My trip to Portland, Oregon last week was awesome.  I’m so glad I got to go there.  I visited lifelong friends, explored the city and even got to go to the beautiful coast. (pictured here)  Portland is called the city of roses.  I thought that was awesome.  Roses are the flowers which are associated with Paramahansa Yogananda.  It felt like that was a reminder, while I was there, I was right where I needed to be and on the right path. 

Sometimes it’s hard to express in the written word everything I want to say.  That’s why, eventually, there will be online videos on the True Yoga Blog to be able to express in other ways, as well, everything that’s coming through for me.  I’m looking forward to sharing my Yoga practice with you through online videos, as well. That will all be coming in the next several months by the time the book I’m writing is published in early Spring of next year.  I’m really excited about the book.  I have begun writing it and I submitted my first chapter about a week ago and the editor liked it.  So, that’s good.  The book is about cleansing and healthy living practices.  Once we have a picture of the cover I’ll post it for you here.  I’ve received a couple of requests to share information on the True Yoga Blog, so, I’d like to start with those and then share with you the information about POWA: The Yoga of Death and Dying, which, I’ve been meaning to share with you for several weeks now.  It was such a powerful talk by the monk, Tashi Nyima, and I really believe you’ll find this information to be beneficial.  I know it’s not normally the most uplifting topic, but, it’s a good one to cover since it’s going to happen with all of us. 

A new cd being released by Putumayo features renowned Yoga musicians such as Krishna Das, who is the best-known US performer of traditional Indian kirtan-style music, demonstrates call-and-response chanting on “Hanuman Baba (Dub Farm Remix).” Costa Rican group Amounsulu create a serene atmosphere by blending sitars and glass bottles on the song “El Bosque Eterno de los Niños (Children’s Eternal Rainforest).” On “Bolo Ram” celebrated western devotional musician Wah! sings a tranquil verse that is believed to bring bliss to all who chant it. Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band are known for their beautiful, melodic chanting as displayed on “Om Hari Om/Sharanam Ganesha (Refuge).” 

If you would like to listen to samples of the music, just click here. 

This is fabulous.  I love spiritually inspired music and musicians.  Thank you for sharing this news with us Putumayo.

So, what can I share with you about POWA?  Well, there was a lot of information the monk Nyima gave to us, but, I’ll talk about the parts that resonated the most… Read the rest…

Hello Friends   I hope this True Yoga Blog post finds you well.  I am writing a quick post before I head out of town this Wednesday morning.  I’ll be going to Portland, Oregon to visit a couple of friends.  They are longtime friends of mine from my childhood.  I’ve known them since I was only 6 years old.  That’s a long time.  What a blessing it is to have lifelong friends.  My friend Brinn and I took ballet together when we were in first grade.  We carpooled but we were also friends from school, too.  We were friends all the way throughout grade school and high school.  We lost touch a little bit in college but reconnected several years ago around the time of our ten year reunion from high school.  When she got married three years ago I went to her wedding in Portland and I reconnected with her older sister then, as well.  Her sister and I didn’t know each other really well in school, but we’ve become friends in the last couple of years.  I had a chance to hang out with her at the wedding and we had a lot of fun.  I’m really glad I’ll be getting to see them both.  It’s especially cathartic seeing them since my father passed away almost two years ago.  Our families went to the same church going up and her parents knew my parents pretty well.  Brinn also knew my father from spending so much time together when we were teenagers.  It’s really incredible to have people in our lives who have known us almost as long we have known ourselves.  What an amazing thing to think she’s been a part of my life since I was 6.  I’ve realized, in the last several years, how important it is to me to continue to nurture these relationships in my life.  I know many of us have discovered this, as well, especially with facebook and all of that these days.  As great as facebook is, it doesn’t comapre to real human connection.  The people I really care about seeing are the ones I make the effort to see and I can do that with or without facebook.   But, I do love that facebook can help people who have lost touch to find one another.  And, I also think it’s a good social networking platform.  Other than that, I think it can be a bit of a waste of time.  Write a blog instead…

Read the rest…

I just sent this message out in the True Yoga Newsletter.  If you don’t currently receive the newsletter, you can sign up for it here.  I will be sending out the seasonal newsletter in about a month as we awaken to Fall.  I’m going to be doing my best to update the True Yoga Blog regularly.  As many of you know, I am writing a book which will be published in the Spring.  I was contacted by a reputable publisher to write a book about healthy living practices and I’m absolutely thrilled about it and completely grateful.  What a blessing to be able to express myself and share in this way with others.  I’m looking forward to sharing the powerful and profoundly positive teachings, wisdom and practices which have come into my life over the last 10 years since I began practicing Yoga.  My life has been blessed by all of the awesome teachers I’ve learned from along the way since I began the practice of Yoga and I hope this book will bless and enrich other people’s lives, as well, in every way.

So, if the posts on the True Yoga Blog are slightly less frequent for the next several months, it’s because I’m spending much of my time writing the book.  Although, I’m hopeful I’ll still be able to update it somewhat regularly, at least every week… Read the rest…

(Picture of hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons practicing Yoga.  I read Russell’s book, Do You! a couple of years ago and it was awesome.  Russell has actually practiced Yoga at exhale spa in Dallas where I teach.  How awesome is that.  We love you Russell.  Thank you for being and sharing your Light in the world and reminding us we have it within ourselves to shine it, too.) 

I’ll be out of town this weekend visiting a friend.  But, just wanted to write a short post.  Also, I’m really looking forward to being on Good Morning Texas in the morning.  I’ll be appearing on Channel 8 in Dallas between 8:30 am and 10:00 am cst.  I’m sure the clip will be posted on their website and I will hopefully be able to post it here, too.  They are doing a segment related to meditation because of the new and highly anticipated movie Eat, Pray, Love starring Julia Roberts, as I’m sure we all know by now, that will be coming out this weekend.  Yea!  I’m really looking forward to seeing it.  Meditation is powerful.  Meditating in a group is even more powerful.  I’ve realized this over the last couple of years that I’ve been meditating regularly with a group of advanced meditators.  It’s amazing the powerful changes it’s supported me in making in my life and, also, how it’s allowed me, as Russell talks about, to transform my inner world to realize a better outer world.  One love.  Compassion.  Loving kindness with all beings.  This is the way of Yoga.  I hope you enjoy this video.  Much love to all of you.  Thank you for being in touch through the True Yoga Blog.  I feel and appreciate your support through this growing community of like-minded, spirited readers everyday, wherever you may be in the world.   Jai guru~Victory to the Light. 

Please click here for the video.