Thinking Mullabanda

Walking with small people means that the exercise is so minimal for me (due to their slower walking style) that I sometimes feel I may just as well be lying down. That is I used to feel that I may as well be lying down.

Now I think Mullabanda.

According to my yoga teacher, mullbanda is this: the pulling inwards and upwards of the fingers of muscle in the lower abdomen and pelvic floor. Once we do this, we start to automatically lengthen the spine upwards from the back of the neck (think shimmery silver thread pulling up the back of the head toward the sky). When I start to feel my feet drag at the impossibly slow pace my children set, I think Mullbanda and click! - I feel my body working and tightening and straightening it's self out. It is fantastic. I think mullabanda at the oddest times; sitting right here, lying in the bath, pegging wet clothes to the line, chopping veg... Seriously. I am finding that this it is a good workout and mindset (*feels* happier too) for anytime.

But particularly for these slow walks of ours. Rather a nice word to roll out of the mouth too. Kinda chantlike.