Envision January 2023
This month is about setting intentions, listening to yourself and taking good care.
It is up to you to make it what you need both on and off the mat.
The Envision program has three components:
Yoga: Tuesday 60 minute vinyasa classes to connect to the theme of the week. Each week I will release a short (30 min) pre-recorded practice aligning with the week's theme.
Weekly Directives & Themes: These are here for you to process and think about as the week goes on. They are simple and open-ended for you to apply to your own life.
Mapping: The Directives are also prompts for your intention ‘map’ for the year. You can start your map the first week, or wait until the workshop on Saturday, January 21st.
Check out the MAPPING PAGE HERE.
A quick intro on what to expect for the Envision Yoga Series.
Week 1: ASSESS
Assess how your body feels, your life feels, your mind, your heart. Most specifically: How do you feel right now?
This week’s theme is LISTEN. Take time to listen to how you feel. Notice how your intuition is feeling. Is there anything you can do let your needs be more clear? Are these your needs or someone else’s?
Use this week to observe: your feelings, your schedule, your use of time, your movement, your rest.
Perhaps you start your map this week.
This simple, balanced flow invites you to "under-do it" rather than overdo it, to see where things are at for you right now. In this practice we are avoiding extremes, and instead seeking information in how you feel in the middle.
Week 2: Attend
Now that you’ve listened, now it is time to tend to your needs. What do you need right now?
This week's theme is ATTENTION.
You know in your deepest self what is best for you and what you really need. Care for yourself like you would care for someone else. In fact, giving advice to others is a great double-check for yourself. Are you implementing the advice you would give? What would your best friend suggest you need? Are avoiding to look straight into whatever is nagging at you? Instead, with care, give it your attention. This is how you start to rebuild the places that are neglected.
This class moves from the ground, while keeping the attention close towards expansive standing poses. You'll practice focusing attention where you need it.
Physical Focus: Full Body
Intensity: Balanced
Week 3: Clear
You’ve assessed where you are at, given yourself attention. Now it is time for Intentional Space Making.
This week's theme and directive is to clear.
Clearing energetic or physical space in your life takes patience, intention and attention. It also requires grace. Notice where your energy goes. If it is somewhere that causes stress or anxiety, that is your answer to where to start clearing away.
This week’s yoga includes flowing movements and breath to clear away energy that has done its job and is now time to let go. Notice where you hold the most emotional energy, this can be from current situations or from the past. Either way, see if you can ease stuck energy by softening your attention and letting go rather than digging in.
This class focuses on repetition and gentle twists to help release energy in the mind and soften tension's grip on the body.
Physical Focus: Shoulders / Chest
Intensity: Balanced
Week 4: Create
Now that you have acknowledged the obstacles standing in your way, what do you want to Create?
This week's theme is Create and the directive is Action.
Once you bring awareness to the obstacles that you want to clear, you can start to envision the path ahead. This requires action. An action can be as simple as writing the path down, or you could tell a friend your plan. Or you could create action and take the first step along the path.
Action to move towards your goals. Action to feel empowered. Action to be the creative human that you are.
This week’s physical focus is the core - the center of our body, our power center. Attention to this area can help encourage action and motivation in our life. Movement around the core doesn’t have to be ‘sit-ups,’ we can bring focus to the core through most movements.
I hope you feel centered, strong and ready for action after your yoga practices this week.
This class integrates a simple and steady flow yoga sequence with core activation. You will feel awake and centered when you are through.
Physical Focus: Core
Intensity: Energizing
Additional Resources for the Weekly Themes: