.....what's in for 2019

Yogis,
I’m starting to come off the Christmas high (although when I want to bring it back, I simply eat another peanut blossom cookie 😊). What an absolute whirlwind it is preparing for this holiday. The three weeks leading up are a total blur.  Shopping, traffic, noise, lists, wrapping and planning. The actual Christmas celebration is something I wouldn’t give up for the world, but the pre-frenzy……..perhaps.

On Christmas Eve morning while looking at something in the paper I came upon the horoscopes. I read mine which cautioned me to slow down and not become overwhelmed. Now that seemed accurate, so I read my son’s and my husband’s and noticed the word overwhelmed in theirs as well. Hmmm. I glanced through them all and if that word wasn’t in there, it was replaced with stress, family drama or something similarly anxiety provoking.

Then I went to a yoga class and the teacher started out by asking us all to let go of the tension of the holiday and of all the togetherness it brings. The word ‘family’ was used as well in that ‘wink wink’ sort of way.  I was noticing a trend.

Later that day this quote arrived from a friend in her Christmas greeting……..

I often hear myself saying that Christmas has become to big. Too much. Too stressful and too complicated. But after reading the quote I realized that poor Christmas had done nothing of the sort and was taking all the blame.  We are the ones who did this to ourselves. Yet again……. We humans sure know how to mess up even the simplest of things.

This quote struck a chord. Each year we see the what’s in and what’s out, but how could any of these ever be out. We only need to recognize them. Live them. It sounds so simple and profoundly true but definitely isn’t easy. Can I feel successful in this world if what I have achieved is inner peace? Do I feel wealthy when I am healthy? Can I wrap and give kindness as a gift?

Yesterday I opened the new wall calendar that arrives on my front stoop each year without fail from my aunt. The title of this one is Simplicity.

Sigh. Yes, yes, yes, yes. This holiday, this life is simple if I can allow it to be. I head down for a walk by the river and I see it everywhere I look. In the river. In the trees. In the way the deer run. How the clouds float through the sky.  Simplicity. I think simplicity should be added to the ‘what’s in’ list as the new must have for 2019. We would all surely benefit.

Happy New Year’s Simplicity to you all!

Hi moon,
SARAH

......give what you want

Yogis,

I have a friend on my Christmas list that I couldn’t figure out what to give. Someone then mentioned a particular gift that they knew my friend was giving to two of their relatives. A light bulb went off.  Ah, I now know what to give them!

We give what it is that we want…….

I notice it in myself all the time. As I shop for gifts, I find things that I love (and wish I had) and find myself trying to think of who might like it. And how many times have you gotten a gift that you know is a favorite of the giver? It makes sense. If something makes us happy, we assume it will of course make the receiver happy as well.

It reminded me of one of the laws of the Universe. Give what it is that you want. Now I don’t think the spiritual law was intended for Christmas gifts.  It is a law that says once we uncover what it is that we want in our life…..our desires….our longings, we must give it. Where we feel there is lack, we should act from a place of abundance.

For example, if I want more love in my life, I should spread love wherever I go. If I want to be heard, I should sit and listen to others. When money feels tight, give to those in need.

It is like a current. The flow must be kept open. When we hold or hoard because of a feeling of not enough, the energy only becomes stagnant. It must flow through. Giving and receiving. Two sides of the same coin.

It’s been a year now since I retired from Xerox and the good steady monthly paycheck I had come to expect. At times I find myself holding my money tightly, especially at this time of giving. But focusing on lack will only cause greater lack. I know I will be financially fine, but this week I found myself stressing during those shopping days when it seemed that for hours at a time all I did was enter my credit card number. Expiration date and security code.

But as I walked under the magnificent full moon last night (which I hope you saw), she reminded me that there is enough. Enough of everything for everyone. I live in a state of abundance. We all do. So I went back in and put some cash in a Christmas card.

Blessings of abundance to all of you!

Om,
SARAH

......Moon 101

Yogis,

The moon is a powerful force. With the strength to move oceans, she also moves our lives and moods. We are 95% water so it’s a good idea to understand how the moon works!

Let’s begin with the new moon……the beginning. On that night the sun and the moon travel as a pair. Hand in hand they both rise in the eastern sky in the early morning. Together they travel across the sky throughout the day, the sun’s bright light keeping the cooler light of the moon out of view, until they both set at sunset. Throughout the night the sky is dark. Quiet. Still. Empty.

Moving forward, each day the moon rises about one hour later and appears slightly larger. This is the waxing moon.  For the first few days the sun and moon are still so close that again we don’t see the moon since it is above us during the sun’s time to shine. Only if you are out during the first couple of hours after the sun has set in the west, will you see the crescent moon there as it follows close behind.

Eventually with about a week, and therefore seven hours between them, as the sun sets, the moon is sitting directly above us. With the darkening sky we can see the half moon, referred to as the first quarter, as we are now one quarter of the way through her cycle. We are now entering her time to shine.

So it continues with more and more hours between them…..until about a week later there is enough space that as the sun sets in the west, the moon is seen rising in the east.  This would be the full moon. Her most powerful time of the month. Fertile. Bright. A time for celebration.  She shines over us the whole night as we dream.  Setting just as the sun rises.  Ahhhhhhh……..

Then the waning begins. She continues rising an hour, then two, then three……later.  Each night smaller.  Each night a little less bright. During this time the moon pops up from the east late in the night lagging way behind the setting sun, her crescent now facing the other direction.  When we wake, although she still sits above us, her glow is again outshined by the sun. Until finally, just shy of a month later, like old friends the moon and sun unite once again. Another new moon.

Think of them as friends running track together. The sun bigger and faster than the moon gains more distance from the moon on each lap. Until finally he catches up to her again. The moon has been lapped.

We can work with this cycle to flow more effortlessly with life. The waxing moon is a time to move toward what you want. Visualizing, stepping forward, active. The full moon the time of manifestation. Creating. Then as the moon wanes, we too can let go and release. Slowing down. 

Finally, the new moon is the time for quiet. To go inside. A time of introspection and uncovering what it is that you want. Planting seeds which are once again watered, fed and fertilized through the next waxing moon. And so it is.

Know her, watch her, learn her ways. In return she offers to make you feel more deeply. I will take that deal any day….and I do.

“And the sun and the moon sometimes argue over who will tuck me in at night. If you think I am having more fun than anyone on this planet, you are absolutely correct.”
               ― Hafiz

Dropping from the thinking mind to the feeling mind,
SARAH

.....wonder

Yogis,

The other evening at dusk I was taking Phoebe for her dinner time walk. We had crossed the front yard and were starting down the street when the view over my left shoulder caught my eye.  The darkening sky was now deep blue, dotted with thin clouds backlit by the setting sun, glowing a magnificent shade of coral. My neighbor’s holly trees framed by this setting, their shapes outlined in black.

It was quite cold and thus very quiet. No one but me. I stopped to notice. To listen to the silence. To see.

For that moment I was seeing with new eyes. The world around me appearing like an incredible stage set up waiting for the actors to arrive. How could something so beautiful be real and be here each and every day. I decided I wanted to walk through not only this brief outing but my week in this state of wonder……..

‘Wonder’ is defined as – to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe. Awe. Yes, that was indeed what I was feeling. Awe at something I pass several times a day but somehow witnessed differently that night.

As children we hold wonder naturally. Everything new and each sighting a cause for joy. As adults though we become numb to how incredible the world is that sits right outside the door, needing to venture further and further from home to find that much longed for ‘wonder’.  Standing under the hundred-foot tree, having furry little creatures scurry by, buckets of water falling from the sky and twinkling lights floating in the sky all become ho hum.

What if we could rub our eyes and see it all fresh again! That was my practice for the week. To remember to be childlike. To see anew.

This picture is from a walk on a path nearby. As I rounded the bend and saw the tunnel created by trees it spoke to me.  I again was awed. 

Friday night as I leaned my upper body out the bedroom window into the frigid air, the sensation against my skin awakened me once more. How amazing that we have these bodies, with aches pains and all, that allow us to dance, run, jump and hug another.

Tomorrow when you walk out the door, remove the ‘been there, done that’ glasses and see the world like you have never seen it before. See like a child. See with wonder…….

Om,
SARAH

.....I thought I let it go

Yogis,

So I’m driving down into the city recently to help with the grandkids on a very early weekday morning. The sky is only beginning to hint of an approaching sun. I’ve got my tea latte next to me and am looking forward to the day ahead. Rush hour traffic is starting to build as I put on my blinker and slow to change into the lane that will take me in the direction I am heading.

Out of nowhere a car flies up behind me and lays heavy on the horn. I am waiting for the car next to me to move a little more forward, so I can slide in, and in those two seconds I felt accosted. I never saw the driver in the dark but felt their energy pour into me.  Their rage. My heart pounded and my muscles clenched tight. The expression ‘I was shaken’ rang true.

As I continued along, it took a considerable amount of time for me to regain the peace that had sat within me only moments ago. I exhaled and told my body to ‘let it go’. To release what happened in the past as it no longer exists. Mentally I thought I had succeeded, but the next week while making the same trip my body’s memory shifted into high gear as I approached that spot in the road. 

I clearly had not let it go……..

In reality this was a small incident with no consequences. The type of thing we all encounter each day as we make our way through this human life. For some this wouldn’t have even registered, but as an empath who feels others deeply, it was exactly the kind of situation I struggle with the most.

When we hear about letting go we often think about the big things.  That grudge held onto for 20 years. The blame placed on parents who didn’t nurture enough. Or the shame over something done as a teenager. Yes, those all should be let go, but the practice begins within daily living. With the little things.

Everything that comes in must go out. When it doesn’t, it forms one more small thread that weaves into an inner web and eventually leads to ‘issues in our tissues’.  Illness, injury, upset stomach.

As you walk through your day, take note of the things that cause you to contract.  A rude email, an inconsiderate neighbor, the cashier at the store who hasn’t been properly trained. Being put on hold, the way your spouse doesn’t make the bed, or your concern about not being good enough. Become aware of not only the thoughts you have, but what happens in the body. The two are intertwined and where one goes…..the other inevitably follows. 

Then take a deep breath and as you slowly exhale imagine your muscles melting. The jaw dropping, eyes softening and what just happened pouring out through the soles of the feet. Emptying. Consciously letting it go.  Freeing up space for new!

It’s a practice………  I will keep practicing.

Aaahhhhhhhhhh……….
SARAH

.....a plate of gratitude stuffing

Yogis,

Oh no, she isn’t going to talk about gratitude, is she???

The week of Thanksgiving we are bombarded with gratitude. Every commercial, store, movie and even the card you get from your insurance agent tell you how thankful they are to have you and remind you to think of all that you are grateful for. Like Thanksgiving dinner, it can make me to want to slip away and take a nap on the couch.   

And not unlike turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, come Monday you aren’t sure you want any more for quite some time……

Gratitude, however, isn’t intended to be crammed into a one-week period. Each year we are pushed to ‘think’ of all the things we are grateful for when gratitude is an energy found in the body, not the mind. An electrical current sparked by things and people around us. The real joy is in learning to feel gratitude. Every day.

I notice how when we are asked what we are grateful for, the standard answers rush out. Family, health, financial security, spouse, etc. While those are all of course things we appreciate, gratitude goes so many levels deeper. Like a yoga practice which releases holding and tension in the body a gratitude practice is needed to keep the gratitude light in the center of the chest continually clear and bright.

One way to dip below the surface and begin to rev up the gratitude engine is with these prompts. I will start with my answers for today and then you fill in yours.

The three things I am grateful for which I can hear are……..  the rush of the river, the new song I downloaded, my grandson yelling ‘Nana!’ when I walk in the door
The three things I am grateful for which I can taste are…….  my 85% dark chocolate, honey, the fresh horseradish spread I made from my garden
The three things I am grateful for which I can see are….  the Japanese maple in peak color at the end of my street, the buck in my backyard, the moon
The three things I am grateful for which I can feel are…… Phoebe’s silky ears, sun on my face, my heavy blanket
The three things I am grateful for which I can smell are…..  lavender, my granddaughter’s new baby smell, coffee being brewed
The three colors I am grateful for are….. sage green, sky blue, red, yellow, violet, gold…….

Now imagine you are like a lighthouse with a light in the center of your chest and turn it on. Visualize all of the things in your lists out in front of you and shine the light on all of them. Send gratitude.

Then let those images fade but continue to shine your light on all that is around you. No longer grateful for something, but simply being gratitude. Beaming gratitude. And once we learn to turn on that light at will, it prefers to stay lit. We radiate gratitude. We become gratitude.

And with that shift comes much joy……..

'For one minute, walk outside. Stand there is silence. Look up at the sky and contemplate how amazing life is.'   ~Rhonda Byrne

A warm scarf around my neck,
SARAH

......the fertile pause

Yogis,

Everything in life follows a cycle. First there is the initial creation.  A birth. Something appears where ‘nothing’ stood before it. Followed by a time of rising, growth and expansion, until it reaches a peak, at which point it begins to descend.  To decay, contract and eventually exist no longer. Something becomes nothing. A death.

Our own life follows this pattern, and at this point I am pretty sure (but who knows) that I am on the other side of the peak. The houses we build, the outfits we buy, technology (think 8 track tape), and the seasons. All come from nothing and return there once again.

In the cycle of the seasons, winter is related to the element of earth. Earth signifies the beginning. That mysterious spark from which all things arise from nothing. Also the end, where everything once again returns.  Ashes….to ashes. 

At this time of year we are again on the other side of the peak. The summer high point is past and we are falling into winter. You can watch out the window how with each day the leaves, flowers and temperature drop. Downward pulling. Everything becoming darker, quieter and stiller. Until some small moment in time where we reach the end. The death.

And then there is a pause……..

And in the next moment the birth begins. The ground begins to awaken, something stirs within the seeds and the tree roots sense a shift. Nature knows. We won’t see evidence of it for quite some time, and we are not subtle enough to sense this pause. This gap. But it is there. 

This pause exists at that moment where low tide moves aside to give way to the incoming tide. When the dark of the new moon pauses before birthing a new waxing moon. Even in our thoughts. That thought we have been carrying like a backpack all day is suddenly there no longer and a brief silence exists before the next thought rushes in. From where does this new thought arise?

How can we, like the trees, tap into this magnificent space from which all new things come? The best path is through the breath.

The energy of an inhale rises from our pelvic floor, lifting and filling us until it reaches a peak. It then turns and begins its descent. With the exhale we become heavier, quieter, more relaxed and finally empty. Nothing. Then there is a pause. It’s always there. From this pause a new inhale, a new thought, a new way of being is born.

This pause goes by many names.  The void, the gap, the space between thoughts, the sea of pure potential.  Close your eyes and notice it. It contains nothing as it is the eternal silence. Yet it contains the potential for absolutely everything. It is the earth within us.

What is it that you want in your life? What do you want to create, feel, be, do? It all exists in this fertile soil of the gap between breaths. Be quiet and tap in.  

Befriend your breath.

‘Honor the space between no longer and not yet’
               ~Nancy Levin

Pausing,
SARAH

......my 'what I like about winter' list

Yogis,

There’s nothing like the clocks going back, finding myself standing in the dark at 5:00pm, to remind me that winter is once again on its way. Not here yet, but this weekends blast of cold air and the arrival of the first Christmas catalogs are like the call ahead you get for a dental appointment.  It is indeed coming….like it or not.

It is as this point that I like to pull out and dust off my ‘what I like about winter’ list!  Some of you may remember it. About four years ago I decided that after fifty years, it was finally time to stop hating winter. As a summer at heart, not only have I always hated winter, but even fall fell out of favor because I saw it as a one-way tunnel which led to you know where. I noticed that I was resisting about a third of the year, and therefore a third of my life, and that suddenly seemed ludicrous.  

Thus my list was born……..

Instead of constantly complaining about the things I didn’t like, I decided to shift my focus. To look for the good. Each year I add on to my list. Being attentive throughout the season to those moments that bring me joy. Pleasure. Simple things that when observed bring contentment.

My list, which may seem to be a small thing, has had a marked influence on my view of the season. I now can say that not only do I not dread winter….I actually like it! I glance through my list and look forward to experiencing all it contains. It reminds me of the good that lies in every day.

For me it was winter. For you perhaps it is summer you find uncomfortable.  Or maybe its Monday, or for that matter, Monday through Wednesday. Your son’s travel soccer season, a particular holiday, or the busy season at work. Whatever it is that you resist, within it lies some beauty. Start a list! Shift your attention and the rest will follow. 

I already know some of the things that will be additions this year! How I love going to the beach house in the winter and walking a deserted boardwalk. With no reservations needed at night and seats always available at the bar, we chat with the locals and get to know the owners and staff. And the way the snow geese migrate through in January, landing in such vast numbers on the ocean that they appear to be a reflection of a cloud overhead. 

I choose to like winter.

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."
           - Albert Camus

Not wishing away this one sacred life,
SARAH

A Chance to support women and children.......

Join in on the yoga event Saturday 11/17, 4pm at Flow Yoga or make a donation!  

For the cost of one class you can change a life! 

https://yoga-gives-back.networkforgood.com/events/9316-the-kundalini-of-change-presented-by-ygb-ambassador-neva-ingalls

......the earth waves

Yogis,

The colors of autumn have taken their sweet time arriving. It’s now November and Thursday was the first day I could truly see the changing hue of the landscape. No longer a blanket of green, the view from my bedroom window now includes a splash of scarlet from the dogwood, varying shades of gold intermixed and the deep ruby red of the berries.

Walking along the canal there is one stretch where the entire canopy is now a warm yellow illuminated by the rays of the low-lying sun. Their color striking against the blue sky. My view of the water below and rock formations overhead framed by this palette was breathtaking. Wow. One of those moments where I am reminded of the unbelievably amazing planet that we all call home. 

Earth………

Yes, I have times where I take it all for granted. When I take my walks without noticing. Instead, buried in my thoughts, noticing what isn’t right. The temperature, my mood, the airplanes or the full schedule I have ahead. Until the earth waves, as it did this week.

Recently it has been the mushrooms winking at me and luring me close enough to see the unique beauty each has to offer. The variations in their coloring, size, shape and texture are beyond my imagination. I drop down to see them through the lens. In capturing them up close I am reminded how every pattern that we boldly believe we have dreamed up, already exists in nature. She is the ultimate artist.

The speckled pattern on the large toad I stumble upon while lifting sticks from the pile to build a fire. Each leaf that my foot lands on a piece of art. 

The sculpture created by unearthed tree roots intertwined in conversation with those around it. Lime green moss lighting up the gray rock on which it hangs. At times struck by the wonder around me. How could I possibly forget?

Yet I do. Often. I suppose that is human nature. To somehow get so wrapped up in the artificial surface stories and dramas we create that we stop seeing the source of life that nurtures us day after day without complaint.  

The energy of a mother, caring for us even when we aren’t noticing. How incredible it is that every day when I wake I get to play in her abundance.

A breeze picks up and suddenly it is raining leaves. My heart smiles. She is waving yet again…….

I wave back,
SARAH

.....racing through life

Yogis,

Have you noticed how quickly everything is moving?  The years, the news, technology, styles – even our driving. While I slept one night it appears that speed limits increased. On my recent drive to see my parents, each leg of the journey permitted five or even ten miles an hour faster than I remembered.  We are all in such a hurry, but I am not exactly sure to where.

Even in the yoga world (yes there is a yoga world) the pace has picked up. Classes at times have us moving so quickly that we must stop and look around to see where we are supposed to be. With the time constraints we all seem to be under we want to move, sweat, gain strength and relax all neatly within a 60-minute window.......

This weekend I was asked to lead a restorative/yin type practice for our teacher training. The exact opposite of fast. While gathering my thoughts I read some articles that described this slow moving style of yoga. One author said something that began to make some sense to me of all this rushing. He stated that what he found when doing yin was that he was forced to feel.

Yes. When you move slowly into a posture and then resolve to be still for the three to five minutes that we stay, there is no escaping feeling. First the physical body begins to speak. Aware of the tightness and sensation of pulling in the hips. Then the busy mind kicks into gear. ‘What a waste of time! We aren’t doing anything. I bet I have five emails waiting for me.  I am not as deep in the posture as the guy next to me.’  You are forced to see and hear your inner voice and its relentless chatter. And when you stay long enough, pose after pose, the emotions begin to creep in. Perhaps a lingering sadness. Or a longing that you have never given voice to. Tears may well up with no warning.

This all got me thinking. Perhaps this hamster wheel of life that we have all created (yes, WE created this) and get on every morning as soon as the eyes blink open are a way of staying clear of the world of feeling.  If I have every moment of every day accounted for, then my feelings of jealousy never have to be observed. The anger I still carry from my childhood doesn’t ever have to be watched. I can think my way through life. Much less messy.

Our phones have provided another perfect escape. As soon as there is one empty moment, instead of spending time with the most important person in your life, the phone is grabbed. A lifeline always there to fill in those uncomfortable gaps. 

I challenge each and every one of you to take five minutes tomorrow to feel. To tap into the inner world.  The simplest way is to find a quiet place in the house, or outside, sit down, close the eyes and watch the breath. Nothing to do. Nowhere to go. Ask your heart what it is feeling. Then listen.

Now if you read over my challenge and immediately dismissed it, ask yourself why.

The world of feeling is so much richer and more colorful than the world of thinking.  We need both. Don’t let your life race by without tapping into the beauty that lies within ……when you slow down to feel it. 

Everything you seek lies within…….

I want to feel it all,
SARAH

.....taking a bath

Yogis,

Like most, I grew up taking baths. The evening ritual of settling into a warm tub, with bubbles of course.  Making foam beards, practicing going under water and seeing if I could float. Stepping out when done into a big fluffy towel held open by my mom.

I also remember that my mom took baths back then. After putting me to bed I would hear her turning on the water and grabbing her book. The sound of water, and knowing she was staying close by, was deeply comforting and lulled me to sleep. I was always bummed when it was a ‘no bath’ night.

As a teenager baths seemed to be a waste of time. The shower, much quicker and more efficient, felt to be somehow more adult. The baths becoming a dim memory as I entered adulthood. It wasn’t until I was in my mid forties that I rediscovered the magic of a bath………

While renovating the house next door to sell, the master bath plans included a bubble jet tub since this appeared to be a must have on new home buyers lists. I researched tubs and picked a deep two-person beautiful white oval one. It never occurred to me that I would end up being the one to christen it.

When we ended up moving into the house I continued my standard daily shower routine, glancing over at the tub, not quite sold on the idea, until one Friday night.  Finally filling it and dropping in, I realized I had been missing one of life’s simple yet magnificent pleasures. Friday night quickly became bath night. Ten years later the routine continues.

As with any ritual it has evolved. At first there were bubbles and jets turned on, but soon I realized I needed neither. I preferred clear water and the quiet which allowed the sound of the water running to remind me of my youth. Drops of lavender, geranium or rose essential oil hit the hot water and quickly fill the room. Soon I began to experiment with bath salts. Mixing Epsom, mineral and pink Himalayan salts with dried rose petals from flowers I was given over the year. Depending on my mood, perhaps dried lavender and chamomile flowers purchased from the natural store down the road.

I have rediscovered the healing powers of the bath. What is it that I need this week? As I light the candles I choose the medicine. Salts when my muscles ache from a strenuous week. Jasmine oil and rose petals when the moon is full and I crave connection to my inner goddess.  Or like this week, eucalyptus oil to help with the cough and sinus congestion that I have been working to keep at the front door all week, not inviting them in for tea. 

When is the last time you soaked in the tub? For me one of the hurdles to overcome was allowing myself to be unclothed in a position that forced me to see myself. To accept my body exactly the way it was and treat it with kindness. That too has been healing.

The tub itself matters not. Yes, it is nice to have a soaking tub, but even the regular bath will do the trick if you bend the knees a little more to drop in. Perhaps you don’t have a shelf for the candles, flowers or oils…..bring in a little stool to make your bath alter.  Make the time and the space sacred.

As I stepped out of the water Friday night, steam rose from my skin. I wrapped myself in my big fluffy towel and then slipped into the cool crisp sheets. My worries washed away.

Earth medicine,
SARAH

.....the winds of change

Yogis,

The winds of change unmistakably swept through here Friday night with gusto………

The past month, although the calendar has stated its autumn, has been unusually warm and damp with that muggy air which ensures bad hair days.  Even on Friday I woke to a sticky 70-degree morning with dark heavy clouds that threatened, and delivered, torrential downpours throughout the day with only a moments notice. 

I heard the winds were coming. Preparing for a weekend trip to the beach I trusted they would indeed arrive and packed only pants and long sleeve shirts, leaving the shorts behind. Dusting off my fall boots and tossing a couple of sweater coats into my trunk.

As I slipped into bed that night I opened the window. I wanted to experience them. Be present when change arrived. Feel the shift. Warm air rushed in, along with the patter of rain on the roof. I ran my hand across the window ledge checking to see if it held a pool of water but found only droplets confirming my hope that the rain would remain outside my window and not threaten the wood floor beneath my bed.

For several hours even the thin sheet I lay under felt too heavy on my skin. My arms remaining out of the covers as I dozed. Where were they? Waiting in anticipation for a clear brisk inhale.

Deep in dream, a cool breeze rushed in at last. Starting at my head it rippled down the front of my body. The winds of change had come! Fall had officially arrived. I smiled. I was present. I felt it. I went back to sleep.

We are now in the season of Vata based on the science of Ayurveda.  The season of air, wind and movement. Unpredictable. A time for releasing. A time for change.

The trees will now finally get serious about changing the color of their leaves and effortlessly allowing them to fall without regret.  Squirrels will scurry about, planting nuts in every one of my pots, leaving piles of dirt as evidence. Chipmunks will start preparations on the ‘hidden door’ they place over the burrow. 

Like the natural world around us, we too can catch onto the coattails of the winds of change and alter our path. Perhaps it is the standard changes we want.  The change in diet, a new pair of boots, a shade darker on the hair color. Or maybe this is the year to ask the winds to pick you up, spin you about and drop you facing a new direction. Unlimited possibilities…….

What changes do you want? Stand in the wind with an open body and open mind and ask for a lift. Change is in the air.

Riding the winds of change,
SARAH

.....being a woman

Yogis,

Recent events have stirred up some memories of a sense of self that I carry with me and have often tried to put into words.  First though, let me say that this week’s note is not political. It doesn’t attempt to speak about any particular people, events, innocence or guilt. My words here are about something deeper. About a daily way of living.  About…..

……..what it feels like to be a girl

 I love being female and have never wished to be a man. Yet there are some unspoken rules that go along with having that second X chromosome that we woman digest early on. Perhaps a few are learned from talks given by mom as we sat on the bed, but most come through experience. A feeling. The need be aware. The need to be ‘careful’. That the simple fact of being a girl puts us at risk.

There have been times I attempted to convey to men what this way of life feels like, but inside I have known they couldn’t fully understand. Then I stumbled on this excerpt from a book. Suddenly there were words.

On Being a Woman

As a young girl I noticed the stare that lasted a second too long or was fixed somewhere on my body other than my eyes. The low whisper from a stranger who walked by a little too close, or the notorious cat calls and whistles from the group close enough I could see their eyes. Then there is that first time when you suddenly realize that the boy holding you has much greater physical strength than you do and how it can hold the potential to harm. We learn to be ‘careful’.

As a woman I have been an early morning runner for 30 years and often alone. How many times has someone commented that it was dangerous? That I should wait until later in the day.  I have lost count. Would someone ever consider saying that to a man? No, of course not. Being a woman comes with some preset boundaries. And if I choose to step over them and then fall into harm, somehow it will be my fault. Being a woman comes with chains that others are not asked to wear.

Speaking of wearing…… Every image screams at us to look pretty. Have a nice shape. Be sexy. Wear nice clothes. But then as soon as we do we are ‘asking for it’.  Are men told not to reveal their arms, bellies, back, thighs? No, of course not. But if we do and fall into harm, even other women may roll their eyes in that ‘she had it coming’ look. Because we all know the rules.

Will this ever change? Can this ever change? Not in my lifetime I’m afraid and I know my new granddaughter will too quickly learn the rules. But I feel invigorated that at least the discussions are happening. Maybe we can be more open and bring the unspoken into the light, and instead of living it unconsciously, start naming it when it happens. 

Women are wild wonderful powerful creatures who deserve to be free and its time we take one more small step out of the fear box we have been placed in without our consent. 

Hear me roar,
SARAH

Book excerpt on .....being a woman

The Kavanaugh hearings have unleashed a wave of emotions from women and men alike. For me personally it brought back up a feeling I have always had on the inside that I could never clearly put into words.  This article comes close.........

Guys ask why women are so pissed off. Even guys with wives and daughters and sisters and mothers. Jackson Katz, a prominent social researcher, illustrates why. He's done it with hundreds of audiences:

"I draw a line down the middle of a chalkboard, sketching a male symbol on one side and a female symbol on the other.

Then I ask just the men: What steps do you guys take, on a daily basis, to prevent yourselves from being sexually assaulted? At first there is a kind of awkward silence as the men try to figure out if they've been asked a trick question. The silence gives way to a smattering of nervous laughter. Occasionally, a young a guy will raise his hand and say, 'I stay out of prison.' This is typically followed by another moment of laughter, before someone finally raises his hand and soberly states, 'Nothing. I don't think about it.'

Then I ask the women the same question. What steps do you take on a daily basis to prevent yourselves from being sexually assaulted? Women throughout the audience immediately start raising their hands. As the men sit in stunned silence, the women recount safety precautions they take as part of their daily routine:
Hold my keys as a potential weapon. Look in the back seat of the car before getting in. Carry a cell phone. Don't go jogging at night. Lock all the windows when I sleep, even on hot summer nights. Be careful not to drink too much. Don't put my drink down and come back to it; make sure I see it being poured. Own a big dog. Carry Mace or pepper spray. Have an unlisted phone number. Have a man's voice on my answering machine. Park in well-lit areas. Don't use parking garages. Don't get on elevators with only one man, or with a group of men. Vary my route home from work. Watch what I wear. Don't use highway rest areas. Use a home alarm system. Don't wear headphones when jogging. Avoid forests or wooded areas, even in the daytime. Don't take a first-floor apartment. Go out in groups. Own a firearm. Meet men on first dates in public places. Make sure to have a car or cab fare. Don't make eye contact with men on the street. Make assertive eye contact with men on the street.”

― Jackson Katz, The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help

........happiness

Yogis,

‘Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu’

This is a popular mantra used often in yoga classes, meditation or spiritual gatherings.  Written in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, it translates to – May all beings be happy and free. 

‘Lokah’ means the Universe, or all places. ‘Samastah’ refers to all beings. Humans, of course, but the animals, insects and all that have consciousness. ‘Sukhino’ is a state of being. Coming from the word Sukha, it refers to freedom from suffering, living with joy. ‘Bhav’ points us to the complete interconnectedness of everything and everyone. All that I do, say or even think sends out a ripple which touches the world, and therefore affects the happiness and freedom of all.

Together the mantra creates an invitation for harmony among all beings. For global wellbeing…….

My students and I have been chanting this mantra the past 3 weeks and it has me thinking about happiness.  What exactly is happiness and how do I find it? Where does it come from? I certainly know it when I feel it. The inner glow. A lightness. Spaciousness around the heart. The smile on my lips.

As human creatures we want. Grasping. Things, the bigger house, to travel, learn a new skill. If we slow down and get quiet though, looking beneath all of these wants it boils down to one simple longing. Happiness. We all want to be happy.

We play the ‘as soon as’ game.  I will be happy as soon as……I find the perfect mate…..switch jobs……..get beyond this illness…….retire.  Spending our lives on this continuous hunt for that elusive happiness. Each time feeling the joy, only to have it fade once more.  Looking to the external world to feed the insatiable hunger to feel content. 

There is an irony though. That which we seek resides within us. Like a perfect diamond buried deep in the packed dirt, happiness, contentedness and joy sit waiting to be unearthed.  But we seem to look everywhere else and inside everyone else for this jewel. What it takes is moving within.

This is the path of yoga. The asana practice, meditation, mantra and breath work are all tools used to chip away at the ground.  Step by step, day by day. To peel back the layers that conceal the brilliance that waits patiently. Once uncovered and shined, happiness is a state of being. A connectedness. Still enjoying the relationships, experiences and beautiful gifts the Universe offers, but no longer attached to them as our source of joy. Knowing that everything I need is inside. That ‘I’ am complete.

I am realizing that in order for me to contribute to the happiness and freedom of all beings, I must first find it within myself. Just as you cannot ‘make’ me happy, I too don’t have that power over you…..as much as I wish I did. Yet if I can shine my own diamond, then my thoughts, words and actions can indeed help others to shine theirs.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.

I am choosing happy,
SARAH

......the tongue

Yogis,

Notice your tongue. Where is it in your mouth right now?  Is it stuck to the roof of the mouth? If so, release it.

Over the years I can’t say I have given much attention to my tongue. It’s surprising though since I have always known that my mouth and throat were my weak spots.  Everyone has them. That part of the body that is the most prone to injury and where your illnesses always seem to zero in on. Lungs, stomach, ears, heart….where is it for you?

For me growing up included many strep throat episodes, lingering coughs and more cavities than I can count.  And how can I forget the cold sores. As an adult there was a slight shift to post nasal drip from sinus infections and trips to the dentist for bridges and crowns.  Always the mouth……..

Then two years ago I ended up with an unexplained neck injury. There was no accident only a sudden severe pain that took me months to work through. All along my inner voice kept whispering that the tension in my jaw was somehow related.  But it took me another year to begin to watch my tongue, and when I did I discovered its favorite resting place to be clamped tightly to the roof of my mouth. 

The tongue is an extremely strong and flexible muscle. However, like all muscles, it too can become tense. Constricted. Rigid. And mine certainly had…….

Our tongue is related to the energy of water.  The cool calm receptive energy of the moon. It is a sensual organ and when relaxed, allows us to taste life.  Our fluidity, creativity and juiciness. When contracted, tension arrives, creeping into the jaw as well which feels anything but fluid. 

The natural position of our tongue should have the tip lightly resting on the back of the upper front teeth, with the edges softly resting on the roof of the mouth, and the remainder of the tongue dropped and relaxed.  I have a habit to unlearn, and it isn’t easy.

Several times a day I stop, notice my tongue and ask it to relax. Try it. Drop the lower jaw from the upper jaw. Release the tongue from the roof of the mouth. Notice how the root of the tongue (where it meets the throat) also drops, creating a feeling of spaciousness in the mouth.  And finally, if you bring your mind to back of the upper jaw you can visualize it melting.  Aaaahhhhhh……… Freedom.

It’s now been several months and I am actually having times when I check and find my tongue at ease!

This new space I am creating in the body is quite freeing.  Having a relaxed tongue, beside releasing jaw, neck and upper shoulder tension, also supposedly improves your singing voice.  Watch out Adele 😊

Lalalalalalala,
SARAH

.......take one spoonful 2X day

Yogis,

A friend sent me a link to a National Geographic article that she thought I would find interesting. The article discusses the current scientific research being done on the effects of nature on the mind. The hypothesis being that walking in the woods, sitting near creeks and rivers, watching the sunset and spending time surrounded by greenery decreases the stress levels in the body.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/01/call-to-wild/

Multiple studies are being conducted which measure brain waves before and after various nature experiences.  What they are finding is that cortisol levels, blood pressure and heart rate all drop when we venture out of the confines of the house or office into a park, peel our eyes away from the phone screen and instead land them on a butterfly, or leave the hustle bustle of the city and head into the hush of the forest. 

With our current epidemic of stress and inflammation based illnesses we need a new approach. Thank goodness they are doing these studies! We live in a world where once something is ‘proven’ scientifically people begin to listen, so it is important to have the scientists and doctors on board. More articles and more discussion mean more people will hear the results and perhaps make changes in their habits. If this new data increases the average time spent outdoors each day from below 5% (less than time in the car) to even 10%, that would be amazing.

But I will admit that I am chuckling on the inside. Spending grant money and investing time in studying if nature is a calming influence seems to me like having our newest brightest researchers running studies to prove that the sun comes up every morning.  To nature lovers this is self-evident and always has been. Even fifteen minutes outside being still and quiet changes everything in my day. What happens out there is often the most real thing I touch.

It's easy to put the outdoors on the back burner. Traffic, emails, Facebook and television all have us seemingly chained to our chairs and before we know it, its time for bed. Air-conditioning holds us back from even opening the windows to bring nature in. And as the article points out, nature can’t be put into a pill. The prescriptions must change.

I realize now that many of my recent blog posts have been just that – prescriptions! Going barefoot, listening to the bees, spending time with trees and beachcombing. Over the past year I have been naming much of what I teach as ‘Earth Medicine’, so perhaps I am ahead of the game. 

If you knew that nature would heal what ails you, would you re-prioritize your day?

Next time you head toward your medicine chest to grab a pill, consider instead stepping out the door and taking a spoonful of earth medicine.  Still plenty of side effects……but all good.  And did I mention it’s free?

Heading outside,
SARAH

......plant medicine

Yogis,

It’s time! Many of the plants are still full and green, but not for too much longer as the days become noticeably shorter and the cool air weaves its way in. Before we know it, the plants will begin to yellow and wither sending their energy back into the roots if they are perennials or releasing their final seeds to the wind if annuals. 

It’s time to make medicine!  Plant medicine……..

All summer long the flowers bloomed to make us smile. The herbs seasoned our meals, plantain healed our bug bites, dandelion kept our digestive system in check and the trees provided much welcome shade on the hottest days.  Yet they are happy to give even more. By harvesting now and making simple preparations, their healing powers can continue serving you through the coldest winter days.

There are so many ways to use the plants as your medicine. Tinctures are fresh plants chopped up and soaked in vodka which draws out their healing properties.  Infused oils are prepared the same way but use olive oil instead of alcohol.  The infused oils can be used for cooking or heated with beeswax to make balms and salves. Infused vinegars can be used for yummy salads all year. This week I made goldenrod tincture for respiratory and sinus congestion, plantain salve for skin issues, and lemon balm tincture for the winter blues.  I love to teach others how to make these and do sell them. Let me know if you are ever interested.

There are also simple things that anyone can do! Take cuttings of plants such as mint, lemon balm, oregano or thyme.  Wrap a rubber band around the bunch of stems and slide one end of a paper clip that has been opened into an S shape through the rubber band and use the other end to hang the herbs upside down from a ledge or hook.  Once completely dried, pull off the leaves and crumble them into a mason or empty spice jar.  Use in cooking, or to make tea.  Also great for soaking in a bath with salts!

One of my other favorite plant medicines is herbed salts which are made with fresh herbs and then once dried, will last a year.

You can use single herbs such as oregano, sage, rosemary or thyme, or experiment with different combinations.  My favorite so far has been rosemary/sage/garlic salt.  To make the salts you use ¼ cup of good organic sea salt or kosher salt.  I use the larger grain. First chop 2 or 3 cloves of garlic into three tablespoons of the salt. Then add the rest of the salt and 1 cup of loosely packed herbs. Keep chopping it all together until it is consistency you like. Spread onto a cookie sheet and let dry for a few days, stirring it around once a day.  Sprinkling these onto your winter roasted vegetables or stews will make your taste buds dance. 

The earth has provided us with her own medicine chest right outside the door.  The safest, least expensive and easiest way to vibrant health. Use her gifts!

Thank you plants,
SARAH