Monthly Archives: April 2014

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Reflection: Change is the Only Constant

 

Do any of you have a friend that simply rocks at giving advice? I do. Her name is Jackie. We grew up living three houses away from each other. We hung out almost every day, we would meet each other one house over at a house we dubbed the “Scary House,” simply because they never had lights on and it was set back far away from the road.

We spent many hours of our childhood together, and through tears, laughter, fights, challenges, she was always there. We would connect daily, to either kick the soccer ball, throw the baseball, play flashlight tag, bike ride, and eat handfuls of chocolate chips, and plums, like it was our job. We have been best friends since kindergarten. I am blessed with an amazing group of friends back on the east coast.

Whenever I needed an ear to listen to the dramas of my life, Jackie was my girl. She would patiently listen, and offer her truthful advice once I was ready to hear it. One of the best pieces of advice she ever gave, and still gives, was “change is the only constant.” The only thing you can be 100% sure of is that life is constantly changing; your world on a micro and macro scale is in constant flux.

Accepting Change

This week, I have been reminded of Jackie, as I am practicing both on an off of my mat accepting change. Rather than run the other way in the face of uncertainty, Jackie has instilled in me the beautiful reminder to embrace, and more than that to expect change. Change, for better or worse, is a part of life.

“The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with the qualifications for adaptation, the ability to accept the inevitable and conform to the unavoidable, to continually harmonize with the existing and changing conditions of the universe.”

Yoga offers the opportunity for us all to hone in and practice this skill of adaptation. You never know when you will be faced with change, but by practicing on your mat the acceptance of change, you will prepare yourself for real change off of your mat. For example, if you show up to class and your favorite teacher isn’t there, suit up, let go of the expectation you had, and get ready for a refreshing change and experience in class with someone new.

Practice acceptance on your mat, as some days you will be tighter than others, and some days you will be able to hop through to seated from downdog and other days your will find no space to do so. Change, happens everyday on your mat. Rather than judge yourself for those moments when certain postures just aren’t happening, find acceptance in knowing that this moment is just as important as the one where you make a leap forward in your practice and hold your handstand for 10 more breaths than usual. 

Welcome Change

Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be. - Anon

Practice non-judgment, you are exactly where you are supposed to be, and in the end, it will all work out. If it hasn’t worked out, it’s not the end.

Namaste,
laura mary

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Please, check out my YouTube Channel for yoga inspiration, tips, practice, videos, and lots of love!

Here are a few, enjoy!

Downdog to Handstand to Headstand: Saturday hiking and some celebratory yoga with Derek!

Handstand Supta Claps!

Handstand Dropback & Over

Late Night BackBending

A Full 30-Minute VInyasa Flow

With Love,

laura mary

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Intention: I will start today.

Have you ever had the experience where you are doing what you love, feeling peaceful, and happy, and suddenly you are flooded with brilliant ideas and you feel you can solve all of your problems, no scratch that, the world’s problems? I often have this feeling after a great yoga practice, while I am in meditation or savasana. Sometimes it even distracts me and makes me want to come out, so that I can take action, write my thoughts down, and make something happen. When the time to come out of savasana or meditation arrives, suddenly, you just feel peaceful and no longer do you have those brilliant and peaceful plans to disseminate and share.

What is the lesson here?

The lesson is to do what you love, whether it is practicing yoga, running, surfing, rock climbing, painting, cooking, or playing soccer, do it. Whatever it may be for you, the more you do that one thing you truly love, the one thing that floods you with inspiration, calm, focus, energy, and happiness, the more at peace, connected, strong, whole, and vibrant you will feel.

Your problems will suddenly seem manageable; your life will fall into place, in a manner that makes sense. Where you know that you can take the appropriate action steps to get to wherever it is you want to go.

More than that, by doing what you love, those around you will feel inspired by your presence. Subconsciously, they too will do more of what they love and their light will shine brighter in harmony with yours. In essence, by doing what you love, the world will feel the effects and be better off.

Today, go do what you love. Commit to it, with your intention: I will start today.

With Love,

laura mary

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North Shore Sunset

Everyone has someone in their life that has transformed them and changed their life forever. I was touched to hear that my favorite Skidmore College professor is retiring. Hearing this news, has re-inspired me to reach my highest potential and beyond. Mary Ann had (and continues to) inspire me. Who can you reflect on today? Who in your life has left an imprint on your heart? Reach out to them today and express your gratitude.

A tribute to Mary Ann,

In all my time as a student, I have never come across such an influential teacher.

I feel so fortunate to have met Mary Ann during my junior year at Skidmore. I needed her signature as the chair of the psychology department, because I was applying for the American Psychological Association (APA) Summer Science Fellowship in Washington DC. During the following semester, I was placed on the waiting list for her Cognitive Psychology course, it was reserved for seniors. I was quite eager to take a class with Mary Ann, I saw her in the hallway before the first day of class and thankfully, she let me in!

Class after class, I listened to her in awe; she was (is) so brilliant. She would break down and describe scientific studies with such ease and made complex studies comprehensible to students. It was crystal clear to me that Mary Ann was passionate about her research and her teaching.

Out of all of my professors at Skidmore, I felt the strongest connection and bond to Mary Ann. I knew that she really wanted me to learn and succeed. With the help of a strong letter of recommendation from Mary Ann, I was awarded the very competitive APA Summer Science Fellowship.

I was completely honored that Mary Ann wanted to work with me on a senior honors thesis project. Mary Ann believed in me and that, more than everything I learned in college, was the most valuable lesson. By believing in me, she instilled within me a sense of confidence, that same confidence that she held while lecturing in class. She believed that I was smart and could conduct high quality research. I thank Mary Ann from the bottom of my heart.

My favorite academic memory from Skidmore was the completion of my senior honors thesis. It was hard work, but I completed it with the help of a strong, compassionate, and brilliant mentor, Mary Ann. Skidmore will be losing one of their greatest professors.

I am very excited to see what is next for Mary Ann, but more than anything, I would like to see her take time off to enjoy life in all its glory. I know that her next steps will be nothing short of brilliant, I have faith that she will continue to affect and shape the lives of everyone that comes across her path, just as she did to me.

Mary Ann and I have kept in touch since my graduation in 2009, even though I now live in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mary Ann’s interactions and emails with me were always so pleasant, she was extremely positive, and taught me that I have within me all the tools I need to succeed.

I was (continue to be) completely inspired by the fact that Mary Ann had found a life’s work that she was passionate about, and as a young graduate, I was eager to find my passion in life as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mary Ann!

More than anything, I would like to tell Mary Ann, I believe in you.

With Love,

laura mary

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We Have Come to be Danced

 

Go Out There and Live

Happy Monday everyone! I hope this poems stirs you the same way it does me. It gets me going, I read it all the time. But seriously, go out there and live and be real and be you.  Be as true to yourself as you can be, through the good, the bad, and the ugly - go out there and live. <3

 

We Have Come to be Danced

We have come to be danced

Not the pretty dance

Not the pretty pretty, pick me, pick me dance

But the claw our way back into the belly

Of the sacred, sensual animal dance

The unhinged, unplugged, cat is out of its box dance

The holding the precious moment in the palms

Of our hands and feet dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the jiffy booby, shake your booty for him dance

But the wring the sadness from our skin dance

The blow the chip off our shoulder dance.

The slap the apology from our posture dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the monkey see, monkey do dance

One two dance like you

One two three, dance like me dance

but the grave robber, tomb stalker

Tearing scabs and scars open dance

The rub the rhythm raw against our soul dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the nice, invisible, self-conscious shuffle

But the matted hair flying, voodoo mama

Shaman shakin’ ancient bones dance

The strip us from our casings, return our wings

Sharpen our claws and tongues dance

The shed dead cells and slip into

The luminous skin of love dance.

We have come to be danced

Not the hold our breath and wallow in the shallow end of the floor dance

But the meeting of the trinity, the body breath and beat dance

The shout hallelujah from the top of our thighs dance

The mother may I?

Yes you may take 10 giant leaps dance

The olly olly oxen free free free dance

The everyone can come to our heaven dance.

We have come to be danced

Where the kingdom’s collide

In the cathedral of flesh

To burn back into the light

To unravel, to play, to fly, to pray

To root in skin sanctuary

We have come to be danced

We have come.

Jewel Mathieson

With Love,

laura mary