Greetings from Oakland, California. I sincerely hope that you all are staying well during this global pandemic. What can we do to maintain some sense of wellness during the anxiety of COVID-19? I don’t have all the answers, but I know what helps me. Pause. Breathe. Stretch. Connect. Laugh. As I have been scoping out online wellness opportunities, there are more popping up every day. I will add to my website when I see something worth sharing.
Enjoy a few minutes of calming sounds and mesmerizing visuals of “Trigger Protection Mantra” by Jhené Aiko, linked at the end of this post. Be well.
Read full newsletter below:
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Online Events | Yoga Classes | Wellness Trends | Discounts | Good Reads | Videos
ONLINE EVENTS
Finding hope in uncertain times: 21 days of meditation
Free through April
Harness strength. Find peace. Create connection.
Oprah-Deepak have offered another free 21-Day Meditation Experience, Hope in Uncertain Times as part of the #HopeGoesGlobal movement. Find peace of mind in the midst of turmoil, and help our global community find hope and optimism. Bring a friend and share the power of meditation.
Note: These free 21-day experiences usually have a 5-day grace period before each one expires. So far, these do not appear to expire. This series will be offered the entire month of April, 2020 to help the global community deal with the effects of COVID-19.
Journey to Yoga with Lauren Eckstrom
Ten Day Program
The program includes 10 unique vinyasa, gentle and restorative yoga practices. Each 45-minute class builds upon the next and is sequenced in such a way that modifications are suggested or provided. I designed this program for yogis of all levels but please take breaks as often as necessary and skip any poses or sequences that do not feel appropriate for you.
Register now. Each day you will receive a new FREE practice straight to your inbox to help you create a holistic, deeply connected 10 days of practice.
The Embodied Yoga Summit
FREE 5-Day Conference
If you can attend live, great! If not, a link to the recording will be sent via email to all registered participants within 12 hours of the end of the session, and will be available to view for free up to 48 hours after the session. https://www.embodiedyogasummit.com/
YOGA CLASSES
Many yoga teachers and studios are offering video classes via Zoom, Livestream, studio membership, or by donation. If you have a favorite teacher or studio, most likely there will be video-based alternative to meeting in person. I encourage you to continue the healing practice of yoga, especially now during this time of uncertainty. You can always look for yoga videos on YouTube, but consider trying a class from one of my favorite teachers in the East Bay.
Elika Aird: http://www.blissfulbodiesyoga.com/
Baxter Bell: https://www.baxterbell.com/
Jaimi Patterson: https://www.oaklandmovement.com/yoga
Nicolette Tura: https://www.theilluminatedbody.com/ and Workfit Yoga for UC Berkeley staff (check weekly Zoom schedule)
I’ll be leading a Zoom Yoga class this Friday for UC Berkeley staff and faculty. Details below.
Yoga for Tension and Stress Relief
Friday, April 10, 12 – 1 PM
Friday, May 1, 12 – 1 PM
ONLINE – Zoom link will be sent to registered participants
The photo is the studio where I usually teach, but will be leading sessions by video during the lock down.
Practicing yoga can release tension in your joints, give you greater range of motion, and offer increased comfort in all aspects of your life. Learn basic yoga poses and breathing techniques to transform your practice into a moving meditation.
UC Berkeley Yoga Passport Spring 2020
This is a series of classes I teach for UC Berkeley faculty and staff. If that’s you, use your CalNet ID to register for classes on this page by clicking the link for each date: Friday, April 10 and Friday, May 1
WELLNESS TRENDS
Kombucha
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchee, miso, and kombucha are all the rage these days for good reason. By consuming fermented foods you are adding beneficial bacteria and enzymes to your overall intestinal flora, increasing the health of your gut microbiome and digestive system and enhancing the immune system. Learn more: The health benefits of fermenting
Kombucha can be very expensive, so thought I could save some money by making it at home. For my birthday, I received a gift certificate for a Kombucha-making workshop in Berkeley with Lila Volkas. I have made a few batches and love adding ingredients for the second fermentation process such as fresh raspberries, blueberries, and ginger. While Lila’s in-person workshops might be on hiatus, she is still teaching sessions online through her website: https://www.kombuchatothepeople.com/
Virtual Kombucha Brewing Workshop with Lila!
Saturday, April 18th from 11 am -12:30 pm
Included with a $50 workshop fee is a DIY kombucha kit dropped off at your door step!
Stress Blending
I’ve been seeing a lot of people sharing posts online about how much “stress baking” they are doing while staying at home. Here’s my “Stress Blending” hobby. I usually blend a smoothie every day, and lately, I’m using more immunity-boosting ingredients.
What’s in my smoothie? What’s not?! I use whatever is fresh from grocery haul, farm box delivery or our backyard. This one has fresh ginger, apple, carrot with its greens, lemon, key lime, avocado, spinach. Pantry staples include turmeric, chia seeds, arjuna powder, cinnamon, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Liquids are yogurt, aloe vera juice and Earl Grey tea. Call me crazy, but this concoction tastes delicious (to me at least)! I change it up every day, depending on what’s on hand.
I use Farm Fresh to You and highly recommend them. Save $15 off your first delivery with my discount code: LAUR8755 https://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/
More discounts below.
Positivity At Home
A friend who lives in Spain started a “Positivity At Home” movement that encourages people to share a photo of something positive each day.
He writes, “Lets all fill FB with LOVELY POSITIVE PHOTOS of our fantastic hobbies we do at home, or the simple things of life, just post a POSITIVE PHOTO on your timeline everyday to keep everyone POSITIVE around the world!
Keep safe, respect social distance, and take care ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤
#positivityathome #staysafeeveryone
[copy and paste the above text and start posting POSITIVE photos daily. Do not forget to upload your daily photo]
DISCOUNTS
Below are a few of my favorite “tried and true” products that I have scouted out. Some are available through affiliate links from companies that have an ambassador program. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, which helps to cover my costs of hosting and maintaining this website. There is never any additional cost to you, and I always look out for the best deal.
Clever Yoga
No Roll Yoga Leggings are now on sale! I LOVE these yoga pants. I wear them under skirts and dresses for a warm layer (like tights, but more comfortable) and they don’t lose their shape.
On sale: Black $24.99 or Ombre $29.89 (pictured)
Stylish and comfortable high waisted leggings. Perfect performance for any workout and look and feel great for wearing out and about everyday.
- Flat lock seams for softer, flatter and more comfortable pants.
- Fit like a second skin with 4 way stretch to sculpt and smooth
- No elastic waistband for a more flattering fit in any size, stays put during any workout.
- Fast dry and breathable for even the sweatiest work out.
I have arranged a 15% discount for anyone who shops at Clever Yoga. Just use the code BEWELL or this link: https://cleveryoga.com/discount/BeWell
Social CBD
I have been testing some products by Social CBD and really like the effects so far. CBD is Cannabidiol a nonintoxicating element found in cannabis and hemp. See article below on “The Highs and Lows of CBD.”
I love the calming lavender muscle balm stick for my occasional foot pain and menstrual cramps. Here’s the product description:
Social CBD Muscle Balm Stick is the magic touch your muscles have been aching for. This balm provides a potent combination of pure CBD hemp extract, menthol, and arnica for powerful calming comfort.
- 400mg of powerful CBD per stick
- Convenient and compact
- Ready for life on-the-go, TSA approved
We also like the Peppermint and Lemon Ginger drops.
Check out socialcbd.com.
30% OFF All Orders
Plus Free Shipping
Stay tuned for more reviews after testing more of their products.
Banyan Botanicals
This is my favorite wellness supplement company because they don’t add any artificial ingredients, coatings or fillers. I use the Triphala, Women’s Transition, Healthy Bones, and Joint Support formulas.
Free shipping on orders over $60. banyanbotanicals.com.
Learn more about Ayurveda: 6 Ways Ayurveda Will Show Up in 2020
Farm Fresh to You
Since we are staying at home and only going to the grocery store about once a week, I appreciate my farm box delivery so much more. In fact, I increased the frequency of our farm box deliveries to weekly and upgraded from small to medium size mixed fruit and vegetable box. I use Farm Fresh to You and highly recommend them. Save $15 off your first delivery with my discount code: LAUR8755
https://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/
Yoga for Anxiety and Depression:
5 Effective Poses That Can Help Curb the Negativity
Our world is currently in the midst of a pandemic, so it goes without saying that stress and anxiety are common factors in everyone’s lives right now.
It’s great to see that the CDC is recommending that people turn to meditation, yoga and breathwork to help get them through this difficult time.
This sequences of five yoga asanas can help to elevate negative thoughts, and help you welcome all the light life sends our way, even if you’re finding the world a very dark place at the moment.
The Highs and Lows of CBD
By Tim Gower, Berkeley Wellness
CBD—short for cannabidiol—is a compound extracted from the marijuana plant that’s touted in ads as a way to relieve everything from chronic pain to anxiety to insomnia. Seemingly overnight, a dizzying array of products that contain CBD is now on sale in convenience stores and other retailers or online. They come in the form of ingestible tinctures (drops), oils, vaping liquids, lotions, sprays, capsules—even gummy bears. CBD is in beauty products, chocolate bars, popcorn, peanut butter, and dog treats. You can order a CBD-laced latte or get a CBD-infused massage. Read more.
Camino from home
In this time of sheltering in place, many of us pilgrims have had to cancel or postpone our upcoming trips. Bestselling author Karin Kiser provides some thoughtful alternatives for a stay-at-home Camino in the guest post below. She is also offering a discount on the digital edition of her Free and Clear book April 7 – 13. Whether she’s picking up trash along the Camino, or helping people clear clutter at home, she continues to be of great service to the Camino community. Thank you, Karin!
Read Camino from home
Free and Clear: 7 Steps to Declutter Your Home and Your Head
By Karin Kiser
This practical approach to decluttering gets to the root of the problem. Here you won’t find another method to fold your shirts or rearrange household items. Instead, Free and Clear uncovers the real issue of why we accumulate all that stuff in the first place. Decluttering is one thing. Not re-cluttering is another. This book helps you break the re-cluttering habit so you can stay clutter-free for good. Order Free and Clear: 7 Steps to Declutter Your Home and Your Head
Check it out on Amazon here. SPECIAL BONUS: the digital edition is discounted from $6.99 to just $2.99 between April 7 and 13, 2020.
Happiness Calendar from the Greater Good Science Center
Let these science-backed tips and tools be your guide this month. This month, they offer tips and tools to find resilience during hard times. You’ll want to bookmark this calendar and refer to it often because there are links to articles and resources embedded in the PDF.
Download resilience calendar for April
The calendar has links to a different article or resource each day!
VIDEOS
Calm during COVID: Mindful breathing
Some Good News with John Krasinski Episode 1
High Quality Jupiter Sound Bath Healing For Turbulent Times – Lower Your Anxiety Naturally
Trigger Protection Mantra by Jhené Aiko
This is my fourth week of the shelter-in-place order and I’m grateful to be able to work from home. There are new challenges with ever-shifting priorities and keeping projects on track while responding to urgent crisis communications. I’m sure some of you can relate to the new reality of Zoom meetings, webinars, and having to sort through more email. If there’s a silver lining, we are forced to get out of our comfort zones and try something new. For example, I have been wanting to offer video yoga classes for awhile now, and thanks to the lock down, I taught my first yoga class via Zoom.
Notice that the buzz phrase “social distancing” has changed to “physical distancing” to remind us to stay social. We are learning that self-isolation doesn’t have to be lonely when there are creative ways to stay connected to your communities. We are having more visual conversations using FaceTime and Google Hangouts, online game nights, and even virtual happy hours. I hosted a Happy Hour on Zoom to celebrate a colleague’s birthday a few days ago. Network latency issues made singing “Happy Birthday” with seven friends hilarious as were completely out of sync! But, we had a good time and it was nice to see each other’s smiling faces and laugh about the absurdity of it all. I would love to hear how you are entertaining yourselves during our shelter-in-place.
If you would like to subscribe to my free monthly wellness newsletter, sign up here. If you’re interested in the Camino de Santiago, check out thecaminoprovides.com.
We’ll get through this together, from a safe distance apart!
Be well.
Laurie
Please let me know if you have wellness events or resources to consider for future newsletters.
Laurie Ferris Yoga & Wellness 
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