Rest and Relaxation and Transitions

I slept until 11:30 this morning. (Please don’t judge me!) I cannot remember the last time I slept so late. I am used to my kids staying in bed longer than I thought was necessary, but not me.  I am usually bright eyed and bushy-tailed, arising with or before the sun. When I sat up in bed and looked at the clock I was shocked. My husband was long gone. All of my plans for the morning were shot. I thought, how in the world did that happen? But then I thought damn, I feel really well rested!

My body must have needed the extra rest. How often do we chastise ourselves for staying in bed a little longer or turning out the lights a little earlier than usual? Probably more often than not. Maybe our teens have the right idea after all.

When I looked back on my week I realized a lot had been crammed into a short amount of time. I had been on a week-long, fun-filled, action packed vacation to Arizona where I mountain biked, hiked and adjusted to a three hour time difference. Then I traveled home from the West Coast on Wednesday and jumped right back into my regular schedule starting Wednesday evening. Thursday I had a class to teach, Friday a lunch meeting and another two classes all on top of catching up with mail, bill paying, watering neglected house plants, etc. You get the idea. You know how it goes. 

Expanding out from there, I had just finished a major project; a film that was an amazing experience but required me to be up and out at dawn many days, prepared to perform a role that was demanding and at times difficult and very emotional. Looking at the bigger picture, we had just entered Spring, coming off a mostly mild Winter on the East Coast. Mild maybe, but still, changes of seasons are rites to be respected.

In a sense all changes are meant to be respected. But how often do we honor the many changes that happen in our lives? We blow through moves and divorces and job losses like they’re nothing, keeping up the frantic pace we’re used to, only to crash weeks later and wonder why.

I can’t help but feel that nature doesn't much like abrupt change. Think about the late snowfall we had on the East Coast which followed an unnaturally warm spell, causing trees and flowers to start blooming early, only to be shocked back into the cold the following week. In D.C. we worried about the Cherry Blossoms and whether their peak bloom date would be affected by the strange weather. But they did bloom and they are magnificent, despite everything they have been through.

I am just going to cut myself some slack for this morning’s indulgence. I hope you will do the same as we transition into this 2017 Spring. We’ve been through a lot these last several months. We all need to be kinder to ourselves during these times of change, whatever they may be. We will practice this ease of transition in yoga this week. 

Please join me for a yoga/meditation class when you can. We start tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM with Mindful Mondays at the North Laurel 50 Plus Center. It’s a sweet 45 minute meditation and yoga practice that will start your week with a gentle nudge and a sweet dose of mindfulness. Tuesdays we have Nightcap Yoga at Maple Lawn at 7:15 PM in the yoga room. Thursday I teach Yoga for Parkinson’s at 6:30 PM at the Florence Bain Center in Columbia. This is a donation based class and everyone is welcome. We have a sweet group of people who would love for you to join them whether you have Parkinson’s or are a caregiver. Friday evening I teach at 6:15 PM at St Matthews Orthodox Methodist Church in Columbia. We start with boot camp for 30 minutes and then go right into yoga for 45 minutes. It’s a fun combination and a great group of people. For more information and directions, see my website.

Happy Spring! and Namaste,

Connie