Fragility + Beauty of Life

I have been so in love and happy enjoying the blessing of my son who was born a month ago. He really is my bundle of joy, reminding me of all the light and beauty that is in the world. Its so appropriate that thanksgiving is right around the corner because my heart feels like it is going to bust open with the amount of gratitude that it contains.

At the same time my heart is full of happiness it is also full of sorrow. A good friend of mine passed away this week. Life is so fragile and impermanent. It is so sad that a wonderful women in her twenties was taken from this world. Its not fair. Life is not fair.

Its weird to  experiencing two conflicting feeling of happiness and grief at the same time. Part of me wants to go skipping through the fall leafs with my newborn and the other part of me wants to cry under my comforter in the bed.

I know me getting depressed doesn't add love to this world or to my family. So I look for the good. I try to see this as a reminder to live every moment to the fullest. To share love, light and laughter with the people around me. To soak in the grace of my surroundings. To be there for others in time of pain and to not let depression, drugs, harmful relationships, and negative experiences spin me down to death.

Life is so beautiful and as sad and painful as impermanence is. That is one of the aspects of life that makes it so magical.

I have such an abundance of gratitude for all the many many blessing in my life.

Heart Openers for Breast Feeding

Our beautiful baby boy arrived October 22nd (birth story to come). It has been so amazing having him out of my belly and in my arms. When he was born my heart expanded to make room for all the love I have for him and the new love I have for my husband seeing him in his daddy role. I want to lift my now bigger + fuller heart up. However holding and breast feeding baby Sage puts my body in a position that hides my heart, tightens my upper neck and pec muscles while over lengthening and straining my back muscles. Ouch. I have been doing these gentle stretches to keep my body somewhat in alignment. 

Holding a baby and breast feeding takes my body into horrible alignment that creates more stress and tension in my life. I am so happy to do it and LOVE all over my baby. But I don't want my body to forget optimal alignment, the alignment that creates more harmony and happiness in my life. 

The main alignment actions I am reminding my body of during this sequence are:

• Side Bodies Long + Inner Body Bright
• Arm Bones Back  + Shoulder Blades Together
• Chin Up + Palate of Mouth Back

my favorite thing to so with a strap to help integrate arm bones back. start with the strap horizontally behind back under shoulder blades, bring the tails of the straps in front, over and behind the shoulders, cross the tails behind your back forming am X, tighten strap and grab each strap and pull forward. Lengthen from hips up through arm pits and into the sides of the neck. Expand your ribs and broaden the collar bone opening your chest. Watch that the floating ribs don't stick out causing a collapse in the kidneys. If you notice this is happening pull the floating ribs in toning the abdominal muscles. Lastly check your head, is it sticking forward? Lift the chin to horizontal and slide throat back until the palette is over the spine. Once in this pose you can do some neck lengtheners: take chin to chest, and then one ear to one shoulder and other ear to other shoulder, then back to center

I like to start with a strap and pull up as high as I can and then pull down as far as I can. then I take the full pose by bringing my hands together. Just like in the sequence above: lengthen your side bodies, expand your chest opening your heart, draw arm bones back, squeeze shoulder blades together, draw floating ribs in, extend from pelvis into floor and from pelvis up through crown of head. I like to hold these shoulder stretches for 2 minutes.

Start with a block on the 2nd level horizontally placed below cervical vertebrae 7 (to find look toward belly button feel the back of your neck. That boney vertebrae that sticks up is C7) and slowly wiggle your way down stopping between each vertebrae from C7 to T12. Keep floating ribs pulling toward pubic bone to avoid kidney collapse. With each breath lengthen from hips up side bodies and draw arm bones back hollowing arm pits out. I like to hold each place for 2 minutes.

holiday season

The holidays are upon us. It’s a time when the world around us is festive but the body needs more rest. Here are some tips to conserve your energy and enjoy this time of celebration.

1. Go to bed 1 hour earlier each night you are home. That way you will be well rested for the nights you are out celebrating.
2. Make a big pot of soup or stew and roast some root vegetables. Eating nourishing and grounding foods, rather than grabbing what is fast and easy will help you stay healthy and balanced this season.
3. Commit to your yoga practice and get to the mat each day. If you can’t make it to class, here are some short home routines to help get you started.
4. Take a 5-20 minute break each day. Turn off your computer, put down your phone and check out! Dance, draw, put your legs up the wall, have a cup of tea, take a walk, stare into space….
5. Start the day with 2-4 glasses of warm lemon water each day and continue to drink warm fluids throughout the day.
Wishing you a blessed holiday season!