Day 15: breathe deeply and with intention for 5 mn

A little throwback to our Vietnamese years, when my daughter was joining my yoga practice in the studio too. The Iyengar teacher, Willie, would know exactly how to inspire her, pushing her when she felt she could and respecting the times when my daughter was not in the mood for challenges. She made lots of progresses, thanks to the special bound she had created with … Continue reading Day 15: breathe deeply and with intention for 5 mn

esteleaNovember 19, 20221 Comment

emotions, Inspiration, Me, yoga

4 reasons to fall for Autumn

How do you approach autumn? do the falling leaves make you sad or are you too eager to snuggle under your warm blanked with a hot cocoa to even notice? Autumn has its kind of magic, here are 4 ways to discover them Continue reading 4 reasons to fall for Autumn

esteleaSeptember 23, 2022September 23, 2022Leave a comment

Culture shock, expatriation, hanoi, My 2 cents worth, Parenting, Spread the word, vietnam

How do you say Greta in Vietnamese?

The new riches in town are selling air imported from Canada, Norway and Switzerland. You can buy your life saving kit on Facebook obviously and in almost every Embassy and International hospital. If only! The situation in Hanoi is getting worse by the week. This morning the AQI was on “dangereux” meaning “hazardous”. Everyone may experience serious health effect and we should all avoir being … Continue reading How do you say Greta in Vietnamese?

esteleaSeptember 30, 2019February 20, 20205 Comments

hanoi, My 2 cents worth, vietnam

Creating a happy corner !

Over the last decade, we have been living in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines and now in Vietnam. Most of cities we lived in where so much more polluted, noisier, hotter than our home in Europe. There were times it took lots of energy to adapt to new environments. We always have choice: either we keep on complaining and end up depressing. Or wecreate … Continue reading Creating a happy corner !

esteleaAugust 31, 2017September 5, 20172 Comments

yoga

Yoginspiration: Let the FUN begin!

We all know we need to take our practice seriously, be properly aligned, articulate our breathing with our moves .. But I feel that we too often forget to leave the door open to some fun: it’s ok to laugh (discretely) at the ways some teachers overdo everything (as if they just had been released from the most radical ashram), or to be on your … Continue reading Yoginspiration: Let the FUN begin!

esteleaApril 16, 2017April 27, 20174 Comments

France, Me, photography

Look Up, Breath, Relax and Let Go!

Do you recognise this walking man ? The “autopilot mode” walk, the stiff neck and the pain in the shoulders from all those hours on his laptop and anxiously checking his messages on his phone?.. If you could zoom in, you would probably see a deep frown line between his eyes. Sounds familiar? Look at the paintings of Gainsbourg and Dylan. Don’t you feel they are staring … Continue reading Look Up, Breath, Relax and Let Go!

esteleaJuly 13, 2016July 27, 201610 Comments

Exploring the neighborhood, Inspiring Monday

(kinda) Mindful Monday: My Buddha said Tokyo!

When in doubt, Buddhism encourages us to question our perspective on our current situation. Can we shift it or enlarge it?are there any positive angles? We should practise bringing our attention to our breath through our day as a way to focus on the present moment. That’s what I should be doing. But I am still far too restless to stay really still for more than … Continue reading (kinda) Mindful Monday: My Buddha said Tokyo!

esteleaSeptember 21, 2015September 28, 201539 Comments

Bantayan, photo101

Photo101: Warmth and the quality of Light

“As you rise with the morning Sun, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breath, to think, to enjoy, to Love” – M. Aurelius Continue reading Photo101: Warmth and the quality of Light

esteleaJune 18, 2015June 23, 201518 Comments

Europe bound, learn French, Me

The French word of the day: Suisse

After a year of streets full of people, boiling with cars and loud music, no word could express how I had longed for calm and fresh air. Switzerland (Suisse) is my long awaited oasis. And here we are: as I wandered in Thun yesterday and sleighed in Grinderwald today, I felt my lungs inflate with the breathtaking scenery. Take a Breath, look up to the mountains, feel the sun perfuming … Continue reading The French word of the day: Suisse

esteleaMarch 24, 2015April 7, 201516 Comments

Europe bound, Family

Bienvenue en France!

Here we finally are! Still struggling with the 7h of jet lag and the 30 degrees of difference. But I have never been so happy to wake up at 4, all energized. Up for a whole yoga session with no kid jumping on my back, in total silence. Getting dressed with layers and layers of heavy wool, wearing my beloved UGG and eventually wandering in the … Continue reading Bienvenue en France!

esteleaMarch 6, 2015March 13, 201531 Comments