Sometimes you stumble on things in unexpected ways.
For example, I rediscovered the power of practicing mindfulness - something I had used to cope in a stressful situation years ago - when our son shared with me this “cool online stress class” he’s required to take by one of his professors this semester. He was looking for some help getting through the class. Me - I was looking for something to replace the calming yoga class that I’ve not been attending thanks to COVID-19 concerns.
So I took a look, thinking, “Who couldn’t use a little stress reduction right about now?”
His “online class” it turns out, is a free, eight-week course in mindfulness meditation for stress reduction.
I decided to give it a try.
As it turns out this is not only a free course, but a very comprehensive one if you watch all the videos, do all the readings and complete the worksheets. It’s also the same course that the creator - now a retired college professor - taught to his students, and the public in annual seminars.
Think about it - a college-level class that can help you reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve your overall health and well-being (with the material updated to stay current) available at no cost. All you have to do is put in the work. You can find the class – which has “graduated” students from 90 countries around the world, at palousemindfulness.com.
If committing to an eight-week course in mindfulness meditation seems too much for you - or you just want to dip a toe into this stress-reducing concept - please check out this month’s Three Big Questions column written by my friend, longtime yoga instructor and co-owner of Heartsong Yoga in East Longmeadow, Sheila Magalhaes. She dispels myths about mindfulness - no, its not a religion - and provides some easy-to-follow steps to let you experience the power of this simple practice yourself.
It’s March, and that means it’s time to head back to the “Golden Age of Radio” with Mount Holyoke’s annual “Big Broadcast” presentation! Though COVID-19 will be keeping the performance online for the public again this year, the annual salute to 1940s-era radio shows has some surprises up its sleeve for audiences - not the least of which is a guest emcee for 2022!
Check out this month’s feature for all the dope - plus how to get a link to see the show online!
As always, thanks for reading,
