11.23.2010

Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving Yogis. I found the poem below, and felt it was a nice reflection on America and our past, present, and future. Times are tough, but we have a strong history, and for that, I am grateful. Please do get some rest during this holiday break! Namaste.


Giving Thanks

For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
Author Unknown

11.14.2010

Thinkin' bout makin' my move...

What leads to those seismic shifts in life?

Some people seem to experience them regularly, others never or maybe once. A kick off to start your own business, or move to a whole new place and start fresh. To some this is stress, to others a relief. A new approach to life takes a distinct recipe that requires very special conditions. First, an individual has to be open to their true needs. Comfort can be a need, but too much comfort and we forget who we are, we are never tested and can never flash our vibrant and highly able selves. Not enough security and we feel as though strong ocean waves with an undertow are washing over us again and again, relentless and without mercy. We must find those moments where we have a combination of peace and push. The base to let us leap off a steady platform, but also the courage to reach out and embrace change.

Lately I have noticed myself becoming set in my ways about a few tiny things. Driving routes are less varied than before. New routes feel mildly odd. These things are small, but shocking. Getting in a different car to drive and not liking the set up. Wanting to use only my own mugs that are from Japan, I got them free in a box on a curb from a long-over garage sale and I love them. Plus I kind of fear items made in China, related to food. Coincidentally (or not) I have been away from yoga a bit more often, could my strong grasp on the known relate? As our bodies lose flexibility, so too do our minds? Sure. I know I read somewhere recently that our very blood vessels and arterial health can correlate with our muscle flexibility. So could it follow that physical motion and exploration allows our grey matter to dive and soar, just as we do in forward fold and then upward salute?

I renew my commitment to yoga. I now have a home space and I know I'm open to it. One day last week I woke up and headed down for 15 minutes of morning practice with music and pranayama. The day definitely felt better and it was a doozy, organizing a luncheon for 100 people, then yoga then a soccer game at 9:30 at night. I'm teaching two classes of yoga a week as well so that is nice, a constant source of the inconstant. May this shift towards the universe allow the energy around me to swirl, flow, and vibrate, crackling with expectation and hope, alive with potential and joy, and allowing openness towards destiny. I wish the same for you!

Namaste,
Katherine

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