savor the moment

credit {here}

may 6th marked the end of my last weekend of yogadharma (my yoga teacher training).  when i began the program back in september 2011, looking ahead at the next 9 months (15 weekends in total -- fridays 5-9, saturdays 12-6, sundays 12-6) seemed like an exciting and somewhat daunting task.  and now, being on the other side of it, it seems to have passed all too quickly.

that happens so often in our lives.  we welcome something new into our lives, and for a while, it seems that it will always be there.  and we can't imagine it any other way -- forgetting what it was like before.  and then, it draws (inevitably) to a close, and we can't believe it's over.  like the blink of an eye.  and, we often find ourselves asking: could i have savored it more?  where did the time go?

when you're in the thick of it, we can take things for granted...i know i can at least.  our lives become so busy that what was once new now seems expected, and we come to anticipate it being a part of our lives.

on our yoga mats, we're encouraged to be mindful.  to still the mind (as best we can) and sink into the present moment.  it's the only moment we've got.  instead of thinking about your to-do list, or worrying about a conversation you had earlier, you're asked to breathe, settle in, and sit with whatever comes up moment by moment.

and, the beautiful thing is, the more mindful you become, the more grateful you become for what you have in your life right now at this very moment (even if it seems like it'll be there forever, or you took it for granted before). 

choose not to let a single moment pass you by unnoticed or unappreciated.  it is a choice. 

i shared the following quote with my yoga students this past week, and i'd like to share it with you now.

"if you pay attention at every moment, you form a new relationship to time.  in some magical way, by slowing down, you become more efficient, productive, and energetic, focusing without distraction directly on the task in front of you.  not only do you become immersed in the moment, you become that moment." - michael ray

choose to be where ever you are.  be the moment.

namaste : )

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what are you afraid of?

sadie nardini

confession: i’ve been putting off a few business to-dos.  i’ve had it on my calendar to contact some influential and successful yogis – one being sadie nardini, founder of core strength vinyasa.  yet, despite my intentions, i’d push “contact sadie” from week to week, always blaming my schedule for not allotting me the time to reach out to her.  but, in truth, my schedule didn’t prevent me from emailing her, my mind did – and more specifically, my fear of rejection and the unknown.

when we’re young, we’re scared of the monsters under our beds, but as we mature, we’re scared of the monsters in our own minds – and we find ourselves plagued by a whole new set of ghoulish mental afflictions.  fear of loneliness, rejection, the unknown or failure can paralyze us, convincing us it’s better to stay exactly where we are (stuck on the proverbial hamster wheel), rather than confront what we’re scared of.  our fear keeps us in a box – making our life small by binding us to patterns of thought-processes that no longer serve us.

we diet because we’re afraid of losing control and gaining weight.

we jeopardize relationships because we’re afraid of being vulnerable.

we beat ourselves up when we’re not “perfect” because we’re afraid to fail.

sound familiar?  we’ve all been there…

but the really cool thing that happens when you face your fears is that you learn that they’re not as bad as your mind envisioned.  and, you also give yourself a chance to learn and grow.  when you choose to listen to your innate inner wisdom instead of your fearful mind chatter, you put yourself on the path of growth and evolution.  and, the more you cultivate that voice, the happier and more fulfilling your life will become.  anxieties about your body will melt away.  worries about your work performance will subside.  and obstacles that used to appear to stand between you and your best self will no longer be unconquerable.  because you realize that moving outward from your most authentic self will ultimately bring nothing but good to you.    

oh yeah, and not only did sadie nardini email me back with a beautifully composed and thought-provoking email, she even gave me a shout out in a piece she wrote for the popular site, elephant journal.  so cool! 

check out sadie’s post "can money & spirituality mix?" {here}

today’s meditation prompt for your journal or cushion:

what fear keeps cropping up in your life?

are you ready to confront it?  if not, why?

if you’re ready to move beyond it, what action can you take?

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