Weaving Balance and Self-Care
I know I’ve been a bit errant in my communication with you lately. I guess I’m still wintering (see this December blog if you don’t know what I’m referring to).
For me, wintering doesn’t mean hanging out in front of the fireplace with cozy socks on - not that I’m knocking that!
Instead, this winter I’ve been:
Learning - taking some great online classes about gut health and the impact of trauma.
Creating - exploring The Artist’s Way with a sweet group of friends and developing a new course on embodied mindfulness and the nervous system that I’ll be offering in April.
Teaching - feeling so grateful for my Your Yoga community and my 1:1 students receiving professional mentoring and yoga therapy
Playing - skiing with family and having epic ping pong matches on the dining room table
My version of wintering has really just been to take a few things off of my plate in order to make more space to follow my curiosity and stay grounded. It’s really just a balancing act.
bal·ance
/ˈbaləns/
a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.
stability of one's mind or feelings.
Balancing doesn’t mean adding more, juggling or figuring out how to do it all. It means moving things around and making room for what’s most important in the moment. In other words, keeping all things in the correct proportion. The norm in our culture is to operate at 150% (and that’s being generous), but the truth is, we need to hold at 100% to experience balance.
What I’m always exploring is how to weave balance and self-care. Because without self-care, there isn't the stability of one’s mind or feelings. And that stability requires mindfulness of self; attention to what’s needed in any given moment or week or month.
self-care
/ˌselfˈker/
the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
Protecting one's own well-being and happiness. Isn’t this an awesome definition? And also, when are we not in a period of stress? This life is an ongoing period of stress if we are not practicing self-care. Without it, we tend to live at the tipping point where anything could throw us over. But when we mindfully adjust our attention proportionally, we tilt towards balance. We right ourselves.
The last couple of months, that’s meant less writing and business development and a bare bones to-do list. Next month it will likely look different. The key for me is to keep checking in. To notice where my curiosity and motivation is and to follow that pull as fully as I can.
Today I was pulled to write and connect with all of you, both to share my version of wintering, balance and self-care as well as to share a couple of things that have inspired me lately.
My friend Kelly sent me a link to Nan Seymour’s work with the Great Salt Lake and then another dear friend, Scott Moore, mentioned it in his blog. If you are a friend of the Great Salt Lake like I am, you’ll want to check this out. Nan is building a “collective praise poem” called Irreplaceable as well as holding a writers' vigil throughout our legislative session to bring more awareness to our imperiled Great Salt Lake. I offered a few lines myself which will be included in this 1700+ line collective poem.
And if you are in the Salt Lake area, my friend, colleague and fellow Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, Lindsey is offering this sweet Valentines workshop for couples on February 13th. Here’s a brief description and link:
Join Lindsay Stefanon, a certified Yoga Therapist and Yoga Teacher for “A Class for Connection” for you and your loved one. This will be an interactive couple’s yoga class to deepen and strengthen the connection, love, and understanding that you have with your partner. You will not need any previous yoga experience for this class, open to all bodies!
People do amazing things and I’m so happy to act as a connector when I can. What a spectacular world we live in!
Here's what's on the horizon...
I’m teaching a workshop with Scott Moore. Final details to come next week but workshop date is likely Saturday, Feb 19.
I’m creating a whole new online mindfulness course. For those of you who felt that Your Brain on Mindfulness was a bit too much of a commitment, I’ll be offering a one-month course in April just for you!
Your Brain on Mindfulness: Dissolve Stress, Build Resilience & Thrive is now available to explore on your own, at your own pace.
Yoga, Nature, Culture Retreat in Southern Spain. June 27-July 3 Only 1 spot left!
Thanks for reading. Wishing you just the right proportion of everything!
Much love,
Rachel