Nicole Letendre ‘23

Chief Features Editor 

As the semester picks up speed, it’s hard to find a moment for ourselves—to unwind and briefly put aside the stressors of academics and various other responsibilities. Recently, I had the opportunity to go to one of the various yoga class offerings at the Jo—SlowFlo Yoga from 7:30 a.m.-8:30a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On a Tuesday morning, I was surprised to see about twelve other students attending the class and setting aside that time to start the day off right. Attendees who didn’t bring a yoga mat (including myself), were able to easily grab one from the closet, put their belongings in a side cubby, and find a spot to begin the session. From there, our yoga instructor led a series of yoga poses flowing from one to another, such as downward dog, warrior pose, and child’s pose. Our yoga instructor, Jen, supplemented the physical benefits of yoga with a spiritual component. She talked of a parable where an older man describes, to a young boy, that there is a constant inward battle between two wolves. One wolf represents goodness and kindness, while the other wolf represents negativity and anger. The wolf that wins, according to the man, is the one that is fed. This parable emphasizes the importance of choosing to fuel the best versions of ourselves each day. In that way, yoga helps to center yourself and focus on taking the time to breathe and reflect inward. Frequent attendee of yoga at the Jo, Emily Cournoyer ’23, describes why she enjoys morning yoga: “I love going to yoga at the Jo in the mornings, because there’s always a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere that helps me get a great start to my day. The yoga instructor Jen gives a message for each practice that can be applied outside of yoga. One of my favorite messages so far is ‘to focus on being your best self.’ Yoga is a great way to connect to yourself physically and mentally.” Whether you’re a beginner, or you’ve been to a yoga class a time or two, classes at the Jo are a great way to center yourself and calm your mind. If you’d like to sign up for a yoga class time, log on to MyHC to see available days. Feel free to look into these yoga classes at the Jo: Group Ex Class: DDPYoga Sat./Sun. 10-11a.m. & SlowFlo- Tues./Thurs. 7:30a.m.-8:30a.m.