Playful

Wildlife can teach us a lot about being playful and about never forgetting to find opportunities to find joy. Always find a reason - even in uncertain times - to laugh, play, be silly and enjoy the humor in life. Take time to laugh at a "dad joke" (my favorite kind), spin circles for fun or balance on a beam. Adding a playful element to our every day-to-day life does not lessen our ability to be serious, responsible and intelligent. If anything, playfulness releases our inhibitions, opens our hearts and fosters creativity.

What do ducks eat with soup?

Quackers!

C'mon. You gotta laugh at that one.

Find some time to play today!

Ducks Being Playful, Dead Horse Ranch, Cottonwood, Arizona

"I embrace my playful side."

Yoga Pose: Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose Utthita Hasta Padangustasana

Take a serious pose and add some playfulness - a smile, a great location, an unexpected expression of delight on a day out hiking.

Foundation. Start in Tadasana - Mountain Pose. Set your intention.

Stance. Shift your weight onto your right leg, maintaining a strong foundation through the right foot. Keep your right leg straight without locking your knee.

Legs. Lift your left knee up toward your belly. Reach your left arm inside the thigh, cross it over the front ankle, and hold the outside of your left foot. [If your hamstrings are tight, hold a strap looped around the left sole]. Inhale and extend the left leg on a diagonal out to the side. Straighten the left knee as much as possible. allowing the left elbow to straighten.

Torso. Lengthen the spine. Relax the shoulders.

Arms. Float your right arm up to a diagonal, stretching your fingertips to the sky.

Gaze. Soften your jaw and eyes. Keep your head in a neutral position. Smile.

Timing. Hold for several breaths and enjoy the full expression of the pose. Swing the leg back to center with an inhale, release your grip and lower the foot to the ground with an exhale.

B R E A T H E

[Repeat on the other side]

Chimney Rock, Pagosa Springs, Colorado