I finished my 3rd yard sale of the year on labor day weekend. If you've ever had a yard sale you know they are incredibly rewarding, cleansing, and exhausting. I highly recommend at least an annual clearing away karmic/material build up, and if you can not have a yard sale, make a bag and bring to a local charity.

It is interesting what items find new homes, and what is left behind. I noticed a box with the word BioBand, remained in the “first aid” section of my yard sale. My Mom probably gave me this as a gift at some point. The other items that had been next to it, instant hot and cold packs, unopened bottles of tequila & triple sec, were some of the first to go at 8am on Sunday morn.

At the end of the day, exhausted, barely able to stand on my feet, I opened the BioBand box – thinking the Universe has left this here for a reason. I followed the instructions, placed the band approximately three fingers width above my wrist between the flexor tendons on the  surface on the forearm.

A small bead embedded in the adjustable band began to apply pressure on the Chinese meridian point P6 (Neiguan also Nei Kuan).

The Neiguan, P6 point: regulates the heart and calms the spirit, harmonizes the stomach and alleviates nausea.  Acupressure at this point has been scientifically proven to control nausea and vomiting.

Even though the yard sale was done, I still had to clean and get my house back in order. And after putting the BioBand on I immediately felt a sense of ease. My nerves felt soothed, and I felt supported as a sweet second wind of energy.

The manufacturer says to use for relief from nausea causing conditions like car, plain, train & boat travel, morning sickness, post surgery, chemotherapy, and amusement park rides.

1)  Don’t drive at night, unless you absolutely have to.

2)  Travel during the months closest to Summer Equinox to ensure longer light filled days.

3)  Never drive more than 7 hours a day. I prefer driving 4 or 5 hours. This gives you sufficient time to enjoy and rest at your final destination, plus time to stop and take in some of the sights along the way.

4)  Stop in college towns, they often have health food stores, farm to table restaurants, Yoga studios, art galleries, good music and other fun cultural events.

5)  Nurture your self along the way, find the local hot springs, get a good body work session, take a Yoga class, walk in nature, barefoot, swim in glacier fed lakes and rivers...

6)  Find moments of gratitude every day. Even on the difficult days, keep tilling the fertile soil of your experiences to reap life’s subtle messages and synchronicities.

7)  Keep a journal about your experiences.

When I arrived in NYC I discovered, with sadness, I forgot to pack a supply of Yoga props.

Since it was a late hour, and no Yoga studios were open, I decided to go to the neighborhood CVS to see if they carried any Yoga gear. In an effort to keep up with healthy lifestyle trends, many chain-stores are stocked with some Yoga props. I was not lucky on that front. However, as I cruised the isles, I noticed a large pen filled with balls of various shapes and sizes, and a sign that read: 50% off sale! This was a Yoga Therapeutics SCORE!!!! I purchased small balls, big balls, nubby balls, and weighted balls all for under 30 bucks.

One of the nights I was in town, some friends and I spread the balls around an empty room. We rolled on the floor and up the wall to go deep into our tension spots and to access various asanas with support. I highly recommend this as a regular morning and/or evening practice.

The next morning I went to Kula Yoga in Tribeca, which is a wonderful place to land and practice when you are in NYC. They feature a variety of classes from strong to therapeutic, and pride themselves in their community of dedicated Yogis.

I was there to share a workshop called Yoga Therapeutics for Your Sacrum & Hips. A wonderful group of Yogis came out to practice Yoga for their Yoga, and explore going deeper into postures with props, to heal and strengthen this very sensitive part of our bodies that have a working relationship with the health of our 1st two chakras.

The word sacrum is derived from the Latin word for sacred. This area is the place from which we grow strong, when the energy is clear and grounded. It also holds the magic of procreation, and is our connection to ourselves as human animals, and our literal tail.

Most of us have 5 lumbar vertebrae in our "tail.". A small percentage of humans have 6 – this is said to be linked to an older genetic lineage on the planet. Around the age of 16-18 these bones begin to fuse together, and are not done with this process until you are around 26 years old. Depending on your alignment, and the activities you were engaged in during that decade, the bones will fuse, and set a pattern for how you use that area, for the rest of your life.

While in NYC I DJ’d at a Yoga event Aarona Pichinson produces called Yoga Soundscape. As the invited sound artists I provided musical structure for Aarona to lead students on a sweaty and inspiring Yoga adventure. Aarona is a world traveling Yogi. You can experience her unique classes at festivals like Wanderlust and on retreats with Yogascapes. She is also one of the creators of The Moondeck.
 
My journey as a DJ started when I was teenager. And lead to my first career after college  as a sound designer and music supervisor for theater, dance, film, and TV. In the evenings I worked spun at NYC parties, clubs, art galleries and fashion events. My inspiration came from my mother's love of music, and her had a fantastic vinyl collection. When I was growing up she played music at high volumes on cleaning days as we danced around the house singing harmonies together.

My club name, DJ Ganesha Del Mar, was given to me when I was a regular at the original Jivamukti on 2nd Ave. Ganesha, because it sounded like Vanessa. Del Mar because it made the male deity feminine, and because of my love of la mer, the ocean. The name can also be translated as elephant of the sea, a code name for dolphins, which I adore too!
 
I enjoy the creativity of collaborating with moving bodies, hunting for music to create heart centered layers of loops that people can ritualistically move to in performance or in a private moment on their magic carpets.

I call what I create mantra new era, ambient audio acupuncture, an earful of love from my global gypsy, rock, roll, folk, and funk roots. You can check out a selection of some of the sound designs I have created here.

They now live in Maui and teach at a place called Lumeria, and you should totally participate in a class with them if ever you have the chance. Created by Gabriel Roth, a 5 Rhythms dance class provides an amazing judgement free space to become intricate with self-created healing movements, and to let off some steam! All experience levels are welcome as you are guided on a journey, by the music and gentle instructions of the teacher to sweat through old body mind patterns and release into flowing, staccato, chaos, and lyrical movements to find yourself... in stillness.

It happened to be Fashion Week, my last night in NYC. There were many events to check out as we strolled through the city after class. At one of the spots our crew landed makeup artist Laura Nadeau was set up in a corner of the showroom giving advice and quickie make overs. She encouraged women, to keep it simple, in a fun way. If you are in NYC, call her to add spice to your girls’ night out or finishing touches to you bridal party.

I leave you with two special treats for mermaids and water lovers, in the city that never sleeps, check out underwater spin classes at Aqua plus book a soak and massage next door at Ancient Aire. For the price this is the best way to go, and a nice way to finish your experience in this underground sanctuary built to resemble an ancient Roman bath.

In the Autumn of 2011 I took a road trip from the North East corner of the United States to Southern California via the great Northern States of our country. I am excited to share a few blog posts about that adventure as my road map of places to stop and enjoy nature, healthy food, ideas on how to nurture your body and mind, plus great places to catch a meditative moment - including hot springs!

Whenever I plan a trip I start by creating a potential road map. I look up places to practice Yoga, eat and shop for farm fresh healthy foods, stay in eco-friendly lodgings, bathe in hot spring or fresh glacier water, and I inquire, with people that have been there before me, about awe inspiring spots they recommend I visit along the way.

Road Map, USA East -> West
Princeton –> New York City
New York City –> Oberlin, OH
Oberlin, OH –> Kohler, WI
Kohler, WI –> Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, MN –> Mount Rushmore, SD
Mount Rushmore, SD –> Thermopolis, WY
Thermopolis, WY –> Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park  –> Jackson, WY
Jackson, WY –> Salt Lake, UT
Salt Lake, UT  –> Bryce Canyon, UT
Bryce Canyon, UT  –> Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NV  –> Ventura, CA
Ventura, CA  –> Los Angeles