Adventure Cleanse Day 5

  Hello my dears!  Here is a check in post to let you know how this Crazy Sexy Adventure Cleanse is going!

  Tough stuff: I have a little bit of nausea from time to time, mostly in the morning when I have to have my water with lemon and tea before my green juice.  I must confess if my tummy is feeling especially upset I cut out the lemon.  I'm not a big lemon fan it seems...but as soon as there is a sip of green juice in my system I automatically feel better.  In addition to the nausea, I have been getting a little emotional like I said up above in the video.  It's nothing unmanageable but it is interesting how cleansing toxins out of your system can bring up any emotional hindrances that we may be suppressing or trying to work through.  That being said I ended up having a pretty sizable personal revelation this evening (check out my Hide & Seek of the Heart post for more on this).  The only other things I'm having issues with are making sure I don't eat three hours before bed.  I'm typing this at 1:30 AM and have somewhere to be at 11 AM tomorrow, and I stopped eating at 1 because I got home late from a benefit concert.  So yes, in order to keep up with my goal I'm going to stay up until 4 and sleep until 10.  I'm going to sit down and plan out the rest of this week better.  It's not an issue when I can sleep in but my show opens in less than a week and yoga training starts in exactly a week, so I need to make sure my sleep schedule is on track.

  Not-So-Tough Stuff: I love how in touch with my body I feel!  I thought I was in touch before but now I feel amazing!  I know as soon as I'm hungry, and the food I'm eating is filling and rejuvenating to my system.  I know when I'm full right away, too.  It's like a switch.  I've also lost three pounds and have big bursts of happy energy.  And like I listed above, the emotional junk that was stirred up through the release of toxins actually helped me figure a couple things out that I've been stressing over.


  And as I said before, these cucumbers I got were ENORMOUS!  I drank so much green juice today (and I have to admit I'm getting addicted; I'm excited now for my AM juice fest).  Take a look at my pitcher after I finished:

  In any case, I apologize for the lack of wit and spice in this post, it's more of a crunching numbers and tabulating facts to check in kinda post, but I assure you there will be ones with a little more spunk coming in your near future!

  Namaste!

Hopes, Dreams, and Wonderful Things

  So I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.  This post is going to be a random conglomerate of these thoughts, so please bear with me because I think you may get a few warm fuzzies and feel goods out of it!


  I've been thinking about our worldly state of affairs and how currently things can be a little grim.  In wondering how we can change things, two separate memories come to mind.  Both of these relate to my participation in yoga (of course).


  1. I read something really astoundingly simple yet profound in my yoga journal a couple of months ago and it's stuck with me since.  Every time someone treats me poorly or is disrespectful I can't help but think of it.  Think of someone who really hurt your feelings.  More specifically think of a person who you think is a horrific excuse for a human being.  ANYBODY.  


  Got it?


  Good.


  Guess what.  That person most likely isn't a bad person.


  Now, if you thought of a friend who was just a little nasty to you, of course you will agree that your friend isn't a bad person at all; maybe just having a bad day.  If you thought of someone else or someone who hurt you really deeply (I certainly have a specific person in my brain) read on.  Well...read on anyway whomever you selected!


  Has the suspense built enough?  Here we go:


  According to this article, in our hearts and souls we are perfect.  Imagine that in your core, where the real you dwells, you are a diamond.  Now, as things get a little murky and dirt starts to cake on top of that diamond, we get confused.  This dirt corresponds with our behavior and suffering.  Confused?


  Here's the sitch: it's rare that a person behaves badly and doesn't come to the conclusion that he or she behaves that way because he or she is a bad person.  It's easy to sink into self pity, self hatred, indulge or overdo that behavior, and it can become a disease (i.e. alcoholism, depression, etc).  We judge ourselves so harshly that rather than be our own allies, we jump to the worst possibility to explain what's happening.  The problem here is that this behavior is typically an expression of underlying suffering that we may not have isolated.  Typically this "bad" behavior (drinking excessively, overeating, bullying) is an outlet for this suffering.  Rather than try to search out the suffering and heal it, we blame ourselves and label ourselves as "bad".  This isn't to say that the behavior is acceptable, but it helps to know that in helping to heal and treat ourselves with love and respect (i.e. self compassion) that we can stop these feelings of inadequacy, suffering, and problems hiding beneath the surface of our psyche.  When we address the real problems, we clean the muck off of the diamond so we can truly shine and succeed.


  2. Keep in mind the above concept as we move on.  In my yoga class, my teacher Sarah told us about an experiment done in the now playing documentary I Am.  Essentially it revolves around experts and geniuses asked why our planet is in such terrible condition and what we can do about it.  This experiment took an energy field and hooked this field up to a man and to yogurt.  Yes, you did read that correctly.  So literally it was a man connected by wire to a big space, and another wire on the other side connected to yogurt.  The man was asked questions about love and marriage.  He had recently undergone a bad divorce and as his mood grew stormy, his energy shifts affected the yogurt!  So the take away?  We are able to influence EVERYTHING.  Plants are living things.  Our energy affects nature, it affects the environment, thereby affecting each other.  We are all connected on one huge energy grid.  If we took the time to take care of ourselves (hint hint, look back at number one in this post) not only would we heal any underlying suffering but change ourselves, therefore we would change our energies which could in turn change the world.  Pretty mind blowing stuff, huh?


  So the trick here is using available resources to tweak your mindset so that you move from dark and gloomy to bright and shiny!  It's interesting how a change of energy not only influences those around you, but how this change can bring things of the same nature into your natural orbit.  For example: I went through a deep depression and I got so used to things being dismal that whenever another bad occurrence would happen, the situation typically ended in me being a hot mess and wondering why yet another issue was rearing its ugly head in my life.  It wasn't until I was truly ready to face my issues and work through the suffering that I began to heal, and as I healed and treated myself and my body with respect, I cultivated self awareness and compassion.


  Guess what happened.


  Good things.  Rewarding experiences.  New friends and opportunities.  Confidence.  Drive.  My ambition reawakened and I found direction.  I started to trust my intuition which led me back to my dreams.  Since I moved home, a lot of my dreams have come true through my own work, but I do believe that these things came into my orbit because of the internal shift that happened when I finally allowed myself to thrive.


  Does this sound arrogant?  I hope not.  Selfish?  I hope not.  But guess what?  In order to be SELFish or SELFless we have to locate and support our inner and true selves.  This itty-bitty shift in the mind can move internal mountains.


  My good friend from high school and I were discussing this earlier, and I will share what she had to say:


  "We carry a lot of garbage around with us all the time.  That's why I find [Crazy Sexy Diet] so inspiring, because it's about being brave enough to treat yourself well and making sure that you can do that in whatever sustainable fashion works for you...  Our culture says that you have to be selfless but you can't help others until you help yourself." -- The Gorgeous Miss Amanda Bauer


  Beautiful.


  You know how the radio plays all of these gorgeous songs geared towards the romantics out there?  They are messages of love and encouragement.  Do you find yourself singing along?  Try singing the words to yourself.  Sometimes it's hard to treat ourselves with the respect we deserve.  Think about how wonderful it would/will feel when you actively love and fight for yourself.  You are an incredible human being with an enormous capacity for emotion, hopes, dreams, and wonderful things.  You are a light.  Let it shine.


  This one is for you.  Sing it for yourself.

Namaste.

Adventure Cleanse Day 1

  I've done it my friends!  I had my first cup of green juice and it was pretty darn tasty!  I do have to get used to it, but it's really neat.  There are so many layers of veggies that different flavors pop up as you go through your cup (or in my case, as suggested by Kris in the book, a wine glass to add some ooh la la).

  Before I could make my green juicy goodness, however, I had to put together my juicer.  It wasn't that hard to set up and I have to say I did get a certain satisfaction out of washing it (before set up and after juicing) and setting it up.  It may seem trivial, but taking the time to create something that will aid in your pursuit of health and happiness is pretty darn rewarding.

  I didn't actually think the idea of drinking vegetable juice was that weird (minus tomato juice or soup; really not my thing) until one of my friends commented that it was strange my drinking lettuce!  I suppose it is kind of weird, but after I successfully acquired a taste for kale about a year ago, I've never looked back!  Luckily drinking it brings me almost the same level of satisfaction as chewing it (okay...that may be a slight stretch but it really wasn't so bad)!  

  The only downside to today is that I need to buy more groceries.  I definitely am ready to go with fruit, veggies, ginger root, and almonds, but I'm going to pick up some brown rice crackers and hummus (it's hard to find hummus that isn't super processed in some stores).  We'll also see how things go this evening.  My schedule is such today that it's going to be another late night trip to the gym, so hopefully I won't be completely starving when I do get to bed.  I'm used to eating late into the night, so that will definitely be a change.

  I need to try a new adventure this week or next week.  Any thoughts?  Kayaking, rock climbing...something cool!  If you have any ideas, share them in the comments section and I'll see what I can do.

  Namaste!

21 Day Cleanse Eve

  I went to yoga tonight and heard an amazing story.  I didn't hear the specifics of the man's name, but the story is true.  An Indian man began practicing yoga at the age of five.  For every year old he was, he did that many sun salutations per day.  That means that at sixty years old he did sixty sun salutations.  Yes, you read correctly!  Sixty.  Sun salutations.  Every day!  The story goes that he was so in touch with his body and spirituality that one day he said that on a specific future date he would see Krishna (the deity he felt most connected to), meaning he was approaching his time to die and move on from our world.


  On the prescribed day, he was 105 years old.  He woke up, had some water, and did 105 sun salutations.  Again, you read correctly!  He followed with his typical routine and eventually went on to sing and chant.  Twenty minutes in, he threw his arms up in the air and proclaimed vitale!  At that moment, he left his body behind.


  Can you imagine being so healthy and in touch with your body and spirituality/faith that you know when your time to leave is coming?  What a novel concept!  Not only was he healthy enough to do 105 sun salutations, eat, and chant the day he died, but in the three days it took his family to travel to India to have the funeral he had zero rigor mortis.  The combination of his clean eating habits and yoga practice kept his muscles supple and allowed his body to stay healthy, even for that short time after his death.


  Is it coincidence that my yoga teacher stressed the importance of digestion the day before I begin Kris Carr's 21 day cleanse from Crazy Sexy Diet?  It's possible, but I don't think so.  I'm preparing for tomorrow, and I'm more excited than ever.  Below you can see a sneak peak of my tools and get a sense for the plan:

  My Mother was kind enough to share a coupon to Macy's so I could have my very own juicer!  This one is a centrifugal juicer, meaning that it's easy to clean but that the nutrients don't keep as long, so I'll be drinking up right away post juice concocting as well as locking the remaining green goodness in air tight mason jars (for those of you interested in doing this cleanse, I found some at World Market for under $2).

  What I'm most excited about is getting more fluids, cutting out the few processed foods still in my diet, and the Green Juice and Guru Smoothie recipes!  What I think will be hard is cutting out the extra servings of fruit I am notorious for downing and eating it by itself.  I've read in other resources that fruit is best on its own (check out Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman; she wrote the preface for SCD).  It will also be tough stopping noshing three hours before bed, especially because there are evenings when I am at the gym until 1 AM because of my schedule.

  I'm also glad to start now because my show is about to launch into dress rehearsals, not to mention yoga teacher training (also known as YTT) is right around the corner!  I want my body to be in an optimal place to receive all the wonderful information that will be learned in YTT.  Also, with all the processed gunk out of my system, that can clear up any hidden negative emotions sneaking and skulking around our subconscious regions, meaning I may end up having greater emotional capacity on stage.  It's a win win situation (despite how much I will miss my apple and chocolate-almond butter combo over the next three weeks).

  Tomorrow I will start my day with purified water and lemon (and a pinch of cayenne if we have any to boost circulation), followed by two cups of green tea (decaf since I have to sing!).  For breakfast and a snack later in the day I'll have Green Juice, and the rest of the day will be filled with yummy vegetables, hummus, quinoa, and raw almonds.  That mixed in with daily physical activity (yoga, running, and a resistance band routine with my best friend from third grade a few evenings a week) should make for an interesting few weeks!  I'll be updating you every step of the way!  Wish me luck!

Check out my new lululemon crops!

  If you take anything away from this post, I hope it's the inspiration to treat you and your body with the love and care that you deserve.  Treat yourselves like the amazing people you are!

Namaste!

Explanations

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars." --Jack Kerouac

  The above quote is the inspiration for the title of this blog.  It's been a favorite quote of mine for quite some time; I've always felt some great kinship with the descriptors in it.  As a performer, musician, and seeker of truth how can I not be moved by the text?  I'm sure my fellow artistic colleagues and yogis feel a similar buzzing in their hearts and tug at their tummies when reading it.


  The big connector to the quote for me is, in fact, yoga.  I was participating in an Anusara inspired class, which according to samadhiyoga.net is this: 

"Anusara-inspired Yoga- Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara® is a school of Hatha Yoga that combines a philosophy of intrinsic goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment. The practice is characterized by an emphasis on opening the heart, both physically and emotionally, and a dedication to celebrating the inherent goodness in all people and all things. Anusara® postures are expressed from the inside out, originating not from a wish to control the body with outside forces-but from a deep, devotional feeling in the heart."

  I was in a class last night when the instructor took a moment to ask us a question.  "What would it feel like if you walked into the room as your best and highest self?"  The room swelled with the natural heat of of a space populated by warm bodies in late April as we, the pupils, considered the question.  "It's quite simple," he continued.  "Make the decision, and do it."  He infused us all with joy as he encouraged us to empower ourselves, demonstrating our inner strength by toning and strengthening ourselves physically on the outside.  By the end of the class I was sweating like mad, had done four rounds of Wheel Pose, had pushed myself, but also accepted myself.  As I relaxed in Savasana (Corpse Pose, the final pose of yoga classes where the mind can become still and one thanks his/her body for strength and the experience through class) I listened to the music Ian, our instructor, played on his Ukulele, plucking strings to form a dialogue of music; a stream of sound that helped me to cease any worrying and relax in the moment.  As his voice reawakened us, I discovered tears on my skin.  I had a moment of epiphany where I felt worthy of happiness and realized that I love myself.  We came to a comfortable seated position to end our class in unison, and as we bowed in traditional thank you to Ian (a gesture of respect between student and teacher is bowing of the head while saying "namaste", literally meaning "the divine within me honors the divine within you") a few stray tears raced down my cheeks.  The instructor and I shared a look as I collected my belongings, and as he turned to help another student with a question, I sneaked out the door, put on my coat, and stepped out of the studio to rejoin the outside world.  I didn't want to leave.


  Here is where the magic comes in: we have the ability to take that self empowerment to become our best selves every moment of every day.  It's staggering how we can be blinded by the simplicity of it.  Choose to be your best self, strive to be your best self, and you will be your best self.  And so I now choose to be my best self.


  This summer begins the rest of my life.  A life supported by self empowerment and self cultivated happiness and exploration.  If you so choose, you can follow my adventures, which will be updated frequently with pictures, thoughts, quotes, and potentially a bad joke here and there.


  Here is a preview of what is to come: a 21 Day Cleanse courtesy of Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr, my yoga teacher training (20 hours of yoga a week for 14 weeks?  Yes please!), the opening of my first show out of school as a principle role (take a sneak peek at dress rehearsal), climbing my first 14er, kayaking, meeting new people, and trying new things.  As I find little things that bring me joy, I will post them here in the hopes they can serve you as they serve me.


  Enjoy my friends, and namaste.