Today’s full moon in Taurus will be eclipsed by the sun. For those who are uninformed, and unprepared, it could be a day, emotional upset, as surprising unconscious material comes forward. When we are informed, we are empowered and can prepare.

Yoga practice gives us space and time in which we can work with our unconscious material regularly. Bringing our issues into consciousness, we can shine our light on the dark places within. Accepting ourselves, we can choose to change.

What emotions are coming up for you on this lunar eclipse? What practices can help you change in the direction of making it easier for you to accept yourself? Ki to Happiness feels content, accepting life on life’s terms and staying current with needed changes through daily yoga practices

May the Force be with you on this May 4. This morning’s weather shift from warm and dry to cloudy and wet, came with the force of nature. Bright lightning illuminated the skies just before loud long thunder rumbled our whole building.

Two of our three cats went running for protective hiding. Our third cat stayed with me, meditating and praying, able to withstand the force of nature. It invigorated my practices, and my appreciation for understanding weather.

What understanding helps you avoid hiding away from nature? How can you utilize this day to broaden that understanding? Ki to Happiness is with the Force of the One in All.

Amidst these astrological energies of reflection and revision, some progress may be occurring. Like dried beans, there’s a need for sorting and soaking before applying heat for cooking. While it may not look like much is going on in the pot, slow food is more nutritious than fast food.

Yoga works on us so slowly, sometimes it’s almost imperceptible. Forcing the body into postures may result in injuries, just like forcing meditation or prayer practices may result in mental and emotional resistance. Slow, steady application to the principles of yoga, puts a stop to these hindrances as stated in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

What progress are you experiencing slowly? Can you feel the deep work evolving you? Ki to Happiness eats slow food, steadily practices yoga, and feels hindrances falling away.

For a period of time between the apparent movement of planets directly, each will stations in standstill before appearing to retrograde. It is a pause. In our busy lives, filled with tasks, we often don’t have a chance to allow for such.

Yoga teaches us to breathe consciously. As we do, so, we notice there is a pause also between in breath and out breath. Becoming comfortable with that translates into being present with what is.

How comfortable are you with standstill? Can you allow a moment to pause between inhaling and exhaling? Ki to Happiness stands still and breathes.

We have arrived at the merry merry month of May! This coincides with Pluto going retrograde. Together this makes a great opportunity to Be.

It is not necessarily a great time to Do. Instead of starting new projects in the home and garden in this beautiful weather, it’s a better time to be grateful for what has already begun. Rewinding, reviewing, reflecting, and completing brings us into alignment with our Beingness.

What issues and projects require completion? Can you be grateful and satisfied with focusing on them? Ki to Happiness chooses to Be more than Do at this time of astrological influence.

After our walk in the gorgeous spring day, I heard a sudden rush of wings. Looking up from the bridge over our nearby creek, I saw two ducks flying in tandem. They both put down their landing gear and synchronized their descent onto the water’s surface.

This triggered us to get food for them. We brought bread and crackers rich with seeds. They dove on their snacks as we marveled at nature’s precision.

Do you spend enough time in nature? What has brought you to marvelous awe recently? Ki to Happiness is in awe over nature’s precision.

As I share astrological information, I do so with a desire to inform and empower. Many of us felt the most recent solar eclipse, and soon we will have the lunar eclipse during the time of mercury retrograde. In addition, Pluto is about to retrograde as well.

These three influences combine to potentially cause disruption. It helps to not take things personally, but instead to be prepared for delays, confusion, and a need for deep reflection. Yoga practices always encourage such detachment so may be additionally supportive for the next 6 months until Pluto, which I think of as the Roto router, goes direct.

What practices help you depersonalize? Can you still love as you detach? Ki to Happiness is informed and empowered to recommit to practices which facilitate loving detachment.

Bob and I had concurrent private sessions yesterday for the second week in a row. We both love teaching groups of students, and yet private work allows us to go much more deeply. Some prefer individualized attention, which is the traditional Hatha Yoga way.

Our lovely new studio affords space for privacy as well as for large group activities. Students interested in becoming teachers are starting individualized independent training with us. In this post Covid era, flexibility is required to adapt to changes, not just to stretch hamstrings.

What changes does this post Covid era require of you? Do you have the skills, space and time to accommodate these needed changes? Ki to Happiness offers skills with plenty of space and time for private and group activities at Hatha Yoga Center.

Bob and I celebrated our 21 year wedding anniversary from our ceremony in Bali by grocery shopping together at our neighboring QFC. I introduced him to a couple of the staff members who have indicated their interest in attending our yoga classes. We got some beautiful flowers to place about our deck For our lunchtime smoothie date.

24 years ago, when we grocery shopped together the first time we were gathering provisions for the first workshop we taught on Kauai. I held the basket in front of my body at arms length in an attempt to detach from the intimacy such activity symbolized. All these years later, I bask in our intimacy and our shared grocery basket full of flowers, smoothie ingredients and cat food.

How comfortable are you with intimacy? Can you ask in the simple pleasures of sharing your life with another? Ki to Happiness is grateful for the deepening intimacy the years have afforded to us due to our common practices and Hatha Yoga Center.

Perhaps our state got a little bit safer yesterday. Our governor has banned assault weapons. There are plenty of other weapons available that will continue to allow those who wish to be armed as is our constitutional right.

As a peacenik, I choose to arm myself with practices that deescalate conflict. Choosing peace on every level has saved me thus far. I plan to continue choosing peace and radiating it outward.

Are you able to deescalate conflict within yourself? Can you radiate that peace outward? Ki to Happiness chooses peace as a Spiritual practice.