Free from Distraction

Listening to Bone Machine - Tom Waits. Halfway through album, AUX cable breaks inside iPod. Fails trying to extract, even with tools from the garage. Go to party in Fancy Gap, VA and camp, plug phone in to charge. Get up next morning and leave phone. Do not realize until 20mins from home. No problem, found someone to bring it back 48 hours from now. Prepare to leave house for gig. Realize need to handwrite directions. No big deal. Get on road, go to plug in iPod, remember-can’t. Reach for my phone, remember-can’t. Look at the clock, and remember it doesn’t work. Turn on radio, static. Remember the radio antenna snapped off a few weeks ago. No big deal. Down the road a bit longer and sharp inhale. Forgot wallet. No identification. Too late now. Directions are wrong. Chest gets tight. Tell myself, TRUST. Found gig, show up. Realize stripped of all usual distractions, free to be self. Play gig. Walk back to car, battery drained due to headlights left on. Shrugged and said, TRUST. Friend jumped me off, back on the road home.

When you are just you...there is unconditional space to enjoy limitless being.

Set yourself free.

Charlotte Yoga Classes Under 10 Dollars

Yoga Classes Under $10

The yoga post you’ve been waiting for.

Someone had to do it. 

Maybe someone has already done it. 

But now it’s time to share.

You want to go to yoga. 

Are you not going because of:  

The financial commitment to a class package?

Can’t commit to just one studio?

Busy/varied schedule? 

Budget concerns?

Here is a list of Yoga Studios in the greater Charlotte area that offer classes for, yes believe it, less than $10! Please see each studios website for class descriptions, etiquette, teacher bio’s, and studio philosophy.

“Yoga is too expensive” is now no longer an excuse. 

Yoga is for everyBODY! Let’s go practice!

Yoga One Central - $5 

M-F: 8:30-9:30am; 2-3:30pm

S&S: 2:30-4pm

Yoga One University - $5

M-F: 8:30-9:30am; 4-5pm

S&S: 2-3:30pm

The Yoga Oasis - $5 Cash only!

T: 7:15pm-8:15pm

Noda Yoga - $6

M&W: 12-1pm, 5:30-6:30pm

T&Th: 11am-12pm

F: 12-1pm

Charlotte Yoga - $7

M-Th: 12:15-1:15pm; 8:15-9:15pm

F: 12:15-1:15pm

S&S: 1:15-2:15

Yoga For Life - $7 Cash only!

Tuesday: 9:30-10:30am; 12:30-1:30pm

Friday: 8-9:15pm

Be Yoga Dilworth - $8

(Be sure to check out the Caramel location if in South Charlotte!)

MW: 6-7am, 12:15-1:05; 5:45-6:45pm

W: 4:45-6pm

T&Th: 12:15-1:05pm; 4:30-5:30pm 

F: All Day $8 6-7am, 12:15-1:05pm; 4:30-5:30pm; 5:45-6:45pm

Y2 - $8

M:12-1pm; 3-4pm; 8:30-9:30

T-F: 12-1pm; 12:30-1:30pm; 3-4pm; 8:30-9:30

Sat: 12:30-1:30pm; 4-5pm; 6:30-7:30pm 

Sun: 12:30-1:30pm; 5:15-6:15; 7-8pm

Yes2Yoga - $6/$8
T&Th: 12:10-1pm $6
W: 4:30-5:30pm $8
Sat: 9-10:15am  $8

2016 Summer Yoga Series – U.S. Whitewater Center  - $5

Join us all summer long for the USNWC’s Yoga Series, taking place Tuesday mornings during Summer Camp, Thursday evenings during River Jam, and Saturday mornings. Participants will meet 15 minutes prior to practice times in Outfitters and will be led to South Ridge by the instructor. Practices are one hour in duration and are led by certified yoga instructor Hillary Heath (Yoga One).

Location: South Ridge/Cost: Free ($5 per vehicle parking fee) 

Please bring your own yoga mat to participate When:

*Tuesdays – 9:30 am, June 14th – August 23rd

*Thursdays – 6:30 pm, May 26th – September 29th

*Saturdays – 9:30 am, May 26th – October 29th

(This list is in no particular order or is in any way entirely comprehensive of all the yoga offerings in the greater Charlotte, NC area.)

Mantra of the day: Expansive Joy

Mantra of the day: Expansive Joy

How to achieve this? This is how I tried.

Body/Physically: Drawing my shoulder blades down my back. Imagining someone placing a hand right between my shoulder blades, and gently pushing my heart forward. Eyes focused ahead. Smiling for absolutely no reason.

Mind/Mentally: Thinking of something/someone that gives me a full feeling of joy. Imagining myself in a time/space/place that I’ve experienced true joy and bringing it to the present moment.  

Mind/Body Connection: 

*Inhale* Expansive *Exhale* Joy. 

*Inhale* Expansive *Exhale* Joy. *Inhale* Expansive *Exhale* Joy. 

Result: heartbreakingly beautiful tears, smiles, openness, creativity,
overflowing gratitude, love of joy.

Backdoor to the Heart

Breathing in during a Thai session, I was gently reminded of a phrase I coined in a yoga class years ago. I had forgotten. I had asked my practitioner to help me focus on heart openers. I lay on my belly, and she gently pulled my arms behind me. Then, she tapped on the middle of my back, directly behind my heart. “Do you remember” she said, “when you said working this area was the backdoor to the heart?”

All the memories came flooding back. The next day, I was listening to one of my favorite songs I’ve heard for 10years now…. and that day it overwhelmed me.

I heard it NEW…again. The song was, All is Full of Love - Bjork. 

When we look for love, we have to constantly define, what is love? And sometimes, when we do not have the words, we then explore, what does love feel like? I have found myself that I forget that there are so many openings to the heart and ways to receive love. It may not be directly from the source you’ve been pouring all your love and energy into…. love may come through the side door, the window, the skylight, or even, the backdoor.

When love enters in through another area, when have to make ourselves available to it. We may not immediately recognize new sensation as love, but if we consciously stop, we can feel that love is all around us.

When you feel unloved or have a hard time believing that love exists, turn your head around. Close your eyes. Stop looking at the microscopic version of love, and expand your view to the macrocosmic version of love. All is full of love.

By constantly renewing our awareness of how deep and full love is, we know that we are never lacking from connecting to our innate nature of love. Love is home.

All is Full of Love - Bjork 

You'll be given love

You'll be taken care of

You'll be given love

You have to trust it

Maybe not from the sources

You have poured yours

Maybe not from the directions

You are staring at

Twist your head around

It's all around you

All is full of love

All around you

All is full of love

You just ain't receiving

All is full of love

Your phone is off the hook

All is full of love

Your doors are all shut

All is full of love

All is full of love

All is full of love

All is full of love

All is full of love

All is full of love

Dearest Failure...

Dearest Failure,

For so long I have treated you as my enemy. I have avoided you, talked down to you and about you, and been disappointed every time you show up. I have let worldly stereotypes overrule my rational mind and believed that you represent everything that I lack.

What I failed to recognize, is that without you, I have become comfortable, placid, and floating in the stream of life. Without you, I believe all the gypsy magic & unicorn horns will protect me as I slowly sink. I’ve believed that I can float on and be successful.

I forgot that you and success are distant cousins, or maybe even twins separated at birth. One cannot exist without the other.  As one arrives, the other is close behind as you both give the other deeper meaning.

Without you failure, I could have never learned what success has taught me. I never would have seen how strong I really am. I could have never loved myself deeper. Without you, I may have never experienced how to simply accept your gifts.

With you, I can practice patience and tolerance. With you I can rejoice that I still have so much to learn. With you I can celebrate that I am growing. With you, I can pick myself up and try again. With you, success will be more meaningful, because I didn’t give up.

From now on failure when you come knocking, I will open the door. I will open my arms and hold you as one who needs comfort. I will recognize that your brother success if close behind, and with patience and acceptance, all will be ok.

With caring kindness,

Akima

Straight from the Heart

I had the opportunity to help celebrate a dear friend’s up-and-coming nuptials. She was my college roommate for an awesome year  (2016-17) and we’ve been friends since. Many of her friends from all over the East Coast met in Asheville 2weeks ago, to enjoy good food, good company, and bachelorette shenanigans.

At the end of the night, before we all landed on our pillows, each of us gave the bride-to-be guidance from relationships (not just romantic but parental, siblings, partner, husband/wife, friends) we have had or observed in our lives by those around us. Everyone had something very genuine to contribute and hearing each of these amazing women’s stories enriched the weekend, and spoke directly to my own heart.

Here are a few gems from the evening:

Don’t forget to be silly together: Always play jokes on each other and know that silly time can be bonding time. When we laugh, our barriers break down, and give us the opportunity to be safely vulnerable with each other and grow closer.

Sometimes peace is more important than being right: 9 times out of 10, what we want to be right about is not important in the long run. Not engaging is a battle of being on the opposite side, maybe our partner simply needs our support at that time.

When you think you “can’t”, look at your partner and say, “I can”: This advice came from a woman who had observed her parents relationship over her lifetime. She said, even when you are frustrated, or angry, or can’t understand, just know that saying “I can” strengthens your bond with each other, and “I can’t” weakens that bond.

What guidance would you offer for a successful relationship?