 December, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, is a busy time for most, gathering together, planning festivities, shopping, traveling, cooking and finding space and time to enjoy it all. It can also be a difficult time of the year when those you love are no longer with you. And so it's important to remember the "why."
I listened to one of my favorite teachers and spiritual thought leaders this morning – Caroline Myss. She is brilliant and has much to say about navigating through the times we are living in. One thing she said that particularly stuck with me was this: "The things of the greatest importance in our lives are not things; they are the things we cannot see." Amid life's constant motion and holiday hustle, we often forget to pause and reconnect with our inner selves. Meditation offers a gentle pathway to stillness – a momentary retreat from external noise into the quiet landscape of our inner world. The following practice is an invitation to slow down, to breathe and to cultivate a sense of peace that resides within you, waiting to be acknowledged. Please take a moment with me. Sit or rest comfortably, and bring all of your awareness to the breath. Fill the belly, the diaphragm and the lungs. Empty slowly and completely. Letting the thoughts drift by like clouds. Consider closing down the windows of the eyes and placing one hand on the belly and the other on the heart. It is when we turn inward that a shift occurs. We get out of our busy heads and into our bodies, where the heart lives. Peace is the still, quiet moment within. It is found in full breaths in and out. It is listening to the stillness and opening the heart. Ask your heart: What brings you the most joy? Where does it come from? Who, what brings a smile to your face? Who or what puts a song in your heart? What fills your eyes with tears – both happy and sad? This season as we make preparations to harken the holy season, let us remember the true blessings are wrapped within – so deep, they are often forgotten. So remember to pause, sip in a fresh breath, gently close your eyes and take time to honor the light within. The light in me honors and sees the divine light within you.  Photo by "My Life Through A Lens" on Unsplash As we prepare for the closing of another year, I find myself reflecting on the word I chose for 2024 – CREATE. It has been a guiding force in my thinking and has given new meaning to things in life I don't understand. It has reminded me that whatever happens in life the most important thing is the meaning I give to it. I can choose to look at it through the lens of expansion or contraction.
CREATE reminds us that even in times of uncertainty and division, we have the power to shape our response to the world around us. When we view challenging moments – whether personal or societal – through the filter of creation rather than reaction, we open ourselves to new possibilities. Each interaction becomes an opportunity to create understanding, each difficulty a chance to create resilience and each division an invitation to create bridges. We get to choose whether to flow and grow or fumble and fail. As spiritual beings having a human experience, we can choose to create:
The greatest lesson CREATE teaches us is that we are not passive observers in our lives or our world – we are active participants in crafting the reality we wish to see. By approaching each day with intentionality, we remember that even small acts of kindness, moments of genuine listening or gestures of support are all ways we create the world we hope to live in. When we embrace our power to create, we transform from being witnesses of change to becoming agents of it. The question isn't whether we will create – we do so with every choice we make. The question is: What will we choose to create today? Together, we can create a world we each hope to live in – a world of shared peace, hope, inclusion and compassion. May our hearts know peace!  Each new season brings new possibilities!
As the morning sun continues to shift, it's the perfect time of year to get to the beach early for a peaceful stroll, dip your toes into the warm sand and enjoy a revitalizing yoga session with us. Each morning is uniquely special – we're often visited by wild ducks, dolphins playing, migrating whales as they breach, even pet turtles! Rest assured our time together is always memorable when we create space for transformation. What If? ©1998 Ganga White. All Rights Reserved. What if our religion was each other? If our practice was our life? If prayer was our words? What if the temple was the Earth? If forests were our church? If holy water – the rivers, lakes and oceans? What if meditation was our relationships? If the teacher was life? If wisdom was self-knowledge? If love was the center of our being? Let's embrace Ganga White's vision of "the temple" being "the Earth" itself, where our practice becomes our life. As we move together with the rhythm of the waves, we're reminded that "wisdom is self-knowledge" and that "love is the center of our being." The ocean becomes our "holy water," and the beach our sacred space for meditation and growth. Each new season brings new possibilities, often overlooked in the hurried pace of life. This is your gentle reminder to take the necessary time for yourself, to breathe in the sea air and listen to the voice within – your true authentic self ready to be nourished and cared for. Thank you for being a part of this amazing, growing community. Each of our sessions together is a reminder of my WHY and my passion for sharing this life practice with you. YOGA VILLAGE TEMPLETON 105 South Main Street, Suite 2 Tuesdays @ 5:30 pm – Balanced Bliss Flow Thursdays @ 4:30 pm – Balanced Bliss Flow Thursdays @ 6:00 pm – Renew Yourself ALL-LEVEL BEACH YOGA End of West Grand, Grover Beach Saturdays @ 10 am (weather permitting) (Parking at Fin's Bar & Grill – We meet at the end of the small boardwalk)  As the soft light of fall settles in the air and the changing colors captivate my gaze, I am reminded we are entering a new season – in every possible way imaginable. As the natural world around us prepares for its winter rest, fall offers us the perfect opportunity to practice the art of slowing down, to take a deep breath and let go of trying to keep pace with everything that is coming at us. It's all too easy to lose ourselves in the "doing" of things rather than being in our lives.
This season, I hope you will join me in exploring a practice that has profoundly changed my life: finding balance through slowing down and connecting to the breath. I invite you to join us in studio as we connect to our centering breath – an invitation to allow the mind to become quieter and more peaceful and the body to soften and let go. It is then we realize the importance of cultivating a deeper connection to the most important part of ourselves. If you'd like to start this practice right away, here's a simple breathing exercise you can try anytime, anywhere: the 4-7-8 breath.
"If you seek peace, be still. If you seek wisdom, be silent. If you seek love, be yourself." ~ Becca Lee The quieter you can become from a state of being, the more you remove yourself from external distractions, and the easier it is to connect with the nudges and wisdom of your soul. Yet, we are all so conditioned and programmed to focus on the external things where true happiness cannot be found. There are no quick fixes. Instant gratification is temporary and quickly loses its spark. When we are constantly looking outside of ourselves, we lose touch with what our heart and soul guide us towards. It's important to remember that the world outside does not carry the most important answers. The narratives outside are just someone else's story designed to sell you something. To me, building a spiritual connection with your heart and soul is one of the most important things we can all do for ourselves at this time ~ it is like spiritual gold. May you embrace the spiritual gold within!  This post is inspired as I was walking the beach and met this handsome Rocky Mountain horse. Our eyes locked, and then he gave me a kiss. I'd not experienced a horse this kind, gentle and friendly before. Without words, his pure love cracked my heart wide open.
They say eyes are the window to the soul, and I believe this rings especially true for our beloved animal companions. In their gentle gazes, we find a depth of emotion and understanding that transcends the need for words. Our pets communicate volumes through their expressive eyes, conveying love, patience and care in ways that touch our hearts profoundly. Have you ever caught yourself lost in wonder, observing your furry friends while they rest peacefully? There's an inexplicable comfort in watching them dream, curled up contentedly in their bed. In those quiet moments, we're reminded of the simple joys that often elude us in our busy lives. Our pets' gift of unconditional love and acceptance is truly a blessing. It seems they have a gift for tuning into our emotions and moods. No matter what challenges we may be facing, great and small, they stand by us, offering comfort and support without hesitation or judgment. I've come to believe that our four-legged companions are some of life's greatest teachers. Through their attitudes and actions, they impart wisdom that, if embraced, could transform our lives and our world. Let me share with you some of the most important lessons I've learned from these furry sages:
Let's never forget what our animal companions teach us. May we approach each day with wonder, to love without conditions, and to find contentment in the simple act of being. May we all learn to live a little bit more like them, with open hearts, wagging tails, and an unwavering appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us every day. With love and gratitude, I dedicate this letter to each of the furry loves that have filled my heart and my life with overflowing love, joy, goodness and lessons learned all along the way. The next time you gaze into your pet's eyes, remember that you're looking at more than just a beloved animal. You're witnessing a reflection of life's most profound truths – love, loyalty, and the precious gift of the present moment. |
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