lentil soup

it's been an extremely cold winter in New York and all i've wanted are warm soups to nourish my body and soul. i LOVE this lentil soup from Martha Stewart's cook book Everyday Food. it is so tasty, easy to make and i usually triple the recipe, put the rest in the freezer so i have soup for a long time. yummy.
hope you enjoy this as much as i do.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/lentil-soup

the dream became a reality

january 16th & 17th
it was new moon, and a solar eclipse and Twee Merrigan was in town. i did it! Twee gave me my first opportunity to jump into the fire and start the interviews i've been dreaming of doing now for some time. it could not have been a better time to start a project and boy does it feel good to have started this journey.
the interview will post on AnitaGoaTV on YouTube in February. i will let you know when it will "air" :-)

here we are after Twee's 'Rock on Hanuman' class at Sonic Yoga.

the dream is becoming reality

i have had a dream of interviewing yoga teachers and fitness instructors that i admire, for a very long time.

it looks like my dream is becoming a reality. if all goes after plan this coming week-end i will be thrown into the fire! i am interviewing my first subject. yes! i am really excited.

i am creating AnitaGoaTV on YouTube where i will interview yoga instructors, fitness instructors from all kinds of fields and share information and knowledge that will help you stay motivated in your yoga and fitness routine(s).
i will also post my own videos of exercises, yoga postures to help inspire you.

my intuition has been telling me to do this for a very long time. i think of the intuition as the voice that never argues, plus it's a voice that is very soft but to the point. well, this voice has been very clear to me for a long time, but for the last 2 months it's been screaming at me to GET GOING.

anita: but i'm scared ...
intuition: don't worry about it. get going. you will learn.
anita: ok, i know. i have to. i will ...

so i wrote a few e-mails and spoke with a few teachers and voila! i now have 5 subjects to start off with.
i feel we live in a world now where we don't have to ask for permission to do what we want, the way we might have had to before. the internet has changed the landscape ... if you have a computer, a camcorder, an idea; put it up on YouTube or on a blog. it's fantastic.

my husband reminded me: you have the best equipment, now get going! and i heard Dr. Phil once say: a dream has an expiration date!

looks like the expiration date is here. i have the idea and all of the ingredients to make it happen. so now i will :-)
when i got more i will blog about it.

what dream is expiring for you?

16 years ago ...

... today i arrived in New York City (NYC).
wow, how time flies.

i remember the day so clearly. i came with 2 suitcases, $700 in American Express Traveller's checks (that's what you did those days)! a lot of belief in myself and my dream(s).

since then i have not stopped believing in myself or my dreams. it surely hasn't been easy, but i have been lucky and i have busted my ass and put in 100% of effort (for the most part) on a daily basis toward my goals and dream(s). i have met amazing people and gotten constant work and am where i am today because of all of this. nothing was handed to me.

so every year on January 10th i pause and reflect back at the day i arrived here. i am proud of myself and i am grateful to every person along the journey who has contributed to my growth and success.

on this day i feel so blessed.

our deepest fear

in reaching goals and wanting to do something, it's often the fear of being amazing that stops us from even trying.
fear can set you free, or fear can freeze you.

practicing yoga on a daily basis is a wonderful way of facing fear(s).
if that headstand (or any other pose) was scary at first, over time it becomes less scary because we are training ourselves to breathe, relax and trust ourselves as we continue on, even in the midst of the fear.
the key is to be aware of the fear and not let it stop you. take it easy.
SLOW and STEADY always wins the race.

hope the clip inspires you !

2010 is here

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

i had a wonderful christmas and an even better new year celebration. i ended 2009 and began 2010 practicing yoga and getting my asana kicked by Vinnie Marino, a teacher from LA visiting NYC. [i have written about him on this blog before, check practice link].
his classes are really really challenging, but really really good.
attending another teacher's class is always important, for so many reasons. first and foremost because i'm not in control i get worked in areas i normally might not focus on myself and that is always enlightening.

i don't start off this year with a bunch of new year's resolutions. i honestly don't believe they work. i do, however, start off this year with the mantra: YOU ARE WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY!

so if there is something i want to accomplish this year i have to do something every day that moves me toward that goal.

all the successful people i encounter don't set goals or new year's resolutions. they know what they want, they know they are capable, and they go for it. they all say the same:
it's discipline on a daily basis. you can't just sit and talk about doing something. you have to actually do it.

that is YOGA. on the mat and off the mat.
you can't wish that handstand is going to happen. you have to on a daily basis step on the mat and practice that handstand. over and over again. consistent work, patience, focus and compassion. at times it's scary, boring, amazing, balanced, completely off and everything under the sun. but that is the practice.
FIND YOUR OWN FLOW AND FLOW WITH IT. it will happen, at least SOMETHING will come out of SOMETHING. nothing comes out of nothing. every day we make that choice.

2010 will be here for one whole year, but don't wait for tomorrow, or for monday to get started. start today and use every day to be what you do every day.

may you, and everyone around you be happy and prosperous.

be amazing,
a :-)