“The planet we live on is finite, not infinite. The planet we live on is interdependent. There are no real borders to air, water, and land. On this planet we live on, there is just one human race, and with all the blessing we have been given, it is our obligation to be good stewards, avoid the temptations of greed and selfishness, and preserve what we were given for the next generation. Period.” ~ Bob Fish, Co-Founder of One BIGG Island in Space Hola mis amigas y mis amigos!
I’m a newbie to the coffee industry, and I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand what it takes to produce coffee in several different countries around the world. I’ve now walked around multiple coffee farms in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Vietnam, The Philippines, and Burundi, Sierra Leone and Mozambique will be added to my list yet this Spring. As I travel, I spend a lot of time observing. And listening. And learning. And while my musings are not yet fully formed, I want to let you in on some of what I see. People are the same. Everywhere. Sure . . . we might look different. Wear different clothing. Speak different languages. And yet, we are all the same. And by that? I mean that we all want the same things. We want food and housing security. Access to clean water. We want to be heard. And seen. And loved. We want connection. And fulfillment. And purpose. And still, huge swaths of the world toil, day in, and day out, all year long, in an attempt to meet basic needs. Simultaneously, other parts of the world turn on faucets that run perfectly cold, or hot, whenever we want them to. The lights go on with the flick of a switch or the touch of a button. The grocery store down the street is stacked with healthy foods, and we can afford to buy them. We jump in our cars and drive whenever we need to. Sometimes we do it just for fun! I didn’t ask to be born in this skin. To my loving parents. And be raised speaking this language, or with these cultural norms. I’m not special, and I’m not significant. Sure, I mean something to those who love me and care about me. But in the scope of this world . . . of this life? I am less than miniscule. I think it’s important I know that. Because . . . it helps my perspective. It reminds me that I don’t need to fixate on accruing things nor gathering wealth. While I am insignificant, I also know that each and every one of us can make a difference in this life. That may seem paradoxical. But think about it. Right now there are more than 8 BILLION people on this planet.. In that scale? I am simply a speck of dust. We all are. And guess what? That means Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela., and Mahatma Gandhi were also just specks of dust. And look at the impact they each had? The important question is then: What kind of difference do each of us want to make? Right now, while so much is devolving around us, what do I want to do with this teeny-tiny life of mine? Do I think I’m going to impact the world like one of the greats identified above? Absolutely not. And yet, I strive to be a source of light. A refuge for peace. An openhearted human who cares for the planet and all of humanity. Someone who is willing to continue learning. And be of service to those around me. Someone who learns from mistakes and admits when she’s wrong. These are just some of the things we are thinking about and talking about while at a coffee convention. Everything happening here provides a powerful lens into the complexities of life. Things are extra challenging in the world of coffee right now. Price fluctuations. Climate instability and crisis. A system that rarely takes care of those who grow the very coffee we continue to enjoy. And, I know these challenges transcend coffee. The challenges we all face right now? They’re huge. And they’re real. And they’re incredibly complex. Coffee is just like the rest of life. It can be delicious. It can be sweet. It can be bitter. It can earn you a profit. It can bankrupt you. There are those who come out ahead. And those who fall further and further behind. I know who works the hardest in coffee. The farmers and the pickers. And I wouldn’t last a day in either of those jobs. You may think my pivot into this coffee world is an unlikely addition to teaching yoga. But you know what? I’m just beginning to understand there really is no separation. My desire to raise vibration, and be a source of light, is my unifying force. It’s what I want to do with this one small life of mine. Thank you for being with me on this journey. I hope we are unified in the desire for a purposeful pathway forward. In our work towards creating and implementing solutions. In building connectivity and caring for all those around us. Especially those whose voices are being diminished. In service, m
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“Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.” ~ John O’ Donohue Hello!
Maybe it’s the chaotic shift in weather we experienced last weekend? Friday: It felt like summer. Mike and I cleaned up our front porch and delighted in eating outdoors. Saturday: We suffered some of the worst air quality of anywhere in the world. The particles hurt my lungs, my throat, and my eyes. Was I really sitting on our porch the night before? Sunday: Our air quality was back to beautiful. And, it snowed! Questioning why I thought it was a good idea to get our porch furniture out? 🤣 Definitely March in Michigan . . . with an added dust storm and wild fire smoke blown our way. Turbulent times all the way around. And so, I’m reminded. How important it is to unplug from the external chaos. Turn off the news. Put away the phone. Close the laptop. That way, we can begin to plug back in, internally. Explore our connection to Earth. Tune into our breath. Become curious about how we are doing. Listen in and hear what we need. This, for me, is necessary every day. I have to unplug . . . at least for a bit. I have to unplug . . . in order to plug myself back in. I need to be re-sourced. This isn’t indulgent. Or because I’m too sensitive. Or weak. It’s because I want to continue showing up. Meeting the moment. As my highest best self. And frankly? She’s angry. And worn down. And sometimes wants to curl up in a ball underneath a plushy blanket. And that is part of who I am, and I’m good with all of that. Because that’s real. And, I want to rise up. Be of service. Live my yoga out in the world. So, I unplug from the external and find effective ways to come back in. Movement is essential. Stillness is essential. Talking with a trusted friend works wonders. Silence is sometimes the better choice. Connection with nature reminds me of real power, and strength, and grace, and beauty. Consecutive nights of good sleep feel like magic. Honestly . . . the how of it? Isn’t important. But the commitment to it? To ourselves. Especially in this moment. It’s imperative. With love and longing for peace, ~ m 
“Never give from the depths of your well, but from your overflow.” ~ Rumi Hello my friends!
I hope your week is flowing along nicely. I can’t quite get adjusted to how late it stays light outside! This week’s sunshine and sound of sandhill cranes have certainly elevated my mood. And, I’m feeling the stress and strain created by the fear and chaos that surround us every day. In challenging times, I understand it’s imperative to continue resourcing ourselves through our yogic practices. I know it’s also essential that we all keep living our yogic beliefs. In fact, this is a wonderful time for us to put our yoga into action. How do we do that? What might that look like? I really appreciate how Susan Barkataki begins to answer these questions: “Seva isn’t just volunteering or giving back - it is an embodied spiritual practice. It is action infused with love, done without expectation of reward. It is showing up for something larger than ourselves, with humility and devotion. It is offering our gifts in service to dharma - the greater good.” This is where I feel it’s important to remind us all: our action doesn’t have to be GRAND in scale, nor in expense. It can be as simple as offering a compliment to someone you cross paths with. Or, listening to a friend in need without trying to “fix” the person. It might be finding a new way to offer up your talents . . . perhaps you will read to elementary school children, or teach a class about nonviolent communication, or help a friend organize his/her closet, or drive a neighbor in need to their medical appointment. If you’re not sure where to begin, ask yourself:
And let’s be really clear. Seva is not about losing yourself in order to serve others. In fact, seva is about living in deep alignment with your highest, best self and shining from there. ✨ We don’t just practice yoga. We live it. ✨ With love and fire, ~ m 
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” ~ William Arthur Ward Hi friends!
Driving from Anna Maria Island, Florida, to Cape Girardeau and St. Louis, Missouri, before completing the trek to Michigan makes for an interesting journey. It was sort of like seeing the emergence of spring reverse itself. We quickly left the palm trees and 70 degree temperatures behind, but there were still flowers and trees in bloom. Before long, we were thrilled to see a bunch of daffodils, and by the time we were at my Aunt’s in Cape, she shared her delight that two crocuses were blooming. Thankfully, we had great weather all the way, and most of the snow in southwest Michigan has disappeared . . . at least for now. To help pass time in the car, my Mom would get out her huge spiral bound atlas and quiz my Dad and I on the names of state capitals. I gotta say, it was surprising how bad I was at this the first time around. Identifying the largest city in each state was doable! But some of those capitals? Pretty tricky! Anyway, I was grateful for the time together, and I am thankful to be home. If you missed the quotation up above, or skimmed over it, please . . . take another read. I like this concept. I don’t know if I’ve ever taken the time and effort to wrap a present and then not given it to its intended recipient. However, it’s easy to think about something, or someone, I am grateful for without ever putting that gratitude into words or action. I’m going to take greater notice of this so I can create a shift in my patterning. I want to build my gratitude muscles, and I think I can do this by sharing my gratitude more frequently and freely. Let me start right here and now. I am grateful to each one of you. For being in my life and for connecting in this powerful way. Thank you. ✨ With light and love, ~ m |
AuthorMichelle Shaw: Archives
April 2025
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