“Peace, in its most fundamental form, is the connection of one human spirit to another.” ~ Desmond Tutu Hi friends!
I’m so grateful for each one of you. For everything you are and that you are becoming. Thank you for your light in the world and your presence in my life. May we all find a few special moments to pause. May we gift our loved ones our presence. May we fill our bodies and our beings with gratitude. Blessings to all. Peace to all. And love to all, I’ll be in Guatemala next week visiting prospective coffee farm-partners, and I’ll be back in your inbox, soon. 🥰 ~ m P. S. Join us for the highly anticipated Winter Solstice Yoga Event Teresa Van Eyk, Harvey Deutch, and me ♥️ We’ll gently move, breathe, meditate, and enjoy healing sounds Sunday, December 22 | 4:30 - 6:00 PM Register today to secure your spot 🙏🏽
0 Comments
“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” ~ Robin Wall Kimmerer Hi everyone!
Thanks for being here. How are you?? I must admit. My body has been delivering to me some warning signs lately. Truth? I think I’m even sleeping with my shoulders bunched up around my ears?! 🤣 I am carrying a LOT of tension in my neck and shoulders, and some of my regular remedies are not doing the trick this time around. When Mike’s alarm went off the other morning? I was having a super strange stress dream. These days, I rarely have stress dreams. If I do? They always seem to involve diving. I’m back in college, warming up for a meet, and I am woefully underprepared. 😩 Or, something along those lines. 🤪 In this week’s dream? I was tasked with teaching a yoga class to a stadium PACKED with VERY uninterested teenagers. Let’s just say . . . it wasn’t going well. 😬 As I woke up, I thanked my subconscious for sifting and sorting through some of my stress and strain. Next, I tuned in. The fact that I had a stress dream tells me a lot, and I want to heed the signals. For me in this moment? My stress dream is serving as motivation. I have a lot of travel coming up, and I need to tend to some additional details for myself, for Mike, for my yoga business, and for our household prior to packing my bags. The buildup of stress is telling me it’s time to focus and start checking things off my list. Also, I need to pay attention to my fuse . . . because it’s a bit short these days! Things that wouldn’t normally cause me to get frustrated, or feel defeated, seem ready to practically topple me over. This is not how I want to be feeling on the interior, nor how I want to be moving in the world. My heightened reactivity isn’t something to beat myself up about, and it IS something to pay attention to. When I am feeling more agitated, I know it’s time to ramp up my self-care. Finally, I need to double down on my wind down. When my mind is more active and full, it takes me a while longer to wind down in the evenings. So, I need to be mindful of my routines that prepare me for deeply restorative slumber. So, my friends, that’s it. Let’s all tune in. Heed the warning signs. And return to gratitude again and again and again. With an abundance of light and love, ~ m 
“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hello friends,
What a week it has been. First and foremost, please continue taking great care of yourself. And please . . . keep checking in with others. Thank you. ♥️ I wish I had magical words that could serve as a balm for all. Knowing that’s not realistic, I offer a few personal reflections and takeaways. Primarily, I want to talk about our gaze. That’s right. What we choose to look at? Turns out it makes a big difference. For years in my yoga classes I’ve been saying, “Changing our view changes everything.” Typically, I offer this while in a particular asana or posture. For example: tree pose. While standing on one foot, we usually direct our gaze at a single spot to help keep our balance. But, what happens if we simply lift our eyeballs towards the sky? 🙄 Everything shifts! 🤪 Now, what if we applied this same concept as we walk around in the world? We decide for ourselves what we choose to look at. In other words, we have autonomy when it comes to where we spend our energy and to what we give our attention. I understand this isn’t true every minute of the day. But, when we do have choice, where do we direct our gaze? What captures our attention? Where are we directing our own energy? These days, a lot of algorithms create funnels that direct our gaze for us. It may look like we have scrolling through endless options. But really? It’s not choice. This never-ending loop has inspired me to be more curious about . . . curiosity. 😉 If I can remain curious, that means I want to know more. If I want to know more, that means I am also willing to listen and to learn. I hope we can remain curious so we can continue fostering connections. Through connections? We promote empathy. When my sorrow for humanity and this planet looms large? That’s when I really have to tune into my own gaze. And choose wisely for myself. Time in nature helps. Nourishing foods. Movement. Laughter with friends. Stillness. And, I also tune into what makes my jaw clench and my heart rage. These signals serve as motivation. And motivation inspires action. Then, I get still again to hear the wisdom that aligns action with my highest, best self. Please (re)-read the quotation up above. It says a lot. ♥️, ~ m P. S. Watch for this year’s Winter Solstice Yoga Event! Details coming soon 🙏🏽
“In 2024, 43% of adults say they feel more anxious than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023 and 32% in 2022.” “Three-quarters of respondents identified this year’s presidential election as one of the biggest causes of their anxiety.” ~ American Psychiatric Association Hi friends,
How are you? As I write, we don’t yet know any results or outcomes. So, my prayer is for peace. And, that all those elected will lessen the suffering of all people and this planet. For me, that’s the work. Continuing to show up as a source of light. Each and every day. For all people and for this amazing planet. In the long lead-up to this election, I’ve been reflecting on the ancient Buddhist saying: “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment chop wood and carry water.” Regardless of outcomes, here we are. The work continues. So, I will continue checking in and honoring all that I am feeling and experiencing. And, I shall try and let go of any fears and anxieties. I know it’s important to understand ways to self-soothe. I’m grateful for you. Please take great care. I’ll see you again next week, ♥️, ~ m |
AuthorMichelle Shaw: Archives
December 2024
|
RSS Feed