Last week kicked ass. From having a few new yoga breakthroughs to really enjoying the beauty of spring in Ohio, I was feeling love and gratitude and a major wave of santosha (one of the niyamas). Santosha is all about being content with what one has and where one is instead of wishing for things you don’t have or daydreaming about the future. It is about living in the present and feeling true satisfaction.

I always strive for santosha, but last week it just enveloped me, kicking into high gear and making it almost effortless to sense great satisfaction and joy. Here are just a few of the things I had to be thankful for last week.

Sun through the trees. When I woke up Friday morning, this is what I saw in my backyard. We haven’t had a lot of sun in May, so this was truly a gift, and the rays of sunlight streaming through the trees filled me with joy.

One word: Green! I don’t know if you can tell from this picture, but my backyard is an orgy of green. The trees are full of new green leaves, and last week I got my first delicious whiff of freshly cut grass. Green, green, and more green…I love it!

Backyard fire. When I got home from teaching yoga Thursday night, the hubs surprised me and had built a fire in our backyard. It was a warm night with a beautiful moon, and I got to sit outside and enjoy my husband’s company and a glass of wine.

Yoga victories. I had a really incredible week of yoga practice. I went to a few hot-yoga classes early in the week, and it must have been a combination of my energy level and the heat, but, in prasarita padottanasana (wide-legged forward bend), I felt like I was closer than I ever have been to getting my head to touch the floor. I also got the opportunity to attend a few yogalicious master classes with Zeek Vincent at Yoga Bliss Akron, which I will dedicate a whole separate post to.

Dogwood tree. I love spring! When all the trees start to get buds, and new life is sprouting up everywhere. It is especially meaningful if you just made it through winter and get to experience the bare trees and brown grass bursting back into life. One of my favorite gifts of spring is when the dogwood tree in my yard blooms, and I got to enjoy its beauty this week.

Big news. I got the following text message: “I just got engaged!” from my sister. Let’s just suffice it to say that this news alone would have made my week. So happy for her!

Good friends. I am blessed with some very cool friends. This past weekend I got to see one of my favorite high school buddies. Even though she lives far away and we don’t see each other often, when we do, we immediately fall back into a comfortableness with each other, like no time at all has passed between us. I’m thinking that is a sign of a good friend! We got to take long walks, talk, eat, laugh, and drink margaritas together, and I’m so grateful I got to spend this time with her.

Wearing shorts. Weekend temperatures got into the 80s here in Ohio. I always feel a sense of contentment anytime the weather gets over 70 degrees, so anything over 80 is a bonus and, in May, an unexpected delight. I pulled out my shorts and a tank top and went outside to play in the sun.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to top last week, but I’m sure gonna try. Wishing you a week full of contentment and gratitude.