When a can of frozen juice is labeled 'all-natural' when in reality there is nothing natural about it you know there can't be any true regulations. And people believe the lie, and they go through life confident that what their being told the truth by the same companies whose only goal is to make a profit. They DO NOT care about your well being. But the FDA regulates products so that they're safe for us. Yep, another lie.

naturalholisticliving is designed and written by Daniella Vaclavik

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As a holistic practice yoga addresses all parts of our existence. Body, mind, spirit, energy and environment. We practice to learn to acknowledge what's going on, to be more in tune with ourselves and our environment, to yoke. We step onto our mats with all that we are, creating an intimate space, with focus, courage, discipline and hard work. We face ourselves on our mats, and from one pose to the next we learn to surrender and let go. The poses, the work, the practice, is a metaphor for our life. It is literally the practice of our life. The way we handle ourselves on our mat - stress, work, pain, judgement, praise - is the same way in which we handle ourselves in our everyday lives.

I often see people that only see the physical aspect of yoga. They don't seem to understand the true meaning of their practice, and even if they do, for some reason, they can't experience it. These are the people that often not only enjoy being told 'stories' while they practice, but actually need it to get through their practice. I am no one to judge. I remember when I was one of them. A silent class with loud breaths seemed unbearable, almost painful. The truth is, there are many things we can learn from what our  teachers say in class, but more often than not, it is in the dead of silence that we learn to feel the practice for ourselves.

We practice to become more focused, not more distracted. Distraction is the opposite of focus. So how do we achieve it?  By opening our minds and our hearts. Clearing our minds not by blocking it all out, but by taking it all in. Being able to step back and observe. It is when we truly let go that we achieve control.

Travel pics...

Yoga pics - coming soon...

Growing up

Since a very young age I've always believed that my thoughts and actions would have an impact on the whole world. Being an only child and growing up completely emotionally sheltered, I believed I was the center of the universe. This feeling of empowerment stayed with me - I was about 10 or so - until I began to open my eyes and looked beyond myself and realized I wasn't the center of the universe. Not at all actually. Not even a little bit. I felt so small. So helpless. And with the discovery of the irrelevance of my life came a breakdown that led to a great depression. Along with that came the realization that 'grownups' didn't have it all figured out. Not at all actually.

Until then I had been under the impression that when I grew up it was all gonna be ok. Childhood seemed like this 'thing' that we had to go through, but one day I would grow up and it would be safe. No more feeling awkward and insecure, no more not knowing and understanding. And so months turned into years I waited and waited, to finally feel ok. But that time never came.

After 7 years of pain and misery, and being very very angry feeling I was cheated into this horrible existence, it was one late afternoon I just stopped.

And time stood still. And for that brief moment I was completely free. Anything seemed possible. I took a deep breath in, and told myself there had to be more to life than just surviving, and suddenly, for that brief moment, it was all ok. I realized this is my life. And I began to live it. Embracing every moment, every laugh, every sunset, every tear...

I surrendered into the fact that it's never safe. There are no guarantees. No instruction manuals. And as scarred as that made me feel, it somehow gave me hope, suddenly bringing forth a whole new realm of possibilities.

It is now that I'm about to turn 30 (officially a 'grownup') that I look back when I was a child and tried to imagine who I would become when I grew up. How would I feel about myself and the world around me.

Well, I don't think I've 'become' anyone. I've always been. It's funny, but most days, I feel exactly the same way I did when I was 6. I still don't have a clue, I still worry about everything, I get insecure, confused, frustrated, happy, sad, angry...

But somehow, much more optimistic. These days, I try not to judge too much, both myself and others. I try to be honest, not say things I don't mean, be kind, generous and compassionate. I try not to dwell in the past and I'm not afraid to experience all emotions in life.

I close my eyes and I just am. Still that little girl no one seemed to figure out. I still see a tree and have an uncontrollable urge to climb it, can't help to splash in a lonely puddle of water, love to walk barefoot down the street and dare to run naked in the rain...

Why do we practice?

Just as we are all different people, I'm sure we all have our own reasons for practicing yoga. Of course, everyone's entitled to their own approach to their practice, but it wasn't until I heard a comment  from a student that I begun to give the question a lot more thought.

    She explained that when I counted breaths during certain poses she couldn't relax. But then, when I asked her if her other teachers didn't count, it was the last bit of her answer that got me going. She said 'they tell stories, about indian mythology', and then with a nod of approval went on to say 'so it distracts you'. I smiled, and kept class going. But even after class was over I couldn't stop thinking about the way in which she said it 'distracted' her, like if it was a good thing. Living in a society and time ruled by disconnectedness and perpetual distraction, why would anyone want to  practice to perpetuate these states of mind and existence?

Potential for Health

The importance of PH Balance

It is understood that for things to function in any given situation PH is critical. It is essential to maintain a proper PH balance in order for anything to work properly. From a single chemistry experiment to the maintenance of a swimming pool. Our bodies are no different.

PH stands for potential of hydrogen. It determines whether a substance is acid or alkaline based on the activity of hydrogen ions* in a solution. The PH scale is a logarithmic representation of that activity that goes from 0 to 14, 0 being the most acidic and 14 the most alkaline. Acidity is determined by a higher concentration of positively charged hydrogen ions (H+), inversely, alkalinity is determined by a higher  concentration  of  negatively  charged  hydrogen  ions (H-).

We live and die at a cellular level - Cells MUST maintain a slight alkaline PH in order to LIVE.

Approaching Life

How often do we stop and think about the way in which we approach life?

Is it random or deliberate?

Accidental or mindful?

Does the approach determine the outcome?

Absolutely.

In order to complete a certain task, the approach is crucial. The way in which we approach that first step will lead to the effectiveness of the execution of the whole task, therefore determining the overall outcome.

Whether a movement in space, a yoga pose, a sentence or simply dealing with an uncomfortable situation. When we take a second before taking that first step to determine a deliberate approach, we step 100% into it, into ourselves.

And what is life but a collection of movements, poses, sentences and situations. Feelings, ideas, emotions, thoughts, energies...

When we approach life with clear intentions something wonderful happens. We are able to let go and surrender. Releasing the past, embracing the future, we begin to LIVE. Savoring the moment, we begin to live in the present. Suddenly everything becomes more clear. We become capable of stepping back and observing our lives unfold. With acceptance and gratitude.

Recipe of the week

Vegan Nutella and Grand Marnier marinated strawberry Chocolate Cake

Cake

11/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

11/2  cup evaporated cane sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup cold coffee

1/2 cup cold oat milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp white vinegar

Preheat oven 375F. Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Mix wet ingredients separately (except vinegar). Add wet into dry and mix well. Mix in vinegar and immediately place in baking pan. Bake 40-60 mins. Allow to cool, unmold, flip over and allow to rest. Slice in half. Stuff with vegan nutella and strawberries. Cover cake with nutella, decorate with strawberries on top and sliced almonds on the sides.

Vegan nutella

3/4 cup hazelnuts

9 oz semisweet chocolate

2 tbsp sweet almond or canola oil

4 tbsp evaporated cane sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla

1-2 cups oat milk

Toast hazelnuts on baking sheet (450F) until outer shell flakes off. Peel and place in food processor. Melt chocolate in bowl. Add next 5 ingredients plus 1/2 cup of oat milk. Place in blender and add hazelnuts. Blend adding as much oat milk to make it smooth.

*Marinate 2 cups sliced strawberries with 1/2 cup grand marnier and 2 tbsp evaporated cane sugar

Pictures

Links

The road less travelled

In a practice that is so grounded on the physical body, how do we eventually learn to detach from it in order to go further?

We always want to be 100%. We always want to work hard and feel good . But what is 100% anyway? We do this practice day in and day out, and just like us, it’s ever changing. It won’t always be a smooth ride; along this path we’ve chosen, we’re bound to encounter a few bumps on the road.

Injuries are always hard to deal with. Not just the physical aspect of them - the pain and discomfort - but the effect that they ultimately have on our whole being. And it doesn’t really matter either whether we started to practice last week and have no idea what we’re doing, or if we’ve been practicing for over 20 years and have a deep understanding of the practice. No one seems to be immune. Just like cooking, whether an amateur or a professional chef, we’re all bound to get burned sometimes...

Some injuries heal fast, and some others might linger for years and years. We are often told by our teachers to listen to our bodies. But what does that mean? My body tells me it hurts, it’s uncomfortable, it would have rather stayed in bed! We have to develop an honest and objective relationship with our bodies. Little by little we find our limits and learn how to expand them safely. Ultimately, an injury can be a great learning tool, if we are willing to listen closely and surrender to it.

Injuries will come from time to time to remind us, in this asana practice that we do, that the actual asana is just a tool. It is not the wonderful physical feats that we can do with our bodies that matter, but what they bring forth that will ultimately make us grow and tie our whole practice together. Discipline, patience, surrender, focus, clarity of mind, as well as pain, intolerance, frustration, anxiety...

There is a reason why the ashtanga practice begins with the asana. The body is what feels the most real to us in our current existence, therefore, the body is a great starting point. Sometimes we tend to read into the body so much we forget that it does not exist separate from our other realities - mind, soul, energy...

Many things will both arise and dissipate as a result of asana practice. I find that injuries seem to always come at unexpected moments. Moments of weakness where we let our minds drift away from our intentions. It is hard sometimes to not get distracted by our ego. That familiar little voice in the back of our mind that cheers and applauds. As we begin to master our physical obstacles it tends to get louder and louder - “you are so strong,” it says “you are so powerful,” it says “you are the best.” And in the midst of all the praise and encouragement, bam!, you pulled a hamstring, or sprained a thumb. Then, all of a sudden, it changes its tune - “you are not strong enough, not powerful enough, you suck.”

And you’re forced to back off. And then comes the first practice after the injury when you can no longer do what you did the day before, and another little voice will surface - “oh, I get it...”

And so we learn. And then we forget. And then we learn again. Day after day we do our practice. It is often when we think we’ve finally arrived when we become able to see further and realize we have so much more to go. It is a life long process of integrating awareness of body, mind and soul.

Often injuries appear to teach us, to keep us in line, to help us see the truth and not let us forget. Whether it happens in a moment of distraction, frustration, temptation or anger, it will give us the same message - This is a spiritual practice. Do your practice and all is coming.