The Secret Ingredient Your New Year's Resolution Might Be Missing

"May we remember every day that there is a brilliant light within us
wanting to reach out and touch the world. "

(Watching the sunset on the first day of 2013 from the Claremont Canyon Firetrail in Oakland Hills)

Happy New Year! It's the extra intention time of year, and I've highlighted one of the most important components to successful resolutions (or really any change or growth) in the article below. This article comes from "Kate's Corner", a monthly column I write for The Mindful Body newsletter. They always post the newsletters on Facebook and you can follow the MB here. Be sure to add them to your interest list so their posts show up in your newsfeed.  

The community that's building around Ayurveda has been so beautiful to watch grow. I've loved hearing the value you all find in these simple recipes and practices and even more how you've shared them with those in your community to great applause. Arts like Ayurveda have almost a protective field around them in a way; if it's not living well within you, it rarely conveys its magic to others. That you all are having such success in sharing it with your friends and families tells me you're really putting it into practice- the greatest compliment any teacher can ask for. As Ayurveda becomes more mainstream,  you all will be the spokespeople for it. Let it live within you through your lemon & hot water in the mornings, your spices in the kitchen and your mindfulness with your energy and words. Please continue to keep Ayurveda rich and ringing true in all of our hearts and those that join this beautiful paradigm of awareness, sustainable healthcare, and satisfaction within life's moments. 

Thank you for being a part of this growing Ayuvedic community! 

much love & blessings for a ojas-full 2013, 

Kate

The Secret Ingredient Your New Year's Resolution Might Be Missing

It's January; you have probably set an intention/resolution for the year, and we want to support you in making it come to life. That's what yoga & mindful bodywork are all about after all: awareness, growth & the skilled action that follows. Many of us write our resolutions down, but I think we easily miss one of the most important components for helping our resolutions come to fruition: community support. Holding your resolution/intention, or what in yoga we call sankalpa, close to your heart is beautiful, allowing it to come to life naturally. However, sometimes making the leap between setting the goal in your mind and bringing it to life can seem more daunting than center of the room handstands, and we need extra support to get there.  

You can breathe life (prana) into your resolution by sharing it out loud with someone. While sharing our intentions with anyone is often valuable, sharing it with someone you know who (a) loves you & wants the best for you and (b) will be around to support you & watch you make it happen can create a powerful milieu for change. If you don't feel comfortable sharing your biggest resolution, share a small one. Just sharing that you are putting your energy towards growth and change and seeing someone support that decision can be empowering and help you understand that we are not alone in this life journey.

In class this week, I've invited my students to share one way their yoga practices can grow beyond asana as a yogic resolution. It was beautiful to see how many people's resolutions overlapped or when one person shared their resolution others nodded in agreement. It demonstrated how while at times we may feel we are each on our own paths, the challenges we face are so often universal. We are not alone in our journeys towards realizing our fullest potential.

So this year, please share your deepest desires/resolution with someone who you know loves & supports you. And the next time you're in class, say hi to the person next to you and introduce yourself; you might be surprised how many more people are rooting for your growth, abundance, and joy than you imagine.