Last full day in St. Pierre de Maille

2 photos taken from my last full day in St. Pierre de Maille, France.


Just before yoga in the morning at La Distillerie

On my bike ride home, the moon rising over St. Pierre.

Where your food comes from

I just finished a small lunch/snack consisting of an egg fresh from the chickens today, a tomato picked from the garden and bread and butter. Ok so the bread and butter aren't exactly "garden fresh" or home made but they complimented this simple yet delicious meal perfectly. It's nice to know exactly where your food comes from.

The chickens who bore the egg.

The World According to Americans

(Click to view larger image).

Sent to me by my cousin today. Not quite yoga related but I found it funny. Sad but a little bit true.

Yoga in the French Countryside

I've taught yoga a couple times to my new friend here, Roxane. She is a 23 year old mother, happily married, living in Chauvigny. When I first met Roxane and told her I was a yoga instructor she asked if I could come to her house to do a lesson - I said of course and she replied "Oh I wish, I wish!" - meaning she would like that very much. We arranged for a lesson later that week, and just had our 2nd one this morning. We don't do yoga for very long, 45-60 minutes, and the intention is unlike any yoga I have taught back home in NYC or CT. All Roxane wanted was to de-stress. Forget the toned abs, arms, or yoga butt (she is already blessed with a petite figure anyway), our motive was to go through a few postures to simply help her relax as she spends most of her days taking care of her 18 month old daughter Serena and on weekends she works part-time job at a Moroccan restaurant.

Of course you run into a New Yorker every once in a while who is seeking out yoga for relaxation purposes but I find that so many asana practitioners are doing it for the physical benefits rather than anything else. I love Roxane's "Ah-ha!" moments when she notices her balance improving or that her mind is very "in the moment" with what her body is doing. It's almost as if she is approaching yoga in the same manner as the French approach les repas (their meals); allowing every little taste to settle into their tastebuds, soaking up every last morsel on their plate with their bread, and finishing it off with a nice swallow of Bordeaux. Taking it all in!

There of course may also be a correlation between city and country life whereas the country folk know how to take things slowly. Enjoyment and fulfillment come easier to them without all the constant stimuli that one finds in a large city such as Paris or New York. Regardless of what the reasons may be, I am inspired by Roxanne's gentle approach to yoga and her eagerness to take the time to find some équilibre (balance) in her life.

"Smiling is encouraged."

Bumble Bees, Banana Cats, Baguettes

I have clearly neglected putting up a new post for far too long. No good excuse except for a major shift in my full-time job at a gallery which led me to focus all my energy there in an attempt not to spread myself too thin. For most of July I decided to drop teaching so that when I got home from work I would have some time for myself, to find equilibrium and quiet my thoughts which were far too wrapped up in the well-being of the gallery and its 80 year old frail owner.



After insisting I get 4 weeks off from work I now find myself in the French countryside in a small picturesque town called St. Pierre de Maille. The time has flown by and I am already into week 3. My asana practice has been pushed a little to the wayside, however I find that I am constantly bringing yoga into my everyday life here - and with great ease! Gardening has become my meditation and cooking and preparing food gives me no other choice but to be fully present and aware of my actions.

I am speaking French (and hopefully improving) daily, giving my brain a little exercise. I am here as a "Wwoofer" (www.wwoof.org) - technically working for room & board - yet I never really feel like I am doing work. I feel like I am living, and enjoying myself while I'm at it. It probably helps that I don't have any real deadlines, except that dinner be ready each night at a reasonable hour (usually 9pm) for the 20-30 archaeologists.

While I deeply miss all my friends and family I am trying to soak up all the senses and feelings and new loves I am finding in this new environment.

Artificial Food Dyes Press Release

From June 2, 2008. The Center for Science in the Public Interest urges the FDA to ban artificial food dyes linked to behavior problems.

The Secret History of the War on Cancer

Last night I attended a 'salon', or formal discussion, led by Dr. Devra Davis on environmental toxins and women's health. A brief background on Dr. Davis: she is Director of the world’s first Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health. Her recent book, The Secret History of the War on Cancer, was rated a top pick by Newsweek and is being used by major Public Health schools around the nation including Harvard, Emory, and Tulane University.

Aside from her affection for Pittsburgh and her grandchildren, Dr. Davis has a great passion for public awareness of environmental cancer-causing toxins, especially for women. Because the FDA does not warn us nor protect us from toxins in everyday foods it is important to educate ourselves until the government makes some radical changes.

Although we are constantly exposed to cancer-causing toxins, there are ways to protect ourselves through good nutrition and exercise (like yoga!). It is important to stay away from products containing preservatives, additives, aspartame, and anything else your grandmother wouldn't consider a food. Teresa Heinz was one of the hosts of the discussion and as she so eloquently put it - "stick to what is most pure, most clean."

I know I am not a saint when it comes to good nutrition, but I'd like to think that since establishing a regular yoga practice I have naturally developed good nutritional habits. And while I splurge on the occasional cupcake or tiramisu, I have also been blessed with a mother and father who trained me to eat my fruits and veggies first.

I can barely begin to scratch the surface of Dr. Davis' wealth of knowledge. Please visit her website at http://www.devradavis.com/index.php for more information on the War on Cancer and to purchase her book! (A portion of the proceeds of her book go to the Devra Lee Davis Charitable Foundation).