ALIGN

How is it that you would like to align yourself with your outside world?

Recently (in a super fun yoga class), I was reminded about the story of Krishna and Kaliya.

Krishna is...well, the man.  He lives in this village where Kaliya the serpent has come to visit.  He's a venomous serpent, and is poisoning the local water supply by visiting.  The villagers have asked him to leave, but he continues to pour his venom into the waters.  The grass is browning, wildlife is dying...and soon this village will be severely affected.  Krishna is seen one day walking down to the water to have a chat with Kaliya.  Krishna dives into the water.  There's some thrashing about, and then nothing.  (some versions of this story even contain bloodshed)  The villagers are peering into the water and cannot seem to find either Krishna OR Kaliya.  Worry sets in, but eventually Kaliya emerges tall from the waters.  The villagers cheer as they see Krishna dancing on top of Kaliya's head.  Krishna continues to dance and tap his feet, and a calm comes over Kaliya.  "I'm sorry, Krishna...I am very sorry to have caused the villagers pain, but as you can see I'm a serpent by nature.  Serpents are venomous by nature.  I know nothing else, but I do not want to harm you and these people."  Krishna speaks..." I understand your nature, and by nature, do not ask you to stop.  Will you move there, to the neighboring waters where you can live freely?  Then, these people can live freely."  Kaliya thinks about it, and agrees to move on.  Soon the vegetation has resumed it's natural healthy green color, and the village people are able to utilize the water again!

Really...what Krishna asked Kaliya to do is to align his nature.

Krishna & Kaliya  (link to another version of the story)

I find this story profound...and have recently found the concept of alignment profound.  Aligning is something we need to do, day after day.  Several times a day, even! 

The trick is, to first define how we'd like to align ourselves in our lives.  Thinking first of how to align with family, and then friends, then professionally, romantically, then so on.  Defining who you are and what you'd like to represent in various aspects of your life....then bringing it life by creating ACTION!

It's a really fun process...therefore, I'm simply sharing and opening it up to you.

Align.  Again, and again, and again.

~M

CONNECT

Connection is one of the single most important tools we use to tap into our awareness.

....it's also one of the single most important tools we avoid.

When we're in the thick of it...so deep into our neurosis....we lose a piece of ourselves.  We are completely disconnected with our awareness, and therefore, ourselves.

Connection leads us to truth...which is one of the reasons most avoid re-connecting.  Fooling ourselves is SO much better than whatever we're going to have to deal with if we actually tapped into the truth, right?!  Um...no.

Connecting to ourselves is pretty much like charging our cell phones/various bits of technology.  We have to do it EVERYDAY!  Sometimes multiple times a day.  Connection, just like these pieces of technology, practically hand us our information on a silver platter.  That is, if we look for it.  If we press it's buttons and dig a little bit deeper.  Connection IS the foundation for truth.

So what connects you?  It could be interaction with friends, it could be physical (Yoga, MMA, Karate, etc), it could be alone time to contemplate, it could be a trip or location in nature where you recharge and connect to life at it's source.  Whatever it is...identify it, and use the shit out of it!  

You WANT to be connected to yourself.  You want to remind yourself DAILY who are and what you want.  You want to remember at least once a day what makes you tick!  And you want to pass it forward.  Connecting inwardly only leads to connection outwardly.  The people around you respond when you're plugged into yourself and walking about EYES WIDE OPEN!

Don't be afraid of connecting.  The good, not so good, or indifferent are all beautiful parts of you.  Wear them ALL with pride, and get to know them inside out!

SPACE

I was away between holidays on a much needed vacation....

As per usual I had all of my texts in hand, to-do lists, ideas on updating my website, marketing, blogging, etc.  You get the drift.  I was almost looking forward to my getaway as a week where I can ACCOMPLISH all of the things I haven't been able to during the insane month of December.

Soooo....guess how much of it I got to?

Zip!  Zilch!  Nada!!

Seriously...I maybe spent 10 minutes on "work".

Which I realized is what a vacation should be!  I didn't even feel bad about my "lack of progress"....I actually felt a little bit better and refreshed for it.

...So, then naturally I started thinking about all the crazy New Years Resolutions that had probably already gone bad.  Not for lack of trying, mind you....but for the lack of...well...space.

It's great to have goals, really.  I'm building a career on it....so....yea, I totally believe in goals.  What I don't believe in is the pressure to get the damn things there already!  The thing is...anything that's cultivated so super quickly I find crashes and burns just as quickly.  And then there's dissapointment.  Just look on Facebook....it's there daily.  Like morgue you can scroll through, with all the resolutions that had SO much possibility!

The beauty of this entire blob of words is....THEY STILL CAN BE!  And will be, if you just let them! 

When you're seriously tackling anything, not just a New Years Resolution, space is your truest friend.  When you give things space....and time...they have a way of coming to you in their truest form.  The way your goal, endeavor, (website...ahem!), should truly be FOR YOU.  It doesn't become something that's forced.  It becomes something that's focused, with clear direction, and the steps you're going to continue to take to GET TO THAT PLACE!  Once you give it space...you're able to visualize it, breathe it, taste it even!  It becomes what you REALLY want.  

It's novel, I know.  Stepping back to give something breathing room is some of the hardest awareness to cultivate.  Especially where I am (NYC), where instant gratification is sort of in the manual.   But remind yourself this....just a few moments to clear the air will give you something wilder than you could have hoped for.  The beauty and lessons that stick with you, are what resides in that space.

Chew on it....utilize it...and then smile to yourself as you make your way!

Oh, and Happy 2012!  Wishes for many inbreaths, shifts, and realizations towards your truest self!

Love, love, and more love!

MAGIC

Indulge...

...in the magic around you.  Within you.  Within all.

Let your light shine bright, and always let love be your guide.

Warmest and Brightest of Holiday Seasons!

~Marci Renee

CHILL

Lately...I haven't been feeling well...

Not the standard issue holiday cold most are suffering from, but moreso internal organ stuff my genes have plagued me with.  I was actually pretty bummed since it caused me to miss a day or two of life as I had planned it.  Holiday parties, teaching audition, dinner with friends, etc.  The truth is...my life is one big schedule right now.  I have to consider my full time job, and my full-time love/aspiration.  Along with those...friends, family, romance, and a little bit of fun.   I literally had to have a come to jeebus with myself, and remind myself that life and nature just have another plan.   We could all use a reality check, and a day away from our daily planners (or fancy iphone apps that do that for us).  Below are 8 tips on how to unplugg yourself, to tune into yourself.  To-Do lists, beware!

*  BACK AWAY FROM THE LIST! - Take a step back from all your prioritizing and potential productivity.  Are you feeling overwhelmed?  Chances are...yes, you are.  Imagine yourself  physically in the day you're planning.  Are you filling too much into your time?  What is the importance of some of your "things"?  What can you hold off until tomorrow?  What doesn't really need to be done at all?  Who can help you?  Chances are there's an item, or 2, or 4 in your que that can be eliminate or prioritized better once you ask yourself one or more of these questions.

*  NATURE'S WAY - the truth is...sometimes life has it's own plan for you.  Embrace it.  Nothing is going to crumble to pieces if you miss a day at the gym, don't get to that party, or need to put the dry cleaning off until tomorrow.  Quit taking your list so seriously and start taking living your life seriously!

*  FUN - don't forget that!  Often we do, all too often.  Remember the things that make you, you...and the activities you enjoy.  Remember to get some of that lovin' in.

Most importantly...remember to ALLOW yourself to be nurtured and loved!

*  IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES - of a "to-do" concept that works for you.  Rather than planning your week, let your week plan you.  Feel out how you're feeling that day, and figure out what works in that day, and what doesn't.  What doesn't work will have another place.  Lofty?...yes.  Ideal?...YES! 

*  CHALLENGE - yourself.  One day away from your planners and all things that read "schedule".  I triple dog dare ya.

*  IDENTIFY - what's ailing you.  It could be physical, mental...whatever.  Identify the reasons WHY you need to go about things in a different way.  Realize what's not working for you, and how YOU want to work it.

*  ACCEPTANCE - nothing catchy here.  Only with pure acceptance untouched by the infamous ego, can we truly...

*  CHILL, BABY - sit back, relax, and nurture your doing self.  For many of us, this includes a myriad of things.  Urban retreats, couch retreats, or tropical retreats.  Either way...make absolute sure you're easy on yourself.  Inside and out.

You're welcome!

And loved...

L.O.V.E

....this time of year it's everywhere!


Commercialized and wrapped up in a pretty little package.  It's even part of Bloomingdales print ad campaigns for the holidays.  One 4 letter word expected to generate bundles of...revenue... 

So, naturally I wonder....what does this 4 letter word mean to you? 

My example above turns it into something tangible...that you can literally hold in your hand.  Hopefully we're all aware that's not REALLY what love is.  Which then....makes me think of one of my favorite Bill Withers jam's...

"People try to create feelings just the same as love.
In the name of love, in the name of love."

The norm for our stereotypical love affair is boy meets girl, girl meets boy, boy meets boy, girl meets girl.   The couple gets carried away, intertwined in one another, becomes one...and then the story goes on.   It all either gets along famously, or is endlessly tragic. 

But when was the last time you had a love affair with yourself?

(c'mon...you knew that was coming, right?)

Really though, if you think about it..when was the last time you wined/dined yourself?  Got dressed up for yourself, and then paid yourself compliments?  Impressed yourself thoroughly with all the qualities within you that are almost cellular?  Not the on the surface variety of self-love...or even neccessarily the gratifying kind(you studs).  I'm talking the kind of love that rocks you to you core.

Think of an onion, and imagine yourself peeling the layers away.  As you get to that bare, dark core...what resides there?  When all of your layers can't hide what makes you you!  If you can't imagine anything residing there...think of what you'd LIKE at your core.   If you already know what's there...embrace it.  Lovingly acknowledge the good, not so good, and the indifferent.  Own that core...because it's who you really are.


That's love.  Knowing, accepting, and acknowleding who you are from the inside out...and DIGGING it!  Too many times we rely on a person, place, thing to supply us our love...when it's within us all along.


Leaving ya with Bills words rather than mine this time...


"And there really ain't no feeling quite the same as love.
In the name of love."

KINDNESS

The strangest thing happened the other day... 

While on the subway, feeling a bit drained myself from the trials of the day, another fellow human being got on the train.  As drained as I felt this person looked a bit more worse for the wear.  Swollen red eyes that had seen a tear or two, a frown that was no joke, and a general weakness and malaise that can only come from the overflow of emotion.  I saw it all, in just a second, and felt the utmost compassion for this person.

I thought to myself...what if, as a fellow human being, I recognize their pain and send them some well wishes.  Not so much an act of kindness, but a thought of kindness.  What if "energetically" I sent them what seemed to be missing? Compassion, support, the guarantee that no matter what they're not alone!  I did this...and when I looked up, this person looked right at me and cracked about an inch of a smile.

Could it be that she felt this energetic lift?  No...I'm sure not.  But maybe...she felt an energetic SHIFT.  Maybe...juuust maybe, she felt the support in her general area, rather than the doom of judgment.  Maybe...she felt the relief of some random kindness.

Kindness is human nature in one of it's rawest forms.  And these days, one of it's rarest.

Kindness is something intuitively passed along among us, when there isn't all that "stuff".  The conditioning that's so deep rooted in many of us that it comes out as....judgment.  Kindness is something we mostly have trouble passing along to ourselves, even.

CUT THE WORLD SOME SLACK!
I'm not even going to tell you why, or dive into this deeper because I'd be wasting precious time explaining something you already know.   You know how hard you are on yourselves and everything around you.  Perfectionists, I'm talking to you.  Human beings, I'm talking to you!

Love, plain and simple.  

Kindness, plain and...simple.