FEED YOUR SPIRIT The Joy of a Soul Connection

4) Spontaneous moments of giving: free hug days, flash mobs (one of my favorites is An Ode to Joy flash mob that takes place in Italy: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Xc5MrBGqWZg), public displays of affection—especially at the airport— and the generosity of strangers. 5) Kindness in all its forms, like this story: A Middle school started a “Breakfast With Dads” Program. But many dads couldn’t make itand several students didn’t have father figures. The school posted a Facebook request for 50 volunteer fathers; 600 fathers from all backgrounds showed up. The full story is here: https://www.today.com/parents/ dallas-school-needed-stand-ins-dads-600-menshowed-t121019 6) Love, in ALL its forms, like this story: A bride’s father died ten years ago and his heart was donated. The man who received the transplant walked her down the aisle. The full story is here: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/09/fashion/ weddings/bride-is-walked-down-aisle-by-theman-who-got-her-fathers-donated-heart.html 7) Nature, in all its multicolored, multidimensional, multifaceted awe-inspiring forms! I remember my mom, as she got older, had this fascination with the colorful bugs that graced her backyard. She would regularly point out one and say, “Mary, look at that, isn’t it beautiful!” I now find myself doing the same! 8) Teaching. When I teach, the whole world aligns with who I am meant to be. I feel connected and content and at peace.

I know there is so much more—all I have to do is see it right in front of me. Maria Popolov, in another one of her writings, put it so simply when she said,

“And so we learn...that it i s not ju st a matter of payi ng attention, but of taki ng attention, of deliberately shif ti ng it, of diverti ng the glycogen that pumps our despair mu scle and clenches the fi st scanni ng for danger; for that selfsame glycogen i s needed to pump our delight mu scle and open the palm to hold joy.”

So the next time you feel tense or your world seems filled with the heaviness of despair, turn your attention instead to what delights, inspires and moves you. Discover—over and over again—what it is that grows your heart and settles your mind and feeds your essence. And once you remember what that is, allow yourself to go there regularly. Be willing to pull yourself up in whatever way you can, using the resources you have available, to live the life and feel the joy you were always meant to feel!

The Yoga of Life

with Mary Boutieller Mary Boutieller is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2005. Her work experience includes 22 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 10 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Mary’s knowledge and experience give her a well-rounded understanding of anatomy, alignment, health and movement in the body. She is passionate about the benefits of yoga and the ability to heal at all levels through awareness, compassion, and a willingness to explore. She can be reached at: SimplyogaOm@gmail.com.