How fun it was to spend time in my own backyard (the USA backyard that I've not seen much of in over a decade)! I spent a few hours last Sunday morning in New Orleans, LA. Wow! The culture, sights, sounds, smells, energy and amazing weather had me feeling like I was traveling far away from "home" and experiencing a new world! Ironically, I was experiencing a new world. I seem to forget how much culture there is to experience right here in America. I mean, it's not like I don't know on an intellectual level that we are a "melting pot" in America. Then, add the fact that I grew up with many cultures all around me. But, it's hard to not take that for granted because this is my own country...and I can't see the forest for the trees. I love to travel to new lands and experience new people and new cultures. This was just a friendly reminder that the "new" culture and people are sometimes just a car ride away! What a great revelation! I drove through beautiful countrysides and saw expansive farmlands on my trip to New Orleans. I would actually love to just rent an RV and spend a month or two traveling all over the US. Stopping in big cities and small towns...getting a feel for the landscapes, people, cultures and all that is the United States of America.
So, like I said, it's all just a car ride away. Wherever you are in the US, you can hop in the car and land in a big city in maybe an hour or two. On the flip side, you can head out of the city and arrive at the beach, the mountains, a lake within an hour a two. Just the drive alone is eye-opening and often breath taking. I don't even think I'd be able to appreciate all that I'm seeing now, had I not left for over ten years and spent time seeing numerous countries, some more intimately than others. I hope to see even more over the next year!
I must add that after the long ride home from New Orleans, my hips and neck were quite stiff. So, was nice to come home and do some yoga! I always felt the same way after having sat on an airplane from Tokyo for 12 hours. Sometimes, after a long weekend of traveling, it's a bit tough to get motivated to do yoga. Usually, I don't have time to practice yoga until the next day, when I'd rather be sleeping. But, once I land on my mat, it's on. Those first moments of reaching to the sky and then diving down into forward fold awaken my sluggish muscles. Each stretch, asana, and twist makes me feel like I'm waking from a long, stiff sleep. And, for me, the ultimate pose after too much sitting is...drum roll...fire hydrant dog into half pigeon....the juiciest of poses after a long car ride or flight. That deep hip stretch that you can get from half pigeon is simply delicious. I forget how good it feels until I place my hip on the floor and put my legs into a number 7 shape, sit up tall, and finally lower my head to the mat......and then......exxxxhhhaaaaaalllee! Feels so good! It's like half pigeon pose is a kind of "cure-all" for me! I have never settled into that pose and not be grateful for it's existence! Sounds crazy...but it's true!
by Brooke Nisbet
RYT200
Yoga Teacher | Wellness Guide
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