They say that there are a few events in Life that are top stressors.
In the last 12 months I've faced most of them! 
But ~ I've never been more content.
Tired right now, yes! But content. 
Intentions have guided this eventful year.

Family wise in the past 12 months,
I got married (Eloped with our 4 children in tow)
Said goodbye to Birdie, my sweet 14 year old four-legged fur baby
Sold a car/Bought a car
Moved our “stuff” into storage, moved the family to Venice Beach, CA for the Summer

     We’ve all been there. Sitting on our mats in an open room surrounded by yogis with jars of green goodness, lotus tattoos, and exuding inner peace. They stinkin’ glow with the “inner light” we’ve been trying to harness for years by juicing, sweating, and pushing ourselves harder. It’s discouraging, it’s shaming, but if met with a dose of self-compassion and awareness, it’s a beautiful part of our process.

You have it all figured out, the asana alignment is impeccable, Ujjayi breathe is internally audible and is not disruptive to others. Your poise during even the most trying situations in your yoga classes from snoring to gassiness are addressed with a balance of ease and discreetness. You can adjust every single body shape, size and injury to find the benefits of any posture with the plethora of props at your magical disposal! Your guided meditations at times will bring tears to your students closed eyes, and the balance of it all is your constant theme.

<strong>The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy and celebration, right?</strong> But so often it can be tough to get in the spirit as you juggle a mile-long To-Do List and a full activity calendar, all while fighting the threat of getting sick. Here are 6 things you can do to help you stay happy and healthy this holiday season:<br />
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Why Retreat? Who needs to retreat? When to retreat?
One word~ HEALTH... physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and beyond!

Yes, because when you take the time to care for yourself you rebuild your health and well being. We generally do not slow down and care for ourselves in a meaningful way until we start to show symptoms of fatigue, a cold, skin rash... the list of subtle and not so subtle symptoms is loooong! As we start to enter the holiday season there are so many opportunities to become over stimulated, exhausted, and run down.

I'm holding a grudge. That's bad for a yoga teacher, right? But I can't seem to help myself as I walk through a class of women (and a lone, older gentleman) moving and sweating in time with the fast beat and thrumming base playing during their nightly Zumba class. Each of their faces look bright and happy, but concentrated and present as they follow the movements of the teacher.

For as long as I can remember I have loved people with food. So it is not ironic that I find myself immersed and fascinated with the science of Ayurveda. Obviously there was some karmic residue in and around food for me in this lifetime.

Gratitude

Almost everyday while walking to my gym on 4th Street and Broadway in New York City, I see a woman siting on the street.

While many people living on the street are desperate or deranged, this woman has an odd dignity.

She has a gas fueled burner on which she warms her food and drink. And as I walk into the gym each morning, I actually see her savor her food, not so much like a starving person but like a foodie at a fancy restaurant.

Reprogramming the Human Bio-computer