This and That

We've been getting around heaps on the bike lately, my little and I. My very old but not quite vintage race mountain bike from 2005, the one I stopped the racing circus with, is now our commuter machine and I love it. Its the bike I took to New Zealand and had so many adventures on there, it's the one I took to pedal across Nepal and Tibet, it's the one I've held onto the longest and am so very attached to, and now it's the one with the kiddo seat on the back and an awesome little kiddo tucked up in it. And thankfully this kiddo loves going out on the bike too, I am very happy about that.

We pedal to the post office to post parcels of crystals (with a nice big hill to climb on the way, which keeps my legs happy), we pedal to playgrounds for a play and we pedal out for rides to go exploring, and just because we like riding. I remember when I was brand new at riding (as an adult) and the feeling of exhilaration at getting about under my own steam, covering substantial distances, and without the use of a car. I still get that feeling, so many years on. For me it's just a complete feeling of independence and self-reliance. Plus I get fit along the way, which has always been important to me too.

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I'm still so smitten with yin yoga. The more I do this practice, the more I love it. I've followed this short sequence on You Tube a few times, and honestly, working these asana's on my own, holding them for a while, sinking into them - I can feel my energy moving, clearing in my body - a twitch in my eye, little flashes here and there as things are released, mysterious pains that flare up and soon enough vanish again. I wish I had known about this 10 years ago. 20 years ago. I will probably crap on about yin yoga fairly often here as I'm just blown away at how powerful this practice is.

I've come to an evening routine that includes a session of yin yoga, before I do my meditation. I meditate in the evenings before bed, and it's something I hold sacred and don't skip (except for maybe 3 days in a year). But I'm noticing that when I do the yin yoga before the meditation, I'm straight away into a deep, quiet meditation, without the mind chatter and thoughts. It's the stillness in the body, the stillness cultivated by the yin yoga, that brings me to this place. The stillness begins in the body, and the mind follows. I wish I had known about this 10 years ago!

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It occurs to me that I may, just may, have quit chocolate... Well when I say 'quit chocolate', do you ever really quit eating it forever? I think my definition for quit chocolate, for me, means quitting buying blocks of chocolate to keep on hand, just for when I want a little piece (which means quite a few pieces, quite often). From just before the new year, I gobbled down the last of the block of chocolate I had and there I stopped... I haven't bought any and to be honest, I haven't wanted it. I've not even been tempted to get myself a little bit of chocolate.

I have been constantly supplying my body with chocolate for years, and it definitely increased with motherhood, to get me through the energy lows. The after dinner little piece of chocolate, that was my nemesis. But after a stint of just going without, just because, I noticed how much better I felt for not having it. And then I got more, and it was yummy, but I noticed my heart racing, feeling edgy, feeling sugared up... and I didn't like that feeling. Not when it became so obvious, after a break. So yeah, quitting chocolate. My definition of quitting chocolate doesn't extend to cooking chocolate so I'm still allowed to bake chocolatey things, just for something a bit special. Although it's not quite vegan either... Sheesh when did it all get so complicated?

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I hope you've all had a great week and I hope you all have a great weekend! x