JULY-AUGUST NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the Big Sky Yoga Retreats monthly newsletter! We've got lots of exciting things planned, including full yoga class podcasts - so keep watching this space! We're doing one late summer newsletter and will have new features for the sept edition.
Like our retreats, the newsletter will offer you the best seasonal selections for yoga and health tips that you can use everyday. While coming on a retreat is the ultimate gift you can give yourself, people always wonder how they can bring some of the benefits home too. That's what our newsletter is all about.
Montana Musings - Moonlight on the Madison
Recently returned from a whirlwind 4th of July that included a family wedding in Missoula, MT. It was great to see friends from DC out here in Montana, and share an amazing experience with a few of them at Moonlight on the Madison - premier ski resort Moonlight Basin's "camping in rustic luxury". And that it was - while I am not a big fan of camping, this was exactly my speed. Camp consisted of cozy riverside cabins and a gourmet dinner awaited us after we played in the river and spent some time doing, well, nothing but taking in the stunning surroundings.
The world we live in doesn't offer many opportunities to truly disconnect. There are so many distractions, both good and bad. Sometimes when you have a free moment, and I mean a REAL free moment, do you experience that twitchy sensation of wondering, what do I do next? In what direction do I hurl my energies? We're so accustomed to moving through our days and weeks at warp speed that when we actually have that coveted down time, we aren't exactly sure what to do with ourselves. It can feel uncomfortable. But this is what we need and crave, one of the goals of our yoga practice - to have that uninterrupted, calm state of mind when we are just being in the world. Being vs. doing. Easier said than done! Sometimes it requires going to a place where there isn't a computer or internet connection and our cell phone doesn't work (and we all did check!). At luxury camp we fell asleep to the sound of the river moving over the rocks; how pleasant and idyllic that sounds, almost cliched - but as I listened I considered what a metaphor it is for our life and living in the present moment. Always in motion, flowing through and over the experiences of our lives. How helpful this image can be when we get stuck in a certain thought pattern or situation - we need to remind ourselves to keep flowing, like water.
Summer is a great time to slow down and take time to disconnect. Make the extra effort to do so - refrain from checking your email as often, turn off your cell phone for a day. Chances are you won't miss out on anything too important anyway. Freeing up that space can provide the chance to notice things that would ordinarily go unnoticed. Next time you are in yoga class and find yourself thinking about your after-yoga plans, remind yourself that one of the main reasons we do yoga is to escape that type of repetitive thinking, which takes us away from the present moment. So enjoy the present moment. Yes, it's not always easy or possible, but the effort will pay off. Your body and mind will thank you. Above: my daughter Morgane, living in the present moment as a cowgirl at camp.
Here's our recommended recipe and yoga pose, keeping things simple for summer:
RECIPE - Basil is my favorite herb. It smells great, tastes even better, and has plenty of health benefits to boot: it's a superb source of vitamin A, potassium and magnesium, and even has anti-bacterial properties. More info on basil's health benefits.
Pesto is my favorite summertime dinner - it's easy, it's fast, it's fresh. If you buy that giant basil bunch at your local farmers' market, make an extra batch to freeze.
2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
*Cook's Notes:
The quality of the olive oil really influences the outcome, so splurge on a good bottle of extra virgin.
Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes (keep an eye on them, they can burn fast), or place them in an oven at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes.
In a food processor, process the basil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper until almost smooth. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream and mix until completely combined. Stir in cheese. Mix with a pound of your favorite pasta. Tastes best at room temperature.
POSE - adho mukha vrksasana, or handstand, might seem overwhelming. But there are a few options here so bear with me. I chose this pose because in my opinion, if you can only do one yoga asana, this is the one that will really make a difference both physically and mentally. During my recent summer vacation with toddler in tow and a big family wedding (so does that really count as vacation??) I could not make time for practice - so a daily handstand kept me feeling connected and energized. It works to calm frazzled nerves or kick-start sluggishness, which I find amazing. Don't be intimidated by this fabulous picture of Georgetown Yoga manager Liana doing handstand in the middle of the room - we'll use a wall! (and for the record, I myself will always use a wall.)
HOW - since this pose requires precise instruction, here are the best ones I've found, courtesy of Yoga Journal
1. Perform Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) with your fingertips an inch or two away from a wall, hands shoulder-width. If your shoulders are tight, turn your index fingers out slightly; otherwise arrange them parallel to each other. If you’re uneasy about this pose, you’re not alone. To ready yourself for and secure yourself in this inversion, firm your shoulder blades against your back torso and pull them toward your tailbone. Then rotate your upper arms outward, to keep the shoulder blades broad, and hug your outer arms inward. Finally spread your palms and press the bases of the index fingers firmly against the floor.
2. Now bend one knee and step the foot in, closer to the wall (we’ll say it’s the left leg), but keep the other (i.e. right) leg active by extending through the heel. Then take a few practice hops before you try to launch yourself upside down. Sweep your right leg through a wide arc toward the wall and kick your left foot off the floor, immediately pushing through the heel to straighten the left knee. As both legs come off the ground, engage your deep core abdominal muscles to help lift your hips over your shoulders. Hop up and down like this several times, each time pushing off the floor a little higher. Exhale deeply each time you hop.
3. Hopping up and down like this may be all you can manage for now. Regularly practice strengthening poses, like Adho Mukha Svanasana and Plank Pose. Eventually you’ll be able to kick all the way into the pose. At first your heels may crash into the wall, but again with more practice you’ll be able to swing your heels up lightly to the wall.
4. If your armpits and groins are tight, your lower back may be deeply arched. To lengthen this area, draw your front ribs into your torso, reach your tailbone toward your heels, and slide your heels higher up the wall. Squeeze the outer legs together and roll the thighs in. Hang your head from a spot between your shoulder blades and gaze out into the center of the room.
5. To start stay in the pose 10 to 15 seconds, breathing deeply. Gradually work your way up to 1 minute. When you come down, be sure not to sink onto the shoulders. Keep your shoulder blades lifted and broad, and take one foot down at a time, each time with an exhalation. Stand in Uttanasana for 30 seconds to 1 minute. We tend to kick up with the same leg all the time: be sure to alternate your kicking leg, one day right, next day left.
HEALTH TIP - stop multi-tasking. Slow down and focus on one thing at a time. I'm not asking you to give it up completely (if I were to do so, I wouldn't get much done) - but experiment and notice the level of calm a one-pointed focus can bring.
Here's to a simple summer. Stay cool.
Namaste,
Margaret
COMING SOON: yoga & horseback riding part II, seane corn chakra retreat
Newsletter archives:
May 2007
June 2007
July/August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007