I was recently introduced by a friend to MTV fitness guru Kristin McGee. Last week I took her yoga class at the Reebok sports club in NYC and really enjoyed chatting with her over lunch afterwards.

Originally from Idaho, Kristin is a vibrant and gorgeous example of a pioneer in blending ancient spiritual traditions and practices with a modern American lifestyle. Her goal is to demystify yoga, making it accessible without losing site of its origins. I came home with her Power Yoga DVD which I'm eager to use when I can't get to class.

You can see more about Kristin and her work here.

And I loved this "Disappear" sign just outside the yoga studio at Reebok.

In 1991, just before graduation from college, I had an interview for what would have been my first real, full-time, big deal, job. During the interview I was asked to speak about an important figure in American culture. I chose Michael Jackson. Yes I did. I spoke about how he was using his fame and power for good, bringing positive messages to the masses. I specifically mentioned the importance of the lyrics to "Man in the Mirror," a song I love-love-loved. I really believed they would appreciate this bold response and feel they needed my youthful and fresh perspective in their organization... it probably wont surprise you to find out I did not get the job.

I remember being confused by the look of horror on my parents' faces when I mentioned my response to them. My mother's eyes glazed over and I was pretty sure I heard her mumbling "why not Eleanor Roosevelt?" under her breath as she walked away, convinced the educational system had failed me.

It was not much later that Michael Jackson's behavior and appearance started changing in extreme and strange ways. When the first accusations of mistreatment of a child were brought against him, I was devastated. How could I have been so wrong? I could no longer listen to his music without cringing from embarrassment about my severely misguided admiration. I'm so naive. I should have paid more attention in history class. Please God do not let that interviewer remember me and my ridiculous answer...

Fast forward 18 years...I'm taking a spin class and "Man in the Mirror" is in the mix. Unable to avoid it, I listened to the lyrics once again. By the end of the song I'm on a full, standing, spin-dance, I don't care who's looking, high. Those lyrics are amazing. I do love them. I was right. What a visionary I was. Screw that interviewer.

Not only that, I reveled in the realization that all these years later I still believe the lyrics represent one of the most important lessons in life,

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself then make a change

In fact, I've created a business based on that same message :
You can only be responsible for yourself. It starts inside. Be the change.

Michael Jackson had moments of greatness and moments of shame, as we all do to our own extent. So be it. Let's choose to focus on the good. Shake your body down to the ground.

Tomorrow, July 8, 2009, twilight begins on the east coast at 4:56 am. If nothing else, it's an opportunity to contemplate alignment. Is your life in or out of alignment with your deepest self? If it is flowing pretty easily, moving forward in a way you feel good about, then the answer is - in alignment. If you feel stuck, in a revolving door of frustration or disappointment - out of alignment. The wee hours of tomorrow morning are as good a time as any to ask for the strength to let go and trust, to let it be. To let the perfection of that moment move your life forward in directions you may not even know you want to go.

fun fact about the time and date from my wonderful cousin. Thanks Liz!

(be)auty

I'm leaving England today, I've been here all week enjoying being with my family and taking lots of photos that look like this one. I thought I would get some work done, but no.

This is my first time seeing the English countryside and to my American eyes there is literally, at every turn, something beautiful to behold. It is the kind of beauty that plunges you right into the moment when you think "enjoy this, take it all in, experience every detail, this exact place and time will never occur again." I'm hoping to take some of that home with me.

photo found on this is glamorous

this one's for the boys

and anyone else turned on by shamanic cheerleaders.

Last year on Oprah's prime time reality TV show, 'The Big Give', 10 contestants competed, not to get, but to give. Each week, faced with a different challenge in a different city, the contestants gave away money and used their creative efforts to help as many people as they could. After each challenge one contestant was eliminated and, at the finale, the winner was Stephen Paletta. I happen to live in the same town as Stephen and his family and was excited to sit down with him recently to talk about his experience on 'The Big Give' and what it really means to be a philanthropist.

beU: I loved your recent blog post when you wrote about your frustration, trying to find meaning in the world of philanthropy beyond the mechanics of giving and receiving money. You kept looking until you found the root of the word which is...

SP: ...to love and serve mankind. (PHILIEN ("to love") and ANTHROPOS ("mankind").

beU: I thought that was so beautiful, and to me, because of the way I’m focused, I saw it as the clear difference between doing and being. The giving and receiving of money is something you "do" but the state of being that’s behind it, what it really comes down to, is service and love of others.

SP: No doubt. However that understanding really isn’t out there at all. Not that I see. At the end of the day it comes down to a dollar and cents issue and not a real living of it. And that’s really frustrating, and I see that everywhere in corporate America. The reality is, we have the bottom line we all have to deal with in our personal life, our business life, whatever it is - there is still a financial bottom line, at least for me and the people I’m around. It is the dominating factor that ultimately controls everything. It’s the way the culture is set up, and to live counter-culturally is really really difficult.

beU: I know that one of the purposes of 'The Big Give' was to motivate people to give and to serve others by showing that you get so much out of it, not financially, but emotionally and spiritually you gain so much when you give. So you are finding that people just don’t realize that, or it’s still not worth it if there’s not a financial gain? Where are we stuck?

SP: I think we're stuck in the dominant culture which is about money. At the end of the day our society is a "me" society. One where you’re judged by who you are and the money, fame or power that you have. The people who are highlighted in the media, the people who are on the front page of the paper, the people in the community who are looked up to are the people with the money or the power and it’s very rare that the person who’s doing the service piece or the person who’s being a true philanthropist and serving and loving others is getting any recognition. Then all of a sudden when we’re in our late 30's to early 40's and we start to go through a typical mid-life crisis, which really is when you start to question that whole thing...

beU: Like “there’s got to be more to life”

SP: There’s got to be more, this way hasn’t brought me the joy that I wanted it to. Being on 'The Big Give' was an interesting ride. In fact, I was so disappointed by the television show because the experience was so much better than the show. The show never got to the joy and the excitement and the true pleasure that came out of the relationships that were developed. In fact, it highlighted the frustrations and aggravations, which happen all the time, whether you’re at work or doing good deeds, there’s frustration. However when one of the episodes would be over, there was a sense of fulfillment that I probably have never had before. I developed a relationship with these people. I’ve come to understand who these people are, their needs, and help them out and they were helping me out. It wasn’t us coming in as white knights, it was people coming together and trying to solve a problem, so you’d sit there at the end and go “this was an unbelievable experience" and none of that came across on television. In my opinion, it just didn’t.

beU: One of my favorite parts wasn't even on the show, it's a deleted scene on the website, a 5 minute clip when you and the other 2 finalists had $5000 to give away. I cried through the whole thing. You walking up and giving a homeless man food, giving the crossing guard money. Cameron stopping a car and the woman had just lost her job - he didn’t know that - but he stopped the car to say "it looks like you’re having a bad day" and she was in shock when he gave her money and got out of her car to hug him…that hands on giving and receiving, the connection, is really…that’s where it’s at. And I can see how hard it is to keep that momentum as you try to scale it larger.

SP: There was one very interesting night. Each week we would fly into the city, get to know people, be with them for 5 days, get to know their lives and do something with them and for them - except in Miami. We arrived in Miami and were handed $100,000 and told "you have 24 hours to give it away," so it was a mad sprint to give away money. It was great, I found some needy organizations, some great things, but it was such a mad race to give away the money that at the end of it I got into my car and I was seriously depressed and they’re filming me and asking "what’s wrong?" I said, "you know, I just had $100,000 that I’ll probably never have again to give away, but I never got to know one person that I gave it to. I never got to sit and talk to anyone. I never understood their story, who their brothers and sisters were, there was no connection whatsoever. All I did was hand out money. Do you know how empty that feels?" Don’t get me wrong, the money did some good, but I thought to myself…this is how people feel giving away money at times. You write a check you send it off and you get nothing out of it if there’s no connection. I think that’s typical. It can actually turn you off about giving.

It was relatively easy for me to do for an 8 week fixed timeframe. All my food and hotel bills were all paid for. I wasn’t even allowed to carry money, so I didn’t have financial concerns. I started out saying "for the next 8 weeks I am going to live life on a need to know basis. I am going to assume that when I show up, God will show up and let me know what I need to know and besides that, I don’t care. And if I get sent home after the first week, then that’s ok." So I’d walk into a city and know nothing and think "ok God, what do I need to know today?" And it was the most peaceful time, there was this power that came. Then you come back to life and you have 3 kids that have to go to school, pay bills and all of the sudden, that ability to live life on a need to know basis goes away. I want to know - am I going to be ok financially 10 years from now? Am I going to be able to pay for all my kids’ college? You’re not asking what do I need to know today, which I think gives you the true joy of living.

beU: truly being, in the moment

SP: But we live in a world that tells us - look, you've got to worry about the future - and we just forget about living life on a day to day basis. Whether it’s the Christian faith or any other ancient spiritual faith, it says the same thing - It’s really about today - and our entire society tells us it’s not. Who are you going to be in the future, what’s your savings, your position, what are your kids going to be like? All of that - what’s your status? And we can’t get away from it.

beU: I believe that’s changing. I believe that it’s a slowly growing change on the fringe of culture that is gaining momentum and it’s getting to a point where a critical mass of people are at least willing to consider an alternative way of living where they are more interested in "how can I live for today?" "how can I find true happiness and fulfillment?" Because our culture has gotten us to the point of great success and progress and accomplishment. With what we've been able to create we’ve proven our intelligence, our capabilities, but in aggregate people are less happy than they’ve ever been. So, I really want to believe that there’s enough momentum around people looking for happiness, true happiness as a priority, and asking questions. Once you start asking those questions, the answers that come back to you are what we're talking about - have the faith to look inside yourself, live in the moment and you will be guided.

SP: I do agree that there is a fringe of this, always has been and maybe it has gotten a little bigger and people like us who have stepped into it are aware of this little movement, however...

beU: I want to bop you on the head with my optimist stick...

SP: Actually, I’ve always been an optimistic person, and I still am, however I think there is a reality that isn’t being pessimistic. It’s saying – it’s either going to stay on the fringe or somehow we’re going to have to take over the dominant culture. How does it stop being a fringe thing? And the dominant culture being the media, the superstardom, the things that are out in front of everybody. I’ve thought about what I’d like to spend the next however long it is I have to live doing, and it would be fighting against the dominant culture to change it and to allow this fringe, if you will, in a real, meaningful way begin to dominate. People are trying to figure that out. In fact, I’m writing a book about it right now. And what I’m looking at is the historical times where culture has gotten out of balance and somebody came along and changed it. I think that’s what’s starting to happen. Influential people in realms whether it’s politics, tv, media, an Oprah Winfrey... My responsibility in this whole big idea is more than just me. We live in a "me" culture and I don’t think we were ever created to be in a "me" culture, we were created to be in a philanthropic culture which is to love and serve others.

beU: It’s good to hear, since you’ve been up close and personal to Oprah, that she really is genuine.

SP: She is a wonderful, magnificent person trying to do the right thing. The one thing I always say about her is - she’s a much better person than she is a TV personality. I really, really like her. You get with her one on one, she’s an unbelievable person, a down to earth, smart, wonderful person who really means well.

There is a video clip from the show where Stephen says "I've learned from this experience that I want my life to be about one thing - serving other people on a full time basis." He continues to work with Oprah on different ideas around developing a philanthropic culture, so be on the lookout for great contributions from him. His sincere passion for creating a culture of service and love leaves me feeling grateful for having him in my community and in the world .

Related Links:

Stephen's website
Stephen's blog
The Big Give

Good Clean Fun

As a mom of 2 young boys, I don't take advantage of my proximity to Manhattan often, especially on a school night, but Monday night I made an exception. My friend Alexa & I headed downtown for the launch party of Dr. Alejandro Junger's new book, Clean, and had a fabulous time. For starters, there are few places more exciting than New York City on a gorgeous spring night.

Next, there are few places that can make a suburban mom feel more hip than the West Village, especially Urban Zen where the party took place. The Urban Zen Foundation was created by fashion designer Donna Karan after the death of her husband, well known artist Stephen Weiss. She turned his studio space into a center that really lives up to its name. We entered through the boutique which sells incredible clothing and accessories, all organic and natural in feel, but very high in style, to benefit the foundation. The party took place upstairs in a perfect New York open loft space with a wall of windows that opened onto a patio and bar. At this bar the choices were green juice, mango coconut juice, green smoothie or coconut water. There was also plenty of raw food. All was delicious.

Alejandro Junger is the Director of Integrative Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. He coined the term "open minded medicine" to describe the inclusion of eastern and western approaches in his treatment of patients. His book is a comprehensive explanation of his cleanse program which is a 3 week detoxification diet. He calls it a "nutritional cleanse" because unlike a juice fast or other liquid cleanse, you actually eat whole foods. Recipes are included in the book.

Donna Karan spoke about the mission of Urban Zen, one part of which is focused on patient advocacy and wellness. Her experience during the treatment of lung cancer with her late husband made her determined to change the focus of health care and she acknowledged Dr. Junger for "treating the patient instead of the disease." Robert Thurman, Uma's dad and the first American to be ordained a Tibetan monk by the Dalai Lama, introduced Dr. Junger who spoke briefly, mostly to thank people, and was charming and humble.

The idea of a cleanse, giving your body a chance to detox and your digestive system an opportunity to rest and restore, makes a lot of sense to me. I've done one or two day juice fasts before, but never a full cleanse. It involves no dairy, caffeine, alcohol or sugar, which sounds like no fun at all. But...baby steps. I did buy some kale the next day to try in my juicer. I had to ask a woman in the produce department to point it out to me, but now I can tell the difference between kale and collard greens.

A highlight of the evening was seeing Gala Darling in the crowd. I have admired her blog for a long time and, like the giddy fan that I am, introduced myself and asked if I could take a photo with her. She was kind and adorable and what struck me most of all, present. It's difficult to describe with words what that means. It is an experience of being acknowledged, looked in the eye and respected. It's nice when it happens and yet it makes one realize how really rare it is. Hopefully that is changing. I know I am working on it and am always grateful for the reminder.



Related links:

Urban Zen
the Clean program
Eleven Eleven Wellness Center
Gala Darling
James Mathers
Robert Thurman

Does the World need another t-shirt?

This is a question that runs through my mind often. No, I think, the world doesn't. And that's what I use to justify my stuckness, the denial of what calls me. Because, the truth is, I love t-shirts. I might go as far as saying I'm passionate about them. I love that they are a simple, pervasive, universal garment that can be used as a means of self-expression. And, when designed and worn right, can be downright stylish. And just about everyone can afford one, so they are a fashion equalizer.

I felt this way when I started the be line. And I feel this way now as I work on ideas for the beU bookstore.

My sister introduced me to this quote which is one of the most profound ideas I've ever contemplated:

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what this world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

Designing t-shirts that express the rootsy, soulful voice of spirit is what makes me come alive. So be it.

being holistic

We hear "body, mind and spirit" all the time. Those are the three components that comprise our whole selves. Actively and purposefully engaging these different aspects of ourselves is what it means to live a holistic lifestyle. How do you take that from theory to practice? I like this explanation I just came across :

The function of the soul is to indicate its desire, not impose it.

The function of the mind is to choose from its alternatives.

The function of the body is to act out that choice.

When body, mind, and soul create together, in harmony and in unity, God is made flesh.

from Conversations with God, Book 1 by Neale Donald Walsch

Science and Spirituality in the Media

I'm noticing a trend - high profile media coverage of the growing awareness of, or curiosity about, the mind-body connection, alternative healing or "energetics."

- Time Magazine dedicated a February issue to "Mind & Body." The lead article is called "The Biology of Belief" and begins:

Most folks probably couldn't locate their parietal lobe with a map and a compass. For the record, it's at the top of your head — aft of the frontal lobe, fore of the occipital lobe, north of the temporal lobe. What makes the parietal lobe special is not where it lives but what it does — particularly concerning matters of faith.

read the rest of the article here


- This image is from a 5 part NPR series called "Is this your brain on God?"

- And the new film "The Living Matrix - The Science of Healing" is a documentary featuring "a wide range of scientists, researchers, psychologists and holistic practitioners to show some of the latest healing methods and how and why energy medicine works."

I have a copy of "The Living Matrix" at home and will be watching it soon, so if anyone locally is interested in joining, let me know!

Things that Inspire

I absolutely love the Where the Wild Things Are movie trailer.

I saw this on You are Remarkable

I love the work of artist Tamara Hensick including this cleverly designed pewter "be" which allows you to switch out cards as a reminder of who you want to be on any given day. I have one of her "word bars" that look like these:

Potential goes Prime Time

If the only thing you know about Tony Robbins is the firewalk or that he was in the movie "Shallow Hal," that is about to change. He will soon be the star of a new NBC reality show called Breakthrough. I consider this great news.

Robbins, known as a "peak performance strategist," helps people, through his books and workshops, find and harness the potential within them and create successful happy lives. The firewalk takes place during every "Unleash the Power Within" weekend event when participants walk in their bare feet across burning coals and, while I have not done this myself, I know very practical, successful, left-brain types who have. The idea is to move past fear and "shift your core beliefs about what's possible." Apparently once you've walked across fire without burning your feet you starting considering what more you are capable of accomplishing.

The TV show "will follow Robbins as he takes participants and helps them face personal challenges. The pilot, for example, focused on someone who was a lifelong stutterer -- and who, by the end of the episode, was speaking in front of a public audience"

This new show is evidence that a growing number of people are thinking, silently or aloud, "there must be more than this." Despite all of the progress, technology, intelligence and opportunity available, so many people still are not fulfilled or happy. The work of Tony Robbins promotes looking for answers in the only place you'll find them - inside your self.

Watch this recent video from ABC news where Tony talks about how to not only handle, but use difficult economic circumstances to your advantage. It's hard not to feel motivated by his bold and provocative statements such as "Sometimes your worst day can be your best day if it produces a change."

How to Cope in a Recession

Shared via AddThis

NEW! the beU bookstore

because every campus needs a bookstore...
at beU, everything is designed to support and inspire you to be and just to feel good.

Like this "I want to live a life of light" t-shirt - perfect for summer, don't you think? You can see this and more here.

Ria Ray

I love the look of these uplifting products, lip balm and "mantra ties," from artist and healer Ria Ray.

becoming

The message "just be" is difficult to understand, which is ironic since it sounds as if it should be the easiest thing we ever don't do.

I believe people are resistant to even attempt a lifestyle of being because there is way too much to do. Not just on their daily to do list, but on their life list of goals and dreams. If I am just being, I will never accomplish or experience all of those things I've been working towards and I don't want to give that up.

But I've learned something about being. Once you are in the moment, you are perfectly poised to take action. The purpose of being in the moment is to connect with your deepest, truest self and then take action from that vantage point. Being isn't the destination, it's the starting line. The great truth to be discovered is that if we commit to the practice of being, we will have more vitality and enthusiasm for what we're doing than ever before. And the actions we take from that place will always lead us in the right direction.

Further, we could not be static no matter how hard we tried. Our nature is perpetual expansion. Regression is impossible. We are, at all times, becoming.

I do love a paradox.

There is a 2 week long retreat this July in Tuscany called "Being and Becoming" from the people at Enlightennext. The first week is about being, concentrating on the traditional pursuit of enlightenment through the study and practice of transcending the ego and connecting to consciousness. The second week is about becoming or what they call "consciousness in action." Meaning, you've done the spiritual work to be, so now what? How can one live a spiritual lifestyle and use access to higher consciousness to serve the world in the best way possible?

I think this sounds amazing and I respect Enlightennext as an organization and their mission to promote the conscious creation of a better future. I believe the work they are doing is pioneering in the field of spiritual development. They are exploring and teaching on the leading edge.

If this was a long weekend in New York I would have been one of the first people to sign up. But it is 2 weeks in Italy in the middle of the summer and costs over $4,000 so it goes on my list of things I will do when my children are older. It's a long list. But for anyone interested, you can get the details here.


the cover of the latest issue of enlightennext magazine and photo above from everydaymoments.

Gone Gardening

That's where I've been. Enjoying every moment of it.

For the first time, I made the decision to enjoy the process of gardening. Sometimes simply deciding to be, and enjoy being while you're at it, is all it takes. As a result, I have enjoyed even the clearing out, cutting back, raking and weeding that I usually just endure or skim over to get to the fun of arranging new plants in the ground, containers and window boxes. Using the straightforward method of sensory awareness, I brought myself into the present moment by listening to the sounds of birds and my children playing, smelling every herb and flower and feeling the sensations of my hands and wellies in the dirt. I had a moment where I considered that there might not be anything in the world more beautiful than the dark rich color of freshly turned soil ( just high on life, I swear. )

Gardening is truly good for the body, mind and spirit. There's lots to do, there's lots to know and there's lots of opportunities to stop and smell the roses.

Remember that song by Mac Davis? While the rest of us had posters of Donny Osmond in his purple socks on our wall, my sister had Mac Davis. Uh huh. I could not make that up. Anyway, here's some lyrics from his song:

Where you going in such a hurry
Don't you think it's time you realized
There's a whole lot more to life than work and worry
The sweetest things in life are free
And there right before your eyes

You got to Stop and Smell the roses
You've got to count your many blessings everyday

Thought manifests as word.
Word manifests as deed.
Deed develops into habit.
And habit hardens into character.

So watch the thought and its ways with care.
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings.

The Buddha (563?-483? B.C.E.)
Siddhartha Gautama
Indian philosopher and founder of Buddhism
whose birthday is celebrated in East Asia today

"We not Me" print by Christopher Cox at changethethought.com
quote via New Spirituality Network

You know I love her. I've written about her here before and I was so excited that she agreed to be the first beU interview.

Julianne Brenza practiced corporate securities law before taking up the practice of yoga after adopting her third child 9 years ago. This was very fortunate for her students, like me. One of the many things I admire about Julianne is the depth of knowledge about both the anatomical and philosophical aspects of yoga she brings into class to help us evolve our practice and our lives.

Recently she introduced us to the Vedic concept of Gunas, and I was excited to have the opportunity outside of class to learn more about it.

BeU: Tell me about the Gunas.

JB: Guna is a quality.

BeU: Meaning a characteristic?

JB: Exactly. Interchangeable with the concept of characteristic or nature. If you can picture or feel this, it is something that can be reduced no further, it is irreducible. These states, the Gunas, are that which can go no further down. Ultimately, the Gunas are the 3 forms of that which cannot be reduced no further in nature and human nature. In all of matter.

The three Gunas are: Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. So when one describes these, which makes them adjectives, one would say Rajastic, Tamastic and Sattvic.

When something in nature is said to have a lot of Rajas, it has a lot of fire. It’s a masculine quality, high energy. There’s on open, anxious quality to it. It has the quality of change.

Tamas is stagnant. It’s dark, it’s very heavy, depressed. There’s lack of movement as opposed to change. It really is the opposite of Rajas. There’s a decaying quality to Tamas.

Now, the balance of the both, not the absence, which is really cool. The balance is Sattva. The balance of the two. Clarity, lucidity, balance. Sattva is clear energy.

BeU: Do each of these qualities have a spectrum from positive to negative? So when you describe Rajas as anxious, that would be the down side of Rajas energy?

JB: Absolutely. You would say the higher side of Rajas, the upper scale of Rajas.

Think about nature, the seasons. The leaves fall off the trees, they decay which is tamasic, but then the way they feed and nourish the earth is the sattva quality of that.

In a person, someone who is Rajasic is aggressive and can be frenetic. Sometimes to effectuate a goal, you need Rajasic energy. Other times, you need Tamasic energy, time to contemplate where you are and to get perspective. You can't just keep running and running. When you are able to slow down and dilute your Rajasic energy and give a boost to your Tamasic energy, it brings you into your Sattvic state. Everyone’s got a different state, obviously, with a different balance, but it’s all relative. Just as in nature, everyone has their own balance.

In Ayurvedic terms, there’s the personality types called constitutions: pitta, vata, kapha. Pitta is Rajasic - notoriously the leaders, the effectors. Kaphic is typically thought to be tamasic. Taken out of balance, an overly kaphic person can go into depression.

BeU: Right, when you first described Tamasic it sounded entirely negative. I guess a big part of this is acknowledging and appreciating value of the whole spectrum.

JB: Exactly. Too much fire in a room blows the room up. Too much tamas in a room makes it perish and that’s where, when one has a group, in a perfect world, you would hope to have a combination of all characteristics. It's all about balance.

BeU: Since I’m always trying to put things in a box to understand them more clearly, I’m wondering...is the theory that we are innately one or the other, tamas or rajas? Or in different situations or different parts of our lives we tend to default to one or the other?

JB: I guess one can argue they’re one in the same. At different phases of your life, external circumstances bring one state or another. How you react is what your innate characteristic is. There’s where you go when you are imbalanced. Very important point. When you become imbalanced, what happens? Rajasic energy or Tamasic energy? There are also external situations like the weather - is it really hot out? is the air rajasic? The weather changes, your body changes. You become one with your environment.

BeU: When you spoke about this in class you connected it to springtime.

JB: In the yogic cycle, in any cycle, but certainly in yogic, spring is awakening . You’re firing up your rajasic energy. Very often in classes the way to do it is through inversions. So you're taking tamasic energy from the winter (grounding, hoarding, hibernation) and you're turning it upside down in the spring. Very typically, yoga teachers and disciplines will get you on your head. Literally, shake up your energy, let it flow in a different direction. That’s the asana way of doing it. So you have your nature and that which is natural to the environment or season and you have to make that balance.

BeU: And be able to trust that as opposed to rigidly sticking to one way of being all the time.

JB: In our culture it's easy to run faster. For the sattva concept of self acceptance, adding tamas energy to create your own sattva is not inconsequential.

BeU: I love conversations like this that help me appreciate the full spectrum as opposed to wanting to label each part as good or bad, as I was doing initially - this is where you want to be, and this is where you don't want to be. The truth is in the middle. You want balance of the two and the ability to appreciate there is a reason for where you are and that you are working your way back to balance. It reminds me of when I was really into the Myers-Briggs work and thinking in terms of introvert and extrovert. This is another language for people to use to understand and accept themselves and others.

JB: Completely. Particularly as one moves through different stages of life, recognizing what is in your environment and who is in your environment is important. The foods in your environment, the lifestyle. How all of that has perhaps aggravated or overly enhanced your state such that there's an inability to create sattva.

BeU: Do you believe we could get to a point where we are intuitive about it? I get overwhelmed by trying to understand this at an academic level. I'd love to think that I was sensitive enough to get to my own sattva easily.

JB: Resoundingly, yes! It's self regulation. The coolest, most underestimated concept of development in your 40's. But that's another subject. A whole other blog I think! (Laughing) Are you giving yourself the space literally and figuratively to learn to self regulate and to learn what your calibration is? Hopefully the external environment triggers or inspires you to re-balance yourself which is really a beautiful thing.

BeU: It is.

Sometimes I can only identify I've been through a stage, for me it's usually tamasic, until after it's over. It's so helpful to be able to know - I'm in X stage now - and it will balance out. Again, it comes back to not letting myself get to the point where I'm experiencing something as really wrong in my life as opposed to a natural transition. Somehow finding a way to appreciate that. I don't know that your ever going to enjoy it, but to appreciate it for what it is and to anticipate something beneficial coming out on the other side.

JB: Something sattvic. I find there's a comfort in being able to reduce everything, there's a simplicity, it is the law of the universe, the law of nature. I believe people are trying to get to their own balance. Learning what you need to do to get to your own sattva is so exquisite, so wonderful and it's completely achievable, although over a lifetime.

BeU: Sattva itself is never static. So you're always coming in and out.

JB: And that is so cool. It's dynamic. Your sattva at any given moment could be way more rajasic energy than you may have innately. To stay up all night to nurse a sick child. That type of thing. You do it because you do it.

Now I have to go meet a school bus!

BeU: Thanks Julianne!

How can a soap claim to not only clean your hands, but "freshen your conscience and inspire your soul?" Because it is created using the glycerin that is left over from the bio fuel (which powers cars) that's made from the waste grease from the kitchens of Los Angeles restaurants. When further soap is then used in the bathrooms of those restaurants where it originated, it creates a "perfect, sustainable circle."

When human ingenuity is applied in a mindful way to everyday solutions, I get a glimpse into a future that feels so good. It looks and smells good too.

Happy Earth Day

Earth Day was yesterday, I know. In 1970 it was visionary to designate one day of the year but, honestly, in 2009 who would dispute that every day is Earth Day? Not my friend Cynthia Brennan. Last weekend was the opening of her new market, Table, in Bedford Hills, NY.

As a mom, designer, artist and entrepreneur, Cynthia is one of the most talented (and busiest) people I know. I remember when she discovered the food market 2 doors down from her sustainable design shop was closing. She became passionate about the idea of opening a year-round, indoor farmers market to sell organic and/or local, artisanal quality food. It has been a long, uncertain trip up a very steep learning curve, but the result is a wonderful gift to our community.

Cynthia's husband Patrick, an architect, completed the build-out of the space using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification practices, and every interior detail has been thoughtfully and artfully designed by her. The newspaper flowers and glass globe sculpture in the photos demonstrate Cynthia's signature style!

Maybe I should mention that the food is de.li.cious. Executive chef Jonathan Pratt and his team use the seasonal ingredients currently in their inventory to prepared foods for eat in or take out. I cannot recommend Table highly enough for anyone living in the area.

Table was featured today on Martha Stewart's blog.
The photo of the Israeli couscous beet salad is from Martha's post. I have had it several times already and it is amazing.

Cynthia is enabling conscious food choices and for that I say congratulations and thanks!