2 Fun & New Combinations

December 04, 2012

2 Fun & New Combinations

A couple of weeks ago I was in San Francisco where I took a variety of yoga classes. There was a combination of two postures that two different teachers offered that I would never have thought of linking together simply because of their difficulty in completely opposite parts of the body. Bakasana, crow pose followed by ardha chandrasana, 1/2 moon pose. However after experiencing these postures linked together I can say I felt lighter afterwards. This was a well needed feeling after experiencing the heaviness in New York City and New Jersey as a result of the devastation from hurricane Sandy only a week and a half before my trip out west.

Scarf & top www.zara.com

When I returned back home and made it to a yoga class from a teacher I never studied with before I was stunned to once again experience the crow to 1/2 moon combo. I guess this isn't just a west coast combo. In addition to my fascination with movement and how it makes me feel, I believe what you wear and how you put it together is just as interesting.

When I had these pictures taken I had just finished teaching class and it was very cold outside. I had a black parka on top however I took it off to show you before my wardrobe gets all festive with my Christmas reds and greens, how I combined two opposites, stripes and animal print. We all have these prints in one form or another in our closet. When combined together, I love the way these two opposites have a way of creating a fun and carefree look as well as dress up the same old, same old black tights. Well, these tights are a little different because they have a mini skirt attached.

Bakasana, crow pose, tights www.forever21.com

These darkest day's of the year that lead up to the sun's birthday, the Winter Solstice on December 21st are jam packed with holiday prep and waves of stress. Therefore finding the grace in small things like combining two very different yoga postures and patterns like stripes and cheetah have a power to them that can charge you up in just the right way if you're open to it. This holiday season I'm going to try to remember the concept of seeing the grace of small things. I want to end this historic Mayan era of 2012 right by combating the stress I feel that has accumulated deep within me from last month's hurricane and the personal events that came with the two eclipses that sandwiched a short rest during Thanksgiving Day.

My antidote in reducing the waves of anxiety that show up is sitting still, taking deep breaths and feeling what comes up. Overall I'm going to practice slowing down, shopping less, restoring what I have such as going to the tailor and altering a few outfits to take on a second life in addition to opening up a bucket of paint and adding some new color into my life. Most importantly I'm going to work like an archer on an open field, who can smell the scent of pine riding on the wind and hear the crackle of a dead leaf as it is stepped on. I'm going to practice watching and notice the many small gifts that come my way and inspire like finding the match to a single sock or the passerby who gives a knowing glance to my inner light and holds the door open a little longer as I push my stroller and baby Krishna through. You never know when grace will come!

Happy Holy Days!