Upcoming in the New Series: Review of An Awesome Lime-Green Skillet, Plus Blogs I Love

Photo illustration by yours truly. Note the sweet frying pan I'm about to review!

It's time to celebrate the end of summer and a transition to tasty, warm, cozy fall foods. It's time for a new series:

Letting Out the Domestic!

(A series on New Apartment Life)

Are you like me: excited for cooler weather, ready for breaking out your fall wardrobe, and stoked to start baking scrumptious breads and whipping up healthy one-pan meals on the stove?

Well, you've come by Alive in the Fire at the right moment! Read on and stay tuned for the latest and greatest adventures in my kitchen as well as the hot room.

And a delicious, healthy recipe for Tagliarini Primavera (a la Sandi, my talented chef stepmom)! Featuring fresh veggies, slivered prsciutto, thin noodles, and fresh parmesan cheese. Oh, and a little whipping cream. Maybe that's why it will taste so good. But hey, if you Bikram, you'll earn it!

Lately I've been loving the look of colorful kitchen stuff, like these Corelle sets. I opted to go with red, black and chrome in my kitchen and I must say it's a kickin' color scheme.

In a few days, I'll also be reviewing this killer frying pan that CSN Stores is asking me to test out. No, they're not paying me to write positive feedback. And yes, it is one of the Rachael Ray series! In a gorgeous lime green color! (OK, so not exactly matching our colors, but it's so pretty...) Obviously I've not used it yet, but the color itself has me jazzed to see what green and tasty things I can use it for. Yum.

Do any of you sexy yogis out there read Green Wedding Shoes, a wedding blog with trendy and stylish but also very down-to-earth wedding posts? The new pan made me think of this wonderful site and all their beautiful posts. I recommend checking it out, especially if you're in the process of planning your Big Day and you want some ideas for photos or just decorative fun possibilities.

More Blogs I Love

OnceWed: The other of my top two wedding blog sites. Features real photos from talented wedding photographers and down-to-earth, genuinely sweet descriptions of weddings by the brides themselves. The overall site has the best laid-back, natural style that any couple can aspire to create at their ceremony and reception. 

A Cup of Jo: Joanna has the sweetest little guy, Toby, and a generous and charming husband, Alex, as well as a great eye for fashion and design. Plus she features some ridiculously cool giveaways on the site, and an honest perspective on being married and raising her little boy. She lives in NYC and often offers a wonderful view of what life is like in the Big Apple and how to keep things sane and grounded at the same time. Anything from art pieces to cookie exchange parties, biking and home decor, fall fashion and cool vacation spots -- Joanna seems to cover it all, and quite gracefully!

Pacing the Panic Room: Ryan's keen perception of the world of parenting, photography, freelancing, and life in general makes for some seriously compelling (and talented) writing as well as inspiring photographs. He's one of the best bloggers I encountered and his beautiful series of his wife's pregnancy is out of this world. In fact, it was so spectacular that he followed it up with a much-desired series called Walk to 40 Weeks where you can watch another mom's bump grow into a strong, loving family. Highly recommended reading here, especially for you soon-to-be mums!

Rummey Bears: Rummey baby is the cutest baby I've ever met (online, anyway). I can't get enough of her sweet smiles, silly antics, and lovely family life. Anna, also know as Mama Bear on the site, is one talented and loving mother. She and her husband enjoy time at the beach in Sydney, reading and sipping coffee at local shops, cooking and knitting, and of course enjoying their happy-go-lucky little one.

Those are just a few to get you started. More to come soon! Happy Friday -- here's to tasty meals and a happy weekend filled with back-to-back Bikram doubles! Oh, and bike rides around the entire city of Chicago...that's right: I'm doing CRITICAL MASS. More on that soon, too. Enjoy your weekend!

A little preview compilation of photos taken from the blogs above. Credit to their authors, entirely! Click the links to check em' out.

Thirsty? Win Some Ultima Replenisher

Hey all, a quick update to my other post about Ultima Replenisher. Would you like to try some? The company's doing a little contest and all you've got to do to enter is post a comment on my blog and let me know your favorite color flavor.

Then, in a few days, Ultima will select five people to win some samples and will send them your way! Easy, tasty hydration. So get commenting!

There are a few other blogs participating: my lovely ladies over at Lock the Knee and Hannah Just Breathe. If you've got time, check out their blogs as well!

PS. Totally unrelated, but I just read something on YogaDork about Lindsay Lohan going to Bikram Teacher Training in the fall. Um, what?! Has she seriously been practicing for six months? I highly doubt that she'd do too well in front of Bikram. A friend and I got together last night to discuss TT and she told me these awesome stories about how Bikram breaks you down before he can build you back up, how the yoga is meant to challenge and piss you off, how he truly believes in holding the mirror up to your face in order to help you learn who you really are.

I feel really weird just posting this to the blog. Can you imagine Lindsay Lohan trying to survive Bikram's Torture Chamber and Bikram himself? Sheesh!

Hardly the environment for someone who's been in rehab and is obviously still in recovery. Definitely interesting as far as rumors go, though! Will let you know if I hear more. For now, as YogaDork suggested, it seems that it won't be true...but you never know! It would be the ultimate test of patience and focus for all the other yogis there, I suppose. And that's the yoga:

If you let someone else steal your peace, you lose!

A Great Find for Hydration & Summer Smoothies: Ultima Replenisher

The start of a new series:

Letting Out the Domestic (New Apartment Life)

Summer is on the way out. The nights are turning cooler, the breezes ushering in fall, and the autumn sweaters being broken out of closets for some cuddly & cozy fun. It's that time: your last chance for a tasty summertime fruit smoothie!

I got excited last night because I realized it was time not only to make use of my lovely blender in the new kitchen but also to finally post a review of a great new product I've been using lately:

Ultima Replenisher, a hydrating supplement that's great for Bikram yogis. Thirsty after class? Thirsty before class? Throw a packet of this fruity-flavored and easy-to-mix powder into your water bottle or morning blender mix, and you're set to go. Electrolytes recharged. Sugars avoided. Health improved!

All summer, I've been whipping up creamy, delicious and healthy smoothies using fresh fruit, juice, and half-frozen yogurt. Nothing fancy here, but that's what makes the simple texture and taste so pure and enjoyable. This time, I threw in the orange-flavored packet of Ultima, some frozen bananas, peaches, strawberries, vanilla yogurt, orange juice, milk... and (don't judge) a few scoops of vanilla ice cream! Whoops, so much for no sugar :)

The results were delicious, as you can see from my big smile. Now normally, I would not add the ice cream due to its sugar and fat content and the fact that those scoops are just going to weigh you down if you're about to head to class. Note: not recommended! I would not recommend drinking a smoothie even an hour or two before Bikram, actually. But, the morning before your evening class? Perfect. This gives your body ample time to absorb all the great stuff you include in the drink.

Which brings me back to Ultima Replenisher's line of well-crafted, health-minded products. I was given a promotional pack of all four flavors (grape, orange, raspberry, and lemonade) to try out, and I have to say I was pretty pleased with the results.

The powder mixes easily and tastes pretty good (there's a little hint of the vitamin-y aftertaste, but it really reminds me of EmergenC, which I love mixed with a little fruit juice and poured over ice). When you add it to a smoothie, you're not even going to notice that you've added a supplement! Who can beat that?

The other awesome reason to try it: apparently Ultima is the only 100% natural, non-GMO, gluten-, sugar- and dye-free electrolyte beverage on the market. You can find it easily in most Whole Foods stores or visit the company's website at www.ultimareplenisher.com.

I can't say I'm not still a huge advocate for coconut water products (VitaCoco is my fave, followed closely by Zico's line), but I'm definitely newly convinced of the benefit of having a supplement on hand.

Do you drink electrolyte-boosting drinks before or after yoga? What are your favorites? I'd love to hear your thoughts and definitely add to this post if you've tried Ultima Replenisher. If not, I'd recommend ordering or picking up a box or two to try and to gift to your yogi friends at your home studio. Stay hydrated!

And make some smoothies before it's too cold out to enjoy them, friends! Get ready for some warm & cozy soup coming up next time in the series -- a guest post from another talented yogini blogger. Until next time!

Where the Eyes Go, the Body Follows

In Bikram, we all know: you must first envision yourself successfully breathing and relaxing into the posture before you can complete it. In poses like bow, above, you must use your eyes to direct your progress. Photo via Like the Jetson's Flickr.

It's not too often in life that we find something we're super passionate about that also acts as medicine for our own bodies, minds and spirits. But today I realized that's what I've found in Bikram yoga. That's my Bikram.


I walked into the studio about five minutes before class -- way later than I'm used to showing up -- all out of breath, nervous-excited, and pumped for class. As I get to the front desk to sign in, there's Stuart, the awesome studio director who runs BYE, shirtless and grinning ear to ear as he greets me with a warm, "Hey you're back! Congrats!"


I nod, elated as I scribble down my name, grab a towel and mat to borrow, stuff my shoes in a cubby and race off to the bathroom to change. I'm trying to hurry and still be polite, but man I'm itching to get in there!


As a side note: today was my first class wearing bathing suit bottoms instead of shorts, and man it was the right choice! At first I felt a tad embarrassed to be bearing so much skin, but then I quickly noted how it was a chance to show off my Minnesota-sun tan and a body I'm becoming more and more proud of even though it's certainly not super-model size. Plus, I was seriously sweating today since I haven't been in the Hot Box for a few weeks, so having less clothing in the way of my practice was definitely a blessing. Less to wash later, too!


Anyway, wardrobe choices aside, the yoga was fantastic today. For awhile I kept imagining that the first class back would end up an utter hot mess -- my mind and body all over the place and experiencing uber-suffering-- but this was not the case at all! I think it was a combination of the relief of being in the heat and finally getting to stretch out my body the way it now craves, plus the fact that several friends who I adore and whose practices I admire greatly were surrounding my spot in the room.


The yoga was, hands-down, a gift today. We often forget this, but Bikram always is a gift we give ourselves.


There's nothing better than having a class where you can smile at those around you, deepening your practice and your sense of compassion along the way. Laughing when you fall out, and being proud when you have the guts to get back into a posture that's kicking your ass. Pushing through a posture because you realize if you can, you must and you'd like to take baby steps without being a baby. Plus, Stu has the greatest attitude and the best jokes in class. There were seriously several moments where I wished I had a pen and paper so I could note down what he had said word for word.


Note to self: at Teacher Training, that will be a must! As I read on a friend's Twitter page recently, planning to bring leather-bound notebooks that will withstand the heat and sweat sounds like the way to go...


But back to class:my 90-minute bliss party in 105-degree, 40% humidity madness today. I'm smiling just thinking about the wonder of the quiet as I first entered the room, anxious to warm up in the remaining two minutes I had before we began pranayama. And all the postures that followed. Several times I seriously found myself thinking I wish we could do another set of that -- it feels great, and I need it!


Right from the start of class, my body breathed a sigh of relief at being back in the "best weather ever," as my teachers call it. I rolled my neck in slow circles, feeling the release of tension and constant pressure -- the excitement and buildup of the last few weeks leading up to the wedding finally rolling away as I erased the pain of sleeping without my good pillow, or planning too late into the night with tense muscles.


I was so grateful even in the five seconds I first entered the room, when I realized what a complete blessing it is that we practice in such stillness. The calm and silence soothed me in a way I've never quite experienced before, as if it were satisfying a longing so deep and so natural to me since I began Bikram that it's now something I require for peace of mind. Mid-way through class, Stuart asked us all to listen for a second and check in with our breathing, and the room went still again. You could hear some labored air moving in and out through yogis' bodies, but for the most part the room froze, as if suspended in space and time.


It was, in a word, beautiful. Serenity unleashed. 100% relaxation earned by 100% exertion. So, so wonderful to return to! And it's been there all along, but it felt so new, revitalizing and refreshing today.


More than that, I really felt myself cultivating a deep meditation throughout the 26 asanas. Hitting that first savasana on the floor was like combining several deep-tissue massages with a bubble bath, picnic in an open field, and nap in the afternoon sun. I mean, bliss, baby!


It rocked.


Toe stand set #2 felt fantastic, too -- every time I can manage the balance and focus required to nail that posture, I just feel on top of the world. In a very focused, relaxed, relieved sort of way. It's as though there is nothing else in the world -- much less the room-- than your flexing toes, your softened breath, your downward gaze. Everything else just shuts up and floats away. And that's exactly the point.


I am so inspired, now more than ever, to move forward with finding a way to Teacher Training next spring. This yoga is a gift that should be shared, and that it would be an honor to help others give themselves!


If you are reading this and have thoughts, insights or opinions on the road to Bikram's Torture Chamber (the real deal!), please do share your thoughts below. I will be posting a lot about it in the upcoming days and weeks, and I'd love to build some yogi community into this discussion and journey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I love hearing the many voices of the loving community that's out there continuing the yoga legacy in the world.


I'll be meeting with Stuart this week to discuss his thoughts on getting there and on owning a studio, plus I may grab coffee with another one of the instructors soon as well. She's my favorite teacher, so it will be a lot of fun hearing from her and getting amped up about her experience as well. Both of them are such genuinely amazing people -- as are so many of my fellow yogis at the home studio, like the lady I met today (and have seen for weeks before) who's been coming for nine years. Nine years! Now that's dedication. We chatted (and laughed) over the reality of becoming addicted to the postures, and the way they overhaul your body's ability to process water, digest food, and move comfortably especially for those of us with spine issues that crop up here and there.


It's so true, what I tweeted earlier this week and which many of my followers immediately responded to:

Bikram yoga is slow medicine, but it is the best medicine.

What you don't realize until you've fallen head over heels in love with your practice is that it's the best medicine not only for your body, but also your mind which tends toward madness, and your spirit which loses heart more than many of us can handle.


Bikram has changed my life. I'm hooked. I'm in it for the long haul, and in love with where I'm headed.

Mind over matter is what makes a champion, especially when the heat is on.

The Latest Greatness by Billy Collins

Photo via Lost.

Well, it's Wednesday already, and I've got nothing to say for the fact that I don't have a new original post up for you guys. Well, I guess I could use the "Just got back from the honeymoon and I'm busy opening wedding presents, having adventures to Target & Ikea, and cleaning like a crazy lady" excuse, but that just doesn't seem fair, does it?

Just like it doesn't seem fair that I haven't been able to make time for the Hot Room yet and my toes, sore neck, and monkey mind are longing for it! But then again, we all make excuses for the Bikram we don't do.

Or the relationships we don't foster, the regrets and anger we hold onto, the faith we let slip.

In a way, I think this poem by Billy Collins speaks a little bit to that. The way history sometimes fades into the background so far that we forget it's really hovering there, reminding of us of the mistakes we should try not to repeat. Collins often does a beautiful job of evoking the past without writing too sentimentally, and the way he paints portraits of everyday life is altogether stunning.

I wouldn't mind joining him this morning in that "little bakery down the street/ where I often go for coffee and a muffin" and pausing to appreciate the world around, and the blessings we're given within it. So, without further ado:

"The Quaintness of the Past"

by Billy Collins (via Slate)
I turn the page of a magazine
and find a black-and-white photograph
of a roadhouse taken in the 1950s,
an old clapboard affair
with a car of that vintage,
maybe a Plymouth, parked in front.
It is almost enough to inspire me
to take a snapshot of something around here
first thing in the morning,
maybe the little bakery down the street
where I often go for coffee and a muffin
and the big city paper
and the French girls behind the counter.
Ideally there would be a few modern cars
parked in front,
then all I would have to do
is walk back home and wait 50 or 100 years
for the photograph to become a thing of interest and value.
Of course, I will be long gone by then
and time will have marched on,
though I never think of time as marching
down a football field blowing a trumpet
or into a city square
with a rifle on its shoulder.
I picture time advancing more slowly
up a mountain, leaving
all the moments of history behind
like climbers who have to leave behind
one of their companions on a cold glacial slope.
And sometimes, decades later,
the body is discovered,
the ice is chipped away, and we get to see
a photograph of the remains—
the bones of the hands arthritically
fisted up, the jaw locked tight,
a skull wearing a woolen cap,
the man quaintly smiling out at us from the past
before we wet a finger and turn the page.

Pause

Photo via FlappinMothra's Flickr Photostream.

"Now and then it's good to pause in the pursuit of happiness and just be happy."

-Guillarme Apollinaire

Poetry in the Posture: Toe Stand

Photo Via LifeInterstitial's Flickr Photostream.

So I've recently fallen in love with the last posture of the standing series: Toe Stand. A posture that will test your patience, develop your focus, and seriously work out the muscles in your feet, Toe Stand is a great one for yogis who have been attending Bikram awhile and really want to get deep into the meditation. Don't be worried if it takes you awhile -- it's a difficult posture to do -- but if you stick with it, the thrill of floating right above the floor will pay off. Plus, you free your knees and ankles of rheumatism, arthritis and gout, and you strengthen your stomach. Go, toe standers!


Also, a little poem dedicated to the posture. Enjoy, my yogis!

Balance Alone

We support ourselves

on point, on perfect

balance, both sides equal,

mind and body made even.

Steady eyes level

the mind. A gaze

goes a thousand miles,

a clear empty cloud –

being without thoughts the ideal –

goes farther.

Implausibility achieved:

what would appear to be

floating.

Our bodies made clear,

empty, like clouds

floating, hovering, we linger.

Our bodies made into birds,

small perched perfection

grown from a tree,

held closer to the ground

as if we were sparrows

who have been calmed,

no longer the flitting, stir-crazy

creatures they generally seem to be.

Here, we sit on our own energy.

We need not flit

from corner to corner

of a sidewalk, hopping,

making our own flittering

dance of jumps and nerves…

We are not sparrows.

We are still. We get here

by trust in our own bodies,

we carry this moment

motionless harmony of thoughtlessness –

the mind filled only by equilibrium,

balance alone –

what we bring to the beach,

the busy street,

the tallest woods,

prideful in their soaring limbs,

steady trunks…

the balanced bodies

we take home after class.

"The Life That I Have" (A Poem by Leo Marks)

Photo Via Sarah Rhoads Photography.

Apparently, this lovely poem by Leo Marks was read at Chelsea Clinton's recent dreamy wedding. Reminds me that we should really be grateful for the lives that we have, and our Bikram practice that's such an integral part of those lives. As my instructor said in class the other day, "You guys are SO lucky to be here right now. Imagine the people who could never make it to the studio who wish they could do yoga! People who can't walk, people who don't have the money, people curled up on their couches just watching TV..."
So, so true. Are you grateful for the life that you have?


The Life That I Have


The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours
The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy

Photo by Joelle.

It's summer. Have you noticed?!

The heat is hotter. The days are longer. The need for fruit smoothies, ice-cold coffee, and kick-ass AC to allow cuddling is exponentially greater. And of course, we hate even more to be inside at work all day (especially in front of screens, ew, yuck, blah, I'm thinking it even as I type this!) when the sun is shining and the breeze is blowing.

It's summer, which means we need the yoga even more! And of course, sometimes it's so hot and humid out that we enter the Hot Box and wonder, Is the heat on in here? Hey, sounds ridiculous, but it's happened to me already! Thanks, Chicagoland, for your crazy stifling temps. You make me crave the weather in the Torture Chamber even more than I already do. And yes, you can get addicted to that 105-degree/ 40% humidity setting...I speak from experience on that front, too!

As my wonderful studio director mentioned as he led class today, "Hey, the weather is perfect in here." All the happy, smiling yogi faces couldn't have agreed more!

Alright, anyway, weather forecasts aside...back to the topic at hand: summer. It's hot, you're sweaty already, and yet more often than not this seems like an excuse not to get your ass to class. Chances are, too, you've actually got more time on your hands -- you're a student and the pressure's off, you're just working part time, and/or you're well-settled in your career and have some vacation time to enjoy.

But maybe you're busy with other DIY house fix-up projects, dinners with friends, and late-night conversations on the porch as the sun sets... and for those reasons you're lacking in the sleep department, feeling a bit too lethargic to make it to class, and subsequently your Bikram practice is suffering.

Perhaps, like some yogis I know, you've got a worse attendance record for class during the hottest months of the year than in the dead of winter, or the middle of spring or fall.

Well, fellow summer lazy yogis, I feel you!

If it's not a lack of time or energy, it's the fact that you're spending more time away from your home studio. Or simply the fact that you've decided to give yourself an all-around break, and that includes giving up anything that requires 100% exertion (which, hello!, obviously excludes Bikram yoga).

But wait a minute. Let's get back to the basics of the practice, which was carefully designed to combat plateaus such as this.

Bikram says, 100% exertion earns you 100% relaxation. And hey, news flash! Like most things Bikram says, this isn't just true inside the hot room. It's true in life, too.

Yep, that's right. That means you should be -- to every degree possible -- hauling your bum to Bikram and sweating it out in the 26-asana series in order to earn your brownie points, your extra naps, your Ben and Jerry's late-night indulgence.

Perhaps I haven't convinced you on theory alone that the effort is worth the reward if you decide to make summer your best yoga season of the year. Here are a few other considerations:

• Um, beach bodies anyone? Reason #1 you should consider earning yourself that genuine glow (purely from the yoga, not over-tanning yourself in the sun, my friends!) and the toned muscles, strength, and inner confidence that Bikram provides.
• Your sweat stinks less the more you come. Weird, yes, but also true!
• Flexibility. Is it ever really a bad thing? Consider this: you beef up your physical and mental capacity to go with the flow when you commit to the Hot Box.
• Make new friends! Just today I chatted it up with an older lady who's been coming for years who completely cured her injured hip by doing the yoga. Oh, and an awesome friend who's been practicing for three years complimented my half moon pose. I beamed! I blushed! I beamed again!
• OK, so this is applicable to any time of the year...but you are going to change your life, inside and out, bones to skin, by committing to the yoga. Your body changes for the better, your mind becomes more focused for the better, you are more able to work through personal changes. It's honestly, seriously, significantly ALL for the better!
• More laughs. Where else are you going to witness random womens' underwear floatingaround the room, a group of people who truly understand the meaning of "wind-removing" pose, or fellow yogis who give themselves water bottle showers in the middle of class?! Yogis are the best. Bikram yogis are beyond the best. Talk about patience, and a genuine sense of humor!
• Get inspired by those around you, while at the same time remembering thatwhere you are right now is perfect. Bikram is proud of you for showing up and doing the best you can, not pretending like you need to be exactly where your neighbor is. Heck, I am proud of you for showing up and giving it your all despite the rest of the room, and I haven't even met you (yet?). That's the yoga! You figure out that you're a warrior, not a baby, and you go from there. Let the rest settle. Better yet: forget the rest!

Convinced yet? Alright, good. See you tomorrow for a double! :)

Photo via Kajo55's Flickr Photostream. Pretty sure you have to practice yoga in the Swiss Alps in the summer!

And if you have, you are now my HERO. :) And you MUST comment...

A Bikram Poem: Savasana

Here we are, feeling

like letting go
submerged in the submerged
layer of the dream
which we don’t realize is strange
until we wake. Multiplicity
forms in waves, pausing
and unpausing the life.
Can you hold open
your eyes? Can you hold,
open, or situate time?
Letting it rest in the way
your body sinks,
and is held,
the floor,

you are held

by your own mind

above the wide pool,

the widening ocean

of thoughts, constant

threat looming.
Leave what isn't meant

for here. Leave what isn't yours alone.

Be here, alone,

where you cannot hold,

open, or situate time,

though you try.

What is meant to be right now

is nothing, is perfect,

is simply you.

Focus Forward Friday: Are You Reaching?

Focus Forward Friday:

A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: reach. Keep in mind that many of the postures demand traction of the spine -- meaning that you are pulling apart, ceiling to floor, up and down, hard as you can. Think: half moon, triangle, standing separate leg stretching, tree, cobra, half-tortoise (to name only a few!)

Meet the Real-Life Dream Time: Dad

Yep, that's him! My dad in action -- surveying a disaster zone where he helped real people recover. He's amazing! And now an expert in weather, government reports, travel, and how to get the best deal on rental cars you can find... as well as dealing with the public, keeping in touch with his family no matter the distance, and meeting for random airport get-togethers :)

Father Person. Papa Bear. Dad to the rescue. Dad the Gearhead. Dad the invincible. Dad the inspiring. My Pops, my Old Man, my #1 Hero.

Hey Bikram yogis, meet my dad!

Chances are, he's cooler than your younger cousin that you like to drink with, or talk to about space travel, or ask for advice on how to land a cool job or tell funny jokes. Actually, all chances aside, my dad hands down beats your younger cousin on all of those fronts.

And he also kicks butt as a sailor, writer, eBay expert, car mechanic, Robert Ludlum reader, neighborhood kitty rescuer, newspaper clipper, and campfire storyteller. My dad's hiking, biking and shot-glass collecting skills could seriously knock your socks off.

Plus, he's an SBA employee who changes lives by helping families impacted by disaster get by when it seems like the world's been turned upside down by hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires. He's a friend to friends who enjoy good conversation, funny stories, and genuine wisdom. He's a husband who appreciates fully, adventures without abandon, and loves with his whole, big, puppy-dog heart (you know, the kind of guy who leaves little love notes around in the kitchen after having a delicious meal the night before-- a good example of a true southern gentleman!)

When my dad's around, I can always count on good hugs, good laughs, and really honest, heartfelt help from someone who's been through a lot. There was a time earlier this year, in fact, when conversations with my dad helped me get through some of the hardest stuff I've ever dealt with. He was a constant reminder of how much I am loved by my family, and perhaps most of all by the Dad who shares my love of words, my wild imagination (for better or worse), and my shrewd ability to observe the world around me.

I'm posting about him here because my dad's a constant source of inspiration, wacky bits from around the Internet (we have the best email thread conversations of anyone I know), news commentary, travel stories, and honest advice for how to survive the world.

My dad's not afraid to make fun of me sometimes, or bump my knee from behind and ask, "Did you feel that earthquake?" We all need smiles like that, you know --the ones you weren't planning for.

My dad's at the top of the list for my recent series on people in my life outside the hot room that I'm trying to consciously appreciate more. Last week I posted about my mom and my sis, but sometimes I think Dad and I have more Koontz family genes in common than I do with anyone else.

Who in your life outside the hot room should you be consciously appreciating more?

It's easy to be thankful for those in your life that show up a couple times a week, or who you know vaguely, but what about your immediate family-- those whose flaws and weaknesses you are quite familiar with? When is the last time you actively thanked them for your relationship?

I love you, Dad, and I'm so grateful for your leadership, your love, and all the little silly things you do to keep life interesting. No matter how old I get or how much I grow up, I'll always be your Rachel Dachel Bagel.

You know you're in safe hands with Dad behind wheel of the sailboat.

Best Things I’ve Heard in the Hot Box, or Why the Dialogue is Best Taught by Teachers With a Good Sense of Humor

Bikram teachers put up with the silliest moments!

Photo Via DaveAustria on Flickr.

Not that you'd expect it, but hot yoga can be a pretty funny experience sometimes. You get silly sounds coming from super-sweaty yogis, odd characters running in and out of the room, and general chaos and mayhem on those crowded days.

Here are a few of my favorite moments from the Hot Box that I'd like to share. What memories do you cherish from Bikram's Torture Chamber?

• “Wow, whose red panties are these?” (*Teacher holds up pair of red hot, lacy underwear in front of class with wide-eyed look on his face.) “Alright, well I guess I’ll keep them up here on the podium. I feel like they’re a little Christmas present that someone’s left for me. I guess it’s Christmas in July!”

• “You’re not babies; you’re warriors. So don’t act like a baby in here. Next set!”

• “Hey, Steve! I have an idea…how about you wait ‘til after class to take a shower? Yeah, I saw that, the water bottle action. You thought you could sneak it by me, but you forget: I see all in here…”

• “Have you noticed you’re twitching your fingers during triangle pose? I mean, it’s kind of cute, but it has to stop. We can’t have that in here.”

• “Is that a purse? Is that your purse, miss? Is there a cell phone in that purse?” *Yogi nods her head, blushing a bit. “OK, well no worries, but just remember next time to leave it outside the room. Alright, let’s start pranayama…” *Pause. “You know what? As it turns out, I can’t have a phone in here. It’s just wrong. Here, I’m just going to set it outside at the front desk…” *Teacher starts dialogue as he walks out the door...

• "Face to the legs, upper body to the thighs, like a grilled cheese sandwich..." (Why would you want to eat a Japanese ham sandwich anyway?! Grilled cheese all the way. :)
  

• "Close your mouth. Close your mouth. Close your mouth." *Yogi still exhales loudly through an open mouth. "Man, people need to work on their manners in this class!"

Yogis is crazy, man.
Photo Via NerdVin on Flickr.

Meet the Real-Life Dream Team: Mom

Member when I was this big? I don't, but Mom does. Photo via Melgar52 on Flickr.

So I have this theory about the mom/daughter relationship dynamic: it can be a challenge, but because it teaches us to communicate better, love unconditionally, and listen fully, it can be one of the most rewarding connections you build in a lifetime.

Mom: she's the one who used to set out your folded and fresh-smelling clothes after the laundry finished late and you were already in bed. Your mum: the author behind countless brown-bag lunch love notes, email reminders to keep you on track, and sentimental Hallmark cards for every occaision. She bought you a box of chocolates every Valentine's, even the ones when you didn't have a real date planned or the ones where you were thousands of miles away at college. Moma: the one who slips gas and grocery money into your pockets when you didn't even ask. The forgiver of offenses large and small: the chores you didn't finish, the lies you've been hiding, the emotional burdens you've been carrying for way too long. Momma: she's been there from the start. She carried you around in her tummy, and there's no getting past that sort of bond.

I'll admit it -- sometimes my mom and I disagree, or attempt (unsuccessfully) to read each others' minds, which can lead to confusion or little squabbles and hurt feelings. But hands down, she reads me like a book. She knows when something's up.

And it hurts her more than anything not to be there for me when she does.

Now there just aren't many people in life like that!

My mom's helped me through thick and thin: growing up in two households, getting through the daily battle that is high school, transitioning to college, preparing for my first snowy winter, dealing with the ups and downs of a life lived half a country away from your family, surviving anxiety and personal breakdowns, recovering from restlessness, planning trips, and remembering my faith through it all.

Recently she has earned gold medals in wedding preparation, working from home, caring for the two best pups in the world, playing with her grandson, loving her kids no matter what, and putting her family first. Always. Oh, and I almost forgot: singing superior soprano choir parts! Lovely. (Note: no, unfortunately, I didn't inherit my mom's singing voice. Or her flawless, youthful, glowing skin (Sister got that one!)...although I did manage to pick up her ability to tan extremely quickly. Yeah!)

I'm posting about her here because she's a key part of my recent series on people in my life outside the hot room that I'm trying to consciously appreciate more. Last week I posted about my sis and our twinship, and no doubt these are the two most important ladies in my life.

The difference with mom? She's my biggest role model, faith mentor, and source of unreserved support and love. In my family -- and I'm sure my siblings would agree wholeheartedly -- there is an unspoken truth that has always remained true: if you've got something you're struggling with, Mom will be there for you. Even if it hurts at first. Even if it takes awhile. Even if the cost is high, and the stakes higher.

She just loves you no matter what, no questions asked. You can trust her and you never have to worry that she trusts you more. Her love will continue to surprise you, outlast the circumstances, give you more than you thought you could handle. And chances are, it will turn out that you needed it all along and she just knew it before you could realize.

Who in your life outside the hot room should you be consciously appreciating more?

It's easy to be thankful for those in your life that show up a couple times a week, or who you know vaguely, but what about your immediate family-- those whose flaws and weaknesses you are quite familiar with? When is the last time you actively thanked them for your relationship?

Here I am, Moma. I miss you like crazy and I can't WAIT for a few weeks from now when we get to catch up in person. I love you with my whole heart and I am so, so grateful that back in the day you braved Bikram's torture chamber with me! You gave me the inspiration to try it, stick with it, and keep growing. Hmmm, sounds a bit like what you've given me in life all along, huh? Love you, Mom, and see you soon!

No, Mom won't be walking me down the aisle on The Big Day, but goodness knows her behind-the-scenes help will be helping more than words can say. Photo Via Tofurious.

Emotional Drama or Dreamy Thriller: What Kind of Teaching Does Your Studio Feature?

Which summer blockbuster are you more excited about: the recently-released, breathtaking dreamscape Inception starring Leo DiCaprio, or Julia Roberts' impending mom-friendly drama Eat.Pray.Love?

Just like your preference for Bikram teaching, this answer depends quite simply on your personal style.

Are you more of a punk rocker, or a bookworm? Do you rock the hot-pink shaktis in class, or prefer to cover up with long leggings and a loose T-shirt? Do you like one towel to cover your mat, or two?

It never ceases to amaze me what variety pops up in the Hot Box. Mat colors, hairstyles, facial expressions. Yogis, yoginis, and rockstar Bikram teachers. No doubt that we all deal with the heat a little differently, to say the least!

The biggest factor in succeeding in this endeavor is, not surprisingly, just getting my butt to the studio to do some seriously-hot meditating, but there are a couple other steps I'm taking, too:

• reading & reflecting on the ancient wisdom of the Yoga Sutra
• spending more time with friends who I've been meaning to catch up with
• praying in quiet places, like the local Bahai Temple, along Lake Michigan, or with my eyes closed sitting on the comfy couches in local coffee shops
• talking to my family and trying to accept their quirks, power trips, and annoying habits before I'm swarmed by all of the guests in a couple weeks
• and, of course, hitting up the movie theater for some big-screen entertainment and central AC!
  

Next time you leave yoga feeling a little bothered by someone in the room -- whether it's your neighbor's loud breathing or your instructor's stern corrections -- consider this:

"There will come a time when differences no longer harass you."

Those Indian masters know what they're talking about! Seems you just have to give it time, be open-minded, and consider trying a few other relaxing, satisfying practices outside of the hot room.

Man, I can't wait for the cheesecake cupcakes we've got planned for the reception. Yum!
Photo via Our Labor of Love.

Tweet Time: Alive in the Fire's on Twitter!

Hey friends, fellow yogis, and lovely readers!

A quick, awesome announcement from Alive in the Fire:

We're TWEETING!

Check it out: https://twitter.com/AliveintheFire

Be a dear & please click follow!

Back at It: Hittin' the Hot Room

Photo Via Lululemon Athletica's Flickrstream.

It's been almost a week since I've done my Bikram duty and I have to say I'm a little nervous to enter the Torture Chamber today.

How do you approach your practice after you've been on a short (or long) break?

Do you find it hard to take class without expectations?

Are you thirstier, more tired, and more distracted?

I have a sneaky suspicion that that's going to be me on the mat today. One of those days where you walk in and go Damn and doggedly set up your space.

Creaky, tight, sizzling. A hot mess for sure.

You resist all through pranayama, but slowly come to realize the heat's got you surrounded and it's going to win the uphill battle. And when you finally let go, the way it softens you actually starts to feel good.

Break me down, Bikram yoga; transform my body and mind.

Set me up for a limber, toxin-free rest of the week. Set me up for the best me there is: the yogi within!

The Teaching Matters: Thoughts on the McYoga Myth and Tasty Classes

Bikram yoga is the tastiest, but every class has its own flavor.

Recently I had one of the most uplifting, empowering Bikram classes I’ve ever experienced. And it had nothing to do with me.

Well, nothing to do with my ability to execute 26 solid postures, anyway.

That’s right – the 90-minute meditation was inspiring, exhilarating and forgiving because the teacher teaching freaking rocked it.

You may have heard the phrase “McYoga” used to describe Bikram – which implies that because the dialogue drives the yoga so fully in each class, it makes the style predictable, able to be repeated, and therefore somewhat terrible. In the contexts I’ve read, “McYoga” seems to refer to the downsides of marketability, regularity and subsequent monotony.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a super-vegan McDonald’s protestor or anything, but I completely disagree with the suggestion inherent in this so-called “definition” of Bikram yoga that it sucks just because you can predict the order and techniques in class.
If you’ve actually done Bikram a number of times, you know: every class is totally different.

The teachers vary immensely in their style, strictness, and delivery tone with the dialogue. Some are more positive than others; some are more calming and soothing. Some hold postures a little longer. Some tell funny stories; some let the silence fill the room.

And teachers aren’t robots, either. In the same way that your body and mind feel different during every class you attend, a teacher also experiences variability in his or her mood, focus, and energy depending on the day and depending on the time of day of class. When you think about it, this is a good thing! It keeps us open-minded and open-hearted about approaching the yoga from wherever we are in the moment.
We don't have to struggle to transform the yoga to fit our needs; instead, we do our best to let the yoga work in us.

As my super-compassionate teacher always says, "Quit the Monkey Mind!" This means: give up your own resistance, your stronghold on controlling all of your thoughts and movements all the time. Let it go.

The other day as we began the first set of standing bow, my teacher said, "What if I told you I'd give you a million bucks not to fall out of this set? Would you set your mind to it? See, that changes the game...alright, let's go! Right hand to the right..."

She caught my attention with this statement. Oh, I realized. That's true: I could be a little more determined if I just found a way to let go of all the distractions, all of the no you can'ts going on in my head, all of that madness and drama that's supposed to be anywhere but inside these walls.

And then, in second set, she literally brought a smile to my face. As I stood motionless staring into my face in the mirror, desperately trying to slow my heart rate, finally escaping the Monkey Mind's blabber, she simply said:

"You are all worth more than a million bucks. Here we go: second set!"

So, my dear readers and yogis, make no mistake. Just like Starbucks (the epitome of corporate uniformity between stores) can blend your frappucino with the wrong mixture of ice and flavored syrup and leave you sucking oversweet sips or annoying chips through your green straw, Bikram teachers can stumble in the Torture Chamber. They can mispronounce words, forget postures, fall behind schedule.

But if you're anything like me, you've come to notice how more often than not, they nail it. They get it right, all 90 minutes long. The teachers kill it, and somehow motivate you to absolutely kill yourself for all of class and use 100% exertion all the way through.

And then both of you stroll out of the studio, all smiles, ready to enjoy your well-deserved 100% relaxation and newly-found confidence. Or -- what the heck -- a McFlurry every now and then! Some sorbet, at least? Hey, it's hot out this summer :)

Meet the Real-Life Dream Team: Sister

Mom, the Big Z, and Auntie. (That's my sis on the left, yep! Beautiful, isn't she?)

She's my best friend. My biggest confidante. The person I turn to when I can't figure out why I'm feeling the way I am. The best new mom of 2009-2010. The most beautiful and loving lady I know. She gives more often than she gets. She's fun-loving, silly, smart, forgiving, and more photogenic than anyone I know.

She's my sister!

Correction: she's my TWIN sister!

She knows what I'm thinking before I think it. She loves me anyway. She's the best, hands down.

We've always been friends, but more lately than ever. And we DO experience that twin thing: where we call each other up because we already know something's wrong and we just want to know how to help make it better.

I'm posting about her here because she's the person I call up as soon as I get done with Bikram class and I've still got issues working out my emotions, self-criticisms, and doubts after I've spent 90 minutes working through them in front of the mirror. She totally understands where I'm coming from, and even if she doesn't, she's more accepting, loving and open than anyone else in the world I can think of.

Who in your life outside the hot room should you be consciously appreciating more?

It's easy to be thankful for those in your life that show up a couple times a week, or who you know vaguely, but what about your immediate family-- those whose flaws and weaknesses you are quite familiar with? When is the last time you actively thanked them for your relationship?

Here I am, sis. I miss you like crazy and I can't WAIT for a few weeks from now when we get to catch up in person. I love you with my whole heart and I can't wait to (someday) practice Bikram together! :)

Photo Via La Birdie Photography's Flickr Photostream.

Monday Night Blues? Try a Break, Baby!

Relaxin' in the summertime is required. Photo via Pixelatedhologram's Flickrstream.

It's a Monday night in the middle of summertime: can you feel it?

The weekend went by too fast and work today felt like forever.

You're crankin' the AC but you can't seem to get enough of the cool air.

All you're dreaming of is a long night drive, a little time at the beach house, an afternoon picnic to break up the mid-day doldrums. Maybe you could use a romantic evening with your special someone, no distractions, no questions asked. Or weekend getaway in the mountains?

Yeah. I'm there.

Or, if you're like me, you're simply interested in getting out of the house to mix it up after dinner. And since you've skipped the usual evening yoga class, you find yourself at a local pub/cafe where there's lively live music, interesting-looking characters and relaxingly-dim lighting (dim enough that hopefully no one will notice that you're all by your lonesome tip-tap-typing away on a little netbook!).

Tonight's one of those nights when I'm taking advantage of 100% relaxation in order to inspire my 100% dedication (coming to a Bikram studio near you...tomorrow!). As much as we'd all like to pretend it's not true, even we Bikram crazies must admit that there comes a moment when we need to back off a little in order to re-formulate our love for the yoga.

I suppose it's like they say: too much of a good thing, and it's not worth anything.

It's just like the Bikram quote my lovely teacher mentioned the other day in class. As the Boss himself says, "I have the biggest swimming pool in Los Angeles. But I don't know how to swim."

The point is true here, too: even if you've got the best resources in the world, they'll do you no good if you don't know how to put them to good use. If you push too hard in a posture and compromise integrity so you can fake depth, you get nowhere. And even we obsessive back-to-back doublers know sometimes a little break -- a day or two away from the Torture Chamber -- can do some good for inspiring your practice and bringing it to soar to new heights.

The lovely Joanna over at Lock the Knee posted about this recently, after returning from her Sequoia camping trip and discovering that -- hey! -- balancing stick posture is way more fun if you're lookin' for some seriously heart-pounding cardio.

That's what I am talking about here: finding ways to appreciate with new compassion the postures which we generally take for granted, or simply tend to make our personal enemies during class.

Often a quick break will help us realize what we've been missing all along.

It's like the crazy, mandolin-rockin', bass-thumpin' band I'm listening to is singing:

It's the freakin' weekend, baby, I'm about to have me some fun!

Alright, so it's still Monday night -- but if you wanted, you could make the choice to take a break from your mid-week blues, maybe even take a one-night breather from the Bikram, or break out of your very genre (that's right, I'm witnessing a country band cover a ridiculous R&B song like it's their first and foremost style of expertise). Surprise yourself! Breathe a little! You never know: it could do wonders.

Some unexpected Monday-night mandolin in place of yoga class. Hells, yeah! Photo via MSync111's Flickrstream.