What’s in a Yoga Mat?

I recently wrote a guide to the best eco-yoga mats for Granville Magazine’s The Goods Blog...  Thought you might find it interesting.

Namaste.

eco yoga mat by halfmoon yoga props

If finding your style of yoga class and/or teacher from the hundreds displaying their offerings in Vancouver wasn’t overwhelming enough, try finding the ideal yoga mat.

What? You thought yoga was supposed to be this peaceful, bliss-inducing activity? Well, take a breath, a slow, deep one, maybe even a couple.

With this guide, I’ll try to demystify what exactly to look for in something that has become an essential part of a yoga practice: the sticky yoga mat.

Read more: http://www.granvilleonline.ca/gr/blogs/goods/2009/10/29/what039s-yoga-mat#ixzz0WRCL4ZbZ

tropical dreaming

watched the o’neill cold water classic in tofino today, and wow is it beautiful here. still, definitely dreaming to be surfing in warm water soon. here are some photos from a bali trip last year that i love. (last photo is by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/irfanr/)

namaste,

yogue.

Liberated by “Libre”

Glass n' Poly libre tea glass

“If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.”
Japanese Proverb.

For those of you who know me.  I love tea.  I just don’t have the lifestyle, that is conducive – always – to sipping tea slowly and savouring the ritual of it.

And like all of us eco-minded individuals out there, I’ve been searching for the ideal eco-tea mug out there…   perfect to hold your warm cup of tea while walking outside on a crisp fall Vancouver day.

And have I found it?

Well, the verdict is still out, but new Canadian company Libre Tea’s  Libre Loose Leaf tea glass is close.  Available in two versions, one that is a practical glass ’n poly tea glass with a polycarbonate exterior and glass interior; and another that’s a more handle-with-care all glass (in the interior and exterior) design.

Both are BPA free, transparent, so yes, you can see the tea leaves soaking, usable with loose-leaf tea as they come with a removable and easy to clean stainless steel tea filter; and importantly, are beautifully designed, making an eco-chic addition to your fall wardrobe, office desk and possibly (since I have not to date tested this) even your bicycle basket.

I love that the lid screws on really tight so there is no spillage while commuting and that the 2 layers of glass and polycarbonate prevent the cup from getting too hot to hold it comfortably.

My only advice, you have to clean the Libre glasses and dry the insides out well (as you would wine-glasses) so there aren’t any streaks or marks left behind from your tea.

For more information on Libre Tea Glasses, how to use them and to purchase, visit: http://libretea.com/
The glass’n poly model holds approximately 9oz. or 260 mL.
Cost: $24.00 USD
The glass n glass model holds 10 oz. or approximately 290 mL.
Cost: $25.00 USD

Magical Broom Day!

Ok, this is definitely not yoga related, but i couldn’t resist it – after all, isn’t magnetic energy magical?
Happy Broom Day! We tried this today and it worked! Check it out!

namaste,

yogue.

Cool Nights, Warm Khichadi

Autumn Leaves photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjmcadie

In these waning days of autumn, eating warming foods and warming spices is a really good way to fortify yourself to be strong and healthy against the elements.  I’ve been down with a cold and have been trying to use this time as an opportunity to slow down and as part of that, cook and eat some really simple food.

According to Ayurvedic teachings, Fall is a time of increased Vata, or the wind / air element that exists in all of us.  Think about the wind blowing off leaves from the trees around and the dryness in the air (even in the Pacific Northwest) and you’ll feel a sense of the Vata force.  To protect yourself against Vata’s tendency towards speed, lightness (also dryness), coldness and with it nervous and anxious emotions, try to slow down, dress warmly and eat simple, whole foods to warm your organs, particularly your kidneys and lungs.

Here’s a super simple Khichadi recipe that I’ve adapted from India’s First Lady of Cooking, Tarla Dalal’s book Roz ka Khana.  I’ve pared down her recipe and used split moong dal instead of the tuvar dal (yellow lentils) she recommended as I wanted to make the dish really soothing for my tummy.   The cinnamon and cloves are both warming spices and add a really beautiful  and complex depth to the humble ingredients that come together here, while turmeric is such an essential immune booster and has wonderful antibacterial properties.

Cinnamon: photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfosa/

cloves: photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/23847296@N04/

Turmeric: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nutscityaust/3193406646/sizes/m/

Hope you enjoy it.

Subtly Spiced Khichadi

1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup split moong dal (these are green/white and can be found at any Indian grocery store and also at T&T in Vancouver)
3″ piece cinnamon
2 cloves
1/2 tsp or less turmeric
Pure ghee

Prep:
Combine the rice and dal, wash multiple times until water runs clear, then soak for a few hours.

Cook:
Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pot or a pressure cooker.  When hot, add the cinnamon and cloves.  Let them cook for about a minute, to release their oils, then add turmeri, saute and quickly add rice and dal mixture.  Add about 4 cups of water, bring to a boil and let simmer on a low flame for 45 minutes to an hour.  If using a pressure cooker, close the lid, let it boil up and release steam in about 10 minutes, then allow it to simmer for about 10 more minutes.

Serve:
You can top the khichadi with little bit of ghee and serve with a side of steamed greens for a delicious and satisfying meal.

namaste, thanks for reading.

“Shubh” Happy Diwali: greetings from the White House

As my teacher and friend Dr. Svoboda who me a link to this videos a few days ago, says, “times are a changing” in America.

And as Its All Yoga Baby noted, he even quotes one of the Upanishads:

Lead Us From the Unreal To the Real,
Lead Us From Darkness To Light,
Lead Us From Death To Immortality,
Aum (the universal sound of God)
Let There Be Peace Peace Peace. – Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28

Perfect for a rainy, wet vancouver day…

btw, this review of the film makes me really want to see it… even though I have always been wary of children’s story book adaptations.

Finding Soul in New York City

manhattan skyline

I had a short visit to NYC last weekend a city I haven’t been to in over four years.  Wow, was I in desperate need of a NYC fix.  And even though the main reason I visited was to attend my cousin’s wedding, which happened under a beautiful sunny October sky in central park – how truly new york, I did manage to squeeze in the following:

lunch at Quintessence, a raw food haven in the East Village, with affordable and delicious lunch specials.  They have a recipe on the website for a tahini salad dressing which is amazing.

Mexican Platter at Quintessence

A visit to Live-Live, an organic raw food and natural skin-care emporium right next door – yep that was easy, we found the little natural food haven a few blocks from where we stayed on St. Marks Place.  At live-live I loved the bee yummy skinfood cream, which we purchased and the creamy eyeshadow by celeb. make-up artist Rose Marie Swift’s RMS Beauty, a colour cosmetic line crafted of pure, all natural, organic ingredients such as beeswax, jojoba and coconut oils and other like things that you would definitely consider smearing on your face.

RMS pure organic cosmetics

A walk up toward Chelsea where I noticed a small “hands-on” urban garden sponsored by Food Network, to educate children about creating healthy eating habits…  Now if only the Food Network would ban all those fast-food ads from being screened on their channel in between programmes like Jamie Oliver takes on the USA.  Hmm…

Food Network's "Good Food garden" to educate kids about healthful eating in Chelsea, Manhattan

A stroll up to the Chelsea Flower Market where I chose the most beautiful local dahlias, roses and calla lilies for my cousin’s wedding.  Her friend a designer sweetly agreed to put them together.

Local New Jersey Dahlias at the Chelsea Wholesale Flower Market

The beautiful bride and her flowers before the ceremony in Central Park.

Yoga at Sonic Yoga up at 51st and 9th Avenue with our globe-trotting yogi friend Twee Merrigan.

“Saving the environment while taking the Subway” multiple times.  I was skeptical when I saw the below poster on the NYC subway.   I agree it is incredible to watch the millions of people that take public  trans in NYC, yet does it really help lessen our environmental footprint?  If you must know, it does, as i read on this post on Planet Green. The energy expenditure for the NYC subway is 3492 BTU per passenger mile. Meanwhile, it’s around 3702 BTU per passenger mile for automobile travel.  While a single passenger riding the NYC subway uses less energy to travel in a subway train, vs. a single passenger in a car, we have to consider the fact that hundreds of commuters jam into a train every day, making their individual energy usage much lower than the one or two people on average who drive a car for the same distance. 

In fact I  love cities where you don’t need a car, or where having a car is more trouble than it is worth.  New York is definitely one of those cities, unlike Vancouver where mass transit is really only just beginning.  Could you imagine what New York would be like if all the subway commuters drove?  The traffic is bad enough as it is.  I can only imagine a never-ending traffic jam, something that is happening quickly all over the developing world especially in India and China’s urban centres.

Can you save the environment by taking Public Transit?

Lastly, for today, here was of my favourite NYC moments: stumbling upon the church at St. Marks Place and watching a weary man ease into sleep amidst the din around.

resting at St. Marks Church

Stay tuned for more Yogue NYC picks this week.

namaste, thanks for reading.

Dalai Lama visits Vancouver

I was privileged to be at the Vancouver Peace Summit yesterday and even got to shake hands and say hello to the Dalai Lama.  This is the century for women, says the great spiritual leader, exhorting women to take a leading role in shaping society and global issues.

He also had time to stop and sample a chocolate chip cookie after lunch “I’ve had no dessert” he smiled.  Even the enlightened have a sweet tooth sometimes.

For more photos:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/starlite8/sets/72157622352122993/

ecouterre unveiled

A New Home for Sustainable Fashion online:

Just got word that eco-design portal Inhabitat just unveiled Ecouterre, an eco-fashion website dedicated to writing about about designers who not only contemplate cut, form, and drape, but also a garment’s social and environmental impact, from the cultivation of its fibers to lifecycle and disposal.

Sweatshop worker in Bangladesh, Photo courtesy new york times.

In ecouterre’s words, their mission is: To follow the evolution of the apparel industry toward a smarter and more sustainable future, as well as facilitate a conversation about why sustainable fashion matters.

Definitely important in Yogue’s view, since our take on clothing has always been that it affects all of us and so intimately.  After all, we do wear clothes (most of us) all the time and the choices we make collectively and individually can have an enormous impact on our environment.

Add ecouterre to your bookmarks to stay in the loop for news on emerging eco-fashion trends, interviews with leading designers working with sustainable fabrics and the stats on why moving towards sustainable practices in fashion could be the saving grace for what is generally a pretty wasteful industry.

namaste.  peace.