Day 283 Intention ~ Enjoy This Day

Day 283 Intention ~ Enjoy This Day

Saw this on Facebook this morning from the Yogi Times page and thought that that sounded like a good idea. I think that most of us intend on doing that each day, but then get sucked into our work lives, our family concerns, financial or emotional issues...life, the ego. 

Learning to accept each moment as it is without judgement, without attaching to it because it really is just a moment, is one way to truly enjoy each moment...enjoy the day. 

Of course the pressures of the modern world can sidetrack us, but if you can find at least one moment to stop, take a breath, and be present right then, you may find that things aren't that bad. 

Have a great Thursday! 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 233 Intention ~ Take Some Time to Regroup

Day 233 Intention ~ Take Some Time To Regroup

Having many different responsibilities and obligations seems to be either the American way or maybe just how life goes. 

Between teaching classes, writing, working for JAK, changing teaching schedules, meetings, cleaning, shopping, preparing meals, walking the dog, mowing the lawn, getting my own practice in and on and on, things can get jumbled in my head. 

Today, luckily, at least for the rest of summer, is one of my mellow weekdays. It allows me to stop and think and put things in order in my head. These days are important to have. If they didn't happen every once in awhile, I would turn into that frazzled, burned out yoga teacher from which no one would want to take a class. 

If this doesn't seem like a possibility in your coming days, even just taking 10 minutes in the morning, midday, or really, whenever you can and just meditating can help clear the mind. It can help to bring back focus and calm. 

Find a comfortable seat, sit up nice and tall and close your eyes. Focus on the 3rd eye and breathe. When outside thoughts float in, and believe me, they will, just acknowledge them and let them float right back out. It's unbelievable how just a short meditation can turn your mind and day around. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 202 Intention ~ Listen to the Birds

Day 202 Intention ~ Listen to the Birds

Outdoor yoga. As much as I enjoy it, sometimes in a crowded park, it can be distracting. Granted, I realize that that is part of the lesson of yoga. Find focus in yourself, in your breathe, but when kids are yelling f-bombs while you are trying to attain bliss in savasana...it's difficult even for the most seasoned, enlightened yogi (no, I am not referring to me, in case you thought that I was!) 

So, with the madness going on around our little class on the grass, I just tried to listen to the birds instead of the conversations and loud discussions going on around me. 

Sometimes there aren't birds around when you find yourself getting distracted. In this type of a case, come back to the breath. Start to count the inhales and the exhales, either finding the same count for each or perhaps making the exhales longer. This is one way to bring the focus back in and let those pesky outside thoughts float away. 

This doesn't just help with your yoga practice, it can bring more focus to your life in general whether it's at work, when you are driving, playing a sport...whatever you do! 

Enjoy the day & if you find yourself getting distracted and stressed, listen to the birds.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 175 Intention ~ Put One Foot In Front Of The Other...

Day 175 Intention ~ Put one foot in front of the other...

Thinking about this week could overwhelm me, but just going step by step, I think will be the best way to go. 

With writing assignments and *gasp* 17 classes to teach, my uncle passing away, my wedding anniversary tomorrow, and trying to get things together for our vacation next week, yep, my head may fly off my body at some point. 

In an attempt to not get stressed about these things, I have decided to just put one foot in front of the other and only take one step at a time. Find organization and lots of breathing and meditation to help it all come together without me freaking out! 

At this point, my emotions are only allowing me to do one thing at a time anyhow, so it's a good lesson and start to this week. 

Pacing oneself and focusing on just one thing, gives us all a little more piece and peace of mind when we are busy and it just allows us to remain more calm. Stopping every once in awhile when you are stressed at work or at home and just taking 10 nice deep breaths can help change your perspective. 

That is all for this Monday! 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 135 Intention ~ Pull the Weeds

Day 135 Intention ~ Pull the Weeds

Out of my mind! Sure, there's weeds outside too, but today, I am just trying to find some clarity. Too many things have been yanking my brain one way & then another these days and focus has been a struggle. Hence, yesterday's post about not being able to stay in savasana lately. 

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, one of the limbs of the yogic path is dharana. A single-pointed focus. Trying to focus on one thing, it could be a mantra or an image, helps bring clarity. This then leads to the next limb, dhyana, when one actually is meditating. Dharana is a great place to start, along with the breath to bring my mind back to me and "pull some of these weeds."

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 43 Intention ~ To Find Focus

Day 43 Intention ~ To Find Focus

Okay, this may sound like finding stillness like yesterday, but it's different. It's one of those multi-tasking days over here and quite frankly, I need to focus on one thing at a time or else I feel frazzled. Not really in an attempt at meditation, just in a way to get things done. 

In a yogic sense, finding focus is called dharana, the sixth limb in the 8 limbs of yoga, the fixation of the mind. It is a tool to help us actually start to find that single-pointed focus of the mind. You keep focusing on one thing, whether it is a mantra, counting the breath, or staring at the flame of a candle. Trying to bring your focus back to this until the mind becomes steady. Once we gain that single-pointedness, we are one step closer to actually meditating. Believe me, it takes a long time. Many of us will never even get there. But, we keep trying and we do find that we can gain more focus in our day because of practice. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 4 Intention ~ Stay Focused

Day 4 Intention: To stay focused. 

My husband & I are leaving on a vacation Sunday that we have been waiting months and months to go on and, of course, there are many things to tie up before boarding a ship and sailing off to sea for a week. 

That being said, I have a tendency to procrastinate...well, everything! So, today's goal is short and sweet. Stay focused. There is a renovation going on at the studio that I teach at normally on Friday mornings, so my class for this morning was cancelled. This made me think, "Oh, I have all the time in the world to get things done today." As I hung out on the Lazy Boy chair with my cat, sipping coffee and watching a show I recorded on the dvr, it's suddenly 11:30 am and time to get my act together today! 

Dharana is the 6th limb of Patanjali's 8-limbs of yoga, and it means to meditate with single-pointed focus or concentration on an object. This is the first step in meditation.  As we advance in our meditation abilities, we lose that separation between ourselves and the object on which we are meditating, coming into the next stage, dhyana. As we practice and practice meditation, we eventually lose any ego involved and fuse with the universe, and a higher power, finding the final stage, samadhi, also known as bliss. 

Practicing meditation, I have found, allows me to be more focused throughout the day and keep motivated. 

That being said, I am off to meditate and to regain focus before this day slips away.

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 2 Intention ~ To Practice What I Preach

January 2, 2013. 

Today's intention is to practice what I preach (on and off the mat). 

Often in class, I find myself repeating certain things time and time again to my students:

• "Your practice is different each time, so do not judge yourself." 

• "Everyone's practice is their own and each of us are at a different place, so do not compare yourself to the person next to you."

• "Be present." 

• "Keep a calm, steady breath."

All of these can help us not only in our physical yoga practice, but also in how we deal with situations in our life off the mat. Most yogis who have a consistent practice will confirm that their reactions to different, especially trying, situations, has taken a calmer, more thoughtful approach since starting their regular yoga practice. I can attest to that too. 

Although I know all of this, it can still happen. Even though I may be sore from an intense practice the day before, I wish my shoulders weren't so tight while doing down dog, or I watch in amazement while someone in class floats effortlessly around their mat, when I feel like I am grunting and groaning through class. And there goes that presence and breath. While thinking about that person next to me, I've lost my focus on my practice hence losing my breath at the same time. 

So, for today, I intend to keep my practice steady, focused, non-judgmental, calm and my own...whatever it may be today. When I allow this for myself, it makes me more confident, calm and in general, much nicer to those I come in contact with for the rest of the day. 

Til tomorrow!

Shanti, 

Marcia

2013 Intentions

Happy New Year! 

As with each new year that passes, many new & grand resolutions will be made that tend to get thrown by the wayside as soon as the daily post holiday grind hits. Maybe they were too big, too grand...we all do it. Sure, this year I have a few grand "resolutions" that I would like to conquer over the course of 2013, but more importantly, I want to try to  set daily smaller intentions to keep me focused and present. 

Of course, one of my more grand resolutions is to post a blog each day right here regarding my small intention of that particular day. Now, finding time to write can be a struggle on a daily basis, so I am really seeing this as more of a habit change than a resolution (although I suppose most resolutions are habit changes.) You all will find out soon enough if this grand "resolution" loses steam or not. 

Some other larger resolutions this year are to actually practice yoga asana, pranayama & meditation every day of this year, to change my diet to a vegan diet...I am allowing myself a few weeks to make the conversion, only because I am going on vacation in a few days and am not sure if there will be vegan options where I am going, BUT if there are (beyond only salad), I will try to stick to it on vacation also. 

Setting a small intention each day is a great way to help keep focus on what is important. It can make us more present and conscious...today. I think that will allow for a little more appreciation of whatever is going on that day-good, bad, happy, sad, or non-eventful. I invite you to join me in this practice and perhaps start a new good habit to help you become more aware. Keep it simple. Maybe it is as simple as taking 10 deep breaths in and out before reacting if someone upsets you. Maybe it's to meditate each day, starting with 10 minutes and increasing once this behavior becomes part of your daily life. Maybe it's to smile at the first person you see each day. Your intention is yours & no intention is too small. Each intention is important. 

My intention for today is to greet the new year by practicing yoga asana, pranayama & meditation with an open mind and heart. 

So far, so good...

Shanti, 

Marcia