Why So Serious ~ Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana

Utthita Padangusthasana ~ Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose

It may be Work, but it can still be a bit fun (and funny, too). 

One Problem Per Yoga Class ~ Supta Padangusthasana

Supta Padangusthasana - Reclined Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose
The monkey mind is no match for the yoga mat.

Big, huge cosmic dreams realized in pretty, average-sized human steps. 
 

Tool Box ~ Supta Padangusthasana

 

Supta Padangusthasana - Reclined Hand-To-Big-toe Pose 

There is always more to learn. 

Cost Incurred ~ Parivrtta Utkatasana

Parivrtta Utkatasana - Twisting Chair Pose

When singularly focused on an acquisition, inquire conversely: what am I giving up to ‘get this’?

Soft-Test ~ Vakrasana

 

Vakrasana - Twisted Pose
Soft, relaxed version.

Accomplish difficult tasks with a light touch.

Intense Focus - Dandayamana Janu Sirsasana

Dandayamana Janu Sirsasana - Standing Head to Knee Pose
Head down. Intense focus.

Demanding from ourselves concentration and engagement. It’s not Summer Break - yet 😉.

Do You - Janu Sirsasana

Janu Sirsasana - Head to Knee Pose

No Cell Reception ~ Paschimottanasana

Paschimottanasana - Seated Forward Fold
Yogis: a weight-bearing, stretching, breathing, chilling, sweating, meditating, luxuriating tribe - sans phones.

Cellphone-free in the yoga studio ; it’s reason enough to go!

Santosha ~ Setubandha Sarvangasana

 

Setubandha Sarvangasana - Bridge Pose

Cultivate Santosha with (week) DAILY yoga.

DAILY yoga and DAILY creativity for DAILY peace.

Yoga Your Way ~ Ardha Anjaneyasana

Ardha Anjaneyasana - Half Lunge Pose

Mini Visions, Missions, and Values for each Season; purposefully thought about and clearly written out.

Unexpected ~ Urdhva Dhanurasana

 

Urdhva Dhanurasana - Wheel Pose 🎡

Just lay it all on the yoga mat for the universe to figure out.  

Wrestling with my usual mommy / wifey / community conundrums, I arrived at hot yoga in a tizzy. So I just gave it all over to something greater. Immediately an unexpected course of action - to embrace what I had been rejecting - was proffered by the divine. By opting for this original possibility I then floated through the remainder of the (rife with responsibilities) day in pure peace. OM Shanti OM. Namaste.

Spring Flings ~ Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana - Cobra Pose 🐍 

SPRING - bright sun, dark clouds; high temperatures, UV rays, summer-like days, drizzle, pouring rain, sleet, hail, snow, storms, sunshine, tan-time … and all the moods that come with it!

Candles On My Cake ~ Virabhadrasana II

Virabhadrasana II - Warrior 2

 __ Kisses when I wake.

__ Candles on my cake.

We have closed ‘Birthday Season’ (until next October) in the Kirschenbaum home. A huge EXHALE for a mother who decorates and celebrates (6 human stars and a sparkle pup) in fantastical excess. 💐 

Self Massage ~ Utthita Parsvakonasana

 

Utthita Parsvakonasana - Extended Side Angle Pose

With familiarity through exposure, background and skill, yoga becomes self massage. 

Inner Universe ~ Meditate with Bolster 🦋

Hand to Heart and bébé belly.
Butterfly Legs Seated on Bolster.

 Make PEACE (rather than happiness, joy, love) your aspired state of being.

Silent Retreat

Listen only to the universe.

It has been 10 days since I turned off all podcasts, audiobooks, and music; a calm has swept over me that I haven’t felt since… turning them on. 

Cherry and Pit ~ Prasarita Padottanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana III - Wide Legged Forward Fold C

What was the cherry (peak) and what was the pit (valley) of your day? We use this as our analogy since our last name is “Kirschenbaum”, German for Cherry Tree. 🍒

When our family has been apart for the day’s working hours conquering the world, we dine together at sunset while comparing notes, but when the weekend has been seemingly endless hours of “mom”, “MOM”, “dad”, “DAD”, why not serve the children separately?

Zen From Scratch ~ Chaturanga Dandasana

 

Chaturanga Dandasana 
Strong arms for pouring, whisking, flipping, serving, clearing…

Creating resourcefully for everyday tranquility.

Batter, Dressing.

Infinite granola iterations.

Pancakes.🥞 BUTTER.

Is Your Rest Constructive? ~ Constructive Rest Pose

 

Constructive Rest Pose

Knees together, feet apart.

 Deeply relaxing - like a self hug. 💞

Just as your food should be nourishing, your rest should be deliberate. 🫛

Green Goddess Dressing, Flower Blossom Cookies, Nut Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates, Mamachi’s Tomato sauce has carrots and cream, Homemade Food makes your fridge beautiful.

Garnish with your garden flowers (lilac here).

Yes - It’s Yogini Food! ~ Diver Pose

Diver Pose (Drinking Bird Pose) 🦅 

What does a Yogini cook and eat? Why, the foods she loves, of course.What foods does a Yogini love?

Living a creative life means create-ing daily; handmade delectable edibles are a piece-of-cake way to commune with the divine per diem (especially if you’re planning to eat anyways)!

Just keep COOKing (in silence for effortless enlightenment).

Spring goddess salad, chocolate pots, homemade ‘perfect bars’ plus oats, three berry muffins, classic stuffed bell peppers. 💚🤍❤️

EN-JOY

Try Harder!!!!! 😜 ~ Drinking Bird

 

Drinking Bird from Chair Pose with Airplane arms
Liiiiift those heels. More!

You can always liiiiift those heels, reeeeeach those arms, beeeeend those knees, and ooooopen that heart a little more. 💜 

Breaking Bread ~ Parfait-asana

Berries, dairy, crystal. 🍓🐮💎

Procuring, preparing, serving, and bussing (week)daily dinner takes an immense amount of effort, consideration and sacrifice; therefore, it is imperative to nourish your family by making and sharing the recipes you yourself LOVE. Breaking bread is a daily form of modeling universal respect and zest for life.

Germans love potato salad.

Chocolate pots all around.

Greek salad is pretty in pink and green. 

Just add granola: substantial Greek yogurt and berry dessert to prevent late-night snacking.

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced ~ Curtsy Lunge

 

Curtsy Lunge

Beginner poses remain the most advanced. 

Life Lived In Full Color ~ Winter Rainbow

Easter Bunny spotted on Aspen Mountain!

There are as many ways to do things as there people upon this earth and as many ways to asana as there are yoginis!

🌟🎀 🐣🩵 Easter on Aspen Mountain.🩵🐣🎀🌟

“I Made It” moment ~ Easter on Aspen Mountain with my family.

 

❄️💎 With an egg hunt at the spot where we were married! 💎❄️

Reclamation ~ Ardha Chakrasana with Self Assist

 

Ardha Chakrasana - Half Wheel Pose, Standing Backbend
With self assist: low back support and press to open.

Reclaiming adequate alone time to return to oneself - supportive and enabling of You. 

Rewire ~ Ardha Chakrasana

 

Ardha Chakrasana - Half Wheel Pose, Standing Backbend

Rewire your energy through movement. Always be rewiring. 

Badass Then, Badass Now, But Different … ~ Knee to Nose Pose

Knee to Nose from Three Legged Dog

Weight forward, shoulders over wrists, for the ‘badass’ version.

Wear leopard-like patterns and large gems.

After dropping the girls off at violin lessons this afternoon, I took the boys to the new North Boulder Library and parked right in front of an apartment that we lived in for two years. It has been exactly a decade since the one toddler days we spent there, but, as I did then, I still have a three year old. Patrick’s comportment at the coffee shop and playground nearby was so similar to Goldie’s ten years back that I came home exhausted from the surreal experience. I was badass then, and I’m badass now, but different…

50% ~ Natarajasana II

Natarajasana II - Dancer Pose 2, hand to floor
Cherry tomato heart on chest.

I may need to oust an actual percentage of our stuff in order to recall my Yogini, hippie, natural mama priorities and promises. 50% give or take? 🍅 

Digitize ~ Prapadasana Variation

Prapadasana - Toe Stand Variation 

I may be an old-schooler, but, resistance is not a virtue. Embrace the changing world and digitize (but also streamline and organize your cyberspace). 

Every (Week)Day ~ Uttanasana

 

Uttanasana - Intense Pose, Forward Fold

Yoga for anxiety: Yoga every (week)day so that there is no panic attack in the first place. 

Yoga for Overwhelm ~ Dirga Pranayama

 

Sukhasana - Easy Pose
A soothing check-in. Anything but ‘easy’.
Dirga Pranayama - Three Part Breath
Hand on Heart, Hand on Belly.

Sunday night panic attack? Soothe your breathless tension by planning out (only) your week ahead.