"Now is no ordinary moment in time. Now is a place of startling individual and collective endings. Now is the space before something else becomes. Now is both a promise and fulfillment of fresh beginnings."
Octavia Raheem
Life has been full these past few months and one of my new year goals is to SLOW DOWN, REST, and do less. Winter is the season of dormancy, we see it in nature as many plants and animals go to sleep. I wish my schedule allowed a long period of hibernation, but we live in a world that never seems to stop. Some may perceive rest as lazy or giving up, but the reality is that rest is essential for our mental, physical, and emotional health. I recently finished reading "Pause, Rest, Be: Stillness Practices for Courage in Times of Change' by Octavia Raheem. This lovely guidebook is a prescription for rest and resilience in uncertain times. Three simple yoga poses are shared as a way to restore body, mind, and spirit. I've been practicing all of them each week and have felt a spaciousness unfold inside me. Prioritizing stillness, slowness, quietude, and rest takes time, effort, and energy but as the temperatures drop and daylight remains shorter there is a pull to go inside, get cozy, and nourish ourselves with all the comforts of the season.
A few announcements...
The Milano Senior Center in Melrose, MA will be offering a FREE month of classes this January. I will be at the open house event on January 28, 2:30pm-4pm to promote our yoga classes, chat, and answer any questions. Details about the event, class schedules, and other news can be found in the January newsletter.
Starting in March, my friend and fellow yoga teacher Mimi Izzo will be teaching the Monday morning chair yoga class at the McCarthy Senior Center in Wakefield, MA.
Our next seasonal yoga series through the Melrose Public Library is TBD as we hope to move into our newly renovated library sometime in 2025.
Please find my updated teaching schedule and links to FREE yoga and meditation below.
Monday Chair Yoga (11a-12n) in Wakefield, MA at the McCarthy Senior Center.
{There will be NO CLASS on 1/20 or 2/17, Mimi Izzo will take over in March!}
Wednesday Chair Yoga (10a-11a) in Melrose, MA at the Metro North YMCA.
Thursday Mat Yoga (8:45a-9:45a) + Chair Yoga (10a-11a) in Melrose, MA at the Milano Senior Center.
I'll sub at all 4 Metro North YMCA locations as my schedule allows.
Gentle Yoga in Saugus, MA on Saturday 3/1/25 at 10:15a
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Yoga Flow in Melrose, MA on Sunday 3/30/25 at 8:30a
FREE yoga videos on YouTube
FREE guided meditation on Insight Timer
Yoga and meditation highlights for this season:
Rest & Restore is a guided exploration of mind and body through the observation of breath and sensation. The intention is to offer support through self holding techniques (reiki) and breath awareness to restore us in these darker days of winter before spring arrives.
Gentle Chair Yoga is a ~40 minute yoga flow using the support of a chair.
Winter Flow offers ~60 minutes of mat yoga with props.
