Photos of Downward Dog For Cats

Downward Dog For Cats was a success, and it was lovely being able to do something for a good cause. Here are a few photos from the event. I will still volunteer weekly at the Cat Shelter and I plan on adopting one of the cats when I am in a larger space. Thank you Tracy Gittens for teaching such an inspirational yoga class. Thank you to all of our sponsors for their support. Prime Brows, Weho Bistro, Pink Iron, Tails Magazine, and all our east coast friends who helped with the cause. Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend our yoga event, and those who traveled from afar to make the event. Thanks to the wonderful people who helped get the word out in magazines and flyers, Natural Awakenings Magazine, LAYoga, and Whole Person Magazine. Thanks to Mya and Jessica for your help with the insurance and the planning. Lastly, thank you to the ladies of Kitt Crusaders who save lives daily. Namaste'

RESOLUTION UPDATE

My new year's resolutions have been going strong. I have kept up with everything so far. My eating habits are healthy and very clean, and I exercise regularly. I have lost a few more pounds and I continue to make positive changes. Yoga has become a big part of my life. People always tell me I look like I am glowing, so I must be doing something right.

My event that I started planning a few months ago is all wrapped up and now I am just spreading the word. Downward Dog For Cats is exactly two weeks away, and I am very excited. It is for Kitt Crusaders, a non profit-no-kill cat rescue here in LA. that I volunteer with. The volunteers work tirelessly to save lives, and I am humbled that I can help raise funds for their organization. In return I have fallen in love with the cats. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped with Downward Dog For Cats.

Planning the event  was not as easy as I thought it would be, but with the help of my our wonderful sponsors we did it. I wish to thank our sponsors WeHo Bistro, Prime Brows, Pink Iron, and Tails Magazine. Our sponsors are not only generous supporters, but my favorite places here in LA.Thanks to Jessica@ Griffith Park, and Mya our insurance broker. They both have been wonderful helping with the process. I wish to thank all my wonderful friends and family back east who help sponsor us, your generosity is highly appreciated. Thanks to Melissa Bender for always being there and helping spread the word and composing our facebook event page. Check her out at Melissa Bender Fitness, she is an inspiring dynamo. A shout out to Natural Awakenings Magazine, LAYoga Magazine, Whole Person Magazine, and Tails for the articles and advertisements. Last but not least we wish to thank Yogi Tracy Gittens, she is truly amazing. Thank you cards will be going out to all. I am truly proud of this event.

My poetry book will be done in the early fall, in the meantime I am submitting to literary journals and I am in the process of waiting......

Love and light to all. I plan on rebooting at the six month mark of 2012 and adding a lot more projects. Never give up on your dreams, envision them and they will come true.  I have just begun to scratch the surface!! 

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME

My wonderful friend back east messaged me today, she was listening to the late great Mama Cass singing the song Dream a Little Dream of Me; she thought of me since it is one of my favorite songs to sing. I played it and sang along, the melody takes you to a far off place where everything you visualize is possible.

That made me start thinking about our dreams; the dreams we have for our future, the visions we have as we sleep. After all this blog is about resolutions and making dreams a reality.  Have you ever had an idea in a dream, and woke up and made the midnight imagination a reality? I did that just recently with an idea I had in a dream. Dreams sometimes hold clues and messages, the key is to be able to retain the information and decipher the code. Listening and hearing is always important in life, whether asleep or awake.

I volunteer with a cat shelter called Kitt Crusaders. They save cats and do so much for the precious felines. I also am involved in Yoga and I have fallen in love with the practice. I wanted to do more for Kitt Crusaders than just volunteer once a week, but what could I do?  I had a dream I held a yoga class fundraiser in a local park and asked a friend of mine to teach it. Mind you, this was just a dream; but so inspiring that I woke up and immediately called Tracy Gittens, my fantastic friend and an amazing aerial yoga teacher in San Diego. I asked her if I were to be able to plan such an event, would she be willing to teach it. Of course she said yes.

I now have the ball rolling for my fundraiser for Kitt Crusaders discovered within the depths of my slumber. After all yogi's in Manhattan practice in Time Square and Bryant Park all the time, so the idea was not unusual or unattainable.

Fast forward a month, I am now in the midst of planning my event. I am waiting for the approval to hold my event at Griffith Park in June, the perfect place to mingle mind and body; with the salt of the earth below our feet and  sun and clouds hovering above our heads as we perform yoga poses for a good cause. It is amazing to me what we can accomplish when we put our minds to it, whether conscious or subconscious.Namaste'

Keeping up with my resolutions update

I have been keeping up with all of my resolutions, as the month of February comes to a close I am doing a check on all I have been working on in since 2012 began. Two months almost down, but lots more to do/continue to do. Most of the resolutions are ongoing and some are one time events.

~Here is my list breakdown so far~
Eating healthy/vegetarian/gave sweets up for lent.
Walking at least 5 days a week.
Yoga weekly, I have been going at least once a week, now going to go more since I have so many classes.
Volunteer for classes, I have earned lots of free yoga classes from two studios,what a blessing.
Volunteer with cats, once a week and working on a fundraiser.
Keeping up with Birthday cards, a few to go out before February ends, then March Birthdays and staying connected through phone calls, texts and emails.This is so important when you live so far from everyone.
Enjoying life, living LA DOLCE VITA
Two Dr appointments so far, Dentist and Eye Dr,
*I have been in contact with an organization/band that performs at nursing homes and brings awareness to the need for entertainment in nursing homes. In March it looks like I will be singing backup and joining the band. This is my resolution to help senior citizens in nursing homes. I starred this one as I am yet to perform, but I have been on contact and I will be joining them on their good hearted quest soon.


Of course I have more, many more resolutions to add as the year progresses, but this is up to date as of February 26th 2012. 


Love and light to all,
Rose

 
 
 

Volunteer work is good for the soul

I have been volunteering at a no-kill cat shelter. It has been so rewarding helping the cats and making time to visit them once a week. I have also been brainstorming for fundraising ideas. One idea came to me in a dream, a yoga class in the park. We will call it "Yoga In The Park For Paws." On the flyer it will say "Come Help Homeless Cats With Your Downward Dog." My wonderful friend from San Diego is going to teach the class. I have to find out which park to have the class at and if we need a permit. I think it is a pretty fabulous idea and I am excited to help such a good cause. 

Staying on track with my resolutions. I had my shoes stretched out so they feel much better when I do my daily walks. The man at the shoe repair fixes my shoes for free, he said I am too beautiful to pay. He is very sweet and I appreciate his kindness. He tells me Hollywood stories while I wait. His best friend and neighbor was the movie star Kathryn Grayson from the movie Kiss Me Kate. It is amazing the stories you hear when you just listen.

I have fallen in love with yoga, it makes me feel like I could float. My goal is to really get into my practice and learn all I can about yoga. My one yoga teacher is truly wonderful at teaching.I am blessed to be able to go to three places for yoga.

I shared a half of a  cupcake on Valentine's Day with my husband, but other than that I am on track eating healthy. It is a lifestyle and not a diet but it is ok to splurge now and then. We had a lovely Valentine's Day and I am so very blessed. 

I have also decided to give a portion of my book sales to the animal shelter. It just seems right to me, and I hope I can really raise money for the good cause through my poetry. The resolution for finishing my book will happen within six months or less. Lots of ideas have been swirling within my mind and I am very inspired.

Life is beautiful, and is meant to be savored and shared. When you give you back you receive so much more than you anticipated. I would like to get involved in some other charities but I am taking one step at a time. I will post a link in the future if anyone feels inclined to donate to the cat shelter to help with the medical expenses etc. They have saved so many cats and I am honored to help them, but they need funds to continue their work.

Namaste'
Love and Light from my two cats Rascal and Stormy
Rose

You are only as good as your shoes

I have weird feet, my arches are high and my heals are narrow. Buying sneakers is a chore for me. I had the perfect pair I ordered online that did not require breaking in and made it easy for me to walk miles or work out pain free. They finally saw their last day and I replaced them with a pair of sneakers I found on sale. Now I have to replace those shoes and try to find the ones I had online. My whole body aches since I bought the new sneakers, they are cramping my style and my feet and not making my workout as easy as it has been. I never knew shoes could make your body ache so. You are only as good as your shoes.

I am in love with my yoga practice, and I am so blessed to be able to take classes for free. When class is finished I literally feel like I am floating. My flexibility is still there even though my left knee is having issues. I have been sticking to all of my new year's resolutions and I will be adding more along the way. I plan on learning and perfecting the art of yoga. I am volunteering at the cat shelter once a week, very rewarding to help those precious felines. My goal is to heal in mind, body and soul and feel ageless.

We had a great time celebrating Superbowl Sunday and I made us a vegetarian feast.  I discovered vegetarian buffalo wings and my husband and I went crazy for them. I also made vegetarian sausage sandwiches with kraut and spicy mustard. The whole feast was a treat yet low in fat and calories compared to most food served on football Sundays. It was high in sodium though so I postponed my weigh in for a few days so I would not get a false read from all the sodium. I know I continue to lose weight though, and will weigh in next Monday instead.

February has arrived and time to continue and regroup. Making the best of life and living as well as making all of my goals a reality. It is not as hard as you may think. Much love to all on this rainy Tuesday. I love a little rain to cleanse the spirit and nurture the soil on which our worn soles step upon. Love and light to all and keep forging forward in 2012 yet taking time to live in the moment as well.

Giving Back- Happy February

Happy February to all. I am up early as usual, about to have my healthy breakfast and make some delicious coffee I bought before heading to the dentist. Last week I went to the eye doctor. I have other appointments to follow up in keeping with getting healthy, fit, and fabulous. I have been totally keeping up with all my new year's resolutions;my fitness and diet promises. I am down about six pounds and I love yoga. I also had an amazing opportunity come my way and I gave it my all, whether or not it comes through is not the issue. I gave it my all and now it is in the hands of fate.

I finalized my plans for volunteering at the no kill cat shelter. I will be devoting a few hours of my time weekly to help with chores and of course visit and play with the cats. In the frenzy of trying to make new year's resolutions come to fruition I have to remind myself to stay grounded and make sure some of my resolutions are about making a difference. Giving back is the best reward, and I plan on making sure my 2012 is not only filled with my own personal goals, but also fulfilling the beauty of helping animals and people. I have made the first step in that direction.

It is the first of the month, and this is my first new February resolution to go along with all of the resolutions I began in January. I have been keeping up with all of those personal/fitness goals I have begun and will continue to be dedicated to them as the year progresses.

Love and light to all and remember a kind smile or a little help for someone less fortunate offers us the best reward in return, and helps us keep everything in perspective. Now it is time for me to drink my liquid gold.