Holiday peace requires work; and it is so worth it!

It is the holiday season and I strive to maintain balance. Morning runs, asana practice, pranayama, meditation. I nourish the body with wholesome, vegan food that is mindfully prepared with love. Friends visit. We talk and laugh, we share stories and memories and make plans for the new year; it is good.

What brings you joy during the holiday season? I cherish the simple things that create holiday contentment at home, like stringing popcorn for the tree, making mince pies, sitting by the fire drinking hot chocolate or warm spiced rum, watching holiday movies that I practically know by heart. I love fresh ground, brewed coffee on Christmas morning, listening to Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, and Bing Crosby sing carols. I love knowing that my family and friends are happy and healthy, and nearby.

The magic of the holidays doesn't happen accidentally; we create the reality that we desire. I want to enjoy this time of year with those I love. I choose to maintain calmness and peace. Therefore, I do the run, I do the practice, and move through my days with kind thoughts toward others with the intention of manifesting love through all actions. And guess what? It is totally worth it : )

Contentment, not complacency

A soft sense of contentment moved all through my being as I unlocked the studio door this morning; a feeling of, "mmmm .... this is so good."
I often have that feeling when I head to the studio, when I am planning a class, or doing my practice. Walking into the studio, I experience the positive energy of all of those who have practiced here, learned here, and taught here. I sense their positive intentions and creative energy which now permeates every corner of this space; there is knowledge and love and music and resonant vibration that seeps into the very air we breathe due to the presence of these amazing beings. I sense that, through the years, the levels of prana have intensified and become part of the very fabric of each bolster, blanket, and block; we contribute to the practice of one another even after we have gone for the day.
There is a sense of the hard work that went into developing this sacred place, and the understanding that we are continuing to work and grow and transform day after day as we step through that door. Contentment, not complacency, lives here; I love this feeling, I cannot wait to return.

Reflection and Clarity

I met with my friend, Sharon, two days ago (Friday). We had a very long lunch, and an even longer conversation at the coffee shop. Our day together was fun, relaxing, invigorating and extremely insightful as we wove in and out of two specific themes, "reflect" and "clarity". This time of year seems to inspire many of us to look over the past eleven months and assess where we are, notice our growth, and plan for change in areas that we feel need work. It is helpful to do this alone, but I have found over the years that having a friend who is insightful, open and interested in growing and developing, can really assist us in gaining the clarity that we seek in order to move forward in our lives.

So, we decided (we are both planners) that the day would be mostly one of looking ahead rather than one of hours spent dwelling on the past; a lot of change has taken place over the past two years for both of us and we wanted to be sure that we really owned our feelings and were very honest with ourselves, but then, move on to discussing how we could fine-tune the plans we have for the coming year(s). This was an excellent exercise. By reflecting on the details of the past two years (it is helpful to have a very close friend for this) we were able to pinpoint where the lessons were and why things had unfolded the way they had. This was a great opportunity to notice how unattached to various experiences we are now, and really hone in on the learning opportunities that they created - this was huge for both of us!

In addition to helping one another assess the past, we discussed and began developing clear plans for the future. We asked ourselves various questions such as, "What do I really want to be doing?", "Where do I want to focus my energy?", and then, "How will I go about making this/these things happen?" We were very specific. For example, "I am most inspired when I teach on this subject ..." and, "I am no longer going to do this and this and this just because I have always done it this way." And then, "Here's what I am going to work on this year, and this is how I will go about it". We talked about the importance of integrating our thoughts, words, and actions so that we live as authentically and mindfully as possible. By the end of this amazing day, we decided that when we meet each month we will revisit our plans and  help one another stay on track and/or make any changes that we deem necessary in order to maintain integrity. Essentially, we gave ourselves permission to be pro-active in our own lives and are holding one another accountable so that we can continue to work and practice and learn and share with others as well as maintain contentment and peace in ourselves.

Thank you Sharon, for being an awesome, honest, open, loving friend. I am excited to see what the next year will bring and am so grateful for the lessons of the past. Namaste