"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." ~Lao Tzu

Welcome to all of you who have joined this monthly newsletter! We are here because we are all dedicated to the path of wellness & the pursuit of health. As the very first newsletter, I'd like to start small and simple by kicking us off with a few questions for you to ponder:

~Remember simple, is not always easy~

What is health and wellness?

What does it mean to be healthy?

How do you envision your health?

What does wellness look like?

How does it feel to be well and healthy?

When do you feel at your healthiest?

Why do you want to be healthy?

Is the experience of wellness the same for everyone?

How can we get there?

During times of hardship, we often neglect to take care of ourselves. We may not even know what we need. As a world, we have been living in a state of trauma and stress for several years. Natural disasters, a global pandemic, civil unrest, political turmoil, racism, invasive bug species threatening crops, supply chain upsets, rising costs, riots and now a severe conflict between Russia and the Ukraine have us all in a constant state of fear; even if we try to turn it off so we can "get through the day".

One of the ways that we can begin to re-evaluate ourselves and find a new center in the midst of the storm is to slow down, turn inward for a moment and reflect on a specific intention or purpose. This may be an intention that we have worked with for some time, or perhaps it is something new. We are always growing and changing, sometimes without our awareness of just how much.

When sitting down to reflect on your own health and wellness, use the questions above as a guide for the journey to the center of you. Some of the answers to these questions may be very different than you think them to be. Some may come more easily, while others may be a bit more challenging. As an advocate and enthusiast of your health and wellbeing, spend some time with these questions. Writing out the answers in a journal can help clarify your thoughts and feelings. It may take a few moments, it may take a few weeks, but approach these questions with honesty and gentleness. Put them down and pick them back up again from time to time- revisit these questions like you would an old friend; with love.

Take a page from the book of nature and be patient with yourself, everything will be accomplished in due time. It is not "getting it done" that matters, it's the process. Inquiring shines a light onto ourselves so that we can see US more clearly.

I'll invite everyone to discuss the answers to the questions at the beginning of our next yoga practice together (see below). There are no right or wrong answers, only a difference of perspective; Like rotating a jewel, seeing more than just one side allows us to more fully appreciate its beauty.

Upcoming class:

Yin Yoga Online Friday March 18th, 730-930p ET

I hope to see you online in a few weeks, but until then, I'll leave you with this:

The Courage to Be Yourself: E.E Cummings on Art, Life, and Being Unafraid to Feel

To be nobody but yourself-

in a world which is doing

its best, night

and day, to make you like everybody else-

means to fight the hardest battle

which any human being can fight;

and never stop fighting.

Wellness is the journey, the destination, the challenge and the reward.

With warmth and in great health,

Justine

P.S- Do you know someone who may be interested in joining our conversation? Share this email with them :)

www.justinebacon.com