Thunderstorms visited off and on through the night, alternating with birdsong, which I found odd. Usually the birds are asleep at night and sing with the dawn. These birds rang on throughout the evening. It was really quite lovely.
Another late sleep in (nearly 9am!) and the day started easily with Jerry, and I enjoying our espresso, watching the rain lightly dance on the lawn. We talked of the plans for the day. Me: yoga, a walk, writing and working. Jerry: going into Todi to find all the local produtti artiginale – to prepare for tonight’s dinner. Neither of us were much worried about the rain because, as Jerry pointed out, it was perfect weather for porcini! I was just loving the quietness.
Up I went to do my yoga (you’ll see the picture of my view from the yoga mat in our bedroom) It was heartening (no pun intended) to stand in front of the armoir during sun salutations and see this lovely heart hanging from the key. It then dawned on me. There were hearts all over the house! (I am sharing a few pictures with you here.) I found that confirmation of the theme of the month: love.
Sweet expressions of love for this house are everywhere. In the soaps placed perfectly in the soapdishes, the candles filling every room. We are surrounded by things to love!
The gardens here are done with inordinate amounts of the love! You can see why the villa was originally named villa rosa!
(There was a delay in postings for several reasons: 1. tech issues 2. the time it takes to upload pics onto the blog from my villa 3: a lot of stormy nights 4: too much fun! I decided I’m only doing what feels comfortable, and what I want to do! So it’s coming in slower than expected, but enjoy!!)
After waking a bit late (8:00 am), Jerry and I left the room to stop for a quick cappuccino on the way to our walk through the Borghese Gardens. We stopped along the way to take pictures of the amazing women’s and men’s shoes, gloves, ties and shirts! I love the colors, the enthusiasm, the enjoyment of dressing.
The gardens remind me so much of central park, but the trees seem much older. I stand enthralled, looking up at these magestic trees that seem as tall as the California redwoods. As we stroll, I’m reminded of the blending of old and new that is Roma, for example, the orange metro station contrasting with the ancient walls of the city. Turning back, we stroll to our hotel where again, the polizie and carabinieri hang in the lobby, their cars filling the parking area. Obviously, yet another political figure or illuminati is there.
I posted this on facebook yesterday: ”As we arrived back at the hotel late this afternoon, Caribinieri and lots of Italian men in blue suits were everywhere.. We had to pause to let the President of Lebanon out of our elevator, guarded simply by one man next to him. A man entering the elevator with us, suitcase in hand, held his hand to his heart, smiling graciously at the President. We watched as the man shook the President’s hand. On the elevator, the man said, in English, “He is my President.” He was clearly moved. Amazing that this man happened to be walking by him at just that moment, in Italy, entering the same elevator he stepped out of. It was a sweet moment.”
These are the amazing, inspired moments that happen while traveling. Today, we notice the license plate of a Maserati! from Liberia! I have no idea what goes on in this hotel, but clearly, politics plays a big role. Here we are out strolling, drinking capuccinos, taking pictures, and back at the ranch, deals are being made, the likes of which we have no idea!
Before we know it, we are ensconced in our taxi, with a driver who is taking us to Fiumicino to pick up our car. He is very jocular and talkative and his cell phone is ringing every few minutes. It never ceases to amaze me the way these Italian taxi drivers can talk on the phone, look behind them all while driving forward and carrying on a conversation with us – and dealing with traffic in Rome!
We grab our car, and head north toward Umbria. As we leave Rome, the countryside grows greener, more picturesque. We stop in the town of Montecastello dei Vibio, supposedly, the larger town nearest where we will be staying in Fratta Todino. It is Saturday afternoon, so of course, everything is closed as everyone is home having lunch. As we walk this medieval city, we are amazed at its beauty, cleanliness and peace. It is absolutely stunning! Staring at the views, we are awestruck- literally about 240 degrees. Pictures don’t begin to do it justice.
Wiggling our way through the countryside, we find Fratta Todina, another medieval walled city, except half the size (which is not saying much!) Again, we are touched by the beauty, the simplicity, the sweetness of the older women who direct us to the local market. “Sera” to everyone we meet, and vice versa. We find the butcher woman, who tells us she makes her own soprassata (which is DIVINE!) and convinces us to buy her amazing Pecorino (which she, too, samples) – and we are blown away.
We head to the villa, pausing to let someone driving quickly behind us go by us as we try to wend our way through dirt roads. We have to literally drive over the low river to our new home for the month. Upon arrival, we find nirvana – This villa, which was previously named “Villa Rosa” but which has been renamed “Villa dolce vita” – is stunning.
We dive in, head first, and “La Villa dolce vita” swallows us whole, and we are glad.
The first thing we notice are the white seed pods floating through the air. The owner apologizes for them, but we find them positively enchanting! It is like summer snow ~ Turns out they are cottonwood trees that send off seed for about 4 days in early summer. I find them mesmerizing, as they collect in the corners of the patio, float with the breeze amongst the trees and planters. More joy upon us!
You know how I say we are all born with the seeds of divine work within us? Well, I was born ass first (literally, frank breech) and have been wiggling around since then. I have always wondered how that entrance into the world has affected me (and the occasional births of breech babies I used to watch as a doula .) I think it is simply that I like to do and think about things differently. And while my different approach got me in a lot of trouble growing up, I think in my adulthood, it has opened doors into places others might not go.
I was a wild young woman, and somewhere along the way, I learned to behave.
And while, sometimes, it meant I learn the “hard” way… I don’t want to behave any longer. I want to rekindle that seed of feminine power and harness it to help not just myself, but other women as well.
Growing up, I always wanted to move and twist myself into pretzels. I’m told I was always upside down as a kid, and hence nicknamed “monkey” by my dad. (Was this a seed from being born breech?) I’ve also been practicing yoga since I was a kid, when my aunt had me doing poses as a 7 or 8 year old. I fell in love with the practice and, with a hiatus here or there, for the most part, yoga has been my main form of exercise.
As I appreciate the feminine strength more and more in my life, especially on this trip of love, I realize I did all exercise with a masculine focus. I played softball with a male coach who used to scream at us when we made mistakes, make us run laps forever after losing a game or make us hit his fastest pitches in the dusk. It was fairly abusive, and at one point I quit the team because of it. (The good news is, my leaving caused a stir so that things changed a bit, and I came back).
I learned to exercise and treat my body as a man would, with the motto: no pain, no gain. Because I was strong and big muscled, I would lift weights to the point of hurting joints. I ran until my knees made me stop with excruciating pain. Even in yoga, I pushed myself so hard that I injured myself several times. At first it was small joints, then it became more serious as my hips were so overstretched that the pain could no longer be ignored. So one day I was doing scorpion pose (see photo! that’s what it looks like) and the next, I couldn’t sit cross-legged.
Scorpion Pose – Vrschikasana by Barry Stone
And I was furious.
I was a health care provider, for goodness’ sake. Why couldn’t I figure this out? And, I knew a heck of a lot about yoga. I tried everything I could to find out what was wrong. I saw physical therapists, worked out with trainers and weights to build the “capsules” around my joints, took private yoga lessons, had x-rays. No one could tell me why I was in so much pain. Each time I went back to yoga, I ended up injuring myself. I was convinced yoga was over for me. And then, I was sad.
Yoga was so many things for me. It was a connection to spirit; it was dance and movement rolled into strengthening postures. I felt like yoga fed my soul, gobbled up my stress and gave me a strong, lithe body. Yoga is a mix of give and take, releasing and trusting. So many wonderful things!
If I’d get a little amped up at home, my girls would say, “Mom, why don’t you go take a yoga class” and I’d come home blissed out. But, like many things in my younger years, I overdid it!
Recently, I saw a YouTube video (see link below) of a veteran who’d been pretty crippled as a paratrooper. He was in a wheel chair and using crutches. Finally, he found a yoga instructor who would help him, and he videotaped the trials and tribulations of getting healthier and stronger. It is truly inspirational. I thought, “Damn. If he can do it, I can do it. But I’m going to do it in my own way.” Of course I am.
So, I’m back on the mat. I’m not trying to keep up in some level 3 hot yoga class doing the impossible. I’m dancing my way through yoga, doing the poses that feel right, the ones that make me stronger without hurting me, the ones that are right for an aging female body. By the way, yoga was designed to burn off young boys’ sexual energy so that they could sit in meditation. So, women doing some poses, mostly designed for a man (or boy’s) body doesn’t make much sense, does it?
So, I’m adapting. I have wider hips than a boy, so I make my stance differently. Sometimes I feel like moving in a pose, so I do. I’m creating my own version of yoga that makes me love my body, combining things I cherish: yoga, dance, meditation, and music. And I feel pretty fierce doing it!
I have to thank my friend, Jonathan Fields, for the inspiration for this personalized yoga, though because I can be stubborn, it has been years in the realization. I used to take Jonathan’s classes before he sold the studio. He would show up in jeans and a t-shirt, and talk us through yoga in a way that did not have a no-pain-no-gain attitude. He talked about limitations, acknowledging where your body was. He played awesome music and I adored his classes. He used to joke around saying, “Make sure you’re doing the pose better than your neighbor.” Ha ha. I had a little blind spot around that. I didn’t totally listen to the irony in his voice. I still saw my neighbor doing a pose “better” and my ego told me to push myself, and I did.
So, while I was convinced I was going to be that 80 year old in yoga class doing “wheel,” I’m now thinking I’m a divine goddess, doing yoga that is right for my divine body. Maybe I’ll work back into some of the other poses, but NOT without awareness of where my body is in this moment. I am doing yoga with deep appreciation, deep focus and a sense of presence. That is how I’m falling back in love with my body.
Hating your body makes you do stupid things. So, learn from my stubbornness…and don’t do stupid things to your beautiful body. (read that tongue-in-cheek, ok?)
Amazing what Italy can do, isn’t it?
AFFIRMATION OF THE DAY:
Today I begin the process of falling back in love with my body. I appreciate it for all the things it has done for me, and will do for me. I embrace my inner fierce goddess more and more every day.
