New Month

Hi sorry, been a bit of work to get to a computer with internet.
So here we go, a new month, a few days into it already =) , and to recap February we discussed:


Stephanie's Yoga- Just a bit of a hello, introduction to myself and this page and where I was working at the time, and my excitedment about Yoga Rave, which I am still trying to make happen, so again those interested please email me at: stephaniesyoga@yahoo.com or look me up on Facebook: Stephanie's Yoga! *^_^*
Thank You USA Today- Where I posted the article from USA Today, a response article to the yoga scare  created by the NY Times. This post and article went over the real truth behind yoga injuries, who is responsible and how to avoid them to have a happy, healthy practice. =)
The Lotus-Symbol of Strength- This post covered some Buddhist beliefs behind the Lotus, its symbolism and what each colour represents and how it ties into yoga.
Hospice- This post covered some personal insight learned and discovered from a Hospice volunteer and what people most regret in their last days and how we can embrace these things now to try and avoid regret when its our time to go.
Fleur de lis- Again was similar to that of the Lotus post, going over the symbolism behind the Fluer de lis and the Iris flower it was created after adn how it ties into yogic beliefs and philosophy.
Saraphine + Cortana- a post i wrote after being inspired by my pet tarantula and cornsnake, and how an animals mindset and way of life is very similar to what yoga is trying to inspire and teach to get us to a higher plane of consciousness.
Orion Nebula- here i let out a little of my Nerd, and brought to attention how small we are in the universe as a whole and how special and beautiful and rare our exhistance really is and how precious we are and how our lives and everything in them and the fact that we are here and now is truly miraculous!.. So enjoy it! ^_^
'Should'- I reposted an email I sent someone months ago and discussed why I felt it important to share with everyone else, again tying into the nebula post and pointing out that life is short and rare and special and that we ought to make the most of it (again similar theme to "Hospice')
Meet my Highschool freshman Year Science Teacher- i sent a NASA link to the bio of Ms. Metcalf-Lindenberger, or Ms. ML as we here students knewn her.. this I left jsut the link hoping people would read it, this month i will be explanding upon this to explain why I feel she is an important woman to take a look at. =)
MARDI GRAS- I was inviting you all to my class.
Spasibo- The Russian word for 'Thank You', here I was taking a magnifying glass to gratitude and really trying to grasp it and appreciate it.
A Healthier happier You-1- I added a passage from this book and i shall add at least 1 a month, there are 101 thoughts total to stress relief, something I feel everyone could use a little more of =)
FREE YOGA- again I was inviting you to my class.
Toxic-  added some thoughts about my favorite daily read 'Meditations form the Mat' by Rolf Gates, and shared some thoughts about meditations and the challenged offered to you and myself to take a moment to practice.
Farewell-  was a sad one for me to share that my time at Vamonos Studio has come to an end.
Surfs Up- was inpired from the animated film, as well as the remake of Karate Kid, and my thoughts about teachers and students.

All of my posts are unscripted, unplanned, I just sit at the computer and start typing because the library only gives you an hour so when you are logged on you need to type or else you lose your chance, so yes there are some trypos and grammer issues, but mostly i feel its important that I share that these are original thoughts, and jsut my voice (unless of course I am quoting someone else) and I am trying to simply share my relections and meditations and experiences of yoga and hoping that someone feels inpired on any level because of it. And please please please, feel free agiant to Facebook Stephanie's Yoga, or check out the Facebook Group 'Your Yoga' or email me at stephaniesyoga@yahoo.com , I would really love to hear your thoughts and reflections and experiences as well, and would be happy to share adn post any if you would so wish ^_^

Thank you again for the love and support, you all are wonderful, and I look forward to connecting with you all more as these days adn weeks and months progress along! =)

Namaste- You all are beautiful!
Much love, 
Stephanie Christmore! <3

Surf's Up!

Day before yesterday I was watching the film Surf's Up, guess I was feeling like some cartoons verses all the dramas I had been viewing recently. Was visiting my mom and thought I would look through her 'kids' dvd section (since the only 'kids movie' i currently only is just Tangled and Ive viewed it too death!) and I saw this movie sitting on her shelf. It was released in 2007 but i was boycotting it because at that time in my life I did not have an appreciation for animated films. So I was testing it out, and 1. I feel inlove, I MUST! own this movie!. But 2. and why I make this post is there was something very yoga in the film that really inspired me.

The 2 second premiss of the film is this young pengiun from Antartica (sp) 'Cody' fell in love with surfing as a hatchling when 'Big Z' - the world's greatest surfer in the film- came to Antartica and inspired Cody and became his hero. So when Cody was 17 or so he went to this made up penguin island were Big Z hailed from and went to join the surfing compitition. Now as far as the penguins knew at the time Big Z had a surf accident years ago and died, but Cody finds that his hero is actually alive and just in shame and hiding.

So at this point he is excited but then hurt that his hero isnt what he thought, and cody was just obessed with winning this Surf compitition, but wanted to know surfing from Big Z. Big Z starts to teach Cody but he wasnt learning 'cool' 'winning' stuff so got impaticent and careless. big Z in one scene was showing cody how to make a surf board was teaching his that every carving stroke of the board was important, have to have long smooth steady even strokes, going with the grain and focus on not 'making the board' so much as 'finding it' is the half a log. Cody just started hacking away and low and behold the thing broke in the water within 2 seconds.. so later he takes the slow approach and ends up making a winning board.

Phase 2 after the board was made Cody wanted to rush in the water and learn to start surfing, so Big Z kept him on the beach and was teaching him surfing, how to paddle and stroke, etc. Big Z was also teaching him how to hang loose and hang upside down and to have fun, but Cody just got angery that he wasnt in the water and pulled a practical prank on Big Z, trying to be a pill. Cody laughed and Big Z asked is he was havign fun adn Cody being smart alec_E said yes and then Big Z said: 'well then.. YOU PASS!" and they got on their boards and got in the waves.

Side stepping for a minute, I personally never saw the original 'Karate Kid', growing up i only saw 'The Next Karate Kid'.. however a few years ago I did see the Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith version (which that kid is the cutest little boy in the entire world, its a good thing he has amazing parents or else i would make it my goal to try and adapt him because is is sooo adorable!) But anywho.. in this film jackie Chan has Jaden coming over everyday to learn Karate and for days on end all he does all day is take his coat on and off.. and again he got really P.O.ed at Jackie Chan for not teaching him, but then we see jackie have him go through the motions with an invisible jacket and we see that those movents become his karate foundation moves.

Back to the penguins, Cody and Jaden are the same as Big Z and Jackie.. both boys are learning what they want and finding that karate and surfing are not jsut about the physical moves but its about head and mind and spirit, a lot like, you guessed it.. YOGA!

I have a lot of students wanting to learn more or do more, or people often ask me to show them 'cool moves', but Yoga is not about one arm stands to show off to your buddies, the asanas, the physical moves are such a teeny tiny part of yoga. Its all about mind and spirit! About growing beyond our previous environmental 'brainwashed' limitation (i say brainwashed because we all are,whether that is good or bad I am not here to judge, but we are all programmed from birth our speech and sense of taste what music we like, what sports we view, how to sit or slouch, etc...) But to start to be what we want, or just accept where we are, there is no right or wrong. Its not about action but  about your attitude and mindset. Learning to just BE! Either accepting things as t hey are and learning peace and happiness, being content, or changing what we want to and then learning to accept things and learn peace and happiness and being content!

As we move through the physical practice we are really learning to condition our minds, to learn meditation and concentration, and how to be in the moment. The goal in the physical practice is to have the student focus solely on the pose they are in, focusing on each muscle in the pose and focusing on their breath in the pose, and with that quieting all outside thoughts in the mid and being there in that moment!

You see when you let go of the idea of 'winning' is when you will win!

Hospice

As you know from my previous blog I am  Yoga Instructor at Vamonos Studio in Vancouver, Washington, what I did not mention is that I also help Jennifer by working as a secretary at the front desk, because I love her so much, I find her to be a very inspiring woman and I love the idea of supporting her and her new business however I can to be a good friend. This is just some background before getting into my main point about Hospice. 

So while I was working the desk this morning one of Jenn's Zumba students was sharing with me about how she helps volunteer for a Hospice foundation here in Vancouver and how a while ago there was a questionnaire filled out at her center asking people their top regrets as they lie in wait on their death beds. She shared with me the top 5 most common responses and I found it to be so moving and inspirational that I had to come here and share it all today:

5. Not expressing themselves and their emotions enough or not having learned how.

4. Devoting too much time/thought/energy towards their jobs. (Then she further made the joke that its like the age old adage: people on their death beds never complain about not having worked enough.)

3. Losing touch with friends and loved ones over the years.

2. Living for others - living for the pleasure and comfort of others rather than living for themselves and their wishes and pleasures.

The VERY TOP main regret people shared on their death beds is : Not realizing soon enough that happiness is an active choice everyday!

And so I want you all to meditate on that and really let this simple words sink in : Happiness is a choice! and I encourage you all to work on practicing that for yourselves, because life is too short and too precious not to, so make it your own, after all it is your life!

~Namaste Everyone, Enjoy

Stephanie-

Stephanie's Yoga

First of all i do have to say that for those in the Portland/Vancouver area I teach for $6 at Vamonos Studio as well as in home for those who can not make the Tuesday 7.10pm class or the Saturday 10.10am class in the studio, however in home prices will vary.

I teach the Hatha Yoga styles of Ashtanga Vinyasa as well as Iyengar also known as Vinyasa Flow or Traditional Yoga as well as leading Meditation.

Currently i am trying to get my boss Jennifer Shaw to allow me to start teaching Yoga Rave so if that sounds appealing to anyone please email her at jennifer@zumbaforu.com. Currently she is hesitant because she fears that it would not generate interest, so please, please please, lets all ban together to get this invigorating dance-style workout started, great for those into tradition yoga as well as hot yoga, community, meditation, or if you just love to dance, or listen to fun music, or just want an aerobic workout. There is something for all walks of life, all styles of living. For fun check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg5bZeLUkB4