Well dear readers it is the last Tuesday of March and believe it or not a month since I started the Spring into Yoga Challenge. Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun?

What have I learned? Well, firstly that whilst Janu Sirsasana and Bhada Konasana may never be my favourite poses, the thought of them is far worse than the pose itself, especially now I have learned to let go! Secondly that me and Dhanurasana are never going to be friends, but more importantly I’ve learned that it’s OK to not be friends with certain postures. I’m not suggesting giving up. I’m not suggesting saying to yourself “oh I’ll never do this” and never try again, but eventually every yogi(ni) is going to find a posture that is really hard, or that they may never be able to do without modification. And that is what’s OK. To accept and love our bodies exactly as they are right now!

With that in mind, and inspired by this post over at Sal’s Already Pretty Blog, I give you five things that are awesome about my body. Yes, I may have health issues and back issues and a dodgy hip but I also have an amazing body that lives every single day.

I would love it if you would join me with your list of five, either in the comments or as a post on your own blog with a link for us all in the comments.

1. My body has core muscles of steel. Seriously. I can hold Navasana for sooo long without shaking!
2. My body has a cute ass. I know this isn’t a reason to do yoga, but the yoga butt is a nice side effect!
3. My body cycles me miles and miles every week, I can feel myself get stronger every single day and I’m starting to not miss having a car because of this.
4. My body may not be able to do handstands anymore but it has a lot of fun trying!
5. My body houses my brain which is smart, silly and geeky in equal measures.

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The Suburban Yogini is taking a Spring Break – I’ll be back for “things i love thursday” and then normal service will resume after the weekend. Don’t miss me too much dear readers

This Monday Melina Meza is guest posting about yoga for the new season.  Enjoy!

It makes sense that many of us are drawn to the idea of cleansing and purging this time of year—it’s time to lighten our load. Spring is really a time to THRIVE and it’s difficult to thrive if you feel weighted down by your inner or outer world. In order to feel your best, perhaps a little cleanse is in order to get rid of any extra winter weight, household clutter, or material possessions that keep you in the past or limit your freedom in the moment.

Here are a few diet adaptations that will help prepare your body and mind for spring:

• Decrease heavy, oily, cold, fatty foods.
• Increase spicy, bitter, and astringent foods (arugula, mustard greens, kale, strawberries, blueberries, and sprouts).
• Increase your vitamin, nutrient and chlorophyll intake with early dark green vegetables and sprouts.
• In general, eat light and eat local.

Over the winter months, we recommend practicing yoga sequences that emphasize Sun Salutations to promote circulation, extra twists to strengthen metabolic fire, and dynamic forward and backbends to tonify the kidneys and urinary bladder, which regulate water in the body as well as our emotions.

Now that winter has passed, it’s time to start sending some TLC to the liver and gallbladder, which may have been working overtime during the winter with diets heavy in fat, protein, caffeine, alcohol or sugar. Springtime invites cleansing the liver and gallbladder, which do many helpful things for our health including: filtering toxins from the external environment and food, aiding in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fat, and protein, helping to break down fats in the body, and processing our anger. These organs tend to get overloaded in the winter with extra socializing, large meals, decreased exercise, and not enough rest.

In regards to asana, the inner legs and outer leg lines correlate to the meridian lines that feed into the liver (inner legs) and gallbladder (outer legs). Spring is a great time to deepen your relationship to poses such as Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon), Garudasana (eagle), Prasaritta Padottanasana (wide leg forward bends and Gomukasana (cow face), as these poses help you connect to and activate the liver and gallbladder meridians.

Following are two asana sequences specifically geared for spring.

Yin/restorative class sequence for spring:

Lying on your back:

Supta Baddha Konasana, Happy Baby Pose, Wide Leg Splits (while supported by the floor)

Easy Twist with bent legs, “Thread the Needle”

On the knees or seated:

Wide Leg Child’s Pose, Sphinx, Pigeon, Ardha Matysendrasana, Gomukasana, Upavista Konasana, Padmasana

Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga Spring class sequence:

Supta Baddha Konasana, Happy Baby Pose, Wide Leg Split, Supta Padangusthasana (standard and twist), Abdominal work with Twists, Abdominal work with legs in Garudasana, Lion’s Breath, Fire Hydrant, Spinal Rolls, Uddiyana Bandha, Agni Sara

Sun Salutes with Salabhasana, Squats, Surya Namaskar B, Garudasana, Prasaritta Padottanasana Series, Sirsasana, Bakasana, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon), Gomukasana, Double Pigeon, Pursvottanasana, Mayurasana (peacock), Bharadvajasana, Maha Mudra, Janu Sirsasana, Setu Bandha, Halasana with Padmasana…finishing poses.

Melina Meza, BS Nutrition, 500-RYT, has been exploring the art and science of yoga and nutrition for over 16 years. She combines her knowledge of Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda, whole foods nutrition and healthy living into a unique style called Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga. Melina’s Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga classes, workshops and DVDs emphasize the healing teachings of the ancient yogis and inspires students to adapt their asana practice, diet and lifestyle routines to better harmonize with the seasonal changes occurring in nature. Melina is the lead teacher at Seattle’s 8 Limbs Yoga Centers and is also the author of Art of Sequencing an innovative book that includes 34 unique yoga sequences and over 1,500 photos offering creative inspiration for experienced yoga teachers as well as fresh instructional ideas to jump start a home practice. More information about Melina and her offerings can be found at http://www.melinameza.com/

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Do you have something to say? Readers, I am always on the lookout for good guest posts and they don’t have to be about yoga — just about how you have found balance in your life.

If you’ve got an idea for a guest post email me on suburbanyogini at gmail dot com.  I am happy to return the favour!

The best thing about our house in Cambridge is the garden, especially now it’s spring!

Himself started the weekend by cooking his breakfast on the BBQ he bought this week.

And I started with a Green Monster

In the mix: 200ml soy milk, one pear, one kiwi, a handful of spinach.

There was carrot soup (not made by me )

And a tiny chocolate egg filled with mini Smarties!

Himself finally mowed the lawn….

….and I planted vegetables.

The black box will be full of carrots and the blue box with pumpkin and aubergine.  I’m weeding the raised beds to plant marigolds next to them because apparently marigolds keep blackfly off the veggies.

And to celebrate earth hour (and to prepare myself for the clocks going forward) I went to bed at 8.45pm! Rock’n'roll!

Hope you all had great Saturdays dear readers – what did you get up to?