What is mindfulness meditation? Have you always been curious? It sounds wonderful because it IS wonderful! Mindfulness meditation is the easiest form of meditation. If you have never tried meditating or are returning after a break, this is a soft way to begin again. Mindfulness meditation simply means paying attention to the present moment. Bringing your awareness to the now, you notice the thoughts your mind is thinking, not resisting them, but letting your mind be as it is. We don't try to control the thoughts, but gently and kindly pay attention. We notice the body and its sensations, and we notice any current emotions as they rise and fall. Mindfulness meditation can be practiced in your office chair, in your car, on a park bench or on your couch, wherever you are is fine. After we relax with some quiet, guided mindfulness, we will move into a more focused mini metta meditation. Metta means loving kindness. Rooted in the concept of friendship, metta represents an unconditional desire for happiness and well-being of all beings. It feels incredibly healing to offer these feelings and intentions to ourselves, and we'll spend a little while resting in the compassion and warmth of these ideas. A small amount of meditation goes a long way, positively affecting anxiety reduction and improving mental health.

Yoga Nidra is a state of being between sleep and consciousness that's conducive to deep emotional and physical healing, rewiring your brain and assisting with self-exploration. It is both deeply restorative and an immensely powerful meditation technique that is one of the easiest Yoga practices to develop and maintain. Even 20 minutes of yoga Nidra promotes deep physical, emotional and mental rest and relaxation, leaving you with a sense of wholeness that is as restful as several hours of sleep. Yoga Nidra is a practice that's easy to follow and everyone of all ages can do. The art of self-care is approached from a therapeutic standpoint, creating a restorative environment for the mind, releasing anxiety and nourishing and rejuvenating the individual. The stages of body scan and breath awareness guided by Yvonne calm the nervous system, leading to less stress and better health.

Special Edition: In the park! Please bring a mat and towel if needed.

Slow Flow classes are guided throughout, with a focus on breathwork which is intended to take students out of their heads and into a more peaceful state of awareness. Emphasis is given to aligning the breath with the movement while slowing down and softening into postures. Slow Flow is an excellent starting point if you are new to yoga, and it also serves to challenge students to go deeper into their practice if they are experienced practitioners. The slower pace of the class allows students to hold postures, engage muscles and build strength, as well as flexibility. Classes are set to music designed to build energy, then release energy as students settle into final grounded postures, and rest together in Savasana.

*Outside, Barnum Park in Birmingham, 48009. Please bring a mat! (Weather Permitting, Virtual if not)