May 2018
Be Curious. Be Grateful.
They seem like two different ideas, unconnected. And at first glance, they absolutely are. Let me connect them; it's a powerful one.
It all started with a single statement from Derek, my amazing partner in life. He said, "Why don't you just be grateful, rather than feel guilty." The backstory of this statement may sound familiar.... he bought me something awesome, and kinda unnecessary. So, being the minimizer I am, I found myself consumed with this odd negative emotion. It started as frustration, then grew to guilt. First, I don't have room to store said gift. The next thing I know, I'm thinking, I don't deserve said gift. And.... I tell him this. I tell him he can take it back.
Looking back, I shake my head at myself. I was totally rejecting his gift. His love. His thoughtfulness. Him. What an ass I was. Oops... Because he's an amazing man, he didn't get mad. He just said those powerful words to me. It stopped me in my tracks. Wow.
Derek's right. We often don't accept people's gifts of love in the many forms of compliments, gifts, help; and it's because we've got a limiting belief that we aren't worthy of them! Goes back to my first blog this year, I'M ENOUGH. So, the next time someone offers to carry your bags, tells you look nice, surprises you with a gift, just breathe in the receiving energy and say, "Thank you".
Be curious.
Where does that saying, "Curiosity killed the cat" come from? I know we've all heard it. And what does it actually mean? To stay safe. To avoid risks. To stay home. To be BORING!! Now, boring is ok with me. (You should see most Friday nights around my house) I'm not talking about action and drama. I'm talking deeper stuff. We know exploring a dark alley at 2am is dangerous. But what if we dove into exploring our inner selves. What if we got curious about what our truth was? This is magic that happens when we are in an uncomfortable situation; whether it's a pose, a conflict, traffic, awaiting test results; that we can explore what our feelings are. And why. AND then decide if they're working for us or not.
For an example: During class, I hear the instructor say "pigeon" and my impulse is to groan. I've witnessed myself actually groaning many times. I've since taken a curiosity as to why I'm so reluctant to do this pose. This is an easy one, really. The hips don't lie. (isn't that another saying, shaming me for eating that cookie?) But really, when I open my hips the way pigeon invites me to, it is the very definition of being curious about what is going on with my body, my mind, and deep into my soul. Through the physical postures of yoga, and in the off the mat challenges of life, we are given opportunities to get curious about what we believe, and evaluate whether or not it still resonates with us.
To connect the two is when we see the challenging poses or life experiences as a gift from The Universe to learn and grow. So we accept them with grace and gratitude. We dive head first with curiosity into our beliefs and find our True North. The cycle of giving and receiving is complete, and we will continue to evolve into the badass little yogis we all are at heart.
Namaste.
Krista Lee
WHERE ON THE MAT?
HEATHEN YOGA
MAY 20th 11:30am
Heathen Brewing Feral Public House
1109 Washington St. Vancouver, WA 98660
$20 includes all level flow + beverage
Call, text or email me today to reserve your spot!!
360-931-2657 or kristalee1111@gmail.com
