February Movement Challenge

 

The shortest month of February begins with the full snow moon. We are in the coldest stretch of winter, the halfway point from the winter solstice to the spring equinox with the reminder that the final push of winter requires endurance and patience. The light of the full moon is a beacon, a consistent, recurring force in the night sky, a reminder that as seasons shift, nature is resilient, and so are we. In the midst of all the chaos and violence filling our world, our hearts can feel heavy. Staying close to the cycles of nature brings with it a promise of hope, for change, renewal, and the return of light. When I look up at the moon, I feel at peace. Being in nature is healing, it fills me with sensations of calm and comfort. The shared experience of being able to gaze at the same moon across time and distance has the power to bind people together, fostering a sense of connection, love, and shared humanity. This concept carries and uplifts me when I'm sad, angry, confused, or feel like I'm losing hope.  

Nature is a great inspiration to me, I look forward to the beauty of the changing seasons and this is reflected in my movement practice. I have been teaching yoga for over 20 years now, sharing resources of moving, breathing, and meditating provides meaningful connection, creative expression, and fulfills my desire to help others. 

February's Movement Challenge offers shoulder and spinal mobility within Warrior II, Virabhadrasana. In Sanskrit, vira means hero/warrior, bhadra means friend/auspicious, and asana is the pose. In Hindu mythology, Virabhadrasana symbolizes the fierce warrior created by Shiva representing strength, focus, and courage. Warrior II is a standing pose with the front knee bent, thigh parallel to the floor in a lunge. The back leg is extended and engaged. The torso is centered over the hips and the arms extend out from the shoulders in a T-position parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Focus the gaze forward over the front middle finger. A strong and stable lower body in Warrior II will allow for fluidity in the upper body. The videos below show a few options for moving the spine in all directions and encouraging shoulder mobility, reaching the arms outward then upward (Reverse Warrior II) lengthening into a side bend, gentle twisting, moving the spine in flexion and extension, and adding in torso rotations. Using a chair for support in Warrior II may be helpful. Start where you are, find your breath, and see where you progress over time. Once you feel complete, switch sides for a balanced practice. 

Self holding techniques provide soothing regulation to the nervous system promoting feelings of safety, calm, and relief from distress. I learned these techniques through reiki, a practice of sending love, care, and healing through the hands. By using physical touch, such as wrapping your arms across the chest, clasping the hands to the opposite shoulders as shown in butterfly-hug below, cortisol (the primary stress hormone) starts to decrease, heart rate, and blood pressure lowers sending a calming message of self compassion to the nervous system. 

Karuna is Sanskrit for compassion, defined as a sincere wish to relieve the suffering of others. Karuna is a verb, an action of help, "karu" translates as "to do"or "to make" or "to act". Within the context of Karuna, compassionate action is alleviating the suffering of others. Karuna, compassion, mercy, empathy, or kindness is one of the "four divine abodes" along with "metta" loving kindness, "mudita" sympathetic joy, and "upekha" eqanimity, which cultivates an awakened heart and mind.

Compassionate action starts with the self. Try the suggestions above to cultivate self care and compassion. Check in with how you feel before and after.

My previous 'Movement Challenges' start here. As each month passes, this collection of yoga poses and functional movements are slowly growing, allowing creative opportunity to tie them together for a short, daily, mobility routine. 

Please find my current yoga teaching schedule below.

Weekly in-person yoga classes:

Wednesday Chair Yoga (10a-10:45a) at the Melrose YMCA.

Thursday Mat Yoga (8:45a-9:45a) + Chair Yoga (10:15a-11a) at the Milano Senior Center.

FREE yoga videos on YouTube

FREE guided meditations on Insight Timer

February offerings {sharing the love}

 

Welcome February, the shortest and last full month of winter. This year we have an extra day due to leap year as it takes 365.25 days for the Earth to orbit the Sun. The first weekend of February marks the halfway point of winter with each day getting closer to spring and more light. 

February is known for being a month dedicated to love and deep wintering. Author Katherine May describes wintering as those moments when life turns cold through crisis or loss and we find ourselves living at a different or slower pace. In the natural world, winter is a time of retreat and hibernation, wintering is where our bodies and souls seek rest and recuperation. With all that is going on in the world, having a month that symbolizes love and care may be just what is needed. 

February love can be expressed as small acts of service, showing up by shoveling neighbors sidewalks, steps or driveways, dropping a surprise note in someone's mailbox letting them know you are thinking of them, or baking up mini sweet breads, muffins, or cakes to give away. February is a time to cozy up under blankets, snuggle your pets, read a book, watch a movie, or cook winter foods. February can also be a start towards making room in your schedule for taking care of your body, heart, and mind through yoga, movement, and meditation. This may look like finding a few minutes in your day to connect to your breath, taking a break, listening to a guided meditation, enjoying an energized yoga flow, or a slower paced, restorative rest.

Here are a few practices to help sustain your self care.

A few years ago I wrote Heart Light Meditation and published it to Insight Timer. This short meditation is my valentine gift to you. It is meant to promote a sense of loving awareness within oneself. Spending a few minutes visualizing the expansiveness of the heart space sends messages to our cells and helps stop the patterning of negative or worried thought cycles. Sit back or lie down, relax, and listen. 

Back to Your Heart is a gentle yoga flow I recorded two years ago. This video highlights the head, neck, upper back, and shoulders connecting with the heart space.  

Low Back Love is a slow flow I recorded during a time when I was struggling with my now chronic low back discomfort. This video shares mindfully paced movement with gentle awareness to the muscles in the body that support and strengthen the low back. 

February {open-hearted} Flow is a ~60 minute heart centered flow with breath connection.

Monday morning Chair Yoga (11a-12n) in Wakefield at the McCarthy Senior Center will continue as well as Thursday morning Gentle Yoga (8;45a-9:45a) and Chair Yoga (10a-11a) in Melrose at the Milano Senior Center. 

Those who are 60+ in surrounding towns and cities are welcome. 

There will be NO class on Monday 2/19/24.

In March, I will be hosting a 4-week online yoga series through the Melrose Public Library. More details to follow as we get closer to the dates. 

Here are a few more generous offerings from friends and colleagues. 

Please join my friend Linda Sheehan of Kind Kitchen as she hosts a winter workshop for women. Linda has been practicing Ayurveda and living a vegan lifestyle for some time now. I've had the pleasure of enjoying her delicious recipes and attending past workshops where she shares her knowledge as a guide toward seasonal self care. I've had many long walks and talks in the woods with Linda through the seasons, I feel lucky to live so close to her. Linda has inspired me to eat more plant based meals and has helped me get creative with vegan and vegetarian cooking for my kids. Many of my go-to weekly family meals have come from her. 

2024 marks twenty years of learning reiki, choosing to bring this practice into my life, and sharing it with those I love. I have had the pleasure of meeting many reiki practitioners as a nurse which makes for a wonderfully healing and holistic working environment. Parris Frediani is one of my nursing colleagues who has mastered the art of work life balance and is now opening a Mindful Living studio in Bedford, NH. Her passion for helping and caring for others is palpable, she has many years of experience working as an emergency room nurse with families in crisis. Her skills and pursuit of living and learning reiki, MBSR techniques, and mindful meditation are inspiring. 

Save the date for Moments of Serenity Mindful Living studio open house this February.