3 Things I Learned from Moving Back to the Burbs...

1 Nature is Everywhere. From Dublin to Tokyo, from Rome to Melbourne, from New York to Bangkok, each major city pumped a unique pulse of life through it. Some were pumped with the obsession of coffee (eehem…Melbourne) and others with streetlights and structures that have withstood the test of time and history. No matter what city I found myself in, however, I could not wait to drive out into the country and see the cliffs, the desert, the wine country, or the islands that surrounded the city centers. In the end…or really the middle… all the big cities were, dare I say, the same. Yes, they all had a unique culture, spoke different languages and were unlike, in many respects, the next and the rest. But, they were the same….the same hustle and bustle, the same rush rush, and the same kindness and harshness. The more places I went…the less I could really differentiate. Advertisements and signage flooded the streets, everyone just trying to be heard through all the clutter…but not many…listening. 

It was the drive down a desolate road to a nearby lake or an overnight train ride followed by a ferry followed by a horse carriage because there were no cars…that is where the magic happened. That is where I always found myself wanting to be. 

Alas…. I am here. I am home. Perhaps not the Great Ocean Road or beaches of Bali but I am in a place, had I not grown up in, had I been a foreigner to (Lake Conroe that is), I would probably be searching for. A place were fields of grass and trees flood the roads. Albeit manicured, but lawns that encompass a plethora of life, from squirrels to rabbits to ants to dogs and butterflies. A huuuuuge body of water that taps the edges of so many walkways and neighborhoods. Nature is a plenty. And, it's right here. Not interrupted by blocks of a concrete jungle. The area is growing as developments do but buildings and apartments are only allowed to be so high. Restrictive some might say, but I get to look up every day and see the vast Texas sky light up the day with a multitude of colors, textures, and temperatures. The 'burbs' looks pretty great to me. It took 15 years and a trip around the world for me to realize the treasure I had in my own back yard. I say often in my yoga classes “create space”. The space is already there, you just have to go home, where your heart is…  and find it. 

2 “How You Are Here is How You Are Everywhere”... a wise soul (Roger Rippy) once told me. “Nah uh….I don’t believe that” I argued, silently to myself of course. “I need nature, I need landscape, I need the ocean”. And, the list of what “I needed” to be happy went on and on and on. Well, wouldn’t you know I moved to some of the most beautiful places on Earth and still the “I need” continued. I needed a better boss, I needed a partner, I needed more friends. How I was, right there in Houston was exactly how I was in all the other locations I have been. I’m not going to lie, it’s still a practice, I now need new pots and pans and a better toaster. The desire to want more or different I think is always there. The practice of being content is just that…a practice. What’s different about it for me now, in this place that I call home, is my personal definition of contentment. It is not… ”Ah well..that's the way it is”… it’s “Wow, this is the way it is? (mesmerized) I love it. I am so grateful…. I’m so lucky.” Wholehearted acceptance with joy and excitement. 

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

― Rumi

3 The Whole World is Ready. I used to think … “I have to be in a big city to offer what I want to offer. No one will be open to my offering, no one will be interested in what I have to say in those small towns”. Well, to my delight and ecstatic pleasure I have been proven very very wrong … and it feels so great to say it. I have to give a big thanks to the brave souls in this community who have gone beyond themselves to create something bigger, who looked a fear in the face and said: “I’m doing it anyway”.  Melissa from Lake Pointe Yoga in Willis, Texas (yes I said Willis, Texas), Melanie from the YogaPod in The Woodlands, Sue from The Woodlands Yoga Studio, and now Annie from The Yoga Room Conroe and Roger and Albina from YogaOne in The Woodlands have all given this community a gift, a platform for people to come together and seek truth. And, little did I know how much this community was ready and ripe and primed for what lays ahead. I am so grateful that timing and place and kismet all came together. Everything, every moment I have ever lived through has lead me to this one moment right here, right now.  

“What I want, also wants me.” - Also Rumi. 

5 Cooling Poses to Beat the Heat

1. TREE POSE

• Shift your weight into your right leg
• Start by simply sliding the sole of your left foot to your inner right ankle
• Ground down through all 4 corners of the right foot
• When you feel steady, slide your foot to your calf and then perhaps your inner thigh, take your time, connect to your breath 
• Bring your hands to your heart centre and you have the option to expand your arms over head
• Repeat on the other side
   

 

2. SUPPORTED BRIDGE POSE

• Lay down on your back
• Bend your knees and plant your feet into the ground
• Make sure your fingertips can graze the backs of your heels
• Press down into your feet to lift your hips up
• Place a block, bolster or even a rolled blanket underneath your sacrum
• Let the palms face up with the arms wide and let go

 

3. BADDHA KONASANA OR BOUND ANGLE POSE

• Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees wing out
• For a more passive and cooling approach, make a wider diamond shape with the legs
• Rest the forearms on the knees and gently let the arms slide down the shins with the palms facing up
• Let the spine round, belly rest and let go
• Hold for 3 - 5 minutes
• For a more dynamic experience, bring your hands around behind the base of your spin on the floor
• Scoot your sit bones closer to your feet and make a smaller diamond shape with the legs
• Clasp your hands around the feet
• Keep the spine long and straight and belly toned
• Start to fold forward but avoid rounding the spine

 

4. EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA OR PIGEON POSE

• From table top on hands and knees, bring your right knee behind your right wrist
• Pivot your right shin in slightly, the more you pivot, the more sensation you will feel
• Walk the left leg back a little and square the hips to the floor
• Paw your hands forward while keeping your spine long
• Keep a little activity in your legs while folding forward
• Repeat on the other side

 

5. VIPARITA KARANI OR LEGS UP THE WALL

• Scoot your bum up against the wall 
• Swing your legs so that they stick up towards the ceiling
• Option to put a bolster or pillow underneath the sacrum or low back for more elevation

Yin is for EveryBODY

This somewhat new style of yoga that is hitting the South has come with quite a bit of interest and curious inquiries. Are you interested in Yin yoga but not sure what it's all about, please read on to learn why its such a great compliment no matter your background or body type. 

Yin yoga is that perfect compliment to our yang practice and our generally yang western lifestyles. We are always putting one foot in front of the other and going and achieving and doing. This practice, whether you are looking for a peace of mind or an increase in physical mobility, is accessible yet challenging in different ways for everyBODY. 

Are you athletic and active? 
Yin is great for those with active lifestyles. Whether its a yang style yoga, running, cross fit, or cycling, these sporty activities tighten your muscles and limit your range of mobility. The natural consequence of this type of repetitive contraction and release of muscle tissue is great for building muscle, but not so great for flexibility and range of motion. With limited range of motion and tight muscles, your body is more susceptible to injury. Prevent injury, overcome stiff, tight muscles, and increase your flexibility with the deeper release of the connective tissue (or fascia). We hold poses a little longer than normal to access those deeper layers. Join us to melt into a blissful experience that gives you the sense of freedom you desire for better performance in your everyday life.

Just starting out? 
Yin is the perfect starting place for anyone looking to get into yoga. While the focus is on a deeper release of connective tissue, don't let the word "deep" turn you away. This practice is supplemented with bolsters, blocks and blankets to bring you and your practice the most support possible. By partaking in this style of yoga when you start out, you get a gentle introduction to your body. This meditative style of yoga lends you the space and time to understand you and your body and how it might progress into some of the more dynamic and active yoga classes. We take our time, move with care and pay attention to the details giving you a robust yoga experience. Not sure if yoga is for you, start here for a kind introduction. 

Retired & active?  
Yin is perfect for you! Your mind is still active and your young at heart but the natural effects of ageing still show up in our hips, joints, spine and shoulders. Defy the ageing process by keeping your joints and spine hydrated and healthy. These lengthier holds on targeted postures free up stuck energy in the stiffest areas of our body. Stiffness is a natural effect from years of sitting, driving, and clenching in stressful situations. This gentle but challenging practice will transform the way you live and feel in your physical body. Increase your range of motion and catch your body up to your mind. 

Stressed Out! 
There is no better place for you than yin. When our bodies are hyped up on caffeine, adrenalin and emotional trauma, the last thing we need is to heighten these effects which increase our cortisol levels and cause disease within the body. This release not only exists on a deep physical level, but emotionally and mentally allow you to unplug. When too many apps are running, just like our phones and computers, we shut down, we catch viruses and get sick. Combat depression, stress, and anxiety with soothing tunes and a guided physical meditation. This your opportunity to retreat and rejuvenate so that you can put your best self forward into the world. 

What is yoga to me?

Yoga has changed my life.  And does so repeatedly. I am more in touch with who I am as a person than ever before. After past relationships and career choices that had me constantly chasing the highs and the lows, I now know more than ever its the middle path… a steady balance and a sometimes faltering or wavering commitment to thyself, in which we stumble upon our true essence. Essence can be perceived as an esoteric term. It sometimes denotes that only a select few “really know” its meaning. But the truth is, we all do…we all have the capacity to a put tangible, tactile and physical properties to essence. It is not esoteric or only for a select few at all. It can be seen in all the surrounds you, omens or clues as to your destiny and most importantly all that is within you.