The Giver’s Glow

Hello!

I hope that this letter finds you well! 🙂

I feel as if so much has happened since my last letter to you.

It’s been an amazing couple of weeks, full of joy and laughter.

I’ll start with our garden. If you’re new to this letter, my husband and I joined a community garden not too long ago (I have attached a couple of pictures of our garden at the end of this letter). We’ve planted chives, parsley, thyme, dill, two types of basil, cilantro, arugula, and spinach.

Over the past weekend, we had the privilege of connecting with members of our community garden. Hearing their stories was truly eye-opening, as they shared what gardening, nature, and community mean to them. I could feel tears forming in my eyes as I learned that many of these beautiful souls fled their home countries due to safety concerns, and are now facing food insecurity. It reinforced for me the crucial role our community garden plays in meeting the basic, essential human need for food and nourishment. I feel incredibly grateful to be part of this community. I am excited to witness the growth and progress in the coming months!

Last weekend, my family and I volunteered at a Carnival! It was a fantastic free event for everyone in the community. My role was to greet families as they arrived, which meant that I got to interact with so many people! The atmosphere was charged with joy, laughter, and excitement. As the day went on, I felt myself relaxing and opening up, probably thanks to all the positive vibes and happy hormones flowing around. Laughter and play really do wonders for the mind, body, and soul. We were blessed with gorgeous weather that day–sunshine and a gentle breeze. We welcomed over 1,000 adults and kids that day. It felt so amazing to give back to the community!

I now get what is meant by the “Giver’s Glow.” I literally felt as if I was glowing from head to toe by the end of my weekend.

I think what was most interesting for me was that I was experiencing sensations (nerve pain in my face) prior to the event, and by the end of the event, I had a pain reduction of 95%. I also slept amazing that evening! I woke up the next day feeling refreshed and energized.

Research shows that volunteering and connecting with others can do wonders for our overall well-being–physically, mentally, and emotionally. I typically experience a reduction in physical symptoms, like pain and muscular tension, when I’m connecting with others in the community. I also find that I feel lighter, relaxed, joyful, and more connected to myself.

I find this connection interesting, and I believe that it’s something worth exploring!

Speaking of better sleep, I’ve created a Bedtime Somatic Yoga Routine for you.

This somatic yoga bedtime routine is a gentle and nourishing practice for your mind and body.

This practice is designed to elicit the relaxation response. So with this in mind, you may find yourself yawning, sighing and swallowing quite a bit during this practice. It is also possible to experience an emotional release especially if you’ve had a stressful day. Under that stress are emotions waiting to be acknowledged, felt, and released. This emotional release can help soften contracted or tense muscles.

I personally explore somatic movements before bed as this can help me shed anything that doesn’t feel nourishing to my nervous system before I head to bed. I find that I usually fall asleep fast and feel quite refreshed the next day. On top of that, it is rare that I experience morning stiffness when I do somatic movements before bed.

For this practice, kindly bring a blanket and a pillow to your space.

I’ve darkened this video so that the screen isn’t super bright for your eyes. You can also reduce the brightness of your screen and dim the lights in your space. These actions inform your brain that you’re winding down for the evening.

You can practice from the comfort of your bed. You can wear your PJs and socks. I got my pink fuzzy socks on in this video as they are warm and cozy.

You are encouraged to explore what would feel nourishing and soothing for your body.

I find that when I’m all warm and cozy, my body is more receptive to a physical, mental and emotional release.

You can take what I’m suggesting, or leave it. As with all somatic practices, make this practice your own.

I welcome you to join me for a Somatic Yoga Bedtime Routine. Kindly click on the picture or the button below, and I’ll see you there!

In case you missed it, your new digital yoga calendar is available: https://www.yogawithrachelmarie.com/calendar​

Our theme for this month is UNITY!

Union of mind and body. Uniting with your breath. Unity in your connection to self and others. Union with nature.

I welcome you to join me on the mat for a month of yoga classes centered around the theme of unity.

Well, that’s all I got for you this week!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this letter.

I appreciate you!

Take care,

~Rachel

P.S. Here's the before & after garden pictures.