1. EVERYTHING IS BETTER WHEN SHARED—INCLUDING MEDITATION.

Just like music, meditation can be enjoyed on its own or with others who dance to the same beat. You can feel a real connection with others by tapping into the same silence and source of peace at the same time. In fact, we can literally meet people on the same wavelength: recorded EEG results show that brainwaves synchronize while meditating.  

2. MEDITATING WITH A GROUP HELPS TO DEVELOP A HABIT.

 It’s easy to find excuses not to meditate at home. Just like meeting friends for group fitness class can motivate you to work out, finding a meditation group can provide the necessary encouragement for developing a consistent practice. 

3. FEEDBACK IS AVAILABLE.

Meditation groups often include practitioners of varying levels. If you’re new to meditation, you might find that other members of your group can help clear up any confusion you may have over different types of meditation, help you find answers addressing difficulties with practice, and provide feedback regarding experiences that arise during the meditation process. 

4. JOINING A GROUP IS ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY GOOD FOR US. 

According to the book “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community” by Robert D. Putnam, joining a group can cut your risk of dying in the next year in half! Loneliness is now proven to be bad for our health. An environment of acceptance and belonging are perfect conditions under which social animals like us can thrive. 

5. BE A PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE.

A group can better support an individual’s inward journey. It’s inspiring and motivating to connect with others who share our intentions for world peace. It is easier to apply Gandhi’s suggestion to “be the change you wish to see in the world” when you are part of a collective crowd. According to Andrew Kelley at The Boston Buddha, it is also a good way to “collectively unify and add strength to our intentions” with a common group goal even if the goal is just to be more relaxed and less reactive. 

6. THERE IS POWER IN NUMBERS. 

Believe it or not, there are studies that prove the existence of a ripple effect of peace in the surrounding environment when a group meditates together. According to the unified field superstring theory in physics, waves of vibration flow from everything in the universe affecting the collective consciousness. Groups have the power to enliven that field. Cellular biologist Bruce Lipton states in his book “Biology of Belief” that our consciousness can change the physical world around us by altering the field. An interesting experiment tested a theory called “The Maharishi Effect” in Merseyside, England. A number that exceeded one percent of the population meditated together every day from 1988 to 1991, and the crime rate dropped so much that Merseyside went from third highest to the lowest-ranked city in England during the time of the analysis. Meanwhile, the control town of non-meditators held a steady crime rate. Meditation was the only factor in the study that could account for the change, as the scientists calculated that police practices, local economics, and demographics remained the same throughout the study. 

Believe it or not, there are studies that prove the existence of a ripple effect of peace in the surrounding environment when a group meditates together. 

As Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” 

The next morning, however, revealed a total upheaval of everything!  Groundhog? Ground squirrels? Whatever it was saw fit to tunnel under the new plants as well as the Pachysandra, mums, grass plants and ground cover, leaving behind a massive mess.

What was I thinking?  My actions and good intentions were obviously not agreeable to one or more animals with diggers!  I try to live in harmony with nature, but nature insists on introducing more chaos into my life.  First the tree roots breaking underground pipes that resulted in ditches/trenches and pipe replacement. Next, remediation of the hillside, woods and yard invited more creatures to return. Then the demolition and constant construction noises of a neighboring property probably again displaced or seriously irritated many woodland creatures, followed by me digging more holes and adding flowers to what had finally re-settled! Yikes! Who can blame the animals for rebelling?  Even our felines, Nikki and Lucy, are misbehaving to protest the unbearably noisy interruptions to their daily routines.

Don’t we all love routine?  Perhaps not every part of an established routine brings joyous results, but predictability and maintaining status quo is exactly what our brain loves.  That’s why I wish to gently begin announcing some changes that will be happening with The Yoga Groove studio over the coming months.  I don’t want to uproot or transplant you or any of our groovy friends, but rather to transition onto our next chapter together as we may be bidding farewell to 4242 Airport Rd.

What, where and when will that be? I don’t know. I’m asking for your ideas, suggestions, and help.  To facilitate an open forum, I’m inviting all friends of TYG to attend a discussion in studio or via Zoom on Sat. June 24, from 12:30-1:00 (ish) The Zoom link will be the same as our class link.  Please email me your thoughts and questions if unable to attend June 24th.  This discussion will be recorded for those who cannot attend.  Please know that our time together does not have to end, and we have super special events worth celebrating in the “Events & Announcements” listed below

            “Mothering is a capacity that resides in each of us. It is not a biological destiny. Each of us has the ability to mother others and ourselves – to nuture, nourish, care, and set free.”

All of us adults, and even children, have a divine feminine sensibility within. By listening to this wise woman, we can live each day in Arete’ (being one’s best, most virtuous self.)

I’ve recently witnessed many people “mothering” my brother who was suffering from labored breathing due to COPD (congestive obstructive pulmonary disease) and lung cancer.  My niece and nephew “mothered” their parents and we all “mothered” one another.  My brother was blessed with excellent care and attention from the nurses, doctors, and especially the priest, Father Tom, who visited daily.  My brother, Tom, died knowing he was appreciated, cherished, and embraced by the love of many ‘mothers’

Each of us can mother others and ourselves-

Who do you mother?

Who mothers you?

How do you mother yourself?

As the sign reads in The Yoga Groove’s window:

 “Make yourself your number one priority!”

Thanks for your thoughts and notes of sympathy through this difficult time, but even more than that, thanks for taking the best care possible of YOU~

Please join me online at www.vibrantaging.life or in The Yoga Groove www.theyogagroove.com

Blessings and “Live life WELL…It’s a Choice!”             Sharon

That line reminds me that we seldom fully listen because our preferred sense is that of sight.  Schools taught us to observe visually, reading blackboards, reading books, and today, much of our reading is done digitally.  What will you hear if you really listen to your body?  I believe you will discover that your body is incredibly wise.  But most of us need to learn how to do that because this skill is not taught in most schools, including most yoga schools!

Consider that listening to what your body needs isn’t so different than listening to the story of a friend you care about.  Mindful listening can open the door to precious, new information.

Just as you share the most intimate parts of yourself only with a trusted friend, your body is waiting for the same sense of safety to speak its wisdom.

Yes, your body is wise. That’s true even if you are feeling aches and pains right now or frustration about some current problem causing anxiety or discomfort.

What you need to be more empowered is living inside you, being completely accessible through wise and compassionate selfcare.  This is why I spent the last decade of my life learning how to unfold my own body’s wisdom and to coach others to do the same.

To help you understand how this is done, I am shifting our group class curriculum away from traditional yoga poses (although purposeful poses will be included) to feature more of what will improve your experience beyond our 60–75-minute classes.  My goal is to help you improve your self-care by adding a few beneficial practices into your daily routine.  As James Clear states in Atomic Habits:  “We become our habits and our habits become our identity.”

By working with individuals and groups to uncover more freedom in their bodies in a format where others can also follow along, I am encouraging you to help others, too!  We have space to welcome many more friends into a class unlike all others — a class planned to embrace and support vibrant aging by meeting each person where they are.  A one-to-one session is recommended for new students, especially if they are less active or they are recovering from an injury.  Initial private sessions can be scheduled Monday through Saturday.  One or more classes would be a wonderful gift for birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or just to show how much you care about a friend or loved one.

I recently dropped my membership as an “Accessible Yoga Ambassador” because I have always been dedicated to making healthy movement accessible to everyone without having to pay for this designation.  Now I need you to be a “Vibrant Aging Ambassador” by putting helpful practices we learn into your daily routine.  First, show up.  Be open to new experiences.  Practice in our safe and FUN studio or on Zoom.  Install one tiny new self-care habit into your routine by doing it every day.  James Clear says we either get 1% better or 1% worse each day, which results in getting 37% better within a year or 37% worse!  Do you want to move forward or backward?  As Wayne Dyer states, “You’ll see it when you believe it.”  Believe me, progressive small steps over time aggregate into significant and lasting positive change.

And here’s the best part:  We can do this while having FUN together!

“Your destination is determined by what you focus on. You have to be very clear about where you want to go. Once you know where you want to go, you have to visualize yourself getting there. Forget about what you don’t want!”

We all know that targeted thinking is required to move toward goals and dreams, but author Bob Rotella’s book, “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect,” further emphasizes this point:

            “The brain and nervous system respond best when the eyes focus on the smallest possible target.  This (perhaps evolutionary) characteristic is how our human system works.”

This was true when teaching archery and pitching, but I believe it’s true of every sport.  I’m not a golfer but I have heard from several sources that if there is not a pin in the hole, (a target for focus) getting the ball into the hole is almost impossible.

We all need a clear focus for our brain and nervous system to do its best work.

Now focus on your goals.  What do YOU want?  Begin your focused journey today!

Namaste`      Sharon

                        “Live life WELL…it’s a choice!”

PS:  If, like me, you can’t stay focused in a disorganized or cluttered space, click this link to view the first of my five video strategies for organizing your “S P A C E!”

Thanks, again, for being a friend~

Because composing a blog or newsletter takes several hours, I sometimes sit at my laptop totally oblivious to the fact that I am becoming stone-cold! My fingers start to ache, my knees tend to lock and my efforts to rise aren’t pretty! Can you relate to any time when you were too caught up in the importance of some obligation, some interaction, some distraction, to take care of your own immediate needs? 

What causes this lack of attentiveness to one’s own self? Life experiences and upbringing play a part along with self-limiting beliefs that we need to be tough, independent or that our needs are less important than the needs of others. When we withhold love and care for ourselves, we are going against nature. Additionally, we cause our system to switch into the sympathetic “Fight, flight, freeze” mode of operation. Stress and inflammation are only two of the negative results.   

In this month of hearts & flowers, how about focusing on becoming your own best friend and your own best self. By honoring this alliance, and the needs that underscore it, you can be even more effective on any mission to help others. Take time now to respect, love and care for YOU! Hopefully, that means scheduling yoga more than once per week. If your home practice has disappeared, let’s work together to create your perfect short, do-able three-to-five-minute practice. Yes, you are worth way more than 5 minutes, but starting small is more likely to bring success and success can motivate you to continue. Once this new 5-minute practice becomes your “habit,” we can add 1-2 minutes more:-) 

As for my tendency to sit at my laptop too long? I now use an interval timer app to alert me every 20 minutes. I immediately leave my laptop, do my therapy exercises, then return to my work within 3 minutes. My stress is gone, my shoulders are more comfortable, and my refreshed brain works better. Installing this new habit has been beneficial and FUN!  

Even if you’ve missed the “Unshakable Habits” information session Feb. 16 from 2-2:30, you may still register to receive the recorded session, or make a commitment to improve something in your life by building a new healthy habit and/or eliminating an unhealthy habit. We can have FUN doing this together!!! CLICK HERE to join “Unshakable Habits that Stick” for a mere $47.50 through Feb. 24th. 

 Feb. 25th – Mar. 1st the cost increases to $57.50. (Still an incredible value for 5 webinars plus 1 to 1 coaching!  

Happy Valentine’s month, 

XOXO I Love and Appreciate YOU~ Namaste`, Sharon 

Do you, like me, ever have a whacky day when the distractions JUST won’t stop? To make matters worse, maybe you are up against a deadline, or you are just too agitated to continue with whatever you were doing.  How do you feel and what can you do about it?

To manage times like this I recommend building The Habit of Practicing Presence.  The FOLLOWING four elements are essential for practicing living with presence: breath, ground, space, and sound.

Calm breathing is rhythmic and easy and it naturally happens automatically. On the other hand, when you notice your breath changing- becoming more rapid, shallow, and constricted, you are receiving a warning signal.

Ground offers support whether seated or standing. Our support system continues internally through our skeleton. Your posture reflects and depends upon its relationship to the ground.

Space surrounds us and it can impact our sense of safety as well as our mood. Is the space on your right more welcoming? Perhaps it is less cluttered? Notice your inclination to move one way or another. Can you sense expanding outward into a welcoming space versus contracting and pulling away from a congested space?

Sounds can be pleasant or noisy and loud. Does the distraction make listening to your thoughts or a friend’s comments impossible?  This is a serious conflict!  On the other hand, some sounds such a familiar song that reminds us of happy memories, or almost any rhythmic pattern enables us to accept or adapt to the sound and move on.

Developing the habit of checking in with these four elements can help you to adapt or manage your thoughts and choose to make wise choices

Once you have this basic orientation, you can begin to investigate specific elements of your experience. These elements are always present to gain refinement in your capability to recognize what you can do in any given moment. The objective is to increase your personal wellbeing and thus create the habit of practicing presence.

Please reserve Thursdays in March from 3-4:15 PM EST to join me for “Unshakable Habits” where we will successfully install a healthy habit and eliminate an unhealthy habit. It will be fun to do this together! Questions? Who doesn’t have questions?

Register NOW for our free information session Thursday, Feb. 16 from 2-2:30 on zoom. All who register will receive the recorded session, but please email your questions in advance if you know you cannot attend.

Namaste`     Sharon

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Whether or not you’ve taken time to rest, reflect and envision what you want for 2023, it’s a good idea to meditate to clear any anxious energy or stress from the recent holiday happenings. Here’s a brief, 1-minute meditation that even non-meditators can do:

Click here to listen Light in the Heart Meditation

1. Find a quiet spot to sit or lie down.
2. Close your eyes or use a soft downward gaze
3. Take a few deep breaths, letting go of tension or stress
4. Imagine a bright, warm light glowing in your chest- this is the light of your own inner wisdom and goodness.
5. Allow this light to spread throughout your body, filling you with warmth and peace.

You may now feel calmer, more grounded, and centered with a deeper sense of well-being. Simply breathe into whatever sensation you notice.

Now consider: What do I want to do or do more frequently in the year ahead? How do I want to feel or feel more frequently in 2023?

Are some of these actions what you want to do?

• Take better care of my body?
• Set aside more time for self-care.
• Develop a more loving relationship with myself or my friend/family.
• Schedule more time for FUN and PLAY.
• Integrate the teachings of homeopathy, ayurveda, and yoga, more consistently in my life.

If so, I think our “Unshakable Habits” course is made for YOU!

If you want to feel more contentment and control over how you live your life and inject more life into your years, please plan to join the information session scheduled for Feb. 16^th. (Intentionally close to Valentine’s Day.) Our February Newsletter will list details, and our “3^rd Thursday Blog Post” will include a link for this free info session.

In the meantime, think of your heart opening anew each day like a Lotus flower. And, as Thich Hat Nan tells us, “No mud, no Lotus!” Life requires us to live with some dark challenges, yet each day provides new light.

Our goal at Vibrant Aging for Life and The Yoga Groove, is to arm you with the right tools and steadfast support to live life well…even when life gets crazy…it’s a choice!

Sharing with others about your emotions during the holiday season  

Emotional expectations of what the holidays should be like can cause feelings of sadness to be more pronounced when we see others celebrating the season. Understand that your feelings of loss or depression are real and it’s beneficial to share them with others, whether a family member, friend, or a professional counselor. Acknowledging and verbalizing your feelings can provide some relief and alert others to how you feel so they can provide emotional support.  

We are here as your online community should you start feeling alone and have fears about common conditions that come with age as well as ongoing conflicts promoted by the mainstream media. With age, we face increasing risks to our knees, shoulders, and more. These risks can discourage us from participating in preferred daily activities and social events. The goal of The Yoga Groove is to meet you where you are and assist you through functional movement, breathing techniques, mindfulness, meditation, and more. We can assist you to sit, stand and move more confidently and with greater ease. We will help you to breathe freely while building strength and balance so you can enjoy life and remain independent.  

Stay connected during the holidays 

Being socially isolated impacts both our emotional and mental health. Finding social activities, we can participate in is important whether it’s with family, friends, church, a local senior center, or an online community. Some of these offer transportation services or provide activities remotely for those with computer access.  

Become involved in or volunteer with community organizations like homeless and domestic violence shelters, food pantries, SPCA, hospitals, or churches that engage in outreach activities for those in need. If you have limited transportation, you can always write cards, adopt a family, and provide gifts or food. Reach out to others who may be socially isolated. What the past two years have taught us is how to be connected to others in different ways– phone calls, letters, or through the internet.   

Above all else, don’t let “staying safe” keep you from having FUN! 

Thanks for welcoming me into your ‘inbox’ and please share this info with others who may benefit.  

Sharon 

Live life WELL…it’s a Choice!