February can be a sedentary time of year for many of us. Short days, long nights, and cold weather and wind can keep us indoors and sitting around more. On […]
Body & Soul
Outermost ways for nurturing body, mind, and spirit.
Browse all Body & Soul stories below or dive into a topic:
TO THE MAT
The Mighty Chair Pose
A strengthening pose that’s like a smile against midwinter’s darkness
These short days and long nights of deep December can bring an inner sense of darkness. Psychologists have even given a name to this phenomenon — Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). […]
MOVEMENT
Traipsing With the Norkers
Nordic walking booms on Cape Cod’s trails
EASTHAM — Back in June, 11 curious locals holding trekking poles fashioned from flimsy driveway markers joined Carla Fogaren for a walk around Kent’s Point in Orleans. Six months later, […]
SURFING
An Epic Tale, in Dialect, With Sound Effects
Footnotes for understanding a surfer’s meaning
Have you ever overheard a conversation between two surfers and wondered “What language are they speaking?” Surfer talk is a dialect that uses borrowed terms, completely made-up words, a wide […]
TO THE MAT
The Energy-Balancing Effects of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
Take a deep breath (in one nostril and out the other) for the holidays
Both the ancient yogis and modern-day psychologists know the power of the breath in calming the body and clearing the mind — something many of us need as we head […]
MOVEMENT
Trainers of the Four-Legged Kind
Offering accountability, companionship, and connection, dogs do a good job of keeping us moving
When it comes to maintaining a daily exercise routine, dog walkers are some of the most devoted. You know already that moving keeps people both healthy and happy. You know […]
HELPING
Where the Terms Are Set by the Chaos of War
On a trip to the border of Poland and Ukraine, a lesson in what is most needed
My family is in Poland, so in August I traveled from Wellfleet to Cracow and then to my hometown of Gliwice to visit them and reconnect with old friends. Families […]
TO THE MAT
Standing Strong and Breathing Easy in the Mountain Pose
A yoga pose that can steady you and lift your spirits
At first glance, Mountain Pose, or Tadasana, as it’s known in Sanskrit, looks simple. One just stands there, right? On closer inspection, there are many things happening in this foundational […]
MOVEMENT
Moving Through Breast Cancer
How two women refocused to gain strength in new ways after treatment
You’re going to hear a lot about breast cancer in this “awareness” month. The good news on this subject is that research is beginning to emerge supporting what has always […]
SURFING
Practicing the Art of Failing
When experience is the way to success, failure becomes an absolute necessity
I’ve always been uncomfortable with failure. As a child, I established, through some association, the belief that trying something and not achieving the expected outcome was a bad thing. I […]
TO THE MAT
The Bridge Pose Prepares Us for New Beginnings
Building strength and openness to experience the good
I can feel September in the air. I like to think of this time of year as one of new beginnings. The light changes, and the crowds on the Cape […]
METAPHYSICS
The Song and Stillness of Taizé
An ecumenical tradition from France is celebrated quietly in Wellfleet
During a Taizé service at the United Methodist Church in Wellfleet, Tony Pastucci, a retired Catholic priest, serves as the cantor, his sonorous voice weaving through the simple, chant-like songs […]
MOVEMENT
Kayaking as a Way to Quiet and Connection
A low-key, low-impact workout that’s best done with a friend
I’ve seen them, in couples and small groups, gliding low on the water in brightly colored boats. It looks like fun, and it’s got to be a great way to […]
SURFING
Why I Stopped Wearing a Wet Suit
Deciding to say yes to experiences that are uncomfortable
It was a sunny, warm day in mid-May — my first real beach day of the year. I decided to spend a good chunk of the day in the warm […]
TO THE MAT
Summer Is for Butterfly Poses
Yin yoga’s cooling effect on the season’s hot energy
Butterfly pose comes from a yoga tradition that is less well known than the one most people are familiar with. It grew out of the Taoist tradition, incorporating Chinese theories […]
