Jodi's Journal

For the past 5 months I have begun my day with a morning meditation. My friend David from the Chopra Center named it RPM: Rise, Pee, Meditate. That is what I do - starting at 6:30am.

I have been practicing Primordial Sound Meditation, which I too learned from the Chopra Center. I received my very own primordial sound that, according to Vedic Scriptures, was the sound that was heard at the time I was born into this lifetime. It is a mantra that I repeat in order to get lost, go into the gap, away from my thoughts. Now, of course, my thoughts follow me everywhere, but that is why it is called a practice. Sometimes, I go away from my thoughts for a second, sometimes a minute - sometimes much more. With practice, I am sure I will go deeper into the gap.

With a recent move to a new house, I now have tile floors - so I have had my eye on a sheepskin rug that they sell at IKEA. I wanted this to use for meditation. Last weekend, in Portland, I scored my new meditation mat & I love it!! Apparently - so does Chants! I cant keep him off of it! Not sure if its the energy, the texture or the smell of the sheep who sacrificed himself for my meditation rug. Thank you sheep!

Chants has integrated himself into my daily meditation practice. I find I actually love his breath & warm body next to mine as I detach from my own.

I'm up in Portland Oregon with my brother & Donna, her family & lil Lia. Donna & Jaime have a baby on the way, so they flew west to be with her family before she is restricted from flying & soon giving birth in NY. They met here in P-town & Donna has a wonderful family who she is super close with, so its been a real special visit for all. I loved the short commute just a few hours north from California to celebrate Thanksgiving with family this year! Best is QT with my niece Lia! Of course, I miss being with my parents & other brother Barry, but we are always together in spirit.

As a conscious woman, I take a daily inventory of what I am grateful for. I am sure you have heard of Oprah's gratitude journal, my version happens during my morning walks on the beach. So much to be grateful for!! Just a few that Id love to share with you today are: my family who taught me my values & morals that I hold today, that I have freedom & choice to live the life I desire to create, that I know spirituality & conscious living & that I know my Dharma (life's path) - sharing yoga with children.

Id love to hear from you and what it is you are grateful for. Declare it to the world as a "comment" here or better yet, share it with someone personally.

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the California plant life, specifically succulents. I am obsessed! There are so many different varieties and my eyes are just wide open to their perfection in geometry & beauty. Best is to share & just cut a piece off another & plant it, as roots will just grow from the clipping when planted in soil. Really, so easy to care for & grow in abundance in dry, hot beachy locations - lucky me! I spent my weekend peacefully creating funky lil cities of succulents.