Seven Days Classifieds

Embrace the quiet starkness of winter through movement, rest, learning + connection.

Are you:
* looking for a way to appreciate this cold (and maybe snowy) winter season, when you're often stuck indoors?
* intrigued by movement sessions that are more appealing than gym-style cardio and weight lifting?
* eager to crack open a book that gets you thinking differently, and maybe even helps you learn more about yourself?
* searching for new and interesting selfcare classes that you can access on your schedule, wherever you are in the world?
* excited about connecting with other like-minded people?

Then let's navigate these dark days together

I believe a variety of simple selfcare practices can bring joy and wellness to our everyday lives.I believe the knowledge gained from thoughtful writers can help us shift how we think about tending to ourselves. I believe connecting to the natural world can connect us to others-- and to our own bodies, minds and souls.

That's why I'm inviting you to "seasonal selfcare: wisdom + practices for the dark days," an online wellness series crafted just for you. Here's what you'll get:

* to bring a balance of strength and ease to your body: a monthly live online 60-minute yoga class at 8:30 a.m. ET Saturdays (recorded in case you miss it or want to watch it again)--a fusion of slow flow, yin and restorative styles, sprinkled with simple breathwork and nourishing self-massage and acupressure

* a monthly live bookclub meetup at 5 p.m. ET Wednesdays, when we'll explore and discuss "Braiding Sweetgrass," Robin Wall Kimmerer's national bestseller about indigenous wisdom and the teachings of plants

* to offer guideposts for your day-to-day life, weekly curated motivation and inspiration via email, shaped by what's going on around us in nature

plus these bonuses:
* three months of unlimited admission to the Selfcare Sanctuary, an online library of on-demand practices in a variety of styles and lengths, curated to dance in partnership with the current season and searchable to meet your needs whenever your schedule allows (a $57 value)

* access to Welcome to Winter: a virtual "community of the heart"--free from the news, ads and distractions of Facebook--where you can connect with me and other like-minded people anytime to share insights and receive support

* seasonal playlists, essential oil recommendations, and other fun extras

My name is jo, and I help busy folks tend to themselves with movement, mindfulness, rest, breath, touch and connection with others
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, just months after my husband's life-changing serious burn injury. We both got back on our feet quickly, but nearly a decade after my mastectomy, Gus faced some sudden, severe--and frightening--heart issues. Digesting yet another new reality elevated my regular yoga practice from routine exercise class to much-needed time for self-nurturing.

Since then I've helped care for my mom, who recently passed with late-stage dementia in another state. I spent countless hours behind the wheel of my Jeep, subsisting on Kind bars and takeaway lattes as I traveled back and forth every few days to visit her and support my dad, hardly noticing anything else going on outside my narrow routine. Seasons were changing, but so much in my life was staying the same ... or so it seemed. After too many attempts to find the energy to squeeze in a yoga class along my route, I knew there had to be a better way to find the strength and solace I so desperately needed.

I began incorporating bite-sized practices into my days from all the modalities I've studied over the years: the balance and flow of vinyasa, the power of breathwork, the focus and stillness of yin, the deep release of restorative yoga, the energy of reiki, the soothe of acupressure, and more. I sprinkled in moments to appreciate the natural world around me, including the rescue animals on our Southern Vermont homestead (especially our pet cows Blossom and LouLou). Connecting with the cycles of the heavens and the rhythms of the Earth have helped me find my soul again.

I'm eager to accompany you through this winter season, showing you how acknowledge its beauty and welcome the inspiration it can provide for your own selfcare.