Everyday Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING, what is this holiday that occurs every year? What does it mean to me?

It is the everyday of GIVING OF THANKS that has made this year different from all the rest. With the gathering of some of my partners family, together we included ceremony, cooking/cleaning, creating, with Love. What I did not expect was the abundance of feelings that I was going to experience being here. As in all families there is “stuff” but as always within the ucomfortability and the witnessing of my reactions, to be accountable to things and to grow bigger rather than staying small, another transcendental shift in my life occurred and how I am so grateful for the challenge and pain that allows me to experience more light.

So the next morning, the clouds covered the sun, fog created a beautiful horizon and as the family went out to breakfast, I rolled out my mat with a fire burning bright. I went closer to the creator, closer to my spirit and allowed each breath to move me through to the next. I turned my senses inward and went into a my practice. Yoga is meditation and meditation is the space between the thoughts.

Off the mat I went, a new day with more Love & possibility than before. Reunited with family and off to the garden we went, followed by a walk in the cool air to meet up with nature. When there is no past or no future, it is just the “present”, a “gift”.

As we now sit looking out into the mountains, appreciating all that we shared with family, we currently bathe in our time alone, going through the reel of the days passed. We recognize we do not need any special day to be grateful for, as in all days there are many things to be delighted by, we are the blessed we get to honor it all that the creator sends our way.

Our Best Life!

I am not often surprised by how the universe offers us opportunities, but not always are we ready to see them or even understand them. This is one of those parallel moments that took me many years to see.

Many years ago I was handed a piece a paper (above) while in Drug and Alcohol Rehab., saved it in a folder, rereading it from time to time, it resonated but it seemed ridiculous to me at the time. Who would have thought that years later I would be handed the same piece of paper in my Yoga Teacher Training. There are many words/sentences that stand out in it for me and one of them is “Your playing small doesn’t serve the world”. It is one of the things I didn’t comprehend up until I became aware that I was actually playing small. I was enlightened about 2 years ago when I found myself, not listening to that inner knowing in all parts of my life. You know that “knowing” , no matter what you do you just know especially when you don’t want to know? The ways we want to fit into relationship, becoming less of ourselves and compromising what we believe to be true. When we do not let ourselves shine, we are are dimmed and we dim what is around us. “We are all meant to shine, as children do.” It is our birthright to shine bright and live the life we want. When I teach Yoga, I offer to students the possibility to see through the eyes of a 5 year old, the poses usually become easier and there is a letting go to the seriousness and or the expectation we put on ourselves.

As for the G-word, that definitely was a challenge. For me its another word like Jesus, Lord, Creator (my fave) Earth Mother, Divinity, Spirit, Yoga, Almighty, Omnipotent, Sun, Moon. . . .for awhile it was my cats. I have faith and believe that its not just about me; Idam Na Mama (its not about me). Letting go of beliefs that were taught to me, ones that didn’t resonate in my life were investigated to see what it is that I believe and found balance with it (daily practice) to have a beautiful life.



My life on and off the mat is not without challenge but it is led with Love. I know what its like to live in complete Fear/the darkness/shadow and without that I wouldn’t know the Love that I experience today. Yoga has given me the unlimited opportunity to be closest to my true spirit, my creator and my heart, the way I knew it could me.

Surrender in Freedom, if your not sure what that means just yet, believe and it will come!