Do Something Different

Last week I mentioned my intention of creating connections. I have always had this love/hate relationship with social media, who am I kidding, mostly hate. But I've been actually enjoying it lately. I have now been connecting with others around the world and it's been pretty amazing! 

Earlier this week, I had a 90+ minute Zoom chat with a former actor/comedian. We shared stories of our pasts and present lives.  I had no idea she used to do standup and she had no idea of my love of comedy! She told me a couple days later that she had been telling her husband all about our great conversation! We couldn't believe all the little synchronicities. I've also been chatting all week with my Yoga teacher friend in the UK and my Hydration coach in Chicago! 

Hydration Coach?! I had never heard of one either, but through my many connections I joined a Hydration challenge. I actually accidentally signed up to 4 different challenges this week. I didn't know they were all going to fall in the same week. So it's been quite the ah...challenge. 

We've all heard how we are supposed to drink 8 glasses of water a day. I primarily only drink water, I've always been a water drinker. I've never been a coffee drinker, only in recent years have I started to drink tea and rarely do I consume pop. Well I discovered some very interesting facts about our water consumption.

We are supposed to drink half of our body weight in ounces of water in a day. And coffee/tea/juice/pop, do not count as those important fluids. In fact, drinking any of those is taking away from your water consumption and dehydrating you. There's so many more tidbits of info I've been sharing with my clients this week, as I've been learning but I'll save the rest for the next newsletter.

I am planning to start a weekly breathwork/meditation session in February. I teach this in my yoga classes, but I want to have a class dedicated just to these practices, so I would like to offer a 30 minute online group Zoom session. I will guide you through the session, so for 30 minutes a week you will have a chance to just sit back, relax, breathe, feel that stress melt away and calm your mind. It's truly amazing how good you feel even just after 5 minutes of mindfulness.

If this is something that interests you, then click the link below. For now, I'm trying to figure out the best day/time that would work for most people. I have included 3 different days/times, but none are set in stone and I can be flexible with the time on those days. Please check all the options that could work for you and I'll be in touch with everyone who is interested and we can finalize the details.

My plan is to start with one class a week and add more based on interest. Once we have a day/time picked out, you will have the option of joining either by paying $8 to drop in when you can or $22 for the month.  I'd really like to start our first session next week! 

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I can't stress enough how much these practices have helped me through this past year. I had a very emotional breakdown this week and I immediately had to take myself through one of these practices. After the huge emotional release, I started to feel a bit better, then after dinner I decided to put some music on and had a solo dance party, for about 2 hours, which turned into a yoga flow dance.

That's why these practices go hand in hand with yoga, we really need to move our body to help release the negative vibrations from our system. And boy did I need that after my week!

Much love, 
LL

Lantzville Foothills

7 Ways To Improve Your Mental Health!

There's been some misconceptions I've heard over the years about yoga. The number one comment is, "Oh I can't do yoga, I'm not flexible enough." It's really not that surprising to hear, especially now a days where most yoga teachers on social media, share pictures of themselves in very advanced and difficult postures.

However, yoga is so much more than the poses themselves and you don't need to be flexible to practice, rather you gain your flexibility by simply practicing. There are 100's of postures and truth be told, I don't even practice the advanced or difficult ones. I got into yoga initially for pain management, after a couple of car accidents, what I wasn't expecting, after I developed a regular practice, were the mental health benefits! Yoga includes the physical postures to stretch and strengthen your muscles. What is maybe not so widely known is that it's the deep breathing techniques throughout the practice that is the most important part of yoga. This releases tension in the body and at the same time calms the mind.

Yoga to me isn't at all about doing difficult poses, it's about listening to what my body needs and knowing how I will feel by just getting on the mat. And I always feel better after I practice! By simply breathing, stretching and focusing, you are doing yoga. All you have to do actually is just sit comfortably, focus on your breath and that's still yoga! Plus, you are still getting the benefits! You're expanding your lung capacity, allowing for greater oxygen intake, as you breathe deeply, while releasing tension in your body and sending calming signals to your brain. We incorporate the movements and the postures to ensure the energy continues to flow through your body, which helps to open up our energy centers along the spine. We can do so much for our health and wellness, by essentially doing so little.

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Join me online!

Click the Learn More button below for our special holiday promotion! Join me for live group Yoga classes online. With the power of technology, we will get together for a session through live streaming video. Just roll out your mat in the comfort of your own home and simply connect via my unique link address to join the class.

Much love, 
Laurah-Lee

On My Way

This month it will officially be 8 years since I became a Yoga Teacher!  And to celebrate I have made some changes with a whole new website!  I'm still working on a few things but here's your chance at a sneak peak.  

It's hard to believe it was that long ago that I was taking my Yoga Teacher Training on beautiful Gabriola Island.  After spending the first 5 years teaching in Winnipeg, I've spent the last few teaching on or around Vancouver Island.  So much has changed in my life but the one constant has always been Yoga. 

This past weekend I had the pleasure of taking a new group of lovely women on their first Yoga Hike through Bowen Park.  Each of them expressed along the way how much they were enjoying the class.  I am beyond thrilled any time I can introduce new people to an activity that has become so important to me.  I am honoured and truly grateful every time I get to share this experience with others.  I've said it many times before, but there is something extremely wonderful about doing Yoga out in nature.  The idea came to me when I first moved to the west coast almost 3 years ago now.  

At the time, I would spend my days exploring and hiking around Gabriola Island, but as it was during the fall & winter months it was either raining or the ground was wet, so after my hike I would go home to roll out my mat and do Yoga.  Then it finally occurred to me that if I simply altered my Yoga poses to only be doing standing poses, I could incorporate Yoga on my hikes!  This practice has become a daily occurrence, whether I am enjoying it alone listening to music or teaching others, I love every minute of it!

My day does not feel complete without a Yoga Hike.  When I am solo, I use the time to meditate and contemplate on the positive changes I would like to see happen in my life.  It's almost like a moving changing vision board that I focus my thoughts and attention on. It's been pretty amazing to see what has unfolded and I look forward to what's to come!