November is the kickoff to the holiday season in our culture and probably the most important aspect of any holiday; high holy day, individual, or cultural celebration, is the aspect of togetherness.

The act of gathering together, sharing a positive experience with others, reinforces the brain's mechanisms which develop memory, learning, and intelligence. We don’t get together every November just because we love turkey, we get together for the effect, the resonance, the afterglow of sharing time and attention with friends and family. As a response, your brain releases endorphins, making you feel good, tying that feeling to smell, sight, taste, sound, even touch, eventually forming long term memories. The dopamine that is released by all that stimulus is what drives us to go back to the situation, year after year, that’s why the very thought of the holiday season can make us feel giddy, we know what’s coming, and we look forward to the effect of togetherness.

If you’re reading this and asking yourself what any of this has to do with yoga, barre, bootcamp, or Qigong, here’s the answer: togetherness. The togetherness you share in a group fitness experience has the same effect on your brain as gathering for a celebration, and your mind and body are really missing this. If it’s been a year or more since you’ve come to the studio, come back. If you don’t feel safe, reach out, call me, let’s talk about it. I propose we coin a new term, invoke a new state of mind: to-gather-ness. Happy November everyone, we miss your face!

Jade Now Offers Weekend Virtual Class Options

Courtesy of an exciting collaboration with Scarborough Yoga we now have 2 new classes to offer you as part of our weekly class options. Sign in and check them out, and as a heads up you will receive a manually generated email from us containing the Zoom invitation before class begins, so it is in your best interest to sign up early!

Virtual Core & Deep Stretch Yoga: w/ Scarborough Yoga’s Kristine Keegan, Saturdays at 10:15am

There are over 25 muscles between your shoulders & hips, having a strong core helps eliminate back pain. Your core is your stabilizer, it helps with balance, posture and over all better movement.

In this 60 minute class we will build strength and find that deep inner core, your power!

We will flow to warm up, then slow down to deeply stretch and lengthen muscles, strengthen your core then land blissfully in savasana.

Virtual Slow Flow Yoga: w/ Scarborough Yoga’s Chris Byrne, Sundays at 8:00am

Join Chris Byrne for this 60-minute slow flow practice designed for all bodies, abilities and experience levels. Rooted in the practice of mindfulness, this class has a heavy emphasis on connecting with the compassion that resides within your heart, both for you and the people around you!

You have an open invitation to explore this practice to meet whatever you need in the moment; movement, stillness, breathwork, or anything else, this practice is truly yours to explore. You are invited to let go of worry or fear about what practicing yoga may "look" like. Instead, this class encourages you to give yourself permission to be just as you are, wherever you are, and celebrate all the things that make you an incredible person!

A great introduction to the practice of yoga, this class is slower paced with plenty of adaptations provided so you can make the practice your own. It is also perfect for more experienced students who want to slow down and take the time to explore their practice and invite deeper connections with the self.

Qigong has Moved Inside for the Winter

Join Jade provider James Constantine, every Monday evening at 5:30, In-person in Portland, or virtually from anywhere. I highly suggest trying this deep movement experience. Qigong is 100% adaptable and James will help you develop and explore expressions that will work for you in you journey to build strength and presence.

New In-Person Prenatal on Thursday in Portland

We have added a second In-person Prenatal Yoga option at our Portland location! Join Sarah Geores CYT, E-RYT every Thursday at 5:30. Connect to the self within the self, you’re practicing for 2 now. To sign up for these classes and more use this link.

That’s all for now beautiful people! I am grateful for each and every one of you who show up for self, family, and community by joining our classes to care for the body your spirit inhabits. And I am grateful for our outstanding circle of teachers here at Jade, these people share their passion for movement, for mind/body connection so selflessly, I am blown away by their weekly expressions of service.

As always, I love to hear from you, and will get back to you, so reach out!

Peace, Love & Gratitude,

Sarra