“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” —- Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation
These times have many of us feeling down or discouraged; some of us are depressed or even fearful. I’m not saying I have the answers. However, if you are reading this blog, you are still here, walking on this earth. Fear not, for this life is a miracle.
Difficulties have often opened my eyes to beauty. I can recall times of loss or grief when I suddenly was struck by something incredibly beautiful…a vivid rainbow, a breathtaking sunset, a field of flowers, a loving embrace. Opening my eyes to a spectacular dawn, knowing that my creator has seen fit to give me yet chance to wake up, to walk on the earth amongst not enemies, but friends. I have another day to make a difference, to see the beauty, to appreciate what have and to share it with others.
In spite of uncertainty, it’s not only that I walk, but how I walk on the earth each day that is the miracle making. I may not do great things, but I remind myself to do the little things, the boring or mundane tasks with love!
I woke up this morning and pulled weeds in my garden. While this is a chore, I discovered the miracle of tomatoes that were ripe and ready to eat! They smelled sweet like the sun and the earth and tasted even better! Even in the weediest of gardens, there is delicious fruit. This chilly August morning is a miracle in the making. I am here to see it! The green grass, the colorful flowers, the sun, the moon, the stars, my job, my friends, my family and my pets…all is a miracle.
I pause for a moment and breathe in fully. When I breathe out, there’s some space to notice what’s around me. Here and there I can see opportunities to help those around me to experience small moments where the miracle of life is revealed. I want those around me to know I notice them and they are a miracle to me.
When I taught yoga in the park on Monday, I noticed and pointed out the rainbow in the sky, while the clouds were sprinkling us with rain. That’s how life is, offering us rainbows if we are willing to see them. Teaching yoga, I remind my students of the miracle of each breath.
When I am with my mom on Sundays, the miracle is that in the darkness of her dementia, I can give her a reason to smile, even if it is only once when I compliment her or when I see her enjoying our art projects. It may not sound like a big thing that I have done, but for me, seeing a smile on her weary face is a miracle.
I encourage you today, to smile at someone, to do a small kindness, to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of walking on this earth. Life is a miracle!
Everywhere I look these days, I see challenges. It’s easy to feel like I am climbing never-ending hills. It can be tempting to lose hope. Some days, it would be pretty easy to succumb to the challenges. I know I need to seek a balanced view, and go find moments where I believe something good will ultimately come. Or even that it’s all good. I want to find a way to live the best life I possibly can. No matter how small it is, I have become determined to make something magical happen.
Magic doesn’t have to be a major miracle; rather it is the little every day triumphs, and trying to enjoy every moment that I am here. I strive to appreciate the every day tasks and to do them the best that I can. I want to feel grateful rather than overwhelmed. I need to make some magic happen so that I can see challenges as opportunities. When I wash my dishes, instead of feeling like it’s a chore, I try to think, “thank God I have dishes to wash!” I want to make my own magic with the challenges, big and small, that I face each day.
One of my favorite quotes describes my thoughts best:
“Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.”
Today I went to visit my mom and dad. I could see right away that without gratitude, I was sunk. My mom was sleeping sitting on the sofa when I arrived and didn’t want to acknowledge my presence. Eventually she came around a bit, but she sure didn’t make it easy!
I had so many wonderful and easy years with my mom, that honestly it makes it that much easier for me on the challenging days. I know how lucky I’ve been and how much my mom has given to me. I can’t feel troubled providing anything I can for such a wonderful woman. Of course the challenge here is, she doesn’t remember who I am or how much I appreciate her. She gets frustrated and impatient so I need to wave my magic wand and be patient for both of us. I am learning to celebrate the teeny, tiny victories in a sea of disappointments.
Magical assistant!
This was one of those days where nothing I did seems to work. On those days I just try something else, or I keep trying. Today it was the paint by sticker books that broke the ice. I asked my mom if she wanted to make some pictures and she picked a book up right away. That’s when I saw the Make Your Own Magic picture. I knew right then that things would be ok. Whenever we are working on our pictures we are in unison; working toward a common goal. It keeps our minds focused and we can interact positively. I can feel my patience and compassion filling my heart.
I came up with this idea one day when I saw that my mom still had the capability to color perfectly in the lines, just like she always had, but that she no longer had the patience to do so. Color by sticker was the perfect option for her. She needs some assistance doing it, but it is just challenging enough without being impossible and she is so proud of the results. Since then, my sister has become the master at locating and obtaining new paint by sticker books that keep things interesting and fun.
If you have a Senior in your life, I highly recommend these! Here is a link to one of my favorites:
When we worked on the outer space sticker design, I had fun telling my mom the names of the items in the pictures, such as “The Big Dipper,” a “Shooting Star,” and “Saturn.” It reminded me of how patiently she used to read me my favorite book as a kid, “A Book of Planets for You.” Isthave this book. Although that
It brought me so much joy creating this picture with her, and I remembered our time spent with the planet book well enough for the both of us. In the scheme of things, it was such a small act, but truly a connection only my mother and I share, because that book was MY book ( I am sure I did not share it with my siblings, and that was back in the day when Pluto was still a still a planet)!
As I write this, I am thinking of all the elderly who are alone and isolated right now, and I’m working to find a way to help some of them. I hope we all find a way to reach out to make our seniors feel loved and appreciated. They may not all remember us, but we can all remember them! Let’s make our own magic happen! I love you mom! You are my inspiration! You make me a better me!You made my life magical.
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My role as a yoga teacher, is to shine a light where it is needed, and to help to unveil the truth. We practice this mindfulness on our yoga mats, and hopefully it spills over into our daily lives. Today, I am writing this in order to shine a light on your local Auburn Hills Community Center; to reveal one of our community’s hidden gems: Community Yoga. Our yoga class is so much more than just an exercise or a yoga class; it is an integral piece of the Auburn Hills Parks and Recreation mission:
“Our mission is to improve the quality of life in Auburn Hills by providing quality parks and recreation opportunities with a variety of year-round programs, special events and facilities for people of all ages and abilities.”
Our yoga classes embrace this mission. Our small, but growing yoga community exists to improve the quality of your life. This healthy, life-enhancing opportunity is available to all, whatever your age or ability. We are friendly and fun! Our classes are offered year-round. All you have to do is show up to benefit!
As a teacher who has taught in many settings, including studios; if I am completely honest, I have to say that teaching a Community Center yoga class is the most rewarding. I get to meet the nicest people that I may not have otherwise met; it’s like teaching a roomful of my next-door neighbors. The Community Center staff are neighborly too; and will do absolutely anything to help me or my students.
The one and only downside of Community Yoga is the eye rolls I sometimes get when a yoga person asks me where I teach, and I inform them that I am a Community Center yoga teacher. I know my students have probably encountered the same misconceptions, as if a Community Center teacher or the class, is somehow something “less”. I am hoping this article will help to dispel this myth.
True, my Community Center yoga room is not specifically designed for yoga; it doesn’t have bamboo floors, yoga-themed decor, nor is it filled with incense. We use a multi-purpose room, that is clean, spacious and beautiful. Come and see it for yourself! It is an awesome space. For that magical hour, I transform it into a yoga paradise, complete with yoga props, candles, music and singing bowls.
Our yoga students may not walk in sporting the latest in yoga fashion; they more likely dress in comfortable sweats, leggings, pants or shorts. We like to be comfortable!
Our friendly class has a nice mix of ages and backgrounds. I would love to see our class become even more reflective of our very diverse community. All are seeking the same restorative, relaxing, health-enhancing, self-care experience as any other yoga student anywhere. I make sure that I provide that experience! To receive this “yoga magic”, all you need to do is to show up and participate, according to your abilities. Everyone is truly welcomed. We would love to have you here with us!
If you are apprehensive about trying a Yoga class, you may discover the Community Center classes can be less intimidating than studio classes. You can always drop in or even ask to observe a class before signing up. Our class fees are very reasonable. There’s no pressure to purchase an expensive package and no membership needed. Whether or not you are a resident of Auburn Hills, you are welcome to take a class. Our yoga class fee structure is truly a “perk” of residing in Auburn Hills. Non-residents pay a little bit more to take our classes. Registration is also easy! You can register in person at the front desk at the Community Center, or online at the Auburn Hills website: http://auburnhills.org/departments/parks_and_recreation/recreational_programs/index.php
If cost is an issue, please do contact the Auburn Hills Parks and Recreation Department, to inquire whether there are currently any scholarship opportunities available.
Our Community Center also offers several opportunities each year to participate in free pop-up classes and events where we collect donations to benefit more needy members of our community. We often collect books for Rogers Elementary School and we collect hats, gloves and scarves for those who need warmth in the winter.
Whether you are new to yoga or a seasoned yogi; we welcome you to join us! Our Fall 2 session begins the week of November 4th. So…what are you waiting for?!
In selecting a yoga teacher, your Auburn Hills Parks and Recreation department has your back. They verify our experience, certifications, licensing and do a thorough background check. However, this is only one part of it. It is important to understand what kind of yoga class your prospective teacher offers and how much training and teaching experience your teacher has. Personal referrals are also quite helpful, so be sure to ask if you can speak to someone who has taken one of our classes!
Yoga Alliance is yet another resource. It is a national, professional registry where you can view information and credentials regarding your prospective teachers. Your yoga teacher should have a Yoga Certification, and should also be registered with Yoga Alliance; as this also documents teaching and training experience. There are yoga certifications out there where a teacher can get certified in a weekend course, so not all yoga certifications are created equal or provide the same level of training.
If you search for me, Lisa Calice, it will provide my certification level and Yoga Alliance designation:
E-RYT® 200, YACEP® First Registered – June 2006
This means I am a Yoga Teacher with a 200 hour certification and beyond that, I have obtained my Experienced Yoga Teacher designation, and am a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider. I have well over 2,000 hours of teaching experience. I teach Eischens Yoga and YogaMedics Yoga. Both are alignment based, and tend to be slower moving, gentle and yet challenging. I recently attended another 200 hour certification course with YogaMedics, allowing me to obtain more skills in working with and modifying for injuries or illness. Other related skills and training are: Silver Sneakers Yoga Certification, Arthritis Foundation Walk With Ease Certification and Chair Yoga Training.
You may wonder, what is a typical class like? We typically begin and end in a supported restorative pose. This is usually accomplished in a reclining pose, but can easily be adapted into a seated pose. We practice a series of poses that include some supine (on your back), prone (on your stomach or hands and knees), standing and seated. Any of these options can be easily be modified to accommodate your needs. If you come to a class, you will see students doing just that!
It’s all about community! You can support our mission by joining us. Your participation in our class offerings and willingness to “shop local” also helps to support the livelihood of your friends and neighbors who work for the Auburn Hills Parks and Recreation Department, so that we can continue to offer more fantastic life-enhancing services! Together we can make our community an even more amazing place to live and work!
Life with Lisa Yogini 