November 15, 2008, we were thrilled to support the Mission Rotary Club by donating a yoga mat and a 3 Month Unlimited Yoga Pass for the Silent Auction.

The Rotary Club provides support to various projects and charities both in Mission and internationally. This annual community event is a wonderful way for businesses and individuals to support our local Rotary Club.

We would like to offer a special “thank-you” to FRASER VALLEY BUILDING SUPPLIES for hosting us at this amazing event.

October 25, 2008, this 4-hour workshop, lead by Norine Longmire-Aarons, incorporated yoga postures, breath work, meditations, lifestyle and education to support you while living with periodic or chronic anxiety or depression.

Anxiety and Depression are two separate yet many times related conditions that are a result of many possible factors in our life from past experiences, to genetic pre-disposition. Those that attended learned the tools that yoga offers us to help live effectively with these life conditions without them controlling our lives.

Even though we had our turkey dinner last weekend, this is Thanksgiving, and it seems like the most appropriate time to contemplate gratitude. Gratitude changes everything. When I’m grateful, everything shifts. When I’m mired in negativity, focusing on what is working, or what I do have seems to bring me out of that dark place. I know it sounds corny, but it’s true. Last May, I went away on a weekend retreat, the focus of which was gratitude. Sometimes, it seems like an “out there” intangible concept, but when I came home, I was able to actually put it into practice, in my real life. The following is an excerpt from my journal, after that weekend:

I came home from my weekend to a pretty messy house (it wasn’t that sparking when I left, though, to be fair) So this morning, I was cleaning up the kitchen and while I was scrubbing the stove, I started on that chain of thoughts, “I’m so mad, how come he didn’t clean up, why do I have to do everything?” and then I stopped. And I thought about how grateful I was to have a home to clean, how grateful I was to have a husband and family to look after, and everything shifted. It was ok to be cleaning the stove, I wasn’t resentful or angry at my husband for not doing it. In that shift, I acknowledged, that he’s doing the best he can, and always goes out of his way to help me.

This is far from “deep” or enlightened, but I can tell you, it made a huge difference in the rest of my day. If I had kept on that train of negative thoughts, I’m pretty sure I would have let my husband know how irritated I was, and things would have just kept spiraling from there.

There are times, in our real, hectic, chaotic lives, when we can “shift”, focus on gratitude and everything changes. Eckart Tolle says that, “The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation, but your thoughts about it.” Catch yourself ruminating, and turn it around. What can you be grateful for in this moment? This my plan for the week – Turn it Around & Be Grateful.

But I digress. What am I thankful for on this wonderful holiday? I’m grateful for the opportunity to open the studio, to put it out there, and see what happens. I’m grateful for every single person who comes to the studio, who comes along my yoga path. I’m grateful for the unwavering love and support from my husband, my parents, my sister, my children and friends. I’m grateful to be here, in this lifetime, taking it all in. The list is never ending. I’m grateful for all of it.

What are you grateful for?

PS: I’m also grateful to live in Canada, a beautiful free country, where we all have the right to vote in free, democratic elections. The government is by the people, for the people, so please go out and vote tomorrow!

Despite the cold and rain, tons of people visited the Celebration of Community and came by to see the Unison Yoga booth. Thanks for stopping by to say hello and talk about yoga and the new studio! I love having chats about yoga and meditation and hearing people’s stories. Everyone’s journey is so fascinating! It’s the connection that I love. People coming together to share their stories and ideas. It’s really what the Celebration of Community is all about – the entire community coming together to celebrate our connection to each other. Wonderful.

Congratulations to KARLA TURNER, winner of the 5 Class Pass! Can’t wait to see you at the studio! Thanks to everyone who entered the draw.

Due to the rain, we did not venture back to Heritage Park for Illuminaria, but had our own version at home with glow sticks, sparklers and of course, the beautiful lanterns the kids made at the Mission Association for Community Living booth. Only 1 out 7 caught fire! We finished our celebration with cookies and hot chocolate and decided that our version of Illuminaria was pretty great.

I’m so proud of my kids and nieces and nephews for making the best of the situation and having a great time even though it wasn’t we had originally hoped for. Their “inner Lights” shone despite the rain and disappointment. Seems like there are lots of things that require this same kind of “shift” in life. Things don’t always turn out the way we hope or think they will, but we can decide to see the beauty in everything and make the best of it. It’s happened the way it has for a reason. It is up to each of us to recognize that and see what there is to learn from it. Where do you need to make a “shift?”

Wow! The first week at the studio has come and gone, and what a week it was!

It was exciting, nerve-wracking and crazy, and wonderful. What made the week really special was seeing all of the familiar faces and sharing the new space with all of you. Without you, it just wouldn’t have been the same. To those of you who came down to see the new studio, thank-you – you really made my week. If you haven’t had a chance yet, no worries, we’ll be there when you’re ready.

Another thing I noticed this week was the love and support I have from family and friends. Flowers, cards, phone calls and hugs. As all of this love and attention poured in, it occurred to me that none of “this” would matter if it weren’t for the people I love and the people who love me. Doing this alone would have felt meaningless and pointless, really. Who do you have in your life that makes it all meaningful?

I’ll continue to develop this blog and weave in some yoga philosphy as we go. Right now, I am very studio focused, so my entries may not be as frequent or substantial as I’d like. Until then, I’ll keep breathing and learning, and breathing and learning, and breathing and learning…..