A Big Thank You...

A big thank you to all of you who attended the Holiday De-stressor Classes.   It just shows us how important and effective yoga is at this time of year.   The theme helped us to realize and consider myths and outdated "rules" about "Christmas giving" and how we get stuck in  old mindsets.
Christmas and holiday time need to be refreshed and reconsidered each year as we grow wiser and are able to let go of whatever is no longer meaningful and  does not serve the purpose intended.
Change is good.  
The new year is ahead and we may all have changes that we want to integrate into our lives that
will make this coming year more rich and more deeply truthful to our values.
May your new year be a wondrous year full of light and new discoveries to you inner life and your outer life.  May you claim your resilience as you meet challenges along the way.

   Sending love to you all ,    Maureen

Yoga calendars are now available!!!

Calendars are hot off the press.   I will be bringing them to class for purchase.   $16. 
Lots of playful, inspiring images to take you through the year ahead.   Thanks again to my wonderful models, couldn't do it without you!!!!

21 Day Meditation Challenge

This resource was mentioned this week in class by one of my students.   She is doing this daily and gives it a big thumbs up!
It is Deepak Chopra's 21 Day Meditation Challenge.   If you are interested in having a daily "lead" 15 min meditation for 21 days, Google the above and get started.   It might be just the tonic to get you through the holidays and start you on a daily ritual.

Holiday De-stressor Class

The Holiday De-stressor class started this week...   So happy we are sharing yoga through these next few weeks.   It is a wonderful reminder to stay with what is meaningful during this season.  There are so many distractions and it is so easy to get side-tracked.   What is your MANTRA for the month of Decemeber?    Here is a simple one  "Breathe, Relax and Savor the Moment".  If you said that 3 times a day... it might  just be the needed antidote to holiday stress.
See you in class!!!

Restorative Yoga

This week we enjoyed 2 lovely, rejuvenating, restorative classes in an extremely cozy room!   We had more heat than we normally have in the ballroom thanks to space heaters and fireplace.   It was easy to melt into the poses without too many adjustments.
If you missed Restorative Yoga this time be sure to sign up for the winter session.
Looking forward to "Holiday De-stressor" classes coming up the week after Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Confronting Pain or Loss

June Singer, Jungian analyst and author tells us this having made the journey from suffering and pain to compassion and creativity:

"Whether it is physical, emotional, whatever kind of pain, don't storm against it.  Don't resist it with questions like, Why me?  Why this?  Instead say to yourself, This is what the situation is , This is where I am and this is what is happening right now, What can I make of this?  How can I deal with it?  How must I change?  How can I change the situation?  You really have to take it on without deluding yourself, without denying how hard it is, that's what I've learned about pain".

Resilience and Compassion

In the book, The Resilient Spirit, the author tells us that true compassion is a powerful antidote to our suffering and pain because it prevents us from feeling isolated and separate from others.  When our lives and understanding take on a bigger context, we don't feel so alone.   What we are going through begins to have meaning in the larger picture.  
The author says" sometimes, the direct experience of authentic pain can propel one completely beyond old neurotic habits,  as I've seen in a few people who have encountered serious illness, betrayal, or loss unexpectedly.  They were suddenly able to move beyond their neurotic quirks  to become compassionate."