This Wave

"Consider all the pain and all the pleasure
You have ever experienced,
As waves on a very deep ocean which you are..."
~The Radiance Sutras, Lorin Roche, PH.D

After all the excitement of last week, I am feeling pretty under the weather with the onset of a nasty cold.
So today, I am doing my best to gracefully accept even this wave of my ocean, to embrace the full spectrum of my experience by being present with it, by being gentle with myself and by giving myself permission to be "down and out".
What are you doing today to embrace the full spectrum of your experience?

This Wave

Experiencing the Sea

{the Corwith Cramer}

On Board the Corwith Cramer
This past week, I spent my time sailing down the coast of Maine to Rhode Island on a tall ship sailing vessel called the Corwith Cramer. The Cramer belongs to the Sea Education Association, an educational sailing program that offers college students the opportunity to study at sea. My husband works for the Sea Education Association (SEA) and every year, the Cramer makes a transit from it's yard period in Rockland, Maine back to Woods Hole here on the Cape. This year, I was invited to join my husband and the crew of the Cramer to go on the transit. I was entirely nervous/excited about this experience because I had never been on a sailing vessel and never been so far out on the ocean that you can't see the shore.

{bow of the boat}

On Watch
It was a fabulous experience. I was put on a "watch" crew and every 8 to 12 hours, our watch was on deck for 4 to 6 hours, hauling sail lines, standing watch at the bow of the boat (on the look out for other boats and/or obstacles to avoid), steering and maneuvering the ship through the waves.

When we weren't "on watch", we were either eating a meal, cleaning the soles (floors) and heads (bathrooms) below deck, doing dishes in the galley (ship kitchen) or sleeping in our racks (6 foot long bunks).

{bunks in the main saloon--I slept in the one on the right!}

No Matter the Weather
The very first watch that I stood on, was especially adventurous, as we bombed through a storm. Winds, rain and waves pitched us all about, but it was actually better to be on the deck in the rain and wind then down below because the air and the ability to see the horizon line helped me not feel so sea sick.

I was wearing my father-in-law's foul weather gear (which was a bit big for me) and a harness, which could be used to clip in to lines we set up to walk from one end of the boat to the other. Waves crashed around us and sometimes spewed water onto the deck as the boat rocked back and forth and up and down. We scrabbled around the boat, putting sails up and taking them down. I didn't know what I was doing, but I just followed the directions of the amazing Mates/leaders who were in charge. It was wild and exhilarating. It was one of those experiences, were I got a glimpse of mother nature's power and realized how tiny I was in the grand scheme of things, just one little part of a much greater whole.

{looking up one of the masts}

Drawn to the Sea
We did get some beautiful weather also. I experienced a dawn watch (3am to 7am) in which the stars spread flawlessly across the sky, faded into soft grey and then spat morning pink onto the canvas of a new day.

I now have a much better understanding of what draws people to the incredible, powerful, changing, loving, energy of the sea.

{the Cramer sailing away. goodbye!}

Experiencing the Sea

Adventure

{photo credit: Chris Seward on Flickr}

"I think back when I wrote: 'Soon I will be going to sea. What will happen?' Now I know. I was about to be inspired." ~Luanne Rice

Today, I am embarking on an adventure. 

I shan't be long. 

And when I return, I'll tell you all about it!

Adventure

Big Dreams and Gratitude

I have some pretty big dreams, goals and things that I want out of my life.
These goals include (but are certainly not limited to):
*building and growing "Art Asana"
* becoming an Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher
*moving back west (for a little while at least)
*living for a year somewhere in Europe
*traveling to India again (I do after all, have to cut off my dredlock...have I told that story? Hmmm..I will..)
*(someday) having kids and building a home with my husband

For me, part of looking forward to the future and staying steady on the path to get there, is remembering the beauty and wonder that is right in front of me now and appreciating all that I have in the present moment. 

So, today I am grateful for:

*Autumn arriving in rain and a coolness that invites me to wear a sweater and drink Tulsi tea

*colorful zinnias and my blue chairs to brighten up the grey day

*Walks on the beach with my dog (which we do again, now that it's fall! It's not allowed in the summer)

*people who believe in me even when I don't believe in myself

*wonderful teachers, mentors, and friends

*good books (currently these include: Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith, Coaching the Artist Within by Eric Maisel and Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende)

*yoga students who tell me my class made a difference in their day!

*impending adventures (more on this tomorrow!)


For all this and so much more, I offer my deepest gratitude.

Big Dreams and Gratitude

Five Yoga Blogs That Rock!

This week my blog has been pretty yoga heavy, but really that is a reflection of my life this week: yoga-full! I just got back from teaching my last class of the week and I'm ready for a nap! I really do love this teaching thing. I get so riled up about yoga and the alignment and themes in my classes. So emphatic and energized, that I light up like a firefly! I get more excited talking about yoga than I do about just about anything else I might talk to people about (yup, even more than art-making, although that would definitely be a close second!) My students might even think I'm a bit crazy because of it. Hopefully they find it endearing.

{photo credit: lululemon athletica on flickr}

Luckily, I'm not alone in my enthusiasm. Recently, I've gotten a lot of inspiration and enjoyment out of reading yoga blogs. I've listed some other ones in a past post, but here are five new ones that I've been enjoying:

1. Yoga G33K
I love the quirky, down to earth approach to yoga talk and life at Yoga G33K, which they pronounce yoga "geek". Right away I felt at home visiting this blog. Plus, I have a little bit of blog envy about her snazzy wordpress theme background!

2. Bernie Birney
Bernie is a certified Anusara Yoga teacher and I find out about her blog via the Anusara Facebook newsfeed (a inspiring source of quotes and information, if your feeling like a new FB friend). Bernie makes me laugh, she's a slight bit sarcastic, and was once called an "anti-yoga teacher" (as she says in today's post), yet she still hits on deep, fundamental, life-altering truths in a way that is real, raw and absolutely beautiful. She's also just recently committed to writing on her blog daily. So I will be committing to reading it daily!

3. Bay Shakti
Another Anusara yoga resource (I can't help it, I love Anusara!), Bay Shakti is a blog that is actually dedicated to the Anusara community in the "Bay Area" of San Francisco. It features interviews with teachers from the Bay area and discusses events that are going on there. Even though I live quite far from the Bay area (give or take 2,000 miles), I still enjoy what they have to offer! I'm even going to use their most recent interview with teacher Darcy Lyon about her art and it's relation to yoga, in my graduate study research!

4. Naturally Nina
Naturally Nina was introduced to me by a friend from college (and reader of this blog---Hi K!). Nina, just married the brother of another guy my friend and I know from St. Lawrence. (It's like one of those sixth degrees of separation kind of things). She also happens to have a beautiful blog where she writes about her life and yoga practice. She just recently completed a yoga teacher training at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health (another place that I have deep love and respect for---but that's another story for another day). She writes in these beautiful little snap shops, a few sentences that paint a whole picture! (This is a quality I would like to develop in my own blog writing!)

5. Neesha's Blog

Neesha Zollinger's Blog is a brand new blog (She started September 17th!), but I can't wait to see where she goes with it. So far, she's shared some insights into Anusara yoga in a beautiful, poetic way. She is a fabulous teacher and a warm, engaging writer, so I'm exited to follow along with her on this new blogging adventure. Neesha was my very first Anusara yoga teacher when I lived out in Jackson Hole, WY. I had no idea then what an impact this yoga would have on my life. No idea that it was the beginning of something magical. I am grateful to Neesha for introducing it to me.

So that's it!
Happy Reading! Happy Friday! Happy Weekend!

**********

P.S I have decided to implement a new format for my newsletter, making it short, sweet and weekly. And of course whenever change presents itself, instinctually, I want to run and hide. Fear streaks through me and I procrastinate like crazy. I've been meaning to write the newsletter all week, but I keep holding myself back. But today, I'm going for it.


I'm stating it here on the blog, that by 8am this evening, my newsletter will be in your inbox!

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Five Yoga Blogs That Rock!