Less is More

Spring is around the corner. March is on the horizon. We are headed for the high burst of energy and our last peak of the busy season. Then our town will begin its winding down for the slower season.

On a global scale, we live in an era of mass production, where often: more is more. Consequently, we live in a time when people are hungry for quality and thirsty for beauty. One of the reasons many people are drawn to Baja is the slower nature of its pace. When we slow down, we can hear ourselves think and catch our breath. Beautiful Baja, a place some of us are blessed to call home offers many opportunities to enjoy the day. All we have to do is open our eyes and drink in the beauty, always near. Always here.

Rancho el Aventadero - Family Ranch & Future Home Site for Javier and Tehroma

Buildings, Baja and Bodies. The pieces of a lifelong puzzle, an organic theme, it all continues to teach me, broaden my mind and expand my heart. It is a humbling journey. My intention is to serve and serve  well. For us, moving forward with our beloved community and in an interest to retain our connection to the parts of Baja that are near and dear, we realize now more than ever: Less is More

Design-Build: The beach home we are building is progressing leaps and bounds. The construction process is one that never ceases to amaze me. In the beginning, all progress looks and feels big! Then the roof is poured - a monumentous occasion - and the plaster begins. Plaster is the phase that evokes the least amount of enthusiasm or replies when I send weekly photographs of gray upon gray and more gray plaster to our clients. Finishes on the other hand confirm that what we envisioned is now becoming a reality and soon this construction site will become a home.

Beach Home in the making.

Moving forward, our Design-Build focus will remain concentrated on taking care of our family of long term clients, the homes and spaces we have created and the creation of new spaces for these clients who have also become our friends. It is important to note that we do have a few new designs on paper and in completion phases for recent clients who we hope will become long term clients over time.

The Tranquility Room - Tehroma's office in Healing Winds
You can still find Javier and Carmen in our UBL Designs office.

While we are not taking on new design and build clients, we are are going to grow strongly and consistenly with the growth of our community. We are growing the Design Consulting area of our 26 year established and experienced business. More on the benefits of a Design Consult or series of consults at different phases in the dream, design, build phases - coming in a later blog post.

Buildings and Bodies:

Through Design-Build and Yoga:

We create space to inspire and shelter the heart, body, mind, soul. 

Home. Inside and out.

Yoga: In my still early years of teaching, I find that what and how I offer Yoga in a class is much like how I offer design or build: I practice, study, listen, observe, experience, prepare, consider and plan. I show up, feel the space, notice the field, who is there (who is my client or student) and then propose or proceed with what feels most appropriate and as inclusive as possible. I adapt in service to what feels best for the unique site, class, or situation, most importantly: the client or student(s). Breathing and deeping our awareness of the breath, creating more space to breathe, increasing capacity to breathe - these are always foremost in my classes. We keep coming back to the breath.

Unique beautiful livable is a philosophy, a mindset, heartset and a practice. In design and build, I specifically chose not to follow one style, but to learn about different styles and most importantly, to learn about my clients. A creative collaboration that is unique, beautiful and livable.

In Yoga practice and teaching, the unique, beautiful, livable vision may apply as well. I have experienced several morning classes this season where I had the privilege of offering an unforeseen private lesson or semi-private class. I felt comfortable on those occasions to ask if there were any special requests. I felt satisfied in the ability to design a class in the moment, that was different from the plan, totally focused on the student's needs in the moment or a given morning. The feedback after class was positive. The experience for me: deeply rewarding. Satisfying.

On the subject of Less is More...please see below

Tehroma's March Wednesday Morning Yoga Class offerings:

Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00am Hatha Flow. Guided meditation. Pranayama. Fluid sun or moon salutations. Strength, flexibility and balance on all levels: heart, body, mind, soul. Students have requested these teachings and practice. I am happy to oblige. In this class, we will be moving from floor to standing and back again several times. If I were asked: how active is this class? I would say: medium. As always, self care, pausing or modifying when needed are always encouraged: listen to your body.

Wednesday 9:30am - 10:30am - Gentle Yoga. Guided meditation. Pranayama. Slow moving series of poses efficiently moving from on to the other, with intentional pauses in between. In this class, we may move from floor to standing and back again once or twice. Very litte up and down is designed into this hour. Gentle Yoga focuses on soothing and nourishing all levels: heart, body, mind, soul. Self care, pausing or modifying when needed area always encouraged: listen to your body.

Wednesday 11:00am - 12:00 pm - Restorative Yoga. Guided meditation. Pranayama. Rest, retore and renew. Restorative Yoga is the practice of being, as opposed to doing. Poses are supported by props, blankets, blocks and held for several minutes. Restorative Yoga is a practice of surrender, cultivating deep relaxation and restoration for the heart, body, mind, soul. Modifications are offered to suit the individual anytime needed. Listen to your body.

Twinkly dragonfly lights in the Sukhasana Studio annex

As noted, Wednesday morning includes the only Drop-in Yoga classes I will be offering in English at this time. In the future, if you are interested in a Private Yoga Session or Semi-Private Yoga Class, please do let me know! A private or semi-private class tailored to the individual or small group's preferences can offer deep benefits for the practitioner as well as the teacher. Private sessions offer an opportunity to deepen our practice in a personalized setting, within our comfortable and serene Sukhasana Studio.

Entrance to the Sukhasana Studio 

My afternoon Yoga Class offerings in Spanish for the local Community continues to grow leaps and bounds. Enthusiasm abounds. Attendence is high. Service rendered. Offerings received. My heart is full.

Buildings and Baja: Living breathing organisms that shelter and inspire the heart, body, mind and soul. 

Onward, with gratitude!

Namaste, Tehroma

Falling and Flying

It is February of 2018. When I walked down the hill yesterday, feeling strong and content to have hiked and climbed without the effort I felt a few years ago, I saw the same blue gem in the photo below and remembered this blog post that I hadn't shared when I wrote it in 2016.

One of the Blue Gems I  left years before - photo today 2016

2016...Face flushed with wobbly legs after months without a hike, on my way down the hill I spotted a blue gem. Sparkling to my right on dirt within rock surround. A few years ago, around two on a weekend afternoon, I was hiking down this trail. Every look up from the path, I saw kites on the water, horizon beyond. A turn in trail, rocks aside and ahead, I remember walking, don't remember falling. Looking up, all I saw was a vast blue sky with red freckles. A few white transparent clouds. A few moments to figure out I was on the ground.

The next morning when I awoke and looked in the mirror, a boxing match came to mind. I have never been in a physical fight. My fat swollen colorful upper lip made me wonder if this is how folks feels after a brawl. A granite bolder with jagged edges, my broken tooth, perforated upper lip. Lots of ice and rest.

The desert's shelter, love and embrace - inspiration for 2018's painting of the trail.

On that winter afternoon, my original plan was kiteboarding. I looked at the water, then looked at the hills. Hiking boots are easy to put on. No pumping, rigging, launching. Time on the water in recent years meant falling on my face over and over. The learning curve in kiteboarding, for me, felt extensive. 

After countless face plants, I did learn how to lean back, loosen my grip, love the wind in my face, heart open to the north. 

My daughter asked me recently if I miss it. When the north wind blows, however subtly or strongly, I feel its pull. I smile, consider going and choose to stay. With one kid leaving the nest, I know the years I have left with our daughter at home will fly by. They already do. The other day she stood next to me, side by side. She nodded to her shoulder, then to mine. One is not much higher than the other.

Drawing by my daughter 2013

Wind and water are eternal. I had hopes that kiteboarding might be a mother daughter shared activity, love of wind and water fun. She drew a picture that I framed. The two of us flying, boards on our feet, sky above, water below. I cherish the thought and vision. Enjoy how we are together. More often in the water together or above. Connected to water with paddle boards or kayaks. Together.

After the fall, while in the dentists office having my tooth repaired, I was alone for a few minutes. Supported by the chair, legs extended, looking up, an idea came to me: paint the trail. Paint all these places meaningful, their memories, stories. Sacred places. Sacred trails.

Falling and Flying 2013

Every time I turn this corner, I take note of a heart shaped rock I left here. A reminder of falling down and getting back up. A tribute to all the falling down and getting back up that happens in lifetime. After the fall, I left a handful of blue gems. Today I found one of them, not far from the original spot. Still there, still sparkly, still shiny.

Since 2013, I have painted fifteen meaningful places along the trail. Last weekend, I began painting number sixteen. The journey and adventure continues and these trails continue to provide a source of shelter, embrace and belonging. These places provide a sense of connection and reminders. Sometimes, when we return to where we have been, we get a clearer perspective on where we are now.

The paintings of the trail have been printed into Note Cards available in our UBL Designs office, as well as, Galeria Los Angeles. I took several with us to Ireland and gave them in gratitude to owners of B&B's we stayed at. A while back, while getting my hair cut at Salon de Cortez, a woman approached me to say how much she enjoyed my paintings and that she had recently sent one to a friend living in Japan. I love knowing that little pieces of Baja, pieces that are sacred to me have traveled around the world.

This series of paintings began after I fell, literally, flat on my face. 

Still occasionally falling or taking flight. These days, I am mostly just walking. Putting one foot in front of the other. And when I do trip, more often than not, I am able to catch my fall - thank you Yoga.

Full of gratitude for every experience and all the learning along the way,

Tehroma