pavritta janu sirsasana

This *photo (and pose!) make me happy. Maybe they will you too?

The yogini pictured is named Aditi. Aditi will be one of the teachers for Living Room Yoga's mobile yoga studio, coming to homes (maybe yours?) near you. This pose is called pavritta janu sirsasana, or revolved head to knee pose.

If you would like to try this pose, warm up a little first, and then sit down (in a park is nice!)
Open your right knee out to the side with your heel tucked in toward your groin. Straighten your left leg out to the other side, toes pointing up.
Lay your left arm to the inside of your left leg. Using the arm like a lever, spin your torso toward the ceiling (or sky!) Reach the top of your head and your right arm toward your left foot. If you can reach your toes, wonderful. If not, just as wonderful, just make sure to breathe. Hold for 5 deep breaths and then repeat on the other side. You will feel renewed!

*For those of you on my website go to my blog to see!

breathing exercise

I began an Alexander Technique master class on Sunday (ooh la la!).
Try this exercise; it is the beginning of my studies.

Imagine there is a big blossom on the top of your head. Whatever blossom you imagine is perfect for you.
Imagine big petals, maybe even say the word petal to yourself.
Imagine inside all those petals an opening, and that opening moves all the way to the base of your pelvis.

As you inhale, draw the breath from above you into the space within the petals.
As you exhale image the breath moving into, but not through your lovely sitting bones.
Continue to breathe like this, in through the top of your head, the opening of your blossom, and out filling the bowl of your pelvis all the way to your sitting bones.

I'll explain the importance of this later. For now, here is this exercise, sweet and simple, for you.

tai chi moves

I was at the park with my (new!) husband Jeremy this morning.
He practices tai chi, and was teaching me some basics. I felt calm and smooth and relaxed from the practice.
I liked it. Actually, I reluctantly liked it; A lot of the warm ups seemed the exact opposite of what I have learned in yoga is healthy for the body.

Jeremy was bouncing while he stretched, turning his feet at odd angles before bending forward, and leaning back and whipping forward.

But the thing is, he has had major injuries in the past, and this practice was a huge part of his recovery.

So the moral of this story is just to move, not too worry too much about rules, and just move.
Really, just move your body and your mind and your health will follow.

A Garden

is really wonderful.
sky + trees + a stone path + grass + a hill + water = magic
whoooooo~