NOVEMBER 2017

My dear Nana used to have a saying about gratitude.  She would tell me to "Count your blessings every day. And start with your eyes." There is truly so much beauty in this world if we simply take a moment to stop and see.  On my walk today for me it was the pine needles littering the ground along with newly fallen leaves, and the yellow and crimson showing in the trees as the season makes its transition.  Just taking those sights in with a little more intention also brought me to other senses of feeling the breeze on my skin and tiny raindrops and breathing in the soft and fresh air.  Feeling my feet take in each step as I descended some stairs.  And suddenly my walk was so much More. 

Sometimes during transitions it can take a little extra effort to take that pause, even as we move, to really be and notice the world around us.  And, when we do, life has that much more richness and vitality.

Moving into this month of November I wish you many moments of gratitude and simple being.   

NOVEMBER EVENTS!

Heart Tree Yoga has some great offerings this month!  

First up, NEXT WEDNESDAY EVENING Martha Brettschneider and I are bringing back our holiday workshop to help you relieve stress and embrace the holidays with more ease and presence!  I'm super excited to be pairing up with Martha again for this event. The holidays can be a time of joy--and sometimes also a bit of exhaustion and overwhelm!  Martha and I will share with you ways to bring yourself back to the present moment so you can experience what's special about the holidays for you with more clarity and openness while reducing some of the mind-body stress and fatigue that can accompany this season's festivities.  Hope you will join us!  

Also ahead this month is the last chance in 2017 to enjoy a Yoga Nidra class. Find out details below to register for each of these special offerings!  

 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8th
Stay Ahead of Holiday Stress with Mindfulness and Restorative Movement
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm at Grass Roots Fitness studio in Vienna
Fee: $30.  Preregister at http://bit.ly/holidaystressworkshop

Martha Brettschneider and I are very excited to be bringing back our holiday workshop to get you ready to enjoy and embrace the holidays with more ease! This interactive workshop will offer mindfulness tools, self-care tips and restorative mindful movement practices to relieve stress and balance energy, enabling you to find more presence and intention during this busy season and not lose yourself in the process.  The restorative movement exercises in this class are suited for all ages and fitness levels and will be done both in a chair and on a yoga mat (bring one if you can.)

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SUNDAY November 22
Yoga Nidra and the Art of Conscious Relaxation
4:30 - 5:30 pm at Body Grace studio in Vienna
Fee: $20 pre-registered: $25 drop-in

Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice that takes people into a state of deep relaxation through a guided meditative process and conscious visualization. Also known as yogic sleep, the practice gives rest to the mind, body and senses by drawing the practitioner into a state of conscious awareness—a brain state between full wakefulness and full sleep. This practice has been linked with reducing stress, tension and pain; improving circulation and immune functioning; lowering blood pressure and inflammation; and stabilizing mood. Yoga Nidra is generally practiced while lying down or in a seated position. For your comfort, please bring a pillow and wear comfortable clothing and arrive 15 minutes before class start. Mats and blankets are available at the studio or feel free to bring your own. Please RSVP to reserve a spot with Jan at [email protected] 

Finally, be sure to sign up for Heart Tree Yoga's newsletter to receive the free Movement and More clips. This month the topic is nurturing more freedom and spaciousness in the body--particularly through the torso with a side-lying breath and stillness practice.  

Wishing you a gratitude filled November!  

With light,

Carolyn