yoga for opening ankles and feet

After hopping from country to country and city to city for about three months, my family and I were starting to feel a little loopy.  The vagabonding lifestyle was not satisfying my craving for community and a sense of grounding.   So, we finally settled down for six weeks in the rural town of Talca, Chile.

Everyone asks us why we chose this sleepy town to stay for a while, as it is somewhat nondescript and less exciting than Santiago, its big sister to the North.  But, that is exactly why we have decided to spend some time here.

Our intention was to halt our constant wandering and plant our roots into experiencing the day-to-day Chilean way-of-life.  And we feel so fortunate to have chosen Talca as our culture immersion residence.

Within the first week of being in this welcoming town, we were invited to two asado’s (BBQ’s), three onces (afternoon tea), dinner, a weekend at a lake house, an Independence Day celebration, trekking in the mountains,  and a family let us borrow their car for a month.

In addition to the outpouring of hospitality, two blocks from our apartment is a small community center where they provide FREE Yoga classes twice per week, a park with a running trail outside our door and a healthy bakery that prepares all things gluten free! And my daughter has an endless supply of well-fed street dogs to keep her compassionate heart full.  I couldn’t dream up a better scenario.

Although strangers stare at us like we are aliens as my 6’4″ husband works out on the park exercise machines, Kayla stops to feed every homeless dog and I smile and wave at everyone I pass in the street, I feel so grateful to the community and its people who have swept us under their wings and opened their hearts to us crazy looking, flip flop wearing, super tall foreigners.

Long-term travel reminds me how good it feels to be received into a community.  The picture taken above was with my fellow yogis at an Independence Day celebration where they stuffed me with empanadas and taught me the local dance, Cueca.  How lucky are we to have this opportunity to feel grounded in the fiber of this wonderful blue collar town.

This week’s FREE YOGA VIDEO is all about getting grounded. This 16-minute Yoga class will assist in opening your ankles and feet in preparation for Vajrasana and bring your awareness to the incredible support of your community and the earth below you.  I apologize for the echo sound.  The recording was the best I could do in the environment. Yoga with Meditation Mutha is for every BODY. I hope you will join me in this opportunity to sense the immense support of the universe!

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