Cute!
images by inkypots

pose of the week

Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-wall pose)

Viparita Karani is a very rejuvenating and refreshing inversion. It's definitely one for people who spend long hours standing or sitting who may experience swelling in the ankles. It is also ideal for cultivating an optimal postural alignment in the carriage of the upper body as it lengthens the spine and gently stretches and opens the shoulders.
Definitely one of my favourites.
 
Practice You can practice this with our without support and both have benefits. This is a nice guide for setting up.

Sequencing Viparita Karani is usually considered to be a restorative pose, sequenced near the end of either a restorative or active practice, but it can also be practiced as a pose in itself. Excellent preparations include: Supta Baddha Konasana, Uttanasana, Virasana and Setu Bandha Sarvangasana.
I like to follow up with Supta Sukhasana or Savasana.

Benifits. This pose is quiet calming for the nervous system and therefore has a very rejuvenating effect in a short amount of time. It relaxes the abdomen and releases tension in the solar plexus which helps deepen the breath. It can relive lower back pain and create more evenness in the pelvis.

Cautions Many teachers maintain that Viparita Karani is an inversion, and as such should be avoided during menstruation. I think its OK done without a lift during menstruation. As with any inversion Viparita Karani should be avoided if you have serious eye problems, such as glaucoma. With serious neck or back problems only perform this pose with the supervision of an experienced teacher. If your feet begin to tingle during this pose, bend your knees, touch your soles together, and slide the outer edges of your feet down the wall, bringing your heels close to your pelvis.


image from here

both images from iswasandwillbe

Altoon Sultan textile.

Sunday Tune

Sunday Tune

Michael Frimkess and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess

Michael Frimkess and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess ceramic via southwillard

me today...

via witandelight

Françoise Hardy!

Music

my first attempt....

Restorative Yoga from rachel-and-yoga on 8tracks.

Yes! via old-chum

Necklace by Katy Krantz via montmarte

image found via here and here.

We are all connected. To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe, atomically.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Ignacio Torres

Ignacio Torres project Stellar
Found via thejealouscurator

Touch Tours

Matt Ducklo has taken pictures of museum "touch tours" where blind or partially sighted people are able to take private tours of museums so that they can touch and experience the art work.

Style!

found here.

Luisa Lambri

All images by Luisa Lambri. Found here and here.

Music

I never teach with music on in the background, but i regularly practice with something on so I thought I would put together a little soundtrack for my next restorative class. Its harder then i thought. I found these images while searching for inspiration...
images from here

This film was shot in black and white by the Lumiere brothers and hand coloured, frame by frame. Beautiful.

WOW... Vintage exercise machines from retronaut

From art of attention

I remember the day you left.
Tying rocks to your ankles, you said, “I’m going to find a new world, under the ocean.”
I guess you must be enjoying yourself,
I haven’t seen you since.

 - Elisabeth Pfeffer

Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already. The ground of practice is you or me or whoever we are right now, just as we are. That’s the ground, that’s what we study, that’s what we come to know with tremendous curiosity and interest.

- Pema Chodron

Image via vvolare
Quote via rebeccaketchumn

Sunday Tune

Sunday Tune

Meditation

One of the first yoga teachers I had gave me a lovely tip for meditation. It stuck with me and is something I've used on a regular basis ever since so I thought I would share.

Put on one of your favourite tunes...this is what I used today...then simply sit and listen to it fully, without distraction. See if you can focus your attention on the centre of every single note.

I've been told this works just as well if you are playing the instrument yourself. I wouldn't trust it with my shakey rendition of chopsticks on the piano though...

via witanddelight

Our identity is intrinsically, sometimes tragically, connected to the natural world.

via shitlondon

Qigong

Qigong: Qigong, chi kung, or chi gung (气功 or 氣功) (pronounced "chee-gung", literally "life energy cultivation") is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation.

Sounds familiar to me!

Lovely images from mostlyberlin