My So-Called Yoga Life

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- they must be felt with the heart. ~ Helen Keller
My So-Called Yoga Life
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    • Living in the Moment – Entry Two

      Posted at 6:44 pm by Lisa K, on July 10, 2025

      Dear diary,

      I thought about this series of living in the moment and felt so warm and fuzzy. It’s a little funny but I am enjoying this time set aside to write about my appreciation for these little moments, am I too much? The whole process of it is such a feel good sorta time.

      Anyways, something I have been working towards for some time has come to fruition this summer. It is the ability to spend more time with my kids. Less work and more time has not come easily, but it has come. I look at my kids and lovingly appreciate how much they’ve grown. The days of rocking them to sleep or picking them up have been over for some time. I asked my daughter the other day if she remembered the last time I picked her up. She smirked at me, walked over and put her arms around my neck and legs around my body and said, “Today”. I almost cried. It was the sweetest response she could ever have given. Then she hugged me and told me she loved me. I told her I loved her too. In that moment, I felt filled with joy, overwhelmed with love and truly grateful. 

      These last few weeks have been pretty magnificent. I have read to my kids, cooked with them, gone for walks to the ice cream shop, taken them places, spent time with friends and family, done nothing together (one of my personal favourites) and it has been really special. I’ve often thought about how they will soon be older and how glad I am for this time with them.

      Periodically, I tend to get caught up in thinking about all the future things I have to do or the lack of time and seemingly speedy way that it slips away before me. Right now, time is soft and slow. There is nothing else for me to do…but enjoy living in the moment.

      Life is short. Time doesn’t stop. Focusing on how we make use of the time we have is all we can do to guide life in the direction we desire. Creators of our experiences, choreographers of our own existence, we each have the power to carve out the path that is right for us. Practicing yoga all these years has really highlighted the importance of being present and content with what I have. The lessons are really never ending.

      And with that, this entry draws to a close. Best wishes until next time.

      P.S. I saw the rainbow in the cover image for this post last night, it was a magical moment.

      Love,

      Lisa xo 

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      Posted in Living in the Moment Series | 0 Comments | Tagged beautyoflife, creativity, deepthoughts, emotions, energy, expressyourself, feelgood, gratitude, growth, happy, healthymind, heart, Hope, inspiration, joy, life, lifestyle, liveinspired, love, mindful, motivation, myyogalife, philosophy, positive, reflection, Reflections, soulwriting, wellness, writing
    • Living in the Moment

      Posted at 3:46 pm by Lisa K, on July 5, 2025

      Dear diary,

      I’m back on this sunny day, feeling like sharing some thoughts about life. A sea of emotion fills the human heart, so powerful and large that sometimes it feels difficult to keep them inside. When I struggle, in the early moments, it is not easy to see anything other than the obstacle in front of me. With time and practice, noticing all the beautiful parts of life, thinking about them and feeling them can help to balance the boat.

      On that note, I am going to create a series of living in the moment entries. These will be reflections on appreciation and the thoughts and feelings of gratitude and love that surface for me in my little life. Some big things but smaller ones too. A collection for myself to read and look back on and to share for anyone who wants to read or relate.

      Today I’ll start off with my newest little big love – my puppy, Reggie. He’s been with us for only about 4 months, but just  like each of my cats, he already has a piece of my heart in his paws. 

      I have to say, a dog’s love and companionship is different than with a cat. Not more or less, but different, in my opinion. I find myself doing things I wouldn’t consider doing without him. Like going for a big walk in the rain. I just wouldn’t really do that otherwise. But with him, it is not the cold or wet I think about. It is the bond of spending that time together, doing something that isn’t much on its own, but exceptional because we are sharing it and that’s what makes it beautiful. The walking is super cool and during these warm months, my love for the early morning is highlighted in a new way. We walk through the morning dew, look at the sun coming up and he sniffs out every bunny and squirrel in our immediate vicinity. The air is fresh and the scent of a new day always lifts my heart and sets a positive tone filled with possibility.

      My little doggie looks to me to know what to do and anywhere I am in the house, he always wants to be close by. It is a completely innocent and endearing way that dogs have about them. They pick you as much as you pick them and it is something very special and loving that I am currently thoroughly enjoying. 

      Anyone who has one knows, there is lots of work to do with a dog too. The house training and general obedience training take time and effort. At first, that part felt a bit overwhelming for me. It’s a real commitment. But with time, it has become easier as the bond between us grows deeper. He loves our family and creates silly excitement with the cats. When the novelty wore off, it’s the love and devotion that keeps everything continuing on effortlessly. 

      The main lessons for me were again, that time and effort are what is needed for something truly special to take root and flourish into all the beauty and magnificence meant to be and this one comes with the powerful feeling of bursting love. Right now, I am living in the moment with how my little doggie has expanded my heart further and helped me grow my resilience and patience. I am grateful for this life and this moment in time.

      Talk to you soon,

      Lisa xo

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      Posted in Living in the Moment Series | 0 Comments | Tagged beauty, beautyoflife, belove, confidence, deepthoughts, emotions, expression, expressyourself, feelgood, gratitude, growth, happy, health, healthy, healthymind, heart, Hope, inspiration, joy, life, lifestyle, liveinspired, love, mindful, motivation, positive, reallove, reflection, release, soulwriting, thoughts, time, wellness, writer, writing
    • Self Love

      Posted at 1:43 am by Lisa K, on May 6, 2018
      Self Love
      Born into this world,
      We know the gifts that we possess,
      The Love that we are capable of,
      How to find our way to bliss.
      But as we grow there is doubt,
      A strange feeling that is unknown,
      It hurts to feel its wrath,
      And defensive ways will grow.
      The soul cannot interpret evil,
      The pain is far too great,
      It shrivels up and sinks down,
      By the hurt that comes from hate.
      A sheath of protection must ensue,
      But the edges may be frayed,
      Patterns begin to fester,
      And the soul becomes afraid.
      Realization of this war,
      Brings sadness but not defeat,
      Our light begins to burn,
      So strongly that it won’t deplete.
      Love brings all beings to their knees,
      And the soul knows this best,
      It pours love from every seam,
      Sadness can no longer  act to suppress.
      Beauty, faith and Love grow strong,
      Trust and honesty are high,
      All the feels that are meant to be,
      Become our greatest in supply.
      Words are only letters,
      Do you feel the light ignite your soul?
      Remember the most important one,
      It’s only you who can make you whole.
      By~ Lisa Michelle♥️

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      Posted in Poetry, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged beautiful, confidence, happy, inspiration, life, love, loveyourself, motivation, poem, poems, Poetry, positive, selflove, soul, writing
    • The Sunshine Blogger Award

      Posted at 2:44 am by Lisa K, on July 31, 2017

      I am thrilled to share with you that I have received a nomination for the Sunshine Blogger Award!  My fellow blogger Abhinav Uniyal, I express my sincerest gratitude for this marvellous opportunity for recognition and for your personal appreciation of my blog.   Thank You!!! Abhinav has a fabulous blog where he shares personal development, business leadership, communications and interpersonal skill development for the workplace.  Some great and valuable information can be found on his blog.

      Please check him out here- https://abhinavuniyal.com/blog/

      The Sunshine Blogger Award is an opportunity to recognize a blog that inspires you and imbues creativity.  It’s a wonderful time to let your fellow bloggers know just how much you enjoy reading their blogs and observe their accomplishments.

      As part of the nomination, Abhinav has given me some questions to answer about blogging and it’s a great way for you, my readers to learn a little bit more about me:)

      1. When did you start blogging?
      My blog went live on February 23, 2017 to be exact. I was looking for a creative outlet and a way to share with others, things I have learned over the years in the realm of yoga, healthy lifestyle with Young Living essential oils, poetry and life through the lens of my personal experiences. I had been collecting my thoughts for a while and it just seemed like the right time to move forward and get my blog going!

      2.  What makes blogging special to you?
      Blogging is special because the audience who reads my blog have a genuine interest in my writing. I really enjoy writing and when I can help others and bring value to them, it makes it even more worth while.   Sometimes I get so enthralled in how to express my thoughts and demonstrate them so accurately that I have to catch my intentions from getting lost in that translation!  Improving my writing skills is slowly happening over time.  I love the moment I press “publish” every single time. It’s so exciting and sometimes I am nervous because I share vulnerable parts of myself, my heart and my mind. It is new for me but a very pleasant experience.

      3. Does blogging bring out the best out of you?
      Yes! Blogging helps me to put my own interests and knowledge to work. I am able to think critically and then share about what I have learned. It is a way of being introspective sometimes and then seeing what that looks like when it’s written down.  I feel like it makes me better at life.  Writing and creatively, flowing my thoughts through words is sort of therapeutic in a way.  It helps bring out the best me!

      4. How important is monetizing the blogs?
      For me it’s not a primary goal. If one day the right opportunity should present itself, I would happily get involved in monetization. It would have to feel right.

      5. What is the best thing that has happened to you since you started blogging (within the blogging world)

      Getting to connect with people around the world and reading what they are passionate enough to write about and share with others. It is so much fun and I really enjoy it.  It’s pretty amazing to read the perspectives and thoughts of those living around the globe.  It wasn’t something I started my blog with the intention of doing, but it has been a fantastic experience that I am grateful to be a part of.

      6.  What is your next goal in the blogging world?
      My goal is to connect with more people, both bloggers and readers.  I work towards this goal daily.  Having a blog has really opened up an entire community where we all have in common, the love and joy of writing.  I think there is so much to learn about and stories and viewpoints to receive.  Looking forward to continuing my blogging and having fun.

      7.  What are you passionate about in life?
      It may be obvious through my blog that I am passionate about Ashtanga Yoga! I am interested in anything and everything to do with it.  I practice 6 days a week and read books to learn more about yoga philosophy, anatomy, current topics and more.  I also believe in the natural power of essential oils and enjoy using them in my every day life.  My family loves them too.  I also enjoy writing and creative expression. I think it is a powerful tool to enhance and help us express ourselves in this world.  It enriches our experiences and brings new ways to view life.  I try to bring all of these to my children and hope that they will also find a creative outlet to be themselves.

      8.  What is your suggestion to the fellow bloggers (new and existing)
      My suggestion would be to connect with fellow bloggers as much as possible. Blogging isn’t just about writing, it is a community of some pretty awesome people!  Join Facebook groups, instagram groups and other social media groups where you will meet and support others in their blogging endeavours as they do for you.

      9.  If you can do one thing different about your blog, what would that be?

      Hmmm….that’s a difficult question.  It’s pretty new and so I haven’t really had too many concerns so far.  I did make a change a short while ago to a different theme.  The theme I was using wasn’t easily viewable on mobile devices.  As a new blogger, I didn’t really think about that.  I am enjoying the new theme and it suits my needs better.  I suppose there will be more of these types of changes, I will discover as I go.

      10.  As a blogger, you have a certain social responsibility, how to do take care of that?
      I believe that sharing from the heart, being respectful of readers and the power of interpretation are important to be aware of as a blogger. I try to share things that I feel can be of benefit to others and ways to connect. I feel like this takes care of my social responsibility.

      11.  What effect does recognition have on you?
      It is very inspiring! It means that there are people who feel that they can connect to my writing. I feel joyful knowing that what makes me feel and how I express that is helpful and interesting to others.  It’s super fun to participate here because it is another way to connect with other bloggers!

      Fellow Blog Nominations

      I would like to nominate the following blogs for this Sunshine Blogger Award.  I continue to thoroughly enjoy reading each of these blogs regularly and think that the creativity in writing, photography and skills within their niches are some of the reasons I delight in following them.

      NOMINEES FOR THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD

      Kirti Arora- https://www.thefashionflings.com/

      Tahnee Flack- https://tahneesblog.co.uk/

      Marine Lucas- http://superflysister.com/

      Basundhara Ghosh- https://basundharasblog.wordpress.com/

      Chikumo Fiseko- https://adiaryofachik.com/

      Chelsea Rose- http://www.rosypointofview.com/

      ****Important Note to my Nominees****

      Please thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.  Nominate bloggers who you feel deserve recognition.  Answer my questions for you in your post as well as create 11 of your own questions for your nominees to answer.  The Sunshine Blogger Award Logo must be displayed in your post.  Please put a link to your post in my comments so I can read your answers to my questions.  I look forward to reading them:).

      Thank you for continuing to write purposeful, talented and interesting blogs for us all to enjoy!

      Here are my questions for you:

      1.  How did you get involved with blogging?

      2.  How do you think your readers would describe your blogging style?

      3.  Where do you find inspiration for your posts?

      4.  How has blogging improved your life?

      5.  What has been the most challenging aspect of having your blog and how do you work on that?

      6.  What has been the most enjoyable aspect of being in the world of blogging?

      7.  What do you do when you aren’t working on your blog?

      8.  What networking do you do that you feel has benefitted your blog the most?

      9.  What do you think the best thing is that a blogger can give to readers?

      10.  What is your favorite post on your blog? Why do you like it the best?

      11.  What has been your strategy for creating visibility for your blog?

      Thank you again for my nomination Abhinav! And thank you fellow bloggers for keeping the Sunshine Blogger Award nominated to blog writers who you feel are inspiring and creative:)

      Peace & Love,

      Lisa xx

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

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      Posted in Uncategorized | 32 Comments | Tagged growth, happiness, happy, inspiration, motivation, positive, recognition, reflection, Sunshinebloggeraward
    • What is a Mala?

      Posted at 10:14 pm by Lisa K, on July 23, 2017

      If you have been to a few yoga classes you have probably seen or at least heard of mala beads. Maybe you have seen them at a metaphysical store or at a booth at the yoga conference. What are those beautiful bead necklaces and what are their significance in the practice of yoga?

      In Sanskrit, the term mala means ‘garland.’  They are usually made up of 108 beads and one larger central bead called a guru bead.  These are the type of prayer beads used by Buddhists and Hindus. When they are used, a mantra or intention word is repeated with each bead, starting at the guru bead and ending again at this central bead. If the user wishes to do more, the guru bead is never crossed over, rather the beads are flipped and counted away from the guru bead again. Mala beads date back to Hindu religious practices around the 8th century B.C.E.

      In Hinduism there are two main branches called Shaivism and Vishnuism. The former uses 32 to 108 rudraksha beads made of seeds from a unique Javan tree. The seeds are rough and separated into 5 sections to represent the 5 faces and personalities of Siva and also represent the rigid lifestyle required by worshippers. Vishnu mala are carved of tulsi wood and have 108 beads.

      Buddhist mala have 108 beads which represent the impurities that must be overcome to reach Nirvana. The beads were once only made of the sacred Bodhi tree but now are crafted from many other materials as well.  Healing Mala may be made of gemstones or crystals which have different energies, colours and properties that may aid in different healing practices.

      The crystal mala used in healing may use stones specific to correct an imbalance. For example, I went for an colour aura scan and had a slight imbalance in my solar plexus or third chakra.  A crystal used for healing this imbalance is citrine. I got a citrine mala bracelet to help me create balance here. It is very interesting to learn about crystals and how their properties may be used to help work with the subtle aspects of our energetic being. It is something that I am new to and wish to learn more about.

      A place to find some gorgeous mala beads is https://purplelotus.ca/

      Anyone may use mala beads and the meaning they will bring to each will be individual in their prayer and meditation practice. According to Hinduism, they are used by the right hand and the thumb is used to move from one bead to the next. The index finger should not touch the beads through the transfer and the beads are draped over the middle finger.

      To begin a meditation practice using a mantra or an affirmation is a great way to stay focused and really with your practice. Using a mala to help you count your repetitions will allow you to completely focus on your intention.  It is easy for the mind to wander sometimes, which is okay, but the mala is another helpful way to increase concentration.

      Here is a simple practice for you to use a mala:

      First decide on your mantra, affirmation or intention word. This will be what you repeat with each bead and the focus of your meditation.
      Sit as comfortably and as tall as you can. Take a few deep breaths by inhaling through the nose while letting your chest and belly open. Exhale through your nose equally and fully. Try closing your eyes and taking 5 deep breaths this way.

      Hold your mala in your right hand with the mala draped over your middle finger and in your palm. Bring your thumb to the bead just past the guru bead. Begin your mantra and use your thumb to move to the next bead with each repetition. Keep your eyes closed to enhance your focus. When you come around the mala and back to the guru bead you may finish or flip the mala to go back around again. When you have completed your meditation, sit and take a few more deep breaths before opening your eyes. Hopefully you will have a positive experience that will stay with you for the rest of your day:)

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      Posted in Meditations, Uncategorized | 26 Comments | Tagged happy, Mala, meditation, positive, Yoga
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