Author: Ki McGraw

In anticipation of our relocation we have been sorting through our lifetimes’ memorabilia. I stay current with my possessions by keeping what I value, gifting what someone else might, and recycling the rest with a keen desire to avoid adding to the already full landfills. During my years living on islands (in Canada, Hawaii, Guam and Bali) I adopted the philosophy that if each person were to be buried with their leftover stuff we’d all cut back on waste.

Witnessing my husband’s slow thorough process, I applaud. He is signaling to the Universe his willingness to let go of his attachments and move forward, sniffing out the trail of Divine Will along the way. Like me, he is sorting out his life, one scrap at a time.

How much of your stuff would you want to be buried with? Are you willing to let go of your attachments in time to sort out the best usage of your stuff that you don’t want to be buried with? Ki to Happiness sorts while embodying the old adage “All is well that ends well.”

We practice rituals of integrating body-mind -spirit with yoga. Early morning sets the day with rhythms we establish during the first 45 minutes of awakening. The quiet coolness of predawn is optimal, when most others are sleeping.

The more deeply ingrained through repetition, these ritualized practices are more readily available any time there is a spontaneous need. Like learning a foreign language, we study so we can communicate when the need arises. We become fluent with both ritual and spontaneous efforts.

When are you willing to habitually practice? What circumstances require spontaneous usage of your practices? Ki to Happiness gets up early with the birds to sing in the day and returns to her hearts song anytime there is need.

We watched a panel debate about some of the many issues presently plaguing the planet. At first one person spoke from his perspective, then another from what may have been considered the opposite perspective. I heard a third voice in me connecting their differences with a broader understanding.

I was not alone in the awareness of the continuum of nuance, variables and definitions through which the debate could be settled. Another panelist expressed an inclusive perspective, a totality from which issues can be creatively resolved with cooperation. This aligned with my knowledge that we live not in a black and white world, but one prismatic possibility.

How comfortable are you with nuance? Can you allow space in your belief system to consider variables and re-definitions? Ki to Happiness sees the rainbow and shades of grey in the Light.

In the seven months since Bob’s stroke, our accounts with each other have taken a backseat to other priorities. I balanced our exchange in February and let receipts pile up since. Now that he is 98% recovered and I’ve returned from my family trip, I turned my attention to the pile.

Accounting focuses on the details of life. These details contain the traces of efforts and energies expended. Now that these things are settled, our energies are freed up for fresh efforts.

What accounts do you need to settle? What fresh start will benefit? Ki to Happiness begins again and again, recommitting to all that supports Hatha Yoga practice, our Center and HYC community.

I have returned to Seattle. Reading my travel book and writing some revisions for my manuscript kept me focused during our long delay. Instead of becoming frustrated, impatient, or annoyed, I attended to words.

The mechanical delay allowed a dozen or so late travelers to board. I saw the stress on their faces begin to soften as they found their way to seats. They also needed to travel so our delay served them, my unknown brothers and sisters.

What keeps your attention focused when you are inconvenienced? Can you see that sometimes your inconvenience may serve others? Ki to Happiness shares the joy of the word Home with all fellow travelers.

Celebrating Independence Day with my family, we each did our own thing a bit. I conducted a private session and taught class online as my mom filled out a rental application with my husband and our lawyer. Dad sat outside enjoying the view of the Illinois River with his dutiful caregiver.

We all came together for a moment of silence regarding another days’s mass shooting. Highland park Illinois will never be the same safe, clean, upscale suburb that it has been for decades. We sat out on the porch and enjoyed our safe clean upscale rural home, lighting sparklers together in gratitude for our simple pleasure.

How did you observe the holiday yesterday? Could you sparkle at all? Ki to Happiness sparkles plenty with simple pleasures independently enjoyed and moments of silence and togetherness.

Independence requires great responsibility. I celebrate my independence daily by taking good care of myself. I celebrate your independence as you take care of yourself.

Then when we meet, on the street or in a class or a private session we can compare notes on how it’s going so we can best support one another. Interdependence acknowledges that we need each other’s support, help and attention. We each are responsible for our participation in everything including our interactions.

What do you need to take care of yourself today? How can you best support others with whom you interact today? Ki to Happiness celebrates her Independence and Interdependence responsibility.

Lounging on the grass in the sun with my folks, I read about Walt Wittman in Lewis Hyde’s book, The Gift. Doing so heightened my appreciation of each leaf of grass as WW’s enthusiasm is contagious. I was born in the “show me”state of Missouri, so I am a natural empiricist, but never realized I was also an Enthusiast.

My body has been the instrument of my awakening into higher consciousness, like WW. When I practice yogasana, I open my body to that higher consciousness. I think of this as my Higher Self reclaiming the Real Estate of my form, so that this embodiment guides me.

Have you experienced Higher Consciousness? If not in your body, then where? Ki to Happiness practices embodiment of her Higher Self on the broad path of yoga which has space enough for all others to do the same, uniquely in each person’s own way.

My trip begins to turn homeward. I left my alma mater and drove down memory lane past my old house, my first office, and campus town. As we prepare for relocating, I look at the inexpensive and safe options near my family of origin.

Then I heard from Bob the good news. He has a foot in the door of a potential spot for us back in Seattle. While not perfect, perhaps it provides greater safety at less expense than our present circumstance.

Can you celebrate the small steps? Are you able to detach from outcome and celebrate progress? Ki to Happiness loves having a foot in the door whether the rest enters or not.

As my travels begin to turn homeward, I am reflecting on attraction and repulsion. As if I am magnetically drawn, I follow after that which attracts me. Equally, I am repulsed by some people/things/places like a magnet, repelled by an invisible force.

Instead of resisting these natural forces, I am witnessing them while revisiting old friend, teachers and mentors at my Alma Mater. In this process, I observe my growth and change without judgement of others. Honoring the information I’ve gleaned, I pack my bags for further integration on the road ahead.

How aware you of magnetism? Are you able to witness this natural force and let it move you accordingly? Ki to Happiness magnetically draws abundant love, peace, joy, health and light.