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 : )

.

om monday: be there

maybe you've heard the saying "wherever you are...be there", but it's simple wisdom is worth repeating.  i cannot tell you how many times throughout the day my mind is not where i am.  i'm thinking about my to-do list, our weekend plans or what to make for dinner, and consequently, i'm totally out-of-touch with the here and now - the present moment.  but every time we choose to dwell on the past or wonder about the future, we're denying ourselves the only moment we ever have...this one.

credit {here}

when you become aware that your mind is elsewhere, don't judge, don't label, just notice.  and then breathe.  in yoga, we're taught to align both mind and body with the breath and by doing so, we become mindful and fully embrace the present moment.  yogi or not, you can use that tool, too.  the breath is a wonderfully simple way to ground yourself.  by focusing on your inhales and exhales, you begin to quiet the mind chatter and begin to slowly sink into the moment at hand.

believe me, it's not easy to get in the habit of noticing when you're mind has drifted away (i'm still working on it!), but if you can begin to cultivate that skill, you'll receive the gift of the present. 

namaste : )

.