• 1. "Real life isn’t always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgment of what is working in our lives can help us not only to survive but surmount our difficulties." -- Sarah Ban Breathnach
• "Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind." -- Lionel Hampton
• "Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." -- Buddha
• "Take full account of the excellencies which you possess, and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not." -- Marcus Aurelius
• "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." -- Albert Einstein
• "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." -- Melody Beattie
• "When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears." -- Tony Robbins
• find yrself firmly rooted in this moment, in this space, the ocean of yr body warmed by the light of yr breath. you are an essence of all experiences, you are a powerful infinite being. you embody compassion and kindness. I am glad you are here.
• Strong Body Still Mind Open Heart
• Pessimism destroys hope. A pessimist is ever gloomy, lazy and lethargic. A cheerful attitude is unknown to him. Become an optimist and rejoice in God. Try to be happy and cheerful under all conditions. Faith and trust in God can root out pessimism and fill you with hope and joy. The holy Name can slay this enemy." — Swami Sivananda
• "May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life." — Apache Blessing
• "A warrior feeds her body well. She trains it, works on it. Where she lacks knowledge, she studies. But above all, she must believe in her strength of will and purpose and heart and soul." — David Gemmel
• When calm your mind and your senses, you become conscious of your always present inner self."
• "I am spiritual I am connected I am in tune I am divine I live in harmony I love life I am fulfilled" Crown chakra affirmation
• "You can accept or reject the way you are treated by other people, but until you heal the wounds of your past, you will continue to bleed. You can bandage the bleeding with food, with alcohol, with drugs, with work, with cigarettes, with sex, but eventually, it will all ooze through and stain your life. You must find the strength to open the wounds, stick your hands inside, pull out the core of the pain that is holding you in your past, the memories, and make peace with them." - Iyanla Vanzant
• "The soul is always inexorably drawn toward those things that will most reveal its true nature. When we are able to recognize our spiritual impulse for what it truly is and to harness that impulse with discriminating awareness, we will find our way home just as surely as a migrating bird finds its nest." - Donna Farhi,
• "See if you can listen really carefully to what you are feeling and find the perfect spot for you, somewhere between too much and not enough." - Bryan Kest

Day Aphorism How to apply the aphorism to your life January 1 "Living well is not about being calm; it is about being present." "For five minutes today, practice just being present with your emotions without reacting to them. Notice how they come and go." February 2 "Being ourselves is what others really want from us." "Wholeness is found not only in the special moments of being lost in an exquisite sunset or feeling the perfect balance of stillness in meditation. Every moment of your life can be just as whole if you allow it to be so. Today find the treasure in the most mundane moments. How did it go?" March 3 "To understand union, you must understand separation." "Union with another can only occur when we fully occupy our place in the world. Let yourself expand to fill your place, so that they coming together with loved ones can be that much sweeter." April 5 "Believing I am right fuels separation and anger." "Righteous anger is redundant. I can never be angry when I accept that I am wrong. Today when you feel irritated or angry, pause and identify the thought that fuels your belief in your rightness." See also April 2007 blog. May 4 "To change the body affects the mind." "When we change the body, we affect the mind, whether by asana, breathing, or meditation. Before you practice, spend some quiet moments noticing the state of your mind; at the end of your practice do the same." June 5 "Growing old is not a mistake." "We live in a youth-oriented culture. We are given the message that growing older is to be avoided. Today celebrate your age, whatever it is. (If it's your birthday, Happy Birthday!)" See also June 2007 blog. July 10 "Standing on your own two feet is the most important asana." "Stand on your yoga mat and stand in Tadasana Mountain pose). Make your feet parallel, ask your thighs to roll inward, slightly lift your breastbone, while slightly dropping your chin. Like a mountain, root your feet into the earth, but let your heart soar to the heavens. Breathe five slow breaths. Now take this openhearted rootedness in your life." August 11 "Being curious is a high state of being." "When you are curious, you're not sure you know, you're a little empty, and you're willing to learn. These qualities bring you into the present. And being present is at the heart of practicing yoga. What are you curious about today?" September 4 "Despair is anger turned inward." "Despair is an emotion built on thoughts. The next time you are feeling down about your life, ask yourself this question: Am I feeling trapped, as if there is no choice in my situation right now? Thinking you are stuck can stimulate and contribute to depression. Get up and go for a brisk fifteen-minute walk right now. Focus on the myriad choices life actually offers you." October 14 "We are attached to difficulties." "Our tendency is to focus on what is wrong with a pose. What can you celebrate in this pose today?" November 1 "Don't confuse ambition with discipline." "Discipline is not supported by ambition but by consistency. When you practice yoga today, focus on consistency and not on forcing yourself to do more, just for the sake of your ego." December 27 "A healthy ego is not the problem; attachment to what ego wants is the problem." "Spend a few minutes today contemplating the difference between ego and egoism. A healthy ego creates your ability to have clear boundaries; egoism is an unhealthy attachment to having it your way all the time."

• Our bodies communicate to us clearly and specifically, if we are willing to listen to them. Shakti Gawain

"When we hold the energy of gratitude, our eyes and hearts open up to the incredible beauty within us and around us. When we draw our attention to what we are grateful for...right here...right now, there is no living in the past or the future. Worry, anxiety, stress, sadness and gratitude do not appear in the same thought. Give your immune system a break, and spend some time feeling grateful as often as you can throughout the day. Your thoughts create your world." :)

• Blossoming

In the beginning, With each unraveling of the mat, We are anxious to add to our garden, To gather the beautiful buds, And coax each asana to open quickly.

Feet in the dirt we stand, Sometimes for the first time, Connecting earth to muscle and muscle to sky, The energy of an immense lineage Pulsing with promise.

But as the poses settle, As we settle, We find that yoga’s true gift is not about more But less.

The outline of the poses remain the same. Yet when the space between is fed, When ease replaces expectation, When patience replaces petals,

We find that the asanas are no longer About holding on, But letting go. And in that release, Without judgment or force to impede,

Breath floods in, Releasing the mind and freeing the heart. Through yoga, We find That core of serene nothingness, And learn that in letting go, We gain everything.

~by Janet Arnold-Grych from The Poetry of Yoga Volume 2