Half Moon Four Ways
chik chik bam!
Greetings! I’m writing this at the very last minute because, instead of sitting down to write in the little pockets of time I find during the week, I read Atomic Habits instead.
Haven’t put what I learned into practice yet. Not sure I’ll get around to it. Every time I intend to do something these days, something else comes up. For instance, I was going to write this on Friday night, but then I sat down on the couch with my son and husband to watch Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. It was my son’s first time watching Star Wars, something he’s been begging to do for months. For his birthday last week he got Star Wars Legos, a Stormtrooper mask, and two light sabers. He’s obsessed even though he had never even seen a minute of the films or TV shows up until this weekend. So I wanted to be there with him.
At breakfast the next morning, my son shared that his favorite part of watching the movie was shooting the bad guys.
Chik-chik BAM.
Every time a droid, Darth Maul, or person of questionable allegiance to the Republic (he asked incessantly who was who), showed up on screen he was ready to gun them down with his fingers.
Chik-chik BAM.
It’s endearing, his dislike of villains. But it’s also a bit concerning. He is a black and white thinker—no gray. Once, we went to a coffee shop in a shopping plaza that had assigned parking spaces for each of the businesses. It was a very busy Saturday morning and all the coffee shop’s assigned parking spaces were full, but the entire rest of the parking lot was empty. There were two men standing in front of one of the not-open businesses “patrolling.” It was a bike shop and it was the middle of winter. There was no way ten people were going to show up on a cold, November Ohio morning shopping for bikes. So we parked in one of the bike shop spots. We weren’t planning on staying at the coffee shop. We were on an order our drinks and go home mission.
My son panicked. First he didn’t want to leave the car. He demanded that my husband park somewhere else. Then, when my husband refused, he threw a tantrum the whole way into the coffee shop. He worried in line. He wanted to leave. He didn’t even want a donut. We had done something “wrong” and he couldn’t handle it.
When we finally made it back out to our car, we had a note on the windshield. The men standing outside the bike shop were placing passive-aggressive notes on any car that parked in one of their spots alerting drivers that their cars would be towed. My husband and I laughed. My son was frightened. Now we were going to lose our car and the police would be involved and we were bad people. His little, imaginitive mind had us in jail for parking in the wrong spot. And he didn’t like that one bit. He never wanted to go to this coffee shop ever again.
We try to help our son see the nuance in situations. That there is more than black and white in the world. More than right and wrong. But his little mind has trouble with that complexity. At our parent-teacher conferences this spring, the teachers mentioned he was the only 6/7 year old in class who they were actively encouraging to take more risks.
It’s obvious he gets this from me and my genetics. I don’t like being wrong. I don’t like taking risks. But I do really, really try to see the nuance in situations. I really, really try to appreciate the complexity in the world. I didn’t always. It took a long time to undo that learning. It’s still an ongoing process. So it makes sense that my son is this way. But it’s such a stark, in-my-face, expression of fixed thinking.
If I were my son and liked guns, this would be my cue to take fixed thinking and put up my fingers.
Chik-chik BAM.
As a mother of three it’s hard to meet the CDCs minimum requirements for physical activity (see Friday night couch-a-thon, being a writer, etc.). The CDC recommends all adults ages 18-64 get 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity each week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity. In addition, it’s recommended that adults also do two days a week of strength training targeting all major muscle groups. I can barely make a phone call.
Before kids I never understood how it could take mothers so long to get anything done. I don't think you can wrap your head around the time-warp of caretaking until you experience it firsthand for yourself.
So it’s a bit laughable to expect that I could find an extra 150+ minutes each week for moderate intensity cardio, even though I want nothing more than to escape my reality and go for a run. I’d even settle for escaping to my basement and lifting some weights.
Anyway, it’s always puzzling to me that we have these recommendations for health when clearly half the population is not able to meet them. I think the statistic is something like 30% of adults actually meet that goal. And I’d venture to say that if you break that down into specific demographic data, maybe 1% of mothers with young children can meet that metric. It’s not that I disagree with the data. I’m sad I can’t meet those goals. They’re a benchmark for planning my atomic habits. But if I learned anything from the book, it’s to start small. I can give two minutes a day right now.
In the weird popular culture we live in today, “maxxing” is all the rage. I’m of the opposite persuasion in this stage of my life. I’m all about micro-dosing, minimizing and simplifying.
This week I wanted to share a yoga practice with you celebrating half-moon. (Monday is actually the Full Pink Moon.) I spent time sequencing a cool class and had fun doing it. Can’t fully take the yoga teacher out of me. But then I ran out of time and remembered that most of us only have time to do one pose, not an hours worth of poses.
So, here is Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), reimagined four ways to celebrate the nuance of being alive in this weird time.
Chik-chik BAM.
Four Variations of Half Moon
When all you have time for is one pose, try one of these variations of Half Moon Pose. You’ll stack your habits honoring Mother Moon while practicing yoga and moving your body all at the same time. Bonus points for breath work and meditation!
I've presented the poses below from easiest to most challenging.
Vishraam Ardha Bhekasana / Resting Half Frog Pose
A gentler, more restorative version of the Half Moon shape, this hip stretch is a nice entry point into this class of poses. It’s a prone pose, so you’ll lie on your belly. Leg can be bent or straight. This is also a nice way to end a practice with this class of poses.
Supta Padagusthasana / Supine Hand-to-Toe Pose
This pose is hard even though you’re lying on your back. It’s a good hamstring stretch. Use a strap. Keep your hips grounded for the best hamstring and hip flexor stretch.
Ardha Chandrasana / Half Moon
This pose is hard. It requires balance, strength, and focus. Blocks underneath your hands, and walls or furniture for extra support are all just fine. Don’t forget to breathe.
Utthita Hasta Padagusthasna / Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose
This pose is even harder. It requires balance, strength, supple hamstrings, intense focus, patience, and a sense of humor. Bent knees, straps, and walls or furniture for extra support are all just fine. Don’t forget to breathe and smile. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Reasons to Celebrate
April is the month to celebrate:
Diversity
Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage
Cranberries and Gooseberries
Earth
Jazz
BLTs
Military children
Fresh celery
Frogs
Garlic
Grilled Cheese
Kites
Hope
Pecans
Soft pretzels
Soy foods
Woodworking
School libraries
Straw hats
Sunday, March 29
Mermaid Day
World Piano Day
Palm Sunday
Monday, March 30
My husband’s birthday!
National Folding Laundry Day
National Pencil Day
Take a Walk in the Park Day
Tuesday, March 31
Transgender Day of Visibility
Dance Marathon Day
National Crayon Day
National Après Day
Wednesday, April 1
Passover
April Fools’ Day
National Sourdough Bread Day
Be Kind to Spiders Week
Thursday, April 2
Children’s Picture Book Day
National Burrito Day
National DIY Day
National Ferret Day
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
National Ride Your Horse to a Bar Day
National Walking Day
Friday, April 3
Good Friday
Don’t Go To Work Unless It’s Fun Day
National Chocolate Mousse Day
National Find a Rainbow Day
National Inspiring Joy Day
Walk to Work Day
Weed Out Hate Day
World Party Day
Saturday, April 4
International Carrot Day
International Pillow Fight Day
National Love Our Children Day
National Picky Eaters Day
With gratitude,
Ashley
Ack! I totally feel you re: the recommended exercise. I used to be so active and I realized that in the last few years, aside from those sprints to keep my son from running in the street or some other danger, I hardly get any cardio. Too bad the jolt of adrenaline from coffee doesn't count, lol. I also struggle to 'take the yoga teacher out of me" when I write these days. I guess I can keep that part of me, just with a little bit of expansion.
I read Atomic Habits awhile back because I also have a hard time making changes, starting new things, and incorporating habits...maybe we can do a bookclub event on that for crazy busy mamas like us!
I too identify with your son! The rule following must be in our genes. Motherhood has definitely removed some of that fear for me - I can't control it all.