Be Kind to Your Mind 20-Day Journey

Ready for a refresh? Join us for the Be Kind To Your Mind 20-Day Journey!

We’ll embark on a 20-day journey starting May 9th - May 29th to support our mind-body well-being through a daily yoga + meditation practice!  Whether you join us in-studio or online, it’s going to be empowering, nourishing, & challenging in the best way. 

When you sign-up for this challenge, we'll send you:

• A LIVE 10-minute community meditation @ 7AM every day via Zoom. Can’t make it? You’ll receive a link to the replay with access for 7 days. 

• Simple strategies to support your mental health and develop a meditation practice.

• A calendar with a recommended meditation or yoga practice from the OnDemand library. Taking a class in-studio or on Zoom is always an option for each day of the 20-day journey!

• A playlist to accompany your yoga practice at home or bring a little more joy as you move about your day!

Benefits of meditation*:

• promotes better sleep

• reduces stress & anxiety

• relieves pains

• improves symptoms of depression

• boosts memory & slows cognitive decline

• sharpens focus & concentration

*Research from Laura Dan, BSc, NDTR & Medically reviewed by Dr. Christopher Knee, ND

All the ways you can practice during the 20 days May 9 - 29th:

• In-person at our two studios, La Crosse & Holmen

• Live, Online over Zoom

• OnDemand recording or replays from a live Zoom class

Win prizes! Complete the challenge, snap a picture of your calendar to email to hello@palmandpineyoga.com, and be entered to WIN swag for you + a friend! In order to be eligible to win all daily yoga practices must be with PALM + PINE.

Bonus entries: Share your journey on social media by tagging @palmandpineyoga

How to participate: FREE for members! Not yet a member? Sign-up today and cancel anytime with a 30-day notice. New to PALM + PINE or haven’t visited for a while? Sign-up for our 20-day membership trial for $40.

• $88 if you sign-up to become a member today. Auto-renews every 30 days. Cancel anytime with a 30-day notice. 

• $99 to gift this experience to a loved one or join yourself as an unlimited member for one month (not auto-renewing, only available for purchase till May 9th)

• New to PALM + PINE? Sign-up for our 20-day membership trial for $40

Expanding Our Sense of Self & Yoga Practice: The Eight-Limb Path of Yoga

The eight-limb path of yoga give us a foundation for a well-rounded approach to yoga and health. We are holistic beings, meaning our body, mind, and spirit are interconnected and all play an important part in how we feel. Time on the yoga mat is intended to be time for personalized medicine; a practice of tuning in to the experience of our own body and mind, and listening or responding compassionately and honestly. And if we’re truly paying attention we need different intentions or practices on different days. 

Each time you arrive on your yoga mat, take an intentional pause to check-in with yourself. Discern what your departure point is for that day and what limb or limbs can offer the best recovery or discovery!

Here’s a high-level look at the eight-limb path of yoga:

Yamas, the first limb, are ethical restraints for getting over ourselves and positively impacting the world around us. The five yamas are:
Ahimsa: nonviolence
Satya: truthfulness
Asteya: nonstealing
Brahmacharya: moderation
Aparigraha: non-attachment

Niyamas, the second limb, are ethical observances for letting a spiritual life take place within our lives. The five niyamas are:
Saucha: cleanliness or purity
Santosa: contentment
Tapas: self-discipline
Svadhyaya: study of spiritual texts and of one’s self
Isvara pranidhana: surrender to the God of your own understanding

Asana, the third limb, is physical postures. In the yogic view, the body is a temple for the spirit. We practice asana to bring greater physical stability and ease to the other moments of our day-to-day life.

 Pranayama, the fourth limb, is translated as extension of vitality or breath control. It consists of techniques designed to awaken the power of our breath to enhance our physical, mental, and energetic state.

Pratyahara, the fifth limb, is withdrawal of our senses or outwardly distractions and stimulations, and turning our awareness inwards.

Dharana, the sixth, limb is concentration and focusing on a single point.

Dhyana, the seventh limb, is meditation or techniques for a contemplative, conscious state of being.

Samadhi, the eight limb, is union; feeling peacefully at home within ourselves and connected equally to the spirit within all beings.

Each time we come to the mat, we have an opportunity to work the entire path, moment by moment. As we move through the postures we are constantly enacting each aspect of the path. Our bodies, our breath, our minds, and our choices are being refined in the laboratory that is our yoga mat. As this symphony becomes established on our mats, it becomes established in our lives as well. Driving to work, mailing a letter, meeting a friend for lunch all become part of the uninterrupted flow of our yoga practice. We are doing our yoga all the time.”  - Meditations from the Mat

Resources:
“Meditations from the Mat” by Rolf Gates
“Heart of Yoga” by TKV Desikachar

Establishing Your Home Practice

Practicing outside of a studio can pose new challenges and offer new opportunities.

Find below tips for establishing your home practice but know that some suggestions may not be possible for all. Establish a practice that works for you.

Set your intention + attention for practice

Your intention and attention will make practice more potent than any fancy poses will. Mentally check-in at the beginning of your practice and communicate to yourself that now is your time for yoga. Everything else can wait.

From a place of compassion and curiosity, gather a little data as to the state of your body, mind, and energy to discern what you need your intention for practice to be. Gratitude? Acceptance? Courage?

Place your phone on do not disturb.

Ask those who live with you for privacy and solitude for the duration of your practice.

Create an immersive experience for the senses

Sight: Find natural light or drape a scarf over a lampshade.

Sound: Create a playlist to match the energy of your practice. Check out PALM + PINE on Spotify for our favorites. As your practice deepens, you may find yourself getting more comfy with the sound of silence.

Touch: Choose a solid surface to place your mat or towel or practice in the grass! Wear comfortable clothes (Need some? Check out our merch)

Scent: Light some incense, candles, Palo Santo or use essential oils.

Gather Your Props

Yoga Mat or a blanket

Yoga Blocks or use objects around the house like a large book, water bottle, rolled up towels

Yoga Strap or use a belt, scarf, towel

Yoga Bolster or use a couch cushion, pillow or rolled-up blanket

February from the Mat - Join Us for a Community Challenge

Drawing inspiration from the book: Meditations From The Mat, we’ll explore ways to live and practice yoga every day for the month of February.

“Everything all the time…” - The Eagles

“At first glance, the eight-limb path appears to lend itself to a linear approach. It would seem to make sense: you do the first limb, then you proceed to the second, and so on. In fact, we take up all the limbs together. As the line in the Eagles song goes, we do everything all the time. It’s not possible to practice the first two limbs, the yamas and niyamas, without the support of the practices outlines by the other limbs. As we practice asana and pranayama, the postures and breathwork that comprise the third and fourth limbs, we refine our relationship to our body, creating the necessary circumstances for brahmacharya, or moderation, the fourth yama. To practice living in the truth, or satya, the second yama, we must have a mind that has to let go of the habit of distraction and developed the habit of concentration. Concentration is deliberately cultivated in dharana, the sixth limb. We must actually do everything all the time.

Our yoga practice makes this possible. Each time we come to the mat, we have an opportunity to work the entire path, moment by moment. As we move through the postures we are constantly enacting each aspect of the path. Our bodies, our breath, our minds, and our choices are being refined in the laboratory that is our yoga mat. As this symphony becomes established on our mats, it becomes established in our lives as well. Driving to work, mailing a letter, meeting a friend for lunch all become part of the uninterrupted flow of our yoga practice. We are doing our yoga all the time.” - Meditations from the Mat

What’s Included

This challenge will be totally remote. Showing up to the yoga mat in the studio or at home both count towards your daily practice.

• A guided exploration through the 8 limbs of yoga framed by Meditations From The Mat by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison

• A weekly email with themes, selected readings, journal prompts, suggested practices & resources

• Access to the entire Digital Studio library & live Zoom classes for your daily practice

• A private Facebook group to chat with each other about the challenge, ask questions, share your aha moments and support each other

• A weekly live 15-minute practice each Tuesday within the Facebook group

• Shared Google doc to track and check-off your daily yoga practice

• Four live Zoom gatherings every Thursday from 7:15 - 8pm to align on a shared intention and discuss nuggets of wisdom from each limb. These will be recorded and made available to anyone who can’t attend

We’ll start the month by committing to 25 minutes of practice every day and building to 40 minutes a day by the end of the month.

Cost & Sign Up

Active Digital Studio subscribers can sign up for FREE! At checkout, you will receive an automatic 100% discount. If you’re not a subscriber yet, you can join this 28-day challenge for just $28 ($1 a day)!

Click here to say YES and sign-up today!

Living alive + aligned with the practice of sankalpa, intention setting

*EDITED December 2024*

Businesses have quarterly goals. Nature has four seasons. Yoga offers alignment or rather realignment with the practice of sankalpa. “Kalpa” means “vow” and “San” mean a “connection with the highest truth.” A sankalpa is a heart-felt vow you make that aligns with your core self. You can create a sankalpa to guide your thoughts, words, and action at the start of the new year, quarterly, or each time you step on to your yoga mat.

How is it different from typical New Year resolutions or goals? One difference is it’s not formed strictly by the analyzing mind. It’s both the journey and the aim.

Unlike typical New Year resolutions, sankalpa is process-oriented vs. goal-oriented. A sankalpa is ideally brief, making it easier for you to repeat to yourself daily. Additionally, make it a statement as if it’s already happening.

Example of a typical resolution or goal: I will lose 20 lbs.

Example of a sankalpa: I am enough. I feel healthy and powerful in my own skin. I choose to nourish my body with daily movement, water, and whole foods.

Let’s say you choose the first option and lose the 20 lbs. Then what? The latter elevates and aligns our emotional, mental, and physical state at the same time and makes the process the aim.

To begin the process of setting an intention, a sankalpa, we must first meet ourselves in a way that is kind, curious, and free of judgement. Then reflect. What experiences over the past several months gave you energy? What experiences drained your energy? What do you value? What do you need to start doing and stop doing to feel more aligned and alive?

Living alive + aligned, happy + free, is a marathon, not a sprint. Your sankalpa is an energizing force, a tool to lean on to steer yourself at least one degree closer to living in alignment with what matters most to you, defined by you. When initially crafting your sankalpa, allow there to be a few first drafts. Like stepping into the shower and not getting the right temperature right off the bat. It takes a little turning it this way, then back this way to get the right temperature and flow of water. Once you have an “I am” statement that stirs you at your core, write it out and put it somewhere you can see every day.

Words need to be met with action and preparation. Pause now and witness your breath moving. What are you able to access when you take time to simply pause and notice? We all entertain a lot of excuses, attachments, and perspectives that can cause suffering. Taking just a few minutes or even moments throughout your day to pause and witness your inner experience can widen the space between trigger and reaction, stimulus and response. Create space in your mind + body for your sankalpa to grow by joining us for a yoga class today!

A year in review

There has been a F;)K ton to move through this year and we all have had our parts to play. Our part, now and into 2021, is to ensure we’re supporting the efforts of the frontline workers, public health professionals, and civil rights leaders, as part of our vision & work - which is to provide YOU with options, information, and a supportive community so you can empower yourself to be healthy and cultivate a yoga practice that grows with you! And, to raise our community through health, healing, and learning.

Here are things we did this year, together:

Hosted 7400+ visits to the yoga mat (includes check-ins only)

Pivoted from the traditional in-studio only environment to the inclusion of digital classes, courses, and trainings so we could stay connected while staying safe at home (check out the WXOW clip here)

Created a digital subscription with live Zoom classes and OnDemand classes ranging from 20 - 60 minutes, providing more options and ways to maintain a consistent practice

Hired Jackie and Kayla, our media mavens, to help with the pivoting

Found new ways to gather in-studio while following state and local COVID health & safety guidelines

Adapted our business model & pricing structure to make yoga accessible to a wider audience

Contributed $2000+ towards scholarships

Held a community practice for local womxn and mothers at no-cost

Held a community practice for local BIPOC and LatinX folks at no-cost

Held a virtual 30-day yoga community challenge at no-cost

Continued our business sponsorship of The Center: 7 Rivers LGBTQ and Holmen Business Association

Partnered with the La Crosse School District, La Crosse Public Library, Holmen High School & Middle School to provide yoga for educators, students, and families

Purchased $250+ worth of diapers and wipes for the Parenting Place

Partnered with the Parenting Place to deliver mindfulness kits to 100+ families in Holmen & La Crosse

Donated $200 to New Horizon’s Shelter & Outreach Center

Became more resilient, flexible, grounded, and gracious

Continued to show-up to the yoga mat and do the work!

We certainly have a lot of reasons to pause and celebrate. So, let’s do just that!
(Like, actually get up and dance now!)

Thank you for being on this journey with us. Cheers to 2021 being less of a $h*tshow and another year of growth, together, on and off the yoga mat!

Your Vote is Your Voice

“To only get away from the things that confront us, without actually processing those emotions and moving through them, is dissociation. To enjoy the sanctuary of the yoga practice without acknowledging the world around us, is denial.” - Hala Khour

In it’s essence, Yoga is the practice, science and system of connection and liberation. Through sustained practice we begin to awaken to the interconnected nature of our breath, mind, and body, as well as the world around us. Yoga is meant to be lived, a light that sustains our health and guides us in right action + decisions that positively impact our relationships, the world now, and the world for future generations. If we turn away from the part we can and do play within the systems and structures that dictate how society operates, we disempower ourselves and others.

Reminder, we are not separate from the cultures that have shaped us. To get closer to universal truth, study your own biases in order to widen your perspective and see what you have not been seeing. Educate yourself on the issues and policies that matter most to you. Your VOTE is your voice.

To appreciate the roots of Yoga is to see that justice, liberation, health and happiness for all is at the heart of this practice and the aim is for our thoughts, words, and actions to contribute to this in some way.

For those in Wisconsin, for the most up-to-date voter information visit https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/

STARTING, OR RESTARTING, A HOME YOGA PRACTICE

WHY START?

There are infinite reasons to establish a yoga practice at home, here are a few:

• Home is where life happens. Bringing the energy of your yoga practice into your home where you rest, cook, interact with loved ones is a definite benefit.

• No commute and you can show-up in pajamas with your favorite coffee mug.

• Yoga is a work-in that can positively impact your mind, body and relationships. It’s a spiritual practice, science and system that is 5,000 years old. A consistent mat practice that includes movement, conscious breathing and meditation has the capacity to awaken a greater sense of clarity, vitality, purpose and love in all the hour of our day.

• With our daily Live ZOOM options, Initial Client Consult, Facebook Community Group and subscriber only content, you receive the accountability and support of being part of a community with the autonomy and flexibility of practicing with ebbs and flows of your life.

• Your kids, partner, puppies, can join! Or not ;)

HOW TO GET STARTED, OR RESTARTED

• Schedule your practice into your day. Use Google Calendar or a paper planner and block off the time.

• It’s all about building sustainable, positive habits. Start one day, one week at a time. Whether you have time to join an hour-long class LIVE or use the OnDemand feature for a 30 minute practice in the early morning, you have options to support you no matter what life throws at you each day.

• Practice + Patience = Progress. Rather than committing to progress, or outcome, Yoga encourages us to commit to the process, or rather the practice + patience. Show-up to your mat to recharge your body, mind and heart just as often as you recharge your cell phone. Be patient and be ready to abandon expectations, approaching each practice with the eyes of a beginner. Some days are going to be harder to show-up to the mat than others, and when this happens call on your inner strength to do the hard thing.

• Aim for consistency in the process and flexibility in the duration. You will notice the holistic benefits of Yoga more deeply when showing up to your mat daily, even for 20 minutes, then doing one 90 minute class per week by itself. Start with 3 - 5 practices per week for 2 weeks and see what’s the best that can happen :)

• Having a specific space in your home where you show-up to practice each day is fantastic but it’s not necessary. It’s about reducing the barriers and output of willpower to get started. Heck you may be more likely to use your yoga mat every day if you just put it next to your bed, vs. down the stairs in the back bedroom.

• Stay curious about the foundations of mindfulness within this work. Some days you may experience a profound break-thru and some days you may leave your meditation more agitated. Do your best to surrender attachment to expectations and focus on the actual process. These practices are medicine and we need daily practices to build habits of living from the core Self!

You can find more tips + resources for your home practice here.