-04:00

I will be at this year's Odd Ones Bizarre selling my screen printed Yogini Works apparel as well as homemade organic sugar scrubs & bath salts, hand-knitted scarves and hand loomed rugs donated by a yogi friend.

The odd Ones Holiday Bizarre is organized by the Mantis Collective and this is its 3rd year.

So come on out for a great day of local arts, live local music, homemade soups & breads and community.

Saturday, November 14th at the HHA Building, 1230 North Third Street, Harrisburg Pennsylvania.

Disappointments... and letting things unfold naturally

2009-10-09T11:45:00.007-04:00

Along the way sometimes plans fall to the wayside and do not always turn out the way you thought or hoped they would.

That is the space I am in... a lovely event that was a surprise when it was proposed is gone. I am left with some disappointment and a great deal of hope that something else will rise up - and I am excited to see what that might be.

Here's to channeling energy in a positive direction - cheers to that.

Seva challenge update

2009-10-07T12:39:00.002-04:00

To date the participants in the Off the Mat, Into the World Seva Challenge have raised $280,000 ... we have a little over 2 months left to raise as much as we can.

Much love and appreciation for all who have helped and been involved in the journey so far.

Ease up

2009-09-16T20:42:00.011-04:00

As the weather cools it is hard to believe we are reaching the end of another cycle. The time that has passed seems at once so close, the experiences still fresh and then so far, so much has happened and changed. Lately I have been thinking a lot about this fund raising challenge and how it relates to the busy pace of modern life and the often abstract notion of helping others or being involved in change. I have been going over in my head why I am doing this challenge, how I started and what has happened to me since it began. I have at times watched the others that are participating in the challenge and then for long stretches I remove all connection and just do my own thing. There are still more months to go and corners to explore and personal edges to push the boundaries of - clearly I still have more reflecting to do, but that is where my head and heart have been.

Tonight I came to the realization that part of what I was doing was trying to find how I can be sustainable in my own life and how activism and social change can be too. How you can help make a difference while getting on with your own life and really see the change - which is refreshing in a political climate that often leaves the majority of people feeling unheard. I am doing this challenge as much for me and my community as I am for those that we are helping. By seeing direct change come from our joyful efforts we increase hope and positivity - something we all need.

Uganda Rocks, Part Deuce...

2009-09-16T11:46:00.011-04:00

Mark your calendars for Friday November 27th and be there...

Stomachs full of food, head and heart full of family - the Friday after Thanksgiving is the perfect time to go out, celebrate and reconnect with old friends. This year do all of that while helping to make a difference in the world.

Show your gratitude and give thanks by helping others on Friday November 27th when Spy Club hosts Uganda Rocks, II. The ticket price of $12 goes towards the completion of ongoing humanitarian projects aiding Uganda - the building of a seven room primary school, the creation of an eco-birthing center for mothers with HIV/AIDS and providing a well and new mattresses for an orphanage in rural Uganda. Making a noticeable difference in the world is as easy and direct as coming to a show. So come out for what promises to be another great night of music raising money for the greater good.

While the entire line up is not confirmed quite yet I can give you a hint at what is in store. The night includes some fine blues coming from Blue Elephant,a dose of funky jazz from Suburban Transit and the night ends with none other than the infamous rockers, the Martini Bros. Add to this a dash of hip hop jazz fusion coming out of Philly and a sweet starter course of bluegrass and I would call this the perfect night...

Save the date - and get your dancing shoes shined up. Uganda Rocks II is coming.

Doing what we do ... and doing for the greater good.

Thank you to everyone who has participated so far. Together as a community we have raised over $6,000. We have already made a great difference and built a bridge from Harrisburg to Uganda.

malas from nyc to uganda

2009-09-05T11:42:00.006-04:00

This past winter a happy crew of yoga friends met up in New Hope to go to Seane Corn's workshop at Yogaphoria. I went with two friends from the Rasa Vinyasa kula, Shani and Barb, and we met up with Shani's friends coming in from New York., Emily and Elif. The weekend changed the course of my life by taking my yoga practice to the next level in a way I had never expected - this is when I decided to sign up for this challenge - to try and raise $20,000 within my community to aid ongoing projects in Uganda.

Shortly after that my new Elif signed up for the challenge too. Elif lives in the great NYC and is the creator of lovely jewelry. To raise money for the Seva challenge Elif decided to create handmade malas and sell them on Etsy, the site for handmade goods -under the shop name Malas for Peace.

Fast forward, through the summer's fast pace and activities... Elif sent me a message about a month ago that her life had taken a change in course, the summer brought with it a beautiful tiny wedding in the city and she was no longer finding the time for the Seva challenge. Elif had decided to donate what she has raised to my goal.

Thank you Elif for this beautiful act of friendship. And thank you everyone who supported and continues to support Elif on this journey. Together we are now closer to meeting the financial needs of the ongoing projects with Shanti Uganda, the New Hope orphanage, and Building Tomorrow.

Yoga joy

2009-08-28T09:37:00.003-04:00

yogini tea

2009-08-24T09:36:00.007-04:00

During the Second Series workshop my yoga friend Crissy told me she was planning a tea at her house, and the women invited are asked to bring a donation that would go towards my goal of $20,000 in the OTM 2009 Seva challenge.

While catching up and enjoying the company of friends Crissy and her tea raised $100. I am touched by this simple act of great generosity. Namaste C & tea friends....

Mysore & second series Maui style

2009-08-10T12:14:00.011-04:00

This past weekend was an Ashtanga second series workshop taught by Nancy Gilgoff. Nancy is my teacher's teacher and she learned the Ashtanga practice from Pattabhi Jois in the early 1970's.

The entire weekend was a refreshing and challenging reminder of why I do yoga. Nancy has a humor and a laid back ease that dissolved any anxiety I had about being in the presence of such an elder yogini and learning the second series asanas. And up until this point I had sort of avoided going to mysore class - and well, this workshop made me go, so I got past that hurdle in the company of many others new to mysore.

Mysore is a style of yoga class (originating in Mysore, India) where the teacher is present but the practice is not lead. You simply go in, do your practice, and the teacher is there to assist you and guide you. It really is one of the best ways to learn the yoga practice. I had held some anxiety about this style of class - mostly worried I would not remember the order of the asanas. The first morning mysore class during the workshop was a refreshing and peaceful. No sound but the steady breathing of the people practicing and the morning light in the studio washed a serene calm over everyone. My body and mind remembered the sequence of poses with almost no problem and I am hooked on mysore... it makes the practice your very own.

And so thank you to Nancy and to Bobbi... for passing on the flame of yoga to many, many students.

What a little Rasa can do...

2009-08-04T00:28:00.009-04:00

This past week I was off the mat. I joked that I was doing the yoga of screen printing. A break always seems nice but only for a day or two. After that it is down hill. I went an entire week without any of my practice. Just work, more work and screen printing. My body did not really appreciate this as I stood for long hours and really did not care for myself in the best way... the busy of life took over.

The accidental hiatus was almost worth it after going to the Prana Flow class tonight... I literally feel juiced, wrung out in the best possible way and reconnected to what brings me to the mat. There is a delightful freedom that can be found in all that movement and presence.

Tonight I was reminded how amazing our class is, how special a place it can be and how life altering the practice of can be. I know it sounds dramatic but it is true. The practice of yoga will transform your life in some way. It can crack you open. Or, as it was so beautifully said tonight, yoga takes the gray flat world we have grown accustomed to and adds depth and color.

Thank you Harrisburg!

2009-08-02T17:42:00.012-04:00

With contributions from the night coming in at over $3,015 and monetary donations and shirt sales still rolling in I would have say that Uganda Rocks! was a huge success. I am still riding the high from the event and am happily blown away by the support that came out on Friday night. Our town is pretty fantabulous, and once again music brings people together creating social and world change.

I am fairly certain a good time was had by all - the pictures from the event are all of megwatt smiles, dancing and laughing. Even after the whirlwind of the last minute preparations have subsided I am still finding it just a little surreal.

Current times can seem uncertain but in this moment I do know this, I am thankful and surrounded by generous people and joyous people. That there is hope, and one night in history went down as a really, really good one. And those are the ones that count, the ones we are living for.

Thank you everyone you came out and supported the event and raised the money in all the ways that you did. Thank you to the talented and generous musicians who gave it their all. To the gang at ABC for rockin it. Big ups to my crew for helping me make it happen - both at the brewery & in the basement (aka the "bat cave"). And special thanks to Megan Caruso whose fabulous design is now scattered across the country (I just sent a bag to a friend in Santa Monica).

Together we are all doing some good work.

Uganda Rocks Benefit Show

2009-07-30T08:26:00.003-04:00

This Friday ... July 31st at the Appalacian Brewing Co. in Harrisburg PA.
The line up is an army of spiritual gangsters gathering together and playing for the greater good.

First band begins at 9:00 pm... and it goes on for hours.

Your ticket price { $10 } goes towards helping communities in Uganda where basic human needs are not being met.

Come out, make your Friday night count...

... and printing...

2009-07-30T08:22:00.004-04:00

I've been printing...

2009-07-29T18:07:00.007-04:00

Making Sirshasana my mantra for artistic adventures

2009-07-23T20:23:00.008-04:00

Sirshasana is a headstand. And I struggle with this pose. Upside down, engaging long forgotten muscles and breathing - this is a tad harder than it seems. It bothers me that I do not glide effortlessly into headstand and stay up there gently breathing. For now I approach with a little fear, confusion, and some resistance. And that approach can get in the way in general - on the mat and off.

It must be said that in order to finally "get" headstand you have to fall a few times - ok perhaps more than a few. Sometimes falling hurts and personally I find it scary - all in all this headstand is frustrating path but one that has an end so I forge on. (I mean, I will eventually get it, right?) Same deal with life, sometimes you have to try and not fully succeed before you "get it".

This past Wednesday in class my Ashtanga teacher Bobbi taught me the right way to fall out of a headstand.This method prevents the dreaded finger crack (which I did, and it still hurts months later) and lands you in a back bend. I now feel (almost) free to flail and fall until I get it, confident that safety is on the other end of letting go.

Fast forward some hours and through a few obstacles with the screen printing project and you would land in today. Right now, almost. Here is a brief overview of how my internal dialog went today "My order of shirts and tanks and totes arrived. Yay! yikes! I have no idea what I am doing. How am I going to screen print these. I have never done it. Internet. Oh.... Deep breath. Hmm. Poster screens are not working. More Hmm." ... feeling doubtful and daunted without even giving it a go. Letting confusion frustrate the flow. And then the yoga crept in... where the approach on the mat translates to life "off" the mat. Approach with no expectation, an open mind and be a-ok with what happens. It's cool... breathe.

So I took a deep breath and decided to just go for it, try bust out a few sample shirts. First time screen printing take one. And ta-da... it worked. I have three printed shirts drying in my basement. They are very simple but all went well. No tears or gnashing of teeth. Two color is next... and headstand.

2009-07-21T16:23:00.006-04:00

The printing has started. What was a vision and a thought for so long is now manifested in my basement. Megan (the amazing graphic designer) and I have started to print. This past Sunday we set up shop and the process has begun. The plan is to hand screen concert posters and create the first batch of t-shirts so they will be ready for the benefit concert next week. It is all very exciting and I am finding that amongst so many other things, creativity is being born out of this fund raising challenge.

The first day we ran into some snags. Someone had told we could use house paint to print the posters, this did not work. The paint clogged the screens and while we tried feverishly to get the paint out of the screen we only succeeded in scrubbing off the image. The screens had to be re-burned. We now have the correct ink, beautiful paper and about 80 apparel items to print on.

The printing resumes on Thursday night, hopefully it will be smooth sailing...

Radio Free Harrisburg ...

2009-07-12T15:08:00.007-04:00

Last night, at what is rumored to have been quite the party, the uber fantastico band The Greatest Funeral Ever released their new CD.

Tonight on 97.3 @ 10pm The Greatest Funeral Ever will be playing cuts from the new album ~ to make it even better they have asked me to join them and say a few words about the upcoming benefit Uganda Rocks!

tune in...

Yoga talking

2009-07-11T13:40:00.012-04:00

This morning my Ashtanga teacher gave a short talk about the Sanskrit language and its roll in yoga. Sanskrit is believed to have been created by the sages and structured so that the five areas of your mouth and the breath is being fully used while speaking it, creating the word's cosmic vibration - its significance. Yoga talking.

She asked that during our practice we say the name of each pose prior to doing it and in doing so honor the tradition of yoga and the significance of its name. And in saying its name calling the presence of the pose to you and your focus to it. Connecting to the vibrational structure of the word and the pose and so tapping into the vibration structure of the everything.

I realized that I already do this during my practice say the name silently to myself, I was using it as a tool to learn the Primary series sequence and also because the language is very fun to say. This took it to another level for me. I started thinking that the names when spoken make a song, a poem, a prayer. Yoga has always felt to me like a prayer in motion. Connecting with something beyond yourself by getting really in touch with the self.

The whole thing makes me want to rap out the primary series while dancing around through the prayers.

2009-06-30T20:06:00.000-04:00

The magical and amazing Megan Caruso

2009-06-10T09:56:00.005-04:00

A big part of the Seva challenge for me is the collaboration and creativity that rises up from working with friends and artists in the community. Getting together, combining our forces, visions and talents - seeing what comes out of that union and then using it towards such a worthy cause brings such sweet tears to my eyes.

One of the most enjoyable friendships and collaborations that has grown out of this experience is working with the ever so lovely and talented Megan Caruso - Artist, Designer, and maker of things. This girl is fresh.. her work is amazing, her vision is spot on and she delivers. I could stare at the pretty logo she designed for me all day... and just wait to you see the rock poster that is in the works! Oh boy it is good.

Megan has been the creative force behind every piece of printed material for the Yogini for Uganda challenge and it is as if she reads my mind. Look for her work all over town as I now have business cards and informational cards that will be scattered about the corners of our land, posters for events and even the upcoming apparel has her talented touch, and that of a few other artists as well but more on them later.

If you are looking for a designer who delivers amazing work each and every time... look no further you have found her...

** Click on Megan's logo above to be transported to her creative work and website.

ripples in the pond

2009-06-03T21:01:00.006-04:00

It has been a while... right?! I was a wee bit m.i.a. or so it might have seemed. Here is why...

I found myself floating in murky thick water. I was losing my focus, how to execute it and the reason why I was engaged in such a daunting fundraising goal. I lost what this meant to me and what it would mean to our community. Fear was settling in and making everything that much harder. I felt jostled around by something I really couldn't identify at the time. I felt myself affected by the turns of other people's moods and challenges and realized that the strength I was depending on was not my own...

So... I tuned out, dropped off and got out of it to get into it. And it worked... it just took a while.

Weeks later, months even, I finally identified what was going on with me and heard some helpful words, from several teachers, that reminded me of the following: that life sometimes moves you fast, jostling you around with such energy that you forget you are not engaged and then life becomes more of something that is happening to you. Sometimes the wave you are riding with such vigor is not your own and not even realizing it until you are thrown from it. And that a stone thrown into choppy waters does not produce the beautiful interconnected ripples it would if the water was still and calm. A lot of analogies there but they all helped me.

After the initial excitement of signing up for the Seva challenge and the flood of ideas and support that poured forth I rode the wave of this life changing experience for awhile. I made plans, hatched ideas, got the ball rolling... I rode that wave for so long I forgot what I was doing and why, where I was or how to do what needed to do done. Yikes! I floundered, floated and then wound up thrown out onto the beach mouth breathing and staring into space. I skipped yoga. I stayed home. I was left out to dry so to speak... and there my perspective changed and lightened. I realized what parts of this challenge were important to me. I was finally able to answer some of the whys I was throwing at myself.

I sat back and sat down and calmed the waters of my own inner pond and waited to see what would happen...

So hello world, Stella has her groove back.

A big part of this challenge is what comes up for the participants - not unlike what happens in the practice of yoga. There what comes up for you on the mat is just as important as the pose itself. What came up for me was that working two jobs, keeping up with life's little and big chores, working on the fundraising and going deeper into my yoga practice was spreading me thin - really thin. So much so that it seemed I was racing around after things and accomplishing very little. And then I realized that it is ok. It is all part of it. You find what works, what is sustainable for you and then work that. So that is what I am doing. As my father always says ... plan your work and then work your plan.

... let's see what happens now. There are many things in the works... t-shirts and totes are being hand screen printed in my basement, Uganda Rocks benefit concert is coming up at the end of July, a Brooklyn based chamber music group will be preforming sometime this summer, I am launching a change for Change project and some yoga workshops are in the works... not to mention a film series that fingers crossed will work out and a lecture series.

Stay tuned and thanks for hanging in there with me.... namaste.

Where the money we raise is going... breaking it down

2009-05-05T10:36:00.002-04:00

I thought it might be helpful for you all to see where the money we raise is going, how it is broken down and what the actual financial needs are of the projects we are working towards completing.

Yogini for Uganda is part of the 2009 Off the Mat, Into the World® Seva Challenge. The parent organization of OTM® is The Engage Network (501c3) - all funds raised through the Seva challenge participants are sent to The Engage Network, who will then allocate funds toward the affiliated partners of OTM®.

80% of this year's Seva funds will go towards supporting the following organizations and OTM® financial goals for each of them:

$150k - to Shanti Uganda to build an eco-birthing center with a sustainable garden and to support safe birthing education for women with HIV / AIDS.

$125k - to Building Tomorrow to build a primary school, housing for the seven teachers of the school and their families and to create a sustainable farm on the school's property.

$10k - to YouthAIDS to support their efforts in stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide.

$10k - to The New Hope School to support the orphans and to update their current facility.

The remaining 20% of the funds raised during the OTM® Seva Challenge will go towards OTM's local initiatives, one of which is supporting and creating their nationwide yoga for at-risk youth programs.

Please consider donating to my Seva challenge - every penny raised goes towards completing these worthy projects.

Rock & Roll can save the planet

2009-04-16T09:59:00.015-04:00

Save the date for what promises to be a stellar night of music...

Friday, July 31st @ the Abbey Bar, Appalacian Brewing Co., in Harrisburg PA ...
5 local bands are teaming up to rock out and raise money for Uganda.

The line is like my dream team... (I owe you guys)

Up Pops the Devil
Nate Myers and the Aces
Smoke the Groove
The Greatest Funeral Ever

SAVE THE DATE and be there.

Ticket cost will go towards the Seva challenge; working to raise $20,000 by December 15th to aid cultures and communities where basic human needs are at risk.

Heart like ghee & hugging the mid line...

2009-04-02T11:06:00.025-04:00

It is taking me some time to process everything that I learned from Todd Norian's workshop last weekend and I was eager to apply it my regular practice to see what had changed. That is one of the benefits of going to a workshop - bringing all that new insight and experience back to your regular life.

Anusara, what Todd Norian teaches and practices, and Ashtanga have different alignment cues so incorporating my new knowledge means sifting it through my poses and practice to see what I come up with. Playing the edge of the pose - and from that playing the edge of myself and my perceptions and my limitations. It also is a way for me to see how the different branches and approaches to yoga can work together - you don't get it this way, so try it that way...

There are certain key phrases that I heard all weekend - puff your kidneys, melt your heart, draw back your shoulder blades, shins out, thighs in, hollow your groin, radiate your heart, tuck your tail bone, hug the mid line, soften your skin and create a core like a diamond. Um WOW ... for the first few hours I had no idea what this guy was talking about. I felt like my body was moving all over the place and I was craving a vinyasa to put me right... but alas no vinyasa in Anusara so I just had to feel what this guy was telling me. I had to shift my resistance to surrender and open myself up to a new way of looking at and approaching asanas.

And them WHAM... I got it. I finally got what hugging the mid line meant and when you play with the different ways of each teacher you encounter that they are all leading you to the same place in the end. Last night during my ashtanga practice I heard Todd's voice in my head and I listened to it. I combined his phrases with the cues and alignment tips from my own teacher here and things began to click... literally, my neuromuscular connections are starting to click and recognize one another and I was able to go deeper, and approach poses that I was resistant to before. My muscles were engaged, my energy was reaching outward and I was hugging the mid line.

The trick is to stay there all the time, throughout life and its challenges. To stay strong in your core and flexible to what is going on outside of you, moving through life with strength and purpose while you radiate serious love outward. That is when the real work begins.. yoga asanas are the fun part.

Spring Lilly

2009-04-02T10:46:00.006-04:00

Just over a month ago I wrote about a special class my Rasa kula participated in ~ it was to honor our then pregnant yogini, Lara, her dedication to the dynamic practice of Prana flow during 8 months of her pregnancy, and her soon to be little bunny. It was also my very first fundraiser and on so many levels the most special one.

I want to thank everyone who participated in the class that evening - it was powerful and beautiful. And of course I bow in gratitude to the amazing Shani Stevenson who made this class so special for Lara, for myself, for the class and for those in need in Uganda. Dear Kula your openness, hard work and dedication to Shani, community, to Lara and to yoga raised $110 for the Seva challenge that night. Namaste!

In light of all of this ~ I would like to welcome into the world the sweetest little girl, Lillianna ~ our Spring flower, little lotus of potential and beauty that she is. Lillianna was born on Monday March 23rd... I think it is no coincidence that she was born on the eve of a Rasa class. Namaste Padme.

Joy farmer

2009-03-31T15:06:00.008-04:00

This past weekend was a whirlwind of activity. I am still sifting through all that I learned and experienced, much of it was subtle and must be cultivated in order to grow into something even more beautiful. I spent the weekend at Yogaphoria ,a gorgeous and love filled studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania. This was my second visit, and was just as delightful and just as much of a joyful challenge.

The trip this weekend was for a workshop with Todd Norian, often called one of Anusara yogas most open hearted teachers - he also happens to be a fantastic musician. I had never experienced Anusara yoga and so went in with no expectations and a wee little bit of anxiety - for some reason I was fighting myself on this trip and it took a little bit to shed that anxiety and just get in to what this beautiful yogi was teaching us all.

Anusara is a modern form of yoga developed in 1997 by John Friend and it focuses on poses that open your heart, strengthen your core and tap you into the deeper meaning of life, it is Tantric in nature. Anusara opens their practice with the most beautiful invocation - I cannot get it out of my head and have been singing it for days. The studio's high ceilings echoed our voices, lifting them up - each time it gave me chills.

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave, ॐ नमः शिवय गुरवे

Saccidananda Murtaye, सचिदनन्द मुतयै

Nishprapanchaya Shantaya, निसपपचय शनतय

Niralambaya Tejase, निरलमबय तेजसे

Om, ॐ

By Sunday the workshop was coming full circle. Todd made us laugh and sweat - every day I was sore and exhausted. He lead us into some challenging poses, he changed the way I was used to aligning myself, he explained the body and how it moves in interesting ways. He had us working together and assisting one another to get into handstand, intense back bending and some how he got my foot behind my head and then had me do an arm balance. He had us laughing and he reminded us that this yogic path is a choice and one that must be cultivated and explored. He reminded us that the poses are for fun, the real work is what is going on inside. He called us joy farmers (which I love). And the diversity of the group and willingness to try was inspiring to anyone.

In the end though what I came away with was not so much about the physical practice of yoga - but once again I was uplifted, inspired and catapulted deeper by the spiritual lessons. And I was reminded why I am doing the Off the Mat challenge - that the seed of the divine is within us all and must be allowed to shine, must be cultivated. That we are all born free, so freedom is not what we seek but rather diversity so we learn. And all of it reminded me why I believe so strongly that everyone, everywhere deserves to find the infinite within themselves, to find their freedom and explore it. That no one should be allowed to take that from another and that if you can help inspire and encourage children to be free, to laugh, to love life - that is really good work.

Here is what Todd sent to us today...

May you continue to plant seeds of joy by affirming your connection to the Universal.

May you cultivate the soil of your body every day with breath, asana, and awareness.

May you tap into your unlimited potential by embracing contrast.

And may you protect your joy by being soft on the outside, like ghee,

but strong and unwavering on the inside, like diamond.

Gratitude and fun...

2009-03-30T09:57:00.004-04:00

Thank you, thank you ~ To everyone who came out yesterday and supported the 2009 Seva challenge by donating and skating. The event was a huge success, we raised a little over $700, with a few donations still coming in from people who could not attend.

This event was a blast! It was wonderful to see people out with their families and roller skating is something that everyone should do. It took me a while to get out there on my skates, since it had been about 20 years, but once I did I did not want to stop. And for some reason when you fall it just doesn't hurt that bad.

A huge thank you to Rob & Tara who made this event happen by renting the rink. A giant shout out of gratitude to DJs Jason Forest and DAMN GIRL! (Jocelyn Wray) for spinning while we all cruised around. Thanks to the staff at Olympic Skating center for doing the limbo, rolling the dice and being so friendly and fun. Big hugs of thanks to my family who all showed up - and thank you to all my friends, friends of friends and strangers that participated as well. Every dollar of donation counted and we received some very generous contributions. And to my Rasa kula ~ xoxo ~ I saw some yoga moves out there, nice!

It was so fun I am definitely doing this event again ~ so if you missed it this time I suggest you get your moves ready for round two! Next time I want to see three times as many people out there - we really ought to fill the place.

Much love everyone - we are getting closer and closer to the goal... only about $19,000 to go!!

It's time to ...

2009-03-25T11:20:00.003-04:00

Gather your friends, family and people you hardly know and get ready to bust out your best moves... or just have fun while saving lives and brightening futures.

SUNDAY, MARCH 29th , 4:30 - 6:30@ Olympic Skating Center in Enola PA.

(that is this weekend)

DJs Jason Forest and Jocelyn Wray will be spinning our favorite roller skating tunes ~ it is looking to be a very fun time!

Shout out to Kutztown U...

2009-03-20T09:59:00.006-04:00

A huge thank you to the students at Kutztown University involved in the Act 101 program, the SSSP (Student Support Services Program) and SALSA (Student Alliance for Learning, Success & Acheivement), and to ACt 101 Assistant Director (and fellow yogini), Heather Walke Meadows...

Heather is a dear friend and when I spoke to her about the 2009 Seva challenge she was all about helping in any way she could. So...

This past Tuesday, March 17th, the students involved in these groups participated in and attended a talent show with the proceeds from ticket sales going to the efforts of Yogini for Uganda.

Thank you to everyone who attended, and whose talents contributed to the show. Your efforts and generosity are helping to brighter futures and make education accessible for children in Uganda!!

Schools building schools... that is what I'm talking about ~ higher education in action. Yeah!

Gratitude... the first of many notes of appreciation

2009-03-18T11:12:00.005-04:00

So many individuals have contributed to Yogini for Uganda. As we move towards manifesting plans and the first events come to fruition I want to thank you all. But today I want to especially thank the beautiful, talented and generous Megan Caruso - her creativity and vision has created the Yogini for Uganda logo... Isn't it lovely!! Thank you Megan ~ endlessly.

Revolutionary roller skating

2009-03-10T10:18:00.008-04:00

When I was in elementary school and in junior high we would have skating parties... and oh they were glorious times!! I have vivid memories of my mother braiding a florescent ribbon into my extremely long hair and I would swing that braid as I cruised around the rink. And it never hurt that there were boys there, and a snack bar. Ah the freedom of youth...

So why is roller skating revolutionary?

Well because not all youth has this freedom and by participating in an upcoming fundraiser you could simultaneously enjoy the freedom of flying around the rink on wheels - while actually saving lives and brightening futures.

Who knew saving lives could be done while roller skating... who knew that a few dollars in a donation jar could add up to a school, or a birthing center for mothers with HIV/AIDS, or a sustainable farm for a village. Well it can...

Sunday March 29th, 4:30 - 6:30

please join me for

Donate and Skate

at the Olympic Skating Center in Enola PA.

For two glorious hours the rink is all ours. Bring your friends - all of them. Bring your family - all ages. Invite strangers. Invite everyone from your school or your kids' school. Get the crew back together to relive that routine you did once in 1989.

100% of the money collected from donations will go towards the 2009 Seva Challenge! The rink fits 1000 people... lets fill it. I will be there with information about Yogini for Uganda and Off the Mat, Into the World. Please join me...

Hokey poky for peace!!

** Olympic Skating Center will charge $1 for rentals - that charge is not part of the donations.

Brick by brick...

2009-03-06T10:58:00.024-05:00

So we raise the money... we donate, we contribute... what happens then? What happens in Uganda and where is this money going? All good questions... here are some answers.

During our last call with Off the Mat, Into the World Seane Corn, one of the organizations founders, gave a wonderful overview of the projects and organizations we will be working with and donating funds to through the 2009 Seva Challenge. They are all very exciting and challenging. The work will not be easy - physically or emotionally - but it will most certainly be beautiful. Here is some information about where your donations will be going - and what I will be working on should I have the opportunity to travel to Uganda next year.

YouthAIDS: Our trip and purpose will be launched by spending some time with the YouthAIDS organization. They have a location Uganda - and Seane Corn is one of their Ambassadors. Working with them we will gain insight on the cultural significance and impact that HIV /AIDS has on the African continent and the people. They will help us to educate ourselves and others in order to reduce ignorance, fear and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS.

Building Tomorrow: Working with Building Tomorrow we will literally build a school, community center and sustainable farm from the ground up - side by side with the residents of a rural village in Uganda. The community center will also serve as a place of residence for the teachers of the school. And as an added bonus of its completion the government will pay the salary of the teachers if a school is present ~ so let's get one there!!

Shanti Uganda: Working with the Canadian based Shanti Uganda - we will work in a very remote area of Uganda to assist nuns and villagers in building a birthing center for mothers infected with HIV/AIDS. Not only will the center serve as a place for safe birthing - it will also create opportunites for the women in the community by educated them in midwifery, giving them an income producing skill and fostering community.

New Hope School and Orphanage: The New Hope School and Orphanage is home to many many brilliant, bright, beautiful children that have HIV/AIDS and have lost parents to either the internal war in Uganda or to AIDS. Their nearest water source is over a half mile away, and it is the same water that animals bath and shit in. Our hope is to buy these children new mattresses for their sleeping quarters. As it is right now the children sleep 2 - 3 children per bed, one child peeing the bed is enough, 2 or 3 children peeing the bed makes it unbearable. Let's help to create a brighter reality for these children by giving them all a clean bed of their very own.

In addition to the projects above some of the money we raise will stay right here, within our own trouble borders and communities. Funds will be used to support teachers and programs that work with at risk youth, teaching them yoga and to honor and love themselves and one another.

All of these projects are amazing. Raising the money is one part of the journey - manifesting the work is another. Off the Mat, Into the World works hard to find organizations to partner with that have a long term commitment, presence in Uganda and plan - this ensures that the money is monitored and used to its fullest potential.

Please take some time to check out these organizations. Let me know if you have any questions.. and stay tuned ~ events are coming and soon to be announced.

Namaste ~ B

Image courtesy of OTM

Conference Call Connection

2009-03-04T14:53:00.019-05:00

It is the first Wednesday of the month. Over my lunch break I make it home just in time to connect with the beginning of the Off the Mat, Into the World conference call. I hear the now familiar voice of Suzanne Sterling and then that of Seane Corn. I hear my new friend Elif on the line from New York. I breathe in the excitement and wonder that is churning through the circuits and get ready to reconnect with the Bare Witness Uganda challenge and listen to what these amazing women have to say and what developments have occurred - the participants of 2008 challenge have just returned from Cambodia.

All over the country individuals are working on ways to raise money for this challenge. In my mind we create a huge mala circling the country, linking communities and people together. 70 people total. 70 individuals have taken on this challenge and decided to see what they could do within their community to create lasting change and living legacy. And from those 70 people the circle grows included all the individuals that are donating their money, time, resources and talents to the cause. I like it - it is good stuff in these dark hours. These conference calls serve as a way for me to reconnect to the challenge that lay before me, reconnect with the purpose and the beauty of it all, and to share my enthusiasm - which is overflowing these days.

Over the last couple of months I have reached out to many individuals, groups, bands, musicians, artists, yoga studios, family and friends - asking them to help, asking them to take part, telling my story and seeing what presents itself, seeing what rises up out of the mystery. The response has been thrilling - and as the challenge progresses my excitement for events to come only grows. I often hear people complaining about living in a small "city" like we do... but it is these moments that small, tight communities shine. Circles overlap, opportunities knock, doors fly open, people want to help - they want to be a part of something bigger then themselves and they want to serve a higher purpose. It is some good good stuff.

I am finding little corners of myself being revisited and reborn. I am finding my voice again. I am reminded that this experience is as much a journey into the self as it is an outreach to others. It reminds me why I love yoga so much. That yoga asanas are a microcosm of the world and how we move through it; what you face within yourself on the mat is magnified once you get off of it and really begin the work. I am reminded of our duty to bare witness to what is going around us - and while doing so bare the inner most part of our souls and our own story. And in the words of Suzanne Stearling "when we think we are serving we are really being served".

Photo of Seane Corn with children in Uganda ~ courtesy of Off the Mat, Into the World

A love note to the shadows

2009-03-03T10:41:00.017-05:00

Dear sweet Fear,

Why are you so hard to break up with? Where is it that you dwell and hide? And why do you sneak around and pop up when we seem to be in our brightest moments?

Oh sweet fear... arising out of Winter's contemplative days. You demand that we face you in order to move forward. You are a mirror and a tool.

Ugh, fear... seriously. Sometimes I do not want to deal with you or recognize that you exist in me. But you are there, silently waiting to be recognized. To be dealt with. To be embraced and conquered.

For some time now I have been thinking about inversions and balancing poses. These, for me, are the most difficult although I know I have the physical strength to do them... making it even more of a frustrating puzzle for me. As my practice increases I am faced with these challenges everyday. Almost everyday I try and go up into headstand - I am almost there on my own. I have the action down, I have positioning and the strength and control. Then why do I feel like a shaky tower swaying in the breeze? Why am I still afraid to fall? Every practice I approach wide legged stretches with resistance - these ask that we move weight out of our heels and lean forward, our fragile heads to the ground. And every practice arm balances both intrigue and frustrate me. I try, I want to fly into them and feel my body held aloft by my own strength. My energetic body is already doing it - but my physical one cannot seem to let myself sit back on my arms, and lean weight out of my strong parts and into the unknown.

All of this has led me down the path of contemplating what holds me back - not just in yoga but in all areas of life. What am I resisting? What is in me that needs the support of another to hold me up? And what can I let go of so that I find the strength within myself to balance on impossible perches? What am I holding onto from the past that is feeding my fear and where is it residing in my body? And how can I use this to serve me - to learn - to let go of fear and serve from a higher place? What is my deliciously clumsy arm balance teaching me? And how can I shift my resistance to surrender...

Surfing the physical plane

2009-02-26T13:08:00.025-05:00

A big part of yoga is being present. Being present to your practice, to what comes up that needs your attention on a physical or spiritual level, to life and those that share it with you, to what is serving you and what is not. Being present, truly present, it really difficult. The mind wants to fly forward and backward - caught in memories, plans, hopes, patterns... but what about the now? What is happening in the now is very subtle - a silent complex orchestra of subtleties. It is in that present space that you can check out a blossoming lily and really see the magnificence. It is in the now that you can really listen to what someone is saying and respond from your heart. It is is the now that you can tap into all you need to know - truth and love.

Lessons from Tantric yoga texts suggest that a novice should work on being present for just a few minutes a day - and slowly you will start to see and be able to stay there longer until it is constant. It is a process but one that is so interesting to me. Why do humans have a hard time just being? Why do we make so hard for ourselves and one another? Don't get me wrong I have all sorts of plans and memories and behaviors that I get trapped in - I am just working to park them to the side more often and breathe in what is actually happening moment to moment.

When I catch myself totally disconnected, absolutely cruising through my day on auto pilot, it is at these moments that I then like to switch it up completely - undo my routine, switch directions on the sidewalk, do something to shake myself awake again. So how does one remain present in a world of jobs, mortgages, responsibilities and relationships? That is the big question right ...

For me sometimes this is as easy as breathing deep, smiling, exhaling. Some of the time it is nearly impossible and takes a little bit more effort to connect again and find my flow. Usually stepping on my yoga mat does the trick - the process of prayer in motion puts me right there. But even then there are times when frustration and life worries sneak in. I practice this little visualization trick - I imagine all my worries, jobs, things I need to do and all the thoughts that never cease, as crows. Cackling, large black crows - and then at the beginning of my practice I send them all to roost in a tree. I acknowledge them, know they are there and need to be addressed and promise that right after I am done with this I will get back to them all. And there they sit, dark waiting shadows parked on branches and I forget about them for about an hour and a half. By the end of my practice some of the little petty ones have flown away - and the bigger ones are easier to deal with.

I am aware that there are times in my life when I will not have the time to go through this whole process. While working on plans for fundraising events I find my head swimming around - jumping back and forth - and getting nothing done. On the weekend I work in a very busy, tiny bar. My co-worker and I literally run our asses off for hours straight. We usually do it with a smile and a laugh. But as anyone that works in a very busy atmosphere will attest to, there are times when your brain is swimming with far too many things that actually need to happen right then and there. This is called being in the weeds. Yikes! It is in these times that I step on the mat within my head ~ and breathe deep full breaths. Nothing productive will get done with a crazy chaotic mind - and people can read the maelstrom in your actions and energy, and they in turn respond to that energy making for a messy atmosphere. It is in these types of moments that I work the hardest to find my flow again; And when I tap into this inner yoga I find a buoyancy that helps me through situations and helps me find that place of ease. The sweet spot of balance...

Every one of us has a different way to find this flow - you can see it when people find it. You see it in their art, their actions, their passions, their work - and it is oh so beautiful...

Karma explosion

2009-02-19T10:00:00.030-05:00

As I gather together my ideas, groups and resources and begin to plan fundraising events I keep reflecting on how important our little deeds of goodness are, and how true it is that a small group of people can bring about large global change... And how huge positive energy and action radiates out into the world - how many countless lives are touched by that. It floors me when I really start thinking about it... how big the circles within circles become. It freaks me out in a good way, and makes me smile big.

A few weeks ago I had my first fundraiser ~ it was small but nothing could have been more special. My dear friend, pictured above, is about to give birth to her first child. (please take a moment and be in awe of this woman - full wheel, 8 months pregnant - hell yeah!) I wrote before about the special class we had honoring her and the lotus of power that she is. The class was so moving on so many levels and continues to be. Beyond the gift of honoring a friend was the gift given to me, and those in need in Uganda... all the revenue generated by that special class went towards my challenge. (Thank you Shani)

Reflecting more on this I am struck by the connection between the yoga kula and the community in Uganda... so many people who will never meet were brought together by this class. And this small child, not even born, has altered the world for good already. Talk about starting off on the right foot! Women, children and future generations of children in Uganda and a little, well loved baby-to-be here in the states, are now woven together forever in this beautiful web. This gives me chills and immediately creates this visualization of golden ripples in a huge cosmic pond radiating out infinitely...

Ka-pow! Good Karma Explosion!

Photo by Rob Jones

When a sneeze isn't just a sneeze

2009-02-18T14:55:00.017-05:00

Early last week I was at home getting ready for an evening yoga class and I sneezed - not a particularly huge or jarring sneeze - but one that made a difference none-the-less. This little nonchalant sneeze made my lower back snap... I made it to the couch but not to yoga...

Immediately my thoughts went to how this pain in my back was going to limit me - my weekend job, a weekend visitor, all the yoga practice I have come to adore and with all of this came an awareness of a certain level of attachments... oh the lessons of the sneeze and the injured back was upon me.

Lucky for me I have two very responsive yoga teachers and they came to my aid as soon as I asked. From one I learned modifications that allowed me to gently move my body but not injure myself any further. From the other I was given the gift of healing hands as she worked on my lower back and identified the source of the injury - a very inflamed S.I. joint which I learned later is very common in the yoga practice. I was advised to take it easy and heal and to take a few days off of my yoga practice. This made me sad at first and I felt myself resistant to the advice... hmm?

Had I become attached to the outcome of my yoga practice? Had I begun to delight too much in how my practice was progressing - my standing postures becoming stronger, my forward bends getting longer and lower - and forgotten the real reason I was going to the mat every day? Had the ego come into play or had I simply forgotten to give my lower back support during all this movement? Or was my root chakra trying to tell me something - to get back to the source, to connect with what this is all about?

A few simple words of advice rang in my ears - one was that yoga was a practice you cannot master, you practice the practice. The other was said with a huge smile by my Ashtanga teacher Bobbi when she saw I was struggling with this new set of limitations... "non-attachment" (add big smile here). It was all true and I relaxed and happily practiced a very modifed yoga for many days.

That little sneeze served as a huge catalyst for lessons on many levels. That every day on and off the mat has its own set of limitations and challenges. We can chose whether to soften and learn from life or we can struggle against the flow and miss all the good stuff.

Going back to my practice the first few days after the pain stopped I found myself very cautious and had to break away from the limits I was setting for myself. I found myself not really trying and using my injury as a reason. I had to find my edge again, even though the edge has changed and will continue to day after day. I am happy to report I can forward bend again and have a new respect for up-dog. I find myself more conscious of my breath and my movement - linking them all together and creating a prayer out of this yogic dance. Finding my own flow within the larger one.

Namaste ~ b

Photo by Cali McCullough

Lotus blooming

2009-02-17T09:20:00.036-05:00

Yesterday was a day of yoga in so many ways...

Over the weekend a dear friend I had not seen in a year had come for an overnight visit and we connected as if no time had passed. Both of our lives have experienced so many changes over the past year, we have both grown during this time and found new ways to explore life and be present for all of the changes and challenges it presents. And, it must be said, we are both ecstatic freaks for yoga or as my friend calls it "spreading the gospel"... I was so very excited to share my yoga experience with her, take her to the studios where I practice and the teachers I practice with. Our days were filled with great yoga, great food, true friendship and being present for one another. As she departed in the late afternoon on Monday I felt truly grateful to have spent some time with her again and my heart felt full and overflowing.

One of the yoga classes we attended together was a morning flow with my beloved teacher Shani. My friend had expressed that while she valued and enjoyed her regular Ashtanga practice - she is in training to be a teacher - she missed some of the poses not explored in Ashtanga. And so we woke and walked down to the studio and practiced a lovely opening flow that allows us to open to what is coming next - the unfolding of Spring and all that comes with it. I found myself very moved - tears of joy overflowed at the mention of Spring and all its potential, it is the season of water...

Later in the evening the Kula gathered for a very special Rasa Vinyasa class. One of my dearest friends is pregnant and she has been practicing Rasa every week for her entire pregnancy and it has been beautiful to witness and an honor to share the experience with her. As her due date approaches she felt it was time to rest and so last night was her last class with us for a little while. These last eight months she has modified for the rest of the Kula so she could stay with the flow - last night the Kula modified for her, we all did prenatal yoga and honored the blooming potential and life within her and within us all.

To say that I was moved during this special class would be an understatement - it was a supreme human experience and I now cannot think of approaching the birthing experience without such an event. During most of the class I was using my breath to control my tears as we sent waves of Om in the expectant mother's direction, placed our hands on her belly in prayer and blessing... my love for this friend, her partner and their child is huge and it was all just so beautiful. We gathered together to explore and honor the lotus blooming in all of us. The Spring about the be born, the potential that hides in the darkness... All the roots reaching down through the unknown and the petals unfolding towards the light. We were guided by a most inspiring woman as we danced in a circle, sang with voices lifted in blessing, spiraled inward with hearts beaming outward...

Spring is coming, the earth is stirring, we are all in darkness and in light - we are all blooming lotus flowers full of potential, mystery and beauty.

~ Om Mani Padme Hum

Photo by Cali McCullough

One foot steps, next foot follows...

2009-02-11T11:34:00.033-05:00

I have reached that point in the journey when the real hike is just beginning even though I have been on the trail for a little while. Looking forward, the distance I need to traverse is stretching way out before me. Time to asses the situation, get all the ducks in a row and consciously begin the next step of this journey. Time for me to start manifesting all these dreams and plans, to gather the troops and get to work. Roll up the proverbial sleeves and dive in.

I must admit there are small moments when I freak out a little - why did I take on this quest, how am I going to do this, why did I broadcast it out there and make myself so accountable - and then, just as quickly as those thoughts breeze in, they fly right back out and I smile. No bad can come from this challenge. There is no grade, no judgement - only good for everyone involved and even for those who are not. All I can do is focus on each little step and make each one count. I can think of no better time than now to engage in such action. World wide we all need inspiration, we all need help, we all need to feel like we are actually a part of this big, out-of-control, world and we all need to get out of our heads and get our hands into something. The news is constantly reminding us that the systems our current world culture "depend" upon are crumbling. It is time to get rootsy people, time to fall back on what matters - good education, good food, smiling happy children and healthy people world-wide. It would seem that happy smiling healthy people are not usually those that engage in war and violence so let's do our part to create future generations full of hope and peace. Let's help create equality by giving everyone who wants it a chance to learn and grow.

Much of the next part of this journey is on me, it is time for me to take all the plans and ideas I have and to make them happen between now and November 15th. Part of it I could use some help with. Spread the word, link my blog, join the facebook group, donate even a small amount of money, share any idea you might have with me, and get ready to come out for events ... I want to manifest a miracle! I want to raise this money in a time when everything looks bleak. I want to grow something out of poor soil and nourish a whole village from it. It is totally doable and in doing so each of our lives will be changed and a legacy will be created for generations to come - not just in Uganda but everywhere. It gives me chills to think about and it sends me leaping around with excitement.

Teachers teachers everywhere...

2009-02-03T13:02:00.044-05:00

Everywhere you look the universe is screaming out for you to notice it - to learn something, to wake up, to get out of your own head and all the spinning thoughts. This is a lesson I hear often from a dear friend and one of my teachers. Each and every person you come across can serve as a teacher. I find lessons in the people I disagree with and those who I do not even know. My friends and family serve as teachers too. Just observing how I react to or participate in situations can shed a little light for me - even in those dusty, dark corners that I was not yet ready to illuminate.

When it comes to my yoga practice I am truly blessed to have two teachers. Two enthusiastic women grace my life every week and almost every day. Seriously - how am I this lucky?

One of my goals for this winter was to increase my yoga practice and to harness the discipline to make it a part of my daily life. There are many parts that make up yoga as a whole, the physical practice of yoga being only a fraction of it. Exploring one branch of a tree only makes the other branches easier and more enticing to reach so I explore two types of yoga - Prana Flow and Ashtanga. For me they support one another and together they grow my practice in ways I have only really touched upon.

Prana flow is the Rasa Vinyasa class I have spoken so fondly of. I have explored it for a little over a year. I hardly ever miss a class - and when I do I really miss it, I feel its void. In that class we move through creative sequences that flow and change with the season. It is very dynamic and expressive. Our teacher loves music - and it shows - her sequences are linked with lovingly created play lists that take you on a journey and free you. She challenges us to stay with the pose longer, to take it deeper, to explore it more creatively, to bust open your heart and most of all to breathe...

That is the key in all of this yoga - your breath moves you - you listen to it - you move with it and move it around your body. In both practices, the space and time between each pose is just a sacred as the pose itself. At least that is how I feel and what I work towards.

Recently I have added the practice Ashtanga to my life. I had explored Ashtanga at the very beginning of my yoga journey but had left it for many years. Ashtanga demands my discipline, my attention, dedication and openness. I honor its roots and it humbles me. I feel blessed to have found a safe and warm studio where I am able to explore this new practice and an exuberant teacher to guide me. I love going to this studio - my smile grows the closer I get to it every day and am excited to see what unfolds from here.

It took me a little while to find both of these practices and teachers. The first I found by way of a recommendation from a friend - that I just had to try this class and this teacher and I would be hooked forever (thank you Tara and Lara). The second I went to on my own - because it was time for me to find it. Both of my teachers have smiles as huge as can be and when you are on a path that is challenging it is very nice to be met with a smile...

Life is challenging, just being a human is hard enough - go meet someone on this path with a smile, and then smile at yourself for good measure. Namaste.

For more information about the Ashtanga studio where I practice please feel free to explore the webiste for BeFit Yoga . As I mentioned before Yogi with Shani will tell you more about Rasa Vinyasa and the teacher behind it. For more background and information on Prana Flow check out Shiva Rae.

Cool Kula

2009-02-03T13:02:00.013-05:00

Spend a little time around me and most likely you have heard me gushing about my Monday night yoga class and my teacher. I am not ashamed at all by this habit of mine - the class is amazing for oh so many reasons. It is not just the yoga we do or the teacher we have that create such a transcendent experience - although the yoga and teacher are both indeed fantastic! It is the group of people who make up the class - the Kula - that take the experience way over the top, in the best possible way. Last night reminded me how wonderful these people are - how supportive they are - and how each and every one of them is holding my hand in support all the time and I theirs. Really - I feel it. There is some serious, real deal love floating around that space.

Kula means family or community in Sanskrit - it is where you place your heart. And in our yoga Kula the heart beats big and strong and radiates out to each of us and back again. We come together from all different lives, jobs, homes, ages and choices - men and women - and we gather in a circle and move and breath together in a very dynamic and fun practice. And then we take that circle and make it so much bigger - essentially joining that little yoga Kula to the world - by taking it with us wherever we go. Carrying what we cultivate during that class out into the world - to our jobs, to our families, to our loves and to our conflicts. This group of people seriously make me skip about through life - and I would do anything to lend a helping hand to any one of them.

So to my yoga Kula - thank you!!!! For your beaming smiles, for your support, for sharing tears and stories and laughter and for the time we spend together. For showing up and bringing your Self to the mat. For making my life brighter and bigger and infinite. And for opening your hearts, pouring out your love, sharing your ideas and assisting me on this journey. You are all amazing... the bees knees...Namaste!

To read a little more about our class and what they all have to say please feel free to explore Shani's website - Yoga with Shani.

Fresh Ganesha...

2009-02-02T11:19:00.039-05:00

Here is a good question... What should you do if an elephant headed Hindu deity - that you have never thought much about - appears to you again and again in many forms? The answer is, at least for me ... You should pay attention to what the Universe is telling you - or at least research the deity a little...

Lord Ganesha came to visit during the weekend workshop with Seane Corn. After our morning session, which was 3 hours of pretty intense yoga, all 102 of us were sitting in mediation. And low and behold fresh Ganesha (as I now like to call him) appeared in my mind's eye. I think I might have said something like "Whoa Ganesha, what are you doing here?" First Ganesha was in the form of his dancing self - perched with one foot raised - on the edge of a cliff, mountains behind him with one crazy sun. Next he was in the form of his infant self - fat pudgy body with a large colorful elephant head. Finally he was me - I was looking out the eyes of an elephant and I could see my trunk and the view of a valley. Pretty wild stuff!

After this series of appearances I shared the vision with my yoga teacher - who was practicing on the mat beside me during the entire weekend. She asked if I knew much about Ganesha - I did not. She suggested that I look in to what he represents and signifies... and so I did as soon as I returned home. But before I could, his significance came into play. It was that on that snowy Saturday afternoon, between sessions, that Seane spoke to us about the Seva Challenge and about her experiences taking her yoga practice "off the mat".

Ganesha is the remover of Obstacles. He is the mark of new beginnings. He is the Lord of Success. His form is significant - his head represents Atman (the "supreme reality of human existence"), his human body signifies our earthly existence, Maya. His elephant head is wisdom, his trunk is Om. He gently propels us forward on the path of right doing while he creatively removes obstacles and captures difficulties. Reminding us of sacrifice, he holds his own broken tusk; reminding us of the sweetness of the soul, he holds his favorite sweet treat; reminding us to be humble - for he is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride - he rides around the universe on a tiny little mouse. His waist is circled by a snake that is continuous energy and he holds in his hand a rosary - reminding us that the pursuit of knowledge is continuous. Ganesha is large and in charge!

I had no expectations at the beginning of that weekend. I had nothing to base expectations on. I was simply present. And when you are simply present in life - interesting stuff presents itself to you and you pay way more attention. Stuff that was already hanging around is all of a sudden brilliant and screaming for you to notice it.

This is one of those moments in life that made me go hmmmm?

Or rather ~ Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha!

Sprinklings of seva for everyone...

2009-01-30T10:02:00.024-05:00

A little seva for you, a little seva for me... a little seva goes a long long way...

Acts of selfless service happen everyday, in many ways, all over the world. Little wee acts of kindness add up to some great stuff. It is amazing to me the extent of which a seemingly small act of loving kindness can touch another person's heart and life. Go out and try one... and see what happens.

Right now I am working to create events and products to assist in reaching my fundraising goal. Am I working alone? No way! I have already been joined on the path by some of amazing individuals offering up their ideas and insight and readying their hands to help.

This challenge is all about community - big and small. So I am calling on my community, my kula, my family and friends to join me on this journey. Some of you may be able to donate significant monetary amounts, which is wonderful and much appreciated. Some money will come from events and items - stay tuned for details on those (I'm just saying it is going to be a good time...). Some of the goal will be whittle away over the months by tiny increments and small acts - please know that every dollar counts.

Clicking that "Donate Now" button and donating any amount towards my seva is helpful to the cause. If we all pitched in $5, $10 or even $20 dollars - the numbers would soar and we would be on our way to building brighter futures for children in need. Perhaps you cannot give in that way - but would like to join the journey with your heart and hands? Have ideas - let me know. Have a gift and talent you are willing to lend to the cause - bring it! I am continually blown away by the ideas the people in my life have come up with and their willingness to help out even if these troubled times for our own country.

Lend a helping hand - however you can. Let's join together and sing, dance, stretch and create...

So what is the Seva Challenge...

2009-01-29T10:18:00.029-05:00

Seva is a sanskrit word for selfless service.

The Off the Mat, Into the World 2009 Seva challenge is a call to action and a way to take what I learn on the mat out into the world to create positive change. It is a way to bring leaders out of the community and bring the community - both local and worldwide - together.

Each individual participating will work to reach a significant fundraising goal. The idea being that the individual will use their creativity, leadership and community to manifest dreams. To come up with ways to bring people together - and in the end to save many lives and brighten many futures. And to have fun while doing it.

My fundraising goal is $20k. I have until November 15th 2009 and I am looking forward to raising each and every dollar of that amount. In the end the money, and efforts of many, will go towards building schools and birthing centers and helping to create sustainable farms. Approximately $45k can build a school - so if roughly 2.5 individuals reaches the fundraising goal, a school will be built and countless children will have a brighter, better future.

To read more about the Off the Mat, Into the World organization and their affiliates, please feel free to explore their website by clicking on their logo to the right.

The beginning of the journey that has no end...

2009-01-28T14:39:00.001-05:00

All this began with one amazing yoga class, every Monday for a year, and the fantastic beautiful teacher who guided me through it ...

Every Monday at 6:30 in the evening I join together with an awesome and varied group of individuals for a Rasa Vinyasa class led by one of the most inspiring women I have ever had the pleasure to know. What is cultivated and born in that class is a spirit of community that runs deep, strong and wide, and a circle of serious love and support. There are many reasons people go to yoga - but this class goes above and beyond the "norm" and demands more of me than I could have even imagined a class would. For me I am not just moving and stretching - I am tapping into something bigger, huge, and awesome without even knowing it at first. Our class flows with the seasons just as the poses flow with the breath - and just as each pose awakens something new within the body, each season brings with it a new direction of reflection. And I find myself working it all out - all the mysteries of being a human - right there on the yoga mat. Once my thoughts quieted down enough so I could actually hear what my heart was saying... well that is when it began to really get interesting.

It was time to take my practice one step further...

And off I went to my first yoga workshop... which happened to be "From Movement to Manifestation" led by the stellar Seane Corn. (The picture above was taken at the workshop, from left to right, fellow yogini Barb, my brilliant Rasa teacher Shani, and me). I had never done that much yoga - and it was transforming and informative and inspiring. But the true manifestation came when Seane started speaking about her work with the Cambodian Children's Fund (CCF) and her program "Off the Mat and Into the World"... I heard a call I could not dismiss. Taking my yoga practice one step further did not just mean getting in more classes, being more empathetic and coming from a place of love and truth - the next step was to give back to the world and to my community using the lessons of yoga - of union. To become a conscious activist - to lead - and to follow. At the time of the workshop the Off the Mat Seva Challenge for 2008 had ended and the new one had just begun . As Seane discussed the challenge, the goal of each individual to raise 20k in a year, and the purpose of participating I found myself really listening... and getting chills. I let the idea sit with me for a few days and then signed my letter of intention and so began my journey. Which brings us pretty much up to date... and now I should probably get to the challenge, what it is and how you can help! ...