Photo by Melissa Elstein 2021
Dear Friends and Family,
I hope this email continues to find you safe and well. Many of you have now received your Covid-19 vaccinations, and although we are all still wearing masks and social distancing (except in Texas!), it does feel like we have entered a new, more positive phase of this pandemic – and that the end is approaching possibly sooner than we had imagined. Of course, even when the pandemic is officially declared over, we will be returning to a new and different “normal” and no-one truly knows what that will entail. There have been so many losses – we have lost loved ones, neighbors, people we personally knew and others we read about in the news. Our world community has experienced mourning, fear, anxiety, sadness, and other understandable “negative” emotions en masse. Yet, there have also been amazing stories that uplifted us this past year; none of us will likely forget the sounds of people cheering, singing and clapping for every day workers that in the past we probably took for granted. For those of us fortunate to be able to take online classes and workshops during the past 12 months, there was much personal growth and inner expansion even as our physical worlds contracted into our homes and immediate neighborhoods. As we approach the 1-year anniversary of Covid-19 being declared a worldwide pandemic, I hope we can appreciate all that we have learned and experienced individually and collectively. For those who found ways to survive (and perhaps even thrive) during this time, I hope you give yourself a big hug. You experienced a once in a lifetime global event, and you adapted to the challenges it brought.
In my fusion classes, whether on the phone or Zoom, we often first do self massage to warm up the muscles. But there is another reason as well to engage in this type of self-care; healing hormones are released to counter stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. One such healing hormone is the “cuddle” or love hormone – oxytocin. When we literally wrap our arms around ourselves to hug our own bodies (and perhaps enhancing that movement with a smile on our face), real benefits are reaped. So hug yourself, and pat yourself on the back for all that you have been through – this past year, especially, but also for all your life experiences. And even when it will be safe to hug each other in person, let’s continue to hug ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Thank you for your support of my teachings!
