My husband is quite the comedian. Earlier this week he sang, “Five little monkeys, jumping in your head” and although it would sound like this tune was directed to a young child, in this case he was referring to me! I guess the multi-tasking of motherhood can make one look a little whimsical and somewhat indecisive. Let this be the confession of a yogi who admits that missing too many of those morning meditations and asana practices, has recently resulted in a bit of a ‘monkey mind’. This Buddhist term, is used in reference to a stream of thoughts that come and go without control. Thinking too much about the week ahead, all sorts of stories begin to surface. The ‘what if’ and ‘how about’ thoughts are classic and all humans experience these different mind energies. The ebb and flow of thoughts – both pleasant and unpleasant – are totally natural, but controllable and need not be troublesome.
Somehow I manage to stop everything, get outside to sit in the park, BREATHE and slow the thought patterns. The little one who just learned to crawl this week, falls asleep in the stroller beside me and I am gifted a moment to write this. The late afternoon sun feels heavenly and there is a realization that everything that needs to get done, eventually will. It may even be enjoyable. September along with every other month will come and go, and in the meantime I choose to smile and think, “No more monkeys jumping in my head”.
Peace,
Lori Charko
Student of the Month
Congratulations Bonnie Mar-Wong! We are happy to acknowledge you as our outstanding student of the month, due to your on-going bubbly presence these past summer months. It has been a pleasure to see you and your daughters at the majority of beach classes, and an honour to support you in your growth both inside and outside the studio. Bonnie notes, “I feel truly blessed to be apart of Body Harmony Yoga studio for the past many years. Sandwiched between caring for elderly parents and busy teenagers, my time at the studio has been invaluable. Each session allows me to rejuvenate, calm my mind, and find inner strength and tranquility. I thank Lori and her wonderful staff for their dedication, gentle guidance, and positive energy. I look forward to bringing the next generation of yogis to the studio.” We welcome that day, and are happy to serve.
Green Tip
While enjoying the variety of fresh recipes one can create from the garden, our Nathalie from the studio stumbled across Karina Allrich’s amazing food blog, which inspired her to flex her inner chef. Here’s one recipe that will continue the freshness of summer eating well into September.
Snappy Crunchy Vegan Coleslaw2 heaping cups chilled cabbage (sliced thinly)
1 tart or sweet apple, peeled and julienned
1 small carrot
1 small radish sliced thinly
1/4 cup dried yellow raisins or cranberries
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp raw organic agave
1/2 tsp caraway seeds, dill and pinch of cumin
salt and pepper to taste