Blissed Out

When we started with a round of partner yoga, I was dubious. (And also a little intimidated–my super-friendly partner was a Lululemon manager, and I was sure she’d be more flexible than Gumby). By the time the first series of poses transformed into a series of hugs, though, I was actually digging the whole thing… game on. 
I was lucky to get to attend one of Eoin Finn’s blissology yoga workshops this weekend, and two things he said have been resonating with me all day long. (p.s. the actual yoga part, at Pure West, was also deep and great.)
As he’s traveled the world, he’s found 5 Things That Make People Happy (the Happy Five, you could say): connection with others, appreciation for nature, yoga, food awareness, meditation, and gratitude. (I might be paraphrasing a bit here.)
It was the first time I’ve ever heard someone say that nature appreciation is part of being happy–but it’s something I feel, so deeply, and have tried many times to verbalize. Whether it’s an everyday run in Central park, with the sun changing hues with the season, or driving into a postcard of snow-covered mountains in Utah, every bit of nature makes me go, “Wow.” I’m that person who’s constantly pointing out that random tree, that streak in the sky. So today, as my friend Mariko and I walked through the park, I got even more excited than normal.

North Central Park

Then, he made a point about connecting with people–not just people we know, but everyone. Embracing, not avoiding, eye contact. Apparently in medieval Europe, one of the biggest punishments someone could receive was the absence of eye contact–everyone in the town would avoid their eyes. It was worse than being banished, because it made them feel like they weren’t part of the community. And yet, here in New York, especially, we avoid eye contact all day long. Walking down the sidewalk, I act like no one else is even there. So today, I started looking everyone in the eye. And when you do that, you have to smile, at least a little. It was harder than I thought it’d be, but it also made my walk home more interesting, and enjoyable.
Last fall, I stopped walking around New York with my iPod in all the time, and it’s gradually become a habit. I feel more immersed in the city, and not like I’m on a treadmill with moving scenery. I’m going to try the eye contact thing more this week–I feel like it’s a similar practice, of being more present.