Venus Effects

I touched briefly on the Venus Transit that happened last week. I honestly don't know a lot about it in depth. I watched a great webinar by Elizabeth Peru who explained how it effects us on a personal energy level. It's funny not knowing a lot, going about your daily shiz, then reading about the Venus thing and having an 'yes that's me moment.' I know, I know, nearly everything we read about can be related somehow back to our lives. I am starting to believe a lot more about the 'universal energy' and how the planets effect us. 

Being more authentic to our souls is something I am drawn to from the Venus Transit. I've mentioned before my appetite and food choices have changed dramatically of late. Even today I could only manage three pieces of my six pack of sushi at lunch. Good job my fellow instructor friend was having the opposite problem and couldn't get enough food in. My friend's reassured me that I just don't need as much food as I used to think I did. I now know when I'm satisfied. 

Another thing that has changed is my clothing choice. I do try and dress for the occasion, look nice & turned out. However, now more than ever comfort reins over fashion. With time being short & getting ready for work at the studio it's easier to shove on something easy. My heels are tucked away in the back of my wardrobe. 

After being so frugal last year, making do with the winter clothes from the previous year I have now decided to over haul my 'work wardrobe.' It's time to clear out and make room. I certainly did just that. Charity bagged everything I'd not worn for a year or two or had been eaten by the 'fabric softener' incident. I bought coat hangers and new garment bags to keep everything nice and dust free. There is something very satisfying about having a clear out isn't there?

A good friend of mine has started working at a very high end high street clothes shop. I had never set foot in this shop until she started working there. The first time I called by I looked over all the racks very impressed by the style and choice. The quality was great, well made, thick fabric, nice a tailoring & made in Australia. Until I read the price tag. Way, way more than I ever spend on a single item of clothing. Okay, I do invest in decent stuff for day to day and yoga but we are talking $200 + for office pants and even more for a dress. The t shirts were $80. Not my territory. 

Three months on since my first visit I now own two dresses and two t shirts from there. Only because they have the most amazing sales! 50% off brings it down to the upper most I'd pay for clothes at full price. Of course me being the great justifying person I am, I convinced myself that these dresses are for the office and the evening. Summer and winter wear when layered up and down. I will wear them at least once a week!

The style of the dresses is very me but not me of late. I've returned to my old favourite style of sleek pencil skirts. They are similar in style I know but I've been known to buy the same garment in all the colours. The neckline is very Victoria Beckham and extremely flattering. One dress might not last very long season wise as it has a peplum detail (as rocked by the Duchess of Cambridge last weekend) but who cares, I'll probably keep wearing it in years to come anyway! 

I'm very happy with my new purchases, it'll be nice to get out of the baggy tunic tops & sloppy jumpers I've been hiding behind for a while. Hiding yes, time for 'me' to get back out there. I even had my hair tidied up and the fringe I was test driving cut back in. I feel more polished again and less slap dash thrown together with crap apres yoga hair. I'm feeling less 'can't be bothered' about lots of things.

Bringing this back to Venus, it's no surprise I've been drawn to feminine, classic styles is it? After all women are from Venus right....

Dress #1

Tidy wardrobe, everything in garment bags

Dress #2

New Year, New changes

Yes my work has slowed right down this week. After barely having time to take five minutes for myself last week, I'm blessed with a little down time. I'm actually feeling inspired to write as well which is a good sign that I'm thinking more of my needs instead of constantly putting others first. Don't get me wrong, I love to give but I have been made more aware I need to hold a little back for myself in order to have the strength to give to others. 

New Moon on Saturday, the last of this year. Time to make a wish, set a good intention and make it happen. At my Reiki session we talked about this & I set my intention then and there. It's personal so sorry I'm not sharing it with the world. (keeping that little bit back for me!!) I'll reenforce it on Saturday night.

New Years always bring change, the date is the first thing to change. 2012. Wow, time flies hey. Two of my close school friends will be having their first babies in January & I have a wedding penciled in too for later in the year. 2011 has been amazing for me. Strong, positive, full of growth. Of course mistakes have been made, lesson's learned. I'm moving into the new year with a smile on my face & the strength to make things happen.

2012 has already got change penned it for me. My office is having a make over for one. The franchise we are part of brought out new branding a long while back and it's time for us to catch up. Total revamp, even walls are moving. Most excitingly I get my own office!!!! Wow wee! Not that I have it bad now, I only share with one other person. An office too myself means I can carve out this space to be the art room of dreams. It will be a very well thought out space to maximise creativity and positive energy. We've been working together drawing up the plans & all my ideas have been taken on board. I might reintroduce the inspiration wall which hasn't had a home thus so far. I've already had my Creative Suite software upgraded, very grateful for this, can do so much more funky new tricks with it.

I finally will be getting my wisdom teeth removed in January. I'm not sad to see them go after years of swelling, soreness and tooth ache. Be gone useless, nasty beings. It will be the first time I have ever had surgery. Scary. I've never had anything added to my body in way of modifications and likewise have never had anything removed. Natural as the day I was born (sorry that's a lie, I highlight my hair!). First time for everything. I'm thinking strongly that everything will go smoothly, nothing will get infected & the swelling be minimal. I'll have to take a week off work (sick pay phew) and teaching (sad face), it might be the only way to get me to sit still for five minutes & relax. Who's betting I'll be studying dialogue that week?!!

Perfection or Progression?

So much for leisurely lie in's this public holiday. Monday morning and I was wide awake at 5am, only 20 minutes longer than I would be if it was a work day with 5:45am yoga! I think I am well rested and relaxed enough now that I don't need the extra sleep. Another positive effect of my Bikram practice. This leaves more time to hydrate & eat before the 9am class. And catch up on some writing.

I read some very inspirational words last week from J over at Lock the Knee. The post highlighted our desire to be perfect. J beautifully pointed out a down side to this:   

"Here's one thing about perfect: you have no place to go. You can't get any feedback. You're dead in the water, no place to swim"  

You've reached the peak, you can't get better than perfect and where to go next? Later in the post is a quote from on of J's student; 

"if you think you're "perfect," if you're always "doing it right," then you can't learn, but if you're just "practicing," then you can keep adjusting and taking in new information"

We are always being told yoga practice is a journey and 'it's yoga practice, not yoga perfect.' These quotes reiterate this theory. I couldn't think of anything worse than this journey ending. You've mastered all 26 postures that's it your done, you no longer can do this. I can safely say that will never happen! Every day if so different, you may pull of a near 'perfect' posture today but then tomorrow not come close. 

Instead of getting hung up over being perfect I will enjoy and relish the slow progression I am making in postures. This may be a contradiction now but if I didn't have a focus or an aim I'd just be going through the motions. I need to set targets or I don't push myself hard enough. I need that inner voice telling me I'm close and I can go that inch further. But not towards perfection, just the natural progress.