.....arms up

Yogis,

March ‘Moments that Matter’ begins on Tuesday!  Still time to jump in and learn a new life skill!  Email me to sign up.

I have been using the song ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams in class these last two weeks for our dancing/movement section.  There is something about that song that makes even the most self conscious dancer  break out their moves.  You can’t help but clap your hands and lift your knees high as the song’s rhythm begins to stir ‘happy’ sensations in the body.  And it doesn’t hurt that the line repeated over and over – the songs mantra - is……because I’m happy!

Our happiness energy – our joy – resides in the upper part of our body.  In the heart center.  These are emotions that are light filled, expansive and spacious.  And when we feel them we instinctively lift ourselves up, arms in the air, with an expanded chest. 

It reminds me of being at a concert.

You know that feeling after several songs have been played and the band suddenly begins to play your favorite song?  You can’t help yourself.  You feel so filled that you have to expand.  So the arms go up and wave about!

Happiness, joy, cause us to rise.  To lift and to reach. To be bigger than ourselves.  But what about reversing the process.  What if I lift my arms, spread my chest, expand and reach when I am not in the middle of a rock concert.  Perhaps when I am standing in the kitchen.  Will those actions awaken the feeling of happiness?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t make it to very many concerts any more.  So I don’t want to wait for them, or any other big event for that matter, to bring me happiness.  I want to find that same feeling of fullness and freedom and upward lift every day……..many times.  From within.

So, what if I shout Yaay!, and lift my arms skyward when I feel the sun rise over my shoulder during my morning meditation.   How about if I expand my chest and beam outward toward a cardinal that lands in my path.  Spread my arms as wide as they will go and lean in when the wind rushes toward me.  Or clap my hands as the hawk soars overhead.  Celebrating life’s simplicity.

This is choosing happiness.  Moving slowly enough to catch the wonder of our ever day world, that when viewed through a different lens has greater potential than even the very best concert, and costs a whole lot less. 

Try it.  Spot something, lift your chest skyward and waves your arms.   Notice the instant rise of the spirit.  Do it often.  And a little secret…….the more you do it, the more things begin to appear in your path that make you want to do it.

Yaaay!!!  The sky is so blue today!

Rock on,
SARAH