Before diving into deeper meanings, silver linings, and our offers to help you out, let us first just say...
HOLY SHIT! THIS IS 12 KINDS OF BANANAS! WE ARE OK. ARE YOU OK?
Ok, now that’s out of the way.
The theme for this post was planned several months in advance. It’s a little ironic to look at it now in a whole new light from a whole new perspective.
Of course, we wanted to talk about spring!
We are getting to the best time of the year (in my opinion). A time of newness, rebirth, warmth, getting to spend more time outside. The minute I hear ‘springtime,’ I immediately think of this little moment in The Sound of Music. Turns out most of the lyrics are quite applicable to a lot of the conversations I’ve been having for the last two weeks. We have no choice, most of us, but to be confident in our ability to:
Masterfully pivot
Stay the course
Be easy on ourselves
Give ourselves grace to have our ups and downs
Get resourceful and creative
We are digging deep for all those things for ourselves as a team and are here to support you finding the same for yourself. In our own creative endeavors, we have put together online classes, workshops, and women's circles to help you embody CONFIDENCE in these new uncertain times, which you'll learn more about below.
#lookbetter #feelbetter
Spring naturally births new things, and while our current environment is definitely not the “new” thing we anticipated, we are in a new state of being. This uncertainty can bring about a lot of fear and anxiety.
When our normal day to day has been turned on its head, how do we access the confidence to know and do what’s next?
We recommend looking within to your beautiful vagus nerve. It’s credited as being the anatomical structure that bridges the gap between brain and body. It’s responsible for connecting most of the digestive system, lungs, and heart to the brain, communicating sensory, motor, and parasympathetic information. When we slow and concentrate on our breath, we immediately tap into that nerve, triggering the “rest and digest” response and interrupting the physiological feelings that go along with fear and anxiety (the “flight or fight” response). Unchecked, fear and anxiety can disrupt our heart rate, breathing, and digestion.
There’s never been a better time to gain a little more perspective on how our worries and fears are tied into our physiology and how those physical responses loop back into our emotions. Frankly, a lot of us are being challenged to accept how much control we don’t have. One thing we do have control over is our response to the challenge.
Think of it this way: What if worry, anxiety, and fear are seeds planted in the earth or a caterpillar in its cocoon? Out of sight, whether in the ground or its protective cocoon, that seed or caterpillar is broken down and digested in its process of transformation. When we see it again, it’s in a beautiful, new, and repurposed form. That’s what the vagus nerve can do for us: turn the physical discomfort of our worries and fears into peace and calm.
Here are some more ideas on getting acquainted with your vagus nerve.
Online Classes
These are scary and weird times of fast change. To continue facilitating healing, movement, and connection, we're excited to offer new online classes. We would love for you to join us!
Intro to MELT: Always wondered about the MELT Method but never made it to a class? This workshop series is a great way to learn about it and what it can do for your mind and body.
Pilates for Better Sex (Women Only): This class brings awareness to the pelvis and core, provides clarity on pelvic floor dysfunction, and offers exercises to release tight muscles in the pelvic floor, hips, and low back.
Good Ol’ Mat Pilates: Following a standard Pilates mat format, this class includes real-time adjustments and modifications.
At-Home Ballet Barre: Traditionally, barre fitness is taught using a ballet barre, but guess what? You don't need one!
Pilates for Lower Back Pain: We are sitting more and walking less, and that often goes straight into our low backs. This class combines stretching and strengthening work.
#witchywednesdays
In an effort to simultaneously give back and connect with each other, we are leading our first ever virtual women’s full moon circle on Wednesday, April 8th at 7:30pm.
This donation-based women’s circle will send 100% of donations to City Harvest to help some of our community’s most vulnerable stay nourished and supported.
You’ll need a relatively quiet and comfy place to settle in (seated and/or laying down) for 60-90 minutes and a journal to write down any insights. We will spend a little bit of time checking in and discussing full moon intentions and what they mean. We’ll then move to a guided meditation aimed at calming our nervous system to make way for our intentions to really settle in.