January 2023
Happy New Year! I hope your winter season has started off well and that you are moving into this new year with peace, assurance, gratitude, and love!
This year I find myself at an interesting crossroads with my feelings about the new year. On one hand, I feel the pull of the “Rah Rah, New Year, New You” mentality that is shouted from every rooftop and every advertisement I pass by. On the other hand, I feel the sheer exhaustion of not only the holiday & head-cold season but also the emotional hangover that has come with saying farewell to 2022.
So as I have sat and contemplated not only this month's mantra but also aspirations and goals for the new year, what has come to me strongly are the words “take it step by step”.
In a former life, I may have jumped on the bandwagon, given up this and sworn off that, started a cleanse, and a whole bunch of other things that I may or may not have completed. However this year I find myself taking a pause, listening to the call of nature and the winter slow-down, and really taking an internal inventory of my energy- emotionally, physically, and spiritually- to then ask myself the important questions I often fall back on:
1. What is needed to truly feel and be supported in your experience of being?
2. What are the small, tangible things that you can do to lead you to that place?
3. What steps(not leaps) can you take to grow and illuminate your spirit without burning out?
When I sit back and reflect on these questions they create space in my mind. They help me realize that any positive and meaningful change I want to make needs to come from laying a solid foundation for what I want and need to be happy and grounded. It reminds me that the winter season is indeed about moving inward, moving slowly, observing, studying, and resting. And when I look up, I realize that the hard work of the fall season - gathering, preparing, and planning - has indeed already laid the foundation, allowing me to carry out this inner work.
Throughout this winter season, we've created opportunities to truly reinforce the foundation of self through study, sadhana, and clearing out.
And as we move through the winter and towards the spring, countless perfect practices have been laid for us to take those steps together.
I invite you to join me in taking this winter season step by step. Letting it unfold in a nurturing rhythm that is in tune with the unfolding of the season.
Starting January 18th I will begin my ‘Let’s Talk Yoga’ series, diving deep into the first two limbs of yoga that concentrate on how to be in the right relationship with the self and others. From there, I will lead us into a 29 day asana and meditation sadhana, allowing us to ‘Flow Through February' taking us right up to the Spring Equinox where Haley and I will lead a wonderful month-long intentional Mind, Body, Life Spring Cleaning group.
I just love how a clear path unfolds when we truly lean into the beauty and wisdom of nature and the practices of yoga! I hope you will join me on this journey of asking important questions and taking the steps you need to illuminate your being!
Much love,