 Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.-Jim Rohn
From headaches to toe cramps, it would be a gross understatement to say that through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, your body goes through a lot of changes. Some are barely noticeable, some excruciating, and everything in between. One way to tend to your body during these times - and to prep for or heal from certain physical aspects of childbirth - is to practice yoga, pilates or another fitness method to the degree that you are cleared to do so by your doctor. Considering the unique circumstances that come with the perinatal territory (from being extra stretchy to being especially sore in certain areas to actually having a baby with you!), it’s wise to practice with someone who knows about your needs. Enter pre- and post-natal classes. These serve to get your body moving in the ways right for you (which can have amazing benefits for your mental state too). A not so small bonus? The opportunity to connect with other women in your same phase of life. You of course are also welcome to talk to no one, because both are appropriate in these kinds of classes. Below is a list of local providers that, like the emotional support groups shared before, are stickin’ around for a while. Yoga Tree offers both prenatal and mom-and-baby yoga at a couple of their locations. There are a few day/time options to choose from, as well as teachers. I imagine all teachers who specialize in mom support are special, but I’d be neglecting a San Francisco fact of life if I didn’t mention that Jane Austin is the queen of prenatal and postpartum yoga - a special lady with a huge passion for her work. (multiple locations, most commonly Mission and Potrero Hill) The JCC is another place where you can find both prenatal yoga and baby-and-me classes. The facility is beautiful and of course you can check out any number of other classes and offerings (there are many). Members can also utilize up to two hours of childcare for littles 6 weeks to 10 years old. (Presidio Heights) Preggo Pilates offers a wide spectrum of perinatal support, whether you’re simply preparing your body or healing from having your baby(s). Via classes and individual instruction (and sometimes retreats!), they specialize in prenatal and postnatal pilates, safe core Work, diastasis recti (abdominal separation), pelvic floor/incontinence/prolapse, postural and breath awareness, and cesarean healing. If the offerings aren’t enough to get you in the door I’ll add that the owner Stephanie Forster is a joyful presence. Read her "about" page and you'll feel held already: (Mission and Potrero Hill) PRACTICE SF offers a variety of classes all with mindfulness in mind - among them pre- and postnatal yoga, with babies welcome. The space is tucked away like a mini oasis in the middle of the Marina and these classes - along with various workshops and series - serve to slow down and/or observe the natural busy-ness of the mind during this time of anticipation or full throttle parenting. One unique PRACTICE offering is their postnatal class for babies who are already crawling (typically you get the boot once baby is on the go). (Marina) The Lotus Method is a departure from yoga/pilates zone, but is another way to get at the unique physical needs of this time period. They describe what they do best: "At The Lotus Method, we focus exclusively on Pre/Postnatal women. Using a strength training and functional movement approach, The Lotus Method incorporates breathing techniques and postural alignment and integrates your core and pelvic floor. We strive to diminish pregnancy pains and discomforts, prepare mothers for the demands of pregnancy and labor and help women recover and return to fitness safely postpartum.” This is a great option for those who know that commitment is crucial to actually doing the thing you want to do as they have different membership levels, with a three-month minimum. One piece of feedback I've heard numerous times about this place is that their assessment process is very thorough. They really get to know your unique needs. (SOMA, Marina/Cow Hollow, Noe Valley) Last, but (based on so many local mamas raving about it) not least, another specialty program is Every Mother, formally known as The Dia Method. Every Mother offers online classes and community in addition to real life ones. This is just a piece of their manifesto: "Every Mother unlocks a scientifically proven method to strengthen the body during pregnancy and rebuild it after birth, regardless of how long it has been since you became a mother. We're a knowledge circle, a community, and a celebration of the mother you've become, and the woman you've been all along.” (online and various SF locations, check website to for up-to-date offerings) Hopefully one of these options with be a great fit for you. A friendly public service announcement to go with the recs: You don't have to be as strong and flexible as you think to go to these classes. That's WHY you're going. You don't have to have the perfect outfit, nor a cute new water bottle. Your baby doesn't have to be fuss-free to be welcomed to a class, and you don't have to be either. Give it a try Mama. You got this. Yours in wellness, self-care and compassion, Shana Think I may be the right fit for you or a loved one? Feel free to email me at contact@shanaaverbach.com or call 415-963-3546 for a free 20-minute consultation call.  Pregnant or not, the decisions to seek counseling can feel like quite the inner-battle. You are feeling overwhelmed, worrying about the same things over and over, and your stressors are outweighing your current coping mechanisms. You’ve thought about seeking counseling for months, maybe years, but actually doing it feels next to impossible. And yet, everyone you talk to who sees a therapist (if they’re willing to share) says it’s been a game changer. The line I’ve heard most over the years is “Why doesn’t everyone do this”? Also common: “I wish I’d come sooner.” I’m not going to try to convince you, because I know you need to exercise your right to choose what’s best for you. I know my own voice of I-don’t-wanna is strong, and I have to honor her position (though do try not to give her the last word too often). BUT it is my passion to inform women of their choices, big and small, and feel strongly that being emotionally empowered while walking the reproductive path is crucial. It can mean difference between feeling connected versus isolated, self-compassionate versus guilt-stricken, and resourced versus confused about what or who can help during the time(s) you need it most. Okay, so how do you choose whether counseling is right for YOU? Now that you’re pregnant - or even if you are planning to be soon - therapy or supportive counseling may be helpful if you:
*Risk factors include:
Does any of this resonate with you? I'll be adding more in coming weeks about the specific benefits you gain during this unique and time-limited experience, but if you're ready, go ahead make that call. (More on finding a therapist here, here, and here). Yours in wellness, self-care and compassion, Shana Think I may be the right fit for you or a loved one? Feel free to email me at contact@shanaaverbach.com or call 415-963-3546 for a free 20-minute consultation call. Want lots more education about PMADS and access to maternal mental health support anywhere in the country and beyond? Check out Postpartum Support International!  Don't worry, I won't be listing out eighteen-hundred anythings, but 1,825 is the number of entries you get when you decide to list five things you are grateful for...each day...for a year, which is the practice I started in the Spring of 2009.
With gratitude season upon us, and resolutions (I call them intentions) on the horizon, I thought I would share a few things I learned from this exercise, one that I see as absolutely pivotal to my sense of growth, optimism, and meaning. [For those whose minds have already raced ahead to thinking oy, 5 a day is a lot or pssht, a gratitude practice is just for Oprah or Stuart Smalley, and are on the verge of turning to a celebrity blog or the latest brief upworthy post, I urge you to wait. I do think that this practice is so very worth a shot for everyone, and that is why I'm sharing, but I do not think it has to exceed say, 2-3 items a day, nor does it have to represent a voice that is not your own. As long as it's a practice. And don't worry, the voice of doubt – often present to protect us – is included below as well.] So here we go: 1. If ever I lose sight of my values - those driving life forces - I can always find them in my personal inventory of gratitude data. Themes emerged quickly as I sifted through the info and they can be narrowed down to several categories, including: Human connection: Friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances were all up in my journal – from my inner circle and immediate family to a tow truck driver with whom I had one conversation, to my acupuncturist (and her whole crew actually). I was grateful for gestures, shared experiences, and for being the recipient of good news. Meaningful work: Gratitude all over the place for people allowing me to witness their challenges, their growth, and their stories overall. Also for professional development. Also for increased confidence over time. Sensory experiences: Hot showers, smooth sheets, warm air, hearing poetry, feeling safe, sunlight, and – I won't give it its own category, even though the sheer volume of entries would warrant it – FOOD. Goodness, I got specific. Lots of comfort food, soups galore. Chocolate cake came up a lot. So did guacamole. Overcoming obstacles: Having the ability to speak even while fighting tears, thinking of alternate solutions, talking myself down or away from anxiety, recognizing my limitations and accommodating them, pushing through when tested, abstaining from dessert (go figure). But I already know my values, you say. Yes, you sure do. I do too, especially when I'm at my best. But on a bad day, I tell ya, the amnesia shows up, and it's strong, isn't it? These life categories can be nudges towards an action to take (e.g., phone a friend, take a hot bath, etc.) or mere reminders of gratitude past (e.g., that perfect guacamole, conversation, etc.) 2. No matter what happens I can always “re-frame” my experiences. Re-frames – or looking at a situation in a way that accentuates something different than you would first notice - are deserving of their own post. They are the thing people arrive at when they suddenly feel different, better, or less oppressed by something. And they can be cultivated. I conveyed gratitude for having a head to ache, having feet to be sore, having people to lose, the prospect of my neighbor not snoring, and the realization that I hadn't been recharging. But if you express gratitude for unpleasant things, aren't you just lying to yourself? Absolutely not. Unlike their counterparts (focusing on the pain, for example), these reframes recognize the experience, but highlight perspective and hope. If this material wasn't part of a practice, there is no way I would have thought to experience it as anything other than what I felt in that precise moment. Re-frames also showed up as exceptions: For difficult times or experiences. Of course an argument would feel bad when you typically get along with someone. Of course feeling achy will suck against the backdrop of feeling well. But “of course” gets lost in our daily experiences when we aren't mindful of them. Valuing the yuck that stands out the most is highly valuable in this practice if it brings your awareness to the yum you may take for granted. [And by the way, we all have (to varying degrees) what has been deemed a “negativity bias,” meaning our brains naturally gravitate towards negative things – likely to protect us from (perceived) danger. Positive psychologists have narrowed down the antidote to a 3:1 ratio – that is three positives to one negative to balance things out. So if you are considering this practice in any form, three may be your magic number.] And finally... 3. I do not believe that finding the love of my life almost precisely six months into this gratitude exercise was an accident (In fact, we had actually met a numerous times before truly meeting.). If you had asked me how I would like to be in when I found the person I would spend the rest of my life with, I would have said I would like to know myself well – how I relate to people, what I like, where I'm confident, and where I...well, need to do a lot of re-framing. I would like to feel strong in my ability to overcome obstacles and to see things in different lights. I would like to know where I stop and he begins. See, people throw around phrases like “you have to be okay with yourself before you can be okay with someone else,” and I don't know about you, but that always sounded very abstract to me. How will I know I'm okay? What will that look and feel like? This practice was one way that I accidentally concretized it, setting in the presence of positivity, focus, and purpose. And love is just one slice of the pie. Could we not all benefit from showing up to everything in this life with these elements? Goodness knows, I feel wobbly at times – negative, flappable, lost – but having gratitude is anchoring to what is important to my core. But what if I try something like this and I still don't find the things I am looking for in life? Aah, the question of the hour. What if this try doesn't "work."? Well, there are no guarantees, but there's a chance you'll see positive side effects from the effort as much as the end result. But more than that, I really hate to see fear getting the last word in any argument, much less one involving self-growth. Fear, like doubt and our negativity bias overall, serves to shield us from all kinds of risks. But like an overprotective parent, it can also keep us from important felt experiences that help us understand our strengths and limitations. Perhaps your first item can be gratitude for the fear's intentions? I just hope you won't stop there. [And you know, if any voice of protection tells you to bolster your support before trying this or any DIY emotional health exercise OR you try and still feel stuck or particularly steeped in the negativity, perhaps reaching out for peer or professional support will help.] So there you have it. I would like to take this moment to express gratitude for each and every set of eyes that grazes my words. I give thanks to you.  I recently returned to acupuncture after an accidental eight month hiatus and was instantly enveloped by its healing powers. Before falling into the zone of the treatment which can be best described as a deep and juicy nap, my mind started wandering to what it is, specifically, that I find helpful about this treatment modality (aside from the fact that my recurrent bronchitis never reoccurred after I started receiving it a few years ago).
You see, I've recommended acupuncture to many and a lot of the time people try it and love it. But understandably there are still people who are reticent to try something so different than their usual healthcare. Because the energetic ins and outs of this component of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are someone else's field of expertise, I wanted to offer up three aspects of the work that I find deeply therapeutic, both as consumer and as a therapist : 1. You can talk to your acupuncturist about your symptom(s) without anticipating judgment. Let's face it: We don't address half the things we don't address because we are scared that our issues are too big, too complicated, or too shameful to say aloud (sometimes they are too something even to let into our awareness). But much like with psychotherapy, there is not much you can tell acupuncturists that they haven't heard before. Their education exposes them to every system of the body and their extensive hours of training allow them to witness what it is like for people to experience various issues. So whereas you may not always feel comfortable telling your friends or partner about some itchy aspect of your life, the regularity of your bowel movements, or even how often you feel weepy or anxious, your acupuncturist is ready to receive such information with an openness and readiness to alleviate your discomfort. 2. Each treatment session induces a state of sustained relaxation. Here's the world's quickest physiology lesson. Two main components of your autonomic (involuntary) nervous system are the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems. The former is in charge of the “fight or flight” response, which is triggered by the perception of danger. Think increased heart rate, adrenaline rush, tensed muscles, and anything else that would help you gear up to fight for your life. The latter is the ruler of the “rest and digest” response, which involves the slowing down of your heart rate, the relaxing of muscles, and other physical indications that you are safe, that you can let go. With our fast-paced world and big fat brains we spend a lot of time in the “fight or flight” zone even when we are not in actual danger (just imagining past dangers or anticipating new ones gets us going). Anything you can do to lure your parasympathetic system into action is a gift that keeps on giving (seriously, once you feel a truly relaxed state you will be very aware of what you've been missing) and easing into an acupuncture session, where you will be reclining in a comfortable position in a warm room for at least 45 minutes...well, I'm getting relaxed just thinking about it. 3.You can expect to be treated as a whole person, not just a walking symptom. I don't know about you, but when I go to the doctor, I am often surprised by how quick they are to offer a prescription without asking a lot of questions. Furthermore, the side effects of said prescription (which we all know tend to take up half the air time in commercials) first come to your attention in 16 font print at the pharmacy. Not so with acupuncture. When you engage with treatment they take a good history, and while your life context may not be the subject of conversation at your follow up visits, you know that they are keeping your story in mind (another commonality with many forms of psychotherapy). You can also describe your mental and physical experiences in whatever terms make sense to you. Maybe you feel “ungrounded” or “meh” or you stomach doesn't hurt, but feels “hot.” There's room to describe your experiences without trying to wedge them into a limited check box and you will be met with curiosity and, again, the readiness to treat. The side effects? Well, let's just say your are more likely to need an extra five minutes to wake up before you drive home than you are to have temporary hair loss, incontinence, or trouble breathing. So if fear of the unknown has kept you from this particular healing system, consider whether any of the above considerations could be of services to your health. Don't your mind and body deserve it? PS: One more thing to put your mind at ease: Acupuncture is very affordable. Many practitioners now take insurance and there are tons of community clinics popping up all over the country. Check out some local suggestions here!  I wouldn't recommend becoming a certified nerd in the nutrition domain, because there is too much information out there to keep up with, much of which is contradictory - even when it is often supposedly science-based! In my (nerdy)family there's a paleo-versus-low-animal-protein-high-plant-based diet dispute that simply can't be settled because no one is actually a dietitian.
But I find being an explorer of the nutrition world to be endlessly interesting, even if I can't always find firm conclusions. The composition of what we ingest as well as our habits around eating are too linked to mood and well-being to not stay curious about. Here are two easy ways you can learn more about food and your mood.* 1. PAY ATTENTION to what you put in your mouth and how you feel. Sounds easy, I know, but we do A LOT of mindless eating. Plus, since the food scientists can't agree, this is a great way to gather some empirical evidence - that which is collected by your direct experience. Take a week and experiment with eating in certain ways and measuring things like energy and mood. Try bigger and smaller meals and ones at different times of day; those with carbs and those more filled with protein. Notice your cravings. Notice your compulsions. Write. it. all. down. [If your initial response to this is that you don't have enough time to pay attention to your food, I invite you to carve out said time. This. is. your. health.] A few years ago I switched from eating dense sandwiches to hearty salads for lunch and my afternoon fatigue lifted. Occasionally I'll cut out desserts because I am feeling sugar addicted and after the withdrawal symptoms disappear (I'm talking headachy, flu-like symptoms. Anyone who argues that sugar isn't a drug has never tried getting off the stuff), I notice a lot more energy and alertness as well. See what is true for you. No one knows you better. 2. Once you notice what foods are linked with feeling more like you want to feel, learn more about them and find ways to incorporate them into your daily diet. My absolute favorite food website is The World's Healthiest Foods, which is filled to the brim (I mean packed) with nutrition information and recipes (and incidentally does cite tons of scientific information). I like that they aren't commercially driven, and that they "respect individuality and provide a wide variety of healthy food options. That way each individual can discover the personalized information, recipes, cooking methods and menu plans to meet his or her needs." Whether you search by food (bell pepper), vitamin (vitamin B), or feeling (fatigue), up comes a world of information that you can incorporate into your culinary and dietary worlds. They even have foods indexed based on nutritional value. I have found that there is so much info that even if I'm not grabbed by a concept or piece of advice, there is enough other content to keep my attention. See what draws you in. If you are someone who gets dizzy trying to stay caught up on the million food trends, I strongly encourage you to be your own research tool. And let's not forget this research project involves e.a.t.i.n.g. *It's hard to advocate listening to your own body and experience and in the same sentence remind you that consulting a doctor is always recommended when talking about health, but I'm going to do it anyway. They aren't mutually exclusive. I would encourage you more strongly to seek medical attention if you have ongoing issues that may be food related - allergic reactions, digestive problems, chronic fatigue, etc.  A good night's sleep is one of the best avenues to improve overall health: Quality sleep leads to clear thinking (and less accidents!), weight management, better mood, and - important from the psychological perspective - the ability to process information, thoughts, and experiences.
It's not hard to see how those direct health benefits could then positively affect self-esteem and relationships as well. While the sleep research is straight forward, the experience of having difficulty sleeping on an ongoing basis is even more clear: IT. FEELS. AWFUL. It is simply harder to go about your day when you are sleep deprived. A friend who's in the field of 0-5 mental health, working largely with new moms recently pointed out, "Sleep deprivation is a form of torture." Well said. As a recovering insomniac myself and a person who has helped numerous people find better relationships with sleep, I feel confident about the ability to change patterns - even those that have been with you for a while. Below is a recipe with items that you can truly mix and match to increase your chance of accessing quality sleep and reaping its benefits. Ingredients:
Recipe During the day: Incorporate exercise into your daily routine or at least a few times per week. Add acupuncture or acupressure once a week specifically targeting this symptom (I'm a fan of Circle Community Acupuncture, but there are tons of others as well). Experiment with reducing or eliminating caffeine, as it's a stimulant. Alcohol and other drug use can impact sleep as well. In the evening: Drink a calming tea a couple hours before you are wanting to go to bed (not too close to bed time, because waking up to pee isn't exactly relaxing). Instead of watching tv or being online, both activities that expose you to flashing lights and other stimulating material, incorporate a calming activity, one that sends the message to your body that it is okay to relax. Draw yourself a hot bath and soak for as long as it's comfortable. At bed time: Make sure your sleeping space is free of clutter and light. Your brain needs darkness to really get the message that it's time for sleeping. Make sure that you are warm enough, adding blankets if necessary. Troubleshooting: If thoughts come up, tell yourself you can think them tomorrow. Write them down in your journal if you'd like. Try a progressive muscle relaxation recording or do it yourself by mentally scanning your body, slowly, from your toes to the crown of your head, scrunching your respective muscle groups then relaxing them and thinking "relax." If none of this draws you into sleep, go to another area away from your bed for a while. You don't want to associate your bed with a losing battle. As you experiment with different ingredients track your sleep patterns in your journal to see what is and is not working for you. If sleep continues to be an struggle, especially one involving repetitive thoughts, it might be time to start counseling to address the rumination and worries. Remember, just because you have "gotten used to" getting by with minimal sleep does not mean it's helping you function as your best self! * These items directly stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (your body's relaxation machine) to kick in.  Moodiness, like many things, can range from feeling normal to totally out of control (I think I hear a lot of "amens" in the distance). Whether it's due to seasons, hormones, life circumstances, or anything else, when it feels like our moods are in the driver's seat, as opposed to our core selves, we tend to not feel as centered or in control.
Senti is a new app that asks you questions that track your mood and then displays the results in graph form. The process has you reflecting on your experience and the resulting content is a simple visual image of your patterns. If you don't want to use the app, you can do a mood-tracking experiment on paper. Identify one to two (fixed) times per day to jot down how you feel, on a scale or 0 to 5, with 0 being "as bad as it gets" and 5 being "couldn't be better." You can add brief details about what you are doing or thinking about at the time you are rating yourself, but keep it simple. Regardless of the medium, I think there is a great deal of power in identifying your patterns, as the next step might be finding strategies to alter your (predictably) lower times and/or bolster the high ones. See what you find out!  This is a cooking exercise that's good for the person who's been running from one thing to the next, or who's been lost in repetitive thoughts. It's a great way to slow down and truly get in your senses, without taking up a lot of time.
Bonus: You get to eat afterwards! I'm recommending this pesto recipe because it takes 5 minutes and I find the scent of basil alone comforting, never mind the stimulating smell of fresh garlic. If pesto isn't your thing, think of a simple alternative. Just make sure it involves at least one aromatic ingredient that you can really inhale. Here is the above recipe (to be enjoyed on steamed vegetables, pasta, as a spread, etc.) along with mindful modifications:
 So I'm not crazy about soapboxes (I prefer the eye-to-eye view), but I get very adamant about the importance of incorporating exercise or movement into our daily lives.
I want to be clear that I am not what you would consider athletic. When I played kick-ball in elementary school I always chose the deep outfield to stand so I could talk with my friends about important life stuff (like Vanilla Ice and the future). I took gymnastics for most of those years, but when I tapped out of the young fearlessness and monkey-like tendencies that drew me in to begin with, I again was more into the gabbing portion of the class. But after years of cultivating awareness about what makes me register on the scale of Okay - Awesome, as well as years of sitting with clients who are aiming for the same, I have come to the absolute conclusion that adding exercise to your life is one of the most predictable ways to feel at least a bit better, if not enormously so. Feeling quite comfortable with my qualitative evidence, I'm not going to go into the research that says exercise might work better than anti-depressants and have better long-term effects on mild to moderate depression while concurrently providing other health benefits (but here is a Harvard newsletter publication that will). Instead I'm going to give you some ways to get started that will run you from $0 - $20. So here we go.* If you're curious about your local gym, but don't want to commit or aren't a fan of the membership prices...Check out their free passes. Crunch does a 1-day, Fitness SF has a 3-day, Bally and Gold's have a 7-day, and 24 Hour Fitness has up to a 14-day-pass. UCSF's gym is doing an open house week, where their facility is free from 5/6 - 5/14! That's over a month's worth of free gym time right there, more than enough time to figure out what you like, dislike, want, and need. Bonus tip: If you are wanting to practice your assertiveness skills, this may be a good time. Gym employees can get pushy about getting you to join, so know what you are willing to commit to or spend on a more ongoing basis. There's absolutely nothing wrong with saying "I'll think about it and get back to you." If you already know the gym isn't your thing and you are more interested in pursuing something like yoga...Employ the same strategy as above with local yoga studios (I have low- and no-cost options listed on my resource page). When I fell for yoga I had just graduated from school and was unemployed; Therefore paying a lot for classes wasn't an option for me. So I seriously dated around San Francisco yoga studios, taking advantage of intro offers and eventually landed where I felt comfortable. You won't know until you check 'em out. If you don't want to exercise outside of the comfort of your home (or room)...Order workout videos from Netflix (1-month free membership, then starting at $7.99/month), hop on YouTube (here's a list of 30 workout channels someone compiled. I can't vouch for them but it may be easier than sifting through thousands.). DoYogaWithMe.com offers truly free streaming yoga without asking you to sign up for anything. Bonus tip/disclaimer: **BE REASONABLE. If you are a beginner, don't attempt crazy workout stunts that involve heavy weights and body contortions. If you are only willing to try one thing...Add walking to your daily or weekly routine. If you are seriously forcing yourself to do this, start flat. Wander your neighborhood or stroll through the park. When you are ready to push yourself a little bit more, try to incorporate an incline. Get your heart beating a bit faster. If there's no way you're going to add exercise on your own...Do all of the above with a friend with whom you feel comfortable. All these endeavors can go from feeling a little daunting to feeling like an adventure (or at least a laugh) when done with a partner-in-crime. * You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting an exercise program. ** Seriously though, use good judgment.  Happy Stress Reduction Month (apparently alive since 1992. Who knew?)!
Since stress can creep into our physical and emotional health, our relationships, and our very ability to take care of ourselves, it isn't something to be taken lightly. Lucky for us there are many ways to tend to it, big and small. The latter is this week's wellness tool. But since awareness is such a powerful first step, take this stress assessment offered through the Mayo Clinic website to help gauge your level of stress. Not in the mood? No problem. See below for stress reduction in... One second: Inhale the scent of lavender, in the form of fresh flowers, oil, or spray (some like to spray on their pillows before bed). One minute: Sit silently in a comfortable space, eyes closed. Breathe slowly through your belly while counting your breaths. One hour: Clean your living space. Consider that this hour of cleaning will free up space for you to relax in more...well, relaxing ways. One day: Check out these upcoming very low-cost "Peace of Mind" day-long meditation retreats! For those in recovery, Zen Center is offering a day-long retreat at their Green Gulch location May 5th. |
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