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From my Facebook Live video, December 18, 2018 – Park City, Utah

Some call it a comeback. I’m suited up and booted up to tell you that on March 29th, 2018, I busted ten ribs on my right side, tore my right rotator cuff, broke my left hand, my left wrist and had some other bumps and bruises.

Here, I am headed right back up the fucking mountain to end 2018 on my skis. There’s a beautiful view, plenty of snow and I’m ready to roll.

I arrived at the Salt Lake City airport this morning and I have to tell you that I felt a little PTSD. I felt a little nauseous. I had a few flashbacks remembering how I was feeling the last time. I’m just utterly grateful that:

1. my body has been able to heal.
2. I’ve trained myself to not be the kind of person to give up; to quit; to allow fear to get in my way.

I truly and utterly believe in continuing to stand up as long as you can. For instance this last weekend, some of you, who have been listening to me for awhile, know how much I love my dad. How much I care for him. How close we are and how much work I had to do to figure out how to get along with him, to not “throw him under the bus”. But, how do I figure that out?

We’ve been getting along marvelously for about 30 years or so. But a few months back he came out and I just “shit the bed”. I had some real hard time with some stuff. He didn’t know it. But my wife surely did and I was agitated like a mother-fucker. So when he asked to come out again, I jumped at the chance. Some of my friends and family members said, “what? I thought it was so horrible. It was. But I’m going to make it right this time.” I figured out what I had to do to adjust myself; my own expectations, etc., etc., etc. I had an incredible weekend!

It’s like returning here, where I fell down and broke everything. Now I’m returning to that exact spot to ski through it and have a better run. I did the same thing with my family. I’ve done the same thing with my children. I’ve done the same thing with my wife. I’ve done the same thing with my ex-wife. You name it and EP keeps coming back. I don’t come back without having made adjustments; without having learned; without having some minor tests and understanding that I’m up for the task.

I don’t want you to get me wrong. I don’t want you to go back where you got your ass kicked without being a different person. Hell no, you don’t do that because you’ll just get your ass kicked again. That’s where I think some of you strange mother-fuckers keep doing this to yourself.

You have the courage and the willingness. But you lack the intellect and the common awareness and understanding. Hey, just because I want to do it and because I like to do this, does not mean I’m capable of doing it. As Clint Eastwood said in Sudden Impact, “Man’s got to know his limitations.” I recognize that I am limited in many ways and I work with it, around it, and through it.

One of the ways that I am not limited today is that I’m putting these two skis on my feet, strapping the boots in and getting down this mountain. I can’t wait! I’m excited! I don’t like getting my ass whupped. I certainly don’t like making a fool of myself or others. I don’t like behaving in ways that go against my moral and ethical value system. But I do love that, when I do those things, I’m not afraid to get back up, show face, do what I need to do to stand in that place again, and do it with dignity and grace. That’s what The Unfucked Code is all about.

You are going to hear me talk about it left and right pretty soon, probably ad
nauseam, what the “unfucked code” is. What this tribe is. What this book is. If I could sum it up, in terms of our personal growth, it’s about being courageous enough to stand back up right where you fell down and give it another try in a safe, smart, dignified way.

So, dad, thanks for coming back out and giving your son another chance again. Wifey, thanks so much for having the courage to do a redo because you got the brunt end of all of this and saw how pissed off I was. Thank you, mountain range for being here for another year. Thank you, Rick Kaufman, for inviting me, so I could strap these suckers on and do what I love doing since I was three years old.

Everybody’s asked me, “are you going skiing again? It’s dangerous. What’s going to happen…?” If something happens, something happens. I’m going to do the best I can to be safe. But if I ever go out, it ain’t going to be going out with some crazy shit going on. I am going to go out on my own terms. That’s for sure. And if I can’t do that, I’ll do second best. I’ll take a chair-lift up this mountain and walk down it.

The thought for all of us for these holidays. If you want to have a hell of a holiday, you need to unfuck yourself. Don’t be afraid to show back up, whether it’s to a friend’s house, or a family’s house. Whatever you have to do during these holidays where you have had your buttons pushed, where you haven’t been your best self; just do it.

Show up as long as you’ve grown up. As long as you’ve grown up, show up. That’s what it is. Grow up, show up! Again and again, and you’ll get it right.

We ain’t never giving up. We’re always living up. We’re always looking up. It was great to spend some time with you on this chair-lift ride.

By the way, I am wearing a helmet. It’s a new move. I don’t like the look. Got to be honest. I’m going to find one of those dudes who design the hockey goalies’ helmets to design mine.

Hope to hear from everybody this season. I wish you all the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Years.

Peace,
EP

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1/2 cup non-dairy butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar (plus more for topping)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, grate fresh, if available
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

Preheat oven to 350°

Add softened butter to food processor; blend until smooth.
Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and blend until fully incorporated.
Add pumpkin and mix.
Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Add to pumpkin mixture.
Mix until incorporated, being careful not to over mix.
Add almond milk and mix until a soft dough is formed.
Freeze dough for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes (or chill overnight).
Scoop out heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of dough and roll into balls.
Place on a baking sheet, fitted with parchment paper, 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Dip a glass into sugar and then gently smash the cookie ball down into a disc.
Bake on the center rack for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
Let rest on pan for a few minutes.
Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes 22 cookies

Inspired by the Minimalist Baker

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1 1/2 lb. ripe cherry tomatoes
1/2 head of garlic
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°F

Toss tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, oil, and salt in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish to combine.
Turn garlic cut side down, then roast tomatoes, tossing 2 or 3 times, until golden brown and very tender, 40–50 minutes.
Let cool slightly.
Remove garlic cloves from baking dish, mash slightly, then return to dish.
Add vinegar and toss to coat.

Serves 6

Serving suggestions: use as pasta sauce, a topping for bruschetta, a grain bowl addition, a side to scrambled eggs, etc.

Inspired by epicurious.com

Photo credit: Chelsea Craig

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3 or 4 scallions, or 1 or 2 shallots
1 cucumber peeled and seeded
16 oz. can beets, whole, sliced, or julienned or 3 cups roasted beets (3-4 beets)
1 jar bottled beet borscht
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

With an electric blender or food processor, first chop the scallions.
Add the rest of the solid ingredients with just enough of the liquids to blend (do not pureé).
Mix beet borsht through vinegar or lemon juice in a large bowl or 5 quart saucepan.
Add vegetable mixture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Chill several hours.

Serves 4

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10-12 medium lemons
2 cups sugar
4 cups cold-brewed tea

Bring lemons to room temperature.
Roll lemons against counter to soften rinds.
Halve and juice the lemons.
Pour juice in a covered container and refrigerate.
Cut lemon rinds into 1-inch chunks.
Toss with sugar in a non-reactive mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Let stand at room temperature, stirring  once every 45 minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved, approximately 3 hours.
Add 1 cup of reserved lemon juice to the rind mixture.
Stir well, then strain through a non-reactive strainer or piece of cheesecloth into a glass container.
The lemonade mixture can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
To serve, pour concentrated lemonade and cold-brewed tea into a pitcher, stir.
Serve in glasses filled with ice.
So refreshing!

Serves 6

Note: Left over fresh lemon juice can be reserved for another use.

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1/2 cup almond milk, or more
4 ounces non-dairy yogurt
1 tablespoon almond butter
1/4 cup fresh strawberries
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 ripe avocado, sliced
1 brownie (your favorite), divided

Place all the ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Add more milk, if too thick.
Garnish with other brownie half.

Serves 1

Note: Make your own Chocolate Brownies

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1 pound sweet potatoes
1 pound Idaho potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon organic no-salt seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or tajin powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Preheat oven to 450°F

Slice potatoes into 1/2 inch thick rounds.
Spread in a single layer in parchment fitted baking sheets.
In a small bowl, mix olive through cumin.
Brush oil mixture on the potato rounds.
Bake until tender and slightly crisp, about 25-30 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter.

Serves 8

Inspired by a recipe from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly

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Future of Yoga

Yoga is complete, permanent, unstained, and immovable. It’s been with humans for thousands of years, it’s here now and always will be. It doesn’t need to grow and certainly doesn’t need an ignoramus like me trying to improve it.

However, the business of yoga is a totally different beast. It’s like all other businesses—they come and go. The business of yoga isn’t important, but the study of yoga is. I’d love to see yoga studios become a place of study, introspection, and reflection, where asana was not offered but lectures, Jnana Yoga, and Karma Yoga were shared.

Yes, of course I will tend to the ‘hustle,’ because after all I am The Godfather of Yoga Rocks. I just have to keep in mind that the great business that I’ve been able to grow can’t take me away from the guy I really need to know. Personally, I’d like to see myself become more involved with the world inside of me that needs some ‘fixing.’ I think of U2 singing ‘I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.’ I don’t want to sing that song and feel that chorus for the rest of my life. I want to find what I have buried away underneath all my insecurities, fears, and attachments.

Where does Yoga need to go in the next decade? Nowhere, but I certainly need to live it more.

Peace
EP

Reprinted from Yoga Journal, September 1, 2017