May You Be Well - Uncertainty

Uncertainty

meets agency

Dear Rest Friends,

I hope you found some peaceful and joyful moments these past couple of weeks. I have been so grateful to spend time outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather.

This year continues to deliver a level of intensity that challenges our ability to self-regulate. The uncertainty that we feel magnifies what we already know deep inside - we have no control over most things in life. But we have agency - we can decide to do something different. So, this week I offer you a “mini-retreat”  as an optional activity for the shorter, darker, and uncertain days ahead.

Retreat as defined in Merriam-Webster: 

: a place of privacy or safety: REFUGE

I invite you to take just 15 minutes out of your day and try the Bliss Guided Breathing/Centering Practice here. You may want to add a grounding pose like Mountain (audio here) or the fun, balancing but still grounded Toe/asana (as Maria Shamas, my favorite Functional Yoga teacher, calls it) found here. The balancing gives the mind a bone while you take a mental retreat. You'll also improve your balance and strengthen your toes, feet, and legs. If not, you can move your body - dance, stretch, and yawn, shake it out, walk, run, cycle, your call. Then enjoy the guided practice. You decide.

I have decided to align myself with divine energies of love, connection, compassion, abundance, joy, and healing. Blanca and I continue to walk daily. We finished the latest challenge sooner than scheduled. We had a lot of fun on the way up to Mount Fuji. I am also deep into a Yoga Wellness Educator program. The teachers are fantastic and experts in their field. I am bringing all these learnings to my students. The training has a heavy emphasis on functional movement - the type we need for daily living activities. It is excellent for beginners (in yoga, you are a beginner for at least the first 1,000 years) and fantastic for those of us who want to live intentionally and stay healthy and energetic for as long as possible. I am also resting more now than ever.

Thanks to my daughter's gardening and dedication to regenerative practices, we have a vibrant, joy-filled yard. We are enjoying many different plants, birds and insects. All sorts of new critters are gathering at the three watering spots. The latest visitors are adorable chipmunks. They are so tiny and quick! 

I know we’ll ride this out together. I am sending you air hugs and good energy. 

Be good to yourself, and rest and be well.

Love,

Marcela

P.S. If you try the practices and enjoy them, let me know! If there are topics that interest you or areas you want to explore, send me an email or leave a comment in the blog area. I've been sharing what I find interesting, relevant, informative, and what students are interested in learning. So ask!

Listening/Reading/Learning/Supporting

The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix - there are a few decent documentaries about the unintended consequences of social media. This film featured experts who are top executives of the firms who got us here. They tell their story and are visibly uncomfortable while they confess and apologize. It is a call to pay attention and know how the system works. It is better to be an informed user…

Unfortunately, it seems like you need a Netflix account to watch it. I could not find other platforms that are offering it but see if you can find it. Here is the trailer on YouTube!

I’m reading Burnout - The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski.- a science-based and simple plan to help women manage emotions and minimize stress. I love the meticulous research and the sisters approach. It’s based on lived experience. I am enjoying it. It rings so true.