writer's spa day 3

this morning's session focused on connecting with our dreamer, realist, and critic on our particular project. it was an interesting experience for most as these are three different sides to ourself when we work to accomplish anything, right?

last night after teaching yoga, i felt a need to do something different and skipped the evening session to drive the enchanted circle in my little silver sport's car. it was just what i needed. i listened to country stations and sang any old songs that i recognized at the top of my lungs. my only stop was for a loo break and to purchase a big bottle of water plus a big stick of strawberry taffy. yum! as i headed back out, police stopped me as there was a mudslide they were cleaning up that i had to wait on. the joy of the mountains.

after this morning's session, i received an urgent e-mail from the studio to call. i was saddened to hear that a fellow yogini and friend had taken her life. how do you even absorb such news? she was in a recent workshop of mine, had signed up for last week's sassy sadhana teleclass, was a gem, and gave no clues. i'm still processing this 3 hours later and having trouble settling into write when something so catastrophic has happened. i called a colleague who was also close to her and she, too, is in shock, asking "what could i have done? i would have helped her," etc. suicide is such a deeply personal. just last week a fellow yogini shared that her beau's brother had committed suicide and the family was struggling to deal with it. here is a link to some suicide loss FAQs in case you, too, have lost anyone.

i will attempt to return to writing, maybe head to town to browse some books, and see what i can do to shake this yucky feeling.

will sing for saturday

we have 2 hours of writing time carved out in between planned sessions today. i spent the first 1 hour responding to this morning's e-mails (after spending 2-3 hours catching up on others last night). e-mails are a blessing and a curse. i love them - really - but i struggle with staying balanced with them. i get anxious as they are downloading and i'm supposed to be on a writing retreat - not an e-mail catch-up retreat. i have to keep reminding myself of this technicality.

i wanted to share something that happened on saturday that i've been mulling over. when my girlfriend woke me up after my 12 hours of slumber due to friday's crazy travel schedule, she sung about how she just loved saturdays. that really stuck with me. saturday has been a work day for me since i added the first saturday noon class to the tranquil space schedule in 2000. just last week i gave up my saturday class after i realized the next one i'd be in town to teach was 2 months away. felt it wasn't fair to the students to have such inconsistency.

i've never sung about saturdays. don't get me wrong, i've always enjoyed them but they weren't a "typical" saturday. just like i've been going to teach as many people are coming home from a day at the office. life as a yoga teacher is somewhat reversed with society. i've accepted that and so has my beau (took a few to come to terms with a working weekend/evenings). i remember when we first started dating 3.5 years ago, i was finishing my master's in women's studies and i felt badly that i had such limited time to spend with him before 10pm or on the weekends. thus, i invented "writing dates" so that i could work on papers and he could play on the computer but at least we'd be together. you kinda have to be creative when you have a different lifestyle.

however, i'm excited to begin to think of saturdays as my girlfriend did - filled with freedom, promise, bookstore browsing, maybe even an art gallery (it's been way too long), and traveling for pleasure. life has been very one-focused since tranquil space began in 1999 and i'm hopeful that as life continues to play out, there will be more open spaces. i love my baby, but i'm hopeful that my baby will continue to grow into a self-sufficient pre-teen or teenager that continues to spread tranquility with less hand holding.

i look forward to singing about saturdays.

hip tranquil chick podcast #93: a tea lifestyle

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Welcome to the 93rd edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, an insightful interview with Donna Fellman on the Tea Lifestyle in Off the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: Cobra

Off the Mat: Today’s podcast is on bountiful living with Donna Fellman. Donna learned firsthand the importance of tea education for staff and the public at large while managing teahouses in Seattle and Boulder. As director of the Tea Education Alliance, dedicated to promoting tea and the tea lifestyle through education and experience, she teaches, lectures, and consults about all aspects of tea. She is also owner of the Bodhidharma Tea Company, specializing in tea and tea ware for the contemplative lifestyle. She lives the tea lifestyle in Louisville, Colorado, with her husband, Aiy'm, and their cat, Sencha.

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. What does embracing a tea lifestyle mean to you?
2. How can you infuse your life with more tea time?

Savvy Sources: Tea Here Now

Retail Therapy: Shop online for the book, CD, and more!

Signature Style: Check out more on the art and style of the Japanese Tea Ceremony Donna mentions in the podcast.

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Escape with me and like-minded women to our first international excursion to Costa Rica in September and to our next retreat in the Catskills of NY in March. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by Natalie Walker from the Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Quicksand (mixed by DC's own Thievery Corporation). You can learn more about Natalie at natalie-walker.com.

Thanks for joining me for the 93rd edition of the HTC podcast. Namaste.

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

new mexico rocks my world

this place is sooo gorgeous. i'd forgotten how fabulous the landscape is here - peppered with sagebrush and all sorts of exotic brush. it's been 11 years since i was last here and i am sad that is has been so long. connecting to the earth is so easy in this part of the country and i'm constantly gasping "ohhhh," "ahhhhh" as i've been driving from albuquerque to santa fe to taos.

when i went to get my rental car yesterday, the check-out lady told me i needed 6 cylinders and not the simple car i'd rented. "um, ok," i replied - clearly exhausted after having been up for 10 hours already. she offered a taurus. i asked if there was anything smaller and she hooked me up with a 2-seater silver car - a crossfire. OH MY GAWD - cutest car ever. i've never had a cute car, much less a sport's car. has AC, power windows, seat heaters, and is so darn cute i want to drive and drive and drive. oh, and goes to 160mph - not that i've tested it.

yesterday exploring albuquerque was fun and i went on a tram ride at sandia peak - so touristy but so fun. it's not everyday you have a yummy green salad smoothered in ranch dressing at a restaurant perched on top of the sandia mountains. then i taught a hip hips workshop at yoga now complete with a student i'd met in dc years ago, another student who used to live in dc, and podcast listener from ny who happened to be in town for a wedding. i felt truly blessed even if the airline lost my luggage that had all the books for the booksigning to follow - logistics. ate at a fab 24-hour diner in albuquerque that made my night. looooovveee diners and we topped off the veggie burrito with a cinnamon roll. life is good. back to my friend's lovely home in santa fe and slept for 12 hours. when she woke me up this morning, i was still having very odd dreams. we gallivanted around santa fe - where they offer sopapillas with every meal (a concept after my own heart), even hit a bookstore where i found 2 more must-have texts (natalie goldberg's memoir and the first yoga sutras translation by a female), drove to taos, stopped at vivac winery, taught yoga, and now the retreat begins.

anyway, it's cocktail hour and i should start socializing. not good at mingling with peeps i don't know. can't i just hang out in the corner and read or write? nope, gotta push my edges - that's what life is all about, right? okay.

can't wait to share this journey with you. i am so incredibly grateful to be in this beautiful part of the country to focus on tranquilology and regroup.

new mexico bound

my alarm will go off at 4am (ahhhhhh!) so i'll be as pithy as possible.

so excited to dive into some writing at this writer's spa. i've been tempted to go for years and it worked out that i'll also be teaching the yoga so it should be an amazing time. always good to dive into a craft such as writing and to have the space to do so. what better area than taos? if you haven't been to this godly part of the country, make a plan to - you won't be disappointed. having grown up in oklahoma, it was just a hop, skip, and a jump away. i've missed it.

i'll be sure to send updates if online access is abundant (keeping my fingers crossed). i hope you have a weekend planned with some creative endeavor and a yoga practice that will evoke a sense of connection to your core. namaste.

p.s. fun news

watch for a weekly column in the examiner's healthy living section coming by moi starting august 5. stay tuned!

tele-tranquility

tonight's sassy sadhana teleclass was such fun and we raised $320 for the tranquil space foundation. thank you girls for joining from as far away as australia and as nearby as dc - it was a treat to spend the evening with you! play with our exploration of creating good habits, making small changes (you don't have to live all 8 petals beautifully in the morning!), embodying the yamas & niyamas, and do-gooding! you have my full support.

you asked for it. . . mark your calendars, next teleclass scoop:

Join Kimberly for a one-hour le chic teleclass chat focused on savvy self-care with your journal, cup of tea, and pen in hand. During this teleclass (class via phone in the comfort of your own home) you will learn the eight petals of a hip tranquil chick's self-care practice, small ways to make a BIG difference in your daily live, and how to infuse your fall with tranquility. The fun will be held on Monday, September 10 at 8:30pm ET (7:30 CT, 6:30 MT, 5:30 PT) and focus on Chapter 5 of Hip Tranquil Chick, along with some new material from Kimberly's next book, Tranquilology.

To sign up, click here.

sassy sadhana teleclass tonight

dearest hip tranquil chicks,

tonight is our sassy sadhana (spiritual practice) teleclass (class via phone) for one hour, we'll chat about making a difference through our daily actions. we have women from all over the globe joining us at 8:30ET. if you're interested, get all the scoop here.

i'm leaving friday (at 6am . . . gasp!) for a week-long writer's spa in taos, new mexico. i'll be leading the yoga at the retreat and am excited to dive into my proposal for tranquilology, along with finding some space - mentally and physically. i'll definitely share tidbits of inspiration from the journey during the week.

i am excited to share that i've created a yoga + writing workshop that i'll host on sunday, october 21 and a yoga + tranquiliTEAni (a mini tea bar experience) on sunday, november 18 at tranquil space. a fusion of multiple passions.

activism follow-up

as you may recall, last week i noted my sadness regarding the whole dog fighting drama. i just received an e-mail with a link to sign a pledge regarding nike's endorsement of michael vick. in case this is a cause close to your heart, i encourage you to click here.

on saturday i led a workshop focused on spiritual activism and played an interview with julia butterfly hill where she mentioned that consciousness is not enough, we need consciousness coupled with action. there are so many great causes out there and i'll continue to pass certain ones along as they tug at my heart strings. please feel free to do the same. namaste.

hip tranquil chick podcast #92: a mini must-have practice

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Welcome to the 92st edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a mini must-have practice in On the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: A mini must-have practice!

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. How does doing yoga make you feel?
2. How can you take the this off the mat?

Savvy Sources: Get Your Yoga On CD
Vinyasa Yoga for the Newbie Yogi CD

Retail Therapy: Shop online for the book, CD, and more!

Signature Style: Tranquilista line of gems

Community Corner: Share what fun hip and tranquil events around the book and/or philosophy you have going on. Check out our desktop, ecards, and forum on our connect page!

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: I’ll be in Albuquerque, NM this Friday at Yoga Now! Escape with me and like-minded women to our first international excursion to Costa Rica in September. Hip Tranquil Chick retreat in the Catskills of NY next March. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

This session’s music features past plays from the Podsafe Music Network, including 2-RD's Symmetrical Angels (Part 2), Alen Mecan's Stylus, Mercury Sol's SYV (Under the Calm Influence), and Dreaming Blue's Shine On.

Thanks for joining me for the 92nd edition of the HTC podcast. Namaste.

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media

3rd annual picnic in the park/fundraiser

dahlin's,

if you're free tonight from 6-8 (and live in the dc area), please come out for our potluck picnic in the park! one of our fabulous teachers will be leading a free yoga class, they'll be tons of great food and drink, and it is a fundraiser for the tranquil space foundation! come mingle off the mat, bring friends and 4-legged friends, and your yoga mat if you'd like to do some yoga in the park! namaste.

tranquilista debut

today's luxe shopping party at tranquil space included the unveiling of my new tranquilista gemstone line. jlo, our fab boutique manager, put together this gorgeous display. each piece is named, one-of-a-kind, made with sterling silver and chunky gems, and the a description relating it to a chakra, emotion, or quality is noted on the handwritten cards. the collection will be sold in a biodegradable box that can be planted in the earth and will sprout flowers! yay for creative expression.

tea obsessed, sicko, sadness

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
as if it is the axis
on which the world earth revolves
- slowly, evenly, without
rushing toward the future;
Live the actual moment.
Only this moment is life.
- Thich Nhat Hanh

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.

- Thich Nhat Ha

i can't stop searching for tea stuff and just found this fun page to share: http://www.herbs-teas.com/recipesideas.html

just back from michael moore's latest movie, sicko, and it is very thought provoking. i've been on a kick lately where i only want to watch documentaries. guess it has something to do with my passion for only reading non-fiction.

finally, i hit cnn.com tonight for my regular worldly updates and was sooooo sad to see the article on dog fighting! one night at the emergency vet (bonnard had probably eaten something odd . . . can't recall why we were there), the animal channel had a piece on this and i can't get the horror out of my head. i don't encourage watching the videos as they are heart-wrenching, but i promise to look into activist work that can be done to help change this and hope you'll join me on the journey. here is a fact sheet about it from the humane society that outlines some small steps we can take.

2 workshops this weekend

dearest dcers,

if you're looking for something fun this friday or saturday, considering joining me for our fabulous hip hop yoga workshop and a jivamukti yoga workshop with a focus on spiritual activism.

here's the scoop:

hip hop: friday 7:30-9pm
join us for a happy hour evening filled with hip hop tunes and an inspiring practice. dive deeper with the sounds of your favorite contemporary artists helping you to lose yourself in the moment, and enjoy an energetic flow sequence. late beginner to advanced students welcome. $25, $20 if pre-registered.

jivamukti yoga: saturday, 3:30-5:30
jivamukti yoga is a dynamic vinyasa practice emphasising the goal of yoga as liberation. it includes a focus on scripture, music, non-violence, meditation and devotion as well as challenging asana. join kimberly, a certified jivamukti teacher, to explore this path of enlightenment (innate happiness) through a practice focused on spiritual activism. come away inspired and encouraged to do small things daily that make a big difference on and off the yoga mat. this workshop is perfect for students with a good foundation at tranquil space levels 1, 2 or 3, who are eager to explore a deeper practice. $35, $30 if pre-registered.

register at tranquil space or call 202.223.9642.

hope to hip hop with you on friday or explore activism through asana on saturday! xo

beading & bookstores

yesterday i had a meeting with my fab assistant which included some beading time (made the new necklace i'm wearing in the photo - loving working with chain) and then ended with a 9pm meeting with a fellow htc, carolyn, in from austin! since starbucks closed and encouraged us to return at 6am the next morning (ugh!), i dropped her at krammer's for some bookstore browsing - always a favorite hip tranquil chick past time. lovely to meet you, carolyn, can't wait for costa rica!

my body is crying for yoga as i've been glued to the computer and in tranquil space foundation meetings all day. began work on the tranquilology proposal and announced the location of our new arlington space - 3260 wilson boulevard - to the team. so exciting! stay tuned for a hopeful fall opening of tranquil space classes across the river.

also, settled on a name for my new beading passion - tranquilista. you know, like fashionista? like it? hope so! looking for eco-friendly packaging and all pieces will be named and one of a kinds. creating is such fun!

off to bed as i my first meeting is at 9:30am and my last at 8:15pm. another long, exciting day but my body is sure to get some rockin' yoga. 'night and namaste.

hip tranquil chick podcast #91: bountiful living

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Welcome to the 91st edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, an insightful interview with Kate Vickers on Bountiful Living in Off the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: Knees, Chest, Chin

Off the Mat: Today’s podcast is on bountiful living with Kate Vickers.

So go, look in a mirror, bountiful living means you, you in all your splendor, your loving, your feeling, your insights and your confusion, the complexity and simplicity that makes you, is all that is bountiful. Look no further, you are the wealth of the world. Experience that, and your will experience bountiful living. – Kabir, Vision Magazine

Kate is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor with the America Association of Drugless Practitioners, and Certified Experienced Yoga Instructor, and Licensed Massage Therapist. Kate’s mission is to inspire people to take control of their health by creating healthy new relationships and habits with food and balanced living.

Kate Vickers has been actively involved in the healing arts for the past 10 years. She began her journey and education with her own health. Searching to find natural remedies for her hypoglycemia, migraine headaches, and intestinal problems led her to yoga, meditation, organic healing foods, massage, and other natural healing methods.

After receiving her BA in Dance and Movement therapy and dancing with a dance company in Northern California, she moved to Arizona and got her other degree in Occupational Therapy and worked at an acute rehab hospital. During her time in Arizona, she immersed herself into yoga and healthy eating in order to heal herself from her own health issues.

Upon moving to Virginia, Kate decided to leave the Occupational Therapy world and continue to immerse herself into other healing arts. Kate finished up her yoga teacher training program, went to massage school, and then graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
She now uses all of her healing tools and knowledge when working with others to help her clients cultivate life they were meant to live…full of vitality, energy, health, wellness, and bliss!

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. What does living a bountiful life mean to you?
2. What small steps can you take today to lead a more bountiful life?

Savvy Sources:

Freezer Fudge
2 C almond butter
1/4 C raw cacao powder
1/2 C + 2 T agave nectar
1 heaping T coconut butter
2 t vanilla extract
1 t course Himalayan sea salt

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl, make sure to taste in case you need to add more agave or cacao powder. Spoon mixture into little candy molds or line a square baking pan with parchment paper and spread the fudge evenly. Cover and place in freezer to chill. If using the pan, remove from the freezer after an hour or so, flip onto a flat surface and cut into squares.
Store in a container in the freezer.

This recipe is from Sarma Melngailis at Pure Food and Wine. check out oneluckyduck.com

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Signature Style: leopard-print scarf

Community Corner: Share what fun hip and tranquil events around the book and/or philosophy you have going on. Check out our desktop, ecards, and forum on our connect page!

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: I’ll be in Albuquerque, NM next week at Yoga Now! Escape with me and like-minded women to our first international excursion to Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

I’ll be doing a special segment where I’ll take your questions and answer via a mini-mentoring session on the podcast. If you have a question that you think others will relate to, please e-mail me to be featured or call 206-984-0717 and leave your question or any comments/requests you may have.

Our 100th episode is right around the corner and a fellow HTCer recommended having the tables turned and me being interviewed. Sounds fun so if you have any special questions, please pass them along to info@hiptranquilchick.com for the fabulous and hip chick Michelle to ask.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by Luke Hoersten. Today’s selection is The Only Living Boy in New York (an old Simon and Garfunkel song you may recognize from the Garden State soundtrack). You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of his music at Luke's MySpace page and his open source music page at openradix.org.

Thanks for joining me for the 91st edition of the HTC podcast. Here’s to bountiful living! Namaste.

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media

mazel tov

today was soooo special - beau, baby b (brian - featured in photo), louis and i got to meet the fabulous new kasey michael (sleeping beauty) today at a special jewish baby naming ceremony in maryland. what an absolute treat! members from the family and close friends shared advice, stories, poems, and readings for the little one and i was teary eyed the whole time (while a cute girl with ringlets kept asking me "when is this going to be over?" "can i play with your dog?").

sassy sadhana teleclass + good news!

fresh back from a free class at the foundation center and about to dash off for another round of meetings but wanted to share the following:

1. the tranquil space foundation received its 501c3 status from the IRS. woo-hoo. we're now official and i'm so excited about the future of this organization.

2. if you haven't yet signed up for the sassy sadhana (spiritual practice) teleclass on wednesday, july 25 from 8:30-9:30pm ET, please join us here. this one-hour le chic teleclass chat is focused on designing a sassy sadhana (spiritual practice) with your journal, cup of tea, and pen in hand. you will learn the eight petals of a hip tranquil chick's spiritual practice, small ways to make a BIG difference in your daily live, and how to bring the yamas and niyamas to life.

pre-teleclass omwork and all the scoop will be sent out next week! fee is a $10 donation to the tranquil space foundation.

3. finally, in anticipation of our 100th podcast episode, i've received a fun idea from a fellow listener. she suggested i get interviewed and i've found the perfect hip tranquil chick who is willing to do so. if you have any particular questions that you'd like answered (relating to the hip tranquil chick lifestyle, my background, etc.), please pass them along to info@hiptranquilchick.com for consideration. our fun celebration is less than 10 weeks away. thank YOU for joining me for 90 episodes thus far!

over the moon

here are some photos from our central park excursion with louis before driving home yesterday, along with bonnard's healing belly sans 2 rubber bands, and my new loft bed (which has me over the moon). we stopped at ikea and i came across this fabulous loft bed. my tiny condo has become even more cozy since beau began calling the pink palace his home over a year ago. adding this loft bed to the bedroom gave me a whole new room. i've set up shop below and now have my own office space that is no longer the kitchen table. i feel renewed!

making small changes (granted this was a bigger one) can have such a profound effect on us energetically. move some things around on your end table, mantle, or bookshelves and observe what i mean. maybe it will put you "over the moon!"

hip tranquil chick podcast #90: dear HTC

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Bonjour! Welcome to the 90th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, a dear HTC exchange with "Lulu," and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: Side plank

Off the Mat: Today’s podcast is a dear HTC recorded mini mentoring session plus the answer to this dear hip tranquil chick question:

I really wanted to know how it is one can clear their mind and build a forgiving and solid relationship with ourselves. I recently read your blog (5/1) and you commented on guilt and regret and how at the time we were making the best decision we could. Lately I have dredged up an awful experience from my memory that was not based on a good decision. Just completely destructive and far from thinking clearly. I am really trying to find a way to make peace with myself about this. Even though years (!!) have passed and I have learned from the experience, I am punishing myself by holding onto this. You are right, it is very toxic and it just makes me feel bad. Do you have any hip and tranquil advice for forgiving ourselves and letting go?

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. What question is weighing on me at this moment?
2. What steps can I take to move beyond my current situation and to answer this question?

Savvy Sources:

Hip Tranquil Chick
AmBITCHous
A Woman’s Worth

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Signature Style: DIY (do it yourself!)– make your own necklace, earrings, hot glue a flower to a hat, add a broach to your yoga mat bag, decorate your yoga mat

Community Corner: Share what fun hip and tranquil events around the book and/or philosophy you have going on. Check out our desktop, ecards, and forum on our connect page!

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: I’ll be in Albuquerque, NM soon at Yoga Now! Escape with me and like-minded women to our first international excursion to Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

I’ll be doing a follow-up dear HTC segment where I’ll take your questions and answer via a mini-mentoring session on the podcast. If you have a question that you think others will relate to, please e-mail me to be featured or call 206-984-0717 and leave your question or any comments/requests you may have.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from the Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Firefly by Karmacoda. You can learn more about this week's featured artist, including how to get more of their music at karmacoda.com.

Thanks for joining me for the 90th edition of the HTC podcast. Namaste.

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media

the flow of ideas

we tasted 6 more varietals of teas today, learned about grading of teas and the decaffeination process. we were to share the "nose" of the various teas and all i kept tasting was yuck. at one point the teacher asked what we smelled and i belted out "beef jerky." he didn't comment, simply said, "anyone else?" um, guess my nose was off!

pure fancy tea (oolong, black, pu-erh is not my preference - clearly not a true connoisseur). even plain green or white tea (my faves) don't excite me without the addition of scents and flavors. sure, i'm not a lipton girl, but i love my fancy blends that aren't really tea (not made from camellia sinensis) but are rather herbal infusions or "fancied up" with scents like jasmine and rose hip. guess i need to find another training for my "specialized" taste.

then i dashed home to hit the local street fair and off to laughing lotus for a fun flow. as i was checking in and said my name, i heard "kimberly wilson?" from across the sign-in area and it was sweet kat - my former assistant who i often plan to see in nyc. this time it was purely synchronistic. what are the chances with all the yoga classes, studios, and offerings in new york? we dined at zen palatte and then beau and i caught the last 10 minutes that strand bookstore was open. heaven is an open bookstore when all others are closed - even if it was just 10 minutes. it was long enough for me to get a new book (god forbid) - becoming a goddess of inner poise: spirituality for the bridget jones in all of us.

anyway, my whole point of this blog (hence the title) was that i came up with 4 pages of ideas in my ideas book during the two days of tea training. ok, ideas + additional to-dos, but still! the same thing happened to me at the jivamukti training. when i'm out of the "ordinary" ideas just seem to flow. it's almost scary. kinda like a constant shower (for peeps who get loads of ideas in the shower). i guess we have to get out of our regular environment and routine to see what is lurking beneath the surface.

even if you don't get away for a tea training in new york, i encourage you to do something differently this week - shake things up - and see what bubbles from within. we're such creative beings and sometimes it just takes a simple shift to help us unleash an overflowing river of ideas. let your creative juices flow!

bonjour from new york!

i looooovvvveeee this city. woke up to a wake-up call from the hotel 3 minutes early (i let it go but sure did want 3 more minutes of sleep) and dashed off to my all-day tea training. met some fabulous women - one who hosts tea parties and another who is opening a tea lounge in new york called sanctuary tea. on my way back to the hotel, i stopped off at yelo for some reflexology (they offer napping - NOW that is a service i can get behind) and daffy's for some cheap and comfy seamless lingerie shopping.

today's session was sooo interesting. turns out all tea comes from one plant and my passion for herbal teas is ironically not really "tea" since it isn't from the tea plant. hmmm. our facilitator is published by my former house, inner ocean publishing, and wrote a fab book called tea here now on the tea lifestyle! she mentioned that a true connoisseur of tea may spend up to two hours a day practicing their tea tastings. wow - who would have thought one has to "practice" tea? add that to our yoga practice and we could spend all day practicing our passions!

happy belated 4th!

did this week whirl by or was it just me? having a holiday mid-week sure throws me off track - in a good way. i hope you were able to enjoy a lovely fireworks display and indulge in a sense of gratitude for independence.

bonnard is recovering like a champ - despite his scar down the center of his chubby belly. thanks for all your well wishes! i love this little beast. he's my first born (9 years old) and nasty as a spitting snake but i somehow find it charming.

i'm soooo delighted to be heading up to new york (my "i must-live-in" city) this weekend for a tea certification course. i can't wait to learn about all things tea and hit some fun scenes. e-visit this fab place i found online - the make workshop! how fabulous, i can't wait to check it out. oh, and this fun shopping experience - an eco-friendly boutique. you new yorkers, any other must-check-out places? of course i'll hit jivamukti for some classes and teany for a tea date but please let me know if there is anything else i must hit.

best wishes for a delightful weekend filled with good tea sipping, eco-friendly shopping, and creativity making!

hip tranquil chick podcast #89: tranquility tools

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Welcome to the 89th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, a discussion of my favorite tranquility tools in Off the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: Supta Konasana

Off the Mat: Today’s podcast is on my favorite tranquility tools.

yogash chitta vritti nirodhah: yoga is settling thoughts of the mind into tranquility.
yoga sutra 1:2

tranquility is defined as: 1. a disposition free from stress or emotion; 2. an untroubled state; free from disturbances; 3. a state of peace and quiet. here are a few of my faves tools that are sure to elicit a return to a more tranquil state:

1. the 3-part yogic breath – we all know this one well. play with it while waiting in long lines or on during that challenging conference call.
2. meditation – sit still and practice “being.”
3. aromatherapy – add a dash of lavender to a pulse point to relax or peppermint to energize.
4. affirmations – observe your self-talk. replace the negatives with positive statements.
5. massage – a must-have to keep the body and soul supple.
6. journaling – a great way to self-reflect and turn inward.
7. 6 movements of the spine – throughout the day, spend a few moments working the spine into a forward bend, back bend, side bends and twists on each side.
8. healthy snacks – having healthy natural, organic options nearby (nuts, fruit bars, whole fruits, baby carrots) saves a guilty trip to the vending machine.
9. get moving – dancing, yoga, biking, and running do wonders to increase endorphins. carve out time in your schedule to play.
10. bead, knit, paint – let your creative juices flow and watch the stress subside.

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. What are your fave tranquility tools?
2. What tranquility tool will you begin immediately?

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Signature Style: Our new all-in-one.

Community Corner: Share what fun hip and tranquil events around the book and/or philosophy you have going on. A dear blog reader shared her new blog: http://htc-in-training.blogspot.com/. A reminder – if you have a product you’d like reviewed by me on the blog – send a sample to me at 2024 p street, nw dc, 20036. sending a sample does not guarantee placement but I’d love to support our burgeouning community!
Check out our desktop, ecards, and forum on our connect page!

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: I’ll be in Albuquerque, NM next month at Yoga Now! Escape with me and like-minded women to our first international excursion to Costa Rica in September. And we've scheduled our next Hip Tranquil Chick retreat in the Catskills of NY for March 2008. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

I’ll be doing a special segment where I’ll take your questions and answer via a mini-mentoring session on the podcast. If you have a question that you think others will relate to, please e-mail me to be featured or call 206-984-0717 and leave your question or any comments/requests you may have.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Walk Away (Sinq remix) by Lovespirals. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of their music at lovespirals.com.

Thanks for joining me for the 89th edition of the HTC podcast. Get your tranquility on! Namaste.

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

heart-touching feedback

when i spoke to the graduates of the GWU biz bootcamp on friday, i emphasized that our lives are about service to others, the environment - whatever cause touches us. hearing that you have touched someone makes me feel completely content in the moment (for a moment, then i have another idea that i leap on . . . ) and incredibly grateful for my life. this e-mail arrived in my overflowing in box a couple of weeks ago and i've been savoring it like a juicy piece of candy. i want to share it with you as a reminder that we touch people in ways we don't even realize at the time. let's bask in this e-mail as inspiration to try to shine as brightly and boldly as possible (even if it isn't conventional) each and every day:

"I first met you when you came to Denver this past April, and since then so many things have changed for me, and I have been inclined for some time to say Thank You.

I came to your workshop with no understanding of why. I had always studied with the very “serious” teachers (doesn’t that sound awful?) and I felt so sure that the only place that I would find enlightenment was in an ashram or Buddhist temple. I have done all the reading, tons of teacher trainings, disciplined self study, etc.. and yet as a 31 year old mother of two, I was no where near enlightenment, or even more important, peace and contentment. I had seen an advertisement for your workshop, and I decided to sign-up. I was not exactly the type to do anything that looked too “girlie”, but still I signed up. I even felt compelled to go out and buy your book that day. I read it from cover to cover that night (my son and husband sound asleep beside me). I was struck with what was covered on those pages. Was it really this simple, just to relax and enjoy life and make it your own? To be creative, to think of yourself as an artist, to embrace that side of yourself that normally (at least for me), we are all so scared of? A few weeks later I arrived for your workshop. The yoga practice over the next few days was amazing, and everything about you was just as down to earth as I expected. That weekend, and everything that I have learned about myself since then, is extraordinary. I certainly never expected to find a sense of enlightenment from a woman from DC who links Kitty heels with yoga, but darn if it didn’t happen. In the past few months I have read a lot of the books on your recommended list, given my iPod a very groovy update, held several fantastic savvy soirees, and simply added so many wonderful touches to my everyday life. I really enjoy your pod cast, and I am looking forward to your next book coming out.

I am happier than I have been in a long time. I owe a lot to you, and I certainly expect many more wonderful changes to take place."