off the mat

weekly mantra //

February 10, 2014 by Rachel Leave a Comment

I left last weeks Believe In CLE event feeling so inspired. My post-yoga high was in full swing. I was taking my yoga off the mat and bringing it into my daily life. Little words of wisdom from my yoga teachers would echo in my mind wherever I was! And it felt wonderful.

And then something snapped me back into ‘reality’ and it felt… harsh.

It wasn’t like a major life event or anything. Just something little. And after being on such a high for life, that harsh reality check feels even more rough. And it kinda shakes me to my core.

Isn’t that the way life is though? You have the strength and energy to move mountains… but then the real world reminds you that not everyone shares your enthusiasm for living!

And that’s where this weeks mantra comes in.

I need to remember that small changes I make within myself DO have an impact on the world around me.

I need to stop thinking that it’s effects will be clear immediately on the world around me.

I need to stop the desire for instant gratification to see the changes manifest.

But I need to keep moving forward with the small changes. And one day I’ll wake up and reflect back only to realize that it HAS made a difference!

i live for that yoga connection //

January 8, 2014 by Rachel Leave a Comment

The only people this week truly make sense to are my fellow yogis. And that’s okay. If it doesn’t speak to you that’s fine too. But be warned… I realize I’m preaching to the yogi choir right now.

One of the reasons I go back to my mat and back to my practice time and time again is for the connection.

The physical connection of my feet to the earth; the mental connection of my brain to my breathing; the physical connection of my body to the pose; and the psychological connection to my fellow yogis.

And I always find it quite comical when I find myself in a packed yoga class. I set my mat down in the taped off lines as to not take up more than my share of prime real estate. But I can’t help but notice other peoples wariness; the hesitation to get so close to another person — a stranger — makes them uneasy.

Cause yoga is messy. It’s sweaty. Its gross.

But it also connects you to your neighbor. Your breathing becomes intertwined and it lifts you up. It carries you through the poses. And it exposes your vulnerabilities.

See I love the packed classes because it forces me to physically connect with someone I would otherwise have no connection with.

Sometimes a stray foot lands on my mat; Occasionally a droplet of sweat may fall from my head to my neighbors mat.

And then there are the yogi-assists! It’s quite an experience the first time a teacher says “Reach out and hold the leg of the person next to you!”

You start to look forward to these moments. You don’t hesitate. You can help this person — this complete stranger — next to you out just a teeny bit by holding their left leg for them. And the person to your left is helping you out similarly.

There’s just something magical about it!

I recognize that these types of classes & situations make some people completely uncomfortable. But personally? I LIVE for them!

Truthfully, it DOES get me out of my comfort zone. And that’s why I love it.

I will always leave those classes knowing I’ve learned something. I may not have felt like I did the ‘best’ warrior 1, but I know I definitely leave with a new understanding of the world around me. 🙂

Have you ever experienced something that made you feel like you instantly grew into a slightly better person? 🙂

let it serve you // 2014

January 1, 2014 by Rachel Leave a Comment

2013 was a great year, but if I’m being honest, I was not my authentic self this year. I wasn’t fake; I just wasn’t the ME I want to be.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve done some serious soul-searching and looking inward (unrelated to the pending new year). And I’ve had some time to reflect on what I need to do to make myself a better person and to live an authentic life.

It’s not a ‘resolution’; it’s a must-do list, of sorts. I’ll explain more later. I need more time to take it all in.

My mantra for this year is this:

But for now, here’s my ‘must-do’ list for 2014 to get myself back on track and back to being healthy (mentally, emotionally and physically):

2014 is a no-spend year. After years of frivolous spending, I’m cutting myself off. Completely. I know it may seem extreme, but I know that it’s necessary and completely doable. The only thing I am going to allow myself to do is to get a haircut every 6-8 weeks.
Meditate regularly. I’m not talking about those fleeting moments before drifting to sleep; I mean making a regular habit — in the morning — of getting out of bed 10 minutes earlier to really meditate and ground myself for the day.
Practice daily gratitude. In a way to live a more authentic life, I need to focus on how much I have to be grateful for. I’ll occasionally share these moments of gratitude, but otherwise I’ll be keeping a gratitude journal for the next 365 days.
Act with enthusiasm, integrity, and without expectations. Enough said.
Use exercise and healthy eating as ways of cultivating happiness and keeping away depression. Anything that is proven to naturally increase my mood and reduce fatigue is worth my time and dedication.

I have every intention of spending 2014 doing things that serve the happiness of those people I love most.

How will you serve what is important in your life this year?