Month: April 2021

20 years ago after the World Trade Center attacks, I bought a stove. Our president at the time implored us to participate in American commerce. I dutifully carried out my role. Over the years, it more than paid for itself in healthy homemade meals, catered events for the Hatha Yoga Center, and innumerable celebrations.

When the lower heating element caught fire in the oven, it stopped working. Midway through the Covid year, I shifted into using the broiler. I learned this week that it’s almost impossible to make a wedding cake with a broiler but I did it anyway. It looks beautiful. Seems like the perfect last effort! New stove arrives in June.

Did you participate in stimulating the American economy after 9/11/01? Have any of those purchases lasted through to this global crisis? Ki to Happiness looks forward to all the good cooking to come…

We watched Nomadland. This award winning movie poignantly expresses aspects of our society what I observed when I first returned here after 10 years abroad. My perspective shifted with years of travel, and experimenting with other ways of living. It seemed like the lifestyle here became impossible.

My idea was that if we all lived in bread trucks we could enjoy our lives, without needing 40+ hours of work per week to support our basics. Nature would benefit from our simplicity. Instead of clinging to the old ways for security, the nomadic life offered freedom. The movie portrays this exchange.

What do you need for Security? How much freedom are you willing to give up? Ki to Happiness feels secure and free in the yogic lifestyle.

I started my morning practice when I suddenly heard one of my cats choking. I shifted immediately to tend to her. She’s fine now, once she got the flower petal dislodged.

She went through about three episodes in a half hour period. I alternated between focusing on my practice, and focusing on her. What I wanna share is how one of her brothers stayed right with her the whole time. Nearby he simply exuded his loving presence.

Are you good brother/sister? Can you stay near someone in need and be your loving? Ki to Happiness is willing.

In the thrill of the full moon on our anniversary, I made an Indonesian feast for us. With just enough bumbu bumbu (spices) from our last trip in 2019, I delighted our palettes with Yellow rice, garlic tofu and sayur sayuran (fresh veggies).

As a special dessert I made almond cake with fresh ingredients without any prepackaging. The result was simply delicious, wholesome and nostalgic. 19 years in the making.

Are you finding festive ways to celebrate the significant moments in your life? Can you make what you need at home? The Ki to Happiness is homemade.

This super pink moon is the most intense of the year. Scorpio calls fourth all that needs transformation. Utilizing this energy gives us a chance to experience rebirth even as we continue in this earthly life.

19 years ago today, Bob and I were graduating our first group our yoga teacher who we trained together. The local priest came to give his blessing, and married us, as well. Today we transform that energy into celebration. Who we were is no longer. We’ve been reborn repeatedly into This we have now.

What calls for transformation in your life today? How can you make use of this intensity toward that desire? Ki to Happiness lets go of the 19 years into the present moment.

In our urban living workspace, we have only north facing windows. In our former location, I learned to work with a micro climates of gardens on all sides of our entire building. Moving here nearly 9 years ago, it seemed that all of those lessons mattered not.

The Covid has kept me in long enough, that I am digging deeply into all of my resources. With donated dirt, and seeds with second hand containers from Goodwill, there’s enough reflect light from our neighbor’s windows to grow! Squash sprouts reveal the life that silently waited inside the seed.

What resources are you digging deeply into? What life awaits inside your seeds? Ki to Happiness delights with each sprout.

Fresh rains have fallen in the night. All is washed clean. I love how the trees, the concrete, the cars as well as the people walking about all get wet. Like the sun, the rain finds its way to all sides of the mountain. In right timing , the elements express themselves indiscriminately.

If only we could love like this. Freely giving all of our heart, our truest attention, to all things, we shine like the sun. We cleanse the earth and all it’s material like the rain.

Can you let your love flow like the rain? Or let your love shine like the sun? Ki to Happiness loves.

Lately my personal issues which I have referred to as a hangnail have required some conscious resting. This allows my body to integrate the efforts towards correction. I’ve invited gentleness and natural processes to bring me through to wholeness again.

It’s working. I’m feeling better. Stronger. Clearer. My practices sustain me through every “hangnail“. They are also stronger and clearer. This is what I have to offer others.

Are you able to consciously rest when needed? Do you keep your practices going? Ki to Happiness encourages conscious resting and consistent practices.

On this 51st anniversary of our national celebration of the earth, I take delight in the few seeds I planted in my apartment garden. I can’t see them germinating yet. I mist them. I make sure they are in the right conditions with a good temperature and enough light and water.

This waiting is a spiritual practice. It reminds me of all the years spent as a yoga instructor and psychotherapist. Planting seeds, offering supportive conditions, and waiting patiently with faith for the unseen to become manifest. I’m sure my Higher Self feels the same way about me.

How will you celebrate Earth Day? What are you waiting for? Ki to Happiness waits for What Waits for us to awaken.

Due to a couple of cancellations yesterday, I had surprising time unscheduled. I enjoyed putzing about in my home and work environment. Cleaning, organizing, rearranging for the warmer seasons, and planting my urban garden all gave me sensory delight.

Meanwhile, in Minnesota, they got it right. Having offered my prayers up every time I’ve been exposed to the terrible last 9+ minutes of George Floyd‘s life, I surrendered into the justice system. I am relieved that we still have one and parts of it still work.

What do you do when you surprisingly have spare time? Can you open up to the magic of simply enjoying your life? Ki to Happiness is more able to do so as a measure of Justice is upon our land.