MAY NEWSLETTER
*please watch for our June newsletter coming on June 10!
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!
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.
Springtime in Montana
Being newly transplanted to Big Sky country from the big city of Washington, DC, I was wondering if it would still be snowing here in May.
Not so - we've got perfect, sunny days and a nice cool off in the evenings. Comfortable is not really a word I ever used to describe the weather back in DC, but it certainly fits well here.
There are babies everywhere - baby cows, baby sheep, baby buffalo. You can really sense the earth waking up from winter, stretching out and getting ready to grow into the lushness of summertime. Being so tuned in to nature is all new to me and I can definitely feel it affecting my habitual patterns. Getting out of bed early isn't so painful when it gets light at 5:30 am; a cue we've been following for dinnertime is when the deer come down into our backyard for theirs; we've put away the skis and I've taken up horseback riding lessons. It all feels really natural. We become more aware of the importance of honoring our natural body rhythms in the spring - that fresh energy we feel that is typically the cause of "spring fever" is tied to the ancient rhythm of the awakening earth (even if you are living in the concrete jungle). The shifting of every season is a wonder, and it's so comforting to find rituals that accompany these changes and give them personal meaning. Two of my favorite things in the whole world - yoga and food - are amazing areas to discover rituals that vary with the season. I adore getting iced coffee when the temperature rises; I explore ways to slow down my yoga practice since I don't need to build as much heat on my own. Your body welcomes these adjustments. So roll with the season and order that grande iced latte. (No Starbucks here in Bozeman was a source of worry
pre-move - but I am happy to report that the local coffee entrepreneurs are even better! If you are a Starbucks addict, do yourself a favor and check out a local coffee shop - you might like it better and you'll be supporting a small biz.)
Speaking of yoga and food: here's our recommended recipe and yoga pose of the month.
RECIPE - even if we are pretty good about eating healthy, it's easy to get stuck in a rut. Jazz things up with fresh spring flavors and textures, as found in this quick and simple pasta and chicken dish, my new spring favorites:
Spicy Spinach Linguine
with Basil
12 oz spinach linguine
6 tablespoons xtra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh basil
4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups grated pecorino romano cheese
Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup basil, garlic, and crushed red pepper; stir 1 minute. Add wine and boil until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add mixture from skillet, other 1/2 cup basil, and half of cheese to pasta. Toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved liquid if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Lemony Chicken Milanese
1 pound boneless chicken breasts
2 large eggs
1 cup Japanese panko (breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Flatten chicken between sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet, to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Mix panko, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in another bowl. Dip chicken in eggs and then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating completely. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice. Serve with spicy spinach linguine.
*Coming in the June newsletter: watch for a summer recipe and wine pairing from Chef Scott at the Big EZ, our retreat location!
POSE - viparita karani, or legs up the wall, is a wonderful restorative pose that will help harness some of that spring fever energy. As the weather gets warmer, calming and cooling postures will be helpful to incorporate into your practice. Do viparita karani in the evenings as part of your wind-down routine; it will settle your energy and your mind and transition you towards bedtime.
HOW - stand with your side against a wall so that your shoulder is touching it. Sit down, maintaining that close connection to the wall. In one movement, swing your legs gently up the wall and lay your torso down on the floor. You will then need to shift your hips away from the wall a few inches; experiment with a positon that feels right for you. If you have tight hamstrings or lower back issues, you may put a folded up blanket underneat your hips (as in photo). Once you get settled, make sure that you have some distance between your feet and take your arms away from your body, palms up. Let your head rock gently from side to side; bring it back to center and close your eyes. Stay here anywhere from 5-15 minutes, focusing your attention on your breath.
HEALTH TIP - get outside. It's that simple. When I lived and worked in NYC, I would take the elevator down 20+ floors just to take a walk around the block to soothe frazzled nerves. If it can work in the middle of Manhattan, it can work pretty much anywhere. Walk around the block, or find a quiet spot to sit where you can feel the expansive space above your head - nothing between you and the sky. It's these little connections with the greater universe that add up and contribute to our overall well-being. Believe in it, subscribe to it, make it true.
Happy spring fever!
Namaste,
Margaret
Newsletter archives:
May 2007
June 2007
July/August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007