“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” ~ Mark Twain Hello!
With the news cycle flying at us, and all around us, at breakneck speed, I hope you are continuing to find ways to pause. To turn down the volume on the outside world. It’s essential that we do so if we have any hope of hearing our inner selves. I don’t mean we should detach completely. Or move to the mountaintop. It’s important we remain informed. And yet, if we devolve completely into the chaos, and the overwhelm, how is that helpful for our community, our country, our selves? In these difficult times, I find myself reflecting on the concept of trusting the process.
Hmmmmm. None of this sounds good. For me, trusting the process involves the release of being anxious. Letting go of attachment to expectations. Understanding I do not have control over, nor responsibility for, all of the outcomes. And, despite how it may sound, trusting the process is an active state of being. In order for me to trust the process, I have to actively be taking care of myself:
So, this active state of being is what brings me into an enhanced flow state. Less fear. More flow. Without being my own obstacle. Doesn’t mean things always work out. Nor that things are easy. But, it does mean I have opened myself up to the right people, the right resources, the right opportunities that are around me. It also means I can better hear from other parts of my body and being, rather than just the hamster wheel running in my brain. I’d love to know if any of this resonates for you? Here’s to always loving and supporting ourselves and one another,. ~ m P. S. YACHT CLUB YOGA returns!!! I’m going with “some” is better than “none” . . . I hope you agree?! 🙏🏽 Join me Saturday mornings @ 9:00, March: 8, 15, 22
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“They fear love because it creates a world they can’t control.” ~ George Orwell, 1984 Hello friends!
Wow. For those of us in Michigan, we certainly are experiencing what my husband calls, “Real Winter.” On my first night home, we drove to Oval Beach and watched the wild waves crash against the rapidly growing ice formations. It was fierce and beautiful. It seems impossible that in approximately two and a half more months, we will once again be sailing in that big lake?! Anyway, it’s great to be home, and it’s incredible to be teaching once again. For years in my classes I have said things like, “Yoga is a breath by breath, moving meditation, rather than a series of postures.” I have to tell you. Traveling the way I have for the last 3 months? This concept has become abundantly more clear for me. Even though I always take a travel yoga mat with me, it’s not often that I get on that mat. Our schedules are intense, and space is not often optimal. And yet, these trips feel like one long moving meditation for me. Keeping myself grounded. And present. And flowing with the joys and the challenges. It’s so interesting. I could use words, photos, and videos that make these trips seem like all we do is laugh and eat great food in amazing places. I could also tell stories, and share photos, that present these trips as one huge challenge full of bumpy rides, delayed travel, and short nights in bad hotels. The truth is? Our adventures include all of the above and so much more. When you get out into remote places, and are being hosted by others, things don’t always go according to plan. And, maybe the plan itself seems a bit ludicrous to our Western way of thinking?! Honestly? No matter where we spend our days, this complexity of occurrences in every day life is real. I don’t want to try and live in an Instagram filtered / pretty version of the world. Nor do I want to doom scroll myself into a never ending pit of despair. Life is complex. And difficult. And fierce. And beautiful. It’s all right here. And, it’s all happening simultaneously. Right now, I’m continuing to try and strike a balance within my body and my being. What’s the right amount of information to ingest? And what do I want to do with that information, and all the feelings, the emerge as a result? What’s my responsibility in these times . . . for my family, my community, my country, my planet, myself? I don’t have a series of answers to these questions. And, I continue trying to move breath by breath, moment by moment, through each day. I continue resourcing myself with nourishing foods and practices and friendships and nature, so that I can meet each moment (best I can!) from a place of clarity, peace, and light. I hope each one of you are doing well. And taking great care. As always, no matter where I am, I am here for you. I’d love to know how you are doing in these times. Om shanti, shanti, shanti, ~ m 
“The more you are focused on time — past and future — the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.” ~ Eckhart Tolle Hi everyone!
I am home for nearly a week. It’s wonderful being back in my own bed and my lovely shower. You better believe I am snuggling up with Mike and Javi every minute I can. As I recover from jet lag and time changes, I look forward to seeing some of you on the mat this week! And, I’m laundering and packing once again. I leave Saturday for a visit to our farm partner, La Fortaleza, in Chiapas, Mexico. Spending time with coffee farmers throughout the world is a tremendous privilege; I’m super excited for this next adventure. With love and light, ~ m P. S. No Yacht Club Yoga until March. Stay tuned! |
AuthorMichelle Shaw: Archives
April 2025
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