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Sierra Madre Spain

© Brian David Brady

How to give yourself a Foot Massage



photograph © brian d brady



    There are days when I don’t do a vigorous asana practice. I might have a full teaching schedule, might be menstruating, I might feel kind of sore, or just might not able to convince myself to strong work that day (we might just call that one a lazy day, probably?)

   Still, on these days I like to get onto the mat and connect and feel that I am doing something for myself. These are the perfect days for a foot massage.

Done in the morning, vigorously rubbing the soles of the feet, thus stimulating all the nerves,  a bit like in Reflexology, it can be  refreshing and awakening.

   If done at night, with gentle, slow strokes and calming fragrant oil, it can be very soothing and relaxing, just before bedtime is a great time to do that.

   I feel that massaging my own feet is a generous gesture of acceptance, nurturing and self-care, I feel that it is much needed, especially on these low-days.

   I would make sure that the room is warm enough, sit down on my mat and start at my right big toe. Of course this can be done sitting on a chair, a couch or anywhere else.

   I like to begin with the big toe and working towards the little toe, taking each toe individually, rolling the toe between thumb and forefinger, gently squeezing the end of each toe, wriggling, bending back and forth, circling, any movement that I can think of and that feels good.

   I am then working up each single toe, top and sole of the foot, Kneading the sole by holding the foot with one hand and making a fist with the other, using quite some pressure into the sole and the instep. I continue stroking on the top of the foot along the lines/ridges of tendons that run along the foot from toes to mid-foot.

Holding the foot with one hand, using the other hand to rotate the limp, passive foot, first at the ankle, and then near the ball of the foot, gently. I repeat a few times in each direction. Then I do the other foot.

   Is this really part of my yoga practice? Yes, to me yoga is more than downward facing dog. Anything that is done with great care, in an attempt to heal body, mind and spirit, aiming to connect to god, to the world around me and to my true deep self, I call that yoga.

Namaste 

Photoshop, Raw File Before and After Processing, Spanish Electrics?

Geometrics #6

Yoga and Photography Workshop/Retreat Spain

Roses

Made with a forty year old russian lens, on a digital body

An internal and external log of a more or less typical morning meditation session, slightly shortened and censored

An internal and external log of a more or less typical morning meditation session, slightly shortened and censored

She swishes around in the house, makes tea, goes into the garden to check on the tomatoes and the chard and the weather, she comes back into the house. Once I’ve finished this cup of tea it’s time to sit for my 20 minute meditation. This is going to be good today, I feel it! - There is no good or bad meditation, Andrea, it’s just doing it or not doing it.  - Ah, ja, I know that, brain, thanks! She drinks her tea, washes a few dishes and plays with the cat. She takes a quick look to see if emails have come in during the last seven minutes or so.  Now then, let’s go. She sits down on her spot, realizes that she has already a pair of jeans on, too uncomfortable, gets up and changes into a pair of tracksuit bottoms. She sits down again and closes her eyes................................................. I wonder if I will get the course in the college, they still haven’t answered. Shall I email them again? Would that seem pushy? - Not now, Andrea, we deal with that later. Now gently get back, let go.

She shuffles her butt, to get into a more comfortable position. I wonder if I have lost a bit of weight during the last few days, that would be so cool! I can go and get new pair of jeans. Maybe a black one? -  Maybe. Anyway, we are going to deal with that later, ok? Now, just get into the now. She takes a few deep long breaths, settles down. Ah, the presence, the awareness, the quietness...ommmmmmmmmmmmmm................................... I want to go to Aldi and get a few of these delicious toffee desserts that I had last week.  – Yes  Andrea, that would be great, later.

She breathes, feels her sitting bones, her legs and feet connected to the floor, it is getting quiet inside........... Beautiful, even breath.................................... ............I have a weird feeling in the tummy today, I wonder if I... - ssshhhh! She sits, she breathes, and nothing else. Time passes in quietness, witnessed by a quiet, relaxed mind................................ Oh man, I am getting really good at this! Finally! - Ssshhh, no you are not! Shut up already! –I am not supposed to talk to I in that tone! What kind of yogini am I anyway??  Shouldn’t all this go much better? Why is this taking so long? – Can you pretty please kindly shut up now, brain, mind, memory? Breath........ silence..................... tranquillity..................... emptiness................ Outside, a house alarm goes off. I am not affected by this, I am just letting it go past me. The gentle flow of the breath, the gentle flow of ...................time....................................................................................................................................

Yes, I wonder how much time actually has passed? -  shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........................................................................................................................................................................................... In autunm the house alarms go off all the time because of the wind......And the kids have started with their horrible fireworks. So annoying! – Yes, that is right but just let go for now, there..................................................... ..............The ringtone goes on, to announce the end of the meditation practice. Oh, already! I feel like I could sit here forever. Isn’t that odd? She slowly opens her eyes, switches off the bell, gets up and is very mellow indeed. At least, for the next hour or so.



Hahahaha

On the descent from the Sierra Neveda Mountains to the Tabernas Desert.

Cabo de Gata, Fishing Boat

Retreat Location: The Gift of Peace

New Yoga and Photography Workshops for Next Year

Panels

This is number 5 from a new series of work. "Panels"








Yoga Surfaces

 Recently I was on a camping holiday in Spain. Early each morning I went down to the beach to do my yoga practice. (I know! I am writing this with a big grin on my face, so great it was!)

 I am generally not a big fan to outdoor yoga, due to the many distractions, weather moods and occasional spectators, this was different. I went early enough to be alone, or pretty much alone on the beach, apart from the birds and one or two dog walkers. The sun was still gentle and I tried to align my breath and the Vinyasa of my practice to the the Vinyasa of the sea. But the best thing of all was the grainy sand or small pebbled surface I was on. On top of the ground I had my ashtanga mat, one of the porous, thin, floppy ones, and I felt I never practiced better than on these various beaches. With the help of rocks and little piles of sand I was creating little bolsters and lifts, just as I needed them at the moment. I got sidetracked by the beauty and diversity of these million little pieces of silicia minerals, but since I was on holidays, I didn’t have any time restrictions. 

While I was practicing my standing postures, I was amazed how giving and flexible the ground below me was, adapting to my weight, but at the same time gently holding and supporting my feet. I felt very much connected and supported by the ground, much more so  than in a studio or at home.  Could that be an idea of how to equip a yoga studio? Beach Yoga Studio Dublin, how does that sound? We might have a little problem with hygiene though, but so does the damp carpet in a Bikram studio, or rental mats, for that matter.

A nice, wooden floor with underfloor heating has advantages of course, especially here in breezy Dublin.

Some swear by sprung flooring, like in a dance studio, to have a bit of give and shock adsorbing during practice, especially, I might imagine, those yogis that don’t have the well sufficient  amount of natural body-padding, that I am carrying around, ha! Some like to have two mats, piled on top of each other, especially in colder rooms.

I also have this insanely expensive, ecological sound mat, with a fancy pattern and different colour on each side, it feels very nice, is extremely slip resistant, and my cat loves it too, I often see him burying his claws or teeth into the mat, with obvious pleasure, but there is one big disadvantage: the mat is elastic! Whenever I stand in a wide legged posture or in downward dog, slowly my extremities drift apart, not a good thing, so don’t use it that often!

Still, my favourite is my worn old, purple, totally unglamorous ashtanga mat.  On a sunny beach.  In Spain. What is yours?

Brian's Photography of the week