In the US, Labor Day weekend is upon us. Monday (Labor Day) is commonly a day off, and it’s known as the summer’s send off, where people barbecue, lounge by the pool or kick back at the beach. Ironically, it’s about not laboring. It has occurred to me that I’ve never ever had an un-laborous Labor Day weekend. It has always felt unsettled as it is a major cusp, where some things are leaving and new things are coming. There’s a subtle panic of,...
Interestingly, if you dissect the latin word for blood, which is sanguis, you get san meaning health and guis meaning to soar, so I think it’s a sign – your blood is meant for high flying health! My first acupuncture appointment was at age 30. I went to a walk-in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic that was for doctors-in-training. It was only $25, and I scraped together the funds to go. I had debilitating menstrual cramps at the time and a friend said acupuncture would “fix...
Pilates Fusion has arrived, and it’s the type of workout I teach regularly. It’s effective, it feels good, and it works for just about every body. The Pilates Method is a series or exercises, but it is also a way of looking at the physical body in both a zoomed out/big picture way, and in a zoomed in/micro-focused way. The goal of Pilates is better-ing the body. That includes better body awareness, better movement control, better balance and...
When I was a kid, whenever I stayed over at my grandma’s house in Rockville Centre New York, she’s wake up and walk to her neighborhood church, every single morning without fail. I’d scratch my head about it, because six days out of the week, there was no mass or service. She’d go regardless, service or not, and simply sit in a pew all by herself, holding her rosary beads. Church was a non-negotiable for...
The only thing playing on the TV in my household is sports – basketball, football, tennis, golf, baseball….there is always a sporting event on the screen. I’ve learned to embrace it, and I’m actually very inspired by athletes. They are outstanding examples of self-mastery. One of the most universal things among the top athletes, no matter what the sport, is they are their own best cheerleader. They give themselves a fist pump, a subtle head nod and a “Let’s...
In Italy, where I just spent 10 days, Mother Mary, the Catholic symbol of the divine feminine, is everywhere. She’s the subject of paintings, depicted in statues, and etched on walls. Her image is printed on scarves, tees and tote bags. Every single church I walked by had the image of Mother Mary near its entry. I loved being “bombarded” by Her on the street, at restaurants and cafes, in gardens and inside homes. Clearly, there’s...
I often refer to the front body as the sun and the back body as the moon. By waking up the front body you let the sun shine in and it does three immediate things: To my northern hemisphere folks, Summer Solstice Blessings to you. How about celebrating with front body extension? One caveat – it’s gotta be whole front body extension, not just your heart center. That means stretching the tops of your ankles, your quadriceps, hip flexors, and...
I’ve been on a big “nervous system kick” lately and one of the biggest enemies to a happy, healthy and regulated nervous system is a workout that is too intense. What is too intense? That’s the million dollar question and the answer is: everything and nothing! It’ll be different for each and every one of us, AND it’ll be different from one day to the next. Movement is movement. The way in which we approach movement is what makes or breaks it....
Apparently, I’m extra sensitive. I can get angry, sad and disgusted very very easily. Litter on the side of the road? Anger. An injured kitten? Sad. The ingredients in fast food? Disgusted! These “negative” emotions, when they hit me, hit me straight in the heart chakra. There’s a tightening to my chest muscles, a collapse of my posture, and a restriction in my breathing. Yup, it’s as if an arrow pierces my heart. Not coincidentally, ancient yogi’s, long long ago, named the heart region of the body “anahata”...
“We made it through another winter.” I’ve been saying that a lot – more than I have in years passed. It wasn’t a particularly “tough” winter. We didn’t have any crazy storms or too many school cancelations. I’d actually say, as far as winters go, it was uneventful. Yet, this year, I feel like I had to dig deep to survive it. I survived the lack of sun. I survived needing extra time to put...
