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A little photo diary. If you have the app, come play with me ::  @kateUdurie

Pausing to capture a moment lights up gratitude. Real-time journaling is so liberating. xo

. SPIRIT “She blossomed in the tiny moments, when she could feel her Spirit reaching for the sun.” - Mark Anthony . . . I am AND I can. . . . 📸 @roblloyd_ at #PHY #parliamenthillyoga @lululemon #ottawa #thankyou #communityspirit #cherished #moments #spirit #resilience #fromdarknesstolight #noteasy #worthit #wideopen #teachme #growme #showme #guruprinciple #waheguru #trust #faith #love #onebreath #onemoment #oneintentionalchoiceatatime #sunsalutation #suryanamaskar
. FAITH IS ALSO A CHOICE This is a gigantic word: f a i t h . One that continues to unfold within me as a trinity of solid ground, sanctuary & infinite expansion. It is also a choice. One *we get* to make daily, maybe hourly. To choose f a i t h ... over fear, over doubt, over scarcity, over lack, over comparison, over judgment, over worry, over _______. FAITH in... Trust in ... what we cannot see, or ‘know’ for sure. That... Life is happening for us, not to us. Life may not change your immediate situation, but it gives you the material to change, learn and/or grow into who you’re here to be. Life is our greatest teacher (there is a guru in everything & everyone) & our life the perfect curriculum, custom tailored, for us. FAITH in... Trust in... what we cannot see, or ‘know’ for sure. BUT, as we study, as we learn, and as we practice - in our meditation, yoga, and life we do start to ‘see’ & we do come to ‘know’, on a different level. It arises from within. It changes from the inside. We change from the inside. And then everything starts to change. At least that’s how it arose within me. When we begin to cut through, to distill, to harmonize - seemingly disparate teachings, wisdom, truths across the many many spiritual paths, wisdom traditions, even religious teachings - down to the heart - we start to see the threads are so interwoven, so united. Just different language, said in different ways, but, at the heart expressing so many of the same things. When I think about how this came to be - I’m moved beyond thought & form. Honoured texts & teachings that were documented on opposite ends of the world, at a time before the internet & int’l flights...yet sharing threads that span continents...to me, this could only be humanity plugging into divinity - plugging into one source - divine wisdom, our collective knowing, universal truth & remembering... Do you choose faith? Do you practice faith? When doubt or fear or uncertainty arise, how does your faith provide solid ground, sanctuary or infinite expansion? What do you put your faith in? We have the POWER to choose. #faithisachoice #faithinlove #trust #life #faithoverfear #guru #practice
. THE SOULIE SERIES {GENEVIEVE} It is my honour to introduce @g_n_v__ve a warm, soulful & authentic soul, who joined us from Montreal. Just thinking about this human makes me smile (we miss you Genny)! Here’s a peek into her reflections following our 200hr @pureyogaottawa Yoga Teacher Training Intensive in Costa Rica last year & what’s coming next: P.S. Claim your spot with us THIS YEAR, Nov 1-19, they’re filling fast, link in bio. “THE PLACE We got to practice in a beautiful Yoga Shala, every day, in the middle of the jungle with monkeys, birds & all other wildlife that the Costa Rican jungle offers. Being in this magical place throughout the training was grounding, humbling, and made the experience that much more special. We didn't have to worry about cooking (which seems mundane, but as it is an intensive YTT, you'll need all the time you can get to study, read, journal, connect with soulies, cuddle the many dogs and cats that roam the property or simply nurture any emotions that may arise during the experience), AND The food was DELICIOUS. They catered to all dietary restrictions, and as I don't eat meat, I was pleasantly surprised by all of the vegetarian options provided. The food was creative, seasonal, local, healthy- it provided much needed nourishment for our learning brains & bodies! THE TEACHERS Now, let's talk about Tiffani & Kate. With Tiffani being a RMT, and Kate being a spiritual goddess, we got the best of both worlds. Tiff's knowledge of the human body (anatomy), safety cues & sequencing made me feel confident & comfortable in the aspect of yoga teaching that can be most intimidating. She taught us in a way that was fun, interactive & tangible - and even gave us a mini hands-on adjustment class. Kate taught us about yoga philosophy (the 8 limbs of yoga, the yamas & niyamas, and lots of other juicy stuff), meditation, Pranayama (breathing & life force). The daily journaling & group discussions were incredibly healing for me, and planted many seeds in me that continue to grow today & I'm confident will blossom one day. Her knowledge & passion for all of these aspects of yoga are reflected in her teaching..."(continued in comments)!
. SAVOURING This week Trevorji is awaiting a doctor’s appointment. She’s been ‘under the weather’ for less than a week and I’m missing her. Isn’t it incredible how even a temporary loss can shed such profound light of appreciation, even on things, experiences, people, etc we already know that we cherish!? So, I’ve been savouring the depth of my love & gratitude for finding this incredible path of Bhakti, this devotional instrument, and the sweet memories we’ve shared so far ... Like this one!! Rubes gave Guru Mantra a little try, LOLLLL while Jason worked on his chords! In fact, we had been jamming together - trying to see if we could play Lauren Daigle’s “You Say”. Oh the possibilities. Oh the blessings. And I’m super stoked to get on FaceTime with an amazing Harmonium Doctor this week and get Trevorji all fixed up. Maybe even better than ever. _/\_ xo
. THE SOULIE SERIES {DANKA} Allow me to introduce @orchidslight. This profoundly alive, awakened soul graced us with her presence, her practice & a deep sense of purpose at our @pureyogaottawa 200hr YTT Intensive last year. Here’s a piece of Danka’s YTT story: "It’s fortunate & unfortunate that for many of us, we had to go through pain, heartache, suffering in order to find YOGA. Fortunate, because our pain introduced us to a new, better way of living. Unfortunate, simply because I wish people didn't have to suffer to find it. But thus is life. My journey to yoga was was a blessing in disguise. I met both Kate & Tiffani during a particularly hard period in my life. I met them a few weeks apart & had no idea they even knew each other. It was pure fate that intervened when these two ladies came into my life. I did not seek them out nor did anyone tell me about how wonderful they are. They simply came into my life when I needed it the most. It is thanks to them that I decided to pursue teaching yoga. So...what can you expect during your teacher training in Costa Rica w @kateudurie & @tiffaniharrisyoga? THE TEACHERS First fo all, you’d be hard pressed to find a better yoga duo than these two. They both bring something different to the table, yet blend in together beautifully. You will see what I mean! With Tiffani, you will learn a ton about your body & why all the yoga poses are practiced in particular ways. And with Kate, you will connect the physical to the spiritual which will 110% change the way you decide to lead your life! THE PLACE In Costa Rica, expect beautiful scenery, amazing food, peaceful sleep, warm beach fronts & wonderful people. They could not have picked a better location to do this training. Even the hike to the house was refreshing & kept our cardio in check! THE LESSONS I expected to learn a lot about yoga. About it's physical, spiritual & functional history. However I never expected this experience to teach me new things about myself & the fluidity of the lives we lead. I am forever grateful. THE PEOPLE & THE BOND I knew I’d meet wonderful people on this adventure, but never thought I’d make life long friendships...cont’d in comments!
. HOW DO YOU SPELL LOVE? This is a question that Piglet once asked Pooh, and Pooh simply replied: “You don’t spell love...you feel it.” Amen you little nuggets of wisdom. Amen! . No matter how you spell it: Parliament Hill Yoga PHY PHYoga CommUNITY Practice Magic Joy Freedom Liberation Peace Connection Aliveness Meditation Yoga Church ...LOVE You really don’t need to spell it, it’s something you feel. And it feels like LOVE. Pure unconditional love. Year after year. Rain or shine. Warm or cool. Good days or bad. On the Hill, or even at Shaw Centre when the Hill is unavailable. It feels like love, and it feels like GRATITUDE. Because it wouldn’t exist without the prolific creators of community, the great unifiers of practice & purpose, movement & breath, mind & body, heart & soul (ok & magic makers of the Align Pant!!) Yes, those epic souls would be @lululemon a la Team #Ottawa! E V E R Y WEDNESDAY 12:00pm In front of the Peace Tower All summer long 12 years in a row . I BOW to you. Again & again & again. Thinking back to the first year I “found” this. How many tears would flow for the sheer privilege of being there & being able to move in that way, to share something so profound under the sky & on the earth, wind on our skin, sun beaming in & for being able to practice on our Parliament’s lawn (I mean!?), to experience 1000+ beings moving & breathing in harmony. Living grace. OM. Namaste. Alive in a moment. Thank you for bringing US together... For bringing all the pieces together That make the whole. That makes this FEEL LIKE CHURCH. Which IS what a Yoga class is, to me. From the day I realized this at the beginning of my journey, it’s become the lens through which I experience this practice as a student, & the lens through which I create my classes as a teacher. It’s also the highest honour & most heart expanding praise when students refer to my classes in that way. Today, a fellow traveler on this sacred path was leaving class & shared that “On Monday’s she goes to church.” To give & receive in this full circle way. Humbles me beyond words every time. I mean, this is Yoga. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how we spell it, what matters is...
. MORNING GOOD These are just a few of my favourite things. . . . #morninggood #sacredpause #coffee #nourish #cuddle #meditate #makegreat #lovethesefuzzies #sacredpaws #soakinthemoments #lifetreasure
. A SOLSTICE SURRENDER TO YOGA Thank you thank you thank you. For this thing we call Yoga. For this practice. For these teachings. For every teacher, every student, every human, every soul, every being who has been called to learn, to practice, to share, to live this thing we call Yoga; to unite on this path ... Thank You. Thank you Yoga. . There was a time, not so long ago, when I couldn’t imagine living a Yogic life (nor did I know what that even meant). Now I can’t imagine a life without Yoga. This living practice, helped me find my way back to life. One breath, one moment, and one intentional choice at a time. A practice that continues to this day, and begins again & again, in every moment I am fortunate enough to awaken to. . “You start where you always do ... the answer is always: ‘You start where you are, you start where your butt is, you start in the not knowing, you start in grief, you start in being speechless, you start in the silence, you start in the tears, you start in community, you gather together ...’ it’s called Stitches because all you have to do is know one place in the torn fabric that will hold the knot (eg. when repairing something), and you start there, metaphorically you just need to start in one place. You start, you test it, will it hold? Then one stitch, and I’ve brought 2 pieces of fragment together. Just one stitch, at a time ...” - Anne Lamott, in an interview about her book Stitches . . . 📸 @ellen.strz & @konjinius moments captured at @esalen about 1 year ago where I took another dive into the layers of this practice & this life with @janetstoneyoga, her teaching team, and the most beautiful humans. A journey that is still unfolding as we celebrate another cycle, another summer solstice, and this day of Yoga. Yet another, but it only gets richer and deeper and fuller and wider, more brilliant, more clear, more potent each time we’re blessed with a tour around sun. Thank you thank you thank you.
. ROOFTOP MAGIC On June 8th, @lululemon #Ottawa invited community leaders to join us in celebration of #GlobalWellnessDay. We hugged, we danced, we laughed, we cried, we chanted, shared stories, we paused, we got still, turned inwards, soaked in silence, and reflected. We celebrated & connected. And maybe, just maybe, we re-ignited that spark that keeps the light shining clearly on our own pillars of well-being, our own foundations of wellness, including the power of gratitude for each breath, and the courage it takes to pause, to slow down, to rest & get clear - to keep making space for the most important person in our lives: ourselves. Knowing it’s from this place that the best, most true, most brilliant you, shines through...and ripples out to every person & to every area of our lives. Thank you to every awe-mazing being who answered the call, showed up & took this mindful pause to celebrate! . ROOFTOP MEDITATIONS & GATHERINGS This space, this whole place & the team behind it is by far one of Ottawa’s greatest treasures = @andazottawa! No wonder our beloved brothers & sisters at @lululemon love collaborating with them. . Over the past many years, it’s been such a privilege to be part of the most breath-taking, unique, lovingly curated, and special offerings here. I LOVE getting to envision, create & share such magical & wholehearted experiences for the @lululemon #Ottawa community. This event was no exception. Beyond wow!! . Thank you to the event goddesses, the visionaries begins the scenes @apatriciapear & @rachelkerrrr AND the incredible team that supports & surrounds these two women!! Offerings like this take a village, truly. Here’s to @katiemoroz & @jordxlii & ALL the other silent behind-the-scenes hero’s that make this magic possible for the community leaders who we serve! I bow to YOU. . MOMENTS CAPTURED 📸 the oh-so-humble & beyond talented @roblloyd_ captured so many epic moments, I wish I could have posted every single photo he took!! Wow Rob! You blow me away. And for the 🎥 time capsule of our experience - check out my previous post, video montage by the mystical @coryconty - this man kinda feels like a unicorn of a human. Check him out! . . .
. THE SOULIE SERIES {MELANIE} I’m honoured to introduce @dash4dash, another epic human & YTT grad from our Pure YTT INTENSIVE last year. Here’s a snippet from Melanie’s journey: 1) In Spring of 2018 a message from @pureyogaottawa appeared in my inbox. I knew at that moment the next step on this journey was to share with others how this new practice [yoga] was helping change my thoughts & behaviours…I wanted a forum to help teach others how wonderful it is & how it can transform not only the body, but also the mind. Reading that email, I knew I was embarking on a journey that would completely turn my life around, and so, the adventure began. I called the studio to chat with the owner to see if I could actually do this - my knowledge was basic & I was unsure if this was even doable for me. After my conversation I felt less fearful & decided even if everything failed, I would have spent my time in peace & harmony, getting to know my inner soul & body on an even deeper level. And I ended up being united with other soul searching yogis who, unbeknownst to me would become Soulies for life. This place was magical & homey all at once. The views stretched out over the jungle w/ a picturesque view of the ocean & most amazing sunsets. The air filled my lungs with restoration, a gift of healing that would continue w/ gourmet meals 3 times a day, prepared by our very own personal chef & lovely sous chef. The pets were an added form of healing that we could not even imagine outside of our own personal lives. Unconditional love at just the right moments! Meditation: The days began with an early half hour meditation, teaching our bodies to pause & breathe in our surroundings, nothing to think about, only the presence of this moment. At the beginning it was super hard for me to be still & quiet, the sitting was uncomfortable & difficult to stay focused but w/ practice it became easier & that’s when the breakthrough happened. Asana: The yoga was a great way to focus my energy, the learnings were intense but w/ purpose. We all embraced the discomfort & long days w/ passion. Connection: The friendships grew, the bonding continued & the training flew by (cont’d in comments)...
. I WILL TRUST IN YOU I say it. Many of us do. To trust in life, God, Love, the Universe. I say it, I practice it, I believe it, and I want to mean it ... ALL THE TIME. I mean, I want to mean it with unwavering, unquestioning, faith, all the time. From the centre of the piercingly hard moments right on through. But that’s the practice. And the gift. And the teaching. And the living. The life. It seems, that is how faith, trust, is given & grown. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. “When You don't move the mountains I'm needing You to move When You don't part the waters I wish I could walk through When You don't give the answers As I cry out to You I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You.” - @lauren_daigle . . . 📸 @konjinius at @esalen one magical year ago!! . . . #iwilltrustinyou #peace #practice #faith #trust #life #god #love #universe #whatbreaksyouopen #whatawonderfulworld #omnamahshivaya #thankyou #challengeaccepted #onebreath #onemoment #oneintentionalchoiceatatime #forevermore
. HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE ‘PERGOLA’? Per-go-lah? Perg-ola? Who’s to say. So, here’s the trick, it’s pronounced: YOGA SHALA!! And it feels like: GRATITUDE!! This beauty was built by hand, a process fuelled by love, sweat & I’m pretty sure a lot of gluten-free beers ... by this beautiful man: @jason_welyki! I am still mystified at his diverse & unexpected talents. Mind AND heart = blown. Part office. Part dining room. Part living room. Part yoga shala. It’s all the things! All I asked for was a backyard space so that we could be OUTSIDE as much as humanly possible this summer. This quiet oasis is transforming a less-than-ideal suburban location into a magical getaway, just feet from our backdoor. Jason!!!!! Thank you! I Love You!! . And here’s a quote to describe how the weather this past weekend made me feel: “Just the smell of summer can make me fall in love.” - Unknown Right!?! Oh she’s back alright!!!! Thank you mama nature. I promise to never ever complain about the heat, and lovingly remind others how long we waited for this. Jai! Namaste! xo
. THE SOULIE SERIES { DARYDA } We asked our YTT grads if they would 1) Share feedback & reflections about their experience to help future students who are trying to decide if this program is for them, and 2) If they’d tell us a little about “Life after Costa Rica” - how their journey is unfolding & how they’re living their Yoga – on & off the mat, if they’ve chosen to teach, etc. Here’s a peek into @dairda’s experience: 1 ) “This past November, I jumped outside my comfort zone & participated in @pureyogaottawa’s 200hr Intensive in Costa Rica, led by two wonderful human beings, @tiffaniharrisyoga & @kateudurie. A truly rewarding experience one could invest in themselves that was both challenging & empowering. Each individual had the opportunity to be vulnerable & open their hearts. To dig deep into the Self & reflect. We were in the jungle encompassed by lush green plants, flowers, trees. The rainy season just passed - it was so beautiful seeing everything blossom. There were 3 homes & each had their own pool. Hammocks & swinging beds to relax on, when there was time to reflect & just be. We had 2 amazing chefs that made our gourmet meals + plenty of options for those w dietary needs. The beach was a 5min walk down the hill & sunsets were unreal! My only regret was not spending another week in this beautiful place to reflect on all that I have learned. So much gratitude for this experience & the people I met. 2) Filled with so much emotion right after. Who am I? A daily sadhana practice of meditating, yoga, journaling, reflecting & being conscious of right now was crucial. Gratitude game on the regular. Awareness. Trusting my intuition. Letting go of what does not serve me. Self-love. Love to others. Openness. Non-judgemental. Non-reactivity. Patience. Forgiveness. Practice. Action. Kindness. Humility. I will be bringing the nursing support group back to life [that I started b4 my injury], but this time w the addition of yoga & meditation. The passion is back. Proud to be nurse & only want to empower those in the workforce to feel good in the skin they are in. The vision is clear. Daryda has re-emerged like a Phoenix rising from the ashes...cont’d in comments!
. THE SOULIE SERIES Introducing a multi-part series. We will be shining a lovelight on our 2018 @pureyogaottawa 200hr YTT Costa Rica Intensive Grads. . Are YOU thinking about taking a 200hr YTT? Does the intensive format appeal to you? Has something within you been calling to expand, deepen, explore, grow? Do you feel it’s time to take your Yoga journey into a new sphere - whether on a personal level, a life level, and/or on a service level? Do you feel the call to teach or share this practice? YES? MAYBE? . We want to give you another way to help figure this out AND help you decide if coming to Costa Rica with @tiffaniharrisyoga & I this November is the divine fit for you! See link in my BIO for full program description & deets, registration, etc. . HERE’S HOW the {Soulie Series} WILL WORK: Each post will profile one #Soulie aka YTT GRAD at a time. You will get to hear from each of them, in their own words. Although limited by word count here on Insta, we’ll share a small snippet from their experience, reflections about the training, and their current journey ... aka “life after Costa Rica!” If something about their story resonates with you, you’ll be able to reach out, connect, ask questions, get the real deal, and learn more. How does that feel? Ok then. Let’s do this!! S T A Y T U N E D ... . . . 📸 @sublimeayurvedayoga captures this moment when 5 of our YTT Soulies: @matthew.owers @dairda @martinelalonde7 @frances.prime & @melissainottawa surrounded me in an epic bear hug love bomb after class at @cityofom. This was everything!! . . . #pureyogaottawa #purelove #thesoulieseries #yttgraduates #getreal #ytt #yttcostarica #yttintensive #liveyouryoga #8limbs #asana #pranayama #meditation #philosophy #body #mind #heart #spirit #soul #whole #you #trinity #wearegoingIN #practice #love #onebreath #onemoment #oneintentionalchoiceatatime
. MORNING MEDS This incredible new piece joined my altar family this week ... It’s from @lissabowie’s manifestation collection, courtesy of my forever #girlcrush #boutiquecrush @vamboutique + @reneemorra & @sophiebeau! P.S. if you had the super sads about their boutique closing in Wellington West, fear not, they’re re-opening in the Glebe late summer/early Fall/TBC. Yay! Thank you! Namaste! Hooray! . This piece pretty much latched onto my heart from multiple feet away & pulled me in when I was touring the vendor village at @cityofom on Saturday. . The way it captures the light. Oh my. Even on this grey rainy week, it managed to bring the light to my attention - into my heart - and became my muse. . Clear quartz is my absolute favourite crystal. In a gold triangle. Trinity. So I mean. Right!? And look how it changes colour {pic 2 + 3) as it alchemizes the light & sends it back out. Just like you & me. . Oh the meditations we will share. . Lissa - you are a magical creator! I may have been blessed with an epic, very #GOT #motherofdragons ring from my beloved man, but it’s too big. We were too in love to pass it up! Any tips on how to or where to get it resized? . . . #lovealtar #devotion #meditate #morningmeditation #practice #inspiration #clearquartz #manifest #clarity #intuition #trust #gratitude #abundance #love #iloveyou #thankyou #youknowmesowell
. CITY OF c{OM}mUNITY As I’ve given myself some space to sit & soak & reflect, absorb & integrate & alchemize... all that we envisioned, created & shared at @cityofom on Saturday, all that we experienced... both on an individual level, within our own holy trinities of mind + body/heart + spirit/soul, and collectively, the union of this together... It’s not words that arise, it’s a feeling. It’s beyond words, but it’s so strong, that if I close my eyes & take a few breaths, I can bring myself right back into that moment, into that space in time, staring into your crystal clear eyes, your wide open hearts, your breath & bodies & tears flowing. Thank you for cracking open, thank you for cracking me open, thank you for opening to this practice & going on one incredible journey together! . Thank you to the most soulful, love-fuelled assistants who held space & helped create our magical space: @bronwynle5 @colinjamesyogi @jason_welyki @marianenoiu @sublimeayurvedayoga . As we continue to ride the waves of the incredible juju, the high vibration, awareness & sense of connection, the loving kindness, courage & sense of freedom into the weeks n months ahead, let us give THANKS to all the invisible warriors behind the scenes that make all of this possible: Allison, @mc.messier, @rudiejay, @elisakurylowicz, @_roblittle & the many other souls from the @pureyogaottawa collective. To the HUGE tribe of epic VOLUNTEERS {true seva, service}! To our generous SPONSORS for believing in the magic of an offering like this. To our VENDORS for bringing such amazing energy, presence & offerings to festival experience. Dangerously OMazing. And to the team of TEACHERS who bring & offer their whole Selves to our community, creating unforgettable magic. I humbly bow in deep gratitude for the gift of being a part of this community, this festival, this experience, this extended family, this ripple, this love. Here’s to @cityofom 2019 2020! . . . #inlovewetrust #cityofom #bhakti #metta #lovingkindness #lokahsamastahsukhinobhavantu #meditate #move #breathe #chant #feel #love #trust #youmewe #one #community #unity #awakeandunited #onebreath #onemoment #oneintentionalchoiceatatime
. TO LEARN BY HEART Just heard this saying for the first time in a LONG time, while taking a cabie to the airport! I had expressed gratitude for his patience, explaining that I had gotten used to Uber/App location tracking, etc {Van doesn’t have Uber}. He *joyfully* shared that his cab co. did indeed have an App now too...which led to a chat about how amazing these tools are, how fortunate we are for the ease & convenience they’ve created for him & his customers, even how much he enjoys that you know the driver’s name & that he knows the passenger’s name. I know, right!? . He recalled when it was all done over radio, “back in the day” before Smartphones & Apps, and as great as this technology is, we’re all lost when/if we lose it or forget it somewhere {ahem, in fact, I forgot mine on the plane in LA!!} & how it’s now essential for his job {how did they do it before Google maps, truly!?!}. . He went on to say, “remember how we used TO LEARN at least 20 loved one’s phone numbers BY HEART, but now they’re just in our phones & we don’t know them anymore.” Whoa. The layers. . The conversation continued on. But something about that expression got stuck in my heart. . So I pulled out my phone, opened a notepad, wrote down “to learn by heart”, then put it away & kept on listening. I didn’t want to...forget. ;) . This idea, of comiting something to memory - not by head, or by mind, or by brain ...but by heart. Remembering how devastating losing my ST memory after the accident was (TBI). Something so clearly related to the brain; to injuring, damaging parts of the brain. AND Something that so clearly helped me drop into my heart. THEN THIS, the ability to remember, memorize, recall, recite, to learn or know something - at one point was lovingly attributed, credited to the heart {not the brain/mind}. . Where does this expression come from I wondered!? Oh man! Check it out {see comments below}. LOVE!! . These are just some fave snippets from Google before boarding the plane. . So many layers & synchronicities with our yogic path, w/ wisdom teachings of all kinds. . I’m gotta sit & soak with this one, for a while. . . . 📸 @paprikamarika, after her #Kundalini class!
. BECAUSE, COFFEE A couple months ago I noticed that having coffee first thing in the morning wasn’t sittin’ well with me. So I switched to matcha - this amazing golden turmeric blend from David’s Tea, made super easy to froth with a little hand-frother. But on days I’m not teaching or if I have a pause mid-morning, I still love me some coffee. Sweet sweet coffee. I’ve observed it feels wayyy better in my body at that time of day vs. my normal 5am / first thing. I have a delicate little ecosystem {understatement hahaha} - and traveling can sometimes disrupt my {disclaimer, this may be TMI} - poop regime. Long story short, coffee has been back on the table. LOLLLLLL While my lovie was out doing some food prep for clients {p.s. she’s an amazing private chef - DM her if you’re ever on the hunt: @paprikamarika}, she sent me to the BEST spot for a latte. This masterpiece was the richest, smoothest, creamiest, most decadent, down-right-beautiful almond milk latte I can remember having. Oh. My. Gawd. I may have pulled one of those eyeball side-to-side glance things before I licked the super rich foamy-not-foamy-more-like-pure-cream-clouds from the sides, and pouring it nearly upside down on my face to get to the bottom, before calling it a day things. And, I pooped. Yassssssssss! xo _/\_
. TAKE ME TO CHURCH Life Changing Experiences with this beautiful human. . Los Angeles took me to church. Wholly. Completely. Holy. Over many different days. In 3 different ways. At 3 different places. In 3 different spaces. Guided by different paths, different teachers, different practices & different expressions. On the outside that is. BUT The heart is the same. The source is the same. The message is ultimately the same. The truths are ultimately the same. The actualized living practice that we take into our daily lives is ultimately the same. The same threads runs through & through. L O V E ! . @bhaktiyogashala @ramainstitute @agapespiritualcenter . There really are no words. At least not yet processed. I have cried more tears of joy, tears of knowing, of faith, of yes, full-circleness, of connection, gratitude, and love, than I can count. Recounting my winding path with “faith”, “spirituality”, “seeking” - through churches, bible camps, books, different churches, teachers, YOGA, meditation, spiritual paths, teachings of many kinds - since a VERY young age. AND to arrive at a place, a time in my life, a time in our collective consciousness, a time in the world when THESE kinds of offerings exist, in this way, so inclusively, so accessibly, so exquisitely. My heart broke open. . I must really, r e a l l y LOVE my people, my city, my home in #Ottawa {& yes, I do!}... Because well, this is the trifecta of awesome. Add the ocean, the food, the weather. Oh my. So, I’ll be back. Again & again & again. Until then, each moment left permanent grooves on my heart, brain, spirit, soul, the whole of this one. Here’s to soaking in the moment. Here’s to possibility. Here’s to gratitude. Here’s to practice. Here’s to these courageous, attuned beings {teachers, guides, messengers, conduits, _____, ...} who have listened, aligned with, & shared their gifts w the world in this way! Here’s to LOVE. . Here’s to @paprikamarika my twin flame through what I am sure is countless lifetimes, walking this path w/ me, sharing this wild human journey & being such an inspiration, teacher, mama, sister, soulie & beloved friend. This adventure goes down in the record books. I love you!