This is my holy place.

I come here and surrender all that I carry.

I let go of all that I hold on to.

It is here that I am renewed.

Refreshed.

It is here I find my center.

I breathe through discomfort,

I move deeper into newness

Within myself, into the world around me.

My body,

a microcosm of the larger experience.

By connecting deep within.

I exist in a more authentic way with out.

Each time I come onto the mat

I reminded that I am  equipped with all that I need

by trusting myself, I activate my deepest desires

and align with my highest self.

The light of Divinity in me bows to the Light of Divinity in you.

~Namaste~

On and off the mat

My journey of yoga is a journey of self awakening.  Like a lotus flower, I unfold layer after layer, revealing my true Self. Moving through these layers brings up all that I must let go of: anger, fear, self-doubt, expectation, the need for approval, attachment to an outcome. Slowly I unhinge these parts of my Self and create space for joy, courage, self-love, flexibility, and openness. Each day I come on to the mat and honor my Highest Self. I gain not only physical healing, but deep rooted wisdom from within myself surfaces.  I celebrate in these breakthroughs by sharing them with you.

Yoga teaches us to breathe.  We remember to come back to our breath whenever we feel tight, uncomfortable and even the beginning sensations of pain.  

Yoga teaches us to pay attention to the details. Bringing awareness to all parts of the body, the breath and how we feel in each part of each posture. 

Yoga teaches us to embrace where we are in the present moment.  Letting go of what our practice felt like and looked like yesterday, we allow ourselves to go where we can today. 

Yoga cultivates self-compassion. We learn that feelings of frustration and anger cause tightness, but with a sense of calm acceptance we move deeper into postures.  

Yoga reminds us of the power we have over our minds.  By coming back to conscious breath, we control how our body responds in both times of struggle and times of relaxation.

Yoga nurtures balance. Our bodies strive to come into equilibrium, our minds yearn for stillness, and our Spirits seek cultivation. 

Yoga teaches us that we set our own limits and therefore we have the power to become limitless. Our practice only improves when we have the courage to persevere through the struggle. 

By utilizing the most magnificent instrument we are given, yoga isn't something we do yoga is something we cultivate. I realize, there is no end point to my practice, no finished product to seek.  Instead, each breakthrough just another step along my journey.  Each mastered posture only leads to a new challenge. 

On and off the mat the lessons of yoga echo into all aspects of my journey. 

Namaste

I am grateful.

For the sunshine and the mountains.
For the warmth of fire, the nourishment of food, the love of friends.

I am grateful for wisdom and for laughter.
For those who listen.

I am grateful for this time of self reflection and growth.
For the courage to look within.

I am grateful.

 There is wisdom in each moment- each moment is a reflection of who we are.

There's this sense of awareness in all that I do, that wasn't there before. It's not a judging type of awareness though, it's more like a neutral observer.  Most of the time. Sometimes it's a bit critical.  In fact, maybe that's what the shift is.  There's always been this awareness, but it used to only take the form of self-criticism. Now, instead of criticize I just notice. I notice how my body feels. What is on my mind. How I'm speaking or interacting with others and with myself. I allow myself to wonder, how do I feel doing this? Why am I doing this? Do I have expectations attached to this?

I'm also noticing how my entire body feels in different situations: Am I tense? Where? Am I breathing? Am I still? Am I nervous? Calm? Comfortable? Uncomfortable? How do I feel? 

This awareness is new. And it's become increasingly more common. And with it is ushered a natural ease into the present moment. Here. Now. That's all there is.

I've said this before, but each day I'm reminded of it and each day I relish in the reminder, that  in every moment there is something to learn. These little breakthroughs that hit us in the most mundane of tasks.  Because of course, it truly does not matter where we are or what we're doing  - Truth is ever present within us, and shines through the pinholes of awareness we cultivate. When that awareness widens and deepens, we not only exist we live. 

Suddenly, life is bathed in a warm glow and it's easy to be happy. Letting go where we are hoping to arrive at and enjoying the journey. Savoring every single juicy bit of a perfectly ripe orange. First the light citrus scent. Then peeling it's think, soft skin off. Then gently breaking the pieces apart until at last you get to taste and feel and experience it for all it's worth.  Ahhh yess...the details can be so delicious. And yet, often people miss them completely. There's no time to schedule in awareness to the present moment when you're schedule is booked.  It''ll have to wait for tomorrow.

Alas, by trying to  "do" too much we often accomplish nothing. It's when we find stillness in mind and body, allowing for breath and for awareness to settle in, that we see the infinite wisdom in each moment.  Seeing the world around us, as that which we create and knowing we have the power to change it. We have the power to create our own realities.  A power some are paralyzed by, some ignore completely, and some begin to embrace, aligning with graceful momentum with their highest selves.  Engulfed in the current of the natural flow, the path of least resistance ~ the conscious choice to be here now.

~Namaste~

On love..

This day reminds me to reflect on what Love is.  Someone once tried to convince me it was pink and red, smelled nicely and tasted sweet. Another time, I was told it could only be expressed through the confines of romance, intimacy and sex.  And yet even more interesting perspectives elude to love as a thing, measured by it's weight, cut, shimmer and shine.  

These ideas, void of depth and truth.  Mere distractions from what we are aware of within our highest Self. 

Love is immeasurable, ever present, unwavering. Love doesn't come to us, love is within us. Love a way of being, a state of existence and a conscious choice we can make in each and every moment. 

Love is the smoldering embers of your soul that yearn to be ignited.  
Love is the whisper of your deepest desires that beckon to be heard.

Love is who you are at your core.  

You are love.  Immeasurable, ever-present, unwavering.

 "By attempting to organize the future, we aggravate the present moment"

In every moment we have everything we need.  

Open heart, open mind, open eyes.

Know that your Truth resides within you; a constant, vast, unconditional ocean.  

With patience, kindness, honesty, integrity and committment, there is nothing, nothing we cannot do. 

Shift your perspective, shift your life.

The art of letting go.

I've lost a lot of things lately. First, I let $60 cash slip out of my back pocket while bike riding home. Next, I had just completed a very satisfying blog entry, which came straight from the heart in the midst of a very creatively constipated few days, and in an instant, with the wrong click of a button (or some other kind of unexplained internet error) things froze, and just like that it was gone.  Lastly, and most recently, a friendship that recently took shape of one kind, is slowly shifting into something different - and its here that I realize the lesson here. The opportunity to walk away with something gained, despite material loss. That once an attachment is formed, be it to a thing, person, expectation or outcome, our relationship with it becomes out of balance. I have noticed this to be the case with each example above: the money, the piece of writing, and the friendship gone awry
 
Losing that money jolted me with the reminder to re-evaluate my current relationship with money, and how this relationship is serving me. This has helped me to make new decisions, shift some behaviors and feel more in alignment with my true vision. Letting go of an authentically inspired piece of writing, expressed in tune with my heart, has helped me to recognize that to write is not to preach, and I am unattached to response of review of my creativity. As for the friendship, like each and everyone of them, an opportunity to see my Self.  The trials and tribulations it presents allow me to look at my self and discern my patterns and habits.  Thus, allowing me to continue to deepen my relationship with, and understanding of, who I am.  It's not a matter of searching, really, but discovering from within. 

And so despite loss, I find myself filled with gratitude.

A birthday wish

 I would like for everyone I know to take a few moments for themselves.  Dismantling fear of judgment from others and from yourself, find stillness.  Setting aside political views and religious beliefs, settle into a few moments of silence.  There is no right way, there is no code of conduct or contract. No prerequisites or rules.  Forgive and forget your own assumptions and expectations and close your eyes.  Perhaps this is the first moment of stillness and silence you've afforded yourself all day; your mind is noisy and distracted, your body may be uncomfortable and restless.  Embrace that. Embrace every single thing about you and what may be coming up for you: feelings, emotions, itches. Breathe.  Breathe deep. Breath loudly.  No one is listening, no one is watching.  These moments are yours and yours alone. And you're beautiful.  Everything about you is radiant. You are giving yourself the most wonderfully rewarding gift you could. Your heart thanks yous, your back thanks yous, your lungs and feet and neck thank you. 

I thank you. 

I am in deep gratitude to everyone who carves out time to do this. You've chosen to practice patience, and begin to develop a stronger sense self-compassion. You've chosen to take a step in the direction of Truth.  In a world of violence, hatred and greed, you absolutely cannot go wrong with patience, compassion and truth. Imagine if everyone took time to do this? For just a moment imagine a person you find yourself frustrated with, or angry with. Be it a sibling or a world leader, imagine how different it would be if that person were just a little more patient, compassionate and honest.  

We've done enough damage to ourselves, our planet and each other. We owe  it to our children, our grandparents, our neighbors and our pets. We owe it to the trees, the ocean and the sun. We owe it to ourselves to become a more patient and compassionate person.

Now that you've filled your own self with radiant love, deep compassion and infinite gratitude share this with your friends.  If everyone I know passes this on to everyone they know, maybe one day we really will have a whole world of more patient, compassionate people.  And that would truly be the BEST birthday present in the whole world.

There is Truth within you.