Copy Cat Me....(just a little)....Thanks Julie!

So..what have I been up to????

A Lot!!!

Running like a "Wild Banjie" in preparation for my next marathon...

Studying my Reconnective Healing techniques in preparation for my next level in September...

Chanting A LOT....

Planning for my office space and when I will begin my practice...

Ordering my Massage Table...

Talking with my new friend from Jekyll Island....we met in Nashville.

and being a wife and mom!

Life has been so wonderful lately....

so much so that I have decided to copy Julie...and get a new Tattoo for my 46th Birthday...

Yes! It will say "Blessed" and hopefully her artisit will be able to fit me in while I am in Encinitas in September!!

Thats all my good news...

Be Well~~~~~

OM Shanti!

If You Truly Care about your Children and Future..Take a Moment

CHOOSE TO BE THAT PERSON THAT ACTS, WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER, YOU AND I, ONE DAY WE WILL BECOME THE MAJORITY, AND THE CURRENT OF CHANGE WILL COME. SPREAD THE WORD, HELP OUR HONORABLE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION, DO IT FOR YOURSELF, FOR YOUR MOM, DAD, SISTER, BROTHER, CHILDREN, AND FRIENDS. UNITED TOGETHER-REACH ONE PERSON AT A TIME!

7 Pairs of Shoes have just been delivered!!

The UPS man just knocked on my door and had this package for me...

Inside was a note that read;

Hello Tracy,

My niece Danielle forwarded your email asking for shoes for the children in India.

I hope you've had a good response. Wishing you a successful trip~

Irene

Inside the box were 7 brand new pairs of childrens shoes!

Thank You Irene and Danielle....Thank You both so much. I have NO idea who you two special women are...but I want you both to know how much you have touched my heart on this day.

I now have collected 32 pairs of shoes for the street children of Mysore, India!!!!

The numbers keep growing and I have surpassed the amount that I needed originally, and since I have surpassed the number of shoes that I originally needed, I have been in contact with Operation Shanti in Mysore, India...and we have decided that we will have so many shoes that we will be helping out two of the neighboring orphanage's and will be giving shoes to more children than we had anticipated!!! Thank You to all of the Yogi's and Yogini's who have donated shoes thus far! You know who you are....Tracey, Ray, Trudy and Lisa,Colette, Ursula, Wayne, Irene, Danielle, Linda and Prana Yoga Center!!

You have blessed so many young children by your giving spirit and compassion~and you have made me see that by giving...we receive so much more than we could imagine.

OM Shanti!

Gaylord Opryland Resort

If you ever get to Nashville...you MUST see the "Gaylord Opryland Resort". It is an absolute MUST SEE! It is Huge by the way..so fair warning here. But the one greatest assets is that it is about 20 acres of enclosed "atrium" climate controlled environment. When I first heard about that..I had my doubts, as air conditioning and I don't mix..usually. Until you get to a state that is 105 degrees..and its humid on top of that. Wow...to be at the resort all day into the evening was like heaven. They make it interesting for you at best...there are 6 restaurants and shops galore. They even have a little boat ride that winds its way through the waterways of the property...too cute! I would also have to say that the people of Nashville are so warm and welcoming..they make you feel right at home. Taking you under their wing and showing you around...it was nice.

I had a most wonderful 4 days there and would visit again in an instant!

in the end, there is always a beginning...

that is what Jeff wrote on his last blog entry in Mysore,India before he and Harmony left for the states...their return to reality so to speak...

and that is exactly what I am trying to do as well...

I was so sad to have my weekend end with all of those wonderful Spirits of Good Energy and love in that Ballroom in Nashville...where we all gathered together to learn how to raise the vibration of one another as well as all of those here on Earth...

it was such a "High" for me, that when it ended...I felt such a sadness. It's not often you can come together with so many other individuals who feel as you do or have had experiences in their lives that mirror yours...

things that occur from the time you are a young child that you never told anyone about...but remember like it was just yesterday and Finally you tell...and they know exactly what you felt or saw...because they had a similar experience as well...

It was a weekend filled with messages...feelings....rememberences...new insights...thoughts....and visitations from somewhere beyond this realm. It was three days that I will cherish always...

it is all inside and won't ever leave, and now I begin my new journey on my path..the path that has clearly led me to where I am at this very moment in time...and it is not the end...only the beginning~

Blessings~

Another Reconnection!

One of my best friends...from High School, has just signed up for The Reconnection Seminars Level l/ll and lll in Los Angeles in October!! I am SO excited for her....I am Over The Top!

Thats it for today..but to me..thats MORE than enough!!

The Reconnection...

If you are even contemplating taking Eric's seminar...DON'T....Just Take It!!

I Promise you..you will not be sorry you did. I don't think I can even put into words what I experienced this past four days while in Nashville, Tennessee...in fact I know I can't.

All I can say is it was the most remarkable four days of my life, and I am forever changed by it...I will never be the person I was before...and I couldn't be even if I tried. There is no going back..only forward and with that I will leave you.

I will tell you one thing more though...if you are even just a little bit curious...buy his book...or visit his website...there are people who will "get it"..and there are people who won't. He has a full schedule and he is in South Africa today..look at his locations and go to one of the Free Talks...all I can tell you is, it will change you forever!
The photo above is Eric reading a translated piece of paper...the girl in the photo is Spanish, she speaks no English and she was given a message while there ....amazing, powerful weekend.

Blessings~ http://www.thereconnection.com/

Ursulas Shoes are here!!!

I am back from Nashville...and I had a box waiting for me....

It is from Ursula in Germany!!! She sent me 6 pairs of shoes for the children of Mysore, India....

and I must say..they are precious~and I am SO grateful to you Ursula for taking the time and the effort..and the money and going out and buying 6 pairs of shoes for us to give to the children.

Many heartfelt thanks to you my friend....and until we meet one day..here is a {{{HUG}}} for you!

Namaste~

The cool "carry on" arrived on time!

I am SO happy that my suitcase arrived a day early!!

I wanted a carry on...with style..that was well made and cool..Here it is! Now I am ready to head on out!

The Rule of The Universe...

When we are in India...it never ceases to amaze me, that the children there find such Joy in the smallest and simplest things to keep themselves occupied. You will always see the image above...boys walking down the street with a stick and an old tire tube...rolling down the the road with huge smiles on their faces...

Last night as I watched "Super Nanny"..the family on the show had two boys and those boys had SO many toys in their room scattered across the floor, so thick you couldn't see the carpeting..they had toys on the walls (on shelves) on the dressers, in the closet, under the bed, in drawers, coming out of drawers....OMG....I could not believe it. They had SO much..and didn't appreciate what they had..there were HUGE BAGS filled with toys...all I could think about were the children in India that play with paper and string..tire tubes and sticks...little pebbles on the ground...and they are 10 times happier than the kids on the show that had everything money could buy...

Makes you stop and think...at least it made me stop and think.

I have two sons, they had toys..there was NO lack of toys when they were young...but every single year after Christmas, we had a ritual...the ritual was this..and we all agreed on it beforehand...

The boys would each go into their rooms and pick out the toys they no longer played with anymore and they felt that they could give away...and we would fill up a few bags of toys and take them to the shelters in town and the boys would give them to the children at the shelters.

It made them feel so good inside, and it stayed with them to this day.

Neither one of my sons has a problem giving away anything...in fact they gladly give if they feel they want to. It brings tears to my eyes just knowing that we have raised them to be so unselfish and giving...

Because the fact of the matter is..It IS indeed so much better to give than to receive! It just feels so GOOD!

OM Shanti!

Putting all my Ducks in a row..

and preparing for my four days away...i have lots to do, because you see i am the "glue" that holds this household together..the tiniest things all need to be taken care of in my absence before i leave early Friday morning..early as in 4:00a.m.!

i am getting things done though, and then some! Since i won't have time to run or practice yoga while i am gone i have to double up before Friday..really ramp it up to be honest. But that's good for me..i handle pressure pretty well..in fact..the more intense situations get, the calmer i can become. I am very good in emergency situations as well..a serene calmness overtakes me and i take control of situations while others are running around panicking. I haven't always been like this though...no..long before i found my yoga practice i would be "fit to be tied" if something were to go awry..but with my practice and my "going within" it taught me that lesson in particular and it was a good lesson indeed!

So with that..let me close this entry by saying.."If you ever get into a sticky situation...Remember to go within and Breathe deeply..and with that you will conquer the world"!

Namaste!

Some of the children who will be getting the Shoes!

left to right:pallavi, devaraj (short), lokesh (tall), harish, venkatesh, kaleem (holding his niece parveen who is not in school yet), chumi, nanjunda (behind chumi),latta,swetha, pooja and sharath.

I just received this photograph from Operation Shanti in Mysore. These are just some of the children who will be receiving the shoes we have collected!!

and another..Brimming over with Love and Shoes!

I just received this beautiful letter via email from my Yogini friend...what more could I ever ask for? What words do I use to tell all of the wonderful beings from her Yoga Studio how much gratitude I feel for all they are doing for the Children of Mysore...all these people whom I have never met and who have just surrounded my project "Walking in Their Shoes" with such giving and love...there are no words enough to express my heartfelt thanks...

I am Blessed just to be in this world with them~

OM Shanti, Shanti,Shanti

hi, tracy --

just wanted to let you know that the owner of the yoga studio where I teach (http://www.pranayogacenter.com/) wants me to keep the collection box in the studio until September 8. That day is the studio's 4 year anniversary -- a kirtan and a "round robin" class with all the instructors teaching -- and she told me today that she wants the people who are going to attend to bring a pair of kids shoes to donate. she is putting this in a newsletter to send to the Prana yoga community.

I hope all these shoes are not going to be too much for you! I had a feeling this would happen so I hope this is not overwhelming for you. You'll probably just want to ship the shoes to Mysore. You might end up with over 50 pairs! well.....a drop in the bucket for the number of street kids in India.....

anyway, I will ship everything to you...and I will need your address again!

peace,
linda
p.s. my buddhist name is Sama which means "harmony"

A Happy Blog to Read...filled with Love!

have you ever read a Blog that just touched you so deeply that you felt completely Blessed just by reading it?

Those are the types of Blogs that I love and read on a daily basis...ones the uplift you and even maybe enlighten you in some small way...

this is one of my most favorite Blogs...

read it, and I am sure you will agree~

http://www.livingbreathingyoga.blogspot.com/

maybe you already have read it....read it again~~~~~~it makes me happy!

Daisaku Ikeda's Gift from Japan

This day has been a Blessing for me in many ways..actually this whole week has been Magic!


This afternoon I booked my flight and hotel to Encinitas for my "Reconnection Level lll" with Adam...I am going for it! I am filled with excitement and the wonder of what lies ahead for me..nothing but Goodness and Light!


I received a package in the mail today from SGI in Santa Monica..it was a gift from Daisaku Ikeda in Japan..a VERY Special gift...as you know I am Buddhist..and I chant each day..it is a very special gift for me..and it has been wonderful.








Daisaku Ikeda is the President of the SGI and this is what he sent to me today...

It was a beautiful wooden box with lovely scalloped edges and inside was an envelope with two notes inside and two strands of Sandalwood Beads used for chanting, a pair for my husband and a pair for me.

and here are the notes...

what a very special gift...
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Jamie Kennedy Experiment - Yoga

If you Love Yoga..and Jamie..you will laugh until you cry...

"Waynes" Shoes Just Arrived!!

Our UPS woman just left...and she had the box pictured above!!! I knew who it was from...

it was from Wayne...from Ashtangi.net..our fellow Blogger and Yogi and new friend~

Thank You SO much Wayne..they are wonderful..they will be loved that I know for sure~

Please scroll all the way don to the bottom post and see how many shoes I have collected so far!! I am SO excited!

Namaste~

A "Hello Kitty" Punishment in Thailand...

wow..this is a "punishment"?? I almost wish I were there so I could do the crime, just to get the "Hot Pink Armband"!! Did I ever tell you how much I adore Hello Kitty???


BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Thai policemen who break rules will be forced to wear hot pink armbands featuring "Hello Kitty," the Japanese icon of cute, as a mark of shame, a senior officer said Monday.

Hello Kitty is not something "macho police officers want covering their biceps," a Thai police chief says.

Police officers caught littering, parking in a prohibited area, or arriving late -- among other misdemeanors -- will be forced to stay in the division office and wear the armband all day, said Police Col. Pongpat Chayaphan. The officers won't wear the armband in public.
The striking armband features Hello Kitty sitting atop two hearts.
"Simple warnings no longer work. This new twist is expected to make them feel guilt and shame and prevent them from repeating the offense, no matter how minor," said Pongpat, acting chief of the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok.
"(Hello) Kitty is a cute icon for young girls. It's not something macho police officers want covering their biceps," Pongpat said.
He said police caught breaking the law will be subject the same fines and penalties as any other members of the public.
"We want to make sure that we do not condone small offenses," Pongpat said, adding that the CSD believed that getting tough on petty misdemeanors would lead to fewer cases of more serious offenses including abuse of power and mistreatment of the public by police officers.

"Freedom....

from the known" by Krishnamurti

is my newest read for the month of August. I am reading this as well as "The Life of Pi"..of course such a well known classic by Yann Martel. I have time...lot's of time...I get much done during my days..but my days allow me to do the things I love and enjoy...yes..I am Blessed.

I had a most blissful hour of Yin Yoga this afternoon as well..how much do I love Yin??? I think we all know the answer to that question now don't we! My body feels balanced and strong..alternating my activities in this way have kept me injury free and I am ever so grateful for that!

I am setting up an appointment with my husbands cousin while I am in Nashville for my Reconnection Seminar that will be for the weekend. But I want to go "all the way" with this. I feel it in the core of my being...and so I need to get my "Reconnection" session which consists of two sessions in order to progress on to Level 3 which will be in Encinitas in September..unless I decide to fly to Arizona instead...still deciding..I have time to decide...no worries there.

This weather has been so beautiful lately...no more heat..nice cool breeze's and heavenly nights. I love days like these...

My friend Krista is heading to India in 2 days..Safe Travels my friend..

Om Shanti!

Strong Body, Weak Mind

Just read "Daily Cup of Yoga's" Blog...Right where I am at in my life...

Loved it..and it is SO very, very true....

Joined "Running Ahead" as well...(thanks so much for the link!!)

heading out for a Treadmill training run of 6 miles....

it won't be a 24 Hour run like my hero Dean completed in June...the longest run I ever ran on my Treadmill was 12 miles...I don't know how he did it...Stamina and of course my favourite quote..

"Strong Body,Weak Mind" keeps us runners going long and strong..

that and a good Pasta dinner the night before...ahhh haaa..that does the trick!

Colettes Shoes Are Here!!! The Count is Going UP!!

One of my dearest friends from Canada sent me some money to buy some shoes for the Children in Mysore....I just got home and this is what I bought~

I hope you approve Colette..Ray and I were in the store for about 45 minutes trying to pick the best ones...I think they will serve a couple of young men well!

Thank You again Colette! I will update my Shoe Count at the bottom of the page now!

OM Shanti~

Little Pieces of Grace...

I had to go and visit my dentist this afternoon...as the front of my tooth chipped somehow..I have NO idea how it happened...but he smoothed it out for me and I was good to go.

He asked me what I was up to this summer as I got up to leave...and I told him I was training for the LA Marathon and getting ready for my trip to India...

he asked me what I was going to do in India..and I told him about "Walking in Their Shoes"..the Charity that we started, and that we were getting shoes sent from basically all over the globe at this point..

He was amazed and very intrigued..and told me he thought that was wonderful..

as I was walking out a woman reclining in the first room of his office, awaiting her treatment..she had overheard our conversation...and she stopped me and asked me how she could find out more about my Charity...so I took down her email address...and emailed her my blog link.

Thank You again Angie..for asking about it..and for showing interest...

I came home and went out to get the mail...and my Reconnection Pendant was there...it is SUCH a beautiful piece in person. It is number 154 out of 333. I was just so in awe of its beauty...and I will wear it proudly Liz! Many Thanks again! Only 2 more weeks until Nashville and the reconnection Seminar with Eric pearl~ I am SO anticipating this....

Had a really strong, focused, training run just now...and now I am headed for the shower~

Namaste~

Chinese Uprising Demonstration..Peacefully

this morning the phone rang at 7:30..it was our Monk calling from Mysore, India...Chaku..
"Hello Mama..it is your son, Chaku" his words sang into my ear....
he is leaving for Delhi tomorrow with many other Tibetan Monks on the train....they are going to go there for the Chinese Uprising Demonstration...I told him that I was worried about him...and to please be safe.
Chaku told me..."Mama, I demonstrate Peacefully...not with any Anger" of course..I know this already..but being the concerned Mama...I still worry.
"Mama, I am very anticipating your visit in January" he tells me...I make him laugh by using American phrases...he loves that..and his laugh is so cute.

They have just finished construction on the new Guest House at the Monastery...he told me that he will pick the "best room for Papa and I"....it was still being built while we were there in March.

So..New Digs in January for us...but even better...seeing Chaku again and talking for hours and laughing!

OM MANI PADME HUM

Something to hold on to...

Sometimes you just have to have something to hold on to...
it can help ground you...and realize that there is MORE....than just that stuff....
gosh, it is astounding...am I really that sensitive to other peoples actions?
I didn't think so..but when it's someone you know and care about..it can be a whole different ballgame...

I'm worried..because I do care so much..it has been so many years between then and now..but in all that time...i have changed..for the better, from where my head and my heart used to be...

Ganesha, Lakshmi, Hanuman,Durga,Saraswathi,Shiva...Buddha,God..all of the energies of the universe..watch over her for me...

OM Shanti

Shoes..shoes..Shoes..Shoes..shoes..ShOeS!!

and this email just in from our very own Wayne!!
Thank You Wayne! Thank You SOO Much...shoes are coming to add to my collection!
That will make..16 pairs..not counting Ursulas! Yeah!! SO Happy!

Hi Tracy,I just sent you a pair of men's size 6 1/2 athletic shoes with velcro straps (not an easy combination to find!) via UPS. They said it would take 5 - 7 days to get there so you should be seeing them early to mid next week. Thanks again for coming up with this wonderful project!Many blessings to you and your family.

Namaste,
Wayne

OM Shanti!