Lovely February 💖
With Valentine’s Day celebrating LOVE, this month in yoga we’ll explore Ahimsa (non-violence), a practice that guides us toward love and compassion for ourselves and others.
Ahimsa (doing no harm) – Most of us can easily avoid harm in our actions, like not hurting or harming others. But the real challenge is being kind in our words, thoughts, and intentions. Ahimsa encourages us to act with love, compassion, kindness, and respect,helping create peace within ourselves and spreading it to the world around us.
✨ This Month’s Yoga Journey ✨
🧘♀️ Week 1: Self-Love – Begin within. Cultivate ahimsa (non-harming) toward yourself through mindful movement, breath, and self-acceptance.
🤝 Week 2: Family & Friends – Deepen connections. Practice gratitude and balance through heart-opening poses and loving-kindness meditation.
🙏 Week 3: Challenges – Transform resistance into growth. Explore inner peace through forgiveness, non-attachment, and grounding asana.
🌍 Week 4: Expanding Compassion – Embrace oneness. Extend love beyond yourself through service, unity, and meditation.
Join me in embracing Ahimsa and making this February full of love, peace, and growth. 💫
Bring a journal and pen to reflect on your journey!
JUMP START
JANUARY
WITH
SMALL GOALS!
3 January 2025
Let’s kick off 2025 with a daily practice that feels good and is totally doable!
Start small, stay consistent, and build a healthy habit.
Try these simple yoga-inspired habits:
🌟 Take some deep breaths while waiting for something, such as the traffic light to turn green, your food to heat in the microwave, or for the meeting to start.
😴 Spend 5-10 minutes meditating before going to bed.
🛌 Stretch in bed! My trick? Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier, then use the “Snooze” time to stretch and wake up gently.
🏡 Practice a 15-30 minute yoga session at home.
🧘 Attend at least one yoga class a week.
The goal is to build a daily rhythm. Let’s make January about starting small and showing up for ourselves. 💖
Empower
Growth
🌟 A Year in Review: December Reflections 🌟
1 December 2024
As we wrap up the year, it's the perfect time to pause and look back on our journey. Let's take some time to think about the moments that shaped us. Use the prompts below to guide your reflection. Feel free to share your thoughts or simply write them down in your journal to gain some perspectives.
✨ Week 1: What are you most proud of accomplishing this year? Any new experiences or adventures that stood out to you?
✨ Week 2: Who/what/where made you happy? What brought you joy and fulfillment?
✨ Week 3: What were your challenges and how did you overcome them? What did you learn from those tough moments?
✨ Week 4: How did you take care of yourself—mentally, emotionally, and physically? What self-care practices nourished you this year?
Let's pause to honor all the moments created in our journey. I'm excited to reflect with you and enjoy our achievements.
Namaste November
2 November 2024
November is here, and for me, it’s a month of gratitude! With Thanksgiving at the end of the month, I’m challenging myself to write a gratitude note every day. Who wants to join me? 🙌
You can express thanks to someone who brings you joy, acknowledge loved ones who care for you from near and far, celebrate a special place that makes you happy, or even thank yourself for being you! 💖 Share in the comments what you plan to write about!
Thank you Povy for this picture. Please follow her work at povy.com
Align with Autumn
1 October 2024
I LOVE Autumn as the air is cooler. We can enjoy the pleasant warmth of the sun, chill of the wind and colorful leaves. This is the best time to enjoy the nearby mountains.
Autumn is a brief season only 1-2 months between summer and winter. In the Denver area, temperatures can fluctuate dramatically—one day it's sunny and hot, the next day we may see snow. Daylight hours are shortening, and the leaves are changing colors. Nature offers subtle signs, reminding us to prepare for the winter ahead.
This seasonal shift can leave us feeling restless and off balance. To ease this transition, our October yoga lessons will focus on the earth element: grounding, which is essential as we prepare for winter. Nature encourages us to slow down and conserve energy, much like animals storing food for winter and hibernation. By anchoring ourselves, we can cultivate a sense of calm and stability in our mind, body, and soul.
We will work on the Root Chakra, known as Muladhara in Sanskrit. It is the first of the seven chakras in the body, located at the base of the spine, and is associated with our sense of safety, security, and foundation.
ASANA (Yoga Pose):
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Strengthen Legs & feet: Mountain Pose, Warrior 1, 2, Goddess, and Malasana.
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Build balance: Tree, Warrior 3, Navasana
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Rest in stillness: Forward fold, Legs up the wall, Balasana, Shavasana
PRANAYAMA (Breathing Technique): bring awareness to the base of the spine
MEDITATION: visualize grounding energy and stability, walking meditation
HOME PRACTICE: Walking barefoot, forest/nature therapy, mindfulness.
BENEFITS: Balancing the Root Chakra can lead to emotional and physical stability, a strong sense of belonging, and the ability to handle challenges with confidence.
Each week, we will focus on building strength in the legs and feet, which are essential for balance poses like Tree and Warrior 3. These poses can be especially challenging for me as I have flat feet, and sometimes it helps to practice with shoes on.