considering my passion for blending yoga and daily life, i felt it appropriate to muse on the yoga of making challenging decisions and handling life's daily twists and turns. having a tendency toward self-induced drama, i often think to myself "how much more can i handle?" as i wipe my brow. and then - poof - i'm given yet another interesting challenge.

life is full of these lessons/opportunities/challenges and despite the struggle, we are always sure to come away stronger because of them. after making a challenging and saddening decision recently, i took a moment last night to reflect on how lokah samastah sukino bhavantu applied to this situation. the mantra translates to "may all beings everywhere be happy and free. may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all." yoga teaches us to be grounded, fearless, strong, flexible, aware, loving, compassionate, reflective - all sorts of yummy stuff. it's easy to be all of the above when life is going smoothly. but how to embody yoga when things are hard, when presented with tough choices, when coming up against yet another obstacle? THIS is living your yoga.

growing up in oklahoma, where drivers have a tendency to wave when passing on country roads, i learned the expression "kill them with kindness" and i feel like it is appropriate in urban everyday living, too. being nice is so much more pleasant. why not thank the barista for doing great work? why not thank your partner for doing the dishes? why not tell your dog walker that they are doing a great job? when in the midst of a challenging discussion, it is a must to stay grounded, breathe deeply, and speak kindly. this is yoga.

by remembering that our thoughts, words, and actions have an effect on others, it makes all our decisions even more powerful. over the past many months i have been inundated with decisions to make - from tile to flooring to staffing to financing to paint colors to interviewing. these daily decisions and challenges are our yoga practice. what is the point of a beautiful crow pose if we are tormented inside? one of my favorite teachers states that you can tell if you are progressing as a yogi by how much peace you are experiencing in life (not how long you can hold headstand). i love that gentle reminder and i reflect on it often.

when betrayed, hurt, let down, confused, or exhausted, i encourage you to explore what the lesson is that underlies the challenge. is there a flower that will blossom through the unsightly soil? when one door closes, another is sure to open. letting go is never easy. change is never easy. making tough decisions is never easy. staying authentic to oneself is never easy. but THIS is our yoga. trust in it and stay connected with your core. you'll emerge even stronger. namaste.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 10:49 PM | 6 comments

on friday i had some hot pink added to my heavily high and lowlighted hair. i LOVE it and can't imagine my life without it now. what's not to love about a dash of pink?

i've never been the "gotta be different" kind of gal but as i'm aging (yep, 35 THIS year), i'm finding myself to be tres more daring in ways that never appealed before. it's as if my desire to do things differently is more of an expression of who i am versus a rebellion against society (or parentals). these "expressions" are benign (mum may feel differently) and have been a gradual progression from my uber-conservative oklahoma sorority days. got a sunflower tattoo on my belly after graduating from college in 1995 and still grin when i see it peer out of my low rise capris. pierced my nose in 2000, can't imagine life without this must-have bling. have been highlighting as long as i can remember - no idea what is my natural shade. began the obsession with donning all-black togs over the past couple of years (not in a goth way, but more of a simply chic way). and now the pink hair.

while doing a google search to share with you some pink pelo thoughts, i came across "the ultimate guide to unnatural hair colouring,"this article that reminds us that creativity is not about pink hair and is coined "the pink hair myth," and here's the pink hair gallery for those who want more visuals.

who would have thought that there was so much written about hair dye? anyone out there feeling pretty in pink?

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:08 PM | 8 comments

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Bonjour! Welcome to the 127th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s menu features a must-have pose in On the Mat, seeking tranquility among transitions in Off the Mat, and we’ve got Omwork for you too. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

On the Mat: savasana

Off the Mat: Spontaneous chat regarding Tranquil Space's (and our) transition with Beau.








































































































Kapok scoop.

Photos include:
1. Chubby Bonnard the Cat (my first born)
2. Me & Louis in the Pink Palace
3. Bamboo Studio stuffed with mama's homemade meditation cushions & bolsters
4. Kapok-stuffed homemade pillows on bench made of barn wood & dressing rooms made of pallets that delivered supplies during the buildout
5. Louis chilling with his beloved teddy
6. Beau, Moi, & Louis at the dog park taking a breather
7. Amy Bertha in front of the tea bar
8. Mum, Marq & Carol chilling on the kapok-filled pillows
9. Gina, Moi, & Louis in the boutique
10. Christy working her chalkboard magic on the "chalkboard loft"
11. Louis with his kapok-filled tail
12. BFF & Moi giggling during a thoughtful surprise visit that involved flowers

Omwork: To encourage a sense of diving deeper into today’s podcast, I will post Omwork relating to this segment on our HTC forum. Please connect with fellow HTCs there and play with the following:

1. What transitions are occurring your life right now?
2. How can you stay tranquil and grounded during the chaos?
3. What new seeds would you like to plant?

Signature Style: NEW gaucho jumpsuit

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Celebrate a WHOLE week in Costa Rica August 30-September 6. Join me for workshops and book signings in Ft. Lauderdale in June, San Francisco in July, Lexington in October. In addition, we've got a week of hip and tranquil chickness at Omega June 2-6 and Kripalu August 10-15. Details for all special events at kimberlywilson.com. I hope we'll get to connect!

Next online creativity circle starts June 9.

Join us for our next le chic teleclass chat focused on "Sultry Summer Sadhana (spiritual practice)" on Monday, July 15 at 9:00pmET. Details here.

Mentoring: Interested in diving deeper into hip and tranquil topics 1:1 with moi via e-mail, phone or in-person? If so, view all the scoop here.

Chic Community: Mingle with fellow HTCs on our forums. We’re on Facebook, so please connect with the community virtually there, too! Make sure you're getting the hip tranquil times by signing up at the bottom of any page on hiptranquilchick.com. Check out our YouTube page at youtube.com/hiptranquilchick. More fun stuff coming soon!

Au Revoir: Thanks for joining me for the 127th edition of the HTC podcast.

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Check out nineball media

posted by kimberly wilson @ 7:51 PM | 11 comments

attention all HTCs with pups or a love of pups, please join us on saturday, may 10 from 3-4:30 at rose park (23 & p street) for some yoga in the park. i'll lead a 1-hour practice while the pups play and dine on special complimentary treats from doggie style bakery. the fee is $10 to benefit washington humane society who will have their adoption van there at our 4th annual doga in the park event!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 3:27 PM | 1 comments

posted by kimberly wilson @ 4:33 PM | 1 comments

the dust continues to settle and my inbox continues to grow. however, we're all in good spirits and delighted to be in our new home. below are photos of our new haven: tea bar + boutique, along with photos from our move. more to come . . .

posted by kimberly wilson @ 4:23 PM | 5 comments

If you are in the DC area on May 17th, please join us for the grand opening soiree for our beautiful new 17th Street studio from 6-9pm. If you'd like to help get the word out, check out this page where we have some fun graphics available for you to use on your website or blog.

I hope to see you there! More details here, and rsvp here! Merci beaucoup!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 8:05 PM | 0 comments

may muse

if nothing ever changed, there'd by no butterflies ~ author unknown

while leading a retreat in costa rica last summer, we went to a popular butterfly garden and for the first time i saw a caterpiller emerge from its cocoon into a wet, wobbly butterfly. its next phase was to dry out its wings so it could fly. a truly remarkable sight.

since 1999 when tranquil space began, i have felt like a caterpiller on numerous occasions, struggling to dry my wings and fly. as we embark on this exciting new journey, i return to the image of the wet, wobbly butterfly. change is always scary, sexy, risky, and a constant state despite continual resistance to it.

in buddhism, the concept of impermanence is a gentle reminder that so much of suffering is brought on by resisting change. nothing is our lives is unchanging – our thoughts, emotions, work, relationships. so why the struggle and grasping for continual control? why do we stay in the cocoon?

as tranquil space embarks on its next phase in our newly constructed home on 17th street, i am watching with anticipation as our team and yoga community adjusts to all the changes. some sexy, some scary, and some risky – all a part of the continual flow of life. in college i read that we regret more the things we don’t do than the things we do do. that statement serves as a gentle reminder every time i question emerging from a comfortable cocoon.

it is with extreme gratitude that i write this muse and i partake in this upcoming change. i thank you for supporting the mission of tranquil space during our many manifestions. may our new phase offer room for us all to spread our wings and fly. i look forward to celebrating with you at our grand opening soiree on may 17.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 10:15 PM | 4 comments