Serene Flavorful

Do What The Songs Say

mariavlong — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:35:43 +0000

Close your eyes. If you are having balance issues like me, and are getting slightly dizzy when you rise from the last asanas before closing, do make an appointment to check out what is going on, but in the meantime do it. It helps. You still feel a bit dizzy but not disoriented. I think I might have an ear infection, or otherwise it must be another indignity to add to the woes of hormone reshuffling during the big M. I had to drag my leg like Quasimodo up the stairs and to my car from the pounding I took during my body work appointment. It is the third time we work on my outside of my lower leg which is still so tight (improving but not yet there) that I still do not have the entire lotus on my left leg back. Now a couple of hours have passed, and I think she made a breakthrough. I cant wait to test it out tomorrow.

The Black Fly Ball

mariavlong — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:13:13 +0000

My entire family hosted a fantastic catered event for the black fly population of Schoodic Mountain during a .4 mile climb to the summit. Short but steep & sweaty with no bug repellant, hence the catered part of the feast for these critters. The guys got bitten, but my daughter and I got eaten. A black fly leaves a welt that looks like a bee sting. We look like we are recuperating from adult chicken pox. I am sure Magdalena is going to attract the looks of city folk wondering if they are bed bug bites! I myself am a litlle shy about showing my neck and arm bites to the shala population. Yoga practice outside on the deck facing east with an ocean breeze and 75 degrees was rather awesome. Just one tip: A black manduka gets really hot to the touch around the one hour mark…

The photo below is the base of the venue for the black fly banquet.

Good to be home, and looking forward to going back in July when black fly season is over.

Until Next Week

mariavlong — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:01:46 +0000

Next Wednesday to be exact. Leaving for Maine early tomorrow morning to make the most of this holiday weekend. I unplug up there (unless a snapshot of something pretty gets caught in my iphone). My arms like I expected are killing me but that’s good, right? I don’t think I lowered down enough to call it a proper chaturanga which leads to a very weird feeling in upward dog, like you are already there? New development: I now get dizzy whenever I roll up ( I don’t chackrasana as you might already have concluded) anyone know anything about that? Acquiring vertigo would be the ultimate cruelty for this aspiring yogi…

Where Is Your Chaturanga?

mariavlong — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:20:30 +0000

That was the question teacher asked me today. Important question during the Surys where all you want is to create heat and move on right? She reminded me that every movement in a sun salutation is counted and even photographed in texts in separate captions. You don’t just jump back lower down and rise to Upward dog as soon as possible. I had to stop and think: “Here is my chaturnga” if some one was going to take a picture of it. whew, that was tough. My arms ache right now. Always a beginner, specially if you have been cutting corners…

Social Despondency

mariavlong — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:31:50 +0000

If you, like myself and a few others wake up in the middle of the night fretting about the future of our existence or even wonder if there is still a reason to desire a future, this little illustrated video might alleviate your/our angst.

Pranayama Mess

mariavlong — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:10:04 +0000

Very sore left hamstring. Hell, very sore leg from shin to butt. I decided to dial it down way down and do my whole practice while my head was hollering do half primary you fool. On the plus side, nice long (for me) headstand. The minus: after I finished, teacher came over and pointed out that I had done my Pranayama breathing with the wrong hand, used the wrong fingers, and pressed my nostrils in the wrong spot. That’s what happens when you call it in because promised you would do the whole thing, no backing out. The whole thing gets done half assed. I’ll try to remember that. Good to get a refresher/reminder on correct method…

Regular Folk Weekend

mariavlong — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:46:59 +0000

I’m sure I would have noticed if this had happened already, So I am going to venture and say that since I started taking advantage of the moon days this is the first time that I enjoy a Saturday followed by a Sunday moon day. I know I have made rackets about Friday/Saturday combos before, so yeah this is my first civilian weekend as an ashtangi. Pretty low key in the eating and drinking department because I realized it too late to plan a food orgy thank god. Decided to go to a movie theater last night since I did not have to wake up early today. Went to see that Morning Glory Hotel with all the awesome Brits, set in India. We were the youngest people in that theater (54 as of last Friday). Today I’m planting cala lilies all over the place because I hear they are invasive and the soil in my front yard is cursed, so I’m putting them to the test. If they multiply here the can keep their reputation. I am not optimistic because even creeping jenny which garden centers are banned from selling for its rapaciousness won’t thrive beyond a few strands in this darn yard. Will be trolling for more colors at the other trader Joe’s.

Living Outside

mariavlong — Sat, 19 May 2012 16:30:32 +0000

Once the weather gets like this, The husband and I move the living outside. We have every meal out on the back porch, I dry my bed linens and my towels outside like pioneer woman, even though it is forbidden by town ordinance, and I pretend to pull a weed here and there, while I collect “honey dos” for my beloved.

We can do this today and tomorrow, But with the construction next door it will be back inside during the week days. Can’t wait for that to be done. Here’s a pic of my herb garden in bloom. Sage and chive flowers for my salads this week! Happy rest and moon day combo everybody.

Yeehaw!!

mariavlong — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:22:10 +0000

Yeah, intro to 2nd for my birthday. More like an exploration workshop, but guess what? Butt on the floor for Virasana, and right after, A variation of Kapo where my head touched the floor! Teacher came right over to lift it because something about my upper back, but whatever, it was great. It is a glorious no humidity sky blue day in my neck of the woods. A shala friend left me a beautiful CD with chants/songs by her friends Deva, Miten, & Manose (uhuh..) and I played it on the drive home. Plus being the queen of dorks, I love getting all those Facebook birthday greetings.

On another note, I never met you, but Thank you, Thank you Guruji for my teacher and my teacher’s teacher.

It’s All Connected

mariavlong — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:23:04 +0000

My IT band to my hamstring to my butt cheek. On the left side. All scrunched up after a very properly assisted and delightful Triangmukha PP. It really felt spacious and easy when it happened but as soon as I got out of it I felt the pull all over the place. Finished gingerly but not in anything labeled pain. Later in the car I felt some discomfort but now I am so desensitized by the ice packs I’ve applied that I feel nothing. I am following with an arnica rub followed by a salt bath before bed. My present to myself tomorrow is a happy primary even if I have to sit there and breathe it while everyone else moves it.