"To truly practice asana you have to become present in the moment. You have to observe your sensations, your reactions, your sense of ease and difficulty as you stretch and bend. And this consistent willingness to be in the here and now is the basis of meditation. Part of what makes being in the present moment so special is that we rarely do it."

Judith Hanson Lasater

This week I am in the thick of it. Too many commitments, too little time. And the result is either literally not being able to be present for things I'd like to be or the struggle to be present in the moment of where I literally am. 'Tis the season.

Overwhelm and burnout are common this time of year. And while the to-do lists and full event schedules contribute to this, so does our own expectations that we place upon ourselves. And because of that we can lose sight of the JOY in the holidays and in the festivities of the season. For that reason the only expectation I am placing on myself the remainder of the month is to be PRESENT in the moment. And luckily my yoga practice over the past 25 years has given me the ability to know and feel what it is like to be right here, right now.

This time of year our bodies and our minds crave the integration of practices that allow for true deep rest, moments of stillness, and opportunities to slow down. Give yourself the gift of Presence by allowing time to pause and breathe (Nadhi Shodhana-Alternate Nostril Breathing), to pause and meditate (Repeat "I Am Here Now" to yourself while touching your thumbs to each finger tip on the same hand one by one) or to settle into a Yoga Nidra practice (there are many free options on Insight Timer). Once our nervous systems are nurtured and primed to be in a more balanced and regulated state the gift of Presence to all of those around you is easier to give. And it cost nothing.

There are a couple of changes to my schedule this December to accomodate some of the holidays falling on a Thursday. As always if you are ever unsure of a date or time for class, my website schedule is a good reference: www.JMountainYoga.com

Enjoy all of the snow and the Joy of the season. I hope to connect with you all on the mat.

• Tuesday night classes at Jay Peak

Classes will continue every Tuesday 5:30-6:30pm in the International Room for now. Please always register for this class ahead of time so that you can receive the most up-to-date info on class location as it may shift at the resort gets busier in the winter. This class is FREE for Jay Peak Employees and open to the public. Go here to sigh up: https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/yoga-at-jay-peak-resort

• Thursday morning classes in Montgomery

Both Christmas Day and New Years Day fall on a Thursday this year, but you can still come practice with me on Fridays those weeks. Below is the schedule for this class for the remainder of the month. You can find up-to-date schedule here: https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/gentle-vinyasa-yoga-59b9c56a-d2d2-44a3-8379-fe6608a00f0a

12/11/25- Thursday Class as usual 9am-10am at Montgomery Town Hall

12/18/25- Thursday Class as usual 9am-10am at Montgomery Town Hall

12/25/25-No Thursday Class Christmas Day

12/26/25- Friday Class 9am-10am at Montgomery Town Hall

1/1/26-No Thursday Class New Years Day

1/2/26-Friday Class 9am-10am at Montgomery Town Hall

1/8/26-Thursday Morning classes resume as usual

• Sunday Reset Classes at Whisper Tree Wellness in Jay

These classes are such a Joy to teach and have been filling up in advance. BUT class on December 21st still has one space remaining and there is room in the January 4th class too. You can sign-up here: https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/sunday-reset-move-breathe-rest

Merry Everything and Happy Always Everyone!

-Joanne