You are the Wrapping Paper

Your life is a gift, and you have come to unwrap this gift. In the process of unwrapping, remember to also save the wrapping papers. Your whole environment, situations, circumstances, and body are the wrapping papers. Often when we unwrap, we tear the wrapping papers। At times we are in such a hurry that we even destroy the gifts. With patience and endurance, open your gifts - and save the wrappers! जय गुरु देव! - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

At Christmas, You are the Gift

You are the Christmas tree that points upwards with branches on all sides. At the time of year when other trees are barren, you are green with many gifts to offer.

You bear gifts and lights - not for yourself, but for others. Remember that all the gifts you are carrying in your life are for others. Anyone who comes to you, offer them your gifts.

जय गुरु देव

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Ha ha ha!

Whatever you do, don't laugh!

Daily Dose of Good Times

Take two doses, and call me in the morning:

Compadres

It is a Beautiful Time to be Alive!

It is a beautiful time to be alive because we stand to make an incredible difference. So many opportunities await our arrival. How do we arrive to these opportunities? Just as Gandhi taught, what we create in the world is a reflection of what we've created within. Saving the world begins with saving our souls. Bringing joy to others begins by being a joyful person. Bringing prosperity to the poor begins by becoming a wealth attractant.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. You don't need any special shoes or equipment. You have the tools you need to start now. Take a deep breath. Now, close the eyes. Breathe deeply. Feel the breath all the way to your toes. For a moment, become that breath. Your breath brings calm and clarity, as well as energy and inspiration. Using breath to clear your mind, body, and heart will open you to your natural insight, peace, and wisdom. These are all alive within you. But how can one recognize this without taking a few steps on the journey to go there?

Every time we take the journey within, we adventure into the depth of our being. Nothing can ever harm this space, and no one can take away what you gain in spending time here. Naturally, what you discover in the depths of your being will express itself through you, and into the world. Only good can come from this, as the depth is Divine. You are Divine.

Many people who do not what lies beyond the appearance, and suffer immensely. Begin exploring your beautiful depth, so that you may bring the world your genuine smile, deep peace, and loving presence. It is a beautiful time to be a live because the change that you become has immense importance. The world cannot wait for us to take that first step.

जय गुरु देव
ॐ शांति, शांति, शांति

Namaste,
Francie Yogini

May I Be

So often we equate suffering with something negative. Often, suffering is the very thing which breaks the hard shell that hides our Magnificence. It shows us our depth. Though it seems like a curse, when embraced, pain can be a tremendous gift. It is the deliverer of great wisdom.
Relax when pain visits you, as this will lesson the struggle, allowing you to develop skill and insight.

Inside of every painful experience, there is a space that remains untarnished. The yogi's call this the Self, and nothing can harm it. Suffering brings us home to that very space, where we experience our Divine inner dwelling. Pain is the gift that takes us to the depth and Divinity that we might otherwise never discover. The idea that you are damaged deep within is an illusion, because your depth can never be harmed. Go deeper than the scars and the pain, and you will discover the deepest calm, beauty, and love imaginable.

May I be like Sandalwood -
the more I am ground,
the better my fragrance.

May I be like Sugarcane -
the more I am chewed,
the more my sweetness comes.

May I be like Gold -
the more I am beaten,
the more I shine.

Celebrating Whoopee

Proactivation

Sanity Plea

Has anyone seen my sanity?! I think I saw yours fly by me a moment ago. It was heading in the direction of a yoga and meditation class. Maybe you should join me and run after it. You might just catch some stress relief. . . deep breathing . . . stretching . . . reposing . . . fun . . . peace . . . along the way.

Karma Yoga

Karma yoga is the yoga of action. It is the art of doing something for someone with no expectation of reward. When you open your heart to serving someone in need, you are giving your love to the world.You then naturally open your heart up to receiving the love the world has to offer. That is karma - putting something into the world that naturally returns itself to you.It has a compounding effect. The more that you fortify yourself with the benefits of giving, the more naturally the spirit of giving flows from you. Doesn't love sound like a wonderful holiday gift? It's one that never stops giving.

Keep smiling!

Yours,

Frances

Negativity Fast

Yep, it's just like it says: starve yourself of negativity! For anyone who wants to find deep happiness and peace, it starts with your frame of mind. Okay, we all know that. So, why aren't people happier?
For one thing, the company that you has the potential to elevate you, or drag you down. We are naturally influenced by the company and places we visit. Are they building your joy, or tearing it down? Your energy is precious - don't waste it by keeping company that lowers you mood, state of mind, or energy.
Love and joy are natural states when we are balanced. Negativity and tension creep in when we are stressed. To be around love and positivity fosters more of that energy. To be around negativity fosters more stress and tension. Yoga, time in nature, inspirational reading, chanting, music, and dancing all help to remove the tension, bringing you back to a state of love and positive energy.
So, back to where I began: to gravitate back to your nature of love and joy, fast from negativity. Exercise caution about the messages you allow into your head. Don't allow negative words to enter your ears, and you will have fewer negative thoughts. Just the same, practice mindfulness and refrain about the words you speak. Drop your negative vocabulary. If something negative is happening, then stick to the facts without analyzing deleteriously. In other words, speak criticisms from your throat, but not your heart. Speak praise from your heart, and not your throat. Do you see?
Words are sacred. Their purpose is to bring us back to harmonious silence. Words that agitate, injure, or destroy are harmful. Words that connect, foster love, and expand your consciousness are healing. The nature of the words that you speak will boomerang back to you. For the sake of happiness for all, choose the words going into your ears and out of your mouth with great awareness.
Here is my challenge to you: Speak no harmful words for five (5) days. If you slip into negative speech, put a quarter into a jar. At the end of the five days, observe your thoughts. Are they a different quality? Notice the state of your energy. Notice your overall outlook. And then report to me. :-)

Namaste.