Hello my friend!

The theme for February is RADICAL SELF COMPASSION. I will be guiding you through lessons and practices that will develop a sense of self worth and self esteem based in kindness and care.

Ahimsa is the first Yama, or moral practices that you learn in yoga philosophy. It literally translates to “non-harming” (non-striking to be very very technical) but with a lens of culture and time, we can think of it as compassion. And with all practices, we must first apply it to ourselves before we give it to others. Non-violence begins with the self. Love begins within.

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.

– Rumi

RADICAL SELF COMPASSION can be considered a practice, an adventure, rather than a quest or a prize at the end of a chore. It’s ongoing, never ending.

How to begin? Start by making friends with yourself. Look at how you treat your friends and begin to apply all that to yourself. Talk to yourself as you would a friend. Hold space for yourself. And most importantly, forgive yourself. For anything. For everything.

Here’s a journal prompt for you to explore. Write out your answer, or allow it to influence your art, music, asana practice, etc.

HOW DO I TREAT MY FRIENDS?

Not sure how to journal around this?

1. Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, open a notebook, and just dump all your thoughts and feelings about this question onto a page.
2. Don’t worry about grammar, or structure.
3. Make lists, doodle, allow your mind to venture wide as you write.
4. When the timer goes off, step away from what you’ve written.
5. Give yourself some time to rest.
6. Then revisit what you wrote. Does it ring true for you? Is there stuff there you’d like to edit? Why?

This is all for you, there are no right or wrong answers and journaling is a great way to dig into your own beliefs and behaviors, as long as you feel safe doing it.

The rest of this month, I will be offering up other practices of RADICAL SELF COMPASSION. I hope you’ll join me on this transformative journey of love and care.

NEW VIDEO ON DEMAND

This week, I’ve recorded a new Vinyasa practice, one that focuses on RADICAL SELF COMPASSION. It’s a beautiful sequence full of heart openers, affirmations, and reminders that you are enough. Linking the root and heart chakras, this video will ground you and take your focus inward to a place of love and peace.

Check it by CLICKING HERE

FREE ON YOUTUBE

This video was designed to guide you into an open heart for yourself. Flowing movement will nourish the physical, calm the mental, and allow you to find kindness within. Use this yoga class anytime you need to reset your relationship with yourself, with compassion and unconditional love.

CLICK HERE

That’s it from me! I truly hope your week is full of ease, peace, and love.

From my heart to yours,

–Viviane Wolfe

www.vivianewolfeyoga.com

500RYT, yoga-therapist-in-training