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View this email in your browser "In a small boat when a strom comes, if one person remains solid & calm. Other will not panic & the boat is more lightly staying float."                                                                                        ~Thich Nhat Hanh~ Happy Spring Dear *|FNAME|* After spending the whole spring in quarantine. I sincerely hope that this email finds you well and that all your family and loved ones are safe and in good health.  I am so delighted to hear from many of you for dropping me an email from time to time. Thank you so much for checking in. :-)  Love, connection, compassion & support, these are the qualities we are called to cultivate at this moment of time, these are the qualities that will actually bring us through to the other side.   Stress affects nearly every one, so if you're feeling unsettled or anxious right now, you are definitely not alone. I would like to share some tips on how to destress & relax during these changing times. I hope these help you feel happier & healthier.  Best of health & well-being. Namaste Cicely x Happy Spring :-)  Spring is YANG (The Sun). It's the element of growth. (Wood), and it brings life (flowers & grass.) Spring is considered the beginning of the cycle of the seasons. We welcome this time of year when nature is born again after the dark yin phase of winter. Days become longer and mother earth gives birth to the fragrant aromas of fresh grasses and flowers. Spring's rising YANG energy supports expansion and growth, so it's a good time for us to assume the movement of YANG within ourselves. While in winter we should sleep more, in Spring we should be more active, focus on goals, start new projects, and encourage other people on their journeys. Physically, Spring is a great time to renew the body through detoxification and to strengthening the tendons and connective tissues. Energetically, it's time to reboot our energy system so that we can restart the seasonal cycle with a clear mind. Spiritually, Spring is a special time to expand our vision, shift into new perspectives and focus on manifesting our highest potential. In TCM the liver resonate with the wood element, the energy of the wood element is the energy of resilience and combination of internal strength and flexibility, this energy exist in each and every one of us.  Namaste Indoors With Cicely Chan Join my online classes through Zoom.  Every Tuesday 5:30 to 6:15 Pelvic Floor, Core & Back. All Welcome 6:30 to 7:30 Yang Flow Dynamic. Some yoga experience is required. Every Saturday 11 am Gentle Yin Flow. All welcome.  If you are interested to join my online classes, please write me an email to: cicelysyoga@gmail.com I have been reading my Yoga Sutra, in particular I would like to share this one with you.  Vitarka Baadhane Pratipak Shabhaa Vanam. "When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite (positive) ones should be thought of. If the thought of hatred is in the mind, cultivate the thought of love.  "What you think, you become, what you feel, you attract, what you imagine, you create."                                                                                     ~Buddha~ The power of positive thinking is remarkable. training your mind to think positive can be achieved by leveraging a simple concept. Your mind has enough bandwidth to only focus on one thought at a time. All you have to do is keep it focused on uplifting thoughts until you form the same types of neural pathways that are created when you establish a new habit. When a negative event occurs, as hard as it can be, trying to find just a glimmer of optimism can truly help to protect the emotional outcome. When you think and talk about what you want and how to get it, you feel happier and in greater control of your life, when you think about something that makes you happy, your brain actually releases endorphins, which give you a generalized feeling of well-being. AS a result, you develop a positive attitude. Practice Mindfulness & Meditation Mindfulness is an important practice to infuse more calm into your life. I find that being mindful encourages me to enjoy the little moments I would otherwise miss.  "Once we learn to let go and accept change and transformation, limitless possibilities open up. Letting go can confer strength and adaptability and present us with a clear view of everything around us. When we try to force the world to fit in with our expectations, we struggle endlessly. But when we let go and give in to change, we start to become flexible and open to new possibilities that we may have missed in the past.  Meditation allow you to let go; The more you can do this, the more you'll be able to wake up to endless possibilities. When you let go of rigid and inflexible habit patterns, you free yourself to realize your full creative potential."                                         Jane Hope. The Meditation Year                                       Embrace Slow Movement Sometimes our bodies crave slow movement like yoga or going for a walk, often we get into the mindset that we have to sweat during a workout to make it "worth it" Instead, be okay with taking it slow and not feeling the need to "sweat" every time you work out.    Nutrition    Eat like rainbow. Colorful nutritious food. Eat slowly & mindfully. Practice eating meditation often. Eat more veggies, we all know we should eat more vegetables, but actually doing it is another story.  Lighten up your diet avoiding fatty, fried foods & alcohol. It's o.k to have a nice treat occasionally. This will result in a real boost for your system, help you to boost immunity and stay balance during isolation.     Nourish Your Skin Nourish your skin, taking care of your skin is an important part of self-care. Not only does it help your complexion, a skin care ritual can allow you time to relax and unwind at the end of the day. I want to stick to a simple yet relaxing daily skin care routine.  Here is my Tropic online shop, you will find everything there to create your home spa experience.  https://tropicskincare.com/cicelyhurved A/C Name: Cicely Hurved  BEAUTY SLEEP Get more sleep Sleep is one of the biggest factors in our immune system and energy levels throughout the day. Lately, I have been lenient with my bedtime schedule, but I want to make sure I'm getting a solid 8 hours of sleep.  It seems that over 70% of us in the UK are still chasing that elusive 8 hours a night, and the number of us getting good quality sleep has decreased dramatically in recent years. Pretty much every expert agrees that a good night’s sleep can make you feel happy, positive and more productive, and if that isn’t worth a go we don’t know what is! Try turning off your devices (we know, but it helps, trust us), spritzing your pillow with So Sleepy Pillow Mist, https://tropicskincare.com/cicelyhurved getting into bed early and keeping your room dark and quiet. ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz   LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE We all know the saying, but did you know that laughter can not only boost your mood but also reduce your stress levels almost instantly. From snuggling up, putting on your favorite comedy and laughing till your cheeks hurt, to having a stifled giggle with a friend at work during a serious presentation - or video call - laughter is fun, easy and free. Try laughing yoga too :-). If you have been to my yoga classes, you probably know what I am talking about. Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*