New Classes Starting Soon!

We have three new classes coming to North Yoga & Wellness in just two weeks, and they have something for everyone.

Shannon leads our Mindful Motherhood series, a class written specifically with mama's in mind. Over the course of an hour, for four weeks, we will spend time sharing our stories of motherhood, talking about who we are now and who we aspire to be. We will celebrate the small victories, and acknowledge the moments where we feel less than.

Each class will end with a meditation, where you can indulge in some weekly self care, sink back into the yoga mats, cozy up with a warm blanket and just be.

birthPrep is our four week childbirth education and birth prepartation class. This round is being led by Birth and Postpartum Doula Lisa, who provides a safe environment for parents to get to know their options, discuss them openly and find the path that is right for them.

There is no right or wrong way to birth your baby, or raise your family. We are here to help you navigate all of the options, provide you with nonjudgmental support and the information you need to make empowered decisions.

Shannon wraps up our Sunday classes with a fantastic four week session, Meditation for Stress Relief. Open to beginners and more advanced meditation practitioners, men and women alike - there is something for everyone at this practice.

Using soft spoken words, visualizations, candlelight, warm blankets and a safe environment, we encourage you to indulge in an hour of self-care time, let go of thoughts that don't serve you in a positive way and let the stress melt away.

To register for any of these classes, email us! info@sweetstellas.com

Meditation for Pregnancy and Birth

While birth can be chaotic and unpredictable (not always!), mentally preparing yourself for labour and birth can be a wonderful tool in finding a bit of control over your process.

When we set out to design a mala with Laure from My Mala Necklace, we wanted it to incorporate all of the elements that make up a mom.

Courage
Strength
Calm
Patience
Love

Sometimes these elements are difficult to find in ourselves, but by practicing a bit of meditation, holding your mala beads close to your heart and feeling the stones warm to your touch and energy, you might be surprised at what you find.

The courage to endure
The strength to push through
The calm and stillness between breaths
An intense amount of patience
And love
Abundant and unconditional love

In our meditation classes and on our podcasts, we talk about a love not only for those around us, our baby inside our belly, but also a love for ourselves. This is exceptionally important during pregnancy when our body is not our own, our hormones are raging and we are preparing for the unexpected.

Be gentle and kind with yourself
Hold yourself with an open heart
Be confident in your birth process

Whether you need to harness some confidence and inner strength (lava), feel some abundant and unconditional love (pink quartz), or inspire a sense of peace and calm for your birth (howlite), all of these elements live inside you. They grow with every breath you take, with every beat of your heart.

With every touch of your mala beads, these elements ignite within you and they prepare you for a beautiful birth experience, calm transition into motherhood, and the strength to endure, with patience and love.

 xoxo
Shannon

Learn to Meditate #meditation #mentalhealth

I've written about Meditation Oasis before here on the blog, but wanted to give a seasonal reminder that mental health is important. Taking time to meditate every day, especially when you are stressed or feel overwhelmed, but I often get asked how do you meditate?

Source

While you will find what works for you, here is what I do.

When I get ready for bed, I turn off all noise. No TV, white sound machine, fan...nothing. Open the window for some fresh air, and turn the lights off.

Then, I snuggle down in bed and put my sleep mask on. I find that it almost give me a layer of protection from the outside light and noise when I am meditating. Once I am comfortable, and covered with warm blankets (I find that meditating makes my body feel cold), I put my earbuds in and close my eyes.

Why ear buds? Why night time?

Well, ear buds because it helps me focus. I'm ok with thoughts swirling in my head, but not ok with outside noise which I find really distracting. Again, it's like a physical barrier between me and the outside.

Night time because, in all honesty, this is the only time that I have 100% to myself. In those 8-25minutes of a meditation, it is completely my time. I also find that meditating at night allows me to sleep more soundly, and lets my brain regroup overnight, making for a more productive and positive day upon waking up.

My number one tip on how to meditate would have to be to do it when you are able to be completely alone. Small children often don't understand that it's a time for quiet, and I find that there are more distractions during the daytime. Even something as simple as sunshine can be a distraction to your meditative process!

Try it! You just might like it!