And I promise I will write more later.

So now, I am sitting here and starting a new tradition.  I am eating my Red Velvet Pop Tarts while watching the 1967 film, The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.  Following this glorious holiday film, I will watch Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho followed with a Ghost Adventures Marathon.  Since I highly doubt I will find a man who would enjoy my February 14th traditions as much as I do, I think this is going to be my Single’s Awareness Day celebration tradition for many years to come.

Happy “Make Single People Feel Like Crap” Day!!!

It is currently 50 degrees here in Southern California and I am sitting here wearing two shirts under my sweater while sitting under three comforters and an electric blanket. I used to be the person wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt when the temps finally hit the 50s.  I just talked to my parents in Michigan and they said it was warm today, “it was in the 30s.”  I used to talk like that too but now I can’t even fathom the thought of 30 degrees as a “warm up in temps.”  To the new California version of myself, I think of the 70s as a “warm up in temps.”  My, how I have changed.

We went to dinner at The Hidden Havana Cuban Cafe in Santa Clarita.  I convinced my friends to join in with my challenge and try something new.  As it turns out, The Hidden Havana Cuban Cafe is a hidden gem of a restaurant.  I can’t properly pronounce anything that we ordered but everything was amazing.  We each ordered something different so we could share.  We tried each of the appetizers, the empanada, papa rellena, and madurros.  They were all quite tasty and I would recommend them all.  When it came to the meat dishes, we order the beef, pork and chicken.  The food was excellent and we didn’t have any complaints.

After dinner, we headed down to the Arclight in Sherman Oaks for a 21 and over screening of Zero Dark Thirty.  This was the first time I had ever gone to one of the 21 and over screenings.  I didn’t even know there was a separate theater located next to the bar just for these screenings.  I do prefer the Arclight to regular cinemas, especially the AMC theaters.  They have assigned seating and they are very strict about the use of cell phones or talking during a film.

As for the movie, Zero Dark Thirty, it was incredibly intense from start to finish.  When the film started with the 911 recordings from the 9-11 terrorist attacks, I knew this was going to be a difficult film to sit through.  The entire film is about finding and killing Osama Bin Laden.  You see the torture, the bombings, and the stealth operation of infiltrating Osama’s compound.  Every single moment was intense.  You were captivated through every second of the film and even though you knew what was going to happen (it is based on actual events), you were still on the edge of your seat.  It was a good film but I don’t think I could ever sit through it again.

With a craving for sushi, I decided to check out Ichima in Pasadena.  I usually see a packed parking lot every time I drive past it on my way to Ralph’s but I have never stopped in to check it out.

When I walked in, there was no one there to greet me and no menus to look at.  I was just planning on ordering take-out and I am very glad that I checked out the menu online because I was never offered one inside.  Someone finally came over to assist me and when I said I wanted take-out, they simply asked me what I wanted.  Not knowing the complete menu, I just went with staples like the teriyaki chicken, miso soup and a sushi roll.  They instantly corrected my order, “Oh, you want Bento box combo.”  I had no idea what that meant but sure.  He said it included the chicken, rice, salad, miso soup and sushi.  Perfect.  I waited for about 10-15 minutes and I was on my way.  Overall, it was pretty good.  The sushi was OK but I still think that Sushi Dan is the best sushi in town.

After Ichima, it was off to the Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles.  On Thursday nights at 7:30pm, they offer Intro talks free to the public.  Since I enjoyed the meditation session and video on New Year’s Eve, I thought it would be a good idea to check out the scheduled talk about the healthy mind, healthy body and healthy community.  The speaker, Jon Ransohoff, is a senior student who spoke more about meditation, contemplation and the need for a healthy community.  There were many people who were first timers at the Meditation Center and a few others who were there for the second time, like me.  Jon began with an introduction to the Shambhala meditation techniques.  I had learned the techniques on my first visit but was happy for the review and to hear another instructor’s perspective.  He then lead us into contemplation meditation, a first for me.  Then we partnered up to discuss our contemplation, practicing healthy communication and active listening skills.  Aside from meditation, Jon mentioned that being an honest communicator and active listener can create better relationships with the other members of our community, our friends, our family and our partners/spouses/significant others.

All in all, it was an interesting and “enlightening” evening.  Now I am just going to do some stretches and take a hot bath to soothe my sore muscles.

A year and a half ago, my doctor realized that I was compensating for my Endo pain on my left side by favoring my right side.  My balance was off and over time, my right side became so much stronger than my left.  In fact, I couldn’t even balance on my left leg any longer and I was even walking differently.  I had started physical therapy but it was too costly.  Plus, my physical therapist had me doing the majority of the exercises on my own.  I was actually using my Wii and Yoga training through the Wii Fit.  But after my car accident last May, I stopped working on my Endo pain therapy and had to spend months focusing on recovering from my injuries on my neck and back.  Now that my neck and back are doing better, I can go back to focusing on my Endo management.  (I also need to work on losing the weight I gained from the depression following my accident).  Since Yoga was helping before, I figured I could start doing it again.  But this time, instead of only using my Wii and at home Yoga DVDs, I decided I would try out some classes.

Following Dawna’s advice, I went to The Awareness Center website to learn more about the Kundalini style of yoga.  According to the site, the history of this particular type of yoga is as follows:

Kundalini yoga is considered the most comprehensive system of yoga at is combines meditation, prayer, asana (physical postures), and pranayama (breathing exercises). “Kundalini” literally means “the curl of the lock of hair of the beloved.” This poetic metaphor refers to the flow of energy and consciousness that exists within each of us, enabling us to merge with the Universal Self. Yoga, literally translated as “divine union”, happens when the individual and universal consciousness are merged. The Upanishads, the sacred scriptures of Hinduism that date back to the fifth century B.C., provided a written description of Kundalini, although the oral tradition dates back even further. For thousands of years, this sacred science and technology was veiled in secrecy, passed along in the oral tradition from master to chosen disciple.

Kundalini Yoga was never taught publicly until Yogi Bhajan, Ph. D. challenged the age-old tradition of secrecy. In his compassionate wisdom, Yogi Bhajan brought Kundalini Yoga to the United States in 1969. Since then, it has spread all over the world. He wrote, “I am sharing these teachings to create a science of the total self…It is the birthright of every human being to be healthy, happy and holy.” The master of Kundalini Yoga, and head of the Sikh faith for the Western Hemisphere, Yogi Bhajan also founded 3HO (The Healthy, Happy, and Holy Organization), a worldwide non-profit foundation that offers classes in Kundalini Yoga, meditation, vegetarian nutrition, and healthy life choices.

Kundalini Yoga was designed for the householder: those who live in the world, who have families and jobs, and who want to balance the inner and outer world. Kundalini Yoga fits the busy lives that most of us lead. It is effective, efficient and easy. People who practice Kundalini Yoga say they can feel changes in the body and psyche within a few minutes, and experience even deeper changes through regular practice. Although it can be practiced religiously each day, yoga is not a religion. A more accurate description of yoga would be to say that it is an ancient science.

The Awareness Center
Our mission is to provide you with a practice and technology to feel comfortable in your
body, connected and expressed in relationships, fulfilled in your life’s work and at
peace with yourself. Through Kundalini yoga and meditation as well as many other transformational practices, we are here to inspire, uplift and empower you.

Established in 1974, the Awareness Center began as a 3HO ashram in Altadena, run by founders Dr. Santokh and Suraj Khalsa. Everyone remembers the big white house on the top of New York Drive. It has been through many changes over the years, but the one thing that has remained constant is the offering of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation to the Pasadena community. Anyone who has visited the center knows that The Awareness Center is a family. It still evokes a comfortable feeling of “home”, a feeling that leads students to deeper states of relaxation and renewal. The Awareness Center affirms that by using the body and mind through exercise, breath, and meditation, you can balance and revitalize your nerves and glands, clear past blocks, and bring harmony and peace to your life.

The Awareness Center is now owned and operated by Wahe Guru Kaur/Gisela Powell. She is committed to honoring the wisdom and teachings from the past and to expanding our Kundalini Yoga family well into the future.

The Awareness Center is located on Foothill Blvd, just east of Daisy.  I actually passed the building when I first arrived and then struggled to find parking, making me late for my first class.  But now I know, for the future, that there is two-hour free parking on Daisy and the neighborhood streets just north of Foothill.

Class had already begun when I arrived but I was escorted into the Yoga room and quickly set up my mat, trying my best not to disturb anyone.  I was able to step right into the warm-up exercises.  During the relaxation time before exercises, the Instructor, Helen, came over to welcome me and give me a quick introduction.  She told me that Kundalini Yoga isn’t about perfection or competition.  It is very loving and forgiving, you just do your personal best.  There is no judgement, just a chance to relax and get to know yourself better.  The class represented all levels of yoga and we could adjust it to meet our own needs.

This particular class had a lot of abdominal work.  During some of the floor exercises, I became very aware that my left side is still incredibly weak compared to my right side.  I struggled with some of the leg lifts, realizing I really need to get back to my Endo therapy.  This class definitely helped.

When class ended, Helen came over again to talk with me and tell me more about her classes.  She said that every class is different.  There are so many different poses, stretches, and exercises in Kundalini Yoga that no class is ever exactly the same.  Being a Libra who easily gets bored doing the same thing over and over again, I really liked the fact that each class would be different.  I also liked the whole non-judgemental vibe.  You didn’t have to worry if you couldn’t stretch as far as the others or that you were struggling when others were not.  Everyone was focused on their own exercises.  It was a very relaxing and welcoming environment.

I am definitely going to return and continue taking yoga classes at The Awareness Center.