Darth Vadar in a Kayak

Just what I said...Darth Vadar in a Kayak. Yup. :)

Filling all your crate needs. Place your order today.

Beach Day

No better time then now...

I will.

Slowing Down

Artwork by Sabrina Ward Harrison

Taking time to breathe. Taking time to observe.

Taking time to remember what is most important.

Be Brave. Be Free.

Art by Mae Chevrette

Awakening the Artist

Funny how things fall right into your lap, just when you need them...or as Sean Corne would call them: Everyday Miracles. They're everywhere. As I'm thumbing through my latest issue of Yoga International, I came to the article titled "Awakening the Artist" by Karen Macklin. Ha! And there it was right in the subtitle - "No matter what kind of art you call your own, your yoga practice can more fully connect you with your creative mind, body, and soul." Just as I was stating in my previous posts. Yoga is a gift to artists. "Asana and pranayama (that's movement and breath work for you non-yogis) help fuel the creative process by increasing and directing the flow of prana, the intelligent life force, through the energy conduits in our body." This is true for all types of art - visual, performance, writing, culinary - wherever creative motives are intact. "By mindfully observing and inspecting the full range of our experience on and off the mat, we pave the way to creating more authentic and nuanced art." Yoga is such an empowering tool for all aspects of your life...and not that I needed reassurance that it is an supportive tool for the creative part of you, but since it's out there and has been on my mind, let's go ahead and embrace this article!

Your art. Your inspiration.

What are your goals? What are your passions? Where do you see your talents best served?

These were some questions posed to me this weekend by a very good friend who's opinions I highly value and accept with my whole heart. I will be honest however, my head was spinning and I was taken aback when posed with these questions as I have just started off on my latest path into teaching children's yoga. I've dove head first into my yoga practice and I love love love every second of it. It brings me joy and fills me in a way I haven't been filled in quite sometime. I am happy - with the choice I have made, with the way I spend my everyday, with the support I am able to offer, with the gift of this practice I can share with children. I am on the right path for certain.

Then she asked, Have you lost sight of your art?

To that I answer no. While I don't get to create as much as I would like to, as much as I used to - outside of a crate here and a mural there, I believe I am always in the artist frame of mind no matter what I am doing. She remembers me in college as someone who was always in the studio or on the floor creating my next project. It used to pour out of me. Now I find myself in another kind of studio and yet I am able to see the parallel. There is art in my life no matter what I am type of studio I am in.

Art, like many things, like yoga, is a practice. It is constant. It is everywhere. You live it, you breathe it, it is part of you. The things you are born with will never leave you. It is a gift you hold that grows with you - constantly evolving - ever changing.

Recently it comes in spurts - I get inspired and I want to create. These days, as life has gotten busy and as I adjust to this new route, it has been inside a journal of personal exploration. It comes in small sketches and words unspoken. It is small and that is okay. Right now, it is what it is and I trust it is right where it should be.

And just when I have the need for more, I stumble upon some great inspiration...tonight I've found Aelita Andre. She is a 3 year old professional abstract painter from Australia. Next month she will be holding a solo show in NYC...and it won't be her first solo show. I am in awe.

Watching this video below (several times), you can see there is more then just playing with paint that is happening here. I see something there that I've seen in very few children as I've watched them create their own art (as I often include art in my children's yoga classes). There is true comfort in what is being created - a sense of non-attachment to the outcome - seemingly no fear of judgement - an abundance of acceptance. It is not forced. It is accepted as is. It is right where it should be. It is beautiful.

I'm back.

I'm feeling it...the creative bug. It's back and I'm loving it. Maybe it's because I've been tripping over some amazing artists (who I will be blogging about soon)...maybe it because I see more art happening in my near future.

You may know that last year I left my corporate position in NYC (and stepped down into a part time position in NJ) to follow my heart as a children's yoga instructor at Alluem Yoga in Cranford, NJ. As I've watched the Alluem Kids program bloom into something amazing, I've seen a change in myself as well. I've grown closer to this practice and have found an amazing peace in my heart. I see the best come out in me every time I step on my mat to share the practice with children who are eager to learn, eager to grow, eager to relax and find peace. I am lucky. I am honored. I am grateful.

This past week I took another step...I gave my 2 weeks notice at my part time job to step into the roll of a full-time yogi at Alluem. This was my goal, this was my dream...this I did not expect to happen within 8 months of leaving the city. Honestly, I think I was at first in shock. I let go, I trusted and it happened. I am in a place where I can be myself, be at peace, be inspired, and hopefully making a difference in the lives of others along the way.

I. am. so. lucky.

I am an artist at the core. The best thing for an artist is to be an environment that inspires you to create. For me to have the luxury of being in a historical mill that houses a yoga studio and is bordered by a river is unbelievable. And to be surrounded by students and teachers who are positive, uplifting, and non-judgmental is just an added bonus! The more time I spend there, the more I want to create, share and give back through my practice and my art. It's all connected.

I came across a quote the other day - "Don't wait until you know who you are to make things happen." So true. When you let go of the what ifs, the I'm not sures and the who am I questions, you discover a layer of yourself you never knew existed. Embrace it. Share it. Make things happen.

Dino-Room!

My Godson loves dinosaurs! Some of his favorite books are the "How Do Dinosaurs..." series by Jane Yolen. The illustrations by Mark Teague served as the inspiration for the dino-riffic mural. My Godson's favorites are the T-Rex and the long neck, so that's exactly what he got! He named them Buddy and Ned...very suiting. :)

Pooh vs Tigger