What are you choosing in this moment?

Day 4 of the Meditation Challenge and today was essentially about pure consciousness and choice. One word that really struck me was that potentiality simply means ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!Choice, I believe, is God's way of giving us power. Think about it- you get to decide, you give the call, you say what you want, you are basically in charge (which by the way is a topic for another day)
So why are we so afraid of making choices? Maybe because we are scared we will make the wrong one. Or we just don't want to do it because it means we have to confront other (imaginary or real)   issues. One of the quickest ways to create lasting change is to examine what you are choosing at each moment. For example, if you are stuck in traffic, you could honk as loud as you want, assuming the other driver will hear you and honk back :P or you could choose to look at that time as reflection mode. I remember once when I was a train and out of the blue two women started going at each other like a pack of cats. Not pretty!
Reclaim your power by embracing your power of choosing new thoughts and ways to react and see what difference it makes!

Abundance is all around us...if we look for it

Deepak Chopra has graciously offered up a free mediatation practice for everyone..if you are interested you can sign up here.
Lesson 1 is on abundance and he says there are many ways that the universe shows us abundance. This photo of myself was taken by the sea in The Hague and for me it is there that I had my revelation that God does love me. There were millions of people, it was summer after all, yet I felt this unmistakable peace that the ocean knew that I was there. It could feel my feet and my presence and it was grateful to have me there, sharing in its energy with it.
And in the same breath, I knew that even though the world has over 31 billion people, I am just as important as everyone else.
It is enough to bring tears to my eyes:)
My challenge for today is to go around looking for the numerous examples of the universe's marvellous gifts of abundance.
Let me count the ways!

WHAT DOES YOUR MORNING LOOK LIKE?

(source)

So I am guessing that this is something that's not new! I have always been a morning person...voom voom and I am ready to go! But of late, it's been proving quite elusive. I have come across lots of people talking about the importance of a morning routine which should include exercise, a hearty breakfast, some moments of meditation etc etc

Well, morning is the determinant factor of your day and I am on a mission to make my days count. I It does not have to be something so drastic but maybe just the few baby steps to have a different start. Here are my favourite ideas thus far:
a) Wake up just a few minutes earlier than I did today- even 15 minutes earlier counts.
b) Stretch my hands and give the world a big 'Good morning smile!'
c) Spend at least 5 minutes in my bed, breathing in and breathing out....just so I can get into the groove of things
d) Don't just jump and hobble out of bed...make it a deliberate effort to get out of bed, plant my feet firmly on the ground, like someone with purpose!

Now, where is that tomorrow?

PS: Thank you Phil of http://feelgoodlifestyle.com/ for inspiring a change in my morning rituals!

PARIS- DREAMS DO COME TRUE

I am super super excited because finally I am in Paris. Form the moment when I did my application to the time I got the confirmation that I was indeed one of the chosen students to attend a study course for one month in Paris, I was ecstatic.
It was a long three month wait, but because you can't fast forward to July, I had to wait.
So far, so great- I have a greater appreciation of French culture just by observing the great buildings, the amazing details and the spectacular pride the French have about their story. It's one thing to have a story, but it's quite another to own that story.
I feel blessed because coming to Paris has just reinforced the fact that dreams do come true. You have to have the courage to do something out of your league.

Now where is the Eiffel Tower again?

I enjoy doing yoga and actually this June marks my 2nd year practising. I am so honoured to be a guest blogger at Africa Yoga Project.

http://africayogaprojectblog.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/weighty-matters/

WEIGHTY MATTERS

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Africa Yoga Project

It is quite interesting to note why people want to do yoga. The most common reason is to keep fit or to lose weight. I have no qualms which such reasons seeing as my own yoga journey was inspired by very many factors, which would form the basis of a story for another day. Don’t get me wrong; I have had a yo-yo relationship with my own body for the longest time. It was only recently that I moved from the weight aspect to really appreciating my body. This body houses a very important being-me! This body works so hard; if you don’t believe me think about how having two poor tired feet can lead to the most intense discomfort. This body is amazing and can do the most interesting twists, bends and contortions imaginable.
Yoga has taught me how to love and take care of me. I look forward to Saturday community class because I know ultimately my practice is for my own well-being. It’s a lesson in loving me enough to commit to my practice. When I am done, I look at myself in the mirror, I high-five myself, give myself a big smile and say, ‘You know what body, you are amazing!’ Maybe some people will say, ‘but you are a size 8.’ Maybe, but I take care of my body because it takes good care of me. And I want to grow old with it, intact, happy and whole.
I have bad days, but thank God, I have more good days. Days when I can smile at myself, and hold the image of me running down the head stand sans assistance, and just marvel. It’s not about the weight- it’s about doing what’s best for your ultimate well-being. Once that is sorted out, the rest easily falls into place, and it no longer becomes a chore, a competition or a goal. It is joy, acceptance and love.

‘You know what body, you are amazing!’

Brendah Orata

IF YOU WANT TO SEE A RAINBOW, YOU MUST LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE RAIN

It's been raining cats, dogs, elephants, mice and their relatives this past month. I have a love hate relationship with the rain; it's great because of clean water, the world feels so clean like it took a shower, the plants grow and we get food. But I am not the biggest fun of the mud, the traffic jam, the general confusion. For the past few weeks, I have been getting home at obscene hours because of traffic.
But I have had some lessons from the rain:
       Sometimes you have to put aside all your pride and just plunge into the water. Otherwise you won't move. It really is a question of moving forward or being stagnant.
       You have to adapt; life is about adapting to the different situations. I mean , face it, life is not the same all through; it changes and so does the weather. So if you need to wear gumboots , a rain coat and carry an umbrella all in one breath, embrace it.
       It is so easy to whine about many things. I enjoy rain because I love the smell of a freshly cleaned world. The weather is cool and I can walk faster and longer. Instead of complaining, I learnt how to count my blessings, even when it's raining.

It's once you get to appreciate the rain that you will see the rainbow!