YTTP 2

Photo Source: Google; Sun Salutation Sequence

YTTP 2: or Yoga To The People.. is my go to yoga spot. Mostly because its a donation based yoga class (can you say free.99!) or $5 a class pending on te location. And the location i go to is of course the $5 place lol.


I try to go 2 days a week, Tuesdays and Thursday, after work. Tuesdays because of a flexibility class and Thursday because its a core yoga class.... and let me tell you this one thing about these classes.. they are fucking serious.

the flexibility class had me stretching in ways i never imagined (i really need to get back to it) and the core yoga class (omg i had a friend go with me and one pose we looked at each other like WTF!! lol) is the same but i really, really enjoy going to the core yoga class more.

these are power workout classes and i usually do a vinyasa flow class, just going through the positions at an easy pace and keeping a steady breath. i do yoga to clear my mind and get a good stretch/workout as well. Doorways to deeper practice is always good.

the schedule changes up and they usually post up thedaily, weekly, monthly schedule for everyone to see. Like i know next week, ill be going to a kriplau (vinyasa) flow class on tuesday and a maybe ill head to a dharma yoga class on friday given that its black friday. So like i said its always good to look up the schedule to see whats available. and which teachers will be there. the instructors are nice and hold conversation with you before and after classes and if you need help with anything they will gladly show you.

So if anyone is in the NYC are and ever near  Grammercy, check out the YTTP 2 studio on 23rd & 3rd. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. If $5 is too much for you, the St. Marks location is donation based. I hope to see you guys there one day

Philosophical Morning: Matters of the Heart

Whats this all about you ask.. well it is as i call it. i had a philosophical moment this morning and it was all because of 'him' they guy that i have loved for the past three years, the guy who i confessed to only to be shot down, the guy who i leaves me feeling all kinds of topsy-turvy since i dont know where exactly we stand...

Yea, him...

anyway he posted something on IG and posed the question...

"Is love and undeniable feeling or something of choice?"

Of course i straightaway thought of it as an undeniable feeling, hopeless romantic that i am, it catches you off guard, it overwhelms your entire being, it fills you with an indescribable emotion for said unsuspected person... but you also have to choose to acknowledge that feeling.

Love can catch you off guard if you dont leave yourself open to experience it. 

So i left this comment under his picture

An undeniable feeling that builds from choice.. choice of partner, of letting go your fears/disbelief of letting someone in, on building that friendship to relationship to something more.. its acknowledging and acting on it that is the game changer -@Acoustique_Soul

One thing is for certain, the heart knows who it wants before the mind plays catch up 

So yea, i hope he finds who hes looking for , i already know that im not it.. hes given me no reason to believe its me and im fine with the emotional distance on both ends.

Yes i want to knock him one on the head for the BS emotions hes made me feel but its not his fault he is a great guy and i wish him all the happiness in the world. And i am mature enough to know that love cannot be forced, it must be achieved on its own. And when the paths do no merge, its okay to let go. Let each party find their 'home' with other people who will love them the same if not more than you once did.

We all deserve that happy ending with that someone who makes us the center of their world.

 #mattersoftheheart

Natural Hair Care Products That I Love!

Detangle/Pre-Poo:

• Shea Moisture Anti-Breakage Mask or 
• Oils of choice
• Aloe Vera Gel, water, oil

Shampoo:

• Giovanni's Tea Tree Triple Threat Shampoo (awesome deep cleanser)
• Luscious Locks Shea Butter Shampoo (smells/feels so good in my hair!)
• Design Essentials Sulfate Free Curl Cleanser (another great cleanser..will buy again)
• Shea Moisture Raw Shea Shampoo (didnt like it at first but a second chance gave it justice)
• Mixed Chicks Sulfate Free Shampoo
• ACV Rinse

Conditioner: 

• Eden Body Works Jojoba Monoi Conditioner
• UR Curly Quinoa Conditioner (Mostly for my scalp scrubs)
• Shea Moisture Raw Shea Restorative Conditioner

Deep Conditioner: So i have to categories for this, protein and moisturizing deep conditioners

1. Protein: 
• Aubrey Organics GBP; 
• Chocolate Hair Mask (of my own making)
• ORS Replenishing Conditioner (light protein treatment) 
• HiProPac Protein Treatment
2. Moisture: 
• Mixed Chicks, 
• Eden Body Works Jojoba Monoi,
• Cantu  Deep treatment masque
• Luscious Locks Shea Butter Hair Mask (need to buy more... smells heavenly!)

Leave-In: 

• Mixed Chicks leave In 
• Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave in 
• Ori Essentials Leave In 
• CB Smoothe Coconut Hair Milk
• Shea Moisture Yucca & Baobob Hair Milk
• Eden Body Work Coconut Shea leave In

Oils: Castor, Avocado, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Grape Seed, Vitamin E, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Peppermint, Horsetail, Burdock, Nettle, Saw Palmetto Berry 

Moisturizer: (Butters/Lotions/Cremes/Custards)... have no good experiences with EcoStyler

• Whipped Shea Butter (of my own making)
• Cantu Shea Butter Creamy Hair Lotion, 
• CB Smoothe Moisturizing Styling Creme
• EcoCustard Styling Creme (original)
• Alikay Naturals Shea Yogurt Moisturizer
• BelNuovo CocoCastor Pudding (Etsy)

Gels: Medium/Soft Hold; Non Flaky

• #1 Choice: ORS Loc & twist Creme
• Miss Jessies jelly Soft Curls
• Curls Cashmere Curl Jelly

*Can find these products at respective beauty supply stores, Walgreens/Walmart/Target, etc; the online websites (ie, Curlkit) amazon/whole food stores for oils.. if oyu want links just ask!)

Product Review: Shea Moisture Hair Color System - Dark Golden Blonde

So i finally did it...I colored my hair.. and i love it!

I recently acquired the hair color at the Circle of Sisters event last month and i told myself that i was gonna wait until Spring of next year to color it but my impaitient behind waited until last night, the wednesday after i took out my loc extensions on Friday lol.. it was a good 5 day wait lol

So heres what i used:

            

  

The Dark Golden Blonde hair color and inside was the 1) Hair Color Creme 2) Creme Developer 3) Shea Moisture: Moisture Retention Shampoo, Restorative Conditioner, & Reconstructive Finishing Elixir 4) Gloves, Applicator Brush, and Applicator top

Now I wasn't sure how i wanted to color my hair, all i know is that i wasnt doing the whole head i wanted to focus more on the ends. so what i did was part my hair horizontally 5 times, starting from the back. the first section was going to be colored so i twisted it to the and pinned it to the side. The next section was not to be colored so i flat twisted it out of the way. and bantu knotted the end. I repeated this for my whole head mommy helped !) =)

After i got my sections down to where i was coloring and where i wasnt, i went through again and detangled my hair. I then followed the intructions and mixed the color creme and color developer in an old bowl. I didnt follow the bottle or brush method, just grabbed up some color on my fingers and rubbed it down the sectioned off hair, which was about three quarters of the length of my hair that the color was on.

I let it sit for about 45 min-1 hour it was just taking long to turn (did i do a post check before hand.. nope! cause im not about that life.. we go in hard body expecting nothing and getting back something lol!) 

Shampoo (love)... Condition (eh its laright)... LOC Method... Twist & Tie for the night

and waalaa

My colored striped hair! 

=)

Come to realize that yesterday was my 3 year NappyVersary! Go figure! Lookin Good A.SOul!

I've hit my low...

yep, i've been feeling a bit down since earlier.. and it just got worse over the last hour or so

I just want to curl up in my bed, hide under the covers and have a good cry

Its just one of those type of days.

Everyone else sees a smile, few call me on my sad eyes

but really all i want deep down inside, is to lay down and cry

My insecurities are showing

Am i not good enough, will i ever be enough, will i be anything more?

Those are the questions in my head and heart

My confidence is waning, my trust in my self is lost

At least for now.

Im trying not to breakdown..

Protective Style :: Loc Extensions (4Weeks! & Take Down)

Yep, its been 4 weeks (and no im not wearing it any longer than this because it is so not gonna happen, i missmy fro!!!) since i've put in my marley loc extensions (marley wraps in some circles!).. and its time for it to go.

I have been asked my a few if i would ever loc my hair... i say maybe, its a thought, but i dont know if i'm about that life yet. Sure these looked great on me but to keep them in forever.. (major side eye!)

LOL!!!

So i started taking a few down. I cut off about 1/4 of the hair while at work yesterday (yea i had that much free time to sit and cut my hair at work!!!) And I unwrapped and untwisted a couple to see how my hair faired underneath. And i was hype.. grew a bit and it was still moisturized from the whipped shea butter mix that i used putting them in. There was varying ranges of buildup on a few of the twists i pulled so far. One had none while others had little to a lot.

     

So with the buildup, i was not pulling my hair or combing it dry... i want to keep my hair on my head. So what i did is used the mini Alikay Naturals lemongrass leave-in that i had in my bag (almost done so i added some distilled water to it) and sprayed it over the buildup area. I then began to gently peel the clumped area apart. Yea there was some breakage. but not much. I finger detangled as i went along and then retwisted the area.

And thats pretty much my takedown... honestly i was a bit scared before i found a youtube video saying how to take it down. I seriously was like how the fuck am i gonna take this shit out?what will i do if my hair starts loc'n up on me?.. yada yada yada..

But then i was like oh, thats easy lol.. and so far it kind of was but you know shit looks easier when someone else does it lol.

Protective Style :: Washing Loc Extensions

Hey All!

So I've had my Locs in for a two weeks now and i love it! I really do, my only thing is that with getting back to my yoga and all my hair is full of sweat and just has been a bit of an itchy mess lately. So I stopped by the Vitamin Shoppe/Drug Store and picked up a bottle of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, Rosemary, Tea Tree, and Grape Seed oil.

For those of you that don't know, i do an ACV Spray.. where i mix a 3:1 ration of water to ACV, than add a mix of oils in there as well. Originally the bottle contained peppermint and tea tree oil with a few drops of olive oil. But this time i wanted more of a cleansing, less tingling mix. so i put the rosemary and tea tree, and added the grape seed for a light moisturizing oil.

(yea im still adding peppermint but wanted to see how this mix worked first)

Thursday night,  before i hopped in the shower, i sprayed my scalp only, with the mix, and vigorously rubbed it in with the balls of my fingers (not the nails...we don't want an irritated scalp when vinegar's involved!) to help alleviate the dirt and buildup gained over the last week and half (especially after the work out i had in yoga yesterday!) I let it sit for a good 5-10 minutes and separated my hair in sections.

While i showered (which was awesome by the way after that workout) my hair was able to steam while i cleaned .. (hey that rhymed!)

So the ACV mix was in my hair for a good 15 minutes more, before i rinsed it out. I just used a cup, tilted my head over the tub/sink (pending on how you want to do it) and just let the water flow over my scalp. I of course rubbed it n around my edges and such to make sure that it really got out.

No one wants to smell like vinegar all day.

So after i finished my awesome shower and towel dried my hair i sprayed it with the Alikay Naturals Lemongrass leave-in conditioner and rubbed my oil mixture (horsetail, castor, jojoba, sweet almond, evoo) on my scalp after. I tied it with my satin scar and called it a night.

My scalp feels so much better and yea some itchy parts still (cause i know i didnt do a great wash just an alleviation of sorts) but yea its cleaner than it was before and the next time i wash is when these locs are coming out.

Pissed, Stunned, and Slightly Morbid...

One helluva post title right?

Well that's how i felt when i the news settled in about one of my family members...after a good laugh because it was so unexpected and just an all around immediate reaction..

I mean how often do you hear about a dude being woken up to feeling that every, and i mean every bit of him, being sore and there's a video going around that stars him?

Granted looking at what i wrote now, i feel like a terrible older fam for laughing at my family memebers misfortune and just straight shit luck... but like i said it was unexpected info and the way my mom was relaying it to me was not helping but here's the thing in general:

My family member was drugged and gang raped, and the shit was caught on film. He was supposed to be in a hood music video shoot.. but ending up being the star of a video he was not expecting.

Now his friends are avoiding him like the plague, showing him signs of disgust and contempt in the streets, and for 3 days he didn't know why, until someone started making jokes about the video.

Did i mention it was 3 guys that did it to him?... No.. well, like i said my family member was drugged and gang raped.. again, my reaction was not the best but we laughed at it cause like i said before its unreal and unexpected.

So does my post title seem right now?

I can honestly see my family member going back to jail indefinitely if he ever watches the video and catches the guys who did it to him.. even after years of therapy i don't see him ever letting it go. For now we haven't spoken of it much to anyone inside the fam but i really needed to get this out and writing is my release.

Honestly, i don't even know where or how to begin to deal with this info...

Ok, So 2 Things!

1. So in my last post the other day when i talked about him, i mentioned the 'L' word right.. mind you that convo happened about two weeks or so ago. still havent posted that post up but from the last bit, the general gist is i let loose the idea that i loved him... blah blah blah .. he goes awww really.... i go yep i told you before.. end of story

2. So we have a three day weekend coming up and i was like hey, why dont i text him about going up to see him for a day, maybe even spend the night.. i honestly mulled over that idea for a good two days even had the text sitting on my phone waiting for me to hit 'send'. So when i finally sent it I was kind of banking on the idea that he would be free but there was a small part of me that knew he might be busy...

Unfortunately the latter as true. Le sigh... so i mentioned us trying for another day, and he goes yeah i guess.. which obviously did not sound so enthusiastic to me at all.. so i go 'or not' and he just now hits me up saying 'why not'... i mean how do i exactly respond to that without sounding clingy or naggy or just bitchy in general. So you know i go 'nothing just saying'... apparently i think too much on these things but im a girl its what i do.. everyhting you say can be taken out of context if one feels they arent said in the right tone..

again, LE SIGH (my new fave saying)

the story of my love life 'nothing just saying' there really is nothing going on but words right now

and i feel a cold coming on

yay

Protective Style :: Loc Extensions with Marley Hair

8-9hrs...
a few random breaks.. a trip to the bank, a girls night/meeting, sleep...
9 packs of marley hair (@ $4.99/each)...
and my weekend

Thats how long it took me to achieve this style.. do i regret it (well my arms did at some point) but nope i, along with many others lover how my loc extensions came out

I got the idea from my friends yarn extensions but after her complaints from washing the hair, the weight of it, the length and such i was not a fan at that point. I knew i was going to get something done either the marley twists, senagalese, or havana but i wasn't set on anything in particular just yet. so after a post on curly nikki on loc extensions i just said alright next weekend after i get paid im getting that shit done.

 

It took my 4 hours and little over 4 packs of hair to put the marley twists in and i wanted to start on the wrapping of the same night and got i good portion of the front and sides done since i had to go out. I originally bought 7 packs of hair but had to buy 2 more to finish wrapping it around for the loc look. I know some didn't come out right with my not wrapping it completely. Some took one piece of marley hair in the way i wrapped others took 2 and a bit. all in all the end result is fine!

my goal is to keep them in for a month.. i use my whipped shea butter and my oil mix on my hair to keep it moisturized cause like she said, no product buildup for me!. i have a spray bottle with aloe vera, grape seed and avocado oil so im good. to keep it clean i have another spray bottle with acv, tea tree and peppermint oil.. so i must say that i am prepared!

my only issue is the little burnt hair pieces that keep coming off.. its annoying but i know it'll stop eventually... ill have my 3 year length check come nov 6! im excited. that sunday before, nov 3, is when ill take out the hair and wash, treat and cut. Ill leave it out for the week before i decide to twist it up again.