It's finally Friday and this afternoon I am off to see the Gamecocks in their first home game--baseball that is. USC Baseball is one of my favorite things about Columbia and I will miss it greatly next year.
Then tomorrow is the big day--well--sort of. Yoga in the morning, baseball in the afternoon and then the birthday bash. Our 80s party is all set...it should be a lot of fun.
Then Sunday is the realy big day...at 11:15 p.m. I will officially be 26 years old. WOW--I can't believe 26. But I really do feel as if this will be the greatest most wonderful year of my life. And I can't wait to live it out...
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Ramblings...
Why is it that people love to spew on me? What is it about me that allows this behavior to go on? Thinking about this today, I have come to realize that there must be something about me fundamentally that proclaims to the world "please be mean to me, say awful things to me, treat me as if I am inferior to you."
On a better and different note, all of my travel plans have been finalized for India. All of my hotel and air and train reservations have been made. I have checked out most of the hotels in which I will be staying on the internet, and they look to be good. I am so excited! I don't know what I am most excited about yet--the 7 day ayurveda retreat (with yoga) in Kerala or seeing and experiencing the great city of Varanasi. (Varanasi was described to me as "intense." I can't wait to experience the intensity myself!) Or perhaps my assent to the great fort in Jaipur on elephant back or seeing the Taj Mahal with my own eyes! There's simply too much to even think about.
I was hoping to get my visa application sent out tomorrow, but since I'll be going to see Barack Obama speak at the Convention Center, I will have to wait until next week. But that's alright--plenty of time.
Tonight, no plans. I'm going to continue my reading of the BhagavadGita and order a few more books a friend recommended before my trip.
On a better and different note, all of my travel plans have been finalized for India. All of my hotel and air and train reservations have been made. I have checked out most of the hotels in which I will be staying on the internet, and they look to be good. I am so excited! I don't know what I am most excited about yet--the 7 day ayurveda retreat (with yoga) in Kerala or seeing and experiencing the great city of Varanasi. (Varanasi was described to me as "intense." I can't wait to experience the intensity myself!) Or perhaps my assent to the great fort in Jaipur on elephant back or seeing the Taj Mahal with my own eyes! There's simply too much to even think about.
I was hoping to get my visa application sent out tomorrow, but since I'll be going to see Barack Obama speak at the Convention Center, I will have to wait until next week. But that's alright--plenty of time.
Tonight, no plans. I'm going to continue my reading of the BhagavadGita and order a few more books a friend recommended before my trip.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Dates...
Well, I may not have a date for Valentine's Day, but I do have a date with DESTINY. The decision from Boston is in the mail.....
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
USC Baseball 3-0
The USC Baseball team participated in the UNC-Wilmington tournament this past weekend and came away with three straight wins! GO COCKS!
Some of my favorite memories from USC are the baseball games. Eating at the Roost beforehand, sitting on the third base side, enjoying some nachos and savoring the humid South Carolina nights. Those were some good times....
Some of my favorite memories from USC are the baseball games. Eating at the Roost beforehand, sitting on the third base side, enjoying some nachos and savoring the humid South Carolina nights. Those were some good times....
Monday, February 12, 2007
Unwritten
I'm almost ashamed to admit that one of my favorite television shows is The Hills on MTV. From the first time I watched the show, I liked the theme song and finally got around to finding out what it is. It is Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield and I find the words incredibly powerful and relative to how I feel.
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned.
Staring at the blank page before you,
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned.
Staring at the blank page before you,
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Betsey Downing Workshop
This past weekend, Betsey Downing, Ph.D., came to Columbia for an entire weekend of yoga, pranayama, and meditation. She was absolutely wonderful! I hadn't participated in an entire workshop previously, however I am so grateful that I signed up for the whole weekend.
It began on Friday evening with standing poses and discussing our true greatness. I practiced next to BC and had an absolute blast. He can make even the most challenging pose full of fun and ease. Betsey explained to us that we are inherently great inside and we use our asana to express that greatness. We do not improve our asana to improve our greatness--that is impossible. We ended with Vasistasana, which is incredibly difficult for me but it was still fun and a wonderful experience.
Saturday morning was handstands. Since I've been doing handstands since I was about 4, they are generally fairly easy for me, although I do have trouble balancing. But it was great fun focusing on different aspects of the pose. The afternoon session was dedicated to seated forward bends and pranayama and meditation. It was really cool how quiet the room was during the seated forward bends. Earlier in the day, when practicing handstands, the room was loud with conversation, laughter and interaction. Betsey explained that this polarity is due to the fact that in the morning we were working on our front body--expanding through the chest and heart which is linked to our individuality and creativity. In the afternoon, seated forward bends emphasize the back body--which connects us to the universal and creates contemplation. Very interesting dynamic.
The pranayama and meditation was fantastic. We did about four or five breathing techniques which was fine. Developing a cold, it was rather hard to do alternate nostril breathing. However, it was incredibly relaxing and really enabled me to settle my mind down. I am rarely able to quiet my mind enough to really connect with the bigger picture, so I was grateful for the time to relax and just be.
Sunday was backbend extraordinaire! It was a great way to end the weekend. Betsey talked about cocooning today. How sometimes when we cocoon ourselves away from the world we are morphing into something more beautiful. A caterpillar must cocoon in order to become the butterfly.
I feel as if I am cocooning away. I don't know why really, but I feel it happening. I am not unhappy nor do I feel as if I am missing out on anything. I don't necessarily want it to continue, but how do I re-connect?
The weekend was fabulous. It helped me open my eyes to life's greatest gifts and enabled me to explore my edges and play with them.
It began on Friday evening with standing poses and discussing our true greatness. I practiced next to BC and had an absolute blast. He can make even the most challenging pose full of fun and ease. Betsey explained to us that we are inherently great inside and we use our asana to express that greatness. We do not improve our asana to improve our greatness--that is impossible. We ended with Vasistasana, which is incredibly difficult for me but it was still fun and a wonderful experience.
Saturday morning was handstands. Since I've been doing handstands since I was about 4, they are generally fairly easy for me, although I do have trouble balancing. But it was great fun focusing on different aspects of the pose. The afternoon session was dedicated to seated forward bends and pranayama and meditation. It was really cool how quiet the room was during the seated forward bends. Earlier in the day, when practicing handstands, the room was loud with conversation, laughter and interaction. Betsey explained that this polarity is due to the fact that in the morning we were working on our front body--expanding through the chest and heart which is linked to our individuality and creativity. In the afternoon, seated forward bends emphasize the back body--which connects us to the universal and creates contemplation. Very interesting dynamic.
The pranayama and meditation was fantastic. We did about four or five breathing techniques which was fine. Developing a cold, it was rather hard to do alternate nostril breathing. However, it was incredibly relaxing and really enabled me to settle my mind down. I am rarely able to quiet my mind enough to really connect with the bigger picture, so I was grateful for the time to relax and just be.
Sunday was backbend extraordinaire! It was a great way to end the weekend. Betsey talked about cocooning today. How sometimes when we cocoon ourselves away from the world we are morphing into something more beautiful. A caterpillar must cocoon in order to become the butterfly.
I feel as if I am cocooning away. I don't know why really, but I feel it happening. I am not unhappy nor do I feel as if I am missing out on anything. I don't necessarily want it to continue, but how do I re-connect?
The weekend was fabulous. It helped me open my eyes to life's greatest gifts and enabled me to explore my edges and play with them.
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