Take a 20 Minute Vacation Everyday

Men seek retreats for themselves in country places, on beaches and mountains, and you yourself are wont to long for such retreats, but that is altogether unenlightened when it is possible at any hour you please to find a retreat within yourself.  For nowhere can a man withdraw to a more untroubled quietude than in his own soul.  

-Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome, 2nd century AD in his classic Meditations

Namaste BKS Iyengar

Well worn Iyengar texts

10 years ago, during the ISHTA yoga teaching training,  I read my first yoga book, Light on Yoga by B K S Iyengar.  Several years ago I read his later life book Light on Life.  They are both underlined and studied, referred to often for teaching yoga classes.  Today, when I heard of his death at 96, I grabbed Light on Life and turned to this underlined section.  

The practice of asana (yoga postures) clears the inner channels for prana to move freely and uninterruptedly….  Asana and pranayama (yogic breathing) practice removes the partition that segregates body and mind.  Together they dispel darkness and ignorance.  …. Asana breaks the rigidity and hardness of the inner body.  This allows the unrhythmic breath to become rhythmic, deep, slow, and soothing.  Then pranayama clears and soothes the feverish brain, making way for reason and clarity of thought and lifting the mind toward meditation.

The sustained practice of pranayama liberates one from fear, including even the fear of death.  If there is anxiety in the body, the brain contracts.  When the brain relaxes and empties itself, it lets go of its fears and desires.  It dwells neither on the past, nor the future, but inhabits present.  Freedom is about dropping the shackles of fear and desire.  When freedom comes, there is no anxiety, no nervousness.  -Light on Life by Iyengar

Thank you to a life devoted to teaching so many how to be free.  

Namaste

Dtox Breakfast

DTOX Brazil Nut Milk 

Need a fast, easy, healthy breakfast that boosts your child's immunity, energy and brain?  Smoothies are our go to.  Keep organic, frozen strawberries, bananas, blueberries and mangos on hand. Add Dtox homemade, organic nut milk of choice for a really creamy, delicious smoothie.  You could also use coconut water or just water.  I like to add a good handful of spinach.  If you are using blueberries, they'll never know.  Add chia seeds or cacao or any other super foods that you find the kids like.  

Brazil Nuts have the highest amount of selenium of any food source.  Regardless of whether selenium deficiency is associated with increased risk of cancer, it is clear that good selenium nutrition is important for antioxidant protection and for other health reasons.  Selenium is required for the proper activity of a group of enzymes that play a key role in the body's detoxification system and also provide protection against oxidative stress.