Happy day of love

Its not only Valentines Day but my birthday - holler. Double rammy.

 

I came across this: "people were created to be loved, things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is because things are being loved, and people are being used."

So beautifully true.

Stop attaching and loving your things. Love the people around you - those you know and don't. The world could be fixed one bit of love at a time.

no more pass card, thank you skinny biatch

I have been giving my self a "pass card" when it comes to a few postures.  I didn't realise I was doing it until the other day.  And I justified my pass card because I felt my skinny-ish arms deserved it and it was not necessary for me to have that much muscle to do them, right? I never want Madonna freakishly strong body, its just not for me.

I am not the one in class that rushes to do a pose because it looks cool. I want my body to be ready for the pose and to do it right. And no its not an lazy excuse, no really, at least I didn't think so. 
Anyway, its never been about showing off or competing, that's one reason I love yoga.  I try to let go of caring about others opinions on the mat and its helping off the mat as well. Validation is an interesting human need, the more you let go of it the lighter/free-er you feel. More complete.

However, I do want to ensure I am progressing and practicing what I preach about finding the edge in each pose. So the other day was in "extended forward bend", as the blood was rushing to my head, upside down, I peered between my legs was amazed when I noticed this super skinny girl, shoot right up into headstand. I mean her bicep was as big as my wrist. I was intrigued, so I kept my eye on her and saw her do side crow without breaking a sweat. This is when I realised I need to start trying these postures.

I know I shy away from things I do not know exactly what I am doing and I also have fear; lots of it stored away inside to come out at undesired times.  In the inversions, I fear falling, hurting my self or more so my unsuspecting neighbor.

Hall pass is now in the garbage Tracy, its time to figure out a way to face some of these arm balancing and inversion postures. If I do not try and face the fear on the mat, I will not be able to do the things I need to do off the mat.

So when I say thank you skinny biatch for indirectly making me throw the "pass cards" away, I am sincere. I promise.

ever get into a posture like WTF

I took a class from a new teacher, which I love doing. I am a new teacher and this gives me reassurance that it does takes time to be an all star teacher that knows what to say straight for over an hour, with the perfect flow.

We were doing Frog posture and it didn't feel right. Maybe I am just not flexible that way, but it felt like maybe this wasn't a posture. Whatever it was I was NOT doing it correctly, as I still have bruises on my knees from the experience. This was my WTF moment this week.

Frog Pose (Bhekasana), can also be called Mandukasana. Plenty of sites out there already talk through specific steps to do it so I am/have been refraining from recreating the wheel in my blog (http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2465).

Typically looks like:

 And from what I could find online also looks like this within Yin Yoga:

 

Yet another new yoga popping up, this seems to be a deeper slower yoga (Iyengar-ish). However some new postures, reaching different areas?!?
As I said I found this way of frog painful (in the bruised, this is wrong kind of way). Though I realised I am super tight on my inner thigh, maybe a good way to work it?



How beautiful is Frog in ballet, a little more visual appealing ;)

the important questions

<3 good to keep in the back of your mind when the reality of every drama is putting a damper on the day <3

 

The end is nothing, the road is all!

Who knew there were so many ways "roads" is intertwined into our live - literally, metaphorically, purposeful. I am thinking of this today and inspired by it, so I am sharing. This started from another documentary Sunday - The Way with Martin Sheen directed by Emilio Estevez.

I remember an "ah-ha" moment years ago, when I realised it was not about the destination but all about the journey. I was on a road trip, stressing about getting to where we going, excited for what we were going to do when we got there. When we got there, I found myself reflecting back on the journey and how fun that was. Never in the present. Ah-ha.

The road in our lives:
The high road, the open road, the road to hell, dignified road, road to the whitehouse, wrong road, road to nowhere, road not taken, road rage, fork in the road, its a long road, keep your eye on the road, hit the road, end of the road, all roads lead to rome, get the show on the road, road to recovery, where the rubber meets the road....

“If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.”
― George Harrison

“I probably did too much thinking in India. I blame it on the roads, for they were superb...”
― Robert Edison Fulton Jr.

Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!
Bob Marley

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road.
Henry Ward Beecher

Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life.
Pythagoras





Robert Frost:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

THE END IS NOTHING - THE ROAD IS ALL

hot yoga popping up

Couldn't help it. :)

 

I feel like every studio I join is hot yoga.  I get it. I like it. But its stanky and intense. Getting hot is important, but you can do it from the inside out with breath and work.

 

A little yoga funny for the day - cause I feel dizzy and queasy almost each class. Look, the sweating is good and detoxifying - if you can mentally shut off and get through a class covered in your and others sweat, with your nostrils filling with smells of garlic, onion, last nights meal, then you can't face most things in life!

Animal cuteness for the day

Upavishta Konasana - Seated Angle Posture Bear Style

Tripod Headstand - from Prasarita Padottanasana Kitten Style

Cutest Cat Cow warm up ever 

Now this ones just showing off

 

Upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

 

Double Cutestness

bulldog in upward dog is heartwarming sweet

 

Monkey stretch