June 2026

It’s my birthday

It’s my birthday

No really, it is my birthday. I am 79 years old. One’s age in years depends on the method one uses to calculate it. I believe that in several Indian systems the birth is counted as year one. That would make me 80 years old.

I have been asked how I feel about aging. The analogy that comes to mind is an old pair of leather boots - cracked, worn out, and discolored. The heels are unevenly worn out. Despite softeners and shoe shine, it still doesn’t really cover up the fact that they have seen much better times. But that’s not how many septuagenarian’s, octogenarians, or even older, and I feel.

I feel lucky to have had a lifetime of simple, nourishing meals cooked by my mother or cooked under her direction. Always well balanced, tasty and fresh. Aromatic with fresh herbs, hot foods literally from stove to dinner table. Homemade yogurt, salads fresh from the garden. ‘Eat a serving of each course or leave the table’. Bitter, sour, spicy, sour were all tastes that were topped off with a simple dessert or fresh fruit.

I have never been inclined to get quick relief with drugs. Never took any, except after surgery for broken bones. Never any NSAIDS which tend to be addictive. Seasonal and locally grown fruits and vegetables and fish and eggs make delicious and easy to prepare meals.Try it. Freeze extras for quick meals.

I drink 6 to 7 liters of hot water and liquids a day, but no pop/soda. Tea and coffee are both good for you and for me.

I do take a variety of supplements for arthritis, aches and pains and vitamins as my body suggests.

Happy that I have all 36 of my teeth and no dental work except for a coating when I chipped a tooth biting into an olive pit! The joy in sharing and eating food comes from mastication of real food.

I am blessed with a wonderful family of two older sisters and one younger, who have lived noteworthy lives. My younger sister is an artist whose latest work, Solar Corona is shared with you in this newsletter. My two daughters are successful and influential in their jobs.

The few people who have been in constant touch over the years are needless to say, precious friends, sincere to the core, to whom I can turn any time of day or night for any reason. You have met Chris Johnson over the years. He is one such and directly connected with YWB.

I am not interested in what’s trending. I love walking my dogs and enjoying the moment. Moment by moment as no moment is the same. Look, listen, feel the moment, touch the ground beneath and the sky above, and all it encompasses! It’s a good life.

Too much information about me? First and last time, I promise.

Namaste,

sipra

Image credit: Solar Corona by Kajal Sen Gupta

Yoga in the Park resumes

Yoga at the Park with sipra
Whetstone Park/Park of Roses

Saturdays 10:00-11:15 AM

Join sipra on Saturday mornings at the Park. Meet at the gazebo located across from the bleachers looking down into the woods. Use the narrow path past the herb garden into the woods: map link.

GPS coordinates: (40.0434058, -83.0241467)

In case of inclement weather, we will meet at the studio. We will email everyone who is signed up by 8 AM if the location changes. Please do register in advance so that you get change of location updates when necessary. If you're having trouble doing so, let us know by texting us at 614-432-7553.

Mahjong group

We’ve started a Mahjong group at the studio. It’s open to all experience levels, even if you’ve never played before. Let us know if you’re interested, if you know others who might come with you (since it takes four players per table), if you have a Mahjong set yourself (we may be interested in purchasing an old set), and what day and time works best for you.

Here’s what YWB student Ruth Zheng has to say about the game:

Mahjong, a tile game originating from China, tests your strategy, quick-thinking and luck. There are numerous variations of the game across the Sinosphere in East and Southeast Asia and diasporic communities. Mahjong was introduced in the West in the 1920s and has become increasingly popularized. 

My earliest memories of mahjong were the rumbling of shuffling tiles as my aunt jokingly lamented over her losses and vowed never to play with the neighborhood aunties again – to only gather again the next evening for several more hours of woeful “aiyaaaa’s” and celebratory “hu’s!” Mahjong is a cultural and generational bridge for many Chinese Americans like myself. It’s a game that I look forward to during family gatherings, fostering a sense of familiarity as we exchange tiles and life updates across the table. It’s a game that’s woven into the daily fabric of life in China, and I’d love to share that sense of community, care, and friendly-competition, here, through Fuzhou Mahjong.

A Beginners’ Guide to Fuzhou Mahjong

What the Surprising History of Mah-jongg Can Teach Us About America

We’ve Moved!

Reiki and Private Yoga

Cancellation Policy

Knowing how many students to expect helps our instructors prepare. If you cannot make it to a class you registered for, you can cancel your registration in MINDBODY; if you have any issues, you can email, call or text us before class. If you don’t cancel before the class, the absence will count against your pass.

If at all possible, please cancel at least 90 minutes before class for in-person classes. If you absolutely need to cancel closer to the beginning of class, please text or call us at 614-432-7553; leave a voicemail if no one answers.

Rooms for Rent

Are you looking for a place to live close to Riverside Hospital, the highway and shopping and on the bus line? YWB’s owner, sipra, offers fully furnished rooms in her home to rent at a reasonable rate. Contact us for more information.