Five Random Things

At the beginning of this week, I decided to set an intention for myself to open my heart to a bigger energy and allow grace into my day, each day. I'm not sure whether the awareness of grace became more acute as a result of my intention or if my invitation to it, really did bring more of it into my life. But all week, I've been noticing things or experiencing things that made me stop think, "ah, yes, this is the grace that I invited in." I've learned from so many of my teachers, that this light, this grace, is inside of us and all around us. So it was my intention to recognize that grace is holding me, breathing me and beating my heart. In today's Five Random things, I will share with you five moments of recognition from my week:

1. Early one morning this week, my husband and I went for a walk on the beach. It was snowing and windy, but the water was really calm. As we approached the end of the beach (the place where the high tide lapped the rocks and we could no longer go any further), we saw a harbor seal lounging on some of the rocks. I thought he would jump back into the water as soon as he saw us, but instead he just looked at us as we looked back at him.

2. One of my favorite teas is Yogi tea, Throat Comfort. I found a tea tag on a cup this week that said: "the universe is a stage on which you dance, guided by your heart"

3. I discovered new eco-friendly notebooks at Staples! I can't exactly describe how much I love notebooks and journals because I just do. I currently have 6 going (with 6 different purposes). I especially love these empty lined composition books with brown covers and simple sage green designs. The morning page practice (from Julia Cameron's The Artist Way exercise) that I do every morning always gets refreshed and renewed with the excitement of a new notebook!

4. This week, I was approached with the opportunity to teach a practice yoga class at a local studio that would allow me to be put on their sub list. To calm my nerves about teaching the class, I danced around my apartment with my dog to this song (which I played at least three times in a row). It must have helped because the class went smoothly and I start subbing the week after next! I find that each time I teach, I get a little more confident and little more clear. I step forward one little step at a time.

5. I experienced lots of sprinklings of encouragement and support for my artwork this week: By visits to this little space floating around on the internet, by all the amazingly kind comments left here, by being featured in this Etsy treasury and by being inspired by the first class of "In the Fishbowl"e-course. It all added up to be an incredible reminder that I am on the right path, doing the right thing by following this dream of mine. So thank you all for being a part of that bit of grace!

I invite you to reflect back on your week too. Did you experience any moments of grace, of recognition of the universe at work in your life?

Five Random Things