Dance With Yoga Asana. I choreographed and performed this a couple of days ago. It was a lot of fun and very healing. Feeling that creative energy flowing. Excited to put on a show! I hope to write and dance more soon. ❤
Tiff
Category: wisdom
Restoring Under the Hammock
Just a short drive from the overdeveloped madness of South Florida , is a state park called Highland Hammock. The drive and the surrounding town, are not spectacular, but as soon as you enter the park, you enter another world.
Highland Hammock is one of the oldest state parks in Florida. There are trails all around the park. And all of the trails are so different. So beautiful. So healing. There are Oak trees that are estimated to be over 1000 years old. Cypress swamps, and wildlife, we saw so much wildlife.
Some of the park feels very prehistoric. Especially the Cypress swamp. Early in the morning on a hike, I spotted a cottonmouth, a very venomous snake, swallowing a large fish. We watched in fear and amazement, as the snake unhinged its jaw, and swallowed this fish.
We camped in one of the primitive campsites. As the sunset, with the clear sky, and the new moon, the stars were bright and beautiful. I saw a shooting star. I made a wish.
The whole trip was so restorative. We hiked slowly on the trails. We gazed up at the stars. We hugged trees. I did Restorative yoga everyday, (which my son called “sleeping”), and we ate good nutritious food.
Restorative Yoga
My daughter trying her hardest to do YOGA
We saw deer, pigs, hawks, osprey, owls, turtles, alligators, snakes, opossums, armadillos, and even two river otters.
Being in nature is so healing. Like a soul shower. We feel balanced.
Nature is the best teacher. We can never have enough nature.
~Tiff
Yoga Date- Convention Center Style
On Saturday I went on a “Yoga Date” with a friend of mine. We are both yoga teachers, and mothers, so usually our hang outs are with our children, and include diapers, trips to go “pee pee”, occasional tantrums, and conversations about how yoga has helped save us from complete and total mental breakdown. “I felt like I was going to pull out all my hair and then I did some sun salutations and now I feel completely renewed.”
My friend Melissa, who teaches Paddleboard Yoga, had a couple of free tickets to an event in Fort Lauderdale called the “Yoga Expo”. I usually avoid the big festivals and events, preferring to practice alone, or outside, but free tickets and a kid free date with my friend, was something I was really looking forward to.
We met up early in the morning and after pushing through some heavy traffic and getting a little lost, we arrived at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center.
On the ride down, I drank both coffee and a coconut water. Not a good idea. Because when we pulled into the parking garage, my full bladder was about to explode. There was no way I could make it all the way to the crowded bathrooms!! We giggled and I nervously found a place in the parking garage to squat down and empty my bladder. Parking garage yoga-malasana pose! My friend shielded me with a yoga mat.. I joked that we would get arrested, and all the yogis would talk about the peeing yoga teacher in the parking garage. We didn’t get arrested. And I felt so much better.
At the expo, we were surrounded by a few thousand yoga practitioners. Everyone walking around with yoga mats, going from class to class, shopping, and eating “yoga” food. After checking it out and feeling a little overwhelmed, it was time to practice. The event was huge, offering 6 to 7 classes every hour. All day. The classes were packed. Flourescent lighting. We were doing downward facing dog to Beyonce, Pitbull, and some very weird songs about heartbreak.
To be honest, it was hard not to “judge” the experience. The place. The Yoga fashion trend. The noise! It was so loud. Once again, I was presented with a big lesson. Tame the mind. Yogananda wrote that in his early training, his teacher wanted him to go deep into meditation, but Yogananda was being swarmed by mosquitos. He kept swatting them, getting agitated, and could not meditate. His teacher sat there looking peaceful, deep in meditation, unphased by the mosquitos. His teacher told him to train his mind.
It is easy to relax the mind when in a peaceful setting. The real work is to relax the mind when we are in an uncomfortable setting. Convention center yoga. Take out the tools, and calm the mind. When I was able to get deeper into my breath and be present, the judgement melted away. Yoga always teaches us.
After a couple of flow classes, and with very exhausted legs, my friend and I drove home in the late afternoon. We talked about the good, the bad, and the ugly, of mainstream yoga culture. And while we both agreed that there are things we don’t resonate with, we both acknowledge that the truly important thing is that more and more people are being introduced and drawn to yoga. So many people find healing through yoga.
Yoga is a path and the wisdom of Yoga unfolds at a natural organic pace. . Even after 18 years since my introduction, I know I am still a beginner. I am still learning and being challenged everyday.
Yes, “yoga” is a huge trend. And yes, there are problems with our mainstream yoga culture. But truth be told, beyond the expensive yoga clothes, is the actual practice. A very personal and profound practice. A practice that can truly help heal the world.
~Tiff
The Past 6 Months Back in “America”
It feels like many lifetimes ago that we were living in the Azores. Sometimes I cant even look at photos from the Azores, because there are so many people who I love and miss, and the island, well, I miss her terribly. So beautiful. Like Magic. Atlantis. Mystical. Persephone and the seasons. There are many reasons why we left, and I know it was the right decision (at least for now). But there is something about that fairy-tale land, that pulls at the heartstrings of all who have lived there. I frequently have dreams of the island.
Anyways, South Florida is another world for sure. A crazy, intense place to live. I am a person who loves to spend a lot of time alone in nature. Here, I live in crime filled urban sprawl. There is literally next to no wild space left here, and they just keep developing. Very hard to witness. Along with the unattractive sprawl are these awful, horrible, dangerous, giant roads. Highways, Freeways.Tension makers. Traffic.
Speaking of roads, My neck is still injured, and recovering. It turns out that I have 4 herniated discs from the car accident. It has been painful and annoying. Lawyers, court, orthopedic surgeons. A very humbling experience. Ginger shots help ease the pain and inflammation, so do essential oils. I might never do headstand or shoulder stand again, with my “neck injury.” But this is life. These bodies are not permanent. I drive to nature. I breathe. I meditate. I stretch. I feel better. I feel gratitude for my body.
There are things about life in South Florida that I love. The ocean, the swamp, the Everglades, my yoga classes, theatre, my friends, the weather. We have been seeing so many dolphins at the beach in the mornings when I teach yoga. And the ocean here is so inviting. So blue. So warm. Nothing like the frigid waters of my home in Washington state! (But I love and miss you Washington.) Anyways, truthfully, there is so much to do here. I feel like we are always on some sort of adventure. I am going on a BIG adventure in a couple weeks. Stay tuned. 🙂
I took my daughter to her first full moon drum circle. She loved it. 2 years old, and she literally danced for hours. It was incredible. She loves to dance. To feel the moon. Almost everyday now she asks,”Drum circle?” Ha. Hippie Child!
My son, well he continues to amaze me with his art, his singing, his kindness. He is currently in rehearsal for his 3rd production in six months.He has been in shows non-stop since we have been back. 3 plays! He loves it. He shines. Giving him this opportunity to perform, makes my heart happy. Through connections in the theater world, my son has been able to see very amazing performances, almost ever week. The last performance he saw was the Joffrey Ballet. Lucky kid! The world of performing arts.
My sweetheart is learning English faster than I thought possible, and he has connected with the much larger than I realized Portuguese community down here. He goes fishing with his Portuguese friends and he watches soccer at a little Portuguese restaurant near our house. The Portuguese who live in Florida are just as LOUD and INSANE over soccer as they are in Portugal! He fits right in. Ha.
I am choreographing a dance piece with two of my magical mama friends. We are natural dancers, and lucky for us, there is a mirrored wall where I teach yoga. Right after yoga class, we turn up the music and dance. I love it. Those mornings are so fun. Movement is such an amazing way to process and heal. We Move through it.
I started teaching yoga at a transitional housing program for women. The program takes 10 homeless single women, provides housing, and help, to eventually see each woman transition to independent living. I have met some very special women there. There is a yoga room, a very nice yoga room, with every yoga prop one could think of, and we do gentle and restorative yoga. I look forward to it, every week. Yoga needs to be accessible to everyone.
Quite honestly, I don’t think we will live in South Florida for too long. My gypsy blood is awake and I really miss wild space. Nature. The pace here is too hectic. Crime too frequent. But honestly, there are things and people I am so grateful for. Who knows what the future holds. So I am going to do my best to stay present and in gratitude.
Palm Beach Island
South Florida , Yoga On The Beach.. “Kiss The Earth With Your Feet.”
With LOVE, Tiff
Dancing With My Shadow
“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It is a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others.Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” ~Pema Chodron
Balance between light and darkness. When the shadow self comes to visit, don’t fight it, invite it, learn, dance..
Balanced~Tiff
The Swamp to The Salty Sea:Everglades National Park
Saturday morning, I woke up feeling tired. Even after a cup of ‘bullet coffee’, (coffee with butter, coconut oil, and a little cayenne pepper), I still felt low energy. Luckily, we had plans to go camping, and I knew some leisurely hiking would be the perfect cure. Nature is the best healer.
We packed up and headed out for what we thought would be a camping trip in the Everglades National Park. The drive down to the Everglades, into Homestead, is one of the most awful, depressing, (what have we done to the earth?), drives one can take. We listened to Harry Potter, and The Half Blood Prince on CD, and that made the drive much better.
Slowly the concrete nightmare, gave way to large commercial crops, and then the park entrance. Once inside the park, we entered a whole different world. Nature. Beauty. Quiet. Healing. Balance. MOSQUITOES…
The park doesn’t take reservations, and while the campgrounds are very rarely full, they were full. Booked, for the holiday weekend. Once again, as often in life, we had to be flexible, our plans were forced to change.
While swatting mosquitoes, and walking on a boardwalk over a swamp, we all agreed we were a little bummed but not totally devastated, that our camping trip would become a day-trip.
Winter in the Everglades, is said to be less “buggy,” but the mosquitoes were intense. Not everywhere or all the time… BUT, we could be walking quite comfortably, and out of nowhere, swarms of mosquitoes would rush out and attack us… and yes, we were all wearing repellent. We saw the sweetest (but also funniest) seeming family wearing matching mosquito suits, faces fully covered. There was a moment, where mom, dad, and kid, were all looking through there binoculars at the same time, and in the same direction, with matching clothes. 🙂
We saw Hawks and Ospreys literally EVERYWHERE. I felt the need to be very quiet and just listen and feel. As to be expected, we saw several alligators. And in Flamingo, which is the very southern part of the park, the southern tip of the Florida, we saw two manatees. Manatees are fascinating to watch (and swim with), so gentle and magic, and very different from alligators.. ..
Down in Flamingo, where we saw the manatees,. there were hundreds of birds, called Black Skimmers hanging out on a pretty shoreline, they literally skim the water when they fly, it was so beautiful to watch them. They are beautiful and VERY loud.
We stayed in the park exploring, until after sunset, and Florida sunsets really are beautiful.
Driving back, that night, we snacked on gluten free and vegan (uncooked) Smores. Dark Chocolate. Mmmmmm.. I smiled, feeling so grateful to have these moments, these memories with my kids, my family, our mother Earth.
From the Swamp to The Sea, Mother Nature, You Amaze Me.~Tiff
Even In The Cold
I am wearing three pairs of socks, wrapped in blankets, drinking hot ginger tea, and still shivering. South Florida has gotten slammed by a cold front. It is 39 degrees, or about 5 degrees C. Brr.
The trouble with these cold fronts down here, is that, they come out of nowhere, and two days later, it is 80 degrees again and everyone is swimming in the ocean.
As the cold front moved in, so did the flu. I have been sick. Really sick. But I kind of feel grateful for the opportunity to relax. To be completely aware of how my body feels, to spend time alone, and to put natural medicine in my body. Garlic, ginger, honey, and lemons. Healing potions.
I guess what I mean is that, here I am, drowsy, cold, and with the flu. But, I have this wisdom, this knowledge, this power, this awareness, to know what I need to do to recover. To be healthier than ever.
This full moon in Leo, is a perfect opportunity to reclaim our power, our wisdom, our health, our magic. Whether indoors and wrapped in blankets, or outside, take a moment to see the magic in the mudane. Take a moment to honor the cycles..
Happy Healing. And Howling..Even in The Cold. ~Tiff
Green Magic: A Sea of Veggies
We bought our first hybrid car last week, just in time to take a trip to Northern Florida. The car is not new, but it gets 55 miles to the gallon, the gas expense is low.
Anyways, every year, On New Years Eve in Gainesville, which is nearly 300 miles north, our friends have a dance party in the woods.With the new car, there was no question we would be dancing straight into the New Year. Dance is such a powerful way to heal, release, and restore. And it is so fun. I danced for hours with both of my kids, but without a doubt, my 2 year old daughter ruled the dance floor. She has impressive dance moves and she loves it.
The friends that host this party, inspire me so much, and not just because of the booty shaking in the woods.
My friends own and operate an impressive Organic farm, called Siembra Farm. I have been to the farm many times over the years. But I hadn’t been to the farm in over two years. I was shocked and super impressed by how much it has grown, and what they have going on now.
Acres of kale, collard greens, sweet potatoes, turmeric, carrots, tomatoes.. Looking out at the field, you see a sea of healthy vegetables. Mmmm
If you live near an organic farm, please support it. Many organic farms offer CSA shares.Community supported Agriculture. Weekly boxes of fresh seasonal veggies. If you are in the Gainesville area, check out Siembra. http://www.siembrafarm.com/
We left the farm with a trunk full of fresh sweet potatoes and carrots.
Eating fresh organic vegetables is a completely different experience than eating store bought and transported, non organic veggies. For example, A couple years ago, in the Azores, we had a big garden and we grew a bunch of carrots. I juiced our freshly picked organic carrots and juiced store bought carrots, just to compare. Completely different taste. Completely different feeling. Completely different!!!!! The fresher the veggies, the better they taste, and of course more nutrients too. Woohoo!
Everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food. Food can be medicine or poison. What we eat has a direct impact on our health and the health of our planet. Fresh, local, organic food is the way to go. The choice is up to us. Change begins with us.
Have a Happy New Year, full of growth, positive change, and fresh veggies. 😉 ~Tiff
Filled With Blessings
I guess our Christmas morning began like Christmas morning for so many others. My sweetheart and I woke early, to wrap gifts (our wrapping paper was reused paper bags from Trader Joes). We drank Yerba Mate lattes and quietly put gifts under the tree, as the sun came up.
I am not a big fan of the consumerism that comes with our society’s version of what Christmas should be. (Part of that is because I hate shopping.) We bought the kids sketch pads, paint and markers, and that is it. The tree was largely filled with gifts from friends and family.
My son gifted us with a painting. He painted our family portrait. So beautiful and special.
Anyways, after the gifts were opened and bellies full from breakfast, we walked across the large yard, to the Buddhist temple, to take part in filling Buddhist Statues.
In Tibetan Buddhism, traditional Buddha statues are hollow inside. To come alive, the statues are filled with mantras, incense, herbs, and other treasures. There is a very strict process of cutting and rolling the Mantras, it is an art and a spiritual practice. And it takes a very long time. The brother of my spiritual guide, himself a Tibetan Buddhist, from Tibet, is gifted, knowledgeable, and skilled in this spiritual practice. He flew to Florida on Christmas Eve to show us how this practice is done.
After the statues are filled and sealed, a Buddhist Lama, performs a blessing ceremony. The ceremony is what brings these statues to life, with Divine energy. There is a belief that whether one is Buddhist or not, looking at these blessed statues, will bring blessings.
It was really special to be a part of this process. Especially on the day that represents the birth of one of the most enlightened beings ever, Jesus.
In the afternoon, we went bird watching at a place called Wakodahatchee Wetlands. It is a well kept boardwalk in Delray Beach that was full of people and birds. We saw alligators, turtles, iguanas, and of course so many birds.
It was a beautiful, relaxing, restorative day. Life can be difficult. But it also is filled with so many blessings.
Smile. -Tiff
Strength Through Devotion
I woke up this morning to the sound of trees being chopped down. The land across the street is being clear cut to make way for a large Wellington mini Mansion. We have seen hawks and turtles, foxes and possums, owls and ospreys. Where will they go?
I don’t often write about all the sad and awful things that are happening in our world right now. Wars, mass shootings, environmental destruction, anger, poverty, racism, and hate. But just because I don’t write about it doesn’t mean I don’t think about it, or feel it.. Because trust me, as an empath, I feel it. There is so much chaos right now that it is hard not to feel crazy. I think we all do. How do we heal?
For me, even 10 minutes of yoga, deep breathing, a few juicy asanas, single pointed focus, can shift my mood and perspective, drastically! I can transform from a place of hopelessness and fear, to a place of strength and healing. Through breathing and being mindful. This is why I practice yoga. This is why I teach yoga, even though truth be told, anyone who teaches yoga knows, you have to do it because you love it. And I do love it. It is through inner healing, realization, and wisdom that we can create change. Sometimes while we are deep in the surrender of savasana, we truly feel and understand that all things connect.
We are at a crossroads. Strange and intense times and energy. Times of transformation. We can’t just talk about the problems, we have to start living the solution. How do we want to transform? What do we want to transform into?
My suggestion is that we tap into our higher wisdom, and transform through love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Wishing all of us a heart healing day. ~Tiff
Flowing Yogini 