Joplin Jitters

Joplin Jitters

The sky is blue and white puffy clouds hang like ornaments. The sky meets the trees and the grass holds the deepest green I've ever seen.

All the donations collected over the last 3 days have the truck and my heart overflowing. It has been an interesting lesson in human character while organizing this trip. It seemed the people who gave their time and hard earned money to help, were those that had the least to give.

I've never personally witnessed a tragedy of this magnitude. I am nervous about what I will see with my eyes and feel in my heart. I feel honored to have a life partner to share such a deep experience with.

Growth awaits for us as a team and as individuals. Something we both welcome with open arms!

My goal is to remain as present as I possible can. To make eye contact with everyone I see and hug anyone that will let me in!

At the end of the day, sending love is all we really can do.

Yoga OFF THE MAT, Help for Joplin, Mo

Good morning Tulsa!

A life without giving is not worth living!

Travis and I are going to drive over to Joplin with supplies THIS THURSDAY.

Please bring anything you have to donate to my house by 5pm Wed. 

Canned goods, water, home goods, (clothes, blankets, batteries, radios, ect..) 

I will give my address to serious inquires only :)

This is a great way for us all to practice compassion and humility off of our mats! 

CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSETS!

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION!

Namesta

"Feeling Alive"

It had been a while since I had taken a class and "felt" something. I was challenged, but only enough to feel alive. The yummy yoga feeling that creeps through the whole body and then tingles all the way through the crown. Hmmm. Yes.

Relaxation is always the big test for me. It's really shows me how "good" my practice was. The definition of a "good" practice will be different for each person you ask. Here is mine.

The first few minutes, I'm struggling of course.. Breath, thoughts, thoughts, and then more thoughts. Breath, breath, then all over again. Until..

I felt as if I was falling through the floor, bones melting. The feeling of grounding and floating at the same time. The balance of complete presence, left with only the sensations of my vibrations running through me. I drifted away from time to time but simply came right back to my breath, and the sinking would begin again. The clouds carry my thoughts away. It's just me, simply being, existing with no thoughts, no attachments, no ego. If only for a few minutes..

The bells chime, I stretch toes to finger tips. Rolling to my side, my heart smiles and my face soon follows. Warm, heart felt tears stream down my face as my hands settle at my heart.. Namesta.

Location:Mind Chatter

Events

Friday/Saturday, May 13-14 @ The Canebrake, Wagoner

Power UP/ Wind Down with Jennifer Skaggs

Tulsa yogini and Baptiste Style certified yoga instructor Jennifer Skaggs will be teaching two additional classes at The Canebrake this weekend only. Both classes are open to the public at $20/each.

Jennifer currently teaches at The Yoga Room, St. John’s, and is leading the popular Roof-top Yoga class above ‘Ascent Outdoor Apparel’ on 15th Street every Saturday. Learn more about Jennifer at www.livepresentyoga.com and please join us for one or both of the following;
·
Friday night 6pm-8pm
Baptiste Power Vinyasa
A fun and invigorating class in the powerful style of Baron Baptiste’s Power Vinyasa. Sweat, explore and delight in the opportunities to move your body!
·

Saturday evening 5pm-7pm
Wind down with a softer practice including a brief discussion of the 8 Limbs of yoga, a smooth and steady Sun Salutation series, and finish it off with restorative poses. Delicious!

THANKS FOR THE GREAT WRITE UP CANEBRAKE!

I loved this!

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."
Buddha

Ongoing Bio..

To begin, it's always best to start at the beginning, just follow the yellow brick road.. Oh wait, that's my favorite line in my favorite movie..

We should just go all the way back before I was even a thought! It was in California, Spring of 76'. My mom was working at my papa's service station and my dad worked across the street. My mom with her small frame, tanned California body and oh yes, the Farra Facet hair. She was a knock out. I've seen pictures of my dad from that time as well, denim Levi's, white t-shirt with his cigs rolled up in his sleeve, and long sandy blonde hair. And of course, he road a motorcycle! The flirtation from across the street eventually lead to a trip to Vegas to get married the following fall.

It wasn't long before the teenage fantasy wore off and the reality of life set in. Very young adults playing house. My sister came first in 79' followed by myself in 81'. My dads job quickly took us out of California, away from family, and to Arizona where things began to quickly fall apart.  A young woman trying to raise two girls on her own while dad worked and sought happiness out of the house. I can hardly begin to judge their struggles.. they were always doing the best they could with the tools they had. We are always living our karma. The path they were on brought me to where I am today. So I thank them. 


Only after a few years in Arizona my dads job moved us again, landing here in Oklahoma! My grandparents soon followed from California to be closer to us. This was one of my saving graces. We all have a super happy place from our childhood. My grandparents were always my soft place to land.

Divorce soon followed our move to Oklahoma.  Being an adult and step mom, I can now look back and almost completely understand how difficult it must of been. I have no anger toward my parents perceived mistakes. A recent well absorbed lesson of mine is there ARE NO MISTAKES IN LIFE. I love the creativity and continued lessons I can pull from my past. Our ego, "like a treasure chest full of goodies". 


A few years passed, my Teddy Ruxpin kept me company. Little did I know at the time, my parents where still dating and before I knew it we were all standing at the alter of a southern Baptist church with our hand made dresses and doily hats. They say "I do" one more time! I cried my eyes out.. happiness I suppose. I was only 6. 


I was tanned, toe headed, full of energy, and I never stopped talking or asking "WHY?"! I questioned everything around me from a very young age, a character trait I have proudly held onto. I lived in my imagination, it was a safe place for me with all that was going on in my little world. My drug I guess you could say. Our soul finds ways at a very young age to go within and find peace. At that age, well, at any age we aren't even aware this is taking place. As kids we escape into our imagination, the outdoors, we make mud pies and play house with the neighborhood kids. As adults, I think not much changes in our escape methods. Of course drugs and alcohol take us to the next level. The interesting thing to me is we aren't taught this "protection method". We come into this world with that ability, plus many more, that are robbed from us in our youth. Or better yet, in our exposure to life. Reconditioning of the mind is now needed.


Until next time, I would like to be clear anything shared is simply just that. My goal in sharing is to show WE ALL HAVE A STORY.  With the nickname given to me by my closest friends, "Little Buddha", it has been perceived that I may of just woke up one day with the innate ability to be at peace. That is just not the case. It is a mindful, day to day effort. Never letting up, a continual look at oneself, and practicing moderation in every area of my life. 


What would those efforts look like in your world?


Namesta

I love this!

"The greatest achievement was at first and for a dream. The oaks sleeps in the acorn: the bird sleeps in the egg: and in the highest of the soul, a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seeding of realities..."

Mind Chatter from an American Yogi

Mind Chatter. I have had a considerable amount of it over the last few days. I'm finding it difficult to arrive in the celebration of the recent world news. Sunday night I found myself feeling sad. I am aware that there are many who felt the same, as I have been reading as much as my schedule would allow over the last few days. I also understand the happiness some are experiencing and I have nothing but the highest respect for the men and women and their families that have given their time or life. 

I can hardly help it, I have a "love not war" mindset and spirit.

I have watched my personal life transform through mindfulness and awareness. I've watched the reshaping that arises when I respond rather then react. I have felt what happens when I eliminate the bullshit at all cost. I've witnessed the power in making choices from simply sitting quietly and feeling what is authentic from within ME. No outside influences on my direction. 

I KNOW a shift of awareness can be instilled and that CHANGE can happen. 

With my opinion on "life" being made clear, I can go on and speak the point I'd like to share. 

From my eyes looking out, I see the same hate toward our President, government, or our enemy, being the same hate that creates war to begin with.  It's the reaction to the emotion that causes the violence. Even if our hate is kept "in", being, in our minds,  at the dinner table, or in group discussions. Our energy is being projected at all times. Good or bad. It carries all over the world. 

This is a human pattern that has been recreating itself since the earliest record of our existence. I'm sure you know that age old definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.. Sound familiar?! 

OK, SO.. What would it look like if we tried something new? What if when those emotions of hate, judgment, and frustration arose, we first recognize them, then we sit quietly and USE that energy built up inside us and transform it to love for the enemy. Sound crazy? Maybe a little! I have down it. It is difficult, but through time, patients, awareness of our emotion, and positive INTENTION we can get there. 

There is definitely a huge level of awareness going on in our current life cycle. So, GOOD JOB! But lets all try and take it to the next level. The energy is already within us. We may as well take FULL advantage of it's power. 

Thanks for taking the time to read into my "Mind Chatter"! Lets all take a step forward together!