Notes on Clarity

The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want.
And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself.
And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself.
And the only way to be yourself, is to listen to your heart.
I do, The Universe

I subscribe to this daily email service call "Notes from the Universe" and admittedly, the website is a little hokey, but the message is so very clear. I am always amazed at how perfect the timing is for the strangely profound messages.....they always come just when needed....

In my usual process of self analysis, I often have to pause for a moment and remove myself from my current situation in order to gain the clarity I need to make choices that move me in the direction of finding and receiving what I truly want. Sometimes, these choices aren't so much choices made even by myself, but choices made by others.....but the universe has a powerful way of ejecting things out of our lives that can hold us back from what we want.

I truly believe that we always know what is good a right for us and what moves us in the direction of our desires...but often we don't listen to what our gut is telling us and we make choices that aren't in line with what we need. Finding clarity is often the pathway to remove the obstacles that stand in front of what we truly desire and want....In listening to our heart, we are always able to be ourselves, and in knowing ourselves, we are able to truly define what we really want, and once we know what we want, we can finally have the capacity and the ability to receive it!

When all is said and done, there is nothing more empowering and beautiful than knowing what you want and actually going for it!...without reservation or shame.....it is the only way to living the life of your dreams and staying true to your heart. Get clear, listen to your heart and follow your dream!

Breaking the pattern

Have you ever wondered what holds any of us back from getting what we want, need, desire? Without getting too deep into the deepest parts of our psyches, I am clearly reminded (almost daily) of how my past is working in the present. The stories that my parents told me about finances, relationships and life (whether they realized they were telling me these stories or not) continue to resurface in one way or another in my adult life....it is CRAZY!

This is a pivotal time for many of us in the universe at this moment.....recession, lost money and homes, increasing debt across the board...its freaking scary. On top of that, add personal and emotional issues that can break or grow deeper during times like these....everyone is dealing with a ton of baggage...trunks and trunks so to speak!

So...in these times, how is it possible for any of us to stay sane and allow what the universe has to offer to come to us? Sometimes I am not sure, but other times I truly believe that in allowing ourselves to receive, we face a profound opportunity for change...often times it just means taking a look inside to determine what it is that you truly want, and how the patterns of your past affect you today. Without blame or fault, identifying what is holding you back can catapult you forward....so stop the pattern...you deserve whatever it is that you seek.

Personally, I have been working in this space and once I identified why I was making poor choices and actually addressed it, the outcome that I desired came to me out of seemingly no where. These little jewels land all around us and we all have the opportunity to learn, grow and find what we want just by breaking the pattern....

In a gesture of offering and receiving, come to a comfortable seat and open your palms face up towards the heavens...

Life and Legacy

In this practice that we call life, we are often left to consider the legacy that we might leave behind. Personally, I have been considering this question for many years....you see, often times your life can move in unforeseen directions, quickly and unexpectedly, and often all we are left with is ourselves and our place on this earth. Earlier this year, my 90 year old grandfather passed away. An incredible man, he transcended his humble upbringing as the son of Ohio farmers and moved to California to build a restaurant empire with little knowledge, education and, for sure, no money. Although he was an extremely successful person throughout his life, he never forgot what his values were and what was important to him. Over the years he earned and lost his fortune, but what always stayed with him was a certain type of respect.

At both of my grandparents funeral's (my grandmother passed away 18 months prior to my grandfather), the things that people spoke about were deep and real....their strong values rooted in their unwavering faith, family values, philanthropic goals, business relationships and strong willed determination. With that being said, the superficial was not mentioned....it was all about the love, conviction and passion for the lives that they led.

So we are left with the question of the what, how and why? How do we want to be remembered???.....life is too short to be caught on the surface...many of us are struggling economically in this down market and watched our fortune slip away. But like the market fluctuates and changes, remembering that change is the only thing that we can count on might help us stay aligned with what we really want in our lives, what we want to be known for and how we want to REALLY live.

I think of some of the famous people in this world who have the MOST money....Bill Gates and Oprah are the first 2 that come to mind...although it might be foolish to say that people won't remember that they were wealthy, what I can say that they WILL be remembered for is the good that they do...both Bill gates and Oprah are so dedicated to living a life aligned in accordance to their values...so much so that (and I might be modest in numbers here) hundreds of thousands of people's lives have been changed and affected by their philanthropy, mentoring and vision. They had a choice....hoard their money and keep it to themselves and do their job but otherwise escape from their power to make an impact in the world OR use their wealth not only for themselves, but to make a difference in the world and align with what is good for humanity.

Don't get me wrong...money really has nothing to do with it...no one will remember that you were the richest person on the block or that your abs were the super ripped, or even that you can float a handstand in the middle of a yoga room unsupported....what they will remember is the impact you had on their lives and how you lived your life.....and if they only remember you for the superficial than I am sorry for you...

Today, I challenge you to live your life with conviction and passion, open your mind and consider new things, do something kind for someone else, be a friend (truly and deeply) and make a difference, life is way too short! What are you waiting for? Its not too late!

Fearlessness

Fear can be overwhelming and inhibiting at times.....regardless of what you are afraid of, it is often the main driving force and motivator in our lives. It can be debilitating....worry about finances (especially in today's economy), relationships, acceptance, health and wellness, body image, self esteem....all rolled up into a ball they can hover creating overwhelming anxiety and stress that can seem like a black hole.

What if instead of the worry and anxiety, we were able to shift our perspective, celebrate and attack the the fear and consider solutions as to how we can embrace the fear (not run away from it), step outside of our situations and create a positive outcome to whatever might be holding us back. Sometimes this shift is all we need to attract a solution or a healthy fearless situation...

In my yoga practice over the years, many poses have generated great fear. Overcoming the fear of practicing these poses has helped me become more fearless in my own life. Just knowing the I can stand on my hands or drop back into a hand stand without breaking a limb, herniating a disc or killing myself, is so empowering and reminds me that if I can do this...anything is possible and the rest begins to lose its grip on me.

For you today...poses to reduce fear and create fearlessness!

1. Urdva Danurasana (wheel pose/ "eka pada (one legged)" variation show above)- lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet no wider (or narrower) than hip distance apart. Place your hands underneath your shoulder blades and squeeze your elbows closer together so they are in line with your shoulders. Inhale, come to the crown of your head. Exhale, straighten your arms into wheel. If you are open and warm, try drawing your right knee into your chest and straighten your right leg towards the ceiling. repeat on the left side.

2. Eka pada Rajokapotasana or Pigeon pose-come into downward facing dog pose (inverted "v" pose). Inhale your right leg to the ceiling for down dog splits. Exhale, swing your right leg forward in between your hands so that the shin is coming towards parallel to the front of your mat. Your right knee is close to your right wrist and your right foot is close to your left wrist. Inhale lift your heart and lengthen the spine, exhale fold forward. Repeat on the left side. If you have tight hips, you can place a blanket underneath your right hip to level the hips. alternate variation: lay on your back and cross your right ankle over your left knee. Interlace your fingers underneath the left knee cap and draw the leg closer to your body. breath. repeat on the other side.

3. Hand stand- come into downward facing dog close to a wall so that your finger tips are spread wide and your middle finger is facing directly towards the wall. walk your feet as close to your hands as possible. With the left knee slightly bent, spring forward and up with your right leg. Using the wall for support and your arms straight, come into hand stand. Switch legs to come up and repeat. Breath.

In all of these poses, overwhleming feelings might come up, fear, sadness and self doubt or maybe even exhilaration, happiness and joy ....this is normal, nothing to run away from and the power of a successful yoga practice. Breath into the space, cry if you need to and let go of the pain (literally and figuratively).

Namaste!