Author: Ki McGraw

This weekend, we are at midwinter. Some observe it as Groundhog Day (2/2) others as Imbolc, which can last several days starting 1/31 and continuing past St. Brigid’s feast on 2/3. In celebration, we had our first snow yesterday as if the weather pattern aligned with our calendars.

We sat inside our snow globe of the Hatha Yoga Center and gazed upon the marvel of rain, turning into snow, then back to rain in between sun breaks. The cats watched the marvel with us as we drank fig date smoothies with yogurt and crunchy granola. Walking out into it, we witnessed eagles soaring above seagulls and crows.

Do you have the time to marvel at the spectacles of nature? What forces of nature inspire you most? Ki ti Happiness takes the time to reflect on midwinter and is inspired by all forces of nature, seasonally cycling through life.

As this new month begins, we sit on the edge of potential winter storms. Having prepared in every way, perhaps nothing dramatic will happen at all. Whatever the case, our safe and clean studio will continue to provide a space for yoga practices.

I took the wind chimes down and secured the remaining ferns. Their sights and sounds will cheer us again when the threat has passed. I have hyacinth bulbs waiting to be planted when all is clear.

How prepared are you for the potential storms? What act of hope reminds you that “this too shall pass”? Ki to Happiness is ready and hopeful.

The clear cold has given way to warmer wetness. At the end of this driest January, we need the fresh rain. It’s predicted that this won’t last long and we may have a snowstorm on the back end of the system.

In our area, it is advised for us to prepare just in case. Since the bomb cyclone before Thanksgiving, I have continued to remain prepared for weather changes. What doesn’t change are my yoga practices so I remain stable, grounded and balanced.

Do you change like the weather? Or do you remain consistent with your practices? Ki to Happiness continues to hold steady and witness the benefit of the changes all around.

After the festivities of my birthday and Lunar New Year, today my family observe my Dad’s 2 year anniversary of passing away.  They say time heals all wounds, and certainly with healthy grieving, much has healed since his exit. Our family dynamics have changed a lot with him gone, and we’ve all adjusted.

I cherish the dreams I have had of him. I feel his presence in my life every day. I celebrate him regularly, quoting some of his most often repeated statements.

Do you ever hear other peoples voices coming out of your head when you speak? Can you honor them and give them credit? Ki to Happiness quotes Dad with “Das ok” , diminishing drama and remembering his sweet steady temperament.

Today’s new moon occurs at the time of the lunar new year. Snake years auger a time of transformation and transcendence, represented by their shedding of the skin. Having cleared out the tail end of the epic Dragon year, we welcome in the new energy with the intention of releasing the tough old dry skin necessary in the past so to face the new with tender vulnerability.

It’s a great day to wear red, gift others from our abundance and pray for transformative growth and transcendent consciousness. With all cleaning done yesterday, we allow in the new energy and avoid removing it. Open windows, healthy foods, and positive visualizations all are ways to make to best of this opportunity, as we avoid conflict and sharp objects. 

What is your most transcendent prayer for the new year? What transformation would you like to see in the planetary, political, and personal realms? Ki to Happiness prays for all levels of consciousness to align and integrate with the Highest.

Today concludes the lunar year of the dragon. As its tail takes a swipe at us, its fantastical epic year ends. Tomorrow’s new moon ushers in the year of the snake, and its energy of transformation. 

In preparation, today is a great day to clean up any messes the Dragon year has left it its wake. Sweeping, mopping, changing the sheets, opening windows (and our new door) will welcome the freshness of the Wood Snake. It promises to be a year of shedding one’s skin, transforming and transcending after all we’ve been through in the last 13 lunar cycles.

What do you need to clean up? What is your highest vision of potential transcendence and transformation? Ki to Happiness cleans up after birthday celebrations and envisions a more peaceful world.

Those assembled in yesterday morning’s class sang the Beatles song to me when we finished our practice. We had an impromptu birthday party afterwards with healthy treats and tea. This morning, I opened my gifts as part of my meditation.

In these years on the planet, I’ve learned that we have all we need. All we need to do is open up to receive the many gifts of guidance, council, healing, and direction from within. Each year, I am challenged to open up even more to receive the abundance of blessings so that I might be an even better vessel to contain them and allow them to overflow.

What helps you open up to receive your many gifts? How can you best share them from your abundance? Ki to Happiness thanks you all for being alive with me at this time and sharing the yoga path a while.

After teaching my morning classes, we had a surprise visit from our son. He and his dad presented me with birthday flowers. There are so many, each with a special blessing for all of our years together.

 The three of us have always gotten along, as our astrology shows our unique connection. When my husband and I make a composite astrology chart, the result is our son’s birth chart. He’s the beans in our vegan burrito.

How do you celebrate your life? Who surprises you with unexpected visits? Ki to Happiness celebrates with flowers, parading planets, and vegan burritos.

As we look to the sky just after sunset, we may see the parade of planets, all aligned. The spectacle is rarely visible. It’s worth it to allow a moment to view it, with a clear sky.

Hatha Yoga Center will celebrate it with a salutation to the planets in classes. Aligning our chakras like the the planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune), will enhance our integration of our multiple levels of consciousness. Yoga Theory states that we have the whole universe within us and today’s alignment may give us a chance to feel body-emotion-will-mind-voice-spirit all tethered to the One in All.

How aligned are you feeling with the One in All? What could facilitate greater integration of your multi leveled awareness? Ki to Happiness salutes the planets and their energy with the chakras.

We shifted our schedule around to accommodate the scheduled door installation only to have it rescheduled. Now we are thinking it will occur, maybe Monday. As tension and stress began to mount over the lack of communication regarding the arrival of the door, I texted the owner of our building and he got right back to me with apologies and action.

He learned that there was a transportation breakdown as well as a communication breakdown and relayed that to us. Our inconvenience was contained to 12 minutes. We breathed through them consciously, then walked off the challenge to continue with our responsibilities so our evening class stayed free from any tension contaminating our beloved students.

How quickly can you contain stress? What helps you return to peace? Ki to Happiness breathes and walks it off.