Categories
Beautiful Places

Water, Wood and Chai

The source of the biggest river in California, the Sacramento River … it supplies the Californian farmlands and sustains us all.

The Sacramento River originates in the mountains and plateaus of far northern California as three major waterways that flow into Shasta Lake: the Upper Sacramento River, McCloud River and Pit River. The Upper Sacramento begins near Mount Shasta, at the confluence of North, Middle and South Forks in the Trinity Mountains of Siskiyou County. It flows east into a small reservoir, Lake Siskiyou, before turning south. The river flows through a canyon for about 60 miles (97 km), past Dunsmuir and Castella, before emptying into Shasta Lake near Lakehead in Shasta County. The McCloud River rises on the east slope of Mount Shasta and flows south for 77 miles (124 km) through the southern Cascade Range, roughly parallel to the Upper Sacramento, eventually to reach the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake. – excerpt from Wikipedia

IMG_6504Filling the water bottle to take some water back to the Bay Area …it’s super icy cold and of course, delicious.IMG_6493 Into the woods …IMG_6511IMG_6512IMG_6692Amen.
IMG_6717The BEST Chai at the most unlikely place…IMG_6718

Categories
Beautiful Places

Reminiscing Mount Shasta

IMG_6427Greeted by lovely wall hangings…immediately knew this is my kind of place! Why? It’s Rumi.
IMG_6415Woke up before dawn to go see the sunrise … IMG_6662IMG_6631IMG_6697IMG_6668Y-san had a beautiful crystal by the fireplace …lovely grounding energy is felt. IMG_6669
IMG_6416Lovely yoga studio on a cold day at Shasta City… cozy with snow falling outside & it’s April?
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Whenever I travel, I always sneak in yoga classes at a local studio to get the feel of the people and place – it’s cool to feel the connection – yogis value “SATYA” worldwide.
IMG_6674IMG_6680At Stewart Mineral Hot Spring …as suggested by Y-san, going between the HOT mineral bath and then splash into the cooling outside water then … tiptoe into the sauna. Feeling cleansed and purified. Gratitude for this ritual Native Americans also practiced. In silence. Mind fog lifts; sediments whirling around settles to the bottom and the water surface is calm, not a ripple of disturbance…refreshed. Deep Restoration one can feel at cellular level takes place. In gratitude.

Categories
Beautiful Places Yoga

Cold April revisited … Nature Hike & Yoga

IMG_3049IMG_3051IMG_3053Eye popping price tag … Staring in disbelief. Who would …? Lovely to admire but not to own. In fact, the less you own, the better. No matter how beautiful, why cart around this? Just come to this store or go to the museum. The story goes, it belongs to some woman moving to Hawaii and she decided she cannot take house full of crystals …so the store is helping her sell them. Interesting. A treasure has now become a burden. Owning things no matter how beautiful will not make you happy. Said the crystal …
ladygagacrystalHere’s Lady Gaga hugging one …Guess she can afford to buy a bigger one for bigger happiness? Think not. A Fetal Savasana with a crystal prop!!! Ingenious …

IMG_3074Tree on this is like being on a tight rope?

Benefits of the Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

– By stretching the legs, back and arms, the posture invigorates you.
– brings balance and equilibrium to your mind.
– helps improve concentration. Harnesses the FOCUS power!
– helps strengthen the legs, improves balance, and opens the hips.
– Helps relieve some cases of sciatica.

Trekked up the creek – Now, how about a Triangle … trying to not fall into the water … so pure but icy cold.

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Benefits of the Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

– Strengthens the legs, knees, ankles, arms, and chest
– Stretches and opens the hips, groins, hamstrings, and calves; shoulders, chest, and spine
– Increases mental and physical equilibrium
– Helps improve digestion
– Helps improve respiration
– Reduces anxiety, stress, back pain and sciatica.

IMG_3056 Gratitude for this beautiful place.