Awaken

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Do you ever feel like you're moving through life like a zombie?

Time passes, but it feels like things are out of your control. You watch the days fly by without a sense of knowing what you want, or what you can do to feel happier, healthier and more present.

If you've ever wanted to feel more AWAKE and ALIVE, I invite you to attend my upcoming workshop (details below). Or, if you're not local to Sacramento, stay tuned for some free downloadable content on this same topic.

I want to help you wake up -- to see yourself as you truly are, to awaken your highest potential, and to move forward!

Can't attend the workshop, but you read Alive in the Fire regularly and want to learn more about how to AWAKEN through yoga, Reiki and journaling? Send me an email at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com. First three readers to contact me will receive a free prize. Please use the subject line "AWAKEN" :)

Awaken: A Yoga, Reiki and Journaling Workshop with Rachel Koontz
Saturday, Dec 12th
12-2pm @ Saha Yoga and Wellness Center
5931 Stanley Avenue Ste 7, Carmichael Ca, 95608
$30
Bring your journal (or purchase one for $15)

Happy, healthy beings of light... that's what we are. We all deserve love, goodness, happiness, and abundance. But we don't always feel that way. We get stuck, we have fears, we have setbacks, and we get discouraged. My goal is to help reawaken your zest for life and give you some simple tools for staying attentive and peaceful.

PS, in case you missed it earlier in the post: Can't attend the workshop, but you read Alive in the Fire regularly and want to learn more about how to AWAKEN through yoga, Reiki and journaling? Send me an email at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com. First three readers to contact me will receive a free prize. Please use the subject line "AWAKEN" :)

Namaste.

You Are Beautiful

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Photos by Tra Huynh of Two Twenty Photography.

Remember how beautiful you are. Remember real beauty is inside, even though the world sometimes tells you otherwise.

Feel this.


Write it down if you need to.

Remind others that they are beautiful, inside and out.


Know the ways you are beautiful. Feel them.

The softness of your smile. The way you look in the afternoon, the way speckled light dances in your hair, and in those moments, your confidence and calm. Your way of being infinite and all at once, present in this moment.

What if, just for a second, you could see yourself the way others see you? How beautiful and precious you are. How perfect.


Trust what you know to be true: that you are beautiful.

When you doubt this, return to the reminder you've written to yourself.

Namaste.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Photo by Brynna Bryant of Respiro Photography.

Happy Thanksgiving, yogis!
Cheers to you on this lovely day... may it be filled with hugs from your loved ones, delicious food, rest and relaxation, and maybe a little yoga :)

I love you guys and I'm so, so grateful for you. Thanks for making Alive in the Fire the beautiful yoga community that it is! Namaste.

Photo by @the_lost_coast.

Amazing Yoga and Wellness Books and DVDs

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Hi, yogis!

All sorts of lovely books and yoga DVDs have been making their way to me lately and I'm excited to share them with you. If you need a recommendation for what to read or watch the next time you have a rainy, cold day, I got you :)

What I'm Reading

The New Chinese Medicine Handbook by Misha Ruth Cohen

Before checking out this book, I felt intimidated by Chinese medicine and all its detailed information, regimens and routines. I love that the author offers an approachable guide; as she says, the book is an invitation to a shared healing journey. "If you have picked up this book," Cohen says, "you are searching for answers to the age-old questions: How do I live life fully, how can I heal myself of sickness, and who can guide me in this complex process?" 

If you're like me and dislike going to the doctor and want a more holistic approach to health,

The New Chinese Medicine Handbook

 is a great resource. It gives you a sense of how to approach health with the mind, body, and spirit all integrated as a whole instead of offering quick-fix, Western-minded solutions. Chinese medicine offers a new way of thinking about how to take care of yourself, how to find balance, and how to treat both physical and emotional disharmony.

Restoring Flexibility: A Gentle Yoga-Based Practice to Increase Mobility at Any Age  by Andrea Gilats, PhD, RYT

I can't tell you how many times I've heard from friends, family, and strangers, "I'm too stiff and out of shape to practice yoga!" This is the perfect book for answering that statement with a resounding, "Yoga is for everyone!" I'd recommend this book for anyone who is a beginner and wants to increase mobility. If you or someone you know is intimidated by yoga, try this book. Andrea offers simple routines that anyone can do, and she includes great photos, step-by-step instructions and daily practices to try. The sections include:

  • aligning bones and centering your breath
  • restoring upper body flexibility
  • restoring spinal flexibility
  • restoring hip flexibility - flexors, and rotators and adductors
  • restoring agility - the yoga sun salutation 
  • restoring lower body flexibility
  • reclining joint releases and muscle relaxation

Restoring Flexibility  is comprehensive, detailed, and a really smart approach for beginners. Although the title hints at age, I think this book is applicable to yogis of any age, and it's a wonderful guide to starting where you are instead of taking a class that's too fast-paced or intimidating. Highly recommended.

Essential Oils for Beauty, Wellness, and the Home by Alicia Atkinson

I love this book! It's filled with helpful information about essential oils and recipes and methods for using them. Need to fight the flu? Need relief from allergies? Need to relieve stress or feel better after a bad day? This book has essential oil remedies to help.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Hangover Relief Protocol: Detoxifying Blend

1 TBsp sweet almond oil

2 drops lemon essential oil

2 drops thyme essential oil

2 drops cilantro essential oil

2 drops rosemary essential oil

In a 0.5 oz (15 mL) blue or amber glass bottle, mix 1 Tbsp almond oil with 2 drops each of lemon, thyme, rosemary and cilantro. Cap tightly and shake to mix. Use, or store for later in a cool, dry location.

Massage Blend

sweet almond oil

8 drops ylang ylang essential oil

4 drops clary sage essential oil

2 drops bergamot essential oil

2 drops sandalwood essential oil

What I'm Watching

Awake: The Life of Yogananda

"Will is that which changes thought into energy." - Yogananda

This is such an interesting film! A look at the reaction of the western world as a 'superstar guru' came to Los Angeles featuring commentary by Deepak Chopra, Russel Simmons, and even If you've read Autobiography of a Yogi, that's only the beginning to Yogananda's story :)

YEM: Yoga as Energy Medicine with Parvati

Wow! Parvati is such a gifted and mesmerizing teacher... one of my favorite aspects to her teachings is the way she draws in energetic movement and lines of energy. She'll help you become more aware of the subtle intricacies of the practice. Each routine is incredibly revitalizing and healing. Great DVD.

What are you guys reading and watching these days? I'd love to hear! XO

Gratitude (Yogi Surprise November)

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Photo by Tra Huynh of Two Twenty Photography.

My lovely yogis, how's November going for you? Are you staying grounded in gratitude?

I've been keeping the gratitude theme going around here at Alive in the Fire, and was excited to see that the team over at Yogi Surprise is doing the same :)

My box arrived this week and I did a little happy dance when I opened it up to find such amazing goodies. This box is my favorite box yet -- I loved absolutely every item in there. :) Thank you, Yogi Surprise team!



  • Yogi Surprise yoga sequence series card. Loved the poses focused on self-acceptance, generosity, and serenity.
  • Sibu Beauty sea buckthorn age defying eye cream. This stuff works great and helps make me feel pretty. Jess says, you're already pretty! haha ;)

Photo via Yuni.
  • Yuni Beauty instant shower sheets. These things are genius...they're not standard size wipes - they're big! So it's actually like having a little mini shower. Highly recommend for any other yoga teachers who sweat a lot and need to run from class to class. Also, they're very reasonably priced if you need to buy more after the Yogi Surprise ones run out :)


Feeling very grateful for the Yogi Surprise team for continually finding the best brands the health and wellness community has to offer!

If you haven't signed up yet, go get yourself set up for a mini vacation once a month. And if you need a gift idea for friends or family (or your favorite yoga teacher), this is the way to go!

XO

Yoga for Kids

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Photos courtesy of Elizabeth.

Have you ever practiced yoga with your kids? Have you ever considered teaching yoga to kids?

 Today I'm honored to share sponsored yogini Elizabeth's reflections on teaching and practicing yoga with children. She is certified through Kidding Around Yoga and is offering a training in Nevada City, CA in early December for teachers who want to learn more about teaching engaging yoga classes to children. Check out the Facebook event page or www.kiddingaroundyoga.com for more info :)

Yoga for Kids
by Elizabeth

Changing the world one peaceful child at a time... I am a teacher and trainer of Kidding Around Yoga, and truthfully the best part of my job is leaving the kids getting lots of hugs, being called the Yoga Lady, and being told how much they love me.

 Kids love Yoga! Every class is different with its own set of challenges and breakthroughs. Sometimes it seems like every child in the room just ate a pound of sugar and the energy is wild, and sometimes there are children who don't want to participate, but by the end of class, out of the corner of my eye, I catch them doing a pose.

 Children have so much stress and pressure from the world; iPads, sports, school assignments, peers, friends, parents. We move children from one thing to the next without giving them the time they need to observe, process, and express what they feel. Kidding Around Yoga provides children a moment in their busy lives to be calm, present, mindful and be given tools for stress management all while hopping, skipping, jumping, dancing, singing, and OMing.

 When we really pay attention, it's stunning how many of us as adults tend to breathe shallowly, or struggle to cope with stress, or feel depressed.

 What if we taught our future generation how to be kind, mindful, how to breathe, and deal with stress? I bet our world would be much more peaceful.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing this beautiful post!

 Yogis, please feel free to reach out to me if you're interested in an upcoming Kidding Around Yoga teacher training or have questions to pass along to Elizabeth.

Yoga Teaches You Patience, Among Other Things

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Over time, yoga will begin to teach you things about yourself.

 Things you weren't expecting... like that your poses don't have to be perfect.

 And also, that in time, bad habits will lead to injury.


 Yoga teaches you to stay true to who you are. Not to let others define success for you.

 Yoga reminds you to breathe at the moments when life seems too intense to handle, and also at times when life feels boring, simple, and lovely. :)

One of the greatest lessons yoga has taught me is patience.

 To be patient when things are changing. To be patient when something new feels impossible, strange, intimidating.

To be patient in knowing myself. Creating myself.

 To be patient in loving myself.

 What lessons has your yoga practice brought you?

Yoga Basics

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Photo by @the_lost_coast.

Last night I taught a 'basics' class at my yoga studio.

 As I was driving home, I realized something about what I had said throughout the class. The two things I focused on... weren't physical postures.

What are the basics of yoga?

 Ahimsa, non-harming. And breath.
Photo by Cait Loper.

I reminded the students over and over of these two important pillars of the yoga practice.

Compassion. Toward your self and others.

And pranayama. Letting the breath move freely in the body.

Photo by Lucid Reflections.

Of course, you can make all sorts of themes for basics classes that center around the physical poses, asana, and the postures themselves are a great focus for beginners. It's important to set habits of good alignment...

And yet, there's a deeper side to yoga that has less to do with the shape your body is in, and more so the way your heart and your mind are working.

How awesome that you can define your yoga practice in a way that isn't limited by what poses you can or can't do.

So, a friendly reminder -- to all you new yogis, and all you seasoned practitioners too-- yoga is about kindness. And remembering to breathe.

Namaste.

Yoga is a Daring Act of Courage

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Photos by The Lost Coast.

Are you willing to get your feet dirty? 

 Are you willing to risk falling?  

 What parts of your ego are you willing to surrender? 

 This practice of Yoga is not always pretty; in my experience, it is messy, embarrassing, risky, and humbling. 

Yoga is not simply being able to say, 'I can hold the pose effortlessly'... it is also being able to say, 'This pose took years, but I kept trying,' or, 'I'm terrified, but I'm doing this anyway.' Or even, 'This pose may never happen in my body, but I'm not letting myself be defined by that.'

 Yoga is a daring act of staring fear down and not letting it win. 

 Yoga is the willingness to love yourself even when you fail miserably.

 Yoga happens when you are facing a situation that feels impossible, something you can't imagine surviving -- like the loss of a loved one, a divorce, an injury that changes your life, an unplanned pregnancy, a fire that consumes your house.

 Even though everything is messed up and you're making mistakes and crying alone in the bathroom at night, you're willing to feel everything that is happening. You're willing to stay present, and you even manage to love yourself in the small moments when you feel more alive than you have in years.

It is in these moments -- when your feet are covered in dirt and the ground is slipping out beneath you-- that you're truly in your practice. Not the easy, comfortable, flat wooden floors at the yoga studio. The part when you're barefoot in the cold. The part where you step on a piece of glass and have to call out because it hurts so much. 

 The part when you fall, and somehow, you get back up.

All this... all your willingness to keep going, to try again, to stay true to who you are... this is Yoga.

A Gratitude-Filled November

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Photos by Brynna Bryant of Respiro Photography.

Yogis, can you believe it's November? :)

I'm so, so excited for this month! I'm making my focus all about gratitude and staying open to what's possible.

I'm manifesting some incredible yoga and Reiki workshops. I'm also starting to create custom journals for some of my friends, and finding that the act of writing and encouraging others to write is very powerful.

I've also been connecting with other healers in my area and around the country. It's so uplifting to spend time around people who are committed to their health and to living a life of love and happiness!

What are you grateful for in this moment?

PS If you're up for it, I encourage you to spend a few moments journaling today about what makes you happy and what fills your heart with gratitude. You so deserve to have what makes you joyful and lighthearted. Much love!

About Rachel

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 Photo by Brynna Bryant of Respiro Photography.

I am a yogi, a student, a teacher. I write. I dance and hula hoop and bike and love to spend time with those I love. I do my best to surrender my attachments.
Photos by Justin Kral.

 I believe in wellness, freedom, and laughter. I believe in the community of yoga, and in practicing nonviolence (ahimsa).

 I love that yoga helps me move, release, create more freedom, and feel more comfortable in my body. I'm all about encouraging my students to embrace challenges, to find a balance of effort and ease in each pose, to be willing to try new things, and to laugh. 

 I believe you are beautiful and strong, and I'm honored that you're here reading this. You are the reason I write, and it's my hope that Alive in the Fire brings you positive energy, joy and inspiration for your practice on and off the mat. 

 

You can always reach me with feedback or comments at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com. I'd love hearing from you!

 Also check out:
my yoga teaching schedule - www.aliveinthefireyoga.com
my Reiki website - www.aliveinthefirereiki.com

 Photo by Brynna Bryant of Respiro Photography.

articles I've written:

Growing a Garden

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Do you grow a garden?

Over the last few years, I've been so grateful for the chance to put roots down in California and grow a garden at home.

It's so rewarding to learn information about each plant, care for the plants and water them, see the progress as they flower and produce fruit, and pick delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables to eat seasonally.

Over the months, I've been photographing all the abundant garden harvests and I'm so happy to post them today... a photo journal of sorts :) Enjoy!




















In our home garden, we've grown a lot! Many of the fruits and veggies are pictured above, plus here's the full list...
  • veggies: tomatoes, lettuce, kale, spinach, arugula, red leaf lettuce, corn, onions, green onions, broccolini, carrots, potatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, cayenne peppers, tomatillos, artichoke, zucchini, yellow squash, and pumpkins {still waiting on ghost peppers}
  • fruits: grapes, strawberries, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon {still waiting on plums, apples, apricots and avocados}
  • herbs: parsley, cilantro
  • from the neighbors, we also get to enjoy cherries, lemons, oranges and pears!
We also keep a compost and recommend checking out these two books if you have questions about gardening: Step by Step Organic Vegetable Gardening  by Shepherd Ogden and The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food by Tanya L.K. Denckla.

Namaste.

My Favorite Yoga App

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Have you guys tried the Cody app?

 It's hands-down my favorite yoga and fitness app. They offer some incredible at-home workouts with fantastic yoga teachers.

 My two favorite yoga routines:

  • Ultimate Yoga Shred with Sadie Nardini. This 14-day plan features HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for optimal cardio, fat burning, and lean muscle building.


  • Bodystrong with Ashley Galvin. This 30-day set of videos is designed to tone and strengthen the whole body using challenging asana series, multiple reps, and workouts targeting major areas like the core, legs, arms, and booty.



 I have a lot of gratitude for both Sadie and Ashley for sharing these kick-ass yoga classes, and a big thanks to the team at Cody for continually offering high-quality videos. Namaste.

Be On the Lookout for Miracles

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In the last 24 hours, I've been reminded three times to be on the lookout for miracles.

 Blessings are surrounding us all the time!

 The question is, are we paying close enough attention to notice them and allow them in?

 Yesterday I showed up at the yoga studio expecting to teach a class. Turns out, my friend and fellow teacher was there to teach, too. She mixed up the dates and was thinking that I needed a sub this week instead of next week. We laughed and both offered to let the other person teach the class.

 "I actually really need to practice," I told her. "You teach." 

 I felt relieved and grateful for the opportunity to fall into my practice and get a really sweaty class in. I was craving the opportunity to just breathe and move and be in my own practice. Plus, it was wonderful being alongside some of the students who I regularly teach, and instead experiencing the class with them. Yesterday's class was a surprise blessing just waiting for me... followed by another small miracle!

 My friend applied to teach at a new studio in our area, and she gave me all the details on what's required to audition and invited me to do the same. I sent in my info last night, and I'm scheduled to do an audition there in a few weeks.

Out of the blue, I was blessed with an opportunity to grow my teaching experiences and try something new. Between the upcoming audition and a class I taught today at an Aikido dojo, I'm feeling really grateful for the chance to be a part of different yoga communities all around this area of northern California.

 Then today, I went to Starbucks-- probably the last place I would expect to be reminded of miracles :)

 I was waiting in line for a good 10 minutes while the lady in front of me proceeded to make a series of strange requests to the people working there... she wanted her beans ground to a specific setting on their machine but she couldn't remember what number it was called... then she wanted to buy their caramel syrup which was backstock and not for sale... and no joke, when the woman working there told her she couldn't get it, she said, 'But I have to have it! This stuff is like my blood!' ... She was pretty out there :)

 Anyway, in the meantime, the other employee asked for my drink order, completed it, and brought it over to me, still waiting for the register to free up. He glanced over at me, nodded, and just motioned for me to leave. "Really?" I asked. "Are you sure?" He waved at me again, "Yes, don't worry about it," he said. And I left the store with a free coffee... 

 Synchronicity... the right timing... reminders to be patient... you just never know what miracles the day will bring.

 Sometimes all we have to do to receive blessings is show up. 

 Be willing. Be present. Release expectations.

Thank you, Universe, for these reminders.

The Real Yoga

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The great yogis have always caught our attention with these exquisite and difficult positions they put their bodies. These positions spark our curiosity, "Could I do that?" "That's so cool!" What is really amazing is what is going on that we cannot see. We usually don't realize the breath control, the mental fortitude, and the strength being exerted in flexible positions. But, if we think Yoga=Cool Poses or Yoga=Hot Body then we are completely missing the purpose of the practice. 😱 Yoga grabs your attention with the physical postures and through practice turns your heart to God. You realize that every single person, including yourself is a spark of the Divine. The real yoga is when you begin to treat every being as if they are Divine even in tough situations. You see everything with love. This is true yoga. 💖🙏🏼 #bereceptive
A photo posted by Alissa Kepas (@alissayoga) on

I just found this most amazing post on Instagram by Alissa Kepas (pictured above). I wanted to re-post it here because it is such a beautiful, heartfelt reminder of what yoga is truly about-- loving others, surrendering to the moment, and being receptive. Thank you, Alissa, for sharing this and for the reminder to re-think the definition of yoga as something more than just a physical practice.

 The great yogis have always caught our attention with these exquisite and difficult positions they put their bodies in. These positions spark our curiosity, and we think, "Could I do that?" or "That's so cool!"

 What is really amazing is what is going on that we cannot see.

 We don't usually realize the breath control, the mental fortitude, and the strength being exerted in flexible positions.

 But, if we think Yoga = Cool Poses or Yoga = Hot Body then we are completely missing the purpose of the practice.

 Yoga grabs your attention with the physical postures and through practice turns your heart to God.

 You realize that every single person, including yourself, is a spark of the Divine. The real yoga is when you begin to treat every being as if they are Divine even in tough situations. You see everything with love. This is true yoga.

 Be receptive.
Photo via Instagram.
You can find Alissa on Instagram as @alissayoga.