For the last three years I have been exploring the connection between yoga, art, and life via this blog. Sometimes falling deep into one area and then deeper into another while trying to return to center and find the balance between them all. Integrating the teachings I have learned into my life has been necessary while noticing what has or hasn’t served. Using experience as my teacher while my family, friends, strangers and environment have served as trusty guides to bridge the gap. Constantly questioning the “bigger picture” (and making my husband crazy) which in reality for me comes down to this small present moment which is actually HUGE when you consider that it’s all. we. have.

I teach art to children, yoga to adults, and try to uplift and inspire all who will listen. But there was a yearning for more, a job left undone, a tug on my heart. A tug to share what I have learned to help others step fully into their own lives and embrace “what is”. To share the tools and resources I have been exposed to and help navigate this thing called life while we walk the path together. I wish I could say that it was “my” idea, but in reality it was simply and idea whose time has come – all I did was listen and provide the vehicle.

Introducing you to the OM2YOGA Teacher Training Program almost doesn’t even seem real and yet parts of me feel like it’s been inside me since I was a little girl, before I knew what yoga was. So without further ado, here you go…good luck OM2Yoga, I only ask you serve the people who need you you most.
www.om2yoga.com

“Congratulations”

Those were the words from a friend of mine at the end of a yoga class I taught where I shared that my husband and I had been married for 21 years on that special day.  He followed that up with…..you know, birthdays, they come and go…but  anniversaries, well you gotta work to get ‘em.

I had never really thought about that before, but you know, he made perfect sense.  You never had to work for a birthday, they just showed up.  Birthdays are a given if you’re still breathing on this planet.  You get one every year and in the beginning of your life you just can’t wait for then next one…egging it on to come sooner with a proud, “I’m nine and a half” at the slight courtesy question from your moms friend.  Then, as the years go by, you start to wonder why they come so darn fast when all you really want is for them to stop…or at the very least slow down a bit.  Your nine and a half, turns into botox and sunscreen (which you swore you’d never wear).  There’s just no stopping them, they continue to make an appearance simply because you’re still here.

Anniversaries however, well it’s no wonder we still have them in an age where we’d rather throw things away than fix them.  And here’s the thing about marriage:  it takes two.  Two people to continue choosing love for each other.  Two people who grow over time, evolve as human beings, have separate personalities, likes, dislikes, opinions, and  food preferences and then do something crazy  like make other human beings with their own personalities likes, dislikes, and food preferences…..emphasis on  FOOD PREFERENCES.  But at the end of it all, they still say to each other:  I. Choose. You.

Dr. Phil, I don’t know the answer to “what makes a successful marriage?”.  How do you define success in a marriage anyway?  Surely it’s not by the number of years.

Babe - I remember clearly the sound of your grandfathers voice with tears in his eyes (and a slight frog in his throat) as he read these words below before he married us.  Listen closely, you’ll hear his voice too.

This is me…..upside down and in my painting attire ready to tackle a small tree mural in a local yogurt shop.  Why would I go upside down before a job you ask?  Perspective? Circulation? To get the creative juices flowing?  no. no. and no.

I’m upside down simply because I didn’t think I could do it before I even tried.  Wait – let me back up.  One of my friends is creating a book for school and her topic of choice – yep, you guessed it – YOGA.  She had asked me if she could take a few pics of me doing yoga poses.  Of course I said yes…..I teach yoga after all, how hard could it be?  She then handed me a page of yoga poses that she wanted me to do……um…”I can’t do that.”  I was super flattered that she thought I was fully capable of these incredibly bendy poses, but they simply aren’t in my repertoire…so I thought.

Turns out, I was defeating myself by saying “I can’t” before I ever even tried.  Sound familiar?  How about that job you think you’re not worthy enough to have, the relationship you deserve but seems out of reach, or the life that you were born to live?  Why do we automatically assume we can’t simply because we never have before?   Due to my many observations of noticing my  own self defeating habits on the mat, I simply decided to try.  At first, it didn’t work – as in FAIL.  But I kept at it, trying new ways of going into it, with support, without support, and all around hilarious variations that had me giggling to myself if nothing else.  To my surprise…I kind of did it.

Isn’t it amazing the faith others have in you can compel you to rise to the occasion? Isnt’ it amazing that we don’t always have faith in ourselves?

You never know until you try…don’t. give. up.

Impossible…or I’m possible.  Just depends on how you see it.

Be Possible