September 2018's Theme: BLESSINGS!
"Count your blessings," "God bless you," "Bless your heart." There are many blessing phrases that we have heard our entire lives. We wondered how many take the time to consider what their blessings actually are...
According to the trusty old dictionary, the noun form of the word blessing means God's favor and protection. But what does it mean to you to be blessed? Have you thought about that in some time? And if you have, how have you expressed that feeling? And how does being blessed feel in your body?
Humans have a tendency to complain more than express appreciation. We tend to worry instead of trust that the Divine is, in fact, looking out for us. Most people feel that miracles are something that rarely happen instead of known that they are normal and fundamental daily occurrences.
Even though things may go wrong, we can choose to look at the situation as a lesson. Learn what we need to, let go of pain and anger, and choose to view it as a blessing (we like to refer to them as "blessings in disguise" don't we?).
Start your day with a blessing journal or jar and express what you are feeling grateful for and blessed for every day and make it your new habit!
This month, we invite you to incorporate these methods into your life:
Chant: OM AY HUM - Buddhist Mantra of Blessing
Postures: True some Warrior variations such as "Humbled Warrior," which you take from Warrior I or II, bring your hands around the back, and lower your head to the floor at the instep of your foot, then closing your eyes. Or, "Exalted Warrior," coming from Warrior II, bringing the back arm down to the thigh and front arm up above the head, gazing skyward.
Meditation/Breathing: Give the Breath of Joy a try. Tracey's Breath of Joy!
Alter: Find a gold cloth for your alter and place in the center a white candle and just behind that a statue or picture of Jesus Christ. Add any other items that represent some of the people, places or things that you feel blessed to have or have had in your life. Chant your mantra using mala beads to count the blessings in your life.
In Love & Light, Tracey and the One Yoga Center Teachers.
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Special Message from Tracey for September
Earlier this year I started a gratitude journal. Every morning I would sit down with my hot tea and write what I was grateful for. I enjoyed the process and it really got my energy channeling in a positive direction right at the beginning of the day. Then I got "busy" and put my journal in my office and off the kitchen counter and kind of forgot it. I'm embarrassed to share this because I truly feel that every day is a gift and a blessing. I'm now making a more concerted effort to bring my daily journaling back.
That's the thing with blessings - when everything is going good we kind of forget to count them sometimes. A true spiritual practice is one that reflects this energy all the time. We can't just ask God for help when we need it. We have to put effort into expressing the gratitude too and recognizing how blessed we are - all the time.
This got to me the other day after a fundraising dinner that I host at my house every August for a charity that is dear to my heart: Stu and the Kids. My friend, Stu, is a chef who left his pretty cushy job in Hollywood behind and moved to Thailand to not get paid to teach English to a wat (temple) that houses 650 orphaned and hill-tribe children. I have been to the wat a couple of times and it is truly heartbreaking to see how these kids live. Mind you, they are happy because they have a roof over their head and rice in their bellies. But it is touching and you realize just how blessed you are to have the comforts that we take for granted back home. Stu's organization helps these kids go to secondary school so that they can learn a valuable trade - something not many Thai children are afforded in the north. This year we raised about $2000 for Stu and the Kids, which he said is probably a quarter of a tuition for a kid. When I take my retreat to Thailand in January we will visit the wat and bring the kids a special lunch.
So what got me was, I began to think about my "kids" here at home - my Special Olympics athletes that I get to work with and teach yoga to twice a month. There I was cleaning up from the fundraising dinner and I began thinking of my SONJ peeps. What a true blessing I have been given to be able to help so many people. It hadn't hit me how lucky I am to be able to continue to do this work. And I need to thank all of you reading this, because if you are a student of mine at One Yoga, then you coming in and taking classes is what allows me the advantage to help others. You probably are aware that our studio is helping you, but I want you to understand how you just coming in helps me help even more people and just how freakin' blessed that makes me feel! I may not be expressing myself so clearly, because when you truly feel it in your heart, sometimes all you can do is put your hand on the heart-center and smile in appreciation...I hope you can visualize me doing just that.
To learn more about Stu and the Kids, check out their website, and please feel free to donate if you feel inspired to do so. Or, to really see what it's all about, join me in Thailand this January on our Living in Joy retreat. We will be visiting the wat and bringing the kids a very special lunch and learning about the organization right from Stu!
StuandtheKids Website (StuandtheKids.org in case the link doesn't work).
In Love & Light.
Tracey L. Ulshafer, Founder, One Yoga & Wellness Center LLC, Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher 500 hours (E-RYT500), RYS, CMT, Energy Worker, 11:11 True One.
If you would like to meet for private yoga, spiritual counseling or mentoring, contact Tracey at (609) 918-0963 or Info@oneyogacenter.net
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