Adamant April
It’s a busy month. Every moment seems spoken for. Prioritizing tasks, caring for myself and my family, and even accessing my creativity takes a day-to-day reset.
Sometimes it feels like I will never get to the end of my to-do list. Do you every feel like that? This month I am highlighting self-care in my busiest season. Can you relate?
Finally, it’s Spring here in Northeast USA. I am enjoying not being cold, opening the windows, eating outdoors without a full length down jacket on, seeing more of the sun. I am finalizing summer plans. But every moment seems spoken for. I now know why writers go on retreats or take fellowships to places that cater to one’s every need: so they can focus on writing, particularly when trying to bring a project into the home stretch. I dream of going on a writer’s retreat one day, and I feel sure I will. But for now, like most writers sprinting towards the finish line, I am doing it amidst the daily rhythm that includes the usual responsibilities of everyday life. But I am noticing a bone-weariness that seems to appear whenever I am close to finishing a book. Maybe this is true of wrapping up any intense six- to nine-month project or wrapping up the school year. So, what to do in times such as this?
As I read over the list I am about to give you, it feels so obvious, so pedestrian. Of course, Joanne will tell me to do yoga, take a nap, and eat a cookie… yet, I know how much I need daily reminders to care for myself particularly when there is a lot on my schedule. And I write and teach about self-care for a living!
Here are a few things I am finding helpful:
Keep a regular schedule. Try to get up and go to bed at about the same time each day. This will keep help stabilize your sleep routine.
Ask for help. This may sound obvious. But your partner and/or friends are not mind readers.
Make an actual list of things you can delegate when you receive offers of help. It is easier for someone to help you if you have something specific in mind for them to do. For example, if it is your turn to cook the family dinners this week, perhaps you can ask another family member to step in for you.
Set an alarm for an hour before you want to go to sleep. When the alarm goes off, start unplugging from the day. For me, this process always takes longer than I think it will. I usually need the whole hour to unplug, unwind, and get ready for bed.
Go outside for at least an hour each day, rain or shine. Walk or work outside part of each day. Get some fresh air. Figure out if your brain needs quiet or if listening to an audio book - or walking with a friend if you have been alone all day - will best met your need for quiet or stimulation.
Take a weekly tech sabbath if you can – even if it is just for half a day.
Give yourself a gentle reminder that there is an end date to your project.
Do Bellows Breath.
Become aware when you are avoiding your work, and then refocus on that work. At the same time, give yourself breaks; it’s ok to occasionally go off-task and bake cookies. I recommend making these ones – they are simple and very yummy:
ANZACS
These are popular Australian cookies – we call cookies “biscuits” in Australia. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps (for US friends – think of veterans). In Australia, ANZAC Day is April 25. This day honors the men and women who served in World War I. These biscuits were made for the troops and shipped to them in the trenches to sustain and comfort them. Today, the biscuit is so popular it is available in any supermarket in Australia. It’s crunchy, sweet, hearty, and the perfect complement to a good cup of tea. The biscuit’s crunchiness makes it good for dipping in your tea.
I made this recipe the other day and substituted some gluten-free flour with good results. I give both options in the recipe here.
Summer Plans
Have you ever wanted to go to Kripalu Yoga Retreat Center in the beautiful Berkshires in Western Massachusetts? I will be teaching there July 2-7. Here’s the thing: you don’t just get to learn from me, but you also get to learn from my teacher and mentor, Amy Weintraub. Google her. She is amazing! This will be a most unusual week - like getting a two-for-one deal. Amy in the mornings and yours truly in the afternoons, right amidst the whole Kripalu experience of world class yoga, spa services, and out-of-this-world farm-to-table cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And if that isn’t enough for you, THE James Taylor will be in concert right across the street (literally) at Tanglewood. I splurged on lawn tickets for July 4th.
Here’s a tiny incentive: Book your spot at our Kripalu before May 15, send me your booking confirmation, and I will bring you a copy of my new card deck and hand it to you in person at Kripalu!
You can click here to find out the details!
If you are not already familiar with Amy’s work, I can highly recommend her card deck and books. I feel very fortunate to get to teach with someone who has taught me so much over the years. Amy is one of those teachers who practices what she preaches. I don’t think you will find a more authentic and knowledgeable yoga teacher than Amy. I also really appreciate and value the fact that she has several excellent books, a card deck, and multi-media products that support her teaching. What’s not to love?
Here’s Amy’s beautiful card deck. I use it daily.
My Card Deck
Launch Day is just 44 days away (May 16). You can pre-order on Amazon right now.
Launching a new book is a very exciting thing to do. These days authors are expected to mount their own launch campaigns and fully participate in promoting their books. I tried something for my last book – A FaceBook Group Launch Team - so I am going to repeat that process because it worked. Click here for details of how to join the group.
The aim of the Launch Team is to create some buzz and excitement around a book as it is being released to the public. Launch Team members get to see the book before the general public does. They also get to engage with the author and ask questions and, in this case, learn practices from yours truly. In an effort to be transparent, the aim is also to garner short (1-3 sentences are best), honest reviews during the week of the launch. This really does make a difference for the author, and it gets the book into the hands of readers more quickly.
What I wish for most is that those people who have wanted to do yoga but didn’t think they could do yoga – or don’t feel comfortable doing yoga – “see” themselves in the yoga card deck and start their own practice. I also hope that people who have ruled out yoga for whatever reason decide to give yoga another chance. Then, for others, who just want images you can relate to and simple instructions that make sense, along with an explanation of which practices to do when, this card deck is for you.
And just in case I have confused you with the terminology, I realize I have been interchanging “card deck” and “book”. It was a last-minute decision to transform the card deck into a spiral-bound book. There were some practical considerations, and I wasn’t sure at first whether I liked the idea of making this change. Then I saw the actual prototype. I am a I-have-to-hold-the-book-in-my-hands type of girl. I was sold right away. I love that it can stand up by itself or lie flat. The cards are color-coded too so you can quickly flip to the section you need. And best of all, you won’t lose them. Maybe it is just because I have lost track of the various card decks I have, but I hope this spiral-bound feature is a boon to you too. I can’t wait for you to see it!
I would be honored if you are able to join me in the Launch Team.
To get an invite to the FaceBook Launch Team, click here.
Save the Date: Launch Party (virtual and in-person!): Friday, June 2, 5-7pm, Barbour Library at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
How to Connect with Me
As always, here are some ways to connect with more of my work:
Group Class: Tuesdays 8-9 AM ET Zoom Gentle Yoga Class
Buy my book: Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Toolbox for Therapists: 47 Practices to Calm, Balance, and Restore the Nervous System.
Individual Sessions: Yoga Therapy session or Embodied Spiritual Direction
I have limited time slots available due to my writing commitments, but I still have availability. I do my own scheduling via email or text at Joyogi5 at gmail.com or 412.287.4591, so call or email me to schedule an appointment.
As always, thank you for reading this far. Feel free to let me know via email/text/grocery store line if you tried something new to care for yourself. Or that you simply remembered to go outside each day. Or you have taken up the 5 Tibetans and you are up to 4 reps of each (or whatever). It truly makes my day to know that someone somewhere has been prompted by my words to take better care of themselves. Because then you can.
Sprinting to the finish line,
Joanne