yoga thought

"Without exception, begin every day of your life with an expression of gratitude. As you look in the mirror, say, 'Thank you, God, for life, for my body, for my family and loved ones, for this day, and for the opportunity to be of service. Thank You, thank You, thank You!" --Wayne Dyer

Namaste'
Yogadiva

going with the flow

This afternoon I subbed a yoga class. The energy is always interesting at the beginning of classes when I sub. I can feel the participants thinking:

Where is the regular instructor?

Who is this person?

What am I in for today?

Darn it, maybe I shouldn't have come.

(I must confess these are all thoughts I myself have had when finding my regular beloved instructor isn't teaching that day.)

However, by mid-hour, I can feel everyone starting to relax, loosen up, and go with the flow. By the end of class, all the participant are right there with me in yummy yoga land. And, after class people are asking where I teach regularly, thanking me, and telling me they enjoyed class today.

I truly cannot describe how satisfying a feeling it is to know I've been able to assist some fellow yogis in becoming present, relieving stress, surrendering to the flow, and refueling themselves for all of life's joys and challenges. It is a blessed feeling, I am grateful for always.

Here is your yogathought for the day:

"Man is not free to refuse to do the thing which gives him more pleasure than any other conceivable action." --Stendhal

Namaste'

Yogadiva

laughter's good for the soul

"I meditate, I do yoga, I chant,

and I still want to smack someone!"

I found this on Nadine Fawell's blog: http://nadinefawell.wordpress.com/ and had to post it on mine. I know all of us who practice yoga regularly have times when we feel exactly this way.

Enjoy!

Namaste'

Yogadiva

sick day & no guilt

I am at home sick today. Early this week, I noticed my energy level was at an all time low, and I felt very sleepy. I did take it pretty easy and tried not to push myself too hard, but by Wednesday night I could tell I had a cold. Yesterday I was stuffed up and tired but still felt well enough to go to work. Last night I went to bed at 7:00 p.m. and early this morning I could tell I definitely needed to rest some more, so I took a sick day from work. I pretty much slept all morning. I just got out of the shower. I do find when I'm sick with a cold, after I sleep for a long period of time, if I shower and put on a little make-up, I do feel a bit better.

There was a time in my life when I felt guilty about staying home from work when I was sick. This mind-set has changed primarily due to an incident a few years ago. At that time, I knew I had a bad cold and continued to go to work (because the world cannot go on without me in it, right?) only to have that cold turn into walking pneumonia--which forced me to be in bed and miserable for an entire week--there was no way I could work with pneumonia. If I had rested when the cold initially started, I do not think I would have gotten pnemonia. It's interesting how if we do not listen to what our body is telling us, it will eventually force us to listen. Now when I am feeling sick, I rest and don't feel a bit guilty about it.

Guilt is an interesting, and most of the times worthless, needless feeling. In Sanskrit, the language of yoga, there isn't a word for guilt. The concept simply doesn't exist. I have tried to embrace the idea of living my life guilt-free (as I've mentioned in an earlier post, I'm still working on saying no and not feeling a tad bit guilty). It's a very freeing feeling to know that as long as we live our truth and are compassionate with ourselves and others, there is not one reason we should need to feel guilty. And, even if we aren't always living our truth or being as compassionate as we can, we still don't need to feel guilty about it or beat ourselves up about it, we just need to step up and make changes for the better.

As Maya Angelou states, "We do what we know. When we know better, we do better."

Have a guilt-free, happy, healthy weekend!

Namaste'

Yogadiva

fabulous fall

Fall is arriving, and I am so excited about it. I have the windows open, apple scented oil burning, and can feel the cool breeze and hear the wind blowing the trees. I'm looking forward to buying some mums to plant and pumpkins to carve. With each change of the season, I am once again reminded of the importance of embracing change, surrending to the flow, and trusting life.

Namaste'
Yogadiva

yoga inspiration from Seane Corn

Yesterday I posted about some of my personal sources of yoga inspiration. Seane Corn is one of my all time favorites. You can check her out on youtube by clicking the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peBNUkSTvi0

Namaste'

Yogadiva

seek inspiration

Typically we think of young children and teenagers needing positive role-models. I think it is important to have role-models no matter what your age. Finding human beings who inspire you to be the brave, creative, wonderful person you were meant to be is essential in creating your fullest life.

This picture is me with one of my all-time favorite sources of yoga inspiration--Bryan Kest. He was one of thes first teachers I studied when beginning to learn about instructing yoga. He probably doesn't know what a positive role he has played in the course of my life. It's interesting how you might not ever know who you've inspired and made a positive impact on. I just try to trust that if I am working on myself, living life from a place of truth and integrity, and being compssionate with others then surely I'm making a positive impact.

Here are some of my other yoga inspirations:

Beryl Bender Birch

Baron Baptiste

Kimberly Wilson

Seane Corn (love, love, love her!)

Instead of a yoga thought, how about a few yoga questions to ponder:

Who inspires you? How can you live a life that inspires others?

Wishing you inspiration and peace.

Namaste'

Yogadiva

fabulous friday

Wishing you a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Here is your yoga thought for the day:

"Play is the exultation of the possible." --Martin Buber

Don't forget to schedule some play time!

Namaste'

Yogadiva

conscious eating

Since reading Kathy Freston's book, Quantum Wellness, I have started what she calls "leaning" into a more conscious way of eating. I have always considered myself a person who intentionally strives to be a spiritual being, but for some reason, until reading her book, I had never really thought of eating as a spiritual activity. Since finishing her book, I have started to eat primarily whole, non-processed, organic food. I gave up caffeine (I still have my decaf cup of coffee in the morning with a little sugar--I haven't been able to give it up totally--and soy milk). I also have greatly reduced my meat intake. As far as meat goes, I have pretty much only been eating seafood and farm raised animals, occasionally. For me, at this point I'm making the conscious choice to focus on the fact that I don't want to put anything in my body that is associated with violence or cruelty. For some reason, until this book I hadn't really wanted to think about or recognize the cruelty some animals suffer--she forced me to open my eyes. I'm hopeful I will keep up this approach to eating. Since making the change, I definitely feel much more healthy, alive, and well.

With this being said, I am very aware of how people react when talking with them about my new more conscious way of eating. I would never want to sound preachy or try to push my views on other people. I also think everyone has a right to make choices and create the life they want to live. I don't judge others for their personal choices, just as I hope others don't judge me for mine.

If you are at all interested in exploring this idea of conscious eating more, I'd recommend you check out Kathy Freston's book. I found it to be informative and reader friendly. It made me think and make some conscious changes. I'd also recommend checking out the following website: www.farmsanctuary.org

"Farm Sanctuary works to end cruelty to farm animals and promotes compassionate living through rescue, education and advocacy. We envision a world where the violence that animal agriculture inflicts upon people, animals and the environment has ended, and where instead we exercise values of compassion."

I just finished watching the "It doesn't have to be this way" video under Farm Clips on this website, and I felt compelled to write this post. If you chose to watch, please know that it is graphic.

Here is your yoga thought for the day:

"One of the key points that I've been trying to make in this book is the need for conscious living. Meditation, cleansing, self analysis, exercise--it's ll focused on one goal: living your life in a fully conscious way." --Kathy Freston

Namaste'
Yogadiva

yummy yoga

I attended a 90 minute yoga class last night. It was divine. I believe fully that yoga could change the world one person at a time.

Here is your yoga thought for the day:

"Expect your every need to be met,
expect the answer to every problem,
expect abundance on every level,
expect to grow spiritually."
--Eileen Caddy

Namaste'
Yogadiva

creative affirmations

I just finished reading week 1: Recovering a Sense of Safety of The Artist's Way and can already tell I'm going to gain a lot from working through this book. Today, I will be purchasing a writer's notebook to write my morning pages--what Cameron calls stream of consciousness writing. She states it's necessary to write 3 pages of morning pages every morning. Afterwards, she encourages writing creative affirmations (a girl after my own heart!).

Here are a few creative affirmations from her list:

My dreams come from God and God has the power to accomplish them.

Creativity is the creator's will for me.

I am allowed to nurture my artist.

Through the use of my creativity, I serve God.

My creativity always leads me to truth and love.

I am willing to learn to let myself create.

There is divine plan of goodness for me.

As I listen to the creator within, I am led.

I am willing to experience my creative energy.

I am willing to use my creative talents.

Here is your yoga thought for the day:

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." --Pablo Picasso

Namaste'
Yogadiva

new read

Friday evening I took a trip to one of my all-time favorite stores, Barnes & Noble, and purchased The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. While I wouldn't ever label myself an "artist"--I believe whole-heartedly that we are all creative beings in our own unique ways. I primarily use fashion, my hair, teaching yoga, home decorating, and writing as a way to express my creativity. Sadly, as we grow up, we start getting messages from adults that there are much more important things to do besides being our creative, wonderful selves and we often lose touch with that part of ourselves for good. I am committed to making sure I remain in touch with that part of myself, and I think this book will be helpful with this endeavor.

Here's an excerpt:

"BASIC PRINCIPLES

1. Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy: pure creative energy.

2. There is an underlying, in-dwelling creative force infusing all of life--including ourselves.

3. When we open ourselves to our creativity, we open ourselves to the creator's creativity within us and our lives.

4. We are, ourselves, creations. And we, in turn, are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves.

5. Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.

6. The refusal to be creative is self-will and is counter to our true nature.

7. When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God: good orderly direction.

8. As we open our creative channel to the creator, many gentle but powerful changes are to be expected.

9. It is safe to open ourselves up to greater and greater creativity.

10. Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source. As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity."

Yoga thought for the day:

"We must accept that this creative pulse within us is God's creative pulse itself."

--Joseph Chilton Pearce

Happy creating.

Namaste'

Yogadiva

giving and receiving gratitude

Yesterday I received a bouquet of fresh flowers from a student and her family for helping the student make a decision. Helping students is just part of my job; however, this unecessary gesture of gratitude completely made my day--I LOVE fresh flowers! I do buy into the idea that to some degree what we give we get--and just two days before I had posted about living my life with a spirit of gratitude only to be thanked in a very special way by this family.

The world would be a much different place if we focused our attention and energy more on what we have rather than what we do not, on what good people do rather than on the bad, on being compassionate with ourselves and others rather than judgmental. I don't think we need to put on a happy face and have blinders on, but we can focus on small changes in ourselves that can make a difference one person at a time.

How can you show gratitude today?

Namaste'

Yogadiva

attitude of gratitude

I have always believed in the importance of living with a spirit of gratitude; however, I just recently started a gratitude & affirmation journal. (I am just a bit journal obsessed--as I now have 3 different types of journals: a regular journal for writing whatever I feel like writing about, a personal growth journal where I respond to any type of personal growth book I'm reading, and now, my gratitude & affirmation journal). Every night before bed, I write 5 reasons I'm thankful. Every morning when I wake up, I choose an affirmation card (I created these this summer), and I write the affirmation 5 times. I have been using this journal for almost a month now, and I really appreciate how it is such a simple way to help me start my day off with a serene and positive attitude and end my day in gratitude.

Today, I am thankful for:

*the smell of fresh cut grass

*inspirational podcasts

*journals

*my sweet hubby

*only 2 more days of schedule changes at work

Goodnight.

Namaste'

Yogadiva

all about balance

Here's a wise word from one of my favorite yogis Baron Baptiste:

"The idea of relaxing, doing less, and going with the flow can scare us. We feel that we are hardly measuring up and doing enough as it is. We say to ourselves, 'If I do less and become more passive I'll never achieve anything.' But a relaxed energy has its own kind of power. Our personal force is strongest when we balance action with relaxation, like a bow and arrow. The bow provides tension from which the arrow releases. Neither is as effective without the energy of the other, and combined they carry you forward with astonishing power and grace."

Have a balanced week.

Namaste'

Yogadiva