Pose of the moment: Headstand

Sirsasana: Brings fresh blood to the brain to rejuvenate brain cells.  Refreshes the pituitary and pineal glands, increasing hemoglobin in blood, which might then improve memory. :)
Also releases muscles in upper back, works your core, spreads the scapulae, strengthens shoulders/arms, and can just feel great!

I've been trying to practice this pose every day for the last month or so, and plan to keep that going (minus when I'm on my moon cycle).  It has been helping me conquer all sorts of crazy things.  Some including:
-the physical fear of going upside down, which after giving birth increased two-fold, as I had to regain my strength, and also know that I won't hurt myself in the pose
-emotional fears...oh so many.  this pose allows you to literally turn yourself upside down to gain new perspective when moody, stressed, depressed, or the like.
-mental fears/intellectual fears (stemming from this new role of mommyhood among other things)

Do you see a pattern here?  Yep, fear.  I've been seeing lots of other teachers talking about fear these days.  Must be the season?  At least we have poses like headstand to help us get over ourselves and bring us empowerment and confidence as well as physical benefits.  Yeah yoga!

I encourage you all to find your own "pose of the moment" or try this one this week as we enter the holiday season.  You might need it.  ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

**if you've never practiced headstand before, I would consult a teacher's help first to make sure alignment is correct and that you won't hurt yourself.  If you're semi-practiced in it...start at the wall first! That's what I did at about 6 months post partum, to start getting back into it.  Gradually, you'll get strong enough to move away from the wall and try a variety of sirsasana styles.

Late November Update

It's almost thanksgiving!  Can't believe the holidays are here.  We (my little family and I) are STILL not home to Somerville yet.  I mean, when people suggested home renovation work could take months longer than expected...were we supposed to believe them for real?!  Apparently so.  It's been 4 1/2 months and counting for something we thought would take 3 months.  We are working with Boston Green Building, which is great, but they tend to use independent subcontractors and materials that need ordered, and all such things that can take longer.  Plus, there have been a few roadbumps with inspections.  It is a 110 year old house after all.    Needless to say, we're hoping at this point to get home before the new year...do keep your fingers crossed for us!  I'm supposed to get back to part-time teaching in January...stay tuned.  

Life on Nantucket has been so nice, of course.  Still living simple and slow with the baby boy.  He just turned 8 months and is crawling all about!  Makes me more tired and is also throwing a wrench in the groove I had going with yoga.  Up until last weekend I hadn't been to a public class in almost 2 weeks.  Not cool.  On Saturday I had an empowering class with the awesome Clay Twombly, who reminded me just how strong and able I was with his mindful, creative, lovely flow.  I'm a yogini who needs more than ever a real, live public class at least once a week these days to keep the groove alive for my own personal practice.  I do still try to fit in at least 20 min. of some sort of yoga a day, but that doesn't always happen.  

I must say, since having Isak, I've never felt more like a student of yoga since I began studying it years and years ago!  This is a good thing.  Being away from the large, sometimes oversaturated Boston yoga scene has provided me with the chance to discover what it is in my practice that I truly love.  I'm not just teaching to teach right now (not that I ever do, but you get what I mean?), and I have no major routine.  I take it day to day, as the baby allows, and it's all teaching me so, so much.  It's making me think about how and what I want to continue studying in the next 5-10 years (some of which include: getting my 500 hour certification, yin yoga, more about energy/bodywork, and yoga therapy).  There are subjects galore and it can be overwhelming.  Now that my time is much more precious, my biggest challenge remains to stay focused and positive, and not to dwell on the small stuff (i.e. don't get overwhelmed with all the options out there, all the teachers...).  

Okay, time for my nerd alert moment--do you ever watch NOVA on PBS?  There's this series right now called The Fabric of the Cosmos that my husband and I have been watching.  Last week, it was about time/space and I discovered that we all have our own "time."  So, yes, though we all have the same hours in the day...we all do really have our own minute difference in time according to our space and make-up.  (wish I could explain better, but just watch it for yourself)  Ha!  

I encourage you all to try, with me, to find your own time.  Discover how and with what you want to fill up your day, and see how it goes.  Yoga has so much to teach us, but I am most thankful these days for the time I get on my mat to feel exactly that.  My own time.  Even if you were on your mat at the same moment as I, we'd still be there in our own time.  Cherish it and go with it, and see what the rest of your 2011 will bring.  

Some things to check out:

--New Mama Recharge with Michelle Pfenninghaus of Find Your Balance

  This is for all new mamas of children 2 and under.  This is a FREE tele-community series coming up in January for us new mamas to discuss what it is that will rev us up as we rev up another being.  Check it out and join me in on it, too.  

--Savor Your Existence Health --Dillan is a Somerville based holistic nutritionist who has been helping my little family stay on the health track both physically with food ideas and mentally with goal talks.  

--Isobel & Cleo --super fantastic knitwear by a hip, Nantucket gal.  I met her at the farmers market this summer and just got my first purchase...a versatile scarf/wrap/hooded thing.  I love, love it.  

--the latest at Karma Yoga Studio and Bow Street Yoga for my friends and fellow teachers offering fun workshops and classes to help you along.