Author: Ki McGraw

Today’s full moon arrives on St. Anthony of the Desert’s day. Years ago I learned to petition him for assistance with a particular malady. I committed to fast on his day annually in order to receive his assistance.

At first my need was urgent. I wanted an immediate cure. Instead, slowly the problem subsided. In the light of this full moon, I’m reflecting on how it’s been over two years since I’ve had any symptoms of what once was called incurable.

What are you reflecting on in this full moon? How comfortable are you with the timing of the miracles in your life? Ki to Happiness fasts and slows into Right Timing.

MLK day is upon us. He marched in Seattle in 1961. The path he walked is a pilgrimage available to all. I danced to the song that was written just after his assassination. It plays on in my memory, reminding me to keep my dreams alive.

He was not a Yogi or a monk yet he inspires us to hold our heads high and keep walking toward freedom. His humble eloquence moves our spirits to join with him. We share his dream and are inspired to walk in his stead.

How will you observe MLK day? What will help keep your dreams of freedom alive? Ki to Happiness remembers the Dream.

Astrology empowers us with information about unseen influences. Mercury is the planet who’s influence effects our communication and transportation. Presently it appears to be going backward, as it does three times each year.

Despite it being a new year, it is time to take a step back and look at issues around transportation and communication. Mercury retrograde encourages us to reflect, refine, and revise. It may feel a bit like one step forward and two steps backward. Don’t take it personally.

What do you need to redo? Reflecting on what the holidays brought up, how can you revise your plans for 2022 regarding transportation and communication? Ki to Happiness dances with one step forward and two steps back.

In my first post graduate training, I learned the single most valuable tool in psychotherapy is witnessing. We listen to others and facilitate their process as we witness the effects their stories. Over time with repetition, clients may learn to do the same for themselves.

As we strengthen our ability to witness, we become aware that there’s been a witness state of consciousness present all along. Identifying with this state becomes preferable. Detaching from identifying with our stories opens us to the possibility of realigning with the constancy of the Witness within. This benefits both therapist and client.

Who has witnessed your struggles? What issues need someone’s active witnessing? Ki to Happiness cherishes the Witness of All.

As a kid, my stepdad got up at o-dark -30 to go hunting during season. I think of him often in the wee hours as I am up in my practice. I am hunting that which feeds my soul.

With my window open last night, cool moist air entered my room. I slept in — all the way until 420. I revel in the slow turning in my life ever toward the One. Perhaps It has been hunting me.

What feeds your soul? Are you willing to get up early to hunt for it? Ki to Happiness hunts what hunts us.

In the popular culture, yoga is often associated with the physical postures called asanas. When we put our body in different shapes, we experience different challenges. Strength, flexibility, balance and breath are required in order to withstand the flow of inborn spiritual energy.

Facing these challenges on a regular basis helps us develop these abilities. We grow confident in our strength, flexibility, balance and breath as we align with Spirit. We stop posturing, in favor of being authentic.

Which abilities are you lacking? What postures might help you develop them? Ki to Happiness keeps practicing to align with Spirit through all challenges.

Bypassing the convention of homeless junkies on our corner, I kept chanting as I walked. My song blended well with their jams, keeping rhythm with their beat. Soon I was deep in the woods, cloaked by mist, surrounded by trees.

I made it to my sacred spot. The earth seemed to have shifted since my last time there. Tree limbs were down exposing the sky as if I walked into it, not the woods. I sat in the mystery of change, loving what I could.

When we’re you last in your sacred spot? Has it changed or have you, or maybe both? Ki to Happiness loves the mist and the mystery.

During my quiet dark practice this morning my three cats suddenly got very excited. I followed them to see unusual life here in our urban setting. An insect crawled along the inside of our neighbor’s suite. Then a 3 legged raccoon dashed down 47th toward us and kept going.

Like my cats, I appreciate the other lifeforms. They all remind me I’m of the earth. Taking the metaphoric medicine they offer, I’ll be exploring the other side of windows and dashing about on my intact hind legs today, grateful to share my existence with cats, raccoons, insects and you, dear reader.

What lifeforms do you share your life with? What medicine do they offer? Ki to Happiness takes her medicine.

I arrived late to the social media party. I resisted the hype as a non-digital native. Then about 10 years ago it became clear that if I didn’t participate, Hatha Yoga Center would fail.

In my commitment to continuing to offer tradition unbranded yoga, I joined the basic platforms and began interacting with this unfamiliar realm. Like you, I’ve had mixed experiences. Overall, I have been amazed by the magical strangers and soul tribe here, even as the hackers and scammers attempt to pollute the potential.

How has your experience been on social media? Are you finding overall the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? Ki to Happiness has extended her yoga practice to include participating in today’s world this way.

A few years back I was facing what seemed to be a hopeless circumstance. I started feeling that hope was another of the deadly sins. I had a desire to face reality head on, without the luxury of hope, which can turn into denial, fantasy, or delusion.

As a triple Aquarian, hope had been my heartbeat. Like Pandora and her box, no matter how stinky the contents, I kept looking for light underneath the gadflies and rot. In hopelessness, I turned my attention away from searching for light and instead emptied the box. As if light were seeded in the box itself, recently it’s started Glowing.

What is your relationship to hope? How have you dealt with times of hopelessness? Ki to Happiness hopes your hopelessness disappears in the Glowing.