How many times during the day do you take a break simply to rub your eyes? Whether to help relieve stress or induce relaxation, our eyes are vital parts to our well-being but, like our feet, are often ignore. A consistent yoga practice can easily bring your entire body into a pleasurable state.

During the final element of each practice, while in Corpse Pose, the opportunity to pamper our eyes presents itself. By using an eye pillow during Savasana, you block out nearly all light along with adding a gentle pressure to the area around the eyes, which helps to relieving tension and calm active muscles. Eye pillows are also often used to help people with chronic headaches.

So, eye pillows are great … but why buy one? In my second appearance within the pages of Yoga Journal Magazine (my first was in the September 2007 issue), I present readers with simple step-by-step instructions on how to make your own eye pillow (June 2008 issue; page 28), including how to customize the filling to your scent preferences. Not a superior sewer? No need to be! This is a beginner pattern that anyone can make.

Random note: the three eye pillows at the bottom of page 28 were made by yours truly out of HarmonyArt organic cotton fabric (specifically the Pink Moon, Let it Grow, and Graceland prints)! I also made an eye pillow for myself, from the Whispering Grass print, that I use during my daily yoga practice.

While perusing the October issue of Yoga Journal Magazine (they have a great new site layout, you should give it a browse), I decided to read through the Letters section to see what readers have been saying about the publication. Much to my surprise did I find a letter - a positive one, I might add - about my first nationally published piece from their September issue:

A Stitch In Time

While I have not yet mastered knitting on two needles, I have crocheted for a number of years. I have long thought that handicrafts - or fiber yoga, if you will - can be meditative. So thank you for Victoria Everman’s article on knitting (”Stitched Together,” Sept. ‘07).

Cynthia Parkhill
Kelseyville, California

I squealed out loud when I read that; cheesy, I know, but I did. A big thank you to Cynthia for taking the time to write in to Yoga Journal to show her appreciation for my piece. Also, a mega thank you to Tara Jon Manning, who graciously spared some of her busy time to answer some questions for the piece. Tara also mentioned the article on her blog today, so go and show her some love!

Haven’t read the piece yet? You nut bar! Though I recommend buying the whole issue (I’ve been a subscribed for years and haven’t once been disappointed), you can also read the piece and see scans from the magazine here on my site.

Looking for a meditative and/or sustainable knitting book? Check out my recommendations from the article below:

The exciting news just keeps rolling in! Just a few weeks ago, I was amped about getting my first writing piece accepted to a major magazine. This particular magazine just happened to be one of my all-time favorites, Yoga Journal. Not long after that, I was told by a woman who I did an interview with about the SF Craft Mafia (Caitlin) that she was working part-time at the magazine but had to leave her position. Her reason for doing so was a good one (she got a full-time job at the SFMOMA), and the magazine was looking for someone to take her place.

I think you probably see where this is going.

Yes, I will be working in the Yoga Journal Magazine offices for the next two months as the Interim Production Assistant. At first, they were just looking for someone to take Caitlin’s temp job, but since she left a week or two ago, the current Production Assistant (Elizabeth) was called away for a family emergency. Since Elizabeth won’t be back until May 1st, I’ll now be doing Caitlin’s previous temp job (which is mostly data entry) and Elizabeth’s job.

My interview for the position was today; I was hired on the spot and did a bit of intro work before I left around noon (all of which I got paid for). I also got introduced around the office and had a chance to meet the editor of my piece that got accepted to the magazine (July/August 2007 issue, by the way). The whole crew is fantastic and I know that this will be wonderful experience. Needless to say, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well and that there might be a full-time, salaried position open for me come the beginning of May.

Also, for all my fellow greenies out there, make sure to pick up a copy of the upcoming April 2007 issue of Yoga Journal; there are oodles of fantastic shorts and articles about green living!