April 2022 Newsletter
Welcome friends! Thank you for signing up for my newsletter and for being a part of my growing community. Each month I will share with you more of my personal journey and things I am learning, teaching, reading, and loving. My hope is that you will find something that speaks to your heart and leads you toward healing and happiness in your own life.
What I am learning:
I recently watched the movie “The Wisdom of Trauma” by Gabor Mate. It was so very interesting and informative. He shared a thought at the beginning of the movie where he said “trauma is not the bad things that happen to you, but what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you.” Often when we experience a trauma (which can range from anything like a car accident, or a surgery, to an emotional trauma, abuse or neglect, and so many things in between) we disconnect from our self because it is too painful to stay present in the emotion. This often leads to increased stress and depression. Trauma also involves a lot of energy that is often pushed down, yet when we learn to transform that energy, we can begin living again. We can use compassionate inquiry to guide us to the truth within each of us by using mindfulness and asking the right questions. Next time you experience a difficult situation or emotion try asking yourself “how do you feel about that and how does it feel in your body?” then, focusing your attention on the body ask the body what it is needing. When you receive the answer, offer that lovingly to yourself. This is how we begin to heal our trauma and how we begin to change the energy of our lives. I love learning more about how to heal and transform our lives. Highly recommend this movie if this is an area of interest to you as well.
What I am teaching:
This month I am offering a 10-day online masterclass “Foundations for a Mindful Life” beginning on April 4th. It is available anytime and is a self-paced course. In this course you will learn simple foundational practices that will invite you to begin living in a more mindful way.
My second session of A Mindful Life Method begins this month on April 14th. This is a more in-depth 6-week online course that will lead you on a journey of reconnection with yourself that teaches you tools to reduce stress and anxiety in your life.
Every Tuesday morning at 6 am (MST), I teach yoga with one of my dear friends from high school. Each month we choose a theme to focus on and I teach the grounding, breathwork, and savasana (relaxation) portion of the class and Lori teaches the asana or posture portion of class.
Every Wednesday evening at 8pm (MST), I have an amazing group of ladies that join me for a gentle yoga class. We have built a beautiful community of women and I look forward to teaching them each week.
Once a month I host a women’s hiking group for ladies in my local area of Southern Utah. We have had three successful hikes and are looking forward to our next outing on April 9th. This month we will gather together after for a lunch and celebration of my sister Sara’s birthday. Sara is one of my biggest cheerleaders and has been working hard behind the scenes of my business taking photos, designing websites and creating my course online. I am excited to celebrate her along with all of you after our hike.
If any of these classes or events are of interest to you, please reach out to me for more information.
I am also offering a journaling challenge this month. It is free and one week long. If you are interested shoot me an email at joyfulbalancedhealth@gmail.com.
What I am reading:
I am currently reading the book “Living Buddha, Living Christ” by Thich Nhat Hanh. There are so many golden nuggets of wisdom in this book. One passage that I really loved is on mindfulness. “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When our mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers…When your beloved is suffering, you need to recognize her suffering, anxiety, and worries, and just by doing that, you already offer some relief. Mindfulness relieves suffering because it is filled with understanding and compassion.”
What I am loving:
I was recently asked to become a guide on an interactive yoga and wellness platform called Vivaya. I am looking forward to teaching yoga, meditation, and nutrition classes and workshops on this platform beginning this month. I love their mission to help bring wellness and healing to the world through community and connection. I also love that you can sign up for free for 14 days and enjoy so many amazing classes. I will begin teaching every Monday and Wednesday morning at 7am starting on April 11th. Id love to connect with you there.
I would love to hear from you and learn more about each one of you. Please reply and tell me what are you most interested in these days?
Sending you all love and light,
Jessica