Friday, May 22, 2009

Needing the New Moon

Summertime is upon us...well technically not for about another month, but the past few days it has arrived in Boston.  It's been a week of taking life slow, although now for me, not intentionally.  After last weekend of yogaliciousness, the week began full of inspiration as my sassy musical sistas (The Sass Factor-info and tunes coming to a site one day soon...) and I worked on new songs and gathered insights.  By Tuesday I was taking in the wind, dancing the orange (as Rilke would say), striking some asanas with the trees, and basking in the warm sun.  But by the end of Tuesday, my body was forcing me to take a step back.  
On Wednesday I had plans to head out to Amherst for the day (and first time ever) on a covert yoga mission with 2 fellow fabulous teacher ladies/friends of mine.  I knew as the day began that I didn't feel 100% but just couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit someplace new with amazing company and yoga inspiration awaiting.  Sure enough we had a glorious day of western Mass natural beauty, sunshine, yummy foods, scouring the salvation army & various other shops, and 2 lovely practices (one hatha, one intense ashtanga).  The practices took place at Yoga Center Amherst with Eric in the morning, and then Karen in the evening.  The studio is big and bright with windows all around, colorful props, local artist's work on the walls, antique ceilings/lights, and nice wood floors.  Nothing pretentious or fake about it.  Just pure radiant yoga-love energy all around.  When I open a studio one day, I imagine it will embody a vibe that is similar.  Anyway, I muscled and breathed through the day with the help of kombucha and my friends' conversation/positivity but by 11pm upon returning to Somerville, I knew I was spent.  Even after skipping half the chaturangas and taking balasana various times during the ashtanga class, I probably shouldn't have taken it in the first place.  Why do we push ourselves sometimes when we should have listened to our intuitions in the first place?  
My older brother down in Texas was diagnosed with a mild strain of swine flu last week (he's a schoolteacher and someone in his school passed it on). It worried me for a second, until he reassured me that he was fine and just needed to rest and battle it off.  Now this week I find myself feeling down and out...wait a minute?!?  No, I am fine.  But seriously there has been something going around.  I find that I don't get sick with colds or upset stomachs or anything often other than this same old run-down/flu-like crap, which tends to happen seasonally.  Not sure if it's because I come in contact with tons of different people as a yoga teacher and my body responds to germs in this way or what?  It's frustrating because I feel so good on the inside and just want to be out enjoying the sunshine like everyone else, but my muscles are fatigued, my head pounds, my eyes are sore.  As an active yogini I tell you, it's not easy for me to just lie here.  I want to be practicing, walking, tapping my foot to music, riding Ms. Rita around town.  I suppose my active energy tends to need a slap in the face at times to remind me to literally take it slow.  Not just mentally/spiritually, but physically, too.  
There is the Gemini New Moon occurring this Sunday, which has to do with feeling love for our brothers and sisters around us.  Being grateful for our friends and families and the people in our lives who are always there to support us and bring us love.  At times when we are not 100%, we especially take in their energy, and I can attest to that now.  Everyone in my yoga community in Cambridge/Somerville and beyond, are my sisters and brothers.  I feel that more and more each day, especially at times like now when you all send your healing vibes my way.  :)
This weekend, I hope to be putting some of that shakti energy back out there again.  And honoring my friendships with not just my blood brothers/sisters, but my sisters/brothers from everywhere I've been and from right here in my own backyard.  Cheers and gratitude to you all!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Slow May Playlist

A mellow mix of music for my mantra of taking May slow.  These are all new artists to me, and they are refreshing and lovely.  Enjoy!

1. Eluvium:  An Accidental Memory
2. Eluvium: An Accidental Memory in Case of Death
3. Eluvium: Prelude for Time Feelers
4. The Books: That Right Ain't Shit  (Shout out to Gabe for the rec of this band)
5. The Books:  Tokyo
6. Eluvium: Genius in Thieves
7. Christopher Warren-Green (London Chamber Orchestra): Vermont Counterpoint
8. The Books: The Future, Wouldn't That Be Nice?
9. Christopher Warren-Green: Glass: Facades
10. The Books: Take Time
11. Eluvium: Negenthe
12. Eluvium: Reciting the Airships
13. The Books: A True Story of a Story of True Love
14. Eluvium: Radio Ballet
15. Eluvium: Amreik
16. Eluvium: Ostinato

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

May mantra: Taking it Slow


So I know I haven't been writing much on here as of late, and that's due to my new May mantra and vibe.  I've declared this month a time to "Take it Slow."  I found that spring set in, and all of a sudden everyone's schedule gets full of social events and celebrations and so much to do!  There have been birthdays galore, school celebrations, workshops, parties, and births...yes I am an auntie!  My younger sister gave birth to my nephew just this last weekend!  There is still so much to look forward to as spring continues on and we then get ready to welcome the heat of summer.  It's been easy to start to feel like one has to fit everything in and rush around.  I have been feeling that way the past few weeks, so I'm trying really hard now to not have any worries, but just to take it "irie" style.  Just do my yoga, teach, plan excursions that will nourish my soul (such as going to visit my nephew), and live/let be.
My macbook died and so I'm still in the process of figuring out how to transfer all my tunes from my ipod into my itunes again (which is why I haven't posted a new playlist in awhile)...
But the tunes keep coming, so don't worry!  And with my new May mantra, I find myself discovering new outlooks, interests, and talents as well.  I've been gardening, trying to cook more, going to art events/museums/performances, reading, yoga-ing of course, and writing music.  Yep, there is a gal group of "songstresses with sass" embarking on a journey together...and I shall have more for you all on that in the future.  Inspiration continues to flow.  Can you all find it?  

Upcoming Event:  My Vinyasa Flow Intensive Workshop is this coming Saturday at Karma Yoga Studio in Cambridge.  
*If you've had at least one year of a continuos vinyasa practice, then come by for an intensive flow, where we'll break down the poses to introduce more advanced variations.  This is aimed for those of you who've been taking my classes for the past few years and are ready to amp it up a notch!  It will be fun!  
When: Saturday, May 16th from 2-4:30pm
$46 drop-in, 25% discount for Karma members

And information on my fall yoga adventure to Iceland will be coming within the week...so stay tuned!  

Sending you all some of the slowness and love...