Greetings Hearth Yoga Family and Friends,

Here we are... on the cusp of the verge of the edge of something new: December.

As we pause to reflect and regroup for the final month of 2020, I thought I might share some of the light we built in our latest Adventure Yoga. Pour yourself a cup of something warm and give this a peek. Need some instant gratification? There is a treat and an action item at the end.

Tiny steps out of the dark...

During November's Adventure Yoga we took a deep dive into mindfulness with the help of our friends Bastian, Atreyu, The Rock Biter, and Falkor as we visited Fantastica and The Neverending Story.

As we examined The Nothing and the Swamp of Sadness, we came to recognize that each in our own way, since March, we've been doing our part to stave off The Nothing and build a brighter world. The path to the brighter world begins with belief...

Belief that such a world is possible.

“When it comes to controlling human beings there is no better instrument than lies. Because, you see, humans live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated. The power to manipulate beliefs is the only thing that counts.” ― Michael Ende, The Neverending Story

Here's the secret:

YOU can shape your beliefs.

You do it all the time.

The Nothing feeds and thrives on fear, lies, hatred, pain, isolation, and suffering. It shrivels and quakes when faced with the light of compassion, hope, gratitude, truth, kindness, creativity, and love.

Our challenge comes in stoking the light and rekindling the flame when the swamp of sadness rises and nips at our heels...This is where connection and community come in!

This time of being asked to stay home and limit face to face interaction is neither THE WORST, nor THE BEST. This time simply IS. Do we choose to react or do we choose to respond? Fact is, we get to choose. Moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, we get to choose. There is a tiny fraction of a second between events and our thoughts and feelings--mindfulness helps us to lengthen that tiny fraction of a second to the length of a PAUSE. The power is in your pause...You can react or you can respond. Your choice.

On 11.28.20, our Adventurers developed the following list of "things that have helped" keep them moving toward the light and away from the swamp. I've added to our list of "tiny joys" and offer it to you below:

Tiny Joys: Steps toward the light, a partial list

By Hearth Yoga Adventure Yogis 11/28/20

* Kitchen dancing

* Growing my own red oak leaf lettuce

* Trying new recipes

* Listening to friends’ spotify channels!

* Sewing a wedding dress!

* Zoom Yoga

* Plant perennials

* Group text messaging

* Helping my patients

* Finally mastered making Indian chappati's after 30 years trying...

* Listening to friends’ spotify channels!

* Swimming in the lake

* Go for a walk/run/hike/swim/bike ride

* Get outside

* Find one thing to be thankful for each day

* Laughing

* Live life with hope

And a few more to try:

* Say one kind thing to yourself before getting out of bed

* Dancing beyond the kitchen

* Express gratitude to your body for one of the many "things that are going right"

* Help someone you know

* Help someone you don't know

* Ask someone to tell you a story and then really listen

* Shower--if a song comes out while you are in there, so be it

* Take a nap when you need it

* Give yourself a hug

* Read

* Attend a virtual play/musical

* Savor the next good smell, taste, sight, sound

* Find Mountain/Tadasana [seated or standing] in as many places as you can

* Enjoy a concert online

* Find a small task with a clear beginning, middle, and end-do it

* Catch your reflection, pause, and smile

* Revisit a show/book/story you've enjoyed in the past-enjoy it again

* Take a virtual tour of a place you've always wanted to see

* Call a friend for no particular reason

* Leave yourself a note that you will find later

* Exhale a tiny bit longer than you inhale

* Say one kind thing to yourself before falling asleep...phrases you might try: "I am strong, I am getting stronger, I am loved, I am kind, I have love to give, I love me, I am worth the effort, I am enough"

"Do what thou wilt!"

~ the inscription on Atreyu's talisman in The Neverending Story

You may decide to:

* try 1 per day for the month of December

* find one you love and repeat it again and again

* add to this list

Need a little lift before the end of the year?

Join us for the final Adventure Yoga of 2020: December 19th, 7pm

And...if you are free, join us during the week for Adaptive Hatha, Chair Yoga, Yin Yoga, Osteo Yoga, or Yoga4Cancer. Details available on our Offerings page.

Last but not least:

This is your chance to add to our Hearth Yoga Recipe Collection!

Thank you to those who have already contributed!!!

Please send me 1 recipe that brings you joy.

Get it to me by 12/7 and I will do my best to compile them and send them to you in time to ring in 2021 in style.

Click here to share your recipe.

*It just needs to bring you JOY. It doesn't need to be fancy, healthy, high-brow, award winning, or complicated--just the thing you like to make that brings you joy. Whether the joy comes from:

*making it

*eating it

*sharing it

*remembering the first time you made it

It's the recipe that makes you smile...that's the one I am asking you to share...

I look forward to meeting you on your mat and look forward to hearing how you are finding the light as we forge ahead into the adventure called December.

I'm sending each of you a virtual hug, peace, joy, love, and light,

Tami

P.S. Here's that treat I promised at the top. This is guaranteed to get you grooving:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WN0T-Ee3q4