Author: Ki McGraw

On this day we honor the Buddha. He renounced his privileged birth to reconcile the great social divide he witnessed as he ventured out of his father’s opulent palace. His enlightenment engulfed those with and without abundant resource as he experienced the Great Beyond.

Since then, we all have the potential he attained with his buddha mind. We can all rise above I, me, and mine and beyond you, and yours into absorption in the infinite awareness of All that Is. Living from this awareness, we celebrate freedom and unification.

Have you ventured outside of your palace yet? Can you see how abundantly wealthy you are to be able to read these words? Ki to Happiness opens up to the blessings of those who have boldly paved the way for our enlightenment.

After signing the lease our property management sent in the janitors to vacuum for the first time since Covid. One of the other tenants in our building had little kids in weeks ago, and they made a mess with food crumbs, dirty shoes and confetti stars. I resisted the chore myself so as to avoid further resentment toward our landlords and instead made up it was our own galaxy.

Now that he has vacuumed up the stars, we are living in a different galaxy. In this one, Bob walks to the Cherry Blossoms on the Quad, we teach his classes together and the fresh clean foyer welcomes students and clients. Resolved to continue here with Hatha Yoga Center for 2 more years, we settle in to this galaxy.

How is your galaxy? What creative choices do you make to avoid resentment? Ki to Happiness shares her strategies with you.

Our lawyer presented us with our next lease. Despite the gouging 15% increase, we signed it. That’s the thanks we get for anchoring this commercial building all through the pandemic, despite multiple burglaries and assaults.

So what? Bob walked to the cherry blossom festival on the University of Washington quadrangle by himself without a walker or cane. It’s his first time to leave our block in four months since his stroke.

What upset do you need to release? Can you choose to focus gratefully on the progress that you have been making instead? Ki to Happiness winks as she thinks of Lease and Release on a bridge when Lease jumps off leaving only Release.

Last month has been full of scammers. Maybe you noticed. I am not good at detecting them, after all these years of breaking down judgment of others, and unifying with one another’s essential spirit.

I have a helper who I run potential scams by. She helped me discern that the yoga warrior contest was a scam, so I withdrew. I have invoked additional assistance from St. Isidore of Seville for further internet protection.

Are you good at detecting scams? Could you use a help? Ki to Happiness discerns her need for protection and assistance so as to get it on all levels.

One by one, the students come. New and old, students are joining us in their own timing as hybrid classes are becoming more attended by those brave and healthy enough to participate. With permission, we resumed partnering to the delight of those involved.

I also worked privately before and after classes with clients needing adjustment and attention. I prepared lunch in advance, so I could serve it and then exit to attend to my clients. Plenty was left over for us so we could join in after our work was done.

What kind of normal are you returning to? How prepared are you? Ki to Happiness delights in the old epic Sunday rituals at HYC with live classes, partnering, attending to clients and serving healthy vegan treats.

Those five words started singing to me as I wrapped up a gift. It won’t be long now …and everything will be all right. It kept singing as one line after another continued while I allowed it to come out of my mouth, and my hands as I moved to write it down.

Playing music, singing, and dancing saved me from a life of drudgery and enslavement. It breathed freedom under my wings and I flew toward what would keep me aloft. Chanting and Asana are my present evolution of these most basic human expressions.

What frees you? Can you allow its expression? Ki to Happiness knows it won’t be long now…

One of my daily practices includes utilizing aromatherapy. There is a scent each day recommended for offerings as well as a weekly scent which corresponds to the seasons. Working with both brings me into harmony with the forces at large and at small.

Orange oil is the scent of this first week of April. Smelling it opens us up to the inherent joy that lives in us. It’s great for kids, or anytime of the year, but especially at this time of Spring’s newness as it opens up the joy of the inner child in us all.

Have you worked with aromatherapy? Would you like to stimulate the experience of joy within? Ki to Happiness clears the old with sage then fills the void with joy through Orange oil.

Frustration and a deadline compounded as I worked on booking my next trip to visit my family. Expense, rules, limitations online, lengthy callback times all brought me to my limitation. I took a break and laid back and breathed.

For the first time since my husband’s stroke in December, he recognized in me my state and offered assistance. I asked him to hug me. Immediately he came to me and laid on top of me with all 140 pounds. As if he squeezed a smile up from my heart, joy radiated outward, engulfing my body then my mind reconnecting me to spirit.

When you are at limitation are you able to identify your needs? Can you ask for help? Ki to Happiness radiates joy now as I’m reconnected to spirit and to all others who also have needs through the web of life.

On this last day of March, we are blessed with a new moon. Letting go of the lion like beginning of the month, we may set intentions toward a peaceful and productive April. Aligning with the right supportive practices, these intentions may manifest.

Hatha Yoga Center has reopened its door while another business in our commercial building closes. Separately, another vacancy in our building is about to fill with new tenants moving into the Ballet Studio, which closed during the COVID after being here for 60 years. As activity and change swirls around us, I set my intentions for healthy and safe progress with my yoga practices.

What are your intentions for April? Can you align with them today? Ki to Happiness is grateful for the steady and temperate effort yoga recommends.

When I was in my 20s an older colleague introduced me to her family including her eldest son. I visited with him once while traveling to his city, and stayed with him for an overnight. When he sat for his meditation practice, I joined him.

From that moment on, I aspired to become a daily meditator. Experimenting with one tool and another, I am uplifted by working with several of my favorites daily for decades. Inspired by him, and other regular heroes of daily practice, I join them each morning whether they know it or not.

Who are your regular heroes? Have you told them lately how much they mean to you? Ki to Happiness wants all of you to know I appreciate your eyes on these words and the meditative moment you may allow them to stir in you.