Anahata Chakra

Happy Friday! Today is all about opening the heart and just loving yourself...do something for YOU today!

The fourth chakra, the heart chakra,rests in the center of the chakra system, at the core of our spirit.Anahata, which means “unstruck” or “unhurt.” Its name implies that deep beneath our personal stories of brokenness and the pain in our heart, wholeness, boundless love, and a wellspring of compassion reside. -Yoga Journal


"Loving Kindness or metta is unconditional, inclusive love, a love with wisdom. It has no conditions, it does not depend on whether one deserves it or not, it is not restricted to friends and family. This is the ideal pure love which everyone has in potential. We begin with loving ourselves, then we include others who are special to us and ultimately all living things."


Let this weekend be about you!

What's in a Name?

For centuries now the bride has been taking her husband's last name. Just in the past decade has a shift been made to hyphenate or keep your own all for reasons that are justified by both the bride and groom. Career, family lineage, etc. Plus as marriage is happening later in life you have been this one person for 30+ years and it sad to give up that girl you have always been...you are taking on a new identity.

What is astonishing to me is the reaction I get or know my friends get, who have not changed their name or plan to not change. Before you make this face ... stop and listen to her reasons why, perhaps you too will be swayed.

I agree with the philosophy that a bride and groom are creating a new a family unit. In talking with our pre-marital counselor she was supportive of holding on to my last name. She did however, bring up a good point that if at some time down the road I was still reluctant to take my groom's name then there are deeper rooted issues, i.e. trouble leaving your family, stepping away as your mother and sisters have before you :). When she put it that way it made complete sense, I want to keep my identity as I have had for 31 years but I also want to create a family with Derek.

My reason for not changing my name is due to my career and well to be really honest the conversation starter ... your last name is what? how do you spell that? I grew up being so embarrassed by my last name, no one could pronounce it, everyone thought we were in the mafia and my father was the Godfather.

Plus my first name was so long that when they would call role only Stephan Gail Iannazzone showed up so everyone thought I had a boys name! But as the years went on I began to embrace my name, I was proud of it and I made something of myself (plus I used it in the industry when I needed something...sorry Daddy and Pop Pop :)) And now teaching Yoga I am listed as Stephanie I but it looks like Stephaniel on the schedule so again another character builder (some people think they are coming to take a German militants class :))

What was my final decision...well we were at the court register and he asked Derek if he wanted to take my last name ... I actually looked at him like yea do it (his NO was so quick)! So we were going to keep me as me, and then the register tells us it is a huge process to change it down the road and costly. So I went with the hyphen. Yes my last name now has 17 letters (18 including the hyphen!). I use one last name when I am doing certain things and the other last name if I am annoyed with the person on the other end of the phone who can't seem to understand! I love it.

And for all you brides to be wondering how to do go about the craziness of changing your name...get the online kit. It will save you the hassle of remembering it all! And go to the SS office first thing not on a Monday or Friday (this is at least what I have been told). www.kitbiz.com

My name won't officially change until after our honeymoon as I want to use my passport one more time and then I'll do all the paperwork to become Stephanie Gail Iannazzone-Barbour .... now that is a conversation starter!

Honeymoon Wishes

We decided to wait to go on our Honeymoon and looking back - I am so glad we did! I was a DIY Bride and my Groom :) was a great partner in crime. With all the DIY business, there is no way I could pack a bag for a 2 week holiday (ask him...I HATE packing!).


One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him. He shall be exempt for one year for the sake of his family, to bring joy to the wife he has married.”^[1][2]
Originally "honeymoon" simply described the period just after the wedding when things are at their sweetest; it is assumed to wane in a month. The earliest term for this in English was hony moone, which was recorded as early as 1546

The criteria for selecting a honeymoon:
1) Had to be a place NEITHER of us had been. Tough as Derek did Semester at Sea and Contiki and I grew up overseas and travel globally for work. 
2) No secluded Island. Tough as I could retire at 31 on an Island and read in the sand until I was 91 and Derek doesn't agree with this philosophy as he gets stir crazy (which we found out at a resort in Puerto Vallarta, so at least I knew what I was getting myself into). 
3) A place you would be hesitant to travel with our children. See above- we have traveled Europe, Asia, Australia, and Canada so our children better be born with the travel bug as they are going!
4) Had to be on your bucket list. One of those places you catch yourself saying...I must visit before I die.

 The Trip Itinerary

Argentina: Buenos Aires, San Carlos Bariloche, Iguazu Falls and Uruguay: Punta del Este. The first part of the trip in Argentina we will spend exploring and the second part in Punta del Este we will relax!

Los Dedos in Punta del Este

Iguazu Falls

San Carlos Bariloche

Buenos Aires 

We did find out yesterday that there is volcanic ash from Chile and the Airport in Bariloche is CLOSED so stay tuned as we might re-direct ourselves to Mendoza for 3 days of wine tasting!

Mendoza Mountain

Skinny Jeans - In Color

A few years ago when skinny jeans came out I had a love hate relationship with them...now they are my best friend and the easiest way I have found to make myself look thinner than I am (who doesn't love magic jeans like that). This Fall skinny jeans in bright colors, fall colors, cords, etc are all the rave. Anthropologie has J Brand (and if you have ever tried a pair of J Brand regular denim it must have been love at first fit with you as well). Luckily I have a gift card to Anthro as I will be buying a pair or two. The first pair will be orange as a tribute to my Clemson Tigers who are now ranked 5th in the BCS! And don't forget to pair a wild top with your colored denim - no need to wear a matchy matchy top...try a geometric in a totally different color.

 www.anthropologie.com

Happy Monday Friends!

I was so consumed with wedding planning and every inch of our house was consumed with wedding decorations that I missed putting out my Fall decorations. Now everywhere I look there is Fall except in our house. Our decorations are down south at Derek's parents house. I've been tempted just to buy new stuff. But he said no. So I've used my down town to scour the Internet and check out all things Fall until I make my way south for decorations. Here is some great inspiration and a recipe, Pumpkin Hummus.

Pumpkin Hummus (I am making this next week so stay tuned but the hummus I had at Wine Gallery last night was amazing)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups dry garbanzo beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 5 fluid ounces lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup tahini paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Place the garbanzo beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Or, bring the beans and water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse before using.
2. Place the soaked garbanzo beans into a large saucepan and cover with several inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the garbanzo beans are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Once cooked, refrigerate the beans and liquid until cold.
3. Drain the garbanzo beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Place the beans and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid into a blender, and puree until a smooth paste forms. Add the pumpkin puree, lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Cover and puree again until smooth. Use additional cooking liquid as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt.

This morning waking up was tough. The past 9 months I've woken up every Saturday with projects for the wedding, playlists needing to be made, and flows that need to be fine tuned all by 945a before I leave to teach. I couldn't wake up...I had so much time on my hands. I enjoyed my toast with homemade jam from the wedding, tweaked my sculpt playlist and jumped in the car. I was late to the studio and the flow of students walking in was slow...I kept waiting for my tea to wake me up. I still hadn't thought of my flow...at 1025 huge influx and 5 minutes later I am walking into a class with 37 pairs of eyes staring up at me smiling. I decided we were going with the full body sculpt flow. Opened the quote book and well it said it all...October 22: "The greatest avoidance strategy is I don't have time...Everyone has the same amount of time everyday. Resolve to make choices today that allow you to feel more spacious about time in your life"

How often we go through our days thinking I wish I just had another hour - I am guilty of that! Slow down and just enjoy! Happy Saturday- find time just for you this weekend even if it is an hour yoga class!

Day 5

Yesterday I woke up to the ringing of my phone at 7am (normally I am on a spin bike, yoga mat, treadmill, or at the trainer at this time but I was feeling ill so I was still in bed). Derek looked at me and asked what idiot would call this early...as I run to the phone just as I am missing the call I see it is Megan...well she was either early to work or calling to tell me the 2012 Stagecoach line-up which included the sexy Mr Jason Aldean (for those of you who don't know who he is I can play you a video from my wedding of us all rapping and playing instruments). I start jumping up and down like a 2 year old on too much candy...he looks at me funny and just walks away...at those moments I wish I wish I was still in college living with sorority sisters.

I just got off the phone with the salon in Birmingham where I am going to get hair and makeup done for a friends wedding in November and they asked my last name...you would have thought they asked if I just lied about my weight as all you heard was ugh ugh ugh...so I went with Ianazzone. Luckily with a hyphen I can use either! But my married friends please tell me this will get easier!

So as I said yesterday ... the wedding blues. Now what? I worked so hard, dieted, forgot to eat the week before the wedding and now what ... I indulged the entire wedding weekend and enjoyed every last bite of rib, pasta in a cream sauce, sausage, steak, ice cream, cake, wine, shots, wine, beer, champagne. So now what happens? I was teasing Derek last night as I have been under the weather and just want plain toast with cheese and I haven't made dinner our first week of marriage has consisted of me gaining weight and him fending for himself for supper! Total opposite of me doing 2 a days at the gym plus teaching and then making healthy suppers each evening.


The Post Wedding Diet Begins: or going back to the way it was before the day I said "I Do"

I've been toying with ideas of a month long detox, a week long juice diet, etc. And because I enjoy food too much juicing for 3 days is not for me (if you are looking for a juice option, Ritual Cleanse is perfect for you!).
Where do I begin? Back where I was.

1. 128oz of water a day ~ you thought 64oz right? Wrong! If you work 64oz is nearly not enough! Keep a notepad by your desk, in your car, wherever and tally how many 8oz you have had...anywhere between 10 and 16 is good. This is the purest form of detox for your body.

2. Green tea and chamomile tea are replacing the booze that I over indulged in over the weekend! And the caffeine which was basically being filtered via an IV the week prior.

3. Half Marathon training begins...the race is Superbowl Sunday. No longer are the days I race for time. I stopped that a few years ago. Now I race because I love the camaraderie and the scenery and the runners high. This time I am starting out healed no hip or knee injuries!

4. Trail running Sundays with my husband. These are my favorite. We started this a month before the wedding. You can't take your ipod as you have to listen for the other runners and mountain bikers on the single track (and dare I say mountain lions or coyote?). It is the most calming run - you can't go fast you may trip and you have to listen to nature! It is the perfect Sunday morning!

5. Yoga. This is a no brainer for me. I love chaturanga. It is my favorite pose. It is full of strength and dedication to the pose not the transition. The twisting in yoga is your body's way of detox with the addition of heat - there is a natural glow...plus not to mention coupled with all that water I told you to drink...your skin will look flawless.

6. Weight training! Ladies many of you shy away from weights...DON'T. Those who lift weights have a faster metabolism and burn fat...while SLEEPING! Who doesn't want that. Plus as we get older we want to preserve our bones and weight lifting will aid to that.

7. Boxing. Awww my favorite way of getting out aggression. Punching the daylights out of someone (my trainer who my mom calls a dream boat :)) This is not just for tattooed muscle men or Laila Ali but sexy women can do this too! Your arms will be ripped but in a lean way. Try it...they have pink gloves to keep the girl in you.

8. Last piece of advice for the weekend...Grocery shop on Sunday. Pack your lunch not only will it save calories it will save pounds from creeping on. This is another one of the oldest pieces of advice in the book but as I sit at my desk and watch everyone complain about being poor but go out to lunch and spend 12 bucks a day on a greasy something or other ... I feel like I have to remind you.

TGIF!


Hope to see you in class this weekend: tonight at Irvine CPY RYD 530p 30min sprint class. Tomorrow YS at CPY AV 1030a 75mins! Sunday classes I have cancelled to attend a Pranic Breathing workshop...stay tuned!