The holidays are upon us. Days are shorter. And our senses are tuned into the scents of fall and winter. Let 2019 go out with a sense of calm by stretching your body and soul with inexpensive and oftentimes free workshops, DVDs and apps.
An ancient discipline from India, yoga is both spiritual and physical. Using breathing techniques, exercise and meditation, it helps to improve health and happiness.
SunWater Spa in Manitou Springs, Colorado, offers Susan Searle’s Candlelight Yoga class. Says Searle, “As the evening takes over the day, we illuminate candles in the room for a warm and peaceful ambiance.”
Accessible for everyone, whether you are brand new to yoga, a seasoned yogi with an established practice or are coming back after stepping away, all are invited to this class, offered from 7 to 8 pm, usually on Fridays. .
In addition to innovative retreats and classes, 2019 has been a banner year for new yoga DVD releases. According to Savant Magazine, one of the most popular is Yoga for Beginners & Beyond, available on Amazon and other outlets. Providing easy techniques to relieve stress and flexibility, with 30-40 minute morning and evening workouts, the DVD also includes bonus Dalai Lama footage to help with your meditation practice. Created for the active aging, Gentle Yoga: 7 Mid-Life Yoga is for those who want to stay fit as they grow older. In addition to 18-minute morning sessions, 19-minute mid-day and 29-minute evening routines, the DVD features a 22-minute balance routine, as well as tips for flexibility.
Stressed out? Autumn might be time to start or refine your meditation practice. The process of quieting the mind through relaxation by focusing on something such as a sound image or feeling might be for you.
This year saw the release of a number of free meditation apps, including two suggested by Healthline: Calm, an award-winning app that has calming breathing techniques, meditations for kids and Sleep Stories, featuring the voices of several top actors; and 10% Happier, designed for skeptics, keeps you focused by adding new content weekly as well as daily videos. The website Develop Good Habits likes Breethe, a free app that provides supportive tools and guidance to keep you on track from morning to bedtime. Customizable, the app features five-minute meditations, along with tips for living life with intention and overcoming pressure.
With less daylight and cooler temps of the season, don’t fall into the same old routine. Use this special time of year to explore and stretch your body and soul.