Instead of writing about the holidays, how we get stressed during them, or what to buy for them, I want to call bring up a whole new topic for this month's Newsletter: TIME. Instead of preparing for the holidays, or talking about the holidays, why not consider how we can be right here, right now. 

If you asked me a year ago what I wanted for Christmas, my answer would have been "more time!" I was in the midst of opening a new yoga studio, my youngest daughter was going to two different preschools, and my husband was both working freelance and in school fulltime. My life was quite full.

How about you - busy? Want "more time" in your life?

Over the course of this last year, I have asked for and received help from several mentors on this very subject. It has been life changing.

My teacher Rod Stryker's counsel was to watch how I framed my life as being "out" of time. He gave me a mantra to break the chains of this prison-making way of thinking. Merely committing to this mantra and watching this began to shift my thinking.

With the help of another mentor, Heidi Gates, I also began to attend more regularly to the creative desires that had been nagging at the back of my mind. I stopped saying to myself: "I can't wait til I retire so that I can play piano, write a book, sing, and dance" and started to focus on how to bring those activities into my life sooner. As David Whyte says in the podcast I blogged about on November 22, when we attend to the things that our heart truly desires first, the to do list we work on after is like icing on the cake.

This month, notice how you talk about the holidays with others. Can you refrain from saying things like "I'm so busy" or "I have so much to do" or "yikes, so many things on my to do list!?"

When that type of "out of time" thinking starts up in your head (or your mouth), can you switch over to another idea such as "how fortunate I am to be so engaged" or "there is time to enjoy each moment of my life." If how much you have to do is overwhelming you, take a few minutes to get crystal clear about what you truly must get done today. Focus on 3 things rather than glazing over at your long to do list. Then when you have done those three things, smile and enjoy your success.

Happy Holidays to all!

This weekend catch Jen Yaros before she takes a month-long sabbatical and practice Yin Yoga while learning about The Yoga Sutras. On December 11^th join longtime 8 Limbs instructor Dawn Jansen to deeply nourish and rejuvenate your body and soul with a Chandra Namaskar and Restoratives workshop.

Seasoned teacher Sarah Powers returns to 8 Limbs to share Yin/Yang Yoga with Buddhist teachings.

Register by December 15 to receive a discounted rate.

TROPICAL YOGA RETREATS

YELP

DECEMBER SCHEDULE CHANGES

WINTER SCHEDULE

BE THANKFUL, BE GRATEFUL

JOB OPENINGS

REIKI TRAINING

YOGA CORNER