MINDFUL MOMENTS WITH STEFF AND SHARI
February 1st - February 28th
Join VFit trainers Steff and Shari for their fifth round of Mindful Moments. Mindful Moments is a four week meditation journey led by mindfulness experts Steff Gallante and Shari Belmarez. Mindful Moments will run February 1st - February 28th.
“Thank you for doing this. I am feeling more grounded and sitting in silence more.” - Mindful Moments past participant
"The Zoom meetings were really great - I loved the mix of Q&A (which I think helped people feel supported and realize there are common challenges in this journey) and I also like the live practice." - Mindful Moments Past Participant
"I loved the variety too ...having some [meditations] that were journal-focused and others that needed nothing but a seated position and breathing were a good balance. I loved the idea that there was a whole month of videos but that we would "succeed" if we just took a few tools and implemented them in our lives. I feel like I have the tools to go forward." - Previous Mindful Moments Participant
Even though we are in a new calendar year, we are still navigating the turbulent waters caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us may be back in, or still in, a lock down state which can feel as if our world is crashing in on us. We may have friends or family suffering from the COVID-19 virus, and we may have lost a loved one due to this virus. AND, in the midst of all this, our Nation is experiencing upheaval like most of us have never experienced.
Daily life, under “normal” circumstances, is hard to navigate. And frankly none of what we are experiencing is “normal,” causing many of us to feel even more stressed, depressed, and anxious.
Left unattended, these feelings can begin to snowball turning into a chronic condition, resulting in health conditions like anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure, and weakened immune system. It can also contribute to the development of heart disease, depression and obesity. Chronic stress can bring on a feeling of being overloaded, fatigued, or sad and the sources of these feelings can be real or perceived.
One or more of the following situations may apply to you:
Working from home when you never have before.
Living alone, isolated.
Gotten sick.
Not able to see friends/support system.
Home with spouse/partner AND kids (and distance learning!).
Dealing with the loss of a job.
Caring for family members who are sick in your household or far away.
Disappointed/dealing with frustration about things cancelled/missing out on.
Deal with worries about the future.
Wondering what is in store for our nation.
And the list goes on...
And you may be having a difficult time coping!
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
We are here to help. One tried-and-true tool for managing ALL OF THE ABOVE is MINDFULNESS--the act of becoming aware in the present moment. This helps us quiet the chatter in our minds, especially surrounding the things we cannot control or change, and helps us effectively deal with our emotions.
The Mindful Moments Program will open the door to doing just that.
MINDFULNESS is the awareness of WHAT we are doing and WHY, without becoming overwhelmed or reactive.
It is a practice, which means sometimes you’ll get it right and other-times you won’t. The key is to continue coming back to it.
How does mindfulness work?
Practicing mindfulness is adaptable to the individual. No two people’s stressors are the same which means mindfulness practices will vary and that’s a GOOD thing!
The most common forms of mindfulness practice are (and stay with us!): breathing exercises and meditation.
In case you just smirked, rolled your eyes, or said “yeah right, this isn’t for me!”, don’t worry, we’ve been where you are. And some days, we still fight the same battles.
Friends, the only way to bring about calm, focus, peace, or anything else you need in your life is to practice techniques that will actually cultivate what you want.
You can’t do it by scrolling through your phone mindlessly, engaging in excessive or unhealthy behaviors, or wishing for things to be different.
The foundation of creating the space you need to be present in this life and coping the best you can is built by practicing breathing techniques and meditation. The benefits transfer over to your family, your work and your long-term health. So when all this is over, you’ll be fit in your mindset and your healthy practices.
And we promise, it’s not as scary as you might think because you get to set the terms of YOUR practice and we will guide you through.
Over the course of the 28 day "Mindful Moments" program, you will receive:
// 12 live 15-20 minute meditation sessions. There will be three sessions a week and all sessions will be held in Zoom. (No worries if you can’t attend live. Immediately following the live session, a video will be sent out to everyone signed up for mindful moments.)
// A weekly email chock full of information about the techniques and ideas of how to implement it into your day.
// Access to a private FB group where you will be able to interact with your teachers and others joining this exclusive program.
// An optional written reflection to guide you deeper into your inner being.
So whatever your needs might be:
// overcoming the Negative Nancy inside your head
// navigating tough circumstances
// slowing down the frantic pace of life
// improving mental or emotional wellness
// or simply being kinder to yourself
...we are here for you!
Throughout the course of this program, you will learn techniques to assist you, and most importantly, you’ll be able to adjust them to work for you. This practice will meet you where you are on your journey and encourage you to continue on your own through life’s twists and turns.
Beginners will get just enough info to get them started with success. Those with moderate experience will be guided to deepen their practice. Participants who are quite experienced will be supported in taking their practice to the next level.
This session:
- Root to Crown Chakra Meditation - creates harmony in the body, mind, and spirit while unblocking stuck energy, slowing down energy that is spinning out of control, and improving the circulation of good energy
- Finding your Inner Resource - a place that is always with in you
- Titration - learn to move out of area of hurt and pain and into areas of peace and comfort
- Various Breathing Exercises to calm and center your energy
- Yoga Nidra - for deep, relaxing conscious rest & for joy
- And much, much more
28 days of fully guided guidance and support for only $59 (VFit members) or $79 (non-VFit members)
This investment in YOU comes out to less than a daily trip to your favorite coffee shop, less than a daily kombucha (if that’s more your style). Most group meditation sessions cost between $18 and $30 per session.
The best part: you get two certified experts guiding you for the price of one.
Your investment: $59 for VFit Members, $79 for non-members
Registration ends: Thursday, January 28th
** We will need a minimum of 10 participants to sign up in order to run the program. Secure your spot today! **
YOUR MINDFUL MOMENTS TEACHERS
SHARI BELMAREZ
“Yoga is a journey not a destination”
Shari Belmarez is a VFit Studio trainer and co-creator of the Mindful Moments Program.
Shari was a competitive gymnast in grade school and went on to become a competitive twirler in Middle and High School. She attended The University of Texas in Austin, majoring in English and Kinesiology where she began teaching group fitness classes. It wasn’t until several years later that the yoga bug bit, and Shari fell in love with the complexities of yoga and began practicing regularly. In 2014, she decided to add yoga to her list of certifications and has been teaching and practicing ever since. She is a certified yoga therapist with over 1000 hours of credit, an E-RYT 200, and a certified educational provider (Y-CEP).
Shari enjoys practicing and teaching all styles of yoga and holds certifications in Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Meditation, and Children’s yoga.
Shari’s mindfulness journey began authentically, as she herself, has suffered from anxiety and panic attacks from a very young age. Yoga and daily meditation has been the lifesaver that medication could not provide.
When she isn’t teaching or taking classes, Shari enjoys watching her daughters cheer both competitively and for LTHS and watching her son play football, basketball and baseball. Along with her husband and 3 children, Shari enjoys travelling.
STEFF GALLANTE
Steff Gallante is a VFit Studio trainer, co-creator of the Mindful Moments program, and a Mindful Educator who specializes in guiding people to live with purpose.
A large part of Steff's professional work is in educating the effects of mindfulness, yoga, meditation, self-care and fitness in decreasing stress, increasing focus, and boosting success.
As a dancer and athlete throughout her adolescence, Steff was always fascinated by movement, behavior and motivation. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in Kinesiology at Temple University.
Steff has 15 years of experience teaching group fitness classes and has also trained athletes as a Strength & Conditioning Coach and worked one-on-one with clients as a Personal Trainer.
Steff is committed to supporting people on their journey to physical and emotional wellness. She is passionate about leading meditation because of the profound effect it has had on her life.
Through a commitment to practicing breathing and meditation exercises daily, Steff has begun to shed her natural worrying, easily stressed and overwhelmed tendencies for relief, calm, and awareness.
It is thanks to mindfulness techniques Steff leads a confident and vibrant lifestyle and is hard at work to ensure others enjoy the same.
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