Friday, March 25, 2011

Becoming more beautiful


How does one look from the inside? How do we perceive our world, and continue to see the blossoms, rather than the weeds? One thing that has really helped me is this one truth: Everything is temporary. Each day, we proceed, moving forward in time, and each day is remarkably new. Sometimes it feels old, really old. Sometimes I want to fly away from my life and my responsibilities like the birds I see flying over the lake. Sometimes I feel like I might break from the pressures of life. Sometimes I feel like I am inadequate, and not living up to my potential. Sometimes, my belly feels so full of laughter and fullness rises in me as I reflect on all the friends and connections I have in my life. Today, as I leaned back in my vintage car, I rolled the window down, hair blown', glasses on, Song blaring, I felt one with life, God, and the universe. It is Friday, Thank God. Party in my heart, kids by my side, birds singing in the trees, and dogwoods peeking out from the edges of forests. Dogwoods are so beautiful! Now, getting back to the Title of this blog, how do we become more beautiful? We choose to grow and learn, with each and every hardship and struggle that comes our way. Instead of saying, "I can't handle this", I may say, "What can I change to make life more doable for me?" The purpose for me, for you, is divine. See this divinity, in your child's eyes, in the sun that rises and sets, in the herons focused gaze. See this divinity when you struggle, when you become angry, when you feel irritated and mean. What is your body telling you? Feel your emotion, feel where your body holds your pain. Then, come on down my friends, to my yoga class. Here, we will explore, and hammer away, at the external that feeds into the internal, and eternal. The seeking and exploration begins, and never ends, as we become and feel this tremendous light, this fire, that God has set in our hearts.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

breathing in this life


Where are our minds, 99 percent of the time? Stuck somewhere in the past or future, most likely. I was in the shower this morning, thinking about all I wanted and needed to accomplish. My shoulders and neck felt tight, I was slumping, and caught up in everything but the feeling of the warm water on my body. Suddenly, I became aware and man my shower felt good! I reminded myself to stay in the moment, right here, right now. I was presently in the shower, nowhere else. I became aware of how easy it is to get lost in the push and shove of minds. Our bodies love the attention it gets. I worked on my mountain pose, in front of the mirror, and became tall again. I worked on deepening my spine into my body during uttanasana, and padangustasana. Breathing deeply into my body, I was at peace with all I was doing, at the pace that was naturally unfolding. Breathing is automatic. Breathing mindfully takes presence and discipline. Breathing in, I know this is a wonderful moment. Exhaling, I smile.