Author: Ki McGraw

Leaving mom‘s birthday celebration trip, she handed me the key fob to her car. She asked me to drive in the rainstorm 3 hours back home. I agreed to, despite my unfamiliarity with her car, having never been behind the wheel of any of her vehicles.

Rain monsooned down on us, with strong winds threatening to blow us into the semi trucks as we hydroplaned around construction. I worked with my breath through the storm, prolonging my exhalation with each breath until we returned. After we parked, I took an immediate walk in the woods to get the tension and trauma out of my body.

What helps you face the storms in your life? Can you release trauma and tension or do you hold on to it? Ki to Happiness releases tension with yogic breathing and walking.

As we set out on this spontaneous birthday trip for Mom, we noticed she needed attention for her fingernails. Girlfriend Anita dashed out to get polish remover and a fresh color. When she returned with the supplies, mom’s assistant Kelsie took one of her hands and I took the other as we got to work.

Mom sat back reveling in the attention. Then the pampered miss drove us all the way to our hometown, smiling at her new pale pink polish. She loved it and everything else as she ate her birthday cake at the end of an adventurous and memorable celebration in the home of our dear family friends.

What pampering would you love? Can you give it to your elders? Ki to Happiness gives and in doing so also receives.

Seeing Mom light up at the prospect of taking a road trip, we pivoted toward making it happen.  She hasn’t been back to our hometown since Dad’s decline began to take priority over ten years ago. My girlfriend goes with us and another girlfriend and husband will join us for dinner.

When dad passed away, Mom thought it might take her about five years before she’d be ready to take a road trip. A year and a half later, she is already ready. Her memories will be stimulated as we make new ones celebrating her birthday. 

How readily can you change plans? Can you pivot toward delight? Ki to Happiness makes new memories.

My brother and I had just arrived at our Mother’s home for her birthday celebration. Our flowers and balloons were received with joy and gratitude. We sat visiting about the trip and had our pizza dinner then Mom turned on the news.

We witnessed the live assassination attempt on the former President immediately, before mom could change the channel. For the next hour, multiple reactions rippled through the crowd, the reports, and our small family. Overall, I respond with a call for peace in myself and extend it outward to my sphere of influence. 

How did you react to the news? Could you find your way to your peaceful heart? Ki to Happiness moves through multiple reactions to respond with peace.

After two nights at my girlfriend’s sweet home, I will depart for my mom’s celebration. My brother joined us for dinner last night and he’ll drive us today from St.Louis 3 hours to East Central Illinois. The familiar route is a pilgrimage through my history.

Completing the first leg of this journey, I feel tremendous gratitude. I had an hour and a half yesterday that actually felt like vacation, wearing my bikini out in the sun and playing in the water at the local community center. It reminds me of all of my time swimming and having fun in the sun.

What activities make you feel like you are on vacation? What childhood fun stays with you in your adulthood? Ki to Happiness’ love of yoga and swimming stay with her in all legs of life’s journey.

While I am on my way to celebrate my mother‘s birthday, I appreciate all the other travelers. Summer trips, family vacations, reunions all call us out from our comfortable habits. We give that up for the adventure.

I bring my most comfortable habits with me. Eating healthy, vegan snacks from home, watching uplifting funny movies on flight, and keeping to my yoga practices enable me to enjoy the journey. I also appreciate those non-travelers who enable me to take this trip: my husband, my friends who dropped me off and picked me up, those teachers covering my classes, my clients who adjusted their schedules to accommodate me, and my mom for having another birthday.

Are you traveling this summer? Who takes care of things for you to have the freedom to travel? Ki to Happiness travels lightly with gratitude for all that brings me Here Now.

Our record-breaking heat wave has subsided.  With more comfortable temperatures, it’s easier to make better choices about where to place one’s attention. Cooler heads focus on gratitude, diplomacy and integrity. 

When we are in the heat of the moment, we are more likely to be reactive instead of responsive. Walking away from conflict, taking time and space to consult one’s Higher Self empower consciousness. Taking the high road can give a better view of circumstances. 

Can you take time and space when things get too heated? What helps you chill so you can see your best choice of action? Ki to Happiness chills with Hatha Yoga.

Last night students were talking about how some classes are hard, as either others are easy. We learn through the Yoga Sutra, that the “the posture is to be firm and soft.” This refers to the seated position in meditation, for which all asana prepares us.

It all depends upon the practitioner. Some of us need to get stronger enough to have a firm meditation position, which means practice can be hard.  Others need to stretch and soften which may make practice seem easy.  Overall, we are looking for balance between these principles “to set our hearts on what is Everlasting” in meditation as the Sutras say.

Do you need to strengthen or stretch? Which practices will help you balance these principles so you can meditate on the Everlasting? Ki to Happiness stretches, strengthens and sets her heart on the Everlasting.

My appointment with our neighboring naturopath and Ayurvedic physician occurred during record breaking heat.  It’s taken me six weeks to get in to see him, and I felt excited and apprehensive.  Warm medicated oil treatment on a hot day sounded counterintuitive. 

With his careful attention to every detail, the treatment facilitated significant realignment of my body, integrating my left wrist after its healing these past 6months with the rest of my totality. It gave my 9year old a chance to integrate her experience of my first wrist injury with this method of healing. Overall, my chiropractor, acupuncturist together with my new MD/ND are facilitating wholeness on many levels.

Are you open to diverse methods of healing? When treatments seem counterintuitive, do you yourself to experiment with them? Ki to Happiness opens to all forms of healing and allows others to help.



In the cool of morning, yoga practices refresh and awaken me. Later on when I’m teaching, it will be hot enough to warrant the use of the cooling breath.  During deep winter, we utilize the fire bellows breathing. 

Adapting and adjusting our practices to the presence circumstances empowers us daily to be flexible not just in the hamstrings. Yoga offers tools for every situation.  While mouth breathing is generally ill advised, doing so consciously with the tongue either behind the teeth or rolled into a straw will allow cooler heads to prevail.

Which yoga practices appeal to you in the heat? Which do you select in the cold? Ki to Happiness chooses practices to balance and harmonize with the ever changing present reality.