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Category Archives: Nature

I know that  healing work, especially energetic, can bring up issues, memories, and cause detoxification (sometimes severe). And with this chakra therapy I  have been doing, I feel it.

During the week my class and I focused on the throat chakra, I really felt challenged. I felt tired. I felt irritated.  I felt like I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I knew I needed to be in nature,away from the computer, away from the freeway, away from the city.

So on a whim,I booked  a campsite in the Florida Keys, and went on ‘retreat’. I told my family and friends,” I will not be talking on the phone for the next two days, or responding to messages. I am going on retreat. ” My ‘retreat’  was an essential part of my healing.

The Healing Waters of the Florida Keys

The Healing Waters of the Florida Keys

So, we were on our way to the Florida Keys. Just me, my son, my dog, and my sweetheart.  As soon as we got to Key Largo, I could really feel the energy change. I started to relax. And about 70 miles south of Key Largo was our campground.  Bahia Honda State Park. Bahia Honda is my favorite place in the Keys. The park is beautiful. There are trails, a nature center, nice bathrooms, and hot showers. The park is  popular, so Reserve early (or check for cancellations). By the way, there are three campgrounds in the park. My favorite campground is called Sandspur..And it has some campsites with amazing ocean views.Me and my dog Sadie:Dogs are Welcome at the Park, on a Leash, and not on the Beach

Me and my dog Sadie:Dogs are welcome at the Park, and on the Trails,  but no Dogs on the Beach
Reflecting, Cleansing Healing.... Had the beach to myself...;)

Reflecting, Cleansing,Healing…. Had the beach to myself…;)

As soon as we arrived and set up the tents,I felt so good.  The entire weekend was spent relaxing, healing, cleansing. Yoga on the beach, walking on nature trails, long meditations, good food, camping under the stars. The stars were magical….

Sometimes the best therapy, is turning off the phone, getting out of the city, looking up at the stars, and taking a retreat.

Relax and Breathe~Yogini Tiff


I  performed my first wedding ceremony on Saturday. It was something I had never even thought of doing, until last October, when my dear friend (and fellow yoga teacher) sent me an email and asked if I would perform the ceremony. I was honored and shocked.

The Magic of Love

The Magic of Love

I knew it was fairly easy to become an ordained minister, so I chose Halloween, Samhain, also known as “The day of the Witches” in the Azores, to officially become ordained to legally perform ceremonies. To me, the legal aspect of marriage is minor. The spirit of love, is what truly unites souls. I performed a ritual beforehand, and asked for blessings from my teachers and guides. And then, it took about 15 minutes online, to complete the majority of the legal stuff.

I spent a lot of time thinking of how to create a spiritual ceremony to  represent the couple, and the love they share.  Together, over several hang out sessions, we discussed ideas, and came up with a beautiful ceremony script that truly fit their relationship.

The ceremony was held on the beach, in South Florida at John MacArthur State Park.  Before the ceremony, I snuck away and walked on a trail alone. I practiced my script a few times, and then found a place to sit down. I sat in easy pose (sukhasana), closed my eyes, and called upon the power of my inner Priestess. I asked to be guided during the ceremony.

Mind clear and calm, I was ready.  We began the ceremony with our eyes closed. We invited the spirit of love to join us, in blessing their union. The ceremony was beautiful. Quotes from Paulo Coelho and Gandhi, Persian Poetry, a sand ceremony, part of a Persian Ceremony, and beautiful vows that were shared in both English and Portuguese.

Part of a Traditional Persian Wedding Ceremony..

Part of a Traditional Persian Wedding Ceremony..

Always connected, the circle of love

Always connected, the circle of love

After pronouncing the couple,  and after their kiss, we all formed a large circle, held hands and visualized love and blessings. We began our ceremony with love and we closed our ceremony with love.

Although the weather turned chilly as day turned to-night, the warmth of love blanketed us all. 

Once again, I truly feel I am being led down the path of magic.

Blessings and Love ~Yogini Tiff

 


A beautiful morning.  Lake Worth Beach, with a group of beautiful friends. Connecting and healing in the ocean. Breathe in love. Breathe out gratitude.~Yogini Tiff

The Beautiful Moments in Life

See the magic. ..


This is just a quick post I wanted to share with you all.My friends and I love yoga.. so I put together a little video set to the music of Vaisnava.. (Vaisnava is a talented musician and he also happens to be my little brother).. strange I know, a yoga teacher with a brother who makes really awesome yoga music.. Life! Please watch, listen, breathe and enjoy.

xxxxx~Yogini Tiff


Let me start by saying, I screw up all the time, I get moody, insecure, depressed, just like everyone else. I get annoyed with people, I judge people,  i judge myself, just like everyone else. Of course I try to be a good person, but sometimes I am not as good as I should be, again, just like everyone else.. Blame it on food, the moon, the planets, hormones, other people, or negative energy. But whatever the cause, it doesn’t feel good to be angry or sad. It certainly doesn’t feel good to suffer.

Despite my flaws, or perhaps because of them, I have developed a very close relationship with a Tibetan Buddhist Lama. Geshe Tenzin Tamding. I have written about him before.  He is my friend, and my spiritual guide. (His main temple is in Spain, but he has over 25 Temples throughout the world.) 

My son and I with my teacher and friend,Geshe

My son and I with my teacher and friend,Geshela

Anyways, through destiny, we met about a year and a half ago. My time with him, was life changing. He is the most loving person I have ever met. He radiates with kindness, wisdom, and love. He honestly glows with bright light.

Radiating love

Radiating love

When I have questions, I ask him.Even across the world, he always knows when I am hitting a low point, because it is during those times when he sends me a message out of the blue, either in an email- like when i got back from the Azores“I am always sending you and Marlin love”, or sometimes when I meditate, I see him or feel  him. When I am scared, I recite mantras he taught me.  I guess in a way, we have the typical “Master-student” relationship. He  has a special relationship with my son too. In fact, my son made him a painting about a year ago, and it is now hanging up in one of Geshe-la’s temples in Spain.

Great Souls..

Great Souls..

Lecture in Delray Beach, The process of dying, bardo, and rebirth

Lecture in Delray Beach, The process of dying, bardo, and rebirth

Well, luckily, Geshe-la is back in South Florida for a few days ( he must have known I needed some guidance-ha!). He gave a lecture in Delray Beach about the process of death,  bardo, and rebirth. I was nervous about the topic, but it was surprisingly comforting. And something I needed to learn about. Something we all need to learn about and come to terms with. 

After the lecture, my son and I had the extra honor of joining a small group of his students, for retreat. We stayed in a beautiful house that belongs to a dear friend of mine, in Wellington Florida. The house is surrounded by woods, and near a beautiful pond. Our time was spent with meditations, chanting, studying, good food, slow walks, a short fast, and deep laughter. We slept on the floor.  No internet, no cell phones, no tv, no music. No make up, no jewelry, no perfume. It was calm, quiet, and very peaceful.IMG_2293 (2) IMG_2292 (2) IMG_2288 (2)

The experience was amazing. And it was also overwhelming (a lot to process). I had never done anything like it before. I am still kind of floating in a daze. That could be from our fast. We just finished this morning.  I was so hungry last night. ;)

Yesterday, during retreat, Geshe-la and I went for a walk. Just the two of us. We walked slowly. We talked.  I told him about my problems, my questions, and my fears. I told him about my Portuguese sweetheart.  And I told him how much wine I drank in the Azores. He laughed. He loves me unconditionally. He LOVES unconditionally.

The pond that will forever stay in my heart

The pond that will forever stay in my heart

We stood quietly together at a small pond. He gently put his hand on my shoulder and said “You have a very big heart, and you help many people.” and suddenly, I knew (regardless of struggles) that I am on the path that I am meant to travel.  It was such a beautiful moment.

In these few days I have learned and grown so much. I know I still have so much to learn. But the seeds have been planted.

 geshe

I feel honored to have such a wise teacher and friend to help guide me. Thank you so much Geshe-la. And thank you so much to my dear friend Jian.

Now I am going to go eat a huge  meal! HA! 

Have a beautiful day. Namaste~Tiff

“As human beings we all want to be happy and free from misery… we have learned that the key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion, while love and compassion and a sense of universal responsibility are the sources of peace and happiness.”~Dalai Lama


This is a  a guided relaxation I made with the musician Vaisnava.  The photos are all from my 6 months living in Atlantis (Santa Maria).

I hope you enjoy. Relax and be well.

~Yogini Tiff


Following a bizarre dream, my son and I and spent 6 months on the most beautiful island in the world, Santa Maria, Azores. Our time there was magical. And Strange.  I met new friends, new family, new love. I was surrounded by  nature, mountains, forests, and the ocean.. my kind of paradise. Leaving was very painful. I cried many tears.

Garden and the beauty of San Lorenzo Bay

My Island Paradise


When our plane descended into Fort Lauderdale, I looked out the window, my stomach was in knots. South Florida is so overdeveloped.. and flat.

West Palm Beach..

West Palm Beach..

We were greeted and “bear hugged” by our close friends, and while I was genuinely happy to see my friends, I struggled to speak. I struggled to smile. My mind kept asking me “What are you doing here?!?”

Culture shock.

I was in a daze for several days. Exhausted, heartbroken, confused. My body was very tense. I kept waking up at 3am. My heart longed to go back to Santa Maria. All I wanted was to sit at the Cais (the Port), laugh with my cousin, hug my sweetheart, eat Sao Jorge cheese and Portuguese bread (with piri piri), and of course drink wine. Vinho Abafado being my favorite.

The Port on the island of Santa Maria

The Port on the island of Santa Maria

I felt the heaviness of depression begin to set in. I tried to mask my depression with smiles..but it was there.  I had a friend from out-of-town come and visit, so  right away, life in florida included  good friends, dance parties, bon fires, music playing, song writing, bike rides, yoga , theatre, the ocean, and good food..But there was an emptiness. A deep longing for my Azorean life. Reminds me of Brigadoon. 

And then, one day, I took a road trip, across the state to my sister’s house. I stopped at Myakka River State Park, (nature is the best therapy),  and I went for a hike. I found the most beautiful oak tree, and felt compelled to sit under it, and meditate. Instantly, I knew I was healing.  The voice of wisdom came to me, “This is your path. Live in the present moment.  Live with gratitude. Trust, you are being guided.”

Healing at the beautiful and magical Myakka River State Park

Healing at the beautiful and magical Myakka River State Park

With a smile, I opened my eyes, and really looked at the beauty of my surroundings..I could feel it.

Florida is beautiful. The swamps, the ocean, the forests, the islands.  And the weather in wintertime, is amazing!!!

Winter in South Florida

Winter in South Florida

There is a reason I am here. Teaching yoga, sharing Reiki, making music, working on my garden, and being an awesome mom (well, trying to be). ;)

And, I am officiating  a wedding ceremony in February.

 

I am also learning to sail…sailing close up

I guess the reason I felt compelled to write today, is this–We have to remember to live!  Life changes, situations change, we all go through both painful and wonderful experiences. Just Breathe. Wherever you are, You can find your center.

Every time I start to feel that longing for Santa Maria, I remind myself to live with gratitude. And then I ask my friend to take me sailing! HA!

Maybe I will crew on a sailboat to the Azores. ;)

Maybe I will crew on a sailboat to the Azores. ;)

Live. Love.   And always be open to Adventure.. ~Yogini Tiff


I can’t believe it has been a month since I have posted. I think about writing a lot, and I have so many stories I want write about.. But I have had some sort of writers block…hmm..

Anyways, I am going to try to give it a shot, and share our latest adventures here in Atlantis…

Sunset, Santa Maria, Azores

Living in the Azores is like a dream. Winter is here. It is very different from summer. It rains a lot. The wind is strong. The ocean is raw, alive and roaring. .

Ocean Energy

I spend so much time at the ocean. Sometimes I take my ukulele.. sometimes I meditate. Sometimes I just walk.I breathe. So healing.

In the mornings, I wake up, drink coffee, and eat bread (The Portuguese make the best bread in the world)..I laugh with my cousin. I look out at the ocean and up into the hills. Valverde (the green valley) is a beautiful place to live.The energy is so different here. I move slowly. I clean up puppy poop. My son does his school online through Florida Virtual School.. But we all know his real schooling is through life. This experience. We are living in a new country, learning a new language, a new culture. New and old family. Our Roots.We speak using a combination of  Portuguese and English. We learn. We grow.

Hiking

Santa Maria is a small island. 5000 people. From the highest point on the island, called Pico Alto, one can see the entire island. All the way around. And it is beautiful. The ocean seems to go on forever.

paradise

The only real traffic here is from cows. Very different from life in South Florida.

Afterschool Traffic…

This island doesn’t  have an operating movie theater. It also doesn’t have a McDonald’s. No Wal-Mart. No freeways. No crime.. (well, very little). People work hard and help each other. We celebrate. We  hang a lot of clothes  and we eat a lot of potatoes. Our family always makes sure we are stocked with crates of them….onions too.. People really depend on their gardens.

Dinner in Valverde

With winter here, It gets dark earlier. Earlier hikes. More layers of clothes. More time indoors. Dinner parties.  Baptisms. Birthdays. Festivals. Fado music. Beekeeping. Herbs. We go dancing at a little dance club in Sao Pedro called Chamine.. We  play guitar and sing. We drink wine. A lot. We eat a lot of chestnuts. We indulge and laugh. We do meditation and Reiki.. We all feel change. I attuned two powerful women into Reiki practitioners.. They were already healers.. BUT NOW…

Three Reiki Practitioners connected by Azores Roots..

This journey has also brought me the magic of romance. Heart Chakra is open..Romance is alive in the Azores…Love comes to us in many forms…

Portuguese love song

Winter is here.  The water is cold. We hike. We sing. We liveThis is yoga .. Being in the present moment.

Love is Love

Enjoy the sunstreaks..~tiff


Paradise

This morning, I drank a cup of coffee with my cousin, and looked out from the balcony at the view. The village, the ocean, the mountains, the cows, and even the clothes hanging on the clotheslines; it is all beautiful.  Breathtaking. This place is like a fairy tale.  I am still amazed to be here.

With my cousin, in Santana (my mothers birthplace), Santa Maria Azores…

And then I realized, today is the day I was originally supposed to return to The United States. But as fate would have it, I am still here!!  Our visas were extended so we are staying for three more months (at least)!!

The Women of Atlantis.. (Who needs clothes?)

In fact, at the moment, I am here on the island of Santa Maria, covered in puppy vomit.  Gross.

Life is full of surprises.. (and some surprises bring lots of love!)

Yesterday, my cousin found a very young puppy in the woods, so now, unexpectedly, we have a new member in our family! Life! All the plans we had made for the next few days have changed. Now we are caring for a sick little puppy, nursing it back to health,  and trying to keep it warm. And cleaning up lots of puke.

My little cousin dancing in our village.. happiness, love, and more love..Hooray for puppies!!

On this tiny little island, in the three months I have been here, I have experienced hurricanes, black magic, bull fights, a portuguese stalker, sickness and death of loved ones,  ghosts, boat rides, dancing under the moon, amazing food, amazing wine, disco parties, love of family and friends, and even a sweet portuguese romance.  And, what could be better than an island romance???  BIG SMILE..

Me and my amazing kid, magic all around..

Looking back on my life, I realize that sometimes we have goals, make plans, or try to create a perfect path, but things rarely turn out the way we expect them. Sometimes, they turn out better. Ha! I love this little island.  Have a great and blessed day!! xxoo~Tiff


This is a short post dedicated to following your dreams and dedicated to my cousin, who I love more than words can ever say…..

After a long, heartbreaking, and confusing period of my life, I had a dream, and in the dream, My Portuguese grandmother (who died several years ago), came to me and told me very clearly, that i needed to go to the Azores… more specifically to the Island of Santa Maria, the island my mother grew up on.

Santa Maria.. view from Terra Velha..

I called my mom and told her about the dream.  I told her I had to figure out a way to come to the Azores. Everyone thought I was a bit crazy and no one (myself included) seemed to think I could pull it off…But, as if by magic, everything fell into place. The money for the plane tickets magically appeared, a friend offered to watch my dog and rent out my house. It all just fell into place. No effort! Seriously, the universe wanted me to take this trip…. but I had no idea why. I got on the plane with no real expectations…

I arrived to the island and felt like I entered a different world. So many amazing places. So many relatives. So many stories. So many feelings of Deja vu…whoa.

The Haunted Woods.On the trail near Barreiro da Faneca

And then one day, I met my cousin. A cousin I didn’t even know I had.  The first time we hung out, we laughed, danced, and cried (we drank a lot too. I don’t think I had ever been so drunk)… it was like long-lost sisters finally reunited!

Cousins, Enjoying the Magic of love and Sao Lorenco Bay….

Hiking in Valverde…

Now we spend almost all of our time together..Yoga, Reiki, meditation, dance parties, swimming, hiking, cooking, crying, drinking, and lots of laughing…I think we might be the talk of the island right now. Hahaha. We are both learning, healing,  and growing so much. We see the magic in our connection. And the timing really is a miracle!  (When a door closes, somewhere a window opens.)

And our kids love each other too!!!

My grandmother was the sister of my cousin’s grandfather

I know why I am here.  It was destiny that brought me here. Destiny and a strong connection to this place through blood, love,  and magic.

I am hoping to extend our stay. I love it here. We will see what will be.

And Grandma Rosa,  thanks for the message. :)

Lots of love~Tiff



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