Hi everyone,

As we slowly move from winter into spring here in Vermont, our bodies and nervous systems are adjusting — whether we consciously notice it or not. Changes in light exposure, activity levels, and routine all influence sleep, energy, mood, and stress response.

Seasonal transitions are a good time to reset and notice.

Yoga, especially when practiced in slower and more intentional ways, directly supports nervous system regulation and overall physical health. Gentle movement improves circulation and joint mobility. Breathwork influences heart rate variability and vagal tone. Restorative postures reduce sympathetic (fight-or-flight) activation and support parasympathetic recovery.

Slowing down is not passive. It is a strategic way to:
• Improve resilience
• Support immune and endocrine balance
• Increase emotional regulation
• Reduce accumulated stress load

In classical yoga philosophy, this recalibration reflects the principle of balance between effort and ease — what the Yoga Sutras describe as sthira (steadiness) and sukha (ease). Practice is about cultivating a steady, sustainable relationship with effort while inviting and exploring how we can welcome more ease into our lives. Incorporating gentle and intentional yoga practices into our routine is essential to maintaining this type of balance in our crazy and hurried world.

This month, I’m offering my Sunday Reset: Move, Breathe & Rest class every Sunday in March at Whisper Tree Wellness in Jay, VT. This is a therapeutic, seasonally-informed class designed to help you recalibrate and explore the practices of yoga that are both subtle and profound.

Each session includes:
• Accessible asana to mobilize the joints and counter winter stiffness
• Pranayama practices to build breath awareness and regulate our nervous systems
• Restorative & Yin postures to support our bodies and promote downregulation
• Guided awareness practices to build interoception (your ability to sense internal state)

Interoceptive awareness is a trainable and important skill to develop. The more we practice noticing internal signals — breath rhythm, muscle tension, mental states, body sensations— the more capacity we build to respond rather than react and to notice instead of ignore. This is one of yoga’s most valuable long-term benefits.

Yoga philosophy describes this as developing svadhyaya — self-study — and viveka— discernment — both leading to increasing clarity of perception. When we can accurately sense what is happening inside us, our choices become more skillful and less reactive. Our daily experiences are met with more ease and awareness.

Spring doesn’t require us to push forward aggressively. It asks for steady, sustainable expansion through practices that support us from the inside out. I hope you find time to join me this month in one of my Sunday Reset classes or my Gentle Vinyasa classes to explore this type of practice with me.

Below is my schedule for this upcoming month. I am developing some online offerings (which is harder than I thought to get complete but it will be coming!) and will have some new monthly and weekly offerings come April/May. In the meantime I am available for private sessions for groups and individuals. therapeutic yoga sessions and these can be booked directly on my website or reach out to book through me.

Be well everyone and hope to see you all sometime soon on the mat.

Joanne

Sunday Reset: Move, Breath, Rest

Every Sunday in March at Whisper Tree Wellness in Jay, VT 5pm-6:30pm

Register here: https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/sunday-reset-move-breathe-rest

Gentle Vinyasa

Tuesday 5:30pm-6:30pm at Jay Peak Resort https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/yoga-at-jay-peak-resort

Thursday 9am-10am at Montgomery Town Hall https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/gentle-vinyasa-yoga-59b9c56a-d2d2-44a3-8379-fe6608a00f0a

Yoga Nidra

Sunday March 8th at the Vermont Salt Cave. This session is currently full. We will hopefully be offering this monthly, stay tuned for future dates.