I have been practicing Yoga for two years, it will be three years in October. So lately I have found that it is harder for me to get to Yoga, but I know when I do go I always receive powerful messages in class that ring true to my real life experiences and even how I am feeling at that moment in time. This is the my favorite part of the class. Each Yoga teacher has a different style in delivering the message. I prefer storytelling and sharing personal stories as I can relate to this more.
Tonights Yoga lesson was on Surrendering to the Divine. Basically, surrendering to what is in life. There are good moments and some not so good. I have found that when you are faced with challenges in life this is where the true test comes into play of taking Yoga off the mat.
Sometimes you get so deep into over thinking things (the mind is a powerful thing, if you let it get to you) , stating the what ifs , focusing on the negative, and having expectations of others and yourself that you miss what that lesson is supposed to be. You create so much struggle for yourself and as a result stress overtakes the body. Stress, I have read is just another word for Fear. Makes sense.
I have been learning to make space for things and surrender to what is. At times it is a struggle, but acknowledgement is the first step to making a change. Give yourself a break, we are all human and make mistakes. I have a friend that always would say to me, "Melissa, be Kind to yourself." Powerful words. Who knows, when you surrender to what is something miraculous could happen and lessons can be learned. Try it.............
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Change
Nothing is more scary to some people than change. For some, it is welcomed and for others it is a challenge. For me it is a challenge. I am a true believer that things happen for a reason, you may not find out what that real reason is until much later and after the fact, but at some point the lightbulb goes off-kind of an aha moment. Love those moments.
When you are at a crossroads in your life, whether it is professionally or personally, it is only you that can make the decision to either stay where you are or make a decision to take steps towards a change. So why is it so hard to do so....one may say fear....fear of the unknown maybe?
I am learning how to embrace change and remind myself that change is inevitable. Change is something that in the end brings added knowledge, growth, opportunities and people into your life that you would of never met otherwise. It is the special friendships that I have formed in the past, and in this present time that I am most grateful for.
One of my mantras is to surround yourself with people that love you. No matter what curve balls life throws that your are not in it alone. And that my friend is a comforting feeling.
When you are at a crossroads in your life, whether it is professionally or personally, it is only you that can make the decision to either stay where you are or make a decision to take steps towards a change. So why is it so hard to do so....one may say fear....fear of the unknown maybe?
I am learning how to embrace change and remind myself that change is inevitable. Change is something that in the end brings added knowledge, growth, opportunities and people into your life that you would of never met otherwise. It is the special friendships that I have formed in the past, and in this present time that I am most grateful for.
One of my mantras is to surround yourself with people that love you. No matter what curve balls life throws that your are not in it alone. And that my friend is a comforting feeling.
Leo North Node
Astrology is something that has always fascinated me. Love- Love- Love learning about this stuff. So I started to read this book called Astrology for the Soul. It is really insightful, and the more and more I read about my own sign, the more sense things are making on how I am currently living my life.
Here are a few things that have stood out to me, and are so right on for me at this point in my life. Leo's tend to over analyze things, and think more with their minds than their hearts. Leo's must learn to start trusting their intuition rather than clinging to their logical strategies. I can so relate and since I have recognized this, and I am open to work on this and begin to trust the process in life. To stop feeling like I have to control everything, and just let go. Yep, let go. Easier said than done, but I am willing to take baby steps to make this happen. Who knows, hopefully one day I will be there.
On another note, Leo's have spent many lifetimes living on the sidelines watching others interact. Ones who have sacrificed personal identity and in past lives have lost touch with their inner child. This makes so much sense and I have found that when I stop taking life so seriously, and I get in touch with my inner child it is so refreshing and healing for me.
I went to my nieces dance competition, Kaylee and Mc Kenna. Kaylee is the older of the two. Mc Kenna is the youngest. I love them both with all my heart and with Mc Kenna I feel a strong bond with her. When she runs up to me and says......Aunt Melisssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....my heart just melts. As I was watching them dance onstage strutting their stuff I started to look back on my childhood. I realized that as a child you have no fears, you take risks, and everything that you encounter is new and exciting. I have memories of catching fireflies with a jar, or making dandelion necklaces, making forts, dancing with my cousins and creating a show for our parents to watch, and so much more.
To get in touch with your inner child is so important, and it is so easy to forget as you get older. When you get so stuck in the muck, it is easy to do. So today and onward I am going to make more of a conscious effort to get in touch with my inner child, what are you going to do today?
Here are a few things that have stood out to me, and are so right on for me at this point in my life. Leo's tend to over analyze things, and think more with their minds than their hearts. Leo's must learn to start trusting their intuition rather than clinging to their logical strategies. I can so relate and since I have recognized this, and I am open to work on this and begin to trust the process in life. To stop feeling like I have to control everything, and just let go. Yep, let go. Easier said than done, but I am willing to take baby steps to make this happen. Who knows, hopefully one day I will be there.
On another note, Leo's have spent many lifetimes living on the sidelines watching others interact. Ones who have sacrificed personal identity and in past lives have lost touch with their inner child. This makes so much sense and I have found that when I stop taking life so seriously, and I get in touch with my inner child it is so refreshing and healing for me.
I went to my nieces dance competition, Kaylee and Mc Kenna. Kaylee is the older of the two. Mc Kenna is the youngest. I love them both with all my heart and with Mc Kenna I feel a strong bond with her. When she runs up to me and says......Aunt Melisssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....my heart just melts. As I was watching them dance onstage strutting their stuff I started to look back on my childhood. I realized that as a child you have no fears, you take risks, and everything that you encounter is new and exciting. I have memories of catching fireflies with a jar, or making dandelion necklaces, making forts, dancing with my cousins and creating a show for our parents to watch, and so much more.
To get in touch with your inner child is so important, and it is so easy to forget as you get older. When you get so stuck in the muck, it is easy to do. So today and onward I am going to make more of a conscious effort to get in touch with my inner child, what are you going to do today?
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Smorgasbord of Yoga Classes
Yoga was something that I looked forward to going to each day after work. I attended religiously and the feeling that I had when I walked through the doors at Yoga Pura with the tiny bell ringing, was heavenly. I attended all levels of classes and seemed to be drawn to a handful of Yoga instructors.
The positive energy, caring people, and being under the same roof of individuals just like myself who were trying to find themselves in this crazy world (at least some people that I know of) was what made me want to come back each and every day. It was my home away from home. A place where I could go and spend an hour and a half of looking within ME-finding my true self. (Which I am still trying to do-lol-baby steps) I would look forward to the life lessons at the beginning of class and as time progressed would feel comfortable enough to actually ask questions and share my own experiences in classes. I was taught that it does not just begin on the mat, and learned that I needed to take it into the outside world. To begin to notice my patterns, tendencies, and look things in a different light. A positive light.
I had some hectic days at work and Yoga took my mind off of things. I would wake up from corpse pose with the refreshed feeling that tomorrow is a new day. A brand new day. Pure Bliss.
The more and more I practiced Yoga, the more I started to feel positive shifts in my life. Shifts that I can not explain or at times did not understand. These shifts will be in future blogs-not quite there yet!
The positive energy, caring people, and being under the same roof of individuals just like myself who were trying to find themselves in this crazy world (at least some people that I know of) was what made me want to come back each and every day. It was my home away from home. A place where I could go and spend an hour and a half of looking within ME-finding my true self. (Which I am still trying to do-lol-baby steps) I would look forward to the life lessons at the beginning of class and as time progressed would feel comfortable enough to actually ask questions and share my own experiences in classes. I was taught that it does not just begin on the mat, and learned that I needed to take it into the outside world. To begin to notice my patterns, tendencies, and look things in a different light. A positive light.
I had some hectic days at work and Yoga took my mind off of things. I would wake up from corpse pose with the refreshed feeling that tomorrow is a new day. A brand new day. Pure Bliss.
The more and more I practiced Yoga, the more I started to feel positive shifts in my life. Shifts that I can not explain or at times did not understand. These shifts will be in future blogs-not quite there yet!
My Intro to Yoga
I started to take some beginner Yoga classes for a month or so with MW. I would look forward to going to class, and loved all of the instructors that I encountered. Each instructor brought something special and unique to their classes. I decided to take an Intro series to Yoga. Jen was my instructor, and I remember the anticipation and nervousness of beginning my first actual Yoga class where I got to experience what Yoga was truly all about.
It was (I think) a six week yoga series. I remember being halfway through a class and a girl passed out on her mat across the room from me. I took one look at her, and felt lightheaded myself from sympathy pains and had to sit out the rest of class-lol.
It was the last class of the series. I remember waking up out of corpse pose and there was a tiny flower and a hershey kiss at the end of my yoga mat. Jen left us a present for completing the series. The room was still dark, candles lit, and the sound of Om intensified throughout the room. I was so proud of the fact that I stuck with it, my husband never thought that I would stick with it because usually when I start something physical like exercise I never finished it.
The more and more I did it, the more curious I became and hooked for life!
It was (I think) a six week yoga series. I remember being halfway through a class and a girl passed out on her mat across the room from me. I took one look at her, and felt lightheaded myself from sympathy pains and had to sit out the rest of class-lol.
It was the last class of the series. I remember waking up out of corpse pose and there was a tiny flower and a hershey kiss at the end of my yoga mat. Jen left us a present for completing the series. The room was still dark, candles lit, and the sound of Om intensified throughout the room. I was so proud of the fact that I stuck with it, my husband never thought that I would stick with it because usually when I start something physical like exercise I never finished it.
The more and more I did it, the more curious I became and hooked for life!
True Beginnings Part 2
Months into the Acting Operations Manager position is when MW and I formed not only a professional relationship, but also a friendship. She would always take Yoga off the mat, and teach me the practices and philosophy of Yoga when things got stressful or challenging.
I was asked to go buy a gift certificate for MW, at Yoga Pura for her birthday as I have always been known as the fabulous gift buyer. Love buying for others and it brings out my creativity. I walked into the Yoga studio located off of 7th Street and Coral Gables. I remember walking through those doors and having such a comforting feeling like I was being hugged. I still get that feeling to this day, of belonging to something. Of course back then, I did not quite know what that was. As I was buying the gift card, I remember just being curious and I started to ask questions. I said to Laura (who is now one of my amazing yoga instructors) that I cannot see myself doing Yoga. In the weeks following, I could not get the studio out of my head.
The thoughts of going into the studio and the lessons of Yoga sat with me for some time , and then it only took a question (which in my eyes was one of my angels watching over me) that asked me if I wanted to attend a Yoga class. I attended my first Basics Yoga class, and my world has never been the same since...........
I was asked to go buy a gift certificate for MW, at Yoga Pura for her birthday as I have always been known as the fabulous gift buyer. Love buying for others and it brings out my creativity. I walked into the Yoga studio located off of 7th Street and Coral Gables. I remember walking through those doors and having such a comforting feeling like I was being hugged. I still get that feeling to this day, of belonging to something. Of course back then, I did not quite know what that was. As I was buying the gift card, I remember just being curious and I started to ask questions. I said to Laura (who is now one of my amazing yoga instructors) that I cannot see myself doing Yoga. In the weeks following, I could not get the studio out of my head.
The thoughts of going into the studio and the lessons of Yoga sat with me for some time , and then it only took a question (which in my eyes was one of my angels watching over me) that asked me if I wanted to attend a Yoga class. I attended my first Basics Yoga class, and my world has never been the same since...........
True Beginnings
My spiritual journey truly began when I started to work for the Maricopa County in my new job position as Operations Supervisor. I remember my husband was waiting for me in the car for me as I was interviewing. I got in the car and said to my husband that I did not get the job. It was during that same week that I got the job offer, and my life has never been the same since. Wow, what self confidence I had-lol. My first year on the job was the toughest, and most challenging in many ways and my first boss left the program.
It was not until my third year I believe (give or take since I have short term memory sometimes) that my journey began not only professionally, but personally. It was during this time that my new boss N told me that she was leaving the program. N was with the program for about a year, and we would spend every waking hour together it seemed. Our lives were consumed with work and we spent many late night hours together trying to keep the program a float. I was so sad about the news and frustrated as to the reasons why they were leaving their positions.
I was then asked to fill in as the Acting Operations Manager by MW.............and here is where my spiritual journey all began..................
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