Welcome to Spring!
I love seeing all the enthusiasm in spring to get outdoors, garden, walk, bike... whatever motivates you to get fresh air. With these new physical demands, it's a great time to focus on our breathing patterns, and create the necessary expansion in the chest and ribcage.
Silent retreat
Have you ever been on a silent retreat?
I haven't, but figured out a way to experience one for free.
Well, kind of. I have laryngitis. Late Thursday night I decided to stop straining my voice, and quit speaking for a long weekend.
Everyone else is speaking, so there is some frustration with being the only one not speaking. However, I've realized how releasing those constant urges to speak is rather calming.
I'm very aware of how to take care of my back, so giving my voice this needed break is quite a different shift. I sure have a new appreciation for my vocal cords.
Yoga on any budget
I took my first yoga class at a woman's only gym around 1997. I remember feeling stiff, and did not find it easy, but felt comfortable trying it. For the following years, my only "teacher" was a set of Rodney Yee VHS tapes.
In the early 2000s I'd take sporadic yoga classes around the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area, and all three classes I'd take were taught by men in their 40's or 50's. Looking back, I wonder how that shaped my idea about how yoga should be or look like.
In 2003 I went to Honduras for two years in the Peace Corps. I brought this BKS Iyengar book with me, which was my new teacher. I guess I brought a mat with me, but definitely didn't have any yoga props or leggings. I usually practiced upon waking, so I'm sure I practiced in my pajamas. During this time I asked my parents to send me Yoga Journal magazine, and I'd read that cover to cover, including the back part that listed all the studio names in NYC.
When I moved to NYC in 2005, I was so excited to go to these studios that I had read about in magazines. I couldn't afford classes, so initially took community classes at Cindi Lee's OM Yoga, and also earned a couple classes per week by working in their work exchange program.
I share all this because I wanted to show that anyone, anywhere, and with any budget can practice yoga. I imagine the online options are overwhelming nowadays, but there's really something out there for everyone. You can choose whether you want a practice that's focused on physical poses, breathing, relaxation, or meditation.
What you learn will last a lifetime, and hopefully be practiced that lifetime.
Show yourself love
How do you show yourself love?
How do you show yourself love?
How often are you able to be present with yourself?
When we're not able to slow down enough to listen, we may not even know what we truly need? Let's practice this together...
Inner dialogue
We all have this inner dialogue telling us what we think we should do, yet simultaneously making excuses. A great way to overcome this is to practice in community. We've all experienced more yoga from home the past couple of years, and it just doesn't compare to practicing with others.
Being in an open studio space is lovely, but may not be feasible. I mainly practice at home, and still enjoy taking an online meditation, asana, or restorative class, because a live, online class still provides this energy of community.
Screen printing with friends
Here’s two of my creations from screen printing with friends last night. Creating feels very therapeutic, especially in good company.
Here’s two of my creations from screen printing with friends last night. Creating feels very therapeutic, especially in good company.
Podcast on bone health
I listen to a lot podcasts, which are mainly about health or yoga. I don’t think I’ve ever shared one here before, but want to share this one about bone health. There’s some really surprising information in here. I prefer the road of prevention, so don’t feel too young to care, and bone loss can be reversed, so don’t feel too old to bother.
How does this picture speak to you?
Maybe the speed bumps signify a much needed pause or break in your life, that you may not be taking on your own.
Maybe the speed bumps signify a much needed pause or break in your life, that you may not be taking on your own.
Or maybe the speed bumps signify distractions that prevent you from feeling present.
We all come to this practice for different reasons, and that may change from week to week. However, it's all an investment in feeling more ease in the body and mind. And I l think we have fun, too!
Warrior II for two
Warrior II for two
Almost ten years ago, I was practicing Warrior II for two, and it's still a great pose through the many phases of life.
