All the preparation and planning have led up to this day. We are about to host mom‘s birthday bash. The weather is perfect, she is healthy and in good spirits, and all is in place.

My early morning practice reminds me of the poem from Saint Teresa of Avila. She wrote that after a night of prayer and meditation, “laughter came from every brick”. Instead of carrying burdens, she received the guidance from her Lord to “Enjoy Me”.

What burden do you need to set down? Can you hear the laughter coming from every brick, every tree, every flower, every blade of grass…? Ki to Happiness remembers to Enjoy.

Now that I’m home with Mom, I am free of all the preparation and anticipation. She is miraculously healing and doing well post surgery. I am full of gratitude for all who have helped.

As we sat visiting, we talked about all manner of deep and superficial topics, weaving in and out of our hearts’ desire for expression. The topic of one of Mom’s dear friends came up as he has been failing in his health. Just as we said our good nights, Mom got a text that he passed away, home free at last.

How free do you feel? What does home mean to you? Ki to Happiness feels free at home in her heart.

On the suggestion of a quantum physicist whose podcast has in inspired me, I’ve started asking “ how good can it get?” upon arising. Doing so yesterday, my travel day concluded with my safe arrival at my host’s house for my one night here. My brother had already arrived with his two kittens to socialize.

My hosts have three cats who interacted with the little tiny ones. We humans chatted, petted, and played with them. Just imagine a travel day during mercury retrograde having been fraught with the inability to save a spot through spot saver, challenges checking in and getting a boarding pass, and a delayed flight, concluding with cats and kittens, family and friends, hugs and kisses all around.

Are you willing to ask the question each morning upon arising? How good can it get? Ki to Happiness is joyous for adding this small consciousness practice and suggests you do, too.

In preparation for my departure, I attempted to check in for my flight. Traveling during mercury retrograde with these other challenging circumstances includes a need for extra patience and fortitude. I was lacking both yesterday as I had just found out that I lost my spot saver’s spot at security.

I walked and chanted mantra to release the stress. When I returned, I was able to check in. Having succeeded, I turned my attention to final preparations for teaching my two evening classes both to serve me and my students.

When stressed, can you remove yourself from the circumstances and walk it off?  Are you aware of how serving others also can serve you? Ki to Happiness releases stress and helps others do the same which further reduces stress.

The recent challenges in astrology bring up what is referred to as the mother wound. It empowers us to reflect on our relationship with the mothering principle. Nurturance and grounding will help us all heal.

This coincides with my mother‘s own healing. Making steady progress, with understandable setbacks I look forward to being with her soon. Perhaps that will help us both heal in a more complete way.

How do you relate to the mother principle? What wounds are you aware of? Ki to Happiness invokes Divine Mother to heal us all.

Our peaceful morning was disturbed by a loud explosion. I ducked my head and the cats ran for cover. When I lifted my head and went to them, I checked that we are all fine and intact with electricity working.

It sounded like a transformer exploded. Then I remembered what the Security guard UFC told me yesterday. Likely another firecracker exploded inside the new construction, tossed in by someone.

How soon can you calm yourself after disruption? Does knowing why it occurred help? Ki to Happiness recovers quickly when there’s understanding.

After the beautiful day and the last of the Independence Day celebrations, I laid down to rest. My brain reminded me of a couple things that got neglected during the festivities. I shifted my attention directly to prayer, and let go.

This morning, I see that my nighttime prayers were answered. Focusing on the national holiday and celebrations here with our community was the correct priority for the weekend. As the new week begins, I am grateful for the good times we had and freedom from any negative consequences.

Are you free for any negative consequences resulting from the holiday weekend? Is there anything you left unattended that requires your care today? Ki to Happiness welcomes the new week, with joyous memories from the celebrations and gratitude for my answered prayers.

Our Independence Day celebration at the hot yoga center continues. Classes and our community gathering yesterday served all of us well. We look forward to a similar offering today.

Students experienced freedom in their bodies. Together with independent choices of variations, I also encouraged greater freedom of speech with our check-ins. Deeper connecting happened afterwards over cookies, notdogs and tea.

How free and independent did you feel yesterday? Were you able to express yourself? Ki to Happiness continues the festivities today.

Happy Independence Day on this 250th birthday of the United States of America. I am proud to be an American woman. I have enjoyed lots of freedoms and independence thanks to our constitution and Bill of Rights.

In my years of international yoga instruction, rarely were we here to observe the Fourth of July. I’m especially grateful to be here on this 250th birthday celebration. My family and I were in Washington DC for the 200th, which I remember well.

How happy are you to be an American? How will you observe this very special national holiday? Ki to Happiness will exercise my rights and freedoms by teaching yoga and serving our HYC community afterwards with treats at our gathering.

We just learned yesterday that today is the national holiday celebrating the Fourth of July. Our HYC schedule continues as usual without interruption. We experience celebration of independence with each yoga practice.

Yoga gives us tools with which we are free to choose how to breathe and how to posture ourselves so that we might receive independent guidance from our higher nature. In doing so, we learn to throw off any external controls that enslave us. In the sovereign nation of self responsibility, we unite with all others equally with respect and tolerance for our differences.

 Can you take a free and deep breath? Are you willing to exercise your independence to align your body mind with your Higher Self? Ki to Happiness celebrates freedom and independence with Hatha Yoga daily.