You can expect occasional reflections, simple practices, seasonal offerings, community events, and resources from my work as a therapist, yoga teacher, and human being.
Heart Stone | November Newsletter
Heart Stone | NovemberAs we move deeper into autumn, I’ve been thinking about the rhythms of the past few months, what we have to opportunity to take from them, and what helps us feel grounded and supported as we move through the season. At a book club recently, we found ourselves talking about what a beautiful summer we’d had. Bright, airy, sunny and warm, with cool, windy nights. It was just about as lovely as a New England summer can be. And this fall has been pretty remarkable, too. The crisp days, cold nights and particularly vibrant foliage have given us plenty to take in before the landscape begins to change again. There’s something about this time of year that invites us to pay attention. We might notice the shift in temperature, the earlier sunsets, or the way our days begin to take on a different rhythm. Sometimes we’re consciously aware of these changes, and sometimes we find ourselves responding to them before we’ve quite put words to them. This morning, I sat down with the calendar to look ahead at the rest of the year. I found myself thinking about the rituals, gatherings, and small ways to stay connected with myself, family, friends, and community as we move toward the darker, cooler days. I’ve been thinking about where I want to direct my time and energy, and what I want to make room for in the weeks ahead. As we move toward November, I’m interested in exploring how we can become more discerning about our energy, more curious about the ways we’ve learned to navigate the world, and more intentional about what we want to nurture. Our commitments and relationships still matter, even as the season invites us to reconsider how we tend to them. How do we recognize what is already enough? How do we care for our energy and the things that sustain us? And as the days grow shorter, what helps us feel connected, supported, and part of something larger than ourselves? These are some of the questions we’ll be exploring through our November practices at Heart Stone, including the final weeks of Sunday Reset. As the autumn series comes to a close, we’ll spend some time considering the relationships, communities, and everyday moments that help us feel held, along with the ways we contribute to that sense of connection for one another. Opportunities to Practice & ConnectFlow & Slow Flow at Drift & OakI’m always happy to have opportunities to practice together at Drift & Oak in Medway. I’ll be teaching a few additional classes this month, including a special Thanksgiving morning flow. I’d be so thrilled to share time and practice with you, especially on Thanksgiving morning. How special would that be?! November classes with me:
I’m especially looking forward to teaching on Thanksgiving morning. It feels like a lovely way to begin the day, with a little time to move, breathe, and settle in before the holiday gets underway. I’d love to see you in class! Keep an eye on the Drift & Oak schedule, too. I pick up substitute classes pretty regularly, so there may be other opportunities to practice together throughout the month. Classes and registration:Drift & Oak Sunday Reset: Seasonal Yoga & RestorationOur autumn series wraps up this month! Now is a great time to work a Sunday evening into your schedule if that’s a possibility for you. You might also use the beginning of November as an opportunity to set an intention for the month ahead. If you’re unable to attend a class, I hope you’ll consider spending a little time with the weekly themes and prompts on your own, reflecting on your relationship with yourself, the season, and whatever is here for you. Sunday Reset has been a lovely way to gather at the end of the week/ the beginning of another, spend time in practice, and connect with one another as the seasons change. Over these twelve weeks, we’ve been exploring the rhythms of autumn and finding different ways to return to ourselves, week by week. Our November sessions bring together several of the ideas we’ve been exploring throughout the series. The Masks We Wear | Satya We'll explore authenticity, identity, and the roles we carry in our lives. Through the lens of Satya, or truthfulness, we'll get curious about how we show up for ourselves and others, and what our familiar ways of being might tell us about our experiences and needs. Harvest & Integration As the season deepens, we'll take time to reflect on what we've gathered along the way. What have we learned from the experiences we've moved through? What feels worth carrying forward? Tend to Your Fire | Tapas We'll explore our relationship with energy, commitment, and vitality. What deserves our attention at this point in the season? What helps sustain us, and how can we care for our own vitality as we move into the darker months? Enough | Santosha Santosha invites us to explore contentment and our relationship with what is already here. We'll make room to notice what feels meaningful and sufficient in our lives, even as other things continue to change or unfold. Warmth & Connection In our final gathering, of the season we'll turn toward the relationships, communities, and everyday moments that help us feel held. We'll explore belonging, generosity, and the ways we give and receive care, remembering that our well-being is connected to the people and world around us. Each week offers a different place to begin, with gentle movement, breath awareness, mindfulness, and restorative practices. The practice is rooted in choice, with room to move, pause, rest, or simply notice what is here. Register for the remaining Sunday Reset autumn classes Sunday Reset will take a break during December before returning in January with a new winter series. Coming in January: Sunday Reset — WinteringA Six-Week Yoga Journey of Rest, Reflection & Renewal As we move into winter, we’ll begin a new six-week journey inspired by the quieter rhythms of the season. Wintering will offer space to rest, reflect, and reconnect with what sustains us through the darker months. We’ll continue weaving together gentle yoga, mindful awareness, breathwork, and restorative practices, with opportunities to explore our own rhythms and consider what rest and renewal might look like during this time of year. As with our autumn series, this will be an all-levels, choice-based practice. No previous yoga experience is needed. I’m already looking forward to gathering and reconnecting again in the new year. Coming Soon | A New Home for Heart StoneHeart Stone is continuing to grow, and I'm excited to be working on a new website that will bring everything together in one place. Soon, you'll be able to explore counseling services, yoga classes, trauma-sensitive offerings, and other opportunities to learn, practice, and connect.. I'm looking forward to having a place where you can find your way to the offerings that feel right for you and stay connected with what's happening at Heart Stone. More to come soon! A Little InvitationAs I look toward the end of the year, I’m thinking about the small things that help me feel connected and grounded: the people I make time for, the rituals I return to, and the moments that remind me of what matters. I’ve been thinking about what I want to carry forward from this season and what I hope to make room for in the months ahead. I imagine many of us are doing some version of this as the calendar fills up and the holidays approach. I’d love to hear what you’re gathering from this season, or what you’re hoping to make a little more room for. And if there’s a way Heart Stone can support you along the way, I hope you’ll reach out. If you’d like to practice together, I hope I’ll see you at Drift & Oak or at one of our final Sunday Reset gatherings. With gratitude, Jo-Ann |
Heart Stone Counseling Services
You can expect occasional reflections, simple practices, seasonal offerings, community events, and resources from my work as a therapist, yoga teacher, and human being.
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