Stephanie's Studio

C is for Coloring for Adults Long before it was popular enough for the books to be sold at Borders or Michaels, I got into Coloring for Adults. There were some wonderful coloring books featuring goddesses and heroines that captured my attention, and I began coloring them in. Coloring is a very relaxing and all-encompassing activity. The repetitive movement of the hands, back and forth, and back again, relaxes the mind. Today, artists are deliberately creating coloring books that are meditative. If you look for adult coloring books on Borders or Amazon, you’ll find that many of the books have the word “meditative” or “relaxing” in the subtitle. My son bought two adult coloring books for me when he was on a trip to San Diego. People that know I’m an artist asked him, why he would buy me such a thing? He simply replied that she loves them. The truth is, when I don’t feel up to writing or tackling a painting or drawing, I turn to my coloring books. As in my previous post about ...

Last night I had trouble sleeping. I was once again up during the late middle of the night. Something different happened for me this time though. My mind wondered off to yoga class--restorative yoga to be specific.  Monday's restorative was very physical. It was more focused on the body than I am accustomed to. At first I didn't think I liked this different approach but then gradually it grew on me. Our instructor noticed the low energy in our group. Sometimes you just go to restorative yoga to relax and kick back. That is what most of us seemed to be doing. To remain in that state may well have caused our day to be static, low energy and to lack flow. Slowly but surely our teacher set about finding ways to energize us. We got our blood flowing through flowing postures and moving meditations. I especially enjoyed eagle pose. It was a new challenge. Since I had broken my ankle I don't think I had stood on just that one repaired foot in ages. I felt accomplished....

The only word I can use for restorative yoga yesterday is phenomenal! I was drawn to this new studio for two reasons, my old one closed and this new studio has an open hand as its logo. It seemed welcoming and it was. It is called Ahimsa, meaning do no harm—especially to yourself. I was drawn to the particular class I went to because in its description it mentioned that it helps quiet down the monkey (busy) mind. Good grief! Don’t we all, living in these times, have monkey mind? Couldn’t we all stand to be kinder and gentler to ourselves? We are our own worse critics about everything including our looks, talents, skills and abilities. I don’t know what had gotten into me, except that it must have been monkey mind. I have not been in a class to do restorative yoga in years! And, the years just keep sailing by. There are only so many that the Goddess grants us.  Why? I ask myself, do I deny myself the simplest and purest pleasures in life? Why become some wrapped u...