City by the bay-e-ayyy

When the lights go down in the city

and the sun shines on the bay

I want to be there in my city

ohh ohh ohh

so you think you're lonely

well my friend I'm lonely too!

I wanna get back to my city by the bayyyyy

ohh ohh ohh

-Journey

Oh it is so great to be back to my city by the bay! The chill in the air...the fabulous organic food...the social and personal awareness of the people here...the AMAZING people and my great friends here....the damp air that makes it feel colder than NY even though it is 30 degrees warmer...the quick moving fog that can turn the most beautiful of days into a grey fog disaster...purple houses...don't get me wrong...I love NY but there is something about San Francisco that just brings me back to center...maybe it is the chill in the damp air, my daily walks or runs down to the GG bridge or catching up with my old and lifelong friends that reminds me of why I am here....in this city and who I am in this world.

There is definitely a reason why everyone should live in SF at some point in their life....and come back later in their life. It is rich...full of creativity, outdoor-si-ness, mellowness and crazy party scene combined (I witnessed and interesting Tuesday night), fantastic culture and architecture and amazing yoga and fitness (I have never come across more tri-athletes...ever) ! I love miss love this place.....but love miss love NYC too...why can't I live in both cities...

welcome to the world Lucca Miller...can't wait to meet you tomorrow...xo!

Ch-ch-changes

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
-David Bowie

Happy Spring everyone...the vernal equinox has happened followed by a full moon tonight...it is a powerful time! Spring is here and the seasons are changing...what an amazing time for growth! It is no coincidence that everything seems to flourish in the springtime-people, animals and plants & flowers come out of hibernation, the skies open up and nourishing rain pours down to sustain all life on the planet, the weather is warmer, the air is lighter and the colors are brighter.

It is a well know fact the nothing is permanent in this life....babies are born, loved ones die, our relationships evolve and either grow or disappear...fortunes are won and lost....natural disasters occur that devastate entire populations and then communities rebuild and develop....the only thing that any of us can ever count on is CHANGE! Spiritual leaders and great sages talk about it- we hear about it constantly in literature and music - media channels are flooded with it- talk of change- CHANGE is the only CONSTANT in life, and therefore the only thing we can truly count on!

Often times, along with change and growth comes great difficulty and work. Change is always for the better- regardless of your ability to see it at the time. Unfortunately, it often is accompanied by unpleasant and sometimes devastating feelings- pain, suffering, anxiety, stress, potential freak outs...yes we have all been there and often still go there. Regardless of the difficulties- change is glorious! You will most definitely look back and be grateful for what you have learned in your difficult times and that the changes you take on in your life have certainly led you to grow and become more conscious and aware...embrace it...it may be a bumpy ride for awhile but the smooth sailing on the other side is incredibly glamorous! The best part is during the sailing...you have an opportunity to experience so much joy and happiness...isn't that fantastic?

Living Your Truth....

Why is it that we digress in life and do the opposite of what we really need to do to take care of ourselves? We all have had times in our lives when we feel as though we are not living according to our values...we say we want one thing but clearly do another. We makes bargains with ourselves in the hopes that next time we will be honest and live our truth. We give into our desires because they make us feel better rather than doing the work to make the changes we need to grow and heal......

The change of season signifies so much more that spring flowers, longer days and warm weather, it is a unique time to make the changes we need to make in order to grow...regardless of how difficult and painful those changes might be, coming out on the other side is fantastic and liberating. Due diligence, hard work and unwavering effort.....Growth and self love are amazing things and on the horizon for all of us!

Kiss Me I'm Irish

Happy St Patricks Day!

Top O' the Mornin' To Ya

May you be in heaven a half an hour before the devil knows you're dead

May your pockets be heavy, your heart light, and may good luck pursue you both morning and night.

Although I am not Irish...it seems that I always feel Irish on this day...singing songs in Gaelic, dancing Michael Flatley style jigs, and drinking green beer...I have been blessed and honored to have many Irish descendants in my life who have clearly helped me continue this tradition in my own life. In a toast to Irish heritage, Spring on the horizon and The Feast of St. Patrick....slainte and blessings.

p.s. a special prayer for those who were injured or lost their lives in the crane accident in NYC...life is too short not to appreciate every day!

Turn over a new leaf.....

Spring is almost here...at least daylight savings is, tricking us into believing that more light equates to warmer weather...its a trick! Spring signifies new beginning and change. Its also a time for the cycle of karma to complete unfinished business...funny how random things and people come out of the woodwork allowing an important opportunity for us to learn, grow and move forward. It creates this opportunity to physical and emotionally turn over a new leaf. So refreshing!

Leaves, exemplary of new life and growth bloom in the spring.....check out these new leaf studs on http://www.tracymatthewsdesigns.com/. To view more leaf jewelry, click here! Thanks for taking a look!

Eleanor Rigby

"All the lonely people, were do they all come from....all the lonely people where do they all belong..."- Beatles

It's American Idol season! Set yer TIVO.....and last night was Beatles night! so psyched!

Rocker David Cook sported some TMD men on the stage while....check out the double ring necklace (also seen on Orlando Bloom) with our large sword charm....although I didn't see it live, I watched it on you tube this morning. You can check out the collection online at http://www.tracymatthewsdesigns.com/!

Hugs all around

Its been great!- I have had the pleasure of teaching a ton of yoga classes over the past few weeks. This morning I taught an early morning class with a mixed level of beautiful students. I was sheer fun...even at the crack of dawn practically...

One of the students gave me a big hug and it really made my day! Hugs all around today...it feels great.

Here is my teaching schedule so far for the next 2 weeks:
all at various Equinox locations in NYC

Wednesday, March 12, 7:30 to 8:30 am 50th and Broadway
Friday, March 14, 7 am to 8 am Soho
Wednesday, March 19, 8 am to 9 am, Chelsea
Saturday, March 22, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, 63rd and Lex
Sunday, March 23, 11 am 12 pm, 54th and 2nd

then my vacation starts...returning April 8th

April 11, 8am to 9 am, Greenwich ave

and more dates to come....thanks for coming to class...can't wait to give you a big HUG!
(picture of me and several of my nieces and a nephew in an embrace- just want to squeeze them!)

Think Big!

"When you are inspired by some great purpose
Some extraordinary project
All your thoughts break their bonds
Your mind transcends limitations
Your consciousness expands in every direction
and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.

Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive and you discover
yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be!"- Patanjali

I'm Baaack! After over a week of travels I am finally by my computer again to write.

I was recently reminded of this amazing passage by Patanjali when a fellow yogi inquired about the translation. It is quite incredible: the mind and what it is capable of....but what if we were to consider taking a step back and truly looking at what limits us...and more than likely it is our thoughts. Thoughts are not truth or reality, they are often tricks that our ego plays on us to often make us feel bad or inadequate.

What about if you were to change your thoughts in a way that made you feel fruitful and amazing...if you were able to consider something a little bit different or even beyond the realm of what you considered a possibility....maybe you could break the bonds of the mind and consider the greatness that was always you!

Have a nice day.....you are fabulous!

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Happiness is one of those enigmatic things that many people can often have difficulty finding. What is happiness anyway? I have often contemplated what truly makes anyone happy…is it really a state or is it something you can just be?

I am not really sure, but when I was cleaning up my computer on the way to San Francisco last night, I came across this amazing picture that was taken a few years ago on a trip to India. My travels to India were one of self exploration. I had been going through some personal things that were difficult and I needed to decompress. Although, I met up with a friend for a few days in the beginning of the trip; I was on this journey, essentially, alone.

I spent the majority of my “vacation” in a small Ayurvedic retreat center in the Nilgiri Hills, just above a tea plantation and close to many rural villages. During my time here, I had the extreme pleasure in meeting many of the inhabitants of these villages, in particular a beautiful woman (who I will call, Parvati, although I do not remember her name), who with her husband (many years her senior) ran a small “convenience” store (term used lightly-more like an open air shack with items for sale like rice, bindis and washing soap). I walked everyday up and down the slope, past the convenience store to a beautiful stone plateau that overlooked this amazing and awe inspiring valley. Along the way, Parvati and I became friends, even though we could not speak each other’s language. We somehow communicated through gestures and general osmosis I guess…although her husband helped us out a few times with his limited vocabulary of English.

I think the most powerful people I met along the way were the beautiful children. The first few days I arrived, they would follow me and run after me…I am sure for a few reasons….I was white (and very fair at that time of the year- December) and my light skin compared to their dark skin was something they rarely see. They wondered what the “white” thing I was carrying around was…and were even more amazed when they could hear music out of it (my iPod)! And finally, they were stunned that they could view the images on a tiny device that was a camera immediately after the pictures were taken! The brilliant laughter, utter glee and sheer amazement that these children had over something that seemed so trivial to someone like me, made me take a step back. These were some of the most joyous people that I had ever seen in my life….and compared to most people’s standards, these children truly had nothing…just happiness.

Towards the end of my trip, Parvati invited me and some of the new friends that I had met to have Chai in there home…I remember this moment very vividly. She was so proud to have my friends and me in her home. Modest was an understatement. Her home (which housed a family of 4) was about 200 square feet and included: 1) a concrete floor, 2) a drain for washing in one corner, 3) a twin bed on a rusty frame in another corner, 4) 3 plastic chairs, 5) a small kitchenette where she made her chai, and 6) one small roller suitcase which housed the entire family wardrobe. I remember how excited and happy she was to have us over…a gesture of kindness, in Indian culture, inviting someone into your home for tea is an ultimate act of hospitality.

There is a point and I am getting to it…I think what really took me back, was that all of these things that we have and all of this soul searching to try to FIND happiness, would be so much easier if we could just take a lesson from Parvati and the children in this village….just BE happy. These were some of the happiest and most joyful people I had ever seen in my life, despite the lack of things, absence of drama, and tough and sparse living conditions. Remembering them brings a huge smile to my face…and makes me want to experience it again!

Don’t worry…just be happy!