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? ✨ 

Fashion Rules

Eka Pada Ardha Navasana Baddhanguliyasana - One Legged Half Boat Pose Interlocked Fingers

Using interlaced fingers to coax and then train the leg to straighten. For some of us it’s a process 🥵

As I am perpetually attracted to and distracted by bright, shiny objects and innumerable looks, modas and trends, I have to condition myself not to try every cut, color and material …

We should (in times of limitless options) make our own little unspoken edicts (whilst free to disobey and evolve said mandates constantly). Such as : 

FOR FASHION (currently) - 

1. No writing. Strong personal pet-peeve, should be its own post.

2. No logos. Especially not on heart or head!!

3. No black. Unless for equipment, like sports.

4. No polyester. Though also OK for athletic / specialty purposes. 

5. No bands around the diaphragm. Camisoles in lieu of bras.

6. Streamlined underwear sets.

7. No high-heels. Low heels on occasion. Thick soles for dusty country living. 

8. Soft style hair ties.

9. Mascara is for special days. 

10. Shop while on vacation. Too taxing during regular family-life days. 

11. The word ‘fashion’ gets a bad rap - and I keep hearing use ‘style’, but I like the practicality of fashion being a ‘system, manner, method, approach’, and the DIY aspect that to fashion is to ‘make, manufacture, construct, build’.

Your mat as an island

Vasishtasana - Forearm Side Plank Pose, with elbow twist

Oblique strength 👙

Your mat = your own little world. Today I left my rose quartz colored, woven cotton yoga mat in the yoga studio’s ladies room. Sob! I’ll pick it up next time, of course. I use a yoga rug and cannot believe this style has not caught on (I’ve seen only one other) as I give it zero complaints and many acclaims. 💕

Consistency

 

Awkward Airplane Balance Pose

Simple. Strong. Everyday. 

Gaseous 🌬️

 

Ardha Pavan Muktasana - Half Wind Removing Pose

Release blocked energy channels. 

 Handpick preferences and priorities. Your own, not others’. 

Thingies 💓💖💝💕

 

Vyaghrasana Dandayamana Bharmanasana Vinyasa- Tiger Tabletop Pose Knee to Nose Flow

If you’re not fond of that THING (the fit of your sweats, the tightness of your sports bra, the cut or color of your thong, the stroke of your hairbrush, the ingredients in your lip gloss, the squeeze of the scrunchie on your wrist…) today, it will inconvenience you even more tomorrow, but you will forget your aversion over time - so OUT NOW with that thingie! And all of its unsatisfactory thingie friends, too. 

Eras

 

Era of refinement.

Be true to yourself in this present-day era: balance inner knowing with open curiosity. There is always room for improvement. 

🐭

🍂🧡🎃💛🌻

- 💚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.

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. 🍃 🍂 

Matriarchy

Parighasana - Gate Pose 

Open all sides.

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

Stardust

Ustrasana - Camel Pose

Reinvent yourself again and again and again (on the mat and then off)…

 

Tartlette

 

Have yourself a French-inspired little weekend.

Housedressy

 

I ❤️💛💜 Housedress 

Not sheer, past the knees, poitrine concealed. 

Natural in fiber, of course.

The best Housedress is the one you can answer the door, grab the mail, chat with neighbor, and maybe even walk the dog in (if you live in the sticks like me). 

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.

Less zealous

Taking NOTES from the MEN (who have fewer options and less zealous marketing). 

1. Pockets! - Perhaps even forgo a purse. 😱

2. Dresses and skirts (while they so contentedly stick with pants and shorts). 

3. Fewer colors. 

4. SMALLER CLOSETS. 

5. Denim.

 

Peppy steppy

Walk about the neighborhood. 

Clothing as KOSHA - SHEATH 

More PEP in my STEP this AM thanks to the husband who scooped up and brought back with him a small assemblage of attire from my main closet at home whilst there on a work day (I am on a month-long uninterrupted ‘reclusive’ vaycay). I didn’t realize how fatigued I was of my pathetic selection of duds (it is ASPEN, after all,) until I donned a neon swimsuit, gingham dress, silky cardi, pink suede sneakers and got a NEW LEASE ON LIFE!

Unfortunately? But powerfully! Clothing acts as a sheath - energetic layer - which can be used to our advantage (or disadvantage). 

P.S. The procuring of such items was made possible by strategic, color-coded closet organization (and periodic paring down,) allowing myself to plainly explain and my husband to effortlessly locate the 10 or so sought-after items in mere minutes via FaceTime. 🛍️ 

Purchase less, create more ✌️

Beacon

 

Light bright beacon of artistic imagination. 

I have leaned heavily into the Mother role - which has physically manifested family-friendly, practical, durable, colorful, grounding and compounding clothes, foods and shelters. But there is a lighter, brighter, ASCETIC aspect of myself I’m turning more and more towards (without eschewing my foremost family-first ethos).

Rad

You know you’re having a pretty RAD summer when you’d rather PLAY in that lame purple bikini AGAIN (and be seen in it!) than stop to go SHOPPING.  

My Armoire

 

As a former clothing COLLECTOR (hoarder-squirrel 🐿️!) this is a new frontier for me —

Wear your SEASONAL (shop once quarterly max) wardrobe so much that there is no question as to whether you love and keep the clothing longer OR, NO QUALMS, they’ve fulfilled their destiny and you don’t! 

Mountain Mama Summer Wardrobe, as of Late July:

💚keep 💛this is its last season ❤️already out the door  💙hmmm🧐

💛Silver espadrilles - wearing through

❤️Black river shoes (pictured above) - stretched from last Summer, already said See Ya (poubelle)

💛Flip-flops - maintaining

💛Crazy Crocs - worse for wear, as used for all hikes and most bikes

💛Purple bandana bikini - hanging on for dear life

💛White & Blue One piece - yellowing at edges 

💙Tomato soup cashmere sweater - soft as ever, maybe showing age?

💛Skull Sweater - last hurrah 

💚Prairie skirt (pictured) - good to go 😅 

💚2x Shorts - just fine 

💚Taupe linen pants - surprisingly great

💚Flowered cross-body bag (pictured) - still fresh 

💛Rose tote - wilting

💙2x Camisoles and 2x T’s - washing well

💚Sweats - new this trip :)

💚PJ’s - beddable 

💚Silk Dress - unfortunately unworn since childcare disappeared into thin air 🌬️ 

💚Shiny amethyst long cardigan - keeper

💚💜Jewels - lovely and sentimental as ever.💕 

The forced Capsule Collection that comes inherently with travel is blissful. My dear friend says all of her belongings (ALL!?) would “fit into an armoire”. What a beautiful image and, sigh, dare I say, Holy Grail, in these excessive times.