Returning & Shifting

Today was a bit magical. Actually, the last few days have been a bit magical.

After I taught a yoga class in Tribeca, I hustled in the snowy slush to get to Elena Brower's yoga class at ViraYoga. To my surprise, I saw an old friend from Austin in class who I actually did one of my yoga certifications with a few years ago. What are the chances!? Attending the same class, at the same studio, at the same time...this city amazes me.

Kismet all over Manhattan.

The theme of Elena's class was the subtle, spiritual body and it's vantage point.

To me, this is the higher self, after the ego and desire have dropped. The body and mind of grace and complete compassion...the place that feels amazing to feel and live your life from. Easy to forget about this subtle spiritual body, but also easy to return back to.

"From this place, every mood and emotion can be shifted." -Elena


Shift. This is a word to remember. This resonated deeply.
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          Last Sunday, I was getting ready to leave for work. The snow and chill had me feeling stir crazy and cooky, and my body was desperately needing a walk. I decided to leave the apt. with ample time to get to work by walking over the Queens bridge. My mood before I left the house was a recipe of antsy, claustrophobic, and peeved. I'm sure my roommates, including my boyfriend felt the subtle circuits of rage flowing through me. I left in an impatient, hurried chill. 

I was upset that "my plans" for my morning had not happened as I had wanted them to. The plan was to go to the gym with Adam, make breakfast and coffee, and spend some time together before I had to go to work. Instead, we snoozed, did not make it to the gym, and our roommate was using most bits of the kitchen to cook a laborious meal for her dinner party that night.

Expectations...such a challenge to be with how things are instead of where we think they should be.

I walked half way down the hall and felt anger boil up! I wanted to scream! In fact, I think I did a little (I'm a big fan of vocal catharsis).

And then I took in a deep breath and something shifted. I really did not want to leave that way. I really wanted to just drop my mental drama and try a different approach. I decided to let go of my expectations and flow with the changing of plans. I walked back to my apartment and knocked on the door.

I apologized for my huffy exit, decided to open up and express myself clearly instead of leave, and find the only thing I really wanted out of my entire morning, which was connection.

"Give me your gratitudes...and a brag too", Adam says.

We do this. I do this with a lot of my NYC friends. Start conversations with a gratitude, a brag, and a heartfelt desire. Try it. It sure can shift some shit.

I am deeply blessed to have the most amazing partner. 

Returning home, taking those 10 minutes to share, connect, be grateful, and humbly boast or remember our dazzle, and invite the love back in deeply shifted my day. I know it. I know that I wouldn't have had the same day if I had left on the first try. I don't think I would have been as present to the beauty around me as I walked over the bridge. I don't think I would have been as friendly, curious, and engaging with the world. I actually even got myself an interview that day, just by asking a few questions and putting myself out there.

The day may have stayed cold and a bit rigid but it shifted. From closed to open. From being "right" to just being. From a place of lack, petty mental drama to abundance and gratitude.

Man oh man, relationships ARE spiritual practices. The way we relate and navigate moment to moment gives us infinite possibilities to learn and grow, to shift the mood and tone and to wake up to the spirits vantage point, as Elena was talking about.


In yoga, we call these subtle layers the koshas.
Check out these great articles to learn more about the koshas...

http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/460
http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1995/fnov95/koshas.shtml



In highest vibes,

Candice