As I write this message to you, it’s December 28, 2021. I’m in Jasper, Alberta, enjoying the splendour and beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the view of the pine trees blanketed in heavy snow, the sounds of conversation and laughter. The warmth inside where I sit gazing out the window is complemented by the wonder of my 5-year-old and 3-year-old grandsons who are off on a “bear hunt”, camping out in the living room, shrieking when the “bear” is in sight. The extreme cold warning is ever present and persistent in many parts of the country and I’m incredibly grateful for the love and warmth that being with family brings.
Not everyone is so fortunate. In fact, my son and husband drove from Jasper to Calgary yesterday to support our son’s friend/co-worker who lost his girlfriend on Dec 26 in a tragic head-on collision where she was killed instantly. The 23-year-old Calgary-based nursing student was on her way to Jasper to spend the remainder of the holiday season with her boyfriend. And now her boyfriend is in Calgary grieving with her family and friends. My heart is heavy and I can only begin to imagine the pain and anguish they will experience every holiday season for a long time to come.
“Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional. This is the skill and that is what is yoga.”
The quote above may be familiar to some of you. We all experience pain in the course of a lifetime. Pain is inevitable, unavoidable, and sometimes excruciating and unfathomable. Yoga and other spiritual traditions teach us that while pain is inescapable, suffering is a choice. This doesn’t mean that the path is easy. Quite the opposite is true. Fortunately, however, there are many resources, approaches, tools and “technologies” that can help us with our suffering and this includes the many facets of yoga.
Last summer I attended a yoga workshop co-hosted by Barrie Risman and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau (yes, “the” Sophie… spouse of our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau). Sophie is a beautiful soul and at the outset of the workshop she shared with us that for her, yoga is a way of living and she practices yoga for two reasons:
1) To become a better person;
2) To learn to be at peace with her mortality and the mortality of others around her.
The workshop conversation then turned to the topic of nature. It is said that nature holds the state of yoga. Seasons. Common experiences. Breathing.
“When I exhale, I am feeding the trees and the plants. When I inhale, the trees and plants are feeding me. ”
More conversation, and the following question: How do you keep your mind still when negative thoughts keep arising? To this Sophie replied:
“So what. Notice. Observe. Let go. It’s ok. Then come back to the breath. We’re all being breathed. It’s a gift.”
The breath always shows us where we are at any given moment. The breath is a revelation. Generally speaking we “traumatize” our experiences. Coming back to the breath is a shortcut to ease and peace. According to Cheryl Salzberg, world-renowned meditation teacher and NY Times bestselling author:
“Meeting the breath is like meeting your inner lover, your inner companion.”
With all of this in mind, perhaps you, or someone you know, might benefit from my new Morning Reset classes held on Tuesdays:
Take a morning break and reset your day with a short breathing practice (pranayama) followed by a “mini” version of iRest® Yoga Nidra. iRest is a simple form of meditation, a modern-day process of self-inquiry and self-discovery. With a focus on body sensation and the breath you will be guided into deeply relaxing states, moving beyond self-limiting beliefs and conditioning. With practice you will enhance your sense of awareness, your sense of being a whole person, ultimately coming to the realization that you are perfect just as you are. This secular practice, supported by scientific research, has been demonstrated to be beneficial for stress, sleep disturbances, chronic pain, mental health, chemical dependency, post-traumatic stress injury, cancer, anxiety, depression, and other conditions. No experience is needed and you can practice seated or lying down, with your eyes open or gently closed. This class, live-streamed via Zoom, is accessible to everyone regardless of ability or background. Everyone is welcome.
By the way, the Morning Reset 45-minute classes are FREE for Frontline Healthcare Workers, First Responders, 9-1-1 Operators & Call Takers, Bus Operators, Post-secondary Students, and current Studio71Yoga Students. Please spread the word…
The next Intro to Yoga for Better Sleep workshop is being held this upcoming Thursday evening, virtually, on January 6. You can find details here. There’s still time to register.
Having sleep difficulties but unable to attend the workshop? No worries. Register for the 6-week Sleep Recovery program which begins on Thursday, January 20, and explore your personal solutions for better sleep. To learn more about the program click here.
Take refuge from the extreme cold and isolation by joining me and your fellow yogis for the Winter 2022 regular classes which begin on Saturday, January 8. There’s a variety of options to choose from and “wellness discounts” are available when you register for more than one weekly class (conditions apply). Click here for the schedule, and feel free to contact me for more information.
I look forward to sharing my virtual yoga space with you in 2022.
Yours with humble joy and gratitude,
Jeannine
P.S. Since writing this I returned home safe and sound on December 31. Happy New Year!
