Day 339 Intention ~ Plan Ahead

Day 339 Intention ~ Plan Ahead

I am not one to map everything out in my life or world. I admittedly get a little lazy about it and fly by the seat of my pants at times. 

Tomorrow I am leading a wellness day for a community group that I have been very excited about. Sure, I've known about it for months. Sure, I've had an idea of what I have wanted to do since learning of this event. And, no, not til this afternoon, did I type it all out and get it together. 

What's funny is that the past two nights I have dreamt of this event and me leading it and, well, it all going well. But, the fact that I am dreaming about it lets me know that I am actually concerned about it more than I consciously feel like I am. 

So, even with my vague outline in my head, today, I planned this event. I typed it all out & am ready to roll with it come tomorrow. 

And guess what? I feel more relaxed now. 

A Malian proverb from today's African proverbs calendar reads, "Those who accomplish great things pay attention to little ones."  So, perhaps this outline and plan for me are the "little" things, but to someone who reaps its benefits tomorrow, it could be considered great. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 302 Intention ~ Calm Down

Day 302 Intention ~ Calm Down

Mercury is in retrograde. Take a deep breath. 

Things have not really gone as planned today. I had a surprise day off. It started out well, I walked the dog, made some muffins, even watched a scary movie that I love. 

Then, the laziness set in. Then the guilt. Then the stress. Lately I've been thinking that I need to get a new (or another) job. Being broke all the time is getting to me & the guilt of my husband covering for me all the time is really getting to me. 

As I start to get in that panic mode of "what am I going to do?!?", I look over to my good ol' African proverbs calendar.

Today it reads, "Worrying is like a rocking chair; it swings you back and forth and takes you nowhere." It's a Kenyan proverb. It's true. 

Panic mode & stress mode & guilt mode really do get you nowhere. It takes action. So, now I just need to calm down and figure out a plan. (But, remember, sign no papers until after Mercury is out of retrograde~I believe around November 10th!)

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 263 Intention ~ Keep On Truckin' (Baby)

Day 263 Intention ~ Keep On Truckin' (Baby)

Reading my September horoscope in Journey magazine, it says that basically, all this work and searching, etc. that I've been doing is almost there, but I have to keep the faith and keep it up to get there, but basically, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

Today's African proverbs calendar reads a Zimbabwean proverb, "To climb a mountain, you zigzag." 

Yoga Rocks The Park posted on Facebook, a status along the lines of, I can't remember the exact quote: Synchronicity feels like the universe telling you that you're getting warmer. 

So, again, I say, hello universe! I am getting the message! I will keep at it, knowing there are rougher days and easier days, but you have to keep going to get there. 

Just like yesterday's comments on how are physical yoga practice can help us become attune with our bodies messages, it can also help us become more aware of the universe around us. 

I am listening.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 258 Intention ~ Listen & Learn

Day 258 Intention ~ Listen & Learn

I took a yoga class with a "new to me" teacher today. It is someone that I have known on the yoga scene for a few years now, but I have just never made it to her class. She led a beautiful class that kept me on my toes and led me to learn some new techniques. 

Yesterday I went to class with my teacher and I discovered that I seemed more receptive to being still and listening to the instructions instead of rushing into whichever posture she was signaling. It allowed me to think about how I was moving, how I felt transitioning into the pose (which, coincidentally, was the teacher today's theme) and enjoying it once I arrived. I felt more mature in a way with my practice that hasn't always been there. 

Both of these classes helped me discover things about my own practice, which is why I love to check out different teachers and different styles of yoga. There is something to be learned from each teacher and each class. It may not be your favorite all time class, but I assure you, that teacher has something to offer. 

As I came upstairs to the computer to write this, I flipped my African proverbs calendar to September 15 and it reads a Kenyan proverb:

"A listening ear leads to life but a deaf ear leads to death."

Too funny. I'm listening, I'm listening! 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 241 Intention ~ Stay Pure

Day 241 Intention ~ Stay Pure

Back to the African proverbs calendar, it's actually from August 22nd, but my calendar skips to September 4th from the 22nd, so I've kept it there. I think I finally read it today. 

It is a Swahili proverb that reads, "If your intention is pure, you can walk on the sea." 

Well, when reading that, I guess I would take it as being true to what yourself. So, in an effort to stay pure, I am going to try to stay true. Especially to myself, no matter what the truth is, good, bad or ugly. 

Truth today is that I have been feeling a little lazy, stressed and grumpy. Where did that bliss from yesterday go??? 

It's still there, but in a different form. Running out of time, I had to do a short Ashtanga practice today, which is still better than no practice, so that is good. I would probably be a little grumpier had I not done this. 

Truth is I am grumpy because I forgot to pay some bills I needed to pay and I am slightly beating myself up even though I know that's not healthy for me to do. 

I need to take the swaha attitude of it is what it is. So swaha! 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 213 Intention ~ Go Back to the Proverbs Calendar

Day 213 Intention ~ Go Back to the Proverbs Calendar

It's been awhile since I posted any of my African proverbs calendar, but today's seemed fitting. 

It's a North African proverb that says: 

Let the heart be overflowing but let the mouth be restrained. 

I agree. Too often we say things that are hurtful that we don't mean or just voice negative feelings or emotions. Now, I don't think it's good to bottle up what you are feeling, but lots of times when we are feeling negative or angry, the feeling is fleeting and just better left unsaid. 

Going back to what we teach young people, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." I believe that this still holds true. Misery loves company, but what if the company never shows up? Or what if the company shows up, but only with an overflowing heart? 

How fabulous would that be!

Let's learn to lead with love and leave the negativity at the door. And maybe, just maybe, with time, those negative thoughts will slip away also.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 166 Intention ~ Make My Hubby Some Cookies

Day 166 Intention ~ Make My Hubby Some Cookies

Okay, yes, and me too! I accidentally peeked at tomorrow's African proverbs calendar and it says, "Food from the people you love is healing." It's a Sudanese proverb and I agree. Not that he needs healing, but who knows! 

I found a vegan ginger cookie recipe online at food.com that he (and I) really like, so I figured I would give him a little love whether he needs healing or not, and bake him some cookies that we both can enjoy. 

If you want to share the love, here is the recipe: 

4 tablespoons sugar (turbinado works well)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves (ground)

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup soymilk (I use almond milk & it works just fine)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together except for the sugar and set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients with the sugar until it is blended.

Stir in the dry ingredients and mix well.

Roll the dough into little balls (1 TBSP) and flatten as much as you like.

Press coarse sugar into the top and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. 

That's it! Enjoy! 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 73 Intention ~ Keep Trying Handstand

Day 73 Intention ~ Keep Trying Handstand

Handstand is that elusive pose for me in yoga. I go through phases of attempting it, but then drop it for awhile and come back to it. For some of us, a pigeon pose is that elusive pose or chatturanga dandasana, the low plank (that one was elusive to me for a long time too!) But, I keep coming back. I keep trying. One of these days it will stick. I will lift up. There was a time when the mere mention of handstand in yoga class would send me into a panic (and a child's pose). Nowadays, I do actually try and each time I try, I get a little bit closer. 

I know it's a mental wall and that I have the physical strength to do this pose. I try to hear myself talking to my students about losing your ideas of what a pose is or if you can or can't do it and just try. Release your mind to let the body do it's thing, but it's a struggle. Struggle is okay, so long as we keep trying. One of these days when we are ready, we will get it. 

Just like in life, some days are easier than others, but those hard days are when we learn about ourselves. We get more out of those tough lessons than when everything is just simple and easy all of the time. In my African proverbs calendar today it says, "Too many bends on a footpath do not prevent one from reaching one's destination." It's a proverb from Cameroon. So, keep trying. One day we will get where we need to be. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 64 Intention ~ Go with the Flow

Day 64 Intention ~ Go with the Flow

Back to my African quotations calendar...today's reads: "When the drumbeat changes, the dancers must adapt." It is a Burkina Faso proverb and it seems like a good way to go. 

No matter how crazy life gets and which directions we zig and zag throughout the day, we need to learn to bend and not break. 

Just like in yoga. We have to apply strength and flexibility to go deeper into each posture or to open our minds and our hearts. It can be scary sometimes, but if we just let things fall as they may, we are hopefully flexible enough to let them happen organically and strong enough not to let it get to us. 

So, although I feel overwhelmed sometimes by everything going on around me, I just keep plugging away, knowing that it is all for a greater, bigger goal. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 32 Intention ~ Take My Time, I Will Get When It's Time

Day 32 Intention ~ Take my time, I will get there when it's time.

This can be applied to many things...my yoga practice, my career, my enlightenment, even my drive to Berea in the snow. Friends that have known me for a long time know that rushing is not something that I like to do. Whether it is to get out of the house in the morning or to get into a yoga pose that I find challenging. When I was younger, I would sometimes feel little less accomplished because I wasn't working in a career that I necessarily wanted to be in, or I wasn't with my life partner yet when my friends all had seemed to find that love already. Whatever it was that came up, I hadn't figured out what it was that I needed and wanted from this life and it made me feel insecure. 

Nowadays, I feel like I am finally doing what I want to do, but am still unsure of what direction it will end up. That's okay. I have realized that my slow & steady pace is what works for me. I am working in the field I want to be in, I have found that love that I want to share a life with, and I can finally (after many years), at least lift up into a forearm stand albeit still armed with a strap & a block...that is okay. 

I know that I quote my African proverbs calendar a lot on this blog, but it's kind of going along with my life, sending me little reminders, and today is no exception. It's a Ugandan proverb that reads, "The long, sure way will take you to your destination." Perfect. I can't wait to see what is going to happen when I arrive.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 31 Intention ~ Celebrate Milestones

Day 31 Intention ~ Celebrate Milestones

Celebrate! One month down on these intentions. One month on my resolutions and I have pretty much followed them...I have missed a couple days of yoga, but that was when I was on vacation. I have been following a vegan diet for 2 weeks as of today & feel pretty great! 

We should all celebrate life a little more than we do. Enjoy it, live each moment fully, truthfully, with grace & love. We only get a short time here in this life, so why not enjoy it?!

January 31st on my African proverb calendar states, "A wise person, like the moon, shows only the bright side of the world." Let's stay on that proverbial sunny side of the street. 

Til tomorrow...

With love, shanti,

Marcia