Jennifer Russo

I was recently walking along the water of the Salem wharf, one of my favorite places to go, and I took a seat in a vacant Adirondack chair to enjoy the view. It was a windy day and I had given up on any hairstyle I was trying to maintain in favor of a messy bun. As I sat there people watching, I noticed a seagull floating over the water, wings spread wide. I watched as he allowed the wind to propel him upward again and again. He didn’t try to fight it at all, and I was inspired that he simply went with it. I found myself wishing I could be having that much fun up there.

So often we go through our days making our way through our daily tasks, following our almost scripted routines. When something out of the ordinary comes along and disrupts these patterns, we get irritated and insecure. The seagull represents adaptability and finding opportunities in various circumstances, including survival skills like sourcing food in unlikely places, being able to live in different environments and managing waves and gusts of wind expertly. When the wind comes, it simply spreads it wings and
welcomes it.

What if, instead of fighting against that wind, we allowed it to bring us toward a new experience? What if
we recognized it as an opportunity to go with the flow? What if we just had fun with it instead of backing back into our comfort zone and not taking a chance? The results could be pretty amazing.

Pose of the Month: Airplane Pose
Like a bird, an airplane embraces the wind to take it to its destination. To begin, extend your arms out to either side. Get your balance and lean forward, standing on one leg, while keeping your arms in an airplane position. Slowly return to standing. Repeat on the opposite side. This pose is excellent for balance, triceps toning and both leg and core strength.