Every once in awhile I google "the benefits of yoga", to see what the latest medical journals and scientific sources are saying. The physical benefits seem to the be quite well established and promoted but there is more and more data to demonstrate how good yoga is for our brains...and as the days and years roll by, I give more and more thought (pun intended!) to my brain health and my desire to sustain my cognitive function as long as possible. The article is worth reading as it reminds us that yoga not only provides instant gratification, but also holds long term benefits when practiced regularly. I share this with you as an invitation to move your yoga practice up the priority list, to claim time for yourself to be on your mat and care for your body, heart and mind.
The RESTORE mini retreat I am leading this Sunday from 2-5 at Common Fence Point Hall will be a lovely 3 hour block of time to enjoy a deep, slow, healing 90 minute restorative yoga practice complete with live crystal bowls for Savasana, then we will each have about an hour for some quiet personal reflection and integration time. I will invite you to stay in your yoga "after-glow" and do what calls to you; perhaps just rest, or nap, read, draw, journal, stroll down to the water's edge, meditate, or whatever deeply nourishes your soul. Then in our last half hour together I will lead a conversation focused on self-care and soul-tending. It is just the kind of event I would register for if I were a student looking for a Sunday afternoon paradise!
Harvard Medical School
had a great article on yoga for better mental health
(link below) that begins with this message:
"With its emphasis on breathing practices and meditation—both of which help calm and center the mind— it’s hardly surprising that yoga also brings mental benefits, such as reduced anxiety and depression. What may be more surprising is that it actually makes your brain work better.
A sharper brain
When you lift weights, your muscles get stronger and bigger. When you do yoga, your brain cells develop new connections, and changes occur in brain structure as well as function, resulting in improved cognitive skills, such as learning and memory. Yoga strengthens parts of the brain that play a key role in memory, attention, awareness, thought, and language. Think of it as weightlifting for the brain.
Studies using MRI scans and other brain imaging technology have shown that people who regularly did yoga had a thicker cerebral cortex (the area of the brain responsible for information processing) and hippocampus (the area of the brain involved in learning and memory) compared with non-practitioners. These areas of the brain typically shrink as you age, but the older yoga practitioners showed less shrinkage than those who did no yoga. This suggests that yoga may counteract age-related declines in memory and other cognitive skills.
Research also shows that yoga and meditation may improve executive functions, such as reasoning, decision making, memory, learning, reaction time, and accuracy on tests of mental acuity.
If you have any questions about RESTORE or any of our upcoming events listed below, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sending you all prayers and wishes for peace,
health & happiness now and always.
Namaste,
Rev Shelley
Here is an overview of what we are offering in April - June:
please scroll down for details and sign up links.
GENTLE YOGA FOR ALL:
Saturdays 10 - 11:30 AM is over for the Winter,
class resumes June 15th on the lawn at NBS :)
Twice Monthly, Thursdays 9:30 - 11:00 AM at CFP (April 25, May 9, 16, June 6, 20)
GROUPS FOR WOMEN:
Sacred Time Book Group @ NBS, Tuesday, April 23rd 6:00-8:00 PM
Sacred Time Book Group @ CFP, Thursday, April 25th 11:00-12:30 PM
Women's Circle Mindful Photo Walkabout & Pot Luck Dinner
@ NBS, Tuesday May 7th 6-8 PM
Sacred Time Book Group @ NBS, Tuesday, May 21st 6:00-8:00 PM (final meeting)
Sacred Time Book Group @ CFP, Thursday, May 23rd 11:00-12:30 PM
(final meeting)
EVENTS FOR ALL:
Sacred Song Kirtan Gathering @ Common Fence Point Hall
Saturday, May 18th 7-9 PM
Sacred Song Kirtan Gathering @ Common Fence Point Hall
Friday, June 14th, 6-8 PM
Sacred Song Kirtan Gathering @ Common Fence Point Hall
Friday, July 12th, 6-8 PM
RETREATS FOR ALL:
RESTORE mini retreat @ CFP, Sunday, April 21st 2-5 PM
I am co-leading a Full Day Spring Retreat @ NBS, Friday, May 18th 10-5
OUTDOOR GENTLE COMMUNITY YOGA FOR ALL:
Our outdoor yoga classes and events are scheduled to begin June 15th, Saturdays and Wednesdays 10 AM at NBS, Tuesday evenings 6 PM at Third Beach.
Full Moon Yoga & Sacred Sounds
June 22, July 20, August 24. Stay tuned for details!
As always, please feel free to email me or text (860-965-9995) with any class related questions.
