Rest

Rest is a natural part of our well being. Without it, we suffer. Rest of body, rest of mind, rest of emotions. We crave peace. Take a break today and just be. 

To be content

Cultivating the capacity for appreciation. To see the good. Instead of seeing the leafless tree, notice the beautiful texture of the bark. Things may not be the best but I've seen worse. I may have put on extra weight but that means I've not gone hungry. Look for the good, find your contentment.

Whatever is lovely

I like the Bible verse that urges us to think on good things. It's a good practice to keep us happy.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." KJV Philippians

I kind of like the Aramaic translated version too: "Therefore, my brethren, those things that are true, those that are honorable, those that are righteous, those things that are pure, those things that are precious, those things that are praiseworthy, deeds of glory and of praise, meditate on these things."

Hedonic adaptation

Hedonic adaptation says that we get used to things and come back to a baseline. So no matter how much we acquire,  eventually we will get used to it and may feel we need to acquire more to feel happier again. We can get stuck on a hamster wheel. It can happen in relationships too. This article says that appreciation and variety can help: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-success/201208/how-keep-happiness-fading

Yoga teacher progress- the 8 limbs of yoga

I'm half way through my 200 hour yoga teacher training. Throughout our studies, we have discussed the eight limbs of yoga. Simplified, I would put them as this:

1. Yamas: how to live with others (nonviolence, truthfulness)
2. Niyamas: how to live with yourself (contentment, cleanliness)
3. Asana: training the body
4. Pranayama: training the breath
5. Pratyahara: quietness, self-reflection
6. Dharana: focus
7. Dhyana: training the mind (meditation)
8. Samadhi: peace, living in tune with the divine (God)

Namaste

What's your new year's resolution?

Make The Ordinary Come Alive

Enjoying the sweetness of Christmas

 

Say no to the hustle and bustle. Embrace the quiet joys. A night of Christmas lights and stars. A cup of hot cocoa. The strains of Christmas carols. Sitting in front of the Christmas tree and enjoying its loveliness. Remember the reason for Christmas- a celebration of Love from heaven.

Becoming a yoga teacher and other daydreams

Bucket list: become a yoga teacher

I thought of it as a pipe dream. After struggling with endometriosis for many years and finally getting better, I decided it might indeed be possible. I don't know whether I'll ever really be confident enough to actually teach but I will be a registered yoga teacher!

Don't give up on your dreams. They may have to be altered. They may not live up to your expectations. But it's better to try than to never know.

Don't let the water in your ship

All is a miracle.

Cookies and creme shake

Want a healthy treat? Try my concoction for a cookies and creme shake:

One scoop Jay Robb vanilla egg white protein powder
1-2 tsp almond butter
A handful of dark chocolate chips
1 to 1 1/2 c Silk unsweetened cashew milk
Ice

Blend and enjoy.

There's plenty of room for you to adjust to your own taste- more chocolate, more almond butter, etc.

I like that Jay Robb uses stevia instead of more synthetic sweeteners. And dark chocolate and almond butter is good for our health. Filling, sweet tooth satisfying, quick, and yummy!

Mantra of the day

Life is too short to be unhappy.

Life Is Beautiful

It's so easy to get bogged down by life's pressures, demands, insecurities. The thing I like about meditation is it reminds you look above all that. To remember that life is short and we should live it as we would dream it should be in the here and now.

Meditation doesn't have to be a formal sit-in-this-position type of thing. Simply sitting outside and listening to the birds chirp and the wind whispering in the trees and focusing on the here and now can be a powerful meditation. Taking a stick and drawing nonsense in the dirt can be a meditation. Staring blankly at a beautiful painting or photograph (like in those funny moments where you realize you've been staring blankly inadvertently at a stranger without realizing it...) can be a meditation. Taking a moment on the commute home as you listen to music or the sounds around you to breathe in a moment of peace.

Take a moment today and remember Life Is Beautiful.

Take delight in something today

 



“Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.”
― W. Somerset Maugham

 

"Teach us delight in simple things And mirth that has no bitter springs; Forgiveness free of evil done, And love to all men 'neath the sun!" (Joseph) Rudyard Kipling

Enjoyment

Ah, enjoyment. The state or process of taking pleasure in something. La vie en rose. Joie de vivre. Maurice Chevalier sings about it- enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3aZNqwIpOE
Ah, the joy of living in the sunlight, singing in the moonlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMZL5OYKT8U (go ahead- give your cares a boot!)
Or take the advice of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney- don't worry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37LXldVF790
Although you might be more of a Bob Marley fan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo4OnQpwjkc

It all comes down to taking delight it the simple joys of living. The scent of a flower, the sound of a child's laugh or your favorite song, the feel of soft sunlight or a furry puppy or kitty on your skin, the taste of a fresh apple, the sight of a beautiful landscape. Take a moment today and notice the joy of your senses.

Welcome!

Life can be terribly hard and complicated. There are stealthy demands on who we should be and what we should be doing. The push always seems to be more, to do more, to earn more, more, more, more.

But more can leave us with burdens we were never meant to carry. Perhaps a life lived sencillo-

simple, easy, straightforward, easygoing, simple-hearted, quiet- would leave us happier and lighter.

 

This doesn't mean there won't be murky waters. It means we calmly arise through the waters like the lotus. It doesn't mean life won't get crazy or hectic. It means we move from a place of centeredness and peace. Like it states in Isaiah (26:3) "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You."

 

It is a subtle shift away from the pressure of the more and towards the simple gratitude and enjoyment of what is. A focus on the good, a focus on the pleasures of everyday life, a focus on being in the moment, and making life pleasurable for ourselves and those around us.