YogaMar

Springtime

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 20:34:00 -0500

Springtime

4.29.22

Oh the long and dreay winter

Makes me feel a little bitter

I wait for blue skies and green everywhere

Buds aplenty nothing bare

Then it finally starts to happen

Shapes colors sounds, leaves are Kraken

It gives me great joy every time

As the season flows, divine

Messy dandelions pout and flare

I basically just don't even care.

Will wait for seeds to fly

mow stems down by the by

Time to think of pools and sun

Time to hear the rooster run

Snakes lay low in thick jade grass

Ants work hard on homes of glass

Bird are cackling, chirping, calling

Dead pieces of last year finally falling

Now is time to run and play

Before scalding summer sun does slay

Will always treasure this annual show

Soaking up the windy glow

Even though my nose says no

I'll sniff the lily of the valley

Of each bloom make mental talley

Nature's display IS forever fresh

So winter I will tolerate you

Only because you give great hue

To life rebounding clean and new.

Your Authentic Tribe: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience in April of 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Wed, 6 Apr 2022 16:59:00 -0500

Greetings!

My last writing found us just before an epic journey. I thought my journey would be to Costa Rica in March of 2020. Instead, we plunged into a worldwide pandemic of epic proportions, and ripples, and consequences. That said, we held the course. We homeschooled. We pickleballed. We masked. We vaccinated. We endured. And in March of 2022, the retreat which had been in my mind eye since early 2019, finally came to fruition, blossomed so beautifully, and has already dropped to the jungle floor, it's roots churning down, it's nutrients recycling, and hence, a new retreat has already sent up a tender shoot toward the sun. Here are the details. We still have room for folks to join us, yes us, this time I'm leading with a dear friend.

WHO: YOU (and friends, or family, or just wonderful YOU!)

WHAT: An amazing yoga retreat and vacation to the lovely laid back, serene Tierra del Suenos retreat center just across from Playa Chiquita, East Coast, Costa Rica, south of Puerto Viejo and north of Punta Uva, truly one of the most lovely places on earth.

WHERE: Your hometown, flying to San Jose, then a quick flight or shuttle across the country to the east to Tierra Del Suenos.

WHEN: April 9-16, 2023

WHY: Because we all deserve to find our Authentic Tribe, through self discovery, through adventure, through challenges, and through the triumph that comes with being yourself, and finding those that love and accept that true self, no matter what. Life can be isolating, pandemics can be isolating, and so in this experience, we will figure out how we relate to others, how we can find our tribe in a grateful and honest way, and how we can SHINE BRIGHT!

HOW:

Go to the link on Kat's Link Tree on the previous page and get signed up! Cost is $1650 through Square and that includes lodging based on double occupancy, all delicious mostly vegetarian meals, and all yoga classes (typically 2 per day, one more active, one more reflective) led by Kat and Jenn on alternating days. The chakra energy concept will be used as a framework to guide our weeklong journey of gratitude and self-wisdom. This does not include airfare to Costa Rica, optional excursions, or shuttle/flight from San Jose.

Questions, Comments, concerns? Please email Kat at : yogamar.connect@gmail.com

Namaste,

Kat Tomlin & Jenn Van Campen

2020: Find your vision

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 13:43:00 -0600

Almost March of 2020 and some time has gone by since my last post. I have become pretty involved with the pickleball world, which has created a new joy in my life. We have traveled and I have grown as an athlete and person as I attend clinics and tournaments and I took a course to become a certified coach as well, which is pretty awesome!

On the yoga front things have continued to evolve. In 2019, I added hot yoga to my class schedule,and enjoy teaching a warm flow. I also added a Pilates certification and although I do not teach that right now, I do find that it has contributed to my thoughts as a yoga teacher related to the core and how extremely important it is for lifelong balance and health. I continue to teach three other places and have found my niche between motherhood and yoga, teaching around 5 classes a week. As Spring heads our way, I am looking forward to sunshine and action. I sit here typing this on a rainy Monday, but I am dreaming of our yoga retreat in just a few weeks. Costa Rica beckons and I know it will not disappoint us with it's rich culture, biodiversity and climate. Our theme for this year is Choose Joy, and I know that will be unique to each of the amazing ladies that is attending. As I sit hear mentally formulating and creating our retreat guide, I cannot help but think that Joy is within us, if only we are willing to explore the best way to cultivate it.

So as we plug ahead in 2020, my vision as a human and teacher continues to grow. Life is fun, because something new is often just around the corner. Keep finding your mat, and keep exploring your joy. You deserve that. Life is short, and precious.

Namaste,
Kat

Eastside

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 15:31:00 -0600

Once again, I have let some time go by on this blog! Life as a busy mom of two, with my Perfectly Posh job plus teaching yoga three places has kept me busy! I became a dog mom about a year ago as well, and Roxie the Australian Shepherd is my third child! I currently teach an all levels flow, a gentle yin yoga, and a basic yoga less often.

Two of my biggest life changes in terms of fitness have been starting up pickleball about one year ago, and weight lifting about 6 months ago. I have seen some pretty substantial changes in my fitness and strength. I don't see myself ever competing in weight lifting, but I'm hopefully I'll continue to improve my range and weight level. I'm excited to start competing here and there with my pickleball game. After all, it's a lifelong sport!

What sort of topics would you like to see on this blog? Hope you are all doing well!! As always, make sure you are following your BLISS!

Namaste!
Kat

Summer Sparkler!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 20:21:00 -0500

Wow! It's been a while since I've visited Blog-Landia. Are you still out there my friends?? Now I'm a mom times two!! Can you believe that? Life really does go faster every year and even faster with my busy boys! The last time I posted, for me, feels like it wasn't that long ago, but at the time I was still expecting baby two. Well, he came with a loud roar into this crazy world and he has been a great addition to our family and life. It has been fun to watch the boys grow together this year, and now we are on the verge of an entirely new chapter: Kindergarten and PDO! Clay starts this week and I think we are both really ready. I don't know exactly what all lies ahead, but I have high hopes that the experience of school is going to be a great one for him!! I'll also be placing our little guy Everett into a PDO program a couple times a week. Over this year, I have learned something important. I need to make time for ME too, (and it is good for children to be away from their mother). Not just a few moments here and there between naps and loads of laundry. I need actual set time to be alone, but also to focus on something besides being a mom. Being a stay-at-home-mom (and a parent in general) in and of itself is amazing and sacrificing and beautiful and fun, but it's just not enough for me at this point in my life to have that as my only focus. I need my own career, my own story, my own flow of energy as I move through this life and this world. I have always kept yoga dear as well, but that is something that so far has been a somewhat compartmentalized experience as a stay at home mom. I cannot often get away from the hustle and bustle to a quite and steady yoga place, but I hope to grow in this area as well as I move forward.

This past fall with a newborn baby, I took a small leap that would end up as a paradigm shift in my life. I asked for some fun Perfectly Posh samples from a fellow mom in our August Moms group (we all had babies due around the same time) after she offered them up to our tribe. The samples came, I don't really remember the exact moment too well. But I recall thinking about the mask she had sent, and giving it a try, and realizing that it was really fun to do something new and different and it made me feel good to stop and for once only think about me, not the baby, not the 5 year old, not the hubby or the cooking and cleaning and the schedule and what's for dinner. Just moi. I didn't love every single item, but a couple of them were so fun and effective that I wanted more. And so I purchased a few things, and they came and I do remember that moment, of trying out my fun new Posh, and realizing it was bringing actual joy into my life to take a moment to smell my citrus hand creme and wash my face and feel so fresh and clean with the aroma of my Porefect Chunk clearing the air and my skin and my mind. I realized that Posh is not that different than yoga in some ways. It emphasizes an exploration the present moment. You have to be present to apply the charcoal mask, you can't help but breathe in the spearmint deliciousness as a tingle spreads across your face and your soul. So moving forward on this blog, I will be connecting Posh to some of my yoga philosophies and ideas. Because to be honest, Perfectly Posh has helped me realize several things about myself, just like yoga has for many years. I have a lot of talents. I know that I am an intelligent woman with diverse skills and I have found a company and a job that let's me be with my children during their young and precious years, but also lets me explore the world, build new friendships and my own new business skills and ideas and discussions and plans. So stay tuned friends, because this is going to be another fun journey with yours truly! Thank you for your support!

Namaste,
Kat

https://KatTomlin.po.sh

Too...

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Sun, 15 May 2016 22:16:00 -0500

So many thoughts running through my head, so little blog writing since November! Which was around the time I starting cooking up baby boy #2!! January and February were less than delightful, but summer is here and my flowers are back and life is looking oh so lovely again, most of the time. He's growing and doing well and so am I, and for some reason lately lots of thoughts about mommyhood have been coursing through my brain, I wonder why ;)... perhaps the hormones are coursing as well?

I even considered the idea of a mommy blog, but let's face it I'm about to have TWO young boys to care for (as well as you know, 4 cats, a tank full of fish, 3 acres of garden, 110 acres of farm etc etc) so I will work on keeping it simple for now. I've realized of course, motherhood affects yoga! So this is still relevant to yoga, but for a while my posts may diverge here and there into tangential life topics, hopefully you can find a way to relate. I've continued to teach some gentle yoga, but as I enter trimester three I am paring back, and I hope to start taking a weekly class myself just to work on my inner mental landscape and not to mention a little nice stretching and resting, as my exterior physical landscape is changing and morphing by leaps and bounds each day. My blood volume is gargantuan, so is my appetite, and I'm getting kicked and explored from the inside of my abdomen on a daily basis, this is not for the faint of heart! I love you little one!! I've noticed that you seem to be rather feisty on the fetal motion front. I wonder if your personality is going to match, mellow is fine by me as well for the record. Two feisty boys may push us parents to our limits, but I know I will handle whatever happens.

During my last pregnancy, I met my doula-to-be at prenatal yoga through a strange twist of fate. My doula was supposed to be someone else, but with a health issue suddenly arising there, my doula ended up being the perfect person to help us welcome our first son into the world. Sadly that doula is no longer practicing, but I understand and will welcome the help of my doula from before, barring any catastropes, which almost anything appears to be when you are 38 or more weeks pregnant! Another little soul to nourish and care for, a consuming task so I am relishing my bits of personal freedom this summer as my son attends his preschool and a summer camp. I feel mostly ready for the baby, but I'm looking forward to a bit of down time to reflect on life and prepare for our growing family to add an entirely new member. I've greatly enjoyed our dear family of three over the last 4
+ years, but I believe our family of 4 will create a circle of love that is even bigger and better. Just today my son boxed up a prized fan of his, and said it was a present for the baby. What a sweetheart. I'm amazed by his growth this year, and so proud of him, I know it will be some adjusting for us all, but we'll handle it and we'll grow together through this new experience.

Perhaps in yoga, just like in life, we have large shifts in our thinking, in our viewpoint, in our freedom to explore the self and to simply breathe. At times, we can feel that we are barely treading water in our yoga practice, we are frustrated, tired, and overwhelmed. And then those moments of clarity burst forth, where we sense the energy around us, the love, and the peace that exist if we can clear out the monkey mind long enough to perceive it and let everything go. My hope as I have another child to care for is that I can overlook the day to day stresses and focus on the sheer joyful experience of having a baby and a preschooler to love and care for, and I can continue to also make room in life for yoga here and there. I know I will make the space where I can, and it will be good, very very good.

Namaste,
Mama Kat

These are a few of my favorite things.

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 21:33:00 -0600

Another holiday season is upon us. I find myself thinking about how to simplify, but also how to make it special and memorable. I'm planning on getting a real Christmas tree this year, it will be the first time I am the adult making this happen. Cool. I did just read the other day, keep in mind a holiday is just one day out of the year, each day is special in it's own way, and I do agree with this world view. This time of year, I start to reflect a little, looking back at the ups and downs of the year that is closing down. I've been on a bit of a health journey this year after feeling extremely fatigued this past spring. In fact, I came down with a bad tummy bug that almost made me pass out cold on the bathroom floor. That scared me. After checking in with my doctor for a physical, I found out I have a decent case of iron deficiency anemia. I had no idea how common it is, and felt foolish for not taking more iron into my body for the last five years of high need time, although I do eat a pretty healthy and varied diet so I also felt surprise. I feel like this has been going on for a while under the surface, and it was great to get the knowledge that I can do something about it and hopefully gain back energy I have been missing.

Long story short, taking iron has not totally corrected things yet (but it has helped some), so I find myself realizing I can't just take the easy way by popping an iron pill, it's not working. So I have been pouring over articles and we've ruled out a few things, it appears for some reason I'm not absorbing/retaining iron all that well, so I am upping my vitamin C and my natural iron sources from diet and will up my iron supplement a little bit as well. Did you know oysters, mussels, parsely, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate and black strap molasses are rich in iron? Also spinach, prunes, black beans, lentils and iron skillets. They're all in my plans although to some extent they have always been there. I might draw the line at liver. Ugh :) The topic of health makes me realize how lucky I am that I have a treatable and relatively mild condition and access to good health care. I think back over my life and the moments (or months) where a friend or coworker or family member dealt with something so much more difficult. And so I feel thankful. In that spirit, here are a few of my favorite things from 2015.

Watching Clay play by the ocean on his first ever visit to see it. He seemed to prefer sand over surf but got in the water a little bit, and it was a lovely chance to take the sun in during gloomy February. We also met our nephew Rowan for the first time so it was fun to watch the cousins play.

Picking out four baby chicks to care for and raise. It has been a fun journey and now we have our own eggs. Alice, Marigold, Moonflower & Willie and their hilarious antics have been a unique addition to country life.

MOPS- A cool time to meet, eat, and learn and reflect on key life issues with other moms. Pretty awesome!

Teaching yoga to tots at the KC ZOO. Lots of fun visits with the little man to see such a variety of animals. My mom was able to come several times so we definitely got our steps in!!

Running a 5km race while pushing the little guy up and down the numerous hills of Watkins Mill State Park. I was exhausted (*see anemia above ha*) but it was exhilarating to finish the race up a hill, and then rest!

Driving up to Pikes Peak, watching the big horn sheep frolic, enjoying Garden of the Gods, Estes Park, and RMNP with Ed and Clay.

Stand Up Paddleboarding for the first time ever with three of my lifelong girlfriends. Amazing. Splash, climb, repeat. Foot burn to the extreme, in such a good way.

Watching a bona fide bagpipe player share his talent on the front porch of Breath Deep. Experiencing and guiding yoga there has been such a great flow, and I love the healthful facet this lovely place has added to Kearney.

Reading the Outlander series. Such a great and epic story. Still going but on the last book, not exactly sure when I began but I'm sure I'll get more sleep when it's over. Life changing.

I wish you happy "holi-days" but also happy every-days!
Namaste,
Kat

FOMO problems, yo I'll solve it!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:59:00 -0500

Do you ever have fear of missing out (FOMO)? Like life is really happening and you're not a part of it?? So maybe that's why you check twitter or watch the pathetic local news (it really is just reekingly poor content), or check into facebook way too often. I'm sure I have FOMO. I admit it. Not sure why but does it really matter? The HUGE and obvious irony here is that by perusing such things, we are actually MISSING out on real life. I stumbled upon a web page recently and suddenly something clicked, I am on facebook too much, doh! I feel like I should give it a shout out. He's a little extreme. But hey, so is life.
http://zenhabits.net/ Rawr!

What in my life would be better if I wasn't sopping up moments staring at stupid stuff? So... I'm taking a week off. You can do it too, here's how if you are addicted to facebook like me. Go to password change and make up a crazy hard password that you write down somewhere and will never remember otherwise. Now, put the password somewhere that's kinda hard to get to. IF FOMO kicks in, just relax and do yoga or breathe for 5 minutes instead of getting the password. We didn't have facebook 10 years ago, it will be okay. This is as much for me as you people lol. If someone desperately needs to find you or me, they will, hopefully they are not the gestapo. Maybe it's just social isolation that makes me like facebook, I'm not sure. Being a stay at home parent can be a touch lonely, but there are ways to shore it up!

A few things I would like to work on during this week (or perhaps more?) while I'm out of the face space: getting up a little earlier so I can get some yoga in before anyone else is awake (well, before my tot is awake anyway, my Roo man is up sooo early crowing). Cook more better and eat a bigger breakfast. Lately I am starving by lunchy time, I think it's because I've been adding a touch of running to my schedule. Literally I am hangry in your face cannot function starving and feeling faint by 11:30am. I recently found out I have a tiny touch of anemia and I also blame this for my new starvation feelings, I think my body is working really hard to up my blood and muscles back to normal now that I am channeling my inner iron goddess and focusing on taking a supplement and also working in all foods iron-rich: red meat, spinach, bitter herbs and vitamin C to increase absorption, you name it I've been reading about it. Any tips for me if you have been there? Did you know about 10% of women of child bearing age are anemic? Damn. Take some iron ladies, it's good for us!! Of course, don't overdose. That's bad for us. A nice multivitamin with iron will suffice if you're not sure but by all means ask your doc to check if you are feeling fatigued, that's what I did and lo and behold, my ferritin was pathetic. I am now thinking that it's been that way for a few years. Oops.

Once I get that normal, I'm shooting for a few running goals. Nothing otherworldly. Just a 5km run in September and October, I would be happy with 12 minute miles in September and 11 minute miles in October. I think I can really get into better shape once the tot is back to preschool in late August. But honestly I can exercise some in July/August as well, he does well in the jogging stroller and all the more reason to get out of the house while it's cool in the morning.

Another task...I want to work on general house clutter. Hosting the 4th of July is a good reason to clear out the major rooms, but I even want to tackle the storage basement...dum da dum dum dum. We'll see how she goes! I should really do some before and after shots and show you guys. I just need to donate some stuff and trash some stuff and maybe even BURN some stuff (sensitive documents) yes I am a secret agent, okay?? Shhh... My inner chemist is happy with that one! It's not outside the realm of possibility, my hubby has a burn barrel and we live in the country, two strikes in my favor. We have never done it but both aspire to it. Other goals for the week, be more present with my dear tot and do some fun projects, and also keep him away from screens. We don't have a lot of screen toys like smart phones or iPads but he loves this Canadian guy on youtube named Bill and I'm quite sure his dose of Bill per week is too high. I KNOW my dose is too high.

Anywhoo, will try to check back in this week and keep ya posted here on the blog. I might even take some live film of my chickens!! I know everyone would want to see that right? They are a hoot, I mean, a bock really. They are hilarious!! How does this tie into yoga? Well maybe I will have a little extra time to focus on some zingy yoga class stuff for Wednesdays at Breathe Deep, not to mention I want to work on music a little bit too. I can already feel the facebook section of my brain morphing out a bit. I did this last summer too, that was a week of vacation but this is sort of feeling very freeing as well. Let's release the fear and find something else. JOJI? (Joy of Jumping In?)

Namaste,
Kat

Dear DAD

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 13:09:00 -0500

Just about 6 years ago, my dear dad passed away suddenly at the age of 68. We had no chance to say goodbye. So I tend to get a little sad this time of year. This was before I had a dear tot of my own. This year we are working (my mom really is doing it) on getting a bench put in at Anneberg park in Manhattan in his memory. We have been looking through some old emails and remembering his funny, thoughtful, scientific, at times silly, humble, grinning and joking ways. My family was fond of walking or running there at the park, and we spent a lot of time there with soccer and other events.

As a parent now, I feel like I really understand my dad even more than I used to, and I see how selfless he was with his time and spirit in both his work and his family life, spending time with each of us 5 children in special ways. I am so grateful for his wonderful supportive presence in my life. So, here's something I thought I would share that is sad but true. I never got to give my dad his last father's day card. It was there on my fridge, written in and sealed up on the day he died, June 19th, 2009. So if you have a dad out there and he's a good dad, show him and tell how much you love him this father's day and share your gratitude for him, with him. The crazy part of life is, you don't really know in life when you will get a chance to do that, and so I'm going to make up a yoga quote. "Seize the present moment to share love and happiness with those people that have cared for you for so long, recognize the deep love in them, and bow to them."

Namaste,

Kat

Talk what you want to walk.

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 22:13:00 -0500

In life, there is a lot that can get to us and affect us and stay with us. Work, home, relationships, and even random moments can all shift our days and weeks up, or down. How we frame events, interactions, and experiences can make a big difference in the flow of our days and how we feel overall. A big component of this basic sense of self is all about how we talk to ourselves in our own minds.

Where and how does this voice get formed? I think a lot of it comes from genetics, childhood and our parents, but also from our major life experiences. Now that I'm raising my own child, I want that voice that I am sharing to be a strong and steady one. Its a fine line to walk between teaching a natural awareness of the world, to being a afraid of fearful or negative about it.

So how do we most effectively shape our voice for ourselves and our children (or friends and family) for the positive? We must start with ourselves. We need to identify our "triggers" or those areas which can have a strong impact our our own souls. Framing these with a positive angle will lead to a relaxing and happier outlook. I strongly believe keeping a feeling of gratitude is a component of how we function well. To head out to work or to a task with the view, "I'm a lucky person today because..." is far more soothing than "Now I HAVE to...". It can be hard to practice this, but over time it can become more accessible and create an entirely new frame to each day and each task.

For example, tomorrow I have some trees to plant. Quite a few. I know myself, and my mind can sometimes tend toward worry. Will the seedlings be okay overnight? Are they too wet or too dry? Will I be able to get them all planted in the free time that I have? What will happen once they are planted? But if I can seek rephrasing and refocus, the work becomes a joy. Tomorrow will be a nice day to be outside in the fresh air. I get the chance to work with my hands and shovel and create a beautiful and lasting wall of trees that perhaps someone someday will look upon and thank the planter. These trees will give wildlife homes, the planet oxygen, and create lovely shade on hot days. Then I feel at peace. And thankful that I have the ability to do something like that. And excited for the journey of the trees. I know not every plant will make it, I've learned that lesson many times over in my days of gardening. But that is okay. I will adapt, create room for something else. And that will be a another nice moment.

Speak kindly to yourself. The energy around this talk will echo in many directions.

Namaste,
Kat

Quiz about Your Tendencies

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 2 Feb 2015 10:32:00 -0600

I like the author of this quiz, she wrote the Happiness Project and has a new book out. See if Gretchin Rubin's quiz helps how you see yourself!

http://www.gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2015/01/ta-da-the-launch-of-my-quiz-on-the-four-tendencies-learn-about-yourself/

No need to stumble to be humble.

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Sun, 1 Feb 2015 22:38:00 -0600

What is humility? In its true form, it's amazing. When I chance across it in everyday life I feel a sparkle settle over my spirit which is energizing and delightful. Self-deprecating friend. Endearing one. Humble fellow human. The opposite of ego. I am so honored when I encounter humility. I am awed. I am inspired. How do each of us encourage humility without becoming a trampling block? Without falsely letting go of our very true and real strengths?

We can do so in a way that makes me think of my dear friend, the Dalai Lama. No we have not met but I guess I see us as "kindred spirits" of sorts, perhaps that is not humble. I will simply say I am his admirer. He has a term that he likes to use and he calls it "warm-heartedness". I think humility is often practiced when we put on our warm heartedness like a cozy vest. Think of it as a thinking cap, but one of social form rather than an internal mental aid. When we are humble, we are often thinking of others in a kind and respectful way, and not overly focusing on the self. We are allowing ourselves to have a sense of humor about our self and this comes across and truly is a generous and pleasant way to live. It's essentially... LETTING GO OF EXPECTATIONS! One cornerstone of a natural and fulfilling yoga practice. Not simple or easy to obtain, I think the old adage that pride goeth before a fall could also be stated in this way: "experience preceeds humility." When we let go of a false inflated sense of self, we reveal a happier, more grateful soul that is much more comfortable to live with and within. So, let go. Release pride, no need to fall. Simply throw on a humble mien like a comfy old blanket and settle in this place. I think you and I will find it to be such a delightful niche in which to perch and interact with the world around. I certainly aspire to this humble place. Perhaps a humble home is the best one of all.

Namaste,
Kat

Release the Regrets!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 21:12:00 -0600

The concept of guilt has been rolling around in my head recently. It seems to me that too much of our brief human experience is spent on things like guilt and regret. I find this very sad and energy crushing. Lately I've been seeking to lighten my earthly load of material possessions, and maybe at the same time streamline my inner mental landscape. We have all struggled with negative feelings at times, but where does it get us?

Of course our past shapes each of us into the person we are today and affects the choices we make as we move forward. But should we dwell on the concept that we are inherently bad, or wrong or somehow always going to be full of fault? I don't think so. I think this concept of attaining a higher and happier state was in my mind before I began to connect with yoga, but through my practice I have come to realize that the present is so much more of a healthy place to be. The past is exactly that, what has already happened. We learn and grow and live out our present due to the actions and experiences of the past, but are we forever locked to that era? I don't think so. I think we must build the strength of spirit to rise above whatever haunts us.

How? That's hard. It's not necessarily going to be something your neighbor or friend (or foe) always encourages, but maybe that says more about them than it does about you. We must also try to release the power of others to determine our worth. Life feels shorter to me every day, not simply because I am getting a wee bit older, but maybe because I look around to my family and friends and see how fast the dear little children are growing. My own childhood is preserved happily in my mind and seems endless in a way, but now I realize more and more how fleeting the short, and hopefully sweet, years of life really are for each of us. Maybe a factor has been seeing so many friends and family (both young and old) go through a battle with cancer. What if we can choose to live each day full of gratitude and happiness rather than remorse or nostalgia? Then this experience we call life takes on a depth and glow so much stronger than the shadows and darkness. We all experience both highs and lows in this life. How we handle and cope and overcome the lows leads to a life outlook that will either ensure a sunny walk, or guarantee a gloomy one.

This is not to say that at times we won't need a friend or wise counsel to guide us, but I wholly believe that each of us has an inner fire and strength than can only be tapped into through purposeful pursuit of our own mental and emotional power. With this passion, people like Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, Mother Teresa and many, many more have enacted so much good in this world. So, please, release the weight of pain you are carrying, however you can. This might include journaling, setting intentions, religion, yoga, meditation, or something else. Find your fire and burn a blazing trail of good through your life and this world, however you can. I salute you and would love to hear how you are doing it.

Namaste,
Kat

Mind mimics matter mostly!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:03:00 -0600

Have you ever noticed that it's easier to relax in a nice clean ordered space? Maybe that's why it's nice to do yoga or work out in a gym or studio where the surrounds are hopefully clean and pleasant. Relatively at least to the giant "corn harvest" operation that a certain talented tot has going on in my fireplace room. The point here is that when the space around me cluttered, it interferes with my internal compass, plans, plots, and desires. I lose sight of my goal or intentions because suddenly I start to move helter-skelter around the house, collecting flotsam and jetsam and attempting to return everything to it's place in my very own wide Sargasso sea.

I do this knowing full well that it will get moved around again oh so very soon as the cycles of stuff occur. There's the clothes cycle: wear, wash, store, repeat. The pet cycle: feed, water, clean up messes, groom, repeat. The toys cycle: sort into wonderfully labeled bins, get mixed around on the floor, return to bins, eventually return to large storage dump or bag and someday be sorted again, maybe. Lately I've worked on and found success in pre-planning some of the organization. I'm thinking ahead a bit to tomorrow so that once I get there, I'm pretty much ready. That allows today to fill in nicely as well.

I'm also spot-organizing. If I have a place in the house that has backed up, I'm tackling that in small chunks at a a time. Closets are a good place for me to start, because sometimes the house looks good, but the closets don't. One of the main issues of "matter" for me is knowing what can actually fit in a space. I want to be too efficient, always. I want to super fill the dishwasher, washer, closet, bead storage box etc. Something I really have to step back and realize is that if something is too full (a closet, drawer, shelf, etc), it's never really going to be a good functional space. I have to pare down before I can align. Hey, that sounds suspiciously like yoga. Or meditation. I'm definitely in love with yoga, and I'm in like with meditation. I don't honestly think you can have yoga without some meditation, although I do think meditation can stand alone if need be. But why?? :) Seriously.

An old and good friend of mine Emily has started a blog recently on habit formation.

http://www.habitformation.com/

I am really enjoying the analytical way that her lawyer mind works to get across the information. I'm not sure I get information across in quite the same way, although I do feel that I too am logical. :) Just in a quirky chemist teacher yoga Kat way. Anyhoo, she talks in one post about how thoughts work in her mind and I think she is sharing what many of us have. The "monkey mind". Many thoughts, much excitement, past and future, emotion and logic all swirling around in there. I'm going to get this book soon from the library:

http://www.amazon.com/Meditation-Beginners-Jack-Kornfield/dp/1591799422

I'm hoping Emily will join me in a little meditation challenge. 5 minutes a day for the next month! Will you do it Emily? :) A cross blog challenge. I will accept a challenge as well from you, should you chose to throw one out there. I am interested in the Paleo diet and I have already been inspired to incorporate a few paleo-esk changes to my diet, particularly more fruits/veggies and less grains at least and also keep healthy protein high. I am also curious if you feel that your surroundings might affect your inner habit formation as well? I do feel there is a strong connection for many of us.

Namaste all,
Kat

20-15 in 2015.

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Fri, 9 Jan 2015 22:19:00 -0600

Hello friends. Congratulations on another turn around the sun. We find ourselves in a brand spanking new year! Woo. 2015 has a nice ring to it. 2014 for better or worse, is g-o-n-e. My powerful grandmother was born in 1914 and is 100 now, what a life she has led and what a variety of changes each new year has brought to our world. But that is the pastward thinking a tad, as you know, we yogis have to always work on and in the present as best we can. The present for me is alive with scintillating possibilities as we turn the page to another chapter of life.

At the dawn of each year, many of us have high hopes of newness and fun and freshness in our lives. We might make a long or short list of intentions, or join a gym, take a class... something to kick start a new leaf turning. But, how does real and lasting change occur in our lives? It's not just one method, so we have to experiment a bit. I believe it starts with being intentional, and also with recognizing our true priorities. What we really value and prioritize, we will achieve. In addition, I believe that in order to gain something new, we MUST create the space for it. I mean this actually in a literal way. I believe that the energy of the space around us affects our ability to plan and prioritize our goals. So for me, this year is going to be about letting go(!) gasp, another yoga philosophy. I've already made a decent start with some uncluttering and organizing. I have a way to go, but I know I will get there. I think for all of us letting go successfully requires the process of actively detaching memories and emotions from the excess of physical objects in our space. In addition, it means being flexible in accepting that this process will take time and energy, but will ultimately be very worthwhile. A couple pithy tips from my recent reading on the subject: Don't touch the items of sentimental value too much (or wear gloves if you're like me and don't have a personal assistant!). For those really important items, take a photo so you will still have a digital keepsake, and back it up on google or a spare hard drive.

Another goal is often exercise. My recommendation here? Join a class and stick with it for at least a few months. As a group exercise instructor of a yoga class with a small but steady weekly following, you notice things. I always see the greatest growth in those with the discipline and follow through to make a commitment to the practice. Of course life can get in the way at times, but when you have a group that is social and supportive, amazing things can happen. It truly is a fun and nurturing space. In addition, these past few months I have found the energy (and time) to re-commit myself to exercise for myself not just as a teacher but also as an individual. When you teach, you are giving of yourself, you are flowing energy into others. When you take a class, you are investing simply in yourself. It's a wonderful experience for me to do both. I also at times enjoy the solitary focus of a personal exercise practice. For me this can be yoga and can also be walking/jogging/cycling/swimming. What matters is that I am in tune with my breath and my energy and I am patient with myself. This involves keeping the present very supportive and kind (and REAL) rather than dwelling on high school races in which I was oh so much faster (and younger!) than I am these days. 35 minus the 20 oh my to realize how young we were! I'm sure my grandma really feels that way too. A lovely space for me is the new yoga studio here. The energy is so good. I hope you too can find a variety of healthy places and spaces in your life this year.

In this new year, I am excited for another dance around the sun. We have some travel planned and that warms my heart oh so nicely. The world is always alive with possibilities. I believe this is a philosophy or life outlook that keeps me happy and moving with joy. I don't know exactly what is around the corner, but I am eager to find out. Cultivating life (on the mat or in the garden or my little tot) keeps me excited to see what leaves will naturally unfurl themselves, without too much effort, perhaps just a touch of water and sun. Effortless grace is around us, if only we have the mindset to absorb the beauty that is.

Namaste and Happy 2015!
Kat

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 09:49:00 -0600

Do you want to start a daily yoga routine, but need a little help sticking with it? Here it is! I will create a daily yoga plan for you for a certain length of time that you decide: 15 min, 30 min, or 1 hour. I will mail out your plan along with the chart above to help you keep on track. Simply place the chart and stickers somewhere that you will see them every day, as a reminder to get your daily dose of stretch, strength and breath. Watch your progress as you place a sticker every day that you follow through with your practice. Chart is for 3 months, if you want multiple routines that's a possibility as well. Message me for more info! Thanks, Kat

Yoga for You for the Long Run.

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 23:41:00 -0600

I've been thinking this year off and on about yoga and injuries and how they happen and how to prevent them. I read a book, "The Science of Yoga" which is pretty preoccupied with potential problems, maybe too much, but it does make a few good points. From day one of my teacher trainings I have been concerned with the topic of doing no harm (to myself or others of course). In some ways, you are opening yourself up when you take or teach a yoga class. Opening up to a wonderful potential benefit, but also like most things worth doing, there is some risk. You have to be willing to ignore your ego, which even with a lot of practice is hard. So where does that lead? When a class gets overwhelming, consider going to child's pose balansana where the only plan is to let go. Are you a quitter? Nope. Are you weak? Nope. Are you sullen, angry, or unwilling to participate? Nope nope nope. You are simply protecting yourself, listening to your body, and letting go of expectations, of yourself of others, and of others of yourself. It's a good idea to keep this in mind especially when taking a new class, or taking an advanced class. Ideally, you are safe in a yoga class but things can go awry on occasion. Your ego takes over (or maybe the teacher's ego), you want the teacher to be proud, you want to show 'em what you've got. The teacher may also not be aware of your specific situation, specific areas of concern, or overall fitness and flexibility level. Sadly these factors will get you nowhere, but perhaps to an injury. As your practice develops and you test poses out in classes and on your own, you will better understand your own body mechanics, strengths, and also weaknesses. In yoga as in life, it takes a setting aside of fear to get out there and get moving, to grow and learn and improve. There will always be setbacks, but in fact these are powerful learning tools which shift your course, and lead an outstanding, satisfying and wonderful experience. I plan on doing yoga for the Long Run, and so I have to remind myself as well how to pace out this marathon we call life. Namaste,

Kat

Updated Yoga Options

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Wed, 5 Nov 2014 09:03:00 -0600

Just a reminder of your updated yoga class and other options. The written plan option at the bottom is great for those that prefer to do a practice daily on your own. It includes a chart mailed to you to help keep you accountable to yourself! There are a variety of other options for group and personalized yoga. These all make great birthday or holiday gifts for a loved one! Contact me with any questions. Thanks,

Kat Marchin-Tomlin

RYT-200

Yoga Teaching Schedule and other training options:

THURSDAYS - 6:45 - 7:45pm @ Anytime Fitness in Kearney, MO (1st class each month is basic stretch)

SATURDAYS - Stay tuned for a morning class that rotates several instructors including yours truly!

ANY TIME - By Appointment (see below for details)

Personal Yoga Training:

Intro Personal Yoga Training Package: $90

Free 30 minute Background session – review your specific goals/intentions so we can tailor the classes to you.
Three 1 hour yoga sessions at Anytime Fitness
Split with a friend or family member for 10 dollars more

Regular Personal Yoga Training Sessions: $40

1 hour yoga class at Anytime Fitness
Split with 1+ friends for 10 dollars more

In-home Yoga Training Sessions: $50

1 hour yoga class in your home
Split with 1+ friends for 10 dollars more

Personalized Yoga Class - Written Plan

I will create a personalized written yoga sequence for you based on your expressed areas of focus. A 3-month chart with stickers is included to keep you on track daily. Prior knowledge of yoga required. I will mail this out to you once I receive payment. Cost relates to length of class written, 15 min - $15, 30 min - $25, 1 hr. - $50.

A Mini-Yoga Challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Tue, 5 Aug 2014 22:08:00 -0500

Are you feeling down? In need some self-care? Consider "mini-yoga". Yep I just made up that term!!

What a great way to nurture your body, and of course, your mind. It doesn't have to be a giant time commitment, but it does need to be consistent. Aim for JUST 5 minutes a day for ONE week, starting now! Do 1 minute cow cat, 2 minutes of sun salutations, and 2 minutes of savasana (relaxation). Let me know right here on this post how it is going. If you're a parent of a wee one, worst case scenario, lock yourself in the bathroom and do this in the tub The few minutes of solace is worth it. Who's in??? OF course, We'd love to see you in class too!!

Namaste,
Kat

The Casualty of Convenience

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 23:01:00 -0500

Have you ever noticed how much the food and other products in America are focused on convenience? Aisle after aisle of pre-packaged, pre-cooked, pre-processed. Ugh. Just stick to the sides and back and you can sort of avoid some of it. The French (often) don't think we offer much real food. They are right. Coca Cola is great....as a drain cleaner. Do you really want to chug that on a regular basis? Spray sunscreen is awesome, until you inhale the poisonous gases you are spraying on your tots. :( Consumer Reports says don't do it, but I still see many parents out there spraying away on the most innocent among us and I admit, I have a can too, it's so fun to just spray away, right??? Ack. I'm really getting saddened lately by what we have given up in exchange for these pretty boxes and bags and cans and spritzes. We are giving up authentic flavor, taste, simplicity, the joy of creating something from scratch, and ultimately, our health. I'm reading an excellent book on the subject of dangerous chemicals in our environment and lives: "Toxin Toxout" written by two of the leading environmentalists in Canada (http://toxintoxout.com/)

Maybe my search for such topics was propelled a few weeks ago when three wonderful people I know shared with me in various ways that they have a family member with a scary and severe form of cancer. The one victim of the three that I know personally is a healthy young physician. It's devastatingly sad, although we are not without hope and optimism for the very best outcome of course! It's not completely clear why cancer rates are climbing, but I have a good list of probable suspects and I have found them in this book about toxins, and others. Did you know most processed meats contain nitrates which essentially convert into a carcinogen in your digestive system? I learned that while pursuing my chemistry degree. The teacher of organic chemistry essentially turned me off of hot dogs forever, not that any of us every really thought that was healthy, right? I lost a good college friend to a re-occurrence of cancer, and watched a young coworker succumb as well, far before they should have ever left this planet. I know not all cancers can be blamed on toxic chemicals, but surely they are not helping any of us. Recently I lost a cousin that fought a horrific cancer battle over several years. Is there anyone among us that has not been touched by cancer? I also just starting to read "Poison Spring", the story of how the EPA is not really protecting us as well as we may think. When will we wake up as a society and demand that our health not be boxed and foiled and advertised just like all those shiny packages sitting on the shelves and promising us big fat lies?

This post is a bit all over the place and I hope some of it is sinking in or resonating with you. My bottom line here is to try, if you can, to avoid convenience as it relates to what you consume. It's a shameful trap and it's not entirely our fault, we feel we don't have time to cook or clean from scratch and our lives are indeed hectic. We all fall into these patterns sometimes, but the more we know, the more we can fight it. Personally, I'm phasing out Teflon in my life, and trying to avoid sitting in new cars and purchasing other new products likes rugs, pillows, and other plastics/chemicals that can off-gas toxic fumes at alarming rates. In addition, I'm working on making a lot more foods from basic wholesome ingredients which are organic and/or local when I can, even local to my own backyard when I can! The same goes for cleaning products, it's pretty darn easy to make your own and with the addition of a few essential oils, it's a relaxing aroma worked into cleaning, rather than noxious fumes stinging your eyes: win win win!! In addition, I'm carefully scanning anything that touches my skin (sunscreen, makeup, hair products) in order to assess what exactly is making its way into my own personal biosphere. I love Environmental Working Group and the work they are doing but there should be more going on in the government to protect us. In this way, I am avoiding as many additives, preservatives, carcinogens, and fillers as I can. Items that are essentially not tested on humans or not something we realize may be harming us or the planet.

I hope you will join me in saying no to the convenience of foods and products that are hurting us. Unless we stand up and make our position known, companies will continue to churn out unhealthy foods and products and we will continue to fall prey to the casualty of convenience.

If you haven't seen it, this little 20 minute video is a nice eye opener about how we are primed and manipulated to believe we must consume like crazy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM

Oh. Ahem. Um, how does this relate to yoga you say? Well, yoga makes me sweat, how 'bout you? And yep, I am ANTI antiperspirant too. Did you know that most breast cancers are found in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, closest to where deodorant/anti-perspirant sits (read parabens)? Sweat is actually just one of many ways our body pushes out what it doesn't want or need. Why would we stop that process??? Personally I like Tom's of Maine deodorant in lavendar or apricot. MMMM. If I smell a little bit stinky, I apologize, I know it's probably not 100% as good, but I hope you'll still love me. ;) Please ax the Axe and find your way to a healthy and natural approach to life. You body and mind will thank you. Let me know what revelations you make and how you are getting rid of "convenience" in your life. I applaud you.

Namaste,
Kat

The Science of Yoga

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 12:27:00 -0500

I recently read The Science of Yoga by William J. Broad after the recommendation by a new friend. This topic is right up my alley, because I am a "sciency" yoga teach. I emailed her about it and realized it could be the beginning of my own book on yoga (ha!), so I figured I would adapt it a little for you my yogi and yogini friends.

I got Broad's yoga book and read it yesterday, I skimmed here and there but read most of it. I thought it was interesting. I think I have read some of the studies on yoga that were not maybe the most scientifically stringent so I liked that he tried to sift through some of the people that are telling falsehoods or with sketchy degrees. I feel like he could have mentioned more of the good studies in depth though, even if they were smaller groups, good science is good science. I have read some interesting things about yoga and blood pressure, but his main point on hypertension seemed to dance around that and talk about inversions rather than an overall positive effect. I have borderline blood pressure but am safely low enough to just treat with lifestyle, and it runs in my family so it is of particular interest to me since I try to watch all the possible ways to keep it low enough to avoid medication. Once you eat healthy, keep a good weight, avoid salt and excess alcohol, I feel like it's nice to turn to yoga and exercise as well since I kind of hate taking medicine if I don't have to take it. It is somewhat in keeping with his summary of research that yoga can slow the body down, but I know my style of yoga is slightly cardio at times too, although I do tell my students that I recommend other cardio besides yoga, even if it's just brisk walking or the elliptical. Running is great, but it gives me headaches, to me exercise has to be something that makes you feel good, so follow your bliss!

Also as a Registered Yoga Teacher through YogaFit, I feel that I had a good, comprehensive, and safe 200 hours of training from a variety of teachers and backed by a board made up of various health experts. He sort of poo poos YogaFit as yoga with sit ups but we do a lot of things that make yoga safer for EVERY body type. I personally do not recommend headstands, although I like shoulder stand okay, and I show my class wheel but we don't do it all the time. I believe that the intense poses are not something to do frequently or for prolonged periods, or if you don't have the strength in supporting muscles. It does concern me that someone could get hurt in class so I always mention modifications, but sometimes people try things that their body is not ready for and I cannot necessarily stop them. I do have yoga insurance and have an info sheet for everyone so if they have a major injury or health condition I can tell them ideas for modification. I would be horrified if someone in my class was injured, so I think that is why I often mention modifications and don't adjust people physically unless they ask, for the most part.

I agree with his summary that yoga has anti-depressive qualities and it can't hurt creativity to literally get the blood flowing, he also has an entire chapter on sex as well as a thread about it running throughout the book which is a discussion for another day. I personally think yoga is good for the immune system, endocrine system, and organs because many of the twists and other poses wring out or put gentle pressure on these systems, which could force the blood away for a moment, but when it rushes back in I think that is a good thing, blood has a lot of beneficial molecules! (totally my own opinion there everyone after practicing regularly for 9 years). I also think that his final statements of uncertainty were important. It is interesting that he has practiced yoga himself for 34 years, he obviously thinks it's good for him with more reward than risk. Even with my science background, it annoys me that we sometimes only want to trust science "studies" rather than realize that something like yoga which can be social and spiritual as well as physically focused may be hard to quantify at times.

In a way, yoga is my connection to spirituality. I grew up Catholic but eventually felt a lot of the beliefs were too strict and rigid for me personally, and downright against some of my world views. I know a lot of people ignore or maybe just don't think about the parts they don't like of a religion (eg. take birth control although the church says no, the condemnation of gays) but my mind is sort of purist in that sense, if I'm going to go spend time somewhere, I want to truly believe and feel comfortable with everything my group professes. I like the Unitarians a lot, wish there was a church like that closer to us here. I feel pretty comfortable and resonate with the philosophies of yoga, like the yamas and niyamas which Broad doesn't even mention, sadly. I do think yoga can be a support of any religion and does not need to be a threat to anyone of a certain belief system, if anything, it can enhance the mind spiritually.

I do hope there are bigger studies of larger groups on the benefits of yoga, I would participate! I've done yoga regularly since 2003 and I am sure I would not be as healthy, mentally, spiritually, or physically if I had not found yoga. Like everyone of course, I am a work in progress. Yoga got me through a lot of hard days of teaching teenagers, some with incredibly chaotic and negative energy. To me, yoga is a great way to keep my energy healthy, hard to quantify that. I think a key is also to keep your ego in check. That's hard as both a teacher and student, but 100% in line with what yoga teaches us as we let go of competition and judgement. If your ego rules you, you're more likely to suffer an injury, I'm sure of that. I'm in life for the long haul (my grandma is 99 and I hope I got a few of those genes) so my yoga motto could be summarized as, "de todo un poco, everything in moderation, variety is the spice of life".

If you read the book, I would love to hear your opinions as well.

Namaste,

Kat

Skitter Fritter Twitter: Ground.

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Sun, 2 Mar 2014 22:38:00 -0600

Lately it seems that the world has been focused on "me/I/self". Tweets, selfies, fb posts, blogs, many ways to express yourself to others. This is good sometimes, at other points, I feel like the world (and even me too, I am chagrined to admit) is skittering and frittering away important time where we are documenting rather than existing in the moment. For me, part of it is the desire to feel less isolated. Also, it's the natural exchange of information. You share with me, I share with you. I don't see a lot of people that I know each day, so electronic contact is better than nothing, right? I think as a global culture, we are trying to define ourselves, and nested within that, a new generation is projecting their experience. How can we carry out a positive action of expression and learning without wasting life?

Moderation. Balance. Growth. Keys to yoga and life as well. Easy to say, not always simple to discover. Family should have a place, friends should have a place, but there must also be room for development of self outside the realm of your "electronic" image. There must be experiences and paths chosen in order to foster happiness and growth within, or else the self does not have the ability to develop and mature fully. Where can this be found? I think in a simple place: a hobby or two. Lately I have taken up with a local gardening organization. It feels really, really good to volunteer with other like-minded plant lovers. I may not be the typical member, but I still feel accepted and am enjoying increasing my knowledge almost daily. It is a good place to be when you realize how much you have yet to learn. It feels like childhood, when the world is fresh and lovely and moving slow. Food is another interesting area where there is so much room for improvement and understanding for me. I'm reading a book in which a French woman discusses her love of food and eating certain foods in season, even selecting a fruit based on when you will be eating it, and how it will be served. It's eye-opening how often modern American society tosses aside the fact that locally grown, fresh food is not only better for you (and the planet), it tastes so much better too. We're so used to convenience, we are tossing aside a great deal of quality at the expense of our health. By happy coincidence these two interests of mine are intertwined, as we experience unseasonably cold weather outside, I'm dreaming of an edible landscape with veggies, fruits and nuts in season and chemical (mostly) free. I hope my expressions of self help others to develop their own beneficial exploration of life on this little blue planet. After all life is finite, and precious and it chills my soul to think that any of us would waste this valuable time we have. With spring hiding just around the corner, I hope to find balance. Sharing experiences, but also getting out in the sun, digging down in the fresh warm earth, and connecting with roots just as much as I attempt to do every time I hop on the mat.

Namaste,
Kat

Financially Fit and Flexible. Are you?

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 12:28:00 -0600

Imagine yourself in a yoga class, flowing along. Things are going well, your mind is clear most of the time, your breath moving smoothly and deeply. Perhaps the teacher suddenly shows a new pose and it is confusing or difficult to figure out how to master it. That's part of the point of course: adversity. How to deal with difficulty, how to keep breathing, how to maintain a clear mind. Just as in yoga practice, life challenges can catch us by surprise. Lately my own thoughts have been turning to financial fitness. Part of it has been fueled by the responsibility of being a parent. I want my son to go to college with support from us, although I also want him to be smart about money as well. Sometimes I think I got things too easy, although I did have a job most of the time from about 14 on. I want to be able to retire in financial ease, knowing I will not be a burden to my family and that I will have the tools to travel, relax, and enjoy life until the end. Financial know-how can create room in life to relax and be at ease.

I recently read and then re-read a book: Cold Hard Truth on Men Women & Money by Kevin O'Leary. You may know him as the lead investor on the popular tv show Shark Tank. On the show he can seem cold at times, but after reading his book, I see that through his own experiences he has learned to separate emotion and business very skillfully. He mentions the physical stress that financial woes can have on an individual. He cites a poll which connected money problems to higher incidence of ulcers, migraines, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Who needs those? NOT I! I think this is true that health is impacted, but beyond just the physical stress, it can also cloud and tangle the mind. Worry about a job loss or economic downturn causes some to lose sleep. I like to think I do pretty well overall with my financial approaches. I paid off my student loans long ago (my parents paid some expenses, some was scholarship, and one extra year was entirely on me), and don't have credit card debt, those are often recommended as the first steps to financial well being. I have an emergency savings and could get by for a bit, but not quite as long as I'd like, so I'm working on that. I contribute to retirement and try to life frugally but could do better on that front. Sometime after Clay is in school, I plan to return to the workforce, so my thoughts are on how to do that successfully. We contribute to college savings plans for our son. But is there more each of us could be doing? Maybe. Lately I have created a detailed budget in a google drive spreadsheet and I'm keeping track of all money in and out. It has been enlightening and fascinating. I quit using credit cards as well, it just doesn't feel the same as a debit card or check, it causes people to spend more I believe. I've noticed small areas where I see what O'Leary refers to as "ghost money" trickling away. Money spent on things not really needed, but money that adds up. So just as I would make small corrections in a yoga class, minute or even large adjustments in stance or muscles or breath, I'm trying to do the same with money. Not for the sake of more money, although lets face it most of us would not say no to that. But rather for the peace of mind that a clear knowledge of finances can have on an individual, both mind and body. One big point he makes has stuck with me: "spend little, mostly save, invest ALWAYS."

In addition, a side factor on finance in our society is that men tend to talk finances more, women tend to less. Why is this? Perhaps women feel less confident with the financial world or feel like it's not an appropriate topic among friends, we are the "fairer" sex after all. Women are actually excellent investors. O'Leary thinks we're great because we keep looking at the big picture, and we're careful. I believe that it is extremely important for women especially to be knowledgeable about finance. Women tend to live a long time, and most likely will be at the helm of their financial ship someday, if not already. Why not invest time and energy now, so that you are in tip top shape for any storms that come your way? Prioritize what is truly important and clarity will be yours, men or women or both together. On and off the mat shooting for balance, as usual.

Thoughts? Struggles? Successes? I'd love to hear them!

Namaste,
Kat

Frozen Goldfish

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Fri, 9 Aug 2013 12:42:00 -0500

Do you ever feel stuck? Like you are a tiny shimmering goldfish frozen in a large patch of ice? Maybe it is just slush that renders you slowly towards isolation. Immobilized to break free and pursue what you need to pursue. Slowed down, stagnant, and still. It's normal to be this little fish. We all get stuck at times. It could be a job, a relationship or simply a state of mind that is anxious or unhappy. How do you break free and shatter what binds you? Excellent question with no simple single answer.

Yoga might be able to help, simply by moving your body, you a creating motion, momentum and inertia. By focusing on your energy, you are better at understanding it, and we certainly cannot manage what we do not measure in some way. Having a time and place for stillness is also imperative. When we rush, we do ourselves no favors. We harm our health when we flit about, the body moves into flight or fight and this stresses every aspect of the system. When we focus on the positive, visualize the most optimal outcome of our situation, then we become able to find patience. Long ago as a child I remember reading the Count of Monte Cristo. This is the sad tale of a man wrenched from happiness and imprisoned when he had done no wrong. Unfortunately in this day and age we have a tendency to create our own cages. In the story of this simple man, he uses the time to better himself with the help of a friend. In the case I am bringing to light, each of us must also learn to be our own best friend. Yes of course friends and family can help you in a time of need, but ultimately you inhabit your body and mind and will be the best possible chance for successfully finding happiness.

So perhaps when we are stuck, it is not only a signal for escape, but it is a time to embrace the stillness, and absorb the lesson it offers. A random struggle will lead to further difficulty, while acceptance will lead to eventual growth. And don't forget that a Sun Salutation or two will always keep you warm.

Namaste,
Kat

Down Down Down Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Marchin-Tomlin) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:52:00 -0500

It has come to my attention lately that people get down. A lot of people. Smart people, kind people, thoughtful people. No, I don't mean dancing you party animals. I mean sad, low, melancholy, morose, brooding, and depressed. For a lot of us, I think this can occur as we grow up and make our way out to the big wide world, and life isn't exactly what we expected. A relationship ends. A job falls though. Life is rough. We grow up during childhood, and hopefully it's more roses than thorns, those around us try hard for that I believe. I mean to say that as we mature, maybe we feel helpless to determine our path eventually, a bit stuck. Daily stresses can wear us down. This could be anything from in-your-face coworkers, less time to exercise, or dealing with children or aging parents and their difficulties, because their difficulties become ours, because we care about them. Maybe it is also in the social messages we receive. Be thinner, be younger looking ladies, get more muscles and make more money (those are for you guys I know you feel the pressure too). I noticed lately so many fashion magazines offer cures for every BODY. Too curvy? To stick-like? We have a swim suit to fix it! It's sort of like, try for the perfect, but you will NEVER be, because it doesn't really exist (or we would sell less swim suits!). You will just sort of feel miserable I think if you always seek this societal whim of an ideal human. Then there are the big bombshells of life: birth, death, and everything in between. Things that hit us in the stomach and heart so hard that we're not sure we can stand back up, even though we must. And those tender moments hugging our little ones near, for we know with certain dread, they won't be little ones all that long, and life will hit them too. But despite the drear of this post, I do feel lucky to be alive. I treasure this crazy, exhilarating experience of life. I have traveled, tangoed, studied, planted, loved, hated, and grown. And through careful cultivation, I tend to stay on the sunny side of life most of the time. I hold tight to my ups and downs from the past, for in the future, they're what I launch away from, to some new points of wonderful. For those that are down I offer a few humble suggestions.

Do something every week to pursue a passion. Art, exercise, dream job? Try to work towards it in some small way. Don't berate yourself. Love yourself and find special moments.
Try to focus on your insides. Mind, Heart, Will. That's what matters, so listen to what is really being said. Are you exhausted? Take a nap. Are you bored? Plan a trip. Are you sad? Tell someone and get a hug! We are right there with you most likely, or have been there too. Personally, I quit watching creepy, violent movies, or even super sad ones. I go for funny or happy instead. Made me happier!
Peace, Love, Joy, & Gratitude. Lean towards this whenever you can. If life is pulling you away from these themes, try to focus on one area and build it back up. Volunteer, try a church that you might like (Unitarian if you are not religious), or write a letter to your politician.

And feel free to share what works for you, we are all ears!

Namaste,
Kat