Let's Squat

How often do you hear that? Many of my retreat students have expressed gratitude for awakening them to the benefits of a simple squat. It's not fancy. It's not even pretty. But its benefits go on and on. So, let's celebrate the squat. And I guess I should feel honored that a squat reminds my students of me.

Years ago at my yoga studio, I used to tell my beginners to do this pose while they watched tv, 5 minutes a day for a week straight. But you don't have to be a beginner to get results from this. The more you squat, the more you release tension in the low back and hips. Sitting in chairs makes this pose challenging, especially for those who do nothing besides sit with a little walking around in between. Think about it: most of the non-Western world hangs out in a squat. And I'm pretty sure they have less trouble with their backs and hips as a result. The squat is a great antidote to our sedentary society. Find ways you can incorporate a squat into your day. Trust me, the tv thing really works.

Stand with your feet wide apart, toes turned out slightly. Keeping your spine straight, lower your hips down as far as they will go. You may have to take your hands to the floor to help you balance, but take the weight towards the heels as much as possible.

Adjust your feet width and toe turnout as necessary, but don't allow either to turn out farther than 45 degrees. Your knees should line up over your toes. If your heels don't touch the ground, roll up a yoga mat, towel or blanket to put under them; release them completely so you aren't taking weight towards the balls of your feet. Make sure any heel support isn't too high, and work towards lowering it as your calf muscles open more.

With your hands at heart center, use your elbows to gently press your knees open. Lift your chest into your thumbs to lengthen your spine. Stay here and breathe. Work up to 3-5 minutes. Every day.

KiraGrace Goddess Love for Cowgirls vs. Cancer

I don't even know where to start, so much to share. Lack of recent blogging overwhelmeth. We ended retreat season with 4 weekends in a row, so now I will have time to spend on here reflecting on the many wonderful things that went down. I'm looking forward to shifting gears.

I'm thinking that the best place to start is with Cowgirls vs. Cancer. We've started taking nominations for our 2015 program during October, which is breast cancer awareness month. Next year will be our 6th year for Healing with Horses & Yoga, and the 4th time that we are able to dedicate an entire retreat to scholarship recipients. During October, breast cancer awareness month, we are accepting nominations for 2015 cancer kickin' cowgirls. If you or someone you know is a breast cancer survivor, share your story with us -We'll be taking nominations until November 15, 2014. And this year...we are partnering with Old Gringo to give a pair of cancer kickin' cowgirl boots to two women currently in treatment for breast cancer. We'll be taking nominations for that through December 31, 2014

Our own Lisa is a KiraGrace Warrior, so it's her we have to thank for this fun fundraising opportunity. She is wearing the Goddess top here (in coral - don't forget to think pink for October), at Cowgirl Yogatography, our last retreat of the 2014 season last weekend.

ReTreat Yourself

Shit just got real this week, right? Only 7 days till Christmas. Have you finished all your shopping yet? Have you even started it...? Or even more importantly (to the tune of Janet J. circa mid 80s), what have you done for yourself lately?
If you're considering joining us for a retreat, now's a great time to treat yourself. Or let Santa know that it's on your short list. Book any 2015 retreat in December, and we'll have a JADE Yoga mat waiting for you here in Montana.

Want some instant gratification? If you make a retreat deposit this month, we'll also send you a deluxe sample of my latest obsession, Chocolate Peppermint Patty tea from our new partner The Tea Spot. I took a poll on what yoga pose this tea might inspire one to do...but I myself decided on scorpion pose, vrschikasana. Because I feel like I have been working on it for years, and need a kick in the pants to keep doing so. (I was convinced my feet were closer to my head! Think I need more Chocolate Peppermint Patty tea...)

Do some shopping at The Tea Spot and get 20% off with the code BIGSKYYOGA. Be sure to get the new poetry tea traveler (pictured at left) to sip from...order one for yourself and another for a gift. I'm giving quite a few this year!
A yoga retreat to look forward to next year, a new yoga mat, and tea + poetry. How could you not be inspired to reTreat yourself?
Happy and healthy Holidays from Montana!

Be Inspired

Where have I been? Somewhat scattered about. Trying to pull it all together as we hurtle towards the end of 2014, which always seems to be The. Deadline. for. everything. Then I got hit with the cold that won't go away, and many of the threads I was trying to weave together got loose and frayed. I'm not on time and I'm not prepared. I was late for an appointment yesterday, and hadn't even gotten dressed yet. I opened up my drawer and there was a shirt on top, with the word "Inspire" across the front. It was a gift. I threw it on and rushed out the door.

I might have forgotten all about this moment, this word I was wearing, as I moved through the rest of my day. But I didn't. I kept thinking about it: Inspire. Isn't that part of what this season is about, what we are always looking for? To be inspired. I'm not usually one to wear shirts like this. I'm a realist, to a fault. I would think I might feel a tad insincere wearing something that demands an ongoing positive vibe, since I don't think I can live up to Inspire, all the time.

And then I had this shirt on for a picture, unintentionally. When I first saw it, I noticed that my hands had not quite come together yet for anjali mudra. And looking at this picture, I suddenly felt strongly that there was something in that small space - something big. And that I was lucky to be holding it there, between my hands.

This morning I went to the dress rehearsal for the Bozeman Symphony's holiday concert. The star of the show, a trumpet player, talked about his battle with cancer and how during treatment, he focused on "having something in front of him" - for him, that was his music, and the plan to get back on stage again. He needed to be inspired. I was moved to tears. I thought about the last few weeks, during which I felt a wide range of emotions as I went through the process of selecting our 2015 Cowgirls vs. Cancer scholarship recipients. I fretted, I felt torn, I second-guessed myself. I wished we could bring every single woman who was nominated out on retreat. I didn't feel inspired, I felt defeated, having to choose.

But at today's concert I was reminded of the flip side of my recent struggle: Cowgirls vs. Cancer will bring 10 women to Montana next year. That's 10 people who have struggled with a hell of a lot more than I ever have. That's 10 people to whom I had the good fortune to send a gift this season - what I hope will be a life-changing retreat. What I hope will be an inspiration to focus on their own health and well-being. 

And I felt...inspired. That space between my hands may be small, but it has a lot of potential to hold that word. To allow it to blossom around me, with the help of others who understand that we need each other to be inspired. We hold this potential, and have the ability to give and receive it.

Yoga + Tea Time

So remember a few months ago when I said I was going to convert from coffee to tea? How's that going, you ask? Well. I can't say that it's been a seamless transition, but then it occurred to me that it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. I was worried that being a tea or coffee person is sort of like being a dog or cat person - you're pretty much one or the other. Now I know that's not necessarily true. And while I do love my latte...I feel something that runs deeper in my new love affair with tea. It's been brewing all along (forgive the pun), but our new partner The Tea Spot has truly awakened it.

Naturally, I am intrigued by the connection between yoga and tea - both are mystical and medicinal. Both are special practices that take the yogi/tea drinker away from the daily grind (oh nooooooo...now a coffee pun) for a soothing break. Consider all the yoga studios that serve tea to help transition from yoga-land back into the cold, hard world off the mat. Lululemon made a "tea lounge" pant. I have them.

The ancient roots of tea ceremonies all over the world lie in ritual. On our visits to Japan and Morocco, we were fascinated by the intricacies and history of their tea ceremonies. My daughter even learned to pour mint tea from up high, to properly aerate it (plus it looks cool), as they do in Morocco. The many practices of yoga - asana, pranayama, chanting - are also rituals with ancient roots. We are drawn to the comfort of our modern rituals - of laying out our yoga mat, lighting a candle, wearing our favorite yoga pants. Of carefully and thoughtfully preparing a cup of tea. Our rituals of yoga and tea shouldn't be rush jobs, because they slow us down in a good way. In a way we deeply crave, that returns to ancient roots.

There are tomes of information on the health benefits of tea. Knowledge of this dates back to the beginning of tea; we have simply updated it to accommodate modern medicine. In a nutshell, from The Tea Spot's website: Studies conducted around the world have shown that tea drinking might protect against such serious diseases as strokes, cancer, and heart disease, as well as boost memory, immunity, stress relief, skin health, and weight loss. Take some time exploring the many benefits by chemistry, function and organ, and tea type. The Tea Spot was founded in 2004 by Maria Uspenski, a cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of tea during her recovery; 10% of their sales are donated in-kind to cancer wellness and community programs (Cowgirls vs. Cancer is one of the lucky recipients). A Japanese monk wrote in 1211: Tea is a miraculous medicine for the maintenance of health...Tea is the elixir that creates the mountain-dwelling immortal. Sign me up for that.

Then there is the connection between people. I've always felt that the word connection is infused with power - it sounds straightforward vs. esoteric or exotic, even slightly mathematical. I keep coming back to it again and again; if I had to use one word to describe the source of my own inspiration, it would be connection. Tea ceremonies have connected people for millennia. So has the practice of yoga. So it seems fairly obvious that yoga + tea = more than bliss (as The Tea Spot founder Maria previously stated in her interview with me)...it = connection too. The aptly named Meditative Mind became our retreat ritual this season; I watched people sipping it before yoga, after yoga, in between yoga. It connected the yoga. It connected the people sipping it.

Cowgirl Yogatography 2014 - two spots left

October is just around the corner and we are three short weeks from the second Yogatography Retreat at the amazing Double T River Ranch. I can't wait to see what magical moments will be had this year. Last year's retreat was one of the most creative and exciting times of my year! And, I fully intend this one to be no different in that regard…ONLY BETTER!

If you are contemplating leaping for one of the last two spots available, I want to encourage you - jump in, the water is fine! Don't be shy, you will be in great company. We will start with a healthy dose of camera 101 and quickly mix in some creative exercises, assignments and morning meditation that will free up your brain and spirit to inspire your photography, regardless of your skill level. I will be striving to keep up with the yoga classes, and... believe me, that will level the playing field. Baby yoga steps for me!
And if you need a little more inspiration, here are some images that I grabbed during last year's retreat. Please join us for the second annual Yogatography Retreat in Montana. These are images I captured in between the teaching and the yoga - the image at left was an assignment that the attendees conjured up for me.

Hiking recovery - Feel the OO

My feet have been on my mind a lot lately, after all this hiking. I have a bit of an obsession with footwear, which is ironic since I spend a lot of time in bare feet on my yoga mat. Off the mat, I prefer cowgirl boots, anything with good arch support, and I must - I repeat, must - wear slippers around the house. As someone who appreciates fancy footwear, I also own a lot of flip flops for this purpose.

A few months ago, I tried a pair of OOFOS slip ons. I pretty much haven't stopped wearing them since. With their cushioning and arch support, it feels like a foot massage every time I come home and take off my shoes. After hiking, the relief they have provided my feet has actually made me say "OO"...the OOFOS motto "Feel the OO" might seem a bit silly, but they aren't kidding. I'm thinking about adding them to our Yoga & Hiking retreat goodie bags.

Lili yoga

I recently had an epiphany: our dog Lola is old, we lost our boy Rocco last spring, and I realized how profoundly I will feel her loss when she leaves us. She was our first baby. She's doing fine, aging gracefully, but she has already outlived all expectations. I told husband we must have dog overlap. We started researching, perusing websites, flirting with the idea of - gasp - a puppy. I envisioned myself taking a dog out in the middle of the night. Ack. I envisioned doing this under a canopy of Big Sky stars. Aaahhhhhh.

And there it was: a listing for an English Mastiff puppy. Bam. It all happened so fast. I truly believe that sometimes you aren't even making the decisions, Someone or Something is guiding your hand. Our last puppy experience was a real nightmare, and we found her another home. It was not a good match. I think that getting a dog can be like choosing a yoga style - pick the wrong one and you might be scared away for awhile (i.e., me practicing Iyengar: NOT). I adore dogs but I couldn't face the prospect of one chewing on our walls again. The more I read about the English Mastiff breed, the more I knew it was a fit. A huge, slightly slothful snuggler. Everyone keeps asking me if I realize how BIG this puppy will get. Yes, I reply, and we are thrilled. She will be a Montana-sized dog, for sure.

Lili has only been in our lives a little over a week, and we are completely smitten. I would do anything for her. I just want to absorb as much of her puppy joy as I can and sprinkle it all over everything. She has melded into our daily lives without much trouble at all. I worried I didn't have time. I now know that you can always find time for more joy, love and caring for others - people and animals. I am reminded of these ties that bind us all. And I am grateful. Welcome to our family, Lili. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu - may all beings everywhere be happy and free.

A Side of Yoga

You forward bend, you backbend, but what about going sideways on your mat? Some sideways yoga is a great way to freshen up your practice this spring. We don’t often think about being tense in our sides, but like every other nook and cranny of our body, they accumulate tension and stress. The good news is the side body responds quickly to lengthening and opening up those spaces, and doing so improves how you carry yourself and how you breathe.

Side bends can be surprisingly intense, so take your time taking your body from right to left. Learn my favorite sideways yoga - including Vishnu's Couch (bottom pic), which I adore for more than its name - in my latest tutorial on the Athleta Chi, A Side of Yoga. Happy spring!