Finding Shangri La: Seven Yoga Principles for Creating Success & Happiness Author: Khadi Madama

Finding Shangri La: 

Seven Yoga Principles for Creating Success & Happiness

The Icebreaker:  What makes you Happy?  …a simple question that doesn’t always elicit a quick response.  This evening’s group of women…they knew immediately what they consider to be life’s happy moments:  Kids-Dancing-Family-Phone calls from your Kids-Tennis-a Sunset- Chocolate-the Ocean - Helping Others.  All around, family definitely seemed to rank highest on the happiness list.

We introduced our speaker – Khadi Madama.  Instantly,  I knew she was a warm, caring and engaging person with wisdom to share.   We thought she was going to discuss yoga and strictly yoga principles, but ‘finding Shangri La’, it turns out to be a much larger quest.  As Khadi said “There is more you can do in life than standing on your head or bending over like a pretzel.”

It’s so important to know yourself as a person and what speaks to you.  We are alike with our families, careers, daily chores and obligations.  Khadi wanted us to focus on a word…”challenge”.   These are challenging times that we find ourselves in.  There is an ancient story to recall of a man being chased by a tiger all the way to a cliff.  He’s holding strongly to a vine at the edge but there is no way down.  On the other side – the tiger.  Where should he go?   

Throughout most of our lives, we have had tigers behind us and have faced many challenges.   With all the distractions around us, tigers chasing us, high volume work week, family chaos – we experience disconnection.  We can feel exiled, banished, and invisible.  It is so important to find an effective means of connection…that was the next word “Connection”.

Make a commitment to yourself that your own health, well being, joy, and happiness is on the top of the list.  When faced with conflict and challenge, reach back to your inner connection.  Out of chaos or challenge comes order.  Khadi informed us that 80% of all physical illness has it’s roots in stress.  Not necessarily bad stuff going on, but possibly an overload of the good stuff too!  ‘Too much of a good thing’ can truly take a toll so strive to strike a balance.  How do we strike this balance?  Communicate with ourselves.  Apparently, the average woman has less than 10 minutes a day of personal quiet time.  For your health and well being it is imperative to find time for yourself and not starve emotionally. Find and schedule at least 7 minutes into your day.  Connect with something you love to do and with something you haven’t done.  Just find a way, if it’s dancing, get out there and dance.

Khadi described ‘The Three Friends of Winter’.  These are pine, plum and bamboo.  This Chinese art symbolism is often found in Chinese porcelain, paintings, and garden poetry. These particular three plants brave harsh winters, thus they present an instant metaphor for strength and endurance in the face of age and adversity. 

Sometimes we are so focused on the needs of others we don’t know our own needs.  Identify your passion.  If you are not happy in your role, find what speaks to you and find a means of achieving it.   Find your joy and pursue it to the extent you are able.  You have to claim your life.

The last C-word was Compassion.   Have compassion for yourself by spending time with yourself.  Without the distractions of the computer, t.v., or texting, find joy and light in your life – take 7 minutes.

Hands over heart, tongue to the tip of your mouth and breath…

Seminar summary by Shari LaRosa

W-Forum Guest Speaker: 2/8/12 
Khadi Madama

Author: Speaker: Visionary
Recipient of the Jewel Of India Award
TV Host of Yours Truly, Yoga
Yoga Creations for Media
732-341-1657
Visit www.yourstrulyyogatv.com
Author of "Finding Shangri La: Seven Yoga
Principles for Creating Success & Happiness

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