Month: December 2025

Welcome winter! Hatha Yoga Center celebrates by honoring the old traditions of hanging evergreens, lighting candles and feasting. We prepared well and invite all to join.

We also have our new tradition of beginning to vote for the posture of the year for the new year. The last few nominations were added in classes yesterday. You are welcome to vote in person or at a distance here.

What old traditions will you honor? What new traditions have you added? Ki to Happiness honors the old and refreshes with the new.

This new moon occurs at the time of the winter solstice portal. It invites us to find the light in the darkest hour and focus on it and what we’d like to manifest. Beginning tomorrow, the light begins its return to the northern hemisphere and with it, our intentions grow.

Those who are busy preparing for holiday celebrations may do well to take a moment and pause. Releasing fears and frustrations, in a state of peaceful safety, we may find that light within to illuminate our deepest desires. Choosing to remain safe and focused, the light may shine the way forward so in 6 months we will be blessed with the manifestation our heart truly desires.

What would you love to see manifest in six months? Can you pause during the hustle and bustle of the season to align with that intention? Ki to Happiness envisions peace and prosperity for our community.

As Bob and I took our walk in between squalls, we talked about our desires regarding the upcoming holidays. We both look forward to a little time off. As if the universe heard our wishes, Bob took the night off as no students arrived on time for his class and he chose to watch the Seahawks game.

I laid down after our walk and imagined it as part of a two week retreat with all the comforts of home. 20 minutes later, I felt refreshed enough to practice yoga as I would on any personal retreat. As the game concluded, I remained on my retreat with a good book, some warm oatnog and my cats.

What are your desires for this Holiday season? Can you let yourself align with those desires now? Ki to Happiness wishes on the New Moon and the Universe grants our wishes in no time.

As I see some of the news about our general area, the atmospheric rivers have caused upheaval. Our neighbors, students and clients are all safe. We proceed with regular schedules and activities, even as others farther away have needed to evacuate, or are without power or water.

We are just outside the designated area to be on the look out for discoloration from the faucets. Feeling safe during these storms reminds me of my ability to choose peace amidst chaos. I’m grateful for all the practice my life’s challenges have offered me so I may extend this safety to those in need.

Can you find peace amidst chaos? What challenges have given you the skill to choose that peace within? Ki to Happiness extends peace and safety from within to those without.

Students arrived last night in the epic downpour. Grateful for power and yoga practice, we began as usual with sun salutations, and then shifted into a flow which I have called salutation to the rain. With four students, we had plenty of room to honor their desire to work with at the barre after we warmed up.

Just above the barre, I have placed several holiday decorations, including a collection of sacred bells from around the world. Inspired by the group, I suggested we each ring a bell after particular practices. It helped clear the energetic release of tension and stress prevalent at this time of atmospheric rivers and holiday preparations.

Are you familiar with the use of bells as a tool for energy clearing? How are your holiday preparations coming along? Ki to Happiness prepares for our upcoming solstice celebration on Sunday by clearing tensions and whomping up some treats!

As our neighbors to the south respond to their emergency evacuation order, we stay high and dry. Pinehurst is at a higher elevation (hurst) and the pine trees hold the land in place even by our near creek. We are grateful to still have power, with all the limbs leaving our lines alone so far.

My day begins in gratitude for these simple pleasures. Focusing on these blessing expands into awareness of many other blessings: health, cats, food, water, yoga, plumbing, and enough of all essentials. Together with Bob, we face life’s challenges from a heart illuminated by the One in All.

Do you have enough of all your essentials? Can you focus on what you have instead of what you lack? Ki to Happiness has a heart full of light, and the ability to access it since we are high and dry. 

Long ago, I studied the Lord‘s prayer in its original Aramaic language. Many translations have offered various interpretations. I practice tethering my favorite interpretations to my chakra system daily with my bathing ritual.

Yesterday I received a fresh version of it, which I listened to during my walk. It affirmed what I’ve been doing with the prayer thus far. It also broadened my appreciation of the original words and all who’ve studied them.

What do you listen deeply to?  How does it affect you? Ki to Happiness listens deeply to Higher Power as any material is presented to feel if it resonates with truth as I understand it.

One of our students who livea near by offered his laundry facilities. I took him up on the offer and did one load of towels. With fresh clean bath and kitchen towels, we’re good for a while as we wait for property management’s solution.

I’m visualizing a new stackable washer dryer unit that requires no venting. I’m praying it is installed by 12/25. I’m not sure Santa’s sleigh can deliver, but I’m still a believer in the magic of Christmas.

Do you believe in the magic of Christmas? What would you like to visualize? Ki to Happiness imagines a world of peace and goodwill, and a laundry that brings comfort and joy.

With a break in the storm systems, I could hang our holiday lights up outdoors. I decorated them with some birdseed ornaments to attract our feathered friends. We all love looking out the window to all the different species that grace our space.

The woman who cleans for us weekly made me step back and take a look. She pronounced our whole space, inside and out, beautiful. The lights, ornaments, boughs, bows, the red area rugs all together invite festivities throughout the season.

What lights you up? How do you participate in this season of light? Ki to Happiness lights the lamp in her heart with each yoga practice to shine the way through darkness.

Finally, our property management sent around the maintenance worker yesterday. It’s been two weeks since the washing machine broke while it was full of Thanksgiving laundry. It looks like we are likely to get a replacement for Christmas.

During this month without such convenient facilities, I have resorted to laundry fasting.  Turning my pajamas inside out, washing undergarments by hand, and otherwise reducing my needs has helped me in the past. I’m grateful for all I’ve learned while traveling, living on the skinny, and otherwise being resourceful.

What skills have you learned under duress that come in handy? How resourceful are you? Ki to Happiness has learned that everything we experience is useful.