Embody Wellness with Brenda

Each season brings its own turning points, but the Winter Solstice, which is today, is a wonderful invitation to slow down, connect with the rhythms in nature and in our own body. It marks the moment when the Northern Hemisphere tilts farthest from the sun, giving us the longest night and the shortest day of the year. I have loved the long-honored tradition to mark this day as one to slow down, reflect and reconnect with what matters.

Other than my yoga practice, a few nourishing activities that soothe my nervous system, calm my mind, and help me cultivate inner harmony include: prayer, walking in nature, baking bread, drinking hot tea, under a blanket, while reading an actual book (not a screen), hot tubbing under the stars, and going to bed early.

This day can be a reset of sorts by clearing away the mental/ emotional debris that no longer serves us. For me, that just means simplifying my daily routines, to make more space, so I can take in a sunrise, enjoy the birds and squirrels, be inspired by simple things, enjoy conversations without feeling rushed, and just breathe a little easier.

Today is a reminder that we can recognize the pull to get caught up in the frenzy of our world, and make a different choice. To reconnect back to what inspires us, awakens our creativity, and brings us back in tune with what matters.

Winter is here, so we all start spending a lot more time indoors. But, sitting on the couch for a weekend of football or a long Netflix binge is not a great way to take care of our health.

Did you know that sitting for more than 6 hours a day increases your risk of premature death by up to 40 percent (American Cancer Society)? Too much sitting puts our bodies at an increased risk for chronic disease and other metabolic dysfunctions including type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers.

Our bodies were designed to move freely, adapt fluidly, and support us through all of life's demands without conscious effort. Staring at screens, being indoors, and sitting most of the day takes a toll on our bodies.

Our fascia, the body's connective tissue responds and adapts to whatever we are doing. Your fascia molds to your daily habits, your postures, and repetitive movements. Over time, these adaptations can lead to unbalanced tissue tension that contributes to restricted movement, poor posture and chronic pain (i.e. tech neck) Regular movement such as yoga is hydration to your fascia.

This is why a regular yoga practice makes us feel so good, and is such a helpful tool in aging well. People who practice yoga regularly have MUCH better proprioception. When our proprioception goes, we have trouble balancing and our movements are less coordinated. Yoga not only improves our posture but it helps our body's ability to sense its own position and movements.

So as winter settles in, keep up with your yoga! If you can't get to a class, pull up a youtube video or just set your timer, and spend 30 minutes on your mat doing tour favorite poses at home. Your body will thank you!

This is a photo of me practicing at home in Florida with my dogs, probably about ‘00-01 😊🙏

Happy Thanksgiving week!

The mere mention of Thanksgiving sends my brain into a nonstop loop of things I need to do: buy, make, clean, organize, decorate...and it needs to be done, like immediately! Oh well, so much for peace and gratitude.

I recently started the demented craft of baking sourdough bread. You could say it's a bit time involved. Maintaining a starter and baking regularly is a lifestyle investment. I'm not sure why I felt the pull to start this now, because I don't think I would have, had I known it's long been compared to having a child or bringing home a new puppy!

But, as I ate a slice of warm bread with a smear of butter at midnight last night -- because the bread dictates when it needs to be baked---something about the experience connected me to the ancient world, through a methodical, hands-on process. The rhythmic actions of mixing & kneading is calming, & the process of nurturing a starter and watching the dough bubble & grow gives a tangible sense of accomplishment. It's a connection to an ancient tradition, and the smell of a fresh loaf in my kitchen is grounding and comforting.

So with the holidays in mind, I named my starter... (because that's what you do) Ru-doughlf!!

Life is a moving process: we are always flowing, whether we chose the direction or not.

I celebrated my birthday in Colorado last week, hiking several days through RMNP. Another year older and I’m feeling pretty grateful to still be in this body and enjoying all the splendor of this beautiful world!

While hiking, my focus often went to the scraggly old trees & shrubs with their gnarled branches and twisted trunks, half eaten by bugs, mis-shaped by fire or avalanches, or erosion from hikers.

These beauties radiate life, and the dead ones too seemed to dance for me in the sunshine with their bare branches and hollow trunks. With their unique shapes and textures, evidence of their challenges and resilience, reminding me of how every stage of my own life tells a story.

When I look at trees, I wonder why we humans are so caught up in chasing the illusion of perfection for ourselves, yet appreciate the visible signs of adversity, trauma and resilience in nature.

Nature is a profound and humbling teacher, always right there, offering wisdom to our own life's rhythms.

www.vagaro.com

This Saturday at Indigo Crow Yoga. Only a couple spots remain. Message me for details!

The date for my workshop in Ottawa at Indigo Crow Yoga has been rescheduled for April 12th. Go Chiefs‼️❤️💛🏈

Spend an average of 1 hour a day outside, and at the end of the year, you will have spent 1,000 hours outdoors! Let’s all spend less time looking at screens and reconnect with the world around us!

Here we go! Reclaim childhood. Reconnect family. Live a fuller life. #100hoursoutside

Happy New Year!!