There can be no yoga without TAPAS

As human beings, we are constantly involved in an activity that can affect our lives in two basic ways: it can either reinforce our conditioning or serve as the ground for positive change.

Within each of us lies the potential to reduce and ultimately to eliminate undesirable characteristics, dysfunctional patterns, and impurities from our systems.

TAPAS: Purification. The fire of disciplined practice destroys impurities and leads to the mastery of the body and the senses. The means by which we purify and transform ourselves.

In depriving ourselves of something to which we are habituated we resist acting on our habitual patterns and this resistance creates an internal heat that purifies, strengthens and transforms us. In order to get rid of something undesirable in our systems we must break patterns. We strengthen ourselves in order to break the cycle of habitual and addictive behavior that keeps us enslaved.

Stop anything you do mindlessly.
Dietary restriction: become aware of nourishment we take for granted, recognize our reliance on food for emotional well-being and as a source of entertainment.
-Recognize how we are slaves to our habits and addictions.
- Take note of things while generally attractive to us are nonetheless harmful to some dimension of ourselves.

TAPAS requires discipline and enthusiasm. It is using your will to overcome your conditioning.
Discipline is actually a path to happiness.

all of the above is a summary from Yoga for Transformation by Gary Kraftsow. Chapter 2 Transformation Through Practice, Part I Tapas: The Purifying Heat.

Another Lenten option for the next forty days: 40 days of yoga with Baron Baptiste

 "Why forty days? Because the number 40 holds tremendous spiritual significance in the realm of transformation. Jesus wandered the desert for forty days. Moses and his people traveled through the desert for forty years. Noah sailed his ark for forty days and forty nights. According to the Kabbalah it takes forty days to ingrain any new way of being into our system, and that is what we are aiming to do here: wipe out he old and welcome the new." and let's not forget Buddha sat meditating under his tree for forty days.

more vegan baking

To this simple chocolate cake I added chocolate chips. This cake is not a new age-y vegan concoction, but rather a tried and true mainstay reminiscent of world-war-times when eggs and butter were scarce commodities. It is not about rebelliously staking my claim as a non-meat-eater (although I respect that wonderfully powerful stance.) Instead, this chocolate cake has me romanticizing over my European roots in a time when looking into ones ancestry is de rigueur. Do you know your family history?

Mardi Gras is this Tuesday, followed by Ash Wednesday, the first day of forty day Lent. Though I did not grow up in a religious household, Lent is the perfect time of year (just before Spring) to pare back. It is a time to simplify and, if you wish, restrict yourself from an indulgence you take for granted. Traditionally, animal products are abstained from, and that will likely be my personal sacrifice, but you take your pick. Choose something that improves another's lot or evokes genuine self denial. Until then...



Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup water

1. Sift together flour, sugar, soda, salt.
2. Add oil, vanilla, vinegar and water.
3. Mix until smooth. Stir in any add-ons (nuts, chips...)
4. Bake in a 9x5 loaf pan at 350 for 45 minutes.
5. Cool and enjoy.

This recipe and the recipe for vanilla cupcakes are better the next day (I refrigerated them and thoroughly enjoyed the chilled results.) Scroll down for the Vanilla Cupcakes!!! Both are from allrecipes.com (as well as Dana's Weeknight Brownies CLICK and Faux Vegan Chocolate Mousse CLICK.) Lots of Chocolate for Fat Tuesday! Enjoy!

Rosé, Meatballs, Vanilla Cupcakes

Savasana- pose of complete surrender

One week ago I returned from a weekend stint filled with, I kid you not - rosé and meatballs - in good old NYC. "Try the meatballs!" "Have a glass of Rosé!" "Meatballs are our specialty." "I hear the meatballs here are amazing." "Can I get you anything? A glass of Rosé?" "Did you try the meatballs?!?!!??!?"
It took the better part of a week to get my groove back. But I'm Back.

I ate the last two eggs for breakfast thursday morning and as dinner came to a close and I rolled up my sleeves and pulled on my oven mitts to commence J's Birthday sweets my heart sank as I saw the empty egg carton laying peacefully in the recycling. The solution: search vegan.

J and I just watched cupcake wars and had pastryballs (not meatballs!) on the brain. Now I know cupcakes have been overly trendy for a long time now. In NYC a new cupcake shop is about as welcome as a rat infestation and as cool as an electronic cigarette, but it's not like I am suggesting replacing one's wedding cake with a cupcake tower. I found this cupcake recipe and loved the ingredients so much I just had to try. (Coconut Oil! Curdled Almond Milk?!)

They were a success. J is a plain vanilla guy and always gets to pick what he wants on his birthday, so our little snacks were old fashioned and simple, but you can feel free to add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder/different extracts/citrus rinds/food coloring/m&m's... let your imagination run wild!

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes for Anyone

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed until liquid
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Pour almond milk over apple cider vinegar (in a pyrex measuring cup) and allow to curdle 

2. while you sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

3. Whisk coconut oil and vanilla into almond milk and 

4. then mix dry and wet ingredients just until combined. 

5. Bake 18 cupcakes in cute papers at 350 for 15-20 minutes (will spring back when touched.)

Frost with a matching frosting of choice. I combined whipped cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with a spatula until I reached the desired sweetness. Refrigerate. I enjoyed these even more cooled the following days. And honestly, feel free to have these for breakfast, I know I just did ;)


AP tries on 'clubbing clothes' for NYC pre-trip (two weeks ago.)

Don't you hate it when you accidentally buy chunky peanut butter instead of creamy

Facebook Corporate

Stretchy Pant Intellectuals

What to READ to REEELAAAAAAAAX...

(For those of you who asked) How to break the surface and get into Yoga:

A Few Favorite Yoga Books (so far!)

A Year of Living Your Yoga, Judith Hanson Lasater

Happy Yoga, Steve Ross

Hip Tranquil Chick, Kimberly Wilson

Light on Life, B.K.S. Iyengar

Perfect Health, Deepak Chopra MD

What I am Reading Next:

The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar

What are your favorite yoga/feel good (I almost typed 'god', haha- same thing) books?! 

Guilty pleasure: US Weekly. Favorite quote from this week:

"People who do calmer exercises make good food choices. People who are in those spinning classes and dripping, they're like, "I'm starving," and they eat too much. Tomorrow they have to spin to get off what they ate, and then that becomes another craziness." -Bethenny Frankel 

... I like anything that gives me the green light to be lazy! Obviously. 

How should I yoga?!

 It's as personal as your style.

"Developing a personal yoga practice is the difference between practicing yoga as an exercise and adopting it as a lifestyle. 

 

Many yoga teachers encourage students to develop a personal yoga practice at home once they reach a level of expertise. Class becomes a place to reenergize, to pick up new yoga tools and skills, and to get the proper guidance and help from an expert.

"The true yoga begins when [you] leave the studio," Miller said. "Yoga is all about being awake, being mindful of your actions."

 

"Part of personal practice is learning what your needs are for that day, that moment, that hour you carve out for practice -- and that takes intuition," said Pranksy, who practices five times a week on her own and maintains those are her best practices. "Yoga is meant to meet your needs day by day and moment by moment, practice should reflect what you are trying to bring into balance at the time." Pransky usually begins her personal practice by quieting her mind and sitting in meditation. She listens to her body to intuit what yoga it needs -- restorative and meditative or strong and invigorating.

 

Start with small pockets of time, such as ten minutes, and let your practice grow as you feel the need.

Many people believe that they should leave yoga class or practice feeling tired. That's the old gym mentality -- gotta sweat and get a good workout. Pranksy debunks this myth about yoga. "Yoga should constantly refresh and energize, constantly open our channels. Be mindful of breath. Approach challenging poses not with trying and tension, which can tire you out, but in a way that helps to ground, rejuvenate, and open you. Come from a calm and centered place in even the most challenging of poses. Become spacious, relaxed, and energized."" --- all of the above excerpts from Personal Yoga Practice: It's the Main Course Not a Side Dish by Sherry Roberts CLICK for more

Though it's been a week since Valentine's Day don't forget to keep the love alive! Frame some new pics, print some favorites off of your computer or make/find/buy 'love'ly art today... like the above photo from 1stdibs.com. I added wedding photos to an old post, click, and have the first batch of professional prints on the way, finally!

Putting a little Spring in your step

I cannot believe I am asking this, but--- Ready for Spring??? Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog saw no shadow on February 2nd, sooooo Spring should begin two weeks later, TODAY! Februrary 16th. Officially (calendar-ically,) Spring will begin in about four/five weeks, on March 20th. Yes, there is still time.

The Proposal: J and I were engaged one year ago on the first day of Spring. I cannot believe it has only been one year! The wedding was grand, the marriage is bliss, and therefore - switching gears- I want this Spring to bring a sense of ease and comfort with myself. In 2011 my fiance is me. In these next four weeks leading up to the Spring equinox, reflect on how you would like to begin your Spring. Do you have any Spring cleaning to be done? Any forgotten resolutions to re-instill? Bikinis to buy?

For now: Sip tea and reflect.

Or MEOW-ZA!!! Take a walk on the wild hippy hollywood side and sip some apple cider vinegar. The countless benefits can be seen HERE and my favorite brand is HERE. 

Mr. Bragg, founder of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar changed the life of Jack Lalanne CLICK who I blogged about before HERE...

"Love you so much, Your Apple Cider Vinegar is my secret of all secrets." 

The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself

Happy Valentine's Day

show some love

We will be having an Italian dinner party featuring these stuffed shells.

A few easy ways to decorate last minute:

Add heart-shaped doilies or love notes to noticeable surfaces. People tend to look at mirrors and pictures when in your home... and mirrors are easy to clean!

Get Saucy Strawberry Ending: Soak strawberries in Orange Liqueur during dinner. Just before service melt 3/4 cup good quality dark chocolate with 1/2 cup heavy cream and pour over the strawberries. Serve with heart shaped lemon cookies and truffles.

paper pom pom poms

Yesterday Early Afternoon. The Inspiration

Late Afternoon. Get to work! When you see something that moves you it's best to act on it right away. These homemade tissue paper poofs took no time at all to make. I cannot believe I have never done this before! A thin stack of tissue paper is scalloped or petal shaped at the edges,  accordion folded, secured in the middle and then pulled apart and fluffed. Voila!

Hours Later. Valentine colors suspended as a unit and kept high as to not detract from the view. 

This Morning. Breakfast with the In-laws. 

Last Night. Always set the table and make all possible preparations the night before! Taking pictures helps point out faults. This photo made it clear the chairs needed covering.