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 Hello!

I often think about my blog. About blogging. It doesn’t count, does it?

 I’m inspired to say something today because of my friend Jean. She opened her heart and read a wee book which she had written years ago about a little girl. Those who listened were brought back to our inner children that still exist inside of us who want to be seen and heard for who we are. I find we don’t share enough. We talk about the surface of our lives. I would love to hear about what we dream about, what we long for, who we strive to be and how we are in this present moment. 

There are so many opportunities for bits and bytes of information and we keep moving quickly along so we can get to the next thing which keeps us running and pursuing something outside of us and missing the moment now. And missing depth. 

I am sitting in my porch with Lilah, my cat. We are just sitting and watching the icicles melt off the overhang. Nothing more. Yet the moment is rich and full and alive. 

Superior Mornings

After not blogging for a while, and having bought a new laptop in that time, the blogger app had changed and I had to learn how to put photos up. A picture is worth a thousand words so I don't want to blog without them. So, tadaah! I finally figured it out. Here are some photos of my morning walks last week at the marina in Thunder Bay. During this last year the morning walks to the marina have been enlivening.  At first we didn't see as much, but then we started to see the little and then the big changes from day to day. Ice has many colours. The birds have many antics in different weather. We found the best spots to see the beaver, the muskrat, and the great blue heron. Spring is the best for listening to ice cracking and moving. I can't get over the amazing colours as weather changes. I live in paradise as I can walk to the marina from my home in just 10 minutes. I wouldn't exchange this for any tropical beach. I'm a northern chick. Though Don dreams of the surf in Tahiti in 33 C with sweaty armpits as he walks down the beach. He is a tropical bird? dude? Not I. Enjoy your mornings wherever you be.

YOU are a Phenomenal Woman

Phenomenal Woman

by Maya Angelou

 

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I’m a woman 

Phenomenally.

Phenomanal woman,

That’s me.

 

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees,

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees,

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet,

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

 

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

 

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can’t touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them,

They say they still can’t see.

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

 

Now you understand

Just why my head’s not bowed.

I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It’s in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

The palm of my hand,

The need for my care,

‘Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

 

(I received this poem written on a glass - with a bottle of Champagne!)

We are all so phenomenal when we just are ourselves, no apologies,

Hang in there!

These are my grand puppies (actually senior dogs). Whiski on the left and Karma on the right. Muddy spring weather sent them into the bathtub. They look so woebegone. I suppose that's how we're all feeling with more lockdowns and possibly more snow coming. Hang in there! Hang in there! This too shall pass.

Alive

Resting Frog Yoga Studio is closing on March 31, 2021

With another lockdown it's sort of closed already.

I have been musing on many thoughts. 

This Covid pandemic has truly brought some focus to what is important. I haven't taught a class for almost one year.  I've looked at the path of yoga and what it is. It is an individual path. It was originally taught one on one between teacher and student. For the past year I've gone back to this original teaching. Private or semi private sessions. It has been enormously wonderful to teach this way!

I recognize that all the really important things I have learned in yoga has been from my own experience of it, that is, when I've been sitting or lying on my own mat and paying attention to what is present. Yes, I have had many guides, the best guides, and I couldn't have experienced yoga as profoundly without them, yet, it's all happened while doing yoga. The most important thing is to step on the mat. And begin. It's not so important where, or how, or what, or even why. Stepping on the mat, breathing, moving, noticing, breathing, moving, noticing, letting go, letting go, letting go, noticing, breathing...........being absolutely attuned to the moment.

Yoga is about one simple thing - attention. This is awareness. This is here and now. This shows you the stillness that you are.

Yoga routine

A yoga routine for this week:

1. Yawn and stretch on your back. Knees bent, hands under head, lean knees to the left and stretch your right elbow towards the floor. Yawn long and loudly. Repeat on each side until all yawned out.

2. Rest in goddess pose. Knees bent and feet together.

3. On Hands and Knees. Inhale cow pose chest sinking down towards floor and then towards the wall in front of you and exhale drawing back toward ceiling into cat pose. Move deliciously to open up chest and back.

4. Thread the needle. Still on hands and knees bring right arm through the left side between left arm and left leg, turning slightly to look up toward ceiling. Repeat on the other side.

5. Downward dog.

6. Chair pose.

                                                                      7. Warrior I

8. Squat

                                                                        9. Child's Pose

10. Savasana - flat on your back or at the wall with a bolster under hips and an eye pad.

Being free

In a few days I'm leaving home for a month long visit to see my teacher and to meditate for much of that time. I've been asked if I'm excited. Excited? And I really don't know. There is so much to organize when going anywhere. I really like being at home. I think I will be more excited to come home. It just seems the right time to go.

I know what I want more than anything - to be free of the little me, the voice (actually many voices) in my head which continuously tell me how things are, how they are supposed to be, what I should be doing, what I should have done, etc. Bossy, bossy, bossy. I have come a long way though. I can now chuckle and even laugh out loud at the stupidity that flows through my mind.  I remember Anthony de Mello, in his book, Awareness, saying that he is crazy, I am crazy, we are all crazy, and the sooner we realize that the happier we will be. I like to think that we are all absolutely sane, naturally, innately, but we pay attention and believe the voice in our head. So, I am going away to continue to learn to not take the voice or any thoughts seriously. I've been there before yet I want more and more to rest in peace. Wuhuu!