Day 92 Intention ~ Lose the Ego

Day 92 Intention ~ Lose the Ego

Yoga. It's so funny. It always knows what I need to hear. Just in the last 15 hours or so, ego keeps getting mentioned in whichever yoga writings I end up reading. 

Whether it's a slow class, a disagreement, a failed handstand attempt or just trying to be heard, I, like everyone else, will let my ego take over at times. 

That's when those yoga lessons sneak their way in...

I am currently reading Richard Freeman's book, The Mirror of Yoga:Awakening the Intelligence of Body and Mind, (highly recommend by the way!) and the parts I was reading last night discussed ego getting in the way of kundalini rising. As soon as we get excited about freeing kundalini, the ego is there to bring it back down. 

Then this morning, I was reading the Jivamukti focus of the month, and one of the suggested mantras to chant was from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras:

PYS III:38

Te samadhav upasarga vyutthane.

By giving up the love of power, you attain the power of love.

Lose the ego. If we can let go of our egos, we can truly open our heart and find pure love in the Self. 

Is it easy? Heck no, it's not easy! But, we can try and try and try again. That is all we can do. That is all we can ask of ourselves to do. If we truly and purely try, it will happen and all that we need will come our way. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 91 Intention ~ Laugh Out Loud

Day 90 Intention ~ Laugh Out Loud

Granted, this happens daily in my life, for which I am very grateful. I was going to try to write some witty joke and say "April Fool's" at the end, but, alas, I am just not feeling that witty this morning. 

But, I will laugh at your silly April Fool's Day jokes, and enjoy  it! 

Laughter is a wonderful tool. It makes us happy, it gives us energy and it just plain feels good. 

Just last week, I was writing about Laughter Yoga and its benefits. Why not try it out?! Worse case scenario, you get to laugh. So, crack some jokes with a friend or co-worker, or perhaps with someone in the grocery line...you may make their day (or yours).

I wish all of you a happy Monday, a happy April 1st, and a happy week ahead. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 90 Intention ~ Remember With Love

Day 90 Intention ~ Remember With Love

A friend of mine passed on last week. It wasn't someone that I had known for very long or very well, but I still find myself terribly saddened by his passing. He was always someone I was happy to see and loved to get his big bear hug and a smile each time. My husband and I would see him and his lady over the years at several music events and just always had a great time. No drama, just get down and have fun. He had such a kind, loving temperament. 

I cannot imagine what his girlfriend (of 21 years), is going through. 

Although it breaks my heart, I am just trying to remember him laughing, smiling, and gettin' down at just about every show I have gone to since moving back to Cleveland in 2007. 

Peace. 

Til tomorrow...

Day 89 Intention ~ Spring Clean

Day 89 Intention ~ Spring Clean

Perhaps a cleanse is in order...at the very least, a buckle down on my eating habits needs to happen. A spring cleaning of sorts. Ever since going vegan (and discovering delicious vegan baked treats) my diet has fallen into a no man's land of sugary "good"ness. Ugh. Sluggishness, laziness and just a general gross feeling have joined in the fun. 

So, today, my intention is to get back on the healthy food track...so really, this intention will spread much longer than today. It's been good so far with kale and other fruits, veggies and whole grains in my meals today. Crossing fingers, I can stick to it and break my newly formed habits. 

Spring is a great time to reassess your habits, food and exercise related. With the weather breaking, people come out of the wood work and get more active. There is a "lighter" energy about town and our diets should follow. Moving away from the heavy chilis, soups, stews, potatoes, fatty foods and meals that comforted us in the cold winter months and allowing fruits and fresh salads to move in to keep us light and energized. 

Our yoga practices even can take on a lighter tone. While in winter, we tend to find grounding and comfort through many seated forward folds, more yin and restorative poses and perhaps a slower pace in class, spring and summer is a time to float and move a little bit faster. Jumping, flipping, twisting, balancing and back bends are great poses to help us spring clean the body and allow us to greet the world with a great big smile. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 88 Intention ~ Celebrate Spring!

Day 88 Intention ~ Celebrate Spring!

Okay, so this picture may seem more like, celebrate summer, but I have a lot of excitement over this nice weather. 

Today in Cleveland, the sun is shining bright, it's 50 degrees out and it's supposed to be a beautiful weekend. Since Spring started, we have been hit by snow, after snow, after snow...none of it really sticking, but grey skies and snow do not a Spring-like day make. So, today, I celebrate! 

And apparently, others feel the same. Everywhere I have ventured today, there are people all over, walking around, riding bikes, chatting, laughing and most importantly, smiling. 

Amazing what a little sunshine can do for the spirit. I love all of the seasons, don't get me wrong, but there's just something about that bright sun after months of cloudy, grey , snowy days. 

On that note, have a great Friday. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 87 Intention ~ Follow Your Dreams

Day 87 Intention ~ Follow Your Dreams

What do you really want to do with your life? 

It's a big question. 

The other big question: Are you doing it? 

If not, it's never too late to start! It may be a dream or vision you had of yourself when you were a child or maybe it just struck you yesterday, but why not make a move to do what you want to do and find happiness?!

When I was younger, I used to write all of the time. I actually looked at going into journalism at Ohio State. When I opted not to go to Ohio State, for whatever reason, I didn't write anything just for me...for 20 years! 

A studio that I used to teach at was having a 5-week workshop on making yourself happy through healthy eating, exercise, lifestyle, etc...you get the idea. We would have assignments each week. One week, we had to create something whether it be a drawing, a sculpture, or whatever, but create it. So, I wrote a poem. It felt really good. 

Since then, I now write for 3 websites and this blog :)

I have also written a couple articles for my friends neighborhood paper. 

My husband started to suggest that I write a book. I thought to myself, "Okay, I'll just whip one out." But, in reality, I liked the idea. I just have a fear of it not being good and what would I write about?!?! This started to become a bit of a secret obsession for me, wondering what to write a book about. 

Wednesday morning I was driving to one of my classes and was enjoying the scenery around me, and it was almost like a vision...the story started to unfold in my mind. So, today, I am going to outline my book and start my newest dream. Inspiration can come at any time in life, we just need to be present and allow it to come in. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia

Day 86 Intention ~ Be True

Day 86 Intention ~ Be True

PYS II:36 - Satya Pratisthayam Kriya Phalasrayatvam.

To one established in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient. 

Satya means truthfulness. It is one of the yamas, or ethical guidelines in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. As Swami Satchidananda describes it in his book interpreting the Yoga Sutras, "With establishment in honesty, the state of fearlessness comes. One need not be afraid of anybody and can always lead an open life. When there are no lies, the entire life becomes an open book. But this comes only with an absolutely honest mind." 

So, being true in words, actions, and thoughts. The more we are true, the easier it becomes. For a yogi, even telling little white lies must end. The mind must become clear and true in order to see the bigger Truth in ones Self. 

Pattabhi Jois is known for saying, "Practice and all is coming." This also applies to practicing the yamas and niyamas...and speaking, feeling and living the truth. 

Til tomorrow...

Shanti, 

Marcia