What does Empowered mean?

This is the dictionary’s description of Empowered: “having the confidence, control, means, or official authority to do things and make decisions for yourself.”

It goes deeper to say Personal Control: Feeling confident, strong, and able to direct your own life.
Official Authority: Having the legal permission or right granted to someone in charge to do a specific task.

I started thinking about this as it was left in a book that I had loaned to someone. When I saw it it made me think, was this left here on purpose or was the Universe asking me to re-evaluate some things. I guess I am one of those folks who always thinks there is a meaning or purpose behind things that just “randomly” show up in your life or are put in your path. Does anyone else have that thought?

The world out there is a little tricky right now and there is not much that we can “direct” unless it’s our own path. What we do have lots of “authority” over is choice. Choice that allows us to pick and choose the “who, what, where, and when” of everything that touches our life. To some extent we can choose this for others, but that only goes so far. As we all know “changing” is hard and even harder if you are expecting that “change” from someone else!!

And what does LIVING AN EMPOWERED LIFESTYLE look like for you… well only you can answer that. I would just like to say that it starts small, LITTLE BY LITTLE. Maybe it’s about establishing the “who” we spend time with or “when” we do something, it is also about “choice” and how you make those choices for yourself each and every day. The minute we wake up, even if we wake up to a shitstorm in our life, we can choose how we deal with the rest of the day!!

As with some of my newsletters there may not be an actual point but perhaps just a mirror that you can hold up. Are you living an empowered life? What does that life look like? And “empowered” does not mean to blow up your life, it simply means to feel confident and to direct your life and mind. How are you doing this?

Love and Light to you all,
JennyO 

Freebie For This Month 

Positive Affirmations Sheet

What size is your world?

One of the things that Kev and I have been talking about since he has been in ATL is the fact that his parents’ world became so small. I think that the world became smaller for all of us during Covid due in part to what was going on in the world and the fact that if you had any underlying ailments that you especially had to make your world small. His mom has heart problems and I totally understand that protection was a part of that scenario.

Now that we are past Covid, their world is still so small. What happens when your world becomes that small?? What happens to connection, balance, and mental cognition?

Since we both have aging parents we have been talking a lot about what we are going to do and not do as we get old. We both want to stay healthy, stay active and for me I want to travel, not sure where but even just within the 50 states, there is so much beauty out there for us to see!! Where would you go? Send me some thoughts of the most brilliant (yes I also watch a ton of British movies/shows) place you have visited.

Today was also Kevin’s birthday and instead of making my world small, I sent him cupcakes to his parents house, his present and the card my mom sent him and told him he had to wait until his actual birthday to open everything. I also sang him happy birthday. Thus taking the celebration to him even though he is so far away, making his birthday bigger!!

I know it can be hard to keep your world big and engaged. It takes time, energy, space and today, money!! However there are other things to do that do not take so much money. My friend Amy has been doing a monthly full moon HOWL at Barton Springs how fun does that sound, Lisette, Will and Amy (different Amy, I am blessed to have lots of Amy’s in my life) have done a “creative” hour where they get together and just create, and recently Kate had an open house at her jewelry studio and when my friends Cat and Roy are in town they host lovely things at their wonderful garden space. And last, ok, this will require a little money, but they now have a punch card, so after 6 purchases, you get a “free” item, which is my very favorite Felizas Bakery at the Sunset Valley Farmers Market. Their menu changes every couple of months so you never get bored, you just miss your favorites 😂. My favorite right now is the white peach pecan reina’s and the green spaghetti focaccia…oh and the fig pay de queso…literally everything they make is so AWESOME!!

So…go out and make your world BIG, as BIG AS YOU CAN!!!

Love and Light to you all,
JennyO 

Freebie For This Month 

For those of you who spend time on a computer, and who among us does not.. If your eyes get weary try this…

Warm some ghee, put cotton balls in the warm ghee, place the cotton balls on your eyes.
ENSURE THE GHEE IS NOT TOO HOT!!


Let them rest there until they cool, then with a warm soft cloth wipe any excess ghee away from your eyes.


They will feel refreshed and its a great way to remove Pitta heat and inflammation from your eyes.. Enjoy 🥰

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

It was such a bittersweet birthday… Kev has been gone for about 14 weeks now, dealing with aging parents, so I had to go it all alone this week. Cause you know you have to celebrate at least a week when it’s your birthday. It’s the least you can do for yourself!! Perhaps as you get older it should also be longer, what do you all think?

So we always go see a Marvel movie because one usually comes out around my birthday or his, so I went to see the Mandalorian and Super Girl. I did Krause springs which was more of wanting to do that, cause I always do water. With a new tattoo I had to keep it out of the sun and not actually get it wet, but the BBQ was worth it on the way home. Visited an old eating establishment, Ciscos, they have the best biscuits if you ever have the craving for a biscuit.

Interesting birthday, fighting back feelings of being alone and since my Love Language is “connection”, I was missing some of that, but so happy that my bud LT had a brunch with me! I was proud of myself for going out there and “celebrating” on my own, it would have been so easy to fall into that pity party. I find that connection is really important not only during your birthday but all other days of the week. So go out there and find some “connection” amongst loved ones, friends and colleagues. I think the biggest thing that I decided on was going back to India with a group of yoga therapists to study in Chennai and The Health Village in Aluva for 18 days. Funny how I always think that its too much money, my moms voice is always in my head!! But thank you to those who talked to me down off that ledge and encouraged me to go. I am so excited about that and at the same time scared, but that is usually me when I have to navigate international travel.

What plans are headed your way? Thank you for allowing me to share insight into my birthday, and what a freaking cool bag that Kev sent for my birthday, I am going to try and live up to that Cingona, Every. Damn. Day!!

Love and Light to you all,
JennyO 

Monthly Freebie

Wheel of Power and Privilege

How do you settle in??

Yesterday I spent the entire day without internet. Somehow the network outage, once fixed, affected only our house. It did set me back a day with work, since I work remotely.

What I found interesting is what I was looking to do with my “time”. I could not “work”, watch mindless TV or amuse myself by asking Goo-Goo what time it was and having her answer me with “I found this on the web”… It’s a love-hate relationship with us!!

So I spent the day trying to be “productive” since I could not actually do any work, or work that was tied to the internet and felt that I should be “working”. So I  started by mending some things, then I moved on to watering plants both inside and outside and trimming away dead leaves and filling in holes those pesky squirrels created, moved back inside to cull my closet one more time (I have been in a decluttering phase), then on to the dreaded taxes. As a self employed person I try to do taxes each month, moving everything into categories to make my accounts life easier 😁. Then I had a thought… what if I just sit and read??

I often tell folks to find some time and just be, so I decided to take my own advice. Which is hard right now, Kev is in Atlanta with his aging parents trying to make sense of that situation, which leaves the house empty and quiet. Don’t get me wrong I love quiet but when it’s this quiet I feel super lonely, or maybe it’s just where I am right now with Kev gone. Either way it felt a little weird, so I decided to play some Sound… I took out my bowls and uncovered my gong and just played!! I gave myself a little sound therapy, it was amazing. I then started to remember what it was like this past weekend with the Yoga Therapy Interns where we chanted and moved and that vibration came back as well.

It didn’t feel so lonely or quiet and my body settled into what was there for me. It made me really take stock of what I so on a regular basis. There was creativity in what I was doing. I was using my hands and connecting to lots of things. There isn’t really a point to all of this, this was just a look inside my brain and how I process things, and what I choose to do with my time instead of being a couch potato when there is no internet. It is also validation that I also need to find more time off, so that I can enjoy more of the little things instead of them being a “chore or a have too”. As my grandma used to say “ay mas tiempo que vida”… There is more time than life.

Love and Light to you all,
JennyO 

Freebie For This Month 

Workouts And Wind-downs For Hot Days

Community

I want to give a shout out to Kaytee and Castle Hill for inviting us to play at Waterloo Greenway. It was a gift from us to everyone who joined us as well as a gift to be able to share space with a great human!!

I came away from this also thinking about Lisa, who I have known for I do not even know how long now, and provided this beautiful opportunity. We first met at Yoga Yoga and continued through that whole mess and the birth of her daughter Nugget. I think I am the only one she lets get away with that name 😀. My point here is that it’s all community! This is Yoga!! We go out into the world and we share experiences whether it is to a crowd of 1 or 700. We do it for Seva, selfless service, because let’s face it we don’t do this job because it will make us a million dollars. We do it for students that we have taught or will teach and we do it to support other teachers. Mostly I love that we can support women as women.

As women we should continue to support other women, because when we are in community, there is nothing stronger or more efficient. Think of all the ways we have come together through the decades. Sewing Circles, Birthing, Sit and Sip, Red Tent, Meetings, Gatherings, Self Defense, Dancing, Book Clubs, Women’s Circles… I am sure there is more that I cannot bring to mind.

So go out and find a “group“, start a group, support each other the way it’s always been done. If you are looking for something fun to do, go howl at the moon with my good friend Amy!

We should not complete with one another, there is space for everyone. Feminine energy has always been about nourishment, not scarcity. Scarcity is when it becomes less supportive. So when you are feeling that scarcity, reach out to a friend, colleague, teacher, student, loved one. This is what we were meant to do and honestly wouldn’t it make the world a better place if everyone did that.

I am also thinking about Annie weeks away from giving birth and the lovely idea that she shared with me. To just “be” with her newborn on the porch with women being supportive and loving. What a lovely vision that I will hang on to and I will be there on the porch with her… nothing better than shared feminine strength, love and grace.Love and Light to you all. Thank you all for your support and always being there when I need support,
JennyO

Freebie For This Month 

While not specifically Yogic, it’s always lovely to be able to untangle ourselves from something that does not serve.

Mary, undoer of Knots

Rain…

April Showers bring May Flowers. Rain, Water, so nourishing and so good for us, especially now when so much needs to be cleansed and nourished. We are in the middle of some huge things happening, and while I will not dive into that, I do pray that you and yours are safe and sound. I do want to encourage you all to nourish yourselves both mentally and physically.


When you are nourished you can function better, you can think more clearly, there are no antatayas (obstacles). Yoga Sutra 1.30 lists the nine antarayas that impede progress in yoga (and as we all know, yoga is everything and everywhere) and cause mental distractions. These impediments – which includes sickness, doubt, sloth, and more – are often described as “tricksters” that distract the mind from concentration.

I have always loved to just “hang” when it rains, there is not much that can be done when it rains. So for me it has always been a chance to stay inside and simply be, to listen to the rain against the house and watch it fall to the Earth. It’s all so very soothing to me and it is ONE way that I can truly wind down. It’s the one time that I can absolutely do NOTHING… so what makes you slow down? What is the one thing that results in you doing NOTHING? Whatever it is, go out and do it, and enjoy it, no guilt, no second guessing yourself. Enjoy your down time and enjoy the rain and water…

Love and Light to you all…
JennyO 

Freebie For This Month 
Lapping waves swaying back and forth in a gentle rolling motion. Inhale as the tide moves out dissolving this moment, and exhale as the waves roll in projecting its energy forwards from the vast abyss of the water, as far as the inner eye can see. Imagine the abundance of life forms under the blanket of the waves. A chalice of wonder, vibrating and alive and yet barely understood by Earth, or humans. Dive deep into this water and dare to dream the dream.

The soft overcomes that hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid. Everyone knows that is true, but most of us cannot put it into practice. Our inner current is gentle and soft guiding us quietly towards our true desires. To quiet those internal voices that are hard, judgmental and critical, those words that sink into our cells, use this Cleansing Mantra.

Cleansing Mantra

I am recharged.

I am restored.

I release myself from the burdens of the past. I nourish myself in a comforting golden light.

I wash away any energy that is not mine to carry.

Bruce Lee quote – “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you will find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stay rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.”

Words to live by…

You know that best friend that you have known for 25+ years and each time you meet no matter how much time has passed, you can pick up right where you left off? Well this message is from mine ❤️.

I was drawn to this because of the message that she wrote in the card. It was such a great reminder that the “day to day” is taking its toll. She did not know it at the time, it was a simply lovely message from her, but it made me think…

As I thought of what she was suggesting: to be in nature, see friends, make food, notice the world, resist oppression and be loud about it I came to a conclusion, I was missing this. I got so lost in the mundane, the oppression of where the political, cultural, and spiritual landscape is right now, and two sets of aging parents. I was missing all these things that she spoke about! Especially being in nature, that has always been so strong for me, I had stepped away from nature and ritual to deal with aging parents, friends that drifted away, and I felt completely depleted and tired, it all came screaming home and set up house in my body.

The biggest strain is the mental stress that comes from aging parents. Some of you are there and some of you WILL be there, when parents become children and the children have to manage the parents, and this is big, so big!! I say this to let you know that it is a stressful time, a time when all your resources feel depleted, when you are addressing issues that take so much micromanaging! That role of caretaker is real!! Maybe, but maybe not on the level of physical care for someone, but just as stressful because you are trying to figure out something from so far away or just trying to figure out WHAT the problem is.

I say all of this so you know that when this happens it is about self care, it’s about nurturing yourself, your body and your mind. So go back to nature, look at the list Christine sent me and put some of that back in your life.

Most of all, be kind to yourself and your body.

Love and Light to you all…
JennyO

Freebie For This Month 

Understanding the Caregiver Experience

Caregivers may experience:

  • Emotional strain (fear, anticipatory anxiety, relief + guilt post-surgery)
  • Physical exhaustion and disrupted routines
  • Hypervigilance around medications, infection risk, and symptoms
  • Identity shifts and isolation

Normalize this: Caregiving is both an act of love and a sustained stress response.

Practice: Pause after the exhale from 3-5 counts. Do this sitting, laying down, morning, noon, night. Anytime you feel any of the items listed above. 🥰

Happy Valentine’s/Heart Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day or I like to say cause we really do not entertain “Valentines Day” is Happy Heart Day!

Valentines Day is one of those days that is so commercialized, in my eyes. Everything costs more, it’s crowded and so much over stimulation. I celebrated previously with, a lovely dinner with some flowers, candlelight, romantic music and a million others all crowded into the same space.

So then I said, hey, instead of spending $50 bucks (this is how long ago I celebrated this day) on ONE day, how about you randomly bring me flowers, buy me chocolates, take me out to eat, tell me you love me. If you do that 365 days a year or 165 days a year think of all the money you will save!! 😂 Well that was my thought process.

Now I am more about spending time and money on what makes ME happy, hence Happy Heart Day. Honestly it generally comes back to Kev and I spending that time together if we are not working. However I still allow for that week to be what WE want to do for ourselves. Whether that is him watching an entire night of Winter Olympics or taking a nap while I am reading or binge watching Game of Thrones (Yes I am probably the last person on the Earth who has not watched it!!) we do what our Heart wants and that makes me HAPPY to make him Happy without guilt or “shoulds” its guilt free and supportive of our own hearts.

Personally I like to share the day by sending out love to my friends and family. It may not be a physical thing, but it’s energetic. I send that love far and wide, I make it a ritual to send out love to the world, in my eyes that goes much further than anything else you can put forward that day.

I am encouraging you all to find something for YOU.

And yes, this is a shameless plug, join us for the Intention Workshop next week on the 22nd. Make it about you and what would make you happy or propel you forward into sharing love and light with yourself and others. it’s also as perfect time of the year to set intentions, the: “I have to find an intention now!!” is over, the Year of the Snake is coming to an end it’s perfect timing my friends.
Click here for more info on The Despacho and Drum Journey

Happy Heart Day… Remember what the billboard behind Bad Bunny “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE” and where does LOVE come from…the HEART 🙂
 

With so, so much love and light.
JennyO 

Freebie For This Month 

Click the link below to see the Meditation for a Calm Heart

Meditation for a Calm Heart

2026 The Year of The Horse

I feel like I just said this, but can you believe it’s 2026… Although I am pretty sure I said that about 2024!!! 🙂 It’s time to ground and connect with 2026 and see what it has in store and what has transpired in 2025.

Some things I find interesting about 2026 is that the Year of the Snake is on its way out and the Year of the Horse is on its way in. The Snake’s focus is on introspection, spiritual detoxification, and dismantling old habits. It is a time of “quiet truth“, where one faces uncomfortable emotions to gain clarity. The Horse shifts to embodiment and takes action on the insights gained. It is a time for “running wild and free“, where you apply your wisdom to real-world situations. This is the phase of, “The snake cleared the path, now the horse carries you forward“.

I love this part and I think a lot of us can use this idea of Shedding, shed what no longer serves you (old roles, relationships, or mindsets), the Horse year encourages you to build, create, and launch new initiatives. It is time to move from “survival” mode into “creation” mode. And for me, and maybe for some of you… I have been in a BIG survival mode.

How this affects our energy; Snake (2025): The energy is slower, deeper, and more calculated, favoring patience. Horse (2026): The energy is fast, impulsive, and energetic, often characterized by sudden opportunities. You may feel a mix of fatigue from the intense inner work of the snake, yet restless and eager for change. The Snake allows us to understand our true nature beneath all the survival and our defenses against survival. The Horse allows us to use that understanding to set a new direction for your life.

Let the Snake Finish Its Work: Use the final weeks of the snake year (leading up to Feb 17th, 2026) to rest and reflect, rather than forcing new, rapid beginnings too soon. Prepare for Speed: The Horse year will bring fast changes, so it is crucial to have your goals, boundaries, and energy levels prepared for high activity. This transition is often described as “the last coil of the snake” meeting “the first thunder of the horse“, representing a powerful, necessary, and exciting shift toward a more liberated and empowered state of being.

This is why I also think it is useful to wait until January has passed to set intentions and begin a new way forward. A shameless plug here for an Intention Setting workshop. I am super excited for this year as there is a different way to look at it,  A Despacho and Drum Journey. I hope to see you at the Intention Workshop so that 2026 can be all that it can be for you.
Click here for more info on The Despacho and Drum Journey

With so, so much love and light.
JennyO 

Freebie For This Month 

Click the link below to see the Cinnamon Ritual

Cinnamon Ritual

Holiday Season

Happy Holidays… Not sure why this reminds me of the Christmas season, Christine and I saw all this lovely art in San Antonio in June. Perhaps because growing up Catholic (still somewhat practicing) there were always lots of decorations and fun colors and lots of movement. Maybe that is why, the movement. December was always busy at our house growing up. There were Christmas lights, trees, stations of the cross, saying the rosary, tamales (we started with a live pig, sorry I do not mean to offend, but living on a farm this is how you got meat), hosting tons of family and still we had to do the day to day on the farm. It was a festive and very busy time.

Even though that time is gone all the nephews and nieces now have their own families and it’s just Kev and I now. I have said this before but this year has just blown by!! So many changes and so many things that I had planned for my 65th year on this planet. What I learned is that the Bahamas are lovely, it takes an open mind to travel with folks, a best friend is the best cause you pick up right where you left off. There is a saying that goes something like this… “man makes plans and God laughs” that has been my year. I hope that I found some grace in this year even though my bucket list is still pretty full. There is always time to live your fullest, and I think I learned that this year. I can live my fullest with things that are around me, I do not have to look past my own backyard.

I am doing a lot of reflecting about what I want for the new year and where I want to put my energy. I usually find a mantra for the new year, this is still not clear to me, but I know it will come. I guess I just wanted to share what was on my mind, no particular topic or directions, just me writing down some thoughts. I think that I am missing the big family gatherings during the holidays. So if you are in Austin just reach out and say Hi, as I am feeling a bit nostalgic. ♥️

I love you all and I love that I can share with you all here and the community that surrounds and supports me! Tell me how are you feeling this holiday season?

With so, so much love and light.
JennyO