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By Megan O'Laughlin, January 31, 2010 9:40 am

rain rain you make me feel cozy

I’m a bad blogger.  I’m such a bad blogger that I’ve repeatedly made promises to blog daily about different topics.  I’ve thought of many different topics I could cover and then daydreamed about how I’d stay on track with wonderfully organized, eloquent posts.

Yeah right!

The reason I haven’t been blogging is because I’ve been busy.  That’s all there is to it.  Boring old being busy, just like so many other people.  I’m sure all the commenting Russian robots out there are devastated.

It is Saturday and I’m on-call for work, which means I’m just chilling next to the phone in case it rings.  So that, I feel, is a nice excuse to clean my closet and still wear pjs well into the afternoon.  I may venture forth from the home in a bit to go to a bookstore.  I may also spent some well needed time on my yoga mat.

Life is good though.

I got a bread maker and have been happily making yummy gluten free recipes.

The cats are now outdoor cats during the day since husband has such bad allergies and that has helped the home life considerably.

Yoga teaching and studying is going well and I’m thinking of spending a few weeks in Bali this summer to study with my teachers.

We have a trip to the Dominican Republic at the end of February.  Our plan is basically to swim, lounge and eat good food.  This trip is coming at the perfect time, since right about now all Seattlites start to feel there is no end in sight to all this rain and gloom.

My brother and his wife recently had a baby and she’s the cutest little thing.

I am still making my way through The Wire.  I’m doing it slowly because I will be sad when it ends.

My job is impossible at times, amazing at others.  It certainly is never boring.

Seattle winters are gross.

The tree outside my window is blooming.

I dyed my hair red last month.  I realized yesterday that part of it is growing back in white.  Not blonde.  But WHITE.  Yep.  I’m old!

I got a new car.  I love it.  It is named “Years of debt”.

I haven’t been doing a good job taking pictures of my food so I can post recipes.  Nor have I done a good job keeping up with my laundry, cleaning out the fridge, cleaning up dust bunnies, doing my daily chanting and meditation, clipping the cats’ claws, making plans with friends and so many other things. So don’t worry blog, you aren’t the only thing I’ve been neglecting.

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By Megan O'Laughlin, November 10, 2009 7:35 am

I love our CSA.  Every other Thursday we walk to the nearby community center to pick up a box of lovely, locally grown fruits and veggies.  Well, most of the items are locally grown and the items that are not are organic and also very delicious.  It is a bit of surprise each week and for the most part, we are eating with the seasons.  So, right now we have lots of squash and apples- Yumm!  

One of my favorite parts of the CSA idea is that it forces you out of your food comfort zone.  When left to my own devices at the grocery store, I’ll buy the same things every time unless I’m working on a special recipe.  I like zucchini, red peppers and broccoli most of all.  I would not typically buy a bunch of beets at the market.  But then you get a bunch in the CSA box and you figure out ways to eat them.  Our CSA also has recipes that use the produce of the week which is very handy!  

If you feel that you can’t be part of a CSA because of where you live, I ask you to really look into it.  I was part of a really amazing CSA when I lived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and that was where I first tried kohlrabi!  (I didn’t even know what it was when it showed up!).  If you fear you won’t be able to go through the box before the produce spoils then find a buddy to split it with (In Alabama, I split the weekly produce with a coworker and her daughter.)  Just look into it.  It is so worth it and you’ll be pleased to gain knowledge about locally grown items, seasonal foods as well as branching out and trying new recipes!  

Now I’m a rather picky eater in some ways.  I don’t eat meat, except for occasional seafood and I try to not eat much dairy.  I will eat some here and there , like yogurt, skim milk mozzerella.  My husband is lactose intolerant so we tend to eat a lot of soy or rice milk.  

I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy when I was about 20 years old.  I went to the allergist to find out why I had sinus infections all the time (duh, I was a chain smoker and spent all day in a poorl ventillated sculpture studio!).  The doctor conducted an allergy test by putting shots in my back.  Each shot contained a small amount of some allergen like cats or grass.  If the skin stays normal then there is no allergy but if there is inflammation in the area then there is an allergy.  When I was told the only one that flared me up was wheat, I just didn’t get it.  How could a person NOT eat wheat?  I lived in the Palouse region of North Idaho at the time, within miles and miles of rolling wheat fields.   My still developing, sandwich loving brain just couldn’t grasp onto this idea.   Finally, over 10 years later I began to pay attention to this allergy.  I was getting sick quite often and noticed some pretty severe nausea after eating some meals, especially if they contained bread. I now feel much better and pay closer attention to what is in my food.  I’ve always loved rice anyway so now I just eat more of it!  

The point here is that you’ll notice I modify recipes to make them dairy free and gluten free so we can happily eat without feeling sick later.  I have to say that we eat WELL in this house too, just ask my neighbor who comes over for dinner a lot! 

This recipe came with the CSA box but I modified it for our sensitive tummies.  This is a wonderful fall treat.  It will fill your home with sweet smells as it bakes.  It is very easy and quick to make and the results is amazingly warm and comforting.   

Warm and Fuzzy!

Warm and Fuzzy Apple-Pear Gratin

Ingredients: 

• 3 Braeburn Apples 
• 3 firm-ripe Bartlett or Concorde Pears
• 1/4 c dried currants
• 1/2 c Brown sugar
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. nutmeg  
• 1 lemon 
• 1 box of Gluten free cookies (store bought)  for those who can do the gluten, try biscotti or shortbread cookies 
• 2/3 cup Almond milk
• 1 t. melted Earth Balance
• Vanilla flavored Coconut cream/ Soy ice cream/ Frozen yogurt 

Directions: 

• Core and slice the apples and pears into 1/2 inch wedges and place in a large bowl. 
• Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice out. 
• Mix the lemon zest and juice with the apples and pears.  
• Add the currants, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir! 
• Place the gluten free cookies in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes (until the cookies are rather hard but not BURNT)  
• Take the cookies in a plastic bag and mash up until in crumbs 
• Mix the crumbs with the melted Earth Balance.  
• Place the fruit mixture in a shallow baking dish.  
• Pour the cookie mixture on top of the fruit. 
• Pour the Almond milk on the entire mixture.  
• Bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes or until the fruit is soft, adding more almond milk as it bakes if the mixture begins to look dry.  
• Let cool for just a bit and then serve with a scoop of ice cream.  

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By Megan O'Laughlin, November 7, 2009 6:23 am

C'mon little fairie, use some pixie dust to help me find a job!

Yesterday the news was full of accounts that our National Jobless rate is now as high as 10.2%, the highest it has been since 1983 (I was 5 years old then!).  I’ve been scouring the job market for months and it has been quite bleak.  My situation is a bit different in that I wasn’t laid off, I chose to leave my last job.  Also, I was able to fall back on teaching yoga to make some dough so I’ve been in that rather large category of folks who are underemployed rather than completely unemployed.  Still, as a social worker in a big city it is surprising that there just aren’t that many jobs out there in a field in which jobs are typically abundant.  This just goes to show that every sector is hurting right now and of course, lots of social service funding has been cut recently, limiting services and therefore, JOBS.  

I don’t really do so well without regular work.  I get kinda bored and restless and now have a LOT of respect for people who work from home and/or run their own businesses.  That is tough.  While teaching yoga and making art is so enjoyable, part of the reason I LUUUURVE social work is because I really believe in it.  Sure, it is tiring and draining and sometimes infuriating, but it is also edifying, humbling and life-affirming. I’ve never confronted a situation as a social worker and thought “Wow how pointless!” or come home and remarked “My day was so useless!”  And while my hiatus from social work was both necessary and cleansing, I’ve had many moments and many days in which such thoughts crossed my mind.  Here are some examples: 

Me: YEAH computer!  I just TOTALLY beat you at Scrabble!

Computer: *beep* 

Me: *Sigh*  I guess I’ll play again.  

_______________ 

Husband:  Hi!  How was your day? (after his busy 10 hour work day) 

Me:  I was so busy today!  I taught a class for an hour, came home and did dishes, then went back to sleep.  Then I watched 5 episodes of The Wire in a row.  I can’t really talk now because I’m reading this website about The Wire and texting with my brother about the Wire at the same time.  Oh crap!  That character dies?  Crap!  Crap!  

Husband: *blinks and shakes head* 

_______________

I did a couple of things that gave me a little tingly inkling that perhaps I’d land a full time job soon and therefor not have to worry so much about money while also relieving those looming hours of free time.  I know that free time sounds great, especially when you’re overworked.  But when you are saturated with free time a type of deep, soul soaking lethargy begins to press down, leading one to play hours of Farmville and watching things like “The 15 Most Infamous Mugshots of Former Childstars on E!”.  I did both of those things yesterday.  During these numbing activities, I wholeheartedly recognized the silliness and a small, quiet voice in the back of my thick head beckoned me to get up and organize my closet or DO SOMETHING.  But I did not.  I had hit rock bottom, I knew and thankfully, I’m going back to work on Monday. 

Yep.  That’s right.  Back to work I go.  Back to full-on, full-time, super challenging social work and I plan to still teach several yoga classes a week to keep myself on track as far as general health, wellness and sanity goes.  I’ll be teaching 4 or 5 classes each week and then I’m going to purchase a membership to the studio owned by the yoga teachers I’ve been doing my training with so I can take at least 2 or 3 classes with them each week.  

While signing up for yoga classes for the month of November, I decided to pick up MORE classes and signed up to do an extra class on Wednesdays- making it a 3 day class.  That probably doesn’t sound too extreme unless you consider that this is 3 classes in a room heated to 104 degrees.  I also asserted on this blog that I’d post daily until finding a full time job.  Demonstrating the desperate need for a more structured life but an inability to self-impose the structure, I then failed miserably at daily posting.  Hmm.  Still I put some amount of effort into filling my life up a bit more and had a suspicion that the little efforts would wrangle the employment fairies a bit and I’d then end up with a job.  

And I did.  Thanks, fairies.  

I have thoroughly enjoyed this long break from social work but now it is time to go back and get my brain really working again.  Hurrah!

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By Megan O'Laughlin, October 29, 2009 5:57 pm

Dear Blog, 

I’m sorry that I made a promise I could not keep.  It seems I do not have the capability to blog daily at this time.  So why I don’t have the time since I am not working a whole lot these days?  Actually, I have to give the cats medicine two times a day right now.  Plus, I am much too busy making gluten free brownies, watching Top Chef and playing Farmville on Facebook.  

Sorry about that.  Better luck tomorrow.  

Love, 

Megan

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By Megan O'Laughlin, October 26, 2009 6:38 pm

A mere two days after setting the intention to post daily, I find myself furiously posting at 10:30 pm.  

We have been very busy getting into the Halloween spirit.  What a great holiday!  A time to abandon all those pesky puritan ideals.  Instead, kick back and enjoy stories about demons and attend some fun parties where people dress up in tasteless costumes, like the Slutty Cat.  Last night we ate popcorn and watched several scary movies, none of them very good.  It shouldn’t be a big surprise that I woke with a start around 3 am with scary things on my mind, feeling too heebie-jeebied out to even get up to go to the bathroom. Silly.  

This evening we had the neighbors and some friends over for pumpkin carving and cider.  Like usual with crafty-type projects, I bit off more than I could chew and decided to do TWO rather ambitious projects.  The result was that I was still pumpkin carving well past the time everyone took leave of our place and well, they might think I’m crazy now.  One of the pumpkins turned out pretty cool while one of them looks dumb and is presently caving in on itself.  

Nothing wrong with the good ol’ standby pumpkin head, I say.  
Here’s a picture of our house with some of the jack o’ lanterns up top, as well as our burly German neighbor.  Isn’t it great?  This looks like a haunted house!  Notice the red light we put up too.  Spooky! 

And here is a picture of me, CAUGHT! and obsessing over my second pumpking carving project. 

Well, so that is all for now.  HAPPY FALL!

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By Megan O'Laughlin, October 25, 2009 1:10 pm

Yep, that looks like baby food alright.

Being sick is a miserable time perfect for reverting to childish activities you’d not normally do, such as drinking sugary 7-Up, calling your mother while crying (always a sign that I have a fever), and one of my favorites- eating baby food. 

Baby food?  

Well, you know what I mean.  Mushy food that goes down easy, stays down afterwards and overall is comforting and warm to aid the healing process.  You simply pull it out of the fridge, warm it up and there it is.  Lunch.  Or dinner.  Or your one meal of the day because you slept the rest of the day.  You know what I mean.  These are the kinds of foods I yearned for all those times of sickness when I lived in Africa- oh to be chilly and to cuddle under a blanket, to eat warm soup and have a cat sitting at my feet.  Instead I was sweating and drinking warm Gatorade (I still can’t stand Gatorade, it just reminds me of dysentery).  

We’ve been eating a lot of the mush around here.  In fact, if you looked in our fridge you’d see pretty much nothing but soup.  I was happy to receive our CSA order and saw it came with a simple recipe that involved only the ingredients contained within the box and some basic kitchen staples.  I altered the recipe just a bit to make it vegetarian and vegan (it is also gluten-free).  

The ancient science of Ayurveda considers sickness to be a result of imbalance of the doshas, or of the body’s constitution.  To restore balance, look to fresh ingredients and give the body the opposite of what it has had.  The simplest example of that is to give warm foods for a cold or to eat cooling foods such as cucumbers an carrots in the heat of summer.  We already kind of know that here in the west, because it makes sense and seems to work.  The sneezing, coughing and congestion that has been occurring in our home these last few days could very well be some kapha imbalances going on- too much alcohol, rich food and laziness.  Kapha imbalance, shown by congestion, lethargy, weight gain, has the recommended treatment of warm, bitter foods- things with cumin, chili and ginger, for example (but avoiding dairy products!).  This recipe is perfect for that.  

Curried Roasted Squash Soup

Ingredients: 

• 3 tsp Earth Balance 
• 1 acorn squash
• 1 yellow onion, unpeeled
• 3 cups of vegetable broth
• 3 tsp Curry Power
• Salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste 

Directions: 

• Cut the squash, scoop out seeds.  
• Cut the onion in half, don’t remove the peel. 
• Heat up 2 tsp of Earth Balance and 2 tsp of curry powder on the stovetop and brush mixture on the squash and onion.   
• Place the squash and onion halves cut side down. 
• Bake at 350 degrees until soft, about 45 minutes. 
• Scoop out squash and place in large pot on the stove.  
• Take skin off the onion and chop, place in blender stove along with the 3 cups of vegetable broth.  
• Put mixture on stove. 
• Add in the other 1 tsp of Earth Balance and the other 1 tsp of curry powder.  
• Cook on stove, add in more vegetable broth to thin if necessary.  
• Season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. 

I didn’t add any additional broth and enjoyed the thick consistency.  Q says it should have ginger in it next time, but I almost lean towards putting in more cayenne instead and spicing it up even more.  

This is a great rainy day recipe and it smells great.  Just make sure you wear grubby clothes because of all the curry you’ll be flinging around!  

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By Megan O'Laughlin, October 24, 2009 11:30 am

I’m married!  

Yep, here we are.  Happily married.  Hitched.  Knot has been tied.  

Every bit of our wedding weekend was beautiful.  How incredible to introduce our loved ones- my uncle and my spouse’s sister, my new nieces and my dear friend’s son, my brother and my new husband’s brother.  It is hard to imagine when we’ll ever have the whole group together again, and all of those combinations of relatives, so it felt quite special the whole time.  There were a few stressful moments but they were drastically outweighed by the amazement of it all- so fun, magical, even life affirming.  To have loving families and friends, all of whom get along and care for one another so much and so well, is really the best gift of all.  But we like the Cuisinart too! (more on that in tomorrow’s blog). 

Here’s some advice for anyone about to get married: Take your vitamins.  Do your shoulderstands.  Drink lots of water.  Do whatever immunity boosting techniques you hold dear, for you will need them!  

I felt a sore throat coming on the days leading up to the wedding and told myself to just keep it together until the wedding day ended, then be as sick as necessary on the mini-moon (merely 2 days, but enough time for some nice relaxation).  Sure enough, I was congested and cloudy the day after the wedding, surely a result of oodles of rich food and drink.  I used the ridiculously large jacuzzi bathtub to breathe in steam as I drank Theraflu and slowly started to feel better.  Apparently, succumbing to sickness is quite common for people after a wedding or after any stressful event.  

The last night of the mini-moon, we both woke in the middle middle of the night with issues that don’t need to be given a lot of detail on here.  Just use your imagination.  We figured it was food poisoning.  By morning, we felt a bit better but still achey and extremely tired.  We packed to go home and slowly drove back to Seattle, stopping frequently to rest or to buy 7-Up.  I called the yoga studio to find subs for my classes the next day and wondered if food would ever seem like a viable option again (I told myself no). 

The tummy issues finally passed and then the sniffles remained.  As I write this, my husband is in the other room watching cartoons, sniffling, coughing, having been sent home by his boss today at work.  We are sickies.  Interestingly, several others from our wedding weekend became ill on the same night that we did and we can’t quite pinpoint what did it.  

Now that the wedding is over, free time abounds.  I’ve been sleeping, nursing my cold and cleaning the house but truly, I’m hoping to find a job sooner than later.  Having the free time to plan and prepare for the wedding was helpful, but I don’t quite need all this time now just to get knitting stuff in order or whatever else feels inspiring at the time.  Thankfully, the yoga teaching schedule keeps me on track!  Still, hours can slip away in the wasteland of silly novels, Facebook, organizing drawers, etc.  At this time, some focus for each day is very needed.  

Today as I did a gentle yoga practice (still recovering, ugh), an idea sprung up: what if I post a blog every day until I find a job.  Yep.  Every day. It could be just a few weeks of some months of this.  Blogging, like exercising or eating chocolate at night, easily becomes a habit and I figure it will give me some structure and will maybe make up for the slacking I’ve been doing since I started this new space (blame that on the wedding planning).  So check in regularly and tell your friends.  Perhaps if you are job searching, you’d like to take up this project as well.  

See you tomorrow.    Continue reading 'After the wedding… the, um, blogging.'»

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By Megan O'Laughlin, October 14, 2009 1:08 pm

Or probably not.  Knowing me I’d likely re-do all the things the wedding planner does or I’d still try to do everything myself and be like “stop making such a big deal out of everything, wedding planner!”  

Wedding planning is stressful, even if it is for a small wedding like the one we will have on Saturday.  (Yep, that is in just 4 days.)  Our  small wedding will include about 25 guests who will share the weekend with us on the Oregon coast, where we’ll enjoy good seafood and lovely ocean views from our rented guesthouses.  I expect that our wedding will feel fun and quaint- from the little restaurant which will host the reception to the used dress I will wear to the handmade items that will adorn the ceremony.  

But yesterday the stress set in.  This after an entire weekend of socializing, during which my consistent answer to the FAQ “Are you stressed?” was “No, I’m just so excited!” (*blush*).  Yes, I am quite the blusher.  Yesterday I woke up with the monkey mind.  Gotta call about the backup venue.  Storm coming into the west.  My jacket doesn’t match my dress.  Must finish gift bags.  Have to write up the ceremony and complete it!  This internal madness was only exacerbated by the fact of having to teach 6 yoga classes total in the few days right before leaving for the Big Day.  Isn’t that what you want in a yoga class?  A stressed out bride-to-be who keeps trailing off mentally to think about bouquets?   To soothe the stressed monkey mind that so rudely awoke me yesterday, I took a long jog around the neighborhood and enjoyed the vibrant colors of the changing leaves and the silence of the neighborhood on a crisp fall morning.  I felt better.  And then I got to work.  

On a side note, my yoga classes have turned out to be so grounding and wonderful.  The students were giddy and sweet when I told them the news (they wanted to know why I was going out of town anyway).  I mentioned enjoying coming in to teach so I could get away from Wedding Obsessing and one student sweetly said “We’re here for you!”.  

Having assumed that most wedding stress is related to attempting to please 100+ guests, I’m now trying to glean what is is about weddings that feels so overwhelming.  

• Making the commitment to spend the rest of your life with someone?  
• List-making and packing and list-making some more? 
• Knowing you’ll be the center of attention, which makes the face turn red?  
• Worrying about all the guests and the logistics? 
• Feeling guilty for eating cookies? 
• Wondering why the heck you planned an outdoor wedding for October in the Northwest?  

I suppose it is all of those things and I have had quite the sweet tooth lately and there IS a big storm hitting the west coast.  Also there is that nervous, excited anticipation that bubbles up at unexpected moments.  The other night Q and I went to the neighborhood pub to get a drink and dinner and I realized “WOW, he is going to be my husband and every day when I come home, he’ll be there (well unless he’s out surfing).”  I know he’s already home when I come home now, but something about the idea of planning for it to be that way for our whole lives feels really amazing.  The wedding will be so SOON and all of the details and ideas that have been in the works for so long will come to fruition.  I’m expecting some huge feelings of release, thankfulness and a bit of that After-Christmas bummed-outness once it is all over.  

So the point of this post is just to say that this is what I’ve been up to.  My yoga mat hasn’t felt so much like a practice lately but more of an absolute necessity.  

So now if someone asks me “Are you stressed?” my answer is yes, but it is a good type of stress- a big messy mixture of excitement, anticipation and nervousness!

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By Megan O'Laughlin, October 3, 2009 12:00 pm

Countdown to Wedding: 14 days 

The last week has been about a lot of DETAILS.  Well, more than the last week, more like ever since we started planning the wedding.  Food, gifts, venue, dress, accessories, etc.  If it isn’t one thing with weddings then it is another.  But I feel lucky because I’ve been keeping it together thanks to this being a small event and I’ve had the time and energy to focus on all these little details, plus some amazing people to help.  And, may I ask, WHAT THE HECK did people do for wedding planning before the internet came along???   

If you haven’t heard of the amazing website Etsy then I suggest you get yourself there, especially if you adore homemade goodies including jewelry, art, clothing and well, pretty much anything else you can think of.  

I’m very thankful to Etsy for helping me with accessorizing for the wedding, which can take up a lot of time and energy, I’ve noticed.  In fact, looking at this website just made my options feel so vast that it felt quite overwhelming at times.  But, too many choices is a nice luxury, especially since the Etsy choices are often lovely, creative and fun.  Part of the fuzziness I feel about getting things off of Etsy is the feel of supporting like-minded, awesome folks.  They are making their goods just like I plug away at my little paintings in my studio.  It feels good to support someone doing what they love.  

So without further delay, here are some of my recent Etsy purchases: 

Paloma’s Nest 

Paloma’s shop is incredible and aims to create new and meaningful wedding traditions.  The one I especially love is not using those nasty lacey pillow to hold the rings and instead using a rind bearer plate.  Simply tie the rings on to the small plate and then the plate can be used as a keepsake after the wedding.  I ordered one that reads BE HAPPY BE LOVING BE TRUE and it is just adorable.  And the little plate came in a cute little box and was tucked into a tiny nest.  Oh!  I just squealed when I opened it and Q became very wide eyed and said “Well that’s nice.  Was it expensive?”  and it wasn’t.  

Now if they only made something like this instead of all the hideous flower girls baskets.  *shudder* 

Perch Papier

Now I admit I didn’t find this shop by just going on Etsy, but the fabulous woman who makes all these handmade lovelies is my neighbor’s lady friend.  One night when we all went to the symphony I noticed her lovely hair flower and asked her to make me one for the wedding.  I was tickled when the manly German neighbor showed up to talk soccer with the Q-man but had a basket full of hair flowers so I could pick a style I want!  I picked and told her the colors I want and she is on it.  I can hardly wait!   

The flowers are just one thing that she does, she also makes invitations, cards and all sorts of cool things.  

Joanna Goanna

Joanna came to my rescue when I was overwhelmed with choice in trying to find some kind of a jacket to wear with me dress, since we planned an OUTDOOR WEDDING in OCTOBER in OREGON.  Yes, I know it might rain.  We can handle it.  But I don’t like being really cold.  

There isn’t a picture listed of what I got because Joanna custom made it.  She asked for my measurements and I got to specify color (ivory), ruffle size (medium) and sleeve length (3/4 length).  Then she made it in a day and a half and sent it out.  Amazing.  I can’t wait to see it!  

Tia Kramer Jewelry 

Now Ms. Kramer isn’t on Etsy, but probably will be later.  She has her own website and sells her lovely items in places like the Chicago Art Institute shop and the Seattle Art Museum shop.  She is also my buddy and my studio mate!  She makes handmade jewelry using sterling silver or gold and handmade paper and they are quite durable.  

Tia agreed to make specially designed earrings for my wedding and was enthusiastic in her original design the MOMENT she saw my dress.  Wow, great to have found such an inspiring dress!  She’s also making some earrings for gifts and I’m so excited about it.  

____

So with the help of these creative ladies, I have unique and inspiring details for my special day!

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By Megan O'Laughlin, October 3, 2009 10:04 am

This awesome art is from headinjurytheater

I like the term “mind stuff” because it paints a picture of what is usually going on in your noodle- a bunch of goop.  You think about picking up your library book, taking the garbage out tonight, how you like that person’s red shirt and want one and then realize you forgot to call your mom back and then remember that OH YEAH I’m in the middle of a yoga class here.  I’m holding a pose.  I’ve been holding my breath.  I’ve even had this occur while teaching.  This is what the mind does, unruly thing that it can be.  

The path of yoga is truly a way of noticing this process and then starting to gain some control over the chittavritti- or the monkey mind.  I love this term too.  I see my mind in my mind’s eye (AH!) jumping from tree to tree, howling and grabbing bananas and at a tourist’s backpack, out of control, undisciplined and free.  In his Yoga Sutras, Patanjali states that this is the whole purpose of yoga- disciplining the undisciplined mind and gaining control over your crazy monkey.  

This is your monkey mind. Pretty cute, eh? Hard not to pay attention to, but don't forget that monkeys throw poop.

This sounds great!  Sign me up.  

Now what?  I mean, I have job searches to conduct, paintings to finish, classes to teach and a WEDDING coming up in just 2 weeks and 1 day.  

Ever feel yourself start to berate yourself about your yoga practice? Not practicing enough, or doing well enough, or not flexible or strong enough?  Its not enough, never enough.  That is your monkey.  Sure, we need discipline and I could do with more of it myself, especially with those truffles my mom bought for wedding favors and I keep eating them at night when I get my sweet tooth?  That’s not so good.  Anyway.  There goes my monkey.  

Okay.  *deep breath*

I harass myself about my practice a lot.  It never feels right to me: too quick, too gentle, too harsh, not enough meditation, not enough pranayama and so on and so forth.  Recently it occurred to me that this isn’t about my practice, this is about ME.  This difficulty in just residing with what is right here, right now, is coming right from that pesky little monkey.  I think it often becomes the feel that asana, or the poses, need to be practiced more and better because asana is the most concrete of the yoga path and the easiest limb for the western yogi to understand.  

There are 8 limbs in the path of yoga and you can think of them like a starfish, each limbs is an important entity to the whole.  Asana, or practice of the poses, is only one limb of yoga, only 1/8th of the path.  All 8 of the limbs include: 

1. Yamas- are the attitudes towards others and the world, practices a yogi should have such as non-violence, truthfulness and not stealing.  
2. Niyamas- are the ways the yogi treats oneself, for example practicing cleanliness, inner contentment, study of the self, awareness of a greater power. 
3. Asanas- physical poses are the way to relax the body of the mind and to find a harmonious union of the mind, body and spirit.  It also aids the body in becoming strong to live a healthy and long life and have the ability to hold a meditation seat without pain.  
4. Pranayama- means breath (prana) control (yama) and involves the practice of breathing exercises to cleanse the nervous system and increase vitality and energy.  
5. Prathyahara- is withdrawal of the senses.  The senses tend to lead us and offer stimulating and wonderful snacks for the monkey mind.  Withdrawing means turning inward and releasing awareness of the outer world, but still being very conscious and present.  
6. Dharana- is concentration.  This is training the mind to focus, for example focusing on a mantra or on the breath.  
7. Dhyana- is meditation, a state of constant awareness of the mind.  This helps a person to let go of illusions and be fully present and aware of projections and cloudiness that our monkey mind can bring to life.  It helps with clarity and overall health!
8. Samadhi- is enlightenment.  This is the easy one.  Ha.  Just kidding.  Gotcha.  This is the ultimate goal of the yogic path- a feeling of being one and complete with the universe.  Ahh, sounds nice doesn’t it?  

What strikes me about the 8 fold path is that many of them refer to meditation.  Pratyahara, Dharana and Dhyana are all practiced within the meditative state.  And, asana and pranayama are really for preparation for the meditative state while Samadhi is a wonderful result of that focused practice.  Again, the poses are just one part of all of this, as important as the others but complementary and not the be all end-all in the yogic life.  

So yoga is about making some sense of that goopy messy mind stuff so that instead of some confusing mess, we can make a wonderful soup with our outward practices (yamas and niyamas), our practices towards integrating mind and body (asana, pranyama and meditation). All the limbs contribute to the aspects of a whole person- the mind, body and spirit.    

Mmm lentil and roasted pepper soup. This looks like a great recipe; click on the picture to read it!

What do you think? 

• How do you practice the 8 limbs of yoga?  
• Do you feel that Western yoga tends to be more focused on the asana limb?  
• How does practicing asana assist you in your meditation practice?