A Passion for Yoga

If you’ve been visiting my blog then you may already know that I’m a Bikram yoga enthusiast. I’m pretty dedicated to my practice and credit it with helping me to strengthen my body as well as to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m not alone in this regard. Many people tell that Bikram yoga helped them to recover from illness or injury or that it played a significant role in discovering their life’s passion. To understand how this happens, it would be best to see for yourself; however, I will say that what goes on in class is a microcosm of the rest of our lives. We’re encouraged to focus, work hard, choose form over depth (i.e., do a little bit right versus doing more, but incorrectly), dissolve any limits that we’ve imposed on ourselves, have patience, and never give up. And as we develop these skills in class, so can we apply them outside in the “real world”.

Last year, I competed for the first time in the New York Regional Yoga Asana Championship in NYC. This was a personal challenge for me because up to that point in my life, I had never competed in something like this. Just the idea of performing on stage alone, in front of an audience was challenging enough–never mind the actual yoga. In the end, I was so happy I faced my fears and did it, and it was a very happy and fulfilling day for me.

This year, I watched the competition, which was equally a treat because as a participant last year, I had missed all the beautiful performances. In addition, Connecticut participants competed at Patriot Place in Foxboro, MA in the New England Regional Championship. This was a fun (and beautiful!) venue and I was able to watch the show with some of my fellow yoga practitioners and instructors and meet some new people as well. You can watch some mind-blowing poses by several of the women competitors here:

Another benefit of watching the show was that I got to mingle with the audience and meet some of the very passionate sponsors who were there showcasing their products. In the video below, you can meet Troy and Ashley from Sambazon, Laura, a Bikram instructor who also sells Shakti activewear, and Juli from Zico. It was a joy to meet them all and to even learn some interesting things that I didn’t know! If you’re a Bikram enthusiast or work out frequently, you’ll appreciate some of the information here:

Yes, it was fun to watch the competition this year; yet seeing everyone work through their 3 minutes on stage had me thinking that it would also be fun to compete again. : )

A Labor of Love

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon in Willington, CT at Passardi Maple on 76 Potter School Road, where I watched the Passardi family, with Noah Passardi at the helm, prepare their maple syrup. I discovered their sign on a drive through Willington a couple of weeks ago and had stopped at their sugar-house with my Mom. As luck would have it, they were setting up lines and taps for their trees to begin the process of collecting syrup. While we were there, Richard Passardi took the time to walk us through the maple syrup producing process and was kind enough to have me come back for a visit to watch and videotape the production. I was able to see and even taste the raw material that comes dripping out of the trees and was astonished to discover that it looks like water and tastes only slightly sweet. I was guided through the entire process from syrup collection, to the boiling/evaporation process that concentrates it down and gives it the deep rich color that maple syrup is known for. I watched how they filter, grade, and finally bottle the finished product. The best part, though, was in the tasting. I was able to try one of their grade A and grade B syrups and was amazed that the seemingly simple (but actually not so simple) process of boiling had converted a thin, clear liquid into something so deliciously rich and sweet.

But what impressed me more than anything about my experience, was witnessing the care and teamwork demonstrated by the Passardi family. While I was there, they worked tirelessly to collect the syrup from their tanks, ensure that the syrup boiled just right, bottled it promptly, and kept the house neat and organized. And besides maple syrup, Noah Passardi keeps bees that produce honey and he pours beeswax candles (which I prefer because they burn cleaner than paraffin wax).

Everyone wore many hats and helped where they were needed to keep the operation running smoothly. In fact, I don’t know of a better way to describe the effort except to call it a labor of love. I spent several hours with the Passardi family, and when I left, they had many more hours of work to go before they were finished for the day. For me, watching how the Passardi family produced their maple syrup was an education and I felt good about buying their product. And I will tell you that this morning, I used their delicious grade B maple syrup on my spelt pancakes. I believe the biggest benefit to visiting the Passardi family’s sugar-house, though, was something much more important than knowledge. A sense of community develops when people become acquainted with those that are producing the food that they eat and those types of relationships are the glue that keep us all human and doing things for the good of everyone. And that's exactly how I felt at the end of the afternoon.

If you’re ever in Willington, CT stop by Passardi Maple for some outstanding maple syrup, honey, or candles. I’m happy I did…

A Leader in the Quilling Community

Last Sunday, I came across a piece in the morning newspaper about a quiller by the name of Pat Caputo in Enfield, CT. Quilling is a craft where thin strips of paper are rolled, pinched into various shapes, then arranged together into an infinite number of arrangements and configurations to create some beautiful pieces or artwork. I was so impressed with Pat’s story in the newspaper that I called her and she agreed to do an interview with me.

Pat has been quilling for over thirty years and began when she was home raising her children. It is a craft that she fell in love with, but as time went on, she found it more difficult to find quilling supplies at local craft shops. But instead of letting this problem deter her, she used it as an opportunity to strengthen her relationships with major quilling suppliers and to bring quillers together by starting her own business in 1981. Whimsiquills offers quilling supplies, patterns, teaching and reference materials, and useful information that would otherwise be difficult for crafters to find. She also showcases many of her gorgeous pieces on her website, and you can see some on the video below:

Because of her leadership and passion for her work, she has gotten involved in a number of quilling projects. For example, she became one of the founding members of the North American Quilling Guild, has hosted and led quilling workshops, and her work has been featured in The Book of Paper Quilling, Paper Quilling, The Weekend Crafter Series, and Family Circle Magazine. In addition, she started a blog for quillers everywhere to ask questions, share their thoughts, and to present their work in the hopes that it will help to generate new ideas and expand the quilling community.

Today, Pat gets orders, emails, and cards from quillers from all over the World. She loves her work and it’s easy to see why she has been such a success. I’m so happy that I took a chance and had the opportunity to meet Pat. Over the years, I have developed a much greater appreciation for hand-crafted items, and the crafters themselves. As I was thinking about why that is, I realized it’s because of my much greater appreciation, these days, for the value of time. And if someone chooses to use their time creatively to make something that will bring joy to others, then I am so grateful. Because as far as I’m concerned, there can never be enough beauty in this World. Thank You Pat!!

Interview with a Great Scientist

For almost three years, I’ve been practicing Bikram Yoga, a series of 26 postures that are performed in a very hot room. The experience has been a life-changing one for me. It has helped me to get into the best shape physically that I have ever been in my life and it has allowed me to move past so many of my self-imposed limitations. It has also introduced me to lots of great people who share the same values about their health and well-being. One such person is Francois Franceschi. You can meet him here:

Francois is a scientist who has spent most of his scientific career studying a structure in our cells called the ribosome. Without this large enzyme, our lives would not exist –neither would the lives of bacteria and it’s their ribosomes that are often targeted with antibiotics. For many years, Francois collaborated with Ada Yonath, another great scientist who is one of the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year and he made significant contributions into that work. In fact, even when it was believed that what they were trying to achieve was impossible, they never gave up, understanding that the reward would be well worth the risk of persevering. This work did finally pay off because of ingenuity and because the tools used to reach their goal became more sophisticated.

Today, Francois is still studying the ribosome, working for a company founded by a second Nobel Prize winner, Thomas Steitz (the third is Venkatraman Ramakrishnan). There, he works together with an outstanding group of people to further the studies on bacterial ribosomes in order to develop new drugs to treat infections against antibiotic-resistant bugs, which is a very real issue we face today.

Francois is one of those remarkable people whose passion and commitment to excellence is helping to improve the lives of us all. We know they’re out there when we see the fruits of their dedicated work show up and it’s even more of a blessing to personally know some of these great human beings who inspire others to follow their passions. Knowing Francois and practicing yoga with him is one of those rare opportunities for me. One for which I am truly grateful.

A Tale of Having Passion and Spreading Joy

Yesterday I was at our local library. It’s such a great resource and I go there every week or two and come home with a pile of books on personal development, health, food and whatever other topic may be interesting me at the time. But yesterday, a book caught my eye because it brought back a very fond memory from many years ago that left a strong impression on me. That book was The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.

I remember having The Tale of Peter Rabbit as a child and reading it many times, but it wasn’t until I had my own children that the book carried some significance for me. When my youngest daughter was in the third grade, she had a teacher named Mrs. Whittle. Mrs. Whittle was a beautiful person from the inside out. Physically, she was a very pretty woman with blonde hair that was always nicely styled and she was always beautifully dressed in neat, stylish clothing. On the inside, Mrs. Whittle was just as beautiful. She was a warm, kind, generous and patient person and as a teacher, had the ability to instill calmness in her students and to somehow draw out their luminosity. I watched it happen and remember what a powerful, positive force it was that she possessed.

Mrs. Whittle was a big fan of Beatrix Potter. She would read all of her books to her students and even had a collection of Beatrix Potter keepsakes at home. One day, there was a Beatrix Potter celebration going on internationally and in honor of the author, Mrs. Whittle decided to bring in her collection to show her students. She also invited parents to come into the classroom to view the collection as well and I went to see it that day. I remember when I walked into the room, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The classroom had been transformed into a Beatrix Potter showcase. The room was beautifully arranged with everything Beatrix Potter from ceramic statues to books to stuffed animals of storybook characters. And she did it in such a way that we could walk into the room and enjoy all the items as we weaved our way through the desks and tables and counter tops. The keepsakes were numerous and I can’t remember everything in her collection, but I remember the impression it had on me. First, I remember thinking about the amount of effort, energy, planning and creativity it took for her to bring in her collection and to display it so beautifully. It was like walking through an art exhibit. And she clearly took much pride in and loved her collection very much, because it was very well taken care of. I know that often people who collect something as a hobby are very passionate about it and cherish their treasures. As such, they will keep them locked in a cabinet or high up on a shelf or in a room where people may be able to see, but not get too close to. But because of her extreme pride and joy for her collection, she brought it in and displayed it openly and freely for everyone to see up close and admire. To me, this was a demonstration of tremendous generosity, kindness, sharing, and trust and I know she brought joy to everyone that walked through that room.

On that day, Mrs. Whittle taught me the importance of having passion for something and to have the courage to share it with others. We may not remember what people say or what people do, but we always remember how people make us feel. That day brings back fond memories almost twenty years later because Mrs. Whittle shared her passion for Beatrix Potter. It was a gift that made me feel happy and inspired.

I no longer live in the same town nor have I been back to the school and I don’t know what Mrs. Whittle is doing, but I want to say Thank You to her from the bottom of my heart for being such a beautiful person and teacher and for sharing her passion with all of us. Maybe you remember an event or knew someone who taught you the importance of living life with passion. You can also be that person that spreads joy by discovering your passion and having the courage to share it with others. Please do! The World will be a much better place because of it!

Entering the Discomfort Zone

Many of us have developed routines in our lives and a typical day might sound like this for some: we get up, get ready for work, send the kids off to school, spend the day at work, exercise, head home, have dinner, watch TV and finally prepare for the following day. For some things, a consistent schedule is good. For example, setting a specific workout schedule everyday makes good sense because it helps to instill the habit of taking care of ourselves physically and mentally and our health, without a doubt, the sets the stage for how we perform with every other facet of our lives.

What is common, though, is that it’s this same routine, day in and day out that often stifles us, makes us feel unfulfilled and creates the strong impression that something’s missing. We live our lives in autopilot in the comfort zone. I for one have my moments and days in this mode like anyone else. But they do little to advance my personal growth and they certainly don’t make me feel alive. Papa Wallenda said, “Life is lived out on the wire, the rest is just waiting.” What he’s saying is that it’s when we are challenged, scared, buzzing with excitement and anticipation that we enjoy life and the more we look for these opportunities, the less our lives will feel routine.

With our busy schedules during the week, plunging into something daring or exhilarating may seem unrealistic, but it doesn’t have to be that way. It can be anything that will lead us into our discomfort zones, such as introducing ourselves to someone new at work that we look up to, or taking a class to explore a new hobby, or trying a new restaurant. Anything, however insignificant it may seem, that can get the heart pumping, wake up our brains, or even make us feel slightly off balance will do the trick. Over the weekend, I participated in something that, for me, accomplished those things and so many more. I competed in the NY Regional/Tristate Yoga Asana Championship in New York City. You can see some of the event here:

This entire day took me out of my comfort zone on so many levels. For example, I took a class in NYC before the competition at a studio where I’ve never practiced before. That in itself would get the blood pumping. But more dramatically, it was the first time I’ve ever performed anything athletic alone on stage. Except for giving talks, the last time I performed solo in front of an audience was in sixth grade at a school concert, singing “Let Me Be There”, by Olivia Newton John and I don’t have that on video : ) But thinking back to that night, it was one of the most fun and rewarding times of my life. Other challenges to this past weekend: I knew I would be competing with women who had been here many times before, who had been training for much longer than me and whose yoga practices were far more advanced than mine. I was floored and inspired by their abilities. Just look at the woman below who took first place!

So knowing all of this, when I decided to enter this competition, I took it as a personal challenge to do my best and to have fun and that’s what I did. Despite the butterflies and the extreme talent around me, I was able to have fun and feel a very strong sense of accomplishment when it was over and I wouldn’t want to change any of it.

Another gift from this event was the support and encouragement from everyone: the other competitors, judges and organizers, the audience, and especially my friends who came to NYC to watch the event and cheer us on. And my willingness to take the risk in the competition has inspired some of them to enter the competition next year.

Whatever the outcome would have been, my courage to take a chance was the most significant lesson and triumph for me here because it gave me the confidence to believe that if I could do this, there’s no telling what I can accomplish!!! So challenge yourself; step into your discomfort zone and live…

A Talented Glass Blower Demonstrates His Art

Often times we are unaware of the great things going on in our own backyards, which is why I was delighted to recently meet Morgan Schwartz. Morgan is a young artist here in New Haven who discovered a passion for glass blowing after getting a degree in art education and studying with a Venetian master at the Corning Museum of Glass. Since then, he’s focused his artwork on glass. Yesterday, he was kind enough to invite me to his studio to talk and to explain his craft. He uses a technique called lampworking that uses a blazing hot torch to melt tubes and bars of glass that can then be pulled, shaped, twisted and transformed into just about anything the imagination can come up with.

He’s created a beautiful and unique collection of glass sculptures, goblets, jars, pendants, marbles, and holiday ornaments and yesterday he demonstrated how he makes a spiraling glass Christmas tree ornament beginning with a bar of clear glass. You can see the process in the video below. I was so impressed with the steadiness of his hands at the flame as he laid down stripes of colored glass onto the bar and how, while heating the glass, he was able to twist and lengthen the glass to take on its final shape. He made it look so easy : ) Like anything else, it takes continuous practice to master these skills and he’s learned how to produce some beautiful effects in his pieces such as metallic flecks swirled into pendants using dichroic glass, imploded glass in wine stoppers that looked like tentacles from a sea plant, and vortexes that give the illusion of depth in contemporary marbles. You can see all of this in the video below.

I had a wonderful time meeting with Morgan and I’m thrilled to have discovered another talented artist in New Haven that is creating objects of beauty. I can never get enough of those because of the richness they add to our lives and the happiness they make me feel. And yes, I am grateful!! If you’re interested in seeing more of Morgan’s work, you can contact him at misticglass@gmail.com.