What are you awake to these days? What are you noticing and paying attention to? I'm back to earth-gazing; letting my senses be delighted by the sunshine, blue skies, bird chatter, blossoms, and all the shades of green!!! Noticing life moving through "beings" in so many beautiful and variable ways both fuels me and wakes me up. It's enough to stop me in my tracks and think, "Wow...what is this dance I'm a part of?!" Perhaps you're feeling this "spring fever" too, or maybe you're in a state where the world teeming with life has faded into the background because other aspects of life are more potent and pressing. And that's a-ok too. Maybe the point of this stream-of-consciousness opening is just to remind you to take a moment, to take a soft breath and feel it move you, then let it go; and to feel how that soft breath can remind you of life moving through you. It doesn't have to be big to make a big difference. Pause a moment. Get your bearings. Get curious. Really look at the world around you. Notice something new. See what happens. We can't control everything "out there," but we can create some space to let ourselves breathe and, in turn, give those places that feel overwhelmed and restricted some space too.

"With only subtle shifts in our thinking, our language, and in our expectations, we can begin to change the ingrained behaviors that sap health, optimism, and vitality from our lives."

-Ellen Langer

I always get excited for all the rituals of this season: digging in the dirt, cultivating plants, watching things grow, lying in the grass under the sun, swimming in an ocean or a lake, outdoor yoga...the list goes on!

This summer, beginning in June, there'll be a few options for outdoor yoga; slow flow on Wednesday evenings and an all-levels class on Saturday mornings. Classes take place on the back patio at Lake Breeze Wellness (960 Thomas Ave) in Irondequoit. We'll end every class with savasana, our bodies resting on the ground under a canopy of sky! #savasanasky...magic! ♥

Here's a little practice to try on for size. What happens when you look outside the confines of a "small," constructed worldview? A small, digital screen? An old habit? What happens when you look outside to the wide open sky? To the vista from a mountain top? Through someone else's eyes? Be curious. Be playful. See how you respond to trying on a different way of seeing.

“Awareness of space outside the body creates more space inside the body."

-Mary Bond

One of my current areas of study is the fascinating field of pain science. Here's a wonderful podcast episode about the current model and understanding of chronic pain as biopsychosocial. If you haven't checked out Kathryn's podcast before, it's a goldmine! Hope you enjoy. I look forward to seeing you soon!