Congratulations to Ashleigh and Matt on the arrival of Eliza Jane on Saturday, Apr 23 at 3:09 pm.

Here is what Ashleigh writes:

I just wanted to let you know that Eliza made her appearance yesterday [Sat, Apr 23] at 3:09pm. Weighing in at 7.0 lbs and 20″ long. We’re both doing great! Happy and healthy. The birth was amazingly fast and completely natural–just as we planned. I’m going to miss yoga–6 weeks seems like such a long time! But I’ll stop by sometime soon. I don’t have many pictures yet, but here’s one from this morning.

As many of you may know, Ashleigh was a fixture at yoga during her entire pregnancy. She participated in 3 classes per week (Tues am, Thurs am, Fri am) and maintained incredible balance, strength and conditioning throughout. She even did her three classes this past week which meant that she did an intense Strength & Fitness yoga class on Thursday – complete with arm balances & inversions (!) – and a flow class on Friday, and then on Saturday she delivered. If that is not doing yoga up to the very end – I do not know what is.

We often all marveled at Ashleigh as she maneuvered into challenging poses with Eliza Jane rolling around inside. Here Ashleigh is shown doing scorpion pose on 2-5-11 when she was 6+ months pregnant. And she did this same pose just as perfectly 2 days before giving birth. Indeed, Eliza has been involved in yoga asanas long before setting eyes on this world.

Many of you have been completely supportive of Ashleigh (the pic shown here was taken 4/8/11) so I know you will be delighted to know that everything went so smoothly. This became an “event” for me as well as Ashleigh and I spent long hours on the mat prior to and during her pregnancy. In fact, we decided to capture it digitally via video, photos and audio. So that is the next project at hand – to try and bring all the material into a neat project for all to see.

Once again – our very best wishes to Ashleigh, Matt & Eliza as our new-born takes her first few breaths on this earth. Welcome, welcome Eliza!!

Update 4/25/11 at 1:42pm:

I neglected to share that on Friday, April 22, Ashleigh renewed her unlimited monthly yoga pass with me. She is the first person to renew her pass the day before giving birth!!

Here is more about Ashleigh & Eliza:

(1) Ashleigh’s Baby: Update on Eliza Jane

(2) Ashleigh’s first-hand account of giving birth.

When I went out to my car – it was still dark outside – I started to pull out of the driveway and noticed that the interior light was on in mom’s car. It was 6:30 in the morning; I was running a touch late on my way to teach yoga. The day was Saturday March 26.

I ran back inside, went into the room where mom was still sleeping, turned on light, found her keys – of course she asked what was going on. Don’t moms always ask that. I told her everything was fine and that she should go back to sleep.

I went out to the car – yep – the battery had died. I ran back inside and up to my brother’s room. He was meditating. I broke his meditation and told him the low down. He had to get the car “revived” while I was at yoga, because when I returned mom and I were headed to NY in her car.

AAA came while I was teaching. They jumped the car and my mom and brother then drove it to get gas and returned. When I came back from yoga then I washed up and ate and mom and I made bid our good-byes and we got into the car. Dead battery.

No problem. We jump start it with my car and off we go.

We drove non-stop to the suburbs of NYC. Stopped to visit one cousin for a short 1hr visit. Went to another cousin’s house for a short stopover and then drove to our hotel. All in all, a smooth arrival.

After dinner, we read, talked, and used the computer. Then sleep.

I awoke totally startled and was up & on my feet in flurry. It was 3:15am. “Mom, get up, the fire alarm is ringing” I said. “Quick, quick, hurry, hurry!” We were on the 4th (i.e. top floor) and I was expecting smoke in the hallway any moment.

“Come on mom – don’t grab anything – just let’s get our of here.” The alarm was loud and I had read too many horror stories in the paper that week and was leaving nothing to chance. “Mom, come on, just let’s go!”

The alarm was chaotic and I was antsy to get out of the room. I had no idea what to expect – would the stairwell be full of smoke?

I thought we were (finally) ready to get out of the room and mom turns to me and says, “Do you have…” and I all I heard after that was “eeeee”.

I was furious with her. “Mom, let’s go, this is not the time to go to the bathroom!!”. She repeated herself, “Do you have the key?” I checked my pockets, “Yes, let’s go”. And I grabbed her arm and we left the room.

For an 81 yr old, mom is pretty nimble. She was in her nightgown with a light sweater and I had her elbow and forearm in my grasp and we were making our way down the 4 flights of steps. So far so good – no smoke. When we made it to the ground level we headed to the door and alas – outside!!

It was 25 degrees. I looked around and could not see a fire anywhere. Others were now coming from the hotel from all exits. Despite what seemed like an eternity & being on the top floor – we were one of the first ones out of the hotel. Did I tell you it was 25 degrees? Cold, cold, cold. Mom only had on a paper thin nighty with a very light sweater and no socks to speak of. And I was jacketless.

Being the dutiful son I ran all the way around the hotel to get the car. Then mom and I would be warm. I put the key in – battery dead! “Oh my”, I said. (But don’t quote me on that one!)

I ran all the way back around the hotel and saw mom standing there. It was still 25 degrees and about 3:30 something a.m. I grabbed her and starting walking through the parking lot. There was a car running – there were three people inside, with room for more.

I motioned to them to roll down the window. In a few breaths I explained our plight. They said, “Oh sure – please come.” We got in the back seat. A motherly woman was in the driver’s seat. Her two daughters(?) – late teens perhaps were in the passenger seat and back seat. They were all extremely kind and welcoming.We sat there – warm.

Suddenly one more of their relations arrived outside the car. She saw there was no room and began to turn around. I called to her. The mother in the driver’s seat told me to stay. I got out of the car and had the young lady enter and sit next to my mom.

I was walking around for a while. There were fire trucks and people scattered all about. Not only people but dogs on leashes and cats in boxes. All wondered what was happening. I turned and looked over my shoulder, and there was mom right behind me.

I immediately marched her back to the car and told them not to let her out. They were all very kind and said, “She said she wanted to go out with you.” I told them not to listen to her and that she was to remain in the car. Mom begrudgingly got back in the car. Time passed. An overflowing toilet tripped the system. We were all allowed back in. At least 40 – 45 minutes had passed, maybe more.

We were scheduled to visit more cousins and aunts in the morning before going to see all my brothers and sisters in the afternoon. Instead in the morning we called AAA. They came and jump started our car – they do not do battery replacements on Sundays. But the tow truck driver said that it was just a short drive to Sears Auto Center.

We made the short trip over to Sears and entered the parking garage which was adjacent to a mall. It was 9:45am. Sears opened at 10am. There were 4 cars ahead of us waiting for Sears to open. We kept the car running as we did not want to risk it. Besides it was only 15 minutes or so. The time passed. The first car entered the auto center. It was 10:03 am.

Oh my – what is this I hear – it is a fire alarm. Everyone from Sears Auto Center is exiting, as is the entire mall. Cars are backing up. We do a token roll back of 10 feet or so. More time passes – our engine is still running. The fire department is now on the scene. I start dozing in the car. People are moving here and there. It is now 11am and the alarm is still sounding. Our car is still running. An hour had passed.

Ahh – finally after 1hr and 10 min, the alarm is off. Mom and I look at each other and wonder. Mom says, “It has been a real crumby trip.” She wasn’t upset – just being matter-of-fact. In due course, pretty speedily, we get our new battery installed – hooray!!

We go back to the hotel; mom is half-exhausted and I’m starving. She explains to the cousins we won’t be by and that we will catch them next time. We hang out for some time at the hotel, resting and relaxing.

Later we go over to my sister’s for a wonderful gathering of squash soup, homemade vegan pizzas (with toppings like broccoli, sliced potato, sauteed crispy tofu, spinach puree & more! – and homemade vegan baklava for dessert). Everything was great! Of course it was wonderful seeing all my brothers and sisters, their spouses, & kids. Lots of catching up, plenty of laughs and smiles, and not a fire alarm within earshot!!

What a treat in the middle of February – a morning meditation outside. The yogis say that doing meditation outdoors opens new vistas. No longer bothered by all the domestic callings a house contains, the aspirant is unfettered and more free to explore within. Natural surroundings and only sky overhead aid one in the journey.

So there I sat – on my porch surrounded by trees and a modest morning sun; it is February after all. Automatically the mind felt more inspired and easily slipped into the practice of pratyahara, i.e. delving inwards. At the right time the mantra also began to chime in, bringing a distinctly positive flow to the practice.

Great yogis sit with the mind introverted, not noticing a thing going on around them. They say that when Sri Ramakrishna would sit for meditation, birds would nest in his hair. I do not possess such aptitude. Sometimes the mind is focused within and sometimes I am more cognizant of the world without.

Certain birds were sweetly singing their call – again and again. And while this worldly sphere is filled with hustle and bustle, I could only think how the birds never get caught up in it. Just they recite their mantra, i.e. their delightful rhythmic song.

Thus inspired I took earnest aim and pointed my mind within, with the rhythm of my inner call. A delight to be doing meditation outside on this fine February morning…

Well mom and I had big holiday travel plans – and we basically did none of it.

She arrived Wed, just when I was heading off to go teach. Thursday she was with my brother while I taught till early afternoon. And then Friday, Dec 24, mom came to the Yoga Flow class in Dunkirk, though I must say we were dramatically outnumbered by Ashleigh’s clan – her three sisters & her mom!! What a delightful and spontaneous bunch they are!! And of course some of our regulars were also on hand – we had a nice pre-holiday yoga session together.

On Saturday, mom and I were supposed to go visit cousins and family around the beltway in Bethesda – unfortunately, my uncle was taken by ambulance to the ER & diagnosed with pneumonia. Thankfully, Uncle Fran seems to be doing better now but that day mom and I stayed home. Our plan was to drive to NY the next day – Sunday – and when we called my sister to tell her of our plans she said, “Are you sure there is a weather storm alert!?!”

Aha…indeed there was.

By Sunday morning we had firmly decided that we would not be going to NY that day – instead we’d stay home. But we did not even do that. The forecasters were talking this storm up to be of such proportions that I thought we might lose power. No problem normally – but mom was in town, all 81.5 years of her. Nimble as she is, but no power in my house means no heat, no water, no nothing. So we did not chance it and and instead “vacationed” as she put it by checking into the Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa – figured we’d wait out the first night of the storm there.

Needless to say, we did not get walloped by snow and winds as expected but mom was quite pleased with the night out – so it was fine and well. And of course, NY did get hit hard so not going there was the right thing to do.

That brings us to Monday – and on that day Mom and I returned the fancy electric back massager that I got her because she felt like she was being beaten up by a herd of elephants. You could not have believed her look of shock and surprise when we tried it out on her. Ok, so that gift became a goner.

On the bright side, the electric wok she got us was a big hit – we had a great stir-fry this evening with it.

Amidst all the jumbled plans, phone calls, and near misses – it’s been a fine week. Tell us what transpired during your holiday weekend? Hope it was filled with joy and smiles – even if you couldn’t get to where you were hoping to be.

There is no doubt about it: Life is challenging – it demands our all. We have to keep a close eye on what is going on.

To achieve that, flexibility is a must. Physical flexibility is certainly helpful, yet most of life’s endeavors demand our psychic flexibility. A rigid mind will not get far in life – rather it will be encumbered by the same trappings again and again. Our outlook and perspective must be dynamic to adapt to this ever-changing world. Failing that we will become static.

Just as the above golfer is gaining his angle, our yoga practice helps us reassess our current conditions and future engagements. Closing the eyes, slowing the breath and stilling the mind are the yogi’s sacred tools for keeping an eye on life. As we open our internal vision that naturally clears up how we view the world around us.

This just in from Carolyn:

As I was dumping a large load of leaves down the ravine, I stepped into an unseen hole and found myself straddling a bush with one leg down the hill.  Envisioning this morning’s practice, I stood on that one leg, raised the other behind me, spread my arms, leaned forward slightly, balanced and moved forward.

Thank you, Satyam!
c

(Any and all complaints about this graphic can be expressed in class during revolved half moon pose – Eds)

Last Wednesday (11/3), after Community Yoga, I was getting packed up: blocks, mats, accessories, music – the usual. It usually takes me some time – especially that evening as I had some paperwork to attend to. When I was nearly done getting the car packed – another vehicle drove up.

“I am so glad you are still here”, they said.

Those were the words of Bob. Actually I think Coni, Bob’s wife, said them. But since this story is primarily about Bob, we’ll just assign those words to him. Another way you can tell that Bob is a big part of this post is by the title.

In the next 30 seconds or so, it was declared that Bob had lost his driver’s license and that they wanted to check the hall, as that was where he last had it.

I had just scoured the hall myself as I was getting packed up, but the three of us went back inside and gave a look. Not there. Then Bob and Coni checked the grounds outside the hall with their flashlight – checking the pathway from the hall to Bob’s parking spot. Still no luck.

By now they had told me that they had looked all throughout his car & High’s gas station (I believe). Bob said he had placed his license in his shoe before class and it must have dropped out somewhere.

It was now past 9pm and they called off the search. Here I should note that throughout this event Bob & Coni were their usual selves. That means they were laughing, joking, and in a light-hearted mood.

It was basically reasoned that a trip was due to MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration.) But that is not the end of the story.

The next evening (11/4) I emailed Bob @ 9:33pm and wrote, “Did you come up with your license? I hope so….”. That was the entire email.

Precisely, 23hrs and 20 minutes later I got the following reply:

“Well, yes I did! When I found it later Thursday night, I had to laugh really hard, even though I was the only one home at the time. Turns out it was still in one of the shoes I had on the whole time when I came back to the hall looking for it. I never felt it! After work Thursday night I did some things around the house, then took off the same shoes. I moved them on the floor and then the license slid back towards the heel to reveal itself to me! I felt soooo dumb. Never felt it. Like I said… it was with me when we came back to the hall Wednesday evening and every place else we back-tracked to looking for it.”

Indeed Bob found his license.

There are thousands of “morals to the story”: Keep your license in your wallet, don’t put your license in your shoe, if you are married always give your license to your wife when doing yoga, etc. I am sure you can think of others.

For me the main message was this: Invariably we all do things like this – maybe once a week, 3 times a month, or maybe more or less frequently. But when we lose everyday type of items or do seemingly inane things, we should not also lose our minds. We should not become angry, upset, frustrated, etc. We all know what can happen. However not falling prey to this is far easier said than done. “Trying not to be upset” and “truly being in a place of ease & composure” are two radically different states of mind.

I saw Bob in the “heat of the moment” – outside looking for his license in the darkness of the late evening after a long day of work. And you know what, his disposition was exactly the same as it always is. There was no change. No doubt he was looking for his license, but his mental chemistry was totally normal: relaxed, joyful, humorous. To me that is what was most remarkable.

That is why I should really have titled this post as Yogi Bob. Because that is the way of the yogi – keeping mental equipoise through the invariable ups and downs of life.

One day I hope to be like Bob.

That’s the end of the story. Those looking for a bit of philosophy, here you go…

The Sanskrit word for this type of psychic balance or mental composure is santosha, i.e. the 2nd step of niyama sadhana. In total, niyama is comprised of 5 principles. And niyama itself is the 2nd limb of astaunga yoga, or the 8 limbs of yoga.

(The following letter is from Darlene Matthews, one of our regular yoga practitioners, who recently participated on this 3-day walk for breast cancer. Here she describes her experience. There is also a link at the bottom to donate to the breast cancer fund.)

Satyam,

I DID IT!!!!!!

First, thank you very much for support and the advertisement.

Day One:  We started the day with an emotional Opening Ceremony at National Stadium.  Walked around the U.S. Capital building, past the Smithsonian Museums and worked our way through NW DC into Bethesda.   After a long day of walking, we were bused to our camp site in Germantown, our home away from home for the weekend.

Day Two:   We headed out of camp and walked through Gaithersburg, MD and Montgomery County.  Never knew Montgomery County was soooo hilly!  That evening we gathered back at camp for a Candy Coburn Concert.  Special guest Ambassador Nancy Brinker, founded and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure gave a personal address to the participants and signed copies of her book “Promise Me.”

Day Three:  We began our final day of walking under sunny skies in North Bethesda.  Family, friends and neighbors cheered us on through downtown Bethesda as we continued down shady, quiet neighborhoods before hitting Connecticut Ave and heading downtown.  The route traveled past he National Zoo, through Woodley Park and a huge cheering station at Dupont Circle.  Then we walked past the White House before heading to the Reagan Building.  Our incredible journey ended with a celebratory Closing Ceremony at the Washington Monument, with our friends and family there to greet us.

This was truly an awesome experience that I will never forget.  Thanks again for your support!

Darlene

NOTE:  You may still donate to Darlene’s fund for the cure. Donations accepted until Nov 5. Click here…

Well, to continue with our interesting week – it kinda goes like this.

Wendy Rieger, the news anchor of NBC (Washington DC), was due to come to our 6p class this past Wednesday to get some video for a story she is doing on Renaissance Yoga. Well, true to form she came – right on time too!

And also true to form – the universe had something else brewing. While all 21 class participants began to arrive and get set up, one of them heard a crying sound from underneath the hall – it was a tiny kitty. The fire dept (next door) was notified and they wanted permission to remove a metal grate to get access to the kitty. We called the powers that be in Galesville and permission was granted. Next thing – kitty was out – and she was the size of 1/2 stick of butter.

I was inside getting things ready for the class and deliberations were underway on the front porch for how to handle the kitty. As class was about to start, a student informed me that Wendy thought it best to bring the kitty to her vet down the road. I was told she would be back in 5 min. (Note: This photo is not “our” kitty, but it is very, very similar looking!)

Alright…let’s get class started. All were primed for the video shoot but no worries we can adjust. 6:20p still no sign of Wendy and the kitty – 6:30p and still not back. By this point we were all wondering – or at least I was wondering…we were moving through one sequence after another and there was not a camera in sight.

At 6:40p Wendy gently tiptoed back in and shot video for 15 min or so. A few more minutes and class was over. The convention was again underway about kitty.

Turns out she was only 2 1/2 weeks old  (they really can’t be separated from mother until 6 weeks) and the kitty would need to be hand fed. Fortunately Wendy had secured all that was needed from the vet in terms of a milk formula. And our cat-loving student, Krista, took the cat home – wondering how she was going to feed the cat every 2hrs with a full time job!

The kitty was so small that she could easily curl up in the palm of your hand – she was tiny! And all she wanted was to be warm and have a cozy place to sleep.

Krista nursed the cat that night and in the morning called to inform me that she needed help in placing kitty in a home or shelter. After all, keeping such a young kitty would be a round-the-clock commitment.

We both called around – no luck. Then Krista phoned me – I had just gotten out of my 9am Thurs class – and told me she found a senior in Annapolis who was ready and able to take kitty.

To make a longer story short – kitty was blessed with a wonderful home, complete with a kitty infirmary etc. So she will be well cared for.

And, and, and earlier Wendy had called me and left a message saying she got all the footage she needed plus she had many directions about caring for kitty. As you may know Wendy is very active in causes for animal welfare and true to form she shined brightly in this situation as well.

So that’s the story of our video shoot with NBC and kitty’s rescue.

I will keep you updated both about our kitty as well as when the story on Renaissance Yoga will air!!

So that was my interesting week – part 1 & 2 – and it was only WEDNESDAY.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of teaching yoga is sharing this great practice with all kinds of wonderful people – from all different backgrounds, interests, and ages.

In addition to my regular 20+ classes per week or so, this past week (Sep 19 – 25) included three interesting experiences which I share here.

Sunday morning got the ball rolling with a session in support of Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary’s women’s day gathering. This is the second time I have participated in this event, and like the first one this was also wonderful.

The weather was phenomenal; the views stunning; the flowers in bloom; the participants adventurous; and every other aspect of the day seemed perfectly in sync as well.

Starting at 10am we went through our yoga routine featuring poses, meditation, relaxation and a story.

That was the precursor to a day in nature with hikes, talks, and more (as it was women’s day I was one and done after the yoga!). So we used our yoga practice to transition from daily life into this day-long nature retreat.

Here are two participants doing Warrior I out into the great expanse of Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. We always do our sessions on the observation deck so as not to miss an iota of Mother Nature’s precious gift.

We took in all the sights and sounds and journeyed within and without – as far as the eye & mind could see.

Here are more pictures from the recent program at Jug Bay. Thanks Lindsay and Diane (Jug Bay staff) for giving me opportunity to participate in this fine outing. Also here are photos from the May gathering…

Then came Tuesday – & up next was the Southern High School Cross Country Team. And here they are!!

We got together at their Coach’s place, i.e. Doug Ellmore’s Farm. Coach Ellmore has been a long time supporter of yoga and graciously invited me to work with his team out at the farm. Once again spectacular weather and an absolutely great group of student athletes.

We went through a challenging workout – barefoot on the lawn – with the great sky overhead.

With shoes and socks strewn across the grass – and the local cat catching (& eating) mice, we went from pose to pose. Here they are all giving a strong effort in tree pose.

And indeed they dived into countless poses.

Thereafter it was a long shavasana (lying relaxation) under an expansive sky.

So that is how the week started – and to find out what happened the next day you will have to click here, or scroll up to the next post – your choice…

p.s. Will be working out the the Southern HS X-C team this Tues (9/28) as well!!

Namaskar – Last Thursday evening we held a meditation circle as part of Nat’l Yoga Month, 17 people arrived with minds introverted ready to meditate.

Meditation is not separate from yoga, rather meditation is the main practice of yogis. 7 of the 8 limbs of astaunga yoga (eight limbs of yoga) are meditation oriented, and only one limb is physically oriented. And even that one physical limb, asana (yoga posture), is related with meditation as we sit in a yoga posture when we meditate.

Meditation allows the mind to unfold, expand and blossom; it increases the our psychic domain melting selfishness and nurturing selflessness. Perhaps more than any other practice, meditation is the discipline that can most enhance our personalities and allow us to grow in a truly balanced and loving way.

We all had a wonderful gathering last Thursday exploring the essence of our yoga practice in the form of meditation. Do join us for our next meditation circle which will be held on a Thursday to be announced in October.

Had a great outing this afternoon up in Balto working with the Loyola Men’s & Women’s X-C teams. We did a big session in their main gym. This is my third year doing pre-season sessions with their teams. And as usual, they all did very well!

Go Greyhounds! Have a successful season as well as a strong academic term!!

Thanks Coach Woods for having me up again…

No, that is not a striped horse that mom is feeding – that is a zebra.

Some of you may be thinking that mom took a jaunt to Africa. Not exactly…

Get this – that zebra is living in the Green Mountain State, i.e. Vermont!! And mom is up there this weekend visiting family & friends – and yes zebras too!

ZEBRA FACTS:

- Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual.

- It was previously believed that zebras were white animals with black stripes, however, the animal’s background color is dark and the white stripes are additions.

- When chased, a zebra will zig-zag from side to side, making it more difficult for the predator.

- Zebras have excellent eyesight. It is believed that they can see in color. Like most ungulates, the zebra has its eyes on the sides of its head, giving it a wide field of view. Zebras also have night vision.

Ahhh…summer: Sunshine, beaches, family outings & handstands!!

Here is Jean Rupard, one of our NECC faithful, airing it out under the sun!

You might think that Jean is flanked by curiosity seekers, but alas – no. Those are her grandchildren!! And it did not take long until gram’ got them into the act – is that a cool grandma or what!!

So here they are!! For the first 2 minutes, they all had their legs perfectly straight together, and then as a grand finale they decided to shake it out a little and do an inverted dance! That is what we see here.

The moral of the story: If you think you are going to have a relaxed day at the beach with grandma – think again!!

Warrior III – on a slope no less!!

Here is our good friend Gillian majestically doing Warrior III on the dunes of the Outer Banks (N.C.)

While many may have exercised caution on such terrain, Gillian dove right into it, which is what our warrior poses are all about: fearlessness.

Here is another balance pose, no less easy mind you – not with that wind anyway!!

Tree pose overlooking the dunes – a nice addition to the landscape.

So nice to see everyone doing yoga on their vacations – to see all our yoga vacation posts and pics, click here.

When you are on the road this summer – share with us your yoga best!!

Ahhhh….vacation time amongst the cool waters. See here what the Crofoots are up to.

Here is Teresa Crofoot (i.e. mom) striking a great Warrior II pose at Great falls MD.

Many of you know Teresa from classes in Dunkirk & events in Galesville, in addition she is a great maker of yoga mat bags & accessories, 1treeeyoga.

But no mother-daughter duo would be so without the daughter…(and these two are a real duo – similar in look, likeness, grace & spirit!)

… here is Ms Amber (i.e. daughter) doing a neat variation of tree pose. She chose a fitting background to her pose.

In fact her pose is so good, one might mistake her for the trunk of the tree itself – save for her sweet smile.

Amber has been known to come to yoga classes in the summers – when she is not on vacation, that is – and show us all a few things about flexibility.

Note: Notice the ankle on the front side of the left thigh.

Going anywhere? On vacation? Strike a pose and send us your photos…