Day 21: Last Day!

Day 21:
Dance: intermittently throughout the day. Danced as I got my place ready for guests tomorrow night.
Ended the day with Yoga and Pilates, and a hot bath.

It was a rainy day, so I took Gwyddie on a short walk.

It's been a great journey! Thank you for your witnessing and sharing in it!

And to my students, with whom, and partly for whom, I did this second 21 day diary challenge: thank you for your presence in my life! I am so grateful for all that you do to build your practice, stay focused (or not! ;) and your dedication to learning. Its a pleasure to teach and to know you!

Happy re-birth of the Sun! May you have all the best in this world.

Day 18, 19, 20 Power and Challenge

Day 18:
45 min walk with Gwyddie.
60 min drills and choreo

Day 19:
45 min walk with Gwyddie
10 min Yoga.
15 min Pilates.
10 min meditation

Day 20:
30 min dance.
15 min Meditation

I'm finding Day 20, today, to be a day of challenge. So much volatile energy! These last days of the Solar year are turning out to be quite a dance through the labyrinth of ups and downs: big change, claiming power, disappointment, breakthrough, and boundary setting.

More dance to come tonight. I feel like I certainly need its medicine!

Day 17: Rainy Days and Mondays...

The place where Gwyddie and I walked today. 

Day 17:
-Meditation: 45 mins
-Pilates: 20 mins
-Woods walk: 45 mins (Yes, even in the rain! The Gwyddster needs his exercise, and so do I.)
-Arm/shoulder excersices with Gwyddie (a controlled variation of tug'o'war, with counts!)
-Drills: 30 mins

I also wanted to share this article about practice:

Practice 101 – Improve your brain while becoming awesome

Next, I'm onto DIY shoulder massage with a tennis ball, and then a hot bath.

Day 13, 14, 15, 16. Distracted, sad, candles lit. Back on the horse.

Day 13:
15 min outdoor yoga
30 min class prep
60 mins teaching.

Day 14:
Class and workshop planning for Winter.

A moment at the Silent Prayer and Candlelight Vigil on Sat. in Salem, MA.

I then found it difficult to concentrate due to the Sandy Hook school news. I was an after-school teacher at an elementary school for many years. It hurt to hear this news, and I am so very sad.

Day 15:
20 min Pilates
Woods walk.

Day 16:
90 walk/run with Gwyddion to the woods and to golf course (which is now closed to golfers, so dogs are welcome to run!!!).
60 mins creative choreography.
Thinking a lot about my sister today, and missing her. Thinking of her young daughter, my niece, who is school aged. Thankful for her presence in the world, and praying for the ones who are lost.

Feeling the need to do more Pilates, finding myself getting behind in that. Core strength!

Addition (day 16): 
10 mins Pilates
20 mins meditation.

Day 11 and 12: Posture and basics

Day 11:
-45 minute walk with Gwyddie.
During this walk, I revisited my breath and alignment posture practice. Though this is a daily practice ideally, I gave it extra focus. Each time I feel myself moving back into habitual stress patterns, I deepen my breath, let go of tension, and put myself into a relaxed yet strong and healthy posture. I imagine my body walking as a fluid unit. I move from my core of power.
-Shimmies drills. 15 minutes. Back to basics.

Day 12:
90 min walk with Gwyddie.
Today I needed some rest from yoga, Pilates, and dance due to neck pain. So instead I worked with a dear friend on putting together an event. This event has Bellydance as a major component, of course! More, soon!

Day 8, 9, and 10. Busy Weekend, Gentle Monday

Day 8:
Taught my Queen of Swords workshop for 3 hours.
Morning dance prep: 30 mins
Post workshop stretching and DIY tennis ball massage: 30 min
Two neighborhood walks with Gwyddie (rainy day) 25 mins each. Low impact.

Day 9:
Photo Shoot with Cheryl Fair! 4 hours.
Woods walk with Gwyddie: 45 mins.

Day 10:
I'm writing this in the morning, so I can't say what I've done yet except drink a cup of coffee. But after a very full working/playing weekend, what I need most today is self-care and gentle creativity. On my agenda: Yoga, and a woods walk with Gwyddie. House cleaning; dreaming. Talking with a family member. Talking with a friend. Nutritious meals, and maybe just a little comfort food. Tarot reading for myself, and some astrology. Meditation and magick study. Wrestle with Gwyddie, and lots of hugs and kisses.

Blessings.

Day 7: Creative Impulses!

I got a wonderful burst of creative energy today, and it was exciting! Spontaneously created a new piece. Costume design and all.

I work that way sometimes. It seems to happen suddenly and all at once.

-2 1/2 hours of dance.

• Creating new choreo 
• drilling established piece
• workshop prep for Queen of Swords tomorrow

-30 mins Pilates.

-15 min meditation

-morning Gwyddie walk/run

-evening walk, 1 mile