Remember to Pause
Remember to stretch.

Remember to stretch.

When out shoveling (see photos from tonight here), use these Anusara alignment principles as a mantra to keep yourself doing them: shins in, thighs out, tailbone tucked, upper arm bones integrated into the shoulder socket, shoulder blades hugged to the back of the heart. Oh yes, arm bones integrated, shoulder blades onto the back of the heart.
Afterwards, try a few slow sun salute variations to reintegrate and align. Follow with vipariti karani (legs up the wall), supported supta baddha konasana (supported reclining bound angle pose, and a few hip openers of choice.
It’s interesting trying to read Iyengar’s Light on Yoga, translated into Spanish.
Oh. And Maitri is sleeping in a photogenic pose again.

The other day, a friend who is starting to teach in the evenings asked me how I make the shift from stressful work day to being in a good space to teach.
Without hesitation, I said: “meditation.” I then qualified that by saying it is anything that gets you quickly and effectively connected, centered, and grounded. I don’t know anything that would be consistently effective than meditation.
The rain started when I was about half way to Union Station to catch the metro to Takoma Park to teach the noon gentle/therapeutics class at Willow Street. Thanks to all the regulars, make=up students, and drop-ins for coming to practice to get ready for the storm. The rain was steadier en route home, but I made it home before it really was coming down fully as it is now and will only get fiercer for several more hours.