Author: Ki McGraw

Amongst the valentines and anniversary wishes, many strong and loving gal pals reached out. One brought heartbreaking news. Now we are even more open with one another.

In my yoga practice I have found a tremendous open space in my heart from each heartbreak. I easily bend over backwards. I’m sure today’s backbends will be deeper and freer with more room for loving.

How times has your heart broken? Can you count each as a blessing? Ki to Happiness has been very blessed with many heartbreaks, resulting in much compassion and understanding to share.

My husband and I celebrate our first date today, 22 years ago. We met as professionals and enjoyed a collegial relationship for years before. Ours has not been a coupling based on romance or attraction, but instead one based on shared values and practices.

We found mutual support in one another for the service we provide. Overtime and with repeated experiences, we found we could be good neighbors, travel companions, and good partners in yoga, yoga teaching, and training others to be teachers. That we both love cats, vegan food, and our Jai has made a family out of our foundation.

What love can you celebrate today? How solid is its foundation? Ki to Happiness celebrates the love of All that is.

Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day. Those of us who are in joyous coupling might enjoy flowers and candies while the rest of us wait for the day to pass. Since I first gave valentines to friends in grade school, I always feel the simple innocence of expressing my love for my friends.

When our sweet hearts join, distance and differences disappear. Connecting my fondness to yours supports our bond. Romances ebb and flow, yet the constancy of friendship sees me through all of life’s ups and downs.

How is your sweet heart? What will you do with all that love inside you? Ki to Happiness shares her love with all sweethearts everyday.

I was working on my manuscript yesterday. I had a challenging passage to revise. Just before I committed my hand written composition to the digital file I received a text from a dear client.

Her text told a story similar to mine. Her courage to share emboldened my voice. Our stories are One; the times, places and players are many. I write for me, for her, for us, for all.

Are you experiencing synchronicities in your life? Can that emboldened your path? Ki to Happiness doesn’t walk alone, but with all others toward the One.

I had an acupuncture session yesterday to help move some energy. The placement of the needles was a bit different based on my pulses. About halfway through the hour long session, some deep sludge dislodged.

Discomfort manifested as tension, fear, pain, and bellyache. It required quiet time and rest. After an early bed and yoga practices, the energy has moved on.

What movement does your energy need? How can you support that most directly?Ki to Happiness supports e-motion.

In the midst of teaching classes and conducting private sessions, our 29-year-old dropped in. Two months have passed since he attended to his dad’s needs after his stroke. As we sipped our favorite tea he was able to say how overwhelmed he was through the process.

I cherish his ability to speak the truth now that the crisis has passed. Giving name to overwhelming situations indicates growth from speechless shock to some degree of healing. We are all healing together.

What do you need to name? Can you give voice to that which needs healing? Ki to Happiness will listen.

Death becomes my companion as another dear friend has passed away. I’m grateful for the yoga practices that have allowed my soul the kindness of daily preparation. Still, I cried, wore black, cut my hair, and reached out to those in our network to inform and commiserate.

What I had not prepared for is the shift in perspective which has occurred since my friend and colleague departed the physical plane. I rested after processing the first waves of grief into an immense joyous remembrance of all the good times. This joy replaces all else, nothing else remains but this final gift from my friend.

Have you experienced this shift in consciousness following the death of a beloved? How does it effect your relationship with those still living? Ki to Happiness thanks her friend for this final gift.

In seventh grade my family moved from St. Louis far away into the middle of nowhere. Being the new kid on the block again, I felt alone, isolated, and missed my familiars. Then I met Karen.

We played softball together, started riding bikes the mile between our houses and learned we were born a couple of weeks apart. We survived high school together, then went our separate ways only to reunite decades later. The pandemic separated us again again only to reconnect over our shared loss of a good friend, and for birthdays.

Who have you become separated from during this time that you can reach out to? On what level can you reconnect? Ki to Happiness reconnects through the innocence of friendship.

Hatha Yoga Center‘s Sunday morning classes have been ongoing since 1977. Many in our community have ritually participated in their own version of church. Two months post stroke, Bob found the stamina to resume teaching both classes, if partially and with my supportive demonstrations.

Witnessing his process reminds me to pace myself. He’s needed to respect energy flow ever more sensitivity to avoid falling. I’m learning from his process so perhaps I can avoid those consequences as well as others from our life choices.

How sensitive are you to your energy flow? What life choices need to change to court consequences you are wanting? Ki to Happiness builds stamina in learning from other’s processes.

The revisions required in my manuscript became a huge insurmountable task. Feeling overwhelmed, I started breaking down the task into 20 little tasks related to 7 pages of my coaches comments. I reduced those into 3 sections, with breaks and treats between.

That was the first step up this mountain. The second step addressed the first comment. At the third step, I feel the lift from the first two. Before I knew it I climbed to the top.

What mountain are you climbing? Can you break it down into little steps? Ki to Happiness is enjoying the view.