Bright Lights, Big Carousel

These post-holiday Mondays are always disorienting...so I'll make the commentary brief. As I mentioned, one of my fave places in Missoula is the carousel. I'm not sure who gets more excited about it, me or Morgane. The bright colors and lights, the gorgeous horses, the simplicity of going around in circles - it all clears my head and makes way for fun thoughts that were being crowded out by grown-up ones. If riding a real horse isn't easy where you live, then I highly recommend riding a carousel one. Yeehaw & Namaste.

Wild Thanksgiving Turkeys

I stalked the wild turkeys at my in-laws yesterday, with my camera. They really make me laugh - the way they move, the noises they make.

Hope you have a wonderful time with friends, family and food on this day dedicated to gratitude. Don't forget to take a few quiet moments away from all the festivities to express gratitude for all the blessings in your life. Thanks for being part of my world here on the CY blog.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Treat Myself Tuesday

I decided on another theme for this holiday week, in addition to being thankful. Something that sometimes we should do but don't over holidays: treat ourselves. It doesn't have to be anything big. On this pre-Thanksgiving Tuesday, I got to go to yoga class at the time I usually teach back in Boz, I rode the carousel with Morgane (pictures to come - because you have to see it, it's the happiest place ever - horses going round and round, bright colors, organ music. You just cannot go there and not end up in a good mood), and then we headed to my fave food place here in Missoula, the Good Food Store. I'm one of those foodie people that thoroughly enjoys going to different grocery stores when away from home. And the GFS is a big treat; it's not my cozy Co-Op, my home-away-from-home, where I end up almost every day for some reason. (One day last week, someone who works there said to me, quite sincerely, "It's a bright spot in my day to see your lovely smile". We then proceeded to discuss the shopping strategy of having staples on hand and then purchasing a smaller list of fresh ingredients each day depending on what we're in the mood to make.) The GFS is closer to Whole Foods, but before you cringe, here is their mission statement: The Good Food Store is a non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting a healthy community. We provide a wide selection of organic food and natural products, conduct our business in an ethical and respectful manner and donate to organizations in need.

So, while surrounded by multiple temptations, I decided to pursue the Thanksgiving treat theme with a few indulgent purchases. Both products are from Aura Cacia. Morgane wanted a new bubble bath flavor, so we enjoyed a lot of sniffing to select one and decided on the Heart Song natural aromatherapy bubble bath, sweet rose aroma, in a lovely apothecary-style bottle. I am going to find some dried rose petals to scatter in the bath so she and I can take a princess bath together. Then I couldn't resist trying one of the spray mist testers, since it is a post-yoga habit of mine to refresh by spraying my face. I was instantly sold on the Cinnamon Ylang Ylang. Yum. And perfect for the wintertime.

Find some small ways to treat yourself this holiday week, and please share if you come up with some good ones!

Cowgirl Up & get that Mammogram

Thanks to Amy, guest blogger and 2010 Cowgirls vs. Cancer scholarship recipient. She will blog here monthly on her journey through breast cancer treatment.

I have been watching and reading about the new task force guidelines for several days now, with the recommendation that women wait until the age of 50 to begin their scheduled mammogram. As a new breast cancer survivor, I am angry.

At age 40, I scheduled my routine mammogram. I have no family history of cancer and have none of the risk factors. But I went in for the test because the guidelines were for the age of 40. They found an aggressive tumor in my left breast. Had I not followed that age 40 guideline, the tumor would have remained undetected until the cancer spread beyond my chest wall and I became symptomatic, quite likely rendering a less treatable diagnosis...possibly even a terminal one.

I have four young children, family and friends who love and need me. It is insulting to me that I am considered just an anecdote in the task force findings. Why would we compromise women's health even if the numbers at risk are lower? And, keep in mind that these new recommendations were based on only one study.

The task force argues that false positives create unnecessary anxiety. I personally will continue to encourage the women I love to get their mammogram at age 40...or even younger. I would much rather see them with a bit of anxiety vs. the possibility that cancer would go undetected.

Fortunately, many reputable physicians and clinics are standing behind the previous guidelines. Dr. Kent Osborne, the director of Baylor's Cancer Center and Breast Center states that, "screening women in their 40's is important because breast cancer that strikes when a women is that age tends to be more aggressive."

The American Cancer Society stands behind its recommendation that women begin the screening process at age 40. Mayo Clinic and many other reputable breast and cancer centers have chosen to ignore the new guidelines.

I went to chemo the other day and asked the oncology nurses their opinions. One of them stated her frustration with once again being reactive instead of proactive. These new guidelines give women "on the fence" about a mammogram new reason to pause; to ignore or put off the test because it is uncomfortable or inconvenient. And yet, the mammogram, although not perfect, is still our best tool in the fight against breast cancer as early detection is critical.

Continue to be proactive with your health, my friends.
Thankfully, I was.

Hawaiian Cowgirl

4 days later I am no longer in denial about vacation being over. I adore Montana, but I think coming back to almost anywhere from Hawaii requires an adjustment, no? So, since winter has arrived or is approaching in many places, I wanted to share some fun pictures from our trip to warm things up.

Back in high school, I briefly considered pursuing a career as a marine biologist. Not kidding. I had a flashback to that feeling, when husband and I snorkeled almost every day and saw the most amazing underwater life: insanely colored fish with equally colorful names like unicornfish, humu humu nuku nuku apua'a (Hawaii's state fish with the best name ever), and moorish idol; sea turtles, a manta ray doing backflips, eels, an octopus. Lost the marine biologist feeling when a 12-foot tiger shark was spotted and everyone ordered out of the water. Would you believe me if I told you that while snorkeling the previous day, I had a creepy sensation and kept turning around to see what was behind me?

The best part of our vacation was seeing Morgane experience the joy of swimming in the ocean, digging in the sand, and being 4 years old in Hawaii - my little Hawaiian cowgirl. The picture of her splashing captures it all. Maholo, Hawaii.

JADE goes Cowgirl

When you get the December '09 issue of Yoga Journal, flip to page 25 to see me and Morgane in an ad for JADE Yoga. The copy reads, Philosophy: Add a little Yeehaw to Your Namaste. Of course. Thanks JADE for featuring Cowgirl Yoga! This pic was taken at the Cowgirl Yoga Ranch this past spring, and the equine model is Flash. He's got a great butt, doesn't he?

And if you haven't tried a JADE mat, I highly recommend adding it to your holiday wish list...

Break-It-Down Yoga

While I recover from jetlag (aren't those overnight flights the worst? I am guessing I won't be getting much sympathy though, after a week in Hawaii), so that I can form more coherent and thoughtful blog thoughts, I wanted to share my latest on Athleta Chi. One of my favorite things to do with yoga students is to show them how to break down a “crazy” pose into smaller, attainable steps; Break It Down: Ease Into Advanced Asanas reflects this element of my teaching style. Leave your comments on the Chi, send me your advanced asana stories and pictures, and let me know if there are other poses you would like me to break down in the future. Namaste.

Swimming with Sharks

Aloha. I said I'd blog from the beach. Yeah, right. Well, even a week in paradise has it's "rough" spots: not much sun today and a 12 foot tiger shark spotted just offshore, in the lovely bay where husband and I have spent the last 5 days in a row snorkeling up a storm. I just had to share this picture, and look forward to recounting all of our Big Island fun when I get back.

Kickin' up my heels...

...because I am leaving for HAWAII tomorrow morning. Yes, Hawaii. Going to be a very different scene from Montana, and as much as I love it here, change is gonna do me good. Plus I cannot wait for Morgane to fall in love with the ocean. So, for now I leave you with this image of me kicking up my heels for real, in urdhva dhanurasana. I hope to blog from the beach. Arrivederci.

Stages of Cancer: Pissed.

Thanks to Amy, guest blogger and 2010 Cowgirls vs. Cancer scholarship recipient. She will blog here monthly on her journey through breast cancer treatment.

I had a tough couple of days and started writing; it seems to be the best process for me. Happenstance, absorb, process, and write. I googled stages of cancer, thinking that maybe I am going about this process backwards. I think I started in denial, moved to acceptance, and then on to anger; but all that came up of course were the medical stages of cancer, which added to my list of why I'm pissed because I'm not particularly happy with my medical stage of cancer either.

It all started with a phone conversation with my doctor who really just reaffirmed some information that I think already I knew in my head. Although I tried to negotiate and rationalize with him, it didn’t work, so I entered stage pissed.

Apparently most breast cancer patients (90+%) who face a mastectomy have the opportunity to go into it with an immediate reconstruction. Which is a benefit...less surgeries and an aesthetically better option after all is said and done. But no, not me. Apparently, my more aggressive treatment plan doesn’t really leave me that option; I'm facing additional surgeries down the road if I choose a reconstruction. So, as I sat there contemplating this, it occurred to me that my armpit still aches from the removal of nodes and the concept of ok, what will it feel like when they remove an entire breast sank in. And of course, how many surgeries am I willing to go through.

I didn’t stress too much over the hair, miss it of course, but understand it will return. I am not liking the idea of the breast removal at all.

Here's the thing: I never complained about turning 40. I actually embraced it, believing that 40 brought about a new kind of freedom in my life to celebrate the independence of my kids as they get a bit older. My husband and I can go for a walk together or a dinner without worrying about a babysitter. In addition, I felt good...and peaceful.

Then August bit and a patch of rouge cells turned my peaceful world upside down.

So here I am. Pissed. It took every inch of my strength to hold back yesterday as I walked into my husband's office, past a fog of smoke from a bystander with a cigarette hanging from her mouth. She looked to be about 40. She was just lucky that the bald lady didn’t also want to appear crazy, ranting about the unfairness of whom cancer strikes.

I'm getting over it, but also not positive that stage pissed won't return.

I read my daily book of positive quotations. It was a good one for me the other day, by D.H Lawrence: Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot.

Works for me.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu by Rocco, Part II

A few months ago I posted on my Boston Terrier Rocco, who is really drawn to me when I am practicing yoga (read Part I here). He tries to sit on me in seated poses, snuggle his butt up to me in headstand, and yesterday during savasana he did something that blew me away. Actually, it made me cry it was so sweet. While I was in savasana, he had wedged himself into the crook of my arm and I could feel him watching me intently, even with my eyes closed. Suddenly, I felt his little paw on my chest. He put his paw on my heart! OK, perhaps I am reading into this, but I don't care; it moved me to tears. It was one of those unexpected moments of sheer joy at the connection between living things. Once again Rocco, thank you for teaching me the true meaning of Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. May all beings everywhere be happy and free.

Cowgirl Yoga Charity Class

One of the components of our Cowgirls vs. Cancer program is Cowgirl Yoga charity classes; friends, yoga communities, or any and all cowgirl-wannabes are welcome to organize/teach a yoga class to raise both $ and awareness of our cause. Last weekend, Amy's best friend Theresa (at left in the picture) helped organize a charity yoga class in her area to raise money for Amy's charity of choice, Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She sent me this lovely recap:

Two women and a baby led the Cowgirl Yoga charity class today (that sounds like a movie doesn't it?). In true Cowgirl spirit, the instructors, Danielle & Heidi, wore pink and brown and Danielle even sported a cowgirl hat! The baby was Heidi's and he happily crawled around creating a very powerful feminine/maternal energy in the air. Those who couldn't come and practice showed their support by leaving donations or buying raffle tickets. As I gratefully thanked the women who did come for supporting Amy, I could see in their eyes that they were there because breast cancer had affected a loved one in their life. It seems as though everyone has a story....We wrapped up the class by turning down the lights and as we lay on our mats, slowly inhaling and exhaling, Danielle led a special prayer for God to give Amy strength and heal her body. I ask anyone who reads this, please take a moment and do the same. Yeehaw and Namaste.

If you would like to organize a Cowgirl Yoga charity class in your area, please let me know and I will help you do so. We'll work together to set a fundraising goal that if met, will qualify you for discounts on 2010 Cowgirl Yoga retreats. Yeehaw indeed!