Special state of mind

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana - King Pigeon Pose

Much ado leading up to the big day (in this case Christmas). IN THE WAKE of any momentous occasion I find myself in a very unique state of mental clarity; this is a prime opportunity to write reference notes. Keep a notebook for ‘hostessing’, ‘travel’, ‘holidays’ - wherever your interests lie - in order to access that very particular productive you. Borrow her Herculean magic using your own words for increased performance when the successive time comes and you are *stumped or *frustrated - inevitably my vibe before birthdays, travel, holiday etc. !!! LISTS - ‘gifts’, ’paint colors’, ‘buffet table setting’, ‘long car ride’, ‘weather in Telluride’ - are especially supportive.

**A note on resistance — we are most apt to create friction and repel those undertakings and engagements that give us the most satisfaction as the pressure to perform in something we are passionate about, skilled or talented at, is immense. 🔥 🎭 

What is

Vajrasana - Thunderbolt

🤎 Current favorite pose - Kneeling and meditating. 🕯️  

Santosha - a deep satisfaction with your current situation, feeling enough as you are, meeting the present moment as it is. 

Many a duty (this December, especially) have I obliged - so, now it is time to sit back and enjoy the rest of the 2025 ride. 

Imitated never duplicated

 

Hanumanasana - Splits Pose, Monkey Pose

Execute the repetitive, allegedly mundane tasks of daily life with your irreplaceable, original essence, soul and skill. 

Au naturel

".

Parivrtta Prapadasana - Twisted Toe Squat

“Being in ‘nature’ is good for us,” “get out into ‘nature’,” “commune with ‘nature’ daily,” “eat more naturally, wear natural fibers, naturalify your home…” — hold the phone — we ARE nature!!! ☎️ 

🌟 Starbaby 🌟

 

Yoga Mudrasana - Psychic Union Pose

Lotus legs, hands bound, third eye to the floor 🧿

🌈 How do you prepare for your birthday? ✨ 

Nowhere else I would rather be

Marichyasana III - Sage Marichi Pose 3, Seated Sage Twist With Bind C

The kiddos, or you, or both 😱 are sick and suddenly, without warning ones focus is single minded and undivided; nothing else matters. 🧿

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.

Infinite

Ardha Padma Anantasana - Reclined Half Lotus Pose

Kubera Mudra for focused intention 

Sacrificing for your dream. Some days I look around (at my little life) and I feel overtaken with awe and immensely ‘blessed’. So much so, that the beauty of it can feel precarious (“too good to be true, so much to lose!”). But, as my husband elucidates, this life did not appear out of nowhere - myriads of sacrifices (countless other possibilities passed up) befalls when we make each choice. We are choosing one of infinite. So when the bliss is so joyous we panic, remember we had our hand in this; these are the steady and continuous - unprecarious - fruits of our labor. 🍇 

Mystical magical

 

Ardha Purvottanasana - Reverse Tabletop Pose

RECLAMATION: Not a destination. An ongoing, thrilling, pleasurable, amusing, surprising, magical, life-long process.

Destroyer of all diseases

 

Matsyasana - Fish Pose

Reduce stiffness in shoulders and neck. Improve posture. Balance the thyroid.

Self-compassionate healing après over-giving. 

What fresh hell is this?

Supta Baddha Konasana - Reclining Bound Angle 

With a bolster, two blocks and blankets.

OH the sheer agony of caring for the family and tending to the home while feeling unwell. We know it from periods, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, traumatic or sad events, the common cold, chronic illness, heartache, heartbreak and beyond. There is no relief to be found. My personal solution? Complain (and blame) loudly and incessantly until someone (my husband) tells me they feel sorry for me and then all is a little bit more right in my world - merci beaucoup, dankeschön. 

Head cold

 

Parsva Savasana - Side Lying Corpse Pose - Fetal Position

What is your illness telling you? STOP most of what you’re doing, get quiet & listen intent-ly.

My head is now submerged in what feels like a giant cotton ball and I’m hearing from my dis-ease that I’ve been consuming too much. Intaking kids’ equipment, junk food, other’s opinions, gossip, media, activity, meetings… throat, nose, ears and eyes are ailing. As I have been actively releasing much of this worldly influx as of late, I can also concur this is another important, physical step in the cleansing. ☁️ 

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. 

Avert burnout 💥

 

Parsva Bakasana - Side Crow Pose

Some days (weeks?) are No Guest Days (no play dates, neighbors, workmen, dinner crashers, carpools…)  Determine the duration and spread the word. 

🐭

🍂🧡🎃💛🌻

- 💚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.

Matriarchy

Parighasana - Gate Pose 

Open all sides.

 Using passion, pleasure and emotion to find our rhapsody. ❤️‍🔥

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.

Symbiosis

 

Relationships with our children can be mutualistically symbiotic (both parties benefiting from the interaction), in which case they are heavenly. Of course, much of the time we must accept as parents that the symbiosis will feel parasitical (children rule, we drool), or commensal (they thrive, we status quo), at best.

🌹Mutualistically Symbiotic, of course 😘 

Course of inaction

 

Wake-up-got-nowhere-to-be-but-here is my 💛 preferred vibe. & what I am ⚡️ currently choosing. 

Schweet

Sukhasana - Easy Pose, Sirsasana II - Tripod Headstand 

Homemaking is love - giving the gift of beauty, comfort, fun, happiness, health, hope, joy, magic, safety, security, success to those in your home. And this life-styling is modeling a concrete methodology for your kith and kin to recreate inner peace and outer beauty for themselves and others anywhere, anytime. 

Home schweet home.