Prana y Peru: Una Introducción

Hello my lovely readers and friends!  Oh how I have missed tapping noisily on my keyboard, writing to you all about my aspirations, my blunders, my hopes, my asanas, my everything.  I am officially back from Peru, and let me tell you- it was one of the most beautiful, emotional and spiritual experiences of this little lady's life.  Words cannot describe what was rushing through my body while I was there.  I was completely and utterly floored by the wonderful ambience that seemed to find its way through every inch of me.  I went to bed smiling, and woke up with the same goofy grin.  I was so sad to leave (although, I must admit, I was very excited to see my kitty Roxanne).

So this is what leads me to introduce you all to yet another section of my blog.  I would love to continually write about my Peruvian adventure, but this would mean paragraphs upon paragraphs of babbling and I would be afraid to lose you half way through it.  Therefore, say hello to Prana y Peru- a selection of postings dedicated to my love affair with Peru.  Anything and everything on how this trip inspired me and molded me into a person that is even more in touch with myself wil be spread over this screen.  The entire 10 days felt like one giant yoga class.  It was truly awe-inspiring, and I cannot wait to share all my stories with you.  So keep reading, there will be lots to say!

Namaste,
Lady Lotus

Perdone, ¿dónde está el estudio de yoga?

Now, please don't cry but...I am very sorry to inform you all that I will be unable to blog for the next two weeks.  Why, you may ask?  This little blonde yoga-loving muchacha is off to Peru!  Yes, I am packing my bags, leaving my computer behind, and am off to discover a part of the world that is completely new to me.  I will be exploring temples and ruins, perusing local markets, tasting new food (keeping my fingers crossed that it's veg friendly!) and *drum roll please* making my way to the top of Machu Picchu.  Just the thought of planting my two feet on that infamous mountain sends shivers of excitement up and down my spine.  I will have the oppurtunity to breathe in the air of one of the 7 Wonders of the World.  Of course, I will breathe in that air quite carefully, as it is very thin once you get to the top!  I know that my yoga training will come in handy at that point, allowing me to pay attention to my breathing, and having it calm my mind, my body and my soul.  I have been told by a friend of mine that once you get to the top of that glorious mountain, I will feel that I have found Heaven.  She said the view is enough to bring you to tears.  So needless to say, I am head over heels in love with the notion that I am given the chance to take such a trip and experience such a world.

Our trip will begin in Lima, where my red-headed bro is getting married. Yes yes, our trip's foundation is based on the fact that my broskee is marrying his long-term Latina love in her home-town.  There is no doubt in my mind that this happy occasion is going to be quite the memorable one.  After a few days of wedding prep and the wedding day, we are making our way to Cuzco, where we will spend the remainder of our trip exploring different areas and experiencing different things.  My one personal goal for this entire trip: find a place where I can do yoga.  Whether it be in a studio, in a hotel room, or on top of that towering heap of a mountain, I want to feel what it is like to do yoga in such an environment.  I am sure that this trip will enlighten me from start to finish, and I can only fathom what it will add to my own yogic experience.

So though it saddens me to be unable to blog with you for the next couple of weeks, rest assured that upon my return, I will have a lot to blog about- with pictures, of course!  I'm convinced that I will have plenty of stories to share with you about the scenery, the culture, the people and, of course, some blonde blunders due to my lack of Spanish speaking skills.  At least I know I'll be able to find a bathroom: ¿dónde está el baño?

Namaste,
Lady Lotus

I'll be seeing you soon, Machu Picchu...

Hump Day Happies: Giving The Best Of Yourself

On Saturday, I went for a walk- a very long walk.  I participated in the Canadian Cancer Society's Annual Relay for Life.  This is the second year in a row where I have dedicated myself to walking from 7pm until 7am and raising significant funds for the fight against cancer.  Thanks to all my friends and family who donated, I was able to raise $2100.  It is an accomplishment of which I am very proud, and could not have done it without the help of my loved ones.  It was a long walk, but definitely a fun one.  What was most touching was seeing the survivors, wearing their yellow T-Shirts, opening up the event with a victory lap.  Two of them were young girls, probably no more than 8 years old.  One was a guy around my age.  It really hit me to see such young people who had the unfortunate experience of having to go through something as scary as cancer.  But they did, and they overcame it.  I was filled with hope.  Our route was lit by luminaries which we personalized with dedications- such a beautiful and inspiring path to light our way.  Throughout the night my yoga training came in handy, too.  I would stop every few laps and stretch, followed by a tree pose or goddess pose- these asanas left me feeling alive and able to continue on with my journey!  At times I would sit, stand and squat with my eyes closed, and breathe in the air that felt as though the spirits of those I have loved and lost to cancer were being carried on it, ready to push me back up onto my feet.

It feels so good to be able to give back to the community in one form or another.  It may be by volunteering, it may be by fundraising, it may be by dedicating one's self to aiding someone or something.  Whatever it is that you do that adds a pinch of hope to someone's life, know that you are doing something remarkable.

So on this Hump Day, I would like for all of you to think of something you can do that can help our community in some way, in a completely unselfish manner.  You can give a few hours of your time to a charitable organization, participate in a chartiable event, or you can help someone carry their heavy groceries to their car if it appears that they're struggling.  There is no size to the amount of help you can give- it's the size of your heart that will do the giving.

Namaste,
Lady Lotus