We all have them. As humans we are designed and destined to feel a broad array of emotions. Big or small, short or long lasting, gentle or intense, they come as a response to our life experience. Some pass across us like a light breeze creating only a tiny ripple of change and others like a thunder bolt striking us so deep the experience changes us forever. Being human means we ride these waves day in and day out. I love the image of a wave because I believe that emotions have motion. They each have a certain feeling of movement in the body. One may feel tingly or effervescent, while another may feel like shimmer or a swirl, while others might feel like a slash or a punch. Emotions can also set us in motion. They can inspire us to act, warn us to move in a different direction, draw us closer in, or send a signal we’re doing something worthwhile. Emotions are not only a response to what we are experiencing in life, they each come bearing important gifts. In order to appreciate we must understand the language of emotions. If you’re anything like me, over the past two years you’ve experienced more than your fair share of emotions. Some as familiar as your favorite jeans while others appear as foreign intruders. I have struggled a lot with experiencing emotions I could not identify, name, or even fully locate within myself. They simply felt like an ominous shadow that disappeared every time I turned around to find them. Having no history and no familiarity left me confused, ungrounded, and feeling very alone. Even my go to yoga practices did not help me, which left me feeling helpless. I found myself crying out, sometimes literally, to the Universe for guidance, luckily the universe provided. The Universe brought me some wonderful resources that introduced me to a broader array of emotions and educated me in their meaning. Interestingly it was through being able to understand them, intellectually, that they were brought out of the dark and into the light. My go to has always been to start with body and then move to the brain. But in this case it seemed that in order to work with them I first needed to understand them before being able to identify them in myself. Actually knowing their roots and gifts played an instrumental role in befriending and managing them. I am happy to say I am still studying, learning, and navigating my way through foreign emotions. Some days are better than other, practice and community help too. Down below I’ve shared some resources for you- books, podcasts, YouTube videos, and an online downloadable digital course to take. I’ve been using all of these and they’ve helped give me a deeper understanding and assured me that I’m not imagining things, I’m not alone, and that everything I’m feeling is normal, which is been a huge relief to me. I hope these resources help you if you or a loved one find yourself in a similar situation. May you be safe May you be healthy, May you ride the waves of your life with skill and grace and may you know peace. Michelle |
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Below are a number of resources that can be a great entry into this territory. The first 5 are podcasts Brene's are on her website Glennon's is on Spotify Karla's is on Sound Trues website The last with Kelly is a YouTube video interview |
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READ In Atlas of the Heart, Brown takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the language and tools to access a universe of new choices and second chances—a universe where we can share and steward the stories of our bravest and most heartbreaking moments with one another in a way that builds connection. |   | |
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READ Your emotions contain brilliant information. When you learn to welcome them as your allies, they can reveal creative solutions to any situation. For 35 years, empathic counselor and researcher Karla McLaren has developed a set of practical tools for the real-world stresses of family, career, and the quest for personal fulfillment. In The Language of Emotions, she presents her breakthrough teachings for a new and empowering relationship with your feeling states. |   | |
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LISTEN & LEARN Why is compassion so powerful? Like many forms of spirituality and meditation, compassion practice has been shown by research to enhance your health, psychological well-being, relationships, and sense of purpose. “The unique quality of compassion,” teaches Dr. Kelly McGonigal, “is that its benefits extend to the one who offers it, the one who receives it, and all those who witness compassion in action.” |   | |
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PRACTICE Heart Centered Meditation What is it like to be present with the heart? And what would it feel like and mean to be infused with and surrounded by the qualities of the heart? Join me for this guided meditation that brings you into relationship with the heart and then expands those qualities to envelop you. |   | |
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KRIPALU OUTDOORS: WINTER HIKING AND YOGA Stretch your legs, breathe the fresh Berkshire air, and log off of screens and technology with Kripalu’s mindful outdoor guides for a rejuvenating, mindful hiking experience that will help you reconnect and recharge February 18 - 21, 2022 (holiday weekend) and March 11 - 13, 2022 |   | |
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THE ESSENTIAL KRIPALU RETREAT Take a break from your day-to-day routines and find compassion through simple and empowering practices. February 25 - 27, 2022 |   | |
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THE KRIPALU APPROACH TO MEDITATION Immerse yourself in Kripalu’s accessible approach to meditation through empowering introspective practices and grounding breathing techniques designed to cultivate compassionate awareness and sensitivity to prana, the life-force energy. March 4 - 6, 2022 |   | |
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200HR KRIPALU YOGA TEACHER TRAINING Monthlong Immersion Experience the fundamentals of Kripalu Yoga. Our Yoga Alliance–approved 200-Hour Kripalu Yoga certification program trains you to teach safe, fun, and empowering yoga classes, and shows you how to incorporate the wisdom of yoga into your life. March 20 - April 15, 2022 |   | |
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300HR KRIPLU YOGA TEACHER TRAINING MODULE Vinyasa: Breathe, Feel, Flow Deepen your skills and increase your appeal to students who want to experience an intentional and mindful approach to vinyasa yoga. Learn to create intelligent and innovative sequences, establish powerful philosophical themes that support your students both on and off the mat, and infuse your teaching with power, purpose, and heart. April 22 - May 1, 2022 |   | |
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THE THREAD YOGA COLLECTIVE A LIVE, ONGOING, ONLINE YOGA TEACHER COMMUNITY Liza Bertini and I are excited to announce our brand new continuing education, personal and professional development, and mentorship program for yoga, Ayurveda, and mindfulness teachers. Our community platform provides a place to connect and collaborate with colleagues, take live online master classes and workshops, learn through study groups, book clubs, talk shop sessions, and much more. Become a part of this community and continue to learn, develop, and grow from our team of skilled mentors and world class presenters, as well as from your peers and colleagues. |   | |
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VIDEO LIBRARY PRE-RECORDED, ON DEMAND NEW LOWER PRICE AND LONGER REPLAY TIME for time for all my Video Library classes All classes are now $5 for 72hour rental. Monthly subscription still $50 for access to all 33 classes. |   | |
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS All my events, both online and in person, all in one place. Starting mid August my teaching schedule will be partially online and partially in person ... wow, does that feel strange to say after 17 long months exclusively online. So looking forward to seeing you virtually or in person soon! |   | |
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