Gratitude

When things are a regular occurrence in our lives, we sometimes forget to be grateful for them. I have a daily ritual of reciting three things I am thankful for each day. It keeps me in a positive mindset and helps me to give love and peace to those in my life.

As I took a break from some of my regular activities of teaching yoga, teaching school, working out, practicing yoga, etc. I look at it now as I return to my schedule and am grateful for the students in yoga and at school and all they brought to my life. I have missed the pieces of knowledge they brought into my heart each day. I am grateful for the ability to move my body and experience it as it slowly finds its old range of motion and the spirit once again searches for peace.

It is easy to remember to be grateful for the big things in life, for material things and for irregular occurrences in life, but to remember to be grateful for the everyday people and the regular routine happenings is truly where grace and happiness begin.

Just Be

I just saw a onsie with this labeled on the front of it. It reminded me how becoming a mother has been a lesson in yoga itself. My darling daughter started as a lesson in patience. Those that know me, understand that I am a planner. I plan to no end, and I am always looking ahead. To begin...my daughter, Kaya, was a lesson in patience for her conception. My husband and I tried for almost a year to make this beautiful spirit. It was a long 9 months, teaching me to "just be" in my practice everyday, and not to worry about what I used to be able to do and what I wished I could do. I learned through practice, that each day brought my body, mind and spirit to a place that it could be at that given time.As my husband and I anticipated labor to begin, Kaya, again taught me patience. She was in the womb for 41 weeks and 3 days. Although, hoping for a natural birth, we finally had to listen to the doctor and what was best at the time and we were induced. Again, my plan had gone awry. I was taught quickly, to be able to live in the moment and accept the conditions I had been handed. After a long labor and pushing, we again were taught a lesson in living in the present. We went in for a C-section. I at this point had learned my lesson that Kaya was sent to each me...I just let go and tried to "just be."

Now as I enjoy motherhood, I have learned to slow down and enjoy each moment for what it is. I don't always get to my destination in the time I want to get there, but I get there eventually. My to do list doesn't get done in the timeline I had planned, but eventually I get things done. I don't always know what is about to happen any longer, because my schedule revolves around Kaya, but as things arise, I accept them and I respond to the moment.

So, although yoga teaches us these lessons, sometimes outside forces in our life seek to also teach us to be good yogis. Kaya is my outside force teaching me day by day to live day to day, and no longer plan to far into the future, but yet to be grateful for each given moment, where I am and how I am at that time and "just be."

Intention

I recently attended a workshop on Attunement. I was very interested in this through my experiences with my prenatal massage therapist. It seems like a whole new practice, just as when I first came to yoga. I cannot wrap my mind around the entire practice of attunement, but I can take with me what I can comprehend and continue to learn and build from there.

I walked away with the reminder to stay ever present in my heart. To allow my heart to guide me in all paths. When I speak with or touch another person, do it with intention from the heart. Be focused on the person I am interacting with in my life at the time. Calm the vrittis, and vibrations of the mind, and lead from the heart. With a calm mind, sense the energy around myself and in some cases the energy that surrounds others.

I spent today trying to stay present in my conversations, heart-led, and acting through intentions of the heart. Transferring the love I feel in my heart out into the world and into others.