Time out.

After what felt like a month of continuous visitors, work and social engagements D and I have just had two whole days of quiet home time. Yesterday was a continuous snuggle and cuddle fest interspersed with a not-so-inspiring winter undie shop at Target. I am now a committed wearer of big knickers. After years of trying to keep my kidneys warm through the winter I see no other way.

Today we ate left-over chicken and leek pie and talked about missing New York City. Dale suggested we fly there for a week to buy new jeans, eat at  Pheasant and Cafe Gitane on the Lower East Side and walk through the park. Then to top the longing for NY off I found this sweetie blog. New York Portraits. Such beautiful photos and so many deliciously talented bloggers out there..

Speaking of; I have spent this past hour getting seriously distracted by loads of yummy, girlie, crafty, hip and inspiring blogs by women. I do recall a recent article in 'The Age' talking about women dominating the blogosphere. I am getting pretty buzzed by all the brave, entrepreneurial women doing amazing stuff and writing with depth and humour. I am both scared and inspired by them! I pulled out my dog-eared copy of Sark's 'Succulent Wild Woman' last night. This stuck; 'We are endowed with power by our very birth, and then shrouded from the knowledge and acceptance of it.' Questions around moving toward, dwelling in and embodying my power as a divine woman have been bubbling to the surface of late. Nothing much to report so far but hoping for some insights down the track.

I thought I might do a little summary of this past week as it's a tad blurry and I am feeling like collecting my thoughts;

• Did five Shiatsu in the three days over Easter from friday through sunday. It felt so good to get a little roll on with treating. Finding some challenge around feeling as though I gave a special treatment but having no attachment to how the person received it. Learning to meet my clients where ever they are and have no agenda around what they get out of my work.
• Worked at the little corner cafe monday and tuesday and then found myself wanting to run like crazy on tuesday night. I ran about 5km including a mega hill. I haven't run in months and was abit tickled that I was able to do it. I felt so determined and focused. Those are the moments when running can feel like a meditation for me.
• Have had many and varied thoughts regarding health and wellbeing. Been going through abit of a stock standard body image struggle and doing my best to challenge negative self talk around this. This evening I feel as though I am ready to commit to a gentle cleanse or exclude a few stimulants from my diet such as refined sugar, caffeine (my daily cup of chai) and perhaps wheat. 
• Yoga practice has been some days hit and some days miss. I blame the full moon. I had no idea about the intimate connection between the tides and the moon and how that might translate to humans we have so much water in our physical bodies. This needs more inquiry on my behalf but I am curious about moon cycles and emotion as well as the lunar cycle and the menstrual cycle. Have been enjoying slow and strong vinyasa flow with focus on core connection, juicy stuff. 
• D and I have been feeling a spot landlocked and have had a few little chats about living by the ocean or at least making a trip to the water soon. I feel almost certain that we will live close to water one day soon.
• Sorted through a bunch of professional yoga shots that a friend did for me. The photos are really beautiful. Delicious morning light in the local botanical gardens and a particularly playful silouette of me in handstand. Yah for my first happy photo shoot experience. I am camera shy.
• Made a spleen-nurturing corn soup from Stephanie Alexander's 'The Cooks Companion.' So much amazing sweet corn in season right now.
• Decided it's time to write a business plan and take the steps required to move toward full time yoga teaching. This is a bee in the bonnet and it's time to set the buzz free.
• City tripped planned tomorrow with two friends. Fingers crossed for the perfect pair of winter boots. 
• Cleaned out the scary corner of the lounge, it's currently strewn across the floor eagerly awaiting special archive boxes so letters/photos/documents and diaries can be neatly stored and marked. Virgo heaven I tells ya.

Signing off to watch a sweet french film called 'The Red Balloon.' I'll report back. K8 xo