Erotic Hustle: Redefining Sin Through Sacred Sexuality

Is time an illusion? I believe it is. We do, however, use it as an agreement between one another to connect and co-create, so here it is: It’ It’s been FIVE years since I’ve posted on this blog!

I almost can’t believe that it was TEN years ago when I started this blog. At 22 years old, Yoga was LIFE! Each day revolved around my yoga practice. What gave me the time and space to focus on my practice was the ability to generate income fast.

When I came home from four months traveling in France, working on organic farms and immersing myself in the language, my bank account was depleted. The last thing I wanted to do after this incredible adventure was to get locked into another “job,” where I wouldn’t have the freedom to continue traveling. I wanted nothing more than to roam the globe, carefree. This desire led me to the stage…of a Gentleman’s Club in Southern Wisconsin-where it all began.

Dancing was liberation. I made good money fast. I could fund my travels. I could make my schedule. I could work anywhere in the country. There was never an interview. Never a resume to submit. Never a boss to answer to. Dancing felt like the freedom I’d been searching for.

Health and wellness was a passion long before I hit the stage (the one with the pole), and my time as a dancer only brought more attention and focus to this realm. My body-my temple became an asset, and I poured my heart and soul into nourishing myself in every way possible. My practice nourished my body and mind. My yoga practice was where I found balance, where I found solace. To this day, this remains true.

My life as a dancer, and my alter ego, “Ava Genna,” was kept a secret for an entire decade. Ava unraveled and begun to dissolve into Lana over the few years and it’s time to release this identity in effort to fully merge.

And there we have it. A coming out. The book I’ve written was my commitment to myself; to share the incredible journey through the darkness (and the light)! The sex industry was my experiential education-my school of life. It’s been an extraordinary ride, and I’m so grateful that I have the opportunity to share. My book is now available for pre-order. As of today, February 4, 2019, there are only 11 days left of the campaign to reach 500 preorders and get pitched to a major publisher!

I would LOVE to have your support, not only to have this book published, but to continue this practice of growth, and expansion, as I transition out of my stilettos and into more comfortable shoes.  🤣

Please check out the campaign, and if you’re inspired, pre-order a copy of

…and remember to share the campaign!

More to come 😉
❤ Namaste ॐ

I’m still alive! I WANT YOU …in my life still ;)

Hello beautiful gorgeous wonderful being!

It’s been longer than …well. It’s been a loooong time.  I have a request I’d like to make!  I’m movin’ and shakin’ at http://lanashay.com/ .  I’d LOVEE for you to come and reconnect with me @ Lana Shay.com and see what I’m up to.  My passion for living a healthy, abundant life has lead me to more focused content.  Here’s a taste:  

Have I got your attention?!  Come on over and check out http://lanashay.com/ I’ll be adding content each week and am soooo excited to get your feedback! 

Have a deliciously, sensual, colorful day 😉

America’s Got Talent: Season 8 premieres tonight! …and You may just catch a glimpse of yours truly!

HELLOOOO beautiful people!!

I know. I’ve been absent FOREVER!  But!! Guess what?! I promise it was all with great intention.  I have a new site…and it’s almost finished!  I’ll be moving this blog…to LanaShay.com!  This post is inspired by the reality show, America’s Got Talent.  Watch tonight with me to find out…if our performance made the cut 😉  Yes, I may just be on the show, tonight.  If not, I’ll still be posting all of the entire story here.  Stay tuned!  The real REALITY will be right here, on LanaBlog.com 😉

“Follow Thy Heart”

Namaste lovelies!  

 

Yes, yes, it’s been much too long. What prompted me to write this post is a dear friend, Gunjan Raizada Chakravarty.  She has started a Non-Profit Organization, which you can read more about on her blog.  I believe that this woman who is embodying a divine soul, is truly one of my spiritual teachers in this lifetime.  Her sense of altruism and spiritual connection is profound and will never cease to amaze.  I remember seeing her after some time and the focus of our very brief conversation was-without question-gratitude for the connection to source, or God-if I may be even more blatant!  She revealed to me, all of the instances in her life-in which the divine was present and guiding.  Even in the mundane-traffic!  She offered her situation to God and sure enough, the clear path opened to welcome her.  I have found it extremely beneficial in every way to adopt this belief system.  When has gratitude and faith in source ever had anything but a positive effect on all living beings?  I am grateful to learn from Gunjan, as her outlook on the world is beautiful and if it were more prevalent among all citizens of the world…yes, it’s true-the world would be a better place.  Here’s my example and experience to support this statement.

On Gunjan’s birthday, she was adamant about me joining her celebration.  Her Birthday is the same day as Ghandi’s.  If you believe in signs-here’s one right here!  World leader, she is, without a doubt…365 days and her birth date falls on the same as this realized-soul?  There is certainly meaning here.  After a sattvic lunch-or shall I just say-incredibly nourishing and balanced-she wanted to devote her special day to others.  She chose to dine at Fresh Choice-a chain of buffet-style restaurants here in Northern California that offers local, organic produce.  We ate and then devoted a few hours following to supply nourishment to others.  

I will add here, that when Gunjan told me she wanted to serve food…I was elated.  Something inside of me-for as long as I remember-calls me to action when I witness the many souls who have found themselves sleeping on the streets, without basic necessities.  I can’t help but question, “why?”  Is there a good reason for anyone to live this way?  Filthy, hungry and unstable?   If we all want the same thing-in essence and we are all one…as I wholeheartedly believe-then why is there suffering?  I won’t get into the depth of this here, but needless to say (or carry on)-I like to offer what I can (or sometimes even what I can’t!) to those in need.  

Gunjan had another idea in mind. She wanted to offer a small serving of prepped watermelon to construction workers. In all honesty-I have never once had the desire to serve food to construction workers.  No offense to these hard working souls, but in my short 26 years on this earth, I haven’t witnessed a high level of composure from them.  I’ve been stared at in some very vulgar ways…the stereotypes have proved true more often than not.  Construction workers whistling and cat calling to ladies passing by?  Yes, we’ve seen it. We know it.  It’s not so attractive in my opinion   The last thing it makes me want to do is rush over and offer them food while they’re working.  When I announced this idea to my father, he replied, “They don’t need a hand out!  They make a good living doing their job and are certainly not starving, nor are they having trouble taking care of themselves.”  I had to concur.  However, this aside, they are just like you and me, and working out in the sun in Northern California can be treacherous. There’s no debating that.  

I respect Gunjan and all of her actions as she truly devotes her life to a higher purpose.  Despite my apprehension, I committed to stand by her side and walk out into a construction zone-unquestionably off limits to the public.  We brought with us forks and a few plastic containers of neatly prepped watermelon from Trader Joe’s on a blazing hot October day.  I let Gunjan lead the way, as I had to ease into this new situation. She had been offering food for many month prior to construction workers and garbage men alike! Literally anyone in service that she came into contact with, it seemed!

The men were either dumbfounded, resistant or elated and ultimately grateful.  I, myself found one man’s seemingly overzealous joy a bit comical, and began laughing.  He verbally expressed how great we were and how sweet and nice and how there’s not a lot of people like us.  The way he conveyed this almost came off child-like and completely innocent.  This is also when a slight shift occurred in me.  I needn’t generalize all of this neon-suited men!  They are not all the same, and even the strange unwelcome actions of some could come from anyone of the opposite sex.  This man was truly grateful for the offering.  Looking at this from an even broader perspective…there is a ripple effect.  Positive energy and intention and sent out into the universe effects all as all is one!  It doesn’t matter who these people are-construction workers, garbage truck drivers, homeless or poverty stricken millionaire or billionaire!  The concept of collective consciousness reveals no discretion in the direction of energy put out.  

My wise and also ultimately conscious husband, Joe also noted a simple subtle aspect of our early October mission: “how do you know that man isn’t going to go home and treat his wife better-or his kids-because he felt gratitude today?”  I get it!  It’s true.  Making people feel appreciated is never a lost cause.  As Gunjan held out the container as an offering to each man, she said something to the extent of, we appreciate your hard work, we’d like to offer you some nourishment.  We received more gratitude than unperceptive responses.   Overall lesson, offering positive energy to the world is needed and has a positive effect regardless of the direction it is sent out.

 

om lokah samastah sukinoh bhavantu ❤

 

  

You don’t want to miss this!

DreamForce streaming live from San Francisco! This is relevant to everyone-this is what’s happening RIGHT NOW on this planet. Fascinating!  This is the direction of conscious, innovative companies.  Watch it now!

http://bit.ly/DF12Live  Marc Benioff for the industries biggest announcements on #df12live! 

 

capture your own true essence with the one and only…

Hello beautiful divine being!!

I know…I haven’t posting in a while.  I’ve been writing a book!  My time typing, I’ve devoted to the manifestation of a book…I’ll tell more later.  For now!  Now!  I am promoting my amazing friend, Dorina.  She is cultivating her career as a photographer-and her ability to create this art is absolutely outstanding.

We had our first shoot together last night, and I feel like it’s the first time I felt completely myself during a shoot.  Please “like” her Facebook page: Dorina Lata Portrait, and schedule a shoot with her through very own lovely site: http://dorinalata.com/

Here’s a sneak peak!

If you are in desire of or absolutely need amazing photos for any occasion…contact the lovely Dorina!

Firewalk with Anthony Robbins in San Jose July 2012

Walking on fire? It’s a breeze! ha!

No really. It’s quite exhilarating. It’s a metaphor…if you can walk on 1200 degree coals and don’t get any HOT SPOTS, then what else can you do?!  What can you achieve? What can you walk right through, unscathed? Anything?

If you did get a HOT SPOT, or “burned” then…damn straight!  You know those coals are real!  Thank goodness I did feel the heat the first time (2011). I knew this wasn’t a joke!  If I hadn’t, would I believe it to be true?  That these were real coals?  That the fire wasn’t a mirage?  It’s real folks. 6000 people walked on fire in San Jose, CA. July 19, 2012…and thousands before them.

“21 people treated for burns after firewalk” did you hear about this in the news?  How did it make you feel?  Were you worried? Concerned?  …curious?!
If you’re one who is quick to draw conclusions (without firsthand experience that is), I urge you to come to the next seminar in Orlando, FL this November 2012.  If you felt that this news was a bit exaggerated, you may be right. If you felt that this news was informative and helped you to make a decision in your life, you may be right.  You’ll never know what to conclude if you don’t come try it yourself!

The whole entire day (first day of the seminar) Tony prepares you to walk on fire. To walk across 10 feet of blazing red 1200 degree coals.  This is a metaphor!  Would you ever imagine of doing something like this in your life?  If you have the privilege of attending Unleash the Power Within, with Anthony Robbins-you have the opportunity to traverse this path, laid for you-to overcome the blocks that stand in your way.

If you set out to do anything in your life, and you fail-you don’t follow through, you stop trusting yourself after repeating this pattern time and time again.  Conversely, if you set out to achieve; you have a goal-a mission–and you follow through, can you repeat this process?  If you are certain that you can-that you MUST–and YOU DO!  How empowering is that?

When I stepped up to that bed of fiery coals the first time…I froze.  My mind said, “Wait!  That’s hot!  You’ll burn! Run the OTHER FRIKKEN WAYYYYY!!”  This voice in my head…it’s loud as hell, all of the time!  When I set out to accomplish-to make my way to my goal, to my dreams-that voice says the same crap!  But this time… not this time. NOT THIS TIME!  I am up to the plate. I am walking.  I am going to get to the other side, without a mark, unscathed.  The lead in/the trainer-the “coach”, standing by my side-tuning into my fear-got loud, real loud, “MAKE YOUR MOVE!  SAY YES!  SAY YES!  YOU’RE NOT READY…MAKE YOUR MOVE!  THAT’S IT! YOU’VE GOT IT! …NOW GO-GO-GO!!!”  Was it a man, a woman?  I don’t even remember at this point, I just know when I first stepped up, I wasn’t ready.

I was scared.  I’m so tired of not being ready.  Of being scared. Of waiting to go for my dreams because I don’t feel prepared.  That is such bull$hit!  WHY?!  I have what it takes to go for my dreams and reach my goals…I just need a push sometimes-just like YOU!  So, I went for it!   ………but wait.  I stopped. In the middle of my first firewalk…I stopped.  I looked down and was in awe. I was walking on fire!  The coals were right beneath my feet, surrounding me.  It was absolutely surreal.  The brief millisecond was an eternity….I marched onward-urged by the support of the amazing team surrounding my fire lane…every amazing leader leading me to victory…8 of them, WAS IT?!  I made it!  I celebrated!  I screamed…NOOO! Not in agony (as the media is currently portraying)! In joy! In bliss! The feeling when you know you took a hold and said-I MUST!  I did it.  The next day, damnit!  I had a two hot spots.  Two measly hot spots.  Do you know how happy I was to have those hot spots as reminders?  I cherished them.  They reminded me… when I have a goal-I need to keep focused.  Move forward without distraction.  Let nothing stand in my way.  Stay in STATE, stay confident, stay certain-strong!

That one moment that I lost focus-and let my external world distract my internal world, I suffered.  Only very very minimal suffering-but! None the less, suffering it was.

I’ve walked 6 times since this day in 2011-the first time I “walked on fire.”  I haven’t been “burned” once.  No hot spots. No nothing.  The last time I walked-this past week, in San Jose-the time with all of the wonderful publicity-I was not affected by the coals.  No pain.

Do you want to know why? What I attribute my success to?  Since, I do admit-I was fearful, once again. I stepped up to the lane and was a little thrown off.  Oh gosh. Yup, they’re still real coals.  Still HOT!  My mind was whirling out of control-I needed to grab a hold…

The trainer who helped me get in state before I walked reminded me, “YOU’VE DONE THIS BEFORE!”  This was all I needed.  I was ready after that statement.  DAMN right I’ve done it before!  I can do it again!

ANYTHING you’ve accomplished in life is fuel to take the next step in stepping into your dreams. Achieving any goal-all goals!  I LOVE walking on fire!  I would gladly do it every DAY!  The amazing power I feel when I take on fear and walk with it-is literally out of this world.  Limitations.  pfft!  Limitations aren’t real.  Break records. Break Barriers. STEP UP!

Read the news-read it all-then come do it-YOURSELF!

…after the fire walk-smiling so big my face hurt! (not my feet)

and 1 and 2 and 3 and get that toe up to your nose!

Are you wondering?  Alright…soooo!  I haven’t quit working on my physique-and more importantly, my summer goal!  I haven’t done sit-ups/crunches or all of that good stuff everyday (maybe just a slight lack of determination), but!  I am quite active.  Everything is connected.  I haven’t seen anyone with killer abs and a big saggy butt and flabby arms…blah blah, you know what I’m saying.

I must tell you what I experienced yesterday.  I NEVER go to gyms.  It’s just not my thing.  It’s not my “vibe.”  I like to go to clubs with incredible music and dance with my friends for a good “work-out.”  What’s better than your best workout ever-and you didn’t even notice-for one second-that you were “working out?!”  Point made.  I love being physically active-but there’s a way that I go about it-that doesn’t involve beating the crap out of myself.

BUT! That’s just what I did yesterday.  To be honest, I thought I’d be so sore today that I couldn’t even get out of bed…I’m not!  How is that possible?!

I went to a class called  Barre Burn, taught by Kirsten Johnson  at Equinox Gym in Palo Alto… and NO stereotyping here-I just have to tell the truth here…I KNEW she was German. She was hardcore!  Ass kicking!  Through the blaring electronic music and middle aged cheering women-my own internal dialogue was still loud!

“Am I really the youngest person in this class?  Holy CRAP there are 50 women in this room!  What the hell do they do with themselves? Everyone is in shape! Except her. But! She’s here! Sheee’s keeping up-and I’m dying!…hollly crap…I can’t lift this frikking weight again…  That woman next to me is 90 isn’t she? Damn! she looks damn good for 90!  How the hell is she lifting her leg higher than mine?! How the hell can’t I keep up?  Step my foot where? You want me to do what with my hips?  Squat how many more times?!! ahhhhh!”

I felt like someone had injected me with speed. I was losing my mind.  I was over stimulated in every way. Blaring music. Moving bodies everywhere.  The instructor barking the next move.  Telling my body to keep up.  Hoping no one was looking or had even glanced at me…

I felt like a million BUCKS after the class but I was watching the clock the WHOLE TIME.  Damn that s!*t was challenging!  I guess kicking my leg up in the air four thousands times while holding a squishy ball and balancing on a ten pound stick isn’t my cup of tea.  Though, if is your cup of tea…do it!  It was fun, just not my top preference. The instructor is amazing, she really noticed everyone in the room and kept the energy up and managed to keep count and I was truly astounded.  Very skilled.  Not to mention the women in the class!  What drive!  What stamina!

Just thought I’d share.  Gyms are so fun…group fitness classes especially.  To me, it was something like a film that I had the opportunity to watch from the inside.

Next time I need a shot of REAL energy, I’ll drop into another Barre Burn class…with Kirsten of course.

Jaded?

Warm, welcoming hello to you~

Jaded is the label I am putting on my Yoga practice. Shocker!  Let me continue…

I’ve been living in California since September.  I have practiced Yoga here now for over 6 months.  What I’ve experienced has shifted my devotion.  Yoga isn’t what it was when I couldn’t get enough a few years ago-say 2008?  When none of my friends or family could reach me because I was on my way to-or already deep in my practice.  If they wanted to connect, I’d tell them, “you can come to Yoga practice with me!”

Have I had too much?  Initially, I felt a deeper meaning.  I felt a sense of connection to the greater whole.  Yoga was my escape from reality.  I delve into a another world and explored the universe inside myself.  Is it bias? In Madison, Wisconsin-my practice was incredible.  It was so deep and so true.  There’d be an off day where this didn’t apply-yet that occurrence was infrequent.

Labeling the way I feel at this current moment is more of a question-I’m questioning myself. Introspection. Svadhyaya perhaps.  It’s possible I’m just in a “winter” of my life-a dip-there’s highs, lows~

It’s true, however. It’s very true.  My “asana” practice isn’t what it used to be.  I used to be crazy about “tradition” and how I didn’t like most styles of asana practice because they simply weren’t the “real thing.”

Now?  How do I feel?  I don’t think there were Yogis in the Himalayas doing “upward dog.”  I’m just not feeling it!

What is more important?

Physical Yoga. Hatha Yoga. Asana practice cultivates awareness.

Every dedicated moment on the mat is another opportunity to get in touch with myself.  Knowing my self better enables me to be a person who responds as opposed to reacts to situations in life.  Reaction tends to be unconscious.  Making conscious decisions in life is a skill.

Every moment on the mat is a chance to notice my own patterns, how I respond to difficulty or challenge, what my expectations are, what my desires are…

Discipline in practice translates to daily life.

If this is not my experience, each time I step on the mat-the sense of unfulfilled sets in-immediately.  Am I causing it?

I mean no harm by these words, but I do not feel inspired by the Yoga Instructors in my area.  Giselle Mari.  Yes.  She’s only one.  Prajna Vieira.  Okay, we have two…I’m running out!  I’ve taken some incredible classes here in the SF Bay area.  BUT! Who really has the depth I’m yearning for?!

Oh, and yes. I’m still working on my abs. 😀

Time to DANCE!

SATURDAY, APRIL 21  7PM   DANCE VISIONS @ CUBBERLEY COMMUNITY CENTER 4000 Middlefield Road Palo Alto