Newsletter - February 27, 2022

March is just around the corner bringing us closer to the longer and warmer days of Spring! This is often a time when we see the delicate dance of the changing of the seasons. Nature is transitioning out of winter’s hibernation and into spring’s showcase of new blossoms, symphony of returning songbirds and nesting of woodland animals. Believe it or not, I have already seen a robin! We, too, can take cues from Mother Nature and come out of hibernation to re-energize ourselves with a little more movement and activity given the extra daylight hours. Let’s “move” outdoors and take in all of nature’s beauty with all of our senses, especially, if you have been a hermit over the winter months. Take a walk in a forest or a park. While you are there, try this 5,4,3,2,1 grounding practice using the five senses to take in spring and be in awe:

Start by taking three long, slow, deep breaths to calm the mind. Next, acknowledge taking a new breath in between each thing:

“5” things that you can “see” around you

“4” things that you can “touch” around you

“3” things that you can “hear” around you

“2” things that you can “smell”

“1” thing that you can “taste”

You can do this practice anytime and anywhere to feel more grounded.

The Lakefront Studio’s March schedule includes the return of both the 4-week Beginner Yoga series and 30-Day Meditation Challenge / Meditation Mondays to help you establish and maintain a consistent meditation practice. Both of these virtual class series are for anyone wanting to start up either practices or looking to return to one! We begin and begin again! See below for more information.

I’m always thinking about new class ideas and how best I can serve your needs. Please feel welcome to propose any ideas for the upcoming Summer Schedule to me@deborahnordstrom.ca. In the meantime, I hope to see you on your mat for one or more of the virtual class series running this spring. Private or semi-private class(es) are also available to support you in your health and fitness journey and are also a great way to connect with your family and friends and shake out the cobwebs celebrating spring’s arrival or any another special event!

“We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten our former states, except in early spring when we slightly recall being green again.” - - Rumi

March Class Series

These practices support us physically, mentally and emotionally as we transition from Winter into Spring. Maybe there is a family member or a friend with whom you would like to share the benefits that you experience from your mind/body practices. Invite them to a complimentary class to try it out. All you need to do is have them complete the waiver form and send a message to me@deborahnordstrom.ca indicating which class and date they will be attending with you. It’s that easy!

These classes are offered via Zoom. A link to the class with instructions will be provided a day in advance of the class. Feel free to either e-mail or phone should you have any questions. Register by email to me@deborahnordstrom.ca. I look forward to meeting you on your mat!

I am forever grateful to you for any referrals and for choosing to continue your wellness journey with me.

Evening Unwind 4-week Series, Tuesdays, March 1-22, 7:00-8:00pm

An evening practice is wonderful for calming the mind and preparing your body for sleep. This class helps to calm the central nervous system to truly rest both body and mind. We will begin with gentle movement followed by longer held supportive restorative postures which are practiced using bolsters, blankets and other props you have around the home to fully support the body in restful positions.

Cost: $60

Meditation Mondays 4-week Series, March 7-28, 7:00-8:00pm / 30-Day Meditation Challenge 2022

Meditation may not always be easy, yet it has too many benefits not to do it. It positively affects your health, relationships and tasks. If you think you don’t have the time to meditate, would you change your mind if you knew that for every minute you meditate you can gain back 9 minutes of your day? More importantly, by meditating regularly, you will experience greater happiness and improve the quality of your life experiences!!

This 30-day meditation challenge which runs from Monday, March 7 to Tuesday, April 5 and the 4 weekly classes it includes will help you establish and maintain a consistent meditation practice that can continue even after the challenge is over. Whether you are new to meditation, had a practice and have fallen off your seat or are a regular practitioner, coming together in a group for meditation can feel very powerful and supportive.

Over the 30 days, we will meet virtually weekly from March 7 to March 28 for a 1-hour class on Mondays, 7:00-8:00pm - Cost: $60

Beginner Yoga 4-week Series, March 7-28, 9:00-10:00am

Start your yoga journey learning the foundations of the practice from the comfort of your own home. This is a slower paced class which introduces you to foundational yoga poses, postural alignment and breathing techniques. This class is intended to build your confidence in the practice and to make you feel more at home in your body. In this class you will become familiar with moving in postures mindfully with the breath. If you are new to yoga or wanting a gentler practice this is the perfect class.

Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means “to yoke” or “to unite.” Connecting the mind, body and breath in yoga has many physical, mental and emotional health benefits including improved strength, flexibility and balance, improved breathing, reduced stress, increased energy, and many, many more.

Feel free to either e-mail or phone should you have any questions.  I look forward to guiding you on this journey!

Cost: $60

“If we’re not calm, we can’t listen deeply and understand. But, when our mind is calm, we can see reality more clearly, like still water reflecting the trees, the clouds and the blue sky. Stillness is the foundation of understanding and insight.”

- - Thich Nhat Hahn

March Events!

March 2022 marks the 40^th anniversary of Nutrition Month! This year’s theme is “Unlock the Potential of Food Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow.” These ingredients will take the form of actions that can improve an individual’s health in addition to systemic changes that can be made, not just for today, but for the future.

Get involved! Visit Dietitians of Canada website for recipes and activity ideas, and other resources.

This year, Brain Awareness Week takes place from March 14-20, 2022. Find out more by visiting Brain Awareness Week Dana Foundation for ideas on how to get involved and plan your fun activities! There are some cool looking handouts and resources including fact sheets and puzzles for all ages!

The International Day of Happiness is celebrated throughout the world on March 20. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 June 2012 and aims to make people around the world realize the importance of happiness within their lives.

“With our world facing unprecedented challenges, well-being matters more than ever. As we continue to respond to the Covid pandemic, let’s take action to Build Back Happier and make people’s overall well-being our top priority.”

- - Action for Happiness

To take action, get involved and for self-care tips visit International Day of Happiness! Be sure to check out the many partners and resources available!

“Through mindfulness, you will find that you have even more reasons to be happier than you thought.” - - Thich Nhat Hanh

Yoga Wisdom - - The Koshas: Five Layers of Being

Did you know that according to the Upanishads, the sacred texts which preceded Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, we all have five energy bodies. These five bodies are called koshas in Sanskrit and have come to be known as sheaths or layers. These layers can be thought of as the layers of an onion.

The outer and most dense layer is the Annamaya kosha which is the physical body. It contains all the other layers and the systems and structures of the body including muscular skeletal, respiratory, circulatory, nervous, endocrine, digestive, elimination and reproductive. The next layer is the Pranamaya kosha which is our life force energy/prana/breath. It is the source of physical life. Without it, we wouldn’t be. We take our first breath when we come into this life and take our last breath as we leave. Next, we find the Manomaya kosha which holds our mind. This layer includes our thoughts, emotions, feelings, senses and our personality. The next layer, the Vijnanamaya kosha, is the higher mind – the intellect. It is within this layer where we experience intuition, wisdom and knowledge and where we witness consciousness. The last of the layers is the bliss body, Anandamaya kosha. It is the deepest layer of being where happiness, joy and bliss may be experienced when all of the bodies are in harmony!

You may have first come to your yoga practice to strengthen and stretch your physical body and calm your mind. Over time, you may have started to notice and experience the effects on the deeper layers.

Coming to your mat or your seat for mind/body practices such as yoga, meditation and Pilates, on a regular/daily basis, in what way you can, will support and nourish all of these layers so that you may feel physically, mentally and emotionally balanced. These systems all work together. Your thoughts will affect how you feel and how you feel in your body will affect your thoughts and your emotions and vice versa.

I look forward to guiding you on your wellness journey so that you may experience the benefits of these practices and feel balanced, healthy and happy.

“When your body and mind work together as one, you are fully and naturally present in the moment.” - - Thich Nhat Hahn

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