Yoga With Spirit

It can be hard to know what to do for someone who is hurting. Mostly, the right answer is to look for ways to love them. What does compassion like this look like? There are as many answers to this question as there are friendships. Trust that you’ll know what to say or do because you love them.

Click here to read my full essay that includes one perfect example of compassion given to me by a dear friend.

You Are Not a Problem to Solve. | Yoga With Spirit It can be hard to know what to do for someone who is hurting. Mostly, the right answer is to look for ways to love them.

Can you remember your first real friend? I recently found a picture of mine and the memories that had been tucked away with that lost photo filled with me joy. Friendship is one of the greatest gifts of life. If our friendships bring us so much joy, just imagine how good it could be to become our own friend! Plus when we figure out how to befriend ourselves, we’re able to be an even better friend to our friends. It’s a win-win!

Click here to read my full essay. You can enjoy the song linked at the end as you read!

Do You Have a Friend in You? | Yoga With Spirit Friendship is one of the greatest gifts of life. If our friendships bring us so much joy, just imagine how good it could be to become our own friend!

We have a lot of experience living with adult kids. Though none of us would have chosen to be roommates, none of us would trade this time together either. I’ve learned through my practice that equanimity can not only get you through a lot of discomfort, but it can reveal glimmers of goodness as you do. Though living well with our kids again has taken some effort, it has allowed us to share treasured moments that we would never have had otherwise.

Click here to read more about learning to embrace the whole of life which is very rarely the oasis of peace and calm that we yearn for.

My House Might Need a Revolving Door | Yoga With Spirit We have a lot of experience living with adult kids. Though none of us would have chosen to be roommates, none of us would trade this time together either.

It’s here! Happy summer!

This summer I find that rather than yearning for amazing experiences (or avoiding the awful experiences that have dominated the last several summers), I am most looking forward to embracing the chance to exhale and relax into my ordinary life. There is something very settling about doing simple things that I can watch unfold over weeks and months.

Click here to read my full essay.

The Gift of Ordinary Time | Yoga With Spirit This summer I find that rather than yearning for amazing experiences, I am looking forward to embracing the chance to exhale and relax into my ordinary life.

My job provides me a front row seat to the build up to graduation season. At endings such as graduation we often feel like we’re supposed to know what’s next. The reality is that the only thing we can be certain about is that the future is never certain. Rather than being a sign of unpreparedness, uncertainty is an authentic way to enter any transition. It can also inspire us to live with a sense of curiosity and wonder about all the twists and turns the marvelous story that is our lives could take - which is a whole lot more fun than certainty will ever be!

This essay is not just for graduates. Click here if you’d like to read more about living through the emotional rollercoaster of transitions.

Who the Heck Knows What’s Next? | Yoga With Spirit We tend to think that at every ending we have to know what’s next. Yet, the only thing we can be certain about is that the future is never certain.

I recently turned 59. The last three years of my life when my age ended with a nine contained hugely significant life milestones. Realizing this caused me to panic for a second as I wondered what major decision I might need to make this year. Then I relaxed as I considered that deciding to simply enjoy being 59 might be a major-enough decision. And doing so could guarantee that this will be a darn good year no matter what does or does not happen.

Click here to read more about simply enjoying the walk.

A Year That Ends with a Nine | Yoga With Spirit I turned 59 feeling daunted because my last 3 years-that-ended-with-nine contained significant milestones. Then I thought, what if enjoying being 59 is enough?

Friends, I am super P.O.’d. The worse part is that I’m not just P.O.’d at the person who upset me. I’m even more P.O.’d with myself for being so furious long after I should have calmed down. All I want is to feel like myself again. Maybe you’ve felt this way before too? It can be really hard to free ourselves from stubborn storms of feelings.

Click here to read more. (I promise it’s not a downer.)

I Am Seriously P.O.’d | Yoga With Spirit I am P.O.’d. The worse part is that I’m not just P.O.’d at the person who upset me. I’m even more P.O.’d with myself for still being so P.O.’d. What am I to do?

Everything in this world is made for our growth and evolution. Spring is the perfect season to witness Life all around us and - by seeing it - also to feel it bursting within us. All you have to do is step outside!

Click here to read my newest essay!

The Healing Power of the Outdoors | Yoga With Spirit Everything in this world is made for our growth and evolution. Spring is the perfect season to witness Life all around us and to feel it bursting within us.

The summer after my brother died, all I seemed to be able to accomplish on any given day was watering my garden. Looking back, I see that something deep within me was learning the power of adjusting the aperture of my awareness. Keeping my metaphorical lens as small as possible helped me realize that – moment to moment – I was OK. Though I’m not experiencing anything like that awful loss currently, this same strategy of being here now is helping me to feel more settled and calm in the wake of the national and global chaos of the last months. What do you like to do when the bigger picture of your life feels like “too much?”

Click here to read my whole essay.

Overwhelmed? Be Here Now | Yoga With Spirit The summer my brother died, I learned the power of adjusting the aperture of my awareness . Keeping my “lens” small held me in the peace of the present moment.

I’ve always been in awe of people who can fix things and make things. Until this week, assembling IKEA shelves were the extent of my handy-ness. But now I know how to use an orbital sander and – it surprises me as much as I bet it will surprise you – I now have a brand new mindfulness practice to help hold my mind in the present moment.

Click here to read my full essay.

The Pleasure of a Job Done Well | Yoga With Spirit Until this week IKEA shelves were the extent of my handy-ness. But now I know how to use an orbital sander and have new practice to help me stay in the moment.