Humility

Tonight I realized something (seemingly obvious to others perhaps), that i have never given much thought to before.
I like to think of myself as tending toward being humble. Maybe it is wishful thinking. Maybe it is positive thinking. Maybe i am just trying to convince myself so that one day i may take this form.
The truth... I suddenly realized is that actually 'being humble' is like finally attaining a certification after a lifetime of studying. It is a constant work in progress and something that is always floundering.


Like just about every other human being on this planet, I am governed by my clumsy ego. A proud, arrogant, very human ego, that shies away from criticism or judgement. Yet it is so often this kind of feedback that offers us the opportunity to better or correct ourselves if we can just learn to take it in the right light, to not get defensive or let our insecurities run a mock. It is in fact an opportunity to grow.

To have people in our lives that can offer us this... is very, very valuable. Recently, i have been taking huge personal risks, continually placing myself in public view in order to publicize the project I am working on. Every time I do this is a little scary... and to be honest it just got scarier... but the fact is, i am doing it, no mater what, and if by doing it my faults become highlighted, then, well... I am going to try very hard to see this as a crash course in finding the better me, to welcome criticism and feedback, to not be oversensitive, but be grateful. I am going to try and see this as an opportunity to actually develop my humility... and actually become the humble person i so wish I was.

Barefoote Bliss

I apologize most sincerely for neglecting my little blog spot , but it has been a very busy month!
I have been coming up with all sorts of ideas for fundraising and trying to put them into motion as well as creating my own little Yoga class!

I also suddenly realized that treehuggersresolution was being dominated by this new endeavor so I had to create a sister site where matters related could have there own home.

So after much toiling (mostly on the part of my extremely generous and patient husband)...

It's up... Tree huggers sister blog... http://barefootebliss.blogspot.com/ is up and running!

So back to basics, I recently received my new shampoo and conditioner... not at all toxic and not at all expensive! It is made by MOP or Modern Organic Products... and its awesome!

i have been re-inspired after attending Adi Carters Detox workshop yesterday... in which she dealt considerably with matters environmental...
for some really scary stats... check out this site...http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Moore-Trashed-PacificNov03.htm

Adi also promotes Pangea Organics... which i look forward to trying i the near future.

My war on plastic has been upped a notch ...  a massive, greedy war is being fought at the moment over oil, most of the crude oil in the world is used to make plastic, a large majority of which we smear on our skin (oh vanity), ingest (via the leaching process occurring within almost all plastic containers) or scatter about the planet...  aren't we a perplex (read: ridiculous) species.

More challenges..

and the bustle continues... my list of ideas to raise money for SEVA, grows and shrinks as I conceive the ideas, send out proposals and then deal with denial.

Every two weeks the participants in the challenge make an international conference call to discuss their progress etc. I have as yet not been able to make this happen but have listened to them on the long train trip home.

Yesterday, one of the participants said..."the hardest part is asking, not hearing the NO", and well I mostly agree. At the moment its all pretty hard. Another mentioned that sometimes we don't necessarily reach our goals the way we had planned... I'm really finding this to be true. The people and connections i think will definitely come through- don't always, and often unsuspecting others do! I think I am happy with this, as long as they balance out!

I continue to find inspiration though, yesterday I was lucky enough to attend a yoga class with Adi Carter, a yogaslacker , and activist. Her class was fabulous and her much needed post class words of wisdom were very appreciated. Next weekend we will be attending 'Redefining Balance' a yoga slackers event in Tokyo, I am guaranteed to find some inspiration there!

This morning (very early), my friend Mike, a great photographer, started taking some photos for what will be my yoga blog, and the site where I will be SEVA related writing... it was freeeeezing, but fun and it looks like he has done a great job.

I am now sorting though pictures so that some may be edited... and really having to look at myself, not always easy i tell you but very valuable. Trying to see yourself through the eyes of others can be very humbling in so many ways (so can asking for money!)

Busy Busy Busy

Since signing up for the SEVA challenge, my life has been a blur of meetings, brainstorming, researching and letter writing! In between all of this however, I did manage to find a small sanctuary of luurrrv!

On Sunday I attended a Thai Yoga Body Workshop with Jonas Westring, and it was bliss.

Learning to give a Thai massage while doing yoga is especially nice because in order to give a massage you have to receive one too, so there is a neat little reciprocation of giving and receiving which I fancy a whole lot!

I also attended a meeting with my dear friend Pete who has agree to help me with my first fundraising event... (which might be a trifle challenging but is apparently feasible nonetheless !). so watch this space

Another morsel of Inspiration!

Finding Inspiration...

Since accepting and posting about my decision to take the SEVA challenge, my feelings have been oscillating between "what the heck am i doing" and "my heart is going to explode i am so excited!"

I have spoken about "inspiration" before but never before has it resonated in me as profoundly as it is right now. A long list of ladies and the phenomenal things they are doing are streaming into my awareness. Last night I was totally captivated by Julia Butterfly Hill and her amazing feat, I listened to series of interviews she did, and something she said actually made me tingle...

"You are everything you need to be right now, you are the perfect person for what you have to do in this life!"

Brene' Brown, another source of inspiration, has dedicated this week to self worthiness... You are worthy! I love how these two message from 2 ladies I so admire came to me echoing one another within 24 hours!

I have sat down and really worked at a plan, i have brainstormed and done some research and I know that i can do this challenge.

Today I received my first donation of $100 and I have set up a meeting for one of my possible events! So far so good :-)

I am inspired!

Mission

Off the Mat, Into the World® (OTM), a program of the nonprofit, The Engage Network, is dedicated to bridging yoga and activism. Founded in 2007, OTM’s mission is to use the power of yoga to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and ignite grassroots social change.

Yoga is a powerful path of personal transformation. At its root, the word means ‘union’ – of mind, body and spirit. Yoga opens our hearts and expands our awareness of self creating space for balance and deep change in our lives.

OTM helps individuals take the path of yoga “off the mat and into the world," expanding the sphere of change outward to local and global communities. We do this by facilitating personal empowerment through leadership trainings, fostering community collaboration, and initiating local and global service projects. Our work focuses on three core areas of development:

On a mission... My Big Challenge!

For the past 2 years I have tried to do something substantial for charity. These have been mostly fun fundraisers that have raised a relative amount of money for South African charities... but not quite as substantial as I initially intended them to be.

When I decided to pursue my passion in yoga, it was for a number of reasons, one of them was to use it to try to make a valid contribution to the world. Shortly after attaining my yoga teachers qualification, Rob and I decided to head back to South Africa, (after a 3 year stint abroad), also for various reasons but partly because one of the "epiphanies" I had while doing my course was that if I was going to continue to 'try to save the world' I should start in my backyard, South Africa.

Then, yesterday I came across a mail I had saved regarding a particularly special group of Yoginis from "Off the Mat, into the World", who are working wonders world wide through yoga. Their next big mission ( along with umpteen others) is a trip to South Africa, to create a grass roots project that will assist AIDS orphans. Now I ask with tears in my eyes, "How can I not participate/contribute?"

So I have boldly signed up for this challenge which basically entails trying to raise $20 000 by December 15th, so that these beautiful women and hopefully myself, can go and spread some love around my very own stomping ground.

I am grateful, excited, nervous, motivated, and brimming with ideas, but I really, really need support.

I am going to try to make this a personal challenge, try not to get stressed about it and enjoy the process and try be content in the knowledge that people out there really, really care!

OTM uses the power of yogatoinspireconscious, sustainable activism andignitegrassroots social change. We do this by facilitating personalempowermentthrough leadership trainings, fosteringcommunitycollaboration, and initiating local and global service projects. We see yogis everywhere taking their yoga off the mat and into the world.

Join Our Movement

Reflections... and a bit of checking in

Somehow we are already in the third month of this year... which seems to be a good time to assess my progress in terms of "The Big 7 Re:Solutions". I have to admit I'm kinda chuffed with my progress in general so far and am rather giddy with the journey, there is of course always room for improvement.

So here is a step by step check in:

#1 Stand against consumerism...

To date, I have managed to keep my clothes buying to an all time low. I have frequented the used clothes shop maybe a little more than usual~ but am still handicapped there, as most of the 'donors' are size teeny. I have to admit I bought a poncho (for Rob) and a scarf (for me) in Mexico, that although handmade by locals are not organic. I also had to stock up on underwear in a hurry before I left, and although from Muji, an environmentally friendly stockist, they were not organic either.

#2 No more plastic

I have somehow managed to loose 2 of my three eco bags, which is posing difficulties... I really want to convert some old clothes into shoppers... but I don't have a sewing machine in Japan. I might have to just bight the proverbial bullet and buy new shopper... I do find this contradictory to re:solution 1 however.

#3 Qualify as a Yoga Teacher

Check Check Check.... woohoo!

This has been THE most rewarding challenge I have set myself, and although accomplished, I feel the journey has just begun. Next week I begin my search for venues and hopefully I will start classes in the near future! watch this space!

#4 Finish outstanding degree

registered for last module, first assignment submitted... so far so good!

#5 Raw food challenge

We have been following our green lemonade morning start, and fruit only until lunch time pretty religiously. The food at Yandara, was spectacular and organic and mostly raw... the week after course was not at all raw and consisted of mostly cheesy, creamy Mexican cuisine. Since being home, I have been maintaining the juice and fruit, aiming at raw and integrating some Ayurveda principles in our diet (which I hope to learn more about), and (blush)... in saying all of that, I am sitting in a heady, chocolaty ,aroma caused by the 'rainy day brownies' cooling in the kitchen. So maybe need a bit of work here, ahem.

#6 ~ less face-eat-your-time-book

This is not an excuse... but on my return, after a month away, I had an inbox of new mail that stretched over a multitude of pages. I have been spending a great deal of time responding and resolving and updating. I'm giving myself until the end of this week... and then back on the rations.

#7 More time for hobbies

I am dismally failing in the harmonica and Spanish department! Although Mexico did wonders for my Spanish, since being back, I have been quite centered on yoga, finding new workshops, preparing for our future and spending time with y husband, all of which are more than passable alternatives in my book!

"I am you, You are me, We are One"

Among the many amazing things that happened to me on my wee journey… was an influx of little epiphanies/ revelations / “penny dropping” moments. I would like to say that one day when I was sitting beneath that beautiful fig tree (pictured below) I suddenly had the mother of all ‘Ah ha!’ moments, but alas most of my experiences were of a more subtle nature. In fact they were more rediscoveries or… creating a path from my head to my heart where my understandings could travel with ease.

One of these “rememberies” that has reappeared today is that of ‘interconnection’. No matter how we look at it, we are all an element of an incredibly interconnected masterpiece. I realize this again and again when I meander through the musing of others and find myself exclaiming, “No way, I was thinking the same thing! Or, even when I am made aware of the incredible acts of charity happening throughout the world, people giving and caring for one another as though they were family.

Without detracting from the beautiful individuality that colours our world, we are all essentially beings trying to survive, trying to find love, trying to find a space of comfort and security. When you understand the interconnection, you suddenly start to realize how much we inevitably affect everything around us, how a simple action or word can have massive repercussions on the lives of others. This can seem terrifying, when you start to care, how easy it is to unknowingly make or break somebody else. Some say ‘do unto others as you would have done unto you” others will call it karma or even cause and effect, at the end of the day the message is unanimous~ when you look into the eyes of someone else… it is impossible not to see a slightly distorted reflection of your self looking back, I’m reminded to take the time to actually see that self.

Home sweet home

Home is where the heart is… I am home.

After 26 days, traveling 9026km (give or take) to and around Mexico and back again… I am finally back in Japan. Not that I could really ever refer to Japan as technically being home, it was where I left a significant piece of my heart and so it is very special to be reunited.

The thing is however; a large part of my ‘coming home’ happened way before I left the sunny shores of Baja, it happened without going anywhere except into my heart. Coming home has for me, essentially become about realizing that, we are always home when we are living true to ourselves or at least attempting to.

I have been studying, trying, pushing, examining, etc for ages in order to become better acquainted with places and spaces in my heart that make up the essential me, and then, when I finally let myself just become something I wanted to be (a yoga teacher, a friend, an adored wife), suddenly there I was. A little more of me.

In order to recount what happened during my travels I would probably have to divide it into 2 segments… the external journey and the internal journey. I feel at this stage, both could be epics and so much integration and consolidation is required before I start spewing out random recollections. So, I am going to let my story emerge slowly, with purpose in its own sweet time, perhaps here, perhaps in conversation, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is, here I am, almost home on so many levels.

Gotta love him!

My happy place

Here are some pretty tree pictures... again I apologise for not having their links... they have been stored in a folder for some months, please feel free to claim them if they are yours.

My last 3 posts have been about my trivial tribulations ... my sincere apologies. Today has been a beautiful and reflective day, I have done my yoga practice, made our meals with intention (not breaking any dietary guidelines), fine tuned a few more of the details regarding my trip and grounded. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I am a blessed soul who lives in abundance in many forms... so today I just want to express a little gratitude.

I have 2 beautiful families, I have found my true love, I have my health, I have opportunities and potential, I have dreams and accomplishments, I have memories and stories to tell, I am grateful.

Today over lunch, The wondering wanderer pondered over the ridiculous human tendency to take things for granted. I am pretty sure we all do this to some degree, maybe some more then others. Do we take what we have for granted because we are constantly desiring more, do we no longer see what it right before us because we always have our eye on the next prize? I don't think it is wrong, especially in our youth to have goals and dreams, but I do think we do ourselves a disfavor by not appreciating what we have already and what we have already done.

Sitting inside with the best husband in the world, eating our hot veggie soup, while a freezing, Siberian wind howled and rattled around our house, I felt quite comforted that there wasn't anything else I wanted right then. So here (for me) is a list of things I am grateful for, in no particular order...

family, the best husband in the world, trees, trees, summer, avocados, juicy~ dribble down your face fruit, red wine, yoga, sunsets, sleep ins, candle light, harmonica music, acoustic guitars, marmite, good books, pretty pictures, hot baths, chai tea, paper cups, bunting, butterscotch flavors, men with beards, old cars, surfer boys,trees, charity stores, Winnie the poo, henna paintings, sun dappled patches of earth, cheesecake, twilight, incense, the colour green, organic clothes, traveling, trees, photographs, soup, ugg boots, old jeans, cuddling, tear jerkers, picnics, braais (bbq's), fresh air, open space, the beach, little hands and feet (obviously not me... I appreciate them on little people), laughing, smiling, tickles, kites, sail boats, fairy lights, snowmen, origami cranes, flowers, bicycles, vanilla, long walks, smiles on strangers, holding hands.

That's today's list.

Some more slices of Sunday...

Red tape, Red tape ,Red tape... bleh red tape, you are not my friend!

I'm not sure if I am deserving ( I have had an extremely stressful- self induced, but stressful week)... but I finally have managed to resolve the many issues that have "suddenly cropped up" with regards to Re: solution # 3 (Qualify as yoga teacher). My Mexican visa is being processed as we speak, I have repurchased a ticket that doesn't involve transits in countries that are not particularly inviting and I have ended up with a whole extra week in Mexico, post course. Just watch me make organic lemonade out of life's lemons!

I have also learnt some very important life lessons... never trust the system (even in a first world country). Pessimistic? Maybe... but this is the second time I have requested information from a travel agent and been misinformed, resulting in severe panic attacks, years off my life in stress, near holiday cancellations, tears, cursing, possible divorces (not really), you get the point. Where I developed the inclination to trust the system in the first place boggles me a bit... I come from a third world country (that I love largely)... but, where the system tends to be well, precarious. Needless to say, again I trusted... again... not so smart. Which brings me to life lesson #2.... "GOOD GRIEF TAMMY... you are 30, you are educated, you have some Internet skills.... USE THEM! Why I didn't take the time to check on my misinformation a month ago, I dunno! Lesson #3 enough with the blame... accept responsibility and then make it happen.... I am very good at this it seems. I mean making things happen~ when the pressure is SO on it's almost in. Granted my little bank account is stretched into, well... a yoga pose not yet invented, I intend however, to see this as an investment; a qualification ofcourse, is a very useful tool for making $$$, and enough with the spilt milk.

So on a more positive note, Sunday, ahhhh... Sunday. As much a I would like to have been picnicking, on the beach, in the forest, along side the river, alas we live in the city and it is winter.. so again make lemonade. Tokyo is actually a fabulous place for embracing city life, and so that is what we did. We went to an art exhibition and stumbled across what could have been a gem of a restaurant for lunch (We think we threw them with our well... 'foreignness', they seemed to be befuddled by our presence), and then moseyed through back alleys, second hand stores and vintage shops. These are things we love dearly. It is one of the things I appreciate most about the best husband in the world, old means charm, used means potential... nothing is ever quite as it seems... it makes life wondrous. I love that we are both drawn to vintage and can quite happily be enveloped by other peoples junk for hours. In fact we spent out first Christmas eve together rummaging through a building site dump, collecting things to make/furnish our little home. Anyway... here are the snippets of our Sunday.

Karma Yoga

(Picture taken in Thailand last year while waiting for the ferry)
Dear Internet... it has been days since my last confession, I mean blog, this is mostly due to the most ridiculous week and the inability to string my thoughts into coherent sentences.

Without going into to many of the gory details, I discovered (after being informed otherwise), that I do in fact need a visa for Mexico, a visa that can take up to 30 days to process, a visa that requires an interview (which could only be scheduled for this Monday morning!), a visa that requires a pile of official documentation from banks and the like (which I had to try an attain with a below average Japanese speaking ability)... a visa that without... I cannot leave next Sunday, to do my course that I have already paid for, mentally prepared for and am extremely excited for. I know in terms of what is happening in the rest of the world, the devastation in Haiti, this is trivial and that The Powers That Be are extremely busy right now.... so I will do no beseeching, but I hope I deserve this enough to make it happen.

This brings me to my next point... deserving, sowing and reaping, cause and effect... karma. Call it what you will, this is an underlying theme in human existence.... and it is very much a part of Yoga. Many yogis focus primarily on the physical aspect of yoga, this is fine, I do not judge, it is an amazingly rewarding element of a multifaceted way of life. Other yogis are very aware of alliance with Karma yoga and are doing amazing things for their communities, the environment and the world, like Yoga Bear and Off the Mat , who I love, love, love!

Karma yoga can be described in a variety of ways... but simply it is the act of compassion, generosity, charity... consideration. Although many of us want to save the world (I know this is cliche' and bordering on sermonizing, but it's Sunday after all), but these things should start inside us and move out. Be kind to yourself (do yoga, eat well), be kind to your family, be kind to your friends, your community, your fellow yogis.

(I apologize... the next bit of this blog may seem like a rant, it is not... it is an appeal!)

Being kind to your fellow yogis means a number things, a friendly greeting, a smile, a word of encouragement... not coming to a pranayama class when you are as sick as a dog!

This week, between 6 hour stints in the bank and scraping the peeling paint in my loo AND repainting it and teaching, I went to my yoga class. I have been trying to attend as many as possible in preparation for Mexico. It is a yoga class that takes place in a converted Japanese apartment, so the space is small and we are all positioned pretty close to one another. On this particular occasion the mat that was unrolled next to mine was owned by "Miss Sick as a dog". Initially I was filled with compassion, I know she teaches children~ thus it is easy to catch colds and it is very difficult to teach like that.

However, I am ( a little) ashamed to admit that my compassion steadily faded as "Miss Sick as a dog" continued to cough, splutter and sneeze on me and my mat for the entire lesson, I understand it is challenging to cover your mouth with your hand when it is supporting your entire body... another solution perhaps? DON"T COME TO CLASS! If this wasn't enough, I mean, being showered in spittle and phlegm and breathing in germs for 2 hours, she continued to make loud nasal scraping, honking noises all the way through meditation and savasana... my mind, needless to say was nowhere near the place it should have been.

The problem here is, I have no idea how to handle this situation. I am about to (Mexican embassy permitting) qualify as a yoga teacher, there are bound to be sick people in my classes. At one point during the above mentioned class I considered leaving, but out of respect for my teacher (who also happens to be my land lady) I stuck it out.

Should you stay or should you go? Should you ask "Miss Sick as a dog" to go... should you pin up a sign outside your class that reads: "We all love to practice yoga, but If you are as sick as a dog, please go home and practice Karma Yoga instead"

The result is... I too am now as sick as a dog (well, I have a crappy cold), unable to attend class and train for Mexico (Mexican embassy permitting). I vow to be more compassionate than "Miss Sick as a dog" and not return to class until I am germ free, I appeal to anyone who may read this... pleeeease do the same... baby steps to saving the world people!

The bane of the jet plane...

Dreamy solutions to my 'bleh' day... a beeeeeeewtiful bed, and a good book....

Some days... I wake up full of zest, inspired, motivated to save the world (or just help it out a little), other days, like today, something just feels off. It could be the cold, the crazy dreams I had last night, being mildly homesick for South African summers, family, friends and big, beautiful open spaces... or nothing in particular. This "off" feeling however, has this nasty tendency to turn into a murky spiral of... 'yukkiness'... for lack of a better word. Being uninspired and unmotivated inevitably results in being totally unproductive which in turn results in guilt. Throw in a tiff with the 'not so sweet ladies' at the Mexican embassy today (who were not Mexican) and an 'in-box' that is not giving me anything I am patiently waiting for, and you have the perfect recipe for a ... well, not so inspired Tam. Then to top it off, I came across this fascinating site and did this even more fascinating quiz, and discovered that even though we don't drive a car anymore, try to eat organic produce, are vegetarians, are conscious of our electricity usage, have no heating, reuse bath water in winter, shower in summer, don't use plastic or PET bottles, don't have a TV etc etc etc, we would still need 2 and 2/3 earths to sustain us if everyone lived like we did! Good Grief!!!! Sorry guys... but the truth is that the damage is done in all the fuel consumption used to jet set. Traveling by air has let us down... and well, we live in the very, very far East... so going anywhere means an airplane... or a ship? I have done no homework on this matter , as I mentioned before it was an unproductive day, and therefore I have no anecdotes for this dilemma... please free to comment or mail me at treehuggersblog@gmail.com if you have any suggestions... or funny jokes... or inspiring words.

I am now taking myself and the tail between my legs off to bed with every intention of having peaceful dreams and waking up a little more zesty!

Please note: I unfortunately collected these images ages ago and no longer have the links, I have searched- I have not found and I am more then happy to add links if anyone knows where they come from.

Re: Solution #1: Vanity vs inhumanity...

Re:solution #1... Anti Consumerism, is leagues ahead in the little 2010 challenge at present, which means that I have still as yet, not purchased any new clothing or unnecessaries... not even used or organic for that matter. "Well done me!" for galloping past every sale sign in Tokyo for the last 3 weeks, without so much as a sidewards glance. Admittedly I was never particularly short of clothing to begin with... so I haven't exactly felt deprived~ but it is still an accomplishment in my books. One of the main purposes for this challenge (other than the war against consumerism) however, was to 'purify' my wardrobe... in other words slooooooowly but surely replace... it with environmentally friendly items. I am completely aware that this might take a couple of years, but it is a start and in the mean time I am becoming increasingly educated on what IS organic/green and what is NOT. For example, I recently discovered that my beloved bamboo fabrics are actually made using some pretty nasty chemicals to break down their fibres (Devastation... I was relying on you Bamboo... and so I'm still trying to figure out where I stand on this matter).

NOW, in order to move on with this post dear Internet, first I must regress, you see, I never elaborated thoroughly in my original resolution list, but it is also my intention to stretch this philosophy into my cosmetics. It is alarming how many toxins are actually in our daily used soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, hair products... things we apply to our skins (our bodies largest organ) every day and then flush down the plug to further damage the planet ( this is totally excluding the amount of environmental damage that occurs in the production of these products).

And here comes my very disappointing second discovery. Today I scraped the last little smidgen of moisturizer out of it's jar and had to replace it. I had every intention on replacing it with the 'good' stuff... but I was too slow and left it until the last minute. (Even though I have collected numerous links of places where I can buy fabulous organic beauty products online). Now before I delve into this... and this is my no means an excuse but I have to remind you that I am virtually illiterate in my country of residence... in other words I cannot read or write in Japanese. Therefore shopping around for products that require label reading is not an option (hence my online dependency).

So I did the obvious thing... I headed to The Body Shop... with it's excellent, Tammy approved New Years Resolutions, Au natural packaging, earthy image and positive associations... I had to be OK.

I bought my moisturizer and then on the way to the till, I bought something extra in the faith that by shopping I was doing some good (do not snigger!)

When I got home, I thought I would consult Master google on this matter and it appears, that although, I have supported various causes; like supporting community trade, being active against animal testing , defending human rights and protecting the planet, the products I bought are not organic :~( According to this article, among others, Body Shop products may have traces of synthetic fragrances and petrochemicals in them.

I am going to choose to forgive myself for this little booboo... it is a lesson learnt, and on the whole it is quite difficult to fault The Body Shop for anything else... the fact is, unlike a whole lot of other cosmetic lines, they are truly trying to make a difference. Some may say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I choose rather to believe, that good intentions are the seeds of good actions... sans the chemical fertilizer and pesticide, they might very well fruit into something pure and juicy!

PS I did manage to find some organic cotton pads at TBS... I haven't seen them anywhere else around here!

Slices of Sunday...

Living through our third winter in the Northern Hemisphere has again confirmed that we are most definitely Tropical tree huggers. Although we try to embrace (tolerate) the cold and all it's so called pleasures... we hanker after balmy nights and Sundays brimming with beach time. Today we decided to make the most of the wintry afternoon sun and took a lazy saunter down to the flower museum at the end of the street. We walk/ run past it every time we head to the beach, but we had never actually ventured inside. We were more then pleasantly surprised by what we found... as we entered into an Alice In wonderland like conservatory, filled with over sized tropical plants, sweating happily away in their perfectly temperate atmosphere. Besides all kinds of floral wonders and intrigues, the museum also has a lovely, little restaurant that serves the most amazing souffle formaggio (not at all raw, and presumably not organic... ahem). We then left the museum just in time to catch the sunset at the beach. Gotta love Sundays!

Love + Joy = brilliance

The powers that be did not bless me with immeasurable talent in any one particular area (that I have identified as yet), but those, afore mentioned powers most definitely blessed me with enough talented people in my life to make-up for the former ummmm... omission? I am incredibly fortunate to have as friends and family, magical souls who never cease to amaze me (and the rest of the world) with their various capabilities. Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on season and economic climate), they are tucked away in the toe end of Africa.

Thus... (said in a most authoritative voice), "I am now promoting thee, wee blog spot, to....O.S.A.A.F.P. ( Official South African Artistic

Friend Promoter), in the hope that someone might actually be reading you and take note of my talented friends!

First on my list... for many reasons, along with the fact that she has the most fabulous name is Se LOVEJOY . This is she, on the left, in self portrait, made with polymer clay. These awe inspiring figurines are made to order and I have seen various real life characters magically miniaturized into tiny replicas of themselves... with added funk. Se also made these Mini-Me's for The Simon van Gend Band's (go blog go!) previous album cover. I am no art curator and so, I will not delve into Se's artistic history, medium of choice or techniques, you can find that here, I will however say, that I have yet to meet someone who has seen her work and not been temporarily gobsmacked or hankered after something she has created! If you do however, tend toward a more traditionalist art style, Se also sculpts in bronze and paints in oil. On top of all of this, Se also has a fantastic choice in music, an accurate eye for trend, the best dreadlocks and still somehow manages to live a humble existence near the mountains in South Africa.

please check out her website... you deserve the eye candy!

Re:Solution #2.... war on plastic!!

Brad & Sunny in "Eco-to-Go" Commercial from 28zen on Vimeo.

Today has seriously been about plastic... the first email I read this morning was an advertisement for bambu, a brilliant alternative to plastic and paper household wear, check them out, they even make disposable picnic items which are completely biodegradable and beautiful! Then my new aluminum water bottle arrived in the mail, along with a list of very good reasons not to use PET bottles, (86% of plastic bottles in the US end up in land fills, transporting bottled water consumes 1.5 million barrels of fossil fuels per year, Americans currently add 30 million PET bottles to land fills EVERYDAY). I have just read another rather enlightening article featured in The Chicago Tribune, regarding plastic bags posted by one of favorite people on face book, you can read it here. If you are reading this... please be the change!

Re: Solution # 3... Qualify as a Yoga teacher

(This picture was taken 2 years ago on top of a mountain, in a gale force wind in Mongolia, probably not the best place to attempt Vrksasana... a balance pose)

With all the emphasis I have placed on my other 6 re:solutions, I have been awfully quiet about #3 : qualify as a yoga teacher. There are a number of reasons for this... none of them intentional, but as the time to make this leap rapidly approaches (18 days to be specific), it is naturally working its way to the front of my mind... where I intend to keep it for a bit, and thus it has earned a mention on 'oh beloved blog'. In 18 days I will board a plane and make my first ever journey to the Americas (Mexico to be exact), where I will engage in 16 days of intense study and practice, that will hopefully see me return as a RYT 200 (or... registered yoga teacher). I have had an on/off relationship with yoga for years, I have a tendency to get thoroughly immersed in my practice and then disconnected due to relocation or lack of finance, routine, time..... and so the list goes on. Early last year however, yoga and I became well acquainted again as it turned out that my landlady taught classes in the apartment next door and the degree I am pursuing delved considerably into it. The acquaintance turned into a love affair and before long the wandering wonderer and I were spending our evenings practicing at home together. During one of these at home sessions, I had an epiphany... (this happens a lot when you are alone with your thoughts and breath on your mat), why be dependent on location and teachers and money for yoga... if I became a teacher (which technically I am already), I would always have the knowledge and expertise with me. The challenge however, (a theme), was finding a place to do a course that would coincide with my time off from work and my bank balance... no mean feat at all! Needless to say I did find a suitable solution and promptly enrolled and booked flights. Although yoga is very much a part of my life and I have 'upped' my yoga practice quite considerably recently in preparation... I am quietly a little nervous. I love yoga, but I am no yogini, yet! My body does not do a lot of what it should do and my mind does a lot of what shouldn't. BUT... one of the first things you come to understand about yoga... is that patience is most certainly virtuous! Just as all bodies differ in appearance so do they differ in tempo, speed, agility, flexibility and strength. I am perhaps pushing a little hard now, but I am hoping my hips and legs rise to the challenge! (watch this space)

" Life has been insane.... but today was ok"- Emiliana Torrini

Yesterday I woke with that slightly anxious/ expectant/ excited, Christmas morning feeling. Why? Well, I found out on Saturday, while I was at work, that Emiliana Torrini (if you are not familiar with her music... treat yourself!) was playing in Japan for one night. I couldn't do anything about tickets that day... or the following two as it was Sunday, which bled into Monday which was a public holiday and the number listed to call only offered me a very long voice recording, in Japanese ( which I am very ashamed to admit I don't understand). So yesterday was all about acquiring tickets. I need to point out as this stage, that this sort of thing actually terrifies me... I mean having something purposeful you want to achieve in a country where you are illiterate and cannot speak or understand the language. It terrifies me, because it has on various occasions ended rather badly, like the time I wanted to donate some money to charity, and the bank assistant transferred ALL my money to Africa, irretrievable for 2 weeks! Other times, the not so "life and death" ones, it is just a little frustrating. Anyway, I had my heart set on this concert... and when I have my heart set I am like a Pit-Bull with a bone. So the best husband in the world, (armed with his far superior Japanese skills) kindly offered to accompany me on my mission. The ticket purchase was basically an electronic issue machine ALL in Japanese... and after an hour and much assistance from various bystanders, it was determined that the tickets were sold out at this vendor. Up flared the never-surrender, Pit-bull, and off I went in the ice cold, sleety weather into the city to an actual Ticket Office to try again. After a considerable amount of gesture it appeared to be yet another 'no go'.

Mentally my blog post was rapidly becoming a stormy rant about the trials and tribulations of being perpetually lost in translation ... when surprise The best husband in the world, suggested we just go and try and get tickets at the door ( A gamble, I'll admit, but a far better option than tainting my pretty, happy positive blog space). A bit of Internet searching suggested this might be viable. So again, in the nasty weather we set off, into the night, on the hour and a half train trip to the venue to try our luck and VOILA! Two tickets in hand!

It was very, very worth it! Emiliana Torrini bares her entire, vulnerable soul when she performs. There she stood like a tiny bird of paradise, one hand clenched around the microphone, the other clawed in effort, perched on little stilettos (for a very brief period before they were cast aside), clothed in a lotus colored tunic that seemed to flare up as her voice ascended. She was breathtaking, honest and humble and ( without sounding enormously over dramatic) I honestly feel my life has been enhanced by the privilege of being amongst the 100 or so people that filled the little venue as her audience. Thank you Emiliana for coming o Tokyo and thank you Best husband in the world... for being the best husband in the world!

Inspiration... recycled...

I am recycling this article from my facebook links... firstly because it is well worth mentioning again and as I mentioned before I'm using my blog as a scrapbook of sorts, secondly, because it speaks for itself and I'm not feeling particularly locquacious today and finally discussing my eating habbits yet again might seem a tad soporific. It is also very inspirational and Mondays are particularly good days to be inspired!

Happy Monday... this is going to be a fabulous week!

Shoe Loving!!!

I hEaRt, HEarT heArt THIS! Shoes that care! I can't wait to order my own, ( I can even buy vegan shoes and boots here so i will not be jeopardising my re:solutions~ in fact this has got to be an enhancement ... seriously does it get any better than this!

Incidental Lovin' ....

There are naturally, a whole lot of obvious reasons why I should be feeling good about my little life overhaul, no one can dispute the joys of good health and (relatively) guilt free living. We cannot dispute it, but I think everyone I know would have to admit to taking it for granted. The only time we really appreciate our health is when it suddenly fails us a little, and then suddenly not having a sore throat, runny nose or some other (minor or major) ailment becomes central in our day to day existence. At the risk of sounding a bit like a sermonizer, learning to love what we've got (as opposed to hankering after more) is an art, appreciating the simple things, finding joy in the now, being zen... these little ingredients for content living all make perfect sense on paper but aren't always a piece of cake, (.... mmm cake), in reality, especially when you are enforcing an element of deprivation to your life. However, besides the afore mentioned obvious benefits, there have been a multitude of teeny, tiny little things that have sprung to my awareness over that last week that have stretched a smile across my face. Little pieces of incidental love that have made what would have ordinarily been a mundane moment, an "Oooo I need a photo of that" moment. I have loved standing in the little pool of morning sunlight that pours into our kitchen window to rinse the greens that go into our juice. I love how our dish rack looks fresh and alive with it's green occupants and that we almost never have to use soap to wash the dishes anymore because everything just rinses clean. I love how my fruit bowl is a perpetual mass of overflowing color. I love how my shopping bag looks more like a country bouquet with all the leaves spilling out. I love how most of our trash is biodegradable (desperately need to restart the compost heap again though). I wallow in what has become our little morning routine of lying in the sun upstairs and grazing our fruity breakfast together. I love the simplicity that has become meal planning. Simple things, I know, but lovely things that make me smile, lovely things that I am grateful for :~)

Wish list....

I might have crashed a little on the whole raw thing, but I have to admit, so far all other re:solutions are intact! I haven't bought any clothing, not even used or organic ( I know this sounds ridiculous, but I have been on holiday, and this is Tokyo's sale season). I have not used a single plastic shopper (even though I had to ask the supermarket to hold my food for me on the way home from my run the other day because I forgot my eco bag at home), I have been diligently gearing up for the Yoga teachers training course I'm doing.... and I have been mentally formulating a wish list of all the lovely things I could buy!

So this #1 on the wish list... Movement clothing, made entirely of bamboo!You can find and buy these goodies here!

CCCCcccccrrrraaaash!

That crashing sound you hear... uuurrggg... that's me caving! I made it a WHOLE WEEK... on raw food only... I made it through lunch, rummaging through the croutons in my salad, picking the veggies off my sandwich, and then on the way home, we stopped to load up on a few more groceries (at the only supermarket where I can read the labels to check the ingredients are organic) and I didn't make it down the sweetie isle, nope, the culprits... Jelly belly... damn you Jelly Belly and all your colorful towers of pure delight, damn you and your multitude of mouthwatering flavors! I didn't even make it to the till... no, I paid for an almost empty bag of vanilla and cafe latte resolution destroyers! I have to admit it was inevitable... I had been eyeing out those Jelly Belly towers since the first time I laid eyes on them, yet managed to resist their evil, tempting cries. Then there I hovered.... looking down into the deep, dark hole that was my developing guilt. I hovered, I teetered and then I thought bugger it! I'll just try to undo it as best I can... a couple of bottles of water, a run, and an Internet site promising me organic jelly beans in the future, and I'm back on my horse! Shoooweee, twas close I tell ya, for a second there I had that "well ...I've blown it this much I may as well... " but I didn't, because I had yet to come home and write my blog, and to be quite honest I couldn't face lying or describing the intensity of my crash... So here's to you little blog, you are working your magic!

Chocolate Mousse Pie... 99.9999% raw

Today marks nearly a week of being a raw foodie and as I have mentioned, the best husband in the world , gallantly offered to join me on the initial steps of this little endeavour to make it a little easier. So far he has done extremely well and his deviations have been so minor, they are not worth mentioning... not once has he winced at the bright green glass of liquid I hand him in the mornings, nor has he sighed at yet another fruit breakfast, in fact he hasn't even complained that his evening chocolate treat has been substituted with dates, nut or the odd bit of 70% organic chocolate ( bless this stuff!)

Yesterday however, after breakfast, he added that he might need to eat something 'proper' soon, I shouldn't worry though, he would sort himself out. Now I would say we have an exceptionally balanced marriage in terms of household chores, (he is an illustrator and works from home, and so very generously does the majority of the housework while I go to work, and in turn I do the grocery shopping and cooking), but even still, I find this kind of consideration for my efforts touching. So... I thought a token of appreciation was in order and I think very few tokens are more appreciated than chocolate in his books, thus I made this. 99.999 % Raw Chocolate Mousse Pie! I unfortunately was lacking in some of the ingredients and didn't have a recipe, but it was very satisfying and we had again for tea today. The Wondering Wanderer doth smile!

Here is is how I did it (including the missing bits and pieces):

For the base: pulse a handful of dates, some walnuts, 1/2 a banana, a sprinkle of Cinnamon and nutmeg in a blender, flatten it into a pie dish

For the Filling: an avocado, a banana, 1 T spoon of pure maple syrup, 1 T spoon of raw cocoa powder, 2 T of coconut milk, 1/2 a bar of green and blacks 70% melted.... blend all together until smooth.

Place in pie dish. Grate remainder of chocolate over the top and refrigerate. Serve with a spoon of coconut milk!

I apologize for my inaccurate measurements~ but I'm not good at following recipes so very rarely use them.

Inspiration

My favorite word is ... inspire, I love how it sounds and what it means. As a teacher and a student, inspiration is a tool that resonates deep within my soul, it is the epitome of living by example, not directing, expecting or telling others what to do, but instead doing something so beautifully that a motivation, desire or yearning is ignited within them to manifest something new or better for themselves. I love how inspiration leaks into all the corners of living, I love how a great loser can be more inspiring than a winner. I love that one doesn't need any specific talents to be an inspiration, that we can inspire others just by how we choose to live our lives or engage with the world. Inspiration is beautiful in that the more you aspire to inspire, the more you improve your self. I love that when we inspire others we give them something of immeasurable value and yet it costs nothing. Inspiration to me in so many ways is the key to happiness and contentment, by finding inspiration and being an inspiration we are endlessly enriched. On my thirtieth birthday I sent a simple message to the handful of people who have been and inspiration to me, it read:

"To my inspirers,

Albert Schweitzer

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

Today I turned 30 and for the first time since I can remember I am thrilled about my birthday (which is strange as most of my peers are wincing about this life-mark).The reason however, is because I feel as though I finally have an inkling of who I am~ I am content with this ‘me’ (although it is and will continue to be a work in progress). I realize now that all the ups and downs, accomplishments and failures are all a part of our journey. I realize too that we should take the time to acknowledge our blessings when we can~ and today YOU are mine. You (some unknowingly) have given me something i value tremendously… inspiration. Most importantly, you have given me the will to hopefully do the same… inspire. So here is my little list of whys, just skip to your name if you find it tedious or syrupy…. Thank you, for helping me to be the best me I can be!"

The responses I received were heart warming to say the least.

This is a quote from No Impact Man ,also an inspiration... (you can find the whole article here) "I love the word "inspire." It has the same route as to respire, to breathe. To be inspired means to have the breath within in us. The breath of what? Some might say God. Some might say something else. But the breath is within us. The compassion and wisdom is there. We are allinspired, filled with the breath."

Today I urge you to seek inspiration, to be an inspiration and thank those who have inspired you.