Are You Perfect Yet?

I've been making a vow to myself to practice yoga more; to reap the mental and physical benefits; to build a strong, aesthetically pleasing body from passion over movement, rather than jumping and lifting and forcing my body into a particular shape as defined by work out videos or fitness magazines. 

This is easier said than done. I, like you, I'm sure, want to look attractive and be at my physical best. There's nothing wrong with that; I'm all for enhancing attractiveness (if this is a goal you care about, as I do). But, when we're scrutinising our bodies, wondering why that stubborn area of fat won't shift, or why your waist isn't this size or your ass that shape, stop and think about where that insecurity is coming from.

If you take care of yourself through diet and exercise, the chances are that you are already a wonderful, healthy and attractive version of yourself.  

How did health and beauty become such a narrow, ego-tripping category? Why do we limit ourselves to such constrained definitions, when beauty is, in fact, so gloriously varied? 

And, crucially, why are we plagued by these insecurities, and what do they mean? 

Well, this:

Those body hang ups of yours are nothing. They should be meaningless, if you are healthy (as in, you eat well and move well) and your body allows you to experience the things you love in life. (Or, perhaps your body isn't healthy, but is doing its damned best to be; that power, and how you care for it in that time, should also leave you body-hang up free. It's trying to do something amazing and keep you experiencing this planet, and that's beautiful, right?)

It's this culture of sexual objectification that has us trying to jump through hoops to fit something that was never intended to benefit us. 

I love beauty, I love health. I love eating so that my skin glows and my hair is thick, and moving so that I can create strong legs and a strong core. I'm not denouncing that. I'm denouncing those narrow standards that are the reason your best friend, who is so gorgeous already, looks in the mirror and says, 'not enough!'.

I think we could all do with a little more awareness as we move around the world with the ways in which we are manipulated to think about our own bodies, our own self value, and those of others...

We create our own bodies through our diet and exercise choices, but, we should work with them (our bodies), not against them. 

... so here's to a little self-love and appreciation. 

What amazing, simple, complicated, beautiful things did you experience through your body today?

Crashing Through Chaos.

The internet blows my mind. It truly does. It opens up new worlds, connects people, spawns new subcultures and provides expansion in unprecedented ways.

The internet has transformed my health, providing me with daily yoga sessions and cutting edge nutritional research and trends. But it also breeds extreme, and standards of behaviour that are not, despite what they blazon, healthy.

And so, with great strength, we have to seek a gentler balance from within ourselves. We have to centre. We need this, our souls need this.

"You don't have a soul,

You are a soul, 

That has a body".

I've definitely been feeling imbalanced lately, but am slowly drawing myself back to a strong centre. There are some days at work, though, fighting against the grain of small town minds, when my yogic outlook is less accepting of others and more: 

But despite those days, I know that they are impermanent, and the choice to be mindful remains. As Patanjali, the ancient father of yoga said: developing inner happiness is a long term process, that needs persistence; with yoga and meditation (and, I hasten to say, in this day and age, choosing the media you surround yourself with wisely) you can create an inner peace that crashes through the chaos of the outside world. (Yes PLEASE!)

Yeah. It's takes practice. It takes work. And I love that, the focus that draws me in, seeking meaning in life through being. This is life. We can shift our perspective, rather than get washed away with the waves life sends our way. You can't be on a 'high' all the time, but can cultivate behaviours that promote inner bliss; a calm, strong, positive outlook can be your default. 

Having recently discovered Ali Kamenova's wealth of free online power yoga practices, I've got something new to focus on, and a new motivation to work at inner and outer strength and balance (I find the two complement each other beautifully).

(Try these if you want yoga that's STRONG... )

It's all about balance.. when you fall out of Warrior III, what do you do? Do you give up? Or get back into balance? If you sway uncertainly in Dancer, do you try to compensate in the other direction, stabilising your core further to draw yourself back and 'dance' on your foot with the movement of your body? Or just let yourself fall? 

When you get knocked off course, seek those influences that realign and inspire your inner calm and strength. They are the core foundations for balancing of your mind.  

The internet can give you crazy, but it can also give you zen like you never knew possible. Browse wisely, think critically.

Namaste.

(Just namaste.)

A Kind Approach

Do you recognise this lady?

If you've ever been into 90s pop culture, then you probably have, but you'll remember her as being this:

(Cult 90s film Clueless, encase you're of a different generation...)

Wide eyed, shallow Cher bears no resemblance in person to the kind hearted, intelligent actress and author Alicia Silverstone, who's popularised being vegan (for both health and compassionate reasons) through her book, The Kind Diet: A Simple Way to Losing Weight, Feeling Great, and Saving the Planet.

This is not, absolutely not, a celebrity lifestyle book, but truly something that the actress is passionate about. A plant-based lifestyle is presented in a gentle and informative way; the reader does not have veganism forced upon them, but is offered suggestions on everything from 'flirting' with veganism (and hey, no pressure! But your health will improve, and you'll be benefiting animals and the planet. And yay! New foods!) to being a 'Superhero' (close to a macrobiotic diet; oh boy, you will glow, and you're positively saving farm loads of animals from suffering.... you truly area dietary superhero...)

I've read many, many health books and articles in my time, especially those that promote a plant-based way of eating, but The Kind Diet sticks out in my mind for its wonderful, earthy recipes, the beautiful imagery that shows me of the gentleness and loveliness of the animals we exploit for food (which, I should state, health is my motivating force for eating plant based, but this book compassionately takes me out of this self-absorbed 'just for health zone', reminding me of living creatures that are affected by my actions), and its engaging, informative chapters. I've read health/lifestyle books in the past, only to become infused with a vaguely anxious feeling, as my current lifestyle/diet was 'failing' their suggestions. But with the Kind Diet? Absolutely not. Silverstone is not selling you recipes and bizarre fads to turn you into an airbrushed A-lister look-a-like, she simply informs you that looking good is a wonderful side effect of eating plant-based. You don't need to stress out. The reader is left enlightened and itching for change, without anxiety, only passion infused from Silverstone herself.

When it comes to the recipes, there's certainly a Japanese influence seen in the book, from mochi waffles and umeboshi plum for breakfast to nori wraps for lunch, but the book also features hearty stews, plenty of healthy greens recipes and wonderful healthified treats such as chocolate peanut butter cups...

(Mmm, could you try not wanting these? Impossible...)

So, be kind. Feel and look fabulous as a side effect. Oh, and save the planet, and animals from suffering.

I see why she calls it being a superhero...

Beautiful Ways to Start the Day

September is the time for new beginnings, and what better make to start afresh than...

... first thing in the morning!

So,  I just had to share this wonderful Tone It UP post with you...

Beautiful Ways to Start Your Day

I thoroughly agree with the message of this post: starting your morning in a positive way sets you up for the rest of the day. Continue this, day after day, and you create an affirmative action filled, positive life. And all you have to do is start your day in a beautiful way. Why wouldn't you want that?!

For me, there is a clear correlation for how good my day seems to go, with how/what I did first thing. My best days start with anything from 15 minutes (I aim for 30/35 minutes average) to an hour of yoga or other exercise (this also depends upon my work schedule), an 'I am Graceful Green Smoothie', and a satisfying oat breakfast while checking my emails and, ideally, writing on here.....

The beauty of having a morning routine, or pattern, is, according to Sarah Wilson, that you take the ambiguity out of your day, and as a consequence, achieve much more. For instance, instead of deciding whether or not you're going to make your bed each morning, if it becomes a habit, you just do it. No energy wasted on deciding. No days where you don't make it, come back later, and feel bad because your room looks like a tip. Same goes for exercise. Since transferring my exercise routine to the morning, I'm truly amazed at how much more time and space I have for the rest of the day. I don't need to schedule to make room for my exercise, worrying that I might miss it, or have to push something else important out the way - it's already done! My body feels longer and stronger the rest of the day; as I walk, my legs feel powerful and my core pulled in, lifting me higher, my mind calmer, clearer.

And that's a damn good feeling.

Bliss. For the whole day, everyday...

Got Ultrahealth?

Do you have ultrahealth?

That is, a state of health where you are not simply 'free of disease', but you look and feel your best, where your body is functioning at it's prime and you wake up happy, bright eyed and ready to take on the day?

No?

Well, maybe you need to take a look at your culture.

Okay, wait, let me explain!

A lot has changed since the 1980s, when Leslie Kenton published 'Ultrahealth', a predecessor to the health books that flood our current market. None, however, have ever been so visually striking, or as ahead of their time, as Ultrahealth. Kenton touches upon something that many books/websites etc. seem to overlook, and that is images of worseness in the media. 

'Worseness', you say?

While I'm enthralled by wellness and the habits that cultivate it: healthy eating, yoga, meditation, exercise, stress management, natural cosmetics, a clean environment - you name it! -  there are the habits that promote the opposite of wellness: drinking, smoking, drugs, bad foods, excessive work, sedentary lifestyles, chemicals, pollutants, and, believe me, that list is a long one. It's also the list that most people do or surround themselves with the items on, and it's also the images you see in popular culture.

So, while 30 years ago, Kenton was pointing out that cultural norms such as smoking and drinking are considered the height of urban sophistication, not much has really changed.

Maybe the vices are a little different today. For instance, despite growing scientific evidence suggesting that dairy intake is, absolutely, not good for human consumption, causing problems such as cancer, osteoporosis, inflammation, practically irreversible acne if consumed during key puberty years (see: nutrition facts for a break down of contemporary scientific studies), celebrities are still paid huge sums of money to endorse dairy consumption, claiming that it's good for you, implying that it's normal and cool and sexy, and that you can't achieve these things without a tall, cold glass of milk. (Oh, and yes, as someone who follows a plant-based diet in a small town, I can personally say that not consuming it does make you weird, but, when you look around, do you really want to do what everyone else is doing?).

So often, on TV shows, characters are obsessed by certain junk foods - for argument's sake here, let's just say cupcakes - and will apparently consume vast quantities of them, while not participating in any wellness behaviours. The actress/actor playing said character, however, clearly does not do this. They clearly go to the gym. They clearly eat well. But, if you're not obsessed with health, rather than sugary foods, what's the main thing you take away from this?

Cupcakes. 

I'm not saying don't eat cupcakes. Or drink alcohol. Or whatever. Just, that, sometimes we need to re-evaluate what normal is.

Right now, 'normal' is not going to make you look good in your shorts. Nor is it going to stave away illness and have your body functioning at it's best.

Normal isn't giving you peace of mind.

So, take a look at your cultural norms. If you don't like them:

Create new ones.

Yoga makes you beautiful.

I'd like to write about something that I believe to be true, and that is the deeply transformative power of yoga.

I'm obsessed with beauty, I confess; an obsession that often feeds off insecurity and feelings of inadequacy; I have spent many hours looking in the mirror and being dissatisfied with the reflection, seeking a solution but also secretly figuring it a lost cause (in those darkest moments). Regardless of what the mirror is showing,those are some pretty ugly thoughts. And, sadly, I'm sure I'm not the only one to do so.

But this brings me to how yoga makes you beautiful:

There are the physical health benefits: yoga makes you strong, it (the chances are) will help to balance your weight, sculpting and lengthening your body from whatever you started with into something even more amazing. I'm not saying yoga turns you into the epitome of physical beauty defined by our culture, turning you into a fitness magazine model or cover girl. But it makes you strong, flexible and healthy, from wherever you're at. And that's hot.

And, it will make you feel amazing: a real, honest, deep yoga practice breaks down those barriers separating your body from your mind. You stop seeing your physical being as something - somehow - separate yet unwillingly attached to yourself, to be punished and bullied for not conforming to your desires.

It's not as simple as 'yoga makes you accept yourself', but that, through the union of mind and body created by practice, you open your heart to yourself, and the world; not only do you recognise your own beauty, but that your body can be, and is, through your actions, what you desire. No punishment/punishing routine needed. You are one.

In Sarah Rodrguez's article, 'So, you want to be hot?' from her blog (Roots, wings, and pretty things), she talks about hotness and how, on days when your look in the mirror and see what can only be described as hotlessness, you need to open your heart.

"[lipstick] can't cover up our hearts, nor is it meant to"

Step your focus away from your own warped demons, and let that truth shine through.

And finally, because I've been focusing on outward beauty, which, while is something immensely important to me, does not mean that I've lost sight of the most significant beauty of all: inward beauty.

Yoga, I believe, can make you a good person (yes, I know that not everybody who practices yoga is a saint). But, as something that draws your attention inwards and necessitates self-reflection, yoga can make you consider your impact on others and the world around you. On a day-to-day level, practising makes me calmer, kinder and happier, positively affecting the environment around me. If you look at other forms of yoga than physical practice, you will see that a non-violent stance is taken (known as ahimsa). And that's beautiful.

Yoga teacher Amy Ippoliti's video 'Thrilling Instead of Killing' about saving whale sharks demonstrates this beautiful, compassionate, spiritual (or call it what you will) self, cultivated by yoga. (And I just think the video is wonderful and inspiring and a beautiful reminder to be kinder to the world around you)

As Ippoliti states at the end of the video:

"the yoga community is very sensitive to what's going on in the world, mainly, I think, because they have a practice; a practice that brings them into their breath; a practice that brings them into their body; a practice that inherently makes them more sensitive to what's going on".

It's this practice, I believe, that makes yogis more sensitive to the world and their own bodes, halting cycles of abuse to both. Truly, our spiritually cultivating and physically sculpting Western hybrids of yoga (that I love) promote a healthy attitude and a healthy body. 

So, I'm going to say it: yoga makes the world a better, more beautiful place. Including you, and your world. 

Fierce Yoga

I love a good yogi, and right now, I'm super-inspired by Sadie Nardini.

She's also known as the 'fearless yogi'; her attitude to life is very different to the one I naturally take, and I find that inspiring. Check out her facebook feed for her inspiring updates, like these:

I've been doing Sadie's Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga on my days off from work... wow. For someone who loves exercise and enjoys a workout, I can honestly say this is a beautifully sculpting yoga programme, without losing the feel, integrity and serenity of a true practice. I can see muscles developing, whereas other workouts have had me at a plateau.

Sadie is a self-professed 'alignment geek': you won't injure yourself with her 'workouts', and you'll get even more than you bargained for from them. I can't stand a routine where the instructor doesn't guide you on alignment. I need the guidance, and frankly, I think everyone does, even if they haven't injured themselves in the past. After a strong practice with a focus on posture and strength building, you will float through the day, feeling tall and strong and flowing energy... and that's a beautiful thing. That's what I want, to feel, everyday.

Also, the woman isn't afraid to call bullshit on what she sees as unethical practices within the health and wellness sphere, as you can read here on Elephant Journal, re: wellness figures and the hidden commercial forces behind them (also including the ridiculous cost and mark up of programmes like teacher trainings).

Check out her amazing  'Detox and Core Strength' (isn't that something we can all benefit from?) two week plan on Udemy (it's transformative), and her wealth of YouTube workouts, including:

So if you're after a killer yoga routine with a fierce, kind-hearted role model, then go Sadie!