“The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.” –William Blake
Weekly Focus: Community
With a nourished heart + body, we begin to emerge from our shells, reconnecting with those even outside of our most intimate groups. Community keeps us stable, balanced + strong. As the weather warms slightly (but not fully! Winter temps have returned this week) + the days grow longer, we may have more desire + time to re-enter society. This can be a good opportunity to join a group hobby, to volunteer, or to attend a community event. This buzz + energy of our community helps us to feel invigorated, perhaps creating feelings of inspiration for the year ahead. Community reminds us that we are all connected, we are all universal. There is a power + resilience in community that encourages us to thrive + helps to find meaning in the mundane. And when the Winter does extend endlessly, warm then cold, then warm, then snow (!?!), community can help us stay light and avoid the bitterness of this winter drag.
Active Pose of the Week: Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)
Look towards your community + reach your hand out in offering to someone new as you extend yourself in this pose. This is a pose where we often under-estimate the distance we allow between our feet. Step into your warrior 2 stance (feet wide, back foot turned to the long edge of your mat, front heel bisects back arch, front knee bends) and take a look at your front knee. As you bend towards 90 degrees, is your knee reaching in front of your ankle? If so, lengthen your stance from front to back! This means you have room to take up more space and expand! Let your feet an legs hold your steady here and be your point of rooting down.
Passive Pose of the Week: Supta Matsyendrasana (supine twist)
Look around yourself to find someone or something unexpected, perhaps an old friend or a new community. You may be surprised what you find. There are many ways to customize or support this pose. You might try staggering the legs slightly or placing a blanket between the knees. This can help alleviate discomfort in the low back and give the body more assist in weighting itself down.