Now that the frenzies of summer are slipping into the past, I’m finding more ways to regain my balance.  While I do not look forward to the shorter, cooler days of autumn, I always find it to be the most nurturing season. As the trees shed their leaves and cool breezes whirl around, I’m always somehow brought back to balance (at least till the snow starts blowing). I cut back my flowers – each snip of my shears releases the past. I plant new bulbs – trusting their future to the earth.  I watch nature wilt around me with the promise of a most amazing spring. And I’m brought back into the cycle of life.

It reminds me that my time is finite, that I am everchanging, and that we are all part of the same great cycle. It reminds me that really, when it comes down to it, we’re all seeking the same things….love, understanding, happiness. And maybe most importantly, it reminds me that the only true constant in our lives is change. So while the days get short and I bundle up for cool weather, I’m stripping away illusions that my mind has clung to all summer. I’m moving gracefully into the future and embracing change, trusting that just as my flower bulbs will blossom, the earth will bring me into a spot just as beautiful.

How do you respond to the coming change of seasons? How will you embrace autumn and all it’s reminders?

I think everyone has been there in some capacity.  We all have an idea of how we want our holidays to turn out or what we think others experience. Others’ holidays are always better and, of course, very warm and fuzzy. Most of us project our holiday expectations onto our loved ones, “Why can’t we be more like the Thompsons? They are always singing Christmas carols and baking cookies for the homeless.  All we do is fight…where are the damn cookies?!  For crying out loud, would somebody help me wrap these presents and get this meal cooked?”

Do you stop for a moment to contemplate how you might play a part in this story? Or do you react by thinking, “Why me?!  Why, THIS crazy family?!  What did I do in a past life that was SO wrong?!”  To be honest, in moments of particular craziness, these thoughts have crossed my mind more than a few times.   However, through my mindfulness practice of yoga, and after a few pleading rhetorical questions, I can eventually step back and ask myself, “What are the gifts that I am getting from this family or situation?”  Maybe learning forgiveness, love, letting go, unconditional acceptance, how to stand up for myself, how to give of myself, how to be part of a life that I often want in a neat and tidy package, yet, life is beautifully messy and doesn’t always accommodate my personal expectations.

So many intangible gifts that we can give and receive.  Remembering these countless gifts, that they come from things unseen, they come from within.  We can’t always choose what life throws at us, but we can choose whether or not to get caught up in our holiday horror stories.  This year, when you feel the craziness welling up and you’ve already contemplated killing your sister, stop, close your eyes, take three deep breaths, and in that moment of quiet, ask yourself, “What are the gifts?”  I’m often surprised by what I find.

Have a blessed, happy holiday season.

I watched Dana eating carrots and celery for lunch as she talked about her boyfriend.  That was the moment I thought, “YES. If I eat only carrots and celery then I can look like Dana.”  Dana was my friend’s college roommate, and I think she weighed about 100 pounds.  The last time I weighed 100 pounds I was in 5^th grade.  In my early twenties I could have eaten Dana’s weight in pizza and weighed about 40-50 pounds more than I do today.

With great resolve and an irrational urgency to return to my 11-year-old weight, I started my carrot and celery lunches, and what I like to now call, “Angry Walking”.  We’ve all seen the women in the Taebo videos punching and kicking for all they were worth…I’ve been there.  But, I liked to be outside, and I thought walking with arms swinging, kicking at the neighbors’ plant hedges would make me look crazy.  So, instead, I walked at insane speeds and with ferocious intensity (probably still looking a bit crazed).  After about 6 weeks of this regime, I starting dropping weight…but I felt like crap.  I was tired, stressed from school, work…and Angry Walking.  I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I needed to find something that would help me reduce stress where I could still move my body. 

I don’t know where the idea came from, maybe divine intervention, and hopefully not from the same place that inspired Angry Walking, but I needed to do yoga.  I became obsessed with finding a class.  The only person offering yoga classes in my community taught them out of her basement.  In retrospect, that seems a bit shady, but after a diet of anger, carrots, and celery my brain probably wasn’t functioning at peak performance. 

It was through these classes that I learned to slow down and relax.  I learned awareness about my breath and my body and that all of it is inextricably linked.  I never would have believed that stretching and deep breathing could change my life.   It took years for me to refine this awareness, but eventually it has contributed to my mindfulness of food and how I used, and sometimes still use, food to reward or punish my body, control my situations, and sooth my nerves.  It is this mindfulness that enables me to trust that my body knows how to regulate itself if my mind is willing to work with it instead of against it. I have been relatively close to my current weight for close to a decade.  No weird diets, no scheduled workouts.  I do what feels right and that continues to change as I change. 

Many people wonder why I show up to the Weight Loss Wednesday (WLW) Coaching Interactive.  I’m currently in a healthy weight range.  But, I wasn’t for most of my life.  I go because it keeps me accountable to my body, mind, and spirit.  It reminds me of the link between these three parts of myself.  They are all one in the same and when we cut off one part or forget to nourish one aspect, the whole is affected.  The mental aspect of yoga and mind-body coaching remind me that we are never 100% fixed, 100% sad, or 100% happy.  I have created a relationship with a sense of acceptance through these continued practices.  It is this sense of acceptance that allows me to eat pizza, carrots, celery, and chocolate without extreme self-loathing or deprivation.  It is also the same acceptance that lets me off the hook if I decide to walk instead of jog, take the elevator instead of the stairs, or occasionally Angry Walk on the Bridle Trail.

My relationship to food has been a physical manifestation of my relationship to self.  A relationship that is never “fixed”, but through yoga, is one that I have learned, and am still learning, to love and accept.

In last month’s newsletter, we talked about our personal histories with chronic pain and weight gain.  We want you to know what we’ve been through, because then you’ll understand why we opened the Healthy Life Studio.  We want you to benefit from our experience!  This month, we take you a little deeper into our histories with a spotlight on me, Abigail.  (Jess is up next month!)

I first experienced a nagging health condition in college.  Though I didn’t know it at the time, I had what is called Interstitial Cystitis, a bladder condition.  After years of doctors visits, I finally learned this diagnosis – though it wasn’t really good news.  IC is considered chronic, and I’d already been dealing with it for five years.  I also had other pelvic pain that persisted until I decided enough was enough.  I went to a specialist in Washington D.C., desperate to solve the issue.  At that point, I was bedridden and in constant pain.  I had to stop working, as both sitting and walking were nearly unbearable. 

Though the specialist couldn’t really solve my pain issue, he did impart some important wisdom.  He explained that all of my pelvic floor muscles were full of tension, causing pain and loss of proper nerve function.  He estimated that the nerves in that region were only getting 50% of the normal blood supply necessary. 

Armed with this knowledge, I began to hunt outside of Western Medicine for a solution.  Since normal treatments were not helping, I was highly motivated.  It didn’t take long to stumble across the mind-body healing concept, and the more I read, the more excited I grew.  It all made perfect sense – I was holding stress and emotional tension in my body, keeping my body in the fight or flight response day in and day out.  I learned how to relax my muscles on purpose, how to recognize when I was in fight or flight and purposefully breathe my way into rest and digest.  I incorporated guided imagery, thought-work, diaphragmatic breathing, and gentle yoga. 

My body began to respond.  My pain reduced.  I lost weight.  I felt much less panicky.  I began to feel hope.  Before long, I could tell I was truly on the road to health, despite the chronic pain diagnoses.  Now, several years later, I am fantastically healthy.  I have taken my understanding of the mind-body connection to new levels in my life, leading to happiness and a sense of teamwork with my body.  It feels great!  Naturally, I want to share this with you.  Yoga and coaching both accelerate your process to stress relief, pain relief, and weight loss.  Put them together and you have the key to health and happiness.  

Think again!

Behind every inspiration is a story of personal experience.  Interestingly, our stories have many parallels.  We both struggled with weight, depression, and chronic pain issues.  It was the elements of yoga and coaching we now share with others that brought us physical wellness, mental and emotional well-being, and the lives we have now.

We have a passion for physical, mental, and emotional health because we have been where you are, whether you’re overweight, dealing with pain, overworking yourself, or just plain stressed!  Though we look healthy and happy now, we both spent a great deal of time bedridden with severe chronic pain.  Jess struggled with severe low-back pain that kept her immobilized, and Abigail dealt with severe pelvic pain and low-back pain.  Flummoxed by this medically diagnosed incurable pain, we both sought new avenues to return to health.  We both found the same answer – a new understanding of the mind-body connection.  Surprisingly, this didn’t just bring health and weight loss – it brought a deep sense of well-being, a comfortable and loving relationship with our bodies and selves, and strong tools to deal with life’s ups and downs.

It’s no surprise that these discoveries led us down paths toward sharing with others.  It’s hard to contain passion, and we are thrilled to be able to share with you the amazing power of yoga and coaching – not just as specific practices, but as a potent blend you won’t want to miss.

Coming soon…more about our experiences.  We plan to offer short write-ups that will be available in our studio soon.  We want you to know why we are doing what we’re doing, and what our personal experiences were!

Check back often to read our blog posts!  We’ll be sharing information about mind-body tools, yoga, and anything we can think of to make your Healthy Life Studio experience as complete as possible.

To see the current studio schedule, click the link below. You’ll be able to download a PDF containing this month’s schedule. To read more about the classes, visit our Classes page.

DOWNLOAD CURRENT SCHEDULE

The studio will be closed Saturday September 18th.

At the Healthy Life Studio our mission is to cultivate a community where Casper-area residents can explore yoga, meditation,  mind-body coaching, and other bodyworks.  Each of our instructors are certified in their respective fields and enjoy offering new and effective experiences for people seeking mind-body health and personal development.

In each class we strive to create an open, welcoming and nurturing atmosphere where everyone can strengthen and transform body, mind, and spirit.  Ultimately, we hope to provide support and services that further our collaborative move towards peace, happiness, love, grace, and health.

If you’re interested in taking classes, you can find all the information you need here on this site. You can register and pay for classes and view our complete schedule from the comfort of your own home. We look forward to seeing you in the studio!

Lizz Cowley, Owner

Settle into your new schedule and get back to your yoga practice. This September, we are offering special pricing for 3 and 9 month studio memberships. Auto-pay and pre-payment options are available. Enjoy unlimited classes at a reduced cost:

3 Month Membership $50 per month, pre-paid $140

9 Month Membership $45 per month, pre-paid $395

This offer is valid September 1 – September 30 for  NCSD teachers and staff only.  Stop by the studio to purchase as this offer is not available online; must provide school/staff ID.

______________________________________________________________

Past Members: has your membership expired?

If your membership and your zen have run out, check out our discounted packages available to past members. Running September 1 – October 31, this special will provide previous members the option of renewing at a discounted price! Stop by the studio to pick up a new class schedule and renew both your membership and your sense of calm.

3 Month Membership $60 per month

6 Month Membership $50 per month

Join us every week for the ‘love your body workout’. Connect your mind, body and spirit thorough joyful movement. All levels are welcome to attend. Taught by Kellie every Thursday evening from 6-7 pm.

__________________________________________

We have Mat Pilates!

Come experience Mat Pilates in a comfortable and nurturing atmosphere every Wednesday from 5:45-6:45 pm. Lauren guides students through a series of strengtheining and invigorating movements while nurturing the mind and spirit.