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everywhere everywhere
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open every search

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yesterday i went to a contemplative dance and authentic movement workshop...let's just say i had no idea what to expect. it was sort of like this: you know free writing? like putting pen to paper and not allowing pen to leave paper...just going and going, not thinking so much. imagine doing that but with movement. that's kind of what this workshop was! needless to say it was intensely raw, organic, open, emotional, awkward, scary, precious, authentic. very, very authentic. it wasn't even so much "dance" how you would think of "dance" in your mind. it was moving into stillness, seeing what came up, and then going with that. with closed eyes. with people watching you. at first that was just weird, but i had to commit to being totally open to the experience, it was that or be embarrassed and fearful. and what's fun about that? not much, just a lot of added tension that i really don't need. so i decided to be open to it all. for 3 hours i continued to surprise myself, i watched others open and take risks with their whole being, their entire heart. it was graceful and awkward and hard and soft. it really encompassed a little bit of everything and i'm so grateful for the experience. it was about getting out my head and into my body, and seeing what came up and being curious about all of it. pretty wild stuff!

Dude...Do Yoga!

Thought I'd share a great article on why yoga is for everyone...including you dudes out there. Written by NYC Yoga Instructor and founder of Core Strength Vinyasa yoga, Sadie Nardini. Love this girl! Enjoy! :)

Places of Old

So I've moved to West Chester, PA and it is everything I could have hoped for of course. I love the town and have since I went to school there (West Chester University) and graduated in 2005. It's felt like home ever since, and I am happy to be back in the area. The town is quaint with all of the restaurants and shops and sweet little buildings with so much character. It's also always buzzing with people and events and things to see. The college students are funny/annoying, a town that will never grow old (weird, right?) There's all kinds of people there, all ages, and I appreciate that. I feel honored to be able to get in my car and drive 5 minutes, park, and be out and about among the streets of this gorgeous little town. Feels right.

Drove back to Berwyn close to our most recent apartment and even though it's been so recent since we've relocated, I got the old familiar ache in my stomach. I definitely get this when I go to Ephrata or Lancaster City (not so much Lansdale, where I grew up, for some reason), and I even used to get in West Chester a little when I would visit after moving away. It's this sort of dropping of the belly, a brief pain that isn't exactly painful, just present. As I drive around I notice the houses and I think, Ok good they're still there. A little smile, a breath.

I'm like that when I "go back" and revisit these old scenes, my old homes, my past lives in some small way. Wonder if others are like that too?

New Website!

Please visit my new website and let me know what you think! :) :) :)

a class

i am surrounded by people, so a tendency to compete creeps up throughout the class, and i am again and again returning to my own breathing, my own sweat, and my physical sensation. i am in eagle pose. it's hard, really really hard to keep up with this practice. i lift my elbows, i sink my hips. i smile at myself because i used to loathe this very pose. with practice, with years of practice, i can slip in and out of balance postures with grace. i have more control over my muscles and i hear where they are going, where they want to go, where i want them to go. i find a balance within the balance. through the flow i use my arm strength, and am aware that i should use more upper back strength as well. i need this. i need chaturanga, up dog, down dog, repeat. i need to flow through these things with grace, i love it, and it's so hard. my back tells me this: do this practice 1.5 hours a day, really? that often? i need to do that, get back into that like i used to. it's hard. we start off in child's pose, and i know what's coming: the guts and the glory. it's sort of strange how at the first few sun salutations are more like eye openers, and then as i open i am faced with just plain goodness. just the link of breath with movement. when i don't practice this practice i feel it. so it's worth it, it may take a minute to admit it but it's worth it. it may be freakin hard as hell...but i love it.