Meeting Imperfection
For all of us, as we begin to self-reflect whether it be during Yoga Therapy sessions or other ways, we can start to have awareness around our imperfections. We can sometimes become overwhelmed considering our poor choices, people we’ve hurt, our anger, dishonesty, misjudgments or our inability to forgive. Although this can be a dark time, it is a time to congratulate yourself. This new awareness and insight is an amazing opportunity for you to be more conscious of them..to grow, change and evolve. “A door has been opened. A light has been turned on.” Don’t be hard on yourself but instead know that before you simply couldn’t see it. Honor yourself and these awareness’s by beginning to do the work needed to grow. “As you probe deeper into who you really are, with your lightedness and your confusions, with your angers, longings and distortions, you will find the true living you.”
Quotes from EMANUEL’S BOOK
The Benefits Of Yoga and Yoga Therapy For Cancer Patients
Fight Cancer with Relaxation-1
The Benefits of Yoga Therapy For Women During and After Pregnancy
I’ve been reflecting a lot about how blessed I feel to have this work in my life as a giver and a receiver. I only wish I had known about it sooner, especially when I was going through major transitions in my life. My parent’s divorce, the death of my father, and the pregnancies of my three children to name a few. I really remember being pregnant and feeling so off center spiritually and physically. My body was going through so many changes and I had absolutely no control over it. I was afraid of childbirth and terrified about becoming a parent. I also remember the agony of having fertility issues leading up to my last pregnancy and not knowing who or where to reach out to. I wish I could have had the opportunity to explore and process how I was feeling throughout my whole body, mind and spirit. The even bigger shifts happened after the baby came. My body and hormones were going through so many changes and I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of taking care of a helpless human being and even experienced depression for the first time in my life.
As I thought about all of this, I realized that I should reach out to women and explore with them how this work could help them process and heal before, during and after pregnancy. I began to offer sessions to pregnant women in my community and they were so grateful. Together we explored the appropriate postures for them as their stomach grew and they had an opportunity to explore and process all of the changes and feelings they were experiencing. Fear of childbirth, expectations from family and friends, body image issues, anxiety over how life will change once the baby comes, are just a few of the topics that came up in sessions. They had an opportunity to be witnessed without judgement and gain wisdom and advice from deep within themselves.
I began to see just how valuable this work could be for these women and am so excited to continue working
with them and offering yoga therapy sessions to more women in my community. 
Fracking
If you don’t know what fracking is, please take a moment to educate yourself about it. YouTube has a trailer for a documentary called GASLAND….this will give you a glimpse of what it is. Lessons are not being learned…our earth continues to be raped. “Do not become lost in assuming that your world is a reasonable place. Of course it is not reasonable. It is a reflection of struggle. Of course it is not gentle and fair until one rises to the consciousness within your own being that cherishes gentleness and fairness.” Emmanuel’s Book
Paddleboarding and Life
For my daughter’s birthday this month, we decided to try paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake. First, I have to say that I LOVED it and have already booked my next time to go. However, As I got onto the board on my knees (as recommended) and drifted out a bit from the dock I was really nervous about finding my way up to standing. This little board would surely flip and I’d have to figure out a way to graciously (impossible) get back up on it. I decided to move slowly and deliberately…focusing on staying grounded on the board, which is hard when you think about it floating on water. Surprisingly to me I seemed to stand up pretty easily and quickly noticed that I could maintain balance if I kept my feet apart and focused on rooting into the board with them. Soon, I realized that it became even more easy when I looked up, took deep breaths and focused on myself, my breathing and m0ved the paddle back and forth as sort of a rhythmic meditative practice. In fact, when I stopped paddling I found that keeping my balance was much more difficult. As we moved along, literally standing on water, it was beautiful. We paddled in silence most of the time, finding our way to Red Bud Island and back. In the end it felt completely effortless until I stepped off the board and onto the dock. My whole body began to shake a bit and I noticed that all of my muscles and my entire body had been engaged to keep me on that board and it was FEELING it.
Afterwards, I began to think about how that experience relates to our relationship with our bodies, life
and the work I do. Without even realizing it, my entire body was engaged in that experience, like it is with
all experiences, even though we sometimes don’t realize it. We usually focus on the thinking part. I
was reminded that with a little silence and focus I can engage my body to experience amazing things. I can
give it the opportunity to show me its possibilities and 
teach me what it needs to. With the awareness and the opportunity we can truly
connect all parts of us….our lives, spirit, breathing, body, emotions, thoughts and find our truths.
