My favourite spot to chill out: Gili Meno, Indonesia

I am in love 💜with this island 🏖

In case you don’t have any clue where it is – Google Maps will tell you

Gili Meno is the smallest of the three Gilis, it is the one in the middle. Once you arrive here, you go back in time. No motorized traffic but cidomos (horse cars); they use them as taxis and carry cement, wood, water gallons, and even fridges around the island. No proper roads too, often just sand. Jalan kaki (walking), on a bike or an electric scooter, are better ways to move yourself around on the island.

Cidomo – to transport building materials

Talk of the day on this island is when a chopper 🚁is landing. Yes, a chopper! For people who don’t want to take the boat or are seasick 😉, or just because they can. It’s just 2,500,000 million (roepiah 😉), per person, one way, not that expensive actually 😉(2,5 million is around € 150). It goes straight from Sanur to Gili Meno, definitely faster than the speed boat. I may try it next time😇🤣.

To give you an estimation of the size of the island: you can walk around the island in less than 2 hours (slow walk)! And that includes taking pictures and zigzagging to avoid the dead coral. At least, that’s what I did 😉. In the morning, instead of my usual ritual (yoga on the beach), I decided to take a walk. In bikinis and barefoot, feeling the warm water and sunshine on my body🙌.

The first time I got here, July 2008, there weren’t ATMs, so you needed to carry millions 💰 💰 💰 with you. And when you had spent more uang (money) than you had estimated, you had to take a boat to Bangsal, the mainland of Lombok. Now there are 3 ATMs on the island, but I think 1 is broken haha. Still, 2 left, enough for the few tourists here to get money (so no need to fix the 3rd one😅.

However, I recommend, in case you want to go here, take enough cash with you, just in case the ATMs aren’t working. And because you can’t pay with a card in shops. Even changing a note of 100,000 is hard. I had this after my supper. I ordered gado-gado, Lombok style (enak sekali!), it costed 25,000, I only had 100,000 (around US $ 7), I had to ask 3 places to change it, then went back to the restaurant and paid.
FYI: 25,000 is around € 1,50.

This island has been a healing place for me, ever since the first time I got here. The peaceful, quiet nights (ok, until 5 am, then the show ‘Gili Meno has talent’ starts, or in other words: the prayers from the mosque 😉). The clear blue waters, white sandy beaches, the silent whispers of the sea, the waves touching the sand, the genuine kind people, kids playing around, good food and the tanned beach boys trying to sell their snorkelling trips.

Besides the beach and snorkelling, there isn’t much to do here and I like it. It is stimulating my creativity, my intuition. I slow down and enjoy life much more. I am still working though, not yet enough passive money coming in 😉 (working on that!).

And, I realize how grateful 🙏 we should be for all we have in life! Drinking water from the tap, here it is not possible, not even to make tea because it is salty water. Taking a shower? Salty water. Washing your clothes? Salty water. 1 thing that I sensed is that my soap bar doesn’t foam, probably because of the salty water🤔. Can anyone explain this to me?

Cockroaches🪳 don’t mind salty water, I got one, a GIANT one, on my toilet seat, of course in the middle of the night! The first night I got here! What a nice surprise. I screamed and that must have helped. I haven’t seen it again, thank God 🙏.

Oh, after 3 weeks in Sanur, Bali, I must say: the food here is amazing, although having a food buddy, like I had in Sanur, would make the food taste even better. Gado-gado Gili Meno style and tempe curries, my favorites, really yummy. I even found delicious brownies. The landlady makes especially for me nasi goreng pedas (spicy fried rice) as sarapan (breakfast) and she is surprised at how spicy I can eat without having a runny nose or starting to sweat. Yup, from the inside I am more Indonesian than I look from the outside 😜☺️.

Yummy, tempe curry!

Short summary for my upcoming travels: first Sanur, Bali until 12 September. Then back to Belanda, the Netherlands for a few weeks (not sure if I should be happy 😕). Then cat sitting in Portugal (Algarve) and most likely visit Porto before or after the cat sitting. But…. Changes are coming up🙌. Which ones? I keep you posted!
1 hint: 🎵🎶Welcome to my paradise🎵🎶.

You can find more pictures about Gili Meno & Bali here.

If you like to know more about Gili Meno (good places to stay or to eat), or about the other Gilis or Bali or you just wonder why I don’t gain weight but you see me eating all the time, just ask 🙌😇.

With love 💜 & light✨,
littlemissyoga

P.S.: If you want to meet me in the Netherlands, reach out quickly because I have a full agenda already and I am travelling to Portugal as well in October. I would suggest, visit me in Portugal 😊.

P.P.S.: Who wants to join me for a few days to visit Porto (and you can also meet one of my friends there, whom I met in Laos). Let me know when you are interested 😊.

P.P.P.S: This island is also known as the Honeymoon Island. Who did I bring with me? Let me see… me, myself and I 😉. Hopefully next time I am here with my Prince Charming🤴.

Life-changing decisions and slow down🐌🐌

I am 1 week in Thailand now, in the area of Ao Nang Beach and Nopparat Thara Beach (Krabi). A lovely destination, but not what I had in mind in the first place.

I was about to live together with a handsome and very kind Portuguese man, in Torremolinos (Spain). We met on the stairs in Torremolinos and there was a special connection immediately. This was in January 2023. All went fast, maybe too fast. Maybe things were too good to be true.

The good moments passed by fast, the bad ones too. And we had quite a lot of bad moments 😔.
But, I was sure he was Mr. Right. I kept a positive mindset and kept the relationship alive.

Mid-June 2023 I went back to his place, to officially live together. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. After two weeks I took the decision to end this relationship. That was not easy; my head, heart and gut feeling weren’t aligned at all. Confusion all over😕. Heart-broken💔, but I had to do this.

I had a short touchdown at my parents’ place (thank you Mom & Dad for being my ‘last resort’🙏). I knew it would just be for a couple of days. I initially did not want to leave Southern Europe but high season was around the corner. Places to rent for longer than a week are rare. And if you find one… it is expensive🫰💰💰.

So… where to go to? Suddenly a voice said: Thailand. Alright. Check Skyscanner. Yes, affordable tickets. But not to Bangkok. Close to the beach, please! Phuket? No, just got there. Where else? Krabi! I found a direct flight to Kraby, for a nice price and found a really nice spot (Krabi Forest Homestay). Perfect location. Shops, cafes, restaurants and 2 beaches are within walking distance. Saya senang sekali (I am very happy) 😊.

I booked the accommodation for 30 days – the maximum length of the visa (FYI: Thailand has a free visa for most European passports😊). On purpose I booked 1 place: no packing and unpacking please for 4 weeks, I did that enough in 5 months😅.

I am here now for a week; I am here to heal my heart💜, relax and chill out🧘, enjoy the rain now and then☂💃 (yup, it’s monsoon season here) and slow down. And that’s the hardest thing.

Usually, I learn new skills quickly, but the skill of slowing down… it is a punishment.

I told myself: no to-do lists, no have-to’s, except for a few like sleeping, eating, taking a shower, going to the toilet and putting on clean underwear daily😉.

Every morning, I remind myself that it is perfectly fine to do nothing. I deserve it.
My new mantra, as I call it. (FYI: the last 5,5 months were a roller coaster🎢)

The first few days, all went ok. Unpacking, taking it easy. But now, after a week… boredom, the urge to start doing things, to pick up new things, to meet new people… to speed up🏃‍♀.

It’s hard not to give in to this voice, to this well-known pattern. But, I manage. I repeat my mantra daily: I deserve to do nothing, I deserve to relax and chill out.

And then I have days like today: a lazy day! I slept in, did some gentle yoga on the beach, sunbathed in the afternoon on the beach, had a late lunch, went back home, worked a bit (that’s an ongoing thing, so happy to have flexible working hours 🙌), and took a little break. I lay down on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, while observing the sensations in my body, feeling my sunburnt skin🦞, observing all the voices in my head, and observing my breathing. No action, just observation.

I dozed off for a few minutes, woke up and thought: going out for food? No, I am too lazy for it, I’ll grab the fresh-cut pineapple I bought earlier today, and some peanuts, with hot choc (yes, I love warm drinks even though the outside temperature is about 30 degrees 😉). And then I felt; let’s write a new blog.

Writing gives me energy, insights, and new ideas. And the little voices in my head are finally shutting up.  And, I can practice the art of slowing down: typing slowly 🤣.

What I realize now, after writing this blog…I might not be such a quick learner as I thought I was, especially about the skill of slowing down. And that’s ok. Because better to learn a new skill slowly, steadily and properly, than too hasty and start again from the beginning 😉.

Maybe you realise after reading this blog that your life is also going too fast and you want to slow down. You want to live your life, not being lived by your life.
Give a shout-out, I am curious about your experiences and how you think you can take a step back.

Oh, and guess what?! While I was typing this, 2 snails were on my terrace (the ones in the picture); I think they were playing catch me if you can😜. Lovely synchronicity💫!

With love 💜 & light✨,
littlemissyoga

Taking the lead or being led? The choice is yours!

Reading time: 4 minutes

As a kid, I wanted to become a princess, a teacher and a (ballet) dancer (secretly, I don’t remember that I told anyone). When I grew a bit older I heard questions like: ‘How do you think to earn money with dancing and music?’ And: ‘To become a princess you need to marry a prince. And since you are a farmer’s daughter, forget it.’

2 dreams smothered, 1 dream left. A dream that seemed within reach and would give me a proper future: becoming a (school) teacher. *

I always believed that my parents, grandma, my closest friends and some teachers knew best for me. I followed their advice without taking any consideration. Now I know: they didn’t know best for me.

Studying and getting your diploma, finding a good job, that was what I was told to do, or better I say: I thought that people expected that from me. So I did it all.

But when I look back at high school and college, I was a rebellious student, always going against the grain, just because I could not accept the strict rules and the rigid system. I reacted in the same way when I was working at the office. Always asking questions like: Why work from 9 to 5, why not when I wake up?, Why can’t I work on the weekends and have Mondays off?, Why can’t I work from home?
I could have invented ‘working from home’ long before Covid forced companies into it 😉.

I finally dare to speak out loud: I don’t fit in this existing system. Blessed with a good working brain and a good coping mechanism I managed to survive.**  But, I could not ignore that little voice inside of me. So, at one moment I decided: I am going to design my own life, living my best life.

My best life is not perfect yet. But hey, what is perfect? I don’t know and basically, I don’t care. I like it the way it is at this moment, and, perfect would be boring at the end 😉. Being imperfect makes me unique and it leaves room for improvement🌟.

There is always something to complain about, you basically have 2 options: you either accept it or change it. Plain and simple. Maybe you think (and I bet you do): I can’t change my life. I dare to say: YES, YOU CAN. Even a small simple change can improve the quality of your current life right away and it might be the first step to YOUR BEST life.

In case you feel that life is leading you instead of you leading life, I have some questions for you.

What are you waiting for? That your best life is knocking on your door one day saying ‘ Hello, here is your best life’? It is already here, you just don’t see it or not ready to see it.

Are you waiting for the right moment? Well… surprise: The right moment is always NOW.

Is fear holding you back? Most likely.

But… what if you take that leap of faith and fully trust that life has your back?

The only outcome is… your best life!

So…again: what are you waiting for?
Start today with living your best life, just (fucking) do it. Because you, yes YOU, beautiful soul, deserve it 💜💫🤍! Go for it!

With love 💜 & light✨,
littlemissyoga

* I made it as a teacher, (luckily) not a school teacher though. I am a yoga teacher but I prefer to use the word instructor or guide, and I am also a RPM/indoor cycling instructor and maybe I can become a role model of how to design and live your best life😉.

** I am actually surprised at what is still left of my brain, after drinking a lot of bottles of wine per week, for almost 2 years in a row! I could have become the new Einstein if I hadn’t killed all these brain cells 😉.

My best life & social media: Is it always the bright side of life?

Today I realized I needed to share something with you that I rarely do: sharing about the less beautiful moments of my life. This topic came across my mind on this rainy day when I was sitting in front of my cabana at Selina Resort Rawai in Phuket, Thailand.

I realized that I actually only share my good moments on social media; me with a big smile on my face, and beautiful surroundings. But, believe me, it is definitely not always glitter and glamour. I have bad moments, blue days, moments that I just want to cry and wish for better moments.

The reason why I write this post is because of some comments I received, after posting something on my Social Media. The most heard comments were:

✨ Your life looks so great, I am jealous (😲).
✨ Your lifestyle is amazing, I envy you (😳)!
✨ I wish I could live like you but…
❌ I have kids
❌ I have a house and a mortgage/rent to pay
❌ I have an office job/non-remote job
❌ I have no money
❌ I have… (fill out your own reason)

I truly considered quitting sharing posts on my social media. But …a better idea came across: from now on I will share the good✨, the bad 👎and the ugly 👺 moments. This is out of my comfort zone but here I go 🚀!

There are moments…
👉 That I feel lonely
👉 That I feel sad
👉 That I cry out loud
👉 That I feel misunderstood
👉 That there is no one around me to share my thoughts and emotions with
👉 That I feel restless and don’t know what to do with myself
👉 That I miss my family and friends really badly
👉 That I don’t want to be single
👉 That I am sick and tired of doing all things by myself
👉 That I am worried about my next destination, especially when my visa is running out
👉 That I am worried about what others will think of me
👉 That I feel that my life sucks and is completely worthless

I guess – actually, I am pretty sure – that many of you are experiencing one or more of these things in your life as well.

So I hope – for the next time when I post pictures of clear blue waters, and white sandy beaches surrounded by palm trees (most likely my next destination 😉) – that you take a moment (or two) before you post something about being jealous or ‘ I wish I could but’. It may look like the grass is greener on the other side but trust me, it isn’t (unless it is fake grass😝).

With love 💜 and light✨,
littlemissyoga

P.S. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook

Bom día! – an update from Portugal 🍀🧘‍♀‍💃⛱️☀️😎🌻

(average reading time: 3 minutes)

Bom día! Tudo bem? Tudo bem! And that’s basically all my knowledge of the Portuguese language. Ok…I also know: Uma mulher tem uma maça, meaning: A woman has an apple. Very important knowledge, isn’t it 😜😅😂? Especially for me, I love apples (not to confuse with Apple, Annet and Apple don’t go along 🥊👎😉).

Ok, enough blahblah, to the point! I had the idea that I would escape the winter in the Netherlands, Algarve should be warmer. Well… I know now that Portugal can have cold winters too! It started mid-December 2020 up to mid-January 2021. Happy that my winter clothes are quite oversized, and that I had brought so many clothes! I was wearing many layers to keep myself warm. The apartment I was in, had no insulation, an aircon to heat up the place, but it was quite noisy so after 10 minutes I had to turn it off. The fire 🔥 place was out of order, because I had put all my yoga stuff there (and I must admit: I don’t know how to make a proper fire and it’s an open fire place, so the apartment would either burn down, including the whole building 🚒 or everything inside would smell like burnt wood). Average temperature in the apartment: 11 degrees Celsius. It was often warmer outside….

I got my lovely winter toes back, I forgot how painful that is. The bathroom was so cold that I was already an ice queen before I could turn on the shower. I wrapped myself completely in the bed covers, preventing my nose from freezing off my face when I was asleep😉. Eventually, it turned out to be the coldest winter since 15+ years. In Laos (October – December 2019) we had 1 week of really cold weather. Why is winter following me… is there a hidden message 🤔? One thing I promised myself (Covid or not): I am on a tropical island from October 2021 until March 2022. No more winter toes 👣, no more winter clothes and a-sexy thermo-underwear 🩲🩳! Just summer clothes, SPF50, bikinis 👙, sunglasses 😎 and flip flops 🩴.

Luckily, the temperature is back to normal (around 12 at night, around 18 at daytime). And I exchanged the apartment for a mobile home at a holiday park😊. I am here for almost one month, and up to now, it is the best move (this is the 3rd place I live in within 3,5 months😅). Currently, we have a curfew 🔒 (8pm – 5am on the weekdays and 1pm – 5am in the weekends, beaches are closed too, unfortunately); luckily, the park is located in the countryside. We can go for a stroll in nature without seeing other people (and also no GNR/police 🚓), and if you want to socialize with people, there is always someone sitting outside on the veranda (except when it’s raining 😉).

All in all, I am living my dream: a lovely tiny home, lovely neighbors, beautiful nature, working now and then 😉 (I started a new job at Meditation Moments – https://meditationmoments.nl/). I can say I am definitely enjoying life 🧘‍♀️🧚🏼‍♀️💃 💫✨🍀💜🙏🥳🍹. Do you want to design your own life too? Stay tuned, I will share shortly what I did to make it happen🙏 😇. Ok, one piece of advice in advance: listen to your heart ❤️, it has all the answers to your questions💜🙏.

💜💚 With love 💜💚
         littlemissyoga                          

P.s.: I started to teach some online yoga classes – see https://littlemissyoga.com/about-littlemissyoga/new-online-yoga-classes/, also check my Facebook-page to subscribe to my classes: https://www.facebook.com/annet.gosens/

P.p.s.: I have put some pictures of my life in Portugal – check https://littlemissyoga.com/gallery/pictures-portugal/.

P.p.p.s: Meanwhile posting this blog, it is raining cats🐱 & dogs 🐶… it looks like autumn in the Netherlands😉.

Why should I practice yoga 🤔?

Dear all,

A short blog this time, as I promised. I hope this article motivates and inspires you to start with yoga today, actually there is no reason NOT to practice yoga😉. This article is just about the poses, later on I will explain more about the 8 limbs of yoga.

How it all started for me: I still remember my first yoga class, October 2015, Ubud, Bali, Radiantly Alive, Ashtanga-Vinyasa (one of the hardest variations of yoga), Acacia from Canada was teaching. She wished me good luck for this class and some people were giggling 🤔😳. No, I couldn’t do all the Ashtanga-moves (and up to now I still can’t do all of them), I almost strained my neck because I had to watch my neighbors at the left and right to see what the Vinyasa (flow) was; I must have looked very clumsy I think😅. But besides of that, the energy I gained during and after the class and her way of teaching had inspired me to start doing yoga. When I started, I was a die-hard smoker and drank (too) much alcohol. By starting doing yoga and later on by taking yoga teacher trainings, yoga helped me to let go of the bad habits (except for eating (too much of) 85% or 90% pure chocolate 🍫😋). Sometimes I drink a glass of red wine, but I quit smoking completely. I turned from a vegetarian into a 95% vegan person. By doing this, I feel better, way better. And that’s it all about: do what fits you, do what makes you feel good. Yoga can be that (perfect) tool to guide you to become the best version of YOURSELF. And isn’t that what you truly want 😇💚🙏👍? Then definitely read the article below 😊 👇🙏🧘🧘‍♂️.

**What Doing Yoga For The First Time Does To Your Body**
Many thoughts will come to mind when you start doing yoga for the first time. As you stand in the back of a class, or unfurl a yoga mat at home, it can all seem like a lot of wobbling on one foot as you struggle to figure out a pose. But even if you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or confused at first, there are still all sorts of positive benefits to be had.

Right away, you’ll likely feel more space and a lightness in your body after your class. Yoga focuses on creating space in the mind and body so not only should you walk away feeling less stressed and more relaxed but you should feel less tension in your muscles. This is due to deep breathing. Your entire body will be oxygenated from the result of deeper breathing and increased circulation, and this will help you feel present and awake, as well. This loose, light feeling can stick around the rest of the day — which is one reason why folks turn to yoga as a way to de-stress — and it can even impact how you sleep. After you do yoga for the first time, you may sleep really well and find you wake up refreshed and rejuvenated.

That said, if you aren’t used to moving or exercising in such a way, you might notice that you feel a bit sore after doing yoga, too (for some this feels great: no pain, no gain). Holding a yoga pose not only requires core strength, it also requires endurance. The day after yoga you are very likely to be sore throughout your whole body. You can alleviate this by performing a warm-up before yoga, which will get the blood flowing to your muscles before going through the workout, and then following up with traditional cool down stretches. Physical symptoms aside, yoga can also tap into emotions more than you might realize, so don’t be surprised if some unexpected feelings bubble up during your class. We tend to hold our stress, worries, and tension not only in our brains, but throughout our body physically, mainly in our hips and jaw. When people try yoga, it might be their first time practicing breathing exercises (Yogi breath), and it may be the first time they allow themselves to release that stress through intentional breathing and practicing the poses.

If you’re new to yoga, it can be a big release, especially if you haven’t given yourself permission to let go of that tension before. But it can be yet another sign yoga is worth a try — and that you’re doing something good for yourself 😃.  **

I hope that you are convinced to roll out your mat (or blanket or towel) and start your practice today! If you need support with that, let me know, I can definitely help you😊🙏.

💜💚 With love 💜💚   
littlemissyoga                                           

        

Inspiried by: https://www.bustle.com/p/what-doing-yoga-for-the-first-time-does-to-your-body-19296977

Today I rise…✨🧚🏼‍♀️😇🌟

Reading time: about 6 minutes (more or less – depending on how fast or slow you read😉)

My dear readers! Happy New Year! Welcome to a new beginning, a fresh start. Maybe you have set resolutions for 2021, maybe not (like me 😉). I have set short-term and long-term goals and one of the goals is blogging more often, and blogging about what I want to share with the world, so here I am! This blog will be a long(er) one, in the future I will keep them short(er), so I am not stealing your time (one of the Yamas in Yoga: Asteya).

I got inspired by a YouTube video one of my friends sent me on my What’s app a few days ago (link is down below – no commission for me 😉). This YouTube video is showing exactly what I want to set out in this world. And I would love to share it with you because I need you; only together we can make the difference 🌟✨💜💪🙏!  

Today I rise…
Where are you? Little girl with broken wings but full of hope….
Where are you? Wise women covered in wounds …
Where are you? Today is the day I will not sit still and give in anymore

This is exactly what I am going to do from now on, online and offline, not sitting still anymore and giving in. I am fixing my broken wings, so my innerchild can fly again and can follow her dreams, hopes and wishes. I am licking my wounds from all the things I have been gone through, it doesn’t matter how deep or undeep the wounds are… wounds need to be healed first, then I am able to go on, with more power 💪, more self-confidence, more persistence, and with much more love in my heart ❤️. Yes, I did what people told me that would be better for me, I listened to them, they were older and wiser than I, so I trusted them. I didn’t listen to my heart. My heart was whispering all al the time with answers. One day, I woke up and said to myself: You need to make your own decisions, even if that is against all odds. What does make ME happy? Which path do I want to choose: The ‘beknown’ one, staying on the safe side, or the one less travelled by? I haven chosen the last one.

Today I rise
I am bruised but I will get up and walk again
Today I rise
I don’t care if you ignore my beauty
Today I rise
Through the alchemy of my darkest nights I heal and thrive
Today I rise
I move through the world with confidence and grace
I open my eyes and I am ready to face
My wholeness as a woman and my limitless capacities
I will walk my path with audacity

Today I rise
I reconnect with the many aspects of myself
I am in awe of the reality I can create
I am a healer – I am a queen
A wise woman – A wild woman

I will rise and beam
I am a rebel
I will wake up and fight
I am a mother and I am a child
I will no longer disguise my sadness and pain
I will no longer suffer and complain
I am black and I am white
There is no reason to hide

Everything I need, is already within me, everything you need is already within, we already have all the ansnwer. We are one, we are all made of the same energy, we are all love and light, coming from the same Source. That Source is something bigger than us, you can call it what you want, but you can’t deny the power of the Source. There is no reason to hide anymore, because we are all the same 🙏💜.

Where are you … I call upon Kali
To kiss me alive
I transform my anger into power
No more heartache or strive

The world is missing what I am ready to give
My wisdom, my sweetness, my love
And my hunger for peace

I weep with the trees and the rivers and the earth in distress
I rise and shine and I am ready to go on my quest

Today I rise
Without doubt or hesitation
Today I rise
Without excuses – Without procrastination

Today I call upon my sisters to join
A movement of resoluteness and ….concern

Why are we still fighting, why are we still divided, why are borders, passports and different currencies blocking our need, our RIGHT to be ONE? Why do people still believe that MONEY is POWER and that POWER is important to survive? All is coming from the same Source, everything is energy. POWER is just a mask to disguise FEAR. I call upon all my sisters: let’s unite and start to shine our LIGHT to and share our LOVE with everyone, together we can make the difference. It is good to know about LOVE & FEAR, we do need both, but nowadays I ask myself: where is the LOVE? FEAR is trying to take over the LOVE. I won’t let that happen! So, sisters, let’s go hand in hand and make that movement of resoluteness and concern ✌️🤝🙏.

Today is the day I rise and scream
Today I foresee the future of my dreams!
Today is my call to action … I will fulfill my mission
Without further distraction.
Today is the day!
Today I will start
To offer the world
The Wisdom of my heart.

I believe in fairy tales 🧚🏼‍♀️🏰 and they always begin with: Once upon a time… and they always end with: And they lived happily ever after. And I want to have that ending, happily ever after, living in a world of LOVE, PEACE & LIGHT, together with you, you and you, everyone, NOW! I just need 1% of the whole world to create the difference, to create a better world🌎🌍🌏.

I have just one question: Are you with me?

💜💚 With love 💜💚      
littlemissyoga                                        

        

Inspired by this video 👇:

P.s.: Please, comment on this blog if you feel like it, either you agree or disagree, if you have add-ons or want to unite with me 😊. All is welcome!

🙏🏻💜Gratitude 💜🙏🏻

These words came up when I was at the beach, last Monday (13 July 2020). I’d like to share them with you 🤗.

Gratitude
              For this beautiful day
A beautiful day to live for
A beautiful day to die for

Gratitude
              To all my friends and family
The ones I still have
The ones I have lost
              All of you taught me something I needed in my life

Gratitude
              For all the gifts and talents I possess
Some I use
Some are still untouched

Gratitude
              For every day
Sometimes I seize it
Sometimes I let it pass by

Gratitude
              For this word
Sometimes I feel you
Sometimes I don’t
              But you are always there at my side

💜💚 With love 💜💚     
         littlemissyoga                                       

3 poses from ❄🌨☃ winter to spring ⛅🌱🌦

After more or less 3 months cocooning, staying warm inside the house, enjoying the fire places (or central heaters nowadays), nurturing the body with more heavy food to keep it warm and give energy to stay healthy, a new season is about to start: spring. The meteorological spring starts at March 1, the Western calendar says it starts at March 21.

In the first days of Spring, we see how everything is awakening from a long deep sleep. It is the time to be active and to be awake. Nature is waking up as the days lengthen, plants and flowers start to blossom and the colour green is everywhere. The colours and life around make the spirit feel full, our appetite is less, or at least, we start to eat lighter food, food that is easier to digest. It is the time to cleanse, fast and allow this new beginning of life to start from a clean space. As we clean, we make room (the element Space) for new visions, for new opportunities and new plans to come through without much effort. The energy is expanding and is the beginning of Yang energy.

‼⚠Warning/Disclaimer⚠‼
Be very careful by practicing theses poses, especially when you have none or little experience in yoga and/or sports. If you feel any pain during a pose, back off, take some rest or even stop doing the particular exercise. Respect your body, respect your limits 🙏🏻🧘‍♂🧘🏻‍♀🙏🏻. If you still experience pain after these poses, please consult your GP. ~~littlemissyoga~~ is not responsible for any physical injuries or mental issues.

1. Uttanasana / Standing forward fold
😊😊Benefits: Opens the back of the body, stretches the hamstrings, hips and calves. It lengthens the spine, it creates more space on the back of the body. Furthermore, this pose provides strength to your thighs and knees. Regular practice relieves stiffness in your spine, neck and back.

  • Step 1: Tuck your toes and push into both feet, folding evenly over your legs (picture 1). Activate your abdomen (navel towards spine) to have a better and steadier foundation.
  • Step 2: Bend your knees as much as needed (picture 2), in favour of lengthening the spine and releasing tension in the neck. You can also use blocks (or a thick book/pillow) to put your hands on or cuff your elbows with the opposite hands (picture 3).
  • Step 3: Breathe towards the belly, hold as long as you want.
  • Step 4: To get out of the pose: Bend your knees deeper, let your arms hang loose, tuck your chin, press a little harder in all 4 corners of your feet and roll yourself up to standing, stacking the vertebras one by one. Last part is to lift your chin.
  • Step 5: Take a few moments to observe your body and mind, arms resting alongside the body.

2. Utthan pristhasana / Lizard lunge
😊😊Benefits: Opens and stretches the hips flexors and groins, it even creates some flexibility in the lower back. It strengthens the thigh muscles of the front leg and it opens the chest and neck. With opening up the hips it is possible that you release emotions, if this is happening, just let it be 😊. This pose is a good preparation for practicing hanomanasana (full splits).

  • Step 1: Come on your hands and knees, hands shoulder width, wrists in line with shoulders; knees hip width, knees in line with hips.
  • Step 2: Step your right foot forward, on the outside of your right hand. You can stay on your hands (picture 1) or lower down on the fore arms (picture 2), as long as your hips descend lower than your heart.
  • Step 3: Keep your front knee in line with the ankle and allow your weight to move to the outer edge of the front foot (picture 3). You can even lower down on the fore arms (picture 4), this is opening the hips even more.
  • Step 4: Hold for 5 breathes or more as long as you like before you change legs.
  • Note:    If you hold this pose for a few minutes (like a Yin-pose), you can take a counterpose before changing legs, for example ardha hanoman/half splits, all fours (with hip circles) or even downward facing dog (with hip circles). Most important is to listen to your body.
  • Step 5: After you have done both sides, you can sit down in Thunderbolt (your bump on your heels) or come into balasana /(wide legged) child’s pose.

3. Ustrasana / Camel pose
😊😊 Benefits: Opens up and stretches the chest, abdomen, quadriceps and hip flexors. It improves the spinal flexibility and loosens up the vertebrate. Also, it strengthens the shoulders, back muscles, thighs and arms. It even can reduce fat on the thighs (after doing this pose quite often) and it improves your posture.

  • Step 1: Come to an upright kneeling position, knees hip width distance. You can either tuck your toes or keep them pointed (flat on the floor).
  • Step 2: Keep your hips vertical of the knees, placing the hands either at the lower back for support (picture 1), or one or two hands on the heels (picture 2 & 3), lift your heart into Ustrasana. You can keep the head up or drop it down for opening up the throat (picture 4).
  • Step 3: Keep squeezing the inner thighs toward the midline, extend the sacrum downward toward the knees.
  • Step 4: Try to hold for around five breaths in this pose.
  • Step 5: Come out of the pose by squeezing the legs together and letting the heart lead you up. If you had your head down, you first lift the neck and head to an upright position. Then slowly sit down in Thunderbolt (sitting on your heels) or in balasana/(wide legged) child’s pose.

You can stay in balasana (child’s pose) after you have finished these 3 poses, to calm down the body and relax the breath. Whenever you are ready to come out of it, feel free to do so. And enjoy the rest of the day or have a good sleep 😊.

I hope you have enjoyed these 3 poses and that you feel more energized and opened up, ready for facing spring 😊. If you like, you can share your experiences with me 😊.

💜💚 With love 💜💚        
littlemissyoga                                       

        

Inspirational source:
https://chopra.com/articles/11-yoga-poses-and-a-meditation-for-transitioning-from-winter-to-spring?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=180403-April-Newsletter&utm_campaign=Newsletter201843

3 Very good yoga poses to survive the winter🥶❄🧘‍♀🙏🏻

Are you struggling with the winter time right now? Your body feels stiff and cold in the morning, it is hard to get out of your bed, because it is so nice, cosy and warm after 6 up to 8 hours of sleep 😊. Still, you have to get out one moment (yes, even on your day off 😉)

I have 3 quite easy yoga asanas (Sanskrit word for poses) to warm you up in the morning, to awaken your energy, so you can survive the winter time 😊. It just takes 5 minutes, so roll out your mat (or blanket/towel) and let’s start!

1. Chakravasana – Balanced cat/cow pose (5 – 10 breathes each side)

😊😊 Benefits: Focus, equilibrium, balance, core strength

Step 1: Come on to all fours, hands underneath shoulders, hands shoulder
width distance. Knees and hips stacked, knees hip width distance.
Spread your fingers, relax the toes (picture 1).
Step 2: Tuck the belly, core is working. Neck is long.
Step 3: Lift up the right leg back, keep the hips, knee and toes rotated
down.
Step 4: Lift the left arm in front, bicep along the ear, reach the fingers far
away. Press firmly into the standing hand (picture 2).
Step 5: Hold for 5-10 breathes then do the other side.

Picture 3: To light the fire a little more: add on knee to elbow (3 to 5 times each side, or whatever feels good 😉😇)

2. Utkatasana – Chair pose (5 – 10 breathes)

😊😊 Benefits: Heat up the body, (focus on the core, fire- element), especially with ujjayi breath (like your fogging a mirror, the breath comes from the back of the throat).

Step 1:  Feet together, big toes touching, heels slightly apart.
Step 2: Sink your hips low, knees not over toes (if you look down you can
still see your toes).
Step 3: Squeeze your upper thighs together, shift weight a bit towards to
your heels, toes are light.
Step 4: Spine is long, tuck the belly in (activate your core).
Step 5: Reach arms overhead, biceps along the ears (picture 1) or reach the
arms in front, less tension in the shoulders (picture 2). Shoulders
are relaxed.
Step 6: Breathe towards the belly and hold for 5 up to 10 breathes (or
longer if you like).

3. Balasana – Child’s pose (10 – 15 breathes)
One of my favorite poses and so easy and so effective for your body mind and soul 😊!

😊 😊Benefits: Helps to improve your digestion, calming down the body and mind.

Step 1: Sit on your knees, your bottom on your heels
Step 2: Slowly fold forward, your forehead is touching the floor (or your
cheek if you have compression in the neck).
Step 3:  Hands can be overhead, touching the floor or next to your ankles.
Step 4:  Surrender, and follow your breath, relax completely, hold for 10-15
breathes.

Note: If your chest needs more space, open your legs wide so your chest can
relax more.

This pose can also be done before you go to bed, because it is a calming down, relaxing pose as well. You will definitely have a good sleep 😊. If you do it before you go to bed, you better practice this pose in your bed, so you can go to sleep directly when you’re finished 😊😊.

If you repeat these asanas daily, you will definitely feel the difference. The good news is: time passes by automatically, spring is almost there. If you still have a hard time with the winter, then I have another advice:  escape the winter!! Book a ticket to a warm place and come back when summer starts (like I do 😉, but nevertheless, I practice these asanas every day, because they are good for my body, mind and soul😊).

Soon I will pose an article for 3 good poses for spring time.

💜💚 With love 💜💚             
      littlemissyoga                                  

  ** Inspirational  source: yoga magazine/yoga online, unfortunately I can’t find the link to this article anymore**