Hands like work

 

Virasana - Hero Pose

How do we quiet the mind and open the heart? By moving the hands. A weighty question has been pulling me down and dragging me back, but I found lightness this morning by: unpacking our suitcases, setting up the advent, calling a collaborator, sending an invitation, setting up a small tree… 🎄 

Away message

 

Supta Baddha Konasana - Reclining Bound Angle Pose

At the beach, out of touch from ‘the world’, getting my messages directly from the cosmos 🪐: aka on vacation sun tanning. 🧘‍♀️ PS: vacation - vacate! Cancel it, annul it; for I have left (and maybe even quit! Not really.) 🥸

Crunchy

Eka Pada Uttana Padasana - One Legged Raised Pose

I still slide my hands under my hips to support my lower back.

& Featuring what fun it is to be a hippie yogini (mommy).

PLASTIC - it’s everywhere!! I’m pretty sure my underwear is made of plastic. I am just so over plastic. & Chemicals. Unnatural clothing, bizarre body products. PLASTIC. …

Post-birth of each child I give myself a pass — the generosity to be gentle and relaxed with my otherwise crunchy ecological, home and health rules. (EG processed foods ordered in, tacky crafts or mittens overnighted in bulk.) But, youngest Bébé is now three, so I am no longer in ‘survival mode’ and am empowered - aka ruthless and rageful - against the world’s BS once again. 🐅 All crap must go.

🦢 elegant and effective

 

Upavistha Hamsasana - Sitting Swan Pose

Both graceful and effective. 

Weekends are the necessary outbreath to your week’s extended and exaggerated inbreath. Keep your weekends 1. Nourishing 2. Restful 3. Warm. 🧤🧦🪶

Wholesome nature-based activities nourish the soul. 

Warm with Fire and Water (food and clothing).

Movement can be restful; rather than planning a ‘hike’, step right outside your door.

Have an approach that is lighthearted and buoyant.

Zero talent 🥶

Vyaghrasana - Tiger Pose 💖🐯⛸️

About to skate, swim AND climb with kids 🥶😶‍🌫️😱, these are precisely the words of wisdom this mom needed today: 

“Everyday you wake up, you can control your attitude and your effort… it takes zero talent to be a good person and a good teammate.” - Aspen Recreation Center, Ice rink

Long weekends = lots of spontaneous outings. 

🐭

🍂🧡🎃💛🌻

- 💚BAKE zucchini bread. 

- 💛Light a CANDLE at dinner.

- 🧡Autumnify the NATURE TABLE. 

- ❤️UNEARTH the winter socks. (And pants, and hats, and mittens…)

- 💜CRAFT in the common family area.

Cobwebs in the attic

 

Parsvottanasana - Pyramid Pose 

🕷️ IDENTIFY and sweep aside your COBWEBS. 🕸️ 🧹 

Squeak

 

Waterfall Pose, Squat Pose

Afishka yoga mice packed and dressed

Pack, fold, place sweetly out of sight only those clothes you’ll be elated to unbox next summer. The SURPLUS leaves your home ASAP. 🍃 🍂 

Yang

 

Viparita Virabhadrasana- Reverse Warrior Pose

Give us your deepest, strongest versions of your poses. No excuses. If not NOW, at Summer’s end, then when?

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”

 

Halasana - Plow Pose

“But thy eternal summer shall not fade.” - William Shakespeare 

Make do 🍋🐑🥥

Weekends are for using it up or chucking it out! Clean out the fridge + actually clean the fridge = resourceful foods for the famille and a fit kitchen for the week ahead. 🛒

Lemon Mousse from lemon curd left-overs and on-hand whipping cream.

Remaining cup of sheep’s yogurt into Brownies 🐑

Coconut milk revives last week’s rice 🙀

💋It’s always the sweets that seem to get photographed. 🤷‍♀️

Tartlette

 

Have yourself a French-inspired little weekend.

🪲👑🪲

 

Beetle - symbolic of the sun rising each day. 

Creation, rebirth, renewal.

& current beastie bestie for the blondies in the family.

(Japanese?) Beetles you keep flying into our golden tresses — and I take it as a compliment. You like roses, grapes, hops, hydrangeas and 👸 our hair. 💛

Aspen Summer Soundtrack

 

Vrksasana - Tree Pose, with Gomukhasana - Cow Face Pose, arms 

Let your End of Summer Soundtrack be the rustling of the leaves. 

Benefits all

 

Visvamitrasana - Sage Visvamitra’s Pose

Visva (all) Mitra (Friend)  - Benefits all.

Visvamitra embodies steadiness and spiritual focus, qualities I aspire to with the children back in school. Is powerful, nimble, light and capable around the corner?🤞 A stark contrast from the colorful, confusing, (a bit chubbier), mishmash mess (me) approaching the impending classroom comeback. Funny how we make it happen every year - la rentrée scolaire : back-to-school  - but it doesn’t seem to get any more facile. 

There is also the matter of this maman’s rentrée to the yoga studio after a few months intermission … but that is forthcoming and thus a prospective post. 

Twisted bow

 

Dhanurasana - Twisted Bow Pose

The real twisted bow is described below 🎀 

The children are not at school. And somehow I have to get them ready for the school year. But surely they must be out of the house for this to be possible. But they are all home. And there are so many of them 🐵🐵🐵🐵… 

It is absolute chaos-insanity-frenzy pressure-cooker-crazy and then POOF they are off.

Bolognese with 🍰 & photos

Marjaryasana - Cat pose / Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose

 “I KNOW we didn’t have dinner! Because I DON’T remember sitting down together !”  

The family sit-down dinner is steadily back in fashion as baby gets increasingly older. And the children very much rely on this ritual. 

You can find us at home cooking (and eating). Alfresco. 

Tan Lines 🖊️

 

I 💛 Tan Lines, (Highlighters & Sharpies).

Swedish

 

Utkata Konasana - Goddess Pose with forward bend

Hands on ankles, arms follow leg shape

Lighten your hair in Summer by swimming (in salt water) often, often, often and - no rinsing - allow to sun-dry. Also, concentrated Chamomile Tea, Lemon Juice, raw Honey with Cinnamon, Olive Oil, diluted Hydrogen Peroxide 😉 (aka Sun-In) and … SUN SUN SUN.

Bug out

 

Mandukasana - Frog Pose

The refuge will be there waiting until next time.