Your Love Language

If I had to pick a triumvirate of books for couples, "The 5 Love Languages" is one of the chosen.

In The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman offers a tremendous tool toward creating secure attachment. One of my clients said it was "the missing piece" he needed to work on his marriage.

There are two main points that stood out for me:

You each have a love language that when met fills your "emotional love tank." When your partner is showing love -- in his or her love language -- and not YOUR love language, your tank doesn't fill, and you feel unloved. Chapman describes it as speaking a foreign language - of course we don't get it.

The five languages are words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch (includes sex, but also much more). When you figure out our own love language, and your partner figures out hers, you begin to give in the way that makes each one feel most loved. We figuratively learn Chinese.

Loving each other in the "right" language won't solve all of your problems, but having your "love tank" full will make it a heck of a lot easier to work on those problems with love, compassion, openness, curiosity, and motivation.

Chapman has several books, so be sure to start with this title.

You can take the online 5 Love Languages quiz, I think the questions might seem lame, but the results aren't!

The description of the 5 languages:

Acts of Service

Can helping with homework really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most wants to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter. When others serve you out of love (and not obligation), you feel truly valued and loved.

Quality Time

In Quality Time, nothing says “I love you” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes you feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed activities, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful. Whether itʼs spending uninterrupted time talking with someone else or doing activities together, you deepen your connection with others through sharing time.

Physical Touch

A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, and thoughtful touches on the arm—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive. Appropriate and timely touches communicate warmth, safety, and love to you.

Words of Affirmation

Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important— hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten. You thrive on hearing kind and encouraging words that build you up.

Receiving Gifts

Two main points stoodTwo main points stoodDon’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures. Gifts are heartfelt symbols to you of someone else's love and affection for you.

 🤍Namaste

Aviv

:For more articles

: Reasons You Can’t Hear Your Intuition
https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2020/01/5-reasons-you-cant-hear-your-intuition.html


How to minimize the look of strech marks: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2020/01/how-to-minimize-look-of-stretch-marks.html

My daily wellness routine: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2019/12/daily-wellness-routine.html


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Youtube: mynameisaviv
Facebook: primavera.yoga

My Morning Riutal

It is absolutely imperative that you have a morning routine that grounds you, energizes you, and sets you up for an intentionally AWESOME day. 

Jumping out of bed to the sound of an alarm clock, hitting the ground running its toll on your health, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally, too. Depending on caffeine to wake you up is overtime going to take its toll on your health, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally, too.

warm water with lemon and ginger & ocean view

My dream kitchen

My morning routine goes like this 

1.     Wake up I spend a minute visualizing my ideal day and expressing gratitude for yet one more morning I get to be alive. Lately, I also thank all the amazing people I will meet that day.

2.     Hydrate
This is not for hydration purposes, this is for peristalsis and elimination. Within 10 minutes of waking up, I guzzle a large Mason jar of warm water with lemon and ginger. Think of it as a tidal wave whooshing through your intestinal tract to stimulate a bowel movement. 

3.     Meditate
The yogis refer to this time between 4-6 a.m. as “Brahma muhurta” and call it THE most magical and creative time of the day when consciousness is the most expansive. I do not like to wake up early, so if I wake up later, I forgive myself :). where I’ve established a special place, to sit for 10-15 minutes and also practice some Pranayama and Nauli breathing to detoxify my body and open my mind to a bigger perspective, connect with my inner guide, and get intentional. You can do it together with me on my new Youtube channel.

4.     Do breath and body practice
This usually is 15-20 minutes of movement. Here’s when we get out of our sleepy heads and into our bodies. If I’m teaching yoga that day, I’ll practice my class. If you’re taking a long run or have a date with weights at the gym, keep your morning practice more fluid with stretching & yoga. MOVE YOUR BODY FIRST THING in the morning, somehow, some way. If this sounds impossible, start with 3 minutes shaking the body with Dynamic meditation music. You’ll feel the benefits and naturally want to do more. Build from there.

5.     Nourish my body
I make a green smoothie. This is the best way to get a good shot of chlorophyll into the bloodstream along with all the nutrients that dark leafy greens offer. When you make your smoothie, lean more toward greens and less toward sweet fruits, as it’s easy to load up on unnecessary sugars that don’t offer the same benefits. You want to drink this on an empty stomach. If 20 minutes later you have a larger appetite, eat a healthy, easily digestible breakfast like oatmeal, acai bowl, fruits or toast, or eggs.

 Papaya with Noni smoothie to help my not so perfect digestive system  

6.     Intentionally imagine & plan my day
After 45 minutes of taking care of my body’s needs, opening to a bigger picture of life, I’ll take this time with my morning smoothie to pull out my journal and write what comes in my mind and my intentions and goals for the day. If I have time I will tap into this creative time of the day and write for my website, my blog, and others or I will read some motivational books or quotes. check here my book list.

Namaste 🤍

Aviv

For more articles:

My Breakfast recipes: Chia pudding, Acai bowl

How to minimize the look of strech marks: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2020/01/how-to-minimize-look-of-stretch-marks.html

My daily wellness routine: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2019/12/daily-wellness-routine.html

Volunteering in yoga retreats all over the world

 

Yoga retreats paired with volunteering - it’s the ultimate travel experience to feed your soul! As our lives become increasingly busy with technology and social media feeds, we’re finding it harder to disconnect from these artificial platforms. Yoga has become the go-to practice to realign with our physical, mental and spiritual origins, and this has been amplified by more and more people traveling to yoga retreats to reconnect with nature and those around them. Some popular reasons to travel to a yoga retreat abroad include specific teachings, cultural understanding, setting tranquility, and family-friendly holiday flexibility. 

Whatever the motivation for taking part in a yoga holiday, adding volunteer work to your itinerary elevates your personal growth and travel experience. Volunteering adds a fulfilling and deepened cultural exchange that puts you right at the heart of the community you’re working in. To combine a yoga retreat and volunteer work into one seamless trip abroad, I recommend figuring out your budget and what you want from the experience. It doesn’t mean that you need to know how to teach yoga. You can help in many ways from cooking breakfast, hiking with the guests, and maintenance work, etc.… Usually, you can also practice yoga with the guests and stay for a long time in the atmosphere of a yoga retreat or other community options. 

Options for volunteering you can find on websites like Yogatrade, workaway, you can also write directly to the retreats and ask if you can help during the period you will be in that area.

Some great options in Costa Rica:

https://www.puntamona.org/volunteer-opportunities/
https://www.pachamama.com/
https://www.yogafarmcostarica.org/yoga-volunteer/
https://www.thesanctuarycostarica.com/
https://www.anamayaresort.com/staff/volunteer/
http://www.shakacostarica.com/volunteer 

some options in Greece:

https://www.thaimassage.gr/come-volunteer-at-sunshine-house/
https://elysiayogaconvention.com/volunteer/
http://taos-greece.com/activities-2/yoga-meditation-retreat/ (a long stay option)  

Retreats in Spain & Italy:

https://kaliyoga.com/
https://www.retreats-yoga.com/


Namaste 🤍

Aviv

Can't travel withought:

Sugarmat Travel Set

Crystal Water Bottle

Dharma Yoga Wheel

Jade Roller and Gua Sha

See also:

Check out my morning ritual: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-morning-riutal.html


How to minimize the look of strech marks: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2020/01/how-to-minimize-look-of-stretch-marks.html

My daily wellness routine: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2019/12/daily-wellness-routine.html


Let's get Social:

Instagram: @primavera.yoga
Youtube: mynameisaviv

Facebook: primavera.yoga

Cultivating Happiness

I frequently get asked about my tips for being happy. It is a really important topic.

It's a matter of our quality of life. I am a firm believer that you really need to work to achieve happiness. But, the job doesn't end because need to keep working to sustain it. It doesn't just naturally happen to most people, especially, when life is determined to throw things at you like you're standing in a batting cage without any baseball gear. 

SO HERE ARE A FEW BASIC TIPS TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH YOUR DAYS:

1. Don't underestimate the power of music. Like Bob Marley once said, "One good thing about music is when it hits you feel no pain." I completely agree. Think of music as a pre-game and your day is the party. Find the songs that make you feel happy or confident. Start your day with it and let it be your anthem for whatever you decide to do for that day. At the moment I am really big on "I feel pretty" and of course Reggaeton. Not sure why but I can't help but dance, singing, and laugh to it. 

2. Take moments for yourself. I know this seems like a simple one, but how often do you just get away from your desk or whatever you're doing and take a breathe? Take a step back. Now, breathe. It's a moment to be in control of yourself. No one is going to tell you to stop what you are doing and allow yourself to breathe. This doesn't mean you have to have a deep meditation practice but many studies have shown that breath is your built-in stress reliever. You have to choose to use it. It's so important because throughout the day, we end up becoming society's version of us rather than who we decided we wanted to be when we woke up. Breathe. Go home to yourself. Breathe. Resume.

3. Keep a happy scent. Sense memory is actually a very powerful thing. For me, lavender and rose water reminds me of both Paris, as well tea parties with my friends. I try to keep bottles of it in my bag. Whenever I start to feel a funk coming on, I just spritz a bit on my hair, face, or just in the air. It's an instant pick me up. The smell of peppermint and lemon have been shown to fight the blues. Essential oils aslo have a lot of benefits (I will write a post about it).

4.  Look up and talk to people. I talk to random strangers literally all day everyday. I find so much joy out of it. I bet you'll find one of two things: 1) your problems aren't so unmanageable after all  2) that there are a lot of incredible people in the world. Knowing that you can find a connection with another person at any random time is a beautiful thing. You aren't as alone as you may have felt. Great ways to meet new people is by using Meetup.com, counchsurfing.com or just go to yoga class and talk with people (maybe try acroyoga).

5. Gratitude. I used to hate when people were said "just be grateful and life will be great." I was wrong. When we can put on our "grateful glasses" life is better.  Being grateful doesn't mean life is perfect but the majority of us have family, friends, a place to live, the ability to afford a morning coffee even if it is from McDonald's. We need to remember that or life will swallow us whole. Appreciate a smile you get from a stranger on the street or running into a friend during an errand. It's a small blessing that you both happened to be there at the right time. The small things can be a wonder in life. 

6. Get out and move. I love to dance, exercise, surf, and hikinh. Just get physical because your body carries your stress. It's hard to release without moving. The best thing is to choose an activity you like and what is works for you.

7. On the note of physical, get physical. People who have sex regularly are happier people. Even if you aren't in the mood, get over it and do it. Yeah, I said it. Whatever! Trust me, the mood will kick in when you start essential if you revisit tip one. Make a playlist that makes you feel sexy. (Who have a partner, I am not into rendom sex :))

8. Finally, get some Vitamin D. Seasonal depression is hard. It's important to make sure you are getting your body what the weather isn't currently giving you. Stay on top of all your supplements. I know there are an assortment of UV lights that you can buy to help. When I lived in Boston, I would attach the light to my treadmill. 

Let me know if any of these tips and tricks help or if you have some happy hacks of your own.

Namaste 🤍


Aviv

For more articles:

Check out my morning ritual: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-morning-riutal.html


How to minimize the look of strech marks: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2020/01/how-to-minimize-look-of-stretch-marks.html

My daily wellness routine: https://mynameisaviv.blogspot.com/2019/12/daily-wellness-routine.html


Let's get Social:

Instagram: @primavera.yoga
Youtube: mynameisaviv

Facebook: primavera.yoga

A Morning Acai Bowl

This is a great morning recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers, Gianna Ciaramello (@gianna_ciaramello). It's packed with fruits and seeds that will give you energy that will take you through the morning and into your day!

Serves 1-2.

INGREDIENTS

BASE:

1 sambazon acai pack
1/2c frozen strawberries
1 Frozen banana
Coconut water for blending
 

TOPPINGS:

Golden raspberries
Sunflower seeds
Coconut
Goji berries
Strawberries

Easy Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

This is one of the easiest chia seed pudding recipes I've come across. It's great for breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack. Since this can be prepared ahead and it keeps in the fridge for about a week, there is rarely a time where I don't have some of this sitting around, waiting for when my next chia seed craving strikes! 

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1-3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, to taste

Directions:

1.     Whisk the almond milk, chia seeds, and sweetener together in a large bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and then whisk again (this just helps prevent clumping).

2.     Cover and chill in the fridge for 2.5-3 hours, or overnight. It helps to stir the mixture every so often during this time, but don't worry if you can't.

3.     Stir well before serving. Portion into bowl(s) and add your desired toppings. Leftovers will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

4.     Add pomegranate, persimmons, granola, and blueberries for a tasty addition. 

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica : What To Do

good morning sunshine

Santa Teresa, one of my favorite places on planet Earth. Last September, after a long trip in Mamma India, I decided to move to Santa Teresa, I came back to Israel, changed my backpack to a suitcase full of swimsuits and took a flight alone to Costa Rica. The last time Iv been to Costa was 10 years ago, I traveled for one year around South America and Center America, last place (and where I decided to buy the flight ticket for return) was Santa Teresa.

So here I am, after 10 years of a lot of amazing experiences and living in Italy, study how to be an architect. I am coming back to this special place. Why it is special, cause it is remote, there are no cars or a road, people from all over the world (especially Israelians, but you can find people from the US, Canada, Holland, Italy) decided to change their life and move there. The waves are perfect everyday almost all day, the sunsets are spectaculars and there is something there that makes you feel alive and connect to the beauty of nature.

In the end, I didn't move to live there and I am still looking for my Home, but I stayed there for 3 months, taught yoga classes on the beach, drank Coco (which they call there Pipa) all day, ate a lot of Papaya and fresh Mahi Mahi fish and met a lot of great people. So here some tips for your stay:

Favorite breakfast: definitely Horizon (I don't understand the craziness about the Bakery, expansive so loudly and mm ok I don't like sweets so much..)

Israel breakfast in The Bakery

Horizon cafe

Coffe: Earth Cafe was the best one.. and I really like the vibe in Zwart Art Cafe (the owner painting is so beautiful).

Sunset watching every day at Zeneidas surf garden (they do many times bonfires).

Habenero for Sunday sunset party

Yoga practice at Pranamar, Horizon, and Florblanca.

Pranamar villas- happy after yoga class 

my class in the beach

Horizon Hotel , the yoga shala 

Gym in front of Zwart Cafe. say hello to Matias from me... you gonna sweat so much (but it is good for you ;)), he can also train you for free.

travel day to Montezuma for a hike to the waterfalls it is a great option if you do not want to spend another day of an amazing surf.

montezuma waterfalls

Local food: ceviche and Casados in La Lora!!

The best way to move around is with an ATV and put a bandana on your face (so much dust) add your surfboard and feel the PURA VIDA vibes.

picture took during my mornig run

PURVA VIDA