I hope you have managed to enjoy the holiday season, staying in good spirits and in good health. Throughout the holidays we enter many layers of tradition and celebration full of  parties, decorations, rituals, and connections.  It’s wonderful to  embrace the excitement of the season. However, with the fun things comes a bit more of  stress and your overall health can take a serious hit during this physically and emotionally taxing season, with mounting pressures manifesting themselves in a variety of ways including anxiety, immune and digestive disorders and skin conditions flaring up.

What has helped me to stay balanced? I made a commitment to appreciate the holiday season and enjoy the whole experience this year – regardless of  circumstances or any external pressure. Appreciating the holiday season, as with anything in life, will make it much more enjoyable and much less stressful.  I’ve also taken the time to  “unwind” and take time for myself and not feel guilty about it. Emphasizing this to my frazzled clients so they, too, can recover mentally and physically from the rigors of the stressful holiday season, highlighting my pampering treatments that combat stress and release tension. So find your escape to reconnect to your breath,  your yoga practice, or favorite class at the gym,  if just for a few moments let go of your holiday planning and enjoy the time for yourself  as the most hectic time of the year comes to a close! Appreciate the holidays for what they are—a time to celebrate and enjoy the company of your loved ones and you will keep things real and in balance.

As the  season turns to the dreamland of winter solstice and the magic of new creation I begin my intention for 2012. It’s hard to believe another year is coming to an end. As I reflect back on the year it was already filled with so much intention, focus, guidance and finding equanimity. 2011 had many celebrations and highlights to be grateful for -graduation from my teacher training and  becoming a certified yoga instructor, making new friends, re-connecting with old ones, celebrating “the fierce forty,” adopting Duke, a 5-week old loveable, brendal pitbull -celebrating  my seventh year in business. This year was about accepting and knowing that you have to take every experience, including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to simply move on, proceed and allow it all to help us grow. Most importantly celebrating our brilliance, our true selves- not what anyone else wants for us. When we do what we love we spread goodness into the world and when we light that fire within ourselves other people see it and want it to turn up in them. It’s a contagious flame that ignites and that’s a beautiful thing!

INTENTION SPELL

Recently my mentor Charlotte gave me a flying wish paper – a whimsical kit to make your wishes come true! It’s magical, you write your wish, light it and watch it fly into the air. A pledge, a wish or prayer-like casting a magic spell and sending all that intention into the universe as an act of intention-manifestion. I believe as 2012 approaches, we need to seize the opportunity to look forward and set our intention to create our own magic and say goodbye to 2011 but appreciate all the valuable lessons and gifts it brought us and most importantly be OK with all of it.  The magic starts with an idea, just a thought, then all we have is the desire and the intent to make something happen. Creation will flow from here.  In yoga it’s creating a sankalpa (intention or prayer) we usually do this at the beginning of our  practice which can bring a deeper focus and power, especially if this intention remains active throughout the practice. I invite you to create an individual sankalphas for the new year. An effective sankalpa is a short, positive, and precise statement about what you wish to attain for yourself and/or for the benefit of all.

Find what makes you come alive! Celebrate what makes your heart skip a beat and full of life and when your FIRE is lit put your ding in the universe!

The starting point of every journey is having a clear intention then taking action to fulfill your dreams~ Deepak Chopra

Resolve your intent to celebrate you and your brilliance:

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” ~Oprah Winfrey

Resolve your intent to make healthy choices:

“In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired. ” ~Author Unknown

Resolve your intent to have more fun and do the things you love:

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.”~Jean Houston

Resolve your intent to staying committed to your goals and realizing your dreams:

“Change happens when you understand what you want to change so deeply that there is no reason to do anything but act in your own best interest.”~Geenen Roth

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! May your hearts be filled with the joy of the season and may you have many warm memories to last throughout the new year!

Love & Light

Claudia

We can read, eat, text and listen at the same time simply because we want every free minute to count, but are we really present? I feel like an expert at  multi-tasking but at what cost? The funny thing is that we think we are accomplishing so much but truth is it’s really bad for our health- actually slowing us down making us less efficient by causing stress, insomnia, short term memory loss because our attention is divided. I’ve been thinking of all the times that I’ve been racing through my life – cell phone in one hand and packages, travel mug in the other – when my inner Buddha whispered slow down, pace yourself, take a breath. The more balanced I am – the more I take time to listen to the still, small voice – the more impact I can have. It is easier to say than to do this. I’m finally admitting I am not a proud multitasking person, I often feel exhausted and overwhelmed when taking on many things at once. Racing against time is what we are so used to but  learning to slow down, and minimize our multitasking is an accomplishment and one to be proud of.

I’ve developed a consistent home practice with meditation and exploring many relaxation techniques to help cope with my stress. I didn’t realize how much I was craving and needing solitude. Quieting the mind and recharging my battery, it’s like taking a  deep breath of fresh Spring air! The idea behind meditation is to consciously relax your body and focus your thoughts on one thing for a sustained period. This occupies your mind, diverting it from the problems that are causing you stress. It gives your body time to relax and recuperate, and to clear away stress hormones that may have built up. I’m sure many of you are thinking this is hokey and a waste of time. Time that you don’t have-I agree time is short, exactly why we need to meditate because time is so short to waste on worrying, anxiety, doubts, cravings, and the compulsiveness of planning, remembering and making revisions all for the ego. There is nothing mystical about meditation, on the contrary, it is something that you can do quite easily it’s simply a matter of a little patience, and some regular periods of mediation practice. Over time, when practiced consistently, meditation can evoke  real, lasting changes in the mind and body.

In my yoga training the focus this month was on mediation and deepening this practice. One that I’ve explored further is mindfulness meditation. With it’s roots in ancient Buddhist traditions, meditation that cultivates mindfulness is particularly effective and has gained ground as an antidote for reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions as well as chronic pain and even side effects of cancer treatments.  Mindfulness is the quality of being fully engaged in the present moment, without analyzing or otherwise “over-thinking” the experience. Rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, mindfulness meditation switches the focus to what’s happening right now. Mindfulness meditation is not equal to zoning out. It takes effort to maintain your concentration and to bring it back to the present moment when your mind wanders or you start to drift off. But with regular practice, mindfulness meditation actually changes the brain – strengthening the areas associated with joy and relaxation, and weakening those involved in negativity and stress.

Meditation is a useful and practical relaxation technique. To use it, sit in a comfortable place, close your eyes, relax your body, and focus your concentration on something for a period of time. If you are a beginner or too frazzled to settle down  it’s helpful to focus your attention on something specific.  Try a candle gazing meditation or “tratak” this aids in concentration, focus and visualization-perhaps doing this for 5 minutes at a time 1x a day.

Candle Gazing Meditation:

• Light a candle and sit before it, either cross-legged on a cushion or chair with feel flat on the floor and spine erect.
• Let your breath slow and deepen as you gaze at the flame for several minutes.
• With eyes closed, travel to a place within where the candle flame never flickers. Sit in silent communion.
• Invite the flame before you to come forward and merge with the candle flame within. Visualize and feel it grow twice as bright. Bask in its radiance.

Benefits:

• Slows the “racing mind”
• Reduces blood pressure and heart rate
• Calms the entire system
• Promotes peace and serenity
• Brings you back to the present

“Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh

Love & Light

Claudia

Sunrise @ Sivananda Ashram, Paradise Island

I can’t think of a better way to warm up my body and keep it healthy on these blustery winter days then with yoga.  Specifically, the series Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation;12 postures performed in a single, graceful flow. The Sun Salutations activate and tone the majority of body muscles; has warming effect, helps improve strength and flexibility and it is especially beneficial to the spinal column.

I was  admiring some  beautiful photos from my summer trip to India  and remembering the local Keralites saluting to the sun and bowing toward it’s presence. I was pleased to see this and knew exactly what they were doing but I began to ask questions  and found out that the yogis were very cognisant of the healing capacities of the sun’s early morning rays, particularly its beneficial effects on the exocrine and endocrine glands. Traditionally, it is performed without clothing. Whenever possible then, one should expose as much of the body as possible to the light of the early morning sun. If one is unable to (privately) practice outdoors, in direct presence of the sun’s rays, then one should make every effort to at least maintain the practice at sunrise, still facing toward the east. If done indoors, it is suggested  to have a symbol in place of the sun, such as a large orb or circle, or a diagram of the symbol OM, or even a brilliant image of the sun in other artistic form.

There are many therapeutic effects and benefits to this series and each movement is coordinated with the breath. Inhaling as you extend or stretch, and exhaling as you fold or contract. It works as an internal massage of the organs. Stimulates the digestive system. Tones the nervous system due to the row of stretches and bends of the spinal cord. Helps to activate the function of the lungs, to oxidise the blood and warms up the body, therefore, having great effect on the kidneys.

Here is a link to a Classic Sun Salutation demonstration video-  beautiful,  graceful and performed with such integrity. For your viewing pleasure and fun I also want to share a more Advanced Sun Salutation-The Jedi Way.

Love & Light

Claudia~

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius. ~Pietro Aretino

An auspicious day the 1111 & in Numerology, 1 is recognized as the beginning, the creator, or essentially the center. No matter where or with whom you spend the day, you’re not alone in hoping for an auspicious year ahead. I  couldn’t wait to say goodbye to 2010, it was an extremely challenging year personally and I can only hope and realize a better 2011. Challenging times can cause a person to wobble and fall and be broken open but how can difficult times help us grow and explore the questions of life-emerging from suffering with real wisdom, love and compassion?

A friend said to me recently, “Yoga saved my life” and I completely understood  what she meant by this.  Thankfully, yoga has a proven track record for helping and “saving me” to get through the worst situations, keeping me balanced and grounded. After so many years of thinking about this-I made a decision to pursue a teacher training this year. I’m completely excited to deepen my practice and share this beautiful comprehensive way to live and approach life which involves more than yoga postures. I look forward to the new hope, resolutions and second chances that every new year brings with it. Remember to stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.

Focus Your Intentions for 2011

• Material Abundance:What do you want on the material level? Your own house with a garden?
• Relationships: Write down all your desires for your relationships – your romantic partner, friends, children, parents, co-workers, and any others.
• Spiritual: What would nourish your heart and soul? Do want to go on a meditation retreat? Start a journaling practice?
• Personal Goals: What areas of your life would you like to nurture this year? Do you want a new intellectual challenge such as studying a language or learning new software?
• Community: What do you want to contribute to your neighborhood, country, or the world?Consider how you might use your unique talents to serve others.
• Health: What are your health goals for the new year? Learning how to meditate? Regular, restful sleep? Better eating habits? Perhaps exercise more ? Releasing old emotional wounds? Write down everything you desire for your physical and emotional well-being.

“Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction. The only reason we really pursue goals is to cause ourselves to expand and grow. Achieving goals by themselves will never make us happy in the long term; it’s who you become, as you overcome the obstacles necessary to achieve your goals, that can give you the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment.” – Anthony Robbins

Love & Light

Claudia~

Anjali Mudra (prayer hands) on the beach Sivananda Ashram, Paradise Island

September is National Yoga Month and  anyone at any age in any body can benefit from yoga. Yoga has been researched extensively and is known to have a wide range of health benefits for body, mind, spirit. Derived from the Sanskrit word, “YOGA” means “Union”. It is a combination of physical and mental exercise designed to hone ones concentration, improve health and attain eternity. Today’s lifestyles are built up with stress and conflicts. There is disharmony in the body (physical), mind (mental), and spirit (spiritual) the basic 3 aspects of human body. All illness is the result of such disintegration of these three. Get inspired to live a healthier, happier life and get your OM on and strike a pose to:

• Lower blood pressure

• Decrease stress

• Gain greater flexibility (not just physically!)

• Enhanced brain function

• Lower cholesterol

• Better skeletal alignment

• Strengthen bones/joints

• Improved respiration

• Weight Loss

• Enhanced circulation

• Easier transition through menopause

• Deeper peace of mind  and many more…

“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” ~ Buddha

Love & Light

~Claudia

I had always dreamed that visiting India at some point in my life would be a pilgrimage and it turned out to be exactly that – my own version of “Eat, Pray, Love” and a pilgrimage of fun!

When my friend Sabrina asked me to travel with her and her husband to India to attend their friends wedding in Bangalore, I thought when opportunity knocks, open the door! An unplanned adventure while navigating matters of the heart sounded perfect! I was reeling with excitement and in less than 3 weeks I would be off to India. I didn’t anticipate that two days before we were to leave she would tell me she couldn’t make it. Therefore, I would be flying to a foreign land without Sabrina but with her husband, Yoav, a sweet and charming Israeli, and staying with her relatives in Mumbai without her.

The first part of this adventure started in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, but everyone living there goes back and forth with what the city should be called. It’s very confusing! Quite honestly I did not know what to expect from this city or the whole trip in general for that matter. I knew it would be bustling and hot. Just imagine the worst heat wave New York recently had, add the traffic and congestion of Time Square at rush hour during the holidays, then add pimped out taxi’s, cows, goats, stray dogs and cats- rickshaws everywhere and now multiply that by 20. Millions of people all living cheek-by-jowl in soaring skyscrapers and sprawling slums. Ladies and gentleman – welcome to Mumbai!! The people come from diverse ethnic backgrounds and speak in over a dozen tongues, all adding color, flavor and texture to this melting pot. The energy is high and the pace is fast but they do slow down for Tea Time. I loved every minute of it – quirks and all!

Mumbai is a one-stop shopping center for practically every kind of product and handicraft that India has to offer, from hand-woven cloth and leather, to antiques, silver and casual designer wear. With the exception of the government shops and some of the stuffier boutiques, no one will raise an icy eyebrow when you haggle. Together with Sabrina’s cousin Ooshin who became my guide, host and long lost sister, we hit it off shopping until we dropped! Dodging the insane traffic and beating the heat with our personal driver, (I can get use to that kind of service and attention). I was happy to have Oosh for all the bargaining and haggling while shopping. She is Parsi, both sharp and feisty, and one does need this kind of attitude while shopping in India or they will take advantage of you. I got used to saying nay nay (no no) following her lead (with a hand gesture of course) when we weren’t happy about the offer. I thought I got all the shopping out of my system until I arrived in Kerala, where I just couldn’t resist the textiles and jewelry.

EAT: Indians have more than a hundred ways of cooking meat – and nearly twice as many ways of preparing a single vegetable. In fact, the cuisine varies from state to state -a culinary cornucopia. In Mumbai, you can certainly explore the broad culinary categories. Although most five star hotels boast several types of Indian cuisine on the menu, smaller restaurants are well worth a visit and offer a more local ambiance. You can have rich north Indian fare accompanied by chappatis (the flat unleavened bread of India), spicy southern curries with rice or steaming idlis, gujarati thalis (MY FAVORITE) with their limitless range of vegetarian dishes, or even delicately flavored fresh water fish. When I thought it couldn’t get any better it was time to eat again. It was non stop eating during this trip too. See below for some of the restaurants I visited and highly recommend if you are ever in Mumbai.

PRAY: Isn’t dancing liking praying? Well, I had 5 days of non-stop fun in Bangalore at the Hindu Wedding. Praying is getting in touch with your inner self…I just feel my soul, my instinct, my past…or maybe it’s more of a meditation? Well I must say I especially feel in touch with my true self when I dance…it is such a powerful feeling!

LOVE: My love affair with yoga has been going strong for about 16 years and during my trip to India I practiced a bit in Mumbai & Bangalore – stretching and easing my jet lag. In Kerala, the 3rd part of my Indian adventure, I resumed my practice daily. I was pleasantly surprised that the type of yoga practiced in Kerala was Sivananda style – which I had recently been introduced to while on my retreat to the Sivananda Ashram in April. Yoga is a daily practice for most Keralites, however it seemed to be more men than women practicing. Not only asanas (postures) are practiced but  meditation-saluting the sun from wherever they were. The women walk (fast-paced for exercise) and ride bicycles. Oh and by the way, no one in India says “Namaste” this is completely a western thing.  Om, ॐ (Aum) on the other hand is visible everywhere in India, it is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism. The syllable is sometimes referred to as the  “pranava mantra” (primordial mantra); not only because it is considered to be the primal sound, but also because most mantras begin with it.  And every household, taxi, entrance has a tiny statue Lord Ganesha- the elephant headed god. In general terms, Ganesha is a much beloved and frequently invoked divinity, since he is the Lord of Good Fortune who provides prosperity and fortune and also the Destroyer of Obstacles of a material or spiritual order. It is for this reason that his grace is invoked before the undertaking of any task (e.g. traveling, taking an examination, conducting a business affair, a job interview, performing a ceremony,) Throughout India and the Hindu culture, Lord Ganesha is the first idol placed into any new home or abode.

Regardless of where you are in life, it is never too late to figure out what you love to do and to create a life around living your dreams. If you want to find your bliss, you are going to have to discover it yourself. The answer to who you are and what you love is not contained in any book, movie or sold in any store. Instead, the answer to what fires your imagination and makes your heart beat faster are found inside of you. In order to find it, you will have to go on a journey of self discovery. And you will have to keep at it until you find what you are looking for. Maybe it is in a foreign land or maybe it is right at home.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” ~ Helen Keller

Love & Light,

~Claudia

Restaurants in Mumbai:

Trishna

7, Rope Walk Lane, Kalaghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 4000023, India 022 22703214

Mahesh

Fort Branch: Mahesh Lunch Home, 8-B, Cawasji Patel Street, Mumbai – 400001.

Telephone No : (022) 22870938, 22023965. Fax No : (022) 22043365

Email : maheshlunchhome@gmail.com

Indian Summer

80 Veer Nariman Road, Marine Lines, Mumbai

Phone: (22) 22835650

Barbeque Nation

Rajdhani- Vegetarian Thali ~my personal favorite but all where amazing eats!!

This was my experience every day for one week at The Sivananda Ashram YogaRetreat. It was a true sanctuary of peace and natural beauty located on a paradise-like island with crystal clear water and pure white sand just across the bay from Nassau.

My adventure began on a Saturday morning as I arrived on the island of Nassau earlier than expected. I gathered my luggage and took a 20 minute taxi ride to a dock. As I waited patiently for the boat to whisk me away to paradise, I encountered two lovely ladies and we made our introductions. Both women had traveled quite a distance to get to the Ashram. Anna came from Germany, Katie from Nova Scotia, and both were now part of the Teacher Training Course (TTC). They would be living and working on the ashram for one month. The TTC is based on “Karma Yoga”, also known as Buddha Yoga or the “discipline of action” and is based on the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, Karma Yoga is the science of achieving perfection in action. Karma Yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga.

Shortly after our introductions, the boat arrived and we were on our way – well not quite! First we had to lug bags and boxes of HEAVY produce onto the boat. I thought to myself, “You have to be kidding me. I’m on vacation! My poor back!” However, I actually didn’t mind at all. We all pitched in, and I reminded myself, “This is “Karma Yoga!”, although I noticed the two men on the boat were not practicing “Karma Yoga” – they were barely helping at all! Plus, the tiny walkway between the dock and the boat was making me plenty nervous that one of us was going to end up in the water! Needless to say, we all made it to the island in one piece and received some fruit for our effort. Thankfully, I caught on pretty quickly and adapted fast because the Ashram was not very organized and almost too laid back when it came to answering my pretty straight forward questions, such as, where is my room, and other basic questions one might ask upon arrival. Being resourceful, I went traipsing around the place and gave myself the unguided tour and finally found my room: “Hallelujah!” I thought to myself. “I’d best get to the beach fast and do some meditating before I lose it.” However, by the evening I figured out how it all worked and whatever I still didn’t know I would just learn as I went with the flow.

The Ashram is built around a semi-closed, outdoor meditation temple. There are spacious exercise platforms facing the warm blue-green waters of the Caribbean Sea, the bay and the gardens. I opted to stay in one of the private wooden cabins. The room had basic sleeping quarters, both rustic and unembellished, which worked fine for me. The other option was to pitch a tent in one of the quiet garden areas or coconut groves.

Daily Schedule:

The energizing program of the ashram is based on Swami Vishnudevananda’s (who is a disciple of Swami Sivananda the founder of the Ashram) five points for holistic evolution of body, mind, and soul:

• Proper Exercise

• Proper Breathing

• Proper Relaxation

• Proper Diet

• Positive Thinking and Meditation

My days would begin at 5:30 am when I would awaken to the sounds of the ocean, the palm trees rustling in the wind, the birds chirping and a light bell ringing every 10 minutes until 6am when the serenity of early morning meditation would commence. At the ashram they believe the clear sea air helps restore the rested mind to focus and the body to be still. Half an hour of silent meditation is followed by joyful chanting, a spiritual talk or reading, and closing prayers. Next, at 8am, came a 2 hour session of asanas (yogic postures) and pranayama (yogic breathing techniques to invigorate the body and mind). After these rituals, we would have a wonderful vegetarian breakfast/ brunch at 10am, where we all lined up just outside the kitchen with our trays to get our nourishment. I would quickly gather my food and head for the best seat in the house, right on the sand in front of the beautiful clear waters. There is time which you are free to study, to attend a special workshop, to swim, relax on the beach, or go snorkeling. At 4pm is the second asana/pranayama class of the day. Your body achieves maximum stretch at this time and great progress can be made. Dinner is at 6pm, and satsang (meditation, chanting and talk) is at 8pm which completes the day. During the evening satsang there would usually be a talk by one of the special speakers, a concert, or a performance. Lights-out was always around 10pm. All guests were required to attend both satsangs and asana classes but I have never been one to follow the rules. By the 4th day my body felt a bit achy from 4 hours of yoga per day and the long walks on the beach. I chose to sleep in a few days and practiced either the morning or afternoon yoga class instead of both. Most of the day I spent on the beach reading and writing and indulging in some wonderful and intellectual conversations with my new found friends. I found plenty of time for body work; I treated myself to a daily massage and an Aruyvedic body treatment all of which were amazing! I was lucky enough to be there for the Easter holiday and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise ceremony full of joyful praise to the Lord. I am not a religious person but this ceremony was lovely and uplifting and made me realize just how special it is to connect with Faith.

The food was delicious however, but by the last day of my stay I was tired of the same food and the temptation of going across to Nassau or to Atlantis (which was on the other side of the beach) was sounding great for a farewell dinner. My new friend Kathy and I decided to have our final dinner at NOBU. I had no desire to see Atlantis but some of the guests at the Ashram kept talking about it and I didn’t realize until after a few days that it was it was literally in plain sight. I walked through one day on my own to go see the Aquarium everyone was raving about. It was interesting to see the dynamic of the guests at The Atlantis resort compared to the Ashram. It was certainly like walking through Disneyland. After leaving the aquarium I couldn’t wait to get back to the tranquility of the ashram. How ironic that these two different worlds can be physically so close yet spiritually so distant!

Lastly, my yoga adventure confirmed the importance of simplicity, balance, and community. The journey helped restore my faith, strengthened my yoga practice, enhanced my mind and purified my soul. It was a dynamic voyage that I look forward to taking again and again. I enjoyed the warm companionship and the connection with like-minded people from all around the world, which included sharing food, life stories, beliefs, and dreams. It was a truly holistic, revitalizing experience that left me recharged physically, mentally and spiritually!

Until next time

Claudia~

Every weekday I receive an inspirational thought for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Today’s “DailyOm” is about Cause, Effect and Transformation. I believe the quest for spiritual and emotional growth is never ending and any tool that can help us achieve this and physical well-being  is worth sharing! This winter has been a difficult one that has  left many feeling exhausted, overwhelmed  and blue (common symptoms of  the “Winter Blues.”) In fact, many Eastern medical practices recognize that with the changing of the seasons, our bodies also change and have different needs than they do during warmer months. But modern society expects us to be upbeat and productive throughout all the seasons. Look out for my upcoming post on how to “detox” and prepare your mind and body for  Spring!

Daily Om:

There are times in our lives when it seems our bodies are running on empty. We are not sick, nor are we necessarily pushing ourselves to the limit—rather, the energy we typical enjoy has mysteriously dissipated, leaving only fatigue. Many people grow accustomed to feeling this way because they do not know that it is possible to exist in any other state. The body’s natural state, however, is one of energy, clarity, and balance. Cultivating these virtues in our own bodies so that we can combat feelings of depletion is a matter of developing a refined awareness of the self and then making changes based on our observations.

A few scant moments of focused self-examination in which you assess your recent schedule, diet, and general health may help you zero in on the factors causing your depletion. If you are struggling to cope with an overfull agenda, prioritization can provide you with more time to sleep and otherwise refresh yourself. Switching to a diet containing plenty of nutritious foods may serve to restore your vigor, especially when augmented by supplements like B vitamins or ginseng. Consider, too, that a visit to a healer or homeopath will likely provide you with wonderful insights into your tiredness. But identifying the source of your exhaustion will occasionally be more complicated than spotting a void in your lifestyle and filling it with some form of literal nourishment. Since your earthly and ethereal forms are so intimately entwined, matters of the mind and heart can take their toll on your physical self. Intense emotions such as anger, sadness, jealousy, and regret need fuel to manifest in your consciousness, and this fuel is more often than not corporeal energy. Conversely, a lack of mental and emotional stimulation may leave you feeling listless and lethargic.

Coping with and healing physical depletion will be easier when you accept that the underlying cause might be more complex than you at first imagined. A harried lifestyle or a diet low in vital nutrients can represent only one part of a larger issue affecting your mood, stamina, and energy levels. When you believe that you are ultimately in control of how you feel, you will be empowered to transform yourself and your day-to-day life so that lasting fatigue can no longer gain a foothold in your existence.

As we approach the end of 2009, I tend to reflect back on the year gone by and contemplate around this time and ask myself what I would like to change in 2010. There is something satisfying about one year coming to a close as a new one begins. It gives me the opportunity to look back on everything I have learned and experienced in the midst of challenging times.

As many of you may have, I underwent extremely difficult times in 2009 but managed to come out somewhat unscathed. I have bittersweet memories having experienced the “Great Recession” but I am hopeful about the second chance the New Year will bring with it. It is essential to embrace change and new ideas and make revised plans for 2010

On the other hand, professionally, it was a great and busy year!

March 09: Fábula was voted in New York Magazine’s “Best of NY ” issue, creating a buzz which helped introduce a new audience to our holistic approach to skincare and wellness.

July 09- Beauty Beyond Skin Deep: The Fábula Skincare & Wellness Lifestyle Blog was launched.

Aug-Sept 09: I moved the business to a new and beautiful studio space, and slowly but surely am making it feel like home.

For me, I look toward this New Year to promise great professional partnerships, continued advancement in skincare – which always delivers, and of course results-oriented treatments and products. As always I will keep you up to speed on the latest news in beauty, health and wellness. I’m very excited to be attending the Integrative Healthcare Symposium NYC  in February, the Esthetique Spa International Conference Las Vegas in June and hopefully will make it to  my favorite destination spa-Miraval Life in Balance, Tucson Arizona after the conference.

As a side note, I was reading a trade magazine recently that asked the question, “Are the keys of change and success really dependent on a miracle, person or plan?” I believe the answer lies in what we do every minute of every day to execute the plan. Being consistent and persistent! Keeping integrity in the choices we make to realize our own personal truths. The future is in our hands and we have to establish a new road to create a new beginning!

Until next time ……….I leave you to be inspired and

Change Action For 2010

“Every moment we are sowing the seeds of our future through our thoughts and intentions. A powerful way to focus your intentions is to write them down.  Set aside some time to think about what you really want. Be as specific as possible and don’t limit yourself. You are planting your seeds in the fertile ground of intention. Consider your desires for sensory gratification – sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell. What do you want to see, hear, and feel in 2010?” ~Deepak Chopra

Material Abundance: What do you want on the material level? A new car or house with a backyard and garden?

Relationships: Write down all your desires for your relationships – your romantic partner, friends, children, parents, co-workers, and any others.

Spiritual: What would nourish your heart and soul? Do want to go on a meditation retreat? Start journaling or have a daily yoga practice?

Personal Goals: What areas of your life would you like to nurture this year? Do you want a new intellectual challenge such as studying a language or learning new software?

Community: What do you want to contribute to your neighborhood, country, or to the world? Consider how you might use your unique talents to serve others.

Health: What are your health goals for the new year? Learning how to meditate? Regular, restful sleep? Better eating habits? Perhaps exercise more? Releasing old emotional wounds?

Make sure to write down everything you desire for your physical and emotional well-being.

Happy new year with love & light

Claudia

Christmas like most holidays can come with a lot of drama.  Expectations run high, but the holidays often deliver little of what we expect.  It’s only natural that holidays will focus our attention on what life lacks- a peaceful family, a thriving career, a happy home, or maybe you are still searching for the perfect partner? What if, instead of focusing on what isn’t perfect in our  life, we focus on the simple things that bring us joy- the dream you’re nurturing that’s on its way to being fulfilled, the creative spark within you that longs to be expressed.There is always something to be grateful for. I know it’s challenging to feel this way in difficult times and when life gets hard. Yet, that is when gratitude can be so important and helps me work through what may feel like and endless rut.

I leave you with some of my simple pleasures and reasons to be thankful this Christmas Day……..

• Laughing so hard my face and stomach hurt
• Listening to my favorite songs
• Clean sheet day
• Bubble baths & hot long showers
• Laughing at an inside joke
• Making new friends and spending time with old ones
• Playing with my  cats and puppy
• Overhearing someone say something nice about me
• Listening to my nieces and nephews laugh
• My husband unexpectedly hugging me
• Dancing ( the best medicine)
• Cup of tea, a good book and a lazy day

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate this holy day and may the energy of the season guide you to joy and peace!

Love & Light

Claudia~