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.  

Yin-Halloween Playlist

Last night I taught a public yoga class for the first time since giving birth!  That means over 9 months ago...
And let me tell you, it was so needed.  I felt at home.  I felt that pull of energy that is offered up from my heart every time I step in front of a class.  You all know by now what I've been up to since Isak was born.  How my little family and I have been living out here on Nantucket for 4 months (and counting) until our house is renovated back in Boston.  I haven't had the chance to jump back into teaching yet, so when this opportunity came up to sub for Paul at The Yoga Room, I was all about it.  And I love yin.  It's the season to begin diving back into a more yin mode.
Anyway, 8 wonderful yoga students showed up and we sank into our joints and tissues with compassion and ease, while listening to this new playlist I conjured up for the occasion.
And students back home?  I offered it up to you, too!  Happy Halloween everyone!

1. Altt i Guddi:  Olof Arnalds
2. We Have a Map of the Piano:  Mum
3. Near Light:  Olafur Arnalds
4. Virus:  Bjork
5. Frysta:  Olafur Arnalds
6. Saint Naive:  Jonsi
7. What are we Waiting For?:  Amiina
8. Agust:  Olafur Arnalds
9. Warm:  Arms and Sleepers
10. Cosmogony:  Bjork
11. This Place is a Shelter:  Olafur Arnalds
12. The Beautiful Ones:  The Battle of Land and Sea
13. Icicle Sleeve:  Jonsi
14. Lag Fyrir Ommu:  Olafur Arnalds
15. Thunderbolt:  Bjork
16. New Piano Song:  Jonsi
17. All the Big Trees:  Jonsi & Alex
18. Tomorrow's Song:  Olafur Arnalds
19. Indian Summer:  Jonsi & Alex

20. Moon:  Bjork

Sequence to Open the Hips/Chest

Earlier this week I did a longer and more intense practice that left me a bit sore and tight for the couple of days that followed.  So yesterday I decided to dedicate the physical part of my practice to releasing some tension in my hips and opening up my chest.  After a long, slow warm-up consisting of mindful sun salutations, crescent lunges with back knee down, some gentle backbends such as locust pose...I began this sequence:

-from tadasana (mountain pose), step into virabhadrasana II (warrior 2).  Breathe slowly into trikonasana (triangle) and hold.
-transition with the breath to prasarita padottanasana(wide-legged forward fold).  After a few breaths here, keep the head down and begin to swivel the feet so that you end up facing the front of your mat and finding a slightly shorter stance for parsvottanasana (intense side stretch pose).
-in parsvottanasana, come to fingertips to the mat with neck steady and level, so as to open the pectoral muscles while stretching the hips/hamstrings and strengthening the ankles and back.
-next transition into ardha chandrasana (half moon).  Whichever foot is more forward, take that hand and walk it out and up a few inches.  Once setting your drishti (gaze), begin to lift the back foot off the mat, opening the hip, chest, and top arm for a deep side stretch/chest opener.
-without losing your focus, move from half moon directly into urdhva muka eka pada rajakapotasana (half pigeon).  This means the foot in the air will (as gracefully as you can manage) return to the back of the mat and your hips will square to the mat as you prep your knee, arms, hips for the pose.  Hold half pigeon longer than any of the other poses.  Maybe add a twist, stay upright, fold arms behind you, or take king pigeon.  Listen to where you need to be.  When ready to come out of it, lift arms out and up until palms meet over head for another slight back bend, then plant hands to the mat on both sides to come out into adho muka svanasana (downward facing dog).
-stay in down dog for a few breaths, then end in balasana (child's pose) for as long as you need before starting the same sequence on the other side.

After practicing this sequence on both sides, I suggest rounding out the practice with at least one deep forward fold, one nice twist, and maybe an inversion before resting in savasana.

Namaskaram!

October on Island

Mid-October here on Nantucket, and it's a blustery but sunny and perfect temperature day.  It's been a week of rain, cloudy days, walks in the breeze, new colors peeking about, new music to cook, bake, and practice yoga to.  We've made a few new friends here on the island.  We've now been here 3 1/2 months and still have 1 1/2 or so to go, so it's nice to know people to call up.  Our home in Somerville has gone through ups and downs during this energy retrofitting and construction phase.  We think we're over the last hump and just trying to relax and wait it out now until our early December move-back-in.
New music?  Well, it's been Iceland Airwaves week across the Atlantic...and oh how I wish I could have been there for the incredible line-up.  My dear friends, Nina and Sam, are there taking it all in for me!  Bjork, the queen goddess of unique, vibrant, melodic splendor released her Biophilia this week (on the full moon day at that) so I've been listening all week.  My faves are the songs Virus, Crystalline, Moon, and Thunderbolt though the entire album is wonderful.  Plus, if you haven't checked out Olafur Arnald's latest free Living Room Songs, do so immediately.  Near Light makes me want to run out into the moors and jump/dance with all the love I have.  And Lag Fyrir Ommu will make you miss dear ones and remember the grace they portrayed on you.  The combination of all of this music made for new creative sequencing in my yoga practice and centering vibes this week.  As always, thank you Iceland for the music that you provide to us all!

1 Year Married to my Love

A year ago today, we were married on the most perfect autumn day here on Nantucket.  It was an intimate, joyous, spirit-filled gathering and today we go back to the same spot with our boy.  How beautiful life can be.  We've had the most full year of our lives, and we are grateful for so much love.

 www.lovebyjen.com--photographer

*We also remember Grandma Frances Paulson today.

Yoga during women's Moon time

Yoga happenings as of late have been scattered as usual in my mommy life.  I've been focusing on reclaiming a strong sirsana (headstand), so I'm at least doing that every day.  Feels great!  When I can't make it to a real class (which I did not this week), I practice at home for sure, and sometimes you just need an extra push my someone else doing the thinking.  There are a variety of podcasts or videos one can choose from.  I love my friend Sarah's!  She is such a skilled teacher and since I miss seeing her and taking her class in person, well, these are the next best thing.  Plus, they are free (though I highly suggest donating if you plan to do them on a regular basis)!  You can find the link at the upper corner of this here blog.  I did a nice 50 min. slow flow the other day that hit the spot.
Today, however, it's my Moon time.  Yes, I mean menstrual flow.  All of us women get it, no shame in bringing it up here!  And yes, I am one of the 10% or so of breastfeeding mothers who actually get theirs regularly (and have been since month 2 pp).  Glad to know, right? ')  Anyway, no headstands for me today.  The full moon is approaching in a few days and it's time for me to honor rest in my body.  As Isak naps, I just did a long stint in child's pose, some down dog, some hanging forward fold.  Add on a couple of very slow vinyasas then holding some forward folds, such as janu sirsana, parsvotanasana, and paschimottanasana.  Ending with gentle legs up the couch (onto pillows)!
Sarah's podcasts inspire me to make one someday (hopefully in the year to come) for exactly this--a woman's moon time.  It's left out of classes much too often and women should feel encouraged to take it however they choose.
Here's to healthy menstrual flows!

Now off to a delightful autumn island weekend:  time spent with Isak's grandparents, cranberry festival, farmers market, Yogawoman viewing with Nantucket yoginis, my 1st wedding anniversary with my love (and hopefully date night out!), and gratitude.