My Happy Me.com

By: Liliya Vafina

This article celebrates a great blog-wide event that includes 122 bloggers around the world writing about a different yoga pose every day of this month. It’s a so called Yoga Pose May Challenge and we at My Happy Me (MHM) are honored to be a part of it. The initiative belongs to Tina and Kate and the intention is to share the joy yoga brings into our lives with our readers, and, hopefully, motivate our readers to try the poses, realize the power of yoga for themselves, adopt the practice and cherish the benefits. As they say, the world would be a better place if everybody did yoga!

Before I go on about Tree Pose that we at MHM were assigned, I want to explain what yoga means to me. To me, yoga is an inner workout first and foremost, and only then a physical one. Benefits that include toned body and sexy yoga booty (as one yogi friend puts it) plus numerous health benefits are enough of an incentive to commit to yoga forever, but wait to discover deeper levels and you will not only be committed, but addicted to yoga forever. You will see

The correct form is important in yoga so here are the steps you need to do the Tree right. There are variations of this pose. I am most used to it in the context of Bikram yoga where it is called Tadasana.   

• Stand feet together
• Shift your weight onto the left foot and really root your left foot into the ground, spread your fingers to really grab the floor
• Pick up your right foot and bend your knee so that the sole of your foot faces the sky
• Bring the right foot to the left thigh as high as you can
• Lock the left leg
• Push the right knee back
• Keep your hips straight, check in the mirror to make sure your hips and pelvis are even
• Bring your right hand into prayer, then if the right foot stays on the hip and doesn’t slip, bring your left hand into prayer
• Really straighten your body and try to reach up with the crown of your head as high as you can, try to reach the sky, shoulders relaxed, chest proud
• Hold the posture for 1 minute and then repeat on the other side

As I correct my form and concentrate on stretching and ‘touching the ceiling ’, I feel deeply rooted and stable as if no wind can shake or move me from my spot on the mat. I am also assured that nothing can shake and throw me off my balance in life outside of this mat. I feel warmth scattering through my body, relaxing and energizing at the same time. Just as a tree captures energy from the sun, I feel like I capture energy in this pose. I store it in every cell of my body for later use. In Birkam classes, Tree is the last standing pose after which comes long-awaited recovery in Savasana. Tree gives me confidence. Confidence that if I could get through the warm-up and the standing series in this ‘chamber of hell’ I can do anything! Anything at all. Try it! Let me know what YOU feel. Namaste.

Also, check out what other blogers wrote on Tree:

• Adventures in the ‘Pest
• The Something New 365 Day Challenge
• What Kate Ate

By: Liliya Vafina

“Thank God for tea! What would the world be without tea? How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea” said Sydney Smith almost 200 years ago. I sure am glad I wasn’t born before tea as well!  Boy, isn’t it great to have it around? This guilt free treat available in so many types and varieties there is a fit for the most discerning tastes and the most unexpected moods!  Black, green, white, oolong… each with hundreds of different varieties from hundreds of different origins… and then there is herbal tea and almost as many different kinds of it as there are herbs and plants on Earth… each with numerous health benefits. Not only tea is full of health enhancing and protective properties (doesn’t matter which one you pick), taking a few minutes out of your day to prepare and enjoy a cup of tea is a wonderful way to fight stress and gain perspective.

Relaxation is an important part of overall wellbeing. If we are stressed and overwhelmed, we can’t focus on what’s really important, we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture; we overreact and our thoughts become negative. Relaxing and taking a little bit of time every day can help. If that’s not enough to convince you, a famous psychologist Richard Carlson, who has been working in the stress management field for decades, claims that he didn’t meet a single person whom he “would consider to be inwardly peaceful who doesn’t carve out at least a little quiet time, virtually every day”.  People may have different rituals that help them to relax, including meditation, yoga, a 10 minute walk in the park, or a bubble bath. Drinking tea is my daily ritual of choice. Ahh, five quiet minutes in the middle of a busy afternoon to brew a cup of tea…  Taking a few moments to sense its warmth, breathe in its aroma and really pay attention to the flavor notes do wonders to sooth, calm and recharge… enabling to go back and finish what needs to be finished with a refreshed perspective. Try it! And here are a few bonus ideas that will help to include some variety into your tea adventure.  

Black tea is rich in antioxidants. It can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants that protect from cancer and heart disease. Also has been shown to help increase rates of body fat burning.

Licorice tea has powerful anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic properties. Good for coughs and chest infections.  

Peppermint tea is great as digestive help and a great relaxant. Leave this one for after work though as it can make you sleepy.

Ginger tea helps upset stomachs; has detoxifying properties as well as helps open pores and sweat out toxins. Perfect before hot yoga!

Ginseng tea boosts resistance to stress, improves circulation, and enhances energy and mental functioning.

Ginkgo tea improves memory.

Chamomile tea calms anxiety and irritability. Also is anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving.  

Rooibos tea is rich in vitamin C and minerals. It is great for re-hydration and can help you sleep better.

And when is a better time to write about chocolate if not before the V-day? Everybody is buzzing about it, except maybe Vancouverites who are busy buzzing about the 2010 Winter Olympic Games opening weekend coinciding with the worldwide weekend of love. There is also Chinese New Year (Gung Hay Fat Choy everyone!) and I am sure many people all over the world are busy celebrating that.  I can totally understand the excitement, but for the rest of us there is chocolate!Chocolate is the most craved food in the world! Luckily, it is also one of those super foods that are packed with goodness; however, moderation, common sense and good judgment are required when choosing the type and the amount of chocolate to consume as most chocolate contains too much sugar, fat and additives. What we need to look for when buying chocolate is high percentage of cocoa solids. This is where the largest density of nutrients is contained.  For instance, milk chocolate has lower percentage of cocoa solids than dark chocolate due to dairy and higher sugar content.

Now, what is so good about chocolate, apart from its taste of course? Loads of things!

• Chocolate, or more specifically, cocoa solids, contain antioxidants procyanidins. These have been shown to protect blood vessels, heart and platelets of the cardiovascular system. They prevent oxidation of circulating fats in the bloodstream. Oxidized (rancid) fats contribute to hardening of the arteries. Furthermore, studies confirmed that antioxidants in chocolate can raise levels of good protective cholesterol which helps to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in blood.
• Chocolate is high in minerals such as copper, iron and magnesium, which all participate in hundreds of vital biochemical reactions in our bodies and all affect our wellbeing, so it’s important to get enough from our diet.  
• Chocolate contains amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine, important neurotransmitter precursors vital for proper nervous system functioning.
• Chocolate contains phenylathylamine, theobromine, theophylline and other fancy-named compounds that are responsible for magic energy boosts and elevated mood some people experience after eating chocolate.  Ever heard that chocolate can makes us happy? Like you needed another reason to eat it

So, enjoy your chocolate! I always recommend buying a dark chocolate bar, breaking it into squares, and freezing 2-3 square-portions wrapped individually in foil. Do not go over your one portion; remember the secret is in moderation! What a perfect way to treat yourself daily! Okay, I would probably go over my one portion on Valentine’s Day, but only on Valentine’s J  And try this homemade hot chocolate recipe I have found: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2664.

Let me know how it tastes and talk to you soon. Happy Valentine’s!

Weather. It seems like we talk about the weather all the time. It’s the best topic to start a conversation and it’s the best topic to complain about.

How many time do we complain about the rain, for example? Today it the official firt day of fall, and it made me think about the rain. Although today is a gorgeous day outside we all know that soon enough we all will dig out our best umbrellas and will start complaining about wet and gray days…

I know that the rain is not the most pleasant nature’s gift of all, but if there was no rain, there would not be no flowers, and all the green grass, and that rainbow and the sunshine after the rain. That sunshine after the rain ….. ahhhh…. it’s the best, isn’t it?

So, if we didn’t have the rain, we would not have had the ability to fully appreciate the Sun. Anything in life is like that. And as boring as it sounds – it’s true!

Let’s hide those umbrellas for now and enjoy the Sun today! Let’s enjoy the fresh rainy air tomorrow, and let’s enjoy every single day starting today, because each day has something pleasant in it, you just need to look closely enough!

Have a wonderful day and I’ll talk to you soon!

xox

These four point key to successful living belonged to a seventeenth-century samurai wariror. What have changed since then? Should these points still be used as our guide in every-day life? It’s up to you to decide… have a closer look at their meaning first though…

• No fear … There should be nothing is this life you are afraid of. Fight your fear! Do one thing that scares you every day. Whatever you fear, face it and defeat it!

• No surprise ... Life seems to be full of then, doesn’t it? If you look carefully though … all surprises in your life had clues all along that it was going to happen. Be aware of your surroundings, stay “awake” and nothing will sneak up on you.

• No hesitation … Don’t think about it…don’t even blink your eye! If you spend too much time thinking about it, the opportunity will pass and you will never make a move. Look at the options, make a choice and go for it. Don’t procrastinate, because you can’t put your life on hold…. throw yourself in head first, and enjoy the ride!

• No doubt … Once you made your mind about something, don’t go over it again and again. What’s done is done! Be confident. Be committed. Believe in yourself and your desicions. Trust your judgment completely.

Talk soon, and always be confident about yourself.