Last Thursday I caught that darn cold that has been going around this season. It has not been too bad but it is certainly lingering. One thing that has soothed my throat has been warm drinks of any kind. Since I was sick over the weekend, I let myself live a little and whipped up some hot toddy’s and now I am hooked!
Here is my recipe:
My funk this week snuck up on me swiftly. One moment I was fine, the next moment there was this…dis-ease. Sure, this happens now and then. I’ve gotten into a “bad mood” many times before. But this funk was different. The tastes and the textures of it felt unfamiliar. There was almost a distance that I felt from it. There was me and then there was this funk. We were not one in the same. The difference was that I was completely aware of it – as if it was sitting next to me. In dull moments, I would hear it whisper to me. But I would just hush it. I was more aware of the ways my mind was trying to indulge in itself and tell me things that were simply not true. I decided not to take the thoughts and feast on them, like I normally would. I decided not to pretend to be my own fortune teller (ok, maybe I did for a second, but I caught myself) or re-write history. I decided not to overtalk the funk like I normally would have. Sure, when I felt sad, I let myself. When I felt lonely, I really let myself. When I felt defeated, I let myself. But I didn’t tell myself I AM sad, lonely and defeated. As I write this, I now know that the trigger of this funk was change. Change is a wild beast that can’t be tamed and why would we want it to? It is what makes life exciting, unbelievable and fascinating. Sometimes when it happens in a way that is familiar, I panic.
The biggest game changer in this funk was my awareness of it. I guess I didn’t full realize that that awareness alone is some powerful shit.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_slYICgPsQc] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKDPBt2m_iE]
When I was at my team retreat in Nicaragua, I experienced my first Yin Yoga class. I used to be a hardcore yogi. I went to class 6 days a week and was doing all kinds of crazy things with my body. After a while the practice became a little too reflective for me during a time when I think I needed more movement and excitement in my life. So, I stopped yoga. Since April though, I have had the pull to slowly get back to my practice. I knew I didn’t want to go back to vinyasa. There was something about it that kind of practice that just didn’t feel right. That is where yin yoga has come into play. Every Tuesday night I feel so excited to go to my yin yoga class at 8:30pm. It is a long and slow class with deep stretches and it’s really challenging despite the sleepy vibes. It has really been a wonderful change in my life and a much needed time to refocus, calm down and put the phone away. If there is one in your area, I highly recommend it. Nasmaste.
I am not sure if it is the full moon or what but I have been on the verge of feeling really burnt out. I have felt this way before and this time I am vowing to stop it before it starts. After reading articles like this one and this one I have really come to realize how important it is to stop it before it gets any worse. I can tell that I am not fully there yet, but I know if I take the right steps I will be on my way to enjoying the summer with relaxed vibes. So I am pledging to:
Drink more water
Reminding myself that it doesn’t matter if anything is perfect
Don’t stress myself out over silly things
Spend more time near the water
Use technology less
Read more
Meditate in the AM
Wind down before bed
Take B12
Eat more snacks
I will be checking in with you again about this and hope I am just full of energy and looking back on this post with relief. Here is hoping!
There have been a couple of days since I being back from Costa Rica where I just feel down. In a funk(ytown). When I step back and look at the reasons why I feel this way, it is almost always a lack of exercise and sleep that really puts me over the edge. Other people around me have also been in a funk or feeling down, so I thought I would make a list of the things that have helped me most during these times. I also think, subconsciously or consciously, I am making a list as my own personal reminder of things that I can do to snap out of it.
HOW TO SNAP OUT OF IT
Be honest with yourself and the people around you about how you feel.
Don’t deny or feel embarrassed of how tired you are.
Take some deep breaths – preferably through an activity.
ONLY listen to happy music.
Remind yourself that we are slowly coming out of winter and of course you feel insane.
Remember all the cool friends you have and how much people care about you!
You will feel totally differently tomorrow – trust me.
Go to a group meditation.
Don’t spend more time alone than you really need.
Watch physical comedy in any form.
[posted by Farrell]
I am headed to Costa Rica at the end of the week for some much needed R&R. Although I packed many fabulous hats and scarves and dresses these are my most treasured items:
It is so important to continue taking your probiotics when being exposed to new bacteria. I start to up my intake before I head out. You can get this probiotic here.
I feel like I talk about this stuff all day every day. It is my go to solution for headaches, sleeplessness and #2 problems while traveling.
This sweet smelling leave in conditioner is the perfect product for curly hair while you are sipping mai tais oceanside.
Speaking of mai tais, this will help so much with the morning after results.
This moisturizer is light and healing at the same time. It feels so good after a day in the sun and perfect for humidity. Check it out here.
I haven’t used this bug repellant yet but I have heard rave reviews! I am excited to try it out. You can find out more here.
(image via here)
During the past couple of weeks I have delved pretty deeply into some serious research on hormones and all the wonderful and intricate things that entails. One very major take away that has stuck with me is that your emotional life GREATLY affects your hormones and menstrual cycle. As an example, perhaps you are feeling a creative block or stagnation in your life; it is possible that you might be having increased PMS or trouble conceiving. Another example is that you are feeling too much pressure at work to be more masculine, pressure to be a good mother, spouse, friend or employee, etc. that you develop irregular periods or extreme fatigue. Now on the surface this all seems to make sense but sometimes we want such a clinical explanation for what we experience that we do not always check in with ourselves about the blocks in our lives. I find this perspective exciting and relieving because it means what I do can really change my life and my health! Isn’t that super sweet?! Being a woman is such an amazing journey and as I get older I am trying to embrace it instead of feel ashamed of it. If you are experiencing low libido, irregular periods, PMS or menopause I have two wonderful book recommendations for you. Women Code and Woman’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. Hopefully you’ll love them as much as I do.
I have also written about this topic before in one of my favorite posts here: What Phases You?
[posted by Farrell]
photo via The Yoga Sequence
A friend of mine recently emailed me saying he was interested in starting to practice yoga but wasn’t sure which style he should pursue. As you probably already know, there are many different styles of yoga. It can be overwhelming as a beginner to figure which type will best meet your needs. Luckily, I don’t really think you need to stress this decision.
Style Seeker
All styles of yoga have the same end goal of focusing & quieting the mind, as well as promoting body and breath awareness. I primarily practice Vinyasa yoga (sometimes also called Power yoga); it is a style of Hatha yoga. Bikrim yoga (or hot yoga) is quite popular these days though personally I’m not much of a fan. Most people I know who get into Bikrim yoga like more of a hardcore workout and are motivated by the challenge and intensity of the heat. Iyengar is a practice that focuses strongly on body alignment. Ashtanga is a set sequence of poses that you work on at various levels every time you practice. Kundalini focuses on incorporating breath work and chanting. Restorative yoga is very passive and super slow moving – fabulous for relaxation and stress reduction. (This site goes into more detail on some of the different styles.)
Teacher Seeker
My main piece of advice to people just starting yoga is to find a teacher that you like. And once you do, you will be hooked! Instructors often incorporate a few different styles into their classes. But even when a class remains solely one style, the class experience can vary significantly based on the instructor. Try out a few different teachers and you’ll quickly learn what elements you most appreciate in an instructor and in a practice.
My second piece of advice for people looking to start a yoga practice (which you could somewhat infer from the first piece of advice) is to start by going to an actual class. I personally love putting on a podcast and practicing at home, but I really don’t recommend that until you’ve spent some time practicing with a good teacher who can make sure you are in safe and proper alignment. This is so important as you’re learning and will help you develop good habits and avoid injury.
First-timer
When you get to a new class, let the teacher know it’s your first time. Usually they’ll ask if there’s anything going on with your body that they should know about (injury, etc.). Don’t hesitate to talk to them about why you’re there and see what individual info or resources they can provide.
Most importantly, don’t worry about doing the poses right! The whole reason that yoga is referred to as a practice is because it is just that, a continual practice to connect with yourself and your body. It’s always going to be a little different every day.
Related posts: Eight Limbs | Home Practice Essentials | My Favorite Yoga Podcasts
[posted by Lauren]
It was incredibly gorgeous when I woke up on Saturday morning so decided to get a cup of coffee and go and spend time in one of my favorite neighborhood spots: the Liz Christy Garden. This long and narrow community garden runs the length of the avenue on Houston Street between Second Ave. and Bowery St. Living in Manhattan, it can be easy to feel removed from nature and green space; but this well-loved and beautifully gardened land reminds me that it doesn’t take much to reconnect. Life lately, along with season, has been in constant duality. The garden this weekend was a mixture of summer and fall and though we’re not quite fully in either, the days of late have been spectacular. It’s bonus season and I hope you’re enjoying its spelndor!
[posted by Lauren]
I made a pretty delicious summer meal over the weekend, if I don’t say so myself. It included a Mediterranean farro salad based off of this recipe. I really love farro for its density and slightly nutty flavor. Of course quinoa is always a great go-to grain but I think I’m going to keep branching out in my grain exploration.
After preparing the farro, I added tomatoes, sliced onion, kalamata olives and French feta cheese, which I’m not sure I’d ever had before but really made the salad. I mixed it all together with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon, salt and pepper and voilà! The salad accompanied baked salmon with a cucumber dill yogurt sauce and a glass of rosé. Summer never tasted so good!
sisterdisco.com 