I Am Uniquely Eve

Mover * Shaker * Dancer * Actor


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Groove & Flow 11/16/2020: Light-Bright!

Tonight starts the mantra of Light-Bright. We need to be the brightness that conquers the darkness of the winter months and to allow the good in us to conquer the evil. We all have the proverbial devil and angel on our shoulders it is just how we react to them is what separates us. We need to be the light and shine as bright as possible to lead the way into a more positive time of growth for us, personally, communally and globally.

To keep your vibration bright, light and at a high frequency, make time for self care every day. Yoga, meditation, clean food, positive affirmation, kindness, Qigong…..set aside time each day-in a routine-for a formal practice and then encourage as much mindfulness into your daily life as possible.

Seated Breathing Sequence:

  • Gyan mudra. Breathe in 4 sniffs; breathe out 4 sniffs. Last sniff in, ends the full inhale/Last sniff out, ends the full exhale. (1min.)
  • Clasp hands. Leave a space for a diamond to form. Powerful inhales and exhales. (1 min.)
  • Press hands together very hard. Make a diamond. Press the piece of coal so tightly a diamond forms. Continue powerful breathing. (1 min)
  • Inhale & Squeeze as hard as you can. Hold breath-tighten every part of the body as tight as possible. Breathe out & release.

Today’s set is for spinal flexibility and the release of pent up stagnation so we will become lighter and brighter.

Playlist:
Myopia by Moby
Circling by Four Tet
Sea Of Stars (Remix ft. Amanda Giacomini) by MC Yogi
Keep On Movin’ by Soul II Soul
River by Ibeya
Synchronize ft. Jarvis Cocker by Discodeine
I Want To Be Free by Ohio Players
Rude Movements by Ahsford & Simpson
Can You Feel It (Instrumental) by Mr. Fingers
The Ancient Gong by Guru Terath Kaur Khalsa
Sweat (Sweat the Club) by Jay Williams
Groove & Flow playlist 11/16/2020

Ayurvedic Tips for Autumn

Fall is a time of transition. Trees, shrubs, animals and birds are preparing for the winter. They are all gathering the energy, including nutrition, that they will need to survive the winter. Temperature is dropping and the wind is slowly gathering strength, carrying with it a hint of winter on its breath. Autumn is windy, erratic and cool.

These are all qualities shared by vata dosha (vata-wind/dosha=energy) 

Vata is one of the three energetic forces of the subtle body, the inner happenings of the life inside your body.. This particular dosha corresponds with the elements of air and ether (space). Thanks to the airy and mobile qualities of vata, it plays an integral part in healthy bodily functions such as digestion, the flow of breath, and communication between the mind and the nervous system. Vata types tend to have creative personalities and are often inquisitive in nature.

Excess vata can cause the body, mind, and emotions to feel scattered like the wind. This type of imbalance can happen to anyone, regardless of their Ayurvedic constitution or body type.

Ayurvedic tips to balance Vata this fall:

1. Enjoy warm cooked foods. Foods made with a little olive oil or ghee have a wonderful soothing effect that immediately calms down restless Vata. Root vegetables, hearty grains, soups, and stews are recommended. Cooked grains – like oatmeal, tapioca, cream of rice, and cream of wheat – and most nuts and seeds are also beneficial.

2. Use warming spices like ginger, black pepper, cinnamon and cumin, but not extremely hot spices like cayenne pepper.

3. Enjoy warm beverages such as chai or golden milk.

4. Eat less cold and raw foods. 

5. Take extra care of your skin with a warm sesame oil self-massage. 

6. Increase stillness in your day to connect with yourself. Vata is aggravated by feelings of fear and insecurity.

7. Get enough sleep; nap when you need.

8. Reduce stress by consciously practicing yoga, meditation, long deep breathing and alternate nostril breathing.

9. The colors we wear can greatly contribute to how we feel. To help us feel light, be sure to wear bright colors, such as a camisole, a scarf or a pair of sox. Choose the color that makes you feel the lightest and brightest you, you can be. Its a sure fire way to add the perfect color splash into your day to keep you light and bright and uplifting.

10. Try to stick to a regular routine: go to bed at the same time, meditate daily, yoga every morning.


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Yoga Books and Online Health and Wellness Classes at the Morse Institute Library

I am so lucky!

A few years ago, I taught teen yoga workshops for the library. They were a lot of fun and I really enjoyed sharing them with the community through the library. One of the best things, is that all programs through the library are open and accessible to all and are free of charge for the participants.

Fast forward to now. The teen librarian shared my name with the adult programming coordinator and voilà! through a generous self-help grant, I am now offering my Groove & Flow series through their online event portal (search for yoga in calendar). Here is the link to my online yoga video-library. Along with my classes, the library has been able to bring a fabulous online Qigong program with Dr. Ming Wu and Dr. Wei Li. Here is the link for the online Qigong video-library.

I skimmed though the library’s yoga book selection and created a list of books that I thought would compliment my teaching. Of course, there are so many yoga books available, so my list is just a snap shot of some. This list does not include children’s books (here’s are two good blog posts I wrote “My Top 20 Books About Yoga For Kids” and “21 Mindfulness and Yoga Books and card Decks For Kids”)

  • Accessible yoga: poses and practices for every body by Jivana Heyman  
  • Adaptive yoga moves any body by Mindy Eisenberg  
  • Autumn winter spring summer by Sandra Sabatini, Silvia Mori
  • Chair yoga for seniors: stretches and poses that you can do sitting down at home by Lynn Lehmkuhl
  • Chair yoga: seated exercises for health and wellbeing by Edeltraud Rohnfeld
  • Chair yoga: sit, stretch, and strengthen your way to a happier, healthier you  by Kristin McGee  Gentle yoga : a guide to low-impact exercise by Lorna Bell and Eudora Seyfer
  • K.I.S.S. guide to yoga by Shakta Kaur Khalsa 
  • Lilias! yoga gets better with age by Lilias Folan
  • Relax into yoga for seniors : a six-week program for strength, balance, flexibility, and pain relief  by Kimberly Carson, MPH, E-RYT; Carol Krucoff, E-RYT 
  • Relax into yoga for chronic pain: an eight-week mindful yoga workbook for finding relief and resilience by Jim Carson, PhD, Kimberly Carson, MPH, C-IAYT, Carol Krucoff, C-IAYT  
  • Restore and rebalance : yoga for deep relaxation by Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, PT  
  • Yoga for body, breath, and mind : a guide for personal reintegration by A.G. Mohan
  • Yoga for healthy aging : a guide to lifelong well-being by Baxter Bell, MD, Nina Zolotow
  • Yoga for women by Shakta Kaur Khalsa 
  • Yoga for women : wellness and vitality at every stage of life by Shakta Khalsa 
  • Yoga for osteoporosis : the complete guide by Loren Fishman, Ellen Saltonstall  
  • Yoga in bed : awaken body, mind & spirit in fifteen minutes by Naomi Sophia Call    
  • Yoga mind & body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre  


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Groove and Flow Online September-December 2020

I am excited to have the opportunity to bring to the community Groove & Flow classes through the Morse Institute Library’s Online Event Portal.

My next Groove & Flow is Saturday September 19th at 11:00AM. Registration is open now.

Groove: Late Summer and the Earth Element

Flow: Balance, Harmony and Rhythm 

Coming Soon:

Mondays @ 7PM (Registration opens 2-weeks ahead of each date)

Monday: September 28

Mondays: October 5 & 19

Mondays: November 2, 16 & 30

Monday: December 14

Please check out my latest blog post 

Purpose, Intention & Patience

Check out my videos on YouTube


I am available for:

  • Motivation sessions. Please let me help motivate you! 
  • Online classes for Adults and Children. Privates and groups.
  • Video production for private and community use. 
  • Please email me for more information AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com

The next Grounding In Community will be held on Natick Common, Sunday September 27th 1:30-2:55. I hope you will join us for inspiring community connecting event. I will be leading a wonderful short Groove & Flow activity for everybody to enjoy.


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Entertaining Selection of Picture Books from Candlewick Press Picture Books Highlighting Kindness, Diversity, and Mindfulness

Zero Local: Next Stop Kindness by Ethan Murrow and Vita Murrow

With very few words, this wonderful picture book is able to clearly express kindness and gratitude and how the two can easily help to build community. In an urban setting, on a commuter rail, where the characters are at first noticeably separated and in their own worlds, how one small gesture can awaken people to what is in front of them. The Butterfly Effect is in full form-where a tiny change in one place creates a large effect in another. Here we see a young child taking on the job of spreading love and positivity-one tiny gesture. The others start to notice, show their curiosity, get involved and smile-change happening. They will then go on their ways, back into their worlds again, but this time with a different paradigm, thereby affecting change on a much larger level.

This is all told in a seemingly simple book. But the few words, the scratch pencil art that is only highlighted occasionally by bursts of yellow. Why not just try to read the story by looking for the yellow moments-what story can you derive from them?

I love the diverse character array, the varied perspectives offered by the angles drawn, that the speed of movement is created wonderfully with pencil lines and from end-sheet to end-sheet pure creative fun! I highly recommend this book. It’s a shower of mindfulness that will evoke curiosity and a wonder view of the world.

The Same But Different Too by Karl Newson. Illustrations by Kate Hindley

Amazing adorable menagerie of characters highlighting their similarities and differences! These illustrations are absolutely so endearing. I just want to hug each one! The most important message of this book jumps out from the  get go- I am me and you are you and that is just the way it is supposed to be. Our similarities and differences are what keep the balance in the world. We need each other. 

Simple examples highlight the similarities and the differences and show how they are beneficial and that they work together for a symbiotic relationship. The rhymes are very nice and flow easily and the illustrations enrich the simple words. This is a great read-aloud which will be memorized and recited along. It is just so sweet. I really appreciate the attention to mindfulness and how it presents different ways of paying attention.  The last 2-page spread is adorable beyond words! Highly recommend this book! 

What I Like Most by Mary Murphy. Illustrations by Zhi Cheng-Liang

Starting immediately with the delicate cherry blossom watercolor art of the front end-sheet and the tree of autumn at the end, I knew I was going to love this book. The illustrations are beyond superb. Each one is a piece of art that creates a lvog atmosphere that accompanies the thoughtful text, that is full of curiosity and wonderment.

This is such an amazing early mindfulness book that will be enjoyed by children and adults alike who will all feel the lasting impression of the illustrations and words way past the reading of the story. This book will delight the senses and offers many factual images of seasons, climate, locations, animals and activities. This book conjures up for me The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren. This book is sure to become a childhood classic. I cannot recommend it enough! 

Thank you to Candlewick Press for these books. All opinions expressed are my own.

#picturebooks #children #books #diversity #community #mindfulness #similarities #differences #love #butterflyeffect #kindness #gratitude #candlewickpress #bookreview #review


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16 Picture Books on The Mind for the K-5 Classroom

A Girl Like Tilly: Growing Up With Autism by Helen Bates

Alphabreaths by Christopher Willard & Daniel Rechtchaffen

Angry Octopus by Lori Lite

Angry Octopus: Color Me Happy, Color Me Calm by Lori Lite

Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberley

Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley

I Can Do Hard Things by Gabi Garcia

My Book of Feelings by Tracey Ross

Our Brains Are Like Computers by Joel Shaul

Robin And The White Rabbit: A Story To Hep Children With Autism to Talk About their Feelings and Join In by Åse Brunnström & Emma Lindström

The Adventures of Your Brain by Dan Green

The Brain: Our Nervous System by Seymour Simon

The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca

The Rhino Who Swallowed A Storm by LeVar Burton & Susan Schaefer Bernardo

Winston Wallaby Won’t Stop Bouncing: What to Do about Hyperactivity in Children Including Those with ADHD, SPD and ASD by Joy Beaney and Kay Al-Ghani

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.

Titles are linked to reviews that I have written. All opinions are my own.


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Mindful Book Reviews By Eve: Waffles And Pancakes (series) by Cindy Springsteen

Waffles And Pancakes (series) by Cindy Springsteen

  1. A lesson in friendship (Friendship matters more than material things)
  2. A lesson in bullying (The cause and effect of bullying)
  3. A lesson in the true meaning of Christmas (A heart-warming story about love and friendship)
  4. A lesson in being different (Don’t judge a book by its cover)

The Waffles And Pancakes series are well written stories that teach valuable lessons on friendship, bullying, the true meaning of Christmas and on being different with each one helping the reader dig deeper into the true meaning of character, courage and consciousness. The stories pay careful attention to explaining the lesson with clear examples and descriptive passages that empower the reader to be kind, compassionate and respectful.

These books are great to read aloud to younger children, but I feel their real magic lies in older children who can read on their own; this is an important niche. These heart-felt lessons are respectful to the intelligence of the reader and should be available in libraries, schools and therapists offices. These books are great tools for social emotional learning!

Thank you to the author for sending me these books. All opinions expressed are my own. 


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Mindful Book Reviews By Eve: Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs by Susan Schaefer Bernardo

Mindful Book Reviews By Eve: Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs by Susan Schaefer Bernardo; Illustrated by Courtenay Fletcher; Inner Child Flower Books.

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As part of Multicultural Children’s Book Da2019 (1/25/19) I am reviewing the wonderful new title Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs by Susan Schaefer Bernardo. The sweet dialogue, encased in calming rhythms, delivers the important message that love is forever. I was immediately drawn to the fact that this story, although seemingly about people who are separated by physical distance, also touches on the reality of a more permanent separation. This book does not make you feel sad; it just allows the embrace of love to be felt, no matter the permanence of the separation. I love this book. It should be in homes, libraries, schools, therapist offices etc. It is not only a beautiful bedtime story for all children, but it also serve an important purpose as a therapeutic book for children coping with grief, anxiety or loss.

The illustrations by Courtenay Fletcher are sweet and connect to the story perfectly. I love the diverse sampling of characters and how they show simple ways that love is always present, even when a person is not present.

¡Olé Namaste! Eve Costarelli

Thank you to Susan Schaefer Bernardo for sending me this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

For more information about accessible mindfulness/yoga/dance, please visit alwaysbedancing.com

#ReadYourWorld hashtag #mindfulbookreviewsbyeve #childrensyoga #childrensbooks #picturebook #mindfulness #yoga #alwaysbedancing #evecostarelli #speedyyogini #speedykundalini

********************************************************************************

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators. 

MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board!

*View our 2019 Medallion Sponsors here: https://wp.me/P5tVud-
*View our 2019 MCBD Author Sponsors here: 
https://wp.me/P5tVud-2eN

Medallion Level Sponsors

Honorary: Children’s Book CouncilThe Junior Library GuildTheConsciousKid.org.

Super Platinum: Make A Way Media

GOLD: Bharat BabiesCandlewick PressChickasaw Press, Juan Guerra and The Little Doctor / El doctorcitoKidLitTV,  Lerner Publishing GroupPlum Street Press,

SILVER: Capstone PublishingCarole P. RomanAuthor Charlotte RiggleHuda EssaThe Pack-n-Go Girls,

BRONZE: Charlesbridge PublishingJudy Dodge CummingsAuthor Gwen JacksonKitaab WorldLanguage Lizard – Bilingual & Multicultural Resources in 50+ LanguagesLee & Low BooksMiranda Paul and Baptiste Paul, RedfinAuthor Gayle H. Swift,  T.A. Debonis-Monkey King’s DaughterTimTimTom BooksLin ThomasSleeping Bear Press/Dow PhumirukVivian Kirkfield,

MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Author Sponsors on board

Honorary: Julie FlettMehrdokht Amini,

Author Janet BallettaAuthor Kathleen BurkinshawAuthor Josh FunkChitra SoundarOne Globe Kids – Friendship StoriesSociosights Press and Almost a MinyanKaren LeggettAuthor Eugenia ChuCultureGroove BooksPhelicia Lang and Me On The PageL.L. WaltersAuthor Sarah StevensonAuthor Kimberly Gordon BiddleHayley BarrettSonia PanigrahAuthor Carolyn Wilhelm, Alva Sachs and Dancing DreidelsAuthor Susan BernardoMilind Makwana and A Day in the Life of a Hindu KidTara WilliamsVeronica AppletonAuthor Crystal BoweDr. Claudia MayAuthor/Illustrator Aram KimAuthor Sandra L. RichardsErin DealeyAuthor Sanya Whittaker GraggAuthor Elsa TakaokaEvelyn Sanchez-ToledoAnita BadhwarAuthor Sylvia LiuFeyi Fay AdventuresAuthor Ann MorrisAuthor Jacqueline JulesCeCe & Roxy BooksSandra Neil Wallace and Rich WallaceLEUYEN PHAMPadma VenkatramanPatricia Newman and Lightswitch LearningShoumi SenValerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Traci SorellShereen RahmingBlythe StanfelChristina MatulaJulie RubiniPaula ChaseErin TwamleyAfsaneh MoradianLori DeMonia, Claudia Schwam, Terri Birnbaum/ RealGirls RevolutionSoulful SydneyQueen Girls Publications, LLC

We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.

Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts

A Crafty ArabAgatha Rodi BooksAll Done MonkeyBarefoot MommyBiracial Bookworms, Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms ShareColours of UsDiscovering the World Through My Son’s EyesDescendant of Poseidon ReadsEducators Spin on it Growing Book by BookHere Wee Read, Joy Sun Bear/ Shearin LeeJump Into a BookImagination Soup,Jenny Ward’s ClassKid World CitizenKristi’s Book NookThe LogonautsMama SmilesMiss Panda ChineseMulticultural Kid BlogsRaising Race Conscious ChildrenShoumi SenSpanish Playground

TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Make A Way Media: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/25/19 at 9:00pm.E.S.T. TONS of prizes and book bundles will be given away during the party. GO HERE for more details.

FREE RESOURCES From MCBD

Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians and Educators: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/teacher-classroom-empathy-kit/

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.


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Mindful Book Reviews By Eve: 21 Mindfulness & Yoga Books and Card Decks For Kids

21 Mindfulness & Yoga Books and Card Decks For Kids

  1. 7 Little Monkeys by Joannie Woodward (no review just a book I like and use)
  2. 19 Books About Mindfulness and a Deck Of Cards Too 
  3. A Therapeutic Treasure Deck of Grounding, Soothing, Coping and Regulating Cards by Dr. Karen Treisman 
  4. A Therapeutic Treasure Deck of Sentence Completion and Feelings Cards by Dr. Karen Treisman 
  5. Be Good To Your Body: Learning Yoga by Roz Fulcher (no review just a coloring/activity book I like and use)
  6. Dear Girl by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (no review just a book I like and use)
  7. Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberly (no review just a book I like and use)
  8. I Can Do Hard Things by Gabi Garcia 
  9. Julián is A Mermaid by Jessica Love 
  10. Little Gurus: A Yoga Discovery Book by Illustration Olaf Hajek (no review just a book I like and use)
  11. Mindful Kids Cards: 50 Mindfulness Activities For Kindness, Focus and Calm by Whitney Stewart 
  12. Mindfully Me 3-Pack (Mindfully Me Series) by Louise Shanagher and Rose Finerty 
  13. My Daddy Is A Pretzel by Baron Baptise (no review just a book I like and use)
  14. My Top 20 Books About And For Kids Yoga
  15. Silence by Leminiscates (no review just a book I like and use)
  16. Stay Cool at School by Lori Lite 
  17. Thank you, Me by Elena Reznikova 
  18. The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace (no review just a book I like and use)
  19. The Tiptoeing Tiger By Philippa Leathers 
  20. Winston Wallaby Can’t Stop Jumping: what to do about hyperactivity in children including those with ADHD, SPD and ASD by K.I. Al-Ghani and Joy Beaney 
  21. Yoga Book Of Feelings by Mary Humphrey (no review just a book I like and use)


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Mindful Book Reviews By Eve: Stay Cool at School* by Lori Lite

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Mindful Book Reviews By Eve: Stay Cool at School by Lori Lite*; Illustrated by Richard Watson

I love how mindfulness in schools is becoming the norm and that more and more teachers and school districts are interested in bringing mindfulness and self-help strategies into their school communities. In my opinion, the younger we can start this the better, as empowering our young children with strategies to deal with big emotions, can only be a win-win for the children themselves and the greater community at large.

Lori Lite is in the top of the tier of people offering easily accessible ways to bring mindfulness into the classroom. Her most recent book Stay Cool at School is an adorable and extremely important book for teachers of young children (ages 3-9) who want to help their students identify big emotions and offer them tools to cope. Since coping is a practice, the more this is encourages, the more likely the students will be able to access their wisdom at times of high emotions.

In the story, the two adorable dream monkeys, Jumpy & Sunny help the young child in the story to identify the big emotions experienced, from anger to over-excitement to embarrassment and joy. In each instance, they offer up various breathing strategies that anyone can do, without anyone else even noticing, to increase a sense of calm, self-control and to encourage a positive outlook. 

The illustrations are very cute and I love the fun color palette. The scenarios and emotions are well articulated and this book can be enjoyed over and over again.

I highly recommend this book to families and school communities alike. Libraries should have a section for mindfulness books specifically aimed at children. I know I am going to embrace this book and share it with the children I have the opportunity to work with through my children’s yoga program. Its fun and engaging nature make it an easy fit as a gateway into mindfulness for young children.

*A special note: Stay Cool at School is only available through Scholastic Book Clubs. Contact your child’s teacher for their order/login with the teacher’s information to their club and/or their 5 digit class code. More information here http://bit.ly/LLStayCool

For more information about Always Be Dancing: Yoga & Flamenco for Every/Body, my mindfulness/yoga/dance program, please visit: alwaysbedancing(dot)wordpress(dot)com.

¡Olé Namaste! Eve Costarelli

Thank you to Lori Lite for sending me a copy of this book. All opinions stated are my own.