“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique.” ~ Martha Graham
Are you aware of your actions as they are happening? Have you ever practiced being your own silent, compassionate witness — looking from the outside and observing your whole self? When we are open and honest with ourselves, and listen to the spirit of truth deep within, we receive genuine insight. In yoga, this is called SVADHYAYA, self study or selfawareness. Observation and awareness are the first steps toward change. Pause between your breath, thoughts, feelings, and actions — listen and receive from them. Let yourself learn from each experience and receive compassionate insight. Be the best version of you! 🌟
If a situation keeps repeating itself, ask what can…
As Mother Teresa stated, “The problem with the world is that we draw the circle of our family too small.” Our intention this week is to invite more interconnectedness and community (“kula” in Sanskrit) into our lives — expanding our circle — while staying rooted, grounded, and balanced. Yoga Sutra lll.24 (maitryadisu balani) describes that the cultivation of friendliness creates inner strength. Experiencing healthy compassion and lovingkindness toward ourselves and others strengthens our interconnectedness and sense of overall well-being.
Where and with whom in your life can you experience more interconnectedness, community (kula), friendliness, lovingkindness, and compassion?
Let’s learn some lessons about community and interconnectedness from nature. Visualize a flock of geese flying overhead in a “V” formation.
Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if…
This week’s theme and intention for yoga classes is to encourage healing and harmony within our bodies. A quote from B.K.S. Iyengar, “Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.” Think for just a minute. What is troubling you about your physical, emotional, or spiritual health? See it. Feel it. Now begin to create a positive, healing intention around your concern. May today’s guidance invite the healing and harmony you desire.
Let us H.E.A.L. ♡ H = Heed: pay attention to—tune into body, mind & spirit E = Experience: encounter, undergo—allow everything to surface without judgement A = Awaken: evoke, kindle—what do I need to sense, feel, and know in this moment? L = Life: the ability to grow and change, the experience of being alive—awareness of, and openness to personal transformation
“Some of us don’t know how tired we are until we try to relax. Then we realize we’re exhausted. We may have lived with exhaustion and stress so long it’s become habitual. That doesn’t mean we’re bad or wrong, or even off track. Many of us are deeply involved in activities, work, projects, and relationships we enjoy. We like our lives and the things we’re doing. But sometimes we’ve pushed too hard or too long. Sometimes we haven’t given our bodies adequate time to relax, to rest, to really let go. It’s all right to take time out. Relax. Refresh. Regroup. It’s all right to rest even if we’re busy, rest often enough to keep ourselves replenished. Get in touch with your body, then stay in touch with yourself. Find out how tired you are. Then let your body tell you what it needs to come back to life and love.” ~ Melody Beattie
As I gradually learned to be true to myself and succeeded in admitting my own feelings, the language of my body spoke out more and more clearly and guided me toward decisions that did it good and helped it to express its natural needs…repressed, disassociated emotions can make us ill but not conscious feelings that we can give expression to. ~ Alice Miller, The Body Never Lies
“Our bellies can be wonderful monitors of our emotional health and the truth can always be found there. So often, emotions that we long to express get stored in our bodies instead. The space where this most often happens is in our bellies. Rather than telling people, our even ourselves, the way we truly feel, we may stuff our true feelings deep inside of us, where they take up space until we are ready to let them go. Stuffing our feelings in our bellies may feel like the safe response, since we then don’t really have to deal with our emotions. Yet, doing so can actually be detrimental to our emotional well-being and physical health. One way to connect with and release your emotions is to do a focused exercise with your stomach area. Take a moment to center yourself with some deep breathing and quiet meditation, relaxing your body fully and turning off the chatter in your brain. With your right hand on your stomach, tell yourself three times: Please reveal to me my true emotions. Listen for the answers. Repeat the exercise as many times as you would like, allowing yourself to drop deeper into your body each time. Notice any physical response in the stomach area, whether you have a warm, relaxed feeling in the middle of your body or if you feel tight knots in response to any emotions that do come up. You may even want to write down any answers that come to you. Remember that the body doesn’t lie.” ~ Madisyn Taylor, DailyOM: In Touch with True Emotions
Witness the elemental motion of emotion: Fire burning, illuminating Water gushing, cleansing Air inspiring, soothing Earth supporting, holding Space expanding, embracing ~ Radiance Sutras, Yukti Verse 101
You Can’t Rush Your Healing Darkness has its teachings Love is never leaving You can’t rush your healing Your healing
Mama, well she told me time is such a wonderful gift You’re not running out You’re really running in Confusion clouds the heart but it also points the way Quiet down the mind The more the song will play So You can’t rush your healing Darkness has its teachings Love is never leaving You can’t rush your healing Your healing ~ Trevor Hall
“A breath of desire and My Spirit is there—to replenish and renew. Sometimes weariness and exhaustion are not signs of lack of spirit but of the guiding of the Spirit.” ♡ ~ God Calling, Exhaustion
No Mistake Holding my tension close is exhausting. I don’t know why I do it– habit I guess–but when I let it go, the sense of relaxation and release is immediate. My whole body sighs as ease and healing bathe each cell in light. Once the truth of me has space and energy to shine forth, it’s clear that the alchemy of humanity and divinity is no mistake. ~ Danna Faulds
Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG) 5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.
We are all mirrors for each other. The qualities we see in the people around us are directly related to the traits that exist in us. We attract individuals into our lives that mirror who we are. Those you feel drawn to reflect your inner self back at you, and you act as a mirror for them. Simply put, when you look at others, you will likely see what exists in you. When you see beauty, divinity, sweetness, or light in the soul of another, you are seeing the goodness that resides in your soul. When you see traits in others that evoke feelings of anger, annoyance, or hatred, you may be seeing reflected back at you those parts of yourself that you have disowned or do not like. Because we are all mirrors for each other, looking at the people in your life can tell you a…
18 years ago I stepped into my first yoga class at L.A. Fitness. I was faithful at working out to stay in shape, and to relieve stress from my social work career, but something aboutthe dim lit yoga room drew me. I was feeling a shift at 30 years old. Priorities were changing as we thought about starting a family. I longed to try something new.
The yoga class was powerful, sweaty, and challenging. I totally felt at home! I was in tune with my breath, focused inward, and all the unnecessary layers of the outside world vanished. During the final resting pose, savasana, I felt so alive, calm, clear, and balanced. I felt like the true me — unmasked and unbound! It was love at first savasana. ❤️ Yoga continues to be my moving meditation as I connect daily on the mat — body, mind, and spirit.
In yoga asana, we participate in savasana, or corpse pose at the end of each practice. It symbolizes our death as we lie down, and new life as we arise — listening to new insights about our connection with the body, mind, and spirit. Make time to JUST BE and listen to the still, small voice inside. Accept yourself for who you are outside of your life roles, responsibilities, and contributions. Rest times provide valuable insight. They allow us to put to death what no longer serves us, being able then to fully experience the joy and liberation of new life.
I release all that no longer serves me to embrace positive change in my life. ❤️
In This Moment, by Clive Fogelman (adapted)
In this moment invite stillness With each breath let tension melt away Give yourself permission to be here Let the earth receive you
In this moment surrender the body Float into effortlessness To spaces unknown Know that it is okay to let go
In this moment no solutions are needed Allow the journey to unfold As you travel through your inner landscape
In this moment breathe into your potential Imagine yourself unmasked and unbound Connect with your heart voice Offering up yourself to the world
In this moment you are free Feel gratitude for all that you are The potential that lies within and outside Let this be the beginning of something new
I am like a diamond Born to the earth The years have covered me in Grime and mud Filth and stench Dirt and dung But now is today and I will dance and dance I will dance and dance I will dance and dance I will dance and watch the dirt fall off I will dance and watch the mud crack And drop I will dance and all the filth and grime Will float away into the air And I will see myself again And so will you
May you put to death what no longer serves you and begin to experience the joy and liberation of new life!
✨Love ~ Serve ~ Inspire✨ 