Adaptability and the Octopus

Why did I headline with the octopus and include a photo of an intimidating pretzel pose? I was thinking about my theme for the week and what it means to adapt to change. Naturally, the octopus being a master of adaptability came to mind. That got me thinking about the number 8, which has been one of my favorite numbers all of my life.

• The number 8 in numerology represents inner-strength, balance, and wisdom

• The number 8 looks like the infinity symbol, or lemniscate, which represents limitless, balance, harmony, and oneness

• Astavakrasana, 8 angle-pose (depicted above) requires strength, flexibility, balance, and a lot of patience

• Finally, an octopus has 8 limbs (6 arms and 2 legs) and represents adaptability, intelligence, mystery, and a lot of flexibility

I love it when a theme emerges from a single concept! I'm transitioning from the cozy cold winters of Minnesota with fires, hot coffee, warm blankets, friends and family to the sunny skies and high energy of California–far from my roots. I need to adapt to my surroundings with an open mind, be flexible to coordinate with other people's schedules, be resilient enough to take on what I can, but also have the wisdom to be honest with what I can do. I am still limited with my physical practice, so I won't be able to get into astavakrasana, but I can embody the essence of the pose in my physical practice, be inspired by the magic of the octopus, and strive for harmony with those around me.

How can you incorporate these themes into your life? Have you been successful in your astavakrasana? Leave your comments below!

Eight fun facts about the octopus:

1. First things first. It's octopuses. That's right, not octopi. I don't like it either, but there you are.

2. They have three hearts! One circulates blood for the organs, while two move blood beyond the gills. The heart that focuses on the organs stops when the octopus swims, which is why they prefer to crawl. Think about that the next time you swim a few laps.

3. More than half of an octopus' neurons are in their arms, meaning that while the octopus is scanning the waters for dangers, the limbs can "think" about how to tackle that shellfish. The arms even continue to process information an hour after being severed and will do things like move that tricky shellfish they finally opened toward their mouth!

4. Octopuses have blue blood.

5. They are old AF. The oldest known fossil is 296 million years ago!

6. They can change color in the blink of an eye. When the muscles surrounding a sac filled with colorful cells called chromatophores tense up, the sacs stretch reveals the beautiful colors beneath.

7. They're problem solvers. They need to think about when to change color, squirt ink, escape and more.

8. They're a tad anti-social, but don't take it personally. They prefer to live alone and once they find their mate, they basically die. The females often kill and eat their mates, lay eggs, and then die. I don't blame them for taking a little me-time.

Have more fun facts? Add them below.