playlist: short and sweet

"spiritual growth involves giving up the stories of your past so the universe can write a new one."

- marianne williamson -

do you know those days where you get the phone call you don't want to answer, the email that you weren't expecting, the text message that makes your stomach drop to the ground? yeah? me too. 

today may or may not be one of those days. maybe it's the shifting seasons. maybe it's karma. maybe it's the mercury retrograde that just kicked in. and maybe it's just life - ebb and flow, gain and loss, birth and death. change is the only constant, the thing we can absolutely count on. 

i definitely have a love/hate relationship with change (as i'm sure many of you can relate). when it's something i've planned or that i want, i'm all about it. but if it's something unexpected, i'm resistant, stubborn, and full of doubt. so what to do when i'm faced with the latter?

there's a lot of ways to work with these not-so-pretty feelings. i start with intention (of course) and my intention is to transform my uncertainty and fear into something greater, that serves, that uplifts. typically this transformation takes the shape of yoga, music, and journaling. i put together this short & sweet playlist to inspire you (and to remind myself) to embrace change with grace - so unroll your mat, grab your journal and a pen, take a deep breath and let go!

desire to inspire: full moon edition

october's full moon is also known as the hunter's moon - this is the time of year that we are hunting and gathering what we'll need to carry us through the winter months to come. to celebrate this full moon, i've pulled together some inspiration for you to enjoy.

 via // via

along with the full moon, a lunar eclipse will be happening tonight. even though most of us in the states won't be able to see the eclipse, we can still enjoy this gorgeous depiction of a lunar eclipse. or you can snatch up these leggings from etsy for a yoga practice while the moon is rising. bonus - they glow in the dark!

via // via

if glow-in-the-dark leggings aren't you thing, you can still wear a subtle reminder of the eclipse with species by the thousands' elegant cuff. or enjoy the tranquility of this metallic art print during a seated meditation or yin practice.

via // via

maybe you feel a shift in your energy (or sanity) around the full moon - embrace that need for play! i love how many houses in my neighborhood have swings hanging from trees in their front yards and you better believe i'm going to be swinging in the moonlight tonight! wear this super soft tee from soul flower throughout the month to remind you to give in to your inner wild child.

via //via

you can wear this full moon pendant to carry the vibrancy and energy of the full moon when you review your intentions and goals for the month. it's hard to believe that november is right around the corner. now's the time to cut out what hasn't been working and to recommit to any intentions that may have fallen to the side. grab your calendar (or print one out for the month - i've been loving this watercolor image on free people's october calendar all month long. it makes me want to pull out my watercolors and create the night away!) and block out some time for yourself to do what will make your heart shine like the light of the silvery moon!

happy full moon, darling!

tranquility tour love

last night, i had the pleasure of joining kimberly wilson (who was my mentor during teacher training at tranquil space back in '09 and is one of my favorite people ever)and wonderful group of women for a tranquility pop-up event in SW portland. the event was part of the tranquility tour, kimberly's lastest adventure where she and her beau (aka tim mooney) are traveling all over north america to live simply and spread tranquility wherever they go! our evening was full of mindfulness, self-study and sensory indulgences - from lavender oil to chair yoga to tonglen to collage. total bliss!

 creative play + finished product

one of my biggest take-aways was actually a reminder. at the beginning of the year, i stumbled upon the quote "little by little, one travels far." it resonated with me and i've carried it in my back pocket since then. during the wheel of life exercise, kimberly asked us to choose an area that we ranked low in satisfaction and create two action steps to elevate this area by the end of the month. my area that i chose was do-gooding. just as i was about to write down some grand plan to reach out to this organization and that charity and volunteer numerous hours per a week (which to be perfectly honest would not have been reasonable for me right now), kimberly reminded us to keep it simple. she brought me back down to "little by little" and now i have the (much more realistic) action steps of donating some clothes to goodwill and sending out snail mail love to my family.

 kimberly & i (with her dreamcatcher handcrafted by moi and photobomber Tim) + podcast in action

it was so much fun reconnecting with old friends and creating new connections! kimberly and tim still have 7 more stops on the tour (the next one is in the Bay Area and the final one is in my hOMetown of Richmond, VA!) and if they are coming to your town, you should definitely join in the tranquility fun! i also want to give a little shout-out to the lovely luna jaffe who hosted the event last night in her beautiful office - she does some amazing work with creativity and money!

portland pop-up ladies + goody bag & kimberly's new book tranquilologie

all you need are books and tea

in anticipation of the rainy weather to come (and all the time i'll get to spend inside curled up with my kitties and a fuzzy blanket), i thought it would be fun to put together a few book & tea pairings. just like a meal can be elevated with the right wine, nothing goes better with a good read than the perfect cup of tea.

the signature of all things by elizabeth gilbert // no. 40 bonbon herbal infusion by smith tea

like many people, elizabeth gilbert came into my life through her best-selling memoir eat, pray, love and now i'm looking forward to her latest fictional endeavor. the story is set all over the globe and is described as bold and spellbinding which is why smith's bonbon herbal infusion is the perfect companion. the ingredients, which include cinnamon bark from vietnam, pacific northwest peppermint leaves, and pakistani licorice root, come together together in one perfectly charming cup of tea.

awakening shakti by sally kempton // pomegranate raspberry green tea by stash tea company

i've loved mythology ever since i was young. i probably checked out every book on greek mythology from my local library. when i started practicing yoga, a whole new world of gods, goddesses, heroes, and stories opened up to me. sally kempton's book focuses on goddesses, such as lakshmi (who bestows prosperity) and bhuvaneshvari (who creates space for transformation). i'm excited to learn more about these faces of the divine feminine and how they can show up and be brought forth in our every day lives while enjoying an uplifting cup of this fruity green tea.

graceling by kristin cashore // rooibos chai tea by teavana

we all have our guilty pleasures. two of mine are YA fiction and chai lattes. elle recommended this book (along with the other two in the series) and i'm looking forward to diving into the fantasy world of katsa while enjoying a homemade chai latte made with my fave vanilla almond milk.

so now tell me - what are you reading and what lovely libation will you pair with it?

what can we gain by sailing to the moon...?

 

 via

i love creating intention. when i take the time to acknowledge what i want my day/month/life to feel like, it transforms my everyday experience.

today, october 4th, is the new moon (you can find out exactly when the new moon happens where you live by visiting here). every month, the new moon invites us to release what no longer serves, to create what we desire, to renew what we are committed to, and to begin right here, right now. it is a time to plant seeds and make plans, to start a project or release a habit, to choose trust and let love grow.

i'll be settling down to create my dreams for this month and i encourage you to do the same. here are some ideas to help you get dreamy with the new moon.

• set aside some time (try for at least 20-30 minutes) and find a place where you won't be disturbed. gather your journal, favorite pen, and something to sip on (my personal favorite for this time of year). 

 

• dim the lights. light a candle - this boulangerie candle in sweet vanilla cinnamon is what i have at home right now. take a few deep breaths. allow your thoughts to settle. close your eyes. feel the breath move in the body.  

 

• with your eyes still closed, ask yourself what you want to create this month. listen to what bubbles up in the mind. is it a feeling? is it a specific goal? is it something that you want to release? honor and acknowledge whatever comes up for you.

 

• after listening for a few minutes, take pen to paper and write out your intention(s). be as specific as possible. i like to end my list by writing "i accept these things into my life now or something better for my highest good and for the highest good of all concerned."once your list is complete, read it aloud. notice how you feel when you hear you intentions spoken. 

  

• conclude this time by closing your eyes, taking a few more deep breaths, and giving thanks. when you're ready, blow out your candle and choose what you want to do with your list of intentions. i keep my journal bedside so i can read through my list daily. maybe you take your list and post it on the bathroom mirror. maybe you place your list in a special place on your desk where it won't be disturbed.

throughout the month, notice how your intentions impact your experience. and don't forget to mark your calendar for the next new moon on november 3rd!