Hello my beautiful friends!

Way back in the frozen tundra polar-vortex days of 2014, otherwise known as January, my yoga student Jessica and I started our blog: “Shine! One busy mom. One dedicated teacher. One year of yoga.” Jessica is a busy mom with five kids, I’m a yoga teacher and for four years we shared laughter, tears and so much personal growth at times we thought we’d explode from the transformations! Back then we thought it would be super cool to write a year-long blog that mixed her perspective as a yoga student with my teacherly observations, and now we find ourselves at the end of the year and are rounding the bend to wrapping up our adventure this December! Stay tuned to what's coming next, I've got a juicy project in the works I'm super excited about!

But for now, I thought it would be nice to give Jessica free reign on the blog this week. I’m releasing my teaching tethers, here she goes!

Nature Signs-from Jessica

Noticing signs in nature to help guide my path is something I recently opened up to, and has given me a new outlook. Having five kids, being in control is a necessity, but it can have negative consequences as well. Having the need to always be in control is exhausting, and is a useless battle. A favorite quote of mine is, “Man plans. God laughs.” We can have control in our lives, but to know that at the end of the day, our control is so very limited is a life changing perspective. In the past, always needing to control everything and everyone around me made me tense and stressed out all the time. In letting go, even a little bit, I am so much more peaceful. I can do my very best, but everything good or bad that happens is already set in motion from sources out of my control.

I just took a quick day trip to NYC to see our beloved teacher Sonia Sumar, the founder of Yoga for the Special Child, and to catch up on some new happenings in the yoga community. My old self had trouble just driving to Boston, I was consumed with fear and anxiety of all the terrible things that could go wrong. But now, I keep surprising myself. I set the intention to go, and when I realized I would have to go alone, I did. I released the fear, and was open to the fact that I would be okay. I have had two blue jays hanging around my yard for some time, and I always see them as a sign. In Native American folklore, the blue jay is a reminder to “follow through on all things-to not start something and then leave it dangling.” (Animal Speak, Ted Andrews pg 122) I knew that God was telling me to take the trip and not back out. I was still nervous, but I was peaceful in my decision, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past. Once I got off the exit, and was about to drive into the city, a blue jay came out of nowhere, literally concrete and cars all around, passed my windshield and flew away. I was in awe. My faith was renewed once again, and paying attention to these signs are a daily reminder that it is all how it should be.

Gita here again, isn’t that just a beautiful little story? I think so, I’m so proud of you, Jessica for embracing change and being brave to fly solo! It’s good to walk the path alone sometimes, it makes the spirit strong.

How about you? Do you have a favorite kind of bird, tree or animal that seems to follow you around, popping up here and there, reminding to slow down and connect with your highest self? Take time to notice these occurrences, they are priceless!

Om Shanthi Om
Peace to you,

Gita

Do you have a friend who loves nature? Share this post with them and make a lovely connection in your day!

Jessica in the Big City!