Author: Ki McGraw

Today, the planet of karma, Saturn, enters the sign of Aries. This begins karma’s next 30 year cycle built upon our efforts of the last 30 years.

With it, we have reason to reflect on what we’ve been up to for the last 30 years. Our efforts towards becoming more conscious, compassionate, healthy and holy are about to be rewarded. Any efforts to shirk personal responsibility will also be made visible.

Do you recognize “ what goes around, comes around”?  Can you take responsibility for “reaping what you have sown”? Ki to Happiness looks forward to karma’s rewards.

This weekend we honor those who have given their lives to protect our freedom. Taking their sacrifice to heart, we each do well to express our gratitude and exercise our freedoms. As we do so, we respect the rights of others to also do so in their own way.

With tolerance and respect, we harmonize with others who have different beliefs and practices. Our city celebrates with the Folk Life Festival, in which music and dance from around the world is performed in a peaceful, all inclusive outdoor venue. The diversity comes from our willingness to coexist with each other in a mutually beneficial way.

What freedom would you like to exercise? Can you do so in honor of those who have fallen in service to protect your rights? Ki to Happiness expresses her right to free speech as well as her right to assemble through offering Hatha Yoga. 

I learned a long time ago that spiritual progress isn’t about sitting in enlightenment. Contributing to the world we live in brings plenty of material for us to grow through. In particular, it is stated that we demonstrate our spiritual growth most by our ability to control our anger.

That doesn’t mean to suppress or deny it. Instead it means to make use of that emotional energy in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone. Taking a walk, drinking water, and channeling the energy into productive problem solving is much more fruitful and beneficial.

What do you do with your anger? How can you best utilize its’ energy? Ki to Happiness  isn’t controlled by anger, but instead has learned to control it.

Sometimes we all need a little help. Many of us resist reaching out as if we can do everything alone. We can do hard things, and still, sometimes we need others.

When we reach out, we give others a chance to be there for us. The connection becomes stronger, and we recognize that there are those we can trust. By doing so, we heal from past abandonment, disappointment or betrayal by those who have failed us.

Who do you trust for what? Can you reach out for the assistance you need? Ki to Happiness reaches out until the right assistance is found.

I heard from my mom that she lost power in yesterday‘s storm. She stayed safe with her back up generator until the power came back on. She saw that there was a tree limb on one of her lines and got the power company to remove it by following them down the street and showing them.

When I spoke with her, I felt gratitude that she is good. I know she is listening to her Higher Power, which still wants her to live out in the country by herself. Apparently it also wanted her to go after the power company workers to ensure that her earthly power was no longer threatened.

What does your Higher Power want you to do?  Can you align your earthly will with it? Ki to Happiness uses her will to follow the Higher Power.

Right before Bob‘s class last night, one of our beloved students had an epileptic seizure. We didn’t realize there had been a history of such, and did our best to support the mysterious process. We called 911, but before we got off the phone, The need had passed.

Afterward, the student stayed with us for class, letting us know that all would be well as it had occurred before without any repercussion. When class peacefully finished, we learned more about the history, and simply wished we had known before. Fortunately, a medical doctor was attending class, and he gave the clear direction forward to get financial aid and receive necessary medical attention as soon as possible.

What issues, conditions, or surgeries are you hesitant to tell someone about? Could you inform them so that they are prepared in case of emergency? Ki to Happiness always asks students about their medical history privately. 

When the Covid restrictions interfered with our yoga teacher training program, several trainees shifted into independence study with us at a distance. One by one all who persevered graduated without ceremony. Today, two of them will reunite with my morning class.

Both of these women have taught classes for HYC, substituting when necessary. They have displayed serious determination, which is called Shraddha in Sanskrit. This quality makes for the best yoga practitioner as well as an inspirational teacher.

How serious is your determination to integrate body mind and spirit? What quality inspires your practice most? Ki to Happiness  is inspired by all who are seriously determined to find Oneness.

I attended a fitness camp that offered morning yoga outdoors in the Midwest 40 years ago. On the third day, the instructor was called away for a family emergency. I approached her and told her that had been my favorite part of the camp, so she told me I should substitute for her.

I’d been introduced to yoga as a child and took some classes as well as practiced from one of the few books up to that point. I took notes on my brief meeting with her and organized my approach to covering her classes, and dove in the deep end. 40 years later, I’m still swimming in the vast ocean of hatha yoga, as a practitioner, a teacher, a trainer, and a co-director of this studio.

What deep ends have you dove into? Are you still swimming? Ki to Happiness celebrates 40 years of yoga instruction.

Family and friends in the St. Louis area just withstood a major tornado. Tracking on it from a distance, I learned that all of my near and dear ones are all OK. After seeing the pictures of massive destruction, collapsed buildings, and hearing that there are four dead, I went outside to our nearby woods.

Gentle drizzle accompanied the cool temperatures. My eyes adapted to the reality that all is well here.  I did a little happy dance and said my prayers with my body.

How grateful are you to be here and not somewhere else? Can you spare a prayer for those elsewhere going through major issues? Ki to Happiness dances in gratitude here and sends compassionate healing prayers for there.

My morning practice begins with chanting. While one part of my brain is doing that, I am able to witness the contents of another part of my brain. Issues that want attention come to light for me to attend to later, or disregard.

The process helps me organize my day, but that’s not all. It lets me know that I have two minds, so I take responsibility for choosing which of them to focus on. Acknowledging thoughts, impulses, or feelings can satisfy them without need to act on them all.

Are you willing to consciously choose the practices that align you with safety, peace, health, contentment and stability instead of stress, anxiety, fear? What helps you reconcile your two minds? Ki to Happiness chooses wisely, improving day by day, refining with yoga practices.