Every time I sit down and try to write something, I get blocked and don’t know what to say. It’s been a month since I last posted here, and it seems like it has been an eternity. So much has happened in the last 30 days, time keeps spinning on and on, and I’m just going along for the ride.

Rather than fill this space with sentences about how I’m feeling uninspired - I thought, why not try to do the exact opposite. So, in an effort to try something new around here (and to indulge my affinity for alliteration), I introduce to you - Monday Mantra.

Before someone says it, I know, "you're not supposed to share your mantra". To that I say, rules are made to be broken. If I'm being really honest, I don't like being told what to do, and I'm going to share and say what I want. However, mantras are incredibly personal - so you do whatever makes you feel good too, okay?

To start, I thought I would share one of my personal meditation mantras:

“I am exactly where I need to be.”

I hold these words close to my heart, for so many reasons. They are a constant reminder to be mindful and stay present in our lives. To live and love in the NOW, in this moment, rather than find ourselves stuck in the past, or longing for the future. This moment is all there is, and we don’t need to be anything, or anywhere else. We can get so caught up chasing our vision, our goals, that we lose sight of how amazing and magical the journey can be.

Honouring where we are in our practice, in our lives, and in our bodies right NOW is essential for our overall well-being. Remember, you are always exactly where you need to be, and in this moment you are a perfect, just as you are.

Namaste, friends.

It’s early in the morning, and I am faced with a familiar scene. Opening the window in my yoga space, I allow that first breath of fresh air to fill my lungs. I move quietly, unrolling my mat in one swift motion; a movement I’ve made many times before. My mat - a place I know that I can always come back to. A place to move, to breathe, to feel connected, to meditate. I burn some sage to clear the room, and proceed to light my favourite scents. Lavender, evergreen, and jasmine fill the air, and I gently pluck my mala from the bowl in which it rests. I sit down and fold my legs into sukhasana, and close my eyes. I let the wind from the open window lightly brush my hair out of place. I slowly breathe in and out, basking in the stillness. Placing my hands together, I clutch my mala beads in front of my chest, and bow my head. I whisper the words, “You are exactly where you need to be,” and use my hands to connect my head and my heart. Holding my mala in my right hand, looped over my middle finger, I begin to recite my mantra, over and over. Carefully, I pull the beads towards me with my thumb. The sunlight falling through the shades feels warm against my skin, and it is in this moment, that everything else begins to fall away.

To read the rest of the post + see more photos, head over to massmusings.com! I wrote a piece about using a mala in my practice, and apparently people liked it - so that's cool. I feel so incredibly grateful to be able to share my practice and connect with you all in so many different ways.

I know I haven't been around much lately, but I do post on Instagram every day if you're wondering what I have been up to. Pedro's family was in town from Brazil, so we have had a busy couple of weeks. But I'm taking photos (a lot), and writing (a little)

The site is in need of a re-design, and I need business cards, and so does Pedro. Life keeps moving on and on (after it seemed like time was standing still), and I have so many things to do + share + make. I'm just letting this space be whatever it becomes, and that's ok.

I'm enjoying watching Boston transition from Winter to Spring to Summer. Everything is in bloom, and there is so much life everywhere. We have been taking Rudie on long walks through the neighbourhood (which is so much fun). And I do yoga with the window open, and the birds chirp, and the sun shines, and everything is alright.

The city is alive, and I can't wait to explore.

Until next time - peace + love,

Alex