Okay, y'all asked for it, and here it is: the playlist from the most recent 108 Sun Salutations we did as part of the Yoga Aid Challenge. Many thanks to all who participated in this wonderful event!

1. Om Mangalam by Anu Malik
2. Dholna by Shubha Mudgal
3. Butterfly (After Puccini's Un Bel Di)
4. Celebration by Madonna
5. I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas
6. Ganesha Sharanam by Jai Uttal
7. We Are People by Snatam Kaur
8. Only If by Enya
9. Krishna Love by MC Yogi (feat. Jai Uttal)
10. Dancing Shiva by Sacred Earth
11. Grease by Frankie Valli
12. You Should Be Dancing by the Bee Gees

Good afternoon, everybody! As most of you know, I am a very social little dog, and last Monday, my mommy and I were both invited to a Labor Day party. For several weeks before the party, I was super excited, anticipating all the fun I would have: I’d get to see some of my doggie-friends and I’d probably be able to convince some unwitting party guests I was starving so I’d get a few extra treats!

A few days before the party, I found myself becoming a little impatient; I mean, I’d been waiting for what seemed like an eternity, looking forward to all the fun I was going to have, and the date of the party still wasn’t here. Even the day of the party, we still had to get ready and drive there. I felt like I’d never get there, even a little hopeless, like maybe there really was no party. But when I thought about it logically, this was silly! Of course we would get there eventually; it just took a little time for the date to arrive and for us to make the necessary preparations before we could physically see the party. But just because we couldn’t physically see the party yet didn’t mean that it wasn’t there.

We have all experienced this same feeling of impatience and even hopelessness, whether it’s waiting for a certain job, house, or relationship that we want, or practicing a certain yoga pose. Sometimes we put artificial time constraints on ourselves, and if we don’t get that house or accomplish that pose in that certain amount of time, we feel like we’ve failed. Then we become hopeless, and it seems like we don’t ever get what we wanted. I’ve found that the key is to focus on all the positive and fun things that you have going on right now, and to give yourself credit as you progress towards your goals. Just like with me and the Labor Day party, even though it seemed to take forever to actually arrive at the party, I knew without a doubt that with each day, that party was getting closer. And wouldn’t it have been silly for my mommy and me to be a few blocks from the party and decide to turn around to go home, just because we couldn’t physically see the party?

When you realize that without a doubt you’re going to arrive at the party eventually, it allows you to relax and enjoy the preparations for that party. Whether it’s performing a challenging yoga pose, getting that job you want, or finding that special relationship you desire, don’t give up and go home just because you can’t see it yet. Keep hoping and dreaming because it’s right around the corner!

Namaste,
Tiki

Happy Labor Day to all my yogi and yogini friends! Well, if your week has been anything like mine, I bet you are exhausted and ready for some relaxation this holiday weekend!

This week was especially hectic for me. You see, I'm accustomed to staying busy, and I enjoy my full schedule of guarding the studio and greeting my yoga friends, but with the Labor Day weekend, I was even busier running all over town socializing with my doggie friends.

I'm a very social little yoga-dog, and I love to see my friends, but it does take time away from my usual napping schedule. And to top it off, when I got home from my hectic day of having fun, Mac and Kisa, my kittie-cat little brothers, were pestering me to run around and wrestle with them, but I was feeling tired and generally annoyed. All of a sudden I realized that I had been so busy all week, that I hadn't had the time to practice my own yoga poses, and I felt it! My little Chihuahua body felt stiff and sore, and even my mood was affected; I definitely was not my usual bubbly self.

It was too late to go to a yoga class, so I realized that if I was going to make myself feel better, I was going to have to practice some yoga at home, all by myself. This felt daunting at first - even if I did have the discipline to practice on my own, I didn't have a clue where to start. But I know how great I feel after I practice, so this motivated me to find a quiet corner and simply start with my breathing. Before I knew it, the breathing led to a few sun salutations, then some balancing poses, some shoulder and hamstring stretching, and of course, my favorite: savasana. After just a few minutes, I was feeling refreshed, decidedly less grouchy, and ready to play with Mac and Kisa.

I hear my mommy say all the time that we should integrate yoga in our daily lives, and I had forgotten how important that truly is. Sometimes we all get so busy with our hectic schedules that we can't find the time to come to class. And not being able to do our yoga makes us feel even more cranky! But remember that yoga isn't just for the studio; practicing some yoga at home, even for just a few minutes, can make a big difference in improving your mood and making your body feel less tight and more energized. Or even if you can't find the time at home, just do a little yoga while you're stuck in traffic. Simply breathing and being aware of your posture while you're in your car is yoga.

So I hope you all enjoy your Labor Day weekend. Even if you're busy with your family and friends this weekend and can't make it to class, be sure to find a quiet corner where you can take some time all for yourself. You'll come out feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and excited to jump back into your crazy schedule!

Namaste,
Tiki

Good morning, to all my yogi and yogini friends!

This weekend I’ve been getting really excited about going on vacation this coming week (don’t worry, even though I won’t be there to cheer you on, you will still have regularly scheduled yoga classes!). As I was preparing for the trip, anticipating all the fun I’m going to have with Tigger, my best doggie-friend, I thought about how great if would be if I could start approaching my life the way I approach my vacation. When I’m on vacation, I’m not just biding my time until it’s over; I don’t look at the fun vacation activities as chores to be crossed off some to-do list. Even just looking forward to all the activities is exciting, and then I have a blast actually doing them, too.

Somehow, we forget that life is meant to be joyous; that it’s not just about completing a bunch of chores. We tend to get so bogged down with work and all other sorts of responsibilities that it all starts to feel like drudgery, not fun. Think how great and exciting our lives would be if we could decide to change our perspective and approach every day the way we do a vacation. Well, the amazing part is that we can decide to approach our lives this way.

Even our yoga practice can be a reminder to us to enjoy our lives. Sometimes we get so focused on the goal of completing the poses and getting to savasana that we forget to actually enjoy those crazy poses while we’re in them. When we start enjoying the movement, even if it’s a challenging one, we stop muscling our way through our practice, and the practice takes on an effortless, vacation-like quality. We want to use the yoga practice to teach ourselves that even when we’re in poses or situations that feel uncomfortable, it doesn’t have to be a negative or stressful experience. When we stop anticipating when we’ll come out of a challenging pose and just let go, we feel the beauty and the flow that is yoga. The more we can practice this on our yoga mats, the more we can connect to this beauty, grace, and enjoyment in every part of our lives.

Remember that life is not just a series of tasks we have to complete – life is meant to be enjoyed and lived to the fullest. Enjoy the journey, whether it’s a literal journey on a fun vacation, or if it’s a journey through your asana practice. Now go out there and have a fun vacation of a week, even if your vacation is going to work, cleaning your house, or performing another chaturanga pose!

Namaste,
Tiki