Yoga Jevan

Today we were at the place where we stayed 10 years ago. That time back we were stuck on that island, it was Sept 11.

I remember also more uplifting moments. Yoga was offered in the hotel and I went to a class. We, the yogis and yoginis finally sat close to the sea to meditate. The yoga teacher told us that we shall imagine how we sit on the ground of the ocean. We should imagine how calm it's there even though above us the waves are high and wild. 

This place is supposed to be famous because of the waves.

 I only surf in the internet.

It was so good for the body to practice.
I don't know why I think I lose all my flexibility when I take a break of too days. This is not so. I had an intensive practice.
I was so curious if I could lift up my feet in kurmasana as this ability is new and it was possible.
Supta kurmasana needed repetition, but the second time I could hook the fingers. I wasn't able to lift me up, who cares.
The twists, marichyasana C and D were excellent.
Re urdhva dhanurasana I took it easy: 3 times I lifted my body up from the floor, 3 times I dropped back against the wall. This was it.

The carpet is a bit too soft. Shall I not be such a princess on the pea. I had experienced worse situations for a practice than a soft carpet.



So, time to move on........and to explore further parts of this island. We'll take it easy, we'll relax.

Of course it's out of question that I go on. I love to write. I'm on vacation now, my blog relaxes from yoga topics, too. Nevertheless I thought lately which yoga topics could keep this blog interesting: Here a choice:

1. corresponding asanas. I see more and more how asanas belong together, how asanas of the primary series i.e. prepare for poses of even the third series. To show the interconnection could be good and motivating.
2. Names of the asanas. There are animal names. Some asanas have the names of yogis. Who were they?
3. Discipline
4. Pranayama
5. Vinyasa
6. Attitude, focus, the mind..........

.....and of course how to perform the asanas. The asanas are so beautiful that it's often the main interest. For me yoga has so many aspects and all are equally important. It could be good to touch them too, a bit more.

Would this interest you?


Time to step on my mat, I feel stiff, very stiff.......hahahaha.
Today it's about being sensitive towards my body. I won't compare what I was able to do already. I will explore how far I can go today so that the discomfort when reaching my limits is still so lovely that I enjoy my practice.

Aloha, aloha........

"Do you realize how far away we are from home?" E asked me yesterday.

I think I do. The distance would be felt more if one had to travel overland, for sure. Hawaii is also not so exotic like India, i.es. , nevertheless these Hawaii islands are special.
-The weather is simply perfect. Yesterday we had dinner outside. I had not even a jacket in my handbag. It's so warm, but not hot.
- It's a place for vacation. One relaxes here, so do we. So far I've not yet read a sentence in one of my books. Hahahaha, I'm able to sit around doing nothing. Yesterday I was in lotus pose on this stone bench, looking at the sea. My bf asked me: "Do you meditate now?" Me: "Sort of....." Being absolutely relaxed can happen. The atmosphere at Hawaii facilitates this status of being.
In the evening before dinner I lied on the bed for 2 hours, I simply was there, that was it. No stress. Also the known thoughts that I have to do anything (yoga, studying English grammar, sending postcards, updating my blogs, reading the next chapter on photography) weren't existent. I simply lied on the bed and it was not boring.


I enjoy that I wake up so early. It's still a bit jet lag. I've a coffee next to me, I can write my journal and today I'll practice primary. The lazy lazy lazy times will be interrupted today by a sweaty practice....:)


Travelling means to experience myself/ourselves. My bf is much more auditory than me. Today we'll change the room as he experiences this one as too loud. I wouldn't care. For me it's always important to have space for yoga and to have it warm. The staff here is so polite. They handle the wishes of the guests professionally. Travelling means to adjust to new situations, weather, people, places, food. It also means to change things, approach people and and and.......This keeps us young and flexible. 

We arrived now, mentally.
Maui is a vacation paradise for Americans and few Germans ....:) (us, i.e.) and few other nationalities. It seems so.
It's about relaxation, walking around, looking at the sea, having breakfast, dinner, lunch or a drink.

From time to time one can buy a t-shirt or a typical Hawaii shirt. Yep. Hahahaha.....

Lahaina is in the north and has these old trees and a lot of shops. Every Thursday artists sell there art there under these old trees. I cannot believe that it was 10 years ago when I've been there the first time. I wanted to buy a picture that time back.


It's a small  island Kaui. Beaches are everywhere. I love to sit on a bench with my E looking at the sea. This is my way of romantic that I appreciate and my E loves it, too. We relax together.

The wind is blowing all the time here, so the weather is most convenient.


Enough for today. In 2 hours is dinner time.
I cannot imagine that I'll use the time to practice. Tomorrow again........

Everybody wanted to leave the small airport. Quickly it became dark, the temperature was more than comfortable. Perfectly warm. I mentioned it already, best Ashtanga weather (but I feel stiff and I'm not yet in the mood to practice, oh....:-(    )


The view out of the balcony. On the right side is the ocean. It's a beach hotel, but as it is a small island, everything is close to the beach. :)
We've a rental car to explore the island, the beaches.....

Vacation feeling comes up here as everybody is dressed casually. I've changed my outfit, too: pink pair of trousers and a t-shirt with short sleeves. I'm curious what E is putting on today. :)
Hahaha, my bf just discovered the fan that is above the bed.......he's sweating much more than I do. He loves fans..........:)

My version of the GG bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge.


On the way downtown San Fran.

Space......

This veggie light burger is the same for ages. Something fresh is always good........and I had breakfast potatoes.....hahahaha.......

Dramatic.........haha......

When I left the plane yesterday I knew at once why so many good yogis and yoginis live on one of the islands. The humidity and the warmth makes the body soft.
Nevertheless I feel stiff right now. I'll change this.......hahahhaha.......I'll have time to practice. 

Arrived. In Maui, one of  the islands of Hawaii, also called sandwich islands.
Yesterday in the evening the plane landed. We needed  5 hours to get there from San Fran, 5 hours in the air.
It's a bit humid here and warm, wonderful for us. Wind is blowing, too.
We slept with the balcony door open, so warm it is.

This morning I managed it to make friendship with the shower. The bathtub filled when I took a shower, but this was not my intention.
I managed it to get coffee in the room. Round the corner is a gift shop and they sell coffee, too. 1 Dollar for a coffee. :)
I managed it to get a connection. Ha.

Travelling is about adjusting to new places, new situations. That's what it is. It keeps us flexible. It allows to make new experiences.

Classic rock music was on and we drove through this beautiful landscape during the golden hour, before sun set. From time to time we stopped so that I could take some pictures. Our conversations on taking pictures are advanced. We talk about the light, the direction of the light i.e. and this entertains me.
America is so huge, this impression I've each time when I'm here. Yesterday was the last day here. Time flies.


I still wake up at 3:40 or so, but I stay in bed till 6am. When I get up then I'm fully awake, which I enjoy. I'm sipping coffee now and I enjoy my pictures, the moments that I've captured yesterday.

Today is my moon day, no yoga. We'll move our bodies and minds to another beautiful place on this earth.
Tonight I'll be happy in Hawaii. :)

This picture is taken during the golden hour. I've so much fun with my camera and the light. This is again the Napa valley.


The French restaurant tonight was over the top. Over the top! I enjoy what is given.
Good that I had an intensive practice this morning. I enjoyed simplicity, this is the true art, offering simple things.
(Yep, too tired to describe details, shall my pictures speak.)

Tomorrow we'll have to get up early to have breakfast in San Francisco in one of E's fav breakfast restaurant. Then we'll fly to Hawaii.
Life is good to me. 

So, enough here now. Time to step on my mat for second series. Tomorrow is a day off for me as we travel to Hawaii after a breakfast in San Fran. Shall this be my moon day tomorrow.

The Napa valley is not so far away from our hotel. It's 90 min to drive with our car, a huge Ford, that seems to fall apart when I close the door. It was getting warmer and warmer the closer we came to Napa. Napa is also a village. I could see there where the grapes of my favourite wines grow.


The Napa valley is surely a wealthy part of the US. Wineries are everywhere. Classy restaurants are along the streets.

IHOP stands for International House of Pancakes. My bf loves pancakes and I love to go everywhere. Yesterday we had breakfast at that famous American breakfast chain. I found something with fruit. Under each meal stood the calories. The one on the picture, the banana-strawberry pancake had 760 kcal. Mmmmm, a bit much for a breakfast.

Here is my strategy:

Yep, one of my fav shots of today in the Napa valley.

I'm too tired to decide what else I like to publish.
I'm too tired to text.
I'm too tired to do anything else but to go to bed after a day in the Napa valley........

What a nice practice this morning. I won't film or take pictures of my yoga practice here, because I don't want to interrupt the flow.
To have my E here is a bit like practicing in a group, a small group. I go on and on and on. Intensity is the word that fits to the practice this morning. That I feel so fully awake helps.

Afterwards I took a shower and enjoyed watching myself how I washed my luxury body. There is a huge mirror in the bathroom next to the bathtub with the shower. Wow, I got muscles indeed. Second series changed my body.  I got strong and I love it. I'm slim but I don't look weak.
I have a strategy how to handle these huge portions in restaurants, but this is a post of its own.
My "work" is done for today: second series. Now follow the lazy adventures.

Adjusted plan: We'll have breakfast somewhere outside and then we head for the Napa Valley. My bf loves the pancakes......:)

Somehow I feel excellent.....:)

The pictures are still from Sonoma, this little town in Sonoma valley.

The landscape invited me to capture some moments.

A perfect morning: My bf has surely no jet lag anymore. He was so busy the last week and he had to get up very early during the week so that he could sleep till lunch time today. I woke up at 6am and was fully awake. I used the morning for writing my journal and practicing yoga, primary. I added nothing, I omitted nothing. This was the best what I could do for my body after 12 hours in the plane.
The jet lag that I have this time is so soft, perhaps because I slept so long in the plane.

After lunch we headed for this little town Sonoma with our rental car, a red Ford. I've been there several times already.  Little restaurants and shops decorate the streets. The time stands still there, it seems so. We strolled around and had a coffee. It's all about being, smelling, seeing, moving, tasting, hearing......



This is the prove that I was there. It has to be.

The series continues: beds in which I spent a night or two.

As I see the situation, we'll eat out for breakfast, because we'll be too late for the hotel breakfast. My E is fully adjusted to the time here. He loves to sleep in. Haha....so I know him.

I just tried to bow forward to reach the floor with my hands. So stiff, so stiff.
There is room enough for my yoga mat here, plenty of room. We could heat the room, so it's warm in here. This all could invite me for a yoga practice or at least a few sun salutations. Could........

There I stood with my tiger t-shirt on, searching my E, but no E was in sight. He is always late, lol. His flight from Portland was late and they had difficulties to land. The San Francisco airport was crowded. Finally I saw him. Were we glad when we bumped into each other.

We picked up our car and headed for Rohnert Park. I enjoyed the lights of San Francisco, what a skyline. We also had to cross this famous bridge that is almost covered with fog.After an hour drive we arrived our hotel. It's huge. This is America, there is so much room. This king size bed here is as large as my bathroom, the bathroom is as large as my biggest room in Munich. I exaggerate a bit. There is space here. We dropped our luggage in the room and went down to the bar where some Americans had their drinks. We took our arrival drink, E had a margharitta, me a glass of Chardonnay. I'm happy. I love to explore different parts of this world.

Jet lag is moderate. I woke up at 6am.
I found a coffee machine in the room. What a joy. Let's see what the day will bring.

At the passport control:
The inspector: Why do you come here?
Me: I'm a tourist.
The inspector: Where do you stay?
Me: Rohnert Park
The inspector: Why will you be there?
Me: We like the Sonoma valley.
The inspector: Who is "we".
Me: My bf picks me up here. He was here on a business trip and now we're here on vacation.
The inspector: For how long?
Me: 14 days.
The inspector: What's your profession?
Me: I'm an accountant. (sounds serious).
The inspector: For what company are you working.
Me: I work on my own.
The inspector: Show me your business card.
Me: I've no business card here.

Finally he took my fingerprints from both hands and from my thumbs. I was throughhhhhhhhh, yuhuuuuuuuu.

San Francisco, here I am.