The New Year

I gave up on New Year's Resolutions long ago. I try to consistently assess my life and the direction it is going in order to set goals and begin making positive changes--no matter what day or month of the year it might happen to be. Today I got out my 2006 (I'm turning 30) Life Thoughts and Goals to reveiw which ones I have met and remind myself of those I still have yet to achieve. While I don't think it's necessary to share all my personal stuff, I would like to share the template I used, so that you may use it to prompt your own thoghtful reflection and goal setting...if you'd like! (And remember as you are doing this, it's YOURS--modify and use it as you wish).

First, create a Life Mission Statement: This is just a statement (although mine is 2 statements) that describes what your mission in this life is. Don't worry if you don't know. This might be something you could focus your energy on figuring out this year!

Next, Thoughts about my life currently...
I am thankful for...(I think it's always a good thing to focus on how fulfilled our lives truly are, so I made a list of all that I am thankful for).

Third, create a short list of Short-term Goals (within the next 5 years) you'd like to focus on.

Fourth, create a short list of Long-term Goals (within the next 10-20 years).

Next, focus on the question: Who am I? by finishing the following:

I am...
I'd like to be more...
I need to work on...
I enjoy...

And, you're done! I carry my list in my purse, so I can read it regularly. At this point, I haven't had to modify it, yet. I've reached 1 of my short-term goals, and I'm still working on the other short-term and long term goals. I think it's important to set goals to create some focus and energy in the direction you want to go, but I also know the importance of balancing that with being content just as things are.

Namaste'
Yogagal

Simply allow

Here's the yoga thought for the day:

"Let the world unfold without always attempting to figure it all out....
Don't try so hard to make something work--simply allow....
Relax, let go, allow, and recognize that some of your desires are about how you think your world
should be, rather than how it is in that moment.
Become an astute observer...judge less and listen more.
Take time to open your mind to the fascintating mystery
and uncertainty that we all experience."

This is another quotation from Wayne Dyer's book Change Your Thoughts--Change Your Life. I LOVE this quote because it definitely shows us how the philosophy and mindset we practice in yoga is so relevant and connected to how we can approach life.
So, try today to just ride the wave, go with the flow....simply allow.

Namaste'
Yogagal

Stop the chase

Here's the yoga thought for the day:

"Stop the chase and be a witness."
--Wayne Dyer

I am reading Wayne Dyer's book, Change Your Thoughts--Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao. The yoga thought for the day comes from this book, and it definitely jumped out at me as I was reading. "Stop the chase and be a witness." This seems incredibly appropriate at this time of year since many of us are chasing to find the best bargains and the biggest and best gifts. The chapter this quotation comes from is titled, "Living Beyond Ego"--an idea that is particularly hard in this day and age. I can relate the quotation to the practice of yoga, in that when we are practicng yoga, we are practicing becoming an observer. We attempt to allow our analytical, judgmental, critical minds to rest, and we just observe--or witness. In every yoga pose we put forth effort but we attempt to balance that effort with surrender. We try not to be attached to the results of our efforts, we just observe--or witness--without judgment, just trusting. This idea perhaps sounds much easier than it is since ego is the driving force in much of our daily lives.

It's interesting how many different yoga/life philosophies are intertwined--flowing together. I'm thinking about how many people might not be able to turn off ego because they don't even know they're acting from ego rather than love. Really, one cannot know this without awareness---yes, another focus in the practice of yoga. We are practicing becoming aware: checking into the moment, into our bodies and how we feel, into our breath, and into our lives.

Dyer goes on to say, "Try letting life come to you and begin to notice the clues that what you crave is on its way....Stay appreciative of all that you receive, knowing that it flows from an all-providing Source....By letting go, you let God; and even more significantly, you become more like God and less like the ego, with its lifetime practice of edging God out."

Whether on the yoga mat or in daily life, we can all do our best to:
check in,
put forth effort,
surrender,
observe,
and trust.

Or simply, "Stop the chase and be a witness."

Namste'
Yogalgal

My 1st Blog

Yes, as my title indicates, this is my first ever blogging experience. I have decided to join the blogging world. However, I have started this blog with the intention of not writing about my day to day life; Instead, I will include my thoughts, questions, and commentary on life, as well as the thoughts, questions, and commentary from many others. I will also be sure to throw in a little yoga philosophy as I go. For those who haven't practiced yoga, I'd definitely encourage you to try--it's truly life changing--however, hopefully you'll enjoy my blog, yogi or not.

Here's the yoga thought for the day:
"peace.
it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."
(unknown)

Namaste'
Yogagal