Fennel, and Fitness As We Age

52 @ 50 - no. 5 - Fennel for the First Time!

The 52 new things I'm doing in my 50th year don't need to be adrenaline-fuelled challenges, I'm quite happy with them being more gentle explorations into what life has to offer...so this week I'm eating Fennel for the first time!!  Am I the only one who has never tried it?? I don't know exactly why I haven't - possibly it's the smell? It's very aniseed-y, like liquorice, which I don't dislike but don't really want with my dinner. But I had it on good authority that when it's cooked the flavour is much softer and is really delicious! As I'm aiming to be particularly open-minded this year I couldn't really refuse to give it a go.... 

I've been in this scenario before. When I was a child I allowed my mind to decide what I did or didn't like rather than basing my decision on trying things to see if I actually liked them. And more recently when I had thought for about 40 years of my life that I didn't like olives, went to a tapas bar in Barcelona and lo and behold discovered that I love them! What else am I missing out on?  

So, fennel duly bought from Waitrose and other ingredients gathered, I made Roasted Fennel with Parmesan for dinner tonight. And..... I liked it!  

Here's the very easy recipe I used:

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

You will need:

I fennel bulb
Olive oil
Salt, pepper
Balsamic Vinegar
Parmesan cheese 

Here's how to make it:

• Cut the fennel in half from top to bottom, then into quarters, then divide again.
• Place the sections in a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and a splash of Balsamic Vinegar
• Roast in the oven at 180 degrees (gas mark 4) for about 30-40 minutes until soft and starting to caramelise.
• Remove from the oven and grate Parmesan over the top.
• Serve as a side dish or as part of a warm salad.

Exercise and Fitness for Healthy Ageing

My yoga practice helps me to stay fit and well. I have a regular practice that is sometimes dynamic and sometimes quieter and more restorative, depending on what I feel I need that day. The arm balances like handstand build my strength, the Sun Salutations and Vinyasa flow make me sweat and the slow stretches help me relax and stay flexible - it's a good balance, this yoga!  

But it's always fun to add some variety into my exercise routine. I love to run because it gets me outside in the fresh air and gives me the opportunity to take in the wonderful views that Mother Nature offers where I live on the edge of the North Downs. I walk every day with The Furry Guru too - having a dog makes you get outside every day, rain or shine because the dog needs his exercise too and I have a responsibility as a dog owner to honour that commitment. 

The weekend before last there was a whole series of articles in The Times on Saturday about healthy ageing which made me think about adding something else in to my exercise routine - maybe swimming or cycling - to keep my fitness levels up in the coming years. One of the things I love about yoga is that there's always a new and more challenging posture to learn which is very empowering - my practice is improving as I age rather than declining. This helps my general health and mental wellbeing too, and I want it to stay that way. 

You may have read the articles, but I thought I'd share some of them with you as it's always helpful to have a reminder about keeping ourselves healthy - life is often so busy and tiring that it's easy to put off doing the very things that are the most beneficial for us.  

Here's what Matt Roberts, the celebrity fitness trainer, has to say about maintaining your fitness as you age:

"As your body adapts to the changes that ageing brings, you need to switch the focus of your exercise:

Men in their forties: Muscles need extra work from the age of 40, because muscle mass declines with age. Lift heavy weights for the major muscle groups three times each week, and do not neglect your legs and bottom. In addition, do high-intensity cardio (running, cycling, swimming) to burn fat and boost your testosterone levels.

Men in their fifties: If you feel comfortable running, do that. If not, take up cycling. There is a reason why the cycling 'mamil' (middle aged man in lycra) exists: cycling is kind to your ageing tendons, muscles and joints because it entails less impact than running. Intersperse your cardio with some weekly interval or HIT sessions too, at least once a week.

Men in their sixties: At this age, men should use a foam roller and properly stretch out the limbs and muscles for at least 20 minutes a day, every day. This will help to alleviate the higher levels of stiffness and aches after a workout and improve overall flexibility. Do core stability work and Pilates to keep the abdominals strong and to protect the spine. Weight training is important for keeping weight in check - try heavy lifting once a week. Don't do any more than that because you don't want to strain the tendons and ligaments - recovery from injury takes much longer at this age.

Women in their forties: This is the decade in which to build your endurance levels. Do lots of running, cycling, walking and swimming, which will keep you lean, fit and with high energy levels. Take up yoga and either Pilates or core strength training if you don't already do it. Yoga will help you to maintain your flexibility - it's naturally high when you enter your forties, so don't let it slip away.

Women in their fifties: During this decade a woman's hormone levels undergo the biggest shift since puberty and it's really important to keep your muscle and tendon strength high, and to keep your bone density strong with plenty of resistance exercise. Make sure you lift moderate to heavy weights two or three days a week alongside a programme of cardio (running, swimming or cycling), core and yoga work. Oestrogen levels will be beginning to drop as the menopause approaches. As a result, women often find they gain weight (about 1lb a year on average). To counteract this, run if you feel that your joints can cope with it, or swim at high intensity instead. Short, fast interval training in the pool will burn calories and strengthen your core.

Women in their sixties: Every day, ideally before breakfast, power-walk with real intent (so that you can burn fat more effectively). Aerobic activity on an empty stomach forces your body to utilise its fat stores for energy and walking is a great way to do it. Use weights and do body-weight exercises (such as lunges, squats and press-ups) between two and four times a week to ensure that you keep muscles and tendons strong and well-functioning It's also crucial to maintain flexibility because mobility declines further in this decade, so take up yoga or Pilates."

Tao Porchon-Lynch - 97 years old and still teaching yoga

The Times then offered this advice, words I love to hear...

Take Up Yoga

Back pain, all-round joint stiffness and a worsening ability to touch your toes are signs that middle age is taking its toll. They are also the most common triggers for men and women in midlife to take up yoga or Pilates.

The approaches have similarities, namely releasing pent-up physical tension, ironing out your posture and helping you to move more freely. With yoga the emphasis is more on flexibility, with Pilates on developing core control. Proponents of each will tell you why one usurps the other in terms of benefits, but there is little to distinguish the two when you weigh up the scientific evidence. Both yoga and Pilates focus, albeit differently, on controlled breathing, which has been shown to lower stress levels.

Dr Loren Fishman, a researcher at Columbia University, has shown that yoga aficionados develop increased bone density in their spine and hips compared with those who don't do yoga. At Queen's University in Ontario, researchers found Pilates to be beneficial for middle-aged people suffering back pain.

What really matter to most middle-aged converts, though, is how yoga and Pilates make you feel mentally as well as physically. Yoga, the most studied of the two disciplines, has been proven to enhance mood and reduce anxiety. With both, posture and flexibility (which comes naturally in your twenties and thirties and declines after 40) will improve.

Then there was a section about meditation.... 

How Meditation Keeps You Young by Andy Puddicombe, meditation expert

Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk who has helped to bring meditation into the mainstream, says that meditation can not only help people to achieve greater peace of mind, but also has anti-ageing benefits. And there are now plenty of studies that back this up.

"There are health benefits to practising meditation no matter how old you are, and it can be particularly helpful as we age," says Puddicombe. His Headspace app with guided meditation for beginners has about 3 million users.

Puddicombe points to studies that have found differences in the brain scans of meditators and non-meditators. The brain's prefrontal cortex - associated with personality, expression, attention and decision-making - gets thinner with age, but those who practised meditation were found to have thicker prefrontal cortexes than those who did not. A study in 2013 by the psychiatry department of Harvard Medical School showed that people who meditated daily for four years had longer telomeres - the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes - than those who did not. Short telomeres have been linked to premature cellular ageing. 

Another study showed that people who meditate have better blood flow to the brain, leading to improvements in memory and attention. Other significant health benefits across every age group are better sleep, lower blood pressure, improved immunity and the ability to stay centred in an increasingly stressful world.

"By the time we get to 40, 50 or 60, many of us have negative patterns established in our minds and we think, "That's it, this is who I am and there's no way of changing." But it's never too late to change those things," says Puddicombe. "We go to the gym and train a muscle which gets thicker and stronger as it receives more blood flow. In the same way, when we train the mind in a methodical way with mindfulness and meditation, the part of the brain associated with happiness and wellbeing receives more blood flow."

The 43 year old says that the biggest misconception about meditation is that you have to keep a blank and clear mind. "I was a monk in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and what I loved about that training is that it embraced the madness of life," he says. "Even there, in the monastery, there was a lot going on, and your mind produced thoughts that you wished weren't there, so it's not about being quiet 24/7.

"Meditation is about shifting perspective so that we can be more accepting of what's happening in our lives. You have to say, "Ok, this is my life and this is my situation, and how can I work it in a more positive way?"

Ideally, he says, you should take ten minutes to do a simple meditation every day. Take a couple of deep breaths and close your eyes. Become aware of your senses, the feelings in the body, the sounds and the smells around you. Don't think about them, simply notice them. Next, become aware of the breath. You don't need to breathe in a special way, just notice how the rising and falling movement of the breath feels in the body. Each time the mind wanders, gently bring it back to that same point of focus, the sensation of the breath. 

The most important thing, Puddicombe says, is to find a place where you will not be physically disturbed. You can sit on a chair with your arms and legs uncrossed. Don't listen to music - it may help you to feel relaxed, but that's not what meditation is about. It's about clarity."

I hope that reading this has inspired you to get out and get your body moving this weekend, and to take some time to get still and quiet as medicine for your mind too. Take care of your health - it is precious and not guaranteed..... Which reminds me of one of my favourite quotes (author unknown) about getting older....

Your Questions Answered... what is a 'drishti'?...

A drishti is the point on which the eyes focus during a posture. When the eyes are wandering around the room, the mind is often unsteady too. Fixing the eyes helps the mind to concentrate so that we become completely absorbed in what we are doing rather than being distracted by the thoughts.

There are 9 drishtis:

1. the tip of the nose
2. the thumbs
3. the third eye (between and above the eyebrows)
4. the navel
5. up towards the sky
6. the hands
7. the toes
8. to the left
9. to the right

Often when we do a posture the drishti comes in naturally, eg. in a seated forward bend we tend to look towards the toes, but sometimes when we are distracted and lost in thought we don't notice. Next time you roll out your mat to practice, pay attention to where your eyes rest (or don't rest). Make a conscious decision to fix them steadily on one point and see how focusing your gaze helps to quieten your mind and bring you fully into the pose and the present moment. 


This Week's Musical Offering

A 50 minute track called The Oneness Om by Ananda Giri. I played this in class this week for Savasana but it's equally good for a slow, stretchy practice too.

And finally, I'm sharing some good advice I'm using to guide me through my 50th year....

from How To Be An Explorer of the World by Keri Smith

Until next time, stay curious....

We Are All Unique - Yet We Are All The Same

52 @ 50 - no. 4 - An Alpaca Experience

I was given a unique gift for my birthday this year - a trip to an alpaca farm in Hampshire to get to know a little more about these strange creatures from the camelid family. 

We started by learning about their wool and how it is sheared, graded and used to make garments, then we were told how they are becoming popular as pets. People who have a paddock or large garden are buying a small herd (they need each other's company so they are sold in groups of at least 3) to keep the grass and hedges trimmed. They have feet like camels which are tiny and light so they don't churn up the ground and make it muddy like horses do so the paddocks stay closely cut and very neat and tidy. They don't cost much to feed (their food apparently costs just 30p a day!) so therefore they are a cheaper option than a ride-on mower and employing someone to do the grass cutting for you! They also used as guardians to protect flocks of sheep as they are good at protecting their herd. An alpaca costs upwards of £600.

Alpacas come from South America. They are similar to llamas but are much smaller - more like their wild relative the vicuna. Llamas have been used for thousands of years as pack animals, transporting goods across the mountains of South America, but alpacas are not quite as placid or obliging and obviously can't carry as much so tend to be kept just for their fleece. We got to test this theory as headcollars were put on and we took them for a walk. 

My beastie was called Frederico. He was extremely handsome and rather lovely, if a little flighty... but what do you expect from £14,000 worth of prime breeding stock?! Actually, none of them were particularly well-behaved - they are easily startled and they didn't want to go for a walk. When the lady from the farm tried to ease them along with an arm behind their backsides they kicked! They wanted to stay together too so it was hard to get one to go on it's own. You are supposed to walk by their shoulder rather than pull them along but they have bendy necks so are difficult to control in this way. It was all slightly shambolic but, once we got into our stride so to speak, we were ok. 

They really are strange creatures. Their heads are tiny and their leg bone from knee to ankle is very short and the upper leg bone is long which gives them a very funny gait when they run. Although they were all the same breed, I was struck by how different each one was. They all had their own hair-do's and facial expressions (yes really they did!) and I expect that, when you get to know them better, each would have its own individual character, preferences and idiosyncrasies. A bit like us really.... 

Chatting with Frederico - we have the same fringe! 

New friends

Penny and the alpacas and me - we are different yet the same...

At the most basic level we are like the alpacas - we want food, shelter, safety and community.  Our yoga practice teaches us that we are each a unique being, and yet we are all the same too. We all have a body but our bodies are different and so, therefore, our practice is individual. But we are all practicing to feel whole and connected..... does that make sense?

When we unroll our mat to do our yoga we do it for ourselves - to increase our ease of movement, strength and flexibility and to have a quieter mind. But it also reaches out further than that. When we roll the mat back up again afterwards we might be a little more aware of ourselves and how we act and react. We might give our friends and family a little more of our attention. We will hopefully feel, having said 'Namaste' to each other at the end of class, a little more compassion for our Self and each other too. What we say and do has an effect on others. We are connected. 

I love this quote from Rumi, the ancient Sufi poet:

      “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”

... and this is one of my favourite teachings about connection, from the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh:

"If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain the trees cannot grow; and without trees, we cannot make paper. The cloud is essential for the paper to exist... If we look into this sheet of paper even more deeply, we can see the sunshine in it. Without the sunshine the forest cannot grow. In fact nothing can grow without sunshine. And so we know that the sunshine is also in this piece of paper. And we see wheat. We know that the logger cannot exist without his daily bread, and therefore the wheat that became his bread is also in this sheet of paper. The logger's mother and father are in it too. When we look in this way, we see that without all of these things, this sheet of paper cannot exist.

Looking even more deeply we see ourselves in this sheet of paper too. This is not difficult to see because, when we look at a sheet of paper, it is part of our perception. You mind is in here and mine is also. So we can say that everything is in here with this sheet of paper. We cannot point out one thing that is not here - time, space, the earth, the rain, the minerals in the soil, the sunshine, the cloud, the river, the heat. Everything co-exists with this sheet of paper... As thin as this piece of paper is, it contains everything in the universe."

I love the story of Indra's net too:

"Far away in the heavenly abode of the Great God Indra, the protector and nurturer of life, there is a wonderful net which stretches out indefinitely in all directions. At the net's every intersection is hung a single glittering jewel and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one of these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, which sparkle in the magnificence of its totality. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that the process of reflection is infinite. As each gem reflects every other one and everything else in the universe, so are you affected by every other system in the universe."

This week's recipe... Smashed Avocado on Sourdough Toast, with Goat's Cheese, Lemon, Chilli and Mint

I'm not a huge fan of avocado (except in green smoothies where it makes everything really creamy) so my husband tested this recipe out for me and he liked it so much he had it for breakfast two days in a row. He said it was the perfect thing to replenish him after his long run and his cycle ride.

You will need: 

Half an avocado

Half a lemon

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 teaspoon oil (rapeseed but we don't have that so we used olive)

1 stalk of chopped mint

quarter of a red chilli finely chopped

40g goats cheese (without rind works best)

1 tablespoon of creme fraiche

1 teaspoon chopped chives

2 free range eggs

1 slice of sourdough bread

And here's how to make it...

• Use a grater to remove the zest of the lemon and mix with the chopped chilli and mint.
• Peel and chop the avocado into large pieces. Gently crush with a fork, squeeze the lemon juice over, add the seasoning and oil and mix well.
• Mix the goat's cheese with the creme fraiche and chopped chives.
• Gently poach the eggs in simmering water.
• Toast the bread, spread on half of the goat's cheese cream, top with avocado and place the eggs on top.
• Spoon the remainder of the goat's cheese cream onto the eggs and sprinkle over with the lemon zest, mint and chilli.

This Week in the Garden... I had intended to get all my border clearing done, all my pots and tubs filled with bedding plants and all my seedlings potted on or put out into the borders.... Alas, despite a mammoth 12 hour (!) session in the garden yesterday I still have a lot on my To Do List. Sigh.... I was a little frustrated until I looked at my Instagram feed this morning and saw the picture quote below. It gave me some perspective....

it still all looks lovely even though there's lots to do -
Mother Nature just quietly doing her thing

This Week's Musical Offering... is Spacious Offerings by Desert Dwellers. This track is slow and rhythmic - perfect for doing your Sun Salutations along to. 

 

This Week's Video.... on the theme of 'we are all the same'. This is quite an eye-opener, a heart-opener and a mind-opener!!

This Week's Class on the Thrive Yoga Site... is a 45 minute Vinyasa Flow class with an emphasis on Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) and Garland Pose (Malasana).  Click here to view the website and join me for unlimited access to all the classes for just £9 a month. 

Namaste yoga friends... have a great week....

Wildflower Walks and Avoiding Adversity

'52@50' no. 3 - Learning About Wildflowers

Continuing my new series of doing 52 new things in my 50th year, this week's adventure was peaceful and benign without a hint of adrenaline - learning the names of some native wildflowers. 

I want to do more of the simple things in life that I have long had the intention of doing 'when I have time'. Well that time never seems to arrive - there's always something waiting to fill it, so I am consciously creating space in my life for these new and different things, whether they are thrilling or not. This week, armed with a little pocket book of wildflowers, I've been out and about on the North Downs taking in all that Mother Nature has to offer at this glorious time of year.

The hedgerows, woods and fields that myself and The Furry Guru frequent are full of them. They seem to be more prolific than usual - or maybe it's that they've all flowered at the same time this year and so are more noticeable. Anyway, I'm noticing them... but up until now I haven't know exactly what I was noticing.

I remember the names of the plants in my garden, those that I read about in books and magazines and even the ones that Monty Don tells me about on Gardener's World, but I really don't know many names of our native wildflowers. Many of them are instantly recognisable (such as buttercups) and some are familiar because they are used in their cultivated form in the garden (such as geraniums). Some I know by their common name but not much else and some I have absolutely no idea about at all. I thought it would be a nice thing to learn some more over the next few months and add it in to my year of experiencing new things.

Here are a few of the flowers that I've been learning about (all pictures taken by me):

This little blue flower is Bugle. I have a bit of this in my garden already. In the garden centre it is sold by its Latin name - Ajuga reptans. It has a spire of blue flowers and often grows in clumps as it spreads well.

The Furry Guru studying the Bugle.

Instantly recognisable, Buttercups have their own beauty in their wild setting... but in my garden I count them as a weed.

This is everywhere at the moment - especially on roadsides. It has many common names (Cow Parsley, Queen Anne's Lace or Wild Chervil) but its full Latin name is Anthriscus sylvestris. The big flower heads are in fact made up of several short stems, each with a cluster of tiny flowers which give it its lacy look. It is part of the carrot family.

This is the Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana). It is tiny and looks very delicate but its tough and it grows almost everywhere. It is part of the same family at the pansies that we see in garden centres and often plant in pots and window boxes. It is not related though to the African violet which we in the UK use as a houseplant - that is from a different family (Saintpaulia) but has, confusingly, been given the common name of violet.

This plant is even tinier - the Common Speedwell (also known as Germander or Bird's Eye) grows really close to the ground so when it isn't flowering you wouldn't notice it. At this time of year it's sky blue flowers catch the eye and, if you go in for a closer look, you can see that each one has a little white centre like an eye. The Common Speedwell's Latin name is Veronica chamaedrys.

This is the Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon). Coming into flower just as the Bluebells are going over, this grows in woodland areas. Its leaves and structure are similar to the stinging nettle but, although it comes from the same family, its quite harmless.

This is a wild geranium or Cranesbill. You can just see the unopened flowers in the picture whose shape resembles the beak of a bird - hence the name. There are many different types of Cranesbill (I think this might be Geranium robertianum or Herb Robert), many of which we grow in our gardens because they are hardy and don't need much attention.

This is Bush Vetch. It is part of the legume family and its leaves and flowers resemble those of peas so it is very easy to identify.

This delicate little white flower is Greater Stitchwort. It has the wonderful Latin name of Stellaria holostea, (stellar meaning starlike) and it is easy to see why. Its also known by the name Star of Bethlehem. It grows in grassy banks, hedgerows and in woodlands.

I feel I've learned a lot this week and I'm going to carry on taking my little book out with me all summer to expand my knowledge. There are about 1500 species of wildflower in the UK so that should keep me busy for a while! If you're interested to learn about our beautiful wildflowers too I recommend you find a book specifically for identification whilst out walking. My book groups plants by their families rather than their colour which is great if you're a botanist I guess but means I have to leaf through it (pardon the pun) until I spot the photo of the plant I'm looking at - it would be much easier if the book divided the flowers by colour. 

The Face Everything Technique: Why Avoiding Difficulties Doesn’t Work

By Leo Babauta of zenhabits.net

We are, all of us, amazing at avoiding things.

Our minds are less “thinking machines” than they are “avoiding machines.” And the incredible thing is that we aren’t even usually aware that we’re avoiding thinking about something.

I’ll give you a few examples:

Right now you’re reading this article but probably avoiding the difficult thing you don’t want to think about. 

We are constantly checking messages, news, feeds, notifications … to avoid doing something we don’t want to face.

When we’re facing difficulties in life, we try to tell ourselves that’s it’s OK because (fill in the blank), or get busy with some activity or numbing agent (like alcohol) so we don’t have to face the difficulties. 

When a problem comes up, our reaction is to want to go do something else, put it off. 

We put off paying bills, doing taxes, dealing with long emails, dealing with clutter, because we don’t want to face these difficulties. 

We put off exercise because it’s uncomfortable. 

In fact, there are thousands more examples, every day, that come up and that we don’t even notice, because our minds switch to thinking about something else.

Try this right now: pause for a minute and think about what difficulty you’re avoiding thinking about right now.

You will either notice a difficulty you don’t like, or your mind will quickly turn to doing something else before the minute is up.

What you’ve done is part of what I call the Face Everything Technique … which I’ll explain in a minute, after we talk about why avoiding everything is an ineffective strategy.

Avoidance Doesn’t Work
Our minds want to run from whatever discomfort, pain, difficulty we’re facing … and this is a good strategy for temporarily not having to deal with difficulty and pain. So in the present moment, we might feel some temporary relief.

But what it does is relegate us to a life of running. A life of distraction and never facing what ails us. We keep ourselves busy, but never learn to deal with what’s inside us, what’s in front of us.

This means we are at the mercy of our fears, of our discomforts. We are like little children who don’t want to do any hard work, but want the latest shiny fun thing.

This results in not working on the important work (or at least putting it off until it starts to get painful). The same is true of exercise, healthy eating, finances, clutter, relationships, and more.

In the end, we usually have to deal with these things, but they’ve just gotten worse. It would have been better to face them early on, when they weren’t such a big deal.


The Face Everything Technique

This technique is based on the idea that it’s better to be aware of things, and to deal with them like an adult, instead of running.

And if we do, none of it’s that big of a deal.

Here’s how it works:

Create awareness by asking, “What am I doing right now?” Throughout the day, set reminders or put little notes that remind you to ask, “What am I doing right now?” The answer might be, “Checking Facebook,” or “Switching to a new browser tab,” or “Eating some chips.” Something simple and mundane like that, but just ask yourself what you’re doing, to start to bring awareness.

Next, ask yourself, “What am I avoiding?” When things get difficult or uncomfortable, we automatically switch to something else. We run. We avoid, like crazy. You’re doing it all day long, but not realizing it. Ask what you’re avoiding: some fear, some difficult task, some difficult emotion, some discomfort, or just staying present in the current moment? Name what you’re avoiding.

Now face it. Just stay with this fear, discomfort, difficulty, in the present moment. Not your story about it that you’re telling yourself in your head, but the actual physical feeling in your body in the present moment. How bad is it? You’ll find that it’s No Big Deal. Stay with it for a little longer. And a little longer after that — challenge yourself.

Take appropriate action. Now that you’ve faced it and have seen that it’s not such a big deal, you can act like an adult rather than a little child: you can decide what the best action is right now. If you’re afraid of doing some task, but you’ve faced it and seen that the fear is not such a big deal … you can remind yourself that the task will benefit you and others, and is much more important than your little fear. If you’re avoiding a difficult conversation with someone because you’re angry, you can see that the anger and offense is not such a big deal, and you can talk to the person calmly and appropriately, with empathy and compassion, and figure out a solution.

Of course, not all problems will just evaporate using this method, but I can tell you that you’ll be able to face many more things as you practice this method. You’ll get better at dealing with discomfort, instead of running from it as most people do. You’ll get better at not procrastinating, and doing uncomfortable tasks. You’ll be more present and more willing to stay in the moment rather than needing distractions all the time. Not overnight, but with practice.

You might have the urge to dismiss this article, to avoid practicing this technique. That too is avoidance, and I urge you to face it this moment.

This week's recipe.... Tuscan Tomato Salad

This is another Jamie Oliver recipe. With its olive oil and basil and ciabatta bread it really does taste all summery and mediterranean. It's quick and easy to make and it goes well with the lasagne that I shared recently (click here to view that post) . If you do prepare it in advance don't put the bread in too early otherwise it will go soggy - you want it to soak up the flavours but still retain some of its crunch.

200 g stale or part-baked ciabatta bread
600 g ripe mixed tomatoes, roughly chopped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 handful small capers, soaked and drained
1 red onion, peeled, halved and very finely sliced
280 g roasted peppers in olive oil , drained and roughly chopped
good-quality red wine vinegar
good-quality extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh basil , leaves picked

In Jamie Oliver's recipe he adds anchovies but I prefer my fishes to be swimming in the ocean so I haven't included them - I'm sure you won't miss them.

Here's how to make it:

Tear the ciabatta into thumb-sized pieces, then pop them on a tray in a warm place to dry out a little.

Put the tomatoes into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix together. Add the capers, onion, peppers and bread. Mix again - Jamie recommends you do this with your hands to really get the flavours going.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and about 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add more salt, pepper, vinegar or oil if necessary.

Tear the basil leaves over the salad, give it another good stir, and it’s ready to serve.

This week in the garden...

The borders are full of Alkanet, Forget-me-Nots and Aquilegias. The fence is swathed in Clematis montana. The grass is lush. And my seed babies are looking strong and healthy. All is well.

The only thing I've had to do this week is watering the pots, which I love doing - it's very relaxing. But it's the calm before the storm, so to speak. I'm gearing up for next week's big transition where the spring flowers get taken out of the borders and the summer planting goes in. This coming week I'll be super-busy digging, weeding, planting, doing pots for the patio, cutting the grass, trimming the hedge.... and a bit more weeding.... 

Clematis montana last week 

One week later 

Your questions answered... why do my muscles shake in some poses?

Good question! My muscles were really shaking today in a long-held Plank Pose and I find it often happens in Boat Pose too. The muscles are working hard and getting fatigued and this will change as you get stronger. Remember to breathe and don't hold the pose so long that you compromise your alignment and therefore risk injuring yourself.

Here's a more detailed, technical answer to this question from US yoga master Richard Rosen via Yoga Journal, where he is a regular contributor:

"Your muscles are made up of many fibers. When you use a muscle, not all the fibers contract at the same time. Some rest while the others work, and then they trade places. When you really challenge your muscles, the changeovers can get a little ragged.

You could think of it as one runner passing the baton to another in a relay race. When you quiver, someone fumbled the baton.

Beginning yogis often shake quite a lot. As your muscles get stronger from regular practice, the fibers learn to trade off between firing and resting with smoother coordination. Your quivering will probably subside (though there will always be teachers who turn you into yoga jelly, no matter how strong you get).

For the time being, to calm things down, try to hug the quivering (contracting) muscle against its underlying bone and press the bone into the muscle being stretched.

Quivering is not necessarily bad, but it may be a sign you’re overworking. Several years ago, when slugger Mark McGwire was mired in a terrible slump, a sportscaster asked Mac’s hitting coach what the problem was. The coach opined that McGwire was trying too hard, and needed to “try easier.”

Tune into your brain, your eyes, the root of your tongue, and, most of all, your breath: If any of these areas feel hard or constricted, take the coach’s advice: Try easier."

This week's musical offering... Sound of Invisible Water by Deuter. I played this in Savasana in my classes a couple of weeks ago. Beautiful piano music to relax to.

And finally, this week's video... a poem to inspire all women to be who they are and fulfill their dreams:

"52 @ 50" - Things I Want To Do In My 50th Year!

It was my birthday last week which means that I have now entered my fiftieth year on this planet! In the coming 12 months before my big 'Five O' birthday I want to do some things that I haven't done before. It's not quite a 'Bucket List' which, to me, is more about achievements, goals and extreme challenges, rather I want to widen my net of new experiences and live all aspects of life more fully. I hope my 50th year will contain a mix of simple pleasures (such as the two below) and some more adventurous undertakings.

"52 @ 50" started with a picnic in Regent's Park in London last Friday. I think that, even though I've lived in and around London all my life, this was a new experience for me (although I might have done it before with my grandparents when I was a child and just cant' remember it). It was a truly beautiful day. The park was full of people relaxing with friends, enjoying the sunshine. The grass was a complete carpet of daisies (I've really never seen so many - the grass was almost white) and so many of the trees were full of blossom (I can't remember a year where there has been so much blossom either). 

It was a spontaneous decision to take our lunch to Regent's Park and I'm so glad we did. It was a confirmation that sometimes it's the simplest things that bring us pleasure and it also proved that there are little oases (is that the plural of oasis??) of calm and joy amidst the busiest places.

No. 1 - picnic in Regent's Park

My next experience was to have a glass of orange wine. Never done that before! I didn't even know it existed.  Here's an explanation from Scott Carney, master sommelier and dean of wine studies at the International Culinary Center in New York in case you haven't heard of orange wine either:  

"Orange wines, also known as “contact” or “skin contact” wines, are essentially white wines that are produced like reds. Whereas a white wine never makes contact with the grapes’ skins, an orange wine is made out of white-fleshed grapes (Pinot Gris or Rkatsiteli, for example) and is then left in contact with the skins (which can range in color from white to purple) for days, weeks or months. This “brings about the [orange] colour, but also increases the tannins,” explained Orange wines, also known as “contact” or “skin contact” wines, are essentially white wines that are produced like reds. Whereas a white wine never makes contact with the grapes’ skins, an orange wine is made out of white-fleshed grapes (Pinot Gris or Rkatsiteli, for example) and is then left in contact with the skins (which can range in colour from white to purple) for days, weeks or months. This brings about the orange colour, but also increases the tannins.” 

I enjoyed my orange wine and I'd definitely try one again. I thought it was similar to a rosé - fresh, light and fruty - and a perfect accompaniment to an early evening meal on a sunshiney day. 

No. 2 - Orange wine (not Lucozade!)

So, what shall my new experience be this week?  If you have any suggestions for me please do let me know - I'm up for most things!!  I think I might go and watch the film The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman to give me some ideas!

Practicing Forearm Balance

In my classes this half-term we've been practicing Forearm Balance. This pose's Sanskrit name is Pincha Mayurasana which, if you say it quickly, sounds a bit cheeky!  It's not an easy pose so we've been preparing for it week by week, building both strength and positive mindset.

The picture below shows the muscles involved in doing Forearm Balance, but it doesn't show the Latissimus Dorsi which would be responsible for drawing the upper arm bone back into it's socket and keeping the shoulder girdle stable. If these muscles are tight then that limits shoulder flexion, the upper arm can't stay vertical, and the shoulders come forward. This can create an excessive curve in the back and then the head might drop to the floor. If the Lats are weak then there isn't enough strength to draw the arm bones back into the socket and keep them there as you lift into the pose - once again the shoulders will come forward and the head will come to the ground. 

The muscles involved in Pincha Mayurasana - analyzing the second picture, in my humble opinion I would prefer to see the upper armbone a just little more vertical, with the armpit area little more open

The Latissimus dorsi muscles are located on the back just below the skin. They originate on the upper posterior pelvis and the vertebrae of the lower and lower middle back. The muscles then span up and out diagonally across the back, through the armpit and attach to the inner upper arm bone.

Here's a picture showing the Lats and you can see how they could limit range of movement when lifting the arms if they were tight.  

So what to do if you want to both stretch and strengthen in preparation for Pincha Mayurasana? Here are some poses you can do to help. They'll also be beneficial for other poses too such as Wheel pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana) and Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana). 

Stretch

Strengthen in Purvottanasana

First stage of Forearm Balance - remember to draw the arm bones into the
sockets and pull the shoulder blades down the back, engaging the Lats  

Second stage - practice lifting one leg up at a time

The full pose

This week's recipe - Broccoli Bites

I shared this recipe on Facebook recently and said I would give it a try.... so here's my verdict. It was easy and successful and I had them for lunch with a salad. Next time I'll add some herbs and some pepper for a little more flavouring but overall they were good.  

You will need:

12oz broccoli

1 egg

2/3 cup breadcrumbs

2/3 cup cheddar

1/4 cup spring onions

2 cloves of garlic

Barbeque sauce 

Salt

And here's how to make it:

Here's my finished product

This week in the garden...

Everything's growing like mad!  Before the Alkanet (blue flowers, hairy stem) in my garden completely takes over I thought I'd better do some tidying. A few hours later, with some help from the Furry Guru, I'd cleared the patch ready to sow the seeds for cut flowers later in the summer (... and made a bit of a mess in the process!). 

I sowed my hardy annuals straight into the ground and, although the half-hardy annuals (plants that done like frost) probably would have been fine to go straight into the ground too, I sowed them into seed trays and modules to get them started. All the seeds are up already less than 7 days later!! I find this process so amazing - these little tiny things contain so much life-energy that, given the right conditions, grow into beautiful flowers to decorate my home and garden.

I planted Calendula (pot marigolds), Malope (mallow), cornflowers and more sweet peas straight into the ground. For just a couple of pounds and a few minutes work I'll have colour for the summer, right up until the first frosts. If you want something easy to grow in your garden I'd recommend these plants. (It's also ok to plant Cosmos outside now even though they're half-hardy - they'll be fine). Clear the ground of weeds, dig the ground over and rake it so there aren't any big lumps of earth (known in the gardening world as a 'fine tilth'!). Water the ground well first, then make a little channel about 1 cm deep and sprinkle your seeds finely along the channel. Then gently cover the channel over with earth. I find that watering the soil first works better than watering after sowing because it stops the little seeds getting sloshed out of their channel - although if you water with a watering can with a fine rose (ie a gentle sprinkle) they won't get disturbed. Keep the seedlings well watered.

I'm holding out just a couple more weeks before I buy bedding plants and put my frost tender babies outside... just in case we get another cold snap. They'd probably be fine but I'm not taking any chances. So instead I'm weeding - this is an easy job after all the rain we had this week - so get outside and do it now!

Your questions answered.... translations of some Sanskrit yoga terms 

A male yoga practitioner is called a yogi

A female yoga practitioner is called a yogini

Adho means downwards (as in Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Urdhva means upwards (as in Upward Facing Dog - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

Eka means one

Dwi means two 

Hasta means hand

Pada means foot 

Angusta means big toe

Ubbhaya means both or together 

Ubbhaya Padangustasana

Dwi Hasta Padasana

This week's musical offering is.... The Quiet Ambient by All India Radio

This is a short mellow track good for accompanying slow stretches or cool-down poses, but it has a bit too much beat for Savasana.

Finally, this week's video .... be together, not the same :-)

May the path of yoga ease the way for you on your journey through the sunshine and shadows of life. Have a great week.