International Day of Peace

 Did you know September 21 is the International Day of Peace? How will you celebrate?

Today I will record two yoga practices celebrating peace. You can join me for one or both classes! Sign up TODAY at www.pilateswithrandi.com. You will receive the link to watch the classes on Youtube. You will be able to watch the class any time that day!

Tomorrow, on Monday September 21, you will be able to receive the link for my Yoga with QiGong class celebrating peace. We will begin with a QiGong warm-up for all the joints, allowing our movements to follow the rhythm of the breath. This is an easy way to instantly calm the nervous system. From there, we will continue into our yoga practice emphasizing ways to create a calm and peaceful mind and body. If you wish to join me for this class, you will need to sign up BEFORE 12noon on Monday. 

I will also offer a Gentle Yoga class celebrating peace on Thursday, September 24 at 12noon. This class will begin and end with a full body relaxation. In between, we will stretch and move with the breath, emphasizing poses that allow the body to relax and release tension while encouraging the mind to find peace. If you'd like to join me for this class, you need to sign up BEFORE 11:30am on Thursday.

I find peace when I practice yoga, but there are many other ways. You might find peace while reading poetry, walking on the beach or in the forest, kayaking or canoeing on a lake, swinging in a hammock, sitting in church or synagogue, hugging your loved ones, or petting your dog. 

There are a few places where you are unlikely to find peace. Watching the news on TV is rarely peaceful. Arguing about politics doesn't promote peace. Committing a crime will not bring you peace. Teaching your teenager to drive is usually more stressful than peaceful. I'm not suggesting you should avoid all of these practices all the time, but if you're searching for peace you might want to give these things a wide berth! 

If you're hoping to achieve a permanent state of peace, you might end up frustrated and disappointed. Most human beings do not exist in this state 24/7. We're lucky if we can spend even a portion of our daily existence experiencing peace. I try to strive for peace on a daily basis, but I often fall short.

Maybe for just one day, we can all put forth a little more effort. Maybe we can all strive to become a bit more peaceful. Instead of looking for arguments, maybe we can look for agreements. Instead of enflaming a situation, maybe we can calm things down. Instead of emphasizing our differences, maybe we can open our eyes to all that we share in common.

Maybe we can have one day of peace.