Phoenix Stop Over: Feb 17-19

Feb 17-19

Maureen and I spent two nights in Phoenix with my close friend, Lisa Schrempp.  Lisa is a super maha ashtanga yoga teacher and an Ayurvedic herbalist, cook and massage therapist.   We have been friends for 25 years, practicing yoga, cooking and talking together in NYC, Tucson and Mysore India and even though we now live on opposite sides of the country, we have our cell phones. I have learned so much over the years from Lisa, in her classes, in the kitchen, on the massage table, talking under the moon, all our conversations about how to live a yogic life while we are spinning around inside our souped-up minds and techno-crazy worlds. On our last morning in Phoenix, I woke up with a sore shoulder, so Lisa smoothed, pressed and re-invigorated all the energy lines in my back, shoulders and hands with maha-narayana oil. Om Shanti! Shoulder released. Then I taught her a new core-practice I had learned from Harkness folks in NYC. I love Lisa and her pal, Bella-dog. (BH) See her website:
https://lisaschrempp.com

En route from Tucson to San Diego we stopped over in Phoenix to visit Barbara’s longtime friend Lisa Schrempp.  Lisa teaches Ayurveda and yoga.  She and Barbara have known each other for years through yoga classes and travels in India.  Her place was big and roomy with life size folks colorfully painted on the chairs around her table.  She was the perfect host, making us unique dinners from her Ayurveda cookbook.  I was intrigued and picked up a few pointers from her: black seeds, turmeric in scrambled eggs, tumis, and that mushrooms are good for the immune system and the lungs. She brewed us homemade healing teas and created exotic deserts.  The two nights we were there I joined her and her Doberman Pincher, Bella, for their nightly walk. We headed out both nights under a moon coming to full, a grand super moon expected in a night or two.  Both eves the sky was crisp and clear and hosts of stars binged in the dark desert heavens over us.  We strode along for a few blocks through her neighborhood then came to a green belt area with a little lake and a lighted, wild, double water fountain spraying, glistening high and away.  Unleashed, Bella took off like a rocket and shot far out of sight into the dark until all we could see was a tiny silhouette of her perked ears and sleek shape sprinting the water’s edge.  I so enjoyed meeting Lisa and our chats as we trekked into the brisk, invigorating desert airs. (MO)

Photos by BH