Juice Up Your Life w/Daily Dance!!!

THis is not a joke. This is seriously JUICY LIVING!

MANDATORY DAILY DANCE PARTY has officially begun!

We're taking 15 minutes of every single day in 2012 and making a mandatory dance party in our lives.

How does this work?

Easy. Pick a time during the day that works best for you and set your intentions to dance for 15 minutes. (note: you do NOT have to know how to dance or feel comfortable dancing to do this)

At your designated time, put on music that you love (can be a record, tape, radio, tv, internet station, Pandora, whatever, I guess you could even just sing the whole time!)

DANCE! for 15 minutes just let it go. Dance like nobody is watching. Feel the music in your body. Move your body in ways that feel good! Let your smile grow giant as you start to feel a surge of energy like you have never felt.

It doesn't matter where you do this. It can be in your cubicle at work, the bathroom, your living room, on the street, listening to your iPod, driving, wherever!

You deserve this. Its for you.

JOIN US on Facebook where we post every day when we're dancing so you can do it at the same time as us! Or pick your own time and just dance!

we love you.

This is juicy living.

Creativity and the Power of intentions..

As typical as this may sound, I'm going to say it anyways.

I believe in the power of intentions and positive thinking. I have been working to manifest a level of stability in my personal life and career that would support me in moving to the next step with my creative projects. To get some of the music and story ideas out of my head and onto the page.

After months of visualizing and meditating on what that might look like, my dream of having the time and space to write has manifested in a month long artist-in-residency workshop on Martha's Vineyard to co-create a new musical called Pyramidica: Songs of Freedom, with my writing partner, Lucas Papaelias. The process thus far has been both humbling and thrilling as we moved into a house on the Vineyard and took up residency in a beautiful (gigantic) artist work/live space specifically for the purpose of writing this music and crafting our story.

You can read more about Pyramidica on our IndieGoGo page and learn about ways to get involved.


My intention for sharing this post with readers is to encourage you all to believe in your dreams (again I don't care if this sounds cheesy!) and follow your instincts!

The impossible is possible. The dream can become reality and you can achieve this by taking time each day to see yourself in that place you want to be. Create a visual and then breathe into it. Really see yourself doing what it is you wish to accomplish.

It works.

JUICE CLEANSE & YOGA INTENSIVE

Every Spring I try to offer some kind of guided group opportunity for cleansing. I started this annual practice because I myself wanted to do a cleanse but did not want to feel isolated from the rest of the world for the week or like I had nobody to reach out to if I had questions or feelings to express. I did my first group cleanse in April of 2005 and I have led 7 groups since then, each one taking me deeper into my own practice and understanding of my body, as well as enhancing my knowledge and understanding of how to effectively lead the groups.

On May 1st, I will be teaming up with the amazing teachers at GOOD YOGA in Greenpoint to offer an incredible opportunity for a Spring juice cleanse and yoga intensive.

We'll hold a group workshop and then host cleanse focused yoga classes daily, with an opportunity to purchase fresh juice daily from Green Pirate.

The goal of the workshop is to educate people about the process of cleansing, how

to safely and effectively let go of unwanted toxins yet stay nourished, and to provide structure and support for a successful Spring cleansing experience.

GUIDED JUICE CLEANSE & YOGA WORKSHOP
MAY 1st, 2011 - May 8th, 2011
w/ Deborah C. Smith and partner studio, GoodYoga

$50.00 per person

Register for the workshop through GoodYoga.

Guided Cleanse Experience includes:
- 3 hour Cleanse plenary workshop on Sunday, May 1st, 2011 (mandatory)

- Nutrition and Cleanse Educational Materials
- Weekly menu plan (personalized during the workshop)

- Juicing tips and samples

- post-cleanse 30 minute individual follow-up sessions with Deborah (May 11^th- 18th)

**Yoga classes provided through Good Yoga not included in the cost of the workshop***

** Fresh Squeezed Juice is available for participants of the cleanse at a separate fee***

Please Email deborah@green-pirate.com with questions or visit http://www.goodyoganyc.com to find out about the yoga teachers and classes available.

*Pregnant women and anyone taking prescribed medications should consult their doctor before

embarking on a week-long detoxifying cleanse plan.

XOS (Hosh) Community Yoga

Join the Movement


There is a wonderful new yoga studio called XOS (pronounced Hosh) in my neighborhood, right on the border of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. It's a donation based studio, which means that while there is a suggested donation of $10 per class, you are welcome to pay what you can at the time of class. This opens up the opportunity to take a yoga class to so many more members of the community because they don't feel the pressure to have a "perfect experience in yoga class" or decide not to take class because they can't afford a $15 or $20 class.

It also makes newcomers to yoga feel more welcome. They can try out a class and find out if they like it without breaking the bank.

I have been going to XOS regularly now since January and I LOVE IT THERE~!!!!!! I feel safe exploring my practice under the guidance of caring teachers and I feel more connected to both my body and my community.

All of the teachers are volunteers and bring the highest intentions to their classes. I believe that because they are donating their services, they feel inspired to give their very best. It's not just a job for them, you can tell that they genuinely care about their students and the process of opening your heart and mind to being a happier, healthier human through yoga.

They offer all kinds of community based gatherings, chances to meet the teachers and other yogis that frequent the studio, online reading resources through their blog, feature a pose of the month, and in the Summer and Fall they offer classes in McCarren Park as well.

This past weekend XOS hosted a donation drive to support families and communities suffering from the recent tragedy in Japan. You can still donate money through their website here.

XOS is a great example of a pay it forward mentality in business. They offer their students the opportunity to feel the choice they are making when attending a class. It's not a fixed price. You pay what you wish, putting the responsibility on the "consumer" to fully understand the value of what they are experiencing, which in this case is a connection to your body, a chance to relieve stress, a community building effort, and increased energy and flexibility in your body. Pretty awesome.

Check out XOS for a class or email me and join me. I go at least 2ce a week either at 10 am or 6:30 pm depending on my schedule.

See you on the mat!

XOS YOGA
55 Nassau Avenue
(entrance on Guernsey St.)
closest subways
G (Nassau) and L (Bedford)
closest busses B62, B43 and B48
E-mail: info@hoshyoga.org
Phone: 718-599-YOGA(9642)

Rock Your Own Asana!

Yoga means union. It is a balancing and integrating of your physical, mental and spiritual selves. The benefits of doing yoga are endless, but amongst them, stress relief is key.

Recently, I hosted a week long cleanse in my home, which included a group of 10 people, doing variations on a detox cleanse and practicing yoga as a group.

One of the most powerful things that I took away from this week-long journey was that I can practice yoga every single day, in my very own home.

We moved some furniture and pulled back the rug, put on some inspiring music and threw down our mats and there was our yoga studio!

Now, granted not every apartment will have large open spaces for this, but you don't really need much. Just a mat or a rug, instructions on how to properly do some of the poses, and some quiet time to do them!

There are some helpful resources on the internet that describe poses and the meaning of certain terms.
You can order videos or DVD's of your favorite instructors or find free classes online.

Here are some references that I have used in the past:

Yoga Journal

Yoga To Health (informational site)

Rodney Yee! (one of my favorites cuz he kicks my asana)

Lisa Kazmer! (my partner in crime for the cleanses in NYC)

While the ideal situation is to find a teacher you LOVE and who inspires and guides you to be at your best, you can also rock your own asana, right at home!!

Good luck, keep it balanced.

xo
Deborah

Guided Detox Cleanse and Yoga Week!

Join Us for an amazing Fall Detox Cleanse!

Rid your body of unwanted waste and stressful toxins. Check in with your body's state of natural balance through meditation and yoga. Learn how to cleanse physical, mental and emotional toxins.

GUIDED DETOXIFYING CLEANSE & YOGA WEEK
w/ Juice Truck Owner and Holistic Health Coach, Deborah C. Smith and Yoga with Ashtanga Goddess Lisa Kazmer

September 10th - 17th, 2010
Greenpoint, Brooklyn

"This cleanse experience is amazingly supportive and a true catharsis."

"I feel so much more energy then I did just a week ago"

"The cleanse helped me to understand what foods I need more of and less of in my everyday life. Deborah was a tremendous guide in getting through the week."

Guided Detox Cleanse and Yoga Intensive includes:

- Juicey Kick-off! Cleansing Plenary Session (group)
- Weekly menu plan
- Nutrition and Cleanse Educational Materials
- 2 Basics Detox-focused Yoga classes- 75 minutes (group)
- 30 minute private health coaching session (individual)
- Detox Tea Blends for the week

TOTAL CLEANSE PACKAGE - $100 per person.

** Fresh Squeezed Juice Delivery for the cleanse is a separate option which each individual may inquire about.

** Individual Private yoga sessions are available with Lisa

DISCOUNTS

Sign up before Labor Day and receive a $15 discount!

Register and pay securely with Paypal!

Registration Fees

Full Registration Fee $100.00 Earlybird Discount $85.00 Internship (1 per cleanse) $50.00

REFER A FRIEND
Most of my client base and group workshop attendees arrive in my world via word of mouth. In order to reward those of you who pass along this valuable info, I offer the following referral plan.

Refer 1 client: Receive a FREE 30 minute Health Coaching session
Refer 2 clients: Receive a FREE 45 minute massage OR FREE private yoga lesson
Refer 3 clients: Receive BOTH a 45 minute massage AND private yoga lesson
************************************************************************************
ABOUT DEBORAH

For the past 5 years I have been cleansing regularly throughout the seasons and guiding groups and individuals in successful cleansing experiences. As a graduate of the renown Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I am trained to work with individuals from all walks of life in addressing their body's nutritional needs, but I received most of my real knowledge about the process by working with my own body and listening intently to the questions and concerns of my clients. I am highly experienced to offer a Guided Juice Cleanse plan that is unique to each individual that I work with.

As a certified Holistic Health Coach, I have been the nutritional guide for hundreds of busy New Yorkers seeking a healthier lifestyle. Many of my clients have reported that even several years later they are still applying the knowledge and education they received from my program to help them make the healthiest choices and live a more fulfilling and happier life.

What's Sexy About Health?

Let's face it, feeling happy and healthy is sexy!

Being in touch with that part of yourself that is sensual (which by very nature of being human we all have) is crucial to feeling balanced. Many people live in denial of what role their sensuality plays in their lives and it can lead to choices that don't always serve us. Getting to you know your sensual side and to nourish it can be truly revolutionary and healing!

I've been doing Zumba. I know... funny.... Here's the funniest part, my mother gave me the DVD and basically challenged me. She said "I know that you love to dance and you can do all these moves with your hips, and that's the exact area you need to work on!" Now I know that she meant well when she said that last part, hahaha. But the truth is, I LOVE to dance. I especially love Latin style dances; salsa, samba, merengue and even zouk!

I love it because it makes me feel energized and sexy. The fact that it also helps keep me in shape is a major bonus. I get a good cardiovascular workout and I get to connect to that rhythmic part of me that loves to step in time to the music. It stimulates a flow of energy that makes me feel amazing.


So what's your healthy sexy?

Do sensuality and sexuality have an impact on your overall balanced health? Absolutely! In fact, its just as important as good nutrition, exercise, a career that you love and a connection to your spirituality or creativity.

It's important to know the following things:

- how to care for and nurture your sensual side
- how to support reproductive systems and organs
- how to tap into and fuel your creative passions
- how to learn to love yourself as a sensual being
- what it means to YOU to be a sensual/sexual person (which is different for us all)
- how to communicate to the world about these things

As Cindy and I prepare for our upcoming class on health and sensuality (see details below), we continually ask ourselves and others what is so important about having a healthy relationship to our sexuality and sensuality. The answer is that it is at the core of everything that we do. It is our center of self-identity in so many ways. It fuels our passions and ignites our daily experiences with a spark.

Join us on a journey to better know ourselves, so we may be happier, healthier, and yes, sexier!!

Health & Sensuality, A Whole-body health workshop
the Meta Center

214 West 29th Street New York, NY

New York, NY

Thursday, July 29th, 2010
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Majestic-Living/126325763734?v=app_4949752878

Intention for the week

“The physical world, including our bodies, is a response of the observer. We create our bodies as we create the experience of our world.” - Deepak Chopra, author and spiritual philospher


Setting intentions is an opportunity for aligning ourselves with the universe.

When we create mental images of what our goals look like and create calm space to breathe and fuel this image, we are much more likely to reach this goal.

What's your personal intention for this week?

Have you been meaning to call that old friend that you love but its just been sooo long....?

What about picking up that instrument that you wish you played and just spending a half hour with it, or finally signing up for that dance class that's calling your feet to come hit the floor?

Are you in need of some exercise and would really love to make time for the long bike ride that you have been thinking about?

Whatever your personal goals are, take a moment this morning to set an intention. Try this:

1. Find a quiet place where you can sit for 10 minutes.

2. Clear your mind of other thoughts and distractions.
To do this try focusing only on your inhale and exhale for a few breaths.

3. Set your intention. Say to yourself " This week I am going to apply for a new job." Or, "This week I am going to try to exercise for 30 minutes every day." Or how about, "This week I am going to be kinder and gentler with myself."

4. Picture what it looks like.
Imagine yourself actually doing that thing that you intend. If you are intending to apply for a new job, maybe in your vision you are updating your resume and handing it to a potential employer who is smiling at you. If you are intending to be kinder and gentler, perhaps in your vision you would be taking a bubble bath or a gentle yoga class. Perhaps you are just taking a night to yourself to read.

5. Get clear! Whatever your intention or you vision, be really specific. See all the little details that go along with this vision. See the colors, the textures, even imagine the smells. Create the clarity of this intention within your own mind so that it can manifest in your life.

6. Breathe. Once you have a clear vision or symbol of your intention, just breathe into it. Take slow and deep breaths, and imagine that every breath is fueling that intention with power.

7. Smile. You've done it. Now its out there and you can go about having a beautiful week, knowing that the universe has been sent a powerful message about what you want.

I practice this method of creating intention for myself on a pretty regular basis and I have to say that it has changed my life. I refer you to Deepak Chopra's newest book "The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire" as a reference to the science behind meditation and intention. He does a wonderful job of explaining how the quantum physics of this type of communication works.

I wish you all the most abundant week and I hope you find time to manifest all of your intentions!

with blessings,
Deborah

Parked! Celebrate NYC's best food trucks!

Memorial Day weekend at its Best!
The Green Pirate Community Juice Truck will be rockin' and juicin' all day
tomorrow at the Brooklyn Yard, courtesy of MeanRed productions.

Come visit Deborah, Cindee, Emma and LPFunk as we make your life just that much Juicier!!!

Details of event at Brooklyn Yards website

Cooking Healthy for One

Some days I just want to swing by the health food store and pick a package of that India space food that you just plop in boiling water and its ready to eat in 3 minutes, like some gushy curry lentils or creamy spinach. Yeah.... but today I realized it was time for me to practice the art of cooking for one. I am horrible at this. I love to cook gigantic spreads that can feed 20 people or a plated gourmet 3 course sit down orgasmic organic delicious meal for 4! But when it's just me eating.... I tend to drop the ball, reach for those already cooked easy to prepare foods or just snack on fruit throughout the day. Today I wanted a meal that would be fantastic and delicious and healthy just for me! So with Indian space food in mind I foraged through my own kitchen for all the ingredients it would take to reach nirvana and 20 minutes later I was smiling widely.










Let's call it Spinach Curry Quinoa with Chickpeas (not so fancy). Ok how about Vegetarian Bliss! I have to admit I impressed even myself. The recipe was simple:

16 oz can chickpeas
3/4 cup quinoa
1/2 golden delicious apple
handful organic spinach
1 small onion (peeled and chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (peeled & chopped)
2 Tbs Yellow Curry
1 tsp organic olive oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
dash cayenne pepper

Directions:

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil over a low heat to caramelize the onion. After 2 or 3 minutes add entire can of chickpeas (including the liquid). Stir in the curry, turmeric, sea salt and cayenne pepper and allow all ingredients to simmer and soften the chickpeas.

Combine quinoa with 1 1/2 cups of filtered water and bring to a boil. Then reduce to low heat and cover with tight lid. Let it cook 12 minutes or until all the water has evaporated and grains are fully cooked.

Wash and dry handful of spinach and shred it into smaller bite size pieces. Slice half the apple into small cubes. Combine apple and spinach and then cover with two heaping tablespoons of the quinoa and fill the bowl with the curry chickpeas. Stir it all up together and let it cool a bit before savoring every bite!

Enjoy! I sat quietly and read a chapter from my favorite book, Jitterbug Perfume, by Tom Robbins. If you have never read it, its a juicy cosmic adventure to eternity and beyond, try it.

Happy Day, Earth!

Happy Earth Day, earth! Umm...well. We're trying, right?

Big round of applause to all those folks out there who are working very hard to give Earth Day a face-lift. It's long overdue and I'm grateful for social networking as a catalyst for this change. I can remember when Earth Day was me and a bunch of young wanna-be hippie kids in our tie-dye tees and Burkenstocks, strummin' acoustic guitars and being pissed off that nobody came to our event, because nobody cared about Earth. Nowadays, Earth day marketing is slick, there are events happening globally and it's far more accessible to people of all walks of life.

But there's still a long way to go before the Earth and its inhabitants are in a state of balance. As we can see all around us, there are warning signs of the consequences of all our actions coming to a head; global warming (which by the way folks is probably REAL), natural disasters, new found disease that seem to result from chemical toxins in our air and water.... Luckily, more so now then ever, there is great information out there about what we can do each day to be a part of the solution. I think we should give a shit. I think we should care about what our kids will inherit.

Bottom line is, if you are a person who cares even just a little bit about the future of the planet, then it's actually IMPERITIVE that you make changes. And if you are not, well, you got your own thing going on and please just stay out of our way.

As we know, you gotta be the change you wish to see, so here are some ideas and thoughts for energy conservation and reducing your personal carbon footprint:

Start a Home Compost
You don't have to be a farmer to compost. You can just start one in your freezer at home by saving all the scraps of organic waste-matter that you create instead of throwing them in the garbage. Keep them in a small bucket or bin, a used orange juice carton, or even an old plastic bag from grocery shopping. Check with your local farmers market or grocer about who collects compost and find out where you can drop it off. In New York, there are composts set up at many major outdoor farmers markets and in some of the smaller community gardens and parks. Farmers are thrilled to receive donations of compostable material because its great for your soil. You can include all remains of fruits and vegetables, grains, coffee grounds, and even egg shells! DO IT TODAY!!! Feel free to email me with questions.

Ride A Bike!
If you don't already love riding a bike, then I promise you as soon as you get back on one and start rollin', you will love it again and the joy of cruisin' will come back with a new found purpose as you realize that not only do you feel more free as the wind whips through your hair, but Hey! you're saving money and reducine the amount of fuel-based toxins in the air. Get back on it buddy. Just DO IT. You will be so happy.


Unplug Appliances and Turn Off Lights
This is good for the environment AND your electric bill. It's so simple. Just make sure that unplug any appliances or lamps or stereos when they are not in use. Electricity seeps in very small amounts through the contact of the metals (even when your swithces are off). So you are wasting electrical energy, and wasting money. It's small but it's also big, you know.

Take the Plastic Challenge!
See how much plastic you use in one week and then make an effort to reduce it by half!
This is fun for the whole family. I bet you have no idea how much garbage or plastic waste you and your housemates or family create and if you did realize, you'd be embarrased.

So, here's what you do. For one straight week, just live normally, but bring home any plastic containers that you purchase and use both in and outside the house (eg: you had a salad at Whole Foods that came in a plastic carrier or you bought a 16oz soda and drank it on the bus).

Create a recycle bag that you fill with your weeks plastic usage so you can see it all pile up.
Make a note of how much you used and recycle it. The following week, see if you can cut that amount in half. The week after that, see if you can cut THAT amount in half, so now your down to 1/4 the original amount, and so on... If you're the competetive type, make it into a household challenge and set a reward for the person who makes the least waste for the week. This is a great way to SHOW your children the impact of their actions as well.

Remember things like stainless steel containers for water and bringing your own lunch from home in your reusable tupperwear.

That's all for now. Happy Day mama Earth!