New Sunset Picture

I took this one the other day from the yoga studio. :)

Weird Shoe

Finally updating some more pics!!

Here's one from about a week ago. While walking in Mandeville to breakfast I saw this shoe on the sidewalk. The nice clean area of Mandeville, and yep this burned up sole of a shoe. Go figure.

New Yoga Pics!

Big thanks to my friend, Hitesh Nauhria, for taken these new pics. We did the shoot at the Rose Garden in Raleigh, NC. Enjoy!

Marianne's Yoga Pics Black & White

Marianne's Yoga Pics in Color

Quote for Today

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? Because if not, you ought to think about what you're doing, realize the causes, motivations, circumstances, and intentions of why you're doing what you're doing. Then assess whether you want to keep doing what you're doing or do something else. If you don't intentionally discover why your life is like it is, how do you expect to ever customize it?"

-Keith Ryan

From the mat tonight

It's hard to believe I've been in Southern Louisiana for almost a month! And in this month, I've been super busy, super excited, and super inspired. There is really SO much to write and so much to say. One of my goals since the move is to blog more. :o) And even though I'm just now jumping back into it...I'm looking forward to much more.

I could start out by telling you about my first impressions of the area. Or how exciting and scary a BIG move like this was for me. Or how I'm getting into my real flow. Or tell you what I think about the bugs.

But you know what? I think I'll leave you in suspense on all that for now.

Instead, I think I'll start by telling you about something I finally did last night.

With many moves, the movers feel so accomplished when the last box is unpacked. Surprisingly, that's not what I'm going to say.

In all honesty, I've really only unpacked two boxes. ONLY TWO!! And if you know me...that might sound CRAZY!

It's strange. But getting into the flow for me lately has been really learning to relax into things. To chill. And so far, that has been my greatest challenge. (Try going from 5 Google Calendars to Uno...it's a different way of being!)

Back to last night. What I finally did was this: I unpacked the suitcase I've been living out of since Crystal's wedding back in June. I'd wear the same clothes, wash them of course, and put them back in the suitcase.

I have my space almost set up. I have a comfy place to sleep that is SO peaceful. And now, my one suitcase of clothes has found it's home. And just that seemingly simple event helps me also feel more at home.

And you know what? Home isn't so much a physical place. It's more about the place where you are with it. Where you are in your mind, where you are in the world...and just how comfortable you are with it all.

Tonight I encourage to you explore just how comfortable you really are. Not simply how comfortable your home is. But how comfortable you are where you are right now. Where you are in your life...where you are in your heart...where you choose to plant yourself.

How comfortable are you with yourself and all your choices in this moment?

I think taking my time on unpacking really shows that I felt at home here from day one. Even with everything still in a suitcase.

I'm learning so much here. So much about myself it's going to be a journey just to share it on this blog.

Thanks to everyone that supported me in making this leap. And thanks to those that maybe weren't so supportive but still in their own ways, were there for me.

From my mat this evening I send just a few pictures. My purple mat on the floor in my new space. And a picture of one view from my mat.

In love and light and truth,

Marianne

More on the Hug Campaign

The Free Hug video really touched me. I'm sure you have had days when all you needed was a hug. Days where you didn't want anyone's advice, didn't want to talk about it, and just wanted someone to be there with a hug.

I just wanted to share some more on the Free Hug and how it started. Oh, and don't forget to hug you dad today! ;)

On how the hug campaign started from http://www.freehugscampaign.com/


How it all started:

I'd been living in London when my world turned upside down and I'd had to come home. By the time my plane landed back in Sydney, all I had left was a carry on bag full of clothes and a world of troubles. No one to welcome me back, no place to call home. I was a tourist in my hometown.

Standing there in the arrivals terminal, watching other passengers meeting their waiting friends and family, with open arms and smiling faces, hugging and laughing together, I wanted someone out there to be waiting for me. To be happy to see me. To smile at me. To hug me.

So I got some cardboard and a marker and made a sign. I found the busiest pedestrian intersection in the city and held that sign aloft, with the words "Free Hugs" on both sides.And for 15 minutes, people just stared right through me. The first person who stopped, tapped me on the shoulder and told me how her dog had just died that morning. How that morning had been the one year anniversary of her only daughter dying in a car accident. How what she needed now, when she felt most alone in the world, was a hug. I got down on one knee, we put our arms around each other and when we parted, she was smiling.

Everyone has problems and for sure mine haven't compared. But to see someone who was once frowning, smile even for a moment, is worth it every time.

Check out this sweet video! And go hug someone!