A Path to Peace and Calm

With only two weeks until the launch of our two newest programs – Breathing Meditation and Support Groups – we’re so excited to see such an outstanding group of leaders, facilitators and caregivers coming together for self-care. We are truly building a strong community of supporters that will always be here to help caregivers cope with whatever challenges they’re encountering, and I couldn’t be prouder.

This week, I want to focus on Breathing Meditation. Research has documented how regulated deep breathing can reduce anxiety, stress and depression, and increase energy levels. Our Breathing Meditation classes will allow caregivers to learn breathing techniques and participate in guided meditation with credentialed yoga instructors. The program is intended to improve both inner and outer well-being by developing life skills such as mindfulness, self-confidence, coping, stress management, self-care, resilience, and a growth mindset.

I’ll let program creator and facilitator Polly Manke explain it in her own words:

“I don’t know of anything that calms an anxious mind faster or more effectively than a deeply meditative, breath-focused yoga practice. Bringing the awareness into an embodied experience here and now is one of the most efficient, non-pharmaceutical methods of calming an anxious mind. The breath is a doorway to conscious embodiment. Crossing that threshold anchors the awareness in the present, creating a ceasefire on the mind’s rumination of past and future. With Breathing Meditation, participants will not only get to experience a safe place to have an embodied experience of peace and calm, but also discover their own ability to generate these emotional states.”

Polly has over 15 years of teaching experience and brings a trauma-informed perspective to her teaching and coaching. She is passionate about equipping people with holistic skills, techniques and strategies, and she offers compassionate support and guidance for the transformation of body, mind and spirit.

Sessions for both Breathing Meditation and Support Groups will be 45 minutes long and will take place weekly at two locations, thanks to our community partners: on the east side at Laurel School, One Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, Ohio, on Tuesday evenings beginning February 19; and on the west side at Urban Community School, 4909 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday evenings beginning February 20. 
 
You can sign up for the programs here.
 
Next week, we’ll put the spotlight on Support Groups.

Kristi

Kristi Horner
Founder and Executive Director