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.

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. 

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.

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced ~ Curtsy Lunge

 

Curtsy Lunge

Beginner poses remain the most advanced. 

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. 

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). 

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. 

🐌 Vacation Integration 🐢 ~ Sukhasana, Dhyana, Mukula Mudra

Sukhasana - Easy Pose
Dhyana - Meditation 
Mukula Mudra - Lotus or Lily Bud Hand Gesture 🤌 

(Vacation) integration is gradual, slow, steady, slimy, super cute, hard shelled, long-lived… 🐌 🐢 

Broaden Horizons ~ Dwikonasana

 

Ardha Dwikonasana - Half Yoga Seal Pose, Double Angle Pose

Traveling will stretch you beyond your limit: release all those staid and pesky ‘preferences’ to appreciate the discomfort.

Centimeter by centimeter ~ Navasana

 

Navasana - Boat Pose
I am a boat pose modifier.

After 1.5 years of weekdaily yoga practice, my legs are ever so slightly straightening (centimeter by centimeter). If ‘it’ doesn’t happen in a few years time, wait longer. 

Look Inside ~ Sukhasana Dhyana

 

Sukhasana - Easy Pose, Dhyana - Meditation 

I took out my contacts one week ago and went unobstructed for the first time in decades. Here is what happened:

1. My sinuses filled with pressure, but the congestion is subsiding with each passing day. 

2. I realized that I am completely reliant - obsessed - with the visual realm.

3. I am slowly learning to look inward. 

4. My drishti is better than ever. 🙈

😇 👿 ~ Virabhadrasana 2, raised heel and heel hold

 

Virabhadrasana II - Warrior 2, heel raised, heel hold
Yoga poses are neither ‘Good’ nor ‘Bad’.

What if we no longer deduce things, people and experiences as ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’? 

Half Empty ~ Utkatasana

Utkatasana - Chair Pose, arms forward 
Pause at the end of your exhale.

May your glass be half empty! It may not be very ‘American’, but it is OK not to fill every void. 🥛 

Sweat It ~ Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana

 

Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana - Three Legged Downward Facing Dog Pose
& Drop to the forearm opposite the lifted bent leg - hurts so good.

Make it hurt a little, sweat a lot, and then take it easy for the rest of the day. 😉 

Perfect Form ~ Manduka Malasana

 

Manduka Malasana - Frog Garland Pose Squat
Playful, with movement: childlike.

Some days are not (at all!) perfect your form days. 

Leapfrog ~ Mandukasana

 

Mandukasana - Frog Pose

Become confident in life’s big challenges by taking little risks in yoga class.

Pre et Après ~ Ardha Kapotasana

 

Ardha Kapotasana - Half Pigeon Pose

Pre or après (ski) body love. 🎿 🩵💛🩷

Noisy ~ Halasana

 

Halasana - Plow Pose
Quiet.

I am going deaf. Food noise, supplement noise, workout noise, cosmetics and aesthetics noise - let us tune out, turn OFF, ALL of the so-called health and beauty advice.

What Are You? ~ Upavistha Konasana

 

Upavistha Konasana - Seated Straddle Pose with block
Force and berate yourself for what you cannot do in order to stay stagnant and stuck (and, possibly, injured.)

You cannot be everything, you will have to pick and choose — and the sooner the better (besides, it isn’t written in stone — at least, not yet). ☠️ 👻