Have you been feeling a bit scattered lately?

It's definitely not just you, it's the season we're in. As we move into...dare I say it...winter and the holiday season, I wanted to send you some support. I hope to always support you and your yoga practice but I know that this time of the year can be challenging, stressful, and busier for many people. Personally, I have to make sure I take care of myself more than other times of the year. If you're looking for a way to do this, I would love for you to join me in one or both of my upcoming sessions! I've included some additional resources below as well.

Restorative Yoga - Yoga for Deep Relaxation

Restore and rebalance with Yoga for Deep Relaxation. The antidote to stress is relaxation! Restorative yoga, guided meditation, and breathing practices help to calm the mind and nervous system, relieving chronic stress. When our body relaxes instead of constricts, our entire being integrates - body, mind, breath and spirit. Rather than working on changing anything, we can simply allow ourselves to surrender, completely letting go.

By activating our rest, digest and repair response (parasympathetic nervous system) our body rebalances internally. With regular practice, our body and mind gain the capacity to stay steady, relaxed, still, and centered even in the most challenging times.

This 4-Week Series is an invitation to...

• create sacred space for yourself in the comfort of your own home.
• connect with yourself, finding balance and harmony.
• slow down, turn inward and reflect, practicing presence, awareness and acceptance.
• let go, cleansing and releasing what no longer serves you.
• restore through nourishing deep relaxation practices.
• rebalance, finding inner stillness to cultivate a clear peaceful mind.
• cultivate a compassionate heart, and a mind and body that are free from fear, worry, tension and stress.

Benefits of Restorative Yoga

Taking time each day to restore and rebalance is essential to well-being. These practices are especially beneficial for anyone feeling anxious, overwhelmed or scattered, and at times when your energy is depleted related to major life events or challenges (marriage, divorce, death of a loved one, pregnancy loss, infertility, moving, career change etc). Restorative yoga assists in reducing the effects of chronic stress and fatigue, supports recovery from illness or injury; and creates overall feelings of well-being. To learn more about the benefits of restorative yoga, click here.

Practices for connection, grounding and calming are so important; learning how to cultivate self-care and create a healing space for yourself is relevant now more than ever.

Join me to restore and rebalance! Register Here. This is a 4-Week Series: Wed Nov 24th - Dec 15th, 8:00 - 9:15pm EST.

Winter Solstice - Light of the Full Moon Yoga Nidra

The winter solstice is a reminder to honour our connection to the rhythm of nature. We can celebrate the change in seasons by honouring winter through rituals and self-care practices like Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra is a guided relaxation practice that means ‘yogic sleep.’ The idea is that your body rests completely but your mind remains quietly alert. It’s a powerfully healing practice that can help relieve stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue and depletion.

Deep relaxation practices can help rest your nervous system on a profound level by engaging the rest, digest and repair response, which places you in a more receptive framework, balancing your stress response and therefore bringing your body-mind back into balance, allowing for deep healing and regeneration.

This full moon session includes a moonlight visualization to nourish some of the key glands of the hormonal system in order to promote optimal menstrual health, peri-menopausal and post-menopausal balance and vitality. Within this meditation, we’re softening into the feminine, feeling or imagining the connection between the heart-space and womb-space, awakening our feminine energy.

Join me as I guide you through this healing practice, celebrating winter solstice under the light of the full cold moon! Register Here. This session is Tues Dec 21st, 8:00 - 9:00pm EST.

Additional Resources to help you feel grounded:

Healing the Nervous System through Abhyanga (Warm Oil Massage)

Abhyanga is a form of Ayurvedic medicine that involves a full body self-massage with a warm oil. Oil massage works on a deep level to lubricate the joints; this has a powerfully healing effect on the typical dryness and stiffness of the joints. Warm oil moisturizes dry skin, and as you sit in meditation or reflection for 10 minutes or so while the oil soaks in, you can actually feel your nervous system being calmed and nourished.

Guidelines

• Doing abhyanga in the morning sets the tone for the day. It gives a sense of peace and connectedness to the body.
• Practicing abhyanga at night can help with anxiety and sleep issues.
• Cold-pressed sesame oil (available at health food stores) is excellent to use at this time of the year.
• Place a small bowl or cup of the oil within another larger bowl of boiling water to gently warm the oil.
• After warming up the oil, start from the top of the head to the soles of the feet in strokes towards the heart. Massage the joints in a circular motion.
• Wrap yourself in an old towel or robe and some old socks or slippers.
• Leave the oil on for 10-20 minutes, wipe down gently with a towel, and then take a shower. If using shampoo, allow the soap to rinse all the excess oils, body soap is not necessary. Then gently tap dry with a towel to allow the oil to continue to moisturize the skin.

Oil massage protects the nervous system and creates a sense of connection and grounding. It's a practice of self-love that reduces stress and anxiety and improves mood.

The Falling-Out Breath: Ahh...

This practice is simple - take a deep breath in through the nose and then exhale deeply, sighing the breath out through an open mouth. Allow the lips, jaw, and throat to be soft, and feel free to make the sound of the breath audible as you release it out of the open mouth. You can make a deep, low 'ahhh' sound that emanates from the belly, from the sacrum, from the pelvic floor. It can feel like a deep, full-body sigh of relief! Repeat as many times as you wish.

I know the end of the year can be hectic but remember that you can return to your strong inner foundation. Practice presence, enjoying every moment and making memories.