Monthly Archives: April 2012
mother nurture – theme for the week!!
how has cultivating your awareness been going?
Pictures of the Arrowhead Ladies this weekend.
Another wonderful moment at Curves in Arrowhead, Thank you to Rose, for being open and willing and closing up the room. I hope your first time was good. Also to Katie and Katie and Katherine, Guylene(master herbalist) and Candy, sweet and precious owner of this space. And Val of course as well for being there and making sure I was correctly working the machines.
Cultivating awareness Together. Congratulations to Katie for eating her first raisin ever!! with such attention, curiosity and intent.
Truly, this is yet another fine group of women I consider goddesses. I am blessed to encounter so many fine souls along The Journey.
ALL the people I meet and all the yogis I guide through yoga practice enhance my awareness if I am paying attention with mindfulness.
Everyone of you teach me and touch me in some way – and for that -I am grateful and filled with joyful presence.
Namaste
Yesterday
The day got off to a shaky start due to my own misery making and character flaws. Then I made proper amends (taking full responsibility and no excuses, no taking of hostages, etc…) and moved on. By then it was 8am. Geez!!! When will I ever learn to pause before spouting out the first thing in my head? I guess that’s why they call it practice.
I had a date with my yogini mentor/friend/goddess, Dana. We were supposed to go to San Diego to meet up with a medical intuitive and that fell through on the other end kinda last minute. So she whisked me off to LA instead and I had no idea where we were going. Everytime we get together we just spill, ask, validate, etc…She can go deep and wide – love that!!
To my amazement there are incredible neighborhoods in LA. Until we got to the gate I did not know where we were headed. I teared up as I read the sign and she spoke into the intercom to let us in. It said Peace Awareness Labyrinth Gardens. OMG!!! The theme this week was conscious awareness. Coinquidink? I think not. They say that a coincidence is just God remaining anonymous. Kind of a God wink or a God shot.
We enter a grand older Beauxes Arts Mansion behind iron gates. This place was once a home for a wealthy Italian family. They owned a very large vineyard in Riverside. Their home is detailed in fine hand-carved woods and expensive marbles and accessories. There is a wonderful modern kitchen and dining area where seminary students that live on the property get to enjoy.
And then there’s the gardens. But before that – we walked the Chatres – based labyrinth. Dana taught me what to do and we both meditated and went within. All my questions were answered and thoughts were cataloged and I felt clear and knowing. I felt a peace that is indescribable and a joy that was serene and steady.
After a quick tour of the estate, we then went off to a surprise lunch spot. And as if Dana knew – she took me to Cafe Gratitude – a place that is divine dining. I always wanted to go to the one in Berkeley and have their un-cook book. It is a vegan hipster kinda place. We sat outside and had a scrumptious carrot/ginger soup and then I had a raw pizza. Raw desserts is what got me into being a raw foodist a few years back (not any longer) in the first place so we left with some sweet raw goodies in tow for the road back.
Then back in OC we stopped at a new (2 months old) raw juice bar and fresh food cafe. I had a gingerbread smoothie and we ordered some salads to go for dinner later, after sampling.
What a wonderful day it turned out to be. I learned lots of lessons and I felt blessed all day. I used to let one good screw-up ruin my day, but I have learned to own my mistakes and then get myself back into the flow, get back into gratitude and abundance, letting the Universe unfold before me and not taking control of the wheel with my ego and small self at the helm.
Affirmation: I graciously allow the Universe to support and guide me today in all that I do for the highest good for all.
conscious awareness
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly” – Buddha
The definition of conscious presence is having that awareness of your feelings and thoughts, being aware of yourself as a thinking being; it is being intentionally awake and alive. Knowing oneself.
All spiritual, intellectual and psychological healing and paths include in some form or manner this idea. Wisdom is born of it. Peace is a product of it.
May you live and revel in it.
Affirmation: I consciously go about my day with ease and comfort. I bring awareness and attention to every thought, situation and person I come across today.
See what happens……………………
Lessons Learned
1) Don’t take anything/anyone for granted or personally. Everything/everyone matters but it is not my fault or responsibility to fix everything or everyone, only what I really have the power or influence to make better. Wisdom is knowing this difference. Use the serenity prayer.
2) Make every moment precious and be in the now. Use this human body and mind as a tool to meditate with my breath and awareness. Cultivate mindfulness and compassion for self in all I do.
3) Forgive everyone; this is for me, not for them. That being said – I need to protect myself and have boundaries and it also doesn’t mean I approve of anyone’s bad or harmful behavior.
4) Let people, things, appointments, etc… that are cramping my style, go (see above).
5) Live authentically – find my true north and BE it – don’t apologize for my uniqueness, don’t diminish myself or aggrandize myself either.
6) Never pass up the opportunity to be silent or shut my mouth. Pause. Share when appropriate or helpful.
7) Be of service to someone or something else. It will take me out of my ego and and it is my purpose and function. Encourage, guide and support others along their path. Freely give of the gifts the divine source has bestowed and come from a place of abundance and grace.
8) Find my spiritual path and grow moment by moment. Every challenge is an opportunity. Every heartache is a lesson learned. Every joy is enhanced with gratitude. Every action can be made sacred.
9) Be grateful – list 5 things daily. Happy people are grateful people and those who are not, aren’t.
10) Make amends as soon as my gut and intuition tells me to. This takes courage and constant, continous, consistent self-reflection.
This might not help you, or you may already know all this, but for me this morning I had to remind myself of the things I needed to be reminded of. None of this is original – it is ancient wisdom, not my own; it’s just some of what I have learned so far………..just passing it on.
Thanks to all my peeps for teaching me this and forever keeping me accountable. You know who you are.
Namaste – Have a good week – See you in class –
Need to know who is going on Field trip (Thursday May 3 – check past posts).
theme for the week: building a conscious awareness
This week we will be begin to build or strengthen our awareness consciously through an eating meditation – after stretching and breathing and becoming mindful of the moment. Thereafter, we will submit to our restorative poses and renew our cells and tissues, relaxing in the stillness.
First arrowhead class
Today I was honored to teach my first class in Arrowhead. I love this place. I was inspired to write the following poem…….
Making way for the new
Releasing the tired, worn- out view
I make headway towards my future
I break ground
I feel the sound
Contemplating in my treehouse
I realize I must renounce
And shed what doesn’t serve me anymore
To make room
To re-bloom
Allowing positive energy to flow
Inviting the healing heart to glow
I make new friends and expand my vision…..
Dedicated to the radiant goddesses I had the benefit of meeting today at Curves in Lake Arrowhead and a special thank you to Candy, the owner, for allowing me so generously to use her space. Shout out to Guylene, the master herbalist, for her help and presence extraordinaire. Val for my workout….Jodi , Natalie, maryjo, all the women. May we all continue to be so blessed.
Btw- next class in arrowhead will be next Saturday, April 28 at 11:30am.
Address for Curves : 402 s. grass valley rd. 909-336-0111
What does Namaste mean?
Namaste (pronounced (nah-mah-stay), the closing at the end of yoga practice, is a sign of respect and devotion to the divine light in each and every one of us as well as the acknowledgement of our own spiritual light. It basically translates to – “I honor the divine light that shines in me and I bow to the divine light that shines in you”.
Although it originated and can be traced back to an epic poem from ancient India, more than 2 or 3 thousand years ago, it is still used today to greet or bid someone farewell.
Bringing your hands in front of your heart in prayer position or Anjali Mudra ( hand gesture), we bow our heads and speak “Namaste” to the group as a way to unite the class and to close the yoga practice.
I honor the place in you that is the same in me. I honor the place in you where the whole universe resides. I honor the place in you of love, of light, of peace and of truth. I honor the place in you that is the same in me. There is but one. Namaste – Anonymous
Namaste, my friends, Cecilia
Remember
Whenever you move, think or create – synchronize with your breath. Perform each duet as a melody that ebbs and flows.
This is living meditation and existing in the now. It will undoubtedly enhance your awareness and enrich your life experience… moment by moment.
In turn, you will perceive with clarity what is truly important. Your priorities will begin to shift. Your viewpoint will widen. But your focus will sharpen.
Inhale and exhale deeply right now, bring your attention to your surroundings and your inner emotions, observing and just being; no judgment. Then take another breath, and continue perhaps with eyes closed or… while making a bed, washing dishes, at a stop light, waiting on line at a store, interfacing with your computer, starting your car, practicing yoga, walking, picking up children from school, etc….anytime.
Do it just for 5 minutes. Then do it whenever you remember. Soon it will be a place you go to for peace and re-grouping whenever you are angry, disturbed or perplexed. It will give you pause before you react inappropriately. It will give you time to think and allow you the grace of perspective from a more authentic place within yourself.
May this Living Meditation bring you healing notes to the symphony of your practice, body and life. May it ease your mind and fill your spirit.
Remember. Remind yourself.