Make your checklist!

This is my beautiful grandmother, Julia. She lives on the Laguna Pueblo Indian Reservation near Albuquerque, NM. This picture was taken last September, in preparation for our annual feast day festivities. During Laguna Pueblo feast days (honoring of the village's patron saint, St. Joseph), traditional Native dances take place and spectators travel from all over to witness the ceremonies. The residents of the village prepare their homes to welcome and feed guests all day long. We normally have between 200- 300 people come eat and relax at our family home throughout the day. We really don't have a big family. It's usually just, my grandmother, my mother, my cousin, my aunt and I who prepare all of this food for the hundreds of guests.

With so much food to prepare, it takes a great deal of organization and preparation. Grandma is a drill sergeant as she directs us. We all feverishly work to complete our assignments. Taking short cuts is not an option.

My grandmother uses the same checklist and the same recipes every year. They never change. The dishes have been the same for many generations. We think so many people come to our home because they know what to expect. They know they will get a traditional and tasty meal. There's no need to change anything, because we know our system works.

The screen saver on my phone and computer are the picture above. Whenever I have the notion to put off something on my to do list for the studio, I see Grandma. I realize putting the task off is not an option. I do it, and I do it to the best of my capability.

I hope to bring Grandma's values to Bikram Yoga Birmingham. Bikram is a man who created a genius system of yoga that has been proven to work. As Certified Bikram Yoga teachers, we are given a checklist of sorts. When we teach the exact way that Bikram instructed us to teach, then the students receive the maximum benefits and results. Bikram Yoga Birmingham will strive to keep the yoga as traditional, simple and pure as possible.

Thank you Grandma and Bikram.