This book is written to me, and about me.

“Knowledge and Experience do not necessarily speak the same language. But isn’t the knowledge that comes from experience more valuable that the knowledge that doesn’t?” 


“ There us more to knowing than just being correct.” 


“It’s just that there is something more, and that something more is what life is really about.”


“Everything has it’s own place and function. That applies to people, although many don’t seem to realize it, stuck as that are in the wrong job, the wrong marriage, or the wrong house. When you know and respect your own Inner Nature, you know where you belong. You also know where you don’t belong. One man’s food is often another man’s poison, and what is glamorous and exciting to some can be a dangerous trap to others.”


“The wise know their limitations; the foolish do not.”


“Once you face and understand your limitations, you can work with them, instead of having them work agains you and get in you way, which is what they do when you ignore them, whether you realize it or not. And then you will find that, in many cases, your limitations can be your strengths.” 


“The way of Self-Reliance starts with the recognizing who we are, what we’ve got to work with, and what works best for us.”


“Sooner or later, we are bound to discover some things about ourselves that we don’t like. But once we see they’re there, we can decide what we want to do with them. Do we want to get rid of time completely, change them into other things, or use them in beneficial ways?”


“So rather than work against ourselves, all we need to do in many cases is point our weaknesses or unpleasant tendencies in a different direction than we have been.”

   Sometimes words you read are exactly what you need to hear. This book is amazing.. I’m seriously obsessed. I can tell it’s going to be that one book that you come across in your life that you read and re-read again and again.. So much that I am learning.. LOVE IT :)

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

Simplicity


“The essence of the principle of the “Uncarved Block” is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.”


“When you discard arrogance, complexity and a few other things that git in the way sooner or later you will discover that simple, childlike, and mysterious secret known to those of the uncarved block- LIFE IS FUN”


“From the state of the Uncarved Block comes the ability to enjoy the simple and the quiet, the natural and the plain. Along with that comes the ability to do things spontaneously and have them work, add as that may appear to others at times.”


      Who would have thought a book featuring Pooh Bear could have so much to offer? Just in the first two chapters there is much to take away.. Simplicity is something I am trying to live. In our culture we are bombarded with STUFF.. most of it we don’t need or use, yet we still have the desire for more.
     The older we get the more sucked into this life of consumerism we become. We work 40 plus hours a week in jobs that most of us hate- because lets be real.. spending 40 plus hours doing something that we HAVE to do isn’t any fun at all. We lost that ability to be spontaneous when we got all this stuff that we have to pay for. Responsibility that we gave ourselves begins to weigh on our hearts and bodies until eventually we snap. Choosing to take another path is what we all can do.

I choose to live simply
I choose to believe that "Life is Fun”
I choose to be spontaneous.
I choose to be HAPPY

New Bio :)

Crystal came to yoga in 2007, developing her practice independently thru books and self determination. Although she had never set foot in a yoga class, she had a strong desire to share the practice with others. In 2008 she became 200 hour Yogaworks certified under the teaching of Natasha Rizopolous. In the years that followed she was faced with the unexpected challenges of teaching; struggling to bring her playful, energetic attitude and her love for the practice together in her classes. Looking for an alternative way to feed her practice, she took her first Redefining Balance workshop with Adi Carter and Holly Coles. Slacklining and Handstanding her way through a whole new practice literally turned her perspective upside-down and fueled the desire for more fun and play. In 2011 she completed the Yogaslackers teacher training. Blessed with the voice of Jason Magness constantly in her ear, she learned the importance of discovering our edges and pushing past them, to realize what lies within.

“Yet although they enjoy the spacious glories of Paradise, nevertheless, when their merit is exhausted, they are born again into this world of mortals. They have followed the letter of the scriptures, yet because they have sought to fulfill their own desires, they must depart and return again and again.”


“Whatever someone offers me, whether it be a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or water, I accept it, for it is offered with devotion and purity of mind.”


“Fix your mind on me, devote yourself to me, sacrifice for me, surrender to me, make me the object of your aspirations, and too shall assuredly become one with me, who am your own self."

Coco and Flip take on Tahoe

    The time has come where the thoughts we manifested about heading to Wanderlust in Lake Tahoe CA have materialized! Flip has been working hard to get everything in line for us to drive out there and its happening :) Wanderlust is a super fun yoga and music festival- with lots of amazing people presenting and  attending. We were a part of Wanderlust in Stratton VT a few weeks ago and are really looking forward to seeing our west coast slacker family for lots of play time including slackline, longline, acroyoga, hooping and awesome music. For more info click the link below :)

Wanderlust Festival

From Wanderlust VT:

 Flip, Garret of Barefoot Truth and Coco

 Acroyoga fun :)

 Raining, cold but awesomely fun- watching friends take the water line :)

 Coco, Adi, Flip and Danielle

Coco, Sam and Flip  

More details of our trip will be revealed as they come together- so look forward to lots of blogs, video and photos of the adventure coming soon :) Plans are to leave Thursday July 21 from the East coast-  with two possible slacklining workshops in between to help fund the trip- (Chicago and Salt Lake City?) and arriving in Lake Tahoe Sunday July 24 or Monday July 25. Wanderlust begins on July 28th thru the 31st-  after which we will start our return back to the East.

Who’s inside?

“Let him seek liberation by the help of his highest self, and let him never disgrace his own self. For that self is his only friend; yet it may also be his enemy.”


“There, where the whole nature is seen in the light of the self, where the person abides within his self and is satisfied, there, its functions restrained by its union with the Divine, the mind finds rest.”


“It is not possible to attain self-realization if a man does not know how to control himself; but for him who, striving by proper means, learns such control, it is possible.”


    Think highly of yourself/ see who you really are and have self control. Ah yes- two things that I have been working on for a LONG time. Self control is the easier of the two for me, though I haven’t been showing much of it lately have I? I ended up smoking a cigarette yesterday and I felt so sick for at least 1/2 an hour- I felt like I was going to vomit, Yum. I can’t even tell you why I smoked it, I just felt like it and thought- it isn’t a big deal.. But afterwards I felt disgusting and weak. Hey I’m human- I can have a moment of weakness- and I’m moving on, simple as that.

    Thinking highly of myself and seeing who I really am is very challenging. I’ve had many talks with so many people, mostly relating to the way my body looks on the outside. Jason and I talked so many times about my skewed body image, but also my negative attitude about myself as a person. I used to constantly be negative about everything that I was doing/ trying to do. Don’t get me wrong I still get that way but I’ve been actively working on it and have been getting much better at giving myself credit for the things I’m accomplishing. When someone you look up to so much tells you that your awesome and  that they have never seen anyone learn and accomplish acrobatics as quickly as you have (when they have taught thousands of people) you have to take that to heart. Jason has spent so much time with me in that way- talking to me and letting my cry and get things off my chest. I really don’t think I can repay him for all of the life changes that he has talked me through or allowed me to realize.
    I constantly go through these feelings of not being accepted, not being a part of what I so badly want to be. I always think that people don’t want me around- or that they don’t like me. This has stopped me from reaching out to people- and let me tell you, asking for help or human connection is one of the hardest things to do. Putting yourself out there exposed and vulnerable sucks, right? Yes it does- but if I have learned one thing, it’s part of the human condition- everyone has at one point or another felt the same exact way. We are not always willing to be honest with ourselves or others when it comes to this.. We always want to put up this front that we are super strong, nothing can touch or hurt us, we are independent... But the fact is that we all crave human connections. We have been making connections from the moment we were born- each and every single person that we have met in this life has had something to share or impart into our lives. Even the negative interactions have taught us something.
        Every path in my life that led me to meet the Yogaslackers- all of my struggles of teaching yoga, the feeling of just giving up, and the last urge to follow this yogic path- were intensely challenging. Looking back on them now, I know that it was all for a greater purpose. I met these amazing people and with that I ended up learning so much, not just because of them- but really they were the vehicle which helped me to attain a higher self. They nurtured and consoled me and they continue to be an amazing support... To them I will be forever grateful for pushing me to really look inside of myself to realize and see what is already there.
       Let us make a conscious effort to find what already lies within us, because that person is amazing.

Unattatchment

"Having abandoned the fruit of action, he wins eternal peace. Others, unacquainted with spirituality. led by desire and clinging to the benefit which they think will follow their actions, become entangled by them. Mentally renouncing all actions, the self-controlled soul enjoyed bliss in this body, the city of nine gates, neither doing anything himself nor causing anything to be done” 


“The joys that spring from  external associations bring pain; they have their beginnings and their endings. The wise man does not rejoice in them.”


“He who is happy within his self, and has found its peace, and in whom the inner light shines, that sage attains eternal bliss and becomes the spirit itself.”


“Governing sense, mind, and intellect, intent of liberation, free from desire, fear and anger, the sage is forever free”


    Non-attatchment is what I’m taking away this morning.. Let us have no expectation of anything in this life. As I am living more in the moment- and less in the past and whatever the future brings I feel like I’m learning to follow this more and more. It is much easier to let go of the past I feel like- letting go of expectation of the future is going to be my biggest task. Sure it is a whole lot easier to just say I have no hopes for what comes next, but actually living it will be my biggest work. So badly I want for everything to work out in the ideal way. Of course I know that isn’t the way it will work- and really what fun would life be if our expectations all became reality?

Lets shift
    Talks and plans are in motion for a cross country road trip with Flip to Wanderlust Lake Tahoe. For whatever reason- even though I want to go and do- there is fear or hesitation. I’m letting it go and saying what the hell, lets do it! As long as things fall into place with my job in North Adams then I will just do it.. Fear no more and enjoy each day as it comes!
    As I speak with my parents I have been asked a million times what I’m thinking- what are my plans. They are extremely worried about me and the paths that I’m about to take. I appreciate it, really I do. However I have to let them say their piece and acknowledge it- but not let it hold me back. Their fears will not be pushed on me like they were in my childhood. Even when they are in place for my own good, sometimes you need to make your own mistakes and choices without being influenced by others, even when they are just doing it out of love.