March 2021: Learning to Sit With Discomfort Intention Setting, Meditation, and Goat Yoga
~ March Newsletter~ Namaste Zogis ~
FOCUS OF THE MONTH: Learning to Stay Uncomfortable. Dealing with Uncertainty: We are certainly getting practice on that this year so this is the perfect opportunity to become discomfort experts. How, you ask? By not trying to change anything when experiencing discomfort. That can be the hardest thing to do. Why? Because discomfort is often not caused by a particular moment you're in, but rather an internal reaction to what that moment means to you. By first noticing the discomfort and acknowledging that it is present inside you, you begin to build the skill to control your response. Side note: There is a very real distinction between danger and discomfort, that must be addressed. We are working in the realm of discomfort, not dangerous pains , dangerous conditions, or dangerous environment or contexts. What is dangerous for you? Only you can tell. Listen to your gut...on & off your mat. In the moment that you experience discomfort, after noticing that it is present, ask yourself, “Where am i feeling this discomfort physically? (physical place, heart, head, finger etc)- Is there danger here? (yes/no) If yes, find a way out of the situation. If no, then stay there and take 3 deep breaths into the place you feel the discomfort. Ask yourself what could be the source of this discomfort? If nothing comes to mind, put a pin in that and allow yourself to be open to the answer popping up at a later time. If you can recognize the source, (this could be a physical cause, a person close to you, an emotion, a relationship, a pattern of behavior, a past trauma, or perhaps something else, For example: a boundary has been crossed). BE OPEN to whatever pops up without judgement and just see if it applies. Take your time. Noticing is the first step to transformation. Second step is observing and accept yourself as whole at that moment. Discomfort and all. The third step is doing something different. Set up a structure to do something new. (For example If you forget to stretch after running, a new structure could be setting a cell alarm for half hour after the run ends so it will remind you if you forgot.) Over time, you become adept at feeling the discomfort and even identifying situations and things that would trigger that feeling, and responding appropriately with a tactic that works for you. Your yoga practice will come in handy here, breathe, in stillness and choose your course of action! Optional activity: Spring into your new way of being. Goal setting/ intention setting. I will do x and i will do in this way. For example, I will do a 10 min meditation everyday and i will approach it with joy. BABY KID-GOAT YOGA -March 20
That’s right, baby goats are here!! Anna the goat just had 2 baby kids, (Momo pictured above and Little Ricky not pictured but just as cute), and Mocha just had 3 more baby kids! They are less than a week old now! The first day of goat yoga is March 20! Check the website for more info on how to attend or email findyourzoga@gmail.com to hold your space. Stay tuned for more dates to be added and shortly! Reserve your spot today as spaces go fast! CONTROVERSIAL OPINION! You are your own best doctor All these temperature checks and health tests makes you feel like a pop quiz you should have studied for but didn’t. What does all this mean? Is health becoming a measure of achievement. It’s becoming tied to morality. Where is this all going? The positive point- it’s making us all think about health and wellness and take it into our own hands. Become our own advocate- for ourselves and each other. And Just like our physical wellness impacts each other, our spiritual/energetic wellness impacts each other. Stress management is a key issue during this lockdown. Ask Yourself: What am I doing daily to manage my stress? GET CONNECTED WITH YOURSELF TO BE YOUR MOST AUTHENTIC VERSION OF YOU 5-min meditation - Sitting with yourself. Find a comfy place and click the link to enjoy this 5 min meditation. Click youtube link to check it out! Sunset over St. Croix 5- minute Meditation (Imagery and meditation audio recorded by Zoha.) https://youtu.be/2c_QNuWjV68 SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOP- FOCUS: BALANCE March 28th
Balance is a law of the universe. Our bodies stay in homeostasis, what goes up must come down, in every good there is bad and in every bad there is good, etc. Though practice of the skill of balance in yoga, and meditation, we will find it seeping into every facet of our lives. Not too happy, not too sad, not too excited, not to droll, not too good, not too bad. Life can just be, and we can experience it as such. In this workshop we will focus on bringing balance to our minds with an initial meditation, followed by drills and asanas that focus on balance. Learn key factors to balance and where you can strengthen your skill to perform balancing postures better. MARCH PROMO: Refer a friend who buys a 10 pack- and you get a free 5 pack. Friend buys 5 pack, you get a free class. Spring into action with a buddy! Life’s always better with friends around! <3 March brings spring, and with it new life, new growth and new opportunities. We are here to support you in your growth into whatever you have wished upon. We love watching the community expand to enrich all of our lives. Join virtual classes M, T, W, TH and in person events F. S, Su. Follow us social media! ig @_zogayoga tt @zogayoga fb @zogacorp www.zoga.yoga Youtube vids up now Check them out (new mic!) Click Below to find your favorite FREE Zoga Class! And be sure to Subscribe!
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10-Day Fitness Challenge:March 21- March 31 Challenge yourself to get back into shape (or maybe stay in shape, or just lose those couple pesky pounds). March 21 represents the First day of Persian New Year. In celebration, Zoga is hosting a 10 day fitness challenge running through the last day of March. The focus for this challenge will be losing pounds, and slimming down!! Let's get ready for those bikinis!! (and maybe even some travel!? :) Register before march 21, 2021 to secure your spot. Due to the personal attention each of you will get space is limited, first come first serve. Don't miss out! Make the most of this opportunity right now!
Upcoming Events & News: (Bikram Yoga + Homework - 1 hour Break for lunch) -Advanced Class - March 19, 2021 @ 11 am - 1 pm -Goat Yoga - March 20, 2021 @ 12 pm - 2 pm -10 day Fitness Challenge- Spring Forward- March 21 - March 31 -Skill Building Workshop: Balance - March 28 12:00 pm
Thank you for letting us into your world. <3 We look forward to seeing you virtually (or in-person) for class! ZoGA ~ Find your Zen ~ Change the World
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