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Friday, November 21, 2014

Talking Turkey

Several folks asked me to let them know what I thought of the In the Kingdom of Ice. I blogged about it here earlier this week. 

Becky hosts the Poetry Friday Roundup today over at Tapestry of Words. Stop by for lots of pre-Thanksgiving lyricism. 

I'm looking toward Thanksgiving and lots of cooking and lots of eating and lots of hugs. But all that turkey talk can be stressful on the body. Here is one of my favorite, fast ways to recover, even in the middle of baking pumpkin pie. 

Take a simple ten-minute break and restore your mind, your body and your spirit! 

Lie on the floor, knees bent, feet in line with your hip sockets about 12-16 inches from your buttocks, hands on your front hips. There is no work here, no pressing, just letting your bones sink down into the floor. Ten minutes. That's all. Your spine will begin to relax. Your nervous system will calm.

Just be still. Be conscious of God's presence. Let gravity and stillness work to restore balance and peace. Be grateful, breathe, listen.
Liz Koch in the constructive rest position, for releasing and renewing the psoas muscle
Liz Koch in Constructive Rest Position

And now, poetry. This is the last stanza of John Greenleaf Whittier's "The Pumpkin." Read the entire poem here.

Then thanks for thy present! none sweeter or better
E’er smoked from an oven or circled a platter! 
Fairer hands never wrought at a pastry more fine, 
Brighter eyes never watched o’er its baking, than thine! 
And the prayer, which my mouth is too full to express, 
Swells my heart that thy shadow may never be less, 
That the days of thy lot may be lengthened below, 
And the fame of thy worth like a pumpkin-vine grow, 
And thy life be as sweet, and its last sunset sky 
Golden-tinted and fair as thy own Pumpkin pie!

Enjoy your week. Enjoy your family. Carry a grateful heart with you through every moment. 

4 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this resting pose, Dori, as well as Whittier's sweet pumpkin poem. I will definitely be trying the pose soon (and enjoying some pumpkin, as well!). Have a beautiful Thanksgiving!

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  2. Looks like a useful pose, Dori! Thanks. You picked a good poem of gratitude. I hope our hearts swell even if our mouths are too full to express it :-)

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  3. Thank you for sharing all, Doraine - I think I need to do that pose!

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  4. Hi, Dori. I'm catching up on Poetry Friday posts. The photo of Liz Koch reminded me that the holidays are a great time to get back to yoga class! (And after class, eat some of that "sunset sky golden-tinted" pumpkin pie.

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