Ever hear it's the little things that count?

The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions,
the little soon-forgotten charities of
a kiss or smile,a kind look, or heartfelt compliment.

- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Words to Live By

"Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent."
- Marilyn vos Savant

Yoga: Good for the abs!

Someone who has never tried yoga before may think that yoga is something people do to relax or become more flexible. While both of these points are definitely benefits of yoga, when done properly yoga can be a full body workout, and for many yogis becomes a way of life - on and off the mat.

I love yoga for many reasons. When I practice daily, I feel calmer, have better digestion, deeper sleep, and feel more focused and fit. A major "theme" in yoga is strengthening and engaging your core. Yes, I am still aiming for my goal to have ripped abs, but strong abs are also important for protecting your low back muscles from injury and also helps your overall posture.

Some of my favorite yoga poses for the abs:
(Images from www.yogajournal.com.)

Plank














Boat Pose
Paripurna Navasana












Bridge Pose
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Bow Pose
Dhanurasana

If you'd like to learn how to do each of these poses, you could visit Yoga Journal's website for step-by-step instructions. Caution: if you are pregnant or have neck and/or back issues, these postures are not recommended for you. To learn more about these poses and many others, you could also try a yoga class for yourself! Yoga Journal (if you can't tell, my top favorite online yoga resource) also has a yoga directory that may help you find a yoga studio near you. Of course, many studios are not in the directory, but the directory may give you a starting place (as will your Yellow Pages).

Happy Birthday Gandhi!

In 2007 the UN decided to make October 2nd the International Day of Non-Violence, in honor of Mahatma Gandhi's positive footprint he made on the world. Today also happens to be his birth date (October 2nd, 1869).

Some of Gandhi's words to live by:

"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?Then you will find your doubts and your self will melt away."

"A right cause never fails, a true word never hurts in the end."

"When we know that death may snatch us away at any time, what right have we to put off till tomorrow what we can do today?"

"You must sing and dance with joy in all conditions...You must wear a smile over your face, no matter what comes to pass."

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

"The Past belongs to us, but we do not belong to the Past. We belong to the present. We are makers of the Future, but we do not belong to the Future."

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world."

Happy World Vegetarian Day!

While I realize that we are all different people, with varying backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions, we should all be aware of the effects our daily diets have on our Earth and the creatures we share our Earth with. Today is World Vegetarian Day, the kickoff for World Vegetarian Month! If everyone on Earth stopped eating meat for just one day, let alone an entire month, the effect would be felt world-wide.

My 3 main reasons for avoiding animal products?

• My health.
  - Did you ever meet a lima bean with a liver? All animal products contain cholesterol, and many types of meats and cheeses are packed with unneeded saturated fats, genetically modified ingredients (GMOs), and hormones that don't belong in our bodies.
• The environment.
  - Factories that produce animal products are destroying our Earth.
• Ethical reasons.
  - Personally, I find eating other sentient beings to be a conflict with my beliefs and the way I want to live my life.

If you're interested in learning more about vegetarianism or veganism, here are some of my favorite books and resources that I think you may enjoy:

BOOKS (all can be found in the Public Library):
Being Vegetarian for Dummies
The Ethics of What We Eat
Six Arguments for a Greener Diet

WEBSITES:
www.goveg.com/ : Vegetarian and Vegan Information.
www.vegetariantimes.com/ : Great food, good health, smart living.
www.vrg.org/ : The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Before you judge and think all vegetarians are nuts (no pun intended), do some research for yourself and try to refrain from eating meat for a few days, just to see how you feel and how easy it is to leave meat out of your diet.