Moon

/
Moon

Dancing in the moonlight; everybody feeling warm and right. It's such a fine and natural sight; everybody's dancing in the moonlight. ~ King Harvest

In many cultures the moon is tied to motherhood.

It is a constant, always there even if it can’t be seen. The pull of the moon is strong, rocking the ocean’s tides in a timeless lullaby. Its light illuminates the darkness, no matter its shape or size.

I’m a mother, and I’ve got the moon in my chart. I’ve had two astrological readings, one by an Aryuvedic astrologer, and one by a Kabbalistic astrologer. And both speak of the strong presence of the moon, residing in some place with some sort of explanation, most of which comes down to the fact that mothering is big for me, and it’s prominently in the house!

Read More

Inner Strength

/
Inner Strength

There is a pose in yoga called Tadasana, otherwise known as Mountain Pose.

In Tadasana, we move to the top of our mats and just stand there straight and tall. Nothing fancy. No twists. No binds. No balancing. We even get to close our eyes.

Sounds simple enough to just stand there but, actually, a lot is going on.

I always feel as if I am building this pose, bit by bit. The instructor usually runs down a checklist of the body. First, we stand as tall as possible with our feet rooting into the ground and our necks stretched long. Then, we are told to press our shoulders down and reach our arms along our sides. We are reminded to face our palms forward and reach through the fingertips.

We draw in our bellies, close our eyes and breathe.

Read More

Speech

/
Speech

Some things we hold in our minds. Some things we hold in our words.

And, when there are no thoughts or words, our bodies speak for us. Mine speaks to me in the yoga studio.

Two weeks ago, my body yelled at me when I pulled what I discovered was my Quadratus Lumborum. A big name for a little muscle in my lower back. I had to roll up my mat and leave the practice early.

That night, I booked an appointment with my miraculous masseuse who had once before fixed up the same sore muscle. Then, I skipped my next yoga class.

Anxious to return but moving too fast, I attended a couple more classes before realizing I just needed to give it a rest.

I gave it heat, ice and Ibuprophen and then booked two more massages.

I was off my regular practice schedule for two weeks and, oddly enough, it felt as if I had lost my voice!

Read More

Music

/
Music

Certain songs carry me back.

Without a second thought, a song can make me remember a time, a place, a person, a feeling.

Music does this. It brings memories to mind in an instant, measuring out segments of times long thought forgotten.

I think music is what got me hooked on yoga in the first place.

Not every yoga class has music, but I was fortunate enough to start at a studio that was somehow plugged into my playlist.

Read More

Standing Tall

/
Standing Tall

Standing on your hands in class does not make you a better yogi; instead, standing on your feet in the chaos of the street is what makes you better.

These were the words of the New York City yoga instructor one summer morning when my daughter finally, triumphantly, nailed a Handstand.

Surroundings can impact us.

Read More

Cinderella

/
Cinderella

Once upon a time I believed in only good things.

I just assumed that I could anticipate what might be coming next, that it would be positive and that things, whatever they might be, would simply just fall into place.

It’s a fair assumption that I grew up pretty much thinking I would lead the life of Cinderella. Prince Charming, and all.

Read More

Wake Up Call

/
Wake Up Call

Wake up to how big you can be in your life.

These were the words of my yoga instructor the other night.

I was at class following my work day, trying to recommit to my workout. Although I had been practicing regularly, I felt my dedication was slipping, and my body knew this, too.

That night I unrolled my mat more so to wake up my muscles and less so to wake up my mind.

As usual, though, yoga gave me something more than I was seeking.

Earlier that day on my drive to work I received a morning pep talk by phone from my very patient mother. 

I was having what I call a short-sighted morning,  and I could not see the forest for the trees.

Read More

Turkey Sandwiches

/
Turkey Sandwiches

Yoga is a mindful practice that spills over into other parts of life.

It lifts the spirits, calms the mind, deepens the soul and strengthens the body.

Not only does it tone the muscles, but it increases consciousness about what to feed those muscles.

Over the years, I would usually eat most any item on a menu. I never really steered clear of red meat, frequently ate salads topped with chicken, made a mean short rib barley soup and created comfort meals of meatloaf and my signature meatballs. Family celebrations would find us at the Palm, where I would order the Filet Mignon.

But that was all before yoga.

Read More

Half Moon

/
Half Moon

I am not sure how this connection came to be, but theonly way for me to balance in the yoga pose of Half Moon is to visualize my son standing at the far end of the studio.

Sometimes, he is in his tennis whites like he was in middle and high school. Sometimes, he is in a suit, like he is now in at his job.

Somehow, seeing him enables me to maintain my footing in the pose.

Seeing my son has always seemed to ground me.

Read More