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. 

Chakra Healing

The smell of sage danced through the air, cleansing space for the yogis as they arrived. Optional body paint was displayed in the art gallery, and we invited the group to join and feel their way through colors that were speaking to them. One guest needed some solar plexus loving (that part of your body that screams, identify, independence, and craves the warmth of the sun)…so we passed her the yellow paint!

In the background our guest yoga instructor, Jen Lyons, shook out a cloth and mindfully displayed a collection of crystals and gems. The outdoor patio was ready for meditation and a gentle journey. 

Painted like warriors, dazzled in all of the bold and bright colors, we streaked our faces, arms and legs. Some dared greatly and covered their entire bodies. It was here, that all the colors of the seven chakras manifested in physical form, just before we offered space to open and heal these energy centers through our yoga practice.

The yogis were carefully guided into unique asanas that would cater to each chakra from perineum to the crown of their heads. As we found our way up to our heart, we thought green, just like the rolling hills around us. We opened the space just a little bit deeper and allowed the light to radiate before moving on to the next posture. 

Eventually the group moved onto their backs, and the warm breeze sent them deeper into meditation. Our instructor took the group on a journey, visualizing some unfamiliar spaces, feeling the breath, and relaxing the entire body. As she spoke, her voice gently echoed in the distance. Butterflies floated around (spirit guides to some) and sound bowl healing filled the area. Crystals were carefully placed on the chakras of each yogi offering deeper healing. A few smiled, some sighed, and others allowed tears to roll down their cheeks. 

Very slowly, but surely, we nurtured each and every chakra of these physical bodies that hold our mind and spirit. Easing our way from the mats, and gently coming back to the present moment, the yogis gazed out over the sunlit farm. The baby blue sky and rich green fields seemed to go on forever.  

We offered up endless gratitude for our final gathering of the summer, bowed forward, and eventually flowed as a group From Mat To Table.

Around the art gallery the group began to graze on dishes that would nourish, heal and cleanse their chakras. A family-style feast of rosemary flatbreads, rubbed with roasted garlic and topped with colorful vegetables and juicy figs to feed our lower chakras: red, yellow and green. And, as we moved around the room we found bold hues and salad stacks, this time feeding our upper chakras: blue, indigo and purple. All of these flavors were intended to heal those energy centers we just opened. So we continued to dine on a roasted beet, goat cheese, arugula and quinoa salad; layered fresh buffalo mozzarella, seasonal tomatoes and basil clipped from the garden; and delicate stacks of roasted zucchini, orzo, purple eggplant, feta and micro-greens.

And on that warm summer afternoon, we sampled tea and toasted to a wonderful chapter with Heron’s Meadow Farm. 

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We gathered. We loved. We gracefully healed. And at the end, we felt kinda warm and free inside. The afternoon gave us time and stillness to receive as much love as we put out into this world. Namaste beautiful people. Namaste.

Love + Gratitude

There was a sweet, soft, summer breeze, and the tiki torches and candles burned a gentle blaze of orange and yellow, just as the sun painted the sky. 

As the yogis arrived, they set up their mats facing the horizon ready to breathe their way through a vinyasa practice.

Grateful to be back on the east coast, Molly opened up with some prana, breath-work, that helped slow dooooooownnnn the group’s breathing as a whole. And, like, so, unhurriedly…helped them find their way from their busy work-week right into the present moment.

(((Pause…Right…Here…)))

Let us groove to some acoustic tunes, and flow in and out of some hip openers. Let us play with edges and energetic balancing postures, and seek to find the balance between effort and ease. Let us feel the deep tempo of the tribal drums, as we ring out unwanted energies. Let us move into a final inversion, and then find stillness in savasana. 

And just as the sky turned to dusk, the fireflies made an appearance and the group flowed their way…From Mat To Table.

Awaiting them inside the art gallery, were rows of perfectly-plated roasted kale salad. Each dish had layers of pine nuts, goat cheese, raspberries and a little balsamic-honey drizzle. The group began to sip on tea, grown just feet away from their yoga mats. And the energy in the room started to buzz as we connected with some familiar faces and a few new souls.

The night was clear, the stars were out, and everyone eventually found their way back out to the patio. We toasted to the marriage of From Mat to Table and Heron’s Meadow Farm; and, raised our glasses to the endless gratitude and magic that is created each time community is brought together.

Laughter echoed throughout the backyard as the family-style summer pasta was passed around the table. Our hearts and bellies couldn’t be any fuller. But, there's always room for dessert! An assortment of homemade, colorful, chakra-balancing, ice cream sandwiches were centered on each table. And then the sky turned from teal, to orange, to indigo, and finally black. 

Connection, community and healing are the pillars of From Mat to Table. 

We send our love and light right back out into the universe and bow our heads to the divine for sharing this space. We hope you'll join us and take part in the magic as we flow under the stars again on Thursday, August 30th with Sarah Mayhew. 

Limited Tickets Here

We wouldn't be exactly where we are without our partnerships. Our light and love honors Whole Foods - Columbia, Roots - Clarksville and Boarman's Market - Highland. Namaste Beautiful People. 

One Planet

Like we say after each event, ‘No this one was our favorite!’ We are quickly learning that you don’t have to have ‘favorites.’ Life is all about balance. Like evenly giving across all of your needs, but not forgetting about yourself. Our body is One Planet, mind, body and spirit. 

As we entered into the partnership with Whole Foods, we immediately felt connected to their values: good food that’s locally sourced, with as many wholesome ingredients as possible, and to try, with every piece of your being, to support local businesses. They took that business model one step forward when they established the Whole Planet Foundation. 

The Whole Planet Foundation sources microcredit loans worldwide to alleviate poverty. This isn’t done on the sole basis of money. The Foundation supports these small businesses with start-up capital, resources, and education about how to be an entrepreneur. These businesses sustain, as 97% of the loans are repaid and 87% of the loans are offered to women.

The idea of our One Planet event started here...

Let us bring From Mat To Table into some local business partnerships that can do good. If we have the opportunity to bring a community together through yoga and food and support a wonderful cause, we are moving toward a more peaceful world. We couldn't be more grateful to share this experience with both Whole Foods Columbia and the incredible media team of Doctors To You.

A more peaceful planet starts with YOU, you beautiful yogis! The event began as 21 light beings stepped onto their mats. The view allowed us to gaze over Lake Kittamakundi.  The group breathed their way in and out of a few heart openers, meditating on the idea of intentional energy toward oneness. We inhaled into a few hip openers and exhaled our way through some delicious twists, aiding digestion of an earlier meal and preparing for what was to come. Practice would not be complete without savasana hands on assists, equip with some peppermint essential oil temple rubs.

Three really loud OMS rounded out our practice and moving mediation together. The first breath: for you; the second: for the world; and, the last breath: for the universal divine that lives within each one of us.  

As we transitioned From Mat To Table, we immediately became present with the energy in the market around us. 

Appetizers were ready, and the pizza oven behind us kept busy all night. A curious crowd gathered around to peak past the chefs and see what was happening. 

We took our guests on a slow tour with six stops around the Planet. Our first visit was France where we were greeted with a slab galette loaded with fresh-gourmet ingredients. We jet-set over to Australia for a quick stop and some shrimp and skirt steak on the barbie, mate! And then we cruised North to Japan, and picked up about 16 pounds of fresh fish on the way. There were family-style platters of seared tuna encrusted with sesame seeds, served alongside of field-greens mixed with shredded multi-colored carrots and radishes. And, a few dressings were offered on the side with a dish of sautéed shrimp. 

Around this time in the evening, we stopped to talk about this event, why we we are all here (not sure we ‘truly’ understand exactly why we are here yet..), the passion that draws us all together (we get that energy), and then we breathed out endless gratitude for their support (and a breath for those across the world, and the lives we changed tonight). We wouldn’t be here without each other. 

Our two main courses came out family-style, which means we successfully landed the plane in Thailand and Portugal. (Impressive, we know.) There were dishes of coconut curry shrimp with lemongrass and turmeric, served with seasonal vegetables on a bed of rice noodles. And there were platters of skirt steak tacos, smeared with a spicy chimichurri sauce and pickled radishes. To aid in digestion, we had the group walk to their last stop, Italy. And they were pretty famished and parched by the time they arrived at a bucket loaded with gelato. Nine different flavors alongside hot-brewed espresso. It was time to create your own affogato. No one was ashamed to go back for seconds, there were too many choice to try. We are truly sorry. 

As we enjoyed the end of the evening together, we started to raffle off some pretty amazing give-aways. And, we announced we were able to change the lives of about 4.5 families with the money we raised through this experience. 

Everyone left with relaxed bodies, grateful minds, and beaming spirits.

Together, when we link arms, she has the potential. Mother Earth. One Planet. One Love…and you made it possible.

Peace and blessings,

Molly and Karli

(two humans in one big world, around 7.4 billion humans, roughly)