Transform Your Tuesday Mornings

Revitalize your Tuesday mornings by immersing yourself in iRest Yoga Nidra. Starting January 7th, join us from 10 to 11 a.m. (Central Time) for an enriching experience designed to boost your mental, emotional, and physical wellness.

This complimentary 10-week session (yes, free!) offers you a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in iRest Yoga Nidra, a powerful research-based practice that combines guided meditation and restorative relaxation techniques.

Each live-streamed class on Zoom will take you on a journey that helps reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and promote deeper sleep. You’ll also learn transformative skills that empower you to manage life’s challenges effectively.

iRest Yoga Nidra is based on ancient yogic wisdom and is known for helping individuals achieve a profound state of restful awareness. During each session, you’ll be gently guided through various stages of awareness, inviting a sense of peace and connection that you can carry into your daily life. This guided meditation is suitable for all, no matter your yoga background or physical capacity. While it is generally done lying down, you may also practice in a chair.

Don’t miss this incredible free opportunity to invest in your health and wellbeing. In a supportive environment, reconnect with your body and mind and discover how iRest Yoga Nidra can transform your life.

There’s still time to register for these complimentary live-stream classes.

Space is limited, so sign up today for the first step towards a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Ways to Start (and Maintain) a Good New Year

You don’t need to wait for New Year’s to commit to having a good year—you can begin at any time.

But the beginning of a new calendar year is often a favourite time to start.

So why not? Below are some tips to help you get started.

• Take time, slow down. Be present in your life and mindful of the present.

• Take care of your body, eat well, exercise, and treat yourself to loving, nurturing self-care.

• Spend quality time with family and friends. Communicate and keep in touch. Say I love you. Tell people you appreciate them.

• Take time throughout the day to renew yourself. Take a walk, read a poem or a good book, listen to music (really listen), and bring beauty into your life.

• Every month, take a whole day for yourself—play, treat yourself to something you want to do, and retreat from your daily life. Mark these special days on your calendar (in ink) so you’ll be sure to take them.

• Clean up what needs to be cleaned up (literally and metaphorically). Make amends, fix what’s broken, clear away clutter, forgive what needs to be forgiven and let go of what no longer serves your highest purpose.

• Commit to a project you truly want to pursue, learn something new, or attain something you desire. Commitment is the first step. Then, set achievable goals and work towards them daily.

• Give yourself to a cause, volunteer at a nonprofit organization, a community group, place of worship, or help an individual or family in need.

• Practice your spirituality daily in whatever way you choose to express it.

• Laugh every day.

• Dream every day.

On this last point, dreaming is a fleeting activity but an essential human experience. In our dreams, we find the sparks of inspiration that can lead to our most significant achievements. By taking time to dream, we allow ourselves to explore our aspirations and hopes, unbound by the constraints of reality. Dreaming helps us visualize our goals and motivates us to pursue them passionately.

So, pause for a moment or two and let yourself dream. Imagine your future, your possibilities, and the life you desire.

Dreaming can be a powerful catalyst for change and growth as the new year unfolds.

Wishing you and your loved ones all the best for a bright and joyful 2025.

May this new year bring you endless opportunities, cherished moments, and all the happiness you deserve. Take care of yourself and stay connected during these times. Here’s to a wonderful year ahead!

With love, joy and gratitude,

Jeannine

P.S. Winter Yoga 2025 begins on Saturday, January 4th. I hope to see you on the mat! Click here to register or email jeannine@studio71yoga.com.

Adapted from author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications

January 4, 2025—Winter Yoga Begins

I hope you’re doing well and that you are as excited as I am to kick off 2025.

Winter yoga classes begin on Saturday, January 4th!

Monday evening in-person yoga is already full (waitlist only). But spaces are available in my Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday live-stream online classes.

You can opt for energizing morning, gentle evening, chair, or Ashtanga-inspired yoga. All these sessions are conducted on Zoom and are interactive, so you receive feedback just like in person. The best part is that you can take these live classes online from home and avoid going out in frigid temperatures!

If you’re looking for a calmer experience, you can begin your Tuesdays with complementary (as in FREE) guided yoga nidra meditation classes.

With so many options, there’s something for everyone.

And remember—if you plan to sign up for two or more yoga sessions per week, please email me before registering at jeannine@studio71yoga.com. You may be eligible for a wellness discount (terms and conditions apply).

Thank you if you’ve already registered. If you still need to, you can register here (credit card required) or email me and pay by e-transfer to studio71yoga@gmail.com before the start of the first class.

Availability is limited, so sign up today if you haven’t already. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

As the end of the year draws near, I want to take a moment to extend my heartfelt wishes to you and your loved ones. This time of year is unique, filled with joyful celebrations and cherished moments as you embrace the holiday season’s warmth and create beautiful memories together.

May this season bring peace, joy, and love now and throughout the coming year.

Stay safe and be well.

With love, joy, and gratitude,

Jeannine

Workshop: The Art and Science of Surrender in Savasana

Are you feeling anxious, stressed and overwhelmed?

Do you crave moments of stillness and relaxation?

Do you love Savasana at the end of your yoga class and wish it lasted longer?

Join us this Sunday, November 24th, from 1 to 3 p.m., for an enlightening in-person workshop on the profound practice of Savasana, the ultimate yoga pose for rest and quiescence. This workshop will guide participants through the stages of Savasana and illuminate the physiology and intention behind conscious rest.

What to Expect

• Understanding Savasana: Explore the three stages of Savasana and learn how each stage contributes to a deeper state of rest.

• Physiology of Rest: Learn about the bodily processes during conscious rest and how Savasana benefits the mind and body.

• Intention Setting: Learn to establish a clear intention for your practice, enhancing the quality of your surrender.

• Supportive Props: Discover how props (bolsters, blankets, blocks, eye pillows) can elevate your Savasana experience, providing support that encourages a greater sense of ease and comfort, creating an environment for health and healing.

• Restorative Yoga Poses: Experience three restorative yoga poses designed to facilitate deep relaxation and deep rest, preparing you for an enriching Savasana experience.

This workshop is suitable for all levels, whether you are a newcomer to yoga or an experienced practitioner looking to deepen your understanding of the art of surrender. Join us in this journey towards profound relaxation and find the beauty in true stillness.

There are a few spots left. Click on the link below to register.

Remembrance Day

Monday, November 11th, is Remembrance Day.

In my household, it is always a day of heartfelt, quiet reflection as we watch the televised ceremony in Ottawa, our nation’s capital. Across this country, it is a sombre day of reflection and gratitude in recognition of those who have lost all or part of themselves, forever changed by their courageous efforts.

My paternal grandmother’s immediate family, the Laverdières of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan, has an impressive record of contributing to the Second World War effort. Six of the twelve siblings, which included seven boys, served in the armed forces:

• Pte. Sylvio Laverdière

• Som. Paul Laverdière

• Pte. Raymond Laverdièe

• Sgt. André Laverdière

• Bernard Laverdière, R.C.A.F., Canada

• Louis Laverdière, R.C.A.F., Overseas

Of note, my great-uncle André “donned the Khaki” in 1940 as a gunner in an Anti-aircraft Battery. Shortly after enlisting, he went overseas and was involved in intensive action during the dark days of the Battle of Britain, the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces.

A few years later, with shocking suddenness, it was reported in the Gravebourg newspaper that Sgt. Major André Laverdière had been killed in action in Italy on Oct 7, 1944, during the Autumn Campaign at the age of 23.

André Charles Laverdière

L/10244, Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.

André Laverdière left to mourn his wife, mother, father, five sisters, and six brothers.

He is honoured at the Cesena War Cemetery in Italy—one of the smaller war cemeteries, containing 775 graves, 307 of which are Canadian, representing nearly every unit of the Canadian Corps. Most of those buried here fell in the nearby battlefields between late September and early December 1944, during the Allied advance from Rimini to Forli and beyond—an advance across one flooded river after another in atrocious, wintery autumn weather.

Because of this personal family connection, I continue to observe the solemnity of Remembrance Day year after year.

A few years ago, I learned that many younger veterans cannot participate in the Remembrance Day ceremonies. The painful memories and flashbacks of their time in service to Canada during wartime, military conflict, and peacekeeping are too fresh, too raw for them to endure. Many of them have PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), a relatively recent diagnosis involving a disorder that was previously recognized but not adequately described, understood, diagnosed, or treated.

This leads me to reflect on a journey I have embarked on: learning to practice and teach iRest Yoga Nidra. This secular practice is a research-informed adaptation of the ancient practice of yoga nidra, a meditation for deep relaxation and healing. The origins of iRest (Integrative Restoration) Yoga Nidra date back to 2003, when its founder, Richard Miller, PhD, was invited to consult on a research project at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Due to the study’s successful results, wounded service members were invited to participate in iRest as part of their healing care plans. The Defense Centers of Excellence in the United States currently recognize iRest as a complementary and alternative medicine for treating PTSD. Based on research with iRest, the U.S. Army Surgeon General has listed Yoga Nidra as a Tier 1 approach for addressing pain management in military care. 

In the general population, iRest studies have also been shown to be effective in treating chronic pain, insomnia, and other sleep disturbances, as well as depression and anxiety. It is an effective set of resources for wellbeing.

I offer complimentary iRest classes on Tuesday mornings, which include guided meditations for health and healing. The last class is on November 12th, but we’ll resume early in the new year. Please feel free to join us. Click here to learn more.

Yours with loving remembrance,

Jeannine