om monday: wise words

every month, the yoga studio i take classes at picks a living, modern master to study for the month.  in so doing, all the teachers select books to read quotes from, teach from and find inspiration in.  i love that they do this - i've learned so much and been so inspired by the "masters" they've covered.

they've highlighted individuals like mary oliver, the poet, and beryl bender birch, the founder of power yoga in the usa.  i love coming to class, sitting with my eyes closed and absorbing the wise words.

namaste studio @ the solebury club.  credit {here}

last month, they chose pema chodron, a buddhist monk, prolific author and enlightened guru.  her words are awe-inspiring.  and the simple truths she points out make you rethink how you look at the world & life's experiences.

so, without further ado...pema chodron...

"…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back.  they teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away.  they’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck.  this very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are."   

yoga @ the solebury club.  credit {here}

"the most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves."   

"welcome the present moment as if you had invited it.  it is all we ever have so we might as well work with it rather than struggling against it. we might as well make it our friend and teacher rather than our enemy."

so, mavens...what do you think of pema?

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happy hour: low-cal cocktail formula

{this post is just a taste of vegetables & vodka, my FREE e-cookbook!  download it below!}

cocktail 101

…the easiest low-cal creation in cocktail land…

we all love our cocktails.  but, we don’t always love (or need) the calories that lurk in their liquidy goodness.  whether you’re at home, at a friend’s party or at your local watering hole,  here is a simply fabulous cocktail formula that will keep you smiling while sipping.

1 shot liquor (vodka, rum, gin) in a glass over ice

splash of juice or liqueur (cranberry juice, triple sec, orange juice, amaretto, cassis, etc.)

top off with club soda

garnish with citrus (lime, lemon or orange wedge)

this simply fabulous combo is utter low-calorie perfection, clocking in at a mere 125 calories per serving.  the hint of juice or sweet liqueur is just enough to infuse a bit of festiveness while the club keeps it super low-cal and fizzy.  the final squeeze of fresh citrus brightens the flavors. 

no shot glass handy?  count to 4 while pouring to approximate a shot’s worth of liquor.

happy friday!  enjoy your weekend - and your(low-cal) cocktails!

how to detox

do this: spinal twists.  in yoga, they compare twists to wringing out a washcloth.  they purify your system and detoxify the blood.  plus, they feel goooood.  (stand with your feet parallel, 4-5 ft apart.  hinge forward at the waist and place hands/fingertips on the floor.  keeping your back flat, twist your right arm up to the sky, leaving your left hand on the ground.  look up, if you can.  hold for a few deep breaths.  repeat on the other side.)  still not sure what to do?  check out the pose {here}.

another spinal twist option.  credit {here}

eat this: veggies!  there is nothing like simply prepared, wholesome veggies to set you right again.  {shameless plug coming} and, i have just the thing {wink}, my lovely (and FREE) cookbook, vegetables & vodka!  all the dinner recipes "star" veggies and are less than 450 calories per serving.  so, what are you waiting for?  download it below : )  and if you love it, please pass it along...



drink this: water.  that was a given...  but, if you're finding h2o a little boring, opt for seltzer or add a squeeze of fresh citrus to your glass or enjoy a cup of tea with 1 tsp sugar in the raw & lemon.

try this: too often, we plant ourselves in front of the tv or computer screen until moments before bed.  we give our bodies no time to slow down and relax.  try to turn off all electronics 30 min before bed.  spend that last bit of time reading, chatting with your spouse or writing in your journal.  you'll feel infinitely better, i promise!

here's to a simply fabulous (mini) detox!  what are your detox tricks?

foodie wednesday: vegetables & vodka

first off, i want to thank you all for your lovely words of encouragement regarding my (in)decision about taking yogadharma teacher training.  in no small part because of your feedback, i have decided to do it!  by may of 2012, i will be a certified yoga teacher : )  very exciting!

on a different (but no less exciting) note, my cookbook, vegetables & vodka, is complete!  after a lot of contemplation about the best way to distribute it, i've decided to forgo traditional paper printing and am instead offering it as a FREE ebook as a thank to all of you, my wonderful supporters.

the ebook format is much more in-line with lifestyle maven's philosophy: it's green, it's shareable, and it allows you to easily access the blogs of all the fabulous contributors that made vegetables & vodka possible.


i am so excited to share these delicious healthy dinner recipes & low-cal cocktails with all of you.  all i ask is that if you love the cookbook, share it!

cheers, mavens : )

a kinder summer {guest post}

Hello to all who look into Cailen's world! My name is Kristin, and I have the privilege of swapping blogs with your lovely host for the day. My blog is called Kinder Words, and it is a place of learning and release for me. Cailen and I were paired on 20SB, to talk with each other's followers a bit about our summer.




{Summer morning's still begin early when you're a mom}


I think that summer time is just like being in your 20's. It is full of life and color. There are days {and nights} full to the brim of activity. Then there are the lazy, introspective days, where you just lie on the beach and try to care less about what tomorrow brings.


This summer has been the latter of the two for me. There has been less bikini presence and volleyball, more building sandcastles and teaching the tadpoles how to swim.


There has been less shopping, and vacations and parties; more intimate barbeques, and time spent in the craft room, or at the park, or the free aviation museum.


It has been a quiet sort of summer. With lessons learned, friendships strengthened, and flowers smelt. And, as hard as I try, I can't seem to keep these sweet lazy days from slipping by.


I have enjoyed blogging this year more than ever.
I love jotting down my life lessons, and sharing little artsy tips and recipes. I have even been able to put together a few tutorials. I'm a bit of an artist, and crafting makes me giddy. It is a bad addiction, y'all.


I hope everyone will be able to keep a bit of summer love in their pockets through the winter this year. The part that makes you slow down, reflect, and feel sunshine all over. Come visit me at Kinder Words! where is cailen?  over at kinder words, of course!  check out her post {here}

growing into myself

hello, mavens!  i hope you're all enjoying this lovely tuesday so far.  i wanted to share an ego-boosting experience of late : )

yesterday, at the end of advanced vinyasa yoga, the teacher was discussing her upcoming teacher training that will be starting this september.  now, any of you who frequent lifestyle maven know that i am a yoga-phanatic.  and, yes, i have flirted with the idea of pursuing my teaching certification.  but, i was completely flattered (and surprised) when the teacher singled me out at the end of class and said "cailen, you should think about this" as she handed me a brochure about her teacher training.  umm, wow.  me?  i try not to allow my ego to get the best of me, but i adore yoga so much that this compliment lifted me up to cloud 9.

credit {here}

so...i am really considering starting the training this fall.  it's a commitment - 15 weekends (friday 5-9, saturday 12-6, sunday 12-6) from september 2011 through may of 2012.  but, i definitely think it would be worth it...

isn't it funny how our lives twist and turn and eventually lead us deeper into who we are truly meant to be?  i encourage all of you not to deny your true passions...and listen to what your world is telling you (even if it's not in words).

cheers!

om monday: seeing rightly

"it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."


at the close of yoga on saturday, the teacher ended class with her usual quote.  the lovely little sentence that she often utters is so simple and so true.  i was wondering what wise yogi's words she was repeating.  so, i googled it : )


to my surprise, it was not a yoga guru who first uttered those words.  it's a quote from the little prince (a.k.a. le petit prince).  a novel by antoine de saint exupéry from 1943. 

credit {here}

as a college french major, i must admit, i'm a little surprised (and embarrassed) that i didn't know that this famous quote came from a novel that is widely read and discussed in french classes.  but, in a different setting, in the zen-quiet of a peaceful yoga studio, the words took on a new, clearer and more profound meaning. 


"it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."


namaste : )