Restore and Flow: Notes on the guidance and journaling.
A supportive online yoga class that combines the power of yoga and mindfulness with a light touch of guided journaling. A moment to stop, release and reset in life, so you can embody yourself from a place of calm awareness, this is the space for you.
We began with grounding and breathwork and our first writing prompt, a clearing of your thoughts and a setting of intentions.
We took the body through a good full-range-of-motion stretch, like a big yawn for every muscle! A big release of tension and a good spacious stretch. Nothing too fast or sweaty but moments of strength, connection and inner awareness.
We came to seated for our second journaling prompt, focusing the attention.
From seated we took our stretching closer to the floor and explored a guided body scan. Our final journaling prompt guided us towards intention and a noticing of the body.
A reflection to close and reset you for heading back to life with freshness and clarity.
When exploring intention, we looked at it in a very free and easy way with a curious, open-minded approach. My suggestion was that you allow your intentions for yourself, and your focus and your energy, to ebb and flow over the two hour period while maintaining, as best you can, the continuity of the awareness of the physical body. We mostly used breath, and/or sensations in the feet, as an anchor.
Page 1. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness = Awareness (paying attention / calm and awake)
Awareness is imbued with curiosity, non-judgment and compassion
Page 2. Language and terminology behind the concepts we are actively exploring together, our learning has structure and it is designed to be a shared learning journey, ie. you learn from you, supported by the larger learning circle.
Discernment: a wise way of making decisions
Introspection: awareness of the body
Contemplative: practices that are practical and (potentially) transformative. Practices that assist with deep concentration and quieting the mind.
Vipassana meditation: seeing things as they really are (don’t dwell, don’t judge).
Intention: ebb and flow out of conscious learning, day dreaming, resting, concentrating.
Page 3. Writing (1). 3 minutes - blank page - ‘brain-dump’.
- How am I? - what’s going on for me? - what’s going well? - what’s needing attention?
Qualities to support us: being with what is, curiosity, non-judging, where am I feeling it in the body.
Page 4. Writing (2). 3 minutes - 3 things - FOCUS
- 3 ways I bring joy to others AND/OR - 3 things that make me happy - 3 things I am aware of NOW in the body.
Page 5. Writing (3). 3 minutes. 3 intentions. Body.
How was my experience today? What arose for me? What might ‘future me’ need to be reminded about after today?
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our power to choose our response. In that choice lies our growth and our freedom.” Viktor Frankl.
I'm hoping to run one workshop a month in 2024. We will explore one education piece each month and a journaling piece in the middle of the workshop. The next one is on Saturday 20th January 10am-12noon, €15 early bird (€20 after 6th Jan.)
You will need:
Your mat, two pillows, a blanket, something to cover the eyes, a do-not-disturb sign for your door! A pen and paper, either a notebook or three blank sheets. something to sit on when you are writing and something to lean on while you are writing like a table or a book. It’s fine to use table and chair for some of the workshop if it’s easier.