Fireside: Week One

Jan 3

Maybe it’s the vaccine. Maybe it’s that New year magic. Maybe it’s all this snow… Whatever it is, I’m full of hope as we head into 2021.

New Year, hooray! We hope you’ve let go of anything that no longer served you from 2020 and are ready to move onward, armed with the help of your sankalpa, into the new year!

My Sankalpa is “Seek the Merry!” What is yours? I’m going to make an effort to light more candles, hang up my solar lights whenever possible, xc ski as many days as I am able, and prioritize water adventures with my family.

(Want more help with your 2021 Sankalpa? Read our blog on it here: Setting a Sankalpa)

A few notes to help enhance your yoga practice in 2021.

Remember, your body is the first teacher, our voice is the second teacher.

If, at any time, you feel discomfort, back off. There is no need to push yourself to a point of pain or discomfort. Use pillows, blankets, and props whenever appropriate to make the practice more accessible for your body. The most important thing you can do is treat your body well. This means you do not need to push it or force it to move in ways that cause you pain.

If you have questions on modifications, please reach out!

“Location has energy, time has memory.” - Jay Shetty

You can create a special yoga space in your home by changing the lighting, scent, or sounds. Simply by lighting some candles, turning on a soothing playlist, and dimming the lights, you will create a more soothing space for your practice. Especially because this is the fireside series, we encourage you to light a candle during practice to remind you to stoke your inner fire and let your light shine! We will have even more on this in our second live zoom workshop on January 10. Feel free to get started and creative with it!

**BAM! Magical space with positive vibes! (Loki approves).**

Try cooking vegetables that scare you.

Up first: beets! Cooking colorful vegetables can be a gratitude practice in and of itself. Noticing the color of the vegetables, thinking about all the people that made the food possible, and knowing I am eating in a nourishing way can really boost my mood! Throughout the pandemic I’ve tried to befriend vegetables that scared me. I’ve fallen in love with beets!

To prepare a beet, cut off the stems and peel the beet with a potato peeler. Your hands will turn purple. Do not be afraid! Cut up and store the beet in your refrigerator. Add a raw hunk of beet to your breakfast smoothie to up the flavor! It’s delicious!

Other ways to cook beets:

Breakfast Hash

Cube into 1/2 inch chunks beets and sweet potatoes

Add any of the following vegetables that please you: onions, zuchini, yellow potato, bell peppers, mushrooms.

If you eat bacon or turkey bacon, cut into small ribbons and mix with vegetables. Add a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Heat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil and cover with veggies. Cook until done- about 30-40 minutes.

Top with an egg, mmmm. You could also add avocado, cilantro, hot sauce, or anything else that sounds good on top. MMMMM!

Beet Blueberry Molasses Superhero Muffin

This recipe is from my go-to cookbook: Cook Fast, Run Fast, Eat Slow

Here is the recipe!

Beet + Goat Cheese + Balsalmic

Try this recipe, change your life.

Vegetables are amazing.

We hope you are enjoying Fireside! We will check back in again with ya soon!

xo Amanda & Bry

Amanda Imes

Amanda seems to be most herself when reading, writing, planning or attending a theme party, traveling with her husband, visiting glaciers, dancing like a crazy woman, laughing, and when outside. She melts (and complains) when the thermostat exceeds 80 degrees and plans her life to avoid large crowds, traffic and big cities. She owns and operates a paddleboard outfitter in Duluth, SUPerior Paddle, with her husband and french bulldog Loki.

She is certified to teach yoga through Core Power yoga.

“As a teacher, I’ve found so many interesting new friends on the mat. Like anyone, I have bad days. Life breaks my heart sometimes. However, I always do my best to bring my best version of myself to class as a teacher. I know that some of my students might be having a difficult week too, and that one hour on the mat might just be the hour that turns their week around. I have yet to make it further than 45 seconds into a class with a bad attitude.

Teaching fulfills me. I leave class feeling joyful. That is what yoga (and writing) do for me - they save my life sometimes. They are my secret lifeline to joy, forgiveness, groundedness, serenity- to the truest version of myself.

Can’t wait to lead you in journaling practice, crafts, silliness, and an epic yoga sculpt dance party.”