March 2024 Newsletter
Happy March! I hope February was a chance for you to enjoy some slower days and time to reflect. As you are reading this, I am out of the country attending a training to be certified as a Psychosomatic (Mind/Body) Practitioner. I am so excited to share more about this training with you next month. Thank you for reading my newsletter where each month I will continue to share with you more of my personal journey and the things I have been learning, teaching, reading, and loving. My hope is that you will find something that speaks to your heart and leads you toward healing and happiness in your own life. I also hope that these newsletters will encourage deeper connection with yourself, as you contemplate the thoughts and questions. Please know I always love reading your responses and insights if you are willing to share. In the spirit of sharing, please feel free to share this email with any friends or family who you feel may benefit from it as well.
What I am learning:
I am learning more about building safety and trust, both within myself and with those I interact with. In my “Fundamentals of Intuitive Leadership and Mentoring Course”, this last month we have been discussing and practicing this very concept. One of our assignments was to practice mirroring another person in a specific way. The assignment began by looking at an object in the room, with the person you were going to mirror, without speaking and simply taking a moment to observe the object. Then, the mirroring began and continued for 10 min. After the mirroring exercise, you and your partner then return to the object and share your observations. I chose to do the exercise with my husband and I found it so fascinating! We chose a set of clear stacked organizers that hold our tea as our object. When I looked initially, I noticed the individual teas-their colors, their order, and their names and found my brain automatically trying to organize them so I could memorize them. After mirroring Ross, when I looked at the same object, I saw it in a whole different way. This time I saw the whole stacked organizer and while I could still see the details, they were not taking all of my focus like before. I could see a bigger picture and was able to notice the overall structure more. From this exercise, I learned that we all see the world from our unique perspective and in order to establish safety and trust, it is so important for us to be able to step outside of “our way” and see from others perspectives. I felt so much more understanding of my husband and the way he operates. While it is very different from how I operate and view the world, I found myself appreciating him more and recognizing how we complement each other in our different ways of being. I felt a greater sense of safety and trust within myself, as I was able to see my unique gifts and insights more clearly and value the contribution I offer. The exercise also strengthened my relationship with my husband as it offered me an opportunity to express my appreciation and understanding for how he contributes and brings value to the world. I am looking forward to practicing and deepening my ability to build safety and trust with myself and others. How have you learned to build safety and trust in yourself and others?
What I am offering:
YOGA:
Due to my travels, there will be no class on March 5th. Our weekly online yoga will resume Tuesday, March 12th at 8pm MST and I look forward to reconnecting with you all then! If you have been interested in joining our weekly yoga, please join our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1997436973946383/?ref=share_group_link for updates and login information. The first class is always free and $10 per class after.
I am offering private, in-home (or online) yoga lessons for those looking for more personalized attention. I also am happy to do private retreats tailored to you and your groups’ needs. These offerings are not on my website currently so please reach out via email if a personalized yoga session or retreat is of interest to you.
HIKING:
This month we will have two opportunities for a hike, due to the cancellation for snowy weather in February. First opportunity will be snowshoeing up Cedar Canyon on March 9th at 10 am. The second will be hiking the Yant Flats Trail on March 23rd at 9am. This hike is rated moderate and is approx. 3.4 miles. Stay tuned for updates or other changes due to weather. I look forward to seeing you all on the trail! If you are interested in joining us for a hike, please join our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/384391280768422/?ref=share_group_link
SALVES:
I am also selling homemade herbal salves on my website. Choose from Calendula, Pine, Rosemary, or Calendula mixed with Rosemary. The calendula and rosemary salves are made from homegrown organic herbs and the pine salve is carefully harvested from Pinion pines in the Southern Utah area. These salves have many beneficial properties and are a great addition to your home first aid kit.
If any of these offerings are of interest to you, please reach out to me at joyfulbalancedhealth@gmail.com
What I am reading:
I finished reading “Wintering” by Katherine May and enjoyed so many of her insights and stories. I found myself relating very much to her chapter about rediscovering her voice and loved reading her journey to learn to sing again. In the final chapter, she shares how she hoped to have traveled and interviewed people for her book, however, life happened and for a time she doubted the book would be completed. She says “But here I am and here it is. The only difference-the only reason I have finished this-is experience. I recognized winter. I saw it coming (a mile off, since you ask), and I looked it in the eye. I greeted it and let it in. I had some tricks up my sleeve, you see. I’ve learned them the hard way. When I started feeling the drag of winter, I began to treat myself like a favored child: with kindness and love. I assumed my needs were reasonable and that my feelings were signals of something important. I kept myself fed and made sure I was getting enough sleep. I took myself for walks in the fresh air and spent time doing things that soothed me. I asked myself: What is this winter all about? I asked myself: What change is coming?”
These words spoke to my heart and I recognized I have been practicing some of these same simple practices-walking, getting enough sleep, eating nourishing food, and recognizing that my feelings are signaling something important to me right now. I look forward to the day soon when I can answer for myself what this particular winter has been about and understand what change has occurred within me. Until then, I am curious how you are practicing greeting this winter season and treating yourself with kindness and love?
What I am loving:
I am loving the opportunity I have had to do some traveling the last couple months. I love that travel offers us an opportunity to widen our viewpoints and see things from a different perspective. I have loved taking some time to replenish and renew my mind and body, in the hopes that when I return next month, I will have more capacity to hold space for others and will be able to offer fresh insights and new perspectives in my classes. At the same time, I have missed my connections with each of you and look forward to seeing you all again soon!
Sending you all love and light,
♥️Jessica