Seize the Season: Week 5
Welcome to week 5 of Seize the Season. WE FINALLY HAVE SNOW IN CENTRAL IOWA! I’m sitting at my desk while a fire burns in the fireplace, chili is on the stovetop, my children are building a snow luge outside, and the view out my window is pure delight! I know a lot of people have a love hate relationship with snow. On one hand, it provides a beautiful sparkly backdrop to the landscape and more fun outdoor recreational activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowball battles, and snow people building. On the other hand, it can cause issues with traveling and getting to places we need to be. What are your feelings on snow?
This week we’re bringing you some tips on hitting the trails in the snow, and sharing some of our favorite winter hiking spots throughout central Iowa and beyond.
This week we have an incredible offering from Mary McCarthy of Yoga by Mary. Mary has generously offered up a month of free yoga classes from January 26-February 21. The winner will be able to choose the classes by using her online calendar, which can be found here. I have taken several classes with Mary, and every one of them has been an absolute delight. Mary is an amazing instructor and an absolutely beautiful human. Mary has 20+ years of experience in fitness, yoga, and wellness. Read more about Mary and her work here. In order to be entered to win, you must share a photo on social media (Facebook or Instagram) showing us how you are seizing the season. Please tag us @wanderwomeniowa or use the hashtag #WanderWomenSeizeTheSeason. If you do not use social media, you can e-mail your photos to us at hello@wanderwomeniowa.
We hope your enjoy this week’s offerings!
Winter Hiking
Tips for hiking in the winter and some of our favorite winter hike locations in Iowa
Hiking in the snow is lots of fun, so long as you are prepared. Just like when you hike in warmer weather, it’s important to be prepared and bring the ten essentials along with you.
The Ten Essentials
Appropriate Footwear
Map and Compass/GPS
Water
Food
Rain Gear and Extra Clothing
Safety items: fire, whistle, and light
First Aid Kit
Multipurpose tool or knife
Sun protection
Backpack
Optional: trash bag, emergency shelter
For more details about the Ten Essentials visit this blog post.
Remember to always dress properly when going out in the snow and cold. Layering is key to being able to enjoy the winter weather. If you need a refresher on how to dress check out our very first Seize the Season blog post here.
Iowa offers miles upon miles of trails to get your hike on in the winter. This is a list of a few of our favorite winter hikes in Central Iowa and beyond. Please feel free to share your favorite hikes with us, since this list is only a short one.
If you want to take your snow adventure up a notch, try snowshoeing or cross country skiing. Many county conservation offices and outdoor retailers rent both of these. Here is a great list of places in central Iowa that rent snowshoes and cross country skis.
Get Outside This Week
Local outdoor activities and ideas to get you outside!
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IDEAS
Each week we’ll give you five ideas to get you outside and moving, even in the colder temperatures.
Go sledding. Find the next great sledding spot here!
Have a winter bonfire
Go snowshoeing free of charge at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Summon your inner child and make snow angels
Create a snowy spiral
WEEKLY EVENTS
We scoured the local events calendars to find some great outdoor, outdoor-themed, and winter wellness activities. If we missed something, send us an e-mail at hello@wanderwomeniowa.com and we’ll add it to the calendar!
Tuesday, January 21
Thursday, January 23
Friday, January 24
Saturday, January 25
Volunteer Skills Workshop: Woodlands
Behind the Scenes Lab Tour at Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Community Ice Fishing - Madison County
Sunday, January 26
Soul-Filling
Weekly Journal Prompt and Meditation
Every week we will provide you with a weekly meditation or reading and a journal prompt designed to help you slow down and get in touch with yourself during these colder winter months. This week are blessed and honor to feature Mary McCarthy of Yoga By Mary share with us her thoughts and insights on yoga.
Additionally, Mary is offering a Soul Journey to Self Love Retreat on February 16. I attended this retreat last year and it was such a wonderful soul-filling day:
RESTORE with gentle movement and heart-opening Restorative
and Yin yoga postures that promote healing and mindfulness.
RELAX with Yoga Nidra, a guided imagery meditation that provides
one of the deepest states of relaxation possible while maintaining full consciousness.
RECONNECT with your true self as you select a mantra of self-love and compassion to practice a mala bead meditation.
All participants receive mala beads to take home!
CELEBRATE your connection to self, the moment, and the community as you indulge in wine samples and a decadent
chocolate treat.
“Physical Fitness was Never the Purpose of Yoga” By Mary McCarthy of Yoga By Mary
Many of us have read or heard about yoga and know there are great benefits to practicing. We read or know people who have increased their strength, balance and flexibility. They tell us practicing yoga is one of the hardest things they do. Benefits of being calm, centered and relaxed are also shared among those who practice. Why does this happen? What is really going on in a yoga class or practice to produce these outcomes? Is yoga just about the postures or is there something more?
The Sanskrit word yoga means “yoke.” It is union of the mind, body and spirit. Yoga is a practice of completely knowing yourself while being at peace with yourself. It truly is a journey and not a destination.
There are many aspects to the practice of yoga. In our Western culture, the yoga poses or asanas take center stage. Many individuals associate the word yoga with just the postures. However, yoga is a comprehensive and wholistic practice incorporating a physical practice to move energy and help heal physical ailments. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra eightfold path, we are introduced to eight practices bringing an individual to enlightenment. These eight limbs are: 1) yamas, universal practices, 2) niyamas, self- discipline and spiritual observances, 3) asana, postures, 4) pranayama, breath control, 5) pratyahara, sensory transcendence, 6) dharana, concentration, 7) dhyana, meditation or contemplation and 8) samadhi, state of ecstasy. These eight limbs create a comprehensive practice expanding an individual’s conscious awareness while inviting self-reflection and exploration without judgement.
Practicing the asanas with mindfulness and curiosity is a great way to start. You can connect to your body feeling into each experience and gaining a better understanding of what your body can do and how a specific pose or movement feels to you. It is helpful to work with a teacher inviting you to try different positions and use modifications as needed. Our bodies are not created equal and moving with mindfulness keeps you out of pain and injury. When our bodies move with ease and energy flows freely, pain and inflammation decrease, and we are more able to do the activities we enjoy and love.
Including pranayama and meditation into your yoga practice can also be very helpful especially if you struggle with anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD and other mental conditions. Your breath is the bridge between your mind and body. When you begin to incorporate breathwork into your asana practice, the mind and body begins to move together. For example, when your breath slows down, your mind becomes calmer. When your breath is quick and shallow, your mind becomes more alert and excited. Learning breathing practices can be done not only in a formal yoga practice but throughout your day when you are needing to slow down or be more present and alert.
When considering the practice of yoga, you may want to ask yourself the following questions?
1. Why do I want to practice? What benefits am I looking for?
2. What do I need more of to bring balance into my life?
3. Would I like to start in a group class, 1:1 with a teacher, or at home with a video or book? 4. Am I currently experiencing some physical or mental challenges and need modifications? For those of us who live a very sedentary life, it can be very beneficial incorporating more movement into our self-care routine and opt for a class that focuses more on the yoga poses.
For those of us who are always on the go and deal with feelings of stress and anxiety, practicing meditation and breath control while in a restorative or yin posture can help us move out of fight-or-flight into a calmer rest- and-digest state.
Increasing your strength, flexibility and balance will probably happen the more you step onto your yoga mat. But why settle for a work-out when you can have a work-in? Yoga is a very comprehensive and inclusive practice. It is as unique as your fingerprint. It is a practice you can do in a formal group class or at home in bed. One of my favorite benefits of practicing yoga is how personal it is. It is MY time for self-discovery and reflection. Every time I step onto my mat, I learn something about myself. This is my intention. The more you ask of your yoga practice, the more you will get out of it. Why settle for gladiator biceps or claiming the ability to do a handstand in the middle of the room when you can also become more compassionate and more connected to the world around you. Intention (or your why) determines the result or benefits of your yoga practice. Yoga is an invitation to practice from within. Namaste’
Weekly Winter Wellness
Seasonal recipes & wellness tips
Beth from Nourished DSM will be providing us with weekly seasonal recipes that taste good and nourish our bodies. Beth is passionate about nourishing her community with beautiful food. You can find out more by emailing her at nourished.dsm@gmail.com or following her on IG at @nourished.dsm
Oven Roasted Wild Salmon
4 6oz Wild Salmon fillets
1 Lemon (Zest then cut into slices)
1 t Herbs De Provence
Salt & Pepper
This is a delicious, healthy, and easy dinner to throw together in a pinch.
Preheat oven to 450
On a baking sheet, place a sheet of parchment paper. Lay Lemon slices down on the parchment and place the Salmon filets (skin side) down on lemons.
Season with Salt/Pepper & Herbs De Provence.
Top with Lemon Zest
Bake in oven for 12-15min
Enjoy!