STAND TALL EVERYDAY ... WITH NEW BEGINNINGS

INSPIRED NEW BEGINNINGS 
In my blogpost entitled "Be Inspired In 2011" (posted January 7th), I invited you to be inspired everyday in 2011 by creating new intentions for yourself throughout the year to create a new You.  On this day of January 11th in 2011  -  11.1.11  -  let's celebrate new beginnings.   "1" being the number of new beginning, I invite you to re-visit your intentions, hold them close to your heart, with goodwill and in good faith, and stand tall everyday with the help of this new message.  Happy New Beginning!  Renew You!


INSPIRED STANDING
Standing, in itself, is a statement.  "Standing" may be used to describe your status, your reputation, popularity, rank or position.  One thing is certain, your posture lets the world see a glimpse into your self-perception, as well as the perception you have of others and the world.  «Stand up», «standoff», «stand tall», «stand proud» are all expression used to describe a stance or an attitude.

Like smiling induces positive thoughts and outlook, standing in TADASANA will induce a new fresh and positive mindset and attitude.  Ultimately, with regular practise, standing will positively transform your caracter and behaviour.  

«TADASANA» is sanskrit for Palm Tree Pose, or Mountain Pose.  It’s a posture that is deeply rooting, strong, uplifting, alive and balanced.  It’s the foundation of all postures, and the foundation to a healthy body structure.  Tadasana enables a person to take a stand, stand tall and strong, and weather with a strong attitude and balanced flexibility whatever life serves as challenges.

TADASANA is THE posture you carry with you.  It supports you, keeps you upright, and helps you work against or with the effects of gravity.  Palm Tree Mountain Pose can easily practised everywhere and anytime of the day.  When standing in line waiting, or in a conversation, a social gathering, Tadasana can be consciously practised often until you don’t really notice you are standing upright, strainght, strong and tall and that all these little conscious efforts have been integrated deeply into your own body and personal caracter.

Tadasana is the posture in which I observe myself everyday.  Observing myself standing gives me a true reflections of the way I am feeling and the way I am expressing what is really going on inside.   Sloutching shoulders, shoulders back, heart leading, head up or down, leaning on one side or the other, these are all glimpses into my inner self and what is going on inside my head.

STAND TALL today and everyday in 2011!!  Practise TADASANA a little everyday, everywhere and everytime you think of it.

TADASANA (Palm Tree or Mountain Pose)

Basic instructions:

                    1.   Stand erect, feet hip widht apart, outer edges of your feet paralelle to each 

                          other.  pressing equally the big toe and baby toe mound, inner and outer heels 

                          («four points of the feet»).  Stretch all the toes flat on the floor.

                    2.   Making sure your weight is neither more on the heels or the toes.  Make sure 

                          your weight is distributed evenly through out the feet.  

                    3.   Contract the hips forward.  Engage the legs firmly, lift the knee-caps, pull up 

                          the back thighs muscles.  

                    4.   Keep the stomach in but soft.  Lift the chest.  Elongate the spine up through the 

                          crown of the head.  Make sure the chin is paralelle to the floor, head in the 

                          continuation of the spine.

                    5.   In this variation, keep the arms to the side of the body, making sure the 

                          shoulders are kept mid-line between the front and the back of the chest.  

Extra instructions:

                    1.   INHALE, as you press the feet deeply into the ground, EXHALE extend the 

                          legs away from the feet, feeling the pelvis lifting.  

                    2.   INHALE, as you keep the leg action, EXHALE elongate the spine upward 

                          feeling the sides of the chest lifting.

                    3.   INHALE, as you keep the spine elongating and chest lifting, EXHALE keep the 

                          shoulders moving away from the ears.

                    4.   INHALE, as you keep the shoulders moving away from the ears, notice if the 

                          shoulders have a tendency of rolling forward, EXHALE descend the shoulders 

                          blades towards the buttocks.

                    5.   As you continue to breath, keep your face relaxed, your tongue relaxed, your 

                          eyes are relaxed, your lips are relaxed.  And as you continue breathing, 

                          observe where your body has a tendency to let go, and re-create the 

                          movement.  

As you continue to hold the effort and the intention in your body, maintain a relaxed face and a soft SMILE.

Keep up the good intentions.  Keep smiling.  And most importantly, HAVE FUN DOING IT.

With much Yoga Love Life,

Julie

Yummy Super Avocado Drink

Let me share with you the recipe of a powerful drink I often make in the summertime and helps replenish my skin and rejuvenate my digestive system during those dry winter months.  It’s highly alkaline and nutritious, as it’s full of essential minerals, fatty acids and vitamins.

AVOCADOS

Avocados are a great source of vitamin K and folate.  It’s also rich in vitamin B6 (pirydoxine), vitamins C and E, as well as Pantothenic acid, Potassium, riboflavine,niacin and fiber.  Avocado fruit is rich in oil and fatty acids which is often used in hydrating hand and face creams.  

YOUNG COCONUT JUICE & MEAT

Young coconut juice is a powerful laxative and cleanser that also heals the bowel as it’s absorbed.  Coconut water is pure clear and is one of the highest sources of electrolytes known to man.  It's also a great blood purifier.

I always add a pinch of good sea salt, like Pink Himalayan Salt.  Salt not only brings out the taste of a dish, it also adds extra minerals and oligo-elements which are good for the body.  Himalayan Pink Salt particularly can harmonize the alkaline/acidity balance in the body and normalize blood pressure.  It can also help with skin diseases by cleaning from inside out.

Yummy Avocado Drink

1 Hass Avocado or 1/2 Bruce Avocado

Juice and Zest of a Lime

1 cup of Young Coconut Water with its meat 

Pinch of Sea Salt (Pink Himalayan Salt)

1 Tablespoon of Agave Nectar

Thaï or Sweet Basil - or Parsley or Mint 

Blend all together.  In the summer, I often blend in some ice to the mix to make it frosty and cold.  You can also add a cucumber to get that extra fresh taste.

Play with the ingredients

I often vary some ingredients depending on what I have on hand, and I also play with the quantities.  It all depends if I want it to be tart, sweet or very green.  You may use any juice you like as long as it’s mild in taste and  light in color.  Apple or litchy juice will do.  You may even use fresh water as a base or to stretch the drink when you think it’s too thick.  I also vary my sweetener - honey or maple syrup adds a wonderful taste.  Also add a handful of herbs.  I personally like thaï or sweet basil, and sometimes will use parsley or mint for a more hearty earthy taste.

This mix is a drink but it may also be used as a intense therapeutic skin treatment.  Skin is the largest organ of the body and is the one that is most efficiently absorbing.  Since all that touches your skin quickly reaches the blood stream, what you put on it should be edible.  Avocado oil is often used in skin care products and beauty treatments.

Skin Treatment Use

So, to use this recipe as a skin treatment, I suggest you cut the quantity of liquid to make it thicker and use honey as the sweetener.  Honey is a powerful antisceptic and has been used by ancient civilizations as a beauty secret and medicinal healing ingredient.  You can also add a generous quantity of extra-virgin olive oil to add extra nutrients.  Apply to any area of the body and leave at least 20 minutes for best absorption.

Yoga Love Life,

Bon Healthy Beauty Appetit!

Julie

BE INSPIRED in 2011!!

CREATE INTENTIONS and WITNESS YOUR TRANSFORMATION

Feel already overwhelmed by the idea of taking on new resolutions... Let go of the resolutions that feel heavy in «i should do», «I have to do this» and «I have to be like that».  More importantly, stay away from those resolutions that, once pronounced, already make you feel like you are carrying unbearable weight of guilt and judgment ready to fall on your head on your first missed step. 

Instead, JUST START WHERE YOU ARE.

This year, CREATE NEW INTENTIONS FOR YOURSELF.  

Setting intentions is certainly more natural than taking on new resolutions that are general and supposed to fit everyone.  Intention stems from freedom and is fueled by goodwill.  Its essence is rooted in your heart and guided by your soul.  And so, rarely will you miss the mark on doing something that’s good for yourself when it comes from that place.  And, if you do miss, when and on any day, than no guilt, no regrets...you just pick up where you left.  And, always start right where your are.  Everytime.  No limits.  Make it your own personal journey.  Take time to assess where you are and why you do it.  Transform your mindset.  Change your language.  Say «I could» or «it would be best if I» instead of saying «i should», «I have to» or «I must do».  This new perspective offers an unlimited potential of personal power and goodwill.  It also presents infite possibilities in choosing your challenges and setting new intentions.  One at a time.  

Notice how fast you achieve your «goals».  You’re probably saying: «You were talking about setting intentions not goals.  Indeed, goal appear, or are «activated», when the intentions are put into actions.  Concrete actions.  One step at a time.  You just need to hold truthfully and simply the intention of doing.  The doing, the action will transform the intention into a goal that’s already being achieved.  Simple.  No fear.  No hesitation.  

Observing yourself in action - your behavior, and listening to your own language - and your voice in your head! - are the first steps of transformation.  Switching the behavior or the speech is the most important step.  It takes the old behavior or speech/language and replaces it with something more useful, beneficial and of the moment.  It’s just like painting a wall with a new color.  You don’t strip the wall.  You keep the same wall and apply a new color.  Nothing is thrown out.  It’s just taking a new program to replace te old one.  So, anytime you catch yourself thinking or saying «I should», «I have to» or «I must», change the tape to the other more empowering statements «it would be best if I», «I could».  It then becomes a matter of choice instead of a paralysing obligation.  The difference subtle between the two and yet so powerful in it’s effect.   

Transformation of a thought pattern or any behavior takes usually a cycle of 21 days of repetition.  The physical body, as well as the mind, transforms and integrates things over a 3-week period or 21 days.  That’s why in a physical training or practice, it’s best to modify the routine every 21 days to trick the body into not settling into comfortable ease.  In a similar way, it takes 21 days to the mind to transform a thought program into a new one, for the body to integrate a new movement, or the body/mind to take on a new behavior to replace an old habit.  In the thought and behavioral process, the key is to OBSERVE without judgment, SWITCH with compassion, and repeat as often as the opportunity presents itself.  Most importantly, BE KIND TO YOURSELF.  Smile in the mirror and laugh to fill your ears with music.

Start with something small.  Experience the journey.  Do it for yourself.

Over a period of time, without any judgement on the quality of your effort, the success of you practicing this new tool, objectively take notice of how all this effects your toughts and actions, and again, start where you are again at that moment.  

Being Present and in the now is exactly that - Starting over and over again.  Starting new, starting fresh.  No expectations.  Just contentment.  Being totally mindful of what you’re doing and where you are.  Be fresh.  Start new.  Create your new and improved you.  Over and over again.  And be content with YOU.  Just do your best.  All the time.  That’s all there is to it.  There’s nowhere to go and nowhere to be else than good within YOU.  Comfortable.  With as much space as possible to be free, explore and welcome new experiences.  Being good in anything you do is doing your best everytime.  Then you’ll know you’re good in everything you do.  No comparisons to anything or anyone.

So, join me in creating your own personal journey everyday this year.  Start breathing.  Adopt a new posture.  Eat healthy everyday - a little or a lot.  Drink water.  Try something new.  Try something YOU would like and something you CHOOSE.

Most of all, HAVE FUN DOING IT.  That’s where I start.

Yoga Love Life to You,

Julie

* Yoga . Love . Life *

Version française plus bas...

Hello People - Fellow Friends of this World!  

I am Julie, a yogini, poet, artist, writer and yoga teacher.  I live in the country side of St-Sauveur-des-Monts, nestled between little mountains in the beautiful Laurentians, in the Province of Quebec, part of the great country of Canada.  The peaceful surroundings composed of mountains, rivers and wildlife brings me peace and joy and a serene sense of Life.  

I want to share with you my passions and inspire you to an everyday life of fullness, a life of fulfillment and abundance, exploration, meditation and self expression through whatever inspires your soul and resonates in your heart.  

Today, with this new blog, I am now elevating my passions to another level by sharing them with you a little everyday in energy and in writing - yoga, love, life - and everything that binds them together and stems from it.  This new writing space is an extension of my Yoga Love Life website (www.yogalovelife.com) and is dedicated to sharing and inspiring you with this trilogy - yoga, love and life - and all that fuels my passion for it from foods to cooking or uncooking, from health to well-being, food for thoughts and mindfullness in life.  Although I will do my best to share my thoughts in both languages, French and English, some days I might use the one that enables me to express myself more easily.

Transform your life one breath at a time... 

Let your breath be your guide and create a whole new space within and around you to explore, feel, live, create and most of all transform.  Take time to breath deeply and allow yourself to experience things you love to do.  Take time...  Time might be considered a luxury in this current «Blackberry» world where breath and time seems to be regulated and managed with a personal pocket-pace-maker sized PC.  I say time is essential and if you prefer to refer to it as a gift, well let it be the Holidays and your birthday everyday.  Merry Birthday to you!!

So come and join me in expressing to the world and sharing with others your passions in whatever way makes your heart joyful and your soul soar high.  

Take your passion to another level by committing to doing it everyday a little or a lot - may it be singing, writing, cooking, gardening, dancing, yoga, or whatever makes your heart feel grateful.  Fill your heart and share it!


Yoga Love Life,

********************

Gens de ce Monde - Camarades et Amis - Bonjour!

Je suis Julie, yogini, poète, artiste, écrivaine et professeur de yoga.  J’habite dans la campagne bucolique de St-Sauveur-des-Monts, blottie entre les nombreux monts des Laurentides, dans la belle province de Québec, partie du grand Canada.  Les environs paisibles composés de montagnes, de rivières et de nature me procure paix et joie, et surtout un sens serein de la vie.

Je veux partager avec toi mes passions et t’inspirer chaque jour à vivre une vie de plénitude, d’accomplissement et d’abondance, d’exploration, de méditation et d’expression personnelle à travers ce qui inspire ton âme et fait vibrer ton coeur. 

C’est avec mon blog qu’aujourd’hui j’élève mes passions - Yoga-Love-Life - et tout ce qui s’y rattache ou en émerge en les partageant un peu chaque jour avec mon énergie et à travers l’écriture.  Ce nouvel espace d’expression est une extension «dynamique et vivante» de mon site Yoga Love Life (www.yogalovelife.com).  Il est dédié à cette trilogie - Yoga - Love - Life - et réservé pour partager et échanger sur tout ce qui nourrit ces passions.  De l’alimentation à la cuisine ou la crusine, de la santé au bien-être, je souhaite que cet espace soit une nourriture pour l’esprit et une inspiration à une vie de conscience.  Bien que je ferai de mon mieux pour partager mes pensées à la fois en français et en anglais, peut-être y aura-t-il des fois où j’utiliserai celle qui me permet de m’exprimer plus facilement.

Transforme ta vie une respiration à la fois... 

Laisse ton souffle devenir ton guide pour créer un nouvel espace à l’intérieur et autour de toi afin de te permettre d’explorer, ressentir, vivre, créer et surtout transformer.  Prends le temps de respirer profondément et permets-toi de vivre, faire et expérimenter les choses que tu aimes vraiment.  Prends le temps... Le temps est certes considéré un luxe dans ce monde «Blackberry» où la respiration et justement le temps semble être régis par un mini PC de poche qui remplit les mêmes fonctions qu’un régulateur de rythme cardiaque «pace-maker».  Prendre le temps est essentiel, et si tu préfères le considérer comme un cadeau alors offre-toi chaque jour ce cadeau et fais alors de ta vie une perpétuelle saison de fêtes.  Joyeuse et Bonne fête à toi!

Aujourd’hui, joins-toi à moi pour exprimer et partager avec le monde tes passions, de toutes les façons qui font vibrer la joie dans ton coeur et s’élever ton âme.  Que ce soit la musique, la danse, l’écriture, le jardinage ou le yoga, de quelque façon qu’elle se manifeste, élève ton âme et remplis ton coeur de gratitude en prenant l’engagement de pratiquer tes passions un peu ou beaucoup chaque jour.  Remplis ton coeur et partage-le!

Yoga Love Life,

Smoothie à l'avocat - Super hydratant - Super puissant