"Looking for the Good" is a Practice

Do you have a practice around the way you see the world? Are you a glass half full, half empty, or overflowing glass kinda person? Because the way we see things is what dictates how we respond to situations, how we feel about situations, how we think and how we engage with others, it is exceedingly important to investigate, and hopefully improve, the way we see the world. 

When I was doing my yoga teacher training back in NYC in 2003, it was in the lineage of Anusara Yoga, developed by John Friend, who came out of the Iyengar tradition. In this particular way of teaching, there is a great importance placed on the theme of the class. It was a heart-based practice that also had a very strong alignment component. Basically, we were to facilitate awakening the hearts of our students to beauty and grace, and help their whole body, mind, and spirit come into alignment with that awakening. It was a really beautiful style of teaching and learning. 

And it changed the way I saw the world…

It was our charge to inspire our students with something–a story, an example from wisdom tradition texts, or an aphorism–that they could apply both to their physical postures and to their lives off the mat. Because I was a new teacher, I didn’t have a lot of text or aphorisms in my toolbag yet, so I leaned on my own experience. 

This means I had to get deep into the practice of what was called, “Looking for the Good.” 

I remember carrying a little notebook around with me so I could keep notes of inspiring things I saw around me. And because I was looking, I started to see inspiration everywhere! The funniest one I remember was sitting in the Port Authority bus terminal and watching a pigeon be a pigeon. 

Listen to the full pigeon story, be inspired by the observations of author/poet Ross Gay, and do my quick Sixth Chakra perception reset technique on this week’s

Jess On the Mountain podcast episode number 41, Looking for the Good.

Body, mind and spirit line up around our perception. So the choices we make regarding our thoughts as we observe a scene or situation really matters. It’s a superpower to have choice in this regard–and the practice of looking for the good is just that: purposely seek to find what is beautiful, delightful, and inspiring in even the most mundane encounters and situations. You will change your mind…which changes everything for the better.

And here’s something good for you to see! Free Day of Yoga is coming September 2, 2024, and I'm teaching online! My registration is open for 5 different opportunities to practice together:

• I’m offering three chances to pop into the Zoom room for a 20 minute practice:  start the day, refocus at noon, or finish the day with peace and calm.
• If you love the chakras and want a full energetic reset, come to Chakra Savvy™ Yoga Flow.
• If setting your intention for the month, season, or the rest of your year with the New Moon sounds good, join guest teacher Ana Pilar Cruz and me for Mantra, Mudra, and Meditation for the New Moon. It’s a one-hour mini-workshop using the tools of yoga to access your inner wisdom and set your intention with clarity and insight. 

Better yet, set aside your Labor Day, invite your friends, and join me for all 5 classes! Think of it as an at-home yoga retreat :)

May you always seek to see the good, to delight in the mundane of life, and kick off next month with inspirational online classes at Free Day of Yoga!

Much love,

Jess

P.S. If you're in the Austin area on September 2, check out ALL the studios hosting in the city-wide Free Day of Yoga. We're really proud of our Austin yoga community, and I think you'll see why :)