Author: Ki McGraw

Today’s full moon gives us a report card of how well we have stayed true to our intentions which were set a couple of weeks ago. If we didn’t consciously set intentions, we might be surprised at what comes back to us today. If we did, we might find the magic manifesting in our lives.

So far, my morning has been magical. My practices bring me into my heart of hearts. There I find unconditional love and willingness to serve another day.

How magical is your morning? In receiving today’s full moon report card, what is the feedback you are receiving? Ki to Happiness wishes you all the magic that comes from setting intentions and staying true to them.

As my girlfriend tends to her hospitalized mother, I reflect on the benefit of yoga for all ages.  At age 94, she fell down and wasn’t found for 24+ hours. She’s rehabbing now, relearning how to stand up from a seated position. 

My mother works on her strength and balance so that she can continue to live alone at home unassisted. With her physical therapist, she is improving.  In our classes, we always work toward independent living throughout the lifespan, in these most rudimentary ways.

If you fell down, could you get back up? From a seated position, are you able to simply stand back on your own 2 feet without assistance? Ki to Happiness keeps her strength and balance as she grows into her elder years with Hatha Yoga.

I heard from one of my best girlfriends today that she has resumed her artwork. I’m thrilled for her to activate that part of her brain again. She spent a long time using all the other parts.

It’s so important that we creatively express ourselves as well as navigate our world rationally.  As we utilize both hemispheres of the brain, we thicken the connection between the two in the corpus callosum. Hatha Yoga practice also helps with practices of body mind spirit integration.

How rational are you? Do you allow yourself time to be creative? Ki to Happiness strengthens the internal connections between both faculties through Hatha Yoga.

I begin this new week uplifted from our weekend. Having a little time off gave me a chance to prepare for the week even though we had a date to see Vocal Point. The performance demonstrated the growth and development attained by the artists’ hard work.

We returned to a full pot of vegan pho for dinner. I put away my concert attire in my freshly weeded and organized closet. We got to bed early enough to start this day before dawn in gratitude for our many blessings.

What invigorates and inspires you? Can you use that upliftment to infuse your life? Ki to Happiness is ready for another Monday, still humming from the concert.

Today we will accompany one of our community members to his son’s final concert with Vocal Point. I’ve known this young man since before he was born. I celebrate witnessing his growth and development as he prepares to graduate from high school.

I do so championing my own voice. I’ll use it to cheer him on, to sing with the audience when we are to participate and to congratulate him when it’s over.  College may insist he use his voice for other purposes during the next four years.

How do you use your voice? Can you use it to encourage someone else to use theirs? Ki to Happiness uses her voice to encourage others to use theirs.

As we get closer to Junuary, the cool rains return. I awakened hearing its gentle patter on our deck. I’m glad our flowers are getting a drink without needing me to water so the junco’s nest is undisturbed.

The cats and I get in our positions during morning yoga practice as we enjoy the fresh air with windows open. We listen to the sounds of the morning as they frame the still silence. Soon my solo chanting will be joined by the students arriving as we set our intentions.

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How does the cool rain serve your practice? What remains consistent in your life as the weather and many other things change? Ki to Happiness practices daily in all kinds of weather with the constancy of changing circumstances.

I’m aware of many circumstances that quiet my voice. Other people’s opinions of what I say, how I write, or speak can threaten my expression. With practice, I allow myself to share my voice anyway.

The ink in my pen continues to flow, if for myself alone. Sometimes I sing to my cats. I blog as a way to let the world know that I am here, continuing to offer my essence to the world, anyway.

What quiets your voice? What keeps you from being silenced? Ki to Happiness sings, writes and speaks in a quiet voice rather than be silenced.

In the springtime warmth, insects are flying around with the birds on our deck. Inspired, I attempted the insect posture for this first time since my wrist injury. To my delight, I found my own wings and took flight. 

That encouraged me to pick up my guitar to find greater strength and agility than my effort last week. My body is healing itself with all the right support, reconnecting broken and fractured parts. Mending torn and strained tissues, soon I’ll be better than ever having grown through the process.

What support do you need to support your healing? Can you take the time to witness the miracle of slow steady mending? Ki to Happiness shares the joy of reconnecting body, mind, and spirit.

As Bob went golfing with Jai yesterday, I had some free time to myself. In between doing private sessions and teaching classes, I snuck in some time with my girlfriends. I took a nice walk with one as we caught up, and spoke on the phone to two others.

One has been in my life since my teenage years, as another got me started teaching yoga regularly.  The third is a new friend with whom we shared immediate connection.  New or old, silver or gold, these friends represent the flowers in the garden of life.

Who are your friends? How do they enhance the garden of your life? Ki to Happiness showers friendships with attention and watches them grow with affection.

As a creative person, I have long embraced the old joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall. The punchline to that question of how one gets there is “practice, practice, practice ”. I apply that sentiment to everything I do.

For instance, I practice yoga, I practice teaching, I practice writing, just like I practice singing, dancing, playing guitar. In all these practices, I am becoming myself. I please myself without an audience, without applause and enjoy my expression, free from outcome.

What do you practice? How free are you from the outcome? Ki to Happiness detaches with love from every outcome.