Dear ones,

Today is World Mental Health Day. It was first observed in 1992. I’m grateful that the conversation has gained visibility, respect, and foreground since I was a young teenager struggling with my own depression – when it was considered something to be ashamed of. So, it feels apropos that lately all the things going on all around us have felt cumulatively dismaying, and I notice a tension within my own mental health.

Yes, it can be confronting on multiple levels to pay attention, to open your eyes, to educate yourself, to allow yourself to feel what’s happening around our planet. This is the fullness of living a human life right here, right now: the beauty and the beast.

I do believe that hope, abiding, and joy are still accessible when I take refuge in my own practice, in silence, in my breath, in the play and laugher of children, in the warm embrace of loved ones, in the sacred circles of old tree gods, in holding space for my students and clients, in the remembering the continuum of history, in seeking out some good news.

Humans are amazing. Resilient. Courageous. And the stories of our shared humanity are out there. Look for them.

Part of my staying resilient is to remind myself that I am shining some light in the world through my work, my choices, my simple kindnesses to others. I can affect change, and I am.

If you are needing a place to nourish your inner well so that you can keep moving forward and finding your own sources of light and hope, there are many, many beautiful opportunities around us. Today, I’ll mention merely a few.

~

My Sunday evening Restorative classes have returned (7pm Pacific Time). You can join in studio – or online in your pajamas. You don’t need to be outwardly expressed; you simply show up and chose to lie down and rest. Taking refuge and resting is not lazy nor choosing to turn away; instead it’s nourishing the deepest places within us so that we can become more clear and focused in our part.

~

Seeing the need, the warm and kindred spirit that is Michele Trump and I have created two upcoming events that are now open for registration:

• Soulful Saturday Slow Down – November 23 @ Datza
  (discount code: SLOWDOWN10)

• Winter Solstice Candlelight Restorative with Healing Touch – December 21 @ Datza (discount code: SOLSTICE10)

November’s event will start with a more active movement practice than we normally offer, to release the embodied tensions and holdings of the past few weeks/months. December’s event will be similar to what we’ve been offering the past couple years: the opportunity to move deeply into quietude and inner nourishment.

~

For those of you who need more in-depth support, here are some things that you could check out:

• Hope Starts with Us, free podcast series on mental health from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health)

• Sanctuary 12-week Online Wisdom Circle with Suzanne Sterling

• Deep Relaxation, a 5-day yoga nidra course with Tracee Stanley

• Monthly “Office Hours” with Judith Hanson Lasater

• Perimenopause & Menopause Holistic Care with Vanessa Weiland, Phases Clinic

~

May we continue to create light for ourselves and others, where and when we can,

Yoga Therapy Practicum

My practicum client roster is full through 2024. (You can still get on my advance notice waitlist for Spring 2025 – see the link below.)

However, I have several incredible program colleagues who are seeking select clients to fulfill their own practicum hours. I would be more than delighted to chat with you and match you with someone with whom you would be a good fit!