Kicking Up in Everyday Ramblings

I find myself taking pictures of this rose bush each year. It is a few blocks from here. Practice makes perfect. I love the light even though we are moving towards the solstice there is still an angle and then all the gorgeous greenery filters it.

We are all thrilled that Kes came home safely from Seattle yesterday after 8 intense days of taking care of all the various and sundry tasks thrown at her in a household that is having some trouble slowing down in spite of my oldest sister’s major surgery. She is doing fine but she has these huge incision wounds and damaged skin from the radiation and so there is, well, extra wound care.

My oldest sister won’t be able to take a real shower for weeks. Oh the simple pleasures of an ordinary life!

Anyway, I will be trying to think of ways to nurture and support Kes while she recovers from this caregiving gig as well as continuing to support the Seattle crew in the weeks to come as the healing continues.

Besides looking forward to binge watching a whole season of True Blood here in the next few weeks my big goal for my 60th birthday is to be able to kick up into handstand. We don’t do handstands in my yoga tradition. Headstands on occasion with much preparation and compensation afterwards but I would only teach them to the most experienced and prepared students.

I have been practicing Urdhva Dandanasana (Upward Staff Pose) at a wall periodically over the last few weeks (Sammy thinks it is the weirdest thing he has ever seen me do) and yesterday at the studio I was able to at least touch the wall kicking up if (in an attempt at a regular handstand) not stay up there. Upward Staff at a wall has the upper body of handstand but you are facing away from the wall and have your feet on it and you are in an L shape. It is a super pose for both strength and flexibility of the upper body and shoulders. The neck is relaxed.

Don’t ask me why I want to do this. It feels good, defeats fear and strengthens all the musculature around the ribcage, which helps with deeper breathing. The last time I actually did handstand was in an Anusara class with a spotter about 11 years ago. They are big on handstands in Anusara classes. :)

If I can do a handstand; getting out there in the world and interacting with more folks until I find a few that want to be in my life regularly should be a walk in the park.

That is the story I am telling myself at least.

One of the women I adored from my weeklong poetry workshop in the woods for women 15 years ago is reading with a group that have contributed to an anthology of poems for and by widows this next weekend. I haven’t seen her in ages! I am very much looking forward to it.

All it takes is one good kick.