The Vegiterranean

On Saturday, my husband and I decided to take a drive up to Akron, Ohio, to have dinner at a wonderful vegan restaurant, called "The Vegiterranean." It was absolutely delicious and worth the 2 hour drive northeast of Columbus, Ohio. The restaurant is owned by Chrissie Hynde, lead singer of the Pretenders. The walls of the restaurant are lined up with portraits of famous vegetarians such as Joaquin Pheonix, Paul McCartney, and Shania Twain.

These are the dishes we sampled and loved!

• Frito Misto - Cauliflower tempura battered served with Lemon drizzle and Sweet Chili sauce
• Sarah’s Smoked Tuscan White Bean and Potato Soup with Aged Balsamic drizzle
• Baked Polenta Triangoli - with Wild Mushroom Bolognaise and Braised Escarole
• Risotto with Grilled Artichokes - Roasted Tomatoes, Wild Mushrooms and Fire Grilled Red Pepper, Saffron and fresh Thyme with vegan italian sausage

I recommend you try it. Our waitress was wonderful as well. She was proud to tell us how the restaurant was recently voted one of the Top 8 Vegetarian Restaurants in America by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)

For more information, visit: www.thevegiterranean.com

Traditional Mayan Yoot Kene Massage

Have you ever had your belly massaged? I don't know about you, but my dogs get more belly rubs than I do. This treatment was so different from anything I have ever done. I liked it so much, I had 3 treatments done while I was at the Maya Tulum Resort. The masseuse was a midwife, and so, she had a lot of knowledge about the reproductive organs. In fact, she noticed my uterus was low, which she said happens from lifting heavy items or from a serious fall. The amazing thing is that she lifted my uterus back into place, and it didn't hurt, but I did feel a lot of pressure. Now, I am being so careful about lifting heavy things, so that my uterus stays in place.

As described at the Maya Tulum Resort, the Yoot Kene massage is also known as the Sobada Maya, an incredible healing form developed by the ancient Maya. It acknowledges the importance of the navel region as the body’s "power center". This is a full body massage, however, specific attention will be given to the readjustment of the internal abdominal organs. This deep belly massage will have an amazingly profound and lasting effect on your digestive system creating a deep sense of well-being.

Traditional Ceremony of Temazcal

Our most amazing experience at the Maya Tulum Resort was the Temazcal, otherwise known as the "sweat lodge." It was a great way to release toxins and let go of the past. We also had the opportunity to set new intentions for 2009. It was the most healing experience I have ever encountered. There were 9 of us in the lodge, along with a 10th person, a Chaman-medicine man. Yes, we all fit in this small lodge.

The Temazcal ceremony, as described at the Maya Tulum Resort, is about two and a half hours of total release of toxins, physical, emotional and spiritually. You will be within the actual temazcal (clay steam dome) for approximately an hour and 12 minutes. During this time an herbal tea made by soaking fresh herbs is splashed over heated volcanic rocks to produce a powerful fragrant steam. As your body begins to relax and detoxify, you will begin to experience a connection with Mother Earth through a series of four guided meditations. Each focuses towards a different cardinal point. These meditations will be accompanied by chanting and ancient music. At the end of each guided meditation the door of the temazcal is opened to allow in the energy of the next cardinal point.

This ceremony is also used to promote fertility in women. Give it a try if you get the chance and keep your mind open to possibilities.

Maya Tulum Vacation

My husband and I traveled to Tulum, Mexico, over the holidays, to spend our vacation at the Maya Tulum Resort. This resort offers yoga, chi gong, pranayama, and meditation classes daily. Since we had spent our holidays 2 years ago at the Pura Vida Resort in Costa Rica and loved it, we wanted to try one of their other locations. When we arrived, we were astounded at the beauty of the resort, right in front of the ocean. Most of the rooms were comprised of small cabanas with lots of windows, to hear the ocean and feel the breeze. The restaurant offers 3 vegetarian meals per day. The food was good, not excellent. We actually preferred the daily buffet meals in Costa Rica. One of the biggest reasons we preferred the buffet is because we could serve ourselves in our own time. The waiters at the Maya Tulum Resort were very slow and not attentive. It took us a few days to adjust to their pace, as we felt they did not want to help us. After talking to the staff, the service improved. Thank goodness! It is all about communication, right?

Overall, we had a wonderful time, getting sun on the beach, eating a lot, practicing yoga, and taking part in some wonderful treatments. See my next blog for details on the amazing treatments we did at the Maya Tulum Resort. I highly recommend them. Our purpose for taking these types of trips are to end the year, cleansing and letting go of the past, and starting the New Year, with positive intentions to take care of ourselves, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is a wonderful experience.

If you are interested in taking a trip to this resort, visit: http://www.mayatulum.com/

The Truth to Success

I came across this quote in my Franklin planner, and wanted to share it. Yes, I do own a Franklin planner. I like to be organized.

"Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others." -Marianne Williamson

So many of us feel unsuccessful in our lives due to either not making work deadlines, not making enough money, not having the title we think we deserve, or not being in a certain place in our lives as we expected or had planned years ago. All these so called "unsuccessful barometers" put so much pressure on us, and usually, it is social pressure.

When was the last time you felt successful just because you helped a friend in need, volunteered your time at a shelter, took care of a sick family member, or taught yoga class. All these examples are successful. I have to remember that myself. When I see smiles and peace across my students' faces, I remember that I am using my passion for yoga to help others. I also remember that I can use yoga to help myself.

Acupuncture - A Complementary Therapy

Once per month, I go for an acupuncture session, and I have to say, I look forward to that session every time. I discovered acupuncture back in 2003, and it has been one of the most amazing therapies I have experienced since yoga. In fact, I think it is a great compliment to yoga in that it works on the energy and balance of the whole body.

On Tuesday of this week, I went for my monthly acupuncture session. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep during the session, and forgot where I was. In fact, at one point, when I woke up, I thought I was in my meditation room in savasana. Woops!

More and more, I have been recommending acupuncture to friends, family, and students, to use as a complementary therapy to yoga or western medicine. I think there is nothing to lose in trying it at least once. In fact, I think there is a lot to gain from an acupuncture session.

The only negative thing to acupuncture is that you can't stay forever. It is always hard to leave, as I want to experience that relaxing state forever. Also remember that more and more health insurances are starting to pay for acupuncture or at least offer flexible spending accounts to use towards this therapy. I highly recommend it! Give it a try.

Katica Yoga - Lunchtime Classes in Worthington

December - Lunch Hour Yoga Classes for Beginners
Dates: December 4, 11, 18
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Place: Worthington United Methodist Church
Address: 600 High Street, Worthington, OH
Drop In Fee: $15 per class
Monthly Session: $37.50 (includes 3 classes for December)

To sign up, email: kathy@katicayoga.com