I have so many things to say, reflections on the past year and goals/aims for this one, books to read, things to create, just everything.
I feel productive and happy and excited, exciting, and wonderful. I am not ready to go back to Cincinnati, but I am also looking forward to the things I will accomplish when I get there. My 22nd year is off to a fantastic start and I think that this will be the greatest one yet.
05 January 2008
10 November 2007
Yoga bliss
Yesterday I attended the 6-7pm Power Yoga class at the rec center for the first time. I've been to lots of the classes there but never had one with the teacher Nicole. I was impressed with the way she gave us many options for variations and talked us through the familiar sequences. I was surprised that we started out standing, with no kind of meditative beginning but I was able to easily focus and remain with my breath the whole class.
During the course of the hour I experienced peace, grace, honor, humility and wisdom through yoga. Peace came while I was intently focused on breathing and alignment and took over any feeling of effort. It did not last for 60 minutes but the ebb and flow of that peaceful feeling had very far-reaching effects.
The grace was a result of the peace. When I stopped thinking about whether or not something was possible, or how well I would be able to achieve a posture, if my balance was stable enough or my back flexible enough and simply let my body go as far as it could without any direction from my mind, I achieved Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, one-legged king pigeon pose, with my foot touching the crown of my head, and feeling of effortlessness and no wobbles of balance. I think that was the first time I truly felt grace in a posture.
With the grace came honor. I knew from the way Nicole spoke that I was the only person in the room (only 7 students present) to even try the advanced variation and I knew that everyone else's eyes were on me, but instead of feeling any jealousy from the others I felt so honored to be there, be present and have them both interested and rooting for me in a way.
The humility came later but I do believe it too was connected to the previous sequence of events. While in crane pose, Nicole mentioned that we had the option of jumping our feet directly back into plank pose. I tried and ended up flat on my mat. That made sure I stayed humble when I later achieved the full advanced variation of kapotasana- touching my crown to the bottoms of my feet while kneeling on the mat.
And the wisdom? That came when I realized the connection between all the feelings I experience during the hour.
During the course of the hour I experienced peace, grace, honor, humility and wisdom through yoga. Peace came while I was intently focused on breathing and alignment and took over any feeling of effort. It did not last for 60 minutes but the ebb and flow of that peaceful feeling had very far-reaching effects.
The grace was a result of the peace. When I stopped thinking about whether or not something was possible, or how well I would be able to achieve a posture, if my balance was stable enough or my back flexible enough and simply let my body go as far as it could without any direction from my mind, I achieved Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, one-legged king pigeon pose, with my foot touching the crown of my head, and feeling of effortlessness and no wobbles of balance. I think that was the first time I truly felt grace in a posture.
With the grace came honor. I knew from the way Nicole spoke that I was the only person in the room (only 7 students present) to even try the advanced variation and I knew that everyone else's eyes were on me, but instead of feeling any jealousy from the others I felt so honored to be there, be present and have them both interested and rooting for me in a way.
The humility came later but I do believe it too was connected to the previous sequence of events. While in crane pose, Nicole mentioned that we had the option of jumping our feet directly back into plank pose. I tried and ended up flat on my mat. That made sure I stayed humble when I later achieved the full advanced variation of kapotasana- touching my crown to the bottoms of my feet while kneeling on the mat.
And the wisdom? That came when I realized the connection between all the feelings I experience during the hour.
09 November 2007
Trips and tips
1. I'm going to Budapest! Megan is over there studying math for a semester and mentioned that she had an extra bed in her room in her apartment. Well, she doesn't have an extra bed from Dec7-13 now because I'll be sleeping in it! That, and I found a cheap ticket ($500) that I will get miles for (should bring me up to enough for an international upgrade!) and it is a somewhat unusual itinerary, PHL-ORD-FRA-BUD on the way there, and returning simply BUD-FRA-PHL. I would have sprung the extra $80 for the ticket that didn't have Chicago in it at all if I had to fly through another US city before returning to Philly. If I can help it I will always avoid having to collect my bags and checking them again, which, unfortunately, is the current method for international itineraries entering the US.
2. I keep coming up with "great ideas" and then not writing them down. So I'm making a November 9 resolution. I will write down my little flashes of insight so that I can later determine their levels of brilliance.
3. I discovered i.d. Bare Escentuals Magic Wand Brushless Mascara. It is amazing. I doubt I'll ever buy another tube of mascara with a brush. It's more expensive than I like to pay for make-up, but at $15, it's not highway robbery. How long it lasts will be the determining factor in my loyalty, but so far I'm sold.
4. I also want to switch to using Bare Minerals makeup but I need to do some more research into the ingredients before I spend $60-75. They say there are no oils, preservatives, fragrances or chemicals in it, but I'm like to double check.
5. I am becoming increasingly automatic in my concern for the contents of, well, everything. I can't even imagine putting some processed foods in my body and seeing other people eat somethings makes me want to rip it out of their hands. So far, I've been good :) I'm sure this new and increasing awareness of my surroundings, my body and the environment with which I'm interacting is due to a combination of the views food and medicine I've learned from my mother and my new love of yoga.
2. I keep coming up with "great ideas" and then not writing them down. So I'm making a November 9 resolution. I will write down my little flashes of insight so that I can later determine their levels of brilliance.
3. I discovered i.d. Bare Escentuals Magic Wand Brushless Mascara. It is amazing. I doubt I'll ever buy another tube of mascara with a brush. It's more expensive than I like to pay for make-up, but at $15, it's not highway robbery. How long it lasts will be the determining factor in my loyalty, but so far I'm sold.
4. I also want to switch to using Bare Minerals makeup but I need to do some more research into the ingredients before I spend $60-75. They say there are no oils, preservatives, fragrances or chemicals in it, but I'm like to double check.
5. I am becoming increasingly automatic in my concern for the contents of, well, everything. I can't even imagine putting some processed foods in my body and seeing other people eat somethings makes me want to rip it out of their hands. So far, I've been good :) I'm sure this new and increasing awareness of my surroundings, my body and the environment with which I'm interacting is due to a combination of the views food and medicine I've learned from my mother and my new love of yoga.
09 August 2007
Marrowstone
I miss Marrowstone. Thinking about it and not having been there makes me very very sad. I wish I'd gone this year.
08 July 2007
Ciao!
This is my first post from Italy and suprisingly its a week before I come back home. I dont want to leave. My amazing boyfriend, Jason, and I have adapted wonderfully to the relaxing Italian summer days and a three hour afternoon nap will be greatly missed. I need to buy a cookbook before I go home so that I can attempt to continue eating in this manner. I eat all the time, and I think I've only lost weight. or probably stayed the same.
Having these long days to relax and wander around this old town (Lucca) feels a little bit like a honeymoon without the sex. haha and I dont want it to end of course. Afterall how many couples do you know who get to spend 5 of the first 7 weeks they are dating in Tuscany! It's unreal. and I highly recommend it :)
well, I"m going to do something else for a bit before I go to some villa toperform with the Brass Choir for 150 people and press with free food and pool privileges! should be a grand time... just wish i didnt look like I had the bubonic plague from all the damn zanzare (mosquitos) around here.
Arrivederci!
This is my first post from Italy and suprisingly its a week before I come back home. I dont want to leave. My amazing boyfriend, Jason, and I have adapted wonderfully to the relaxing Italian summer days and a three hour afternoon nap will be greatly missed. I need to buy a cookbook before I go home so that I can attempt to continue eating in this manner. I eat all the time, and I think I've only lost weight. or probably stayed the same.
Having these long days to relax and wander around this old town (Lucca) feels a little bit like a honeymoon without the sex. haha and I dont want it to end of course. Afterall how many couples do you know who get to spend 5 of the first 7 weeks they are dating in Tuscany! It's unreal. and I highly recommend it :)
well, I"m going to do something else for a bit before I go to some villa toperform with the Brass Choir for 150 people and press with free food and pool privileges! should be a grand time... just wish i didnt look like I had the bubonic plague from all the damn zanzare (mosquitos) around here.
Arrivederci!
17 April 2007
3 things
two minor breakthroughs:
I played high E-flats in my lesson with Mr. Gardner last week after he couldn't play a D... and have played up to that E-flat or E(!) everyday since.
I was able to achieve monkey pose in yoga today. it's AKA the splits. I don't think I've REALLY done them since I was 12.
and a sad feeling:
you know that feeling in the middle of yourself that gets really, truly lonely? Well it hurts right now. I don't know why since I'm happy, and all that stuff, just at this moment I feel very alone and would like someone to put my arms around, or to hold me... that's good too :)
I played high E-flats in my lesson with Mr. Gardner last week after he couldn't play a D... and have played up to that E-flat or E(!) everyday since.
I was able to achieve monkey pose in yoga today. it's AKA the splits. I don't think I've REALLY done them since I was 12.
and a sad feeling:
you know that feeling in the middle of yourself that gets really, truly lonely? Well it hurts right now. I don't know why since I'm happy, and all that stuff, just at this moment I feel very alone and would like someone to put my arms around, or to hold me... that's good too :)
01 April 2007
a new record
I think tonight sets a new record for me.
I have to choose between 5 invitations for this evening. Haha, who'da known I had that many friends!?
Life's pretty good right now :-)
I have to choose between 5 invitations for this evening. Haha, who'da known I had that many friends!?
Life's pretty good right now :-)
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