I’ve always felt that the months seem to fly by faster and faster, but my July was different. It was slow, nourishing, restful, and wonderful. I hope your July was just as fulfilling.
Starting this month, I’ll be sharing more personal reflections on my blog. The deeper I delve into my yoga practice, the more I realize how it permeates every aspect of my life.
June was a busy month. Aham Yoga finally got renovated. It turned out better than I could have imagined. Then we had international yoga day celebrations and we decided to build a new website and I started work on a new course. Apart from teaching full-time and running both businesses.
My first half of July was filled with travel. I got to meet my school friend, Vasudha after 25 years. We used to share the school bus route together. And then we lost touch until a few years ago. She left wall street a few years ago and went into educating people about being vegetarian. I love her award-winning cookbook, the Vegetarian Reset.
She was teaching at Rancho La Puerta for a whole week as their guest chef. I got to be her plus one. The ranch also had a no-phone policy outside your room which was great. We got to try a whole set of classes every day. Meet new and very inspiring people at dinner each day and make new friends.
I tried burlesque, hydro fitness in a pool, aerial yoga, zumba, dance groove, strength classes, salsa, sound healing and even took a yoga class. It was wonderful to be disconnected. To catch up with a childhood friend. To get great, local, farm to table produce & enjoy the sunshine because Seattle barely has any for most of the year.
I came back from that trip inspired by Vasudha. I have always had a fractured relationship with food. And I know I have been undernourished for years. But something clicked this past month. And since I’m back, I’ve been inspired, cooking every day, protein forward, lots of clean food and it’s making such a difference to my body and my mental health. Thanks Vasu for the inspiration.
Sneak peak of this trip here.
As soon as I came back from this trip in Mexico, we left for Banff with Munch. If you remember, I did this trip a few years ago and we decided to recreate it because we love going on long road trips with our sweet little furbaby who turned 7 this past month.
Banff & Jasper never disappoint. If you’re local to this area and haven’t been up there. I highly recommend it. Especially if you enjoy the PNW you will enjoy this even more. We would be active and do a couple of hikes every day and be more chilled in the second half of each day. Since it was in the 90s, it was very hot. Especially for Munch. So we made sure to always hike near streams, waterfalls, lakes etc. Canada national parks are dog friendly. Not Amercian ones. We also made sure to give him lots of water to drink as he’s not used to such heat.
Pro Tip: Canada has fantastic Indian food if you’re looking for some good Indian food. Especially Surrey. A peak of monkey Munch in Banff is here.
That wraps up my travel updates.
I’m someone who loves having a wide range of hobbies. I like being creative in different forms.I think I get it from my mother. From my classes to my everyday life. I see everything as art. So I’ve taken up the following things for summer and hopefully beyond.
I’m learning modern lettering – think of this as new-age calligraphy. I’ve always wanted to learn this. I’ll keep you posted on how this goes. I’m doing it for fun not to be good at it.
I’m also trying my hand at dried flower art. I have been drying some wild flowers and my own hydrengeas this summer. I want to see what I can create with it.
I’ve been cooking a new dish (high protein) every week. In fact I have been doing 4 new dishes each week since I got back. But the goal is one a week.
I’m signed up for a couple of new strength training and pilates classes. I do yoga every week 3 times a week apart from my classes. I’ve started a more regular meditation routine. I read a wonderful book on depression and sadness by Om Swami and another one on mindfulness this past month. Both were simple and effortless reads.
I also have been enjoying time outside. My cherry plum trees have been throwing up fruit. You might have seen me post on Instagram. Its nonstop. I have been giving up pounds and pounds at the yoga studio.
It’s been one of my best months of the year. And it feels like that because I took the focus away from work. And made my physical and mental health a priority. I am also spending way less time on my phone and social media. I hope to carry this energy into August.
Keeping all my work updates from July into August out of this one. But tell me how was your July? What did you do that was your favorite? See you next month.
Sending Joy,
Arundhati
2 comments
Thank you for sharing Arundhati! It helps to read that also you have ok and good months! And I love to read how taking care of physical and mental health makes the difference in feeling good and being happy. Sometimes I forget about it and wonder why I’m not feeling myself. It’s seems so easy yet sometimes it’s just hard to get started again, like it is right now the case for me. So reading your post and getting the inspiration helps 🙂 and +1 for social media. Getting time away from social media and connecting more to ‘old’ media like books, movies, articles or audio resonates more with me. It’s somehow a good compromise to still enjoy content intake while not over stimulating my mind. Hope your August is continuing to be a wholesome month filled with whatever you need 🙂 Best, Anna
Hi Anna, Yes, you’re right. Its so easy to forget and also become okay with not feeling our best more often than not. I like how you said “old” media. Those are so much more peaceful compared to nonstop social media input and phones in our hands. I have been trying to replace my screentime with book time and some craft work where I have to use my hands. So far its working. Hope you have the best August too.