Toni Kuhn

If you let go a little
you will have a little happiness.
If you let go a lot
you will have a lot of happiness.
If you let go completely
you will be free.

Ajahn Chah

I was recently a apart of a devotional exchange and I received this quote from a participant. It really resonated with me as I tend to hold on to things a little too long. Everyday I try to practice “letting go” of the things that no longer serve me. I do this with breathe work and my yoga practice. The hard part is not always knowing that certain things are weighing on me.  But I have found by simply breathing in Sukha ( sweetness, goodness) and exhaling the Dukha (stress, suffering) I am able to appreciate the abundance in my life and free myself of the things that weigh me down.

What can you let go of to gain more happiness and be free of worry and suffering?

Do you remember when you were a kid and you would grab a piece of paper and just draw?  Most of our childhood drawings were about what we wished for, what we enjoyed doing and what we loved. Like sunny days, ice cream, and riding our bikes.  As I look at this picture I can see all the little things that make this heart full. When you look at this picture what do you see? Can you see the strawberry, the music and nature?

What do you see in your heart? In my heart I see my family, my friends, my yoga, my yoga students, music, books, the beach, and of course coffee! Sometimes when we list the things that we love we begin to see how full our hearts are and appreciate these things more.

Grab a piece of paper and draw a heart. Fill it with pictures of things you hold close to your heart. What do you see? Take a moment and feel gratitude for these things. As you open your eyes to the fullness of your life, perhaps you can feel the love around you.

Love. Peace. Happiness.

Have a great day!

This is an excerpt from an article in Daily Om.

“Allowing a  playful mood can influence your thoughts and actions, causing you to put aside your responsibilities so you can focus on activities that are fun. It may be that you are feeling a touch overwhelmed by your professional or domestic responsibilities, and the notion of play appeals to you because you need a break. Play is an important part of adult life because it provides us with an outlet through which we can relax and rejuvenate ourselves in a less than structured way. We are required to adhere to schedules and specific methodologies in so many areas of existence, and the need to be consistently organized can exhaust and overwhelm us. When we play, we are free to exercise our imaginative minds in a variety of ways, and we can choose how we will handle the complexities inherent in the forms of recreation we like best. The games we enjoy can be as tiring as work itself, yet the freedom we are allowed to wield as we have our fun provides us with a welcome break from the rigidity of day to day living. ”

Here are some more pictures of us playing in Hawaii on Oahu Island.

Camel Pose at top of Diamond Head Hawaii

A Fish from Snorkeling

Beautiful beach

At the beach with a turtle

Pearl Harbor

Dole Pineapple Plantation

I have been back a week now and I just feel like I am getting  back into routine! I miss being on vacation. The freedom of waking up and deciding what amazing place we are going to visit. The ability to grab my mat, walk down to the beach and do yoga. The traveling, the shopping, the food, and sharing  the special moments with my family. I am going to try and hold on to the spirit of Hawaii and do some of those things right here at home. It is time to take more time to play and have fun!

Here are some more pictures.

Pearl Harbor

Scenic Bike Tour

Top of Diamond Head

Snorkleing

Beach yoga

Sunrise beach yoga

I had such an amazing trip to Hawaii. Being so close to the ocean and nature was very healing for me. We had a lot of fun driving around the island in the convertible mustang we rented.  I loved spending time with my family and enjoying the beautiful sights we saw!

Here are some pictures. We took a ton so I will post more soon. Namaste.

“Santa is our culture’s only mythic figure truly believed in by a large percentage of the population. It’s a fact that most of the true believers are under eight years old, and that’s a pity.” – Chris Van Allsburg

As adults we no longer believe in Santa Claus. Many of us have children that are older and have become non-believers also. Perhaps we need to revisit this. Santa represents youth, innocence, generosity, hope,  and joy. Santa laughs out loud freely, is kind, loving, a good listener, and spiritual. These are all qualities of a good role model. If we revisit our thought process and start thinking of Santa as an idea to believe in, we may find ourselves truly in the spirit of the holiday season. In all religions there is an entity that is praised and recognized. Why not let Santa be our universal representation of pure joy, and start believing again?

“I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph”.- Shirley Temple

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  During this time of the year it becomes increasingly hard to maintain our yoga practice. Our schedules seem to get over loaded making it difficult to find time for our yoga practice. We must become more creative in fitting yoga into our schedules. Keep in mind that your practice does not need to be a full hour or done at a studio. It can include just a few minutes of stretching and breath work. Additionally, your yoga practice travels well, is easy to pack, and can be done anywhere and anytime. For example, you can practice breath work and stretch at the airport while waiting for your plane. You can practice breath awareness while contemplating items while you are shopping and waiting in long lines. Tree pose can be done while chatting with friends at a party, while you are folding laundry, and even while you are buying your Christmas tree. Allow yourself to be creative with your yoga practice and remember, just  a few minutes a day will help maintain your practice.

If you are looking for a last minute gift, I have gift certificates available for private lessons with me. Or better yet, maybe you treat yourself to an hour of  yoga dedicated to your needs! Click on the tab below to contact me for more information on private yoga lessons.

Namaste.