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

Day 358 Intention ~ Have Safe Travels

Day 358 Intention ~ Have Safe Travels

 

As we pack up to head to my parents for the holiday, I wish all of you safe travels on the road, whether it is by car, by plane, or people are headed to you this holiday.

 

Weather this time of year between Cleveland and Rochester, New York is iffy at best. As many wish for a white Christmas, I prefer not to drive in a big snowy mess. As I started packing the car, the snow started falling and hasn't stopped.

 

I will look forward to pulling in at my parents and warming up with some laughter, love and family for the holiday.

 

 

Again, I wish you all safe travels and if you celebrate this holiday, have a wonderful one.

 

 

Til tomorrow...

 

Shanti,

 

Marcia

Day 357 Intention ~ See Old Friends

Day 357 Intention ~ See Old Friends

 

It's a couple of days before Christmas and all through Cleveland, people were packing parking lots and driving like maniacs to pick up last minute gifts for the holidays. They were checking their phones (doesn't have to be a holiday for that) and distracted by their thoughts so much that they were cutting each other off and getting into accidents and honking their horns.

 

Happy holidays.

 

I drove down to Kent this morning to see some old friends that live in California now. It was my only chance to see them this holiday season, so I trekked down there even if it was for only 90 minutes. I will take what I can get. Seeing friends and family during the holidays is more important to me than anything else. So, I do what I can.

 

As I drove to and from, the cars were driving erratically and cutting each other off, not signaling or not turning their signals off long past switching lanes. The exit at Chagrin was backed up all the way to the highway. As people pulled up next to me, everyone looked so unhappy.

 

I couldn't help asking myself, why do we put ourselves through it each year!?!

 

So, in defiance of this holiday stress, I chose to remain calm in my vehicle and know that I would eventually move again. I would get home. And, I am still happy I drove all that way to see old friends for a few moments today.

 

A friend of mine has a bath towel in her bathroom that reads, "Friends are the best presents." Last weekend when we were all over at her house for a holiday gathering, we busted her chops a little bit on that towel and had a good laugh. But, today, when I think about it, it's true.

 

 

Til tomorrow...

 

Shanti,

 

Marcia

Day 354 Intention ~ Soften

Day 354 Intention ~ Soften

With the holidays upon us and lots of classes to be subbed, I have found myself feeling burned out and tense. My shoulders have gotten tighter & tighter over the last week making me feel hard as a rock. That is physically speaking.

Between money woes and holiday stress, my mind and emotional state has also hardened. There has been a minor pity party going on for myself the last few days making me unmotivated and uninspired in my "normal" life & in my classes.

Today, I have tried to lighten up a bit. As soon as I changed my mindset, my shoulders started to soften...then my heart.

What happened after that? Well, everything got a little bit brighter and better.

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia

Day 353 Intention ~ Keep On Moving

Day 353 Intention ~ Keep On Moving

 

 

Today is one of those crazy days. I am teaching 6 classes. Not a normal day...and not necessarily a good idea if looking to keep one's sanity. :)

 

So, today's motto or mantra is to keep on moving. I fear if I sit and rest, I will then lose all energy and not make it back out of the house! With four down & two to go, I am on the flip side of it, but these are also the two classes that I am struggling the most with as far as motivation is concerned.

 

 

When I worked a regular desk job, I always found that if it was a busy day, then I seemed to get more done than if it were a light workday. Same is true now. Even with house work or "to do" lists. If I have nothing to do, then I really do nothing. But, the busier I am, not only do I get more done, but I am much more motivated.

 

So, keep on moving...especially this crazy time of year. It may just help you "do it all"!

 

 

Til tomorrow...

 

Shanti,

 

Marcia

Day 351 Intention ~ Get The Holiday Spirit

Day 351 Intention ~ Get the Holiday Spirit

 

 

Interestingly enough, after yesterday's post and voicing out loud that I had the holiday blues, I almost immediately started to perk back up. I took the dog for a walk and went to start the old holiday shopping. It was as if I purged a little bit.

 

 

Today, I feel like a different person. I am ready to tackle this holiday madness and get in the spirit. Really, I feel the spirit of giving and love, peace, joy and happiness all year round. It's just this time of year when spending money that I don't necessarily have to spend that I can get a little bit down. But, it's once a year. It will be okay and it's not like I go too too nuts anyhow.

 

 

It's not really about the gift giving anyhow as we all know. It's about spending time with loved ones. No matter what you believe...for some it's about Jesus, for others, it's not. Most importantly, get together with people and spread some joy and peace. Laugh, love, and let's just enjoy some time together...as one.

 

 

Til tomorrow...

 

 

Shanti,

 

 

Marcia

Day 344 Intention ~ Support

Day 344 Intention ~ Support

 

 

We get so caught up in our own little worlds, don't we?

It's easy to forget that there are others that just a kind word or an ear to listen, or just plain giving support is all they need.

 

Especially with all of the holiday gatherings and shopping, etc. that we are supposedly doing for others, we can forget to actually be present with the others when we are right in front of them.

 

So, today, my intention should be to be present and give support. The hubby has had a rough day and needs to get it off his chest.

 

 

Til tomorrow...

 

Shanti,

 

Marcia 



Day 337 Intention ~ Root Down

Day 337 Intention ~ Root Down

Holiday season is upon us. Many of us not only feel rushed in shopping, travel plans, work parties, friends parties, making cookies, decorating and overall holiday plans, but can also feel money stress, emotional distress and as if you could slide out from under your feet at any moment. 

What happened to all is calm, all is bright???

It happens to most of us...me too. 

So, this week for my yoga classes and my own practice, I am focusing on the root chakra, the muladhara chakra, and the sacral, svadhisthana, chakra,  in an effort to stay grounded and emotionally stable this holiday season. 

The root chakra is at the base of the spine and covers our basic survival needs. Makes sense that it is called the root chakra, since when it is open and balanced, it protects us from feeling flighty and insecure. It's color is red, so wearing that color or focusing on that color is one simple way to start calming the uneasiness. Another way is to chant it's bija (seed) mantra, LAM. Exercises that can help are poses that root you down to the Earth. Really focusing on the feet and on your steady base. Mountain pose, tree pose, warrior poses with nice strong legs and bridge pose, where you not only root through the feet, but also in the shoulders, the backs of the arms and really feel the strength of the legs work in this pose. 

The sacral chakra is located from the lower abs to the navel and is not only related to sexual behavior, but also emotional connections, the ability to "let go" and how to keep balance in our relationships, emotions and life. You've probably heard a yoga teacher say that the emotions are stored in the hips. Well, at the end of the year, it's natural to start reassessing one's life and the year that has just passed. It can make us sentimental. It can make us long for past years or for something we don't quite have yet. Either way, hip opening poses are great for finding balance in the sacral chakra. Cow face pose, standing warriors, lunges, fire log pose, happy baby, bound angle...there are a lot. You may feel an emotional release if you are new to these poses that is unexpected. I have seen and have myself cried in classes focusing on hip openers. It's really quite amazing. If doing poses isn't your thing, focus on the color orange or chant the mantra VAM and see if that makes you feel balanced. 

The reality is, we function best when all of our chakras are clear, so doing poses and practices that help keep all of the energy channels flowing is the best idea. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti,

Marcia 

Day 333 Intention ~ Practice...

Day 333 Intention ~ Practice...

Just because Thanksgiving is over, it doesn't mean we stop practicing all the "nice" behaviors that we say & do over the holiday. Today, not only will I practice yoga (yes, I need a little bit of twisting too!), but I will continue to practice positive ways of living that hopefully make not only my days brighter, but those I meet in those days.

Throughout the year, not just at holidays, I vow to continue to practice: 

1. Kindness

2. Honesty

3. Compassion & empathy

4. Gratitude

5. Giving & living joyfully

6. Positive thinking

7. Healthy eating habits

8. Eco-awareness

9. Conscious eating (ie: vegan...at least vegetarian, organic, local, ++++)

10. Love for myself & for others. 

I think a list of 10 is good for today! 

Hope you all are enjoying a break from work still & if not, that you are enjoying your day! 

Til tomorrow...namaste

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 331 Intention ~ Give Thanks

Day 331 Intention ~ Give Thanks

My in-laws came today to celebrate Thanksgiving. They have to leave tomorrow, so we had the big meal a day early. 

So, this means it's time to reflect on what I am thankful for in this life today. 

I could do a whole year/life long list of thanks (and there would be a lot), but I think in an effort to keep it simple, I will just go with 10 things that I am thankful for today. 

10 things that I am thankful for:

1. Our cozy home and the love that is inside of it. 

2. The fact that we have family/friends that will travel in the snow to spend a holiday with us. 

3. The delicious meal we prepared and chowed down. 

4. For getting through a spynga class this morning, when I wasn't feeling quite up to it. 

5. The fact that I started to feel better. 

6. The laughter around my living room while watching Christmas Vacation after dinner.

7. My animals. 

8. My family. 

9. My friends. 

10. My life. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 267 Intention ~ Keep Balanced

Day 267 Intention ~ Keep Balanced

Sunday was the fall equinox and on that day the daylight and nightfall are an equal 12 hours each. It brings me to think about balance. As fall starts, many of us throw ourselves back into work or school activities, football, upcoming holidays and all sorts of things after a lazy summer and forget to take time for oneself. 

I am the same way. I like the activity that gets stirred up once everything gets back to normal, but being in a constant state of "go" can burn you out...fast.

So, remember to find balance in your life. Take some time for you to replenish so that you can enjoy all of those great fall activities. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia