So….. this is Valentines Day, or rather a day after, not usually a day I celebrate 😂. A day that is usually influenced greatly by consumerism and marketing. A day when “love” is generally measured in dollars and not simple pleasures. I remember helping out in the floral department when I worked at Central Market, people, mostly men coming in with a dazed look and an open wallet. Looking for something that looked expensive and impressive. For me, buy me flowers the day after, I get twice as many because everything is on sale!! Send me something that you made or took the time to send something that truly resonates with me. THANK YOU for those gifts that I received this year…💖

I do not deny anyone this day, I have participated in some lovely Valentines Day celebrations in my relationships. But I always came away with the idea that, “why is it just one day that you are going to treat me “special” why not the other 364 days of the year?” Love me all year long, buy me flowers for no reason, bring me home a new kind of fruit, share some jokes with me, let me wear your favorite sweatshirt or share something funny that happened to you at work today.

I say all this, and yet, I give out Valentine’s Day presents, cause I love to do this. Remember those days in grade school when everyone gave and received paper valentines day cards, anyone remember those? When everyone received a note about love and happiness. In that respect I wish it would be valentines day every day, so that we could spread love and happiness 365 days a year.

And can someone please tell me what a “wellness charge” is? And why is a restaurant charging me for this?

In all seriousness though, I wish you all the best on this holiday, no matter how you celebrate it. Know that I will have you in my heart and in my prayers all year long. That I cherish all the time that I spend with you! Thank you LT for a lovely lunch today. Go out and spread love, spread joy and I challenge you to do it today, tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that….

With so, so much love and light.
JennyO

This is a story about Monkeys….2 actually, as you all know I love a good story! This first one is about the mug, a Christmas present from Kev. I read somewhere that in any given relationship there is a person who loads the dishwasher like a Ninja and the second one who loads the dishwasher like a spastic Monkey, well until I met him, I never had a dishwasher, so I am that Monkey 😀

The second is more of a quote which I always sort of shield away from, but in 2025 it is to become my Mantra…”Not my Circus, not my Monkeys“, it always left me feeling a bit dis-engaged, the ever knowing Universe, God, Buddha is making me rethink that.

There is so much movement around the first of the year and I know that many businesses and humans go through changes. I am sitting in a few situations that are now filled with confusion and chaos, which is not of my doing. BUT I chose to try and fix them, which caused a lot of unrest in my own system. Then the story of the Bhagavad Gita started to break through and I remember the struggle of Arjuna when Krishna says to him “it’s not your responsibility” (AKA “not my circus not my monkeys“) while trying to make peace with the idea that his family is on the battlefield and many will die (this is the cliff note version). We are not responsible for others’ Dharma or Karma for that matter. When we do not “create the mess” then it is not our responsibility to fix it, the responsibility is to US to our OWN system. For us to stay in balance and provide some sort of stability to the situation, especially when the stability benefits and supports our OWN behaviors and patterns. When we stay balanced we can respond more evenly when situations become overwhelming.

I reckon it is my pattern to try and “fix” things for everyone, but is it really? I CAN be supportive, offer tools and support the plan, this idea of Upeksa. Which is how I ultimately work with folks…so in short I Yoga-Therapied myself. So in closing I will say, embrace the Monkey, he is after all Hanuman. Hanuman is worshipped for his strength, courage, devotion, and protection from evil spirits, ghosts, and ill-intentioned people. He is a symbol of bravery and service. So be brave, protect yourself from evil spirits, ghosts and  ill-intentioned people even those who may not know they are being ill-intentioned…not “Not my Circus, not my Monkeys“, thank you Polish proverb.

With so, so much love and light.
JennyO 

Freebie For January

The full moon is super bright this month, if you are not sleeping well try these herbs:

Lavender: Known for its soothing scent, it helps ease tension

Skullcap: A gentle relaxant to help quiet the mind.

Valerian: A traditional sleep aid that’s been used for centuries.

Chamomile: A cozy tea perfect for bedtime.

Hops: Often used in brewing, hops also have sleep-inducing properties.

Passionflower: Known for its calming effects.

 Tis the season to be: stressed, anxious, in traffic, too much food, too many emotions, too much family, not enough family, lots of dessert and did I mention traffic 🙂

How about we go back to the “good ole days” when fresh oranges and walnuts in your stocking were the best, and all that you expected. When a sewing kit was the BEST thing you ever got for Christmas. Going to Midnight Mass with the entire family, then coming home to fresh tamales and presents from Santa.

I vote to go back there!! A friend recently said to me this is the season “for too much stuff“, I agree. In this season of “everything” lets do LESS. Less pressure on ourselves to DO IT ALL, less of everything that brings up that level of “exhaustion” and instead go for the level of “excitement“. Excitement from spending an evening with friends playing games, or sitting in conversation without phones, watching the stars, baking cookies together or my favorite, a Tamalada. The only person that puts pressure on us this season is us, ever ask yourself why? Remember the kids eventually wind up playing with the box the toy came in or they move onto something else in like 5 minutes, cause the next best thing will show up. In this age of everything all at once, how about we take on the idea of one thing at a time. You will be surprised how this will slow everything down for you. When you can slow down and take in all the joy and beauty around you, it makes for a much less stressful season. Let’s bring back the good old fashion connection for the season, leave the anxiety at the door and just breathe.

With so, so much love and light. I wish you all the best during this holiday season and so much fortune for 2025. Celebrate all your wins!!

JennyO 

Freebie For December: New Moon Ritual

We took some time last month to just go have some fun. The Dallas Museum of Art had an exhibit of Frida Khalo’s painting and some personal facts about her that I did not know. She had a total of 4 either miscarriages or abortions. The first one was a demand from her husband Diego. No wonder that so many of her paintings show what some would call a “dark” side. For me it’s about loss, and how we all go through LOSS so differently. Frida had a wonderful outlet, she had the ability to paint and express herself through her paintings. I think of others that go through loss and wonder how they may cope with loss, what they may take up to help move through the sorrow.

What also came to mind walking through the exhibit was the amount of strength that she had, how she chose to express herself, even committing to dressing in “traditional” fashion. Some critics say that this choice also drew her deeper into her painting style and her culture.

What we surround ourselves with is what we will attract. I recently purchased some sweaters that said “Peace” and “Love“. Just one word across the front of it, and I thought how lovely it would be if each of us or some of us bought the same sweater. So that those in charge could see these messages and take them to heart. While this is not a political commentary, I think we ALL, especially WOMEN could use some peace and love.

Let us surround ourselves with this idea of Peace and Love, go out and share it with everyone you know. Or better yet complete strangers. Let it widen like a ripple on the water, let others feel it and take it in, then pass it on to others. I often have folks ask me “what can I do?“… do this, share Peace, share Love. It benefits us all….

As we come to this month of Thanksgiving, I want to give THANKS to ALL of you, for this place to share thoughts, to accept wisdom from you through personal emails and comments, well wishes and acceptance from all of you…and mostly PEACE and LOVE.

With all my LOVE, and as my friend Kirstin says, “Peace In Peace Out“.
JennyO 

Freebie For November: How to adjust to the time change

Tips for adapting to the time shift:

• Start your day with a bit of morning light. Just 10 minutes of the day’s early morning rays will help reset your internal clock and set you up for a better night’s sleep.

• Stay active, incorporate some exercise, like walking, into your routine. Physical activity can enhance your mood and improve your sleep quality.

Natural sleep aids to help you adjust like:

• Lavender: Known for its soothing scent, it helps ease tension.
• Skullcap: A gentle relaxant to help quiet the mind.
• Valerian: A traditional sleep aid that’s been used for centuries.
• Chamomile: A cozy tea perfect for bedtime.
• Hops: Often used in brewing, hops also have sleep-inducing properties.
• Passionflower: Known for its calming effects.
• California Poppy: Helps reduce anxiety & promote sleep. Especially effective for those who struggle to stay asleep.

I love it when I find little gifts on my desk. This lovely little rock was hand painted by someone and it magically appeared next to my little christmas tree and a rock that was sent to me by my best friend. I love rocks and she mailed me so many rocks for my birthday, yes, she actually paid to send me rocks, that is how much she knows I love rocks.

This particular hand painted rock speaks to me, because someone left it on my desk without taking credit for it. I do wish I knew who it was, but I appreciate it so much, maybe even more, cause someone took the time to place it on my desk. It was a project that the Chaplains put onto the different floors of the hospital I work at. They brought rocks, paint and you could paint a rock for yourself or for someone, and I was lucky enough to get one.

“Kindness” speaks to me a lot, when you can be something, anything in the whole wide world, choose kindness. Imagine what it would be like if everyone just practiced a little Kindness?? I was fortunate enough to open the eyes of many students this weekend on the subject of Ayurveda. I remember one of the students said “kindness is always a good choice“, and I thought ” yeah, I often think that“. Imagine what would shift and expand if we only practiced more kindness?? It’s about smurti/residue, if you speak meanness/hate, then that is what is stuck to you, that is what begins to create a heaviness and darkness around you. What your mom said when you were young, “if you cannot say anything nice, do not say anything at all“. Keep good thoughts because even thoughts can create smurti.

I am going to take that a step further and say “BE KIND“… imagine how much better you could make someone’s day if you show kindness. I send you all kindness….🥰

With so much love
JennyO 

Free Practice For You

PMR- progressive muscle relaxation.pdf

This was the second card that fell from the deck onto my lap. I do not know about all of you out there reading this, but this for me is a tough one!! I was taught from an early age to be frugal, mostly because we grew up on a farm and we ate what we grew, my mom sewed our clothes, or we wore hand me downs. Our big Christmas present was to have oranges and apples in our stockings because those did not grow on the farm. The monthly grocery store visit had all essentials, rice, beans, tp, soap, things like that. My mom tried hard to get us to use lye soap that she made, but I just never took to it hahaha.

The second thing my mom taught me was how to save!! Trust me if you have a Hispanic mom, she taught you this as well, most likely. So for me to put any sort of monetary cap on what I charge for my services is big. My teacher once told me, “if you find that it hurts to tell people what you charge, you are on the right track“. And God bless you Amy M. for always telling me my worth!!

I struggle with adding worth to what I do, but it’s not really about what I “do”, because I know after 20+ years of doing this and the countless amount of time and money that I have spent on training, I know I am worth it and I know what I am doing.

Where I fall short and where the miss is, that I have attached my self-worth to this. This is the real struggle, and yes I know it’s still trauma that is hanging on. I know it’s a pattern for me… I want to thank you ALL for being there to support me in this, there are so many of you to thank, Lisette, for supporting and exposing her company to my services, Terese and others who drive 5 hours to do a day retreat with me, my sewing ladies Nancy, Judy and Suki, who have been showing up virtually since the pandemic, the list goes on!!

I am abundantly blessed by so much wealth, my partner, my family, friends, students, that I can walk, breathe, learn to take a moment before speaking, that I can speak my truth and find balance…all of this is abundance beyond compare.

So my work and maybe the work for some of you reading this is to vibrate wealthy and abundant vibes to allow more $$$ in. Even though I do not need much, I shop at Goodwill and cook most of our meals, I do not have any major vices, I rarely take vacations, I take on all kinds of side hustles, it’s still important to think that we ALL have self-worth, and in today’s economy, it’s ok to make $$$.

But mostly it’s about the thought that goes with $$$, it is a vibration, and if it vibrates toward greed, or superiority, then the vibration is not where it needs to be. Let us all vibrate at the level needed to allow us to thrive and do what feels supportive to ourselves. Whatever that may be. 🙂 And remember that money is also an energetic exchange, think of ways to “barter and exchange” with fellow Sangha members on skills or opportunities that you may have. Our system did not always have $$$, sometimes a Chicken went a long way…

With so much love
JennyO 

Free Ayurvedic Monthly Practice

We have had a nice cool run of it this year in Austin, but as we enter our “Hot as Hell” season in Austin, here is a tip to keep your cool.

1/4 cup of pomegranate juice in the morning to help with the Pitta heat of the summer, also good for hot flashes.

Or mix the same amount of pomegranate juice with some coconut water, with a small squeeze of lime. This will help balance the cool Vata of the drink. Or, drink it room temp.

I have recently been watching the Boyz, I know, it’s bloody and gross, but it’s totally my guilty pleasure. I have to admit I cannot watch more than one or two of them because they really lift the level of my Vata and I am often closing my eyes. Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Anyway, it has really made me think about this idea of superpowers. In the series superpowers are brought about chemically, like any good Marvel movie Deadpool, Wolverine, Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, I watch a lot of Marvel, can you tell? Their superpowers are brought about by something “enhanced or chemical” except maybe Thor, cause well, you know, he is Thor and the God of Thunder.

I was in a workshop recently with Effin Creative and we were talking about what we really like to do, my response to that was “I like to create curriculum” odd I know. But at that moment, when she asked that was my answer. She then had us draw tarot cards. Uniqueness is “superpower”.

I find this interesting, as I have (until recently) always tried to hide being “unique”. I know now that comes from my trauma at a young age. All I wanted to do was blend in, I thought that the reason I was being “targeted” was because I was unique. Trust me when you are trying to make sense of Trauma you will try anything to help you make sense of it. My thoughts then were “if I am like everyone else, if I can blend, then I will no longer be a target”.

As I have worked through these patterns and these emotions, I still kind of fight them. I remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach when this card was revealed to me. Just for a split second, it was there, I felt it in my belly and I had a little light headed feeling like I was going to pass out. What was different, and what has been different recently is that these feelings are fast, like a blink of an eye. I remember before that they would take days. Days of trying to explain away every single scenario, I would be caught in the rabbit hole of these feelings for days.

Yoga has helped me so much, to know that I am not “there” anymore, I am here, I am present and I have the ability to keep myself in the present moment. But like anything that helps keep us in balance, it is a constant shifting to keep us in balance.

So I will continue to support my Uniqueness and continue to support my love of writing curriculum. Both bring me joy and both allow me to keep bringing workshops, programs, & trainings that will encourage you to find your Superpower…!!

With so much love
JennyO 

Free Practice

Practice Sitali / Sheetali by inhaling through a curled tongue and exhaling through the nose. During each exhalation, lightly touch the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth, inviting the cool tip of the tongue to send coolness toward the upper palate. (Swallow now an then if the throat feels dry.) Continue this cycle for one to five minutes – until you feel refreshed.

If you are unable to curl your tongue, practice a variation known as Sitkari pranayama. Inhale through the teeth, with the lips parted and the tongue floating just behind the teeth.

Pause and feel the effects of the practice, noticing any areas of the body or mind that feels refreshed, ventilated, renewed, or cooled.