Wellness Challenge

I have decided to start a wellness challenge at Soul Shine. It will be good for me and you. We can all participate even if you do not attend classes at Soul Shine. If you do attend Soul Shine, the grand prize is a free unlimited month pass! Whoo Hoo!

This is not going to be your typical weight loss challenge. I hope we can all shed a few pounds if we need to, but I want to focus on WELLNESS.

The categories will go somethin' like this...
Yoga classes
Yoga at home
Cardio exercise
Going vegetarian for a day
Going without dairy for a day
Getting outside
Reading a book that has nothing to do with self improvement
Reading a book that does involve self improvement
Quiet Time & Meditation
Trying something new
Spending 10 minutes alone in the morning, just breathing and getting ready for the day (no tv, Internet...)
Going without TV for a day
Playing a game (cards, tag, golf...let your inner child out!)
Random acts of kindness

You will get a point for everything you do and the person with the most points will win. I am thinking it will last a month - starting August 1st!

Ideas...comments...participants....

Love & Light
Namaste,
Heather

Ahhh...Sweet Relief

Hello energy
Hello sun
Hello light

Hello friends

Honestly, lately I have been down and out - way too busy for one human being to be and I ran myself into the ground. My head felt like pancake batter. My body feels heavy and cumbersome - unless I am practicing yoga asanas, then I feel good. I also found out that I have a B vitamin deficiency - what a relief! I thought I was just tired, dizzy and more tired just because I was so busy. Now I am getting B vitamin shots and I feel so much better. Its only a temporary fix though, I still need to supplement with oral vitamins and such. I am also adding more B to my diet with fortified foods. Since most of the foods that have these energy boosters in it are yucky - like liver, gag, even when I ate meat, I did not eat organs...gag again...so that is out of the question. Eggs and cheese have lots of Beeees in them, so that is handy for me since I love both.

I have missed blogging. I am committing to blogging 2 - 3 times a week now. I am seriously also working on yoga videos. I know, I know - you have heard this before, but I am serious! I just need to figure out the sound situation...the studio is like a very deep cave with a very bad echo - so I am going to have to do something about that. If you have any ideas let me know.

I am also on a journey of cleansing and hopefully in the process losing 20 - 30 LBS. I will be the first to admit that when my schedule got crazy, my diet got sloppy. Eating out a LOT, BK veggie burgers and fries, beer, frosty Pina Coladas at the beach, fried crab claws...goodness, I am getting hungry. Let me wipe the drool off my chin

Anyway...the above mentioned nasty, yet delicious, food is the reason I am cleansing. So, no beer. Sigh. Only goooood food, fresh veggies, brown rice, eggs, almond butter, berries etc...that I am not so sad about. But honestly - beer is the devil on one's waist line. Plus I am sure my liver will appreciate a break.

So, here I am, being totally open and honest with you about my weight. I will get into more details later about emotional eating, diet pills, food, recipes and such. I hope you will hang out with me on this journey.

Namaste, Love & Light,

Heather

The best update ever....

Hello!!!!! I am sure most of you know by now, but I just wanted to make it official on the blog. Hailey and I went to MD Anderson (stupid videos coming to you very soon!) and the specialist at MD Anderson said that she does not have any cancer in her body. She does not have get chemo for at least 3 months and she will have a scan at MD ANDERSON in 3 months. 

The doctors/techs at Athens Regional read her previous scans incorrectly, giving us a scare with that "tumor on her bladder" thing. 

Today is a day to celebrate and to thank all of you who have been praying for us, supporting us and I just want to say Namaste (the divine light in me honors the divine light in you) 

Love & Light

H

Hailey Update

Hey all.
Hailey has new tumors. There is at least one big one on the muscle tissue surrounding her bladder. She will have surgery sometime this week we guess. Her oncologist wanted to wait to send her to TX for scans AND surgery, but the consensus now is that she need surgery ASAP.
How long can she keep doing this? She will be on chemo for the rest of her life - she may get lucky and have a few months off here and there - but basically she will be sick from chemo and cancer forever. What would you do if you were faced with that?
Hailey's attitude is that she will do whatever she has to in order to fight. That is good. I love that. I may have already ditched the whole chemo thing, eating raw kale and carrots and traveling in an RV for a while.

For those who don't know, my mom also has cancer. She had a localized tumor taken out of her breast last week. Mom is doing OK, she is more worried about Hailey than anything. Shocker. She has an appt with the doctor on Tuesday to get her plan together. I am guessing that she will get radiation, I can NOT see Sheila going through chemo.

Belly Dancing, Zumba Performances, New Clothing Line and YOGA - OH MY!

Many blessings to you all...


Check out that beautiful picture! This is really a picture from the resort Soul Shine is hosting in June...see more info about this below....
I have so many new blessings in my life I need to share with you! Great things are happening and I can not wait to see you at some (or all!) of these events.

On May 1st at the Buford Spring Festival Soul Shine Yoga and Wellness will have a booth full of cute clothes, demonstrating yoga, zumba and our newest Soul Shine goddess Oracle will be demonstrating some belly dancing. Also, at 6:00 PM at the Wine Tasting we will be performing Zumba for the crowds delight. Shakin' it Zumba style and getting the crowd to participate is going to be so much fun! Don't miss it! Also, Soul Shine has a new sister company LiciaLu. LiciaLu is a clothing line for all of us! LiciaLu will feature cute yoga clothing PLUS adorable "magic" skirts, tops, hand dyed shirts, batiked clothing etc...lots of one of a kinds and beautiful dresses you can wear to a concert, or to a fancy restaurant. LiciaLu will make its debut at Buford Days. Check out http://www.visitbuford.com/ for more info on the festival.


Oracle, our newest addition to Soul Shine, will be teaching a Belly Dancing workshop on May 15 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. You do not need to bring anything, just come and learn some beautiful dance moves. Hopefully we will also be adding a weekly belly dancing class to Soul Shine's schedule. For more info on Oracle and her amazing dance company click here. If you don't know what to get mom for mother's day - maybe this could be a great gift for her! (Or YOURSELF!!)

Our yoga classes are growing and we are expanding all the time. We would like to know what days, times and types of classes you want to see at Soul Shine. I created Soul Shine for YOU, so let us know how we can serve you and bring total wellness in your life.

This is our current schedule:
Monday:
6:00 PM – Beginner Series (6 weeks of Yoga 101) with China (Next Series Begins May 3rd.)
7:30 PM – Yoga for Strength and Toning with Heather

Tuesday:
6:00 PM – All Level Yoga with Heather
7:30 PM – Zumba! with Maria
Wednesday:
8:30 AM – All Level Yoga with Heather
6:30 PM – Beginner/Level One Yoga with China

Thursday:
6:00 PM – All Level Yoga with Heather
7:30 PM – Restorative Yoga with Heather

Friday:
10:00 AM – Gentle Yoga with China

Saturday:
9:00 AM – Zumba! with Maria
10:15 AM – All Level Yoga with Heather

The most exciting event coming up for us is Soul Shine is our first Yoga Retreat! Whooo Hoooo!
This weekend is going to be amazing! Everyone is invited! It will be on June 11 - 13 at Pura Vida Spa and Resort in Dahlonega. The cost depends on the type of room you book, but the pricing includes ALL MEALS, yoga and meditation 2 - 3 times a day, lodging, a Jacuzzi, music under the stars and take home materials. The resort is beautiful. Meals are served on the front porch over looking the mountains. There is a hiking trail, pond, Jacuzzi and a spa if you want to get a massage. I am pumped! :)  Go to http://www.rrresorts.com/ and click on Dahlonega for pictures and more info on the resort.

2 Night Retreat

                                      Double Occ.                                          Single Occ.

Farmhouse…………….…...…$370……………………………….…$460

Bear Den Cabin…………...….$420…………………………………..$525

Cottage Suite……………... ….$440………………………………......$550


Schedule:
Friday, June 11
3:00 PM – Check In
4:00 – 5:30 – All Level Yoga Class with Intro to Meditation
5:30 – Tea and Refreshments on the front porch
6:30 – 8:30 – Dinner and Free Time

9:00 – Guided Full Body Relaxation and Evening Meditation

Saturday, June 12

8:30 – 10:30 - Breakfast and Free Time (good time to take a hike!)

10:30 – 12:30 – Morning Flow Yoga

12:30 – 2:30 – Lunch and Free Time

3:00 – 4:30 – Restorative Yoga and Meditation

4:45 – Tea and Refreshments on the front porch

4:45 – 6:30 – Free Time (maybe a trip to the spa?)

6:30 – 8:30 - Dinner and Free Time

9:00 – Hanging out Under the Stars, Hot Tub Time, Meditation…your choice!

Sunday, June 13

8:00 – 9:30 – Continental Breakfast

10:30 – 11:45 – Gentle Yoga and Closing of the Retreat

12:00 – Check Out (you are welcome to use the trails, enjoy the day!)

I truly hope you can join us at the Buford Spring Festival, at the Belly Dance Workshop and at the Summer Retreat! Its going to be a fabulous summer!

Namaste,

Heather

PS: Hailey is at the beach enjoying herself for the first time in 2 years! Thank God!

Just a quickie...

To explain my FB status, I am just really irritated today. I truly do not fake my happiness and joyful spirit - but today I am mad.
Hailey is in the hospital again because of her blood count. I just saw her yesterday! She was fine...she had color, we were joking around, she got up and sat on the porch with me - then BAM! Back in the pokey. That is one of the MANY crappy things about cancer, it can catch you off guard. One minute everything seems OK, then back to the hospital.
Whatever, I know she is in good hands and she is still here. So praise God for that. God's got it. I know he does, whatever the outcome (wether I like it or not) is not in my control.
So, I will just try and let it go and enjoy Lost tonight.

Namaste,

H

We can change the world with our own two hands....

Wow, its been a long time since I wrote on here...I feel bad and I have been missing it. I am so busy with Soul Shine, work, family, trying to keep up on the laundry...blah, blah, blah...trying to fit a social life in there somewhere...and starting a new clothing line (LiciaLu) I have completely left a bunch of people hanging.

I know you are all wondering how Hailey is doing...she is...well, OK. That is the best I can muster. She is OK. Not good, not by any means, but not terrible. Not terrible by her standards anyway - by ours - it would be terrible. If you could not keep any food down, felt like getting out of bed just to use the bathroom and get some water, you would classify that as terrible. However, we can classify it as OK in Hailey's world. If you ask her how she feels, she will tell you straight up "terrible, $^$(*#!!$@!&%&*#, terrible". I don't know if I could be that kind. She spends all day in bed, watching TV and she will get up to go to the bathroom, get some water or maybe some food. The food does not settle for long though, so she is not too keen on food now.

She is at my parents house, and her treatment is out patient. We all honestly thought that this round of chemo would be easier. Well, we were wrong. Its all poison. Stinking poison. Which again leads me to wonder, which is worse? Cancer or chemo? You would think in 2010 we would have a better way...

It hurts, it really does. My dad asked me today if I was scared. I told him no. She has fight, she is talking, she is cracking jokes, protecting her daughter, loving and spunky. She has spark in her eyes. Most importantly she has her faith. I will let him know, and I will let you know when I am scared. But, it hurts to see my crazy ass sister sick as hell and laid up in bed all day. I still get to cuddle with her, watch movies and most importantly make fun of our parents (haha!) - so I am going to savor all of it I can and I am still holding out for a miracle from the Good Lord. He IS a Good Lord.

In the meantime you can change the world with your own two hands - go out there and do it. Stop sitting around and waiting for your invitation. If there is anything that this teaches us, GO, get out there and DO IT. Whatever it is....DO IT.

I love you all

Love and Light

Diamonds on the Inside...and Let your Soul Shine