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Beautiful Places Beautiful Things Healthy Living Yoga

Post thunder & lightening

Counter-intuitive but yoga’s looooong stretches early – yes, muscles are tight, cold and stiff – loading our joints and lubricating them – in the morning gets most of the kinks out. Then go do some cardio – Starting out the morning off on the right step – dullness banished, steps are lighter – gliding to the parking lot. Driving into the downpour with clear head and crisp sharpened sensations. Upon waking suffering from headaches and stiffness, heavy with the thoughts of all I must accomplish today and a spillover of all that I could not check off on the list yesterday as done giving you that sinking feeling …then a total changeover in the level of motivation and the can-do attitude – just after an hour of yin? Yes.

Now headache-free and mood lifted, I am ready to tackle the world with a serene and positive feelings of power:) Yes, that confidence. It’s not the euphoria that comes from a hard sweaty workout – sweating is very good too so don’t get me wrong – get that in too in whatever method – this one but the luscious lucid feeling of freedom. Like you opened up and expanded your field of awareness. Add in that feeling of being in that zone – that zone of balance. It’s all good. A lot of people with a new year’s resolution to rework the core and kick off the weight loss program – total empathy there and yet – a harmony to be woven throughout with patches of refuge. Mix & Match the yang workout regimen with the yin practice to feel good all over.

Here’s an article on why cold environ is actually beneficial.

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Yoga

Good Morning Spine:) Pre Up-Dog stretch

Simple stretches to strengthen your back while … soaking up some vitamin D. SUN ON YOUR upper-BACK feels good, right?
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Hovering … ideally your buttocks are parallel to the earth not humped up…yoga push up (or more like ‘steadying down’from plank – if too hard on your wrists, whatever, “Knees-Chest-Chin” Pose — Ashtanga Namaskara (ash-TAHN-gaa nah-muh-SKAR-uh) is just as great for building strength:)
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Seal-ish; then lift with feet flexed; thighs off the ground; arch your spine and look up at the sky … Give us the current sky report:)
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MLK therapeutic yoga taught by a physical therapist brings awareness to your lower back, making that region less rigid – ease into suppleness. Suppleness in your body yielding flexibility in our thinking. Just less rigid; creating space all over; in your body, in your life.
Be always aware of “Tanden” that core, right above your pubic bone – that’s the grounding point, if you will. Then you can seesaw into a Salabhasana (locust) pose or Dhanurasana (bow) pose. It’s all (mind) core power. Without over-striving, just some simple stretch to wake up your spine, the center we want to keep upright, enhancing the natural curvature.

GOOD MORNING !

I am very excited as last night I finally got this new playlist done – i LOVE the new selection and hope so will the students. Repetition (in the sequence) is good as long as it is a method to measure progress – a noticeable improvements as we can have a basis of comparison in each of the poses. On the other hand, sometimes, repetition may not be good if it reflects a sign of being “stuck”. Accompanying music is the same idea too – should we be in a repeat, rerun, looping over and over listening experience to compare the inner state of being each time OR? I think as long as the music does not distract but deepen the experience – it’s wonderful! There used to be a teacher, a great teacher but I just could not feel at ease listening to her singing – to me, her singing voice set a mood too spooky and made me feel very uncomfortable – so music is so dependent on one’s taste, it can be a mistake to play music in a yoga class – yet I love it. Once I played Elvis Costello in a vinyasa class (not a good idea when you are subbing – let’s stick to more neutral playlist – a lesson learned) and got a complaint that it’s not a yoga music so … clearly, people feel strongly about this. Unless we are in some magnificent outdoor space I am not likely to stop – it’s a risk but sounds expand and deepen the experience – why not enjoy it. I was rather in a rut with the sameness of all as I tend to want to listen to what I like over and over tirelessly but finally thought to give others a break. lol:) New playlist!

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Beautiful Deeds Beautiful People Beautiful Places Beautiful Rituals Healthy Living

Earthing


Resting cat like for now … until another day on the beach where she can again exercise her poetic licence.

I am a creature of this earth
I make my imprints
I care not
High Tides Low Tides
washes away my imprints
I welcome the repetition
Saluting the Sun
each time, fresh, crisp and sharp
molding the sands before the next
Swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore
Saluting the wind
I never tire of this
imprints are meant to be washed away
over and over, such predictability, the assurance, the security
knowing that the unstoppable waves keep coming
intent on living in the moment…untethered
face the sun, fill up with its brightness
drink up the sky
soak up the salty moist winds
frolic silly on the sands
play
with this creature
who sprung up with wagging tail
full of joy
alert and living this Now…
Unleashing this intention to live
fully, on and off the mat,
on and off the beach.
Imprints tattooed within.

– one day in the life of a canine:) woof!


lots of sand-dollars this low tide afternoon – there’s so much wealth deposited here…in our beautiful Californian seashore.

Unlike Southern California, northern California waters are frigid freezing teeth chattering COLD; blue blood vessels popping out as your brains are popping awake!
So plugged in – grounded ! (check this out- click here.)
As a kapha, wading out of the waters, I am going to find the flow, the balance between the strength and ease, using techniques learned from yoga and then a little (big) help from all the beauty this world holds for us; in nature; in people; in their hearts.

It’s not all so bad when you stop to think of 3 things to be grateful for today. (Reminded at Alex’s) Just 3 things. Each day. Namaste:)