Giving Thanks

To my surprise, we are quickly approaching the end-of-year Holiday Season. The unexpected warm Fall in the Northeast has set me off- balance and the holiday season is coming up quicker than I expected. It’s November and the trees have not yet dropped too many of their leaves.

November brings one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving (it’s definitely up there with Halloween). As I look over the Hudson on this sunny and bright Fall day, I am thankful for so many things.

Lately, I have been thinking about how grateful I am to have learned meditation with Paul Muller-Ortega and to teach Restorative Yoga. As I have gotten older, these two practices are near and dear to my heart. They are the foundation of most days of my week.

Like many of you, my life is very busy and restorative yoga and meditation helps me rest, reflect and recover from the stresses and strains of life. These rituals also help me stay focused on what is important to me. This past October, I gathered with friends every week to write postcards to encourage people to vote in this upcoming election. Even after an exhausting day I was able to contribute to my community in a positive way just by placing my legs up the wall after work for 10 minutes.

As the temperatures get cooler and the days grow shorter, I rely heavily on these practices. Darkness and cold weather aren’t always conducive to exercising outdoors so I can always rely on some warming breathing techniques and restorative yoga to shift my mood and energy. Taking time out of my schedule to practice meditation or conscious relaxation gives me the energy to focus not only on my work, but other things that really matter to me.

Enjoy the beginning of the Holiday Season. Happy Thanksgiving!

With Gratitude,

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