Tag: Yoga

Goldilocks Blog – The Divine Quest

  Goldilocks Blog – The divine quest between not too much and not too little, and how to live our lives “just right”

Recently I was asked the question about my blogging and yoga teacher status –What are you doing and why are you doing it? What makes you different? What do you stand for?  Which in turn left me blank for more than a few moments.  I know I started writing the blog because I wanted to inspire myself and others to live their “just right” lives. Then I became a yoga teacher, and in the process I became aware of a deeper understanding of what that all means to live our lives “just right”.  I know as a yoga teacher I teach because I want to help people live in an effortless state of being, and not in necessarily achieving a perfect handstand; but I’m not sure my writing or teaching really reflects the message of living our lives, just right in an effortless state of being. In other words, helping everyone find that peace within. So it’s with this new clarity that my blog and teaching will now be focused. Merging together to deliver the message that has become so clear to me. But how exactly I’m going to do that – I’m still not sure…

I do know however, with every fiber in my being, how simple it is to live this life happy, and with ease and grace. It’s so easy and yet our minds complicate it with thoughts. When I teach my yoga, I give tools that can help with this – mindfulness, focused concentration, postures to help strengthen our bodies and mind, breath work to calm us down and clear out some of the mental chatter. I also know through the repetition of the practice and coming back time and time again to the mat, we continually learn and adapt. But I still hear some of the students talk, they’re still are not getting it. Some just come to gain strength, to stretch, or maybe just to say that they practiced yoga.  I know we all have to start somewhere, and I know it can take years for some, and I guess I need to admit that it did take me many many years. But is it possible to communicate all that I now know in an easier and more effective manner.

To live a happy and fulfilled life we must have health, and the clarity and freedom to live pursuing our self expression that is unique to us. What is it that we like to do? And are we doing it.

Our “just right” Goldilocks life comes from this place within – inner peace with who we are and what we have now.  Not in getting to an exotic location, or having the perfect spouse, the perfect house, car, or even job. Of course that would be wonderful, to have it all, in that way too. But you could be at the most beautiful location in the world, have a great spouse, house, car and money and really it’s possible to still not be happy. 

So the real work, the work that needs to come first is living within our Goldilocks being, the person that is happy within ourself now, where we are now, and with who we’ve become now in this present moment. Really owning it! 

It’s challenging when we live constantly reminding ourselves with what has happened to us in the past that made us who we are, but do we ever truly look and embrace the being that we’ve become and who it is that we’re becoming, without thinking about the past. Everyone has a story, a past that has made us cry and has brought us joy. We should embrace the person that we’ve become though all of it, and stand tall in the now.  

So for now, let’s take a moment to get to know ourselves a little better.  Maybe welcoming ourselves as if we would somebody that we would really like to get to know. Then accepting ourselves with compassion, again as if we really, really wanted to be close to this person. Then taking a moment to breathe love in, and breathe love out, with this person, and allowing this love to permeate every cell in our being, and then accepting ourself just as we are, and just for the pure pleasure of it.

Just a thought, and always with love,

Goldi

 

 

Meditation – Being with Yourself

Meditation – Being with Yourself – allowing you to just sit with yourself, so that you may gain knowledge about who that is. This connection to your inner self is the most important factor in creating lifelong happiness. Be with your self, and find out what you really want. What does your perfect life truly look and feel like. You may be surprised, when you get quiet, to learn what the real answers are.

When you know yourself and approach each moment present and aware, you are no longer anchored to the past or immobile about fears of the future.  Your heart is open and you look to see all the good thats around you now in the present moment. Your mind is clear and you live with clarity in this divine rythm of nature, of life.  And, it’s this creative power and connection to this creative flow that allows you to flourish.  Opening yourself up and allowing the current to carry you gracefully forward.

Just a thought… Oh! and I found this really good article on meditation if your interested – Your body on Meditation

With Love, Goldi

Living in Awareness – The Ideal Brew 

 

Living in awareness we allow the flow of time to carry us forward, as we live mindfully in the moment. Aware of where we are right now, and really expanding this awareness by remembering what has become automatic. Like, what country or city you are in? Become aware of the geographical location of the town you are in. Think of where you are in the world. Are you outside, or in a room or building. What does it look like around you, the walls or scenery. Are you sitting at the beach with your feet covered in sand, on the hard floor, or nestled in your favorite comfy chair. Are you hot, cold,or just right. Notice how you feel in this moment. Aware of the natural rythem of your breath. Aware of how you feel each moment to moment. Mindfully moving, mindfully breathing, mindfully reading. With full awareness of the sounds around you near and in the distant. Living in this heightened state of awareness all the time. Aware of it all, but detaching from this awareness as if living a life of meditation in motion. With full consciousness of what your doing. In yoga, we practice this on the mat, hoping that we can take the practice off the mat and into our daily life. When we live in the present we know that we show up in a way that makes us efficient and present with our family, coworkers, customers, and in any action that is taken by us. We get more done with less effort in a relaxed and peaceful way.  It may even save your life.

Today one of my students came to class and stated that he had open heart surgery just a few weeks ago. He had been out on a walk and was just about to enter his house when he heard a whoosh sound coming from his heart and felt the change as well. His awareness of his body, saved his life.  Doctor said your great, everything is perfect, no restrictions, until he took the cold metal stethoscope out and listened to his heart, and then said – I take it all back, and sent him directly to the hospital. A valve in heart was completely open.

After I went to my favorite Tea Room to drink my favorite tea the awareness of time became clear and confusing at the same time. I was handed a tea timer which I had noticed before but I guess not with the full awareness that I had of it today. The timer had 3 hourglass timers representing 3, 5, and 7 minutes.  When turned over the sand moves through the timers at different rates for different teas.  I’ve always thought of hourglass timers as a reminder to live in the present – with the center of the hourglass, representing the moment of time passing through the middle – the now. The sand accumulation at the bottom as what has passed, and the sand at top representing the future of what is coming.  What struck me that never stuck me before is that all three of the hourglasses represented time, and yet they were all moving at different rates. The restriction at the center of the 7 minute timer is tighter than the restriction of the five minute and three minute timers, and wondered – do we do this in our own lives – can we do this. Can we make our Ideal Brew within our own self as to the perfect time. Can we open up and allow tough times to pass by quickly, and restrict and really focus, embrace, and cherish precious moments, savoring them, allowing time to seem as if standing still. I wonder… and at the same time believe it to be true. What do you think?

Just a thought…

As always – With Love, Goldi