Expect a few minutes of preparatory movements for increased shoulder freedom before exploring a breath visualization and a mantra to cultivate inner contentment and tranquility.
Inspiration, movement and imagery to help understand and build boundaries reminding us that our emotions are valid and belong to us and other people's emotions are theirs.
Explore brief movement and a breath technique to prepare for this foundational meditation, which invites you to focus on your body's relationship with the ground to soothe the nervous system and create a sense of stability.
A 10 minute seated practice useful for setting intentions for a new day, a new week or in this case, a new month. Expect to cultivate a memory and explore gentle movement and breath to inspire a chosen supportive feeling.
A 15 minute seated practice to boost focus, clarity, presence and energy to motivate and inspire you for the tasks ahead.
Unique movements and somatic experiences to soothe the nervous system along with a breath technique and visualization to move into your day feeling safe and sound.
Explore rhythmic movement, a specific breath technique and a seated awareness practice all known to soothe and balance the nervous system creating a state of inner calm and an acknowledgment of the parts of you that are not afraid.
Movement to warm up your body in cooler weather or to prepare for the day while focusing on intention to hold gratitude for the reasons you show up in your life.
Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, views anxiety/ over-worry as an imbalance of a quality called "vata". Related to air and ether, imbalanced vata creates turbulence, distraction and a lack of ground, while balanced vata enhances vitality, personal power and presence. Enjoy this gentle movement and breath experience to feel peacefully alive.
A practice that begins 30 days of gratitude, OR any day, week, or month of your choosing. Start with journaling gratitude, followed by a breath technique and a brief warm up to embody appreciation before shifting into other forms of movement and daily tasks feeling more content with what already is.
A slow and rhythmic flow through repetitive movements and the breath known to create a grounded flow in the body and mind.
A brief seated practice featuring tension release, a breath visualization and technique to start your day soothed and centered.
A brief seated practice featuring plenty of accessible skills to focus the mind away from worry. Explore a breath visualization along with hand movements, then, the introduction of mantra repetition matched with additional simple hand gestures.
In May's workshop, I offered you a bounty of ideas for helping you to start your day vibrant and tranquil.
We explored an exercise where we examine what we already do each morning, and where we could add in small new habits that can add up to big changes over time.
Workshop notes:
-New habit ideas from bed: Breathe into right side nostril/right side body to encourage a new day of energized activity, eye exercises, joint freeing. Cultivate a thought as your feet hit the floor, like: "May something wonderful happen today".
-Let the light in, a ritual while opening blinds, windows, standing joint freeing and shake off the night's sleep.
-5 essential yoga postures: Plank, Cobra (or Locust), Leg Lifts, Bridge Pose, Bow Pose (with modifications and options. Body Brushing
-Turning aspirations into reality through habit change (written exercise)
-Prana Nidra: a supine guided meditation intended to encourage presence, (the wellspring of vitality) and balance our energy.
When you need a quick lift, this short standing practice includes big breath and movement to reduce stagnation and encourage an uplift of body, mind and heart!
For those who wish to include meditation and movement in the morning routine but aren’t able to create a habit, here’s an efficient way to add short and simple practices that can make a big impact over time.
Here are three more ideas for tiny, easy habits that you could connect to activities you already do each day. This week, I offer inspirations for shower time, the moments we spend waiting and a quick pre-meal ritual that can turn eating into a sacred moment of gratitude.
This 20 minute practice offers a technique to shift the mind away from habitual morning thinking to inspiration, presence and thoughts that welcome you wholly to a new day. You'll receive a poem to promote a more expansive mindset and a joint freeing sequence matched with breath and ideas to awaken while cultivating a kinder inner morning landscape.
A 90 minute experience featuring alternative ideas to bring into your mornings to counter habitual thoughts and feelings.
-An inspirational reading to encourage new thoughts and feelings. I shared the classic poem, The Guest House by Rumi. (text to follow)
-Focus enhancing breath to support the body and mind
-The "welcoming" of intentions during a joint freeing series
-Morning movements to promote energy and refreshment
-A guided meditation utilizing the imagination to help actualize your intentions.
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
We know that presence is the heart of healing, restoration, authentic contentment and confidence, but it’s not an easy place to settle. Here’s 10 minutes of focus-enhancing movement to drop you into the here and now.