Yogi Pop

Because it's so darn good. We would make this every movie night at the ashram. Enjoy!

Ingredients

organic sunflower oil

organic popcorn kernals

extra virgin olive oil

nutritional yeast

sea salt

thyme

dill

Directions

1.) Cover bottom large pot with thin coat of sunflower oil. Heat up, add kernals and cover with lid. (amount of kernels depends on size of pot, start with 1/4 cup)

2.) pop pop pop pop pop pop....pop....pop.........pop..............pop...........

3.) Pour into a bowl and coat with olive oil to taste

4.) Sprinkle with salt, yeast and herbs to taste

Om and Yum!

My Two Sides, Sprituality and Lil' Wayne

Driving in the car today, the song of the moment came on and I turned it to full blast. As I did my best hand pumping and hip swaying, I could feel the beat of the song through my entire body. And this is one side of me. I have always loved hip-hop, dropping low, sexy looks, long hair, long legs, high fashion, outrageous parties, delicious foods, full body massage and the list goes on...Yes, this is my sensual side, the part of me enjoying living on Earth-my "animal being".

And then there is the other side of me. She takes the path less traveled. She abstains from over-indulgences and has led long periods of abstinence. She is deeply entrenched in spirituality, in touch with her intuition, and able to see the "good/God" in others. This is what makes me a "spiritual being".

Animal + Spiritual being = Human

Anyone who knows me well knows of these two sides all too well. They get me into trouble, mostly with myself. Imagine indulging in a night of drinks, boat rides with music blaring, hanging with a bunch of men, kissing one of them- all on a whim. Having an absolute blast. In the moment of this particular evening, I was high on all my senses. Attention, speed, thrill, music, touch...but we know what goes up must come down. Right? Because the next day I was so GUILT-ridden.  I was in my worst nightmare when just 12 hours before I was having an amazing time "letting loose". I fret and I panicked, "What are people saying? what are they thinking?" The bigger question is "WHO CARES?" BIG WHOOP. What a waste of energy.

And I'm Like F- You

It's useful to say "Forget You" to those who judge. And this includes my holier than thou self. I have been getting therapy for the past six months. It has been a long time coming-my first attempt at working with a truly outside objective voice. Yesterday she guided me to a HUGE breakthrough: that I had overdeveloped this "spiritual" side of myself at a young age in order to escape from having to deal with what was happening in my everyday life. And as soon as I did this (about 6th grade), I immediately began to heavily judge myself and others.

I can clearly recall one afternoon when I was maybe 12 or 13. I was in the forest with some girlfriends. It was a Saturday. I was sensing that the three of them were ganging up on me and making fun of me. I can't recall what about but how I handled it was to walk off on my own. Eventually they became worried about me and set off to find me. I had made my way a swing by the creek we were playing in and they asked what I was doing. I replied, "I'm talking to God". Their response was one of awe. They asked if I did this often, did I ever hear a reply. This was good. They weren't making fun of me anymore. And so it began. Can't deal with the here and now, I'll go up. And while this is not a bad move, it's not "wrong", and it's a beautiful thing to turn to a higher power when we are in despair, but it did give me an excuse to separate myself from other.

The truth is that even though I am seeing my spiritual tendencies in a new light, I still am-to my core-a very spiritual person. There is a reason that I had the tendency to go this place. I probably was indeed talking to God on that swing-but was it out of a place of connection or out of a place of escape? I see this now and I embrace this part of me as well as the girl who likes to boogie down, wear beautiful clothes and go out for delicious meals. I'll always be the yoga teacher talking with teenagers about Facebook AND the co-worker making you get on the floor to stretch and breathe between meetings. I am jubilent Julie. I love looking at the pages of Vogue and standing on my head. I like Lil' Wayne and Krishna Das. I eat goji berries and potato chips.

THAT is who I am. I am both. I am one. I am me. The only. And you are the only YOU. And that is what makes it so darn cool to be human. We all come here with some truth to share. That is our one job. We each hold a piece of the one Truth and the more we share it, the more we all come together as one. Once we embrace our many sides, we actually become closer to our own true nature and God.

-----
Now go ahead and play this would ya? Because it's fun. And you know what? Lil' Wayne is a pretty deep dude. Catch this line: "...but most of ya'll don't get the picture 'less the flash is on."

I see that he is saying we can't see the truth a lot of the time until it's made utterly impossible to ignore.

Om tat sat. I'm off to dance!

Big Day for Breakthroughs: The Next Big Change and Why it's Already Here

Seeing that I am not an astrologist, I cannot tell anyone when auspicious days are for them or for the collective. All that I can do is to share what I feel is going on. We had a strong full moon on Friday-in Leo no less. Intensity, flare-ups, expression, merging of the collective make it a Full Moon of breakthroughs.

Over the weekend I couldn't help but feel that many people, perhaps the collective, were feeling an uprising "unrest", a feeling that large changes are coming. This has likely been a feeling many of us have been having our entire life. If you are reading these words right now then you are probably someone who has had the feeling at one point or another that you were born at a rather crucial point in humanity and that some how, some way, you will be a part of the large changes headed our way.

It's Already Here

The truth is that these "large changes" have already happened and continue to make exponential leaps and bounds. The fact that this morning I had an amazing session with my therapist and that now not even an hour later I can press some buttons to put together my insights from the session (insights that have to do with my lif- sure-but with the collective as we are all in this human experience together), push another button and BOOM-it's in front of you...THAT is large change from what your parents were doing to share their stories at your age. There is no denying the exponential growth that technology has made over the last century. It is remarkable. And we are here, living in this age, to figure out how to use this to take humanity to the next level of consciousness. To use this technology to help rather than harm.

I think most of us can attest to the harm that technology is capable of. I blame a large percentage of anxiety, depression and chronic illness not ON technology but ON the human response to what it has made possible. Technology didn't ask us to check our email twenty times per day. Technology didn't determine we would have to have our cell phones on at all times and answer every call that came in. Technology did not demand of us that since we had 24 hour access to information and the electricity to have false daylight 24 hours we have to stay awake and pound on a keyboard for the grander part of our days, our lives.

No, these are behaviours that we as humans have developed around technology therefore placing unachievable demands of our ability to live a full life both in the virtual and physical worlds. At least that is how it has been. The change that I am feeling, the large change, is a flip of this coin. The tale of 2012 has been looming around us for some time and it begs of me to share that this timing, this event, this CHANGE, is that of the collective being able to switch from slave of technology to wise master.

Mind Over Matter

Anyone who has studied spirituality or even psychology will know about the battle of the mind. Anyone who born human will live it. It is the same with modern advances is ways we disseminate information and share our lives with each other. The mind can take over, can cause havoc and heartache making up stories about the way things "are". Technology can also take over when we allow that it demand how, when and where we place our attention and energy. We can flip both around once we become the wise master of each. With the mind this is through meditation, mindfulness, breathing (pranayama), proper nutrition and detachment (varaigya). With technology, it is the same. Simplify, discern (viveka) what and where deserves your energy, and embrace both your physical and second (virtual) self.

I can admit that for a long time I thought of one's existence "online" was a shallow, narcissistic and wasteful place. I was judgemental about it for two reasons: one being that it intimidated me. This made me feel like not matter how I might try, I could never catch up with those who knew how to write code, had amazing blogs, followers, friends, fans ect. The other reason being that in my deep dive into a strict yoga practice, there was a general thought-form that it was MUCH too vata-inducing and "unreal" to exist in a place like the Internet. Now that I have been living outside of the ashram life for the better part of a year and immersed myself in aspects of life that I had shunned for so long, I have been able to discern and discover some new ways of thinking, a new paradigm, that works much better for my own mind. And it's this: that it is not only OK to embrace technology and the idea of a "second self" online, it is actually the way things are supposed to being going. Things are speeding up-yes. Things are changing more and more exponentially-yes. This is because we are evolving much more quickly and this is EXCITING and SUPPOSED to be happening. The second self gives us the opportunity to express what is in our hearts and minds without attachment to physical place, body, stutus ect. As we move forward, our goal as humans is to be able to speak and live within the physical realm as openly and freely as we do the virtual. These worlds collide creating a new possibility for mankind.

Using the Internet to share ideas is accelerating human evolution. All I have ever aspired to be is a source of transformation- bringing humanity to the next level of existence. A level where suffering is less, joy is more and people embrace one another. Our physical self needs to have attention, love and care. Grow your food, cook for your family and neighbors. Do yoga asanas, take walks, decorate your home as brings you joy. But also share of your soul, bare your truth to the farthest reaches of the planet. Your second self, your virtual self, might bring that nugget of truth to another soul that guides them to the light they need.


Further Reading and Inspiration
Here is some further reading from some of the sources I have come across on the topic of human evolution and technology. These are Digital Warriors, bringers if light, and sharing Fierce Wisdom. Introduce yourself, follow them on Twitter and prepare to move into the next Big Change. In my next post, I will discuss more of went down in my therapy session-how I am working to bring my own "two selves" together. I am discovering for me, and maybe you have felt this too, that there is a disharmony between how I am living and what I want to be living. I am working hard to have these two sides of me not only know of but embrace one another.

-Satya Colombo, Shooting Stardust at the moon: time and space died yesterday: prepare for takeoff

-Ev Bouge, Data Transfers from the Heart

-Gwen Bell

-Watch Amber Case's TED talk, We are all cyborgs now for some more background on "second selves".

In my next post, I will discuss more of what went down in my therapy session-how I am working to bring my own "two selves" together. That I can share that I am in therapy is in part a large step for me... I am discovering for me, and maybe you have felt this too, that there is a disharmony between how I am living and how I want to be living. I am working hard to have these two sides of me not only know of but embrace one another. I certainly don't claim to have answers, only that I am incredibly grateful to have a space to share what I do learn. And to learn from you.

Om tat sat. Om shanti. Om peace.

What is Love? (And What isn't Love)

In celebration of the day of pink and red and chocolates and L-O-V-E I am reposting one of my very first blog posts. The information in the post was inspired by a journal entry I had made while listening to a talk at the Yoga Farm. Swami Sita held an entire weekend course around the subject of love. I was living there at this time last year and I made pink vegan cupcakes. They were topped with a cashew cream frosting and made pink with fresh-squeezed beet juice. So good. I'll see what I can whip up today...

We all have an innate desire to feel loved all of the time, forever and ever...and this totally valid! (And possible!). I think it's the very basic desire the makes us tick, to get out of bed each morning. There is a knowledge deep within each of us that love is very real and that it is truly "all you need" and that it will make you happy forever and ever...and this is true! So why don't we all feel happy and loved all of the time? It is in our methonds of "finding love" (hint: it's within and all around us all of the time-we never need to look) that we fall short and instead find pain and suffering. It is in our ignorance that we find difficulty in seperating love and desire, love and attachment, love and lust...

So here is what to know about the best subject EVER:

LOVE is:

1. Different than attachment. Attachment always brings its friend fear because we think there is something to lose when we are attached. Attachment can indeed turn in to love-once the fear is removed. If there is fear, there is no true love. Period.
2. Pure and Selfless. Love is to give and not to get.
3. Different than desire. Desire is insatiable. It can never truly be fulfilled. Desire implies it is something you don't already have (quite different from love which is in us all) and that you must look externally for it. This search leads to suffering.
4. Infinite. It is never damaged and it never dries up. Love has no beginning and no end. It is our natural state. It is our birthright.
5. Creative. It has the power to redeem, renew, transform. Once we open to love, anything and everything is possible.
6. Present in all conditions. It is the greatest wealth, the greatest peace, and it's yours NOW and forever.

I love you. Om shanti.

On Being Transparent

Something of an epiphany came when someone spoke of our connection to God through each other recently. I heard this often at Sunday school growing up and every day at the ashram was reminded of the divinity of each human around (the bathroom signs read "Blessed Self please do not flush large objects down the toilet..."). But a new light has been shed on the subject for me. This is a common belief among many religious and spiritual circles. And I do believe it's true. Relationships are meant to expose us to the incredible amount of love and support that exists for us in this life. However...they don't always do that-do they?

No-instead we often end up with enemies that used to be friends, ex-lovers we used to swoon over, even family members we suffer through on holidays only. When and why did these "opportunities to experience God", become experiences with our deepest, darkest fears often marred with shame, regret and intense propensities for being the "right" one in a falling out?

As I revealed in my an earlier post, I took an internship in NYC recently in order to expose myself to some new information, experiences and growth. I am now coming to a close on week three. It's been hard, exciting, tiring, rewarding...all of the things that "work" is. And I am learning a LOT. It is a PR/Social Media Marketing role and something I keep coming across in my training and research is TRANSPARENCY. Like in this article I read today (thanks for posting Linda). The jist is that the more we present what is what in our ever-more real-time world of information and news, the less "clean-up" we have to do later, the more people trust our company's information, and the more likely they will be to become a "fan" and customer.

So now how does this link back to yoga and more specifically the yoga of relationships? It seems that the more we as people are transparent with our intentions, with who we truly are, then others will respond in an authentic way as well. There is no mess to clean up later because everything was clean from the get-go. When we give up looking good and being right all of the time, we end up looking vulnerable, sometimes ugly, but all together and entirely HUMAN. And guess what? People like this BETTER than the fake, "I'm always fine and good and happy don't really need you or anybody else" attitude we tend to take on when feeling that vulnerability. (Or conversely the "I'm a victim and will just DIE if you don't like me" attitude). In other words, when someone is being REAL, no matter how hard that is or how hard their truth may be to swallow, it's always going to be more attractive than inauthenticity. We will always line up to be in front of people who are themselves. Why? Because when we drop the ego and drop the games, what is left is our true Self. What is left is God. And guess what? We LOVE to be in the omnipresent, ultra-accepting love and warmth of God.

Open up, drop the BS, and let your true light shine. And then be prepared for the increasing number of people who want to be around you. They want to bathe in that light.

Om shanti. Om peace.