Day 365 Intention ~ Bid 2013 Adieu

Day 365 Intention ~ Bid 2013 Adieu

It has been quite a year! It flew by so quickly. There were laughs, tears, moments of clarity, moments of confusion, doubt, self-questioning. There were also many adventures by car, plane & ship. I have sadly lost a few family and friends, but have also made new friends.

The cycle of time and life.

We take the good with the bad and try to just keep going on no matter what's happening around us.

Cheers to you all and farewell 2013.

Here's to an even more wonderful 2014.

Namaste.

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 364 Intention ~ Explore New Ground

Day 364 Intention ~ Explore New Ground

Road trip! Not really the words expected in winter...from Cleveland, but that's how it is this year. Off for a new years adventure in Chicago. I have only driven through Chicago,  and never gotten the chance to explore and experience this city.

Seems like a great way to finish & start a new year. I hope that it is a foreshadowing to the upcoming year~ lots of adventure, exploring of new places, physically & on my inner journey.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 363 Intention ~ Check Back

Day 363 Intention ~ Check Back

 

We are drawing very close to the end of the year.

 

How are you feeling about it? If you look back at the resolutions or let's just call them goals that you set for yourself at the beginning of 2013, do you feel satisfied with how they have come along?

 

Looking back to January 1st, I decided not to set resolutions, but instead to set intentions each day. One of those intentions for the year was to write about them each day, right here on this blog to share with you. That has been a success (although one day I did miss the midnight deadline by I think 30 minutes or so-not too bad for 365 days!)

 

Other things that I wanted to do were to practice asana, meditation and pranayama everyday this year. I know teaching yoga doesn't really count, so no, I haven't practiced these everyday, but pretty darn close. And yes, I do count days when it was a shortened 20 minute practice. The pranayama beyond ujjayi breath during the physical practice needs to be done more...as does the meditation. But, I was much more disciplined with my physical practice.

 

Lastly, I took on a vegan diet this year. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The most difficult times have been going out to eat, but I have gotten that down to a routine now when I do go out and lately, during the holidays, it has been a struggle. I have found myself giving in to gatherings with people and eating some dairy here and there. I'll tell you what, I can feel it! I feel sluggish and heavy after the holidays and am looking forward to getting back to a normal routine. So, all in all, it was a positive experience. I felt so much happier and peaceful with myself and my choices. I wanted to try it for a year to see how it was and frankly, I can't imagine going back.

 

As for 2014, the intentions will keep coming, but perhaps not publicly.

 

Mainly, I want to remember to be present and enjoy this life and those in it while I am here.

 

Til tomorrow...

 

Shanti,

 

Marcia

Day 362 Intention ~ Stop Comparing

Day 362 Intention ~ Stop Comparing

Keeping up with the Joneses, it's the American way. From the car we drive to our home or even our yoga pants, we compare ourselves to our neighbors, family, friends, sometimes the person on the mat next to us.

With all of this comparing, how can we ever keep up? There will always be someone richer, prettier, with fancier clothes and an a wheel pose that looks like one of the arches in St. Louis.

In time, over the years, I have let go of comparing my practice to others. The more recent struggle has been while taking class. I have a tendency to compare the teachers teaching to my own. Unfortunately, no matter how great I think their class is, with all of this comparing, I am not present for class.

Today, while in a wonderful class, I caught this comparing starting up. Luckily, I realized it & told myself to let go of it so that I could get the most out of the class. Once I let go of it, instead of losing self-confidence in my own teaching, I found inspiration from this teacher.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 361 Intention ~ Get Reinspired

Day 361 Intention ~ Get Reinspired

 

 

I suffer from end-of-the-year-itus right now. I am excited that I have only three more classes in 2013. There is this thought in my head that come next Thursday when I am back to teaching, that everything will be new again just at the turn of a calendar page.

 

Why wait?!

 

Well, much to my surprise, instead of leaving 2013 feeling burned out and wanting to just hole up and hide for a month, I am already feeling renewed.

 

How did this happen?

 

Well, inspiration can come in the simplest ways. I needed to drive my husband to work this morning because his car is in the shop. I don't have class til later this afternoon, so I decided to watch a yoga documentary this morning. As I listened to different yoga masters talk about yoga, I started to feel that spark inside again. I started to realize that yoga is so important, not only for me but for millions of people. It is such a healing and growth tool. It is simply transformational and amazing.

 

Once the film was finished, I took George for a walk. As we walked through the snowy streets, I felt inspiration. Just being outside in the fresh air with a being who is so present there is no ignoring it.

 

I came home and started to write notes for an article that I have been struggling with conceptually for a long time now. I rolled out my mat and am warming up my little yoga room as I type this, and again, I am awed by the life I get to live and create and connect in.

 

Til tomorrow...

 

Shanti,

 

Marcia

 

 



Day 360 Intention ~ Find Routine

Day 360 Intention ~ Find Routine

Back to work today. It felt like it was 3 a.m. when the alarm went off this morning. My mind was in a fog, my body felt slow, sluggish...and full.

Ahhh, holiday family time. We seem to be eating every 20 minutes, rich foods that my body isn't used too. Long car rides and a lack of yoga quickly tightened my whole body up.

Today, it is back to salads, teaching & practicing yoga.

As tight and bloated we can get over the holidays or any time we are out of our normal routine, it really does not take that long to get back to our healthy selves. Get on your mat and practice. The longer you wait, the harder it will be.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 359 Intention ~ Enjoy Time With Family

Day 359 Intention ~ Enjoy Time With My Family

It's the holidays. I know it sounds cliche, but the thing that makes me happiest is to see my family and get some time with them. We are all spread out these days and rarely are we all in the same place at the same time (this year included), so it's nice to catch up with whoever I can.

My nieces & nephews are changing and growing up so fast that it's hard to keep up. My father will be 85 in 2014, so I know it really means a lot to him when we are all (or some) there.

So, as we drive back to Ohio to work tomorrow, I am so glad to have been able to live, share, laugh & love with my original satsang!

I wish you all the merriest and hope that you got to spend the holidays with your loved ones.

Namaste til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia