bittersweet

Last night as I was standing in my kitchen chopping onions, it hit me that I was making my last home-cooked meal for the next few weeks. While yes, I am so excited to go on vacation and get some quality time with the hubby away from work and other distractions, there is something so bittersweet about leaving. I am going to miss the smell of my spices sizzling on the stove, seeing my dog saunter in and out of the kitchen looking for fallen scraps of food, the sound of Devin playing the ukelele on the couch while I cook....all of the sweet, little things that make up our daily existence.

These will be replaced by preparing breakfast in an unfamiliar kitchen, eating meals on-the-go and having someone take our dinner order. During those hectic weeknights when I'm rushing to throw together something delicious, spending 2.5 weeks not having to worry about meals sounds like utter perfection. But, in reality, nothing really compares to putting your love, knowledge, family history and awareness into a dish. For my last home-cooked meal, I made an Orzo sautee - full recipe can be found here. This time I used spinach instead of kale, added lots of basil and used roma tomatoes (instead of cherry) for a more saucy texture.     

It's funny how food can be a metaphor for life: standing there in my kitchen, I realized how important it is to be grateful for whatever is in front of you at the moment. When we are blessed with a home and company to prepare meals for, no matter how arduous, it truly is a gift. And when life allows us the freedom to step away from it all and retreat -- that too is a blessing that should not be taken for granted.

Here's to finding the bittersweetness in every situation and every meal!

intention

My life is currently filled with a lot of new/unknown/scary/unpredictable energy that is propelling me quicker than expected towards a state of fear. I'm taking some time today, on this fresh new Monday morning, to set an intention to start to LOVE my new journey into the unknown, instead of being afraid of it. If I can truly let go of control of my destiny and have faith in the process, everything will start to unfold organically, as it should. 

My intention for this new week:

ENJOY the unknown. EMBRACE change. WELCOME growth.

“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you're going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.”

― C. JoyBell C.

May you be so busy following your bliss . . .

Happy Friday, friends! It's crazy how quickly your life can change. Literally, like in 24 hours. My head is still spinning and I have butterflies in my stomach, which, based on my experiences over the past year, I have come to learn mean that I am headed towards something transformational - and I better hold on tight! A new opportunity just popped up that is very, very exciting yet at the same time will be very, very time consuming. From now until February 2013, I will be enrolled in the prestigious YogaWorks 300 hour Yoga Teacher Training Professional program. Coming off a hard-working, busy summer, I was very much looking forward to more relaxing Fall, but sometimes when the opportunity presents itself, you gotta just dive in head first, right? I'm trying to draw strength and inspiration from the ocean as I approach this new endeavor - constantly reminding myself to stay focused on this beautiful opportunity unfolding in my life, allowing me to follow my bliss, untouched by outside distractions.

If you are in a similar situation, or sometimes find yourself getting a little distracted by the negativity, I encourage you too to adopt this blessing of sorts into your life: "May you be so busy following your bliss that you have no time for anyone or anything that doesn't give you wings." Looking forward to a new beginning and sharing it all with you ~ wish me luck!

SUP: A Gateway to Balance

Stand Up Paddle Boarding: A Gateway to Balance 

by guest blogger: Tamara Jacobi

Tamara Jacobi is a certified health and nutrition coach who received her training at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She is the founder of Jungle Girl Health offering health coaching to individuals who are ready to feel and look their best. Tamara is the co-owner, hostess and expedition guide for Tailwind Outdoor, a family-owned eco-lodge and adventure tour company in San Pancho, Mexico.

Life has a way of knocking me off balance on a regular basis.  With the blink of an eye, things start spiraling out of control.  A few short years ago I might have reached for the cookie jar (not an effective or healthy solution). Today, I load up my Stand-up Paddleboard and head to the nearest body of water. 

You’ve probably heard of stand up paddle boarding (SUP), but have you tried it yet? As an athlete and a glutton for new challenges I was attracted to SUP several years ago.  Watching the stand up paddle boarders at my local surf break definitely got my curiosity up. When I stepped onto the paddleboard for the first time I was captivated by the sensation of walking on water.  But -- riding my first wave on the paddleboard was when I truly fell in love with this sport. What I didn’t know at the time was that paddleboarding would actually teach me the art of balance—not only on the board, but in life in general.

The sport of stand up paddle boarding is intrinsically about balance.  When you step onto the board, your muscles engage as they search for balance. Yet, what’s particularly fascinating to me is that as the body finds balance physically, the mind also seems to follow. Physical balance requires metal focus.  Once on the SUP board, you don’t really have much choice but to focus on balancing on the board -- unless you don’t mind falling off, which isn’t the worst thing if the water is warm!  I’ve noticed that when I’m on my paddleboard, my internal conversation is quiet, and my hurries, worries and stresses fall away. I am focused only on my body, the board and the water beneath me.  Life slows down and I find myself completely in the moment. 

Having discovered this, paddleboarding has become my favorite way of restoring balance to my life. It is my technology detox—no computer or cell phone. It is my dose of natural nourishment—water, sunlight, oxygen, and the life around me—I soak it all in.  It is a way for me to fully re-connect with myself.  Stand up paddle boarding has become an invaluable sort of meditation. As a holistic nutrition coach, I might call paddleboarding a healing sport that offers fitness, nourishment and balance for the body and the mind. 

From a fitness perspective, this sport is dynamic in so many ways. The simple act of standing on the board in flat water and paddling rhythmically forward engages muscles throughout the body, offering a great full body workout that is low impact yet challenging.  And flatwater paddling is only the beginning! I’ve taken my paddleboard out to my local surf breaks, where I’ve been delighted to ride everything from tiny little waves to head-high swells.  Stand up paddle boarding has been a wonderful addition to my Tailwind jungle lodge adventure tours and retreats down here in Mexico....come visit!. For those looking for less adrenaline and more zen, yoga on the paddle board is also an excellent option that can be a lot of fun. But it doesn’t end there! This summer I’ve been thrilled to bring my passion for paddleboarding to the rivers in Colorado.  Running my first rapids on white water was an amazing experience that I will never forget. 

Clearly, stand up paddle boarding has become and essential part of my holistic nourishment equation and I highly recommend that you give it a try!  SUP boards are becoming more and more available, so be sure to seek them out at your local body of water, whether it is a river, lake or ocean. 

Ready for some simple tips to get you started with embracing paddle boarding and tapping into the essence of balance? Check them out here!

Thank you, Tamara for this beautiful article on Stand-up Paddleboarding! I couldn't agree more that it restores balance to our lives, both on the water and off. Somedays, my 1 hour on the board is the only time I get to be free from technology all day long - and for that, I am forever grateful! Learn more about Tamara's journey living in the jungles of Mexico here: http://www.junglegirlhealth.com/

SUP Yoga Teacher Training Recap - August 2012

I had the best time co-teaching the Paddle Into Fitness SUP Yoga Teacher Training in San Diego! 4 days, 32 hours and 16 new Paddle Into Fitness SUP Yoga instructors across the US & Canada! I loved every minute of this journey with them! ♥

We were lucky enough to get a training group full of excited, inspired and dedicated yogis that were ready to take on the SUP Yoga world. This quote just about sums up their awesome energy....

"Life is short, live bold! Be heard, be

you, dream big, take risks, don’t wait.”

- Misty Gibbs

Here is a fun video re-capping our Teacher Training ~

Small-group teaching out on the water....our student, Jill from Piddle Paddle in Kansas City came up with this new hamstring stretch using the paddle to deepen the stretch - feels sooo good!

More small-group teaching - Brittany from Pure Fit Yoga and SUP in southern California leading her student through modified Crescent Lunge pose on the SUP. Keeping the toes tucked is essential here....which everyone learned after taking a few swims! :)

And here is a group shot that we took at the end of Day 4. At this point, everyone was pretty sunburnt, parched and exhausted -- but grateful enough for our time together to smile and laugh our way to the end....

Here is a photo of the 3 of us instructors (Gillian on the left, Kathryn in the middle and me on the right) with our new favorite Canadian yogis! Lacie and Kim came all the way from Alberta, Canada to train with us. They are determined to offer Paddleboard lessons and SUP Yoga (almost!) year-round in Alberta when they return, even in 4mm wetsuits if they have to! One of my favorite memories in Teacher Training was when Lacie was teaching a mock SUP lesson to the group and in the "Water Safety" section, she mentioned that she takes a BEAR whistle out on every SUP outing! Apparently, it's super common to see bears where they live (side note: proper protocol is to stand up tall and open your arms wide over head to intimidate the bear, FYI....) In addition to bears, they also have to deal with class distractions like wolves swimming nearby and the occasional pesky beaver trying to attach onto your board. And here us spoiled Californians were thinking that WIND was such a bummer! ;)

And finally, here is an amazingly beautiful photo of our southern belle, Jessica Taylor. She and her business partner, Emily came out from Savannah, Georgia for our training. They own and operate Blue Water Yoga and SUP teaching classes along the Georgia coastline and brought so much knowledge to our training. They have to teach their classes out in the open ocean, which requires using a bouy system to keep the students together on a line. Some of the other students will need to create the same kind of system for their particular waterways when they return home, so the Blue Water Buoy System was a big hit!

I am so grateful to be a part of the SUP Yoga community ~

a collection of yogis who live and breathe beyond the mat and are who forever connected to eachother through their love of the ocean.

Zen Flow on the Go!

It's super important to get in some yoga every single day, even if it's only for a few minutes. Connecting with your body, slowing down your mind and softening your soul will provide you with immeasurable benefits to your health and overall well being.

 I designed this 30 minute "Zen Flow" class to strengthen your body and calm your mind on those busy days when half an hour is all you got. There is a special emphasis on shoulder and hip openers in this practice, which will leave you feeling extra zen! Hope you enjoy!

Wanderlust

  "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain

I love to travel. I've been doing it my whole life and don't think I could ever grow tired of it. I know every airport code by heart, went to 3 high schools in 3 different countries and feel most at home in departure terminals - is that weird? For military brats, this is status quo. Growing up, we had to move every 3 or so years - which, somehow as a kid, I was wise enough to appreciate at the time. Don't get me wrong - there were tears. LOTS of tears. Remember, this was in an era long before facebook, even before email, so when you left a country, you could be almost certain that you would not speak to your 3rd grade BFF again. And that was hard. But knowing that the future held a new country, with a new language made the transition exciting, not scary. 

Here we are, living in Puerto Rico circa 1995

I loved every minute of my gypsy childhood, but wanted something different for my adult life. I wanted ROOTS. The same address for more than 3 years. Friends to grow old with.....which is what my life is starting to look like now, and I am so grateful! But every 3 years - like clockwork - I get the itch. To travel, to explore, to eat foods you can't pronounce, to not hear the English language for weeks on end - WANDERLUST.

This upcoming adventure at the end of the month takes my husband and I to New York City, Italy and Portugal for 2.5 weeks. He is from NYC, so we will be visiting his friends and family there; I lived in Italy for 4 years back in middle school/high school, so I'm taking him through my old stomping grounds - Rome, Formia (the small fishing village I lived in), Sorrento and Capri; and Devin has been wanting to surf Portugal for years, so we are staying in Ericeira - a cool surf town about 1 hour north of Lisbon.

We booked most of our places on Airbnb, which is a really cool website we've been using for over a year now. People list their homes for rent on there, so when traveling, you get to stay in a cozy, local house instead of a stiff, touristy hotel. We've used Airbnb to rent a super cool beach house on the North Shore of Hawaii and a funky loft in downtown Bangkok. We've had nothing but super positive experiences with Airbnb, which is why we are booking all our Euro stays on there again. The part I'm most excited about is the built-in host. They tell you all the best places to eat, shop, visit, etc. which gives you a real local's perspective, which I love!

"Easy come, Easy go..."

My father-in-law came out to stay with us over the weekend and brought some awesome energy into our lives. He has been working as a musician/actor/artist for the past 40 years and has been a yogi just as long, so whenever he visits, we are always in for a trip full of positive and mellow vibes. Devin has been dabbling in song-writing and recently wrote this little gem on the ukelele as a tribute to his grandfather, who passed away when he was only 4.

Here he is playing "Easy come, Easy go" with his dad at Windansea Beach.

3 generations coming together. I love the lyrics.......

"Easy come, easy go, Live your life, Let it flow.

That is what, he said to me. From his place in eternity

When he died, he was too young. So much more, he could have done

But had it gone another way, I wouldn’t be where I am today"



$1000 Scholarship to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Are you interested in becoming a Holistic Health Nutritionist? My friend Tamara from Jungle Girl Health became trained as a Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and now helps usher people through big lifestyle changes using preventative medicines and manages an eco-resort lodge in the jungles of Mexico. She is giving away a $1000 Scholarship to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition - an online program allowing you to study from anywhere in the world!

Are you interested in studying holistic nutrition and health? Here's your chance! Opportunities like this don't come around often.

This is time-sensitive - the $1000 scholarship offer is
only available from Aug 13 - 17.

 If you are seriously interested, send an email introduction to Tamara at: tamara.jacobi@yahoo.com 

Mama's Recipe: Maryland Crab Cakes and Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

I just got back from a super fun visit to my parents' new home in Virginia. My mama was born and raised in Maryland, so Summertime for her is defined by good ole East Coast Crab feasts! She made this delicious meal while I was visiting and I can't stop thinking about it! Full of protein and vitamins and low in fat, this is a perfectly light, yet totally filling Summer dinner. It takes about 40 minutes from prep to table, so it's a great option for the busy work week. I hope you enjoy this meal as much as I did! Thanks, Mama! :)

Crab Cakes:

Makes 4 servings (about 8 crab cakes)

Approx. 200 calories and 25 grams of protein in 2 crab cakes

Ingredients:
1 pound of lump Crab meat (preferably from Maryland and fresh, never frozen)
1-2 tablespoons of low-fat Mayonnaise (at some point, I will try making these with Veganaise to cut out the dairy and see how they turn out...will keep you posted!)
1 tablespoon Dijon Honey Mustard
1 Egg, beaten
1 bunch of Green Onions, chopped (about 4-5 stalks)
1 bunch of Parsley, chopped (about 2-3 heaping tablespoons worth)
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning (My mama promises this is the KEY ingredient. I am wary of over-salted foods, so I found this Old Bay Reduced-Sodium option)
20 Nabisco Saltine Crackers, crushed. (This is the binding agent, so be generous! Again, I used this Low-Sodium option)
1 lemon, sliced

Here is the beautiful Chef prepping the Crab Cakes - looking good, Mama!

Directions:

Meet Zen Girl of the Month: Sarah Clark!

Last month marks one year since yoga teacher Sarah Clark left her longtime home of New York City for the laid-back California lifestyle. Arriving out West with just her yoga mat and a "good plan", this Zen Girl has already made her mark on the San Diego yoga scene. Sarah is fresh off of teaching a 4-week Summer Immersion called, "Living Yoga" and had the special privilege of assisting her mentor, Cyndi Lee at Yoga Journal Conference: San Diego.

She contanstly amazes me with her beauty, grace and humility - and her strong dedication to always deepening her yoga practice - both physically and philosophically. I had a great time working with her on this project....I hope you enjoy her interview as much as I did! :) 

1) Name, Occupation, Location:  
Sarah Clark.  San Diego, CA.  Yoga teacher.

2) What does a typical day look like for you?  A day in the life currently looks like some jumbled concoction of (a) teaching several classes/workshops at various local studios or in people's homes around San Diego, (b) pairing a run in my sweet University Heights neighborhood with my home practice (asana, pranayama, meditation), or taking a class and very much enjoying being told what to do, (c) hanging with my husband.  Often singing together and cooking, and (d) thinking about, gathering for, & creating delicious, mindful meals. 

Days off are often going to the ocean for walks or sitting quietly, sleeping in, farmer's markets, cooking (preferably with some nice wine or a craft beer), reading good yoga stuff, maybe a hike or the park... Oh, and laundry.

3) What is the first big (or little) step you took to follow your bliss and create this beautiful life that you have?  

Sun, Surf, Sayulita . . .

Have you heard? We're going back to Sayulita, Mexico!!!

Heather Grisco and I led a super relaxing (and super fun!) retreat to the Mexican Riviera last December. Everyone had such a great time that we are making this an annual thing. If you want to spice up your yoga practice, detox before the holidays and maybe get in some surfing and/or paddleboaring in warm ocean waters - 

this is the retreat for you. 

Thursday, December 1 - Monday, December 6

shared accomodations: $899 / private accomodations: $1049

*includes flight, hotel, some meals, yoga, etc.

((click here for more info))

Here is a video re-cap from last year's amazing retreat....

Testimonial from a very happy yogi:

"Bird Rock Yoga's retreat changed my life and inspired my practice...Yoga class twice daily, great food, cool conscious people, the perfect hotel, convenient and flexible itineraries, all in the most amazing of places -Sayulita, Mexico. This trip was the most inspirational, transforming and relaxing experience I have ever had. Invigorating vinyasa flows and healthy smoothies were a great start to each day , while calming restorative classes and meditation were just the right touch to end each fun filled day of either surfing, biking, horseback riding, boating, paddleboarding, reading or just relaxing on a gorgeous beach. The people and their positive energy made the trip. I felt like a new person at the end, and have tried to maintain that energy through renewed dedication to yoga and life, both on and off my mat."  - Larry

Zen Bride Photoshoot

For almost 2 years now, I've been tossing an article about "including yoga in your wedding day" around in my head. I was in the middle of Yoga Teacher Training when we got married and was SO grateful for my yoga practice, as it provided me a refuge from the endless RSVPs, seating charts, and trying to please everyone else on my big day. I finally felt inspired to write it yesterday and knew that I needed the perfect photo to convey the message. So this morning (ironically, on the 4 year anniversary of meeting my now-husband), Devin helped me wiggle into my dress and we skipped down to Windansea to take some photos....

  We were at the beach at around 9am, when it's still empty with a sense of eerie solitude and the marine layer still lingers. To me, they came out better than I could have ever imagined....

I hope you enjoyed the photos too! Here is the full article,
published on the online lifestyle magazine, MindBodyGreen:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5730/Why-Yoga-on-Your-Wedding-Day-Is-a-Must.html

xoxo, Mandy

Helloooooo August!

I don't know about you, but I can already feel that August is going to be an amazing month! First things first, the month is starting off with a FULL MOON - how cool is that? But, even better, we get 2 Full Moons this month - another one is coming on Friday, August 31, making that one a Blue Moon. I have this weird feeling that August is going to be one of those really special months, like the saying goes,"Once in a blue moon...." 

Astrologically, here is what we can expect this month....Mercury is in Leo from June 25-August 31. When Mercury is in Leo, our thinking is more confident and grand. The focus is now on the goal--and the more grand a goal the better! The details may not be quite as important now. We are more expressive, even theatrical and given to speech-giving and story-telling under this influence. We are also more convincing and persuasive, as we exude confidence when we speak or write.

Besides my moon obsessions, this month is looking to be quite incredible due to some really cool events going on in both my personal and professional lives.

Personally ~ August marks 4 years since my husband, Devin and I first met. This month holds such a special place in our hearts and I will write more about it in detail tomorrow, on August 2, our actual anniversary. Also, I'm taking 2 big trips this month, which I am SO excited for! I've been working like crazy on all my projects for 6 months solid, so these will be very welcomed breaks. On Friday, I am heading east to visit my parents in their new home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They moved there two months ago from Hawaii, on military orders with my dad's job in the Navy. Not gonna lie, I was a wee bit more excited to visit them in Hawaii vs. Virginia, but they moved 2 miles from my grandparents, whom I adore, so that makes it worth the trip! The second trip is happening at the end of the month, when Devin and I take our big vacay and go to NYC, Italy and Portugal for 2.5 weeks. Exploring new cities, being adventurous, living outside of our comfort zones and doing yoga around the world are what we love to do together most as a couple, so I am literally counting down the days! 31, 30, 29....

Professionally ~ August 1 started off with a bang! All morning, I've been working on international Zen Girl orders, which makes me so happy to think that my clothes will be seen around the world! I've got two big orders: one going out to Bella Vie Yoga studio in France and another to a client in New Caledonia (an small island off Australia...I had to google it!)

The other highlight of August is our big Paddle Into Fitness SUP Yoga Teacher Training, happening August 15-18 here in San Diego! We have officially sold-out the training, with 16 super enthusiastic yogis coming out from all over the US and Canada to participate. I am so proud of all the hard work our team has put into making this happen and cannot wait to meet our students in person!

According to the stars, August is set to be a very creative and confident month for all of us. I am going to really push myself to set BIG goals and utilize all this creative energy to keep expressing myself through yoga and writing. I encourage you to join me! Harness the confident energy in the universe right now by setting BIG, audacious goals this month!

peace, love, namaste ~ Mandy