Uprooted

I recall the moment I realized that getting and staying grounded is not my strength. I was in a two-hour Anusara yoga practice in full backbend, and my teacher said, "Look back at your feet!"

Feet? At that moment, my feet had gone missing. They could have been on Mars for all I knew.

Collapsing out of the pose in a fit of laughter, I confessed to my teacher that I had no clue just then as to where my feet were exactly. What came next to remedy the situation?

Back into backbend. This time with encouragement to plug one foot firmly onto the earth and then extend the other one upwards toward the sky.

Eka pada urdhva dhanurasana. I love this pose.

The dynamic of one foot descending down like a taproot and the other ascending into endless space is a beautiful metaphor for a balanced life: Grounded, yet open.

Some of us naturally tend to be more "in the clouds;" some more "down to earth." That place in the middle sure is sweet!

Art and yogi tea

For years, I have been making yogi tea. I don't know where I first learned about it, but I've seen variations of the recipe many times over. The version below is my favorite. This delicious tea is full of purifying spices, according to Ayurveda.

Typically, I make and enjoy this tea at night, after an evening yoga practice. Yesterday, however, I was in the mood for it about mid-day.

My son was napping and my daughter was happily painting at the kitchen table, so the odds looked good for a slice of uninterrupted time to myself.

The ritual of grinding the cloves, cardamom and black pepper in a mortar and pestle and then blending in the cinnamon and ginger is as wonderful as the tea itself. I never tire of it.

As it turned out, sipping tea and watching my daughter lost in creativity and color was the highlight of my weekend—a quiet, simple moment.

Yogi Tea

1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
4-5 whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups filtered water

In a mortar and pestle, grind the cloves, cardamom and peppercorns to a very rough consistency. Blend in the cinnamon and ginger. Transfer the mixture to the basket of a tea press. Boil water. Pour water into the tea press and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Press the spices and enjoy!