Satisfaction

/
Satisfaction

Scrambled eggs, toast and butter and a cup of coffee.

For me, this is a meal of satisfaction.

Simple tastes, I know, but this is truly my most satisfying meal, and often it is my breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The other night, this was the meal on my mind as I landed in my first Downward Facing Dog at my six o’clock yoga class.

In my inverted “V”, I was looking at the back of my mat, staring at my toes and realizing I had not eaten enough that day for the 90 minute practice.

Far from being in a state of satisfaction, I was in what I call a state of “shaky hungry”, and I get in trouble with those who know me for being so.

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

Into the Heart

/
Into the Heart

I attended a yoga class yesterday evening, even though I had practiced that morning.

I arrived with my mind busy from the day, and it felt good to enter the hot room, pin back my hair and lay out my mat.

Everything about entering the room and setting up helped me to step out of the day and into the moment.

It was a quick and welcome transition.

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

Open

/
Open

One of the surprising things that yoga has taught me is that physical exertion has effects that go beyond my body.

It seems to offer an unexpected openness and peacefulness. It puts me in a place where I can really hear things.

Recently, I had a lesson on Backbends.

My goal is to dip into a Backbend from a standing position. With hands at heart center, I want to be able to lean back and, oh so slowly, land my hands on the mat behind me.

I am not sure why. I cannot explain this!

Read More

Perspective

/
Perspective

One day this past summer, I was to pick up my parents from the airport after their two weeks of travel.

I raced to finish a chock full day to meet their six o’clock evening flight.

The rainy rush hour had the traffic wound up tight.

I turned on the radio and flipped through the stations and talked on the phone.

I arrived at the airport with time to spare and time to buy a chocolate bar. Going to the airport is like going to the movies for me. I have to buy some candy.

Standing at the arrivals, I looked down at my phone to realize I had a voicemail. It was my mom, letting me know they had missed their connection, and that they would be arriving four hours later at another airport!

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

Chicken Little

/
Chicken Little

When I was little, the mean girl in the neighborhood just terrorized us.

I was five or six years old and hung with my sister, older by a year. I felt safe with her. This girl would sometimes join the other kids from the block when we played outside in our backyard.

One day the mean girl pointed to the sky.

We looked up and saw an airplane’s leftover white trail cutting the sky in two.

The sky is falling, she hollered! The sky is falling!

My sister ran, and I followed, convinced the white line had sliced the sky from the air.

We yanked open the screen door to the kitchen and let it slam behind us, considering ourselves safe on the inside while we peered fearfully at the sky outside.

I am afraid to say that I have sort of relived this scenario as an adult.

Read More

Reset

/
Reset

When I was little, our family was five around the table for dinner every night at 6 p.m.

I really cannot remember a time when we were not all there together. Dinner balanced out the day, and dinner was always balanced.

Our plates were filled equally with a protein, veggies and a starch. One night was fish, another steak, another meatballs, potatoes and peas.

We served ourselves, and we had to finish everything on our plates.

Dinner was like a reset button on the day. Whatever the day was, it was shared around the table over an abundant plate.

On a recent holiday weekend, I picked up a yoga class while out of town.

It was hot yoga, the room heated to at least 95 degrees.

Read More

Transformation

/
Transformation

I have lived many lives.

Childhood and motherhood. Married life and divorced life. Career girl and stay-at-home mom. Head of a full house and head of an empty nest.

Each life requires a transformation of sorts; some kind of shake up.

In moving from one life to another, I am able to look back over my shoulder to see where I have been, and how far I have come.

Transformation is BIG!

That is, until I found yoga.

In yoga, I experience small transformations that are impactful all the same. In yoga, I arrive at class in one state of mind and body and leave in another.

Read More

Exit Strategy

/
Exit Strategy

Life pretty much cooks along for the most part.

In general, things go according to plan in what my son refers to as “The Land of Anne”.

Sometimes, though, challenges pop up along several fronts, and I can find myself navigating some choppy waters.

Sometimes,it can feel as if I have been at sea for a while.

On a recent trip, I was most eager to attend a yoga class, hoping to find calm with the room baking, the sweat dripping, the muscles twitching and the instructor talking.

Stay in it, she said. It was your decision to come here. Don’t think about running now.

Read More

Overboard

/

Last Friday I went overboard.

Faced a fear and lived to tell!

I consider my yoga mat a safe haven.

Like a Kindergartener who pulls out a mat during rest period, I am content to arrive at yoga, take my mat from the shelf, unroll it, and step to it.

My mat is longer than my body and less than a yard wide. And, best of all, it is purple, my favorite color since Kindergarten days.

The yoga practice takes place 100 percent on the mat. One yogi, one mat. Some classes can be so crowded that a person might be only inches from a neighbor, but each one’s mat honors a personal space.

The yoga mat is home to every student and to every asana.

Read More

Heart Opener

/
Heart Opener

I would like to say I have an open heart.

It sounds nice and like something I should have.

Blessed with family and friends, I have people in my life for whom I open my heart.

Yet, the heart can go through some rough terrain over a period of time, and it can cause the guard gates to go up, requiring encouragement and often a leap of faith to get back in gear.

Wheel is one of my least favorite poses in yoga.

It is a back bend, something I have not done since I was a little girl.

More than 20 years ago, I sprained my lower back and have since been on guard against it getting hurt again.

Read More

Obsession

/
Obsession

It was the first chilly Sunday morning of the fall, and I was anxious to get to yoga. 

The weekend class is one of my favorite classes.

It is the perfect hour, still morning but late enough to have time to laze around a bit.

It is crowded; the people are all friendly, and the class lasts longer than usual. There is something about the large group and the extra 15 minutes.

From the start, the energy is high, and it's catching.

Read More

Open Face

/
Open Face

I often get to help my daughter with her work in New York City and, each time I go, I pack up my yoga mat and together we attend as many classes as our schedule allows.

Although I am early on in my working out, my daughter has been cross training for many years.

She works out with a trainer, runs along the East River and takes yoga religiously.

I am always amazed that she can just throw her hair up, put on her workout gear and look beautiful before, during and after her sweat.

I even have a memory of one of her school coaches asking me, How is it she looks like she just got off the runway instead of the soccer field?

I, on the other hand, would never leave the house without hair and makeup done, much less appear in New York City that way. Having my bangs trimmed and done was always key to a good day.

Yoga, however, has changed all that.

Read More

Anger

/
Anger

I had been in great spirits as of late, and I credited this with my almost daily yoga practice.

I loved my studio, my class, my fellow yogis, my instructor and my mat.

I was seeing the bright side of most things, most days. It was as if an angel was riding on my shoulder.

I was on a yoga high even on Thursdays, my off day.

So imagine my surprise when my instructor told me I was holding anger in my quads.

But, I’m not angry, I said, to which he replied that the anger was in my quads.

But, what am I angry about? I asked, to which he answered that he could not say but that it was in my quads.

Well, what am I supposed to do with it? I followed up, to which he answered, Just do the poses and release it.

Read More

Beginning

/
Beginning

It was the end of October, the days were getting shorter, darkness falling earlier and earlier. 

This is usually the start of a sort of hibernation for me, driving home from work in the crisp and cold with the 6 p.m. stars already shining. 

Not really the time of year to embark on any sort of change. 

During this time, I am not sure what made me finally take action on what had been sitting on the floor of my car, among so many other things: A flyer for the new yoga studio less than a mile from my home. 

I looked at the schedule, chose a class, called a friend and showed up. 

Read More