Month: July 2020

Continuing on the safe start program, our attention may turn towards the future. When will it be over? What will it be like then? What do we need to do to be ready for that? These and more questions perhaps are coming up more and more for us.

Fear is a strong motivator. Troubleshooting can turn into self-fulfillment of the prophesy fear projects. Finding one’s way to safety, utilizing practices that stabilize, and then envisioning the future from that state may result in delight!

What practices shift you from fear to safety? Once safe, what delights you? Ki to Happiness evolves as fear is transformed into safety, and then into delight…

Continuing to safely restart in our area, there was a knock at the door. Opening up, A graduate from our yoga teacher training program 17 years ago was standing there. She came bearing flowers, a heartfelt thank you card, with tears streaming down her face.

We delightfully expressed our love and support for one another. She has been teaching all these years, and has been dedicated to her practice just as we would intend. This is one of the rare gifts of persevering, and continuing along this broad path, being available to others to return to their teacher/therapist/trainer. We all get to see how much we have grown.

What gifts do you receive from persevering on your path? How much have you grown in the last 17 years? Ki to Happiness has grown more patient in awaiting the gifts.

Today as we continue with our safe start, it’s a great day to get into the kitchen. Many of us have been re-discovering the joys of cooking, and baking. Gives us a chance to be creative and to serve, as well as to enjoy the bounties of the good earth. Saint Martha is remembered on this day. She helps make sure there’s plenty of food, which is nutritious, and beautifully presented.

I delight in the kitchen. Kitchen was one of my nicknames as a kid. I have even written a vegan cookbook. It is available on my website, kitohappiness.com. It’s called “Whomp”. May it inspire you on this day.

What’s cooking at your house? How do you relate to nourishing yourself and others? Ki to Happiness celebrates the banquet of life.

Continuing with our safe start, temperatures are rising. Summer is upon us. We all respond differently to the heat. Some have tempers boiling over while others thrive. It’s very helpful to know how to cool down when necessary, just like in the winter it helps to know how to heat yourself up.

Yoga offers all those tools. Breathing in and out of the mouth simply drops our core temperature. Avoiding bearing weight on the arms will diminish the engagement of the triple heater, keeping us cooler. Shoulder stands, rabbit posture, and plough all calm the nervous system. I love “fan club yoga”… which I developed while living in tropics.(practicing yoga in front of a fan, perhaps with an emphasis on floor postures)

Do you like the heat? How about the humidity? Ki to Happiness loves all kinds of weather.

As we continue safely starting to reopen, our home and yoga studio are blessed with the presence of three cats. Today is their birthday, as best as we could figure out with their vet, who was called to their rescue. These barn cats, abandoned by their mother who was likely killed to diminish the population of feral cats, have come to be a central part of our world.

They represent the 3 “ constituent qualities of nature“ called Gunas in Yogic theory. Paka, is a fiery (Pitta) long-haired orange tabby, with Maine coon traits. His brother, Padma, is a highly sensitive (Satva) buff tabby. Sister Pacha is a very chill (Kapha) calico. Together, this kindle are dynamic forces of life itself. This time of sequestration would not have been nearly as playful, conscious and relaxing without them.

Are you a cat person? Dog? Ki to Happiness loves all God’s creatures, great and small.

Today, as we continue safely starting to reopen, we remember the parents of Mary, the mother of Jesus. These grandparental figures demonstrate the attributes required to bring about the full manifestation of spirit.

I think of it as Grandparents Day. No hallmark cards required. My maternal grandparents played a huge role in my upbringing. (Where as my paternal grandparents did not.) I appreciate every effort that our predecessors have made to bring us into the present possibility.

What is your relationship with your grandparents? How might you be able to honor them and what has gone on before, today? Ki to Happiness thanks all of our Grands for their foresight, perseverance and patience.

Continuing with our safe start, we come to this day of celebrating Saint Christopher. His story of carrying a small boy to safety encourages us all. The child revealed himself to be Christ consciousness.

Travelers often wear his medal for protection. Petitioning him, the way becomes open and clear. Traffic abates. Connections are made, in time. The pure Light within us is safe to move about in the way that it is directed.

Where are you going? What assistance do you need? Ki to Happiness travels with St. Christopher.

Safely starting to reopen businesses continues on one level. On another level, the scammers never bothered to close their businesses. Ongoing problems with our website, challenges posting my blog, PayPal alerts, all have created lots of stress in the past.

In the present, I am recognizing that all these issues have required is a couple of phone calls. Long, with plenty of waiting time, and when speaking to the right person, the problems are solved. So in the future, instead of stressing in reaction, I will simply learn to look for the right person to call.

Have you been hacked or scammed lately? Do you know who the right person to call is?Ki to Happiness doesn’t, so has learned to ask.

As we continue safely starting to reopen our businesses, in my area tempers are flaring. The homeless who have lost their emergency shelter are back on the streets. The combined issues of poverty, drugs and illnesses result in extreme limitations.

After finishing my class last night, again there were bloodcurdling yells, with threats of murder. I crouched down under my windowsill on the second floor with my cats. From our relatively safe vantage point, we could see those involved. Separately, another person on the street intervened, yelling even louder “Just walk away”. Repeatedly. And they did. Disperse. Safely.

How are the tempers in your area? Are you willing to “just walk away” from conflict, in order to avoid escalating it? Ki to Happiness is.

Today is the memorial observation of Saint Mary Magdalene. History has not done her a favor. She is remembered in ways that may not reflect the truth of her life. Like many powerful women in her time, there was every effort made to diminish her.

She is the patron saint of the penitent. Any of us who have been so humbled in our life as to recognize that we are in need of assistance fall under her potential graces. Certainly, I have turned to her repeatedly. In doing so, the atonement she experienced is extended to each one of us.

What assistance are you in need of? Are you willing to humble yourself enough to ask? Ki to Happiness recognizes the need for assistance daily…. and sometimes nightly, too.