September sit & stretch: online chair yoga class

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Humble Warrior provided 9 Mindfulness classes to the City of Sheboygan (Wisconsin) Fire Department and 1 Mindfulness class to the Wisconsin Fire Service Administrative Association (WFSAA) to ensure each shift at the fire station and fire support personnel received wellness training. 

City of Sheboygan Fire Chief Eric M specifically embraced this training to assist his team of professionals to improve their sleep and to enhance their overall health. Participants learned about the three characteristics of mindfulness: awareness, present moment, and acceptance. They also learned about the many benefits of doing yoga and having a mindfulness practice such as lowering blood pressure, reducing chronic pain, relieving stress, and improving sleep hygiene. For the hands-on portion of the training, everyone explored a variety of breathing practices and participated in either an all-levels or chair yoga class. 

We send out a special thank you to Karley C., City of Sheboygan Fire Department's Administrative Coordinator & Supervisor and WFSAA member, for helping us set up the workshop. 

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). Tragically, sexual assault and harassment are systemically present throughout our communities, civilian, military, and first responder. In support of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM), Humble Warrior Wellness & Yoga, Inc. will participate in a community event at Dobbins Air Reserve Base; Marietta, GA on April 3rd. With over 6,290 sexual assault cases reported by the Department of Defense (DoD) in 2020, greater awareness, training, and resources are being provided as an organized campaign. The focus for the event is on the 4 Pillars of Health, which are physical, mental, spiritual, and social pillars. We will be onsite sharing holistic approaches supporting the pillars. 

Humble Warrior also held a "Personal Safety and Threat Mitigation" workshop. Protective Reach's Managing Partner, Dave Durden, provided the training based on his experience as a firearms instructor and 5-time combat veteran. Participants received situational awareness education, hands on training with a water defense spray, as well as instruction and practice with a kubaton and self-defense moves. Due to a generous grant received from Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF), each participant received a personal safety kit upon completing the workshop.

For more information about our partner organization and this event, please visit their website: Protective Reach LLC

 Humble Warrior provided Mindfulness training to the Mitsubishi Electric HVAC Leadership Development Group on June 15th and 16th in Alpharetta, GA. The group, along with their CEO Mark Kuntz, were introduced to the characteristics and benefits of mindfulness. The 45 attendees also practiced a variety of reframing and breathing techniques to bring home the concept. 

The team then rolled up their sleeves and put together care packages for United Military Care, Georgia Military Women, and Humble Warrior--all veteran support organizations--as their 2021 Community Service Project. The amount and variety of items collected for women veterans was outstanding! The group’s 100+ handwritten notes of thanks and appreciation that accompanied the care packages captured the pure goodness of mindfulness! 

Talent Development Manager, Marianne Greenfield, reported that “50% of attendees selected the Humble Warrior Mindfulness session as their golden take away from their entire conference experience.”

We hope you also explore the mindfulness characteristics of being non-judgmental, curious, and kind in order to enjoy some mindfulness benefits such as less stress, improved sleep, and enhanced well-being.  

March is Mindfulness Month! To celebrate and to bring awareness to the practice, we held a Mindfulness Workshop on Zoom. We offered it as a way to connect, breathe, and let go. Keep reading to find out how it went and give it a try for yourself. 

This mindfulness practice brings together gentle movement, focused breathing, and journaling to enhance overall well-being. Intentionally letting go by being mindful is a wellness practice to feel supported and have more freedom and spaciousness in your body, breath, mind...and in turn life. Journaling our thoughts reduces stress and anxiety and helps us learn from our experiences while strengthening our immune system. Please find a comfy chair or seat, something to write with, and a journal if you have one. Let’s get started… 

1. Grounding & Centering: If your legs are crossed, uncross them and press into your feet. Sit tall in a Mountain pose in your chair by lengthening your spine, lifting the crown or top of your head, and drawing your chin in slightly (to lengthen your neck). Then, rest your hands comfortably on your lap. 
2. Seated 5-part Breath: Bring your attention to wherever you feel your breath the strongest: the tip of the nose, the belly, or chest without judgement or manipulation. After a few breaths, inhale and allow your belly to expand and then your chest. On the exhale allow your chest to soften then your belly. Continue this diaphragmatic or belly breathing as you try stretching your inhales and exhales to a count (near) 5. Then, examine your breath for these 5 qualities: deep, smooth, equal (inhale and exhale), continuous, and (generally) quiet. 
3. Gentle Movement: Allow the spine to explore 4 movements: bend, flexion, extension, and twist.
   1. Bend side to side by holding the seat of your chair with the right arm and gently rainbowing the left arm overhead to the right on inhale, returning on the exhale. Then, do the opposite side. 
   2. Seated Cat and Cow pose for gentle flexion and extension of the spine. 
   3. Seated Spinal Twist to the left and right in a gentle manner. 
4. Journal Entry #1:  Think about a behavior or emotion (i.e. guilt, anger, jealousy, gossiping, eating too much, blaming, etc.) you have that you would like to let go. Take a few minutes and journal how your life will be with that behavior or emotion gone. 
5. Letting Go Chair Yoga Sequence: 
   1. Start in seated Mountain Pose.
   2. Set an Intention (perhaps let go, release, or something that speaks to you).
   3. Take a few rounds of belly breathing.
   4. Inhale and sweep your hands overhead bringing your palms together, and exhale bringing your elbows down to your knees with your hands in prayer or clasp your hands under your chair as you hug your thighs. You can include the words “let go” on your inhale, and as you exhale allow your body to feel like you’ve let go of what you journaled. Repeat 5-10 times. 
   5. Return to seated Mountain Pose for a few breaths, then flutter your eyes open. 
6. Journal Entry #2: Journal how this Letting Go Chair Yoga Sequence can help you let go of that emotion or behavior you no longer want to have in your life. 
7. Practical Application: Jolene Hart, author, shares that we can use spring “to pare down in your home and your daily routine. Excess--whether in eating, demands on your time, or possessions--weighs down your body, mind, and spirit.” So take a look around you; where you are right now. Journal what you see that you can get rid of? What is one thing that you can repurpose, recycle, donate or throw away that you would not make you sad, regretful, or upset? That would give you more joy to see it gone. What are you going to do? 

You can use this mindful practice that combines gentle movement, focused breathing, and journaling to enhance your overall well-being. 

References:  Information from the following resources have inspired or been adapted into an integrated mindfulness practice:  “How to Breathe” by Ashley Neese, Eat Pretty Everyday by Jolene Hart, the Himalayan Institute’s identification of the 5 qualities of the breath, gentle yoga by Raquel Durden--500YTT RYT and Humble Warrior Co-Founder and Director, and journaling by Teresa Ramsey--retired English teacher and Humble Warrior Co-Founder and Director.