Creative ways to reuse or recycle your old yoga mat

If you feel guilty, like I do, about buying yet another yoga mat, you may want to check out this great blog post I found:

http://dailycupofyoga.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/43-creative-ways-to-reuse-or-recycle-your-old-yoga-mat/

I personally love the flip-flop idea!

Full steam ahead

My name is Jennifer Wrightsell-Hughes and I am a yoga teacher.

It's official. As of today, I am a real yoga teacher. It doesn't matter that I've been teaching yoga for a few months now, not to mention my 10-month stint teaching yoga in California, pre-kids, shortly after completing teacher training in the hills of Santa Barbara and receiving that beautiful certificate with the White Lotus Foundation seal. No, somehow I didn't feel like a legitimate teacher until now.

Why now? Because I just joined the Canadian Yoga Alliance. And I just purchased liability insurance from the Canadian Yoga Alliance. These two actions seem to solidify my commitment to pursuing yoga teaching as a career (or part-time career at least). Maybe it's the $335 in membership and insurance fees I just shelled out for the privilege of sharing my love of yoga with others for a year without worrying about being sued. But it's not just the money, although that is certainly not trivial. It's also the fact that I'm joining a community of yoga teachers, of like-minded people with similar goals and beliefs. Joining the Yoga Alliance and purchasing insurance also gives me the freedom to teach where I want, opens up a huge network of contacts, and motivates me to continue to grow as a teacher and student of yoga and seek out more opportunities to share yoga with others.

So, yes, it's official. OK, universe, bring it on.

Leave those dishes...

It is very challenging for me to ignore my productive, goal-oriented self in favour of just being in the moment. But last night, I abandoned a sink full of dishes to find my little boy and scoop him up into a hug. I was rewarded with a big smile and some quality cuddle time. I need to keep reminding myself that he won't be this age forever, and one day soon he will not be so free with his hugs.

The dishes can wait.

Yoga with Jenn: Flowing into Stillness

Mark your calendars!

I will be teaching a special "by donation" yoga class on December 11th at Core-Elation Yoga Studio in Ottawa. Half of the funds raised will go to iSisters, a local charity. All are welcome.

Check out the following link for more information:

http://www.core-elation.com/links.html