Anapoima: Take Two

Another magnificent weekend (follow this link for photos from our first getaway to mesa de yeguas) enjoying the sun and soaking up some Vitamin D. Life is good, oh so good.

Standing by the poolside

Walking by the poolside

Swimming solo in the pool

A little wave

Having fun with good friends

playing together

Happy.

Happy.

happy.

little hands

little feet

the flowers

the lake, the rolling hills...

a bird.

Yoga Pose: Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)

Vira means warrior, and finds its roots in Indian Mythology

This posture is inspired by the mythological warrior. The body and mind are open, activated, focused and prepared for action.

Painting of a warrior by Bruno García, Galería Altamira

To find your position...
Begin standing in Tadasana (mountain pose), engaging your entire body. Step out (lengthwise on your mat), placing your feet about three to four feet apart. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, and your left foot in 15 degrees. Align the heel of your right foot with the inner arch of your left foot. As you inhale, extend your arms out to shoulder height (right arm in the direction of your right foot, left arm in the direction of your left heel) and lengthen out from your waste. Exhale and bend your right knee to a right angle, opening your right hip. Keep your left leg straight, with the outside of your foot touching the ground, and your buttocks activated. Lean your torso back slightly toward your left leg so that your spine rises straight out from your centre. Keep your arms stretching away from each other at shoulder height. Turn your head to face your right hand and relax your neck and shoulders. (Note not to turn your entire body towards your forward hand, your belly button remains in line with your pelvis and chest, thus keeping your upper body aligned with the length of your mat as your arms stretch out in either direction).

Finding your stance...
Keep your breath steady and slow, inhaling and exhaling through your nose.
Keep your gaze beyond the right hand. Imagine your left hand stretching into your past, all that you have lived, informing all that you are right now. Your right hand reaching towards the future with joy and anticipation. Focus on opening your chest and your hips as you engage your body centred in the present moment. Keep the pose for at least five breaths if you can. Inhale expanding and lifting, exhale sinking into the earth opening your hips.
On an inhale rise up to release from the pose. Shift your feet so that your left foot is turns out 90 degrees, your right foot turned in 15 degrees; adjust your stance and repeat your warrior on the other side. Stay for an equal number of breaths on each side.

For a variation (and to check the alignment of your posture), perform this pose against a wall. Press your legs, buttocks, back and shoulders into the wall.
Note: This is a strenuous posture, so take it easy. If your knee joints are week, be particularly careful and stop if you feel sore. If you have neck problems don't turn your head to look over your forward hand; instead keep your head neutral with both sides of the neck lengthened evenly.

A few benefits...

This posture tones the spinal muscles and nervous system, and increases stamina. Warrior strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles, and the muscles around the knee joint. It stretches the groin, chest and lungs and shoulders. This posture is great at relieving backaches, in particular through the second trimester of pregnancy. It is therapeutic for carpal tunnel, flat feet, osteoporosis, and sciatica.

On a personal note...
I love doing this pose with the girls, whether they are doing it with me or not. Sometimes I will move into a flowing warrior as I push them on the swings, leaning forward and back as the swing sways me into motion. My positioning is not always perfect, but I find simply bringing myself consciously into the pose makes me more aware... of my breath, of my body, of my (often wandering) mind. When I have the time to engage more fully in the pose, I find I like to keep it for a length of time, allowing my body to begin to quiver as I push myself to my personal edge and move beyond the limitations I may have created in my mind... challenging my nervous system to let go and be free. I also find that as a mama, this pose gives me the courage to shift the worrier that sometimes arises in motherhood, into a warrior who is fearless and patient and kind.

Enjoy the strength and vitality of a warrior!!! Have a fantastic week.

Favourite days...

Today was a day like any other... yet something about it seemed to flow perfectly. From beginning to end, every breath felt easy and natural. There was nothing that we 'had' to do, there was nowhere that we 'had' to be... we were together. just us five. together. enjoying the day. Breakfast at home with fresh berries and crepes, drive out to the botanical gardens, and a walk through the market. It was simple. It was perfect. It was just what it was... with no complication. Together.

Isabel & Anaïs enjoying the pond

Happy, Happy Halloween from our home to yours!!!

Halloween is so much fun... the kids getting all dressed up and excited about all the treats (that they won't get to eat. i know, we are pretty strict with candy intake at our house!!!). They have actually gotten so used to the status quo that they don't usually even ask. Isabel asked if she could bring most of her candies to school and gave them away to everyone. They have two bins of a few items sitting on the kitchen counter, and they have not even asked for them. They both ate a chocolate cupcake (from our neighbours across the hall) on Halloween night (as papa made a little video, enclosed at the end of the clip below). Anaïs asked for one special treat the next day and got a mini bag of peanut m&m's (which she shared with me and Kelly)... that was pretty great considering there are only five m&m's in one of those bags.

This was the first year in a while that Joshua did not get dressed up... so he got to take the photo!! Good thing, as my hands were pretty full. Some days, having three kids really kicks my butt.

Here in Bogotá the dressing up and festivities are over the top, and as the North American influence grows, there are neighbourhoods all over the city that have trick or treating. When we arrived three years ago, there was only a small section... this year, all the houses were decorated and there was an abundance of treats and enthusiasm. Everyone came to the door all dressed up, which was also really fun. We headed out early (around 5pm) with Isabel dressed up as a pumpkin fairy, Anaïs as a flower fairy, and Leo as a little green dinosaur (sitting in the sling). I put on a wig, and Isabel and Anaïs told everyone I was dressed up as a 'lady'... it worked!! I do need to get more creative... I so admire people who come up with these amazing themed costumes and really go over the top (my sister-in-law always seems to have the entire family of five in a common theme... it's brilliant)!!!

Of course, it's not just the actual day that's a 'treat' for the kids here in Bogotá... the celebrations last at least two weeks leading up to Halloween. Every single birthday party has a dress up theme, and there are halloween parties (for kids and adults) abound. Our building had a little party that started out with the kids and puppet show at 5pm on Saturday, and people were still arriving in costumes after midnight... with the dancing and music going strong into the wee hours. On Friday Isabel went to school all dressed up, and of course Anaïs spent the day dressed up 'playing school' at home. Leo seemed happy just to go with the flow. Once Isabel came home we went to the girls music school for a halloween puppet show. And on Saturday morning, they enjoyed a halloween-themed yoga class!!! Thank goodness we have a good selection in our dress up bin, as we easily could have moved through five or six costumes each... and that was before we even went out for Halloween!!!

Hope you all enjoyed your day... whether walking the neighbourhood with your kids, handing out treats at your door, celebrating with friends, or just hanging out. Hope everyone got to get a little dressed up for at least some portion of the day and enjoy some imaginative play... whether kid or adult, it's always fun to step out of our usual routine a little.

The clip below is just over one minute... at the end you can hear the girls singing the traditional Colombian song "trikki, trikki halloween". We also heard a new version this year by the older kids: "quiero paz, quiero amor, quiero dulces por favor." (i want peace, i want love, i want candies please... but in spanish it rhymes!!) Enjoy!!

Pose of the week: Hit the pause button

Once again, I am sharing a pose of the week. My goal in doing this is in part to deepen my own practice, as I take time to reflect on a particular pose or aspect of yoga. And also to inspire you at home, whether you can come out to a yoga class or not... you can always add a little calm into your day. This week, rather than an actual pose, I am sharing a quick 'pause button' strategy that can be applied anytime, anywhere when you might be running at warp speed. It only takes a moment and encourages you to reconnect with your breath, with yourself, and to release negative energy from your body and mind.


i. Lengthen your spine: Sit (or stand with both feet solid on the floor). Imagine the top of your head extending toward the ceiling. This simple step alone creates space in your spine and torso, allowing your lungs to expand fully.
ii. Inhale: Take a deep, full breath: imagine your abdomen filling with air from the bottom of your belly, and your lungs filling to the top of your chest. As you inhale your bring oxygen into your cells, restoring and energizing your entire body.
iii. Exhale: Release the breath in reverse order, from the top of th elungs to the lowest part of the belly. At the same time, mentally let go of anything that is bothering you. The exhale is naturally detoxifying. It's like a sigh releasing as much emotional energy as it does air.
iv. Pause: When you reach the 'bottom' of your exhale, rest for a beat before you inhale (without tightening or holding your breath). This creates a moment of stillness that helps your mind slow down and your body relax. When you pause after an exhale, before drawing in your next breath, you create a moment that allows you to let go of whatever transpired before. This temporary respite prevents stress from snowballing, interrupts the tendency to take shallow breaths, and raises self-awareness.


If you can, repeat again starting at lengthening and inhaling, staying present and conscious at each part of this breathing exercise. No matter where you are, or what you are doing... this is an easy breathing exercise that is totally inconspicuous.

So when it feels like everything is moving a little too fast (whether around you or in your own mind)... take a moment to hit the pause button, and breathe.

breathe easily, sleep soundly, walk softly...

mesa de yeguas: our escape to paradise

This weekend we had the wonderful good fortune of getting away to a warm place just a couple hours out of the city. I am not sure if my perspective was affected by the fact that this was our first vacation (even if only for three days) in well over a year... but to me, this was pure paradise. The air, the sun, the accommodation, the food, the infinity pool, the lush surroundings, the peace, the tranquility, the freedom... it was magic. I felt so completely at ease and vividly reminded of why taking a vacation is so important from time to time. And while it's nice (in theory) to set up our homes in a way that allow us to escape anytime we wish... the reality is that there is something quite luxurious about the ability to truly disconnect when we can get out of the every day routine and environment that we call our life. As a full time mom, being at home means that there is always something to do... at every single hour of the day.

This is what greeted us as we arrived... an infinity pool with a view of the rolling hills a top a sparkling lake (looked like the pool was spilling into the lake).

Mesa de Yeguas is a Country Club in Anapoima. The brilliance of this place is that in order to become a member you have to buy a plot of land... on which you can develop your own 'getaway home' and simultaneously have access to all the amenities the club has to offer. To get to stay here, we had to gain special permission as invitees (thank you to our hosts!!!). And did I mention that there is a quiet lake set up with all sorts of water sports... from zip lines to wake boarding; a full beautiful golf course; an amazing playground for the kids (if they ever choose to leave the pool)!!

This was the view from our window on to our balcony and beyond...

Anapoima is about 90 kilometres outside of Bogotá at an altitude of only 700 metres above sea level. That's quite a drop from the 2625 metres above sea level at which we usually reside here in Bogotá!! And the lower altitude blesses us with wonderful weather. In fact, Anapoima is called the "sun of the eternal youth" (sol de la eterna juventud) as a result of its beautiful climate.

We were blessed with a wonderful drive as all three kids cooperated in the car... it was the first time for Leo on such a long drive (or any drive of substance for that matter, given that we have been without a car for the majority of his life). On the way there he stayed awake for almost the entire trip as I distracted him with food and songs and games. On the way home, he slept most of the way... I guess he too felt the post vacation sense of relaxation.

The moment we arrived, Isabel relaxed in one of the poolside lounge chairs, Leo was eager to get off all his clothes (his first time in such heat, after all), and Anaïs tested out all the beds singing "five little monkeys jumping on the bed."

five little monkeys...

There is so much to say, but really, not much at all... other than that i am SO GRATEFUL that we were blessed with this getaway to a place that exceeded all of my expectations. We all can't wait to go back!!! And since photos can often say more than words... i will share some of the images we captured below.

Anaïs playing 'peek-a-boo' with the shutters

Leo loved his first adventure in the pool.

The girls were immersed from morning till night.

Isabel is a little fish

These two are adorable together!!

snuggled with papa

enjoying the view...

a fun ride with big sister pulling the boat

perfectly happy

loving his little boat

Anaïs

Isabel

Leo

playing futball in the pool

trying to climb over the edge of the pool...

way up in papa's arms

up, up...

... and away!!!

having so much fun!!!

joy, joy, joy... endless joy in the infinity pool!!

we hope to see you again soon mesa de yeguas...

There was a peace here that was so healing we could feel the stress evaporate from our bodies. I returned home with a renewed sense of balance and an increase in my reserve of patience. No doubt I came back able to be a better parent. As I reflect on how much good came from this pause, I am reminded of the fact that even a little break from our daily routine is so important to maintain a stronger sense of self and an ability to stay present, grounded and happy.

Anaïs wanted to make a little video collage of our photos... it's over two minutes (if you want to watch it). She chose the photos, the music and the theme... our little budding artist.