Published on June 19th, 2017 | by Catherine Tingey

BIRTHDAY YOGA!

Birthday Yoga!

I turned 44 yesterday – wow! Four years ago at 40 I knew a new chapter was starting. If the first half of my life was about doing what I ‘should’ do, I knew that the second half was going to be wholly self-designed.

On birthdays, I like to do simple stuff slowly. So I woke up extra early, went to a new yoga class in Encinitas, lingered afterwards to talk to other students and the teacher and tooled around my new city. It’s such a luxury to have no place to be and no plans of any sort really. This is a great recipe for meeting new people and having meaningful experiences.

At the yoga studio I met two phenomenal teachers, a woman I spoke to for over 2 hours whom I now consider a new friend, and several students that shared yoga and teaching references with me.

If you’re ever in the Encinitas area, I highly recommend dropping into Soul of Yoga. They have such a rich program of senior teachers, workshops and events – I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!

In downtown Encinitas is the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens, a beautiful sanctuary overlooking the Pacific. There are pools with koi fish and if you look out at the water, you can see dolphins. I watched a dolphin pod swim by – just breathtaking. We also have an SRF here in the Palisades and it is equally beautiful.

For good eats, the Lotus Café offers vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and sweet outdoor seating.

Afterwards you can walk through downtown Encinitas – a short walk that spans the distance between SRF and Encinitas Blvd. 2nd Street (parallel to the 101) is neighborhoody and a nice place to stroll. I imagine this is what parts of Santa Monica must have felt like 20 years ago. The Darshan Bakery/Cafe has an excellent selection of pastries and is a nice place to have tea. Their chai is also great.

If you’re interested in gifting yourself a special birthday, take yourself to a yoga class or better yet, try a private yoga session! A couple of my long term clients started yoga with me to celebrate their birthdays…many moons ago.

I feel fortunate to be present for my own future birthdays, and theirs.

Enjoy this moment!

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Catherine Tingey

Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.

Tags: Private Yoga

About the Author

Catherine Tingey + Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.