How to be a huntress

in your modern day life

I can’t believe it’s already May… one of the busiest months of the year for me. As a mom of school-aged children, there’s always a flurry of activity before the school year ends and summer break begins. It feels compounded by the fact that I own a dance studio. We put on an annual performance in early June and contribute to that end-of-school flurry of activity. 🤪

As I reflect on the overwhelm I’m feeling, I’m wondering if you’re anything like me (and so many other folks I know.)

No matter the time of year, I have the tendency to over schedule, drown myself in to-do lists, get way out of alignment with my values and then wonder how in the hell I got “here”: overworked, starved for nature, and worried about how to use less plastic as I drive through Starbucks for another hit of cold brew.

You probably know the feeling… when it’s easier to have a glass of wine, plop down on the couch, and see what’s up (again) on Facebook.

But the contrast of an especially busy time of year has me more interested than ever in how I can create a more sustainable life. A way of living that doesn’t require bandaids, like social media scrolling or chocolate chip cookies, so often. A way that includes extra space for the unexpected or a temporarily busier schedule, without the extra stress.

I want to believe that’s possible. 👆🏼

To help me hang on to the possibility long enough to make some real change, I’m turning to one of the teachings I received in yoga teacher training. It’s a concept called minimal muscular effort. In practicing physical postures, it’s common to use more energy than is needed to do a pose well. Extra tension in the neck and shoulders. A tightening of the jaw. Or simply overusing the muscles you do need to sustain the position of the body.

One of my teachers would prompt me to “be a huntress.” Search for over effort. What is taking energy from the system that’s not necessary? Where are you wasting precious resources?

Then, imagine what will be available to you once that energy is freed up.

Try this right now: relax the muscles of your face. Release all the little muscles around your eyes and mouth. Were you holding extra tension there? Does it feel good to let it go?

I’m playing with how this concept can show up in a bigger way in my life right now…

So I leave you with two questions:

1) Where are you currently over efforting in your life?

2) What can you imagine would be available to you if that energy was freed up?

I’ll go first in the comments. 👇🏼 I’d love if we can begin to hold a vision for each other of less hurry and overwhelm and more clarity and peace. 🙏🏻

Next week, I’ll be sharing more on this topic via some horse wisdom. But it’s only going out to my paid subscribers. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to join us!