Yoga Class

My classes were full today, several  folks brand new to yoga......always interesting, they walk in the room rather
timidly, really not sure about being there.  Sometimes, like today if they do have that deer in the headlights look, I ask them have they been warned about me.......I tell them how mean and grumpy I am, and that at any time I may bring out whips and chains! Ha,ha!  Except today the guys told me they would love it!

I started the first class with meditation, and then we had what I call fun Friday yoga!  The guys were into it, so we did a Warrior series that included quite a few balance poses, they really did have fun.  During savasana, I did temple massages with lavender oil.......at the end of the class, all those skeptics told me they would see me Monday.  They left class with smiles on their faces and much more peaceful than when they entered the room.

The transformation that takes place is amazing......every day my students come in stressed, overwrought,  depressed.  They tell me they can't rest, can't sleep.  It is miraculous the changes that take place during their time with me......I see the stress leave their bodies, and their faces.  I love it when I see someone smile a true joy filled smile for the first time in days.  And often, the very ones who tell me they can't sleep.......fall asleep during savasana(rest).   Yoga is such an incredible mind/body science!

I love teaching yoga to these students, for the most part,  they are as low in their lives as they can get......but
through this practice of yoga, and breath work and meditation.......I see dramatic changes.....in their spirits as well as their bodies.  I see the same things take place in the community class that I teach on Monday nights.
People come in stressed and fatigued, stiff and weak.....but in a few weeks you see the changes take place.
They stand a little more erect,  they sit straighter, they move more fluid and smile more often.  They too look forward to class.

I have talked alot about gratitude the past few nights, teaching yoga has taught me much about gratitude.
It is very humbling to see the changes that take place, to see the rest and the peacefulness that comes from teaching.  I am a lucky woman.......I am a grateful woman.
Namaste!

Gratitude in Grief

I talk about gratitude often, and I truly do a prayer of gratitude every day.....but honestly, there are times when it is hard to be grateful.....when I have to dig deep and truly think about what I have to be grateful for. But,.....more honesty here, those times are when I wallow in self-pity or have allowed my ego to grow to epic proportions.  The truth is, there is always something to be grateful for, even in the darkest of moments.

One of my best friends' mom passed away today, quite suddenly and unexpectedly.  My friend was out of town, so she is driving the longest drive of her life tonight......to come home and comfort her father and her children and her brother and bury her mother. I have talked with her, and text her often this evening....hoping in some way to give her comfort.  But, sadly I have been in that grief stricken shock myself, and comfort takes its time. Tonight, all those things she said/and didn't say, all those things she did/and didn't do are running through her head and no matter how much I encouraged her to let it all be right now, she won't.

My prayer tonight is that she finds some sort of gratitude to hang on to.......and I know it may seem strange to pray that.  But I have found that especially when grieving, if you can begin to think and find gratitude there is a comfort and ease.  Gratitude in times of grief lets you know there is still hope, that no matter how bad the pain is, how empty the heart feels, if you can just find one thing to be grateful for, you can hang on......even if it is only by a thread.

Gratitude, tonight I am grateful that my friend spent several hours with her mom yesterday, that they laughed
and each one knew that they were loved.  I am grateful she has her children, her dad, her brother and husband and friends who love her.

When I lay my head on my pillow tonight, my gratitude list will be prayed with much love and thankfulness.....
I have much to be grateful for......

Rituals

My rituals.......every morning before my feet touch the floor, I go through a list of things that I am grateful for.
Each day as I make the turn into the drive at work, I ask for my portion of grace, I ask that I teach with love and wisdom.  When I am stressed, I wiggle my toes and touch my thumbs to my finger tips.  My brother touches his finger tips and so does my great nephew Jordan.
At night, before I go to sleep, I go through my gratitude list once again.
No matter how tired or how sick I might be, I never go to bed without washing my face.
I talk to my brother Ricky every day.
I tell Blackie Bear that he is my favorite dog every day.
I read my horoscope daily.
I try to do a gratitude ceremony once a month.
There are always fresh flowers in the house.
There is a glass of water on my nightstand every night.....most nights I drink it all.

I think that our rituals tell a lot about  who we are..........I think I have shared a great deal with you all tonight about myself.  So what are some of your rituals?  care to share them?

Good night, Sweet dreams

Itch

Tonight I sit in front of this laptop, staring at the lace curtain that covers the window, longing to be some place else.  In the past few days I have looked at my photos from Ireland, from Telluride and San Francisco.....I feel the call of distant places.  I thought that as the years went by travel would be a routine part of my life, but sadly that has not been the case.....can you hear me sigh?

I love to travel, to be in a place where I have never been before......new foods, new people.  I have the weather app on my I-phone, it includes besides the weather here in Empire......the weather in some of the places I have visited before.....just a small reminder of how the world is in other places.  My niece Samantha has the chance to visit London next spring, we talked about it today, and I encouraged her to go, for she and Jordan to travel as much as they can.  Life changes,  and those opportunities won't always be there.

I get this travel bug from time to time, I think I have had it my whole life......but I know it is like any other itch, given enough time, it will pass.  I think of all the exotic places I have read about, seen in movies, saw photographs of, and I wonder how many of them I will ever get to see.  I know that the thought of reincarnation is appalling to some, ridiculous to others, but for me it holds great appeal, because it would be a way to see all those places you dream about......coming back life, after life.

Actually the itch is so great tonight, it doesn't even have to be that exotic.....Oregon, Arizona, California, Maine.......just some place different,  for a few days.  I know what you are thinking, I need a vacation......and you are right.  I have found that for me personally, a change of scene does wonders for spirit, for creative energy, for a new attitude.  It inspires, and energizers, it challenges and renews.  Wow.....no wonder, I sit here tonight feeling stagnant.

I think it is time for a hot cup of tea.....
Good night, Sweet dreams

Still Blooming

A friend called me first thing this morning......I knew something was up, I could hear the excitement in her voice.
We have been friends a long time, we worked together in Dallas for years. She has been climbing the corporate ladder a long time, and this morning she told me all that she has ever wished for is coming true.
She got the promotion of a lifetime, and I can't think of anyone who deserves it  more.  She was laughing as we talked about being careful what you wish, you might just get it and then she made a remark about being such a late bloomer.  I totally lost it then, and told her about the blog I had written last night, she had been on the road and not had a chance to read it.  Then we laughed some more.

She will be living in NYC soon, and I will surely visit she and my other friends living there.  I know how hard she has worked to make her dreams come true, it really has been a long time coming.  We had great times working together.....and some great after hours too!  I think she had almost given up on her dream, because she and her husband had already begun to make plans to move out west.......and then all of a sudden.......her wish came true!

I have to admit I am a little envious, but another friend pointed out to me today that I am still blooming......
so maybe all our dreams will come true!  So tonight, here's to all those late bloomers, (including myself) whose wishes might not have all come true, but we're still blooming.

Late Bloomer

I rarely think much about my past, but the last few days I have thought a lot about high school......not sure why.

Well maybe what triggered it, was being at a local high school this week as part of self-esteem program.

High school was not  the experience for me that it was for many that I know.......I was not a geek, not a cheerleader, not a beauty queen.....I often felt invisible.  I was stick thin, and often the brunt of skinny jokes, you know....turn side ways, stick out your tongue, you're a zipper. My high school counselor told me I would be a good housewife or maybe a secretary.  My family was very religious.....I never went to a movie, a ball game, I never wore make-up( that list could go on  for days).  The night of my graduation as those around cried and were sad, I was ecstatic because I knew my life was about to undergo major change.

Being at that local high school last week, I could tell that nothing much had changed.  Well the clothing, for sure....but the groups were all there.  The jocks, the geeks, the beauties, and the kids who were invisible.  One of the invisible girls talked with me for awhile, I told her she would graduate in a few short months, 

to walk out the door, never look back and live the life she was born to live.  It's hard to understand when you are a teenager about the concept of being a late bloomer.

I knew, even as a young teen that my life would get better and better as the years went by......I had never heard that phrase, late bloomer, but the first time I did hear it.......I totally understood it, because that was me.

I am glad that I was  a late bloomer, I am glad that my life did not peak in high school, I am glad that my "good old days" are the ones I am living now. 

Being a late bloomer gave me the confidence to choose paths I would never have tried.  I wished that I had had more than a few  minutes with that young girl, but she probably would not have believed much of what I told her.  I could see in her eyes, she had bought the goods that she had been sold by those around her.

Her eyes widened in shock when I told her , come graduation to walk out the door and not look back.  She was full of fear and sadness and resignation.

Being considered average, was good fuel for me......it pushed me to "bloom".  I don't know where it came from or how it was planted, but there was something always in my heart that told me I was different, and that it was ok to be different.  Blossoming later in life was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.  I learned to work on my talents,  to "package'" myself as well as I could,  to read, to listen, and never stop learning.

My "roots" were deep and well developed, I learned interesting and confident were great ways to be described.....and as the years went by, compassionate and kind were even better ways to be described.

I am glad I bloomed late, life has been magical because of it.

Froggy

It's one of those nights, when the head is empty.  It's not like it is always overflowing, but most of the time

there is something there.....not tonight.   What my brain really wants to do is sleep, not think, not participate in this activity of blogging.   Sometimes you just have to show the head who's boss! Ha,ha!

It has been a glorious fall day, we played at the Frog Festival this morning, spent most of the day there.  There were several thousand folks there today, most were smiling and having a great time.  How can you not have fun at a festival?  There's food....corn on the cob, fudge, pies, fried Oreos, snow cones, lemon aid, BBQ, and much much more.  All sorts of booths, I bought a bottle tree today to go in my old fashioned flower garden . And you see people you have not seen in a dozen forevers.  Then there is music, all kinds, from gospel to rock.   If you are interested in seeing photos from the Frog Festival, go to thefrogfestival.com  

So, I am about to take a nice hot bath, have a cup of tea and call it a day.....I am all frogged out.

Good night, Sweet dreams