Be Willing || 12.02.14

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"Yoga is not for the flexible. It's for the willing."

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A lot of the time, the new and unknown can be met with trepidation and fear. When introducing yoga to others, the first thing I hear often is that my body can't or oh I could never do this. What is holding you back? The negativity. Yes, maybe you do suffer from some nerve damage or back pain or immense heartache. Yoga can fix this. It can most certainly hurt it if you are not careful, but I believe that yoga can cure everything. That and some leafy greens of course ; - ). But really, the first muscle that needs fine tuning is the brain. Be willing to try. Given half a chance, the body will heal itself. Allow it the opportunity.

Not just in yoga, try and do this with everything fearful in your life. Be willing to tell that person that you love them; laugh so loudly the whole world hears; read books that spark your interest, not necessarily an intense conversation; love without abandon; think first with peace, and act on your thoughts; walk in your truth and be exactly who you want to be in this moment. No fear, just hope and breath and love. Just give yourself a chance. It'll be worth it, I promise.

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From what have you been holding yourself back?

 xx

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|| The Mermaids Mantra || 11.18.14

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"I must be a mermaid... I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living." ~Anais Nin

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I have this quote hanging beside my bed as a reminder. A reminder to be myself and not settle amid the shallowness of others. A reminder to be brave and daring and willing to escape and find the depth in other humans, in animals, and in places no one has ever been before. It doesn't have to be pretty or perfect or right. It just has to be exactly what I need in that moment. I truly do have a great fear of waking up one day and regretting what I did or who I became based on timid choices I made years before. How boring would it be not to be true and authentic to myself? I think it would be terrible to wake up and keep wondering what if. What if I just did it? What if we just went on a journey. Who cares where we end up. How we tell the story is exactly how events unfolded. We can choose if something was rotten or if it was a glorious invitation to our future. Have no fear of depth.

Be adventurous. Live life expansively and lovingly and true. Be yourself.

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Plus, I've always wanted to be a mermaid. Anyone else?

 xxoo

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Places No One Has Ever Been || 11.11.14

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"The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been." ~Albert Einstein

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Sometimes I read quotes and I realize that they are meant for me for another time in my life or for another person around me. This quote, however, feels fully intentioned for me as I contemplate my future, my choices, my life goals and purposes. It can be exhausting to get input from all those around you, and equally exhausting for ideas to bounce around in the mind without ever ceasing. I think sticking to our own choices, chosen only to better ourselves in the moments we are present, manifests a reality that is profound and fun and filled with laughter and love. Who doesn't want all of those things? I'd rather wind up somewhere extraordinary with me, myself, and I, than follow the tried and true path of a crowd, be they family, friends, or community. I refuse to believe that you either have to be alone or following the likes of others. Imagine if the crowd we choose to surround ourselves with was filled with wanderers, never without fascination or excitement, always encouraging self exploration and discovery? That would be truly lovely. And I believe it is possible that we can all find this. If not, let's enjoy our own company enough to cherish the moments we stand alone; enough to open our eyes when we journey into the unknown.

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Do you discover the most when you are alone, with a group, or a mix of both?

 xxoo

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