Yoga: It’s not just Yoga | Ardha Uttanasana Yoga Illustration

With a slanted, alert spine, an awake and engaged Ardha Uttanasana prepares us for many more advanced forward bends. Lively Upward Forward Fold Pose illustrated by Astrid Parker Kirschenbaum. 

Ardha Uttanasana (upward Forward Fold Pose) | Yoga Illustration 
Bend the knees as much as necessary for an Upward Facing Dog-esque long spine, necessary for profounder forward bends.

Yoga is your undercover personal trainer, weight-loss coach, therapist, GLP-1 …💊😎

Eight Angle Pose | Astavakrasana Yoga Illustration

Compose complex yoga poses (such as Eight Angle Pose), not a complex life. Astavakrasana Illustration by Astrid Parker Kirschenbaum. 

Astavakrasana (Eight Angle Pose) | Yoga Illustration 

So many Labor Day sales - Hesitating? Purchase nothing. Newness is not the answer. More is not better. 

Standing Forward Fold Twist | Parivrtta Uttanasana Yoga Illustration

Some days I may not twist exactly as the teacher says. Parivrtta Uttanasana, Forward Fold Twist, with a little extra chest stretch illustrated by Astrid Parker Kirschenbaum.

Parivrtta Uttanasana (forward Fold Twist) | Yoga Illustration 
Extra crank: pressing on a wall or reaching for a barre with the floating hand would feel even more satisfying.

Once you have put in the years and embody the alignment why not go ahead and get a little rogue. 

Simple Pleasures ~ DownDog Transition

Stepping forward from (three legged) downward dog.
Low Lunge hands framing front foot.

Rediscover the omnipresence of simple pleasures while hanging out with kids.  

PS: QUANTITY time - not quality time - is required for the miraculous unveiling of these everyday delights. 

Pinecone, berry, acorn, leaf etc. animals, mermaids, gnomes, boats, lawnmowers and more…

Rainy Day or !Too Hot Day! - Paint 🎨 

🛎️ Order Up! Ceaseless meal service.

Dot Cakes by Goldie.

Mid-pool session siesta.

Buckle Up!

Single Specific Attribute or Category that Applies to all Entities

 

Seated Neck Stretch

Three Rows:

💫Values 🏹 Tangible Goals 🌱 Specific Policies and Actions

Fill each row with subsequent columns. 

(EG: 💫Unconditional Family Support 🏹 Quantity Family Time 🌱Dinner Together at the Table Most Nights OR 💫Yogini my Life 🏹 Zen and Fit 🌱Yoga or Walk Weekdaily.)

Find repetitious ‘Policies and Actions’. Circle them. Act on them. Make your life beautiful. 

It’s All Happening.

Make it Happen.

Dream ~ Create.

lol asana - Lolasana

Lolasana - Pendant Pose
Hang out like a pendant this Summer.
🏅I sure am 😉😎 

Dear self,

I know you like to frolic in the sun all summer basking in your freedom - but perhaps you could squeeze in just a few asanas for just a splash of at-home practice? 🍊 

Sincerely,

Yours Truly

PS: Your daughter says to spend more time on your backgrounds and to make your drawings crazier (like you used to).

Alone - Flapping Fish Pose

Matsya Kridasana - Flapping Fish Pose

You can only do so much alone: release your pride, reach out to your network.

Advancement ~ Boat Pose Variations

Parivrtta Navasana - Revolved Boat Pose
Advanced poses require preparation, practice and repetition.

It (leading the yoga class, hosting the party, transcripting the meeting, writing the letter, giving the speech, remembering the names, traveling with young children) is NOT easy, but you will make it look that way through preparation, practice, and repetition. 

🍒 Kamp Kirschenbaum 🍒 2026

Ardha Dhanurasana - Half Bow Pose 🏹 and chiiiiill
Iced coffee, chocolate milk bottles and popsicles at our convenience. 🧋🍼🍦

What shall we do today Kampers? Life is good when you are your own Kounselor; No forms, no packing lists, no weather updates, no transportation issues, no allergies, no early mornings, no problemo. 

At 🍒 Kamp Kirschenbaum 🍒 there are no rules (except be polite!) 

Kamper Ash is a careful builder.

Kamper Lélé refinishes furniture.

Crochet Kampers Opal, Pansy and Ocean.

Kounselor Astrid Kirschenbaum is not pictured as very minimal oversight is necessary 😻

❤️Red 🤍White 🩵Blue & 💓Pink ~ Headstand Yoga Pose variation

Sirsasana - Headstand variation 
Loving red-white-blue (plus pink).

In preparation - or was it the opposite? - for this Summer I said sayonara to my week-daily sunrise yoga, I eschewed all camps for the kiddos, we bought only one-way airplane tickets, and I haven’t sought out a single sitter. Naturally, I am becoming petrified and beginning to panic as school winds its way down  (4 kids - 10 year spread - 75 straight days!), but this weekend is going so well I think it’s going to be the best Summer yet!!! 💙🤍❤️ ✌️🤞😎😎😎😎😎🤞✌️❤️🤍💙

Firewood, Fresh Flowers & Honey

What is your “Farmstand” (what are you into) this season?

Keep dreaming. 🌝 Dream your own way.

Keep creating. 🏹 Create your own way.

Keep growing. 🌾 Grow your own way.

The Tone of Your Home

Zesty, starry, shiny, peppery, salty, coppery, green, energetic, soft, pink, calm, blue... Mom Vibes - to infinity and beyond!!!

As women we set the tone of our home, and that energy, embodied in the members of our family and the visitors to our environment, ripples out indefinitely.

Cloudy days call for colorful dinners…

Not pictured: Stormy Day Dinner was chicken tortilla soup (from a dear school-mom-friend's Boulder CO soup company) with plenty of Astrid's home-baked vanilla pound cake (new fave) with fresh CO cow whipped cream. 

🌼 Ditzy Bimbo 🌼

What is a girl to do?

I have a penchant for embarrassing myself. Hopefully it amuses others and maybe puts them at ease? This blonde likes to have fun and doesn’t mind looking like a lunatic doing it (knocking over cups full of pens in a solemn bank meeting 😬, showing up to the pool opening - and swimming! - 2 days early with 6 kids in tow: “why is no one else here?” 😬, bopping around town with my shirt inside-out 😬, stating my drive-thru order loud and clearly into the trash can placed en route to the speaker 😬, and on and on all the days long…)

Happy-go-lucky, carefree and a bit daffy while hard-working in my home, active at our school, engaged in the neighborhood, out-and-about in my community…

When actively occupied both at-home and about-town, faux pas are bound to happen and, in my case, it is gaffes galore!! You are welcome?🙏 

Effortless ~ Vajrasana

Vajrasana - Thunderbolt, Side Bend ⚡️

Self Massage ~ Utthita Parsvakonasana

Utthita Parsvakonasana - Extended Side Angle Pose

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

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

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 liebe 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.

Rewire ~ Ardha Chakrasana

Ardha Chakrasana - Half Wheel Pose, Standing Backbend

Rewire your energy through movement. Always be rewiring.