Saturday, October 30, 2010

Saraswati

saraswati

roots

red leaves

wild thing

Its back to rain jackets and waterproof boots, but I can't help but fall in love with Portland in the fall all over again. Saturdays after teaching a class at noon, I usually have some time for a leisurely ride home, camera handy for a yoga photo-op or candy colored leaf pile.

Friday for Halloween at my work, the kids all dressed up, as well as most of the teachers. When I was asked why I had a red dot between my eyebrows, I responded that I was a "Yogi!" They asked what is that? I stood in tree pose, held gyan mudra and closed my eyes as I chanted: OMmmmmmm

Before leaving for work, Travis shot some pics of me in the backyard (on the sunniest day we had this week) and I photoshopped the bloody bones out of it!

Sarasvati (Sanskrit: सरस्वती sarasvatī) is the goddess of knowledge, music and the arts.  Saraswati is considered to be the "mother of the Vedas.
Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the mother of the Vedas, and chants to her, called the 'Saraswati Vandana' often begin and end Vedic lessons.
Saraswati is the daughter of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. It is believed that goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus – the symbol of true knowledge – in the second.
With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on a string instrument called the veena. She is dressed in white – the symbol of purity – and rides on a white swan – symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Night Flight

Uhhhh.... want to know what's fun?





Funstuff. Now that is what I am talking about!
After I get a couple sessions in, I'll bring a camera.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Fancy That

{giant turnip}

I harvested my final root vegetable. (I think there are some carrots sprinkled under the swiss chard canopy with no hope for sunlight.) The end of summer turnip became a kashmir curry. Now the kale remains to accompany the brussel sprouts and broccoli into early winter. Fall is drizzling through Portland, allowing bright shiny moments to pop in here and there. Green tomatoes still hang in wild bundles, poking out of orderly fences, crying for help! For sun! For summer!

My life is settling into routine, with a new addition! This week I will begin a part time office job with Street Yoga, an organization I have volunteered with for a couple years now. I look forward to this new chapter in my career, focusing on yoga with my professional skills being put to use for a great cause.

Starting a kids yoga program is one of my new dreams, as with all things, I just need to make it happen. Plan the plans, keep dreaming the dreams, making contacts and putting myself out there. I love working with pre-school and younger kids, and "playing" yoga with them would just be the best.

I am gearing up for my fall cleanse, trying to find a combination of days that don't coincide with my yoga teacher moving to Bali (!) or a monthly book club meeting with the promise of cookies, or my darling Trav's birthday!

 Here is where I get my info. Ayurvedic science recommends a simple cleanse using the detoxifying powers of ghee, combined with whole seeds and healing spices, split mung beans and rice for fast elimination which allows the digestive system to rest, renew, and restore.


The guiding principle of Ayurveda is that each person has the power to heal themselves. Now that my life is beginning to find some cohesion professionally and personally, I will be combining my loves for health, nature and life all together on this blog! Want some yoga sequences? You got it! I take requests.

love!