Cookies, socks and winter activities - oh my 😝

Parsva Urdhva Hastasana - Upward Salute Side Bend Pose
Can you straighten your arms? All the way?

I am back in the kitchen with verve baking up a storm once again. Is it my new “easy bake oven” (air fryer)? Or the fact that my youngest is now three and slightly less underfoot? It is both I am sure, and other factors, too. (Chilly weather💨.) Whatever it is sparking my creative joy, I will run with it…as do my children and so should you! 🍪

Brownies, banana bread, oatmeal raisin balls, yogurt cake, sugar cookies, cream cheese frosting… biscuits, french fries, quiche, pigs in a blanket, pizza, grilled cheese, quesadillas, roasted (air fried) everything and the list goes on… I kid you not, these kids actually expect me to feed them EVERY DAY!!! 🤪

My daughter knits socks.  🧶 🧦 For MY feet. 😍🥰

& these adorable and refreshing Gen Alpha kids also sing, tinker on the piano, play violin, craft, craft, craft and, obviously, level-up our nestle chips. 🎻🌸🎉

Doodlers love doodles

🌈Tadasana Hindolasana - Standing Cradle Pose. Just here being my embellished self. 🎀🐯🎄  

How we do one thing is how we do everything. One look in my cabinet and I had to laugh - a collection of drawings on both my shelf stable household items and my perishables…

Everything must have doodly drawings in HappyGoLuckyILoveCreativityWithColor&PatternAstridLand.

🌺💕🌺💕🌺

 

Raspberry Silk ensemble a la Coniglio Palm Beach.

Always question, refine and transform your personal style: clothing, food and shelter. 

Groupie

 

Parivrtta Ashtachandrasana - Revolved High Lunge Pose

Parivrtta Ashtachandrasana - Revolved High Lunge Pose

Thank you, organized schedules of endless options for classes. 

When it comes to working out, I am a group gal. 🏋️‍♀️ 

Get down tonight

 

Uttanasana - Forward Bend. Unpredictably intense? But that’s its name!

Uttanasana - Foreward Bend

Dance your yoga.

Yo-ga

 

Dance your yoga ~ unite with the divine. Inner peace and outer beauty are yours for the taking.

This New Year - UNIFY yourself.

YOLK each aspect of your life through self realization. 🥚 

Jolly shopping and wrapping.

Silly gilly traveling.

Amusing dressing and entertaining.

Special state of mind

Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana - King Pigeon Pose, P.J.s all day. 🌹 

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. 🔥 🎭 

Observe

 

Malasana - Garland Pose starry ⭐️ bubbly 🫧 lovey 💕 dovey 🕊️ 

Malasana - Garland Pose

Sit back and watch the frenzied, delirious world do its thing whilst you do peaceful, casual yours. 

Buttermilk snow bunnies gone disco crazy 🐰 🪩 

Jingle all the way 🔔 

Peremptory

Anjaneyasana - Crescent Low Lunge variation 

Not ‘exalted’ or ‘reverse’ as the arm reaching back is on the same side as the extended back leg it is reaching for and pressing upon.

Evaluating friendships as of late and finding it is essential to follow the chemistry and foolish to ignore the kismet. 🌟 

🌟 Starbaby 🌟

 

Yoga Mudrasana - Psychic Union Pose

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

🌈 How do you prepare for your birthday? ✨ 

🦢 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.

20 toes

Prapadasana - Toe Stand, practice

The exponential power 💥 of collaborating with your friends and the unlimited learning opportunities 🤓 of working with those unfamiliar. 

OMing ocean

 

OM - Primordial vibration of the universe.

Sonic representation of the divine. 

Why yoga at the studio and not at home? The energy of the group carries you. 

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 😘 

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. 

Dirndl

 

Dirndl 

Liebe - Love

How do we, as women, find our personal UNIFORM in the current CHAOS of literally unlimited options?

Your name here

 Nam - Bow. Salute with reverence, respect. Submit, bend.

The sweetest sound? One’s own name. And for some - a special nickname.

For a less familiar name or unusual spelling, help your brother/sister out - and hence yourself - during introductions.  “Astrid, like an Asteroid in space.” “Nok, like ‘to knock’ ✊.”  “Leonie, a female ‘Leo’; Lioness,” or “people call me Lay Lay.”

Party Pose

Ardha Padma Vrksasana - Half Lotus Tree Pose

POTLUCK - Gathering together without a singular hostess carrying the load. Attendees are often glad to be more than a guest and feel part ownership in the social occasion. Proprietorship makes the party more special in one’s mind. Win-win-win…

Life Preserver 🛟

 

🛟 How to survive Pool Party Season in four (with Sanskrit) easy steps!!

1. Ekam. Inhale for a count of four.

2. Dve. Hold for a count of four. 

3. Treeni. Exhale for a count of four. 

4. Catvari. Hold for a count of four. 

Pete and Repeat sat in a boat, Pete fell off, who was left? Yes - REPEAT this breathing technique.

Also known as square or BOX breathing. & Good enough for the navy SEALS. 

1. “Eh-kam” 2. “Dvay” 3. “Tree-nee” 4. “Cha-tvaa-ree”

And again :)

🍹

just Astrid

NOT “Mom”, “Mother”, “Wife”, “Boss”, “ Secretary”, “Client”, (“Customer”, “Collaborator”, “Gate Keeper”, “Dog Owner”,  “Chef”, “Chauffeur”, “Cleaning Lady”, “Counselor”…) Just Astrid.

It’s worthwhile and meaningful to uphold important (to you) roles and wear ones supervisor hats — to lead a purposeful life. But, boy, was it emancipating to relinquish administrative duties for a couple of days!