NThis is the Thanksgiving - Holiday Season Extravaganza Issue - packed with ideas to help you honor the season and dive deeper into your own gratitude! I’ve included lots of quotes, yoga-inspired gift ideas, prayers for your gatherings, and events to help prepare your body mind and spirit.

Most importantly, as we embark on this busy season, remember to take time for yourself! Because when you are relaxed and grounded it’s not only good for you,
but a gift for all those around you!

With Great Joy,
Jillian

"Gratitude is the intention to count-your-blessings every day, every minute, while avoiding, whenever possible, the belief that you need or deserve different circumstances."— Timothy Miller

Now that I am in intense studies with my new Guru William, you can be sure that I will pass on his wisdom in each issue with a William 101 column. This month’s Lessons is One Point Focus. Last issue I explained that William is colicky, so basically he’s uncomfortable and crying most of the time. Truth be told, during the first few weeks I was getting the A-S kicking’ of a life time. As I attended to Williams constant wails I would simultaneously be aware of the chatter in my head about my lack of sleep, achy body, unreturned phone calls, WORK, neighbors…and mostly, about how my heart ached that I couldn’t ease his pain. Then one night, in the middle of William’s shrieking, I completely snapped out of it. Actually, I should say snapped ‘Into It.’ Just as in a One-Pointed Concentration Meditation I simply stopped focusing on all my various discomforts and entirely shifted my concentration to William. As I let go of my repeating story line of anxieties, I began to grow more calm and centered. In fact, after just a few days of this practice I regained so much energy and strength that I no longer needed the same kind of sleep and I didn’t feel as distressed or depleted. Instead, I mainly felt gratitude and honor that I could serve William. HIS HEALTH situation didn’t change, but my way of being in it did. It’s just like on my yoga mat; my practice is drastically different when I am ALL there vs. when I find myself preoccupied with incessant rewinding and fast forwarding thoughts that are always in the background. Instead, when I sink fully into what I am doing, bringing my awareness into the foreground (present), no matter how hard the "task" or the "pose" is, it becomes more manageable. And, I become more intuitive about how to be in the "pose" with as little strain as possible. When I have less strain, I relax more. With William, as I relax more, my mind and heart are more open, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO fully experience the joy and gratitude I have for him no matter what’s going on or what he demands from me. This isn’t only good for me, it’s good for William. Phew! Once again, I am awed by how the Practice works Off the Mat. (I’m also happy to report that while William still has an industrial strength cry he’s starting to grow out of it and is now crying 40% of the time instead of 90%. And that’s good for everyone too!)   back to top

Practicing gratitude (thanks giving) can have a profound effect on the quality of your day and it enriches your whole life: after all, you attract into your life that which you spend significant time thinking about. By choosing to spend some portion of your day focusing on those things for which you are grateful, you spend that much less time stewing over what you don't have or what did not happen. Upon waking up and after each yoga session, I always take a moment to bring to mind whatever I am grateful for at that moment. Try it next time you sit quietly at the end of your practice or when you awake; simply take a deep breath and bring to mind anything you are grateful for (big or small). Enjoy the feeling for a few moments and then send out your appreciation in
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