Thursday, January 25, 2007
Celebrate like the Brazilians!
No one celebrates better than the Brazilians on New Year’s Eve. No Hollywood premiere or awards show, no Royalty Wedding, no political inauguration even compares to the massive party in Brazil. It is an incomparable combination of beauty, decadence, spirituality, joy, love, unity and sheer fun!
Everyone dresses in white and goes to the beach. Now, I don’t mean like most costume parties in which there are always a few party-poopers that don’t dress up and wont leave the kitchen. I mean, literally, everyone dresses in their finest whites and packs every beach from Rio to the small villages in Bahia. It is a vision of beautiful loveliness.
It is summertime and the weather is warm and so are the hearts of the people. There are no cliques or people trying to be “cool” or pretentious. It doesn’t matter if you are extremely wealthy (and there are people so rich in Brazil, they fill their swimming pools with Evian water!) or if your home is under a palm tree, everyone parties together! There is a magical feeling of harmony and connectedness.
There are bands playing music and people dancing everywhere – even in the ocean. You can go into anyone’s house along the beach and be served delicious food and make instant best friends. There are fireworks going off and the party lasts all night.
On New Year’s Eve, they celebrate a Goddess of the sea named Yemaya. She was originally a West African Goddess brought to Brazil by the slaves and now has become a fully realized Brazilian Goddess of prosperity and abundance. To ask Yemaya to answer their prayers, worshippers come to the shoreline with flowers and candles as offerings. They place them in the ocean and then jump seven waves to ask her to bless them. It is gorgeous to see the ocean filled with candles and flowers and it makes the night filled with magic, hope and dreams. When was the last time you went to a party with your intentions, goals and resolutions?
Now that you have fully realized that you are a Goddess, its time for you to celebrate! You’ve worked hard, challenged yourself and now its time to let your hair down, step off the pedestal and have some outrageous fun! Life is far too short, you blink and years speed by. Why not?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
GoddessLife Hawaii Retreat
Imagine spending an unforgettable week in paradise swimming with wild dolphins, feasting on delicious food, dancing under the moon and rejuvenating in a sacred waterfall. In this retreat, Dolphina will share with you her special connection with the dolphins and her secrets to living your own Goddess Life
WHO COMES
Women of all ages (must be 18 years or older), sizes and walks of life who desire an unforgettable experience. This retreat is appropriate for dancers of all levels, from absolute beginners to those who want to become licensed to teach the Goddess Workout. At the end of the Teacher Training, dancers have the option to purchase for an additional fee, a license to become certified to teach The Goddess Workout with Dolphina. For the wild dolphin swims, it is usually best to be both a good swimmer and comfortable snorkeling in the ocean to swim with the dolphins. If you do not feel comfortable swimming in the open ocean, you will still be able to experience the magic of dolphins from the shore or boat
THE CENTER
Our GoddessLife retreat will take place at the lush and secluded Kolealea (which means 'bouncing waters' in Hawaiian) in "upcountry" Maui. The center enjoys 80 degree weather year round and is surrounded by Plumeria Trees, quiet walkways with bridges over streams and a valley of ginger, and the famous "road to Hana" is at our back door. We will dance in a studio with bamboo floors with views to the tropical garden on all sides.
ACCOMODATIONS
There are several charming cottages nestled throughout the pristine aina (land) of Kolealea retreat center. Each house has something unique, including an outdoor shower, hot tub, and views. Sleeping is double occupancy.
THE CUISINE
We will feast upon 3 vegetarian gourmet meals a day. All meals are prepared by a loving staff dedicated to the spirit of Aloha using fresh local produce grown in organic gardens.
TRANSPORTATION
Book and fly the airline of your choice. Dancers come from all over the world for our retreat and teacher training, so there is no way to include airfare in our package price. There are three airports on Maui. We will provide van pick-up and lei greeting between 3-5pm on August 20th at Kahului, Maui, HI (OGG-Kahului) Airport. You are welcome to rent your own car to explore the island.
PRICING
Deadline for the discount to save $1999 rate is June 25th!
50% Deposit due upon registration. Balance due by July 25th.
HOW TO REGISTER
Fill out registration form and fax and mail with your deposit check, money order or credit card information to GoddessLife. Upon receipt of your application, we will send you a registration package that includes a detailed itinerary, how to prepare for your retreat and what to bring. Space is limited and will sell out!
GoddessLife
4051 Glencoe Avenue #5
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
Goddesslife@gmail.com
www.goddesslife.com
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Monday, January 1, 2007
How to Keep New Year's Resolutions (at any time of year)
Say it with me: "This year I'm going to transform my life from mundane to magical by not only writing down my New Year’s Resolutions, but actually following through with them." Easy enough, right? For some, but for most people, the easy part comes in the writing of them, not the doing.
How many people do you know resolve very year to tone their bodies, lose weight, exercise more? And how many people actually do it? Ah yes, therein lies the rub. It’s hard to resist the optimism and hope of the New Year, the feeling of a fresh slate on which to create the lives we want: “I want abs so firm I don’t have to be lying down to see my toes, I want a bum that isn’t jiggly and covered in dimples, I want to be able to buy a pair of Manolos AND pay my rent, I want my work to be so fulfilling I can’t wait to get up every morning, I want my marriage to be wildly romantic...” Most of us start with high hopes, and we may even spend a few days working towards our new ideal, but the truth is, very few people are able to stay on track.
Why is this? Scientists (those little cuties in glasses and white coats) say the resolutions are not the problem, but the actions we take to reach our goals. Based on the latest cutting edge research, here are a few fresh tips to help you stay on track.
Find a Resolution God(dess)mother
When it comes to ourselves, we have a difficult time seeing clearly because our emotions cloud our vision. When our friends have problems, it is always easier to see the conflict and find a solution because we are not blinded by our emotions. Why not try this idea: this year, ask a friend to help you make (and keep) your New Years resolutions. Select a friend that has always been honest and bold with you. Take her out for champagne and tell her that she has been selected to be your “Resolution God(dess)Mother.” Chances are she will be honored to help you with your transformation process.
Mix It Up
Realize that you are going to have to do things differently in order to make a real change. If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got. So, mix it up this year. If your goal is to shape up: take a dance class you’ve never tried before, plan a healthy spa vacation or walk your friend’s dog. Even small changes, like taking a different route to work, or buying your coffee from a different shop will open doors for you. Try it!
Make a Plan
First step: Take your “Resolution God(dess)mother” out for a delicious brunch. Tell her your goals and where you see possible obstacles for yourself. Ask her to help you create a plan that will take your resolution from nebulous to concrete. Be sure to define exactly what you're going to do, when you’re going to do it, and how.
If your resolution is to lose weight, figure out how much you will need to lose each month to reach the total amount you want to lose for the year. (Breaking it into smaller parts like this will also make it more manageable.) Write down the whole plan, the whole enchilada, if you will – when are you going to exercise? What are you going to do? How often will do it? And schedule that exercise as an appointment. Making your body fit and healthy is as important as any appointment or meeting. If you’re tempted to skip it, remember you’re worth it!
In addition, make rewards part of the plan. (My favorite part of any plan!) Here’s an incredible tidbit: creating rewards, even small ones, for every step of your process will actually rewire your brain! What seemed like monotony at the beginning of your path will become exciting with every rewarded step! You’ll look forward to making a real change. Find pictures of inspiring women and post the plan, rewards, and pictures somewhere you’ll see it often: your refrigerator, your closet, your front door, your car dashboard…
Have Someone Hold You to It
It easy to say you are going to work out every Wednesday until it’s raining or you have too much work to do. Since we are mixing it up this year, how about promising your “Resolution Goddess-Mother” a reward for when you achieve your goals. It’s comfortable for you to fall back into your old patterns, but not if it means disappointing a friend.
It’s Never Too Late.
Giving up by saying that it is too late for you to change is simply a cop-out. And no excuses! There are so many people that were late bloomers in not only their success, but also in finding their talent and true gift to the world.
Robert Ludlum was an unsuccessful actor for forty years before he began his career as an author. But once he found his talent for writing suspense novels, he had 25 that were all on the NY Times Best Seller list, including The Bourne Identity. The Marquis de Sade didn't publish his first novel, Justine, until he was 51. Henry Miller didn't publish his first novel Tropic of Cancer until he was 44. Raymond Chandler published his first short story at 45, and his first novel, The Big Sleep at 51. This theory doesn’t just apply to authors. Colonel Sanders began his KFC franchise in his sixties. Swedish marksman Oscar Swahn won two Olympic gold medals in the single shot event at the age of 60. He won his last medal, silver, at 72 making him the oldest medalist. Swami Prabhupada founded the Hare Krishna movement in 1966 at the age of 70. Kurt Warner who entered the NFL at age 28 (which is ancient for an athlete), and went on to become a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion.
Give yourself the whole year
Pace yourself and cut yourself some slack. Just because you were feeling optimistic when you set your resolutions, doesn’t mean your should be hard on yourself when a month has passed and you still don’t have enough extra money to buy that Juicy Couture Handbag. Take it one step at a time. Just don’t give up! Last year my resolution was to be more technologically savvy. It took me 10 months to finally use the ipod my students all pitched in and bought me for my birthday. It was overwhelming for me to learn how to use it. Downloading music online was a new activity for me, not to mention organizing all the music I already had. Now, I can’t imagine teaching class without it. The important thing to keep in mind is to not give up! Keep taking baby steps and your new year’s resolutions will be completed before you know it!
This could be your year, Baby! And if it you don’t keep your resolutions, there's always next year. After all, if dimples were good enough for Shirley Temple, they’re certainly good enough for my ass!
How many people do you know resolve very year to tone their bodies, lose weight, exercise more? And how many people actually do it? Ah yes, therein lies the rub. It’s hard to resist the optimism and hope of the New Year, the feeling of a fresh slate on which to create the lives we want: “I want abs so firm I don’t have to be lying down to see my toes, I want a bum that isn’t jiggly and covered in dimples, I want to be able to buy a pair of Manolos AND pay my rent, I want my work to be so fulfilling I can’t wait to get up every morning, I want my marriage to be wildly romantic...” Most of us start with high hopes, and we may even spend a few days working towards our new ideal, but the truth is, very few people are able to stay on track.
Why is this? Scientists (those little cuties in glasses and white coats) say the resolutions are not the problem, but the actions we take to reach our goals. Based on the latest cutting edge research, here are a few fresh tips to help you stay on track.
Find a Resolution God(dess)mother
When it comes to ourselves, we have a difficult time seeing clearly because our emotions cloud our vision. When our friends have problems, it is always easier to see the conflict and find a solution because we are not blinded by our emotions. Why not try this idea: this year, ask a friend to help you make (and keep) your New Years resolutions. Select a friend that has always been honest and bold with you. Take her out for champagne and tell her that she has been selected to be your “Resolution God(dess)Mother.” Chances are she will be honored to help you with your transformation process.
Mix It Up
Realize that you are going to have to do things differently in order to make a real change. If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got. So, mix it up this year. If your goal is to shape up: take a dance class you’ve never tried before, plan a healthy spa vacation or walk your friend’s dog. Even small changes, like taking a different route to work, or buying your coffee from a different shop will open doors for you. Try it!
Make a Plan
First step: Take your “Resolution God(dess)mother” out for a delicious brunch. Tell her your goals and where you see possible obstacles for yourself. Ask her to help you create a plan that will take your resolution from nebulous to concrete. Be sure to define exactly what you're going to do, when you’re going to do it, and how.
If your resolution is to lose weight, figure out how much you will need to lose each month to reach the total amount you want to lose for the year. (Breaking it into smaller parts like this will also make it more manageable.) Write down the whole plan, the whole enchilada, if you will – when are you going to exercise? What are you going to do? How often will do it? And schedule that exercise as an appointment. Making your body fit and healthy is as important as any appointment or meeting. If you’re tempted to skip it, remember you’re worth it!
In addition, make rewards part of the plan. (My favorite part of any plan!) Here’s an incredible tidbit: creating rewards, even small ones, for every step of your process will actually rewire your brain! What seemed like monotony at the beginning of your path will become exciting with every rewarded step! You’ll look forward to making a real change. Find pictures of inspiring women and post the plan, rewards, and pictures somewhere you’ll see it often: your refrigerator, your closet, your front door, your car dashboard…
Have Someone Hold You to It
It easy to say you are going to work out every Wednesday until it’s raining or you have too much work to do. Since we are mixing it up this year, how about promising your “Resolution Goddess-Mother” a reward for when you achieve your goals. It’s comfortable for you to fall back into your old patterns, but not if it means disappointing a friend.
It’s Never Too Late.
Giving up by saying that it is too late for you to change is simply a cop-out. And no excuses! There are so many people that were late bloomers in not only their success, but also in finding their talent and true gift to the world.
Robert Ludlum was an unsuccessful actor for forty years before he began his career as an author. But once he found his talent for writing suspense novels, he had 25 that were all on the NY Times Best Seller list, including The Bourne Identity. The Marquis de Sade didn't publish his first novel, Justine, until he was 51. Henry Miller didn't publish his first novel Tropic of Cancer until he was 44. Raymond Chandler published his first short story at 45, and his first novel, The Big Sleep at 51. This theory doesn’t just apply to authors. Colonel Sanders began his KFC franchise in his sixties. Swedish marksman Oscar Swahn won two Olympic gold medals in the single shot event at the age of 60. He won his last medal, silver, at 72 making him the oldest medalist. Swami Prabhupada founded the Hare Krishna movement in 1966 at the age of 70. Kurt Warner who entered the NFL at age 28 (which is ancient for an athlete), and went on to become a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion.
Give yourself the whole year
Pace yourself and cut yourself some slack. Just because you were feeling optimistic when you set your resolutions, doesn’t mean your should be hard on yourself when a month has passed and you still don’t have enough extra money to buy that Juicy Couture Handbag. Take it one step at a time. Just don’t give up! Last year my resolution was to be more technologically savvy. It took me 10 months to finally use the ipod my students all pitched in and bought me for my birthday. It was overwhelming for me to learn how to use it. Downloading music online was a new activity for me, not to mention organizing all the music I already had. Now, I can’t imagine teaching class without it. The important thing to keep in mind is to not give up! Keep taking baby steps and your new year’s resolutions will be completed before you know it!
This could be your year, Baby! And if it you don’t keep your resolutions, there's always next year. After all, if dimples were good enough for Shirley Temple, they’re certainly good enough for my ass!
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