November/December 2025
Qigong & Mindfulness Newsletter

Dear Friends:  As we make our way toward the ‘holiday season’, whatever form that may take for you and those you love, I want to remind us of the importance of rest and renewal, especially as these late Fall/early Winter days call us toward the Yin energy of darkness.  If we pay attention, we can feel the pull of our bodies to slow their pace, even as our holiday to-do lists multiply and expand.

 

The Center for Action and Contemplation recently shared this message from Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry and critic of the “grind culture” engendered by capitalism, reminding us of our divine right to rest in body and mind:

 

“We are grind culture. Grind culture is our everyday behaviors, expectations, and engagements with each other and the world around us. We have been socialized, manipulated, and indoctrinated by everything in culture to believe the lies of grind culture…We have internalized its teachings and become zombie-like in Spirit and exhausted in body.

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So we push ourselves and each other under the guise of being hyper-productive and efficient. From a very young age we begin the slow process of disconnecting from our bodies’ need to rest and are praised when we work ourselves to exhaustion.

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Rest is as natural as breathing and waking up. Rest is part of our nature. Resting is about getting people back to their truest selves…Rest is anything that slows you down enough to allow your body and mind to connect in the deepest way.

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We must be focused on knowing that our bodies and our worth are not connected to how many things we can check off a list. You can begin to create a “Not-To-Do-List” as you gain the energy to maintain healthy boundaries.

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Our opportunity to rest and reimagine rest is endless. There is always time to rest when we reimagine.”

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Lee Holden, Qigong master and author recently published, “Ready, Set, Slow: How to Improve Your Energy, Health, and Relationships through the Power of Slow”.  Lee writes, “You don’t have time not to slow down. In the face of burnout, lack of passion, and endless to-do lists, what if to achieve more you need to do less?

 

There’s too much at stake not to slow down. By slowing down, you’ll gain time, energy, focus, and clarity.”

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Lee suggests that instead of picking up the not-so-pleasurable energies of stress and anxiety, we can learn to acquire more of the energy we actually want: peace, love, vitality, health, healing, tranquility, connection, and general positivity. Qigong helps us become more skillful working with our vital, life-force energy.

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So  I invite you to join me in entering into the holidays ever more mindfully aware of all the choices we have to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to traditions, opportunities and creative ideas for making the holidays special for those we love.  Listen to your energy and cultivate what your heart desires – it’s sure to result in the best gatherings you can imagine!

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And of course, join us for Qigong each week as a vital part of your self-care routine. 😊

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Blessings on your Holidays and your Health,

Sandy Salvo

 

 "Don't let life diminish you,
Don't allow it to dim your sparkle
Or dull your shine.
Never give up on your journey,
Or hide from your purpose.
Take time out to heal, if need be,
But never retreat inside yourself.
Always believe that there are
much brighter days to follow.
There are places you've yet to explore,
people you've yet to meet,
Love you have yet to experience,
And sunsets you've yet to see.
Don't ever say you've had enough.
The Universe is ever giving
And you are a part of it all.
Open your heart to receive
all that is meant for you.
And give thanks ..
For you are a survivor!.
Quit dwelling on the losses
and the disappointments,
You can overcome the latter
And nothing you have loved
Is ever really lost  ..
Love is eternal.
Always remember that.
Remind yourself of your strengths,
Get back up, stand proud, walk tall.
And never forget who you are
Or why you came .."

C.E.Coombes