after a day of studio fun and a week of non-stop scheduled activities, it's odd to have space b/w my team retreat and a night out dancing with girls from the studio. oh my gawd - 2 free hours! should i read, write in my journal, pay some bills, organize my desk, or sit back and chill? i don't have anything in my planner b/w 8-10pm so i feel a little disheveled. clearly, i have a problem! unscheduled time feels very foreign to me but i must confess that i kinda like the feeling. maybe i should schedule unscheduled time in my planner. now, i think i'm on to something. . .

after teaching on thursday nights for 8 years, i have decided to give up my class. i love teaching, but am finding that i need to focus on my own practice and would love a free night. i don't teach on mondays but usually have a tranquil space foundation meeting or hit the studio's yoga 3, so this opens up more creative space which i'm craving.

last night's hip hop yoga workshop was made even more fabulous by russell simmons attending! considering i have a *huge* professional crush on him, i was so excited. i often see him practicing at jivamukti when i'm in new york and it always makes me smile. he's vegan, a yogi, wears an "om" watch, AND a pioneer in hip hop. i love this non-stereotypical blend.

a blog reader and fellow tranquil spacer asked me today about my tranquilology proposal, saying, "i thought you already finished it?" i passed it along to my agent who had some edits and i need to incorporate them. had intended to do it in costa rica but never opened my computer (i note that with pride!). soooo, gotta carve out the space now. that's what is in store next week at the cabin - along with creating a creative plan (you know, like the scheduled nonscheduled space).

today's team retreat at the castle was amazing. i'm in awe over the growth from a tiny seed in a living room 8 years ago. we had 60+ team members there and each person is soooo special. photos to come. i had two lovely GWU MBA students work with me this summer to do a corporate culture study and they presented the results tonight, along with lots of other fun team building and self-exploration activities. of course, people can't leave without a goodie bag so we had 2 bags of yummy revolution tea (green tea or white pear) put into a skeleton, bat, or pumpkin treat bag for everyone to take home. you just can't have a party without a goodie bag!

gotta get dolled up for dancing. it's been way too long and i'm looking forward to a few hours out and about. dancin' shoes here i come.

yay for scheduled unscheduled time! genius, eh? wanna join me in the revolution?

posted by kimberly wilson @ 8:43 PM | 2 comments

the day began with typical e-mail drama that kept me computer bound for 2 hours. then the mental health excursion began. i had a lovely lunch with my BFF at rock creek, did some journal writing at a nearby bread baking shop, and headed to the movie theatre to see 2 days in paris. good flick and so delightful (and terribly indulgent) to watch a matinee on a thursday afternoon. i think i need to schedule that in more often. taught my yoga 3, had a few phone calls, and am now delighted to hop into my bed for some sleep.

sometimes i think that slowing down actually makes me more tired! funny how that happens, eh? you slow down and your body goes into shock. kinda like how we can get sick on vacation because we finally give our body a chance to rest.

tomorrow and the weekend are jam-packed with meetings, a team retreat, hip hop yoga (come out friday 7:30-9pm at tranquil space), a night of dancing with some fab girls, and a teacher meeting. next week will offer a respite as i dedicate some serious time to finishing my tranquilology book proposal and resting at a cabin in the mountains with beau, louis, my BFF, and her beau. always good to replenish and practice "being" rather than doing.

by the way, i did finally fall asleep after my green tea overdose. no more afternoons filled with 4 mugs! yikes! at least i know there are tons of good antioxidants in my system. god bless yummy green tea - especially chilled and sweetened on a warm day.

may you take a mental health moment and savor oodles of decaffeinated green tea.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:04 PM | 0 comments

as i bring my 15+ hour workday to a close, i'm forced to reflect, take a deep breath, and write a quick "bonjour" to my fellow hip and (trying to be) tranquil chicks:

• after 4 mugs filled with iced green tea, i may be up for days. caffeine has a crazy effect on my highly sensitive system. uh oh!
  
• i'm still feeling the effects of the 108 sun salutes from sunday's global mala event. sure, i snuck out for 3 of 'em to use the loo, but even 105 has brought sensation to my hamstrings that i didn't think was possible.
• i'm taking thursday as a mental health day to get a massage and play with my BFF. we may see a matinee, hit a museum, or talk big picture. always a treat and much needed at the moment. yay for mental health days. can you reserve one on your calendar?
  
• saturday is our 2nd annual tranquil space "tranquiliteam" retreat and we're having it at the brewmaster's castle. so excited!
• hip holidays teleclass scheduled for monday, november 12. join us!
• buy yourself some flowers, you deserve it!
• tranquil space foundation gala is coming up on thursday, october 11. if you can join us, please do. if you'd like to donate something fabulous for the silent auction, please let me know.
• are you feeling the effects of fall yet? i was able to wear a baby doll dress with boots yesterday and i was in heaven. fall fashion is so fun this season. guess fall fashion is always fun, eh? wait until you see what TranquiliT has in store!
• read any good books lately? i just recently finished rules for renegades and enjoyed it. found it at the airport bookstore en route to costa rica and couldn't resist. you know, that whole "pulse goes up when i realize i packed 5 books but want another" struggle i always have. . ..
  
• here are some notes i took during a lecture at global mala on acceptance by the lovely tara brach:
• sacred art of pausing
• what stops you from loving what is?
• what stops you from loving yourself as you are right now?
• fear that if you love yourself as is, you will downward spiral or not improve.
• carl jung stated that only if you accept yourself as is, then you can change
• vengeance is a lazy form of grief
• failure to experience joy is directly related to an inability to forgive

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:04 PM | 3 comments

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Welcome to the 101st edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, chic sewing with Hope Meng in Off the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: Shoulder opener for gettin' crafty

Off the Mat: Today’s podcast is an interview with Hope Meng who has been creative and crafty her whole life, dabbling in photography, dance, illustration, painting, and just about anything else that requires right-brained thinking. She started sewing seven years ago, when her acceptance into a local belly dance troupe required her to make her own costumes, and she hasn’t put down the needle and thread since. Nowadays, Hope makes or refashions the majority of her wardrobe. Hope helped develop Stitch Lounge in order to share her knowledge of fashion design and to promote the local arts community. As one half of the Do-Everything Team of Superheroes, Hope designed the entire look and feel of Stitch, including logo, website, and store interior. In addition to Stitch, Hope is currently pursuing her second bachelor's degree in Graphic Design at California College of the Arts (formerly CCAC).

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. Pull out an old t-shirt, some scissors, needle and thread and play.
2. Sign up for a sewing class.
3. Pull out design images from a magazine and play with sketching variations.

Savvy Sources:
Sew Subversive
Generation T: 108 Ways To Transform Your T-Shirt
Subversive Seamster

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for my new retail therapy page complete with the Hip Tranquil Chick book, yoga CDs, and tranquilista gems.

Signature Style: Make something sassy

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Come our next 1-day retreat in DC on Saturday, January 12 and a weekend of all things hip and tranquil in the Catskills of NY in March. I’ll be leading workshops and hosting book signings in Montreal and the Boston area in November; Miami Beach in December; Charleston, WV, Asheville and Charlotte, NC in February; and back to Denver in April. Plus Kripalu and Omega next summer! Details for all special events at kimberlywilson.com. I hope our paths will cross.

Join us for our next le chic teleclass chat focused on hip holidays on Monday, November 12 at 8:30ET. Details here.

Community Corner: A reminder – if you have a product you’d like reviewed by me on the blog – send a sample to me at 2024 p street, nw dc, 20036. sending a sample does not guarantee placement but I’d love to support our growing community!

Mentoring: Interested in diving deeper into hip and tranquil topics 1:1? If so, view the scoop here.

Au Revoir: Request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music from an artist we’ve played before. Today’s selection is In the Orchard Lies a Secret by Moshang. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of their music at moshang.net.

Thanks for joining me for the 101 edition of the HTC podcast. Get Crafty! Namaste.

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 9:47 PM | 3 comments

since beau and i have been ships passing in the night this week, i promised that after leading teacher training today we would have "date night." while he's out picking up our movie selection (yet another documentary) and we await our chinese takout, i wanted to share some photos of the cutest 95-year-old gramma ever. here we are practicing yoga and getting dolled up to hit the texas dollar stores!

today began bright and early with a beautiful walk along the potomac river in a 5k for suicide prevention. a very worthy cause and a lovely way to start the day.

although my in box is full and my desk needs oodles of organizing, i'm signing off for some r and r. 'night.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 5:50 PM | 2 comments

bonjour from my loft bed. as i type only a few feet from the ceiling, i feel oddly spacious despite the cramped quarters. last night when i got home from my evening meal at mid-night, i looked at my planner pad and cringed. why do i overschedule? why are there SO many meetings? where can i make some space? i e-mailed a couple of appointments and rescheduled. it worked well for both of them and felt oddly liberating. yes, i gotta take control of the schedule. i can't let it control me. profound concept, eh?

yesterday while i was en route to an appointment, i had a phone meeting with a friend who was staying home from work to catch up on some "me time," clean the house, and just be for a few hours. i was envious and feel liberated knowing that i, too, can do this and the world still spins. do yourself a favor, make a cancellation or write in some self-care time and take control of your day.

signing off to take a much-needed nap before tonight's open house festivities at tranquil space arlington. sending you good thoughts from the loft bed in the oh-so-tiny pink palace. happy start to your weekend.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 1:49 PM | 3 comments

so my day began with a lovely tube inserted into my nostril and down into my esophagus, complete with 40 minutes of water sipping and swallowing. good morning! last month's barium swallow called for today's exciting motility test. frankly, i could have skipped it. however, i'm hopeful that the doctors can figure out what is causing this lovely gurgle in my throat. odd "condition," eh?

more whirlwind days. think i should listen to my self-care podcasts and reread chapter 5! all the traveling has truly thrown me for a loop but i'm delighted to be back home. monday i went to bed at 7pm. my 95-year-old gramma wore me out!

i'm learning tons of lessons lately on trusting my intuition and making smarter decisions. life lessons are hard and hindsight is always 20/20, but i believe in the importance of making u-turns along the way. life is too short and our basic essence is joy. we deserve to experience it with ourselves and others.

off to teach to our lovely arlington yogis. if you're around friday night, please join us for our open house at 3260 wilson boulevard from 6:30-8:30. until then, sip your tea, take deep breaths, and don't be afraid to make a u-turn.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 4:56 PM | 2 comments

a lovely gal from costa rica sent this to me and i had to pass it along:

"There is no use trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things."

"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

- Lewis Carroll

posted by kimberly wilson @ 5:04 PM | 2 comments

it's been a lovely few days of family time but i can't wait to curl up in my own bed, soak in my own tub, and not engage in small talk for at least 24 hours. woke up at 5am and am catching up on e-mail while we await our delayed baltimore flight to take us home from newark. i think i am officially traveled out for awhile.

gramma's birthday soiree was tons o' fun and i have some entertaining photos to share. amazing how exhausting it is to fly to oklahoma, drive from oklahoma to texas, galivant all over texas shopping (did you know vera wang has a new line at kohl's?), participate in a party for the 95-year-old queen, drive back to oklahoma, and fly home. i'm truly pooped and my body is so out of sorts. dined on dark chocolate m & ms (gramma even had to hide them from me because i was eating her whole big bag), sipped a ton of tea, ate oodles of tex mex, dined on the buttercream icing from gramma's cake, and tried to get in anything fresh any chance i could. my family loves pre-packaged everything. my body is out of whack!

while waiting for our next plane, i pulled out the trusty planner pad to see what my week had in store for me. wrote in numerous to dos with my new multi-colored gel pens and am ready to dive back in - after a good long bath tub soak, some yummy yoga, fresh food, and good night's sleep in my own bed.

by the way, many of you requested "pink palace" photos. with all the recent travel, it has been hard to capture the cozy condo without packed or unpacked bags strewn throughout. i promise you that those photos are forthcoming but i just couldn't bear to show them in the state of flux my home has recently been in. stay tuned.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 1:10 PM | 5 comments

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Bonjour! Welcome to the 100th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu turns the interviewing mic on Kimberly as we celebrate the 100th episode and nearly 2 years of Hip Tranquil Chick Podcast! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Our interviewer
michelle cohen completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training from tranquil space in 2007. she began practicing yoga shortly before getting married, to help relieve some of the stress of wedding planning and to find balance as she transitioned into a new stage of her life. she fell in love with yoga immediately and knew it would make her grow and change beyond her wildest imagination. michelle enjoys cultivating a spiritual connection through her asana, pranayama and meditation practice. her teaching style is supportive, playful and energetic.

she encourages her students to uncover and embrace their inner wisdom to empower them to lead a more truthful, conscious and passionate life. she would like to express gratitude to all her tranquil space teachers for illuminating her divine spark, and her husband for his amazing and endless support.

when not on the mat, michelle is a fundraising professional for a community arts organization based in capitol hill. she is an active volunteer for the tranquil space foundation and the make-a-wish foundation. michelle holds a masters in tourism administration from george washington university and a b.s. in mass communication from towson university.

The questions

Have you always been a hip and tranquil chick from birth?

What do you like best about DC/what made you decide to start your yoga studio here and stay settled here?

What three women have been the greatest influences in your life?

What do you like best about what you do?

What is one part of your job that you absolutely hate? How do you overcome the things you don’t like to do?

As an entrepreneur, author, clothing and jewelry designer, podcaster and blogger, mentor and activist, what are the next big projects on the horizon? Where do you see yourself and what do you see yourself doing in 10 years?

What keeps you motivated?

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

What three things could you not live without?

Who are your greatest yogic inspirations?

Listener Questions

How many classes do you teach a week? When you are not teaching a class, how much time do you typically spend in an active yoga practice?

With the amount of time that your business must take and the number of interactions with all the HTC community via computer and in person at functions, how and when do you connect with your real/true friends? And when do you make time for yourself?

How do you stay so slim? Is it the yoga? The veggie lifestyle? You look amazing in photographs! What do you eat on a 'typical' day in DC?

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:35 PM | 9 comments

thursday was a long day on 3.5 hours of sleep but lovely, nonetheless. when we arrived to my parents home in the country, we met their new pound puppy who had never socialized with another dog. she initially yelped, tucked her tail between her legs, and hit between my parents' feet when louis approached. when we left yesterday, she was biting his bum, chasing him, and not letting him leave with beau for their quick road trip. during this exchange, louis happened to discover how to get onto the kitchen counter (no easy feat for a pug) and quickly consumed freshly baked lemon bars and a left over cinnamon roll from breakfast. he was one happy pug.

since thursday was a bit of a sleepy blur complete with heading to bed at 9pm, we arose early on friday to get things started. as beau and pug headed to nebraska (with hopes of hitting one of his three never-been-to states), mom and i headed south to texas to canoodle with gramma. we got massages at her fancy assisted living center, dined at olive garden (my fave chain restaurant - shows i'm not a true foodie, eh?), hit tarjay after gramma was eying my silver ballet flats (i told her they had patent red, too, and she had to have 'em - she's 95, i think she can have whatever she wants), took a quick tour through ross dress for less, and then gramma needed her second nap of the day. so back home, she snored, and we got ready for an art auction that featured two of my uncle's lovely paintings. not to let a moment go to waste, we hit big lots (a fun discount store) with 45-minutes left until closing and i got some fabu stickers for the tranquil space foundation's pilot programs featuring creativity, some fancy paper for making cards, and some lovely vellum envelopes. i have trouble passing up a bargain - especially when it is a crafty one!

en route to texas, we stopped off to see a dear friend of my father's who is dying of cancer. he was at my booksigning in oklahoma over the holidays, was as spry as ever, and has been amazingly loyal to my father over the years. it was heartbreaking to see what has transpired since our last interaction. life is truly so fleeting and it reminded me to be grateful for every moment - even the slightly challenging ones (like mom pointing out all the gas prices as we pass the stations - "oh, it's X here. wow, 2 cents cheaper here.")

wrote and got the next 2 columns off to the examiner, along with a description for my 3 days at kripalu in 2008 while gramma napped. who knows what today holds. think we're off to a tea house, may do some craftsy projects, and will have lunch with her friends in the cafeteria. life moves much slowly here - midwest in general, especially her assisted living center - and it is a nice change of pace. country music abounds on the radio, people are incredibly friendly, and life is quite slow. welcome to the midwest (or how do you really classify oklahoma?).

tomorrow's the big day. 95th birthday par-tay with friends and family coming from all over the country. will definitely have photos of this event. asked gramma how she wanted to celebrate her centennial and she blew me off. when you're 95, you don't have to deal with the niceties or placate everyone's silly questions.

i hope you're able to relish in the joys of discount stores, gettin' craftsy, and spending time with a loved one this weekend. memories are to be cherished and constantly created. back to gramma - she may be up by now. that lil' booger loves to sleep - a woman after my own heart! oh, and i must credit her with my love and belief in the power of naps. she always made me take 'em - despite my lack of desire - as a young girl. now, i think they are the most decadent thing ever. well, right after chocolate gelato stuffed with chips of chocolate. yum!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 8:49 AM | 3 comments

look at this crazy hour and i have a flight at 7am from BWI so . . . i gotta get up in 4 hours. yikes! anyway, the past few days have been a whirlwind of non-stop action including tonight's inaugural class at tranquil space arlington. such fun and we had an absolutely divine (and patient) group of yogis as we work to iron out any kinks (like credit card receipts being spit out by a printer on pages and pages of blank space) in providing the optimum tranquil space.

fun news to share: i'll be leading 3-5 day workshops at omega and kripalu in the summer of 2008. stay tuned for all the scoop. i'm honored and terribly excited.

also, had to share this darling photo that was attached to an event put on by the humane society. can you stand it?

gramma is turning 95 so beau, pug, and i leave for a ton o' fun in the great plains. after running on adrenaline for the past few days, it will be a lovely change of pace.

may the rest of your week be filled with joy, gratitude for all you have, and a sense of self-reflection on where you're going. i'm right there with you.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:46 AM | 2 comments

may all beings everywhere be happy and free.
may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way
to that happiness and to that freedom for all.

my fave sanskrit saying post-jivamukti training. i shared it during the savvy self-care teleclass tonight and thought that all readers would enjoy it, especially on the anniversary of 9.11. sending you all much love and a reminder of the interconnectedness we all share.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:09 PM | 5 comments

I've been home less than 12 hours and am absolutely delighted to share some photos from my week away. Costa Rica was divine, the group was colorful, and the views were exquisite. These photos provide a brief glimpse into the exciting work that we did together. The cast of characters were AMAZING! Carolyn, Courtney, Valerie, Kristen, Margarite, Rachel, Genevieve, Kathy, Jane, Julie, Jennifer, Ginger, and Tim (aka Beau). We danced, collaged, journaled, meditated, ate (a lot of papaya), hiked, practiced yoga, set creative goals, played with essential oils, and got a ton of yummy treatments from chocolate or coffee scrubs to costa rican hot stone massage.

The photo of the parrot was a humorous moment. We were all watching these 3 big birds when this particular one jumped onto Ginger's head and began licking her forehead. The experience was divine and I'm eternally grateful to the girls (and beau) who took a week out of their lives to celebrate hipness and tranquility with me. I'm returning next year - probably the same holiday week - so mark your 2008 calendars if you'd like to join in on the fun.

Gotta continue unpacking, organizing, and planning my 3-day week. Off to Oklahoma on Thursday to celebrate Gramma's 95th birthday! It's a treat to be back in touch and I hope each of you had a lovely holiday weekend and first week of September.

A reminder that we have a le chic teleclass chat tomorrow night on Savvy Self-Care! And, due to your requests, I'll be putting together a Creativity Circle teleclass to launch this fall. Stay tuned for scoop. Besos.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 1:02 PM | 8 comments

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Bonjour! Welcome to the 99th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, Be Buddha-ful with Brian Sano in Off the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: Meditation

Off the Mat: Today’s podcast is an interview with Brian Sano on Being Buddha-ful. Brian is a student and practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, particularly in the Shambhala tradition of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and Pema Chodron. He encourages others to practice meditation “off the cushion,” as well as on it, by bringing awareness and mindfulness into every aspect of our daily lives. This “meditationess,” as he calls it, can wake us up, inspiring us to appreciate and see the magic in each moment, as it is. Besides sitting on the meditation cushion, Brian’s interests include practicing and teaching yoga, contemplative photography, and playing soccer or squash. Brian leads a weekly meditation class at Tranquil Space. For his “real” job, Brian is a lawyer for a federal agency in Washington, DC, where he lives, sits, and plays.

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. Practice tonglen and let us know how it goes
2. Share your favorite Buddhist book and why you love it
3. Try a 5 minute meditation daily and share your experience

Savvy Sources:
Girl Seeks Bliss by Nicole Beland
shambhla.org
Anything by Pema Chodren
theidproject.com

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for my new retail therapy page complete with the Hip Tranquil Chick book, yoga CDs, and tranquilista gems.

Signature Style: TranquiliT’s tres tunic. 50% off code HTC.

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Come our next 1-day retreat in DC on Saturday, January 12 and a weekend of all things hip and tranquil in the Catskills of NY in March. I’ll be leading workshops and hosting book signings in Montreal and the Boston area in November; Charleston, WV and Charlotte, NC in February; and back to Denver in April. Details for all special events at kimberlywilson.com. I hope our paths will cross.

Join us for our next le chic teleclass chat focused on savvy self-care on Monday, September 10 at 8:30ET. Details here.

Community Corner: A reminder – if you have a product you’d like reviewed by me on the blog – send a sample to me at 2024 p street, nw dc, 20036. sending a sample does not guarantee placement but I’d love to support our burgeouning community!

Mentoring: Interested in diving deeper into hip and tranquil topics 1:1? If so, view all the scoop here.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music from Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is I Feel Love by Derek the Bandit. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of his music at derekthebandit.wordpress.com.

Thanks for joining me for the 99th edition of the HTC podcast. Be Buddha-ful! Namaste.

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:08 AM | 1 comments

(Hi. As a reminder, I'm Amanda from over at Creative DC, and I'm guest blogging while Kimberly is away in Costa Rica this week. She'll be back on the 9th.)

I'm in a cafe I don't usually visit, and have been having a fabulous time people-watching and overhearing tidbits of conversations. I'm reminded of a scene in a great film, 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould, in which you "hear" everything that Gould, a famous pianist, hears in a greasy spoon - and come to understand that for him, the world is a living orchestra. The conversation next to him is like the violins - then he tunes into another across the room, and it's like the horns are starting.

Life is as we experience it. So today, try listening differently - either in a public place, or in a conversation, or even to yourself. Try what meditation teachers suggest - imagine leaving your body and floating up to the ceiling, then gaze down at yourself as if you were watching a character in a movie. What does that character hear? And what is she missing?

posted by Amanda @ 1:09 PM | 2 comments

"It takes courage to grow up
and turn out to be
who you really are."
---e e cummings

posted by Amanda @ 12:47 PM | 2 comments

Hi everyone. I'm Amanda from over at Creative DC, a friend of Kimberly's and a member of the Tranquil Space Foundation steering committee. I'll be guest blogging for Kimberly this week while she's away in Costa Rica, leading what sounds like an absolutely amazing yoga and creativity retreat. I'm honored that she's asked me to fill in for her.

So raise your hand if you wish you were in Costa Rica this week. Yep - me too. I went with Kimberly on the retreat she led in Tobago a couple of years back, and it stands out as one of the best weeks of my entire life: twice daily yoga practices, afternoons at the beach, delicious vegetarian meals...and heaps (to use a use a Kimberly word) of time by myself.

But now for a pep talk: While nothing can substitute for the experience of traveling, you don't need to leave town to give yourself the experience of a retreat. Case in point: last night, I found myself waiting 30 minutes for the bus to come, and turned that into 30 minutes of journal writing, soaking in the sights and sounds of my neighborhood as evening fell on the last night of a holiday weekend.

Now, is this the same as a week in tropical paradise? Of course not. But it buoyed me, gave me a surge of energy that comes from taking time out for yourself to revel in whatever strikes your fancy.

If a bus stop can be a retreat - just think of the possibilities!

Here are some ideas:

• Busboys and Poets
• Rock Creek Park
• The Kahlil Gibran Memorial on Massachusetts Avenue
• Teaism
• The National Arboretum
• A restaurant you've been wanting to try
• Your backyard
  

...and of course, Tranquil Space :).

So grab your journal, sketchbook, camera, and find an hour to take yourself to one of these spots. Turn off your cell phone, and revel in indulging your need for solitude. Feel free to go further - design an entire retreat day for yourself. Share your ideas using the Comments feature below.

Have fun!

posted by Amanda @ 12:42 PM | 1 comments

so very excited to meet the lovely ladies that will be accompanying me (and beau). we have an amazing group from all over the country. all packed up except for my books and work - always saved for last as it is my hardest decision making venture. emergency contact scoop has been sent, overnight bag for louis is packed, a whole suitcase of gifts and teaching tools is packed, and my clothes are in order. guess it is time for me to part from technology (ahhhhh!) and wish you all a delightful week. so excited to be moving into september. such a glorious time of the year. happy, happy labor day weekend. adios para ahora. besos.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:56 AM | 0 comments

hip tranquil chick podcast #98: Voluptuous Vinyasa

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• direct download (mp3)

Bonjour! Welcome to the 98th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, a discussion of Voluptuous Vinyasa with Gina Tauschek in Off the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork and Savvy Sources for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: Sun salute for voluptuous divas

Off the Mat: gina's yoga journey began in 2000 when she landed in washington, dc, after some major life changes. initially, she sought out yoga at her local gym to manage stress and to counteract the wear and tear of running and cycling. looking back now, she couldn't even begin to understand the impact yoga would have on her life in the years to come.

early in 2005, gina's path became clear to her and she knew she wanted to teach yoga; she just needed to find a studio that fit her independent style. after months of searching, she took a class at tranquil space and in 75 minutes she just knew. the rest, as they say, is history.
gina completed her 200-hour teacher training certification at tranquil space in 2006 and is a registered teacher with yoga alliance. she is the head of our voluptuous vinyasa flow program which focuses on yoga for curvy ladies and is co-coordinator of our newbie program.
gina believes that every person has the ability to find beauty and wholeness within themselves — their own way — but it is her hope that through teaching yoga she can contribute to that process in the tiniest way.

when she's not on her yoga mat, gina can be found running or biking on the various dc trails or walking around dupont with her main man - her 9 year old yellow lab. she has a master's in public administration and for years has worked for a small consulting firm whose main focus is strengthening education.

she is grateful to all of the tranquil space teachers and students who have contributed to her growth through study, support, and inspiration. she would also like to give a heartfelt thank you to her mom, who has been her biggest supporter on this journey.

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. How can you love and embrace your curviness?
2. How does your practice of yoga and the inward focus assist with self-compassion?
3. What steps can you take to love and nurture your voluptuousness?

Savvy Sources:
Megayoga.com
Eat to Live

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for my new retail therapy page complete with the Hip Tranquil Chick book, yoga CDs, and tranquilista gems.


Signature Style: TranquiliT Cardi-Shawl 50% off code HTC

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Come our next 1-day retreat in DC on Saturday, January 12 and a weekend of all things hip and tranquil in the Catskills of NY in March. I’ll be leading workshops and hosting book signings in Montreal and the Boston area in November; Charleston, WV and Charlotte, NC in February; and back to Denver in April. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com. I hope our paths will cross.

Join us for our next le chic teleclass chat focused on savvy self-care on Monday, September 10 at 8:30ET. Details here.

Community Corner: A reminder – if you have a product you’d like reviewed by me on the blog – send a sample to me at 2024 p street, nw dc, 20036. sending a sample does not guarantee placement but I’d love to support our burgeouning community!

Mentoring: Interested in diving deeper into hip and tranquil topics 1:1? If so, view all the scoop here.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. We’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music from Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Motherless Child by Lovespirals. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of their music at lovespirals.com.

Thanks for joining me for the 98th edition of the HTC podcast. 1 more to go until our centennial celebration interview! Namaste.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:27 AM | 1 comments