"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me..."

This song of Nina Simone's rendition "Feeling Good" is what is playing in my mind as I contemplate the new year. For. me, the lyrics are one of freedom, hope, and even gratitude. I find the dawning and arrival of a new year to feel hopeful and refreshing. It feels like a natural time to contemplate where I am in this life and perhaps what I can do to enhance or change things for the better. Not that my life isn't good already, just that there may be more. More growth. More depth. More giving. More connection. More forgiveness. More acceptance. More love.

My consistent yoga practice in an integral part of helping me keep the fresh and hopeful essence of the excitement for each new dawn, new day. Recently, a practitioner asked me how I lived life as a yogi. I was stating in our conversation that I love to live the 8 limbs of yoga. This is my walk. It was a good question because many of us relegate yoga to just the asana and maybe pranayama limbs (pose and breath). I am grateful for the question because it had me thinking and reflecting, "well, how do I embody the 8 limbs?" Here's a small daily snapshot: I love to start my day just before dawn in my quiet corner that has my comfortable chair, my books, my journal to write in, prayers to read and pray.I sip tea or coffee. I meditate. In the quiet before my household and even the world (on this side of the sun) wakens I am practicing a combination of Svadhyaya (self-study) {This is part of the second limb Niyama} and Ishvara Pranidhana (or surrender) also a Niyama of the second limb through my prayer and quiet meditation . Then I move into the cleanliness practices we all most likely do like washing, teeth brushing, clearing my space etc. and this goes towards Saucha (purity). Taking this time in the mornings helps set me up for Yama (the first limb) which are like precepts to live by in observance of others that are kind and giving, non-violent, etc. This is a small snapshot of how I see myself daily living the limbs of yoga. I've only included a few and yet all of them intertwin my life like magical silk threads that interplay in the unity of my mind, body and spirit. I bet if you look closely at your life you also live these things or some of them.

In this world that has so much beauty it is still a world that spins madly on. Sometimes the new dawns and the new days that march on do not feel good. They can feel mundane, tedious, repetitve ...like Groundhogs Day. Even years could feel this way...IF we don't find a peaceful pathway that helps us center, remember that each new dawn and new day is a wonderful opportunity to live fully and well with an open mindset and love in our hearts. Here we find true peace and contentment. The practice of yoga is one such way.

We at Let It Be look forward to practicing with you this year!