Getting my groove back

It's been some time, hasn't it? It's amazing how much I find myself missing this blog, and blogging in general - it was such a huge part of my life for such a long time and then it just sort of.. faded away. Writing has always been an enjoyable hobby and outlet for me, and I hate that I let it get away from me for so long!!

So much has happened in this past year, and while I don't want to dwell on it, I also think it's important to finally put it into words at some point. The good, the bad, the ugly. It's all important and it's all a part of what has shaped me into the person I am today.

I find it appropriate that my last post on here was about my arrow tattoo. Whether it was apparent to anyone else at the time or not, that tattoo and its symbology went deeper than anyone could imagine. It was and remains to this day one of my most beloved, a true symbol of the time and what was to come.

An arrow can only be shot by pulling backward; when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it is merely getting ready to launch you into something great.

Here's the deal (abridged): Scot and I had been going through some rough spots for a while. And things kept getting worse. Momentarily better.. and then even worse than before. And in my heart of hearts, where I hoped that the things dragging me back would eventually heal my relationship and marriage, I didn't know which way was up. Didn't know where I was headed, what was about to happen, or how I would possibly get through it. And we took some time apart, which turned into a legal separation, which is now an almost-final divorce.

Phew.

So that happened (is happening). And while leaving a crumbling marriage was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, it was also for the best. I wasn't happy. Things weren't right. The magic and the trust that once blessed our relationship was gone. Don't get me wrong - we tried - we tried pretty much everything. And I'll get into some of that eventually. But maybe some things just aren't meant to be.

Let's be honest - there are absolutely times where I miss him, and I miss what we once had - is it possible not to? It's easy to remember the good things. But I am also proud of where I am and who I've become since then, honestly, as a result of it all. The same way our relationship helped shaped my life, so has our breakup. It's all a part of life.

So that's that (well, sort of). Things are definitely different from the last time I shared a bit on here. But that's just how it is.. 2 things are certain in life: death, and change. Might as well embrace it.

Keep smiling, keep trucking' along.. we'll all get there someday. Peace and love, chickadees.
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Open Hearts

Over the past few months, I have found myself rediscovering my gratitude and passion for yoga. As a former professional dancer, I thrive on movement - and while yoga never played a starring role in my life, it was always a strong supporter. Since I  left the dance world and became a massage therapist, however, it has suddenly become something that I not only need, but that I thrive and flourish on - something that supports and nurtures me both physically and spiritually.

Some of my favorite postures as of late have been different types of heart openers - extremely fitting, seeing as Valentine's Day is right around the corner! In an effort to share a bit about these poses with you, I reached out to one of my favorite teachers, Leslie Edsall, for some further insight. Seeing as she described everything I wanted to talk about with such grace and depth, I figure that I'll let her do the talking. (Hey.. I'll do the poses!)

"In order to give, one must have a willingness to receive. In order to receive, one must have a willingness to give. Inhale (receive). Exhale (give). Inhale (opening up) Exhale (folding in). In yoga, we can access this source of giving through the heart center (heart chakra), a place that fosters compassion toward one’s self and toward others. This is the largest benefit of heart openers, but the effects of the postural alignment is also profound. Heart openers help to reduce chronic neck and shoulder pain, typically due to at length sitting and driving. Students can use heart openers to bring the upper body and head back in to alignment over the hips and knees; therefore, improving the energy flow (prana) throughout the body while increasing the lung capacity, taking in full body breaths (pranayama). Prana and pranayama will bring more ease to the mind for improved health and vitality in the body.

It is recommended to ease in to heart openers and back bending so that the spine is warmed up properly. Yoga classes are typically structured with a few different variations of three or more heart openers."

That being said, "heart openers can be confronting, especially if the physical act of opening the front body and bending back creates a sense of fear. For some students, the energetic opening of the heart makes them want to pull back inward. The best way to overcome these hurdles is to practice and start with what feels right. Students can experience passive heart openers by resting the spine on a bolster or block, allowing the shoulders to fall open and the heart to begin to lift."

Some other, more subtle heart openers are:

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose)

Bitilasana (Cow Pose)

Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge)

Students can also approach heart openers “belly-down” with poses like:

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) - not pictured

Salambasana (Locust Pose)

Sphinx Pose - not pictured

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Deeper, more advanced heart-opening backbends include:

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Facing Bow Pose).

Let's not forget a fun balancing pose, like Natarajasana (Dancer’s Pose)!

To wrap it all up, I asked Leslie if she preferred certain heart openers to others (since I'm personally a sucker for a good dancers pose!).

"I don't have a favorite since they all have their place in my yoga classes and in my own practice. Every time I come to the mat, my energy is different and I must honor where I am that day, working from that place of kindness towards myself. Some days it's a gentle practice and others it is more intense. We all must work from that place of honoring what our body needs at any given time that we come to the mat."

Honestly, I couldn't have said it better myself!

In what ways will you honor your body, mind, and spirit this week? Do you personally have a favorite heart opener?

A Healthy Heart

It's our control center, our constant internal pacemaker. It's the strongest muscle in our body, but can get broken easily. It's the size of our fist, but can feel as big as Texas. It is inside all of us, but we also tend to wear it on our sleeve. We live from it, and we love with it.

Our heart. It's one of the most vital organs in our bodies, and one that, like most things, needs to be maintained and cared for.

One of the most optimal and easiest ways to do this is to be conscious of what we actually put into our bodies. Have no fear - one of the the best parts of eating heart-healthy foods (aside from their obvious nutritional and health benefits) is that it doesn't have to mean eating bland, boring foods. In fact, you may be already eating for your heart health without even realizing it!

Before we get into the good stuff (aka, the food), let's go over a few of the key points when it comes to talking about heart health. This will help you understand a bit more about why certain foods are as beneficial as they are!