Receive Love

Breathe in…pause…breathe out.

Inhale love and kindness to your beautiful heart…feel the warmth…

And, as you deeply exhale let all of the emotions wash right through you.

This From Mat To Table experience was held at another breathtaking venue, Tusculum Farm. We gathered with community and married the yoga with a four-course meal, both complete to warm the heart and soul. No expectations. Just arrive. Just be.

On the mat we quieted our busy minds…chose stillness…and set intentions of self-love. Gratitude for our strength, commitment to the practice, and ability to pause and soften into the moments when life go a little side-wayzzzz. And, as we turned towards the open heartspace with awareness; we flowed through our yoga.

This From Mat To Table experience was about holding space for you to fully receive the love. Like take as much as you need. Lean into us and the beautiful community that surrounds each event. Let go and just be held. It’s never too much or too often to create space for self-care, compassion, and radical acceptance of you…just as you are.

As we transitioned From Mat To Table, physical bodies remained soft, minds at ease, and spirits radiating an abundance of love in perfect balance for ourselves and for the world.

We continued to share in love. The night began with a toast and a blessing: you carry so much love in your heart, give some…to yourself. Alongside a crackling fire, we indulged in leek and lobster bisque, a mixed green salad loaded with colorful veggies, a main course of deconstructed boeuf bourguignon intended to feed the soul, and a sweet ending of chocolate covered strawberries with fresh whipped cream and espresso.

Together, we were fully held in this space, basked in love, peace, kindness and acceptance.

Namaste. Beautiful humans.

I Do For Shore

Just as the sun peaked over the horizon, the mother of the bride gently placed the sole of her foot to her shin, brought her hands to hearts center and into prayer, and then slowly moved them above her head. Finding tree pose, she grounded down into the sand, and deeply inhaled gratitude and peace. She was relaxed, still, and prepared to flow through the day. Her feet were on the same shore where she raised this beautiful girl, and she gazed across the water to the piece of land where she would soon give her daughter away.  

There was no coincidence the bride’s wedding color was indigo. This is our third eye chakra, inner state: I know. She moved through this magical day knowing she found the love of her life. 

The bridesmaids laughed as they made their way across the grass, barefoot and onto the sandy beach. They laid out their mats in a straight row, with the bride at the center, just inches away from the slowly rolling waves. 

Emerging into the morning light, wearing all white, the bride joined her girls and was ready to flow. She smiled, gathered a few shells from the beach, and began to ease her way into some lovingly sequenced asanas. The group moved into lizard pose and breathed right into their hips. This position opened up a lot of emotional energy centers in preparation for an entire day filled with love. Pushing back into a final down dog, we paused here to stretch the souls of our feet, gearing up for a night of dancing. The ladies eventually found their way onto their backs and landed right in savasana.

The mother of the bride and the maid of honor extended out a loving and comforting touch to one another, the breath started to slow, and lavender and salt water were the only scent that hovered gently in the air. Stillness was found…right here.

As we flowed from From Mat To Table we raised our glasses, full of the bride’s favorite smoothies, for the first of many toasts that today: I know love. I feel love. I am love. 

The table was set for a beautiful brunch with a champagne glass of prosecco and fresh squeezed juice at each seat! We passed the quiches family-style. Just a few of the bride’s favorite combinations: goat cheese and roasted red peppers; roasted leeks, artichoke hearts and prosciutto; lobster, gruyere and chives; and a shoreside harvest of seasonal vegetables. This meal carried the ladies through their day, so we balanced it with some love-knot breads and muffins loaded with healthy seeds and nuts, and mini chakra-healing fruit and mint skewers.

From Mat To Table was honored and grateful to share space in this sacred day. 

…

Namaste beautiful people. We see your love, light and grace. 

Feel The Love

The rain came down so gently all day Saturday, which encouraged us to snuggle a little closer indoors with those we love. Our February From Mat to Table experience, Feel the Love, involved lots of snuggles, loving, touching and squeezing.

Beautiful white roses were scatted throughout the house amongst dozens of tea candles. The smell of lavender and peppermint oils hung in the air. And, the gentle buzz of conversation commenced as our community started to gather for their next adventure on a single mat, ready to dive right into the ancient practice of Thai Massage.

We started with some standing partner poses, mirroring warrior two and triangle pose together, and gently opened up the heart space. On the floor, we flowed in and out of some hip openers and breathed our way through some spinal twists.

When it was time to dim the lights and start the massages, we played rock-paper-scissors for who would get to go first. With our partner lying in Savasana, we began with the calves and slowly compressed our way to their quads. It wasn’t long before we intentionally moved our way up to the crown of the head. We offered some guidance through a few gentle neck elongations and suggestions for rubbing the temples, forehead and scalps. With assistance, we flipped our lovers on to their stomachs. Here tender loving care was paid to their shoulders, feet and hands. The practice ended with both parties feeling equally refreshed, aligned and more connected than ever. 

After a lot of physical touch, each couple exchanged a kiss, a few words of affirmation and two-by-two they flowed From Mat to Table.

In the kitchen, Karli had a the ovens, stove, slow cooker, and grill rolling with aphrodisiacs. Nothing makes a Valentine’s Day more complete than oysters and champagne. One hundred fresh Blue Point Oysters were shucked and served three ways: Raw, on the half-shell with lemons, cocktail, hot, and a mignonette sauce; Rockefeller style, with country bacon, spinach, and shaved parmesan; and, Frenched, yes…just like the kiss, and just like the soup! 

Our second course was a field greens salad with candied walnuts, an assortment of berries and homemade dressings. Some enjoyed a red-wine vinaigrette with chopped Italian herbs, and others drizzled the gorgeous pink Cupid's dressing onto their salads, a Greek yogurt-base, emulsified with roasted beets, shallots and garlic.

Our main course was homemade fusilli pasta served with a light Fra Diablo Rose Vodka sauce. The accompanying meat included a side of two different fresh stuffed sausages: spicy Italian and country-style. Herb encrusted hot buns and butter were passed, and the groups bellies were filled with so much goodness. We ended the evening with chocolate covered strawberries, espresso and a few whipped cream body shots! 

There was magic and love and so much togetherness. The more gratitude we feel, the more we realize there is an infinite supply. Namaste to each of the beautiful people who joined us, the local markets that help support our dreams, and the universe for all of the blessings we continue to receive. 

-Molly & Karli