Sadly, this is my last post as a member of the 2015-16 Vibe Tribe for Soul Flower. It’s been a fun year writing about things near and dear to my heart while wearing “cool threads for kind heads.” Renee (Social Media bud at Soul Flower) has been wonderful with her email reminders and her words of encouragement and her sharing of appreciation from the staff. And it has been fun learning a bit about my fellow Vibe Tribers from their posts. Mara, Melina, Alia, Samantha, Rachel and Liz – thank you. (more…)

“Though the course may change sometimes, rivers always reach the sea.” -Led Zeppelin

Whether or not circumstances are a vision we had in mind, there is always an underlying purpose awaiting its discovery. We may not feel too eager about every situation we find ourselves in, but we still need to build upon them. Sometimes life throws the most unexpected curveballs, and sometimes we wake up to find that nothing was the way we left it only a few hours prior. I found myself in this position several weeks ago when a life I imagined sharing disappeared overnight. (more…)

Last week I flew over to Maui for the weekend and immediately fell in love all over (which seems to happen every time I visit.)  I think Mark Twain said it best, “I went to Maui to stay a week and remained five. (more…)

I started writing for Soul Flower one year ago. In that year I grew to love the clothing and the ethics behind this admirable company. I love the feel of soft organic cotton against my skin, pulling on my lightweight Three Pines Yoga Hoody before heading out to the grocery store or after a Kundalini class, and keeping warm with the Eco Beanie as I walk the dog through the winter woods. (more…)

Think yoga isn’t a cardio-vascular practice? You’ve maybe never practiced the rigorous pace of  Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. I was practicing Intermediate Series on a random Sunday in a mysore-style class. (Mysore-style means the class is self-led but also assisted by a great teacher.)  Following the 8 initial backbends of this sequence, my heart seemed to be beating out of my chest. (more…)

Imagine you have a beautiful garden. You planted the seeds, meticulously and lovingly tended the seedlings, pruned and watered and weeded, and now everything is in bloom. (more…)

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss (more…)

She sat on an old wooden stool, smoke weaving around her jet black hair, as her voice captivated the entire room. Just a girl and her guitar, pouring her soul out to the world in a little pub on the island of Bali. She sang with such conviction – passion – understanding. I was mesmerized. (more…)

I’m not a big New Year’s Resolution person because I feel that we can start a new resolution at any time, but given the time of year, I am making it a point to completely surrender to my yoga flow in 2016. (more…)

When I joined the Soul Flower Vibe Tribe last February, I had no idea what was in store for me. At first, I believed that yoga, peace, strength and everything that Soul Flower stands for would be a colorful addition to my active life (more…)

Every winter on the North Shore of Oahu the Hawaiian Island waves come alive after their summer slumber. From October through March giant swells pound across the pacific from storms near Alaska and Russia.  (more…)

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” – Luther Burbank (more…)

My very first String Cheese ‘Incident’ took place October 29-30^th, 2004 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. I was only 16 years old. String Cheese symbolized more than just a band before I even had the opportunity to attend one of their shows. (more…)

The Lotus flower is something that is very dear to me.  It was one of my first tattoos and symbolized personal growth for me. It represented me learning how to look at life with a more open heart and soul. (more…)

Here’s something I’ve noticed: people get kind of touchy when they’re talking about yoga, quick to emphasize that within the sacred yogi world there is no right or wrong, no misguided intention or motivation, only endless acceptance and the complete absence of judgment. (more…)

When my kids were young, I took them to an amazing dental practice. This particular dental practice had always struck me as the most enlightened of pediatric affairs. (more…)

“You belong among the wild flowers.”   -Tom Petty (more…)

“Keep close to nature’s heart and break clear away once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” –John Muir (more…)

Living in a small town can often feel stifling, and sometimes it’s a struggle trying to keep it from getting to you. If I’ve learned anything from my experience residing in the remote lands of Southern Illinois, it is it only takes a short drive and a little exploring to find an adventure filled with inspiration. (more…)

Remember, Be Here Now is a fun freely written spiritual journey merging 1970 meditation and spiritual practices.  The core lesson in this fun, well written book is self-discovery. Ram Dass expresses the importance that you can be yourself: you are eternal-everything-free.

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I’ve been trying to think of thought as clouds. My husband heard something about that one day at work; someone who owned the most successful car dealership in America came in and did a talk about how he kept his employees happy, truly happy it seemed, and this was the key to his success. (more…)

In mid-August I found myself in Laramie, Wyoming. More specifically, I found myself wandering around Vedauwoo (Vee-da-voo) Recreational Area. The path that brought me to Vedauwoo was winding and convoluted, not unlike the narrow paths that lead to the top of the Vedauwoo rock formations.   (more…)

Ballet dancers always look composed and ethereal, but have you ever put on a pair of pointe shoes? Those things are agony on the feet!

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The path toward your dreams is not paved in gold… in fact, I’m finding its more like boulders, broken glass & potholes large enough to swallow you whole. (more…)