Author: Ki McGraw

I taught yesterday for the first time without my wrist wrapped. I removed the kinesiology tape in my bath and cleaned the area well from any remaining adhesive. With out any swelling, I felt confident that I could proceed cautiously without retaping.

My healing has been slow, one step at a time. This step felt natural and undramatic. This morning, there is no negative consequence so I will continue, unwrapped.

Can you take all the time you need for healing? Are you willing to proceed cautiously as you experiment? Ki to Happiness takes time and experiments. 

Around here, we call this new month Junuary. This day dawns cool and moist. Birds chirp their warning that a raccoon is on the hunt. 

The cats are riveted to the scene, disinterested in their breakfast. Threats take away appetite. My appetite continues as I am safe from raccoons and other threats, so I stay the course of my practices.

What takes away your appetite? Can you find your way to safety? Ki to Happiness remains safe enough to practice, with a healthy appetite for peace.

This morning, part of our country will be satisfied about the news while another part will not. The division between may widen. The Bill of Rights and the Constitution assert that no one is above the law, and with the finding that 34 laws have been broken, there will be justice.

No matter the results of the appeal process which will ensue, we have a pause to reflect. As a yogi and holistic counselor, I reflect on Union and healing for just us, the citizens of our country. My prayer is that this news will bring us closer to “liberty and justice for all”.

How has the news affected you? Can you see it as part of our healing process toward Union? Ki to Happiness prays for just us, the citizens of the USA to put aside differences and align with our similarities.

Students commented on the smell of something good cooking. I told them it was mung bean kitcharee, one of our favorites. I got the particular recipe years ago from an old friend who needed the Ayurvedic food as medicine for her healing.

Its warm nutrition is comforting on these chili spring days. I seasoned it with seven spices for seven tissues called vagar. Fennel, turmeric, ginger,fenugreek, cumin, mustard and sesame seeds are all mingled within me now, tending to all my bones, muscles, blood, nerves, brain, organs and interstitial material.

Do you cook for yourself and others? What food is your medicine? Ki to Happiness cooks nutritious food to share the bounty of the Earth’s abundance as medicine for soul and body.

I continue to receive treatment from my chiropractor to support my wrist’s healing. In doing so, we’ve also been re-aligning my spine, letting go of the many months of compensation for the wrist injury. He doubted whether my structure would change much.

During our session yesterday, he was amazed. Not only has my structure changed, but it’s done so in a very short amount of time. We both view the miracle as encouragement for ongoing healing. I share the miracle with you here to encourage your own.

What do you need to heal? How can you support and encourage the miracle? Ki to Happiness knows no one heals alone.

Yesterday‘s Memorial Day class included students from my first days here as well as brand new attendees. As we checked in, some shared soft tears of the many memories as we set our intentions. When class ended, new students had wet eyes of joy over their time practicing with us.

Everyone stayed and socialized a bit afterward as I served some tea and treats. I observed their connecting like observing cross fertilization, keeping our community alive and thriving. Old or new or somewhere in between, we all appreciate the practice, the Hatha Yoga Center community and our time together.

What brings tears of joy to your eyes? What practices sustain your grateful heart? Ki to Happiness smiles through wet eyes.

In addition to our celebrating 22 years of marriage, I am personally celebrating moving to Seattle 25 years ago. I returned to live on the mainland after nearly a decade in the tropics. My motivation included wanting to have closer proximity to my family of origin as well as teaching our yoga teacher training program.

I had no idea I would marry Bob Smith three years later. Along with my our wedding anniversary, I’m also having my own private reflection on this quarter century here. Despite all the crime and the high cost, I’m so glad I came. 

What motivated you to live and work where you do? How has that worked out for you? Ki to Happiness loves living and working with Hatha Yoga Center.

One of our community members said long ago about her 50 year marriage that she’d been married to several different men in that time. Those words put into perspective some of the changes we’ve been through in our marriage. Staying committed to marriage is a choice I make daily, as both my husband and I change.

We celebrate our ability to support one another through 22 years. We thank our community for its role in our commitment. We choose each other and our practices again and again.,

What have you continued to choose for 22 years? What helps you keep your commitments? Ki to Happiness chooses to stay committed to that which supports Highest values. 

This morning, a Siamese cat came to visit us again. All three of our indoor cats responded differently to the previous visitation.  Today, when the Siamese aggressed, jumping at our screen, our 3 again showed different reactions to that behavior. 

I was in the middle of my practices when I yelped out at the aggression.  My challenge was to see how quickly I could recover from the alarm. In doing so, I witnessed my cats’ very different approaches to recovery.

How do you recover? Do you fight, flee or collapse? Ki to Happiness recovers quickly and resumes the ability to socially interact.

During this three day window of the Flower Moon, I’ve been celebrating with flowers inside our space as well as outside on our deck. Some of the flowers from Mother’s Day, I have converted into flower bowls, like I learned to do in Bali. I showed my students yesterday, and one of them was inspired to do the same for her home. 

She sent me a picture of her flowers, floating in a bowl. It brought me a great joy to see my humble offering inspiring the same in another. Soon we will have even more flowers for our upcoming anniversary. 

How is this Flower Moon treating you? Can you offer some flowers to it, for all the beauty this time of years graces our lives with? Ki to Happiness is inspired by flowers and inspires others with flowers.