Curling up on the couch

spiraling inward on the new moon

Perhaps we’ve all spent a little more time on the couch during this pandemic. I know I’ve spent more time curled up on the couch, recliner, or bed while nursing a little baby. On this new moon, I think more than ever of not just curling up, but curling inward as my family and I head into territory we haven’t yet been through: the coronavirus pandemic during Chicago winter.

I think of a quote from one of those peppy Daniel Tiger songs: “Close your eyes, and think of something happy; think, think, think about your favorite things.” Like most kids songs, it gets stuck in my head all the time and we even used this refrain to help my daughter brave her flu shot. And bravery is possibly what we need most right now, combined with some slowing down, and just a dash of festivity and lightheartedness.

How can we lighten things up while the world seems to be going to hell in a handbasket? Slow down, simplify, and sense into our bodies and breath.

On my journey toward simplifying my yoga practice so that it’s more doable during these chaotic times, I’ve found ways to make short yoga sessions more satisfying. I won’t lie: five minutes of yoga while the baby is screaming in the other room despite Daddy holding and rocking him is not as rejuvenative as a luxurious hour-long practice in a quiet, serene space. But...it is, for now, the best and most feasible way for me to stay to my practice. Besides, I have to think of it as an extra test of my ability to let go of stress and tension and then I’ll have already practiced chilling myself out despite the noise and pandemonium of having small children.

My favorite poses have become the more subtle, not-so-flashy ones.

Here I am doing just the arms from Eagle pose (a.k.a Garudasana) on the couch and it feels great. It doesn’t take much time at all and I can do it while my kids roll around on the rug in a stormy sea of toys. Life isn’t so bad when I’m able to slow down and focus on the little things, and that’s what it means to me to spiral inward during these new moons.

Even just doing the arm stretch from Garudasana brings me into that space where I can exhale fully, close my eyes, and think of something happy. Or not think at all, but just feel and sense what’s right here, right now in my small world of mothering littles during a pandemic.

And when I think of the little things in life and yoga, I always bring my attention to my hands and feet because those areas of me need so much love. Think of all you do with your hands and feet! It seems there isn’t much attention on these areas of ourselves in the yoga world. A lot of moms flock to salons for their mani pedis and check that off their self-care list, but I’ve never been much of a salon girl. Not to say that I don’t love to paint my own nails when I have time, but if I had a few magical minutes to revive my hands and feet, I’d rather do a little self-massage or stretching in those areas. I’ll do more of that as the week unfolds, but for now, I’m taking a deep bow to this last new moon of 2020, spiraling inward and curling up my fingers and toes to bring some life and blood into those areas. 

Try it! There’s Mushti mudra, which looks like a fist, and it’s said to foster detox and letting go on a physical and emotional level. I like to shake my hands out a little after doing it.

And then it feels great to curl in my toes because, hey, I think most of us are wearing shoes a lot less during this quarantine:) (You can tell in the photo below that I probably do need a pedicure, lol)

That’s my focus for this new moon: spiral in, curling my toes and fingers, rounding my spine forward in Garudasana, and exhaling completely to let go of this crazy year. And then, planting my seed, my sankalpa for this new moon: slow down, simplify, and sense. Sense into my hands and feet, into that space between my shoulder blades as I round forward and breathe. 

For more on slowing down, simplifying, and sensing into each yoga posture, follow me on Instagram @urbanyogamama for my little journey on #ayogaposeaday for the month of December.

And hey, I’d love to hear how you slow down and simplify. What brings you alive and you take it down a notch and sense into your body, breath, and surroundings?