Stress is more than whether you feel “stressed,” or “anxious” during the day. Stress management (relaxation) is more about allowing the body to enter rest and repair mode, rather than chronically being in “fight-or-flight” mode which is typical for the average person.

While mindfulness has its origins in the distant past, our need for it is more important in our current culture than any time previously. We are constantly bombarded by information, technology, personal interactions, work demands, and family. The pace of these is unlike any other time in our history. I consistently see the effects of this environment and feel it regularly contributes to symptoms such as anxiety, stress, insomnia, digestive problems and chronic pain, as well as chronic issues such as heart problems and cancer. Of everything I have come across, I think mindfulness meditation provides one of the best paths towards counter-acting the negatives of our environment and culture, helping us to become simply happier and healthier.

In this class, we’ll discuss core principles of mindfulness, how ongoing stress can affect things like mood, hormone problems, digestive health, and inflammation, and have the opportunity to actually practice mindfulness meditations of different types.

While each class will reinforce core concepts of mindfulness and the effects of stress on the body, we recommend coming regularly to both have practice time and learn new tools and ways to incorporate these skills in your life.