Author: Ki McGraw

My older brother and I speak on the phone weekly. We started doing that a while ago as our stepdad‘s health begin to fail. We anticipated the need to be a stronger support system for our mom, which has worked well.

Yesterday, he was late for our call. I witnessed my mind attempting to come up with a reason for his lateness, then rested in prayer as I surrendered to whatever the truth would reveal in its own good time. When we talked, I let him know how important his brotherly love is for me for our family, and for the community I serve.

Who’s love supports you behind the scenes of your life? Can you let them know how important they are? Ki to Happiness loves her brother.

We welcome October with fresh new socks. Bob and I shopped for some at our nearby TJMax. With warmer feet we enjoyed our afternoon walk into the glorious changing foliage of our neighborhood.

Students have been wearing their socks to class. As they warm up through the practice, they take them off. Upon leaving, they are so warm, they forget their jackets but remember to smile and say thanks.

Have you got what you need to stay warm? When all your needs are met, do you remember to smile and express gratitude? Ki to Happiness is smiling, warm and grateful.

A friend of my posted an old song by the Jerry Garcia band in honor of this full moon. I hadn’t heard it in a long time and turned up the volume. Soon I was singing, dancing, and crying.

Music moves us into patterns of interacting with the world. Reconnecting to those particular old patterns brought me back through all the years since I heard it last. As my tears subsided, I kept singing and dancing.

What music makes you want to dance and sing? What better way to interact with the world? Ki to Happiness participates with the world through chosen patterns.

The energy has been building towards today’s full, super moon in Aries. It wants us to take action. This occurs during the sun sign of Libra which wants the action to be diplomatic, graceful and compassionate.

For some of us, this will feel like a contradiction, as if the energies are in conflict. The yoga practice of alternate nostril breathing brings harmony to these energies during any sun sign or the moon phase. Coming into balance between male and female, action and reception, right and left is what Hatha Yoga (meaning union between sun and moon channels) is all about.

What action wants to happen? How can you best temper that with compassionate, diplomatic grace? Ki to Happiness practices alternate nostril breathing.

“Love is something you can leave behind you when you die. It’s that powerful.”So says the John (fire) Lame Deer, elder of the Rosebud Lakotas. On dad‘s first non physical birthday I feel the truth of the statement.

I feel the love he has given me remains with me even in his physical absence. Mom says she also feels it, as she cherishes her sweet memories of him. With that love, I reach out to others who share his birthday, keeping his love alive.

What else is so powerful? What else remains even when you’ve given it away? Ki to Happiness thanks Divine Father for the synchronistic message about love today.

With this unseasonably early bomb cyclone, we hesitated to take our afternoon walk. I got suited up in my rain pants, boots and jacket. Then suddenly the clouds parted and sky cleared enough for a sun break.

We headed out into the light. Spectacular cloud formations framed the golden glowing star of our Sun. As we returned, so did the rains.

Are you able to adjust your schedule enough to get outside when the weather permits? Can you allow yourself a few moments to bask in the light when it makes its appearance? Ki to Happiness celebrates sun breaks .

The wind is bringing down the leaves already, before they change. The heavy rain weakened their stem’s hold on the branches. The streets are strewn with pine cones, wet foliage and rivulets.

It would make my dad sing Nat King Cole’s Tis Autumn, but he’s no longer with us. This would be his 98th birthday week. I’ll sing it for him and remember all the years together.

How do you remember those who are no longer with us? Can you sing their songs for them? Ki to Happiness sings and remembers.

Bob and I continue to marvel at the dry ceiling. For 10 months, anytime it rained, we would scramble to find buckets and towels to absorb the intruding wetness. Now that the decks above us have been sealed, we both experience it as anticlimactic.

Listening to the rain has already returned to being a delightful activity. We no longer need to be concerned over wet floors or steps, making it potentially hazardous to walk around inside. Yoga practice returns to safety whether wet or dry.

How easily can you let go of drama? Can you celebrate anti-climax? Ki to Happiness releases the past drama and embraces safety.

In May, when the last of the spring rains dumped on us, our ceiling leaked in 3 places. We did our very best to get property management on the job. It took them until yesterday to finish up.

The rains returned to us yesterday at about 145. A few sprinkles, and then a real downpour tested the repair. We are safe and dry inside, as it appears that their efforts occurred just in time.

Are you safe and dry inside? Have you prepared well for this seasonal shift? Ki to Happiness is relieved that we’ve gotten what we need just in time

Cool weather with a promise of rain is predicted for this first day of Fall. Perfect timing and I am in sync. As I teach this morning, we will salute this new season.

I enjoyed the last full day of summer with a spectacular bike ride. I lingered a while in the sunshine, noting the sun’s arc lower in the sky. I put away the summer weight bedding and snuggled into fresh warmer blankets at night,

Do you feel in sync with the seasonal shift? What rituals might help you let go of the beautiful summer and embrace the cooler, wetter, darker time ahead? Ki to Happiness embraces the Fall with heartfelt exhalations.