Caro Does Yoga

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Caro Does Clean-up

Summer is coming, and it’s hot out there! Like, really, deathly, firey hot; which makes me question my sanity and motivation for my latest undertaking. But I’ve been toying with this idea for years, and no matter how sweltering it is—it’s time to try.

During Covid, we all learned things about ourselves. One thing that I learned is that I find picking up garbage super-relaxing. When we were doing e-learning, I would take my son to different parks for recess, and I would see garbage everywhere. In parks and playgrounds all over town. It was in the bushes, in the river, falling out of trash cans, and literally just sitting on the ground in the middle of fields. When we would go for walks and bike rides, it was in the street, on the sidewalk, and blowing in the wind. So, I would take my picker-upper grabber thing and pick up trash. Once I started paying attention, and purposefully picking up trash, I realized just how much there was. It seemed like an infinite amount. Whenever I picked up a piece, there was always a few more pieces nearby or buried in the dirt in the same exact spot.

The amount of garbage was very frustrating, and really gross. But, when I could get an area all cleaned up, it was a great feeling. Talk about a dopamine rush! Sometimes, I would make excuses get out and pick up trash—that might have been a bit of quarantine madness. Nevertheless, an idea was born.

Since then, I have been fantasizing about starting a YouTube channel where I hike around Florida and pick up trash. In this fantasy, the parks, rivers, and hiking trails are pristine.

I’m a millionaire….

It’s a great daydream—er, delusion—but it feels a bit out of reach.

But, I’m still thinking about it.

While hiking and cleaning full-time is still way off in the distance, this summer I’m taking my first step toward it.

Summertime is almost here. And, yes, it’s hot. But, I’ll have a lot more free time. Usually, over the summer I teach more yoga classes and DoorDash to pay the bills. But, this summer, I want to add to the repertoire. I want to spend time each week chasing down those floating grocery bags, dental floss pick things, and plastic water bottle caps. I want to do something that I am passionate about that will make a difference.

(It’s not all about getting zen with a trash grabber.)

And, I know I can devote some real time to this crazy idea if I get a little help from my friends.

If you are also passionate about our environment and would like to donate so that I can spend less time this summer doing random gig work, and more time cleaning up our community, click here to donate to my virtual tip jar through my Ko-fi page.

I’d be so grateful for your support.

All donations go directly to my personal Ko-fi account and support my time and supplies for this summer’s clean-up efforts.

A share or a like to help me spread the word goes a long way, too!

I plan to document, share my progress, and get input from you to choose areas that I focus on.

Who knows how big this summer endeavor could become. Maybe I’ll make that daydream a reality, or at least make a positive impact on the environment.

Where should I go next? Leave your suggestion in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

Inspired by Community

Once a month, at the studio where I teach, Jai Dee Yoga and Wellness, I partner with owner and very loved teacher, Danielle, for a special class that begins with an all levels flow, followed by a thirty minute or so yoga nidra, then a short crystal bowl sound bath at the end.

I love teaching this class, and I get excited for it every month. I love getting to participate in Danielle’s asana practice, and then getting to guide the participants through a meditation while we are already riding the energetic wave of a yoga class. I love playing the bowls, and hearing about everyone’s experience afterward. Each month, we have a theme, and the school teacher in me loves to draft and craft and tweak the yoga nidra script to match the theme.

This month, our theme is Honoring the Opposites Within Us. The Cancer in me is especially eager to pour my heart in to writing this month’s nidra because the theme is inspired by the students at Jai Dee.

Danielle does an awesome job building community at Jai Dee. I have never been to a yoga studio that was more welcoming and less competitive. Teachers and students are kind, and open, and interested in each other. It is the norm for people to hang around in the lobby drinking tea and having easy conversation about whatever is going on the neighborhood before and after class. Students lead classes on special topics: handstands, book studies, crystals, and metaphysical groups.

Recently, a few of us were talking and joking about which side of our body was hurting worse, the left or the right, the feminine or masculine, and how to sit up after savasana if you wanted more energy for your day, or if you needed to relax. Later, when Danielle and I were brainstorming the theme for this month’s class, we were reflecting on a class that one of the students led, and conversations with people around the studio, et voila! A theme was born.

I am so thankful for the open and beautiful people that make Jai Dee what it is, and the creativity that everything about this little studio drives in me. I hope you will join us as we honor the sun with an energizing flow practice, and cool down with a yoga nidra that honors the opposites that reside within us all.

Thankful for Bubbles

These are some difficult times. We are disconnected and discontent. Maybe not all of us, and maybe not all of the time, but there is a collective sense of, “Ugh..” permeating throughout our society. No one is immune. Corona is affecting even our youngest, and most bright-eyed, joyful members.

eLearning is a wonderful gift. I am thankful that it is an option for us, and for so many who have needed it during this era of isolation and awfulness. But, eLearning also sucks. At least for us. For those of us that are kinesthetic learners, and others who are social butterlies. eLearning leaves a bit to be desired. As hard as teachers are working, and they are working hard AF– day and night, I know I get the alerts on my phone– there is a still a void left to be filled.

I refuse to say “the new normal,” because this is all going to pass, right? But normal for right now has brought tantrums where there was calm, and tears where there were smiles. I have worried, stressed, second guessed, and wrung my hands.

But, today, I am thank ful for bubbles.

As a lover of yoga and meditation, it can be disheartening when your own child rebels by refusing to engage in anything yogic or mindful. I can get other kids engaged; why not him?! Ugh!

Recently, I bought a set of books: I am Yoga, I am Peace, I am Human, and I am Love, by Susan Verde. These books are super-adorable, and helped me craft some yoga lessons for kids that were a hit. At one point, I am Peace mentions imagining your worries popping like bubbles. We recreated this visualization in class with real bubbles, and the kids even came up with some original and powerful ways to use the bubbles. (Sidenote: I just discovered that there a free lessons on Verde’s website while writing this post. Nice!)

Recently, in the midst of a medium-sized meltdown, I had the wherewithal to grab the bubbles and start blowing. I asked my yoga rebel what he was mad about, and then told him to imagine that that was the bubbles, and to pop them all. I was in luck, he actually did it….enthusiastically! After about 10 minutes of popping bubbles, and screaming, “I hate you, ‘rona!” and “I hate you, Zoom!” The storm had passed. The smiles returned, and calm was restored. He even took the wand and blew his own bubbles. Slowly and with intention. Score!

This trick has even worked like three more times!

Bubbles are such a reliable standby that have never let me down. They are pretty, peacful, fun, and cathartic. If you have a kid that is struggling, give this trick a try. It might help…even if only for a few minutes of distraction. Heck, try it on yourself. This post is about a 6 year old, but they’ve chilled me out a time or two.

Corona has given us a chance to find the silver linings. A new opportunity –sometimes multiple– each day.

And, today, I am thankful for bubbles.

*Actual picture of miracle bubbles

Hello, there.

I am excited to launch the Caro Does Yoga website. It is my dream to share yoga with the world, and make it accessible to everyone. 2020 has given me the opportunity to try teaching yoga as my full-time job. It’s been interesting to find my way. I started my Instagram account, @caro_does_yoga, for fun during the first round of quarantine. When I decided to launch a website, I thought I might as well stick with the name.

So, here we are.

I hope to create a space where all feel welcome to give yoga a try regardless of finances, level of athleticism, age, race, sex, gender identity, or any other factor. Yoga is for EVERY BODY.