Dear All,

As you probably know, classes at The Regent Centre resumed at the beginning of the month. It's been really good to work with some of you live and in person, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing more of you in the near future.

With limits in place on class capacity, November classes filled up pretty quickly. Sign-up for December classes is coming soon (November 10th-ish). Look for instructions on how and when to sign up in your email inbox before then. (Psst: you have to fill out a registration form in order to be included on mailings about classes at the Centre.)

If you don't have immediate plans to come to the Centre, but you want to study with me, or if you're part of classes and you want to do more, Qigong sessions on Zoom are starting tonight, and running every Thursday from 6:30-8pm. Thursday Qigong is always included in your fee at the Regent Centre, but this month, I'm offering the classes for free to anyone who wishes to join. Qigong is always open to new beginners. You can join anytime and attend as many or as few classes as you wish. (If you want to continue online only in December, please contact me for payment details.)

There is something wonderful about practicing in your own space, and learning how to balance the rest of your life with a meditative focus. You improve the quality of your own emotional and physical being when you do Qigong, since the practice brings you into alignment with natural energies. In turn, this transforms the quality of the space around you. Practicing with us online is an excellent way to bridge the gap between class and the rest of your life, since the subtle energy shifts that you bring to your own home last far longer than the duration of the class, and will help you feel supported and uplifted for days to come.

Qigong is ideal for even small spaces. You only need an area about the size of a yoga mat to do it. If you come, wear clothes you can stretch and bend in, and place a hard-backed chair, like a kitchen or dining room chair, nearby.

To join class, use the link below and follow the instructions. If you've joined my Zoom classes before, this is the same link we've always used. If you haven't joined before or you need me to send you the link, email me at smithmk2@gmail.com.

Even if you're not able to make class, I wanted to point you to a documentary I discovered recently, which is an amazing example of the transformative effects of working with natural energies. Over the course of my break, I had some experiences up north that led me to investigating animal communication and tracking. When I came back, I learned about Anna Breytenbach, who works in South Africa to help humans understand animals and their needs. She consults with sanctuaries and rescue organisations to help their resident animals in a way that is quite remarkable. The heart of her practice is simply going into nature and being quiet there. For those of us who were raised to be skeptics and doubt the presence or effectiveness of energy, it's deeply instructive to see the tangible effects of being so clear and present, she can hang out with wild baboons and broker a better relationship between a black leopard and his keeper.

In my practice, I find it very helpful to look at other peoples' experience and expand my concepts of what this world is all about, and where our talents and abilities truly lie. A fundamental truth that I repeatedly encounter is that we're capable of so much more than we think. I find it inspiring and mind-opening to see what other people have discovered (and re-discovered) about what we can do. I hope you find it inspiring too!

Trigger Warning: there are some images of injured baboons between 4 minutes into the documentary and 6 minutes 30 seconds. Nothing gory at all, but you might want to skip those minutes if that type of content is hard for you to watch.

Click here to view the documentary on YouTube.

Have a wonderful day, and if you have any questions or concerns, as always, email me at smithmk2@gmail.com or call (905) 521-0043.

Cheers,
Melissa.