Every moment can possess magic

“Power to manifest. Every moment can possess magic.” I heard someone talking about this the other day on Oprah radio. I instantly thought THAT’S YOGA. For many years now, I have been amazed how what I chose to focus on, shows up in my life. I know this to be true, yet it always stuns me. Imagining that we have this power is responsibility, when I use to leave everything up to, or blame everything on, “Destiny”.

Still this thought isn’t quite complete. There is so much more to happiness and peace than being a co-creator in our life. If we truly want happiness, everything we manifest should be for others, not ourselves. Switching from the idea that every moment can possess magic, to every moment IS magic, is a much more powerful way of thinking and being. Open up those eyelids to experience what is in front of you, NOW.

My 5 year old just learned the days of the week song at school and serenades me daily,Sunday Monday Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday Friday, Sat-uur-day, and then begins again. Although I am proud of her for learning the days of the week, I can’t help but get stressed out at the thought of a week going by so quickly, and then doing it all over again! It usually ends up being the same thing… always striving for something more, or something different… but the same week just begins again. This is our”week-ness”. This is our samskara (habitual patterns and unaware-ness in each day, that creates the karma of our life) If you have ever caught yourself wondering how in the heck you got to this place/mess, it is usually because this unconscious thought pattern was your tour guide. No matter how high of an intention we set for ourselves, if we are not present, we will never propel ourselves to where we need to be.
What do we do now, as many of us have already fallen off the wagon of our New Year intentions, because of life, or ourselves, getting in the way? We color outside of the lines! Do something that frightens you!! Something out of your comfort zone! Challenge yourself, without being attached to the outcome of whether you “succeed”, or “fail”. Discover that inner child that once knew it was OK to color outside the lines. Only you, have the power to change that week-ness into empowerment. As we get older, many times, our fear of failure keeps us from trying. I recently picked up the guitar AGAIN, because I really love to play, but I can get so discouraged when I do not sound like Jimmie Hendrix. I know I probably never will, but I am able to let go of needing to be perfect, or even good for that matter. What is important, is that I have surrendered any expectations and within that, have found myself fully enjoying being present, during my noisy meditation. Do something completely out of the ordinary, without fear of judgment, or looking/sounding a little dorky. Stop saying, “I should eat more mindfully, I am going to learn a new language, or play that instrument when I have more time, I am going to be with the people I love more, or more like the people I love.” Keep it simple. Open your eyelids and wake up to whatever life is presenting for you. Be a co-creator by being alive and of service now. As a great yogi tea bag once said. “If you are unconsciously living a conscious life, you will never be poor.”

Jala (a meditation)

You are the puddle,
I can see clearly into.
He is the droplet that lays beneath my chest.
As I lean to gaze deeper,
He splashes into you.
But I am not lost,
I am found.
The moon reflects off our curves and ripples,
Cooling. Loving. Creating.
We are the water cupped in the hands of children,
Passing over innocent lips.
Nourishing. Healing. Divine.
Let them be well, live well, love well
Let them splash into each other,
And into He.

Comfort Zones

I’m noticing my attachment to spending time in my comfort zone right now. It’s easy for me to do physically as the temperature turns frigid, and I don’t want to go outside running or walking in the cold. I stay in the comfort of my warm, (otherwise known as the “old folks home, because I keep it sooo hot”) cozy home. I put on some leg warmers and brew a cup of chai, watching the snowflakes fall around me and imagine I am inside a snow globe that God just shook up. The comfort of my home feels great on days like these where we get snowed in, and can pretend that nothing exists outside of this glass bulb. However I know this can’t last. But what about our comfort zones that have lasted, most of our lives? What are these really about? These “comfort” rooms can be made up of the walls that our egos build, telling us about what we like, or dislike, what we can or cannot do, and what we don’t have time, energy, money, or talent for. By these walls of separation we feel protected? Maybe for a short time, until we realize it is a false sense of security. These walls are really our limited stories and beliefs that we tell ourselves about us, and the world around us. If we stay in our glass bulbs too long we loose our sense of joy, and create a world dominated by our ego. You may start to feel that there is no room for growth, change, love, let alone to breathe.

I open my mouth and fog up the window, practicing my ojai breath, seeing the heat of my breath against the glass; a reminder to me that it is always there, even though invisible. Time to bundle up the kids, go outside, and explore the snowflakes; time to experience the way the cold feels on our noses, and observe how the flakes turn to water as they land against the warmth of our skin. Stop watching the world from your comfort zone and get in the game. Our dog doesn’t wait inside with the thoughts of “I would rather be warm and comfortable.” He jumps up on the sofa, shaking and howling, excited to get out in the world, play, and be one with mother- nature. We can learn a lot from our animals.
Where do you stay in your comfort zone? Perhaps it is your relationships, daily routine, or career? Are you afraid to change directions in life or try something new because your friends or family might judge you? Is fear holding you back? What would you do if failure simply wasn’t an option? Do you do things that aren’t serving you any longer simply because you have always done it this way? Try to turn off the judging mind and just be completely you for a while. Sit with your self for 5 minutes every day in the quiet of the morning or evening sunset. Try doing a few handstands. Leave your comfort zones by deciding to moonlight somewhere that encourages your creativity, take the pain and the ass employee out to lunch, scheme up ways to make your passion your living, and daydream about quitting your day job to become a singer on Broadway. So maybe that last part is a stretch, but for now, turn off the computer, put on some music, and dance. Shake things up a bit, and tune back in at a later date to get clear on your intentions for next year.

“We’re going to take this thing here straight over the stratosphere, baby.”-Snoop Dogg