YOGA - outdoor yoga

Go ahead, take your yoga practice outdoors this summer! It will totally change your perspective, your practice and your appreciation of nature. And get you in touch with what's around you.
Nature's abundance offers us plenty of opportunity to enjoy what can be found all around, no matter where we are.

lavender fields around La Vudèle

cooling shade behind La Vudèle

sun salutation facing the sunflower field

For inspiration on where to take your mat try this web site
http://www.yogatropic.com/mats-optional/summer-yoga-5-ways-to-take-your-practice-outside/

If you live in a bigger city you can always find yoga on meetup.com or other social web sites which help connect with like-minded yogis.

Happy summer

& 

om

EXTRA - Thursday morning yoga starting 2. June

It's this time of year again... time for outdoor yoga at La Vudèle! Starting next Thursday, 2. June, at 10h we will take our morning practice to the garden behind the house, to greet the rising sun and enjoy a lovely morning practice.

Each week there is a different theme, a different focus, be it on balance, inversions, cooling asanas, invigorating sequences, all dependent on the experience of the participant, the mood of the day and the general energy.

And what a joy it was to practice outdoors, to be outside, surrounded by nature: in the cooling shade under the vast mulberry in our garden; by the side of the wheat field with views across lavender fields onto Mont Denier. This mountain range, with an altitude of almost 1900m, serves as a focal point for tadasana or mountain pose: imagining oneself a mountain, a natural structure which like our body and mind does neither sway nor move, solid, grounded. 

No reservation is required, mats are provided, € 10 per person participatory fee.

Namasté and welcome to everyone who will join this summer!

YOGA - World Yoga Day '16

Every year on the third Sunday in February World Yoga Day -  now in its 8th year - takes place allover the world. This year on 21nd February between 10h and 12h yogis everywhere came together to celebrate this special moment, united spiritually and connected through yoga.


A donation-based project every year a different cause benefits from the contributions of each yogi, be it monetary or idealistic. This year it is for Borderline-Europe

50.000 participants in Ahmedabad/India

"Borderline-Europe is a non-governmental organization which aims to raise attention to the tragedies at Europe’s borders: In the wake of the European politics of shielding, hundreds of people die every month in the Mediterranean Sea. We counter the authorities’ cover-up attempts with in-depth research at Europe’s frontier regions as well as create a public awareness based on reliable information and facts of the deadly consequences of present migration policy. Therefore we produce reports on issues such as human trafficking, human rights and refugee camps in Italy, Cyprus and Greece. Another important element of our work includes the support of humanitarian aid at the borders and the formation of a worldwide network. All in all borderline-europe avows for freedom of movement for everybody!"

With great thanks to the initiators and supporters of World Yoga Day!

Namasté

&

enjoy your yoga!

LIFE AT LA VUDELE - quiet winter days

Provence in winter: gorgeous, quiet

Winter is very quiet in the countryside, and in Provence it is no expection. Our days are marked by the rising sun in the East and the sun setting, usually with a glorious sunset, in the West, in the general direction the famous Mont Ventoux in the Vaucluse.
The temperatures this year have been very moderate and sometimes even very warm so that flowers which usually do not appear until later on in spring are already out, and there are already plenty of almond trees which normally blossom the middle of March are in full bloom!
 
Winter is also the time to reflect, to take time out from the busy summer and its heat. Following is a poem created for the village of Quinson describing the summer, with its heat, the sound of the cigalles chirping, the streets empty and dry, only the thought of "dinner" on one's mind - ah, the easy life:

Chez nous quand midi carillonne,
Les rues sont vides. L’heure sonne
Sur un monde d’indifférence :
C’est souvent ainsi en Provence,

Surtout dans ce village clos
Tapi au pied de son coteau
Et ne pensant plus qu’à « dîner ».
La vie s’est soudain enfermée

A l’intérieur des maisons fraîches ;
Et les rues ne sont plus que sèches
Venelles sans vie et sans heurts ;
Le déjeuner gomme deux heures

Du temps rétréci pour un temps.
Les rues sont vides comme antan,
Aux jours des anciennes chansons
Des troubadours du vieux Quinson*.

*Poème offert au village de Quinson

To a lovely 2016 and a long summer
 with many positive experiences!

YOGA - grounding sequence for winter

As the colder and darker winter months have arrived a calming yoga sequence is ideal for this time of year.

It all starts with taking the time out of one's busy schedule, to make space for oneself. Mindfulness.... awareness... comfort

* * * 

Find a warm cozy spot where you can spend a few minutes to yourself, undistracted by your daily life.

Choose a soft blanket, a zafu or fold your yoga mat so that your body stays warm.

* * * Sit down in a comfortable position, one in which you can stay a good five minutes without moving or shifting. This will take a while to find; give yourself the time to find it. Start by simply being. Breathing. Thinking. Feeling. Let your thoughts wander and learn to accept this natural state of mind. When you are ready close your eyes. When you feel ready start observing your breathing, without forcing it in any direction or way. Do a 3-3 pranayama, also known as So-Ham, followed by a 4-8 pranayama. Returning to regular breathing formulate your wishes for this yoga sequence.

I would like to direct you now to a web site which, along with beautiful photos, put together a lovely restorative yoga sequence. Do this at your own pace, stay in the poses for as long as you can. Watch your breathe: once it becomes forced you leave yoga and enter effort so that is the moment to release out of the pose.
http://www.yogajournal.com/slideshow/yoga-sequence-keep-healthy-winter/

* * * At the end of this sequence come back into a comfortable seated position, close your eyes one more time and reflect on this sequence: which aspect did you enjoy? Which postures helped you relax? Which postures made you feel positive? Take this into your daily life, this realization. Now turn your focus on the wishes you had formulated at the beginning of this sequence and reflect on them. Slowly open your eyes and find yourself back in the hear and now.

namasté

and  may peace be with you

YOGA - taste the rainbow

Every time I see a rainbow, a natural occurrence very common here in Provence, I think of the Skittles commercial where this girl's voice comes on at the end, very hushed: "Taste the rainbow." On our annual end-of-season trip to Italy I had the fortune to not only see one but two rainbows - parallel and equally beautiful - right in front of us, above the coast line of Cinque Terre which we were visiting.

double rainbow over the Med in early October

Jim took this photo of me from the promenade in Rapallo, a pretty town near Portofino, and despite or because of the downpour just minutes before this image shows the beauty and power of nature so beautifully!

But what does a rainbow mean, where does it come from, where does it end? Legend has it that at the end of every rainbow sits a leprechaun, described as being no more than 2 feet tall. Leprechauns supposedly spend all their time busily making shoes, and legend has it that if you can keep your gaze fixed on them long enough that they are compelled to reveal the whereabouts of their pot of gold. The idea that a pot of gold can be found at the rainbow's end originated somewhere in old Europe. 

The scientific explanation is that a rainbow is one of nature's most splendid masterpieces. A rainbow is an excellent demonstration of the dispersion of light and one more piece of evidence that visible light is composed of a spectrum of wave lengths, each associated with a distinct color. To view a rainbow, your back must be to the sun as you look at an approximately 40 degree angle above the ground into a region ...more here

But whatever the reason, origin or chemical composition: a rainbow is a beautiful sight, free to all and for all to enjoy!

Enjoy nature!

EXTRA: Thursday morning yoga

greeting the sun

Last year I started offering a morning yoga class but with a twist: outdoors, under the mulberry tree in our garden or in the open air, with views across lavender fields and the mountains - what a magical experience! And because everyone enjoyed it so much I will offer it again this year!

Starting the first Thursday in June we will meet for this 10 o'clock class under the blue sky of Provence. Everybody is invited to join, from complete novice to regular practitioner as hatha with Iyengar influences is ideal for adapting to everyone's needs. Mats are provided, nothing else required.

The session takes about 1.5 hours followed by a cup of calming tea, at € 10 per person.

Join Claudia for an outdoor practice with Yoga & Nature:
* greet the sun with your morning "sun salutation"
* enjoy the serenity of our bird sanctuary during your practice
* indulge in a yoga practice facing Mont Denier right in front of you for "mountain pose"

ACTIVITIES - spring gardening in Provence

Spring is the best time of year: the sun is strong, the doors and windows stay open all day, the birds start their morning concert earlier and earlier, the animal world has come out of hibernation, and the flora is every changing, with new blossoms appearing every day!

Jim's nod to his Dutch heritage

LIFE AT LA VUDELE - spring gardening

Every year, or rather: continuously, we work on our vegetable garden. 'Continuously' because we use permaculture as the basis which utilizes many different factors like the moon phases; creating our own compost, of course no fertilizers but to us nothing which comes from the outside; local plant varieties and seeds from a trusted source; rain water captured in a basin; the sun's movement; and our own two hands.

cherry tree in bloom in our garden

This year we finally managed to source the materials for a cold frame, like an old window très local, ie. at our neighbors' who had their windows replaced. More on that in our April postings because starting this year we can offer 2 more guest rooms at our organic B&B! Anyway, the end of February, in 

YOGA - calming winter asanas

Winter is the time of year where our body slows down, naturally. There is less daylight, the temperatures drop, nature has fallen into its slumber, to gather energy and strength for the warmer and lighter months.

Nevertheless we can take our yoga practice outside, enjoy the sights and sounds of snow falling or melting in the sun, the chirping of the birds as they are looking for food and shelter, and enjoy the rays of sunshine as

EXTRA - yoga retreats 2015

* yoga retreats 15.-17. May * 21.-26. June * 11. - 13. September *

 

For 2015 we not only offer the usual weekend retreats in May and September but also a 6-day/5-night yoga week in June! We chose this date to offer our yoginis the unique opportunity to experience the fantastic sight and scent of lavender in bloom, usually from the middle of June until the end of July

A holistic time, where we take care of ourselves from the inside, be it through
* yoga practice
* delicious organic vegetarian food: seasonal, fresh, Provencal with an international touch
* meditation
* time to explore and relax, take a typical Provencal afternoon siesta, swim in a lake, go for a walk
* time to enjoy an in-depth practice, yoga philosophy, spirituality. Focus will not only be on various asanas but on advancing on the path of yoga
* mats & material will be provided

ACTIVITIES - bike riding

winter scenery - lavender fields

The great thing about winter in Provence is the beautiful blue sky, the crisp clear air. And the empty roads...

From around November until March Provence falls into its winter slumber which is what we love about this area. And what we have come to appreciate for riding our bikes. Granted, "we" would be Claudia and her friend Edith from nearby Saint Laurent du Verdon; Jim prefers to stay close to the warming hearth... along with Mimie and Mia, out cats

Being out-of-doors, bundles up against the chilly Northern winds, sometimes the Mistral, there is nothing more refreshing and energizing like a bike ride. Our favorite round - the long route - takes us from La Vudèle via Saint Laurent and Artignosc along some beautiful scenery up onto the hill tops towards Baudinard, a quaint village with a sort of traffic light, meant for the busy season and cars only (we think...)

Down again towards the river Verdon, left on a dirt road past the public swimming pool of Artignosc beautifully situated right on the banks of the slightly cool river even in summer, and then back up to Saint Laurent: the last stretch, all the way up to the plateau towards La Vudèle, is the real 'heart breaker' and makes me think of 'Heartbreak Hill' of the Boston Marathon, the last, very long stretch through Newton which seems to be never-ending even driving it, up to Boston College.

Once up on the plateau the view onto the nearby mountain range of Mont Denier, snow-capped and magnificent against the blue sky, my heart opens up and I take in the vast expanse of this place. 

Alternatively there are shorter routes from La Vudèle to Esparron, Albiosc and back, about 45 minutes.

winter scenery - vines

This is also the route for the summer for guests if they want to ride their bikes to the lake of Esparron. This takes no more than half an hour, to be at the beach; going back up after a refreshing swim is no problem...

Another favorite is the loop La Vudèle - Saint Laurent - towards Quinson - then back up the D11 (a smaller 'Heartbreak Hill') and back to La Vudèle. This also takes about 45 minutes and allows to take in the scenery ranging from lavender and vine fields through Mediterranean forest and olive groves.

Guests in our chambre d'hôtes can rent bicycles at Edith's hotel for € 8/day, either mountain bikes to explore the many trails, for example the TransVerdon which runs right behind La Vudèle, or leisure/all-terrain bikes.

Life in Provence in the winter:

la vie est belle!

YOGA - winter detox sequence

Winter is the time when our system slows down, naturally, and we should give it - and ourselves - the time and space to do so. It all starts with taking the time out of one's busy schedule, to make space for oneself. Mindfulness.... awareness...

A winter detox is a wonderful thing where we can give ourselves as a present. Personal. Unique. Inspiring. Relaxing. Mind-opening. Challenging. Heart-opening.


It all starts with choosing the correct detoxification for the season, particularly a detox which is warming and nourishing in the winter's cold. In traditional medical systems such as Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine paying attention to "food energetics" is an important part of restoring health. In cold weather it is considered important to consume warm-natured foods to preserve the body's optimal metabolic state.

A lovely "guide" for a weekend detox is on the vegetariantimes.com which I have followed a couple of times. It not only gives ideas for recipes but also helps stick to activities and rest periods which are beneficial to a detox. http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/weekend-detox/

For your yoga detox practice find a warm cozy spot where you can spend time by yourself, undistracted by your daily life.

Choose a soft blanket or yoga mat which is placed on a warm surface so that your body stays warm.

* * * Sit down in a comfortable position, one in which you can stay a good five minutes without moving or shifting. This will take a while to find; give yourself the time to find it. Start by simply being. Breathing. Thinking. Feeling. Let your thoughts wander and learn to accept this natural state of mind. When you are ready close your eyes. When you feel ready start observing your breathing, without forcing it in any direction or way. Do a 3-3 pranayama, also known as So-Ham, followed by a 4-8 pranayama. Returning to regular breathing formulate your wishes for this yoga sequence.

I would like to direct you now to a web site which, along with beautiful photos, put together a lovely detox yoga sequence. Do this at your own pace, stay in the poses for as long as you can. Watch your breathe: once it becomes forced you leave yoga and enter effort so that is the moment to release out of the pose.
http://www.doyouyoga.com/8-yoga-poses-to-detox-your-way-to-a-fabulous-new-year/

* * * At the end of this sequence come back into a comfortable seated position, close your eyes one more time and reflect on this sequence: which aspect did you enjoy? Which postures helped you relax? Which postures made you feel positive? Take this into your daily life, this realization. Now turn your focus on the wishes you had formulated at the beginning of this sequence and reflect on them. Slowly open your eyes and find yourself back in the here and now.

namasté

and  may peace be with you

ACTIVITIES - a unique walk in the lower gorge of Quinson

following the ancient canal of Provence

Since June of 2014 and after extensive renovations the foot path -  unique in the gorge du Verdon - is open to the public again, and a "must-do" when visiting Quinson! 

An easy walk for everybody this path  takes you along the river Verdon, and into the actual gorge: spectacular, beautiful, calming! Dotted with several view points and rest stops to take a break and enjoy the view - like three huge tree stumps serving as seats - this path takes you along the ancient canal of Provence, a previously very important waterway in this arid region: canal to the left, river on the right, and you in the middle - simply awesome! 

The short route is an easy 30 minutes to the restored canal guard's hut and very flat. From here one can return via the same way or continue through a short tunnel to walk a 3-hour circuit, either via the chapel Sainte Maxime or the wide tranquil path, to the top of the plateau, with splendid views across the landscape all the way to the mountains standing at almost 2000m and the "big" gorge near Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.

walking IN the gorge

What makes this walk even more special is the fact that it can be reached leaving directly from La Vudèle: a leisurely 45-minute descent to Quinson, a stroll through the village and along its 8 fountains et voilà, the trail head for the gorge! 

Of course there is always the alternative of exploring the river by boat, be it canoe, kayak, pedal boat or electric boat. 

Happy walking in Quinson!