Morning practice

I have found my morning yoga practice again. It changes from day to day, but the key elements are sun salutations and savasana. Sometimes that's it.


As a rider, I find the cobbler's pose (butterfly) to be really beneficial. So a typical 15-20 minute morning practice looks like this:

Nancy and Charlotte yoga/hiking in Phoenix 2010

• between 3-7 sun salutations
• savasana
• cobbler's pose (butterfly)
• incline plane
• child's pose
• camel
• child's pose
• seated spinal twist
• comfortable cross-legged position to breathe and integrate
• grasp your wrist behind you back, bend forward and remind yourself of your highest quality
• hands in prayer pose - om nama sivaya

Today I also threw a cow's head in after the spinal twist. Just do what your body calls for, but do something everyday. Even if it is just being mindful of your breath. Inhale, abdomen goes out, exhale, abdomen comes in.


If you can breathe, you can do yoga.


Namaste Nancy

your horse is not running away with you

Riding lessons are often life lessons.

I had the privilege to take lessons last year with Sonja Koch. For one lesson, I rode my friend Sheila's QH mare, Sky. I had never ridden Sky before. Sonja was helping me to ride from my seat. So I was riding squarish serpentines on a very loose rein at walk and trot. She kept telling me, "Your horse is not running away with you." Sky has a big trot and when I felt her speed up, my first instinct was to go for the reins. So Sonja would say, "Your horse is not running away with you." I took a big breath, sat deep and low and behold, Sky slowed down. "Your horse is not running away with you."

This same lesson applies to life. Your life is not running away with you.

We all complain about not having enough time in the day. Time flies. Life in the fast lane.

Just like riding, when you sit deep and breathe, suddenly life slows down. Try it. Take 5 minutes. Go somewhere quiet. Sit down, close your eyes and take a big breath or two or three.

Remind yourself that your life is not running away with you.

Life is right here, right now, just the way things are.

Namaste
Nancy

Luba feeling zen in the winter sunshine.