Posts Tagged ‘yoga’

It’s been an interesting year. Two years ago this time, I looked at my blog and was 200 posts away from 1000. I thought no problem, I can do that easily. Well, I am still about 185 posts away from 1000. Life really has gotten in the way, with illness, depression, and a sense of disequilibrium. It has taken a while to determine what paths I will be following.

It is also ironic that while I haven’t written many blog posts, I have written 110,000 words in a novel. This has been ongoing since August of 2013. I am nearing the end of what looks to be volume one of a trilogy. It is my way of processing political events in this country and trying to deal with how this country is changing. It has meant some interesting research (what is the saying about a true friend? One who will clean out your browser history after you die?). I’ve delved into some pretty terrible things on human trafficking, read lots of government reports, and overall tried to get up to speed on policy that I haven’t spent much time caring about in the past. It will be interesting to see if I can find a publisher….in the meantime, I have started a webpage for the book: http://the-secession-wars.webnode.com/. This is very much a work in progress, and I want to include writing tips as I finish up the novel.

I’m doing a lot of quilting. I’ve been slowly moving away from the marbling business, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. We still enjoy marbling, but the business end of it is tedious. I have lots of projects using the fabrics I have, but not the energy to do anything. I have been quilting other projects, and I have four commissions for quilts lined up: for a good friend, for a new baby,
for my yoga instructor, and for my great niece. I made the commitment to myself that when each of my eight great nieces and nephews turn 13, I will gift them a quilt. Gracie is the oldest, and she turns 13 this August. I want to have the quilt finished for when we move back east and stop to see them on the way. I found a great fleece in her favorite color for the backing, so that’s in the queue.

I’ve also taken up sketching again, through a couple of Craftsy classes. I did some sketching on the road this summer, but I want to make this a regular habit. Pen and ink has always been my medium (and charcoal, too), which is probably why I took to zentangles so quickly.

I have joined a weekly writing group to make my writing more of a regular practice. We meet for two hours and just write – a brief statement of intentions from each person in the group, and then it is total silence for writing. It’s been great, and I think it will get me back to blogging on a regular basis.

So this is a quick catch-up, more so for myself, as I look back on what has happened over the last years.

Till next time…..

It’s been nearly a year since blogging, business, and all things related to blogging suddenly lost their interest. Not really quite sure why, but I know I did miss the blogging. I guess it’s just one of those “life got in the way” kind of situations. But I have been doing things.

Recently I’ve been a math consultant, and I have learned a great deal. One, I’m not 50 anymore, and this back to part-time – although full-time days – has really taken its toll physically and mentally. Once again there was no time for any serious art. Even the commission I had been working on took a back seat, and I expect to get back to that in the next few days. In no way would I want to be a math teacher these days, regardless of the level. The amount of stress on teachers has grown to absurd proportions, what with mandatory state tests…and now field testing new tests – and of course spending an obscene amount of money in the process, because heaven forbid we should believe the teachers when they tell us how well students are doing. (Insert deep breath to end rant….) The major test/book publisher/supposed guru of all things education is really evil incarnate. Yes, Pearson, I’m talking about you. These guys have so much control over textbooks, types of testing for teachers, student testing, access to materials that it is ridiculous.

So, about my commission. Thread work on the seven chakras for my yoga instructor. I have three done, and they will become patterns. The ones I am doing are all 24 x 24 inches, and they will surround the walls of her yoga studio. Here’s a peek:

First Chakra

Second Chakra

Third Chakra

Managed our first trip to the Botanical Gardens this year, and I focused in on texture. Then I used this great app for the iPad called Photogrid, and I made a few collages. Love the app!

More coming as I get back in the swing of life!

  I am so enjoying my yoga lessons….I think I have finally found the exercise that will work for me. Over this week I’ve been actually sitting on the floor for meditation, instead of a chair, as well as doing some other leg exercises during the day. I am managing yoga breathing/meditation each day, and it is certainly starting my day off pretty well. I am concentrating on positive affirmations about restraining the calorie count.

My goal for today was to walk to yoga, which is a little over a mile. I am trying to do my part for the environment. So I’m up earlier, sunscreen on my face, spray suntan lotion on my arms, and regular shorts – I don’t want to walk in black pants, since today is supposed to be the hottest day so far – upper 90s. I get there, feeling oh so proud of myself. Turns out I already have fatigued the muscles, and they really don’t want to cooperate. I am huffing and puffing and doing less than I usually do. Plus….since I am sweating, the suntan lotion is keeping me from holding on to my legs for stretches. I am pooped.

So obviously the walking TO yoga isn’t going to work for a while. When the weather gets back to normal for this time of year (80s) I will try walking home. We worked on warrior one poses, as I am having trouble with balance, as well as a few new tai chi moves. I am finding some interesting things going on with my body. My shorts  are now tight in the abdomen when they weren’t before, and they are very loose in the waist. I am also getting a bit of a “ski jump” butt, which has never happened before. Oh, yes, and perky boobs…..been decades since that happened.

We spent some time analyzing the why’s and wherefore’s. Seems that as my posture has improved significantly, my boobs have begun defying gravity…..that and thanks to a better bra and open shoulders. And as I do more hip opener exercises, my hips are pushing my butt back, so it looks more rounded and “hilly.” Hmmmm…….

I definitely feel better, have regained my long and somewhat slimmer neck, have a waist returning,  have really strong toes, and my knees don’t hurt as much. And I’m down four pounds in the last 10 days. I know it’s mostly water to start, but it’s motivation to keep on going.

And the answer is, “The one weight loss activity that will actually work for you.”

Insert Da-da – da-da………

What is yoga?

Correct for $2000.

Who knew? After years of trying just about everything, I finally started some private yoga lessons. I just had my fifth lesson, and already I am feeling a huge difference in attitude, appetite, and flexibility. I’ve looked for years, and with the vision and balance issues, I was beginning to despair. I was tired of counting calories and hating the way I looked. It was so much negative energy all the time. Years ago I bought “Yoga for Dummies.” Lots about philosophy, but nothing about the actual practice or poses. In January I finally said, this has got to be the year that I either succeed, or give it up entirely. I am tired of wasting so much energy on this.

I started with basic breathing with my first lesson, and for three weeks I worked up to 20 minutes of meditation and breathing. How wonderfully calming. I wasn’t able to continue with the first teacher because of cost. My friend recommended another woman, my age, who looked 20 years younger. We traded art work for lessons. She has me doing things I never thought I would be able to do after only four hours.

And I’m not sore. Not like using weights and attempting bad aerobics. I can feel the stretches, but it is a very good feeling. I did make a visit to the chiropractor, as my knee was bothering me. Turns out two lessons, and my gait was corrected – walking with one foot turned out since ankle surgery. Well, once the gait was corrected, the knee evidently said, What about me? So we fixed the knee alignment and the problem that caused with the rib cage alignment.

Now I’m working on opening the chest, opening the hips – no more sitting in a chair to meditate. I’m actually getting down on the floor – and back up again, although not nearly as gracefully as I would like. But the fact remains I haven’t been able to do that in about a decade. Now I find myself doing stretches at odd moments during the day, stopping when I’m walking to do a series of movements.

Best of all, a friend commented that she can see a huge difference in how I hold myself after just these three weeks. And she said I look younger, too.

How can you argue with that? Plus……I’m not munching and eating all the time. Part of that is stress over our living situation (yes, we’re moving again…..), but it’s nice to not be eating all the time and then hating myself for it. I can’t remember a time in the last 40 years when I wasn’t obsessing over food and calories. And I gotta tell ya, I don’t miss that part at all. I also have two blouses that no longer gap when I button them…..can’t wait for the pants to start showing it!